It’s the morning after the information came out. You either saw it yourself or someone else showed it to you—it’s been all over the internet now. Once you arrive for your regular schedule, a staff member is waiting for you outside. He rushes you in and helps you dodge the questions thrown at you by the few paparazzi who had been waiting for any announcements.
You’re automatically taken upstairs to where only the offices are found. You go inside as soon as you arrive. It’s a small meeting room. Sitting inside is your CEO, Baek Jiyoung, and two men. “Please, take a seat,” Jiyoung says. Once you do so, she stops tapping her finger against the table and shifts on her seat.
“You’ve probably already seen the news. If not, the word is out that you’re dating.” She motions towards one of the men beside her who then slides a cellphone in your direction. The screen shows the original post showing the given information. “We reviewed the proof, and it’s even more than they usually give. It’s usually something ridiculous, or only a few pictures. This is a whole case, Sua.” Jiyoung shakes her head. Her tone isn’t angry but disappointed. “You probably know him, here,” she motions now to the other man between you who gives you a nod. “He’s one of the dance coaches at Sphere, and he has some things to say.”
The coach swallows and pushes his chair closer to the table. “After spending enough time with the trainees, you start noticing when someone’s into each other. Whenever you pass by each other… it’s obvious.” Jiyoung continues from her seat at the end of the table. “Thank you. Getting attracted to someone is easy, right? But to date, in your situation, is both brave and incredibly stupid. Haven’t you worked hard to make your way here? Don’t you think about your future?” Before she can lose herself, Jiyoung stops for a moment and pushes a strand of hair behind her ear.
“First, you’re going on an SNS ban. Don’t post anything for a month, especially not about this. Secondly, you won’t be removed from my company– not yet, anyway. I don’t know what it is like in TRC, but I want to give you a second chance. Don’t leave this room hoping for a third chance, as you won’t get one. We’ll expect more from you. The coaches won’t leave your side, and they’ll make sure that your time spent here is spent training, and not daydreaming about our artists.”
“Lastly, you’ll break up.”
If you’d like to fight about it, she raises a hand to let her proceed. “He’ll be arriving soon, and I’ll tell him to do the same with you. We’ll tell the press it was all a lie, and we’ll move on, but your relationship ends here. This could have been the end of both yours and his career, Sua.” There’s a small pause. “I’m disappointed in you.”
The air is tense in the room, and no one else seems to want to say a thing.
“Do you have anything to say for yourself?”
baek jiyoung sounds more like a disappointed mother than an angry boss, and for that reason, sua accepts the lecture. the last thing on her mind was ever disappointing her - there’s a lot of things that she could say, and there’s a lot of things she’s thinking. things along the lines of, what a fucking load of shit and i didn’t realize i was working for a bunch of cowards. but baek jiyoung is a disappointed mother, and sua hasn’t had a mother in a very long time. how else can she reply but accept the scolding like a child shamed?
she swallows her words with a blank expression - because ever since the news came out, sua hasn’t quite been herself. ( it’s almost like watching a movie play a scene; like sua is someone else.
but then the bomb drops, and it’s called break up. )
that’s when sua wakes up.
by the time that baek jiyoung finishes speaking and allows her to, it seems like she’s already decided how this is going to go. sua isn’t going to take it lying down. she hears the words do you have anything to say for yourself and in between the child shamed and the angry rebellion, she settles on something in between. her voice is level when she speaks up, for the first time since she stepped into the office.
she let the ceo lecture her. she let her nervous dance coach say his anxious piece, but sua is different. she won’t lecture and she’s not nervous. she’s not scared of this at all. “ i do, actually.” i have a lot to say. sua wonders if it’s clear that they’re going to be here for awhile, because this isn’t going to be an easy conversation. this isn’t going to be a sob story and i’m so sorry please keep me sajangnim, either. it’s going to be the truth, and it’s going to be what baek jiyoung needs to hear.
after all, a disappointed mother deserves that much.
“ i want to start off by saying that i’m not someone who wears my heart on my sleeve. i think that was very clear in the mgas, when people said i wasn’t funny - that i wasn’t someone who should be on my team, because i couldn’t make people laugh. that means i’m not like hyun. it’s hard for him to hide his emotions on his face. it’s a lot different for me.” here, she takes a second to throw a glance at her nervous coach, sighs a little, and continues. “ hyun and i actually broke up once, before i was even signed to trc. that’s the reason i was actually signed in the first place, so that means i started off my career as a trainee single.”
