“Let’s take it from the top!”

The room full of trainees groaned audibly, complaints rising from one corner to another.

“We’ve been at it for almost 5 hours!”

“Come on - we deserve a break!”

“No… more… please…”

It was a rigorous routine, requiring constant tight, controlled movements and acrobatic touches. Some were still panting from their last run. Others were collapsed on the floor in exhaustion, sweat glistening on their arms and on the napes of their necks. No one looked ready for another minute of dance practice.

All but two.

Taemin glanced to his right at Jongin, and their eyes met. Jongin playfully rolled his eyes, letting a hint of his classic smirk skirt his lips. Taemin felt a smile take over his own face as they shared a quick nod before launching into the routine once more.

Their movements were precise yet smooth. Natural. Synchronized. As if they were born to be dancers. And they were ruthless, determined to be the best of the best. There was no room for imperfection. They were always the first ones in the practice room, and always the last ones to leave (or rather, the last ones standing). And for this reason, the two were inseparable. No one else matched their skills, and no one else dared to surpass their level.

After their practice sessions, they would go to their local mart and buy ramen and ice cream, a challenge to finish the ramen before the ice cream melted. They’d sit outside on their favorite bench that overlooked the Han river, banana milks in hand, talking, joking around, dreaming of their futures.

Pretty soon, their hard work, perseverance, and determination paid off. Taemin debuted first in SHINee, and Jongin, earning the stage name Kai, later debuted in EXO. Both groups were wildly successful and as a result, the two friends hardly had time to see each other except through TV or phone screens. They’d constantly send each other text messages, wishing each other good luck at showcases, congratulations on wins, and sorry that they couldn’t be there in person.

Wherever they were, they would think of each other, wondering when they’d see each other again.

It was rare that the breaks in between their promotion periods would match up because when one group was ending promotions, the other would be preparing for a comeback. But when it happened, the reunions were always so sweet, sweeter than the banana milks they sipped on side-by-side before they both debuted.

Spotting each other across the hall and locking eyes, they wove around other company artists, making their way towards each other. They stopped with three feet of distance in between them.

“Hey stranger.” Taemin whispered, his eyes sparkling. Grinning, Jongin held out his hand.

“Hi, nice to meet you. My name is Kai - ”

“Shut up, Jongin.”

Taemin grabbed his hand and pulled him in for a hug, burying his face in the taller boy’s shoulder. Jongin laughed, sliding his arms around Taemin’s slender waist.

“It’s been too long, bud.”

The two were practically glowing with happiness, oblivious to the stares they were receiving. Everybody around them smiled knowingly - their friendship was hardly a secret. It was only a matter of time until…

Suddenly, a girl approached them, forcing them to break apart sooner than either would have liked. Jongin recognized her as one of the trainees, potentially set to debut next year. Shyly, she looked up at Taemin. “Oppa, I just wanted to say that you were really awesome in your last performance. I couldn’t keep my eyes off of you!”

Jongin scoffed inwardly, subtly rolling his eyes. He turned to Taemin, expecting the other boy to return his knowing look. Instead, Jongin found a slight blush bloom on his best friend’s cheeks.

“Th-thanks. Keep working hard and maybe I’ll see you on stage some day.” Taemin stuttered. Without realizing it, he reached up and fixed his hair, a habit Jongin noticed Taemin only did whenever he got nervous or embarrassed. The girl giggled and walked back to her group of friends who engulfed her into their huddle of whispers. Taemin cleared his throat and playfully hit Jongin on the back of his shoulder.

“Wanna get some banana milk?”

Confused by this strange turn of events, Jongin found that he could only nod and follow the older boy.