"It was just a suggestion," Sung Ho said. "I mean, what else are we going to tell the reporters? Min Hyuk did kiss Ji Soo on the forehead, and you did look pretty jealous..."

     "But I wasn't!" Yong Hwa argued. "I was just stressing about Yongie. I was not jealous at all!"

     They sat silently staring at each other for a while. I want to help Appa, but to date Min Hyuk? I just met him yesterday...What do I do? thought Ji Soo.

     "What do you think, Ji Soo?" Sung Ho asked. "It won't be a bad thing. All you'll have to do is go on a few dates for about a month. Once everything cools down a bit, Min Hyuk will tell the reporters that he broke up with you due to his hectic schedule and that you fully understand."

     "Well...If it benefits everybody, then I guess...," Ji Soo started. 

     "Objection!" Yong Hwa shouted. "How does this benefit me?"

     "You get more time to prepare for your solo album," Sung Ho replied. "You don't have any time to go on dates anyways."

     "Oh." Darn it...I wish I weren't so busy.., he thought.

     "What do you think, Min Hyuk?" Sung Ho asked.

     Min Hyuk contemplated for a while. I haven't dated since high school. This should be fun.

     "I think it'll be really entertaining," Min Hyuk answered. "I get to have fun on dates like in high school and C.N.Blue gets more publicity. I'm sure it'll work out fine."

     They all looked at Ji Soo, expecting her to speak, but she was staring at the ground, wondering what to say. She looked up to see everybody waiting for a response from her. Umma always wanted me to date an idol anyways...This'll be a good chance to completely forget about Yu Han as well..

     "I guess...I'll do it," she said quietly, her cheeks turning red.

     She dropped her head to look at the ground, embarrassed, and Yong Hwa's heart dropped. Why do I feel this way? he thought. Am I...? Of course not. Who cares if Min Hyuk gets Ji Soo? Good for him. Everybody's happy...except for me..

     "Alright, then," Sung Ho said. "Min Hyuk, how long did the doctor say until your ankle heals?"

     "He told me a couple of weeks," Min Hyuk replied. "It was a minor sprain, so it won't take long to completely heal."

     "That's great! You and Ji Soo can get to know each other, and when the few weeks are up, you can really start dating."

     Jong Hyun made his way to the trainee practice room by himself since Jung Shin went to rehearse in the C.N.Blue practice room. He remembered what Yong Hwa said the night before and tried to suppress his laughter. Romantic J? That's really something. How does Hyung come up with something like that so quickly?

     He opened the door to the practice room and found Jun Hee sitting on one of the chairs, strumming her guitar. She glanced at the door to see who entered and immediately stood up.

     "Good morning, Seong saeng nim," she greeted.

     "Good morning," Jong Hyun replied. "We only have about an hour and a half, so let's get started. First, sing me a song, so I know what you should improve on."

     He took a seat next to Jun Hee and observed her carefully as she sang her song.

     "Ttaseuha-ge buneun hyanggiroun baram nae du bo-re seuchimyeon nan, sarang-haet-deon geudae eol-ku-ri tteooreujyo

Oh ~ gil-kae sumeoseon ireumdo moreuneun deul–ggoti pil ttaecheumen, giyeok jeo pyeone kamchwo dun geudae-ga tteooreujyo

My baby illa illa illa, baby illa illa illa, baby illa illa illa
Never forget love"

     "That's enough," Jong Hyun interrupted. 

     She stopped playing and opened her eyes, awaiting his feedback.

     "It's fine, and you really do have the talent to debut, but Sung Ho is right. You lack in some areas. For example, when you sing, you don't have any emotion. Did you compose this song yourself?"

     "Yes, it took me a while, but it was worth it."

     "Then you should sing it like you mean it! Sing it like your first love was standing right in front of you right now. Also, when you sing, keep a straight posture. Nobody likes it when an artist is slouched and lazy looking."

      "First love? I don't have a first love, to be honest. I've been focused on music since I was sixteen," Jun Hee said. "But I'm willing to try my best!"

     "How did you get inspiration for this song if you've never been in love?" Jong Hyun asked. 

     "I don't know. It just...came to me."

     "Okay, so who do you love most in this world?"

     "My grandmother," Jun Hee answered without hesitation.

     "Tell me why," Jong Hyun said. "Really think about all of the reasons and have all of your love for your grandmother build up and sing with great sentiment. Let it all out."

     "Okay..I never really told anyone this, but my grandmother was the only one who supported me when I told my family that I wanted to pursue a musical career. My parents opposed, of course, because they've always wanted me to be a lawyer, so they would constantly fill up my schedule with tutoring, piano lessons, and they would lock me up in my room and make sure that I study since I was six." 