“ we wanted to try again regardless. because we love each other, and that’s what people who love each other do.” she pauses, and keeps her eyes locked with baek jiyoung’s. “ by now, we’ve dated for two years, which means that he broke his contract for me. of course i would do the same for him. but because i’m not someone who wears my heart on my sleeve and he is, it was hard at first. i had to keep reminding him to be more subtle - because i haven’t had a problem being subtle. that’s not a problem for me.” sua tosses her hair back out of her eyes before she continues, “ i fully suspected that you brought me to sphere because you knew about us, sajangnim. but the months went by and i never heard a thing from you, or from my coaches saying otherwise. i’m not sure if you were turning a blind eye to it, or if you actually didn’t know. but if you didn’t, that means we’ve gotten a lot better at hiding. it’s true too, if the evidence they provided is anything to go by.”
sua sucks in a breath through her teeth, but her expression is carefully neutral as she speaks. “ i’m not sure if you think i have the right to negotiate with you, but i do want to point some things out and try.” she relaxes in her chair, fingers knitting together as she works on how to word the things that she wants to - without rudeness, without bitterness. it’s not as difficult as she thinks it would be. “ you’ve called this my dream, and i suppose you can say that. but i wouldn’t be standing here today as a person striving to be an idol without hyun. in the end, he’s the one that pushes me to be better, and to do better - in the end, somewhere along the line, he became a dream, too - ever since i met him for the first time when i was fourteen. it’s a story that he doesn’t remember, but i do because he made that much of an impact on me then, and he still pushes me to do better now. he’s a dream that i intend to keep.”
“ you said it yourself, sajangnim, but i’ll say it in my own words: i’ve worked my ass off to get here. clearly you’ve seen it, or else you wouldn’t have said it - so why, because of this, am i being accused of daydreaming instead of working? i’ve always came to training on time, every day - even on days when i didn’t want to. even on days especially at trc where i was questioning whether or not i wanted to be in this industry, because i really just don’t like how dirty it can be. but i’ve persevered anyway, and i’ve worked hard for it.” here, she pulls her gaze away from the ceo to look at her coach, as if she’s speaking to him: “ i’ve never heard complaints from the coaches. not once.” she pauses, biting the inside of her cheek. it’s something like betrayal, or tastes like it when she tastes blood on her tongue.
“ if i’ve not been up to your standards, this isn’t all on me. no one ever told me i wasn’t doing my best because i know i’ve been doing my best, and more. if i heard a critique, i would have changed it because i’m not the kind of person to swallow it lazily. i’m someone who works to undo that perception.” sua sighs, swallows - this is the first time she’s talked so much at once in such a long time, but it’s for something important. it’s for something worth fighting for. “ i know that i’m lacking, especially in vocals. but it’s not to the point that any critique i’ve gotten has been because of daydreaming, or laziness. it’s been because of technique which i’ve still been working to learn.”
“ in sphere, you’ve given us the freedom of time in our schedules; you’ve given us freedom when it comes to our creative interests. but when it comes to how we choose to use that time, when it comes to the freedom of being happy - suddenly it’s as if the company thinks we don’t know how to act. the industry itself expects us to be robotic creatures, but we’re human. and i think, of all the companies, sphere has the ability to recognize humanity more than anyone else. that’s what an industry leader is meant to be.” sua pauses, pursing her lips as she thinks. “ sometimes, being a leader means taking risks. having faith in your artists might be hard, but you won’t ever know unless you let them prove themselves. as a company, sphere might have happier artists, and more willing artists, if you let them choose happiness. more people would be willing to work for you.”
“ i know i would. if you think that i’ll be working harder after a breakup that you’ve forced on me, you’re mistaken. energy depletes quicker when you’re sad, you have less drive to do anything than you would were you happier, or at the very least, content. i understand that this is a disappointment to you, sajangnim.” sua pauses, and a glimmer of apology does cross her features, but it’s back to being carefully neutral in but a moment. “ but people won’t get anywhere if they’re crushed.”
