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It’s already September.
Before summer vacation, I was stuck in a routine of school and going to the company for work. During summer vacation, I participated in a piano competition and spent my days following a set schedule from 10 a.m., and time flew by.
Also the Top East Entertainment public audition, which started in July, finished its third round of auditions two weeks ago. Last week, they finally announced the final successful candidates.
There were five candidates in total.
Four of them signed trainee contracts and started working at the company starting from today.”

“I wonder who will come~ How old are they? They must be pretty, right?”

Unni, whose head is like a flower garden, doesn’t seem to think of them as competitors.

“They’ll probably come with Team Leader-nim soon. Let’s just wait quietly.”

“Still, I can’t help but be excited. It’s been a year and a half since anyone joined after Dohee came.”

“In the end, they’re competitors, Unni. You should worry a bit.”

“Sob… Dohee, you’re so cold.”

“That’s reality. This is the first time new trainees are coming, and there will be a constant stream from now on.”

“Still, I’m confident I can debut with you, Dohee! Lately, even the teachers have been praising us a lot lately.”

“The newcomers might be better than you.”

“Sob…”

Of course, both Unni and I have improved our skills a lot.
Since we were the only trainees, we had almost one-on-one lessons, making it impossible for us not to improve.

Not long after we started talking about the new trainees, Team Leader Jeong entered the choreography practice room with four young-looking girls.

“”Hello, Team Leader-nim!””

“Yes, Hello. These are the new trainees who will practice with you from now on.”

Since it was their first day, they all came with makeup on.
Unni and I greeted the new trainees.

“”Hello~””

Team Leader-nim spoke to the girls standing beside her.

“Let’s have the newbies introduce themselves first. Starting with the youngest, Boyeon.”

“Yes! Hello, I am Heo Boyeon, fourteen years old. Please take care of me!”

The youngest of the new trainees is the same age as Wooa Unni.
It seems I am indeed quite young.

“Alright, next.”

“Hello, I’m Kim Seoyoon, fifteen years old. I came from Busan because I want to be an idol! I will do my best”

Busan?
Busan isn’t that way too far away.

I asked.

“Then how will you commute to the company?”

Team Leader-nim answered.

“Seoyoon will live in the trainee dorm provided by the company. All trainees who live far will stay in a group dormitory. If you guys find it difficult to commute, let me know.”

Since they are now holding global auditions and accepting foreign trainees, it makes sense to have a dorm for trainees.

“Next, Daye.”

“Yes! Hello! I’m Han Daye, fifteen years old. I applied because I wanted to be an idol after watching Pastel Love Sunbae-nim’s performance. I will do my best!”

“Alright. Lastly, Naeun.”

“Hello, I’m Kim Naeun, seventeen years old. Please take care of me.”

Despite being 17 years old which is a bit old for a new trainee, I can tell why she passed the audition.
Her visuals are unrivaled compared to the others.
Of course the people who just introduced themselves are pretty as trainees but if those are ranked B to C, then this girl would definitely be an A rank.
Of course, I consider myself an S rank.
Puhaha.

“Okay, now Dohee and Wooa, introduce yourselves.”

“Yes.” “Okay~”

“Hello, I’m Lee Dohee, twelve years old. I’ve been a trainee for a year and a half. Please take care of me.”

“Hello, I’m Ji Wooa, fourteen years old. I’m a second-year trainee. I hope we can be friends! Thank you!”

The new trainees’ eyes widened as they listened to our self introductions.
They probably didn’t expect that someone younger than them had been a trainee for almost two years.
Especially since I am twelve years old.

“Alright, now that you girls have introduced yourselves, chat a bit until the choreography Teacher-nim arrives.”

“”Yes!””

“If the new trainees have any questions, ask Dohee and Wooa. Dohee and Wooa, help them out.”

After Teacher-nim left the choreography practice room, the new trainees seemed to relax a bit and started talking.
Kim Seoyoon, who said she was from Busan, asked me first.

“Um… Should I call you ‘Sunbae-nim’?”

There’s no need for ‘Sunbae-nim’ among trainees.

“You don’t have to call me ‘Sunbae-nim’ among trainees. Just call me Dohee comfortably since if we go by age you’re older.”

“Oh, really? Then I’ll speak to you more comfortably, okay?”

“Yes.”

“Wow, I was really surprised when I first saw you, Dohee. I thought, ‘So this is the kind of person who can become an idol.'”

Seoyoon Unni started speaking in a Busan dialect, perhaps because she was cozying up a bit.

“Ah, thank you. You’re pretty too, Unni.”

“So you got street-cast when you were 11?”

“Ah, yes, that’s right.”

“That’s amazing.”

Seoyoon Unni turned her head to Wooa Unni next and asked.

“Wooa Sunbae-nim… Ah, Wooa, can I just call you Wooa?”

