[Jeongyeon's POV: JYPE building 2010]

"YAH! GET YOUR OWN FOOD." Jihyo smack me at the back of my head with her food tray. She almost made me spit out the piece of bread I stole from her, but I covered my mouth to save it. I immediately moved to the next seat, while chewing the food as fast as I could, before she tries to hit me again.

"I already finished mine and the lunch lady refused to give me another one." I'm having trouble talking with my mouth full.

"Aish." Jihyo tutted, she looks like she's ready to deck me any minute now. Her brows are deeply furrowed, probably regretting her decision to ask me to be her friend. I just flashed her my widest grin. Trying to save the breadcrumbs falling out of my mouth.

I arrived in the company eight months ago after passing the label's open audition. On our first day, we introduced ourselves to the other trainees and right when I was about to sit down, Jihyo immediately transferred to the empty seat beside me, clung to my arm, and called me chingu. Even when she's fully aware that I'm older than her.

Now, she's shooting me death glares over a piece of bread. Friendship.

"I heard that the new trainees will be arriving today." I said, attempting to distract her.

"Ne. I think there's 4 or 5 new trainees." she looked up and scrunched her nose at me.

I raised my eyebrow. "What? Do I have something on my face?"

I tried dusting off my mouth.

"Ani. Behind you. The girl. I think she's one of the new trainees. I haven't seen her before." She pointed somewhere past me with her chopsticks.

I turned my head too quickly that I heard my neck snap.

There she was, standing by the door. She's wearing a light blue denim jacket with a white blouse underneath, orange corduroy skirt and a pair of converse. She has her hair tied up in a neat high pony and her thick fringe covering her eyebrows. I watched as she looked around the cafeteria, probably trying to find a familiar face. Then she saw me, we locked eyes and she smiled. Revealing her bunny teeth. I can't help myself from smiling back.

Ah she's pretty. That girl is pretty. Jinjja ippeuda.

---

[Nayeon's POV: JYPE building 2014]

I'm lying on the floor with my arms and legs spread like a starfish, staring at the training room's ceiling.

"Yah! Get up." I felt Jeongyeon's finger poking my hip as she sat down beside me. I turned my head to see her drinking from her bottled water, sweat beads dripping down from her forehead, down to her chin. Her white oversized shirt also soaked with sweat.

I gulped. I suddenly felt thirsty.

For water, of course. I closed my eyes for a few seconds.

This dance routine is probably the hardest we did so far. Momo, one of the Japanese trainees, helped with the choreography. But the steps are more complicated than we thought.

I sighed. This will be our last showcase before debuting. That's why we have to give it our all. Jeongyeon and I, along four other female trainees are already preparing to debut. In just a few months, our four years of training will be concluded. My stomach is starting to stir at the thought of it. Somehow, everything just feels surreal.

"Five.minutes. Just. Just give me five minutes. I can't," I grunted, "anymore. My legs. Apa. (It hurts)"

"Aigoo. Such a whiny baby." I can't see her but I could imagine her probably rolling her eyes at me right now. I don't care. I'm dead tired—

I suddenly felt hands starting to squeeze my leg. As soon as I opened my eyes, I saw Jeongyeon massaging me. Palms gliding down my sweatpants, to my ankles.

She turned her head and caught me staring. "Wae? Mwol bogoisseo? (What? What are you looking at?)"

Aish. You can't resist me, Yoo. I shook my head.

"Eopsseo. (Nothing)"

"You're nervous, kurichi? (aren't you?)" Jeongyeon's voice suddenly soften.

I opened my eyes again. She's not looking at me, just at the floor as her hands rubs my ankle and twists my foot. And you are, too.

"Ya! What is there to be nervous of? We've been doing this for years—"

"Not the showcase." Jeongyeon interrupted, "...debuting."

We've only been informed the other day about it, and aside from this being our last showcase before we undergo a more intensive kind of training, there wasn't much word about it yet. We're all trying to focus at this showcase first so we haven't really wrapped our heads around the whole idea. And it's the first time either of us brought up the topic.

And as much as I wanted to lie to her, just to keep her at ease, I couldn't help myself from sharing what I really felt. "Very. My heart is filled with worries."

We looked at each other for a brief moment. Both unsure what to say next. But at the same time, I could feel that we were both comforted by the fact that we weren't alone with our fears.

"I'll smack your head if you start crying." She stuck her tongue out and stood up. I rolled my eyes at her, Jeongyeon really has a talent at ruining perfect moments.

I was about to stand up when she extended her arm towards me, I reached my hand out and she grabbed me by the wrist. Jeongyeon can be annoying at times, but she's really sweet—I was already halfway standing when I slipped first. Did this little sht just ing let go of my hand?

I glared at her, laughing like a donkey in front of me. I was about to throw her the water bottle I grabbed from the floor when the training room door swung open.

All the trainees inside focused our attention at the beeline of people entering the room. Four guys, three girls, including one of the staff from the company.

"Yeorobun, (Everybody) I'd like to introduce to you our newest recruits. They've finished signing their contracts this morning and we will start training tomorrow."

We all started clapping. "Chukhae! (Congratulations!)"

Together, the fresh faces bowed their head and in unison, "Jal butagdeulibnida." (Please take good care of us)

I can't help but smile, reminiscing the moment I first stepped into the company. It was nerve-racking but my heart full of excitement.

One by one, the new recruits started introducing themselves. Chaeyoung, one of the younger trainees scooted between Jeongyeon and I. She nudged Jeongyeon with her elbow.

"Unnie, look at that girl." She pointed at the farthest corner, with long straight hair covering almost half her face. "Neomu yeppeo, kurichi? (She's so pretty, isn't she?)"

I scoffed. "I think I'm still prettier."

"Anieyo. Jeongyeon unnie is is still the prettiest trainee here." Chaeyoung casually shrugged, I was about to throw a sharp glance at her, but right on cue, the girl with long hair stepped forward to introduce herself.

She has the softest voice I've ever heard. "Konnichiwa. Watashi no namae wa Myoui Mina desu. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu~"

Oh. She's Japanese.

Myoui Mina ended her introduction with a bow. Right after that, she brushed her hair with her fingers, fully exposing her beautiful face. She looked at us with a charming and coy expression, revealing a gummy smile.

I could hear Jeongyeon mumbling beside us, "You're right, Chaeyoung-a. She's pretty. That girl is pretty. Jinjja ippeuda."

And for some reason, with that comment, I felt a weird pang in the pit of my stomach.

Wae-yo?