Before she knew it they were already inside the second building of Genesis. The boys were there. They looked like they haven't slept enough but their countenances were bright.
"We'll drive you home right after, Lee Soyoung-ssi." Suho tried to assure her when they entered the audition area.
He led her to the seat beside Sehun. Chanyeol went in a different direction.
"Soyoung-Noona, Kyungsoo-Hyung made kimbap for breakfast, we brought some for you." Sehun was wearing polo, whitewashed pants, and slippers. He clearly hasn't taken a bath yet but he smelled pleasant even from afar. He was famous for smelling like baby powder, and the rumors weren't groundless.
"Good morning, Noona!" Kai excitedly greeted her.
"Annyeonghaseyo, Lee Soyoung-ssi," Kyungsoo also welcomed her, his heart-shaped lips forming a warm smile.
"Good morning." She greeted back.
"Here. Have some." Kyungsoo rolled his sleeves up and handed her a box.
"Kamsahamnida." She replied while accepting the kimbap with both of her hands. It looked appetizing but she was not in the mood to eat. "I'll eat it for lunch." She added.
Kyungsoo fixed his eyeglasses. "Ok. Put it in your bag so you can have it later," he said in his low, deep voice.
"Thank you." She tried to smile at him. It felt good that he wasn't asking questions.
There were no signs of Senchuan or help anywhere.
"Why exactly am I here?" She already has a suspicion of what was about to happen but she wanted to make sure. "And why are you guys here?"
"Didn't Chanyeol tell you? He arranged an audition for you." Minseok blinked twice in surprise then his brows met.
His face was fresh with his hair down.
Their stares lingered on each other for about two seconds before Soyoung broke it off.
"I wasn't able to read his messages. I turn off my phone whenever I'm at work." She replied, looking at the floor.
She wanted to disappear right there and then.
This isn't the first time she got in trouble for turning off her personal phone during work. But Senchuan was always quick to amend it since the Lees would contact him next if they can't get hold of her. It wasn't the case with Chanyeol.
"I never said I wanted an audition." Her voice was so low it was almost a whisper.
She wanted to refuse the arrangement but remembering how Chanyeol sounded in the car, she shook her head.
This is why she has constantly reverted away from any form of a new relationship except that of her family.
"He said maybe you just really weren't given the opportunity that's why you aren't in the industry yet." Kai chuckled then his smile became a bit warm. "That maybe you just needed a push?"
"Ne, he constantly said Genesis is missing out on something big because it hasn't discovered you yet. It would be an understatement if I'd say Chanyeol-Hyung was about to lose his mind when he couldn't find you," Sehun added.
"I hope you won't misunderstand, Lee Soyoung-ssi. I don't think Chanyeol-a meant any harm. He just doesn't know how to stop at anything to get what he wants. But he's a good guy." Kyungsoo tried to assure her. "If you really don't want to do this, I can talk to him."
They all looked back when they heard footsteps. It was Chanyeol with an assistant.
"Chanyeol-a, is it true that Soyoung-ssi did not want to audition?" Kyungsoo looked at him, his stare reprimanding.
Chanyeol stopped and looked at everyone almost with resignation. "Apparently, she has not read my messages about it."
He walked towards Soyoung, knelt down in front of her, and looked her straight in the eyes. "Soyoung-ssi, I know I didn't properly ask for your permission and I might've been out of line but I couldn't sleep properly for days wondering why no one knew about you or your talent. I searched videos on the internet trying to see if you were singing somewhere or what. There wasn't anything. The connection you had with the song, your talent... it was consuming. It was like, the song was a part of you. I... couldn't let something as rare as that go to waste." He paused while thinking of what to say next.
"Let's put it this way, just think that you're on the rooftop. That you're singing during your break. Don't think of this as an audition. We're only here to watch and listen. No matter what, you'll do good." Chanyeol's eyes were full of sincerity when he spoke, but flashes of the image that she had of him bothered her again.
She felt a cold shot rise to her throat.
