New Morning | A Kpop Idol Life Story

5. Teasing

~ February 15th, Tuesday ~

Kang Junho's (a Sunrise Entertainment stan) P.O.V.

It was the fifth time checking the Sunrise's web page that day. The rumors of a new group were real: they agency had announced a new girl group's debut a few weeks ago. But there was no signs of further information. No one knew who the members would be. Online forums had their own speculations and fans argued about the size of the group and which concept they would have (cute concept was most popular at the moment). Sunrise was playing an unfair game if you asked me. Maybe it was a strategy of some sort. Sales would be better and so on. I finished my lunch and shoved my phone into the pocket of my jeans. With a sigh I headed back to work.

Several hours later I was on my way home, slightly shivering from the cool wind of late winter. I was hungry and tired and I walked with dragging feet. A friend's call made me groan in exhaustion. "What is it?" I asked her. "Don't give me that now. You saw the video right? I have tons of theories!" Eunjeong shrieked, clearly shocked about something. I stopped right there, adjusted my laptop bag and rubbed my temples a little bit. "Hold on, what video are you talking about?"

"Oppa, it's the teaser of the new group's debut song!"

The world suddenly became brighter. I started poking around my pockets for headphones. "Wait a minute, I'll check it out", I said to Eunjeong before ending the call rudely. While I adjusted the headphones over my ears I ran through my YouTube feed. It was right there, Lucky Number's debut teaser. I spent two seconds on contemplating the name before tapping on the thumbnail.

A pair of feet appeared on the concrete, walking away from the camera. An indistinct character entered a large warehouse with small red neon sign saying 'Don't Mind'. The character was now walking through a long and dark aisle with echoing steps. Sounds of a lively club was audible in the distance. The character passed two women laughing at her. The camera filmed the women from waist down. "I can see she's having a hard time", one of them said. "She looks so lonely!" the other agreed.

The lonely woman was now in front of a door with colorful stickers and splashes of paint. "If you enter, you will find your bittersweet ending" a voice of a young woman said. The character raised her hand at the handle and pulled the heavy door open.

In the large club there were dozens of people dancing, drinking and laughing. The character passed yet another woman. She was holding a glass filled with blue liquid. "Only the weak can't go back", she warned with a high-pitched laugh. As the character entered the bar she started to feel sick in the eye of the thumping music, bright lights and sweet smell coming from somewhere in the upstairs. She fell down on her knees, hands shaking. "I am not weak", she said continuously under her breath.

"Don't worry, you're already home." A hand appeared in front of the young woman. After a while she grabbed it and she was pulled up.

"Lucky Number Debut, 24th of February", a voice said in English and a white playing card logo appeared on the pitch black background.

~

"There were no faces shown. How can we be so sure it's them?" Eunjong had brought me a notebook full of theories on the teaser and currently we were both going through it in my kitchen. "Each of them talked, right? If you had seen New Morning Part Two you know who they are", she scoffed in a matter-of-fact way. I peered the pages again. I wasn't so sure about the other members but the one I was interested in was (First Name) (Last Name). She was undoubtedly the most talented trainee so I would be personally hurt if she didn't make it to the group.

When I said my thoughts out loud my friend started laughing. "Oppa, you already have a bias? That's so cute!" she teased me and I shot her a warning glance. "I only stan talent."

~

~ February 20th, Sunday ~

Your P.O.V.

It was only a few days until our debut. Each member had been shooting their individual part for the music video the during the week. Mr. Han had composed us new song for the first album that would come out at the same time as the debut video would be released so we were busy recording. The album also meant the jacket shooting as well as taking photos for the photo cards and booklets. This meant I didn't always see my fellow members that much.

I rolled on my bed continuously. It was already half past eleven at night and I very well knew I should be sleeping so that I could survive the following day. After a while I gave up and got up to fetch a glass of water. To my surprise the living room was dimly lit and I had to take a few moments to get used to the light. "Oh, you're awake. You should be sleeping at this hour." Songmin had a strict tone but she looked as calm as she ever did.

"Oh, c'mon. I can't get any sleep", I sighed and sat next to her on the couch. "And you should use formal language when talking to me", Songmin added with the same tone. I looked at her with my eyebrows raised. Of course she knew I respected her even when I didn't pay attention to the honorifics and stuff, I wasn't a master in Korean. She then laughed a little. "It's alright, I just want to play an angry leader once in a while."

A relieved sigh left my lungs. I lowered my eyes to Songmin's lap. "What are you writing?" I asked and tried to catch the thick notebook she had to see better. She grabbed it before I could and held it as far from me as she could. "It's a secret! It is not for your eyes!" she exclaimed as quietly as she could.

We sparred for a while but I then raised both of my hands as a sign of defeat. Songmin relaxed and when she had lowered her guard I snatched the book to myself. Unnie gasped and tried to fight me again but gave up quickly. She twiddled her hands nervously as I eyed the page she had been writing something on. "'Every day I look for a new way, a way to make things right.' What is this stuff?" I read aloud with a surprised expression. Songmin didn't answer right away but I could see her face was lightly reddish. "Wait a minute. You said you wrote songs?" a light bulb appeared on top of my head.

The older girl sighed. "Yeah. It's just writing lyrics at the moment but I have been talking about composing and producing with Mr. Han", she looked down. "Before I was announced as the leader I felt like I had to do something more than just rap so I decided I should try making songs for real." I looked at her with wide eyes, partly because I understood about half of everything she had said, partly because I was really moved by her story.

"That's so cool," I assured her. "You're our leader, rapper and a song writer. I think that is really amazing." Songmin looked at me, first puzzled and then she smiled a little. "It's so absurd that the maknae is comforting me", she rolled her eyes. "But thanks, I really appreciate it." I handed the notebook back to her with a smile. Songming had actually told me a secret. I had gotten closer with another member today and I felt proud of that accomplishment.

"Now get to bed before I'll kick you out!"