“ i want to be someone in this industry who tells people to stand up for what they believe in, and that it’s okay to do so. i think that starts here. and i want to continue being this person in sphere; i want to be someone people look up to. i don’t want to bow my head and be afraid - i’ve faced a lot of things far more scary than someone telling the world that i love someone else. it doesn’t scare me, and i want to show you that it shouldn’t scare you either. i want to change this world.” there’s no begging in her voice, nothing to say that sua is pleading with her ceo. instead, she’s simply trying to convey her thoughts - as an employee, and hopefully, as an equal. “ so i’m asking you to let me prove myself. to let hyun prove himself, and let us prove to you together that we can have two dreams instead of just one.”
sua licks her bottom lip, knowing that this is coming close to the end - the worst that baek jiyoung could do is say no, right? but if that’s the case, then sua’s not really sure this is the place she wants to be - she’s not sure if anywhere is right for her, anymore, if someone won’t let her play on an even playing field. “ i don’t mind if you take my sns away. you can work me until i drop, or until i break. whatever you see fit, i will prove to you that i am an adult, and can handle two dreams. i don’t expect you to let me go public with hyun. i don’t care if it’s in secret, but i won’t be breaking up with him.” she pauses. “ it’s his choice if he wants to do so. but i can’t, and i won’t do that to him again. but if you give me a chance - ” here, she looks determined, fiery - more like herself. “ whatever it is you expect from me, i’ll achieve it and more. because i want to be someone who stands up for what they believe in, in this industry and out of it. and if i don’t, i won’t be me anymore so i - .. hope you understand.”
The man waits, anticipating your explanation, and then when it comes, he leans back, looking up at the ceiling, arms crossed over his chest. He almost whistles, in complete disbelief. “Wow,” he utters, looking back at you again now. “Come on now, get up,” he urges you. After a moment, he speaks again: “I hope she’s worth it, Barom-ssi.”
He doesn’t say anything else. Instead, he turns his attention to the papers on his desk, turning a few pages, then grabbing a pen. He signs on one of the lines, then pushes the paperwork across the desk toward you. “Signing here indicates you understand the terms we’re parting under, and will nullify your contract with us immediately. You’ll be free to go home right away and spend as much time as you want with that girlfriend of yours, and we’ll handle the media and the effects this has on Convex.”
In case you aren’t sure, he takes a moment to explain: “You didn’t cooperate, so this, unfortunately, is the course of action we must take. We all wanted differently, Baek Jiyoung included, but if you insist on keeping the girl’s identity a secret, we have to part ways here.”
Could there have been any other answer? Was there an option that doesn’t chance either of their positions if they were both allowed to stay in their groups once he gave a name? There isn’t, not with complete certainty and he can bet his own life away. He has on a few occasions, but he can’t do that with Seungah. He’s bet on enough with her, confessing that night on the beach knowing that it could’ve been the end of everything between them. Years down the line, they’ve been together for this long when he didn’t think they would get together one day in the first place. He could hope but he couldn’t know, not without considering her own fears and insecurities. Everything she’s worked hard to deal with up til today. He could see it all being wiped away like that no matter what route he took.
If he said her name, she could be punished, stripped of her title as leader or given less lines and that’s stage death as a main vocal. If he didn’t, she’d blame herself and that he can prepare for, that he can convince her is worth it because it’s her. That, he’s sure he can bring her back from. Anything else, he’s not too sure he’d be enough.
Standing and following the directions he’s given, he realizes this: it seems they were prepared for this to go either way as well and he knows he’s expandable in that sense. He knows he’s let her down and he wishes he could say he could do it without regret but as important as Baek Jiyoung had been to him in this stage of his life, as much as he respects her even now, she can’t exceed Seungah in his eyes. “I’m deeply sorry, sir. Thank you for your honesty and your courtesy.”
Because this could’ve been worse, could’ve taken a more severe turn, but he thinks this way is more unsettling, his nerves on edge, his stomach lurching, and his heart sinking when he thinks of moving out of the dorm and not having a better explanation for the members. “Please let everyone know I wanted differently too but… I cannot choose something I love over someone I love.” He doesn’t say it but he hopes that one day companies understand being in love, being in a relationship doesn’t mean you can’t perform well; doesn’t mean that you’re not as dedicated and loyal, but that you have another reason to be the best person you can be. One day. Until then, he knows she is worth it. If only he could tell her what happened as easily as he comes to this decision.
[ When Rome signs the paper, he will leave the company, effective immediately upon rejection. He will lose all debut points and will not be able to take any trainee workshops or earn any more debut points/workshop points until he becomes a trainee again. Should he become a trainee at a new company, he will be considered a junior trainee all over again, even though he already debuted once before. He WILL have the right to audition for Sphere again, but the fact that his contract was terminated WILL be taken into account in final casting decisions.