She looked away from him to distract herself from the thoughts. For a moment, she couldn't think.
"Noona, I would also love to hear you sing." There wasn't any hint of childishness in Sehun's voice.
Kai has his gaze fixed on her with an uncertain look on his face, wondering what really was bothering her.
"We'll be listening well," Minseok met her eyes with assurance.
"Soyoung-ssi, if your voice is as great as Chanyeol thinks it is, I think it is just right that at least some people hear it. Give it a shot." Kyungsoo looked her directly in the eye as well.
She heaved a sigh. She has resolved to be unknown.
But now this. Her head ached.
As if reading her mind, Suho said, "We're the only ones here. It'll be fine, Lee Soyoung-ssi."
She tried to think rationally but she couldn't find any reason to reject the audition without putting the boys in a difficult position with the screeners.
She decided she'll just ask Senchuan to handle everything after this.
"Ok." She answered.
"Alright!" Sehun, Kai, Kyungsoo, Chnayeol and Minseok were happy to hear her answer. Even Suho had a smile of relief. Baekhyun on the other hand seemed indifferent.
Chanyeol took the dresses from the assistant and showed them to her. "We have 30 minutes before the screeners arrive. Which one would you like to use, Lee Soyoung-ssi?" He asked.
"Aniyo. Kwaenchanayo. I'll go on these clothes."
The clothes she's referring to was another set of oversized hoodie, sneakers, and leggings.
"Are you sure? The red one would look good on you." Baekhyun, who has been silent till now, spoke.
"I'm ok. I'm here to sing anyway." She answered.
She pulled down her hoodie and ran her fingers on her hair. She hasn't combed it since the operation.
"Your hair is perfect, Noona," Sehun said while letting his eyes wander on her hair and face.
In her peripheral vision, she saw Minseok's sharp reaction but he immediately averted his gaze and focused on his phone again.
Kai took out a small comb. "Noona, can I?" He asked while holding it.
"No, it's fine. My fingers will do the trick." Soyoung answered.
Kai lifted his hand higher. "Aniyo. Your hair will be smoother with a comb. I'll do it." He pulled down her hoodie and her hair tie before she could protest again.
"Kai!" Chanyeol blurted out.
"I..." Soyoung tried to snatch the comb from Kai.
"Kwaenchanayo. A dongsaeng can do this, right, Noona?" Kai insisted.
"Give it to her, Jongin-a. You're making her feel uncomfortable," Kyungsoo instructed him.
"Ne, she might be uncomfortable, Jongin-i," Minseok seconded.
"Am I making you feel uncomfortable, Noona?" Kai asked with the inner corners of his brows curved up.
"Ah. Aniyo, kwaenchanayo," Soyoung replied. "Who would be able to say no to this kid?" was the thought she had when he saw his puppy eyes.
"Ya. What girl doesn't have a comb, Lee Soyoung-ssi?" Suho asked. It was more of a question to himself than to her.
The members chuckled.
She sat still. Kai slowly combed her hair making sure there was no frizz. "Noona, your hair is so soft. Did you take a shower before coming here? It smells really good too."
Everyone gawked at him. 'Ya Kim Jongin!" Suho, Chanyeol, and Kyungsoo shouted together.
"Eung." She nodded at Kai, ignoring the reaction of the other boys. She never liked anyone touching her hair but it indeed felt like a younger brother was taking care of her. It was warm and comforting.
Kai parted her hair to the right and swept it to her right shoulder. "Is this good now?" He asked the members.
"Make it a clear 3/4 parting," Baekhyun said flatly.
The younger did as he was told.
"Done," Kai happily exclaimed after the finishing touches.
Suho, Chanyeol, Kyungsoo, and Baekhyun checked how she looked once again.
Soyoung looked down and involuntarily scratched her cheek. The stares made her feel so awkward.
"She's beautiful, but I think the red dress would've made her prettier," Baekhyun said.
"She's perfect," Suho said in a low voice.
