Chapter 11: A Night in Seoul

The sun was setting, and soon darkness enveloped all of Seoul.

The five hundred selected candidates were informed to report to S.M Entertainment early the next morning for the second round of auditions. This should have been a cause for celebration, but now, Soo Yeon and BoA both wore worried expressions.

"Ah, whatever, I'll just call them. Whether I stick my head out or not, it's still a cut. Might as well do it boldly!"

Yunjae, Soo Yeon, and BoA stood in front of a phone booth in Apgujeong. Yunjae was the only one who seemed calm, while the other two looked hesitant. Finally, Soo Yeon stepped into the phone booth, inserted a few coins, and dialed her home number.

It was almost 6:30 PM, and Choi Ji Ya hadn't even started cooking dinner. She had been waiting by the phone, as this was the first time her daughter had left home for Seoul, even though Park Sang Hae was following her. As soon as the phone rang, she picked it up eagerly.

"Soo Yeon, why aren't you home yet...?" Hearing "Mom" from the other end, Choi Ji Ya started scolding. She had expected Soo Yeon to be home by six, but it was already 6:30, and it was getting dark.

"Ah... Mom, don't worry, I left a note! I knew you wouldn't agree to me coming for the audition, so I took the initiative. Mom, don't be mad. I have good news: I passed the first round of auditions, and I have to stay in Seoul overnight for the second round tomorrow.

Don't worry, Yunjae has a secret stash, enough to keep us here for a few days. Anyway, I'll be back by tomorrow at the latest!"

Soo Yeon rambled and hung up before Choi Ji Ya could say anything. Yunjae looked at her with a mix of surprise and admiration, not expecting her to reveal his secret stash.

"Soo Yeon... you're really something..." Yunjae gave her a thumbs up.

Soo Yeon let out a long breath and patted her chest. "Hehe... I've informed them, so they can scold or hit me as they please. As long as I pass the second round tomorrow, it will all be worth it!"

"BoA, it's your turn... I'll put the coins in!" Yunjae took a few coins from his pocket and inserted them into the phone.

BoA took a deep breath, picked up the receiver, and dialed a number. After a few rings, a woman's voice answered.

"BoA... you little brat, your father is almost going crazy, you know. Do you think he won't hit you when you get back?"

"Mom... I just came to participate in an audition, is that so bad! Besides, I love singing and dancing, and I want to be an entertainer. You can't stop me, even if you stop my body, you can't stop my heart!" BoA said firmly, her resolve unshakable.

"Ah, why won't you listen...?" BoA's mother sighed. "Your grades aren't bad, why not focus on your studies and get into a good university? Why do you have to be a star?"

"Mom... this is my dream! I'm thirteen, and I want to do what I love!" BoA's tone was resolute. In the face of her dream, everything else was trivial.

"Ah, forget it... are you coming back today?"

"I'm calling to let you know I won't be home tonight. I made it to the second round of auditions and have to go to S.M Entertainment tomorrow. I'll stay in Apgujeong tonight. If I pass the audition, I'll become a trainee at S.M. If I fail, I'll come home and go back to school!" BoA promised.

"Alright, you said it. If you don't make it, don't ever mention being a star again, it's annoying to hear!" A deep, steady voice of a middle-aged man came from the other end, and BoA was surprised to hear her father.

BoA hesitated, feeling a bit choked up, then said firmly, "Okay... Dad, if I make it, you have to support me unconditionally!"

"Hmph, we'll see if you make it! A girl should be careful when she's out alone at night!" With that, BoA's father hung up.

BoA put down the receiver, her small fists clenched, her lips pale, and her face slightly flushed.

"BoA, are you okay?!" Yunjae saw BoA's worried expression and asked urgently. Soo Yeon also looked at her with concern.

"I'm fine... I'm good!" BoA waved her hand. "Alright, we're done with the calls. Where should we go now?!"

"Of course, we should go eat! I'm starving, Yunjae, you're treating us to... pork belly! BoA, do you like pork belly?" Soo Yeon said, her mouth watering.

Yunjae sighed inwardly at Soo Yeon's determined look. He wasn't usually very concerned about money, but he was a bit worried about his secret stash.

