#(But yay bby's first private audition and he lived~)

[rkvok]

Private Audition for SPHERE ENTERTAINMENT Date: 14th November 2019 Location: Sphere Entertainment building, Itaewon, Seoul Song: ‘Real Fact’ by Jang Moonbok, ft. Seong Hyunwoo and Yoon Heeseok (00:23-00:41, 00:44-01:08, 01:16-02:02) [Timing arranged to fit within time limit] Outfit: x Gif credit: Donghans

It feels like fate to have his audition on the 14th of November. While Chaewon is sitting her CSAT, here’s Moonbok, sitting outside the audition room at Sphere Entertainment. If he wasn’t so nervous, Moonbok would have laughed at how it all worked out. And even despite the nerves there’s a thrill of excitement. He’s about to do what he’d promised (threatened) he’d do when he was 12 years old; audition for an entertainment company. Every so often, Moonbok can feel himself starting to grin like an idiot and he has to try to force his expression into something a little more mature and calm looking.

It’s not like this is his first audition, after all.

He’s still somewhat bewildered that he was scouted walking around in a glorified cosplay, doing nothing of note. And yet, nothing came from his efforts at the MGAs or the TRC Triple Threat Challenge except disappointment and humiliation on national television. It’s why (yet again) Moonbok hasn’t told anyone except Yena and Yoona that he was scouted. After all, if he doesn’t tell his family and he succeeds, it’ll be a (hopefully) pleasant surprise for them. If he fails, well, at least only he and the girls will know and he’ll have spared his family the humiliation at being rejected for a fourth time in 12 months.

Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he scans his lyrics yet again. After getting Yena’s approval, he’d decided to go with a song he’d been writing for his audition instead of simply covering another artist. He’d intended on saving it as a collab piece for him and some other members of odd society, but after looking back over it, Moonbok had realized that the song was a good way to show off a side of him that he’d never really displayed musically. And given that he was performing for Baek Jiyoung herself, Moonbok knows he has to leave an impression this time. He didn’t want her to still think he was ‘coasting’ in his journey to become an idol.

Truth be told, that was still one of the most painful things anyone had ever said to him. Had it been from anybody else, even one of the other Big Five CEOs, perhaps he would have gotten over it in time. But because it was Baek Jiyoung, the CEO he admired, it had been like she’d stabbed him in the heart that day. 

No. Being stabbed in the heart would have hurt less.

He shakes his head firmly with a soft noise of disapproval. Now was not the time to think about this summer. That was then, in the past. What matters is what’s happening today, now.

His stomach rumbles and Moonbok is glad he’s alone, not that it stops him from making an irritated face. When he’d gotten up that morning, all he’d been able to stomach was a cup of coffee and even then he’d abandoned it halfway through. Figures that his stomach would complain about being empty just before he auditioned. That said, it could also be his nerves too. 

Not that he’s nervous for just himself, that is. He can’t help but wonder how Yoona’s audition will turn out. Will his cousin get a contract? He hopes so. Moonbok is still in shock that both of them were scouted (albeit by different companies) at the same time. Another intervention of Fate?

Before he has much time to think about it, the door opposite him swings open and a staff member steps out. Moonbok almost has a minor heart attack, his hands clutching hard at the seat beneath him as the words he’d both been waiting for and fearing rang out in the corridor.

“Jang Moonbok? We’re ready for you now.”

“Coming!”

Hurriedly clambering to his feet, Moonbok brushes himself down, straightening his shirt and sliding the sheet of lyrics back into his sling bag, having no need for them now. (But he still wasn’t going to leave them lying around where anyone could take off with them, it’s still an unreleased song, after all. His unreleased song, come to that.) Taking a steadying breath and saying a quick prayer to himself for luck and strength, he makes his way into the room.

Even though he’s been in front of Tiger JK for the Triple Threat Challenge and the entirety of the Big Five for the MGAs, he still can’t help but feel somewhat intimidated at the panel watching him enter, particularly when Baek Jiyoung herself is seated in the middle of the other assessors. However, nervous as he is, Moonbok gives the panel a sunny smile and bows deeply.

“Hello! My name is Jang Moonbok, thank you so much for inviting me here today!” Straightening up, he looks the CEO in the eye and gives her a grateful nod before continuing to the point of no return.