Chanyeol, Kyungsoo, and Minseok just stared at her.
There was something about her, something not overpowering, something subtle, that leaves one stunned and lost for words. When she didn't smile, she looked extremely mysterious but when she did, she was all warmth and delicateness.
"Good job, Kim Kai." Sehun patted Kai's shoulder. "You're very beautiful, Noona." His eyes, unlike the others', were sparkling like a child's.
"Komawoyo." She answered flatly but she felt blood rushing to her cheeks.
She turned to Chanyeol. "Park Chanyeol-ssi, what do I need to prepare?"
There were three steps in the audition process of Genesis. First was the online audition, the second was the live audition, after which is the recording. Once it passes the talent management team, it goes to President Park then she gives the final approval for the batch.
He took a document from one of the chairs and sat next to her. "Fill out this form. Prepare one English pop song and one Korean song. Can you think of anything?" She could smell his minty breath when he leaned toward her.
If he noticed her startled reaction, he didn't show it.
She nodded at his question after composing herself. She'll just get it over and done with.
_
"She ready, Chanyeol-a?" They heard the voice of Kim Mi Ran as she entered the audition area along with two other screeners. "This better be good, boy."
They all stood up and bowed to the group.
"Keureomyo, Seonsaengnim." Chanyeol gave the screeners a wink after bowing to them. "You won't regret this," he answered confidently.
"Ok. Let her do the screen test first. Kim Ji-hwan you may start." Kim Mi Ran ordered as soon as she sat.
The cameraman motioned Soyoung to the leftmost side of the area where the screen test was always taken.
Ji-Hwan stopped adjusting his camera. "Are you not wearing any make-up, Lee Soyoung-ssi?" He asked.
"No, I'm not." She answered as she stood straight against the wall for the shoot.
He tilted his head and his brows met.
"Ok. Let's start." He signalled.
Ji-Hwan kept clicking the shutter button the moment he started. All of her angles were good. She followed Ji-Hwan's instructions and he kept shouting "Great" in every shot he took. For the last shot, he asked her to smile showing all of her teeth. She felt ridiculous while doing it but Ji-Hwan looked ecstatic.
"Her face came out in the pictures and video exactly like how she looks in person." Ji-hwan was looking at the camera shots like masterpieces while showing them to the screeners.
After checking, the screeners tried to look at her clearly. It'll be hard to believe this was the girl in the hoodie.
"She's a breath of fresh air." One of the screeners remarked.
"Ne. Her overall features are obviously that of an East Asian, but you wouldn't see that face anywhere else." The screener on the left side turned to Kim Mi Ran with his hands on the air, as if asking for an explanation.
"Ooooh. This girl is to fall for." Another screener said.
"And all of that is natural? The whole of South Korea will go crazy once they see her," The screener from the right side commented.
"How could she become even more attractive the more you look at her?" The second screener added.
"Let's hope she's talented too." Kim Mi Ran answered without showing much of an interest. "Ok. Lee Soyoung-ssi, you may now go to the stage." She called out.
The members' eyes followed Soyoung as she went to the center of the stage.
"Let's start with the English song. You may sing a stanza and the chorus. We'll tell you when to stop." The screener from the left side gave her the instructions.
Silence filled the whole place. All eyes were on her as they eagerly waited to hear her sing.
A few seconds more, the song started playing. This was a very special song to her. It was like the anthem of her life.
"You're broken down and tired
Of living life on a merry go round
And you can't find the fighter
But I see it in you so we gonna walk it out
Move mountains
We gonna walk it out
Move mountains
And I'll rise up
I'll rise like the day
I'll rise up
I'll rise unafraid
I'll rise up
And I'll do it a thousand times again
Everyone got goosebumps as she continued singing.
********
The song was Rise Up by Morissette Amon. 🥰
Suho:
응 (Eung)
- Informal: Yeah/Yes.
그럼요 (Keureomyo)
- Standard: Of course.
Thank you for reading! ☁️