he doesn’t know why he’s freaking out. it’s not like he was like this in any other class today. he was perfectly fine during aegyo 101 (albeit, cringy as hell, but fine nonetheless) and he made sure to keep his chill when meeting the few people who attended the opening ceremony. but the moment he sees the ju haknyeon “junju” of per_se in his body percussion workshop as the instructor, he feels all the cool juices in him drain out of his body.
he’s not the best dancer in the world, but he’s good enough to go by the body percussion choreography smoothly. however, he’d be lying if he said that it was all he was focusing on right now. he couldn’t help but stare at the boy as he passes by to check on how each of the groups are doing. he was able to keep his calm and be cool when the co-instructors were walking around, but as he watches haknyeon walk around, he prays that he doesn’t come to him because yeonjun was sure he’d act like a fool.
and a fool he is when he looks back at yeosang (thank god he was in his group) and he tries his best to put on the usual smile he shows to everyone despite the fact that he was absolutely starstruck. “hey, you okay?” he asks with a light smile. he should be asking himself that question, but it’s best to pretend that nothing is happening. “i feel like i’ve been accidentally hitting myself too hard. hope that’s not the case for you!” light laughter.
He posts a lot of either his friends or dancing. He doesn’t always post about himself. He has a highlight section for each of his best friends (and his roommate bc why not?) as well as for both his dancing and for his dance group INBEAT. He isn’t the greatest with keeping up to date with his sns accounts as he prefers to live in the moment (and he also forgets). You will always find posts about his best friends @rksbin, @rkyjun, @rkyoojimin and his roommate @yeosangrk as well as dance related posts on his Instagram.
It had been too long since Sungmin had last seen both Yeosang and Minjun. There was a time when he had once been quite close to both Kang siblings, but as usual with Sungmin, time wasn’t kind to his friendships. He had somehow lost contact with both boys but he often wondered how they were and what they were doing. He had once been so close with Minjun that somehow Yeosang had become like a younger brother to him. Honestly, he missed him.
He had been sitting in a cafe after a long day of training, matcha latte sitting on the table in front of him, with his phone in his hand. He was texting various people and fiddling around with lyrics when suddenly he was distracted by a voice that sounded very familiar. He looked up to see a face had hadn’t seen in so long and he was suddenly brought back to his childhood. Yeosang had barely changed.
it’s a temperate day, so chaewon and her mother are on a stroll in the park. some attempt at mother-daughter bonding. her mother is always suggesting these things on such days, when they’re not hitting the badminton court. it feels a bit forced, but chaewon is still happy to oblige.
as they stroll along, her mother droning along in the background about what so-and-so said at brunch, chaewon watches the others who are out and about. just your typical seoulites. there’s one guy whose face strikes her as familiar. it takes her a moment to place it, though, since it’s someone she hasn’t seen in a few years.
“mom! hang on,” chaewon interrupts, grabbing her mother by the hand and stopping her in place. she rushes over to the guy while kyunghwa hangs back by the edge of the bridge that overlooks the stream. she watches chaewon, amused and curious about her sudden outburst.
chaewon skids to a stop in front of the guy, cheeks turning pink with exertion. “yeosang oppa, is that you?” she asks breathlessly. she hopes she doesn’t have it wrong, but he really does look just like yeosang. one of the other blue-blooded kids that she’d mingled with at her family’s functions. networking was so important, even at a young age, as her mother always said. “i haven’t seen you in for-ev-er! what have you been up to?”
Dongyoon yawns, for him, whatever they’re doing isn’t the most exciting thing, it’s actually rather boring, but because he’s with his boyfriend Bambam it’s still enjoyable. Dongyoon cares about how he looks, he’d never just throw on an outfit (though that’s what he’s been doing a lot lately), but he doesn’t exactly care for fashion and shopping much. Dongyoon has a lot of clothes already so he doesn’t need any more, and Dongyoon’s sure Bambam already has a bunch of clothes, so he’s not sure if he needs more. But though Dongyoon can’t fully see the reason they’re there, he’s with his boyfriend so he’s happy.
But in one second he’s happy and spending time with his boyfriend, in another he’s alone. He’s sure he just blinked, but suddenly he can’t see his boyfriend. It’s not too surprising actually, Dongyoon was sure that at some point they would get lost from each other, Dongyoon often spaced out, and Bambam was too excited about everything. So as his boyfriend was gone, he went out to ask people if they had seen him, to which all answered no. He once again tapped on the shoulder’s in hope they had seen his boyfriend. “Excuse me?” he says with a calm voice, but loud enough for the other to hear.
“Have you seen a male about this tall, with black hair and a white sweater?”
Choi Beomgyu was not expecting anything to come out of the audition for Star Bright. He’d only signed up on a whim and he swore he tanked the interview. He had continued about his life as usual once he had left the interview. He and Yeosang had gone home, eaten dinner, and played with their pet bunnies before going to bed. He had forgotten about it by the time he slept.
