Together
The Ink Slinger's Diary (Seulrene Drabble Collection)It was incredible how the young Seulgi persevered and stood up to people when it was the least expected.
This was one of those moments, Joohyun reckoned with a horrified look on her face as she saw the lanky, tired but passionate Seulgi lash out on the very CEO, who merely sat comfortably in his big boss chair but listened, attentively, to the young artists.
“, seriously, we’ve been training our butts off while every other trainee leaves or gets better treatment altogether,” Seulgi said, leaning forward on the desk, forehead glistening with the nervous sweat that once engulfed her. It was all nonsense now, it was time to stand up for herself.
And her only friend.
The CEO interrupted tactfully. “That’s precisely why we think you should debut as a soloist.”
“But not her? I refuse,” Seulgi sat upright. “I will not debut without unnie.”
That’s where Joohyun came in, pale like a ghost (well, pale-er), unable to even respond to this. But deep down inside, she was cheering Seulgi on, because she didn’t want to be left by herself again.
After training for so long together, watching friend after friend leave, now the company wanted to debut this prodigal young woman by herself, launch her into the entertainment industry without anyone to rely on. A powerful voice that could rise to stardom by itself, striking moves that could rival any group of idols in the industry at this very moment.
But…
Seulgi needed someone to harmonize with, someone to blend in with her moves, to bring dynamism; she needed the support of a team, or at least someone else, she needed to crack jokes and express herself with a group of ride or dies. Above all, Seulgi needed her friend, her best friend at that, with her for this terrifying ride as an idol.
Seulgi couldn’t do it without her unnie.
“You either debut us together in a group, or we both leave the company,” Seulgi put the dot at the end of the conversation. Her voice had a finality to it; she was determined and decided. It was her and her unnie or it was final, nothing else.
Then, in the charged air of silence, the glances of both managers, CEO and Seulgi turned to Joohyun, whose timid posture and heavy accent made her stick out like a sore thumb all over the company. Now, she stood out by mere silence when the situation was partly about her.
The CEO was precise with his question. “What do you think, Joohyun?”
Her round eyes looked lost for a second, but Seulgi’s own pair of foxy eyes gave her strength to speak. In that moment, few images crossed her mind but all of them were impactful and moving. In every moment Seulgi made her day better, and in every time of Seulgi’s need, Joohyun was there to give her wisdom. It was then that Joohyun understood, with intense clarity, why Seulgi didn’t want to debut alone.
“I stand behind my dongsaeng on this, PD-nim,” a voice regal but heavily accented spoke confidently. Bae Joohyun had made up her mind. “I will only debut with Seulgi or I will no longer be in this company.”
Ah, the poor managers felt the chills when Joohyun spoke -- not only because those words were powerful enough to put pressure and weight on the CEO, but rather because speaking so plainly to the CEO was teetering on the edge of questioning his authority.
Joohyun walked over and grabbed Seulgi’s hand tightly, standing side by side and with her chin up. The unnie already knew this, but Seulgi’s hand was shaking. Was it fear? Was it the adrenaline? Was it rage? She didn’t know, but she squeezed her hand and reassured her, in simple gestures, that she would stand with her no matter what.
When the CEO’s silence extended, Seulgi’s bravado was just running out, but she spoke as politely as possible, to show she was not irrational but passionate. “Please consider it well, we will leave you to your work.”
And with that, they both walked out of the office hands intertwined, walking down the hallway in silence. There was nothing more to be said, Seulgi and Joohyun knew what they needed to know. Seulgi’s arm over her unnie’s shoulder, Joohyun’s arm wrapped around her dongsaeng’s lower back, standing as close to each other as possible, bracing the uncertain future.
Together.
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