Chapter 20

After eating, I ordered an iced chocolate and lounged on the fluffy sofa in the lounge, feeling like this is the life.

“Mom, this place is great! If I train here, I could eat like this every day.”

“What are you talking about? If you become a trainee, you won’t be able to eat like this because you’ll be too busy losing weight.”

“Ah.”

Totally missed that point.

The Team Leader, who had been listening, chuckled and chimed in.

“Do-hee is at an age where she’s still growing, so no need to worry about dieting. Besides, unless she overeats, she’ll lose weight while taking lessons anyway.”

“Phew, I just got a scare thanks to Mom.”

“Even if the Team Leader says that, in the end, you’ll still have to manage your weight, right?”

“Yeah. If I gain weight, it’s because of the genes I inherited from Mom.”

“Yeah. Mom has lived with this weight her entire life.”

The Team Leader continued to laugh at our banter.

“You and your mom seem more like friends. You could even do a variety show together someday.”

“I’m just playing along to keep Mom entertained.”

“Does she hit you?”

“Eek!”

And just like that, I got a light smack on the head.

While enjoying our post-meal chocolate in the lounge, the Team Leader’s phone rang, and she answered.

“Oh, yes, Director. Alright, I understand.”

It must be the Director from earlier.

After finishing the call, the Team Leader said,

“If you’re free right now, would you like to head down for a camera test? They’ve finished preparing.”

“Sure.”

Once we arrived at the dance practice room on the basement level for the camera test, I saw the Director from earlier along with a few other staff members.

Wait, is this a camera test or an audition? Why are there so many people? It’s a bit overwhelming.

Anyway, after confirming my presence, the Director approached me.

“Do-hee, did you enjoy your meal?”

“Yes, it was really delicious.”

“If you get in, you’ll be able to eat for free all the time. Now, we’ll just do the camera test, which will be simple, so don’t worry. Can you stand right in front of the camera?”

“Sure.”

I stood in front of the camera.

“Oh, and if your mother is okay with it, could she come over to watch the camera screen with us?”

“Oh, is that alright?”

“Of course! Now, Do-hee, please keep a straight face and look into the camera.”

“Okay~”

I followed the Director’s instructions and stared at the camera with a blank expression.

As I did, the staff watching the camera screen began to discuss among themselves.

“Her features are so distinct that the screen can’t capture her three-dimensional look.”

“True, it looks different from reality, but her face shape is so pretty that it all balances out.”
“She looks different in person, but her face shape is pretty enough to cover it up.”

“Anyway, the dimensional feeling can be covered with makeup and hairstyle, so it doesn’t matter.”

My shoulders lifted at the staff’s unanimous praise.

“Ah, so I truly have an outstanding face in the entertainment industry?”

Once the evaluation was over, the director asked for a different expression.

“Now, let’s see a smiling face. Don’t just raise the corners of your mouth; can you smile naturally with your eyes too?”

“Yup~”

A natural smile. There’s nothing more natural than the smile I make when teasing my mom.

“Your smile is pretty, too.”

“Right? It’s an ideal smile where the corners of the mouth go up higher than the upper lip, and the eye smile is cute.”

“But I don’t know if this is the right expression, but doesn’t it seem a bit sneaky?”

“True… it does seem like that…”

“Huh?”

Seeing my reflection in the mirror, my smile indeed looked oddly sneaky. Maybe it’s because it’s the expression I make when teasing my mom?

I should smile like I do when looking at Do-ah.

“Oh, I must have seen it wrong for a moment.”

“Yeah, just an illusion.”

“Seriously, what’s sneaky about a kid’s smile?”

The problem was definitely my mom.

“Now, let’s see your profile. Lift your chin and stand at an angle.”

“Yup.”

I’m confident in my jawline. Thanks to consistent stretching and exercise since I was a child, I have a jawline that’s free from puffiness or excess.

“Your profile looks good too.”

“I mean, as a kid, there’s a little baby fat in the cheeks, but it’s cute now, and it’ll be prettier when you mature.”

“If you just manage your habit of resting your chin here, it should be fine.”

“Lastly, let’s tie your hair back. You can use this rubber band.”

The director handed me a rubber band as he spoke. I tied my hair back and tossed it behind me.

“Just pretty.”

“True. If she can’t sing, we can just make her an actress…”

“No way. She must come to Division 1 and become an idol.”

After the camera test was over, the director spoke to my mom.

“Mother, Do-hee must become a celebrity.”

“Haha, I’m just planning to support Do-hee in whatever she wants to do.”

“Then, Do-hee’s mother, could you spare a bit more time?”

“Oh, I have time.”

