So another few weeks have passed. This internship is going by fast, 3 months have already flown by. The summer interns are done working at the company. I don’t see Hyun Ah as often. We keep in touch and whenever I have some free time we meet up and hang out. Johnny still has not talked to me. He has begun to just ignore me completely now. I one time saw him walking down the same hallway and he turned around to go a different way. How are we going to get over this if we don’t talk? Chanyeol smiles at me once in a while now when he sees me. I feel like we definitely got closer since that day.

My summer classes finished and I passed all of them luckily. Now it is time for the fall semester and I am taking more easy classes. Classes that don’t involve too much writing and one of them is for degree, but ironically Greg is helping me out with that one. James agreed to let me work with Greg as long as it didn’t tell him everything James was doing. He also said as long as my grades don’t suffer from it I can still work with him. Today is the second time since that first recording session that we are meeting up. The very first song we worked on was called Rude Love which I can picture F(x) singing or even Red Velvet. The next session we worked on 2 more songs, one was called Why and the other was Good Thing. I don’t know who is going to sing those. I can’t really picture a full group singing it so maybe a solo artist will sing it as their debut. Today we are going to be working on a song called Monster. Greg sent me the lyrics in advance and sent a rough recording of him singing the melody so I can learn it before the session today. I arrive to the studio and I see Chanyeol sitting there next to Greg. Chanyeol has been learning about producing from both Greg and James. So I have been seeing him a lot more lately. He has almost become like another intern, but he isn’t.

Greg saw me and smiled. “Hey Eun Mi. Welcome. Ready to get started.”

I nod my head. “I am ready. I can’t wait to hear what you have written for the instrumental.”

“I can’t wait to hear what your vocals will sound like on the track. Also just as an fyi, I already recorded the rap part so we won’t have to worry about that.”

“Okay cool.” I walk into the booth and get myself set up with some water and loosen up a bit.

“Ready?” I hear through the headphones and I give a thumbs up. “Okay the instrumental will begin like in the rough recording and then you come in with your vocals. Although this time you will hear the rest of the instrumental so don’t let that through you off.”

“Okay got it.” The metronome ticks 4 times before the music starts. “She got me going crazy~ wohp.” The music stops.

“What was that?”

“What was what?”

“The little wohp thing.”

“Oh it was just something I was playing around with when I was practicing. Should I go back to the original?

“No I like it. I was just thrown off. Do whatever you want to do for the first time run and afterwards we can tweak it.”

“Alright.”

“Ready?”

“Ready.” The music begins again. “She got me going crazy~ wohp. Why she got me waiting~ wohp. Just like a body of a goddess, she’s locked up so tight yeah yeah. I’m out here knocking like won’t you let me in oh aye oh. Got something up my sleeve for you.” We continue with the song and I am really enjoying the instrumental track that Greg made. Who ever is going to get this song is going to be win all of the awards with it. Once the song is over I jump in place.

“Good?”

“Hell yeah. This song is amazing.”

“Glad you like it. It’s actually going to be EXO’s song next year.” We were talking in English and Chanyeol’s ears perked when Greg said EXO. “That’s right this is going to be EXO’s song for next year. I’m going to pitch it to higher ups once we finish here.”

“Hyung really?”

“I mean it. The song just spoke to me when I was writing it and I could only imagine EXO performing it.”

“I will work hard to make sure that the demo comes out the best it can.”

“Thank you Eun Mi.” Chanyeol and I were smiling at each other.

“Okay time for tweaking it.” I nod and get down to business. For the next couple hours we work on the song. I’ve never worked harder on a song than I did for this one. Especially since the artist who will be singing it is in the room. I want to make sure that the song is sung really well. I know that with EXO’s charms that this song will be amazing and that they will be able to get out of the rut they are in. After finishing up we decide to get some food finally.

 

We arrive to the cafeteria and the employee working there smiles at us. “You three again? Working hard?”

“Of course Mrs. Kim.” Greg smiles at her. “We worked so hard that we need all the food we can get.”

“Well don’t eat too much. We wouldn’t want you to lose your shape.”

“I will work it off. I promise you.” We scan in and get in line and get our food. Chanyeol has been teaching me about different foods and which ones I should try together. After paying we get to a table. I look around and I see some trainees in there, but no Johnny. Maybe he is busy practicing, but I hope he isn’t practicing too hard. Sometimes he doesn’t know when to stop.

“Are you okay?” Chanyeol nudge me and asked me.

“I am okay. I was just seeing if someone was here.”

“You mean Johnny?” I nod. “Do you like him?”

“You mean like like? No. He was just my first friend here. We got into a fight a couple months ago. So we haven’t talked to each other I just like to make sure he is still doing okay.”

“Well looks like someone is about to give you an update.” He nods in the opposite direction. I look and I see Taeyong coming over to our table.

He bows to us. “I am sorry for interrupting your meal.”

“It’s no problem. What brings you here?” asks Greg.

“Well I was wondering if I could possibly borrow Eun Mi noona for a moment.”

“Me? Well sure I guess.” I get up and follow Taeyong away from the group. “So what’s going on?”

“Johnny needs you.”

