**"Even mountains change in ten years."**

    This saying signifies that nothing remains unchanged as time passes. So, since the time Ha-eun began doing things on her own at her sixth birthday, an entire 12 years and two months have gone by—a long span indeed.

    Naturally, many things about Ha-eun, including her physical appearance, had inevitably changed.

    "Hmm..."

    Currently, Ha-eun was gazing into a long, full-length mirror, not a small hand mirror. Reflected back at her was not a cute, innocent little girl, but a charming young lady.

    Of course, she knew that calling herself "charming" was a bit self-indulgent, but she also knew that it would be dishonest to describe herself as "plain-looking."

    Her long, voluminous hair...

    Fine yet slightly sharp, almost cat-like eyes...

    And beneath those, a chest that was slightly more prominent than average.

    As her gaze continued downward, she saw a toned lower abdomen and well-shaped legs without any excess fat.

    It seemed that the worrisome "awkward phase" she had feared as a child hadn''t happened. Thanks to the exercise she had done over the years, her body was overall well-balanced.

    Because of this, her manager Joo Jung-yoon, and even the rarely seen CEO Jeong Do-chul, complimented her on how well she took care of herself.

    On the other hand, Da-yeon, who had been itching to "outshine" Ha-eun for 11 years, commented that Ha-eun looked like a school bully, though even Da-yeon couldn’t bring herself to call her unattractive, even as a joke. In other words, Ha-eun had every reason to be confident about her appearance.

    So, to maintain her attractive appearance in a healthy way, Ha-eun changed into her workout clothes and headed to the usual open area.

    However...

    **Under Construction**

    **We apologize for any inconvenience**

    "Huh...?"

    Unfamiliar signs, building materials, and bright yellow heavy equipment blocked Ha-eun’s way. The open space, once hers alone, was now packed with muscular construction workers.@@@@

    And most strikingly, the soft grass of the open field was now overturned and torn up by the fierce machinery.

    *-Thud-*

    As soon as Ha-eun realized that the open space was no longer hers, her legs gave out. Almost immediately, the middle-aged workers, startled, shouted to check if she was okay.

    "Uh... can you stand up, miss? Do you need us to call 911?"

    "Oh, no... sorry for worrying you."

    With that, Ha-eun walked away from the construction site, shoulders slumped, looking completely dazed.

    Lee Ha-eun.

    Eighteen years old.

    Facing an unwanted change, she tasted the bitter feeling of loss as if her world had collapsed.

    ---

    "Uh, Manager Joo, what''s up with Ha-eun today?"

    "I''m not sure... she was fine just yesterday."

    Sitting in the corner of the studio, hunched over, Ha-eun caught the glances of Lee Gun-yeol and Joo Jung-yoon. But the somber, almost gloomy atmosphere was so palpable that they quickly turned their heads again.

    However, one thing became clear: Ha-eun’s sadness was indeed because the open space had become a construction site.

    "How about you come with us to our judo classes?"

    Instead of correcting her misunderstanding about the gym, Lee Joon and Lee Gun-yeol suggested that she join them at the judo academy they attended as a hobby. After all, as a high schooler, it wouldn’t hurt to learn some self-defense.

    "Hmm... I’ll think about it."

    After finishing her plate of sushi, Ha-eun stood up and entered the recording booth in the studio. She began practicing an idol song she’d been passionately working on lately.

    Everyone knew it was for the singing audition Ha-eun had been eagerly anticipating. Her voice was so remarkable that no further vocal training was needed, and any song she sang was a joy to listen to.

    But, precisely because her voice was so impressive, it was hard for Lee Joon and Lee Gun-yeol to understand why she would audition with an idol song.

    She could easily handle more challenging songs. If she was going to audition, wouldn’t a more impactful, soulful song be better?

    "Hey, Ha-eun. Don’t you think a song with a more serious vibe would be better? Like a drama OST, maybe?"

    So, he asked her directly from the other side of the recording booth.

    "A drama OST? Like which one?"

    "*Turn Back Time* from *Haeseumdal* or *My Fate* from *Starry Hall* could work."

    "Uh... don’t those songs not have any choreography?"

    She dismissed his suggestion, as they lacked choreography. This response only deepened the mystery of Ha-eun’s secretive audition.

    "How about you keep practicing your current song but also prepare one that showcases your pure singing talent?"

    It was Lee Gun-yeol’s final suggestion, as he couldn’t bear to see her vocal skills go to waste. After all, she could easily pass any audition with her pure vocal talent alone.

    "If they turn you down, it just means they don’t know good music."

    "Thanks for saying that, at least."

    "When have we ever lied to you about singing? You really are talented, Ha-eun."

    At that moment, Ha-eun thought they were just flattering her to boost her confidence.

    It wasn’t that she had no confidence in her singing skills, but she didn’t think she was good enough to earn high praise from people like Double Lee.

    However, not long after, while she paused to sip some lukewarm water...

    *-Tap-*

    "...?"

    A few sheets of white sheet music landed in front of Ha-eun. When she asked in a puzzled voice what it was...

    "It’s for a new song in our upcoming album. We’re not sure about the female featuring part, so could you sing it for us?"

    It turned out to be sheet music for Double Lee’s new song. They added that she should feel free to treat it as a guide recording.

    The problem was that Lee Joon’s expression was strangely awkward. Watching him suspiciously, Ha-eun started singing the female featuring part earnestly.

    「──────?」

    She hadn’t yet noticed that Lee Gun-yeol had slipped on a pair of thick headphones in preparation.