Lumi sat on a chair while the staff interviewed Irene. The manager wanted a video to show how hard the girls worked before they started as a new group.
Irene spoke very well. She acted like a perfect idol—calm and happy. She was the leader, so she looked very professional.
The other members sat quietly behind her. Lumi sat by herself. She was busy practicing her lines in her head. She was very focused.
"Are you practicing?" a middle-aged woman who sat right next to her, asked.
Lumi jumped because she was surprised. She quickly bowed her head.
"Ah... yes," she said. "I am practicing my lines."
''ok, number 93! Bell! your turn!'' the director called. Bell ran over and sat on the chair as irene walked to her seat. ''Remember you're the visual. You must talk maturely and elegantly and your gestures must be cute and elegant'' the director instructed her.
Bell nodded fixing her hair.
The cameraman rolled the camera and fixed the lenses. he then said ''Ok, in 3, 2, 1, ACTION!''
Bell began, speaking about the training and practicing.
"I haven't seen you around here before," Lumi said quietly.
The lady smiled, but her eyes stayed fixed on Lumi. "I am one of the staff members now," she replied. "I used to be a manager. My job was to protect the idols' image."
Lumi nodded and stayed quiet. The lady was silent for a moment, too. Then she spoke again. "You are exactly the kind of visual our company looks for."
Lumi smiled and thanked her.
"Your skin is glowing, and your eyes are dark and beautiful," the lady said. She reached out and began stroking her long hair. "Your hair is gorgeous."
Lumi gave an awkward smile. She felt uncomfortable because the lady wouldn't stop staring.
Suddenly, the lady leaned in closer. Her smile stayed warm and her voice became serious as she asked slowly, "But are you sure you will actually debut?" Lumi felt the same cold chill. She had goosebumps on her arms.
What is she saying? She thought, looking back at her.
The lady chuckled. "Oh, don't worry. It is just a simple question. Do you know how many girls get kicked out at the last moment?"
"What?" Lumi asked, feeling shocked.
The lady looked around to make sure no one was listening. "The company picks the members carefully," she whispered. "But sometimes, right before the debut, they start a rumor or a scandal. They kick out a member just to get more attention and hype for the group."
The lady leaned in. "So, I am asking you—if that happens to you, what will you do?"
Lumi sat there, surprised. She thought for a moment and spoke slowly. "Well, even if I get kicked out, I will try again. I will try to be a solo artist or join a different company."
"You are strong-willed, aren't you?" the lady said, chuckling as if she had made a joke.
Lumi looked down at her hands. "I don't know," she said. "But I have a feeling that something big and surprising is happening to me. I can feel it but can't understand or figure it out. But I'm sure I can do it." She looked up and smiled brightly.
The lady stared at her for a long time. Then, she slowly nodded and smiled back. "I hope you will, dear."
"Okay, done! Now the last one. Who is this? Number 77! Lumi!" the cameraman called out loudly. "We have to finish this video and upload it tomorrow!"
Lumi stood up. she felt excited but also nervous. "All the best," the lady whispered to her. She smiled and nodded before walking to the chair. She sat down while the director and the cameraman talked.
Finally, the director announced, "Okay, let's record this one!" The cameraman started the camera. "In 3, 2, 1, GO!"
Lumi began her interview. "Hello everyone, I'm Lumi. I am one of the vocalists for this group. We are very excited to debut." She talked about her training days and how hard she practiced.
"I hope to see you all on our debut day!" she finished with a smile.
A few minutes later, the cameraman shouted, "Cut!"
The director walked to the front. "Okay girls, your debut is in just a few weeks. Practice hard. Make sure you do not go out often. We need to keep things private and quiet, understood?"
"Yes..." the girls answered together.
After the staff left the room, the girls practiced a bit more.
"Okay, the line distribution is finished. Tomorrow is the recording," Irene said to the members as they sat down. "The choreographers will finish the dance once the song is ready."
"So, the first thing we have to do is record the song?" Cin asked.
Irene nodded. "Yes. Make sure you sing well. Especially Bell—I know you are the visual, but vocals are still important. Cin, you are good at rap, so make sure the rap part is good."
Bell rolled her eyes but didn't say anything. Lumi sat quietly, watching the other girls.
"Okay then, let's come back tomorrow," Irene said as she prepared to leave. "Be here at 8:00 AM. We need to rehearse the song before we record it."
As the other girls left, Lumi looked for the lady she had talked to before. But the lady was gone. She picked up her bag and walked out of the room.
Down the hall, she saw Hada in a recording room. Hada was playing the piano. Lumi went inside and closed the door. As she listened, she realized the music was different. It was entirely new. It sounded soft and mysterious, but also cute and fresh.
"Are you writing a new song?" She asked, sitting down next to her.
Hada looked at Lumi slowly. She smiled warmly. "No, this is one of my old songs," she explained. "It is called 'Curious Girl.'"
Lumi nodded. "Oh, they filmed our interviews today. They are already preparing for the debut."
Hada stared at her and then smiled. "Isn't it exciting? Waiting for a debut that is so close?"
Lumi smiled back. "Yes. It feels like you are about to touch a star. I can't wait!"
Then, she remembered the lady. "I met a woman today. She didn't tell me her name, but she said she was a staff member. She kept staring at me. She asked if I was sure I would really debut. It was very scary. Who asks questions like that?"
Lumi looked down at the piano. Hada didn't say anything at first, but a small smile appeared on her face.
"So, what did you say to her?" Hada asked.
Lumi looked at Hada and suddenly felt a cold chill. She began slowly, her voice soft, "I told her that even if the company kicks me out at the last minute, I will try again. I told her I would be a solo artist or debut in another group from another company."
Hada stared at her for a long minute. Then, she almost burst into laughter, but she stopped herself from laughing and looked at Lumi. "Do you really think it is that easy to debut?" she asked.
Lumi wanted to say something, but she knew Hada was right. It had taken her four years of hard training to get here. If she got kicked out and had to start over at a new company, it would be even harder.
But she spoke up. "I know it will be tough. But I still want to debut. I am sure the company won't kick me or anyone else out at the last minute."
Hada sighed. "Lumi, you are very strong and you work hard. But you cannot see the future. Anything can happen in the final minutes."
Hada looked back at the piano. Her voice was very cold now. "There is something even darker that you don't know about. Once you are part of it, you can't do anything. You just... vanish."
Lumi felt like the room had turned into ice. "What is it?" she asked.
Hada suddenly laughed it off. "Oh, nothing! You shouldn't worry about it," she said, waving her hand. "But listen to me. Look around and be realistic. The 'idol image' you see is not always real."
Lumi nodded. "Yeah. I know not all the members are close like sisters. It is just a script," she said, looking at the music notes on the piano.
Hada looked at her carefully. When will she realize it? she thought. She started to play the piano again. Sometimes, you might not know as much as you think, Lumi.