Finding Our Way Back.. As Idols

by nyXz3n

Summary:

Under Bauer Entertainment, there consists of three talented groups in the kpop industry. Follow Claire François, part of the ROYALS, as she figures out why someone from another group under the same talent agency seems so strangely familiar to her.

Notes:

TW; death of character - nothing too explicit, just mentions of death.

Chapter 1: Debut Day - ROYALS

"Come on, Claire, it's going to premiere soon!" 

I hear Catherine call me from the living room, making sure I don't miss the premiere of the music video and performance. I quickly grab a tray on the countertop with Catherine's apple juice and my mint tea on it before walking towards the source of all the excitement.

I was preparing some refreshments for this special occasion, despite Lene, our family maid, telling me that she should do it. I insisted that she wait with Catherine and Mother in the living room and that I could do it myself. She eventually gave in and let me brew my own tea and simply pour Catherine's choice of branded apple juice in her own cup. As I put the tray down on the coffee table, I glance at the laptop next to it and made eye contact with Pepi and Loretta on the screen. Their eyes were gleaming with joy and anticipation while they were staring at the same thing we were. The television in the living room showed a countdown with large black numbers in the center and abstract art surrounding the numbers, filling in the empty space.

It was counting down to my group's debut music video, as well as a debut stage performance afterwards. I, Claire Francois, am part of the upcoming k-pop girl group called ROYALS who are under the most famous talent agency in the industry, Bauer Entertainment. ROYALS consists of three members: me, Claire-sama, the leader, main vocalist, and oldest of the group; Pepi Barlier, or Pepi-chan as her stage name, who is the main rapper, the visuals, and the 2nd youngest; and Loretta Kugret, Loretta-tan as her stage name, our main dancer, girl crush, and maknae which means our youngest. All of us were trainees under Bauer Entertainment, the aforementioned talent agency that has the most successful boy group named the Bauer Brothers. The name of the company is not a coincidence since they are the sons of the CEO. They have been the most famous boy group in the k-pop industry recently, rising to the top of the charts effortlessly with the talent of the boys exceeding the expectations after every come back. 

As for how I got hired as a trainee for the agency, it wasn't just sheer luck. My family began an artist talent management company called François de Forte, and naturally as a François, I became one of the very first talents in the company; my adopted sister, Catherine, was the other one alongside myself. My parents Melia and Dole François were both successful and perhaps seen as controversial in how they manage their artists. Controversial only in rivaling companies eyes as François de Forte's talents are treated with the utmost respect and valued, both in public and behind closed doors. Mother and Father always believed that the best artists are to be treated as humans, not as money-making lackeys. The genuity and authenticity of how François de Forte manages their artists is the motto, and I am proud to be a François because of that. After my Mother's hard work with promoting Catherine and I to Bauer Entertainment, we managed to get hired for auditions to be trainees for an upcoming girl group. 

Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, Catherine got into an accident while she and Father were on their way to a performance. Mother and I were in a separate vehicle, taking a different route as a consequence of traffic. After a year or so under Bauer Entertainment as trainees, Catherine and I were supposed to be back up dancers for the Bauer Brothers; I will never forget the eagerness Catherine had when we got the news. When Mother and I finally got wind of the crash just a few blocks away, she notified the CEO of the company that there was a family emergency she must attend to while profusely apologizing that we couldn't make it. It was devastating when we arrived at the scene of the crash. I saw Catherine on the side of the road, bleeding from her head and the bottom half of her body did not look right. I remember knealing down beside her, trying to snap her out of it as I shouted over top of bystanders and EMS that were trying to attend to her wounds. One could make out tears rolling down her cheeks through the dirt and grime on her person but... she was expressionless. She seemed to stare into the distance despite the overflowing tears in her eyes. In reality, she was staring at my Father, who lay lifeless a few feet away from the horror of the wrecked vehicles. My mother was on her knees as I heard her wailing and begging for her beloved to wake up, gripping his torn up suit tightly alongside paramedics trying their best to save him. At the end of it all, Bauer Entertainment put out a notice of delay for that performance and sent condolences to those affected by the accident near the venue. Catherine had to be amputated, losing her left leg from the knee down and deciding to discontinue her position as a trainee. Even though Mother said that she would pay to get Catherine the best of the best prosthetic, she did not pry further the more Catherine became upset about it. 

François de Forte lost some stock when news of the owner, Dole François, passed. Not many people believed in my mother taking over the company in place of Father, often the reason being that women were unfit to solely run a company that had a handful of controversy behind it. These sayings never got to Mother, instead turning her energy to restoring the company to its former glory. 

Although it was only a trial run at the start of the development of François de Forte, Mother tied the connections with the Aurousseau company. That's where Lene came in, being hired by my parents as Catherine and I's maid as well as personal stylist and makeup artist. She's been with us for years even before Father's passing and her position became permanent eventually thanks to Mother. It felt like she was another older sister to me and Catherine as Lene had the tendency to tease us but also support us when we needed sisterly aid. Not only was she an exceptional make up artist and stylist, but she tended to us when Mother and Father were busy with business for the company. 

During our trainee days, Catherine and I had the pleasure of working with other trainees hired to work together to form a bond and potentially be picked for the final group. Two of those trainees were Pepi and Loretta, both around the same age as us then so we all got along swimmingly. There was even friendly rivalry between us, but we worked together in a lot of minor projects for the company over the course of 5 years. One might think that it's a long time, but rumours say that Bauer Entertainment didn't want to mess up debuting a girl group this time. According to rival talent agencies and former employees, Bauer Entertainment weren't as experienced with the maintenance of girl groups as opposed to boy groups, let alone a group having no connection to the Bauers in general. They'd be debuting outsiders who weren't already at the palm of their hands. That's why they seemed so delayed in debuting another group - perhaps afraid of going outside of the box they knew gets them the most revenue and success. But that's what rumours said, of course, as the CEO dismissed them in confidence. 