"Fine, I'll treat you. No need to look at me like that, as if you're going to eat me!" Yunjae shrank back under the girls' intimidating gazes and agreed.

"Yay! We made it today, let's celebrate! Let's go, let's eat something delicious!"

At that moment, Soo Yeon and BoA seemed to forget their worries, grabbed Yunjae's hand, and ran off to find a restaurant.

"Ah... these three kids, really..." Park Sang Hae, who had been following them all day, was exhausted. However, he was also relieved that the kids knew how to protect themselves, didn't play around, and didn't talk to strangers.

Yunjae, Soo Yeon, and BoA found a large, clean restaurant and sat down. They ordered pork belly, grilled meat, ribs, vegetables, and more. Since it wasn't their own money, Soo Yeon went through the menu and ordered everything she liked.

BoA, on the other hand, was more reserved and didn't order much. She felt she had already troubled Yunjae enough and didn't touch the menu when she saw Soo Yeon order so much.

"Soo Yeon... aren't you being a bit too harsh? Does Yunjae have that much money?!" BoA calculated in her head that the dishes Soo Yeon ordered would cost at least 150,000 won, which was a significant amount to her.

Soo Yeon looked at Yunjae's gloomy face and laughed. "Don't worry, I saw a thick stack of bills in his wallet when he bought the tickets for you!"

BoA looked at Yunjae in surprise, wondering why the brother seemed so wealthy while the sister seemed poor.

Yunjae smiled and said, "Sure, sure! BoA, order whatever you like. I can afford it..." Yunjae calculated that his secret stash was quite substantial, with over twenty bills and a bank card. Han Won Jeong had saved the money given by elders on that card, and the card was always in Yunjae's possession. This was a financial management concept Han Won Jeong had instilled in Yunjae from a young age. After ten years of saving, the card had accumulated at least 10 million won (about 50,000 RMB). Yunjae hadn't used the card in years.

"Alright... I'll order a few drinks then!"

BoA looked at the menu and ordered three cups of iced watermelon juice. Soon, the table was filled with food, and Soo Yeon and BoA dug in, while Yunjae, who was paying, ate his fill.

"Ha... how luxurious! These three kids really know how to eat!" Park Sang Hae, hiding outside, saw the three enjoying their meal and smiled, taking a bite of dry bread.

An hour later, Soo Yeon finished her last sip of iced watermelon juice, leaned back in her chair, and patted her stomach. In the hot summer, the drink was refreshing.

"Yunjae, you used to be a student at Apgujeong Arts School, right? You should know this area well. Take us to a lively place tonight!" Soo Yeon suggested.

"A lively place...?" Yunjae rubbed his chin. "How about Myeongdong? It's not far from here, we can walk there!"

"Yay, let's go then, BoA, let's go!" Soo Yeon pulled BoA's hand, and after Yunjae paid, they walked to Myeongdong.

The streets became more crowded as they approached Myeongdong. Yunjae, Soo Yeon, and BoA held hands tightly to avoid getting separated in the crowd.

Half an hour later, they arrived in Myeongdong, a street lined with high-end shops and department stores. There were also many small stalls selling trinkets, and each stall was packed with people.

Soo Yeon touched and played with every new and interesting item but didn't buy anything. Yunjae watched and silently vowed never to go shopping with girls again.

"Wow... this crystal is so cute!" Shiny things always attracted girls. Soo Yeon held a pure white crystal bracelet, each crystal smooth and polished, with exquisite craftsmanship.

"Yunjae, let's buy it... one for you, one for me, a matching couple's bracelet to show off at school!" Soo Yeon put the bracelet on her wrist and waved it in front of Yunjae.

"You two are siblings... how can you be a couple?!" BoA, who had been suspicious of the "sibling" relationship, was even more doubtful now.

"We're not blood-related... we're not real siblings!" Soo Yeon explained.

Yunjae touched the crystal bracelet and thought it was nice. He picked another one and gave it to BoA. "BoA, this one is for you! Everyone gets a share!" He then put one on his own wrist.

