CHAPTER 05

ATH3NA'S OFFICIAL DEBUT STAGE

Sunday, 7 Feb 2016

Having arrived early at the SBS Broadcasting Centre for the filming of SBS Inkigayo, BtoB's Yook Sungjae and GOT7's Jackson Wang decided to meet up to discuss on their script and cue cards that they received for today's filming. They were walking along the hallway and talking casually about their upcoming projects and schedules when a sudden loud screaming and cheering caught their attention. Exchanging glances, the 2 guys walked towards the building's glass panel windows - the same one where they always waved and interacted with their fans via - to see what the commotion was about. 

"Yah, what's all that noise? Who is that?" Jackson asked as he strained his eyes to try and get a clearer look at the faces of the girls who had just arrived. 

"I don't know.. I can't really see their faces.. They're too far away and there are just too many fans surrounding them," Sungjae replied, squinting his eyes as he too tried to get a clearer look of who these girls are. 

However, watching from level 7 of the building, all the 2 boys could see was a mob of heads and some of the security guards helping a number of girls with bright coloured hair into the building. WINNER, who was there for their 'Sentimental' and 'Baby Baby' comeback performances, joined the 2 guys as they too were curious upon hearing the sudden loud commotion from their dressing room. 

"Jackson-ah, what happened? What's all the loud commotion?" WINNER's famous rapper Song Minho or better known as Mino, asked as he looked at the group of fans that have gradually begun to disperse as soon as the idols they were waiting for entered the building. 

"Nan molla (I don't know).. We were just walking when the fans started screaming.. We went to look but all we see was bright coloured hairs but we don't really know who it was.. But we do know that they're female idols and seemed to be pretty famous," Jackson replied, shrugging as he looked at Mino. 

"Hmmm.. Maybe it's 4-Minute sunbaenims.. or Brave Girls.. Both teams are having their comeback today, right?" Sungjae said as he looked at the scripts they were given for their MC role later. However, upon hearing that the idols who arrived later had bright coloured hair, WINNER's maknae Nam Taehyun had an idea who those idols might have been. 

"I know who these girls are," Taehyun said, smirking as he looked at s, and when he felt that he has kept them in suspense long enough as he could see the exasperation on their faces when he stalled even longer, Taehyun chuckled and said, "They're our girls, hyung!" 

"Your girls?! Wait.. You guys are attached and they're all from same idol group?!" Jackson spluttered out, puzzled and surprised that he kept staring at them with his eyes wide open. 

Upon hearing Taehyun's answer, the WINNER members laughed as they finally realised who these girls are. "No! We're not attached and those girls are not our girlfriends! Yah, Nam Taehyun! Your answer will get us in trouble if Big Bang sunbaenim was here," WINNER's lead vocalist Kim Jinwoo said as he lightly smacked the back of the younger boy's head.

"Well, I only dare to say it because they are not here. But, they will be coming later right?" Taehyun asked and the rest of the WINNER members nodded their heads, showing their answer to Taehyun's question. 

Lost in the conversation between the WINNER members, Sungjae hold up his palms and said, "Wait! I still don't get it! Who are these idols? You guys had been going on and on but I still don't know who they are."

"Me too! Who are they? Are they newly debuted or having a comeback today? How come we didn't..." Jackson was saying but he stopped halfway when he recalled of a newly formed girl group under YG and said, "Ahh.. I know already.. Those girls.. They're ATH3NA, right?"

"Bingo!" both Mino and Taehyun said unison, and Sungjae almost slapped himself for forgetting the newly formed group when he had really been looking forward to their debut stages just a couple of weeks ago.

"Ahh.. ATH3NA.. They're debuting today? I thought they're debuting next week on Valentines' Day?" Sungjae asked as he was really sure their debut date was 14 of February - he can't be wrong because he had been stalking following YG's website to keep up with ATH3NA's upcoming schedules for the past few weeks ever since he met them on 'I Can See Your Voice'. Let's just say he has become their fan since that day itself.

"No, they're officially debuting today.. 14 of February is their debut showcase at the Olympic Park Olympic Hall," Mino said, and Sungjae nodded when he realised that he must have gotten the days mixed up as there were just so many upcoming performances to look forward to. 