As mentioned previously, Loretta and Pepi were at home with their loved ones also awaiting for our groups debut. I could practically see them wriggling excitingly in their seats as the numbers were in the single digits now. I heard Mother and Lene murmuring about how I had grown up too fast and it seemed like just yesterday, I was in my trainee uniform, which were basically just a pair of gray sweats and a red zip-up sweater. Catherine sat in the middle of Mother and I, leaning back into our sofa with her cup of apple juice in hand. 

"Y'know, Claire," Catherine started, "I think you, out of all the girls in that trainee group deserve this." 

"Oh, hush." I bumped Catherine gently with my elbow as she dramatically reacted to it by almost letting go of her cup. I snickered before returning my eyes to the screen. "I would have liked it if you were there with me."

"Ehh, things happened," Catherine said at a lower volume than usual before taking another sip of her juice. 

Everyone else's attention snapped to the screen as the looping music changed to a more suspenseful tune paired with subtle drumrolling. The numbers were finally counting down from 5, then 4, 3, 2...

The intro of the music video we spent so many days and nights on was playing on the TV. As the name of our group suggests, our theme is an elegant and regal setting. Our debut song, titled, "A Love Beyond Worlds" was a song about soulmates, destined to find one another even after living their life in one world. It started out slow but the tempo picks up around the chorus. The change of the tempos of the song really interested me and it was a bit difficult to get the hang of singing live on stage, but it was worth it. The dance matched up with the pace of the song, having steady parts while intensifying as the pace picks up. Loretta was a natural at performing the dance moves, even helping Pepi and I on the more strenuous parts. The song was from one of the lover's point of view, reincarnating and longing to meet their beloved again after years of searching. More specifically, the setting of the music video was at a fancy and royal-looking academy with me as the person reincarnated and Pepi and Loretta as my friends. It showed some scenes of us having a tea party in an arbor seating area outdoors and dancing at an event, almost ball-esque with some flashes here and there of the supposed soulmate I was searching for. They did not try to have an explicit scene of my soulmate and I meeting to, "leave it up to the viewers to theorize if it really was meant to be or just a fluke," so they hired an androgynous actor to play as my soulmate for the music video. 

I saw Pepi and Loretta reacting to the scenes that we filmed together as well as separately, their excitement only growing the longer the video played. I ended up pointing out some of my favourite scenes that I shot while I took sips of my tea, even mentioning some behind-the-scenes stories when certain shots showed. It felt like forever for the music video to end, albeit being only 3 minutes and 45 seconds. The last scene showed Pepi and Loretta in a classroom before panning to me waiting patiently at the doorway for my soulmate to come, as if expecting them to be a student at the academy as well. 

Cheers eventually broke out in the living room as the screen faded to black. I felt a couple of arms wrap around me tightly, snapping me back to reality when I realized it was Catherine, Mother and Lene. I hugged them all back, thanking them while I teared up slightly; although compared to Mother and Lene, they had happy tears streaming down their faces. I thanked the girls and mentioned that the pre-recorded stage performance was next, making Lene and Mother sit back down in their spots. It looked like Pepi and Loretta were also paying close attention now as their families piped down after the quick celebration. 

The hosts of the show began to present the group in depth more, mentioning how we were the very first girl group to come out of Bauer Entertainment; the expectations were, to say the least, very high. As each member was introduced, our debut photos and other solo images were displayed on screen, paired with flashy effects; our names and even signatures were included. Then to conclude the introduction segment, the chosen image of all three of us was briefly shown before the transition to us on stage appeared. I heard squeals from my laptop as I glanced down at Pepi seemingly fangirling at Loretta, who was blushing a little bit. I smiled at the two of them before looking at the TV again, admiring the way Loretta danced and hit every beat to Pepi easily breeze through her rap and high notes. I'm so proud of them.

"Wait," Lene exclaimed, "you're wearing the outfits I recommend!"

I giggled, "I insisted to wear them as I wasn't too fond of the outfits they were making us wear instead. I only trust you, Lene."

"Aw, Claire, thank you." Mother patted Lene on the back as there was a tear forming in Lene's eyes. 

I wasn't about to tell her that the Bauer's stylists said that I was proving to be difficult even before I debuted. I'm not wearing such revealing clothing despite being given black shorts to protect myself. I was not letting Pepi and Loretta undergo the same fate either. 

The rest of the stage performance played as there were a few ad-libs included in it. Despite being a last minute addition, I think it went well and seemed to differentiate us from other girl groups debut performance. Once it got to the end of the song, the camera pans to the crowd and I blinked a couple times to make sure I saw who I think I saw. There was someone who looked strangely familiar to me although I couldn't figure out why. She seemed like an ordinary person in the crowd; dark, fluffy brown shoulder length hair and darker eyes, a decent and admittedly pretty face, a pair of black rectangular framed glasses. I squinted my eyes and racked my brain for why I feel like I've seen her somewhere before. 

"Oh my goodness," an even more familiar voice snapped me back to now, realizing it was Mother, "I'm so proud of you, sweetheart!"

I looked to the TV behind her and the credits were rolling. She reached her arms out to me before bringing me into an embrace. I felt the warmth spread across my body from my mother's hug, wrapping my arms around her as well as I tighten it. Catherine and Lene were congratulating the girls on the laptop as I overheard the cheering from all parties. Before Mother completely pulled away from me, she gave me a kiss on the cheek. Catherine laughed as she extended her arms towards me.