That was until he’d received an email from Star Bright. He had ignored it, expecting it to be a rejection, and continued about his day. High school was boring and uneventful as usual and dance practice was what kept him going. By the time he had gotten home, Beomgyu had forgotten about the email (once again). It wasn’t until he was browsing his phone while snacking when he saw the email. He jolted up as soon as he’d read the words in the email. He had made it? He had a callback? How?
He didn’t have long to prepare and Beomgyu wasn’t going to waste any time. He was quick in his song search and it took some time, but he finally found a song he was happy with. It fit him perfectly and he was actually excited to perform it.
The next week or so was spent preparing and rehearsing. TRC was a serious company and Beomgyu had to be serious (for once). It was one step closer to his dancing dreams and that was all that mattered. All he ever wanted was to dance and if TRC was going to grant his wishes, then Beomgyu was going to work hard for it.
He buckled down and really prepared for this callback. He had asked for advice from members of INBEAT and from Yeosang about various moves and expressions. Beomgyu was able to sing and rap but he was only able to showcase two skills and he felt more comfortable singing. The song he chose was upbeat, energetic and fun. It represented him perfectly and he hoped that it was enough to impress TRC.
When it came to d-day, Beomgyu was nervous yet excited. He arrived at the building, signed in, and listened to the instructions given to him. He nodded in understanding and made his way to the waiting area. Sitting down on one of the chairs, Beomgyu’s nerves got the better of him and he could feel his chest tighten and his heartbeat increase. His palms were getting sweaty and he had to remind himself to breathe.
He was so lost in his thoughts that he had almost missed his name being called. Beomgyu took a few seconds to breathe before he stood and followed the staff member to the room. He lingered with his hand hovering over the door handle, wondering if he should just turn around and run away. He let out a long breath and finally opened the door.
Seeing the panel of TRC staff and the cameras made the high schooler seriously regret his decision to attend the callbacks. Still, he smiled and bowed politely before introducing himself.
❝ Hello! My name is Choi Beomgyu and I’m a 17 year old high school student. I want to thank you for this opportunity. ❞ The judges all nodded or made various expressions or gestures in acknowledgement of his greeting before signalling he may begin. Beomgyu nodded and the music began.
I go by the name of Beomgyu
He had cut the song and rearranged the choreography a little to fit into one minute. The first twenty seconds were mostly a dance break and dancing was where he shined. Dancing was Beomgyu. When the dance break finished Beomgyu sang.
Just one
You can’t go on without me
I’m the only one in your mind
Oh baby just one
You try to act like it’s not like that
But all day you spin around me
The dance was energetic and there were big moves and Beomgyu executed them perfectly. Singing while dancing was harder than he thought but he tried his best to sound professional when he sang. His expressions were happy and cute and a little playful to match the feel and the lyrics.
Oh baby just one
Why do you keep tilting tilting tilting tilting you head?
Don’t do that
Oh baby just one
Stop shaking me
Don’t do anything that isn’t this or that
The chorus was fun for Beomgyu and he was enjoying himself as he performed. There were a lot of little moves or repeated moves in the choreography and it hadn’t been easy to learn. He perfected the minute of choreography he was performing and he only hoped his singing was decent enough.
When the song finished and his audition ended he bowed once again and tried to catch his breath as he thanked the staff before leaving the room. He had no idea how well he had done, but he was happy. It had been an experience not many people get and he was thankful to be granted the opportunity.
( ★ ) STAR BRIGHT CASTING AUDITIONS ‘20: INTERVIEW
tw: adoption/mention of adoption
Beomgyu had signed up to the Star Bright auditions on a whim. He really needed to stop doing things on a whim. He wasn’t even sure if he was what they were looking for. Beomgyu was an energetic, bubbly teenager who often lacked focus unless it mattered. Hell, he had almost been late to the interviews today. How was he going to juggle being an idol and a high school student?
Filling out the application form had been a little hard for him considering he didn’t know much about his birth family and he wasn’t sure what he was supposed to write in the ‘family’ section. Of course he had a family now, but they wanted honesty and legal information, right? He decided to be as honest as he could be while he filled out the form.
His silver locks were slightly waved and he had arrived with his roommate. Beomgyu was certain that Yeosang would succeed. The older male was very talented and he was good looking too. They were stupid if they didn’t accept Yeosang. The older male had gone before Beomgyu and had promised to wait for him to finish before they went out to eat.
The longer the wait, the more anxious he got. He wasn’t sure why he was so nervous considering he wasn’t even sure if he wanted to be an idol. All he had ever dreamed about was being able to dance. That was his one dream in life. Ever since he could walk, Beomgyu was dancing, and he knew it was what he wanted to do.
It took a few seconds before Beomgyu responded when his name was called. His body simply wouldn’t move. When he finally entered the room and spied the camera, Beomgyu knew just how serious this was, and there was no turning back now. This was something he couldn’t breeze through. He would need to focus.
Being in front of a camera was still fairly new to him. Sure, he had done a photoshoot and a commercial, but that was it. The rest of the time it’s videos he uploads to Youtube (and most are dance videos). He feels the most confident when he dances so he wouldn’t mind the cameras. Now? He’s suddenly very aware of the camera and those in the room. Beomgyu was told to introduce himself before the interview would begin. He nodded and took in a deep breath before he began.
