[Goodbye mum, goodbye dad!]

Sara called out as she opened the back door leading from the kitchen to the city life outside.

[Bye, Honey! Good luck!!]

Sara’s mum cheered in support from behind her. Caught in the middle of her work, her response was a little hasty but filled with her well wishes.

[Good luck, and phone us when you're done!]

Her dad’s voice came from the front of the house as he was on cashier duty for the moment.

[Got it!]

Sara answered back before closing the back door behind her.

With an anxious sigh, Sara dusted off some invisible dust before presuming her way onwards to the meeting spot with Director Wallace, which was a rather nearby establishment called the Lily Pond Café.

Sara had been there a few times before, mostly with Briana, and she was feeling thankful that the meeting spot was there because the place was rather nicely spaced out, with some areas even providing a good amount of privacy.

She could really use that in her current state. She didn’t want to become even more anxious due to other people overhearing her blunderings.

Soon enough, Sara was boarding onto a bus and then five minutes after that, she was already heading off the bus. With another quick minute walk after that, Sara had finally arrived at her destination. Somewhat cramped between several other businesses, the Lily Pond Café managed to still stand out with its floral design and pastel colours. Nice pots filled to the brim with fresh, pretty flowers lined the outside of the café, really helping to add to the homely atmosphere of the place.

Opening the door, Sara surveyed the people inside until she finally found the person she was looking for.

Perfectly straight black hair and intimidating grey eyes were only countered by her lax posture and casual, but stylish clothing. Sara was relieved to see she had sat at a somewhat private table and walked up to the Director’s side.

A shadow was suddenly cast over the Director’s phone. Looking up to see who it was, Director Wallace smiled as she greeted the person she had been waiting for:

[It’s nice to see you again Miss Weiss. Please, take a seat.]

[A-ah, thank you.]

Sara stumbled in reply before placing herself across from Director Wallace. The small table did little to distance the two, allowing for easy chatter amongst the two.

[sorry fo-]

[You’re fine, you’re already ten minutes early after all.]

Director Wallace waved off her apology, an amused glint in her grey eyes.

[Let me grab a waiter.]

[Oh, t-thank you.]

Sara thanked her, giving a short bow to the Director as she gave an "it's alright" gesture before grabbing the attention of a nearby waitress, who promptly took their order.

One order of cups of tea and coffee later, Sara sipped at her newly arrived tea gingerly before returning her attention back to the woman across from her. The director herself, meanwhile, was also taking a good drink from her own drink as well; Only, the director was drinking a black coffee instead of Sara who had settled with warming tea.

[Well then, Shall we get to business then?]

Seeing Sara nod in agreement, Director Wallace continued without delay, getting right into the serious matters:

[Like we have already discussed over the phone, it is my wish to have you join under Petal Entertainment in my new girl group.]

["Your" girl group?]

Sara enquired, emphasising Director Wallace’s use of “my”.

[I’m the Creative Director of the group; which in basic terms, means that I have a hand in everything dealing with the group I’m supervising. I can act as manager if need be, I’ll likely be producing a lot of the group's music tracks and will be the main authority in crafting the group's concept as well.]

Director Wallace helpfully explained succinctly. Taking a quick sip to cleanse her throat before continuing, her hands spreading into a shrug as she spoke next:

[This is all useful information… But likely unuseful for you, for now, having not given your answer, so let's not go into further detail. For now at least.]

Sara nodded in understanding before the director continued.

[Which promptly brings us onto the main purpose of today’s meeting.]

Director Wallace’s eyes narrowed at this point, her body language a little stiff as she continues with a hint of unease:

[I’ll be frank. Besides myself, while the other members in charge of the auditions see potential in you, they are also very doubtful of your prospects at the same time. You have to know, the girl group I’m in charge of has been set to debut in three months-]

At this statement, Sara’s eyes turned wide. Despite knowing that this might already be the case, it was an entirely different matter to hear about such a thing from the director of the group herself. Three months was simply just not a long amount of time for a trainee, even Sara knew that.

[-which as you can imagine, leaves little time for a newbie like yourself to learn the ropes of being an idol. There’s too much risk involved, which is why you need to be tested. That's if you agree to go through with this in the first place, of course.]

[Is this what you mean when you talked about a one-month trial?]

Sara asked, her head nodding in newfound understanding.

[Yes.]

Director Wallace answered in a straightforward manner.

[So, with all that being said... In the end, nothing will move forward without one question being answered first… Miss Weiss, do you wish to join Petal Entertainment as a potential idol! Or not?...]

Sara stewed in Director Wallace’s words for several moments as her own thoughts of the day prior also intermingled in her complicated maze of thoughts. In the end though, Sara wasn’t too surprised by a lot of what Director Wallace had told her.

She had already guessed from the prior call and the general attitude of the people who had auditioned her that things wouldn’t play out so easily for Sara if she were to proceed with becoming a trainee under Petal Entertainment. She just didn't expect such a method like this as a trial.

That’s why, when asked such a question by Director Wallace, it didn’t take long for Sara to answer with all the conviction she could muster:

[Yes!]

That was the answer she had come to the night before, and the one she still held at this moment, and she was positive that it would be the answer she would have in the many days to come.

Sara knew that the life ahead of her would now become hectic; she would need to put in a lot of hard work. But despite all of that, Sara wanted to perform. Her old dream of being an idol had been subconsciously reignited ever since she sang in her mishap of an audition, and now that the dream had brewed, Sara was determined to not let it go.

Not like she had done in the past with gymnastics.

Not again.

Director Wallace let out a shaky sigh as she looked into the sparkling depths of Sara's dark blue eyes, the sight causing her to slowly arc her lips into a large smile and a buzz of excitement to shoot through her...

‘I knew I wasn’t mistaken about this girl!’