"Leave some Claire for us, Mum," she said as I pulled her in for a hug as well. 

Lene didn't say anything, letting her expression say everything as I hug her tightly and thank her. We all got lost in our conversations after our hugs, the hours passing fast into the late night. Catherine and I eventually got ready for bed, of course saying our farewells and congratulations once more to Pepi and Loretta. Mother was the first to excuse herself afterwards, remembering that she has a meeting in the afternoon the next day. Lene had separate living quarters and excused herself when she finished tending to Catherine and I, despite our refusals. She insisted to let her pamper us after all our hard work. 

I tucked myself into bed, making sure Catherine got into hers safely. Even after these years, I couldn't help but make sure she was doing okay, from how she needs to tweak her prosthetic leg often to using her cane around the house. I could tell she hated it when I would try to help her, despite asking first and obviously waiting for her approval. She didn't like asking for help and was very independent and I know that, so I try to aid whenever she lets me. 

As I got comfortable, I thought about the day and found myself remembering that girl in the crowd again. It'll bother me if I didn't know who she was before I fell asleep.

"Catherine?"

"Hmm," she hummed, clear fatigue from her tone. Her social battery is spent, I could sense.

"Do you remember a girl with dark brown hair, about shoulder length..." I began, hoping that Catherine wasn't already asleep. "Dark brown eyes, too."

"Wearing rectangular framed glasses?" She finished for me as I fought myself from sitting up in shock.

"Y-yes," I stammered, wondering to myself if this person was actually notable despite her normal looking features. Just because she looked ordinary, doesn't mean she wasn't gorgeous. Wait, what?

"She was one of the... trainees we worked with.." I could hear Catherine trailing off of her words as I silently begged for her to give me a few more minutes.

"Do you remember her name?"

Silence.

"Catherine?"

After a few more beats, I hear a yawn and shuffling in bed. I stared at the ceiling with this strange anticipation that seemed to have come out of nowhere.

"Her name," Catherine sighed before finally finishing her sentence, "is Rae Taylor..."

Rae Taylor. 

I felt my heart skip a beat from the way it even sounded more familiar. But for some reason, it didn't feel like it was because I worked with her as a trainee. No... it felt like I've been waiting to hear that name for a while now. As if I've heard it before from another lifetime. 

●○●○●

"Hi, my name is Rae Taylor. I'm currently 16 years old and aspire to be an idol that people can rely on truthfully." The girl, who was only a year younger than I, spoke up when it was her turn to introduce herself. 

It had just been a few days since Catherine and I got the news that we got in as trainees at Bauer Entertainment. It was our first day and we were currently part of a large circle alongside many other young girls, perhaps 10 or so via a quick headcount. Catherine was, thankfully,  beside me and the introductions began with the girl right across from us. She wore a white slightly loose fitting tee with a navy zip-up sweatshirt. She paired it with black sweats with accents on the side of the pant legs, matching the navy on the sweatshirt. This Rae Taylor had her dark brown hair up in a little bun on the top right side, quite a cute hairstyle for her hair length that was just above her shoulders; she also had wispy bangs that seemed to be pinned away from her eyes. She wore black rectangular framed glasses which seemed real and not just for show as she pushed them up her nose while she was introducing herself. She was of an average build for a young lady, nothing too distinguishable though nonetheless still attractive. 

The girl next to Rae was just a few inches taller than her with long light blonde hair, almost like a platinum blonde. She seemed a bit lankier than Rae did but that did not mean she wasn't somewhat of an ethereal and mysterious beauty. She was wearing a black undershirt with quarter sleeves paired with a cropped mint top that had a slightly loose neckline so it sort of hung off of her shoulders. A pair of teal yoga pants completed her outfit; she also sported knee braces on both of her legs as if she knows the hard work to be expected of her and came prepared. Perhaps it's just the impression she exudes.

She introduced herself next after straightening her posture, her voice calm and just loud enough for everyone in the room to hear. 

"I am Misha Jur. I am 17 years old." She pauses before letting out a short and subtle sigh. "This is not my first time as a trainee; however, I will continue to strive to become a well known individual in the industry." 

Murmurs filled the room as Catherine looks at me with an expression I couldn't really read. So my hunch was correct. Eventually, two girls that were nearest Catherine and I introduced themselves. One had short, tomboyish flaxen hair with a very athletic looking outfit. Despite also having a knee brace, this specific girl did not seem to present herself as having past experience. When I looked over a bit closer at her face, she was peppered with freckles across her nose and cheeks. Her name was Loretta Kugret and she was 15. Quite young to me, but to the industry, it was an average age to begin your journey in this career. 

"I want to improve my skills as a dancer and to be recognized by said skills," she determined. Her build validated her desires as she was muscular, not too overbearingly but enough that one could tell how defined her muscles were.

After Loretta was a Pepi Barlier, wearing quite girly and stylish clothing. Her hair was dyed pink and was also shoulder length, but had much more blunt bangs than Rae did; the tips of her hair also curled inwards that framed her face nicely. She had a more feminine build and presented herself as such, too. 

"Hello everyone, I'm Pepi Barlier, I'm 17 years old," she started, "I would like to be known for both my cuteness and skills!"

Finally, the introductions ended with Catherine and I. I thought to wear my red zip-up hoodie overtop of a lightweight burgundy v-neck; I wore the matching set of sweatpants. Adjusting my posture, I began to speak.

"I am Claire François, of François de Forte. I am 17 years old and will be turning 18 soon. I would like to make my family business proud and be the kind of artist that stays genuine and authentic all throughout my career."

