Chapter 12

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Star is playing with her fingers while waiting for the result of the assessment. She sang confidently, she knows. She was comfortable with the angelic face of Kun. His smile is like giving them off motivation and confidence. It feels like he's saying, "Hwaiting!" through his eyes, so they all ended up performing well.

But still, they don't know what's running inside the juries' minds. They might don't like the way she sang ir maybe there are parts that she went off tune but she wasn't able to notice it. She don't know! She's just feeling nervous and paranoid.

The room is full of silence. All were in silent mode. The trainees are the only people inside this room. All she can hear is the ventilation machine. The silence is suffocating her. Plus her nervousness and they all feel the same.

Currently, Kun, Winwin, Sejoon-nim and  of course, Woorim-nim are discussing about their performances. Well, Woorim-ssi is a little late.

"Ugh. This is killing me!" Chahyun suddenly shouted and they all jolted in schock. They suddenly laughed.

"What will happen if we fail?" Hime asked.

"I don't think that's gonna happen. Base on our performances, we all did great." The youngest among the boys named Jikyung said while pouting.

Junho suddenly stood and inhaled deeply then started singing, "Bicheul ssotneun sky-iyah-iyah-iyah-iyah-yay!" Then he started dancing contemporary dance as he continue to sing "I" of Taeyeon.

"Yah! Geumanhae!" Seomin stood and walked towards him then jokingly pulled his ears.

"I think that's how a hiphop dancer contain his nervousness." Star murmured that Chahyun who's at het side heard.

"He even sang a female idol's song. Tsk tsk tsk." Then she shook her head. Star grinned.

All became noisy and tried to forget their agitating emotions and thoughts. The door opened and a group of boys showed up.

All of their attentions turned to them. Some were surprised while some are, again, nervous.

Star's eyes almost stuck out in surprise. She can feel her hands trembling in nervousness. Her emotions are getting even more uncontrollable. She can't identify her feeling right now.

SHINee's Minho smiled at them and walked inside, "Annyeonghaseyo, yeoreobundeul!" She greeted then bowed.

All stood up and greeted back.

He's smiling brightly in the front. "I just want to visit you, guys." He started speaking, "I'm looking forward to see you in the future as SM's new stars. I know you just started and you still have a long road to take..." he continued speaking but Star wasn't listening. Her eyes are focused on a different guy named Ten, who entered the room together with Minho and Mark.

The same goes with Ten. His gazes are locked up on her. It's like they haven't seen each other for a long while, which is actually true.

Star went back to her senses when Minho called her.

"P-pardon?"

"You're Star, right?"

She smiled awkwardly, "Ah, ne." Then she bowed. "I'm Star."

"I've been hearing good things about you from our teachers. Plus, you're pretty." He said with a genuine smile.

Inside of Star, she's breathing hardly. She can't believe a Choi Minho will notice her. She's being proud of herself and she wants to call her mom right now and tell her stories.

"K-kamsahamnida, sunbaenim!" She said shyly then bowed.

"That's all. I just dropped by to meet you. Until next time, guys!" Then he headed out of the room.

For the last moment, Star glanced at Ten but Ten didn't look back at her and followed Minho.

The door shut close and the girls started screaming.

"Yaaaah! I have seen Minho with no crowd between us!" One of the girls exclaimed but Star was unable to identify who that was. She's floating with her deep thoughts.

"Oh goodness! Star!" Seomin held her on her shoulders and shook her, "She noticed you! You're so lucky!"

Star just smiled at her then walked back to where she was sitting a while ago.

After a few minutes, the door flung open. Everyone became silent. The atmosphere became heavy again. Sejoon, Woorim, Kun and Winwin showed up. All were wearing a smile except for the ever serious Trainer Sejoon.

"Congratulations, guys, for passing through this assessment. Give yourselves a round of applause." Sejoon said and initiated clapping. Everyone followed with gratefulness in their hearts.

"The feedbacks were all great. Except for one." Woorim said. All became serious and nervous.

"That couldn't be me. Lord, not me, please..." Star said with a short prayer in mind.

"Han Cheonsa."

Star almost had a knee breakdown when she heard her full name.

"Oh no! What have I done?" She glanced at her friends and they all gave a cheerful smile.

"Star, you've been known as one of the best trainees here." Woorim stated.

"Yes, I acknowledge that." Sejoon seconded.

