After the audition...

Sara let out a heavy breath as she walked through the corridors, desperately trying to remember the directions back to the reception area Director Wallace had pointed out for her when she left the audition.

Thankfully, Sara wasn’t too directionally impaired and to her relief, eventually stumbled upon the bathroom where she had initially been dragged away by said Director Wallace. She could make the way back from this spot as it wasn’t too far a distance from the reception area.

‘I wonder if Briana’s audition is already over… Hopefully, she does well… Ah, how am I going to explain everything that happened in the last hour without Briana just calling bull’ on it all.’

Sara grumbled, not sure if she wanted to laugh or cry at the whole situation.

Surprisingly, when Sara finally arrived at the waiting area, she found Briana already there, fiddling on her phone with an anxious expression, her pretty brow scrunched up in worry. Sara almost heard a click go off in her head as the realisation hit her.

Immediately, Sara grasped for her phone, digging into her jacket pocket to pull it out. Looking at the several texts on her screen from Briana, Sara’s expression instantly turned guilt-ridden

‘Idiot!’

Slamming her head into the palm of her hand as she cursed herself a fool, Sara then rushed forward as fast as she could—without looking crazy in a public area—towards her anxious friend, cursing at herself the whole way.

[B-Briana, I’m so, so sorry! I didn’t see your texts!]

Sara cried out in apology, grabbing Briana’s-and a few others—attention away from her phone.

Bouncing up from her seat, Briana looked at Sara with a reprimanding, her hands folded in front of her chest as her body assumed a no-nonsense pose.

[There you are! Do you know how worried I was? where have you been? I’ve been waiting here for nearly twenty minutes already!”

[I’m sorry, I’m sorry! Something came up… Just give me time to explain.]

Sara continuously apologized, knowing how worried she would be herself if it was Briana who had gone AWOL instead.

Letting out a deep sigh to the ground, Briana’s frown suddenly began to falter as she looked back at Sara, a playful gleam dancing in her jade green eyes.

[*sigh* And here I was all happy to share the news and everything.]

Briana unsuccessfully fought to keep the grin off her face as she spoke in a teasing tone.

Glad Briana was seemingly letting her off on this one and changing the subject, Sara eagerly played along with her friends teasing, despite already having a guess at what was lighting up such a bright smile on this old friend of hers.

[What, did that boy you like-Kerry was it?-ask you out?]

[No silly, hahaha!]

Briana laughed and playfully slapped Sara on her shoulder.

Before saying anything else after that, Briana gestured for the two of them to leave and Sara naturally nodded in agreement, the two quickly heading out of the Petal Entertainment building as Briana picked up the conversation once again:

[It’s even better than that!… Hopefully. But well… It’s not set in stone or anything, but the audition seemed to go over really well with the Casting Director and the other people overseeing the audition.]

[Is that so... I guess that makes both of us.]

Sara replied, trying to be as stone-faced as possible as she felt a playful itch herself at this moment.

[…]

Only after a couple more steps did Briana finally stop in place. Sweeping her gaze swiftly, Brina looked at Sara incredulously for several seconds, only reacting when she heard the impatient voice of the person behind her wanting her to move out of the way of the Petal Entertainment building entrance.

Quickly apologising to that person, Briana rushed back to Sara’s—who had walked a couple steps ahead of her—side as she asked in a high-pitched voice that did nothing to hide her complete bewilderment:

[You auditioned, How? For what?!]

[Heh, where to begin?...]

Sara chuckled wryly, eyes gravitating upwards in thought…

The whole journey home, Sara and Briana’s discussion barely held a pause in conversation as Sara regaled Briana with the events of her last hour…

…………

Meanwhile, some several stories up in the Petal Entertainment building, Director Wallace, Mrs James and the other judges sat in a room in quietness as a girl’s audition video was projected on a clear white wall opposite of them. Over one hour had passed since Sara’s audition.

[Is that all of them?]

Director Wallace asked once the final audition played.

[Yes, there were only sixty-three, as that’s all we had the time for so last minute.]

One of the audition judges answered.

[Are you still gravitating to this Miss Weiss character Director?]

Another asked, his tone containing a somewhat sceptical tone, obviously holding many doubts on this decision.

[Seeing as there is a need for you to even ask shows the quality of Miss Weiss over these other girls. In level of potential anyway.]

Director Wallace smirked as she retorted to the man’s doubts.

[We’re looking for unique idols here, this is to be a five-member girl group after all. We want each member to stand out.]

[But… It is also true that she has had no training. The CEO is planning to debut the group in three months… That’s not a lot of time all things considered.]

Mrs James argued on the other man's side. While she had also found herself fond of the girl's prospects, she couldn't help but also hold some doubts of her own at the same time. Ultimately, it just didn't seem realistic and Mrs James continued to argue as such as she continued:

[There is also the problem of Miss Weiss’ intentions. Who is to say that she wants to become an idol in the first place, or if she has the drive necessary for the job either? This is not such a black and white decision, Director…]

Silence filled the room as Director Wallace processed Mrs James’ words, her shoulders slumping as she sadly had to agree with her argument. Becoming an idol was labour intensive and if the heart wasn’t there, things could turn south very quickly, and not only for the idol. Even the group and the company could be pulled down with them if things go wrong enough.

Leaning forward with her elbows resting on the table, hands cupping her mouth, Director Wallace went deep into thought for a long moment. The four people in the room beside her didn’t dare to interrupt her; for multiple reasons. There was obviously the risk of being shouted at by a superior, but also because they all held a special respect for this woman before them, as eccentric a personality as she was.

Jennifer Wallace, otherwise known as Director Wallace, was a woman with a great success record in the music industry, and is not just a Music Director, but also a music producer and brand designer in her own right; it was for this reason that Jennifer Wallace was generally referred to as a Creative Director, a vague term that could only describe like her who excelled in so many fields.

Many groups and people had her to thank for their success in the industry, and the employees of Petal Entertainment were under strict orders to not upset her as much as possible; the difficulties of obtaining her was too much to compensate if things were to go belly up.

The judges were all in deep thought, speculations running in their minds when finally, the silence was finally interrupted…

[Alright, I’ve made up mind!]

Director Wallace declared, a determined gleam sparkling in her dark grey eyes and her voice commanding attention. She had decided.