“I know you care about him like I do, but he hasn’t made any effort to fix our friendship.”

“Neither have you noona and I can’t get into detail, but he needs you like now.” The look in Taeyong’s face made me worried.

“What do you mean? Is Johnny in trouble?”

“Lets say he got some bad news today. I can’t say beyond that, but when it came time to eat he didn’t want to come and usually he is begging us to end early so we can eat. Look I don’t know what the fight was between you guys, but you need to put those differences aside. Besides the trainees Johnny doesn’t really have friends here. You were his only friend that wasn’t connected to practice and training. You were his breath of fresh air. Just trust me, he needs you right now.”

“Where is he?”

“He should be at the practice room. That’s saying if he hasn’t left.”

“Thanks Taeyong. I owe you.” I don’t let Chanyeol or Greg know where I am going and just leave. I go up to the fourth floor where most of the practice rooms are. The moment I get on the floor I hear things crashing and being thrown. What is up with SM guys wanting to destroy property when they are upset. I open the door to the practice room and the chairs in there are already thrown around. I see Johnny sitting in the corner holding his hand and I see the mirror is cracked next to him. “Johnny!” Johnny looks up startled and he has tears in his eyes. I run over and I kneel down and see his hand is bleeding. I take off the shirt that is wrapped around my waist and start wrapping Johnny’s hand. “You’re hurt. We need to get you to the hospital.” I try and pull him up and he resists and just remains sitting.

“What’s the point?”

“What?”

“What’s the point if I’m hurt. It doesn’t matter. You don’t care. No one will care. I bet some people will be happy that I am hurt.”

Tears start to fill my eyes. “Don’t say that. Don’t you ever say no one will care or that I won’t care. I do care about you.”

“But you don’t love me.”

“I can still care for you and not be in love with you. I love you as a friend. I love you as a human being. Now please tell me what has driven you to do this?”

He starts crying more and says something that is not understandable at first until he repeated it a few times. “I’m not going to debut.”

“What do you mean you’re not going to debut?”

“We. We found out today who was going to be the next guys to debut. I was not chosen.”

“Oh Johnny.” I sit down and hug him. He starts crying even harder into my shoulder.

“What’s wrong with me? Why am I not good enough to debut? I’ve worked so hard. I’ve left my family to fulfill my dreams and I still am not going to debut. What’s the point in it.”

“Hey hey~. Do you love music?”

“Yeah, I guess.” I pull away and look into his eyes.

“That’s not an acceptable answer. Do you love music?”

“Yes.”

“Do you have music running through your veins?”

“Yes.”

“Do you turn to music when you are happy, sad, mad, or anxious?”

“Yes.”

“That’s why you train. That is why you are here. As long as music is apart of who you are there is always a reason to hang in there.”

“Thanks MiMi.”

“You won’t be thanking me if you can’t use your hand again. Come on let’s go get that checked out.” We stand up and then he panics slightly.

“What about the fans outside?” I grab my phone and call Chanyeol.

“Hey where did you go?”

“I went to practice room 4. Can you please come up here please?”

“Yeah sure is everything okay?”

“Yeah, but I need your help please?”

“I’ll be right there.” I hang up.

“Who was that.”

“Chanyeol seonbae. He will help us out.”

“Chanyeol hyung? Since when are you close with him?”

“Since he’s been sort of interning with James and Greg. Don’t worry.” I make another phone call to James.

“Hey how is recording going?”

“Good umm James can you do me a small favor?”

“What is it? I was about to work on a new song.”

“Johnny punched a mirror in one of the practice rooms and he needs to go to the hospital. But there are so many fans outside and we are going to use a distraction. But we also need a get away car so that no one sees him on the streets.”

“Johnny did what?”

“Can you help us get to the hospital?”

“I’ll be there. I’ll meet you at the employee entrance. I hope your distraction works.”

“Thanks James I owe you big time.” I hang up and look at Johnny. “The plan is in motion.”

“What distraction were you talking about?”

“You’ll see.” A couple minutes go by and Chanyeol comes in and his eyes go wide.

“Everything is fine?”

“Well they are now.”

“Johnny what did you do to your hand?”

“I uh got mad and punched the mirror.” Chanyeol sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose.

“Well you need to go to the hospital.”

“We know, but there are so many fans outside. And we can’t let them see Johnny like this.” I say.

“So what do you want me to do about it?”

“We need you to distract them while we go out the other entrance. James is meeting us with his car. So you won’t have to distract for too long.”

“How am I suppose to distract?”

“I don’t know. Sing, dance, or just talk to them. Say something like you wanted to come out so you could thank them for all their support.”

“You think that will work?”

“Yeah I think so. You don’t?”

Chanyeol thought for a moment. “I know what will help. Count on me. Also keep me in the loop with him.”

“Will do and thank you so much.”

 

We get ready to launch operation “Get Johnny to the Hospital”. Johnny got a hoodie and put the hood up and a face mask to cover his face. He hangs out at the door while I am outside waiting for James to come. From my position I can slightly see the front entrance and I can see that there are a lot of fans out today. More so than usual, don’t know the reasoning, but I hope whatever Chanyeol has up his sleeve works. I see James car and he pulls up to the employee entrance and gets out of the car.

