Elijah

 

Jennie and I decided to go and eat at Myeongdong. I picked her up in their house and drove our way to the street food alley in Myeongdong. I was amazed that the food stalls increased tremendously from the last time I was here. There's a lot of people roaming around the area.

 

"As much as I want to stare at your beautiful face all day, I don't want other guys checking you out. Wear a face mask, please." I asked Jennie. Jennie is one of the well-known YG trainees after participating from a couple of G-Dragon's and Seungri's songs, both from the famous YG boy group, BigBang. We both know we need to be cautious, not only with the public but also with people working for my uncle. Some YG employees roam around the area to look for trainees who do things that are prohibited.

 

We wore a mask and a baseball cap before going out of the car, and I held her hand and walked towards the food stalls. We are eating fishcake and tteokbokki while standing in a queue in Isaac Toast for the Korean Egg Toast. We don't mind waiting as this is the place where you can find the best egg toast in the area. We were laughing when a group of high school girls approached us.

 

"Oppa, sorry bother you. But do you mind if I ask you something?" I nod at her while eating. "Are you in any way, Elijah Ellington?"

 

I quickly fix Jennie's mask and her baseball cap to make sure she won't be recognized before answering the group of high school girls. "A lot of people say that I look like him, but my girlfriend says I look so much better than him."

 

The girls laugh, and one of them says, "It's because she loves you. Elijah Ellington is so handsome, Oppa."

 

"Oh, do you think she loves me?" I asked the girls, and I tried not to scream when Jennie pinched me in the waist.

 

"Unnie here looks at you like how we look at Elijah Ellington, Oppa." The girls smiled at Jennie, who covers her face in embarrassment. "Are you sure you're not Elijah Oppa?"

 

"Unfortunately for you, girls, I'm not. Besides, I don't think that Elijah will eat in someplace like this. I heard he's not nice." I whispered at them.

 

"No, Elijah Oppa is nice. One of the girls in our school told us she saw Elijah in the subway. She said that he even talked to her and asked for her number. Aish! I will never believe her." The girl rolls her eyes.

 

One of the girls from the group in and says, "She thinks Elijah Oppa will like her just because of the boys in our school like her."

 

"My friends who are close to one of his friends say that he is arrogant. I even saw one of his pictures; he's not that handsome. Right, Jagi?" I ask Jennie that made the girls look in her way too. Luckily, someone calls our attention as our order is ready. I paid for the toast we ordered and paid for the girls' order as well. "Study hard, Kids. Don't think about Elijah too much. He is not that handsome anyway." I teased them before saying our goodbyes to the girls.

 

"Kansahamnida! Bye Oppa and Unnie." They part ways with us.

 

I'm still laughing while eating, amused with the kids. "Jagiya, I'm more handsome than Elijah Ellington, right?"

 

"You're too happy because someone calls you handsome." Jennie teased me back.

 

"Am I not, Yobo? I'll kiss you here in the middle of the alley if you say I'm not." I answered back that made Jennie blush.

 

Jennie hit me on the chest and walks out of my sight, really embarrassed. "Stop it, El."

 

I pulled her back to my side and placed my arm around Jennie's shoulder. Jennie put her arm around my waist in response. We walk and eat our toast.

 

Jennie pulled me from one place to another. We continue to walk and stop whenever we see something we want to eat. We went to a photo booth and took a cute souvenir picture. We went to the cosmetic section of Myeongdong, to the clothes store and a lot of places I can't remember. All I think is that my legs won't function again the same way it used to be because of all the walking. I'm tired and hungry, but seeing Jennie's smile while roaming around made everything all worth it.

 

Jennie and I are in Style Nanda Hotel, a 1950's themed location with white and pink decoration, enjoying a cup of coffee when I receive a call from Jisoo. Jennie received a call from their manager, asking her to go to YG's office in the new building. Jennie knows it is something serious. They are on a break, but the CEO calls for an unscheduled meeting with them.

 

I look at Jennie's worried face. "Do you think Sajangnim found out about us?" Jennie asked me.

 

"Don't worry too much about it." I hold Jennie's hand and give her a reassuring smile. Jisoo already told me what happened. The CEO found out about Miyeon's relationship with Jinhyung, a contestant from an audition program. We were silent inside the car while driving our way to Hapjeong. If my uncle asked the girls to go to the 7th floor of the building where his office is located, it means something terrible will happen. Jennie saw the girls and talked to Miyeon, who can't hide her tears. Miyeon saw me and cried on my chest. She knows what will happen next since it clearly states in the contract that dating is not allowed. I don't know what to say to Miyeon to make her feel better as he is scared for Jennie too.

 

The girls were asked to go inside the office. The girls sit in front of his uncle, and I stand next to them. YG showed pictures of Miyeon and Jinhyung together taken from their recent trip to Japan for training. It was all over the news as Dispatch released it this afternoon.

 

"Miyeon, you are no longer part of the training pool. Pack all your things and leave the dorm immediately." Miyeon cried hard, and the girls tried to console her. "You can all now leave. I expect everyone to be back in training tomorrow." YG dismissed the girls before turning his eyes on me. "Elijah, stay here. I want to hear your plans for the group." The girls left the office. I am scared. I feel something is up. I think his uncle already knows.

 

"Minnie-ya had been training with us for more than five years. She's ready to debut, and I plan to include her in the lineup. Her face was already revealed in public last year as part of the next girl group we will debut. I don't think it's a good idea to remove her from the training pool. Let's deny the rumor." I told him, hoping it will change his mind.

 

YG looks at me in the eyes that made me shiver a bit. "Trainees are not allowed to date during trainee days and the first three years after they debut. Those are stated terms in the contract they signed. No one is allowed to break that rule. No one can violate the contract even if it's someone who is from the most powerful family in South Korea." My uncle answered without breaking his stern look at me.

 

That confirms my fears. He knows. His uncle already knows that Jennie and I are together. I looked at the ground, avoiding his eyes.

 

"You know what to do, and you will do it whether you like it or not. This is the first and last time I'll bend my rules for you. If you like Jennie to reach her dreams, you will do what you need to do."

 

I left the office, and I called Jisoo. I asked her to meet me outside. Jisoo noticed right away that something terrible happened to me.

 

"He knows?" Jisoo asked.

 

I looked around. We are in a park sitting on one of the benches. I smiled at her before answering, "Yeah. I need to give up on her. It's not the right time."

 

Jisoo, with an annoyed look on her face, says, "Come on, Elijah. Man up! You chose to be part of her life again after leaving her three years ago, and now you're telling me you'll break her again?"

 

"I can't be the reason of her dreams not coming to life," I stated before looking away from her.

 

"Is it really about her dreams, or you're just too coward to take responsibility for your actions. She's not a thing you'll leave if the time doesn't suit you." Jisoo said, almost shouting.

 

"What do you want me to do? Take her dreams away? Do you think I'll let my uncle remove her from the program? Do you honestly believe this is easy for me?" Tears fall in my cheek.

 

Tears filled Jisoo's eyes, feeling the defeat. "You need to know that if you do that, it'll break her. El, I've seen her in those three years you were gone. I saw her tried to move on and lost herself in the process. I saw her break into pieces. I can't lose her; I can't lose both of you again. I can't allow that to happen. Not again."