"But woah.. they are just debuting today, right? The number of fans those girls have is seriously no joke man.." Jackson said, still amazed by the number of fans that waited for the girls at the entrance earlier. 

"Of course man! Didn't you know? They've already sold more than 150,000 copies of their debut album! And that is before their actual debut stage," Mino said, and the 2 guys had their jaws on the floor while they tried to comprehend the new information they had just received.

"150,000 copies?! You can't be serious?!" Jackson exclaimed, eyes wide open in shock, and when the WINNER members all nodded their heads proudly and grinned as if they were the ones who had just sold 150,000 copies of their own album, Jackson added, "Wow.. I.. I know they are good. I've listened to their album that they gave out that day but I didn't expect them to hit the market hard.. It's just unbelievable man.. 150,000 copies before the actual debut stage is seriously crazy! It's hands down the fastest selling debut album ever! They can win all the year-end awards already!" 

Jackson's exaggerating statement caused everyone to laugh. The group of boys continued chatting for a while more before WINNER's manager called for them to get ready while Jackson and Sungjae had to meet up with Kim Yoojung and their producer to discuss and rehearse on the upcoming shoot. The 5 boys were settling down on the sofas and eating the snacks that were provided for them while waiting for their turn to be dolled up when Kang Seungyoon thought of something. With excitement gleaming in his eyes, he called s' attention. 

"Yah, since we have nothing to do after this, let's go and visit ATH3NA after we are all ready! Let's give them some motivation and support!"

Brave Girls had just finished getting themselves dolled up for their comeback stage and were about to have their lunch when sudden loud screamings and fan chants caught their attention. Curious, the girls head to the glass panel windows where they were greeted by the sight of excited fans going crazy at the arrival of their favourite idols. 

"Wow.. That's one hell of a welcome party," Lee Yuna commented, and her members agreed as they nodded their heads while trying their best to get a good look at who these idols are.

"I know right.. But who are they? Some new boy group idols? Couldn't be a girl group, right? I mean look at those girls going crazy over them," Lee Hayun said as she turned to look at her members.

"I don't know.. I can't see their faces. But who else is performing today? It must be one of the boy group idols who is having a comeback today," Hong Eunji said with a shrug as she then looked at her members and said, "Yah, let's go? I'm so hungry and we don't have much time until the live telecast.."

Nodding their heads, they turned around and walked towards the lift. The members of Brave Girls were turning the corner when they ran into a group of people who were chatting excitedly. Their eyes caught the 3 bright hair coloured girls in the centre of the group and they realised that these were the idols those fans were going crazy after. 

"Annyeonghaseyo! We're YG's new girl group, ATH3NA.. Mannaseo bangapseumnida (Nice to meet you)," Eunhee said politely yet enthusiastically, and the 3 girls bowed respectfully towards their seniors who bowed back in return. 

ATH3NA was still recovering from their surprise of receiving such a huge welcome from their fans when they cross pathed with a senior girl group idol they recognised as Brave Girls. After greeting each other, the 2 girl groups idols were looking at each other awkwardly when Haneul caught Hayun staring at her. Due to the thick stage makeup, Haneul didn't recognise her at first. However, as she stared at her familiar features and especially that smirk on her face, she immediately knew who she was.

Lee Hayun, her high school senior who tormented her and caused her misery throughout her high school life. She wasn't the only one as there were a few others in the group together, but life in school was slightly better after she graduated. Haneul hasn't met or heard about her since, and she wasn't keen or interested. She has moved on and forgotten all about it, until today. A thousand and one memories of those torturous moments flashed through her mind, and she was lost in it for a couple of minutes until she felt someone squeezing her hand. Looking up, she saw Jooeun looking at her worriedly. 

"Are you okay?" Jooeun asked her softly, and Haneul nodded her head as she faked a smile. 

"Yeah.. I'm just probably really nervous about our debut stage," Haneul lied, half lied actually as she is pretty nervous about their upcoming performance. 