Once more, murmurs filled the room as I tried to subtlety eye the circle of girls who seemed to look at me in awe and envy. After the chatter died down, Catherine cleared her throat to speak.

"Catherine Achard, I'm 17 and a half. I want to become an all-rounder kind of artist who's good at many things."

A light round of applause occurred, presumably because Catherine was the last of the circle to introduce herself. The instructor, who was just beside Catherine, clapped as well before she spoke up louder than the majority of the girls had, telling us to gather into groups. The circle dispersed into their own small groups, some girls even glancing at me to perhaps hint that they would like to me to join them. As much as I am honoured, I've promised Catherine to be by her side despite her adorable musings of "I don't need you to look after me," and "I'm half a year older than you, I should be the one to look after you as the big sister." I hooked my arm around Catherine's, earning a grunt and an eye roll. She was a few inches shorter than I, but I never teased her about it; although, Father was another story, in spite of Mother always scolding him.

I eyed the two girls named Loretta and Pepi, they seemed like an interesting pair as they were already speaking to one another. I then found my gaze towards that Rae Taylor, teasing Misha as she looked tired already with her arms crossed. They also seemed close with each other, with Rae laughing and smiling widely at Misha's reactions. It looked like they already formed a group together with another girl. Why did I feel a tinge of discontent as if I wanted to group up with them? How odd...

I felt Catherine casually drag me towards Pepi and Loretta, "They seem cool, let's group up with them." I willingly follow her, already making eye contact with Pepi with a smile.

"Hello, Miss Claire," Pepi mused as she held out a hand. I take it and shake her hand before she continues. "I've heard a lot about François de Forte! Is it true that you're one of the very first talents to be hired?"

"Why, yes," I exclaimed proudly. "My sister, Catherine, is also one of the first talents." I pull her closer to me as she just nonchalantly waves to the girls. 

"Oh, Miss Catherine," Loretta piped in as she also extended her hand outward. 

Catherine dismissed Loretta's hand with a wave of her own in front of her face. "Just Catherine is fine, no need for formalities." The girls nodded at the request.

"I suppose we will spend some time with each other for the next few years," I say with excitement. 

"We're looking forward to it!" Loretta laughed as she put her hands on her hips. I saw a bit of her stomach, or lack thereof of one, peek as her top lifted up a bit. Goodness, she must work hard on her figure to be having a toned abdomen.

"So," I began, "do you two know one another already?" 

"I came across Loretta near the entrance, looking lost," Pepi giggles while Loretta wore a confused expression. "She was just standing outside the building with papers in hand like she was kinda hesitating to go inside!"

"I was out on a jog before today's meeting." Loretta said as a matter of factly. It was currently half past 6 in the morning...

"Woah, you seem like a beast," Catherine commented as I nudged her lightly to keep her from saying more ridiculous things.

"Hm," Loretta placed a finger on her chin and thought for a second, "no one has called me that before."

"Sorry, I didn't mean it in a bad way." 

"Nah, I like it," Loretta claimed with her hands on her hips and slightly puffing her chest out. It earned a laugh from the rest of us, seeing how she reacted.

"Everything going alright here, ladies?" I hear the instructor say as she walks towards us. I see Loretta and Pepi straighten up a little from the sudden presence of the woman. 

I let out a giggle before speaking up first, "I think we're doing well so far."

"Glad to hear that, Miss Claire!" She seemed like a lovely lady who you could get along well with right away. "Any questions before I call for you girls individually? Don't worry, it's just the assessment to evaluate where you stand currently and determine the areas you need for improvement."

"Sorry, could you explain more about the training regimen?" Loretta raised her hand up halfway with a sheepish look on her face. "I'm just trying get a better idea for myself."

"Of course," the instructor obliged before Pepi piped up.

"May I come, too? I'm interested in a similar question." 

The instructor nodded, leading away from our small group and leaving Catherine and I to ourselves. 

I felt a light nudge as I still had my arm hooked around Catherine's. She leaned closer to me and lowered her voice to a whisper. "Has anyone else piqued your interest?" 

I thought for a bit before remembering Misha. "The girl who has had experience before this, Misha..." I trailed off trying to recall her last name but Catherine finished for me.

"Jur." 

"Right, thank you." I took a quick glance at her and saw that she seemed to be speaking to that ordinary girl she was next to earlier in the circle. "I would like to know where she's worked and when she began. I'm aware of how young some trainees are hired but wouldn't it be impelling to learn a thing or two from someone who's done this before?"

"Mmm, yeah," Catherine hums before she continues, "I thought you'd mention the girl who was beside Misha instead."

I was so taken aback that I unhooked myself from her, a clear expression of confusion on my face. "Whatever do you mean?"

"I meaannn," Catherine crosses her arms and looks at me as if I was the most densest person in the room, a smug grin slowly forming on her own face. "I saw you looking at her..." 

"I did not!" I retorted, growing frustrated at her claims. "If you mean while she was introducing herself, then yes. We all looked at her."

"Not like that, silly," Catherine moved closer to me as she noticed I was backing away ever so slightly. "In the crowd."

"Huh?" What was she talking about?

"Go on and talk to her," Catherine suggested as she made me turn around to face Misha's group and shoved me closer to them.

"C-Catherine!" I fought the push behind me while I seemed to be burning up from embarrassment. "Stop it!"

I looked around frantically, seeing eyes all staring at me being unwillingly shoved towards Rae. For goodness sake, even the instructor, Pepi and Loretta peered my way, but oddly enough the instructor didn't do a thing! Eventually, we reached the vicinity of the group which causes Misha to stop what she was doing and glare at Catherine and I with the most perplexed expression; she was more than likely wondering what was occuring.

