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“Mom, I want to go too.”

“You have to go to the company to practice that day.”

“Ah, I don’t wanna!”

“If you don’t want to then what are you going to do?”

“I don’t know, please just let me go.”

“Just bear with it. Instead, Mom’ll take lots of photos of Doa and bring them back.”

“Ah, so annoying, haaaaaa~”

The day after tomorrow is my Doa’s elementary school entrance ceremony.
To think I won’t be there for such a moment…

As I became downcast, Doa came over to comfort me.

“Unni, I’m okay!”

I hugged Doa and said,

“Your Unni is not okay… I’m sure everyone will flock to Doa after seeing her…”

I myself have been confessed to by elementary school kids countless times.
Unlike me, who is resolute, Doa is tenderhearted and might not be able to refuse…

“Doa, even if boys cling to you, you should say you’ll live with Unni for the rest of your life, okay?”

“No.”

“Huh…?”

I can’t believe the word no came out of Doa’s mouth.
Before, she used to always say she understood whatever I said…
Is Doa all grown up now?

“Why..? Didn’t Doa promise to live with her Unni forever!”

“Unni doesn’t play with me much these days.”

“Is it because Unni doesn’t play with you? Then should I quit being a trainee? Doa is the most important thing to me. I can’t live without Doa. Sob, sob.”

Mom, who was listening, couldn’t stand it anymore and gave me a smack on the forehead.

“Ouch! Why did you hit me again!”

“What do you mean, quitting? Stop whining and get ready for bed quickly. Don’t you have a monthly evaluation tomorrow?”

“I don’t know… sob, sob…”

Monthly evaluations, well whatever, Doa is the most important…

“Doa, how about we sleep together tonight…?”

“If I sleep with you, you’ll keep hugging me. It’s uncomfortable, I don’t like it.”

“I’ll just hold your hand and sleep…”

“No, I’ll sleep alone.”

Doa said this and went to the bathroom to wash up.

My Doa is already at the age where she’s becoming independent…

That night, I searched for things like ‘8-year-old independence,’ ‘8-year-old puberty,’ ‘child wanting to do things alone,’ etc., on my phone and I ended up falling asleep late.

.
.
.

The next day at the company building.

“Unni, I’m here…”

“Dohee~”

Wooa Unni throws herself at me and hugs me again.

“Unni, you’re a middle school student now, so stop hugging me.”

“No, I’ll keep hugging you even when I’m an adult.”

Since I kept accepting her, now Unni hugs me whenever she’s bored.
I wonder if Doa found it bothersome when I kept hugging her?
I miss you Doa…
How cute will Doa be introducing herself on the entrance ceremony day?

Seeing me so gloomy, Wooa Unni asked me,

“Why do you seem so down today?”

“The entrance ceremony for my younger sister is tomorrow, but I have to go to work…”

“Oh, your little sister is starting elementary school now?”

“Yeah. Sigh…”

I miss you Doa…
I don’t want to do anything…

“Just ask the Team Leader if you can attend the entrance ceremony and then go to work.”

“But, being absent for personal reasons…”

Especially since I’m getting paid to do this, it feels inappropriate.
Wooa Unni might not understand.

“If you do well on the monthly evaluation, then you can ask.”

“Okay.”

“Alright, if you don’t do well, you won’t be able to ask. So let’s hurry up and practice.”

.
.
.

After practicing all day, it was time for the monthly evaluation.

Cameras were set up on both sides, and in front were the vocal teacher, the choreography teacher, Team Leader Jeong Sohyun, and finally, the CEO were sitting as judges.

The song that Wooa Unni and I had prepared was originally a mixed dance song typically sung by a man and a woman.
The CEO began to speak.

“How old are you two?”

“I’m 12 years old.” “I’m 14!”

“The song doesn’t seem right for your ages. Who’s doing the male part and who’s doing the female part?”

“I’m doing the male part, and my Unni is doing the female part.”

“Is that so? Start whenever you’re ready.”

When the MR started playing, my Unni and I began dancing and singing.
The highlight of this song is the sexy appeal of seducing each other.
I put on my best seductive expression as I performed on stage.
After the song ended.
The judges’ expressions didn’t seem negative, so I guess we did okay.

Vocal trainer Kwon Hyuk spoke first.

“Dohee and Wooa, your skills have improved a lot.”

““Thank you!””

“You did well overall. But both of you tend to strain your voices when dancing and singing, and your expressions get distorted. Will you do that on stage too?”

“No.”

“I told you that live performance is fundamental for singers, right? Saying it’s hard because of dancing is just an excuse. It’s something you can fix. You got that?”

““Yes!””

Next was Choreography Teacher Moon Yerim.

“Overall, it was good, for a trainee.”

““Thank you!””

“Especially Dohee, you danced the masculine part well, and your expressions were also good.”

“Yes!”

“But Dohee, how tall are you now?”

“I’m 152.9 centimeters!”

In one year, I grew a whopping 10 centimeters taller.

“Have you ever seen a man on stage who is shorter than the woman?”

“No.”

“Then why did Dohee take the male role? Wooa is taller than you, right? Will it be like that on stage too?”

“I’m sorry. I told my Unni that I wanted to do the male role.”

“Dohee, I know you’re good at dancing the male part, but you should consider the monthly evaluation as a stage and act accordingly. Get your act together.”

“Yes.”

“Switch parts and get evaluated again next time.”

“”Understood!””

Now it was Team Leader Jeong Sohyun’s turn.

“Kids.”

““Yes!””

“Do you know we’re going to be selecting new trainees this year?”

