To break the silence, T. Hyun Soo started to assess how I did. I nodded and made a checklist of what I needed to work on in my head. T. Ye Jin just looked at me blankly.

            “How are you trying to debut solo with a voice like that?” she said. Does she just look for ways to attack me? Does she go out of her way and seek those ways out?

            “Eh?” Kibum said out loud from the back. “Teacher, I think we all agree that that was outstanding from a trainee, yeah?” he looked around for agreement and even the backup dancers nodded.

            “Ye Jin-ssi, if you actually have something to criticize her for, maybe you should list them?” Yeah! Go Trainer Hyun Soo, go tell her!

            “I just couldn’t listen to her, it was that bad for my hearing,” she crossed her legs and tilted her head. I stepped a little bit forward out of instinct and raised my hand like I was about to hit something. “Look at her, look at her,” she stood up from her seat, making a scene once again. “She’s about to hit me!” this young looking trainer makes me just want to, aish. I rolled my eyes about a hundred times until she said more. “Where are your manners? I’m a trainer, you’re just a trainee!” she walked towards me and raised her right arm, ready to smack my face. It all happened so fast but I dodged it. Yeah, she’s a trainer, but she looks like she could pass for my age… Acting all superior, this woman. Aish!

            “Ye Jin-ah! Stop it,” Ye-Jin-ah? I turned around and watched Kim Kibum approach us. I thought he was coming for me but instead he grabbed T. Ye Jin’s arm and dragged her outside. Wait, ‘Ye-Jin-ah’???? Since when were they on first name basis?

Trainer Hyun Soo just shook his head and the members walked towards me and all patted my head.

            “Aigoo, our Ellie,” Onew with his eyes disappearing as he smiled.

            “I knew you could sing the moment I saw you,” Jonghyun said, smiling like a dad.

            “Yeah right,” Taemin hit Jonghyun’s back and chuckled. Minho just smiled and crossed his arms.

            “Sooooo, nobody’s gonna tell me what’s going on? Like, hellooooo, ‘Ye-Jin-ah’? What was that?” I said in a mix of Korean and English. My English came out because it was just that kind of moment.

            “Err…” Taemin started and I saw Minho eye him. Jonghyun and Onew remained oblivious and before Taemin could continue, the door opened again. Trainer Ye Jin just rolled her eyes when she met my eyes and Kibum walked towards me and patted my head. Hug me, you pabo! How the heck are you calling a trainer casually and informally? I yelled at him telepathically and glared at him for the longest second.

            “Okay Ellie, we’re gonna leave for now, but by next week, we’d like to see you sing a Korean song, so prepare,” Trainer Hyun Soo said, bringing his seat to the corner of the room.

            “Also, we’re weighing you again next week,” T. Ye Jin said, halfway out the door. The backup dancers prepared to practice again and as I was about to leave the room, Kibum grabbed my arm. I squinted at him skeptically.

            “Yes?” I said in the sweetest voice possible.

            “Aren’t… you gonna ask?” he asked like he was stating the obvious.

            “Nope, because I know you’ll tell me now,” I walked out of the room to my dance practice room and he followed.

            “I was going to tell you before too! It just, never happened,” he said behind me and I sat in the middle of the room on the floor and he did the same.

            “So?” I said, stretching my arms. “Who is she?” I asked laid my legs out in front of me and Key sat cross-legged.

            “Err, she was a friend,” he started, but I didn’t speak to let him go on. “We were trainees together and she was closest to Minho and myself. One of the best dancers then,” he then looked up at me when he said that, careful about his compliments. “She, err confessed, I guess is the word,” he started. My eyes widened. “Minho and I weren’t really close then, but she really tried to keep the three of us together. So many girls would come up to me and tell me to tell Minho that they liked him since we were the same age, they just thought we were best friends,” he continued and I nodded to let him know to keep going. “Then when Ye Jin confessed, I thought she wanted me to tell Minho and I told her to tell him herself since we were all friends anyways, then she got mad and said she liked me…” he finished but it felt like there was more to the story.

            “Theeeeeeeeeen?” I furrowed my brows. 

            “We were like…fifteen years old, so none of this matters anyways, okay?” he looked at me for confirmation but I didn’t move, keeping my gaze the same. “We went out,” he stated and let out a sigh of relief.

            “What?” I jumped up and he stayed on the ground, covering his face.

            “Okay! But I didn’t like her! She confessed to me and I didn’t know what to do!” he explained while still on the ground. He covered his head, expecting a hit from me. Instead, I crossed my arms and sighed as loud as I could. He looked up at me, expecting something. “Aren’t you gonna say something? Are you gonna hit me?” he asked and stood up.

            “No, I’m not gonna hit you,” I sighed. “But can I show a little jealousy? I mean… I’m not scared or worried that she’ll be a part of your life in that way-“ I started.

            “Aniya aniya! Of course not!” Kibum interrupted.

            “I know, but you still went out with her, there’s history. Soooo, is it okay if I’m a little…eh… you know?” well, this is awkward. I don’t know how to word it. Do I sound like a horrible person?

            “Of coooooooourse sweetie, why would you even ask? If I were in your shoes, I’d have pulled her hair already,” he gave me a hug and patted my head. I chuckled at his comment.

            “I won’t pull her hair,” I said. “But she is making this trainee thing very difficult, I’m very close to breaking that stupid clipboard she keeps holding,” I pulled away from the hug and looked at him.     

            “It’s okay, I’ll help you,” he said, chuckling. "And I think there's nothing written on the clipboard, just for show," he added. 

            “Aniya, I don’t want you protecting me from her, I can do that myself, just sit back and watch,” I winked at him and he frowned.

            “Yah, she was about to hit you earlier,” Kibum said, kissing my forehead.

            “I know, but I wouldn’t have let her, did you really think I would just stand there?” I leaped to kiss his forehead and he laughed.

            “Aigoo, but you’re just so tiny, I wanna protect every part of you,” he hugged me again and shook me side to side.

            “Mmm… what if she still has feelings for you?” I asked, pulling away to get a good look at his reaction.

            “Pfft,” he scoffed. “even if she does, there’s no way she’s getting past you, plus my eyes are too busy looking at you,” he winked.

            “Eh?” I felt my face heat up so I lifted up my hands to cover my cheeks. 

            “Aaaaand I have no interest in her honeeeey,” he kissed my lips this time and ran out the door before I could reply.