Breaking Rules

RULE # 5: NEVER FORGET YOUR LINES

What doesn't destroy you make you stronger

She had no idea anymore of the number of days that they've been practicing.

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday... her schedule was always as follows:

8:00 – 9:00 AM – Morning exercise

9:00 – 9:30 AM – Breakfast (Light)

9:30 – 10:00 AM – Meditation Exercises

10:00 – 10:30 AM – Vocalizations

10:30 – 12:00 AM – Singing exercises

12:00 AM – 1:00 PM – Lunch

1:00 – 2:00 PM – Afternoon nap

2:00 – 3:00 PM – Afternoon exercise (stretching)

3:00 – 5:00 PM – Dance exercises

5:00 – 7:00 PM – Style and Make-up Class

7:00 – 8:00 PM – Dinner

8:00 – 9:00 PM – Individual lessons (specializations)

The routine just changed during weekends when they were allowed to spend time on their own. She and the girls sometimes went to Han River on Saturday mornings and then they'd go directly to their homes and stay there until Sunday night or they'd immediately go home or they'd be extending practice for some of their individual lessons or they'd just go see some of their other friends, who have been noticing how hard they have all been working.

The everyday training was exhausting and she – more often than not – found herself crawling to bed for sleep. There was even a time when she had just collapsed on her mini sofa and dozed off until the next day.

"Please God" she prayed one night "give me more strength. I want to be able to make lots of people happy and I pray most sincerely that you help me and my friends become the best."

It was a prayer she uttered every time she had the chance. She didn't want to fail in this – not ever.

"Dara!!!" their dance instructor shouted "You're spacing out. Come on! Come on!"

She immediately snapped into attention. "Sorry sunbae."

"Well just get back... let's do this again!" the dance instructor stood beside her "Jump – wave! Jump – wave! Bend! Bend! Bend! Step back! Slide! Step back! Slide! Jump! Jump! Jump! Bang!"

"A little more" the dance instructor repeated "Minji's got the beat pat down. Chaerin, Bom, Dara – a little more... and let's begin!"

As they danced to the beat of the instructor's stick, Ji came in (along with his faithful dog Gaho). He sat on one side of the studio, watching them.

Dara noted that he always dropped by – more than all the other Big Bang oppas do. Manager Teddy had explained to them that as BB's leader, he had delegated Ji as their group's main supervisor as well.

"He could handle that" Chaerin had told her, glowing with respect for the sunbae "I want to be like him someday."

"... OK! Very good! Now... you guys have to work on your stage expressions. It doesn't matter how good your routine is if you cannot make the audience feel what they are supposed to feel out of the performance... don't be afraid to smile! Charm the audience! Bring them to their toes!"

Dara was trying not to be distracted by Ji's watchful eye on all of them – she listened with as much attention as she could give to their instructor.