175 First Audition (2/2)

Yeo Ri and Gun went ahead while Byun Joo Hyuk searched for a place to park the vehicle. There were signs placed around the place to make it easier for the candidates to find the audition area.

A staff was waiting by the waiting area, sitting behind a table labelled 'registrations'.

”Here's your number. The auditioning area is behind this door,” says the staff after receiving Yeo Ri's identification. She gave her a number sticker labelled '15' and told her to put it on.

”Ah, outsiders aren't allowed in the audition room so please head over to the other waiting area over there,” she added. She pointed towards the open waiting area where several people were already lounging about.

The Lee duo exchanged glances. A slight hint of unwillingness crossed Yeo Ri's gaze as she looked at her brother. Yeo Ri was not ready to part with him yet especially since this was her first time doing an audition.

After a brief moment of silence, Gun hugged her reassuringly. ”Do your best, Yeo Ri-ah. Good luck! Oppa will cheer you on from outside.”

”Okay.” Yeo Ri finally nodded after receiving a kiss on the forehead. She squeezed her arms around him tightly and heaved a deep breath, letting go of her nervousness.

Finally, she pushed open the door and entered the room alone.

Aside from her, there were already a dozen or so people inside the room. There was a mix of boys and girls sitting or standing around the room. Some were idle but many of them were talking or fixing their makeup.

As she stepped into the room, all eyes were suddenly on her.

Yeo Ri was startled for a brief moment, but quickly regained her cool and bowed her head in greeting to the people. She muttered a quick 'hello' before scurrying to an empty seat in the corner. Although she was not a stranger to being the center of attention, she did not feel comfortable with the curious, measuring gazes of the other candidates.

Yeo Ri sat down quietly by herself.

Once the other candidates realised that she had no intention of socialising with any of them, they stopped paying attention to her.

Yeo Ri silently sighed in relief.

With lesser eyes drifting her way, Yeo Ri took the free time given to observe her 'rivals'.

Although there were no restrictions on gender, it was apparent that there were more girls than guys, and all of them looked to be from teen-aged to early-twenties.

Yeo Ri was not interested in the aesthetics of the other candidates, so after evaluating them for half-a-second, she kept her eyes forward, trained at the door of the conference room where the interviewers sat in, as she waited for her turn.