Even if Rome does not sign the contract termination in his response, he will still be forced to leave the company, and Sphere staff will work with him until he signs the necessary paperwork. ]
You receive a call in the middle of the afternoon and the voice on the other end should be one you already know by now. “Good afternoon, Jeon Jeongguk.” It’s the same woman who scouted you back in Lotto and followed you through your journey. “I speak in the name of SPHERE, and, after long consideration, we decided to offer you a contract under our company.” She makes a short pause to make sure you’re still paying attention before proceeding. “If you’re interested please stop by the SPHERE building in Itaewon until the 19th to officially sign as a trainee. I hope to hear again from you soon.”
he’s curled up in bed with yoongi when he gets the call, groaning as he reaches over the other male to grab his phone from the bedside table. jeongguk answers the phone and draws it to his ear without even checking the caller id. “hello?” it’s only a few moments before he’s detangling himself from his boyfriend and shooting straight up, free hand reaching down to grasp yoongi’s tightly as he listens.
“oh, thank you so much,” he says before the call ends. his phone gets tossed to the floor, jeongguk staring at his lap in disbelief before turning to yoongi and laying back down with him. he’s got this big grin on his face as he leans in to kiss the older male. “i made it, yoongi! holy shit. they’re offering me a contract–” jeongguk wraps his arms around him and presses his forehead to yoongi’s, pressing another soft kiss to his lips and smiling as he pulls away.
“we both made it, finally.”
( OOC: Congratulations on being offered a contract! Everything you need to know regarding the trainee life can be found here. If you have additional questions, feel free to send asks to the rkevent blog or Mod Mira on tumblr (@rkyebin)/twitter (@allevicte) or Mod Bianca on tumblr (@rkseungjoon)/twitter (@luvseungjoon)!
If your muse chooses to accept the offer, feel free to hop over to their new company’s blog and sign the contract. The choice is entirely yours to make, so think carefully before reaching a decision! You have until November 19th both IC and OOC. )
As soon as the casting notice is posted on the morning of the 20th, the news spreads like wildfire around the company. The whispers of “Baek Jiyoung CEO is debuting a new group!” spreads from one person to another, trainees and coaches alike, until there’s barely a soul who hasn’t heard what Sphere Entertainment plans to do before lunch break ends. Rumors abound about the concept, quickly exaggerated and easily argued over, until Park Heungsoo, one of the company’s vocal coaches, calls for attention in the middle of the bustling cafeteria. Once the room is quiet, he informs the group that all male trainees are to be called out by their trainers individually beginning after the lunch period. “Attendance for these meetings are mandatory,” he emphasizes loudly. “As they concern your future with the company, I advise you not to be late.”
True to the vocal trainer’s words, one of Sphere’s dance coaches, Lee Suhyun, calls you to her office several hours later. Seated behind her desk, Suhyun greets you by name when you arrive and offers up a warm smile. “As you might’ve already heard, our delightful CEO intends to put together a new idol group. Luckily for you, you’ve already caught her eye as a possible member for it.” The trainer reaches for a paper on her desk which happens to be your company profile. She reads over the listed information with a critical eye before switching her attention back to you. “My question to you, Yixing, is whether you’re interested in this opportunity and, if you are, where it is that you see yourself positioned in this group. Main dancer? Or perhaps as a lead vocalist, or even as a rapper? Maybe even the leader?” Suhyun places the paper aside, staring at you intently. “If you are interested in being in this group, know that I will immediately arrange to place you in a special training regimen to prepare you for the demands of this group. This may mean singing lessons if you are lacking in that, or even dance lessons if I also want you to improve in that area.” Leaning back against her chair, Suhyun nods towards the door. “Think over this proposition carefully and get back to me with an answer by the end of the week. You may go.”
he’d have to be outrageously oblivious to not know what’s going on by now but yixing feels confused from head to toe. a new group? male or female? not until he’s led all the way to the notice does he realize what’s going on and everything feels like a blur. questions fill the air around him until they’re suffocating him. he has no answers to give, no words to say yet. he’s shaken by his shoulders for attention but he’s not in control. he’s lost his voice until the trainer in charge of helping them hone theirs makes an announcement. mandatory meetings, yixing wants to ask where he thinks any of them are going once they’re inside sphere. they’re here. they’ve been here and yixing realizes park heungsoo-seonsaengnim has a point. yixing hasn’t been there in weeks, not properly and not at all times.
she’s his favorite dance coach, because she doesn’t let yixing slack off but she’s kind. there’s a feeling of genuine concern behind her scolding words when she has to resort to those. it’s a mother’s touch, he recognizes it, but naming it means too much to yixing. he can recognize the picture on the corner of the page she takes into her hand. he’d recognize his own picture anywhere and he would normally joke about how handsome he looks. my passport picture looks good too, wanna see? in person, he’s a portrait of a lost soul consumed by his thoughts, by questions of if he should be sitting there, being told he’s already being considered for the group. it wasn’t that long ago that he signed his contract, about a month or two short of a year.
yixing’s a master of convincing himself he doesn’t deserve something when it seems too good to be true. it starts with his friends and it ends now, when it comes to his career. he has more to offer. he has a lot to offer, doesn’t he? it’s why he jumped on a plane to audition for a performing arts high school years ago with no money in his pocket and the chance of being stranded if he didn’t make it in the end. he made the move there with the same thoughts and he hasn’t gone back to beijing since, hasn’t hugged his nainai in person since. if he lets himself miss out now, what has he been doing here?