“Today I’ll be audition with a song I’ve written myself.” He holds back from adding ‘again’ to the end of the statement, not so pig-headed to believe that he made enough of an impact for anyone to remember his performance of ‘Red’ during the summer.

“It’s called ‘Real Fact’ and it’s a lot different to the stuff I’ve written or performed before. I hope you’ll like the new side of me that you’ll see~” He offers the judges another smile, daring to hope that the shadow of a smile on Baek Jiyoung’s face isn’t just a figment of his imagination. 

“So, I’ll begin, now!”

With a nod towards the staff member manning the music, Moonbok takes a deep breath in as the music begins before beginning to sing.

I just wanna be with you, baby. Again today, it was you for me. I just wanna be with you baby. If you still doubt me, oo-ooh~ My words are real facts

It’s funny, in a way. It’s as though he’s singing about wanting to be scouted by Sphere itself. Moonbok doesn’t blame Baek Jiyoung for perhaps still having doubts about him. But he wants to prove his sincerity to her and the other judges. That his wish to be an idol is a real fact, and not just a childish whim.

My words are real facts Fact, fact, fact My words are real facts

As usual, he doesn’t dance. Not that he’s unable to, because he’s certainly improved from even this summer. It’s just that he never envisioned this song as anything more than an odd soc release, and so never thought about choreography. That said, he doesn’t stay still, leisurely pacing back and forth to the music, gesturing with his arms energetically, all with a grin.

God, he really loves this song. And not just because it’s something out of the ordinary for him either.

My feelings for you are real facts Whenever it is, I’m always there for you Even if I’m not good at expressing myself Just understand me, ‘cuz when I’m in front of you My heart beats so hard I need to tape my ears together

How many times has he said words like that to other people? To Yoona, Hyunjin, Daniel, Jihyo and his own sister. The phrase ‘I don’t know how much help someone like me could be, but I’ll always here for you’ a staple of his vocabulary for as long as he could remember. He likes to help others, purely because he wants them to succeed and be happy, like anyone has the right to.

A guy like me can’t go on without you So there’s no games when it comes to you But you already know how I feel As if you already received the letter I’m gonna give you

At this stage, no one should be shocked that he chose to rap. It’s what he’s known for, after all. And it’s what Moonbok does best at. Still, this cheery flow is different to the raps he’s performed before; instead of the melancholy of ‘Reflection’ or the confusion of ‘Red’ and ‘Boy in Luv’, this is a rap filled with optimism. 

My heart is for real I wish you would believe me I’ll honestly show you my everything My heart is a real fact You can try to test with me.

He hopes he’s showing how sincere he is about all this. He knows this is not just a test of his skills, but of his perseverance too. After all, how many friends of his that he’d made over the last year or so already give up on their wishes to be an idol? Moonbok is here to show that no matter how many times he fails, he’ll still return to this dream and one day, he will achieve it.

I just wanna be with you baby, I’m rowing in your forest I just wanna be with you baby Again today, it was you for me. I just wanna be with you baby. If you still doubt me It’s only you in me, my only light I’ll only look at you even deeper

The chorus this time is shaken up with another rap, Moonbok proud of how he’s able to transition from singing to rapping without his breath hitching or his voice cracking. This time last year, he’d needed a sizable gap between vocal and rap parts to give himself time to transition. He’s come a long way from that first time he showcased his singing publicly during MGA season 4.

My words are real facts My words are real facts Fact, fact, fact My words are real facts.

The music fades as he reaches the end of the song and Moonbok smiles once more. After a second’s pause, he bows to the panel once again, speaking once he straightens up, his words and smile sincere.

“Thank you so much for listening to me. It was an honour to perform in front of you.”

And it was. A company audition is so very different to one done on TV. It feels more… real, in a way. With one last smile at Baek Jiyoung, Moonbok takes his cue to leave, shutting the door behind him as he re-enters the hallway where he had been waiting.

With a shaky sigh, Moonbok leans against the wall, taking deep breaths to calm himself. He was glad he’d been able to hide his nerves while performing, because if the judges were to see him now, shaking like a leaf, Moonbok would have died from mortification. Giving himself a moment or two to settle down, he exhales deeply and pulls away from the wall, heading towards the exit.

He’d done his best, done all he could do, much like Chaewon was sure to have done in her exams. Now for the both of them, the rest was up to the powers that be.

[Word count without lyrics: 1610]