     "My piano instructor also gave guitar lessons, so when I was sixteen, I asked her if I could try out the guitar for just a week, and I fell completely in love with it. Just playing it a few days a week with my instructor just wasn't enough for me. I would lie to my parents and tell that them I would go to the library and study, but I really went to the music store where they would rent guitars for an hour," Jun Hee explained. 

     "I started to practice so much that my fingers would get red and swollen, so Umma had a hunch that I wasn't going to the library to study. One day, she followed me and discovered that I had a passion for guitar and singing, so she dragged me home, scolded me with my father, and even slapped me a few times while she cried in my father's arms.  

     "'How long?! How long have you been lying to us?' Umma asked me."

     "I didn't reply to her question and kept staring at the ground, but she slapped me again."

     "'Answer me when I speak to you,' she said. 'Tell me now. How long?'"

     "'About...two months,' I told her."

     "Umma went crazy and began to lecture me about how ridiculous I was being, but I really didn't understand why they were being so over dramatic.  I love singing and playing the guitar. Why can't they respect that? I thought. Since they were already worked up about me sneaking out to the music store everyday, I told them about my plans of becoming a musician."

     "'You need to think about a real career. You will probably never make it as a musician!' Appa told me."

     "'Umma, Appa, I love the guitar. I love singing and composing my own music. I...I feel that...if I get enough practice, and I compose a really great song, I may be able to--'"

     "I didn't get to finish because Umma slapped me hard on my cheek and yelled, 'We spent so much money on tutoring, cram school, books, yet you repay us like this. Who told you that you can pursue that kind of nonsense? Who?!'"

     "My grandma came scrambling out of the guest room and asked what all the commotion was about, but no one answered her. She saw my red and puffy face, so she hugged me tight and scolded Umma for slapping me."

     "'Is this how you raise your child? I'm not sure what all this is about, but there is no reason, no reason at all, to hit your daughter. If you have a problem, then at least talk it out with her before you hit her.'"

     "Umma looked like an erupting volcano: scorching, fiery, and menacing."

     "'Leave,' she said. 'If you're such a perfect parent, why don't you raise her yourself? I don't want to see your faces in this home again. Do you hear me? Leave.'"

     "'Hey, don't you think that's a little bit too much?' my grandmother asked. 'You should go and rest. Go sleep and you'll feel better the next day.'"

     "'Did you not hear her, Eomeoni?' Appa said. 'Leave.'" 

     "My grandmother was staying at our house for a couple of days on vacation, and she was supposed to leave the next morning, but Umma and Appa told her to leave immediately, so we packed our bags. I started crying and tried begging my parents for forgiveness, but it was too late. Their decision was made, and I was forced to leave them and my home."

     "My grandmother gave me a new home and took care of me for two years while I focused on school, worked three part-time jobs, and practiced guitar in the music shop everyday. I graduated high school with first place and gave my speech, but my parents weren't even there to hear it. For my eighteenth birthday, my grandmother bought me my first guitar, and I named it Bbanini. Bbanini was probably my very first love, which is kind of weird, but I don't care. Each day, my grandmother supported me and my goal, and I was happy. I eventually auditioned to be a trainee here at FNC, and with the money I earned from my jobs, I rented a small place nearby."

     "I'm glad that I've chosen this career because I'm doing what I love most."

     "Wow," Jong Hyun said. "It must have taken real courage to stand up to your parents and tell them what you want to do with your life."

     "I was afraid, but I couldn't be more happier right now," Jun Hee said.

     "Now, we have about thirty minutes left," Jong Hyun announced. "Let's hear the song one last time, but this time, think about everything you told me just now. Begin."

     Jun Hee sang the entire song, imagining she was singing to her grandmother. Her posture was perfect, and she already improved so much since the beginning of the lesson. Once she was finished, she looked eagerly at Jong Hyun for his feedback.

     "Excellent," he said, satisfied. "That was beautiful. I felt that you were singing with affection and feeling this time. It's amazing how one can sing with so much power and warmth just by thinking of somebody very important to them."

     "Seong saeng nim, are you...are you crying?"

     "What are you talking about?! I-I'm not!" Jong Hyun lied. He wiped the tears on his cheeks with his sleeve. "Class is dismissed. Same time tomorrow. See you later."

     Jong Hyun quickly stood up and rushed out the door. 

     Jun Hee smiled a ginormous smile. He was definitely crying, she thought.