Year 3: Yuqi,  17–18 years old

The energy was palpable in the studio. There were approximately over 100 trainees there. You all were placed in a mock group with a name tag and dressed in your dance training wear.

You all sat on the available space on the floor, listening to the music. Anticipation was high in the studio. Soomin and Jiwoo sat next to you. You've already been training for two and a half years and heard about a new debut group that will be announced.

Jiwoo is deemed to be the best in your group. She did amazing in her evaluations.  She was so modest in her estimation of herself.

They are here to determine who will make it into the new debut group.

Soomin, the reserved one, looked around the studio at the trainee's faces, " I can't believe we'd be training for a year and a half now. What a ride! Guys, we need to get into this pre-debut group. I'm so nervous." 

Jiwoo's eyes were very wary as she looked around the hopeful trainees. She was one of those who consistently outperformed the rest," Guys this is the moment we have been waiting for, we put in everything to get here."

The fluttering in your stomach emerged again; your thoughts drifted to the contract you signed with your parents. It was clear: at 18 years old, you'll be posted back home to attend uni and forget about K-pop. The thought alone made you ache; There is no place you would rather be on stage.
This was your dream.

Jiwoo saw the distress in your eyes, and she knows about your struggles. "Don't be so concerned, Yuqi...just trust and have faith. You will make it and accomplish your dreams." She looked at you with a soft expression, pressing your hand in comfort.

 Ms Oh was one of the evaluators who stepped on the stage; the studio grew silent. Her aura was commanding and stern.
The murmurs immediately subsided, and all attention was directed at her.

When she addressed the trainees, her melodious voice was clear and firm: " We need to remember that this is a fierce competition to the top. Not everyone is destined to make it into this new pre-debut group. Today is very heartbreaking; some of you will have to say goodbye to your friends. Some of you will leave us due to your trainee year contracts, some might go back to school, or opt to exchanged agencies. Just continue practising and working on your craft. Even if you failed the selection process."

As you sat there, you could feel the anxiety her words brought to you. Kpop is very competitive and hard-core. If you want to debut, you would prefer between 13 and 19. You are fortunately still 17 years, but Soomin and Jiwoo are already 18 years, so you must debut asap. You could feel the pressure mounting.

Soomin whispered, anxious," This is our last chance, girls; our chances to debut will be smaller. Gosh, I sound so desperate right now."

Jiwoo nodded and agreed. They had to get in now!

You could attest to that. A female trainee who had almost trained for six years in the industry, a veteran, was omitted from her debut line, the highly popular group Twice, but she didn't give up. Pack up and sign up at a smaller company; you've heard she is about to debut with them soon. It's such a bittersweet thought of missed opportunities.

You just peek at your friends, anxiety gnawed at your insides. When Ms Oh continued with her speech, you could sense the anxiety among the trainees, especially your two friends, who didn't seem confident enough. They tried to be composed, but their biting lips and jittery demeanour say it all.

"Just think," you said softly to Jiwoo and Soomin, "if we make it, all this hard work will pay off. We have to believe in ourselves."

Around you, other trainees were equally tense. You felt a lump in your throat. The thought of losing friends, of being one of those left behind, was terrifying. Your eyes scanned the room, lingering on your overly confident and joyful roommates, Kazuha and Sakura.

Kazuha and Sakura, your roommates, were stunningly beautiful and consistently scored higher than you in evaluations. With her big eyes, perfect body shape, and slim legs, Sakura seemed to embody the Korean beauty standard. Kazuha, despite her aloof attitude, had a small face, slender nose, and natural pink lips that made her stand out. Their popularity and talent were undeniable, and it was distressing to think they might outshine you.

Soomin leaned in and whispered, "Sakura's dad is a chaebol. I bet he paid her way in."

Jiwoo rolled her eyes, "Even if that's true, we can't let it get to us. We have to focus on our strengths."

You shrugged, not wanting to believe it but knowing that in this world, anything was possible, "They get a lot of attention, that's for sure."

You nodded, but it was hard not to feel the pressure. The trainees who consistently got high scores in singing, dancing, and acting or had undergone plastic surgery to enhance their looks hoped to be in the debut lineup. The competition was fierce.

Ms. Kang, the head evaluator, took the stage next, "As we move forward with planning the new group, we will start separating you into smaller groups. We'll pull aside the potential members and start forming a pre-debut group. Just to make it clear to all of you. This new lineup doesn't guarantee your final spot in the debut group. We will shift trainees within the group to see their synergy with each other. "

"You know what I've heard. Sadly, some trainees who had to debut in a group didn't make it to the final lineup. So, most decided to leave the agency, and they were lucky to debut somewhere else." Soomin softly says next to you.

Jiwoo nodded and heard similar stories: " There's a very small agency, Bighit, which was on the verge of bankruptcy, that has debuted a group called Bangtan Sonyeondan. This is their only trainee pre-debut group that is gaining massive popularity. I think one member named Park Jimin only trained less than a year before the group finally debuted."