““We know.””

“Do you think the new trainees coming in will be worse than you kids?”

““No.””

“Be wary. The reason you seem good now is because you kids have no one to compare to.”

“”Yes.””

“Especially Wooa, you’re 14, two years older than Dohee. You should be better. Fourteen years old is not that young for a trainee.”

“Yes…”

“Dohee, you could do better than this.”

“Yes…”

“If I didn’t have expectations for you kids, I wouldn’t even be saying this, you know?”

“”Yes!””

Finally, it was the CEO’s turn.
This is the most nerve-wracking part.

“It seems like everything has been said, so I evaluate you kids any further.”

““Yes.””

“But just one thing—don’t think that because you’re currently the only trainees in our company, you’ll automatically debut. Our company is going to bring in more trainees soon, and those with no potential for development will have their contracts terminated immediately and we’ll kick them out without hesitation. You kids need to work harder too. Understand?”

““Yes.””

“Alright. The performance was compelling. Both of your skills have definitely improved a lot.”

“”Thank you!””

Phew, I’m glad the last comment ended on a positive note.
Since I did well, maybe I’ll be able to go see Doa’s entrance ceremony?

After the evaluation ended, I cleaned the practice room and wrote in my practice log, then I went to Team Leader Jeong Sohyun and said to her,

“Team Leader!”

“Oh, what?”

The team leader responded indifferently while watching the video of today’s monthly evaluation.

“Excuse me, by any chance can I… come to work after lunch tomorrow?”

“What’s the reason?”

“It’s my little sister’s entrance ceremony, heehee… I’ll work hard after I come back!”

“Okay, go ahead.”

The teacher continued to respond indifferently.

“Really?”

“Well, Wooa will be coming in late tomorrow too because of her middle school entrance ceremony, so you can go and come back to have lessons together with her”

“Thank you, Team Leader!”

I bowed at a ninety-degree angle.
Only then did the Team Leader smile at me as if finding me cute.

The Team Leader might be a bit indifferent, but she takes good care of us.

I left the company and called Mom.

“Mom, when are you coming?”

– Oh, right. I forgot because I was thinking about the clothes I’ll be wearing for Doa’s entrance ceremony. –

“… How could you do this to your daughter? It’s hurtful to my feelings.”

– You’re twelve now, so you’re old enough to take the bus today. –

“Aren’t you worried that your delicate daughter might be in danger on the streets at night?”

– Delicate? It’s just ten bus stops away. Just follow the main road when you walk~ I’m hanging up now! –

Mom only said what she wanted and hung up the phone.
I mean, I’m a female elementary student.
Especially since I’m a top-tier cute girl.
Even though it’s safe in Seoul, it’s still something to be worried about.

I ended up taking the bus home alone.
When I got home and entered, Dad welcomed me back.

“My daughter’s back? Aren’t you tired?”

I answered while taking off my shoes.

“A little bit. So, where’s the bad Mom and Doa?”

Mom came out of the room.

“Here comes the bad Mom.”

“You can definitely tell by her looks that she is the bad Mom who breaks promises as easily as eating.”

“Hmph, you wouldn’t say that if you saw Doa would you?”

“No matter how pretty Doa is, the bad Mom remains the bad Mom.”

“Just take a look. Doa, come out~ Unni’s here~”

Doa came out of the room wearing a tweed dress layered with a turtleneck shirt and a black ribbon tied in her hair.
So ******* cute.

“Unni!”

Doa ran and hugged me.

“Wow, my Doa looks like a princess for the new school year?”

“Yeah, Mom picked it out for me.”

Even though Doa used to find it bothersome when she was younger, she has grown to like it when Mom and I pick out her clothes.
I told Mom while hugging Doa in my arms.

“Okay, I’ll admit it just this once. There won’t be a next time.”

“Okay. Thank you!”

“Oh, and I’m going to Doa’s entrance ceremony tomorrow.”

“What about tomorrow’s lesson?”

“Team Leader gave me permission. Thanks to the praise during my monthly evaluation.”

“That’s a shame. Mom was having fun teasing you.”

“As expected, a bad Mom never changes.”

“I wish the rude daughter who talks back to her Mom would disappear.”

Finally, Doa spoke up.

“Mom and Unni are both so childish.”

“No, Doa. It’s Mom who’s childish, Unni is only twelve years old, you know?”

“What are you talking about, twelve is old enough to be grown up.”

“Only until I’m thirty-seven will I stop.”

“Oppa, did you hear that? Dohee is teasing Mom for being thirty-seven years old!”

Mom said hugging Dad.

“Both of you please stop it, it’s embarrassing to watch coupled with Doa here.”

“Dad, are you embarrassed by me?”
“Oppa, are you embarrassed by me?”

“It’s not that I am embarrassed…”

“Sigh… I’ll have to say that later at an award ceremony when I become a celebrity.”

I imagined myself on stage at an award ceremony, holding the microphone and shedding tears, saying.

“My beloved father is ashamed of me as a celebrity. That’s why he doesn’t call me his daughter in public… Now, I hope he’ll be proud of me seeing the award I received today… sniff, sniff”

Mom also chimed in.

“Ah, my poor daughter, come here, Mommy will hug you.”

“Yes!”

I went to Mom and hugged her.

“Mom is so proud of you, more than anyone in the world.”

“I’m also happy to be Mom’s daughter…”

Dad looked at the two of us and sighed while hugging Doa.

“I wonder who took after whom to become like this.”

“Unni and Mom are embarrassing.”

It’s kind of hurtful to hear something like that from Doa.