“i’m interested.” it’s the question of what he sees himself as that is difficult to answer. “i want it all,” there’s a spark of his cheekiness hidden behind the shroud of sadness and confusion he’s clinging to since may. “you probably don’t want to hear my rapping right now but whatever baek jiyoung thinks i’m good for. whatever is believed to be best for me, that i can be the best at for this company… i want it.” she didn’t want an answer now but once he starts, he can’t stop. he thinks of it as the final protest before a wedding vow, speak now or forever hold your peace. maybe it’s practice for the real thing, or maybe because he knows he wouldn’t be able to do it for the princess if the arrangement had gotten that far, he chooses the battle he can.
he doesn’t know what he’s suited for. that’s why he’s there. since he was a young kid moving from changsha to beijing and then beijing to seoul, he’s been looking for people who believe in him. they’re who keep him motivated to continue, to be that person. yixing felt like he already gave her an answer but he knows he needs a formal one by the end of the week. what he didn’t know is that he would get into an accident the next day. what he didn’t know is that the talents he feels like he has would be rendered useless because of it. a fractured wrist, a sprained ankle, and now he’s damaged goods in a high-paced industry. the turn-over rate is faster than he can keep up with and he thinks the offer is no longer extended to him.
he made too many mistakes.
since the first time he was waiting to find out his audition results, since he asked jennie out, yixing hasn’t felt this nervous. a sense of dread settles in his bones and he can’t keep still, pacing outside lee suhyun’s office. with a deep sigh, he holds up a hand to knock but he can’t bring himself to. for minutes, he’s biding his time until he has to walk in and he’s still not ready when she comes around the corner, catching him in the middle of a failed escape. his arm is in a cast and he’s forcing himself to limp instead of using the crutch rested against the wall.
“do i still have a chance? because i want this, i really do.”
You receive a call from Sphere Entertainment: “Hello, Ms. Joo. We were quite impressed with your photoshoot for The Samsung C&T Fashion Division’s casting process, and we’d like to offer you a contract with Sphere Entertainment. Can you visit the office this week?”
Like any average day, Minhee answered the unknown phone number then replied in formal greeting not knowing who it was until the voice began to speak. The female eyes widen began to widen in confusion somewhat shock she already knew that she did not win the contest and proud of her unnie getting one the prizes. Was this prank call or something??? She tried to muster up some words as was not sure on how to reply as felt too unreal.
“I-I…Uh…wait..Is this real? I mean, of course. I would love to come visit the office this week. Thank you very much for opportunity and I look forward to this chance and I’m sorry that I sound little tongue tied at moment. I’ll make arrangements to come to office tomorrow, is that okay? I need moment to get things order. Once again, thank you and thank you very much. Have nice day and evening…”
Once the call ended, she stood there in complete utter silence in the middle of the kitchen at the family restaurant just looking stunned at the mobile, her parents looked at their daughter in worry like something bad just happened. Is this really happening?? Why on earth does Sphere Entertainment wish to offer her contract?? This is completely insane. Is this really happening to her? Why would they want someone like her? She is just pretty face and not very talented at all unlike Jieun unnie.
“Minhee-ah? Are you okay sweetie?” The mother asked worriedly placing her hand on the shoulder, tilting her head looking at the child curiously. The daughter cleared her throat turning to her dear mother before parting her lips, “I-I that’s sphere..they want me to visit the office this week…wanting to offer me a contract..me…a contract…like actual contract..” The mother looked so proud quickly spend the news to her father getting all celebrating happy their child meanwhile Minhee still in shock and her mind turns to think about how life changing this would be. Inside her mind, she began to write list of pros & cons about this. There were many pros about this situation but there is one con, her lips muttered “Simon..” she knew that would have end if she wanted to pursue this new career path.