“Yes, I’m fourteen, so I’m a year younger than you, Unni. Please feel free to speak comfortably.”

“Okay. Wooa, were you street-cast too?”

“No, I joined through an audition.”

“Oh, really?”

Next, Daye Unni who was listening, who said she was a fan of Pastel Love, asked.

“Can I speak comfortably to you as well?”

“Yes.”

“Do you sometimes meet the Pastel Love Sunbae-nim’s often while practicing here?”

“Ah, yes, we see them occasionally. They’re often busy with schedules and overseas performances, so they don’t come by the company often, but they do come to practice when they’re preparing for an album release.”

The problem is that whenever we meet, each member would take turns hugging me, pinching my cheeks, pulling me, and teasing me for at least 30 minutes, telling me I’m cute.
I can’t run away because they’re my Sunbae-nims.

“Really? What about the X-TEN Sunbae-nims?”

When idols were mentioned, Boyeon, the youngest of the new trainees, spoke up, perhaps interested in the topic of idols.

“Oh, they come to practice often.”

At least X-TEN are a male group, so when I run into them, they don’t hug me, they just pat my head and tell me to do my best.

“Really? I’m a huge fan. I applied for the Top East audition because of the X-TEN Oppas—no, I mean Sunbae-nims.”

“Oh, I see. Then is there anything you are curious about Unni?”

I asked Kim Naeun Unni, the only high school student, who was just listening quietly.

“No, not yet. I’ll ask if I have any.”

“Yes.”

As we were answering questions, Teacher-nim Moon came in.

“Hello, kids~”

Wooa Unni and I greeted her.

“”Hello, Teacher~””

“So Dohee and Wooa, did you have a good weekend?”

“”Yes.””

Teacher-nim looked at the new trainees and said,

“So, you’re the new kids.”

“””Yes! Hello.”””

“Okay, what are your names?”

After hearing the names of the new trainees, Teacher-nim said.

“Alright, my name is Moon Yerim, and I’ll be in charge of all your choreography training from now on. Let’s start with a quick check of your dancing skills.”

Teacher-nim stood in the center of the full length mirror and said,

“Alright kids, I’ll dance first, so just follow along.”

When I first came, considering it was my first time dancing, Teacher0nim taught me the basics, but since these new trainees passed the audition, it seems she intends to test them with choreography right away.
The teacher began to explain while dancing.

“First, kick your left leg as if you’re passing a ball and open the opposite leg.

Then, lift your hand to make a point, lower it, and do the pass, pass, pass with your leg again. Do you kids understand?”

“””Yes!”””

“Alright, let’s try it. Five, six, seven, eight.”

The new trainees started dancing,
and teacher-nim’s expression hardened.

“Wait, hey did you guys really pass the auditions? Your basics are all weak. Again!”

Teacher-nim watched the new trainees dance again, sighed, and pointed at Seoyoon Unni.

“You’re the one from Busan, Soyeon right?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, Seoyoon is doing relatively well. But the rest of you, are you dancing or just moving rhythmically? And Daye and Boyeon, you said you passed with your dance audition, right?”

“”Yes…””

“I don’t understand. You don’t even have the basics down… Lee Dohee, Ji Wooa.”

“”Yes!””

Unni and I responded.

“You two, come out and dance.”

“Yes!”

We stepped forward and danced to the music.

“See? You need to hit the points like they do and match the rhythm. Why are your upper and lower bodies moving separately, and why are your fingertips so loose?”

Teacher-nim sighed and said,

“I’ll be blunt since it’s the first day. If you can’t beat them, forget about dreaming of debuting. Got it? These kids they’re younger and better than you. So why would we debut you instead of them?”

“””Yes…”””

Wow…
She’s really establishing her authority from the first day.
I really was treated well on my first day.
Hoho.

After the grueling dance lesson, it was time for vocal lessons.
Fortunately, vocal lessons were individual lessons, so unlike choreography lessons, I was able to spend them more quietly.

. . .

Before I knew it all lessons eventually ended, and it was time to write in our journals before leaving.

“Dohee~”

Wooa Unni ran over to me and hugged me while I was writing my journal entry.

“Why? I’m exhausted, let me finish this first and then tell me.”

“Did you hear Teacher Kwon yelling today?”

“Huh?”

According to Wooa Unni, Teacher Kwon’s scolding voice could be heard outside the vocal room.
Teacher Kown usually speaks softly, but he must have been serious, considering he made us do planks throughout the class.

I wonder how many of the new people who joined today will survive and debut.
New trainees will keep coming in through ongoing auditions, and some of them might be eliminated during the monthly evaluations.
Some might even leave on their own because it’s too hard.
This is why I think we shouldn’t get too attached to other trainees.
I should maintain a moderate degree of friendship.