BoA hesitated for a few seconds but finally put the bracelet on. After Yunjae paid, they continued walking. The street was filled with all sorts of trinkets, and Soo Yeon and BoA were delighted by the small items, though they weren't interested in the high-end stores.

After an hour, Yunjae had taken out his wallet several times, but fortunately, the items weren't too expensive...

At 10 PM, after a long day, they found a chain hotel and booked a double room. Normally, they would need ID, but since they were children, Yunjae only provided his student ID, and the staff registered them.

Despite the excitement, the day was over. After BoA and Soo Yeon fell asleep, Yunjae lay in bed, unable to sleep.

In this once familiar but now strange city, he found it hard to sleep. Looking out the window, his eyes were filled with nostalgia and sadness. Over the past year, he had grown more mature, and the care from Park Sang Hae and Choi Ji Ya had given him a sense of parental love.

The next day.

The air conditioner hummed in the room, and the sun shone through the window. Yunjae lazily turned over in bed. The next moment, he felt the bed "bouncing" and opened his eyes to see BoA and Soo Yeon jumping on his bed, trying to wake him up.

"Ah... can't a person sleep?..." Yunjae buried his head in the pillow and groaned.

Soo Yeon jumped high and shouted, "Lazy pig, wake up! Hurry, we have to go to the audition, it's already 7:30..."

With Soo Yeon and BoA's urging, Yunjae yawned, brushed his teeth, washed his face, and, under the early summer sun, set off with Soo Yeon and BoA.

...

In Apgujeong 2-dong, 521, a slightly old and small high-rise building stood. It was the headquarters of the emerging entertainment company S.M Entertainment. Since its founding in 1995, S.M had successfully launched the idol group H.O.T., which solidified its position in the entertainment industry and among talent agencies.

Under the leadership of the experienced Lee Soo Man, the company was thriving. Despite being only two years old, it was already a powerful agency with a mature system for training stars. In the era of rising entertainment, S.M was destined to be a rising star.

At that moment, in the S.M CEO's office, a middle-aged man with wire-rimmed glasses stood by the window, looking down at the long line of candidates waiting for the second round of auditions. His eyes were filled with anticipation. This unassuming man was none other than the head of S.M Entertainment, Lee Soo Man.

Although not the legal representative, Lee Soo Man was the founder and had significant power, controlling the entire company. As CEO, he made all major decisions, making him a very influential figure.

"Lee, are you really going to personally evaluate the candidates?"

In the CEO's office, besides Lee Soo Man, there were two others. One was tall but not very good-looking, scoring only 40 out of 100 for appearance. Despite his looks, he was highly respected in S.M. His talent was exceptional, and he had produced H.O.T.'s first album. He was a founding member and the chief music producer, known as Lee Soo Man's right-hand man, Yoo Young Jin.

The other was short and chubby, also a music producer, mainly a composer. He was second only to Yoo Young Jin in S.M and was Lee Soo Man's left-hand man, Kim Sung Soo.

"Of course!" Lee Soo Man turned and said firmly, "This audition is crucial for the company. I want to personally select candidates with talent, good looks, and good figures for focused training. This plan to create a star representing Asia is urgent and must be done with all our efforts. It will be our ultimate goal for the next five years!" He clenched his fist as he spoke.

"Lee, isn't H.O.T. doing well now? You already have plans to establish H.O.T. in Japan and China after they solidify their position in Korea. And the girl group SES is set to debut at the end of the year. Why are you holding such a grand audition at this critical time? I think it's better to take it step by step. The company's funds are mainly from H.O.T., and most of the money is invested in SES. There's no extra money to train a superstar representing all of Asia. Do you know how many resources that would require?" Kim Sung Soo said seriously.

Lee Soo Man paced in the office, speaking calmly, "Indeed, the company has many things to handle, but this plan to create an Asian star won't be hindered. It's okay to face some difficulties now. The more we invest, the more we will gain. You need to think long-term and not be limited by short-term gains. Think about the future, when S.M has a superstar representing all of Asia. Will you be worried about not making money?"

"Alright, it's time. We should go down. There are many people today, and we have a tough battle ahead!"

Lee Soo Man adjusted his glasses, waved his hand, and Yoo Young Jin and Kim Sung Soo followed him out of the office...

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