The only one that didn't seem to pick up on the mood of the room was her. She kept talking as if Misha was still listening to her, rambling on about how nervous she was about the rest of the day's schedule. It was when Misha cleared her throat that Rae trailed off and looked straight at me. Her eyes were wide, bewildered by my presence just a few feet away from her. 

"Ah, hello, Miss Claire," Rae said with a light-hearted tone to her voice, seemingly indifferent to the situation at hand. "Did you need something?"

"I... uh..." I was at a loss for words. I was close to panicking completely but I'm not sure if it was because of the situation or because I was talking to her. Why am I questioning myself? Of course it's because of this situation... Right?

"Yeah," Catherine called out from behind me, "can you come sweep my sister off her feet?"

My face got hotter at the request as I shoot a look back at Catherine, "H-hey!"

"Oh, is that all?"

"Rae..." I heard Misha say with a scolding tone.

All of the sudden, I felt a strong push from behind me as I lose my balance and fall towards Rae. I freeze up and shut my eyes tight while I prepared for whatever may come but I did not feel the cold floor of the room. Instead, I felt arms wrap around me in an embrace, causing me to open my eyes wide at the outcome. I was in her arms. Rae's arms.

"Woah, are you alright, Miss Claire?" She asked, genuinely, as she looked into my eyes. 

"I.. I'm fine," I managed to squeak out before trying to remove myself from her arms. But she only tightened her hold and seemed to be leaning in closer to my face.

"I still have to sweep you off your feet," she joked. 

I found myself unable to move both from how firm her embrace was but also... the smallest bit of curiosity as to what she will do next. I closed my eyes slowly, expecting something I wasn't too keen on admitting to both myself and everyone else in the room, but when I finally felt her breath against my lips...

"Huaagh!" 

"Oh my God!" 

I heard Catherine exclaim as I sat up without warning. I was trying to catch my breath while looking around in the bedroom we shared. 

"Are you okay, Claire?" Catherine asked, making her way towards my bed. The moonlight shining through the windows illuminated her face and the rest of her person. She was holding her cup in one hand and her cane in the other.

"I'm..." Do I even tell her what had just happened in my dream? "Yes, I'm okay."

"You sure?" She knew that I wasn't, sipping from her cup as she sat down on a chair nearby. "Did you have a nightmare?"

"N-no," I reassured her, "you were in it, it wouldn't be a nightmare." I tried to hide my shiver, either from remembering what dream Catherine did or the cold air in the room. 

"Oh, please," she scoffed before taking another gulp from her cup, "I'm your worst nightmare~"

"I'm fine, really," I rolled my eyes at her banter, smiling widely as I earned one back. "Thank you. We should get back to sleep."

"Mmm, true," she took her time standing back up before making her way back to her side of the room. "Will you buy me more candy?"

I lay back down as soon as I made sure she got into bed casually. "I just bought you a bag two days ago!"

I heard some shuffling, glass clinking, presumably candy being popped into Catherine's mouth, more shuffling and more glass clinking. "You know how fast I go through these babies, they're so good."

"Hmmm..."

"Pleeeeaaassseeee!!!" Catherine begged as she continued to chew her candy, black licorice to be exact. It's her favourite. 

"Alright," I gave in, I honestly wasn't going to refuse anyway. "But you should come with me this time."

I earned a groan back, a bit of whining that she'd just slow me down and such. It would be lovely to go out with Catherine again; we could buy clothes for the two of us, she can pick out which brand of candy she wants even though I already know her choices, sit in a park somewhere and enjoy the breeze. 

"I'll buy you three bags of your favourite candies," I bribed and, for a few moments, there was silence. 

"Fine," she replied rather reluctantly but I will take it. "Let me know when because I know you're going to be busy the next few days, no?"

I hummed in agreement, turning towards her voice with my back facing the wall. I was unsure if Catherine said anything more as I found myself quickly drifting back to sleep. Silently, I hoped to myself that I won't have that dream again. I had a feeling it probably won't even happen. 

I was very wrong.

Chapter 2: A Start of a New Beginning

Summary:

It's been less than a year since ROYALS debut and they have dominated the industry. Rae Taylor attends their most recent performance - to support Claire-sama, of course - while talking about her personal life and "Destined Lovers", ROYALS new EP!

Will she get Claire to notice her?

Notes:

I've been trying to work on this chapter on and off for a bit and I hope you enjoy it~!

We have Rae's perspective this time and it will alternate between hers and Claire's pov.

Water bottle? Check. 

Small bag with my house keys, wallet, ID and VIP backstage pass in it? Check. 

A DSLR camera with a 70-200mm zoom lens borrowed from Misha? Check. 

The ROYALS lightstick that I need Claire-sama to sign before I die? Check. 

I kept repeating this list to myself as I stood in line, thankfully with my turn next, to the side entrance of the venue. Despite the fact that I came pretty early and had the priority entry perk, there were still a few people who got in line before I managed to; though the lines at the main entrance were starting to grow longer. There were a lot of security and multiple staff members who worked diligently, carefully checking if people had their regular ticket passes on their persons. There were a few staff who needed to accommodate the people who were buying their ticket passes directly at the door, separated from the line that only needed to show their tickets to be scanned. 

I could have gotten the third tier VIP tickets with a plethora of perks. For example, you could get a bag of merch with a signed poster of your chosen member, a separate barricade row that is closer to the stage, also being able to attend the sound check, which lets you inside early to take a sneak peak at the group's sound check before the actual performance, and most importantly - a picture with the whole group and yourself. Unfortunately, I was only able to buy the first tier of VIP tickets which still has nice perks like priority entry and a pretty good spot in the crowd that's decently close to the stage. As far as merch goes, I made some myself anyway, like button pins and keychains which adorned my bag; they all were associated with my bias from the group. This was my third time in a row being able to attend a ROYALS concert, give or take the very first few performances they had before becoming very popular in the industry. One could even say that I was there for them from the very beginning! 