"Your vocal performance..."

"Flopped for Kun? Wasn't good? Not enough? Terrible? What?" She's now thinking of negative thoughts in her mind.

"Your vocal performance is the best as of today's assessment. You guys all did great, but yours is the greatest. You captured Kun's heart. And not only him, mine as well." Woorim said while clapping and smiling to Star.

"What?" Star whispered but everyone heard and they laughed with her unexplainable and priceless facial expression and reaction.

"Congratulations, Star eonnie!" Hime said.

"You really did well!" Someone from the male trainees said.

Star is a little bit confused. Just a while ago she's trembling with nervousness and now, they're all clapping for her.

She looked at Kun, he's just smiling widely and handsomely.

"Oh my, God, thank you. Hahaha!" She exclaimed in her mind.

After giving the results for the other trainees, the girls decided to celebrate in a Korean-Chinese restaurant.

"I want hotpot!" Chahyun said while walking.

"Jjajangmyeon! Jjajangmyeon!" Hime said while raising her hands simultaneously.

"I would like to have curry ramyeon and... buljjajang? Ah yeah, buljjajang!" Seomin said cheerfully.

Star is still quiet. She's still in the verge of processing all the happenings for today.

"And because Star starred today, she must treat us!" Chahyun said then held Star's wrist and raised it.

"Say what?" Star asked.

"Yeah, you should!" Seomin said teasingly.

"Eonnie," Hime walked closer to her, "You're really excelling in our training! You're doing great!"

"She's right." Chahyun added, "You're a prodigy."

"You're bluffing!" Star said. She's overflowed with happy emotions right now. She badly wants to go home now and tell her family the results of her assessment.

They continued their conversation while eating their favorites. And yes, Star unwillingly paid for their dinner.

**

It's already late in the evening but Star is still awake, chatting with her younger brother in an SNS. She tried calling them but her mother's phone is nowhere to be find in their house. She perhaps musplaced it somewhere. She can't call her brother because he's currently in China and she don't have load for international calls.

While having their chat, a message notification showed in her notification panel. She opened it and an unregistered number messaged her.

Hello!

Says the text.

"Who's this?" She asked herself,being clueless of whoever messaged him.

She replied, Hello! Who's this?

She didn't wait for the reply but it replied.

Secret!

"Seriously?" She mumbled. "Must be a scammer."

She didn't reply but she received another message from the stranger.

How was the assessment? I heard you outshone there...

She blinked twice, hoping that her own eyes are just fooling her. But no, she read it right!

"Who the heck are you?" She's starting to be furious. This person knows something about her and that's mysterious. She never told anyone about training in SM except her family and some friends.

How did you know about the assessment?

And now, she's staring at her notification panel, waiting for it to notify her for a new message from the stranger.

And the reply came saying, Sejoon-nim told us, Star.

"No way!" She shouted in shock as she read her name on it. "This stranger knows me! What the?"

Who are you? Tell me. Or I'll report you!

She bit her lips while waiting for the stranger's reply. Her eyes are locked on their conversation boxes.

A new message came right from the stranger, I told you, it's a secret. ㅋㅋㅋ

"Argh!" She shouted in frustration. "Whatever! I won't reply! No way! You, punk."

She hid her handphone beneath her pillow and closed her eyes. She's trying to sleep but the text messages are bothering her.

"Who could that be?" She whispered.

She felt the continuous vibration of her phone beneath her head. But she insisted not to snatch it and check it.

**

Taeyong is leaning towards the window, watching the twinkling stars and the moon smiling at him.

It's already dark on their room and it's only the moonlight and the starlights that touches his face.

He checked his phone and looked for the time. It's already twelve in the midnight. He felt hungry so he decided to go to the kitchen.

There, he found Ten sitting on the dining table while holding his phone.

"It's already late. Why are you still awake?" Taeyong asked then continued to the refrigerator.

Ten looked at him then just smiled, "I can't sleep."

Taeyong grabbed a milk and approached Ten, "What are you doing?" He sneeked at his phone but Ten turned it off.

"Nothing." Ten answered in a cute tone.

Taeyong looked at him intently, observing his face, looking for some answers.

"What now?" Ten asked.

"Nothing." He imitated Ten's tone. They just laughed at each other.

After finishing his milk, he went back to their room. He felt a vibration from his phone in his hand. He checked it and saw a message. He smiled widely.

***