The female put on bright smile as seem her parents seem more excited than herself even mother called up to arrange family meal because she had big news to share. Later on in the evening, Minhee grabbed her phone to start texting the news to childhood friends and new ones too about what call she just had. Simon already invited to the family meal so she can share the news in person and talk about what they were going to do about that situation too. She knew in all contracts there was dating ban but there is always that cost to pay for sure and she knew Jieun would have plan on how to deal with that situation too because Minsoo & Jieun relationship status. There so many mixed feelings on this situation, is this what she really wants to do? or not?
Evening arrived, it seem all the family came around for mother group meal, she is pretty sure they were all here for her mother cooking mainly as seem completely aware not really care on what the big news that she had to say. The brothers were up to their usual tricks threatening to beat each other while Sangmin being very protective of her wife who was due to give birth any day now. Minhee couldn’t help smile seeing her family all together again even cousin Mino & her aunt & uncle appeared at this family meeting. It was crazy on how fast mama arrange this so quickly, she probably had to shout food for get the family running to come over.
Finally, Simon was last guest to arrived for the family feast, placing himself next to her while Mino was on the other side. It was really nice to see everyone eating together passing the food from one to other laughing joking sharing what been happening in their lives. These moments make her cherish her family even more and appreciate the closest. She was completely lost in thought until her big brother Dongwook broke her train of thought, “Minhee! Earth Minhee! Piglet! Yah! I said what have you been doing with your time?? I haven’t seen you, don’t tell me you hanging out with this kid all this time?” He said before playfully glaring at Simon before grinning cheekily at the kid in teasing manner. “Tch, leave him alone…You are big bully…I have been doing things…like working at the restaurant and well…I went to my first photoshoot for modelling gig with Samsung…and…I going to sphere entertainment tomorrow as they called today asking me to come to their office…” she mumbled the last part feeling actually somewhat flustered about this news making it feel more real.
Everyone seem to looking at her not sure what she said as mumbled it but the two next to her heard it perfectly clear. Simon expression look like a mixture of proud and complete shock, Misook ( minhee mother ) took the chance to announce it louder to everyone to explain what happened. Everyone start celebrate this good news, once everyone too busy drinking eating, Minhee slipped away taking Simon to her old room in the house so they could talk about what it meant for them. Before she even got the chance to say anything, Simon started to say “I know I asked you to be my girlfriend, but if we need to not be ‘dating’ and just seeing each other, with our hearts devoted to only each other so you can follow through with this, I’ll stay by your side.” She couldn’t believe what he was saying yet made her life so much easier with the decision, Minhee’s lip curved into bright smile taking in a deep breath as listen to his sweet words. “You gave way for me and my job. It wouldn’t be fair if I didn’t do the same for you.” The words he spoke were true and she did really want to do this, this would be perfect life changing thing she would need to pursue her goal of becoming a person who can change the world for better maybe she could use the idol platform for good use.
“Ok! I’ll do my best! I’ll work my hardest and make you and others all so proud. I’ll make sure Sphere won’t regret making this call..but what if they meet me in the office and don’t want me no more?? Anything can happen, y’know” she said as thought about the negative parts on what could happened tomorrow. Simon took her hand and kissed the back of it, before pulling gently to kiss her lovingly, then pulled back to rest his forehead against hers, “Just be your amazing self and you’ll do fine. Have fun. If you worry too much about making mistakes, then you’ll make mistakes. Where’s that beautiful woman that I loved and sang her heart out on the streets on me?” The words sooth her soul feeling her worries just melt away making her heart leap for joy. “Right in front of you silly, Ok. I’ll relax stay in my happy place and just be myself.” She announced proudly with full confidence.
The rest of the evening just flew by, every just laugh joke full of merriment before everyone headed home and Minhee decided to stay in her old room instead heading back to the apartment. She wanted sleep in her old bedroom, her mother kept it clean always the same just in case when Minhee came home to visit them she could always sleep there if need be. Not even Dongwook allowed to be come in here which is quiet amusing and has deal with this small room. The daughter help clean up after the dinner before getting kiss on head before heading off to her bedroom for good long rest preparing for tomorrow which could be the beginning of whole new chapter in her life.
The morning came around, the female headed out after having some nice home breakfast and good luck wishes from her parents. Minhee took a deep breath making sure she well dressed like she heading out to some interview and ready to present herself to the people at sphere. The buliding loomed over her as looked up at it feeling her hand was shaking with nerves yet fire in her stomach. She took a deep breath before taking each other closer to the door with every step she took, her heartbeat quicken literally feeling like it was coming out of her chest like one of those alien things.
