Beijing, China
The scent of jasmine in the luxurious home of the Song family was a reminder that it belonged to Dr. Song Weicheng. Charcoal-black silk drapes, delicate porcelain vases, and creamy genuine leather couches were some of the riches and good taste the Song family could not have had without. The frustration of this doctor can be seen clearly. He felt no ease from all these decorations and furniture, for his mind was disturbed by evil thoughts. His wife Weiwei sat peacefully on a velvet sofa with green tea in her white porcelain cup between her fingers, watching every movement he made.
"You're asking me to think twice about this unbelievable thing!" he shouted. "Our child wants to go alone at fourteen down South Korea just to become a K-pop idol. Are you insane?"
Weiwei maintained her composure, calmly folding her slender hands in her lap." Weicheng, Yuqi has deep feelings towards this matter." She started developing this talent when she was six years old after doing an audition, which she had to put much effort into. Do you think that it is possible or not?
"Do you per cent believe she deserves a chance...so far from home?" Weicheng's face turned red, and he jumped over his wife, "Do you know anything about it? I can tell what it costs," he said. "I know everything about the sacrifices," "I know what happens there. No, pressure and exploitation? A child! Not someone who should be thrown into such things."
His voice softened and assumed a touch of desperation while he told her, "She's so different from our her children, Weiwei." Yutai is now in his second year at the Tsinghua MediCollege, specializing in cardiology. But Xuanjun has just come first in class with an excellent grade 11 report; medical institutions are already chasing him for neurology. Her sister Fanqia is an extremely bright girl whose summer research program results were impressive given that s was only in tenth grade. She says she wants to be a dermatologist, but Yuqi. None of her scores exceed 90%. I know she is thorough and a certified procrastinator.
"Oh, Weicheng, Yuqi remains in the top three positions in her middle school. Be lenient on her. Have you ever considered it unfair to compare her with others, especially her colleagues and siblings? This is a wonderful opportunity," Weiwei said silkily. "She's unique, isn't she?"
"Weicheng, I'm telling you this seriously," Overwhelmed by anger, "Top three is not enough! She's not ignorant; she just doesn't bother trying to excel. She's throwing away all this potential for some wild dream of becoming a K-pop star! What for? Thousands of talented kids didn't make it in that world; their dreams shattered, and for what?"
Her calm façade did nothing to ease the tension; he remained enraged: "Weiwei, she cannot go into K-pop since she's Chinese, whereas they're Koreans! Forget about it! My answer is No! Soon, this should blow over."
He left the living room fuming and walked up towards his office, situated right at the top of the grand staircase, leaving Weiwei, his wife, seated on a chair, looking thoughtful unhappy and resting slightly opened fingers on her lips—thinking.
Eavesdropping from behind some marble pillar hidden within a lobby, when they were hidden behind a marble pillar in an open lounge, Yuqi heard. Xuanjun was there too, and he heard them. Harsh words dropped from their father's mouth and hit Yuki's ears, leaving her eyes brimming with tears that would not fall. And his arm flew around his little sister's shoulders supportively.
"You see what I mean about all your new fixations on K-pop impacting our family, Yuqi?" Xuanjun murmured.
"They are just creating tension and fights. You must stop doing this group dance and singing thing you do with Mingling during class lessons. It will be better if you focus on your studies instead of all this since the teacher constantly chats. Dad and his work are already stressful enough; he wants us to succeed."
Her face was sad as Yuqi looked up at her dashing brother, "Unlike you or anybody else, including Xuanjun himself, I don't fit into any of these categories. We are a perfect family, but we aren't my place either. Just like grandma, I am."
Xuanjun embraced her tightly. "You're not a square peg, Qiqi." He will change his mind if you can do well in class, like hers." Dad is strict, but he loves you."
But without their knowledge, both mothers had somehow seen them through some large marble pillars behind them.
