On That Note
Sera/All, 1181
It takes nine.
A/N: Pitch Perfect!au written for kisoap in unnideul.
The dressing room is quiet. It’s fairly large, with room for a couch and six chairs. The mirrors lining the walls are outlined with lightbulbs and hang above smooth granite counters. But the girls in the room aren’t looking at any of that; most of them are trying to avoid the eyes of a very angry girl.
“What,” she hisses, manicured hands placed on her hips, “was that?”
No one answers. One girl cuts through the silence by tapping the heel of her shoe against the linoleum.
“We barely made it here,” an enraged Lee Sem continues, “how do you expect us to win if we can’t even make it through the rehearsal?”
“If Sera was here-” Kyungri starts, flinching when Hyemi elbows her.
Lee Sem shoots them both a glare. “Yeah, well Sera quit. So we’re on our own. Which means we need to practice more until we get the routine down perfect. Euaerin, your voice was flat. Minha, you need to stick with the formation. Eunji,” she pauses. The girl in question cocks an eyebrow, “nevermind.”
“The championships are only in a couple of days. How are we supposed to fill Sera’s space by then?” Euaerin asks, standing and looking more than a little anxious.
Lee Sem raises her hand to brush her hair back before catching herself. “I guess we’ll just have to increase practices. Later nights, earlier mornings. It’s the only way.”
There are a few poorly-concealed groans, and then Sungah is on her feet. “I joined this group because I wanted to have fun. Not so that it could take over my life.”
“Too bad.” Lee Sem snaps. “You don’t get success without sacrifice. And you’re going to need a lot of sacrifice if you want us to get even close to perfection.”
The brunette bristles. “I’m sorry?”
Euaerin is on her feet in seconds, hands on Lee Sem to try and calm her down. “Hey, don’t get upset.”
“Why shouldn’t I be?” She shouts. “I’m giving this my all while the rest of you aren’t even trying!”
Every single girl is on her feet. Screams fill the room and ridiculously high-heeled shoes are thrown across the room while bodies hit the floor and shrieks echo into the hallway even through the thick door.
A simply dressed girl makes her way down the hall, wringing her hands while her worn sneakers squeak on the tiles. When she hears screams she stops, frowns, then takes off at a run, skidding to a stop in front of a door. She eases it open and gapes at the chaos within. After a couple seconds of just standing there, she clears her throat. Loudly. The shouting stops and all eyes fly to her.
Euaerin’s face lights up and Kyungri smiles, pulling away from where she’d had Eunji’s shirt clutched in her fist. Lee Sem picks herself up, smooths down her hair, and straightens out her clothes before speaking. “Sera. What a surprise.”
“Yeah,” she replies, staring at her hands. “I came to apologize. And to… ask for a place back in the group. I was wrong. I admit that. And…” she trails off, chancing a look up, “I miss you guys.”
“Well that’s too bad.” The short-haired senior adverts her eyes. “We’re doing just fine without you.” Euaerin gasps and punches her, hard, but she pays her no mind.
“Oh,” Sera murmurs. “Okay. Then, I’ll just go, then.” She turns around and starts pulling the door closed behind her.
Lee Sem nods to herself, but makes the mistake of looking back at the others. Sprawled on the floor or counters, they’re either glaring at her or staring sadly after their returned groupmate. She sighs. “Wait. Come back.”
Sera lets out a breath she didn’t know she was holding and lets the door close behind her. She turns and gives the senior a grateful smile.
“I,” Lee Sem stops, but then goes on after Euaerin prompts her with a soft jab. “I was wrong too. You’re right, we need to change. But I’m going to need your help.” When she’s finished, she sighs, then offers up a thin smile but it’s enough to have Sera smiling right back.
Kyungri and Sungah race over and embrace the shorter girl. Minha smiles and plops herself onto the couch beside a disheveled Hyuna.
“Stop that,” Lee Sem snaps at the trio. “You’re going to ruin your outfits.”
Sera laughs, wipes at her eyes, and pulls away from the hug. She looks at Lee Sem expectantly, who in turn takes a step closer.
