Chapter 1.1: Leap of Faith

Alone, in a cramped space that resembled a closet more than a bedroom, stood a girl. Her chest was moving up and down as she wiped the sweat from her forehead. She had been practicing nonstop for this and was terrified of messing up. The girl may not have looked like it, but she was nearing 19 and was in her senior year of high school. Which made her determination even stronger as she quickly changed from her sweaty night clothes into a proper stage outfit. Or at least, what she could buy online for under fifty bucks that resembled one. Soon she was doing a leather ensemble you'd see on television during an award show performance. Quickly, she put her hair into a proper bun and looked down at her camera. It was counting down...waiting to record...her body straightened and she exhaled...

______

Weeks later, she laid her head down in her arms as her homeroom teacher blabbed about graduation practice. The outfit from before was gone being replaced by casual clothes to fit attending school. The teenager wanted more than anything to reach into her pocket to check her phone and see if her audition results had come in. She had tried to stay home in order to sit on her laptop until they came but her mother gave her one look and she immediately shut up. Her family had started to show annoyance with her insistence on taking her dreams to the next level in hopes of making them a reality. This made her angry at times. She still studied, she still did her chores, and applied for jobs. So, she had no idea why they looked at her with such scrutiny when she went to practice a new song she heard. 

Being a performer had always been her biggest goal in life. For the past year, she had joined multiple online groups dedicated to attending auditions and prepping for possible scouting. She would read about girls and guys who lived in New York or LA being scouted and auditioning multiple times a week for all sorts of labels. Here, where she lived? It wasn't that easy. It was a small town full of farmers, hunters, and introverts who didn't want to rock the boat. If someone ever came to scout she doubted it would be for anything but sports. She had to dig deep and network to get herself into the entertainment industry. So, with the group's help, she was able to find online auditions and would audition every single time. Even though they weren't successful, this time felt different. 

For the first time in years, a verified label contacted her. 

A music label under a fifty-plus-old company DM'd her first and then sent an email. They claimed that they had seen videos she posted in the group and checked out her toktik account, seeing her covers from old Japanese groups. They thought her dancing was a little rusty but found her vocal tone charming and loved how high-pitched certain high notes came out. She responded quickly asking if they were interested in taking her on they said maybe. They were slowly forming a girl group in the next year but were unsure if she'd fit the image. Still, they told her to sign a vocal, dance, and rap video to be looked over. if they liked it they would arrange for a proper audition and then add her to a pool of twenty or so hopefuls to possibly debut. With this came proof of course such as their company number, old groups they produced, and offered to speak to her legal guardian. 

Everything felt too good to be true but the proof was legit and she was thrilled. Even now, she was practically buzzing in her seat waiting to get on the city bus home and race to her laptop. She desperately wanted this. Even if the label was small with limited funds, it was easier than going about things independently. She was only nineteen, she had no funds or connections to manage producing, songwriting, filming, and styling everything on her own. A semi-successful label under a huge parent company could provide that for her. And even if she didn't make it, she'd be with other girls competing and learning precious skills. They would understand her in ways nobody else in her small town ever could. They would be from all walks of life with all types of talents. It made her so happy to have this chance. 

"Excuse me," The teenager's skin flushed pink as she heard her teacher suddenly stop her lecture and direct her attention toward her. She sat up in time to see a wrinkly finger pointing at her. "What did I just say?"

Laughter soon followed as she struggled to answer. "Uh. Um. I'm sorry I was tired." She withered back into her sleep, praying that she got picked up early or managed to get the results soon enough.

______

"MOM! I'm home!" The teenager screamed as she burst through her family's apartment door and kicked her shoes off. She could hear her mother cooking dinner in the kitchen and hurried over to her. 

The teenager was met with a more mature version of herself with darker hazel eyes, a smaller nose, and cropped hair. She raised an eyebrow at her daughter and sat down the large mixing bowl full of spinach on the counter. "Fern. Why did your teacher send me an email claiming you slept during her entire class? Is this true?" 

Sheepishly, the teenager played with the drawstring of her hoodie with her gaze having moved to the ground. Sheesh, she hadn't expected her mother to get an email ratting her out but sleeping in class was a mistake. "It is. I'm sorry Mom, I had trouble sleeping last night due to my nerves but I swear I'll go apologize to her tomorrow about it." She hoped her mother let this grievance slide.

The gods in heaven must have been on her side as the woman slowly nodded her head. With a head tilt, she accepted the teenager's reasoning. "Alright. Make sure to do all your homework before dinner. "

Fern practically cheered as she hugged her mother and turned to run up to her room.  "Thanks, mom! Love you!"

Her mother went back to cooking, grabbing a knife to chop up some onions. She leaned over the kitchen counter to give a quick yell. "If you do it again I'll put you on doing the dishes and taking out the trash for an entire week!" Her tone was soft but underneath the teenager could tell that her mother was serious about her threat.

______

The hinges on her bedroom door rattled and echoed off the walls as Fern burst in. She was anxious and didn't know what to do with herself. Part of her wanted to just take a moment to breathe. But the stronger, more elated part knew that she needed to check now and calm herself. Her phone had died in class so she couldn't check then or on the way home. Quickly, she grabbed her charger and plugged her phone into it to see a little, green one percentage pop up at the top of her phone screen. Not enough to turn it on but she had a laptop she could use as a backup. Fern put her phone down and booted up her laptop. It was rather blocky for one, being an older version that she managed to find on sale and in working condition at a local GreatWill store by her school. 

"Come on..." Fern muttered to herself as she quickly put in her login information and pressed enter. The laptop screen went blank for a moment before her home screen popped up. "...please tell me they emailed me already."

She used her mouse to log onto her email and switched from her school account to her business one. The agency recommended she get one in case other labels take interest. They wanted potential trainees who were adults to look professional. Instantly, notifications came swimming in with multiple emails flooding her screen. Fern sifted through the numerous spam sent her way and saw that the agency got back to her. She inhaled, closed her eyes, telling herself to calm down, and clicked on it. 

It read as follows: 

Dear, Potential Trainee

Hello, Moen Enterprises has received your video application for Moen Music and we have some comments. You are still very rusty in dancing as you struggle with utilizing every part of your body. You will extend your legs while keeping your arms stiff and vice versa, your legs will be stiff while your arms are incredibly loose and uncontrollable. If we were simply recruiting you as a dancer, this would be crucial. But, your vocals, stage presence and rapping skills are above the threshold to be let into the trainee program. You maintained stability during dancing and kept your breathe while rapping even though you noted you where a) nervous and b) your first time doing it.

With all this in mind, we are happy to say that a 2 year trainee contract is on the table. In those 2 years you may debut in as little as a week from arriving or even longer than the set time limit. Debuting is not the end goal of the program but honing your basic skills into something more. If you agree to sign, we will discuss with you whether or not you want to go to one of three trainee camps. In each camp you will be provided housing, three meals a day, and tuition for schools who have signed a agreement to teach potential artists. Camp one is located in Kyoto, Japan. Camp two in Los Angeles, United States and three in Seoul, South Korea.

Please note that camp three is only during the summer due to things we cannot get into. So, if you choose to go to Korea you can only train from May to August while every other camp is year round. You have until the end of June to make your descision. Plane and train tickets will be paid fifty percent by us, fifty percent by you. You're almost there. 

Signed, Moen Music.