The mother's soft voice came in them, "You two come out," she stood near the nearest pillar. She lightly scolded Xuanjun for eavesdropping before saying, "Go sleep now, Xuanjun; I want to talk to your sister."
Her eyes wandered over your bloodshot eyes. Tears appeared in her beautiful daughter's eyes. You know how eager you were for this audition.
Your mom pointed to you and sat next to you on the couch with a worried look on her lovely face.
When Xuanjun had left, Weiwei sat down with Yuqi. "Yuqi, your father is only anxious about you." Said Weiwei softly, "You are too young to become a trainee in another country without us."
"Mom, I promise I will work harder even though I hate math and science. All my exams yield below 85 per cent, most even after all my attempts because I'm not good at those subjects." Dried up Yuqi."Father wants above 95 per cent in all our subj, acts Mom mom; I have worked so hard, yet it is not enough!! According to Mom, five hours of study every weekday for years, including plenty for math and science, would still not pay off. Mom, can't do anything; there are no results after spending most days doing my best for five hours each day over many years." Yuqi sobbed as she said these words," Hospitals make me sick just like patients; I faint when the blood appears—Yet, I want to go to an art high school."
"I understand," Weiwei hugged her daughter tightly."But we also need proof that you can balance your dream and studies together: please wait until you are a little older—when you may be fifteen or sixteen—?"
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Two years later...
A studious, famous grade ten student at a prestigious art academy in Beijing. You cried and pleaded, but he succeeded in securing your admission to the best art school in Beijing. She excelled in ballet and contemporary dance competitions. She would sometimes come out on top in singing contests and at others in dancing ones.
Your long, curly hair and wide eyes made you look beautiful. Maintaining grades over 95% throughout the year became your goal, which you were determined to achieve. She was so diligent, got herself an online Korean language and culture teacher, and made sure she practised dancing and her vocal online tutors. She also watched a lot of Kdrama shows, which enhanced her skills.
Xuanjun, your brother, made it into Tsinghua University by passing entrance exams while still in high school, where he emerged as the top performer concurrently across all these learning institutions within Beijing. Her sister Fanqia is from one such school. She distinguished herself as an unusually beautiful, painlessly sombre senior classmate with high IQ scores. Of these highly respected siblings, there was a difference between you and them. Fanqia topped the honor roll, which brought joy and pride to their father, who never missed any one of his children's academic functions despite how tight his work schedule was .
Despite winning another trophy after many competitions, your father never showed excitement over your stage performances. He wasn't interested in the arts. He would smile briefly, congratulate you, look at the trophy, and then return it to you. Your dance and singing achievements were never valued as highly as your older siblings' numerous science and math olympiads, chess trophies, and various medals.
None of your family has noticed your trophies missing from the displays. Except for your housemaid. She made sure to keep your secret.
Your mom was supporting you from the side. Fanqia and Xuanjun would accompany you to your performances, but you notice how bored they were. They were going because your parents forced them to accompany you. They said they instead study or do something constructive.
To sit and watch those performances wasn't to their liking.
Since then you made up your mind to go to the competitions alone. You didn't invite your family anymore and just climbed on a bus and went alone.
Your heart broke when you saw your friends' family cheering and supporting them. You felt odd in your family.
They didn't like the entertainment world because they loved science. Luckily, you didn't get depressed by all these issues and worked your craft. You will work hard to reach your dreams and believe in your abilities to succeed.
Your elation was high when you learned that an Entertainment agency in Korea is holding global auditions.
You decided to quickly apply online. The only problem was to get your parents' permission.
One afternoon, you returned home from school to find your parents waiting for you in your father's home office.
You were nervous, suspecting that your mother had informed your father about the application. Over the past two years, your dad had softened a bit, but you never talked about your dreams around the family; you worked on your future alone and secretly.
Weicheng's stern face gave nothing away as he gestured for you to sit. When you peek at the table, you are flabbergasted to notice your application and a contract in front of your dad.
