wc; 1.8k
note; english is bold, chinese is italics, korean is normal
a/n; this took me a VERY long time. I hope you guys enjoy it.
ꪻhe sleek black van hummed steadily down the driveway to the planet c complex. the building ahead glittered under the morning sun, sleek glass reflecting the wide steps and the massive red-and-blue planet c logo. inside, the air was charged with nervous energy. only two girls sat in the back: chen huali and liu mingyue.
huali fiddled with the strap of her bag, a small nervous flutter in her chest she tried to ignore. her hoodie was bright blue, slightly oversized, and she tugged it around her shoulders as though it could shield her from the attention waiting outside. she smiled faintly at mingyue, tip of her tongue peeking out in a small, playful gesture.
mingyue’s leg bounced under the seat. “can you believe it? we’re literally the first girls from planet c to arrive. everyone’s eyes are going to be on us,” she whispered, half excited, half panicked.
huali laughed softly, a little breathy, almost nervous, but warm. “they’re going to stare anyway. we just… have to be ourselves.”
mingyue blinked. “you’re actually calm… for now.”
huali shrugged, cheeks pinkening faintly. “i mean… i'm a little nervous,” she admitted quietly, twirling a loose strand of freshly dyed ginger hair around her finger. “but we’ve got this. together.”
mingyue grinned. “together.”
the van doors clicked open, and the staff ushered them forward. huali’s sneakers tapped lightly against the polished concrete, and she felt mingyue’s hand brush hers for a brief second as they walked side by side. a small comforting gesture.
“right this way,” one of the staff called, guiding them through a maze of hallways that smelled faintly of disinfectant and new paint. the cameras followed automatically, though the walls were high enough that the trainees couldn’t yet see the main arena.
huali kept her eyes forward, taking in the clean, minimalist surroundings. there was nothing flashy yet, just sleek doors, buzzing lights, and the quiet hum of a building that had seen countless trainees pass through it. her stomach fluttered again, a little nervous, but she pushed it down with a small grin.
mingyue glanced at her, whispering, “i feel like we’re being led into the lion’s den or something.”
huali laughed softly, the sound melodic and light, slightly teasing. “if it’s a lion’s den, then we better look cute while we’re at it.”
mingyue rolled her eyes but smiled, shaking her head. “you’re ridiculous.”
the staff opened a plain-looking door, and they stepped into the waiting room. the space was simple: two rows of chairs along the walls, a few small tables stacked with bottles of water, and a large monitor mounted on one side. the room smelled faintly of air freshener and something metallic from the building’s ventilation.
huali lowered herself onto a chair, her bag still slung over one shoulder. she swung her legs lightly, her foot tapping a quiet rhythm. mingyue plopped down beside her, leaning forward on her knees, hands clasped tightly together.
huali tilted her head, smiling softly at her. the small flicker of her tongue peeked out, playful and unguarded. “deep breaths,” she said quietly, more to herself than to mingyue, though mingyue smiled at the gesture.
mingyue whispered, “i don’t think i could ever stay this calm. You’re insane.”
huali shrugged, a blush rising faintly on her cheeks. “i’m not calm. i’m… aware.” her voice was light, teasing, but there was honesty behind it. she glanced at the monitor on the wall, her dark eyes sparkling. “also… it’s kinda fun being first.”
mingyue laughed nervously. “fun? more like terrifying.”
they sat side by side, holding hands to push away the nerves that crept up. huali’s foot tapped faster for a moment, betraying her nerves again, but she let it slide. she leaned back, hands on her bag, still smiling, still approachable. a trainee entering the room wouldn’t guess that her stomach was fluttering or that her fingers occasionally twitched in anticipation.
on the monitor, the names of all trainees scrolled by slowly, though huali barely glanced at it. she was more focused on the small details: the hum of the lights, the pattern of the tiles on the floor.
the walls were lined with screens and motivational posters, but one wall in particular caught huali’s attention.
it was covered from floor to ceiling with handwritten notes, encouraging messages, and doodles from past trainees—little bursts of energy frozen in ink. “you can do it!” one read in bold letters. another: “smile, it’s your stage.” the notes were in every language, scrawled with different pens and colors.
huali slowed her pace, eyes scanning each phrase. mingyue paused beside her, tilting her head to read a particularly bubbly note.
“wow… this is cute.” mingyue whispered. “i kinda wanna write something.”
huali’s fingers hovered over a pen tucked into her bag. her chest fluttered slightly. she pulled it out, walked over to a blank space, and knelt just enough to write. her handwriting was neat, deliberate, and playful.