Misha and I were hoping to be picked out for the very first girl group Bauer Entertainment was going to debut, but we continue to be trainees. To be fair, the members chosen for the ROYALS couldn't have been more perfect, at least in my opinion. Miss Claire, Miss Loretta and Miss Pepi's dynamic, even when they were trainees, seemed so fitting and just right. It was a shame that Miss Catherine had to quit after an accident though, since she and Miss Claire were really close. I remembered that day where a few trainees were selected as backup dancers for the Bauer Brothers and how it was delayed. Misha and I were chosen as stand-ins, and even though we performed our best despite delays, it was still sad to have done so especially after hearing about the accident. I tried to approach Miss Claire during one of our training sessions a few weeks after the tragedy, but she became distant with many of the rest of the girls and staff. She stuck with Miss Loretta and Miss Pepi, confiding in them when she wasn't busy  improving her already flawless dancing and vocal skills. 

Miss Claire eventually overworked herself a handful of times, being scolded to go home by staff because she was apparently staying after hours. But at the same time, the staff gave her a bunch of demands as the best potential candidate for the leader of ROYALS, some were basically impossible to meet and were downright diabolical. As an example, Miss Claire's figure was very impressive and one could tell she maintains a good weight; however, our manager demanded she lose a few more pounds so she could fit in some stage outfits! She was being compared to Miss Loretta who was very athletic to begin with and already possessed a healthy looking body. The whole group of trainees have a strict diet plan and even had weekly weight checks, but Miss Claire seemed to suffer from it the most as the expectations of her far exceeded her capabilities. Even though all of us trainees started out just fine, eventually Miss Claire got more attention from the staff which in turn caused many of the girls to be against her like they became her rival. I overheard one girl saying that just because Miss Claire was from one of the most prestigious management agencies, she didn't deserve all the attention. 

I was unsure of how Bauer Entertainment convinced Mrs. François that Miss Claire was being treated with the utmost respect, but maybe Mrs. François was in cahoots with them, too, despite their motto: “Only managing the best of the best with genuineness and authenticity.” It wasn't fair for Miss Claire at all to be treated like that but it seemed to only have fueled her determination for success. As a result, my admiration for her only grew from there and I vowed to myself that I will support her in any means I can, parallel to the vow I made to myself during our first day as trainees. 

It's not like I was treated fairly well either, but at least I expected that kind of treatment. Thankfully, I was informed early on by Misha, my childhood friend and current trainee partner. I was one of the new kids at the school Misha attended as my parents and I often moved a lot due to their jobs. My mother is Filipina and she was attending one of the top tier colleges in South Korea at the time as an exchange student. That's where she met my dad, who was born and raised here. Fortunately being granted a job opportunity right after their graduation, my parents moved out of the country as their job required travelling often. They were in the Philippines on vacation when my mother had me and that's when they realized that it would be best to just settle down back in South Korea where they both knew the ins and outs better; it also allowed me the potential to grow up in a better environment. 

Meeting Misha was pure coincidence, though, being paired up with her in a little group project. Misha was, and still is, a mysterious cool beauty. Her long platinum blonde hair, often worn down just past her shoulders, framed her face as piercing red eyes looked into your soul. Even at a young age, Misha was very composed and mature compared to myself, who is practically the opposite and more rowdy. We have been very close friends even up to this day. I couldn't believe the day she told me that she wanted to become an idol! But at the same time, I definitely saw her in a career like that so I encouraged her to apply for becoming a trainee. Unfortunately, the entertainment industry hasn't been kind to her as many of the talent agencies she was under either went bankrupt or had to shut down due to some weird controversies. She often confided in me during her tough times. I was heartbroken every time she would call me to tell me that the group she debuted with was treating her like a waste of space or when a manager scolded her for having a “resting bitch face”. I offered to punch the manager but Misha basically said that he already got what was coming to him; his company was caught evading taxes. 

I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do and thankfully my parents supported me while I was trying to figure things out. I dabbled in attending a dancing studio near my home named Lillium's Limbo, owned by a Salas Lillium, who apparently wasn't the best kind of person... But dancing made me feel good and like I'm able to express myself without having to use my words. I'm still kind of in denial but I do have trouble talking about my feelings unless I'm cracking jokes about them which I often get scolded for by Misha. She said that it's important for me to feel and actually acknowledge my feelings, and I am! I'm just using my body instead - she doesn't have to listen to my jokes. I unfortunately don't attend the dance studio enough to be included in a group but if the studio at Bauer was occupied, I go straight to Lillum's Limbo. I also like to play the guitar in my spare time and I have composed a song or two. I don't think they'll ever see the light of day but Misha would hum along and even told me she'd be willing to write lyrics for me sometime. 

As trainees, we had the chance to live in dorm rooms that's just big enough to fit the necessities, really. Since Misha and I are still trainees, that's where we stayed and thankfully shared a room. One would think that a big and successful company like Bauer Entertainment can spare a larger room for your talent but I'm just thankful that I have a place to stay with my best friend. 