Minhee presented herself at the main desk of the building with a bright smile greeting the employee first before saying, “Hello, I’m Joo Minhee. I had call from sphere asking me to come to office. I have id on me to prove who i am and also my cv. I wasn’t quite sure what to bring but I brought the usual things I would take to interview. I am sorry for talking so much, I am feeling very nervous right now.”
You’re pulled aside by a TRC staff member early in your day, right after you finish breakfast. The reason behind this is unclear, but you’re led down Seocho’s hallways to an unfamiliar office, where a man sits. “Hello, Bora-ssi,” he greets you, despite you never seeing him before. “I’m a representative of Samsung Entertainment. I’m involved in the relations between all five companies under Samsung,” he explains, and he pauses for a moment, either to let you process it or to decide how to word what comes next. “There’s a deal we’d like to offer you. Lately, Sphere Entertainment has been on the search for new female trainees, and they’d like you to join them. Tiger JK agreed that this would be beneficial to you after a long talk with Sphere’s CEO. Should you choose to accept this offer, your contract will be transferred to Sphere Entertainment, effective immediately. You can start training as a Sphere trainee as early as tomorrow, but if you need some time to decide, by all means.”
when she’s pulled aside by a staff member, immediately her suspicions go through the roof. a puzzled expression mars her visage, but she says nothing about the situation - just crosses her arms and follows the trc staffer as she’s expected to do. follow orders, always obey - it’s an unfortunate mess that she’s gotten herself into here at trc. perhaps it’s part of the reason why she feels so caged in, wanting more but always stifled to the point of suffocating.
as she walks, she thinks. maybe they’re planning on ripping up her contract? that’d be nice, but then she would have wasted all this time for nothing. they hadn’t found out about her and hyun, have they? the further they walk, the longer the halls seem and the more her suspicions grow. each of her ideas for this meeting only grow more wild than the next, but in the end, it always comes down to this: either trc wants to get rid of her, or someone has found out something about her and hyun.
sua has gotten a long way on her instinct alone, but the news that they break to her is .. definitely not what she’s expecting. the suspicion only further makes her tense - what, exactly, had she done to catch the eye of sphere entertainment? she’s done nothing remarkable in trc, even she knows that much. the idea that perhaps, they want to move her because of her relationship with hyun persists but she knows better than to ask that flat out to a representative of samsung.
all she’s sure of, is that if they’re actually looking for new female trainees ( and not just saying that to keep her mouth shut about hyun ) then something must have happened to their golden girls. luna and eve? was that their names? sua can’t help the frown that pulls down her lips, the furrowed brow and the suspicion that still lingers in the back of her mind.
“ beneficial ...” it’s the first and only word that sua speaks, her brow raising quizzically at the samsung rep before her. if her own ceo thinks this is a good idea for her, something really must be happening behind the scenes. it’s just frustrating that she’s just not sure what that is. sitting back in her chair, she tries to think of pros and cons. the fact that she doesn’t know what the reason for all this is a major con. leaving heejin? that would be a major con. ( what would the younger girl say when she finds out that she’s leaving? )
but maybe sphere has more opportunity for her than trc does. maybe she’ll feel less stifled, maybe she’ll be able to spread her wings. they’ve always been known as a company well versed in expressing creativity. ( she wonders what hyun will think, when she tells him. ) the potential for opportunity is just too pretty to pass up. “ if you say so. let’s give it a try.”
if this only ends with less air to breathe, then she’ll be the one to rip up her contract first.
OOC NOTE: This is a special opportunity to transfer your contract to a different company. Feel free to answer this prompt with Bora’s response. If this offer is accepted, Bora will no longer be a TRC trainee and will begin training under Sphere, effective immediately. Should she choose to reject this offer, she will remain a TRC trainee. She will have up to one week to make her decision IC, meaning that if she does not make a decision by the end of OCTOBER 31st, she will automatically remain a trainee under TRC.
A Sphere staff member interrupts your rehearsals early in the morning, pulling you aside. She leads you down familiar hallways until you arrive at an office. She guides you to a chair in front of the desk, then takes her leave. After you wait for a couple minutes, a man enters, displeasure clear on his face. He takes a seat, his eyes boring into you, hands clasped on his desk for a long moment before he finally speaks: “So, Yu Barom, we’ve received some information, and we at Sphere are not happy. That information is that you are dating someone. Is it true?” The way he says it indicates he’s already made up his mind that it is. “Who is it?” he asks, gaze still intense, not breaking eye contact with you for a moment. “Do you think our trust in you is a joke, Barom-ssi?”
