First Year: Yuqi 15-16 years old

All these aspects turned the house into a house of mixed feelings, filled with bitter-sweet air. It was at fifteen that you were leaving home for Seoul, South Korea, where you would be training with JYP Entertainment. At 15, you were the youngest sibling and the first to leave home.

The reality of your departure started dawning on you as you sat in the living room among packed luggage.

Your parents were trying to look brave, but their eyes betrayed them."You have grown up so much," her mother said, and she had a trembling voice. "Wǒ bù gǎn xiāngxìn nǐ yào líkāi wǒmen, qí qí..I can't believe you're leaving us, Qiqi." 

Mom's eyes welled with tears."Are you sure this is what you want, dear? It's huge and too soon for such a move."

"I know, Mom," I'll reply confidently. But I promise I will work hard enough to make up for all your efforts. "

Dad's face has a serious expression." We trust youEnglishll miss seeing you around," he mutters, placing his hand on my shoulder."Our little girl is all grown up and is going to Korea. We are proud but it hurts like hell; some part of our hearts remains behind where we go. We love and support whatever direction your life leads you. Forget everything else. Just remember not to forget yourself."

A scratchy voice comes from me: " I'm going to work hard and make sure our family name is upheld high through every step. Each day, I'm calling to update you on what happens next.I have dreamed about this moment ever since I was young, and now it's here"

By now, Fanqia and Xuanjun stood close by having red eyes from crying."Qiqi, we're going to miss you,"

Fanqia muttered as her voice started breaking down. "But you are all set. Just be strong and take care of yourself. Don't forget to remain safe always. Also, remember to be polite and keep your concentration. You represent all of us."

"Also, try calling whenever possible," Xuanjun added. We will always be here supporting you. Do not trust people too easily; think twice before making any decision."
You smiled amidst tears."I will Fanqia,Xuanjun.Thank you very much. I'll miss everybody,"

At the airport in China, emotions were high with joy and grief at the same time. As we strolled behind him, he was pushing your trolley, arm linking with our sister Xuanjun, who gave me a gentle baby blue blanket that would keep me warm and snuggly.

Your parents held you tight, not wanting to let go.

Your sister was very tearful, but your strong brother Xuanjun wanted to cry. They will miss you so much.

Fanqia stood with red eyes next to your mom who looked utterly sad. 'you must be safe and sound my baby, the family has your back.

Your dad embraced you with a soft smile," Call us okay...be courageous and know it we have your back."

You smile widely," I love you guys...don't miss me too much. I'll text you all separately, okay."

You all embrace each other before you board. Fanqia wanted to give you more advice on how to stay safe.

Fanqia smiles brightly, but tears brimming in her eyes," Always respect your leaders, okay? Eat healthy snacks because you know being a kpop idol is hard work. The activities are rigorous. But you can buy no and then take-outs."

"Don't forget to call or text frequently,, okay? Well, be waiting to hear about all your adventures," Xuanjun said, embracing you.

You wave and board your plane. Waving and their smiling faces. You'll miss your family, and you will remember their advice.

In the plane you just sit backwards and relaxed listening to your favourite kpop artist from JYP until you land at Incheon International Airport.

You are heading for your dreams.

When you got off the plan at arrivals, the terminals were buzzing with activities, you saw a stoic guy standing with a board with the words "Jyp trainees", Around him were young people chatting and you perceived they are fellow international trainees.

"Are all of you here," he looked at his clipboard. He was welcoming all of you to Seoul. His name was Mr Kim.

There were approximately ten new trainees. You even saw some of the faces who looked familiar. You all had to introduce yourselves. Mr Kim gave you some critical updates.

You were pleased to have met a boy, Felix, Kim Soomin and an introverted girl, Lee Jiwoo. They were all at your second auditions.

The prospect of meeting other trainees was exhilarating and scary at the same time. They got all of you into a guesthouse for orientation. You were anxious, but then you made friends with Soomin, your roommate, and Jiwoo, who is also a future best friend. Soomin dwarfed me by 1,62m while Jiwoo towered over me at 1,72m; it has been rumoured that she had once received offers from big three agencies. SM, YG, Bighit JYP.

"Hi, I am Song Yuqi." You grinned from ear to ear as you said this to her."I met you in the third round of auditions, right?"

Jiwoo laughed and waved back, saying, "Hi, Yuqi! It's so nice to see someone familiar around here. This is Soomin; she's kind of shy but very sweet."

You look at Soomin; she is very pretty but relatively small and slender. She already had the kpop look. You suspect that she might debut very early.

Soomin gave you a toothy grin. "Hello, Yuqi. I'm from Taiwan, so feel free to speak Mandarin with me." You nodded, glad that someone could converse with you. Jiwoo is a Korean from Australia. You can all speak and understand English.