A voice brought me back to reality and my surroundings as they promptly asked for my ticket pass. I hastily dug in my bag and soon took out a piece of thick cardstock that was decorated to match a theme fit for royalty. Once the staff scanned my ticket to see if it was valid, and security checked inside my bag, they handed me my VIP lanyard and an armband before letting me through. I donned on my accessories and made my way to the main venue as I tried to avoid running into the amount of people already present. I became tempted to stop by the vendors selling official merchandise like tote bags, your average hoodie with the group's logo on the back and the name on one of the sleeves, other articles of clothing, and even photocards that are pre-signed. I reaaalllyyy wanted to get a specific photocard of Claire-sama and I did see they were selling it at this concert… I contemplated it as I stopped in my tracks before turning around towards the vendor table. Swiftly performing the transaction and now with a pep in my step, I finally made my way towards the area where the performance was to occur soon. 

It's no joke how quickly ROYALS rose to the top in less than a year, their debut becoming a hit with how fresh their concept is. Not to mention the memorable members having their own unique personalities and tastes. It was safe to say that Bauer Entertainment succeeded with their very first girl group under the company. However, as one of their trainees still, it's not all sunshine and rainbows as the girls bring it up to be in interviews and such. I began to wonder how the Bauer Brothers were treated compared to the company's other talents; I had a feeling that they were treated with the utmost respect considering their father was the CEO. I scrunch my face at the bad taste in my mouth thinking about all the blatant lies ROYALS has to portray to the public. No matter how much I think about it, I could not help but dread the future that I will have to also do the same if Misha and I ever debut.

I began to get weird looks as I stood in my designated spot in the slowly forming crowd; that or the fact that I was taking out a sign that had “THE #1 CLAIRE-SAMA FAN” in bold letters for all to see. I know that there’s other fans that declare they’re the number one fan of Claire-sama but, come on… I was there pre-debut from the very beginning! I was simply stating the fact. I double checked if I had everything with me that I was going to use during the performance, suddenly remembering that the camera had a detachable strap so I promptly put it around my neck. I will take pictures and videos of certain songs then hold up my sign and lightstick as high as I could for Claire-sama to see! We won’t mention how I am very well known on social media to post high quality shots and Claire-sama focused videos under a very not obvious username. With as many times as I said Claire-sama in my head, it was as if the staff backstage heard me - the lights dimmed and there were a lot more people all around me than I initially thought. I tried to control my excitement as I gripped the camera tightly in my hands before I started to take pictures of Claire-sama while dramatic stage lights illuminated the three girls in the middle with a few back-up dancers just behind them. 

As expected from the setlist, their debut song was up first. I aimed the lens at the gorgeous blonde curls that bounced with every move Claire-sama made as a bold red ribbon completed the hairdo. Pepi-chan and Loretta-tan also had ribbons on their heads. If my memory serves me correctly, Claire-sama’s assigned colour was a bright and fiery red, Pepi-chan’s was a bubblegum pink, and Loretta-tan’s was a yellowish orange. Their outfits were breathtaking as the girls donned elegant dresses that gave a very aristocratic flair. The top was a pointed high-collared white shirt, a coloured cropped jacket with cape-like sleeves and decorative shoulder epaulettes with crest-like silver buttons; the fitted bodice gave the illusion of a corset without wearing one as double-breasted buttons and layered lapels gave a formal touch; the structured, high-low hem overskirt had trim that matched each member’s assigned colours respectively which, when paired with fluffy white tiered ruffles that peek just underneath, gave it volume; and last, but certainly not least, the detached cuffs are exaggerated, and ruffled white cuffs with rows of dark buttons alongside black cape sleeves that were wide and flowing, gave the whole ensemble a very dramatic finish. The girls also wore some semi-opaque black tights with dark laced boots that stopped just below the knees. 

The girls performed the song effortlessly as cheers and chants were filling the venue but I tried to focus more on the person in red with my camera, avoiding the arms and hands getting in my way. I still needed practice but once in a while, I’d get a very ravishing and bewitching shot of Claire-sama that I desperately wanted to gatekeep; alas, I am also trying to promote her so it would be incredibly selfish of me to keep the great pictures all to myself. I get to keep every shot I don’t end up sharing, either because of it being blurry or an awkward angle sooo… I won’t complain too much. 

The next song they were about to perform was the second track of their recently released EP, “Destined Lovers”. It was titled “You're so Cheeky”, an upbeat and cheery song with lyrics fundamentally continuing the story in their debut song, “A Love Beyond Worlds”. It illustrates a sudden meeting between two people and one of them tries to get to know the other better. The narrative of the lyrics talk about the abrupt introduction and teasing that develops in the relationship, causing the singer to wonder why this person genuinely wants to get to know them. Both curiosity and caution were conveyed wonderfully throughout the song and I think it's my favourite one out of the EP. The choreography was very well done, shining light on how talented all the girls were in terms of dancing. Both Loretta-tan and Claire-sama moved their bodies to the song with Claire-sama having a much more precise control over her moves while Loretta-tan was very energetic and exaggerated. Pepi-chan was also a decent dancer, however, her motions lacked a bit of confidence as they weren't as big or meticulous compared to the other two. Of course, each member had unique vocals and had an equal part distribution in the song. Claire-sama has a powerful voice and often has many high notes whereas Pepi-chan has a naturally high pitched speaking voice, so I've noticed she tries to use an alto tone more so both in singing and rapping. Loretta-tan has a lower tone of voice but surprisingly she can belt out very well and even harmonizes effortlessly with the two other members. 

