With a beating heart and a small smile, Yibo sat together with his new friend and roommate, at one of the tables in the cafeteria of the Keno Academy and waited for the welcoming speech of the director. Just before, he and Seungyoun had used the time to take a look around their new home for the next four years on their own.

The four buildings of the Keno Academy, seemed to Yibo as if he had been transported back to a long-gone time. While there have been renovations and modernization here and there, the buildings never lost the charm they had 350 years ago when the buildings were built and purchased by Chen Ling Chao 100 years later.

The largest building, the Keno Academy itself, is where they will spend a lot of time every day in the future. Especially training and rehearsing their various talents. But they will also have classes there. Just like normal students.

The second largest building is the dormitory. There, all 80 students of the Keno Academy live together in one house. There is no separation of the sexes. There are just no mixed rooms and the house father, together with the house mother and a few supervisors, makes sure that it stays that way. However, the students are separated according to their year. The new students are at the top of the 4th floor, and the students of the graduating year are on the 1st floor. Each of the four floors, has a shared bathroom for men and one for women, as well as a small kitchen where they can make small snacks. There are also a couple of rehearsal rooms in the basement of the dormitory, but only the senior class is allowed to use them because they need more training.

Another building is the community center and guest dormitory, where the cafeteria is also located. As well as a small infirmary. As the name Community Center implies, students can spend time together there. Be it playing billiards, watching TV, listening to music or having parties together when there are guests like other students, which happens often. There they should relax and have fun.

The smallest building is the dormitory of the teachers, coaches and support staff, because they also live in the Keno Academy and go home at most on the weekends.

As Yibo took one look around at the group of new students, he realized that he had seen each of these other 18 students, besides Seungyoun, at least once before. While he didn't know all of their names, he knew, for example, that the one student around whom almost all of the male students gathered was a well-known Italian ballet dancer.

With another male student who also looked familiar to Yibo, Seungyoun helped him out. "This is Kim Wooseok. Also a dancer and singer from South Korea. Isn't he cute?"

"Cute?" Yibo asked doubtfully.

"Yes. I think he's totally cute."

"Uh-huh." Replied Yibo. Seungyoun had confessed to him earlier about being into men, so he wasn't confused about it. But since Seungyoun is the first gay man he's dealt with, he didn't know what to say to that.

"What kind of women are you into Yibo? The kind like that Alessia Milan that all the guys flock around?"

"Mhhh, I don't think so. I don't know what I'm into. I've never given it much thought. I've never had time to deal with it."

"Well, then it's time to find out. I mean, Alessia keeps looking over at us. And I don't think she's looking at me all the time."

"How do you even know her name?"

"I met her once at a competition. She had to travel from Italy and arrived almost 90 minutes late. That eliminated her rehearsal time and I was asked to include her in my rehearsal. She's an arrogant bitch."

"Mhhh. That doesn't seem to bother the others here, though."

"She hasn't shown them her true colors yet either. They only see how beautiful she is with her cute doll face, her long black hair and her beautiful slim body."

"Appearance isn't everything."

"And that's coming from someone who's handsome and cute. Sure Yibo! But you're already right. And I think anyone who looks behind her facade will quickly realize how gloomy things are behind it."

"If you say so." Said Yibo. What else could he say? He didn't care about Alessia Milan and he didn't care about all the other female students. At least, at that moment, he didn't see any for whom his heart beat faster.

When the director of the Keno Academy finally joined them a moment later, everyone sat down in their seats and listened to his speech. He began by saying, "Hello and welcome here to the Keno Academy. Right where you are sitting now, I once sat. However, that was many years ago. Still, I haven't forgotten how excited I was and how happy I was. I can see in your faces now that you are wondering what talent had brought me here and why you do not know me. Well, I was once a dancer. And the reason you don't know me, even though I was successful, is my reason for pointing out to you that you need a plan B. I don't have to tell any of you that it is not enough to have talent and a dream. It is also not enough to set as a goal to become famous. You have to give it your all, do everything for it and be ready to go beyond your limits and even further. Because today we are not the only art academy and you are not the only talented ones. If you want to make it, you need more. But you will learn that over the course of the next 4 years. But what I can tell you in advance is that you will always need a plan B. Because none of you knows what the future will bring. Because none of you know what the future holds. Like you, I came here with a goal and I achieved it. When I graduated from the Keno Academy, I had a contract as a dancer, many sponsors and my career began. But then I had a car accident. My leg was seriously injured and my career was over. I could no longer dance and needed a plan B. Fortunately, the Keno Academy not only promoted my talent, but also my knowledge. Because in addition to my professional training as a dancer here, I also received training as a teacher. Therefore, I can stand before you today and welcome you here."