Soomin chuckled," Jimin is a contemporary Dancer. We also trained very hard, and our scores were consistent.

You managed a weak smile, "I wish I could say the same thing about me. But we have been working so hard. This is possible."

"It's probably your heart-shaped, childlike face that made them choose you; someday, you'll be the visual of our group," Soomin remarked sneeringly.

You turned red, knowing that looks were a big deal, but you hoped to overcome it with your talent and hard work.

Though they kept mentioning BTS as an idol band, trainees knew little about these celebrities. These girl groups didn't bother Soomin much because she had no social media accounts. There were only six months of training for Jimin, which is what Soomin told you, while another member had been trained for 6 years.

"We've all danced since we were little, but these Korean trainees are on another level." She said thoughtfully.

Sitting across from the room was a long table where evaluators, trainers and CEO JYP himself JY PARK sat. The nerves were almost tangible as the crowd waited for the results. Friends and rivals stared at each other anxiously, hoping to get their names announced among the pre-debut teams.

Jiwoo squeezed your hand saying 'whatever happens, we stick together, okay?'

"Sure," you nodded nervously with pounding heartbeats..

At last, everyone looked at the stage with Ms. Kang and the CEO taking their positions. It was only a matter of time before she would announce that would change their lives forever. JY Park, the CEO, stood firmly before the trainees as he held a black clipboard containing the names of those fortunate enough to get in. The room became utterly calm when he started speaking.

"This year," JY Park announced, "we will be debuting another girl group. Only twelve girls will cut the lineup. This selection will be based on the trainees best suited for the positions in the group and whose style aligns significantly with the concept we're aiming for."

You felt your heart race. The anticipation in the room was palpable.

JY continued, outlining the competition structure, "You will have to fight for the positions you auditioned for. These positions include Vocal, Dance, Rap, and Visual. Each position can have two to three spots. To simplify, there will be the Vocal line: Main Vocal, Lead Vocal, and Sub Vocal; the Dance line: Main Dancer and Lead Dancer; the Rap line: Main Rapper, Lead Rapper, and Sub Rapper. The Visual line will only have two spots."

The trainees exchanged anxious glances as JY laid out the path ahead, "After a few months of intense evaluations of this pre-debut group," he explained, "we will hold a meeting with the vocal coaches, Ms Oh, Mr Kim, and Mr Shim, the dance mentors, Ms Oh, Ms Kang, and Mr Jeon rap and dance head, and the rap coaches Mr Choi and Mr Lin. I will sit with all the coaches and the head evaluator, Ms. Kang, to recommend potential debut trainees for the next group. After they recommend their favourite trainees, we will compare them to others we think are perfect for the debut group and make a final decision."

The room was silent, the moment's weight pressing down on everyone. Soomin looked particularly nervous, knowing that rap was not her strong suit and Mr. Jeon was not her biggest supporter.

"After much planning and decision making," JY continued, "we will gather the trainees and take group photos to see if their visuals look good together and fit the final concept. Some might get cut from the lineup through this process just because they don't look good with the other trainees."

Yuqi sat there with a heavy heart. Over 45 girls were in mixed mock groups; only 12 would make the lineup. And even then, there would be another cut in a few months. The uncertainty was almost unbearable.

JYP said, "Once the evaluators have made their choice and everything is prepared, the company will announce that we're debuting a new group this year. Then, the teaser photos will be released. So good luck to all the seven mock groups: 'Trainee Team 2015.'" He smiled and looked at the Head Evaluator, Ms Kang, next to him, who would do the honours of calling the fortunate 12 member pre-debut team.

Applause broke the tension in the room, though it was more a formality than a genuine expression of joy.

Ms Kang looked relaxed for the first time, and a genuine smile grazed her lips," Like our CEO just stated, as all your coaches, we made our choice, but this highly fortunate new pre-debut K-pop girl group will have it extremely tough. Rest assured, all of you, there will be  all blood, sweat, tears, countless sleepless nights, and back-to-back schedules."

Yuqi, Jiwoo, and Soomin exchanged looks of apparent nervousness. The stakes were becoming higher than ever, and the uphill journey ahead seemed challenging.

Ms. Kang nodded, "All of you girls have worked extremely hard, and we are all so truly proud of all your sacrifices and dedication. Congratulations to all those who will make it, and don't be disheartened for those who didn't. Every step from today is a step to stardom. So, without further ado, our first trainee who made it into the group lineup is..."

???

A/n: Jyp announced his new pre-debut group. 

Shout out to voters @the-paperhearts-  garibo16 MarieKarlsson3

1. Who will be the lucky girls?

2. Which trainer do you like best, and which do you like least?

3. Do you think Yuqi will be in the lineup?

4. If so, which position will she take (1st–12th)?