TDOCD Chapter 24

Chapter 24

I-MEET-YOU Members

"Wow! It’s I-MEET-YOU!"

I forced enthusiasm into my clapping, masking my true feelings while trying to energize the atmosphere. My fellow members, picking up on the social cue, joined in, their initially stiff claps gradually becoming more natural.

Their group name aside, I couldn't help but admire their perfectly synchronized greeting. We should practice our greeting for next time.

"Hello, we are FLORA!"

"Hello, Flo...ra!"

"Ah, hello."

Yikes. Our timing couldn't have been more off if we'd tried.

After our embarrassingly disorganized introduction, we gestured apologetically toward Damin's conspicuously empty spot.

"Sorry, we wanted to give you a proper group greeting, but our leader had to step away for a moment."

"Oh no, please don't worry! It's completely fine! We just wanted to say hello!"

I-MEET-YOU's leader - she had that natural leadership aura about her - smoothly steered the conversation toward training camp experiences and audition stories, handling the interaction with practiced ease.

Min Hayoung, ever the social chameleon who transforms from shy wallflower to bubbling extrovert once comfortable, gradually edged her way forward, drawn in by their welcoming energy.

"Actually, I know Elisha! From Love Me Idol!"

"Oh my gosh! I know Hayoung too! We auditioned together!!!"

"You actually remember!!!"

"Ahhh!!!"

Their squeals and chatter filled the air like excited songbirds, instant chemistry evident in every exchange.

"How old are you, Hayoung? That is your name, right? I totally remember it!"

"Yes, that's right! I'm twenty this year. This friend too!"

Hayoung wrapped an arm around my shoulder, presenting me to the group like a proud older sister. The I-MEET-YOU members responded with enthusiastic thumbs up and appreciative noises.

"Wow, stunning. An absolute beauty."

"Haha, thank you." I felt warmth creep into my cheeks.

Their faces lit up as they eagerly pushed two of their own members forward.

"We're twenty too! Same age!"

Without any prompting, Hayoung and the two members erupted into squeals and excited jumping. Their joy at finding same-age friends was infectious.

I found myself caught in their celebratory circle, though I remained still while they bounced around me.

Their brightness was almost blinding. Then again, at twenty, even watching leaves fall could spark joy.

Unfortunately, being only "pretend twenty," I maintained my composure, though simply staying within their orbit rather than backing away seemed to earn their approval.

"Should we exchange numbers? Oh wait, do you have your phones with you?"

"No, we don't have them right now, sob!"

"Oh - are they not allowed?"

"No, they're allowed! But during filming we have to give them to our manager."

The I-MEET-YOU members shared dramatic sighs about their phone-less existence during practice, their eyes darting to their staff member wielding what was presumably their behind-the-scenes camera. The glances weren't subtle, but they were endearing.

"We're seriously so excited to see what you'll do! Goodluck with your rehearsal!"

"Thanks! Same to I-MEET-YOU!"

Impressively, Hayoung, who had already become best friends with the I-MEET-YOU members, grabbed my hand without warning and raised our joined fists in solidarity. The gesture was bold, but somehow it worked.

I-MEET-YOU departed for their rehearsal with cheerful waves that seemed to sparkle with genuine warmth.

Those same girls who had been so endearingly shy yet energetic transformed completely on stage, delivering a surprisingly sultry jazz performance that raised eyebrows.

Uhm...

Whether or not the sensual concept suited their bright personalities was debatable, but their skill was undeniable.

"Those vocal colors though. From the very first note..."

"Yeah, no kidding."

Just as Hayoung and I were dissecting I-MEET-YOU's rehearsal performance...

"Um, excuse me... hello."

Another group approached.

Why does everyone choose Damin's conveniently-timed absences to make their appearances?

I turned with my practiced smile, but the expression froze halfway as I recognized several members of Team E, their body language screaming discomfort.

They looked less rigid than genuinely unsettled, Were they nervous? Or maybe a bit anxious? Either way, they looked somewhat uncomfortable.

Once again, my members instinctively clustered around me like a shield, as I managed to maintain my professional smile.

"Hello there."

"Um, you're Team F, aren't you? We... don't know your group name yet..."

The speaker carried herself with subtle authority - likely Team E's leader.

If rumors were correct, their leader have the same age as me and Hayoung. But while our group skewed older - everyone except Choi Song-yi being legal adults, some even pushing mid-twenties - Team E was supposedly on the fresher side of youth.

One glance confirmed the gossip. Except for their leader, every face radiated that unmistakable minor-age innocence, their features still soft with adolescence.

'Speaking of names,' the thought suddenly struck me, 'what was Team E calling themselves these days?'