❝ Hello. My name is Choi Beomgyu. I’m a 17 year old SOPA student with a focus on dancing. I’m a little nervous. ❞ He paused to swallow as he tried to think of what to say but before he could the interviewer spoke.
❝ No need to be nervous, Beomgyu-ssi. So tell me, why do you want to be an idol? ❞
Beomgyu was expecting this question but he was still stumped when it came up. He knew it would be asked considering this was an audition for idol companies but he had yet to work out how he would answer it. He remembered his promise to himself at the beginning of the day: honesty. Beomgyu smiled brightly, his eyes twinkling. ❝ That’s a good question. I’m not sure I want to be an idol exactly. All I know is that I want to dance. I have fun when I perform in front of crowds and I guess I am drawn in by that. I would always watch idols on tv and imagine myself in their position, dancing and singing on stage for the fans. It made me happy. I guess I’m content with any career as long as I can dance. ❞
The interviewer nodded and continued. ❝ You mentioned dancing. Would you say that’s your best skill? What do you need to improve on? ❞
The teenager perked up when dance was mentioned. His smile grew larger as he spoke. ❝ Dancing is more than a skill for me; it’s my life. I can’t imagine myself without dance. It hurts to even think about. ❞ His expression faltered slightly at the thought. ❝ What I need to improve on? Hmm, ❞ he tapped a finger to his lips as he thought. ❝ I guess I would say focusing? I get too excited about things and can get easily distracted unless it’s specifically dance related. ❞
❝ Thank you. Who would you say are your biggest influences? Personal and musically. ❞
❝ That is a good question! I guess I would say my family. They’re extra supportive of me and they always push me to become the best I can be. I wouldn’t be where I am without them. As for my musical influences, I don’t know if I really have any specifically? I can get inspired by anyone. I mean, I enjoy listening to idol groups, especially convex. ❞ He grinned.
❝ I see. ❞ A pause. Perhaps a bit too long for Beomgyu’s liking. ❝ Now, a more personal question: what is the biggest obstacle you’ve had to overcome? ❞
Beomgyu froze for a moment. What was the answer exactly? The only really big thing in his life was when he found out he was adopted. Would that be considered an obstacle? ❝ The only thing I can think of was when I found out I was adopted. I was still young but I was old enough to understand. It.. was a shock at first and I didn’t know how to process it. Now, however, I’ve accepted it and embrace it. ❞ He smiled at the camera.
❝ You mentioned you were adopted. Can you tell me about your family? ❞
Finally, something Beomgyu was excited to answer. His love of his family was never-ending and it showed in the way he spoke about them. ❝ My family? There’s so much I can say. How much time do you have? ❞ He laughed. ❝ My family are the most amazing people in the world, as cliche as that is. I would not be the person I am today without them. They are supportive and encouraging of whatever I want to do. Even though my siblings were all adopted and my parents aren’t my birth parents it doesn’t matter. We are as much a family as if we were blood. Maybe even more so. ❞
The interviewer let out a soft smile. ❝ That’s really nice to hear. Just a few more questions. If you weren’t trying to become an idol, what would you be doing now? ❞
❝ Probably schoolwork. That or dancing in my room or with my dance group. ❞ He scrunched up his face at the thought. His answer was short and simple.
The interviewer perked up. ❝ You mentioned the group in your application. Can you tell me a bit about them and what you do exactly? ❞
Beomgyu grinned as brightly as he could. He adored his INBEAT family almost as much as he adored his actual family. ❝ Sure! Well, inbeat is a mixed gender dance group started by BK hyung in 2016. While we mainly do covers, we have done original choreography as well. We perform weekly in public and upload frequently. Inbeat is my second family. It’s where I can be myself. ❞
❝ Thank you. Last question: what is dance to you? ❞
This was a loaded question and one he could spend hours answering. He perked up at the question, a light in his eyes as he spoke, his grin as big as ever. ❝ Dance to me is, well, me. I’ve been dancing since I could walk. When I dance I become a different person. Someone who is confident and focused. I can express myself through dancing better than I could with words. I feel free when I dance. I feel complete. It’s as if I had been missing a key part of my being, and it was found the moment I first started dancing. I have been able to accomplish so much through dancing and I want to share that with others. I want the rest of the world to see dance the way I do. To love dance the way I do. I know I’m still young but I honestly can’t imagine doing anything else. I don’t want to imagine doing anything else. ❞
Attending a workshop with your roommate was probably the best thing for Beomgyu. Not only could he hang out with the older male he had come to love, but he could have fun. The teenager enjoyed doing things that were fun and exciting. Moving in with Yeosang all those months ago was perhaps one of the best moves of his life thus far.
Turning to his roommate, Beomgyu spoke quietly so not to disturb the teacher. ❝ Yeosang hyung, ❞ he began. ❝ What do you think is the best move for aegyo? Or song? Like, if you had to chose the most cringeworthy thing, what would it be? ❞ He continued to listen to the instructions while he waited for the answer. ❝ Hyung, when it comes up to free time let’s battle. ❞ He smirked.