Your dad, Dr Weicheng, looked at you with a severe expression," Qiqi, the family spoke, and we decided to give you a chance to follow your dreams; I'm still a little wary with you alone in a foreign country," with a very steady voice he spoke," if you succeed in all your audition stages, become a successful trainee. But...a huge but. If you don't debut at 18 years, you must agree to leave kpop, come home and enrol.
In the medical field, you can help in our Medical Clinic. That will be our condition if you agree to the terms of this little contract we set up for you."
You inhaled sharply,but with resolve, you looked at your parents," Thank you, Mom and Dad, I fully agree to the terms."
You run up to them and hug them tightly, overflowing with excitement. The contract was signed, and you now have the opportunity to prove your worth as a daughter and future idol in your family's eyes.
......
Your excitement was beyond your imagination. Your dreams were coming to pass and to crown it all, and your parents decided to sign and approve all your application and registration documents. Even your travel documents at the embassy were approved. You knew your destiny was waiting for you.
You had to submit a dance audition demo tape in which you chose to cover a Jyp idol song by Twice, your favourite band. You also did a great performance tape covering the song.
It was the first round of auditions, and you made it in. Then your nerves took over. You had to supply your details, and two months later, you were contacted and asked to come to Korea for the next stage of auditions.
For the second round you mom went with you to Seoul, JYP covered your flight ticket and when you reach the JYP building you were beyond giddy.
The Korean audition was entirely unlike any other. You had to sing a bit in Korean and English, perform a dance choreographed for you and do freestyle on the spot. They also weighed and measured me. The entire process lasted for only two minutes but was intense.
You and your mom would have been going to Korea together if you made it to the next round. The third round was the most challenging.
You were contacted about four days after the second part, saying you passed and were invited to proceed to the third audition stage. This enabled you since you and your mother were still in Korea then.
This time around, you had to sing an entire song. Luckily, they allowed me to brandish my vocal prowess in English. Also, you had to perform a complete dance routine either way. Since she did not have any ready dance moves, she would have failed; therefore, preparing thoroughly came in handy here.
Only on that day did you realise how proud your mom was of you. The coaches seemed pretty impressed, but you knew that their expressions didn't necessarily mean they liked you. JYP was one of the top Big3 agencies in Korea, with over a hundred trainees.
There was great elation. You made it, and your family will be very proud of you. Your mom could go back knowing you were settled. You just continued to pray for better results; even your best friends were holding thumbs up for you.
You could sense your excitement building and knew that your dad would be proud of you for reaching this far. When you and your equally happy mother returned to Beijing, you continued to pray for the greatest result. Even your closest friends prayed for you to survive.
But you had to return to Korea with a parent to review contracts before you were finally accepted. You would be there during the holiday season. So your whole family scheduled to go with you to Korea and started preparing for you to leave for Korea for who knows how long. Your sister and brother, Fanqia and Xuanjun, were very excited for you. Your dad looked pleased that you had made it.
You all went back to Korea, looked over the contract, thought it over a bit, and then signed with your parents' signatures because you were merely an innocent 15-year-old and underage. You chose a three-year contract. Then, JYP gave you some info about what training would be like, how much hard work was involved, what you should ensure you had when you moved, what schools were acceptable to attend as a trainee, etc.
Your parents were surprised that you'd already prepared beforehand about which school you would attend during your trainee days. You also told your dad that you already planned to attend a university of your choice in China if you didn't debut at 18. That ultimately won your dad over.
The following year, beginning in January, you officially became a Big3 - JYP trainee.
You moved to Korea, settled in your dorm, found your way around the city to school and back, and then started with 45 girls in your trainee class.
Your adventure to become a K-pop artist was on its way to being realized.
A/n: Yuqi wants to become an idol.
1. Do you think it is suitable for trainees to be so young?
2. Will Yuqi be able to do well in South Korea?
3. Did you ever do something against your parent's wishes?