The curiosity pushed words past my lips before I could second-guess myself.

"We're FLORA. It's actually a shame we never crossed paths at the dorms. I was hoping we could get to know each other."

"Ah..." 'Wait - something about that reaction feels off.'

Just as I registered the strange undercurrent in their response, Team E's leader spoke up, her words carrying an odd weight.

"Never saw us? That's... interesting. I definitely saw Jiye at the dorms."

"Pardon? You saw me?"

"No, not you specifically. Oh, so FLORA is your final name? It's really pretty. We're, um..."

The leader's voice dropped to barely above a whisper, as if embarrassed by what she had to say.

"First Year."

"First... Year?"

"Yes... like freshmen. You know, fresh and new..."

Oh wow. Just when I thought I-MEET-YOU's name was pushing it, here comes something even more unexpected.

Didn't they have a writer working with them too? This feels like something scribbled down five minutes before deadline.

My eyes did a brief involuntary roll before I caught myself, plastering on my brightest smile.

"I see! That's quite a meaningful name!"

Not trying to be sarcastic - the sentiment behind it isn't bad. Actually, thinking about it now, it wouldn't be completely out of place among debuted girl groups.

Now comes the awkward part - how to gracefully wrap this up?

Maybe I should ask about their training camp experience? Keep it safe and professional?

But while I was still mentally drafting conversation exit strategies, First Year's presumed leader suddenly glanced back at their absent members. The look held meaning I couldn't quite decipher before she took an abrupt step backward, like she'd remembered something urgent.

"Right, yes. Well... good luck with your rehearsal."

"Oh! Yes, thank you!"

I managed an awkward bow as they made their hasty retreat, my mind buzzing with questions.

What was that about? Did they really come all this way just to ask about our name? The unspoken words hanging in the air felt heavier than what was actually said.

I watched them hurry back to their waiting area, head tilted in confusion, before forcing my attention back to the stage.

Better not stare too long - with cameras everywhere, even a lingering look could spark unnecessary speculation and drama.

Post-I-MEET-YOU, First Year took the stage for their rehearsal slot.

Then came the announcement we'd been waiting for...

"FLORA, preparing for rehearsal. Standby, please."

The production staff's voice echoed through the venue with professional clarity. Our moment had arrived.

We made our way toward the stage, each step carrying the weight of anticipation.

Our rehearsal was about to begin.

***

"FLORA - that's Team F, right? These names are giving me a headache."

Production Director Kim Kyung-hoon's frown deepened as he watched the trainees ascend the stage, their movements confident despite their freshly minted group name.

In retrospect, maybe they should have stuck with the alphabetical designations throughout the competition. Team A, Team B - simple, clean, distinctive. But no, they had to go and complicate things with fancy names.

His veteran producer's mind, used to juggling multiple show elements, was drawing a blank trying to match fresh faces with new names. It was like trying to solve a puzzle where the pieces kept changing shape.

"FLORA... FLORA..."

Director Kim tested the name on his tongue repeatedly, as if repetition might make it stick, before turning his frustration toward a familiar target.

"Yejin-ah, couldn't you have picked something easier?"

"Wow, Director-nim, are you really coming at me about a name I carefully chose? What's so difficult? It's literally three syllables!"

And here was the perfect example of someone finding even those three simple syllables too burdensome to commit to memory.

Director Kim's annoyance melted into a knowing chuckle.

"Mark my words - I won't remember it until they hit it big. Heck, I only just managed to memorize Sierra, and that's only because someone mentioned they're under Yuhwa's label."

"No, Director-nim. Trust me on this - you'll have their name burned into your memory by day's end."

Son Yejin's confidence wasn't just empty bravado. This wasn't about her having personally selected the members, or even about choosing their name.

"These girls? They're something else. Watch them perform and you'll think they've already debuted. That's how polished they are."

Indeed, the majority came with substantial stage experience, while the others possessed that rare, undefinable star quality that couldn't be taught. When the teams were divided, their group ended up almost unfairly stacked.

The industry veterans dubbed them the 'unnie team' - four out of five members with broadcast experience under their belts. A loaded deck if there ever was one.

During practice sessions, the skill gap between them and the younger Team E was so pronounced it had become a concern. And these girls were savvy enough to manufacture drama, stirring up tension over part distributions for the cameras.

Between the swirling rumors, brewing controversies, and undeniable talent, they were poised to generate as much buzz as SU Entertainment's rising star May Rookie or UN from MN - the group personally produced by Korea's reigning solo queen, Rena.

'Though whether that buzz will build them up or tear them down...' The thought remained unfinished, hanging in the air like smoke before a fire.