The neon lights of Seoul glimmered through the drizzle, reflecting off the wet streets like scattered diamonds. Inside a tucked-away dance studio, the pounding bass of music echoed through concrete walls. For five girls, each from a different life, this was the crucible where dreams were forged—and where they would first collide.
Joanne — The Fire of Discipline
Taziko Joanne adjusted her headphones and checked her reflection in the mirror. Two years of grueling training had sharpened her every move; every snap of her wrist, every sharp turn was instinct. She had two siblings—older and younger—but here, in the dim glow of the studio lights, she was alone with her ambition.
"Two years, and it still comes down to one audition," she thought, tension knotting her stomach. The producer's words echoed in her mind: "Five girls. Only the top five will debut. Can you handle it?"
Her eyes caught movement—a tall girl entering the room, aura untouchable. Joanne raised an eyebrow, silently noting her first competition.
Susu — The Gentle Voice
Bai Xui Xui hummed a warm note as she adjusted her long, uncut hair. Two years of vocal training had honed her tone until it could slice through the heaviest bass. Her older sister had always been her anchor, but here she needed only herself.
Susu knew talent alone wasn't enough; even with years of training, the audition was a high-stakes test of nerves, versatility, and presence. She swallowed hard, hoping her voice could shine under the bright lights that would separate debut from disappointment.
Leah — The Aura of Authority
Leah Vogel Kim entered the studio with a measured stride, her eight months of intensive training making her movements precise but still raw in some ways. She had come to live in Korea with her grandmother, leaving her American home behind. Introverted, carrying an almost regal aura, she often seemed untouchable—some mistook it for arrogance.
Even after eight months of grueling training, she felt the familiar pressure knot in her chest. Auditions didn't care about background or talent—they demanded perfection, presence, and the ability to stand out. Leah didn't flinch. She calculated every move, every note, every step, already envisioning herself as the center of it all.
Mili — The Graceful Storm
Park Mi Li moved fluidly across the floor, her body a line of poetry shaped by a year and a half of training. She had an older brother and a younger sister, a family that loved her but didn't push her like Leah's. She focused entirely on motion, letting her arms trace invisible arcs and her legs punch the rhythm.
Still, the audition loomed ahead, a shadow over every practiced step. "All this work, and now it's just one stage," she thought. But Mili thrived under pressure; her elegance was born in fire.
Bella — The Spark of Youth
The youngest, Kang So Ji, bounced lightly on her toes, one year of training already leaving marks on her sneakers and her confidence. Only child, creative, and endlessly curious, she twirled a bracelet around her wrist, practicing the steps she had memorized in her tiny apartment back home.
The thought of auditions made her stomach twist—but Bella's excitement won over fear. She would show them everything she had learned, every small sparkle of energy she carried, hoping it would be enough to make the cut.
The Convergence
They didn't know it yet, but destiny was weaving their paths together. Five girls, five stories, each carrying ambition, pain, and dreams, converging on the same studio floor.
The producer's call had been simple, but merciless:
"Five girls. Only the top five will debut. Can you stand out? Can you handle it?"
It wasn't just a test of skill. It was a test of character, stamina, and heart. Joanne adjusted her wristband. Susu cleared her throat. Leah's eyes flicked to the floor, calculating the space. Mili stretched one last time. Bella bounced, a small grin breaking through nerves.
In that studio, for the first time, their steps would collide, their voices would mingle, and the foundation of ROSIES would begin to bloom.
The auditions weren't just a challenge—they were the gate to their destiny.