As one of the students stepped forward, the principal interrupted his speech and let the student ask his question. "But what if we have no idea what our plan B is supposed to be?" He asked.

Another student nodded and said, "Exactly. After all, we are not all multi-talented like Wang Yibo!"

"What does this have to do with me?" Yibo asked angrily.

"Well, if dancing doesn't work out for you, you can still sing or act or do your motorcycle racing. I don't blame you for that. But you have plenty of other options and you don't need to think of a plan B right now." Replied the student from before.

"I guess this is envy talking." Said Seungyoun.

"Don't argue with each other. You should all have a plan B, including Wang Yibo. It's true, he's multi-talented. But most of you can do more than one thing. That's why you're here. You are not just dancers or just singers or just actors. You can do much more than that. But you shouldn't rely on your talents alone, and you should also ask yourself the question, what do I want to do with my life later? Because if the great richness fails to come despite all the fame, you still need something to do when your career is over. Because you do realize that you won't be on stage for the rest of your life, right?" Said the director.

Almost everyone nodded after these words. Even Yibo, who reluctantly had to admit to himself that he had never thought about what he could do when his career in show business was over or didn't work out at all. He really only knew one thing, he definitely didn't want to go back to the life he just escaped from.

The next thing the director got to was the forbidden and the rules. Like, no alcohol, no drugs, no unauthorized parties. Being late would mean point loss, as well as fights. Expelling from the Keno Academy would mean theft, beatings, or repeatedly disobeying other forbidden rules and regulations. In addition, men are not allowed in women's rooms and vice versa. In addition, relationships among students are not forbidden, but they are not appreciated, he said.

The director then explained that the students would all have to undergo thorough physical health examinations. They would be weighed once a week. Get balanced diet plans designed for them and their needs, and from time to time, unannounced drug testing would be done.

The director then explicitly pointed out one more time the dorm rehearsal rooms and explained again that they are only available to students who are in their final year. Everyone else must sign in on a list at the other rehearsal rooms. And everyone has to strictly follow the times.

Then he came to the Internal and External Competitions. "Periodically, at our Keno Academy once a month, we have competitions among the students. From this we will recognize your progress and smaller bonuses will also be given. External competitions are held every three months. These can take place at official events or we can invite other students from other art academies here and compete with them. Your coaches will explain this to you in more detail. Just so you know, all competitions will be broadcast live on TV and the Internet starting this year!"

Almost everyone cheered when they heard this. After all, this would increase their chance of becoming famous even more if you can watch their performances live.

The last thing the director said was, "We have guest students here every 8 weeks for 1 week at a time. These come from the Paradise Academy. It is a new art academy that belongs to us. It is our little sister and is currently still under construction. They come here to train with you and to make competitions. And to make it more interesting, we have thought of something nice for it. As a group you will compete against them and solo in your individual disciplines. But we also want you to do a performance together with them as a big group, for the entertainment of the audience. But also, that you prepare a duet with another student of the Paradise Academy and then perform it. Again, there are prizes to be won."

Yibo had already read that the Keno Academy wanted to expand, but he did not know that they would found a completely new academy. Especially since the competition is already so big and there are so many art academies. Still, he thought it was a good thing and somehow he was looking forward to doing something together with other students.

After his speech, the director took time to talk to individual students while they ate dinner. Yibo and Seungyoun also spoke briefly with the director, who especially advised Yibo not to be provoked by other students. "They are probably really jealous and you should ignore it if possible. If that's not possible, contact the supervisors and they'll take care of it. And you must remember, you are indeed a group here and should stick together. But you are also competitors. And you Wang Yibo, are the strongest competitor for all of them here." He had said.

Yibo shrugged his shoulders and said, "I've always not cared what others say or think. I do my own thing and don't let others get me down. I have my goals and I pursue them, I don't care about anything else."

The director also nodded and patted Yibo's shoulder. "Still, don't forget that you also need a plan B." He said and stood up awkwardly from his chair. Yibo looked thoughtfully at the director whose right leg was stiff, wondering what plan B he should have? Because he had to agree with the director now, he never knows what will happen in the future.

When Yibo and Seungyoun were back in their room, they lay down in their beds and talked some more about the director and his words. Especially the one about plan B. And neither Yibo nor Seungyoun knew what their plan B is or should be. But they still had time to think about it. And while still thinking a little about his future, he finally fell asleep and his first day at his dream academy thus came to an end.

A/N: We are only on chapter 2, so please give me some time to build up the story and bring emotions into play. I know some are already impatiently waiting to see how Yibo meets Zhan and what happens next. And it won't be long now either. But take it easy. We don't want this book to have only 10 chapters, do we? Love 😘