Pick The Second Male Lead

05.3 - Earl Richard

"Where are you planning to go Mimi?"

Mimi Ahn left RE Label to go back to the small apartment above a small instrument store. The owner, Alice Smith had been the old woman who helped her for the last three years.

"Chicago"

"Chicago? Why on earth are you heading there?"

"DJ" Mimi finished packing the few things she had inside the black backpack and turned to smile at the kind old woman. "I'm going to learn how to DJ"

"What?" Alice was startled. "But what about your dream as a songwriter? You were doing so well in the competition."

Mimi only laughed softly.

"Mimi..." The old woman was clearly concern. "What happened dear? Why did you suddenly decide to go off on your own become a DJ? It's not safe for a young woman to go off alone. Chicago isn't safe and you're only 18"

"If I don't go see the world, I'll never grow" Mimi went to Alice and gave the sweet woman a hug. "Alice, thank you for looking after me all this time"

Alice hugged the young woman tightly.

"It seems you already made your decision"

Again, Mimi laughed softly while taking a step back.

"I have a friend in Chicago" Alice took hold of Mimi's hand and gave it a light squeeze. "I'll give you her contact number"

"Thank you Alice"

When Mimi left the apartment, she stood in faced one of busiest street of LA. Glancing back at the small music store, Mimi lifted her head up to smile at Alice who watched her from the second floor.

"Once you're there, give me a call immediately" Alice said through the opened window.

Mimi flashed her dimples smile and wave at the old woman. Then with determined eyes, she head off toward the bus stop.

The former Mimi Ahn had chosen to follow her dreams and stayed in LA to become a songwriter. After losing the RE Label competition, it took her another two years before she was able to step foot inside the record label. And that had only been because Alice Smith had bent over backward, doing favors for many of her acquaintances in order to get Mimi Ahn through RE Label's back door. While Mimi Ahn had innate talents for music, her kind personality was not made for the cruel dog-eat-dog industry. Because the former protagonist's compassionate nature, she was taken advantage of and was easily fooled. But the soul inside Mimi Ahn was far from the compassionate type. It's difficult to fool a person who expertise was fooling people. Ironically, the current Mimi with her strong personality was ideal for such a dog-eat-dog world.

Taking a different route, the current Mimi decided to go to Chicago where some of the most famous DJs exist. The city was big so Mimi didn't have to struggle with territory against other DJs, but at the same time, the city was trendy enough for her to make a name for herself. Music was one of the most brutal and difficult business to enter, but once one makes it in, it was one of the quickest way for anyone to become wealthy and famous. In the business where the younger and more beautiful you are, the better your chances are to success, Mimi knew she had a short time frame before her youth and beauty become mundane and forgettable. Instead of slowly making her way into that world, Mimi pushed forward at full speed.

And so, for the previous Mimi Ahn's dream and to win the game, Mimi left LA without hesitation.