The third track in the EP is called “Denial”, a ballad describing, well, the denial that the singer actually has feelings for someone. Despite its sorrowful tune and lyrics in the beginning of rebuttals for these developing emotions, by the end of the song is where the singer grows to accept the fact that they really are in love; they didn't even notice they eventually fell in love with that person until their sincere emotions were put up to the test. If I recall correctly, Claire-sama mentioned in an interview that it really spoke to her as she says she’s been in a similar scenario. As for how true that statement was, we would never really know unless you personally knew Miss Claire. The performance for the song on stage involved very little movement and only had the girls stand with handheld microphones in each hand and expressions to match the melancholy of the song. I managed to take a few pictures of Claire-sama but I quickly pulled out my lightstick to swing it side by side to the melody since that was what you were supposed to do, at least according to the song guide the company posted online. 

There was a bit of an intermission while the stage was adjusted in the dark with a light show to entertain the crowd. If you had a well developed eyesight, you could see staff bringing out a large piano, a small instrument and a microphone stand. While waiting, the venue filled with murmurs and chatter along with the intro of the next song that was soon to be performed. Eventually, you could tell that there was movement on the stage as three figures’ silhouettes appeared to be adjusting themselves. One sat at the piano and another grabbed the small instrument, now appearing to be a violin by the way it was held; there was also someone standing patiently behind the microphone. The lights slowly revealed the girls, each with their own spotlight and caused the crowd to quiet down. 

“Self Sacrifice,” was a slow paced song, also a melancholic melody paired with violins and piano, which were personally performed by Pepi-chan and Loretta-tan; Miss Pepi was known to have played the violin at a young age while Miss Loretta played the piano. They were both playing the introduction of the song while Claire-sama stood behind the microphone stand and delicately placed her hand on the microphone's body. The lyrics for this song also bore a sad story, depicting the sacrifice of one's self in a relationship where the singer was sacrificing themself to save their partner both the grief and responsibility from a certain situation. Claire-sama's technique of a breathy and warm voice for this song along with the instrumental tugged at my heartstrings as I continued to take pictures of the whole group as well. 

The second to last song titled “Let Me Be Selfish” was a pretty catchy song, portraying someone acting on selfish wants and desires for their crush to notice them more. Like the debut song, it began at a slow pace before picking up further into the song. This one gave the other two more lines than in previous tracks and allowed Claire-sama to show off her harmonization skills. It was a one of a kind experience to hear Miss Claire's voice live and to see how passionate she is when she sings. Even though she was declared the main vocalist of the group, Pepi-chan and Loretta-tan were just as talented in that category. Each member had their strengths and weaknesses and you can really tell how unique they are to each other when you get to bask in their stage presence. 

The final song from both the EP and setlist was titled, “Going in Circles, Just for You”, which depicted the supposed happy ending of the storyline of the previous songs; however, the lyrics definitely make it seem as if there is more to the story and it's can be up to the listener to theorize the continuation. A couple goes in circles and repeats certain moments together in their lives, all with just a slightly different factor but if you read in between the lines, it's like a time loop. Fans theorize that it connects back to “A Love Beyond Worlds,” where two lovers are destined to be together even in different timelines. This song wasn't too fast nor was it really slow either, but it was a decent pace nonetheless, once more giving an equal part distribution between the three girls. The bridge featured the sudden halt of the instrumental, allowing the focus to be Claire-sama's voice which was clearly heard all throughout the venue. Once the instrumental resumed, all of the members sang the chorus repeatedly until they seemed to get the okay to celebrate the ending of the show as Loretta-tan took out an in-ear and interacted with the crowd. She was hyping us up and inviting us to sing along while the other girls looked at each other with huge smiles on their faces. It wasn't the kind of song to dance and celebrate to but this was their last show of their tour so they're having fun to the very end. 

Finally, the girls say their thanks and farewells before the song finishes and the lights dim enough for them to practically blend into the darkness. Once a minute or two of cheers and clapping passed, the lights from the venue lit up my surroundings while I was packing up my stuff; however, I wasn't going to leave yet. I always waited for a special someone to come out of the building and do anything and everything to make sure they saw me. Usually the girls take 20 to 30 minutes to get going, meaning it gives me more time to peruse the merchants still open and selling official products. I leave the main area of the venue, sneaking through the groups of people standing around or standing in line for last minute transactions. There was someone who was handing out fan made stickers and pins and, of course, I gladly took the opportunity to grab them with a sincere thanks to the fellow fan. 

I took a seat in a nearby seating area and put in my earbuds to listen to the EP on a music streaming app. I probably had a huge and stupid smile on my face right now. I wish they would release live versions of the songs, despite my adoration for the girls’ vocals in the studio version. Something about hearing Claire-sama's voice live just… gives me chills. I couldn't help myself and took out the camera, flipping through the shots I managed to get. I could feel my heart trying to jump out of my chest while watching a video of one of the songs, all I could focus on was her facial expressions and the way she moves her body with both grace and precision. I took a look at more of the pictures I got for longer than I'm willing to admit, quietly thinking to myself of the ones I could share on my profile. 

Suddenly, even through my earbuds, I could hear commotion nearby. I let the camera hang around my neck and took out one earbud before standing up to look at what was happening. I then caught a glimpse of those golden curls in the crowd forming and practically sprinted towards it without even thinking. I quickly put away both my earbuds and the camera. This was my ritual. My moment every time I come to their concerts. I slipped through the crowd, carefully taking care that I'm not pushing anyone away too aggressively. I could feel myself get all giddy and excited as I noticed bothered expressions in the corner of my eye. But I didn't really care, I was on a mission. My deficiency in vitamin Claire was getting to me! Finally, I see her. 

There she is… 

Notes:

Thank you for taking the time to read this chapter! I apologize if I just info bombed you but I hope to build clear pictures and ideas of these characters in the way I write, to establish the world setting and such.

Notes:

Please don't be afraid to leave recommendations for future songs and any critique! Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed. (*￣∇￣)ノ