“So, Sera,” she starts, this time much softer, “what do you think we should do?”
-
The heavy bass can be felt through the floor and in Sera’s chest, thundering louder than her own heartbeat in her ears. Which is a testament to just how loud it is because she can’t even catch a breath. Hyemi taps her on the shoulder and motions over to where Lee Sem and the others are gathering. The tall girl pulls them all close, so that they can just hear her.
“We’ve practiced so hard over the past few days,” she begins, eyeing each of them meaningfully. “And I know that if you just work as hard as you have during the rehearsals, then we’re going to do great.”
A man with a radio held tight in his hand motions them over. They’re up.
They try to disconnect but someone holds them back. They all look at Hyuna, who is staring at the floor, but has a tight grip on Eunji and Sungah. “I just want you all to know that, even if you didn’t model in high school and aren’t that tall,” she glances over at Sera, who bristles at the mention, “you all are beautiful on the inside and that’s what really matters.”
“That was surprisingly… sweet,” Sera comments. Hyuna shrugs, drawing away from the rest.
The music comes to a stop and applause takes its place.
“Alright!” Lee Sem shouts with an air of finality. “Let’s show them what we’ve got, aca-bitches!”
As the other group exits, they march on in the darkness, hands clutched tight in sweaty palms and the audience visible only as a silhouette. Sera takes her place beside Minha, and gives the girl a quick hand squeeze before pulling away. She thinks she hears a whispered thanks.
Then the lights go on.
-
“Welcome one and all to the start of the acapella year!” One of the three coordinators announces giddily, looking at the five groups the campus has to offer.
“And, as is tradition, the Champions from last year pick the song.”
All eyes flick over to the group of girls. They’re missing two, but they’re still strong, and they have a three-tiered trophy sitting in front of them.
Sera grins as Sungah and Hyuna debate songs behind her. Kyungri leans over to whisper something in her ear and she laughs and nods, leaning forward onto the back of the chair in front of her. “Okay everybody, listen up!”
It’s going to be a great year.
It takes nine.
A/N: Pitch Perfect!au written for kisoap in unnideul.
The dressing room is quiet. It’s fairly large, with room for a couch and six chairs. The mirrors lining the walls are outlined with lightbulbs and hang above smooth granite counters. But the girls in the room aren’t looking at any of that; most of them are trying to avoid the eyes of a very angry girl.
“What,” she hisses, manicured hands placed on her hips, “was that?”
No one answers. One girl cuts through the silence by tapping the heel of her shoe against the linoleum.
“We barely made it here,” an enraged Lee Sem continues, “how do you expect us to win if we can’t even make it through the rehearsal?”
“If Sera was here-” Kyungri starts, flinching when Hyemi elbows her.
Lee Sem shoots them both a glare. “Yeah, well Sera quit. So we’re on our own. Which means we need to practice more until we get the routine down perfect. Euaerin, your voice was flat. Minha, you need to stick with the formation. Eunji,” she pauses. The girl in question cocks an eyebrow, “nevermind.”
“The championships are only in a couple of days. How are we supposed to fill Sera’s space by then?” Euaerin asks, standing and looking more than a little anxious.
Lee Sem raises her hand to brush her hair back before catching herself. “I guess we’ll just have to increase practices. Later nights, earlier mornings. It’s the only way.”
There are a few poorly-concealed groans, and then Sungah is on her feet. “I joined this group because I wanted to have fun. Not so that it could take over my life.”
“Too bad.” Lee Sem snaps. “You don’t get success without sacrifice. And you’re going to need a lot of sacrifice if you want us to get even close to perfection.”
The brunette bristles. “I’m sorry?”
Euaerin is on her feet in seconds, hands on Lee Sem to try and calm her down. “Hey, don’t get upset.”
“Why shouldn’t I be?” She shouts. “I’m giving this my all while the rest of you aren’t even trying!”
Every single girl is on her feet. Screams fill the room and ridiculously high-heeled shoes are thrown across the room while bodies hit the floor and shrieks echo into the hallway even through the thick door.