“Then let’s go upstairs, and I’ll explain what our company can do for Do-hee and what the contract terms are.”

“Oh~ Okay, I understand. Do-hee, let’s go up.”

“Okay.”

We followed the director to the management reception room on the third floor and started our serious discussion.
It began.

“First, let me briefly explain our company’s trainee curriculum.”

The Director showed the curriculum chart.

The chart included a packed schedule of vocal, dance, rap, instrument, and acting lessons, as well as language conversation, Pilates, weekend check-ups, and mid-term evaluations.

“As you can see, you practice every day except Sundays and holidays. During the week, you’ll come after finishing school, and on Saturdays, you come at 10 AM. You finish your day at 10 PM.”

Oh… that sounds tough.

“However, since Do-hee is only 11, we can adjust her commuting times for convenience.”

Mom, with a worried look, asked, “Do-hee, can you handle this schedule?”

“Huh? I haven’t even said I’m doing it yet!”

“Oh. Right.”

“And maybe I could skip a few things on the curriculum?”

The Director looked puzzled at my comment. “What would you like to skip, Do-hee?”

“Instrument lessons, language conversation, and Pilates, maybe.”

“Is there a reason for that?”

“I know how to do all of them.”

The Director laughed upon hearing my response. “Hahaha, Do-hee, I’m sorry to say this, but knowing how to do something isn’t the same as doing it well.”

It seems the Director thinks I’m just exaggerating my basic skills since I’m an elementary school student.

Oh, bragging about myself takes away the fun…

“Well, I think I don’t need Pilates since I’ve been regularly exercising and stretching since I was 5, so I should have enough stamina and flexibility.”

“Oh, really? Then what about instruments and language conversation?”

“I’ve been studying English and Japanese steadily since I was little. So, while I’m not as fluent as a native speaker, I can speak, listen, read, and write just fine.”

The Director, who seemed fine with the exercise talk, now looked quite surprised at my mention of English and Japanese.

This is why I’ve been studying hard every single day until now.

A shiver of excitement runs through me.

“Mrs. Do-hee, is what she’s saying true?”

“Haha, yes. Our daughter has been quite smart since she was a child, and she started studying by herself at some point. It seems she takes after me, not just in looks but in brains too.”

What’s this?

It was supposed to be about me, but why did it end up being a brag about Mom?

“Studying by herself since she was little? That’s incredible! I guess she really takes after her mother.”

No, Director, did you misunderstand? You’re supposed to be praising me, not my mom!

“She’ll make us look so insignificant if she’s also good at playing instruments. Can she play well?”
“Haha, I can play a little piano.”

The point here is to act humble.

“Oh, you play the piano. So, what number of Czerny are you on?”

“I don’t play Czerny… Haha.”

And really pretending to be too shy to share.

Making a shy face, I looked at Mom and said, “Mom, you tell them…”

Of course, Mom can tell at a glance that I’m being fake.

“Sigh… Do-hee has already finished all of Czerny and is playing Chopin, Mozart, and Beethoven.”

“Wow… I didn’t expect that…”

“Haha, I practiced a little hard, and…”

“And?”

I looked at Mom again, pretending to be shy.

‘Hurry up and say it. That one.’

“Sigh…”

Why is she sighing while bragging about her daughter?

“Well, Do-hee has won first place in major national competitions 11 times in a row.”

The director’s expression dropped upon hearing Mom’s words, totally losing his composure.

“Really? 11 consecutive wins in major competitions?”

I scratched my head, pretending to be embarrassed as I replied.

“Haha… Yeah, I was lucky!”

Luck? No, it’s skill. Kekeke.

This feeling of endorphins rushing through my body.

Ah, it’s exhilarating.

I want to brag every day.

“Wait, I think I saw something about it in an article. There’s a piano prodigy who won 11 consecutive competitions.”

“Yeah, it’s embarrassing, but… it might be me. Hehe.”

As I acted all fake, Mom looked at me like I was a strange girl.

“Do-hee Lee. What’s up with you today?”

I looked at her as if I knew nothing.

“What? Mother?”

“Oh, what’s with you really.”

Mom was shaking and flailing her arms as if it gave her goosebumps.

I’m an 11-year-old daughter; can’t you look cute at me?

You’re too harsh on your own daughter.

“Did you eat something weird?”

“Mother, why would you say that about a young girl… I’m sad, sniff sniff…”

“Oh, seriously, what’s wrong with you?”

Ah, today is so much fun.

Just imagining going on air to brag about myself makes me shiver.

Regardless, since I’ve bragged a bit, I feel like I can negotiate better terms if we do sign a contract.

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