Jooeun knew the younger girl lied. However, not wanting to ask her directly about it now as she knew it probably has something to do with these senior idols in front of them, Jooeun nodded as she squeezed her hand comfortingly. As ATH3NA still has to get ready, their managers excused themselves and lead the way to their dressing room. Walking hand in hand with Jooeun, Haneul felt Hayun's eyes on her as she passed by the older girl. Despite feeling the rush of anxiety in her head, Haneul pretended she wasn't affected and walked past her confidently without even flinching as she would in the past. 

Once the group of people disappeared from their sight, Yuna looked at Hayun and asked, "Hayun-ah, what's that all about? Do you know her?"

Nodding her head casually as they continued walking to the lift, Hayun replied, "Yeah, she's my high school junior.. I think I told you about her before.."

Snapping her fingers as she recalled the younger girl's words, Yuna exclaimed, "Ahh! The international student you used to bully!"

Smacking Yuna's arms, Hayun put her right index finger on her lips and whisper-shouted, "Ssssh! Yah, eonnie! You want to get me in trouble is it?!"

Immediately closing with her hands, Yuna apologised and the group of girls decided to drop the topic. It was, after all, something that happened in the past when she was young and stupid. Hayun, on the other hand, felt worried and anxious about this meeting. Although she knew that Haneul would not open about what happened in the past, she still felt uneasy. She couldn't let what happened in the past to destroy the success she has built all these years. No, she wouldn't let that happened. 

'Maybe I should try and talk to her. But, how?' 

Seated on the tall dressing chairs as their makeup artists start preparing them for their debut stage, Eunhee and Jooeun looked at their maknae worriedly. The moment they entered their dressing room, both Eunhee and Jooeun had questioned Haneul about what happened earlier during their encounter with Brave Girls but Haneul's answer was something they hadn't expected to hear.

"Hmmm... It's nothing much, really. It's just that one of the Brave Girls members, L-Lee Hayun.. S-She's one of those who made my life a living hell during high school.. That's all," Haneul had said, a small forced smile plastered on her face.

Haneul's suffering of being tremendously bullied during middle school and high school was no secret to Eunhee and Jooeun. The 2 older members knew how hard it was for Haneul to survive in school on a daily basis in the past. They, however, hadn't expected to meet the bully here, and on their debut day nonetheless. Although they knew Haneul is very professional, they were still worried that it would affect her focus in their upcoming performance.

Feeling her older members' boring eyes into her skull, Haneul turned to look at them and, with slight annoyance in her voice, said, "Can you both please stop staring at me? I am okay. I am really okay. I was just shocked earlier but I'm fine."

Upon hearing Haneul's reply, Jooeun frowned and said, "Meeting someone from the past.. how can you just be fine? If you're not okay, we're both here for you.. Why do you want to keep everything to yourself? Don't you trust us, Hannie-ah?"

"Eonnie, you're being so overdramatic like Jaejoong-oppa now," Haneul said, rolling her eyes as she sighed loudly and continued, "Of course I trust you. I confide everything to the both of you. And now it's your turn to trust me when I said I'm okay. She's maybe someone from my past but she means nothing to me. She's not my lover, not my friend. Why would she matter to me now? So please, let this go and trust me when I say I'm fine.. Okay? Please?"

Eunhee and Jooeun looked at each other as they both sighed and nodded their head. "I'm sorry, Hannie-ah.. It's not that we don't trust you.. We do.. We really do.. I guess we just care so much about you. You know that we love you, right?"

Flashing a small smile as she nodded her head, Haneul nodded and said, "Of course I do.. And I love you the both of you too. But please trust me when I say I'm okay. Right now, I'm really okay. She's not on my mind at all. The only thing on my mind is our debut stage and yes, it's the one that's causing me to almost hyperventilate right now. I'm so bloody nervous I can't stop shaking. Oh God!"

Seeing how Haneul was still able to be all silly and stupidly adorable, Eunhee and Jooeun laughed as they felt much better and at ease. They realised that they must have overreacted, totally forgetting how strong their little maknae has become. The 3 girls continued talking and warming up their vocals, all the while having their face and hair done by their makeup artists and stylists. 

"Alright girls, now that your face and hair is done, it's time to suit up!"