“Where is your distraction?”

“It should be here soon.” Like magic the moment I say that everyone starts screaming and runs up to the front steps. I can’t see who is there, but I hear everyone screaming and the only words I can tell is “Chanyeol oppa! Baekhyun oppa!” He is playing the ChanBaek card. Clever boy.

“Well lets not waste this opportunity get Johnny.”

“Right.” I walk to the doors and give Johnny the signal. He comes out and very quickly we get him in the car. He keeps his head down and I look behind us to see if there are any fans following us. James drives off and luckily Chanyeol’s plan works. We get out of there with no one knowing that we left. “No one is following us.”

“Thank god.” Johnny sits up and takes off the face mask. “Remind me to thank him later.”

“What am I? Chop liver?”

“Well I can thank you now hyung.”

“I may not be your parent, but once you are stitched up I will be giving you a lecture. What you did is reckless and damaging to private property. You will be writing a full apology and we will talk with the head of trainees for what the proper punishment will be for you.”

“Okay hyung.” Johnny looks down at his shoes.

“And you young lady?”

“Me?”

“Good job calling me. I am glad that you trusted me enough to call.”

“Well I also know that you would of wanted me to call you. You’re also the only person I know with a car.”

“So you’re just using me for my car?”

“Don’t feel bad James. We need you to drive too.” Johnny and I laugh a little.

“Okay lets get that hand fix.” James continues to drive to the hospital. We enter the non-emergency side and someone is able to see him minutes of us being there. They first clean out the wound so that they could get all the mirror shatter parts in there out. Next they take him to get his hand x-ray to make sure that he didn’t break any fingers. While he is being stitched up the doctor comes in. He asks Johnny, “Is it okay for them to hear the result of your x-ray?”

“Yes I trust them.” He takes in a deep breathe. “So what are the results doctor?”

“Well luckily you didn’t break any of your fingers. You have a hairline fracture on your ring finger, but that will heal in a week or two as long as you don’t use it much. After the nurse is done stitching you, I will like her to put a splint on your finger. Before you leave you need to make a follow up appointment so we can get those stitches out. They will also be okay to take out after 2 weeks.”

“Thank you doctor.”

“Just make sure you don’t go around punching anymore mirrors.”

“Will do.”

James shakes the doctor’s hand. “Thank you so much.”

“You’re welcome. Hopefully I won’t have to see any of your friends in this office for a while.”

“I will try and make sure that everyone remains healthy.”

“I must get going. Rest up young man. Have a good day.”

“To you as well Doctor.” The nurse finishes the stitches and we head back to SM where James takes Johnny to the head of trainees and makes a formal apology. I wait around downstairs for them to come back.

“Eun Mi!” I turn around and see Chanyeol.

“Chanyeol.” Chanyeol comes over to me.

“How is Johnny?”

“Okay I guess. No broken bones, but him and James are in a meeting right now with the head of trainees.” Chanyeol hisses at that.

“Poor guy. I wonder what he is going to have to do?”

“I just hope they don’t kick him out of the trainee program.”

“Not a chance.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I talked to the head of trainees while you guys were gone.”

“What?!”

“Yeah and apparently they didn’t tell the trainees everything. SM’s new boy group is going to be even bigger than Super Junior and EXO combine. It is going to be made up of a ton of different subunits. They announced today who was going to be in the first subunit. The head guaranteed me that Johnny will debut, they just don’t know which angle to go for him yet.”

“That’s great news!” Without thinking I hug Chanyeol. After hugging for a couple of seconds I realize that I am hugging him and quickly detach myself. “I mean great news for Johnny.”

“Yeah” Chanyeol coughs a little. “Great news for Johnny.” We stand in silence for a few seconds and I see Johnny and James coming over towards us.

“Johnny!” I run over to them. “What did the head say?”

“Johnny will get a cut from his pay so that the mirror gets replaced. And while Johnny is stitched he won’t be able to participate in practice so he will have a lot of language work to do. He also has to write a formal apology to the entire trainee program.”

“Well it could’ve been worse. I’m glad that you are doing better now.”

“MiMi.” Johnny looks down. “Thank you. Thank you for finding me and helping me out.”

“Question how did you find him?”

“Taeyong came up to me and told me that Johnny needed me. So make sure you thank him too.”

           “I will. And thank you Chanyeol hyung for distracting the fans earlier.”

“Well the moment Baekhyun and I walked out there we really didn’t have to do much.”

“Still thank you.”

“Well if you guys want I can cook something for us back at my place.”

“Thanks hyung, but I do have a schedule to be at soon. I just wanted to see how Johnny was doing.”

“Alright well I’ll see you around.” James shakes Chanyeol’s hand. Chanyeol runs off and I feel sad that he won’t be joining us. “So who wants to eat?”

“Me! I skipped lunch.” I say while pouting.

“Me too!”

“Well I know we have enough ingredients at home to make something. Lets get going. I’ll drive.” We all go back to the apartment and we have a fun night just hanging out and eating in the living room. This is one of my favorite memories so far in Korea. Although it feels like someone is missing.