Something’s off. Rehearsals interrupted and it’s jarring to walk down this hallway again. He knows it, could walk down it blindfolded [anyone could, it’s a straight enough line if you’re not drunk but he stands by his point], but the reason why doesn’t connect with him. He bows his head when someone enters the room but when the man uses his full name, his full Korean name, is a staggering blow and he forces himself to seem attentive instead of surprised. Information? What information? Dating. What kind of information could they have for this to come up? What did he do? Was it what he posts? What he says? Did he open his mouth too much in front of the wrong person? But he wears his heart on his sleeve and anyone with half a brain back in the day could tell who he was in love with. When they ask who, that’s his only hope and he clings to it. “What do you mean who?”
What if this is a test? A way to find out who’s dating and who’s not, who will crack and who will stay strong? The next question unsettles him more than he thought. If he yelled, if he got angry, he’d feel better. He’d know how to deal with it but facing disappointment with a question about trust reminds him of how little he’s felt since he found out why his father didn’t want to hold him much as a kid. Is he supposed to answer that? How does he answer it? There’s no right answer, not for this. “Sphere has showed a lot of trust and faith in me and I think highly of Sphere and our CEO.”
“Don’t play dumb with me, Barom-ssi. I already made myself perfectly clear,” the man spits, face still twisted in displeasure, and perhaps even more disappointment now that he’s heard your response. “You didn’t deny it, which would be the clear response if it wasn’t true, so I can only assume it is. You don’t expect me to believe you aren’t dating after that post on Instagram, do you?” It’s a rhetorical question, and he clearly expects you to know exactly what he’s talking about.
He snorts in disbelief, then shakes his head. “Yes, you’ve certainly showed how highly you think of this company with your behavior and by going against a very simple rule of your contract in dating. Baek Jiyoung is not happy, and neither are we. I’ll ask you one more time Barom-ssi, who are you dating? This is your final chance to defend yourself, and make it good. Your fate in this company hangs in the balance, and I have express permission to terminate your contract should you not comply.”
The tone is one he’s familiar with. It could be a complete stranger and he’d recognize it. The staff member in front of him already knows the answer, already knows he’s dating someone and a sigh of relief threatens to break through when he feels certain Sphere doesn’t know who. His post on Instagram? Brows furrowing, he tries to think back to it, what he’d said, and truth be told, he thinks he’s said worse on other posts, older posts, but he doesn’t want to open that to discussion too. He doesn’t want Sphere to dig deeper into his Instagram and Twitter to find traces he didn’t delete it. bits and pieces he wanted to hold onto of his girlfriend now that he can’t easily talk to her publicly. “No, sir.”
He’d faced this before, the disappointment, the annoyance, and the stern order. If he closes his eyes, he could pretend he’s still the fourteen year old kid kneeling in front of his father asking for permission to attending a performing arts high school even though his mother gave him the clear, enrolled him, and his backpack was surprisingly already fixed up for the first day. If he closes his eyes, he remembers the arguing he could hear from the other room and how close he came to giving up each time he heard it start up again. With his eyes closed, he can imagine he’s holding the university acceptance letter again just before he tore it up.
[His mother told him only last year that it was a copy because she didn’t trust her son not to let her take a picture first. Curse of having a photographer for a mother, she wants to capture everything.]
This time, he feels like his contract is what’s in front of him. He doesn’t know how to explain himself without outing or giving more hints as to who he’s dating. If he says it’s been years, go back far enough and it’s obvious who he’s known for years in Seoul. Look closer and it’s obvious to tell that he’s shown his love for her in as many small ways as he can without being caught. At least, he tried until now. “You don’t know her.”
Because he truly believes that. No one knows her the way he does. How it feels when she sleeps in his arms, how her entire face will light up over the simplest things and he falls in love again the way he did the first time he saw her smile and heard her laugh. Part of him wonders if their CEO is too upset with him to speak to him herself. It’d make sense and it makes what he says next more difficult to swallow. “I don’t want to lie to you but I can’t give you a name.”
He can’t bring her into this, not after everything else she’s been going through. Member changes, ugly comments online, being apart in the first place. For being caught, it was his own fault; his own excitement and nostalgia after being sent the picture that made him post it like an idiot. “I’m sorry, sir. I am, but I wouldn’t be able to live with telling you. Please pass my apology on to Baek Jiyoung-sajangnim.” To everyone.
With a vague idea where this could go, what this could mean, and he’s shaking as he kneels down, bowing his head completely down to the floor and he bites his tongue, clenches his eyes, knowing that he can’t let anyone else be at risk if Sphere wants to go this far. Their CEO is known as one of the kindest, what would So Jisub do if he found out?
