Big Hit's New Girl Group: I'm a K-Pop Star

Just as she skidded around a corner, she nearly knocked into someone due to her thoughts being elsewhere.

"Ohmygosh! I'm sorry!" Iris immediately apologized and straightened her posture while reaching out to steady the girl she bumped into.

"It's okay!" The girl bent her torso in a polite bowing gesture. Her long, slightly wavy, caramel brown hair masked her face for a moment before the girl straightened up and smiled at Iris. Then she stepped aside and started to walk away.

"Wait!" Iris turned and called after the girl. "Are you a trainee here?" She didn't know whether there were more girl trainees than Jiyeon, Ahreum, and Cindy. No one had specifically told her how many were in the group. She just assumed it was four since the three other girls had acted like no one else was missing.

But this girl certainly didn't look like a staff member. She looked too young and was dressed like an idol in casual clothing. At Iris's question, the girl's light hazel-brown eyes widened.

"Oh! No, I'm not really a trainee, anymore, I suppose." She waved her hands and shook her head. "I just had a short talk with Bang PD is all. I'm leaving now."

Her words made Iris's mind click in realization. She lifted a hand and pointed at the girl, exclaiming softly, "You were one of the temporary trainees in the company survival program?"

The girl hesitated for a moment before nodding lightly. "I'm being rude. My name is Jang Rinah. Yes, I was eliminated not too long ago. I'm only here today because I was needed for some clarification on a voting issue we had in the program."

"Hm?" Iris's curiosity was greatly piqued. Perhaps this was the difficulty that Cindy had once mentioned that she had faced? "Nice to meet you." She stepped forward for a handshake. "I'm Iris Huang. Can you tell me more about what happened?"

Rinah accepted the gesture and giggled like bell-chimes. "Yes, I know you're Iris Huang. It's nice to meet you in person! Let's find somewhere to sit? I can tell you about what happened."

"Great!" Iris flashed a bright smile. "Let's sit over on that bench."

The two girls settled down next to one another, and Rinah began her account. Iris was glued to the story of the in-company, secret survival program. Since she had focused on getting to know the two other girls, Jiyeon and Ahreum, she didn't think about delving into their survival program experience.

After they had finished speaking, Iris was silently pensive. She peered closely at the girl before her, wondering why she hadn't been chosen as one of the final, official trainees. Although this was their first meeting, Iris had a good impression of Rinah. She was polite, friendly, and informative. Iris didn't detect any deception from her words or behavior.

It also didn't seem like four was a confirmed number of members for the new girl group. And considering that Big Hit had acquired Source Music and rumored to acquire other companies like Pledis Entertainment, it wouldn't hurt to recruit more trainees in this stage of growth, even if just for backup. Certainly, Big Hit now had the funds to do so. Their profits were on par with the Big Three companies of SM, YG, and JYP.

"So…" Iris began carefully. "What do you plan to do now?"

Rinah looked into Iris's serious eyes faintly tinged with genuine concern. It was apparent that Iris understood Rinah's position a little from her own survival show experience. Rinah felt comfortable speaking with this girl. But she was uncertain whether she ought to open up anymore. It wasn't like they'd ever meet again.

After gazing at Iris, Rinah couldn't help letting out a quiet sigh and turn away. She paused for another moment before replying, "I don't know, honestly. It was a miracle that I got this far anyway. I suppose you could say this was my last shot. That's probably why, I might've went a little overboard trying to get into the final lineup."

Rinah pursed her lips at the remembrance of trying to cozy up to who she thought would make it into the group. The memory was somewhat embarrassing, but she didn't regret it. If anything, it was a wake-up call that her dream would only be a dream. Her parents' threat still lingered, echoing in her mind.

Confused by her ambiguous words, Iris questioned Rinah, and the girl answered her in turn. Surprised by this reveal, Iris wasn't sure what to say herself. She didn't approve of Rinah's actions, but at the same time, she didn't blame her either. Iris had already seen a lot of this happen during her time on Produce.

Everyone had a dream. They were desperate for that dream. And decorum and morals could sometimes give way to ambition and desire. That's why Iris always admired those who strived to retain themselves while working hard no matter what. She saw this in both Jiyeon and Ahreum, so naturally she approved of them. Even her cousin too whom she had been worried about.

"Haha, it's okay. They made the right decision. It was a good experience, and with this, I think I can move on. Thank you for listening to me though, Iris Huang. I appreciate it." Rinah got up and bowed. "I don't think we'll meet again, but it was nice nevertheless."

"Hey!" Iris shouted while getting up herself. "Don't be like that. Who says we won't meet again? Please don't give up on your dream. I don't know what your situation is like, but you can always share your story with me if you need someone to listen. Let's keep in touch, okay?"

Taking out her phone, Iris flipped the contacts screen open and presented it to Rinah for typing her number in. The other girl was taken aback for a second.

"You really are as they say, Iris Huang." Rinah was sincerely touched by Iris's friendly gesture and encouragement. She let out a soft breath and accepted the other's phone to type her number.

"I can't offer you much, but if you ever need my help, just let me know. It's the least I can do." Rinah handed the phone back.

After saving the number to Rinah's name, Iris responded, "That's okay. We trainees and aspiring artists need to help one another out, right? And just call me Iris. No need to be formal."

"Hm, okay!" Rinah cheerfully smiled and bobbed her head. "Then I'll speak informally. Thank you Iris for your time. Best of luck to you!" She waved while turning to walk away.

Iris waved back and watched as the girl departed from her sight. Several thoughts were floating around her head, bothering Iris. She believed she had settled on what she was going to do. But now, she was unsure. 'Why is becoming an idol so hard?' She wondered with a frown. 'The future really is blurry. Who knows what'll happen?'

With a deep exhale, Iris loosened her shoulders before turning toward Bang PD's office with a resolute expression. She decided to sit on her decision for another day. There was no need to rush it, especially now that her mind was concocting new schemes.