A simply dressed girl makes her way down the hall, wringing her hands while her worn sneakers squeak on the tiles. When she hears screams she stops, frowns, then takes off at a run, skidding to a stop in front of a door. She eases it open and gapes at the chaos within. After a couple seconds of just standing there, she clears her throat. Loudly. The shouting stops and all eyes fly to her.
Euaerin’s face lights up and Kyungri smiles, pulling away from where she’d had Eunji’s shirt clutched in her fist. Lee Sem picks herself up, smooths down her hair, and straightens out her clothes before speaking. “Sera. What a surprise.”
“Yeah,” she replies, staring at her hands. “I came to apologize. And to… ask for a place back in the group. I was wrong. I admit that. And…” she trails off, chancing a look up, “I miss you guys.”
“Well that’s too bad.” The short-haired senior adverts her eyes. “We’re doing just fine without you.” Euaerin gasps and punches her, hard, but she pays her no mind.
“Oh,” Sera murmurs. “Okay. Then, I’ll just go, then.” She turns around and starts pulling the door closed behind her.
Lee Sem nods to herself, but makes the mistake of looking back at the others. Sprawled on the floor or counters, they’re either glaring at her or staring sadly after their returned groupmate. She sighs. “Wait. Come back.”
Sera lets out a breath she didn’t know she was holding and lets the door close behind her. She turns and gives the senior a grateful smile.
“I,” Lee Sem stops, but then goes on after Euaerin prompts her with a soft jab. “I was wrong too. You’re right, we need to change. But I’m going to need your help.” When she’s finished, she sighs, then offers up a thin smile but it’s enough to have Sera smiling right back.
Kyungri and Sungah race over and embrace the shorter girl. Minha smiles and plops herself onto the couch beside a disheveled Hyuna.
“Stop that,” Lee Sem snaps at the trio. “You’re going to ruin your outfits.”
Sera laughs, wipes at her eyes, and pulls away from the hug. She looks at Lee Sem expectantly, who in turn takes a step closer.
“So, Sera,” she starts, this time much softer, “what do you think we should do?”
-
The heavy bass can be felt through the floor and in Sera’s chest, thundering louder than her own heartbeat in her ears. Which is a testament to just how loud it is because she can’t even catch a breath. Hyemi taps her on the shoulder and motions over to where Lee Sem and the others are gathering. The tall girl pulls them all close, so that they can just hear her.
“We’ve practiced so hard over the past few days,” she begins, eyeing each of them meaningfully. “And I know that if you just work as hard as you have during the rehearsals, then we’re going to do great.”
A man with a radio held tight in his hand motions them over. They’re up.
They try to disconnect but someone holds them back. They all look at Hyuna, who is staring at the floor, but has a tight grip on Eunji and Sungah. “I just want you all to know that, even if you didn’t model in high school and aren’t that tall,” she glances over at Sera, who bristles at the mention, “you all are beautiful on the inside and that’s what really matters.”
“That was surprisingly… sweet,” Sera comments. Hyuna shrugs, drawing away from the rest.
The music comes to a stop and applause takes its place.
“Alright!” Lee Sem shouts with an air of finality. “Let’s show them what we’ve got, aca-bitches!”
As the other group exits, they march on in the darkness, hands clutched tight in sweaty palms and the audience visible only as a silhouette. Sera takes her place beside Minha, and gives the girl a quick hand squeeze before pulling away. She thinks she hears a whispered thanks.
Then the lights go on.
-
“Welcome one and all to the start of the acapella year!” One of the three coordinators announces giddily, looking at the five groups the campus has to offer.
“And, as is tradition, the Champions from last year pick the song.”
All eyes flick over to the group of girls. They’re missing two, but they’re still strong, and they have a three-tiered trophy sitting in front of them.
Sera grins as Sungah and Hyuna debate songs behind her. Kyungri leans over to whisper something in her ear and she laughs and nods, leaning forward onto the back of the chair in front of her. “Okay everybody, listen up!”
It’s going to be a great year.