Some cute girls already bonded and forged great friendships. However, you are a very warm and vibrant, and it sometimes takes time to bond with others.

At home, You especially had to deal with numerous bullies because of your unique beauty and the fact that boys fell all over you, wanting to serve you daily.

We were placed in a cosy guesthouse for orientation only. You had a hearty lunch, and then you met a lady from the orientation team, who joked and told you to eat up because a strict diet would follow from the next day.

After your orientation, you were driven to the JYP dorms early the following day.  All of you were hyped up, and you just hoped you were rooming with good girls. You were then placed in dorm rooms. When your name is called first, you'll get to go up first, and the rest will follow, depending on their fs. You heard some groups on the penthouse floor that are in line to debut anytime.

You were assigned a beautiful dorm room with wooden furniture, desks, and bunk beds with privacy curtains. The comfort of the room helped ease my anxiety. Your lounge was small, with an L-shaped leather couch, a TV, and some entertainment systems. You had two bathrooms, rooms where three could share a bathroom, and your little kitchen/dining room. The bunnies of the group will get to cook and lead the young ones.

You were so filled with glee when Jiwoo and Soomin entered the room. You were jumping up and down, and you were placed together. Three other girls who came will share the cute dorm room with you. Sakura and Yeji. You and your two new friends decided to go to the mall the minute you were allowed to go get cute decor to liven up your dorm room.

Your schedules were well-organized and easy to follow. We attended the same art high school, and I was relieved to understand Korean well enough to manage. Soomin, Jiwoo, and I were fortunate to be together in the same dorm, making the transition smoother. Your room was very comfy, giving you such a feeling of being home away from home. With Soomin and Jiwoo, it was a comfortable living arrangement. Soomin was an introvert and very reserved and could speak Chinese, whereas Jiwoo was very friendly and helped ease your anxiety.

At the beginning of your training, you met an Australian. His name was Felix, and it was during a mixed group session.

He was very charming and cute and seemed interested in you as a girl, making you nervous and flustered. In his calm presence, your heart was always racing. The girl with long brown hair beside him gave you a stinky look, but you just shrugged it off. Jiwoo and Soomin found the situation so very funny, but you weren't interested in any relationships, which were forbidden anyway.

The trainees gradually set in their routines. The trainees were all placed into mock groups according to their age and their schedules. You were all hyped up when you had your first day. It was exciting yet nerve-wracking. You met all the other trainees, and some spoke English and Chinese, and you felt a little comfort in that.

You were all sitting on the floor of one of JYP's expansive dance practice rooms, the polished wood gleaming under the bright lights. The room was brightly lit, one with a red wall and the other with large mirrors covering one wall, reflecting your eager faces. There was a nervous energy in the air as you waited for your first official training day to begin.

The three coaches entered the room, each wearing casual dance wear. Except for the leading evaluator, they exuded a mix of authority and approachability. The first one had long platinum dyed hair, she looked stoic with her teacher black rimmed glasses. You all felt afraid because she looked very intimidating. She let the other two instructors stand beside her, a Ms Ji and a Ms Oh. Her name was Ms Kang, the one who will be your primary evaluator.

She welcomed you to the agency and congratulated you on becoming a very fortunate trainee at the Jyp training program. Even telling you that the hardworking has begun. She highlighted in a very stern voice all the rules you must follow to successfully debut at their company.

She also told you about your strict schedule, school schedule, and training times. Also how to balance your schoolwork and training.

What made your eyes widen was the strict diets you all had to follow. The trainees were flabbergasted in shock.

Ms Kang continued, "No meat allowed. You must become a vegetarian. No eating more than 90 calories per meal. No desserts. You can only eat at scheduled times: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You will face punishment if you do not lose weight within one month. "

She told you all the forbidden snacks and desserts you cannot consume while training. You looked at a groaning Soomin. She was already complaining because she loves meat. She wasn't very impressed with those rules. You just smirked, amused.

Ms Kang told you about a severe punishment if you broke any of the given rules like you'll be starving with no food to eat, but only to drink water. It was severe. You wondered if some trainees died from starvation. You must be the ideal weight for a kpop star, at least under 50kg.

Your heart pounded at the thought of giving up your favourite snacks and lemon sorbets. It felt like an impossible challenge. However, you already have an ideal weight of 48 kg.

Next, another coach took over. She had fiery red bob-styled hair and wore a trendy black headband. Despite her slender build, she radiated strength. She was younger and friendlier, and her name was Ms. Oh. Ms Ji was quiet, with long black hair and light purple and blue tips. Her eyes had grey contact lenses, and she was tall and toned. She was standing on one side with a clipboard filled with individual schedules. 

Ms. Ohs' eyes roam over the quiet group of trainees, "Holidays are rare., but you will have one weekend off during the term. If chosen for the pre-debut team, you might get Sundays off or one weekend per month, depending on the trainee schedule. You will have five days off in December, from the 20th to the 25th. That is the most extended holiday you will get. Mommy, babies will have to grow up quickly. "

Her tone grew more severe as she outlined the types of trainees who fail to debut.

