ROBIN put back his phone in his pocket after reading Haneul's reply. He sighed in relief seeing how the other seemed to not be angry at him for being late. He looked around while waiting for Haneul to arrive.
People passing by glanced at him. Most of them showed curiosity. Which was the most common reaction to him in this country. It's not a bad thing. Since their curiosity mostly stemmed from positive emotions. Still, he would prefer not to be looked at like he was some animal in a zoo.
Some people showed less welcoming reactions, casting judgmental glances that hinted at skepticism or reservation towards him. But he didn't mind. He was a visitor in this country. Demanding for people here to like him was just the height of idiocy.
This kind of situation was common not just in this country, but all over the world. Some people would like you, some would not. If you worried every time someone looked at you the wrong way, you would just lose hair from stress.
But still, it was nice to have people in a foreign country who would look and treat him normally. Like Haneul and his mother. He was really glad that the first person he tried to befriend was a good guy.
When he decided to go to Korea and join this public audition, he had a lot of worries. Could he adapt? Would he be homesick? Would he make friends? Would he be alright alone in this foreign land? Those questions kept swirling in his mind. But his determination to achieve his dream was much stronger.
This was his one and only chance. He didn't want to fumble it. So, even if he had to fly across the planet alone from France to Korea, he would do it. He even fought with his father just so he could come here.
It's not that his father was totally against it. At least, not to the point of threatening to disinherit him. He was just worried that Robin would be wasting his time doing this. He was practical that way.
His father likely thought about how difficult it would be for Robin to pursue such a dream, and the slim chances of success in that industry. Knowing his father, he probably just wanted to spare him from disappointment. Even if Robin succeeded, new problems would inevitably arise.
It wasn't that his father lacked faith in him or that he was just naturally pessimistic. He simply didn't have any trust in the entertainment industry in general. Courtesy of Robin's Omega father.
His Omega dad was a famous international model. Most of the problems he and his Beta dad had during their marriage were because of that fame. The experiences his Beta dad had during that five-year marriage still left some residual trauma that 15 years later, after the divorce, his view of the entertainment industry was still not positive.
The other probably was just worried and didn't want Robin to experience anything bad. Especially more so since he was also an Omega, just like his other dad. Although he appreciate that, Robin couldn't just give up on his dream because of fear of failure or fear of the danger of the entertainment industry.
Even if he failed, that's fine. At least he tried. So, in the future, he wouldn't have any regrets. The thought of never trying was far more terrifying than the possibility of failure.
He did try to follow a path that his father would approve of. He went to university and pursued a business degree. But after a semester, he realized that his heart wasn't in it. If he forced himself to continue, he would just end up failing. That's when he knew he had to pursue what he truly wanted instead.
So, after a semester, he took a leave of absence from university. Determined to take a chance, he set out to find a way to become a K-pop idol.
It might seem odd for a French guy like him to seriously pursue becoming a K-pop idol. Despite K-pop's global reach over the past decade, the industry remained fairly exclusive. Most K-pop idols were of East Asian descent, with a few from Southeast Asia. Even those who were mixed race typically had Asian heritage. So, even if he auditioned for various agencies, his chances of being accepted were very slim.
But still, he wanted to try.
Since he was a kid, he had always liked K-POP. It influenced him to take singing and dancing lessons. When he was in middle school, he joined K-pop cover dance groups. That continued on until high school.
Performing had always been very fun for him. He thought it would just end there, but he realized he wanted more. This desire grew stronger every time he watched a K-pop concert.
Robin was very resolute to pursue his dream of becoming a K-pop idol, despite the challenges ahead. He knew it meant going against his father's wishes. But he still wanted to follow his heart. So, when he found out about the audition for this new survival program, he didn't waste time and he signed up.
Thankfully, his stepmother helped him convince his father. She probably felt a bit responsible because she was the one who introduced him to K-pop. With her help, his father agreed to let him go to Korea. But with a catch.
If he failed to debut in this survival program, he had to go home and finish his studies. And no more talk about being a K-pop idol. Robin agreed.
So, this was literally his last chance to pursue this dream.
Hopefully, this dream would not end in a few days.
"Robin hyung!"
A familiar voice called him. He turned around and saw Haneul running in his direction. He smiled and waved at the other.