“take a deep breath and smile! hwaiting!”
she stood back and read it aloud softly, a tiny grin tugging at her lips, tip of her tongue peeking ever so slightly. a warmth bloomed in her chest, nerves easing just a little.
mingyue bounced on her toes, grabbing a marker of her own. She wrote in a careful and deliberate manner, “don’t be nervous! enjoy the stage!”
she looked up at huali, whose eyes sparkled with that little playful energy. huali gave her a small nod, a soft smile, and they stepped back together to admire their messages among the colorful wall.
soon , staff appeared again, motioning them forward. the hallway opened up into a wider backstage area. mirrors lined one wall, reflecting trainees stretching, fixing hair, adjusting outfits. voices overlapped: soft chatter, laughter, warm greetings between familiar faces. some trainees were seasoned, having danced and sung professionally before, their presence commanding even in a casual stance.
huali and mingyue followed closely behind the staff, keeping their pace steady. their hearts thumped a little faster. mingyue whispered, “okay… deep breaths.”
huali inhaled slowly. shoulders back. smile gentle but confident. a playful tip of her tongue peeked again.
as they passed, a few of the kpop experienced trainees glanced up, nodding slightly. huali responded with a soft, polite smile, keeping her gaze calm.
then, her eyes caught him.
a boy standing a few feet away, wearing a flowy white shirt and a black choker, was adjusting his hair. his movements were smooth, effortless, yet there was an intensity in the way he scanned the room. huali froze for a moment, a quiet flutter of nerves in her chest. not fear—just curiosity.
he met her gaze briefly. huali gave a slight nod, a tiny greeting.
he returned it with the faintest shy smile, his eyes flicking away to finish what he was doing, but the silent exchange lingered.
mingyue nudged her gently, whispering, “don’t get distracted… first rehearsal. focus.”
huali blinked, a quiet laugh slipping out, almost to herself. “i’m focused,” she murmured, though her gaze lingered on him for just a heartbeat longer before she followed mingyue further backstage.
the room buzzed around them: seasoned trainees stretching, practicing lines, moving with confidence only experience could give. huali and mingyue slipped into the rhythm, quietly taking it all in, a mix of nerves and excitement flowing through both of them.
huali thought ‘this is it. first real step. time to show them who we are.’
meanwhile, the other trainees turned to look at the screen that said
‘all star seats.. belong to the kpop experienced trainees… experienced and amateur, please empty the all star seats now.’ some trainees grumbled in protest but still moved.
the door slowly opened revealing the kpop experienced trainees. they slowly walked in. gasps of envy and mesmerization filled the room. the staff guided the rest of the planet c trainees in, and one by one, the room filled with 87 trainees in total. soon, the k-pop experienced trainees—huali and mingyue included—settled into their seats, the aura of confidence among them noticeable. huali chose an all-star seat, careful not to draw unnecessary attention while still showing her presence, and mingyue slipped in right beside her.
a voice echoed through the room, steady and commanding:
“eighty-seven trainees, welcome to boys2planet. this place burns with passion, ambition, and the drive to be on top.”
the room’s energy shifted as the words sank in. some trainees fidgeted nervously, others straightened with determination. huali’s fingers tapped lightly on her knees, a tiny nervous flutter beneath her poised exterior.
“this time, boys2planet isn’t just one planet,” the voice continued. “there are two. you are on planet c. meanwhile, planet k begins its journey in a separate space.”
the screen at the front flickered, revealing a mirrored room bathed in cool blue light. planet k. trainees waved from their seats, some smiling, some posing playfully. planet c waved back, excitement buzzing among the newcomers.
huali leaned slightly toward mingyue, whispering, “looks like they’re going to merge the planets eventually.”
mingyue shrugged, smiling softly. “maybe. either way… we just focus on today.”
“only the trainees who survive to the end will reach the top and achieve their dream of debut,” the voice continued, dramatic and heavy.
gasps and whispers ran through the room, the stakes hitting everyone at once. huali let out a small, amused laugh under her breath, her fingers brushing her bag strap. dramatic much? she thought, though the tiniest flutter of nerves remained, sharpening her focus.
the lights brightened, signaling the next reveal: the masters of boys2planet.
huali and mingyue rose slightly, along with the other k-pop experienced trainees, excitement bubbling under their professional composure.
mingyue’s eyes sparkled. "i’m literally fangirling inside,” she whispered.
huali giggled softly, fists brought lightly to her mouth. “She’s… so pretty,” she murmured, tip of her tongue teasing just slightly.
“vocal master, one star.”
huali tilted her head. she didn’t recognize him immediately, but the calm professionalism in his presence made her curious.
“dance master, baek kooyoung.”
huali’s eyes flicked, recognition sparking faintly. she’d heard of him before—a name in the circles she’d trained in.
recognition bloomed in both huali and mingyue. jrick. of course.
“dance master, xiaoting.”
the room erupted into noise. trainees whispered, gasped, some cheering quietly.
“oh my god, it’s THE xiaoting, lili!” mingyue squealed, lightly slapping huali’s thigh.
“okay, okay! stop! that actually hurts!” huali laughed, moving just slightly away.
huali’s voice was soft, teasing: “wow… mister swag himself.”
“and finally, chief master, kim jaejoong.”
mingyue froze slightly, eyes wide. “kim jaejoong? “wait… he’s our chief master?”
huali smiled faintly, chest fluttering just enough to feel alive. “looks like we’re in for quite a ride,” she said softly.
the masters introduced the class evaluation test, explaining again that trainees who failed to earn even one star would be terminated and forced to leave immediately. panic rippled through the room—wide-eyed stares, whispered prayers, hands gripping chairs—but huali let herself stay composed, a playful glint in her eyes.
the announcer’s voice cut through:
“the class test now begins.”
huali adjusted her hoodie, took a steady breath, and smiled—tip of her tongue teasing ever so slightly. you can do it, she told herself. today wasn’t just another rehearsal. this was the start of everything.
a/n: wow finally finished this chapter!
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