After a long wait, the first debut performance was finally about to begin, and we were asked to be backstage. Rose inquired about my performance time, only to find out that I was scheduled second to last.
"I don't know if I should be happy that I have time to watch all the performances or be sad that I'll be nervous the whole time," I huffed as we closed the door to the makeup room.
"Relax. Just focus on observing how good your competitors are," Rose said, trying to ease my nerves.
Pushing aside the creeping anxiety, we headed backstage, where nearly twenty girls had gathered. The atmosphere was charged with a mix of nervousness and excitement, each contestant either stretching, humming to themselves, or chatting in hushed tones. We walked toward an empty corner and sat down alone, giving ourselves a moment to take it all in.