Ms Oh looked a little smug, "K-pop trainees cannot debut if they are rebellious, lazy, talentless, or in it for fame and fortune. You must follow the rules, work hard, and be genuinely passionate about your craft."

There were groans around the room as she listed additional restrictions.

Ms Oh grins a little, "Oh yes. I repeat: If you are rebellious with an attitude problem, lazy trainees who miss classes, talentless trainees, and trainees—those in it for fame and fortune—will not make it. Scandals, such as dating, bullying, clubbing, drinking, smoking, or sneaking out during curfew, are also grounds for dismissal. Rest assured, these missteps will get you kicked out of the program before you can say 'Debut.'You must attend all classes and show continuous improvement in singing, dancing, and rapping. And you must weigh less than 50 kg, regardless of height."

The reality of the situation settled heavily upon all of you. You knew your lives wouldn't be normal for a very long time.

Day two was when the real work began. You were assigned to mock groups for monthly evaluations, each with a detailed trainee schedule that you were to follow religiously. You were in colour-coded groups. You were in the purple group.

Your training started early, from 5 a.m. to sometimes 11 p.m. Your schedule was filled with school activities, which was very important for the younger trainees.

Your days were scheduled with no time for rest or mistakes. The dancing and vocal training left me more exhausted than ever. I could only relax during breaks when my friends and I discussed the sessions.

Soomin forever complained and wanted to know how she would survive the rigorous diet and training. No meat was a no-go for her; she loved her meat.

You nodded, " We will survive this year. Just stick to the routine and eat the correct food. It is very hard, but hang in there." You comforted her.

Jiwwo looked up with weariness. "We can do it. Let's just hang in there and do our best, okay?"

You talked about everything: your families, the strict rules, rigorous schedules, dreams and your future as a potential kpop artist.   In the evening, back in our dorm rooms, we could relax a little either by watching TV or videos of dance rehearsals. However, our tiredness was mixed with the eagerness that came with it. As baby trainees, we had our first few months in which we had to adapt ourselves to these rigorous demands. We stuck religiously to our diets and went through tough dances and vocal exercises together while helping each other survive test after test. Although monthly evaluations were nervy, every day brought us closer to our dream.

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You had a tight schedule from 4 am to almost 11 pm.

During training, you followed others, as it was hard being new. A few trainees spoke English and Chinese, which helped a lot.

In the dorm, you had to adapt to living with other girls.  Those were native Koreans.  Kazuha could only speak  English well, and others spoke Japanese, but she was pretty stuck up and often clashed with Soomin. You felt lonely without your family, but the other girls made an effort to understand you, which meant a lot.

The first three months were intense. The rules were strict, including a rigorous diet program. You lost 5 kg. You all adhered to a disciplined routine of dance and vocal training. The monthly evaluations were stressful; you barely passed your first one, and Soomin was devastated after failing her rap test.

Once again, you were sitting in your rooms, doing your schoolwork. Soomin was at the desk while you and Jiwoo were comfortable on your top bunk beds. 

Soomi groans and slumps backwards in her chair. "I'm always hungry. This diet is killing me. Do I look like a rabbit?"

You grinned because you had some health bars under your pillow, so you tossed one to her: "Here, I have an energy bar. It's allowed. It's enriched with vitamins and cherry-flavoured."

You often discussed your concerns, especially about your other friend, Minnie, in your ' mock dance group',  who was experiencing severe puking, weight loss, and stomach pains. Minnie was known for her dance talent, but you guessed the pressure got to her.

Soomin was playing with her silver pink pen, and with a thoughtful look, she said, "I think Minnie might have an eating disorder. She's showing early symptoms."

You hope not because it could jeopardize her training.

Two months later, the agency doctors confirmed your suspicions. Minnie had bulimia, and she needed some therapy as well. Her parents took her out of the training program to help her recover. Her mental health was more important.

It was a harsh reminder of the pressures you all faced. Her mom was criticizing the diet program. Minnie was caught several times eating snacks but puking them out so she wouldn't get fat.

Every evening, you would call home to tell them about your day. All the trainees had to keep a daily journal of their thoughts and progress. One night, you stayed up talking to Fanqia until sunrise, showing her around your dorm on video chat.

"You have no idea how much I miss you," Fanqia sighed. "Your dorm looks so cosy."

"I'm pretty homesick, too," you said. "But I'm surviving with my friends here. Send my love to everyone."

.....

A/n

Thank you so much for the first readers and voters
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The daunting schedule of a trainee. Will Yuqi cope?

1. What do you think about the rules?

2. Will you be able to follow those rules and regulations?

3. What do you think about her new friends?