After checking their hair and outfit for the final time, WINNER head out of their dressing room and proceed to ATH3NA's room. As WINNER and ATH3NA had trained together for the past few years, they were equally excited and happy for their close friends' debut. Upon reaching the front of the girls' dressing room, WINNER was greeted by the Mnet TV filming crew. As they had been informed beforehand of ATH3NA's ongoing filming for their TV show, the 5 guys had prepared themselves to be interviewed for the show. Once the 5 boys were ready, the producer called the shot and the camera starts rolling.

"WINNER members are here! Please kindly greet the viewers," VJ Seohwan asked as the video camera focused on the 5 handsome boys. 

"1,2,3! Annyeonghaseyo, guess who's back? We're WINNER!" the group of 5 boys greeted in unison, smiling gorgeously as they pose for the camera.

"WINNER members are here.. But why are you guys here? Aren't you guys supposed to be getting ready to perform for your comeback?" VJ Seohwan asked, causing the 5 boys to laugh at his first question. 

"Yes, we're having our first comeback stage for our EXIT:E single. It's our first single after debuting 18 months ago. However, it's a huge day for our close friends ATH3NA whom we have trained together for the past few years, and so we are here to give them some encouragement and support," WINNER's leader, Kang Seungyoon said while the other members nodded as they did cute fighting poses. 

"Woah.. So you guys are here to support ATH3NA?" VJ Seohwan asked and upon hearing the choruses of 'yes' from the boys, he added to say, "That's so sweet and nice of you guys! Now we know that our WINNER is not just a group of handsome and talented boys. They're also caring and takes good care of their juniors. Please say a few words to ATH3NA who is going to have their first stage soon."

Exchanging glances as they telepathically pushed the role to one another, Mino was the chosen one as the rest of his members nudged him and pushed him a step forward. Clearing his throat, Mino flashed his gorgeous smile and said, "Woahhh! It's finally your big day huh.. You have all worked so hard and we're really happy and proud of you! As how you've always rocked our stage, it's now time to rock yours! Have fun and fighting!" 

"FIGHTING!! ATH3NA GO GO GO!!" the rest of the WINNER members chorused out as they cheered excitedly until the producer said 'cut'. 

After checking the footage and making sure every shot was good, WINNER bowed and thanked the filming crews before they gathered outside ATH3NA's door. Mino knocked on the door and upon hearing someone asking them to wait for a while, the 5 boys waited patiently. A full 5 minutes passed when the door swung open, and the 5 boys had their jaws on the floor. 

"Oh my God..."

"Wow..."

ATH3NA stood in front of the mirror, eyes widened upon looking at their own reflections. Although they're looking at their own reflections, they looked and felt entirely like a different person. No, this wasn't the first time that they had been dolled up beautifully. They had been in various dramas, music videos and photo shoots that had required them to doll up but none came close what they felt now. Not even their recent debut album music video filming and photo shoot made them feel this way. From how their platinum dyed hair was styled to perfection, to the glittery makeup and customised white crystal studded jacket, ATH3NA actually looked very much like a Goddess. 

"Oh .. Is that.. us?" Haneul asked in English and everyone in the room, excluding her equally surprised members, laughed upon seeing her reaction.

"Yes, my dear.. It's you. Now stop moving while I stick these crystals on your face," Minjung said, smiling as she carefully sticks a few white crystals on the side of Haneul's face while Sora and Sooyeon worked on Eunhee's and Jooeun's face.

ATH3NA was in the midst of receiving the last few touches and wearing their accessories when someone knocked on the door. Upon finding out that it was none other than WINNER, Manager Jisoo asked the boys to wait while the makeup artists and stylists rushed to finish the last few touches. Once the girls were done, they took one last look at the mirror and proceed to open the door. 

"Oh my God..." Seungyoon said in heavily accented English, his eyes widened to those of Jinwoo's huge eyes. 

"Wow..." Taehyun said, his voice slightly deeper than usual as his eyes scanned the 3 girls from top to bottom before they rested Haneul.

WINNER staggered inside, still fully mesmerized by the 3 beauties in front of them. Seeing how their seniors were staring at them, ATH3NA blushed an adorable sweet pink as they stood awkwardly facing the boys. While