Chapter 3: Stars

 

A week has passed. Time surely flies so fast. Nothing is really happening aside from my daily training which has become a solo training so I will be able to prepare for my upcoming debut. Jess and Serine were also training together. The three of us will be debuting this year.

 

We barely see each other during trainings but every night we were able to chat a bit. It is definitely hard to be a trainee that is going to debut. You have a lot of things to do and study. I am also training how to act as well as to answer some interviews.

 

This is what I realized. Like my dad, I should also be careful of what I should say in front of the media because it may kill my career at an instant. Maybe that is why he trained me to be like him.

 

My phone suddenly vibrated. I just received a text message from mom.

 

From: Mom

 

Hi dear! It’s been a week since you stayed at the dorms. I miss you. Don’t worry. I’ll be visiting you this evening. I will also bring some foods so make sure to tell your friends.

 

That message just made me smile. Yeah, it has been a week since I left home and stayed here at the dorms. Life at home is way different here, although I usually do the household chores too. But still, it is different staying at your own home.

 

After I read what mom sent me, I went out of the room and I saw Jess and Serine there. Serine was reading a book while Jess was holding her laptop. “Hey guys!” I said.

 

“Ooh, so you decided to go out of the room. Finally. What’s up?” Serine said.

 

“Mom will be going here tonight and she’ll bring foods. She said she wanted to visit me.” I told them.

 

“Oh, is that so?” Jess said as she closed her laptop. “Then we better prepare a bit. Are you going to invite some other people or is it exclusively for us?”

 

“Mom wants me to invite others. I guess, I’ll be inviting ‘Twice’ since I am close with them and maybe some other members of GOT7. Maybe Jr. sunbae” I said.

 

“Why won’t you invite all GOT7 members? Besides, it would be a little disgrace to them if you’ll only invite one member.” Jess said.

 

Jess got a point. But, I am shy to talk with the other members of GOT7 especially to Mark. I wanted to talk to him but it seems like he is always avoiding me or something. I do not know, but I feel something weird whenever I come near him.

 

“Okay.” I said. Then I decided to go outside and go to the dorm of Twice. I knocked at it and suddenly, Nayeon unnie opened the door.

 

“Oh, Jieun-a?” she said shockingly.

 

“Annyeong unnie.” I said. “Uhm, my mom is going to go here tonight and she asked me to invite my friends. We’ll be having some foods.”

 

“What’s the occasion?” Nayeon unnie said.

 

“Nothing. It’s just, my mom misses me since I have been staying here at the dorms for a week already.” I said.

 

Then I saw Nayeon unnie enlarged her eyes and seems so surprised with what I said. I also heard someone from the inside asking who is Nayeon unnie talking to. “Jungyeon, Jihyo! Jieun is here.” Nayeon unnie happily said.

 

Suddenly, I heard loud footsteps rushing to the door suddenly, I saw Jihyo and Jungyeon. “JIEUN-A!!!!!!!!” They shouted and both hugged me.

 

“Yah, why didn’t you tell us that you’re here, huh?” Jungyeon said.

 

Of all the members, Nayeon unnie, Jihyo and Jungyeon were the people I really got close with. Besides, they are so kind to me. They seem like my sisters here in the industry.

 

“So, the rumor about you debuting as a solo artist is true?” Jihyo asked.

 

I simply nodded. I didn’t know that there was such a rumor. Since this is a small company, well, I guess rumors are easily spread. They both hugged me.

 

“But Jieun-a, we can’t make it tonight. We have photoshoot this evening.” Nayeon unnie said.

 

And that made me a little sad. I wanted them to be there, but of course, they should go there to their photoshoot. “Oh? Is that so?” I said. “Then, I’ll just leave some foods for you guys.”

 

“That’s what I liked about you Jieun-a.” Jungyeon said.

 

I hugged them back and I smiled at them. “I’ll be going.” I said. I still have to go to GOT7’s dorm to ask them. I just hope that it’s not Mark who’ll be opening the door or else, I don’t know what to say.

 

Jungyeon, Jihyo and Nayeon unnie went inside their dorm already and I went on my way to GOT7’s dorm. Before knocking, I first took a deep breath and closed my eyes. Wooh, this is it. I knocked the door waiting for someone to open it.

 

No one was opening the door. I’ll try one more time. I knocked again and no one opened the door. It seems like no one is there right now. So I decided to go back to my dorm when suddenly, the door opened. I went back to look and to my surprise, it was Mark.

 

“Uhh..” I said. “Annyeong haseyo sunbaenim.”

 

I bit my lip a bit. Why is it whenever I ask something is doesn’t happen? I asked that Mark won’t be the one to open the door but he was the one. Aish. My heart is beatng so fast because of too much tension.

 

“Is Jr. sunbae there?” I asked him.

 

Pabo Jieun! Why are you asking for Jr.? You should be inviting them to a dinner tonight, right? I looked at Mark and he was just as cold as usual. Then he nodded. “He’s in the room. I’ll just call him.” he said.

 

And that made my heart jump fast again. After the SIXTEEN, it was the first time Mark talked to me again, even if it is just two sentences. He talked to me. I don’t know what to feel. My heart is pounding so loud.

 

Suddenly, the door opened widely and I saw Jr. went to the door. I also saw Jackson at the back. It seems like he was playing something. “Jieun-a,” Jr. said happily. “Is there something you wanted to say?”

 

“Uhm,.. sunbae” I said. “Mom is going to visit me here tonight since I have been staying here for a week already and she is going to bring some foods for dinner. I was just asking if…”

 

“Did I just hear food?” Jackson said as he tapped Jr.’s back.

 

“Why do you always have great hearing sense whenever something related with food is being said?” Jr. said.

 

And that made me laugh a bit. Jr. and Jackson surely are funny guys.

 

“Is GOT7 invited?” Jr. said.

 

I simply nodded. Then Jr. suddenly shouted inside. “Hey guys! We will no longer think of where to eat this dinner. Jieun’s mom is coming and she is asking us to eat dinner with them. I am going! Who’s with me?”

 

“Me! Me!” Bambam exclaimed.

 

“Wait, I’m coming too.” Yugyeom too.

 

“Yah, you can’t leave me here! I’m coming!” Youngjae said.

 

Suddenly, JB went outside to see me, I guess. “If it is food you’re talking about, GOT7 will definitely go there. Please tell your mom to bring lots of food. Haha.” JB said. And I nodded at them. But then I realized, Mark wasn’t saying anything. Well, JB said that everyone will be coming so Mark will also come.

 

“Okay.” I said. Then I bowed down again to give them respect. I was about to leave when Jr. stopped me.

 

“Jieun-a,” he said. “Next time, just call me oppa. I find it awkward if you call me sunbae. It makes me old.” I just simply smiled and bowed down. Then I went back to the dorms.

 

“So, what did they say?” Serine asked.

 

“GOT7 sunbaenims will be coming. While, Twice won’t be able to make it since they are going to have their photoshoot.” I said.

 

“It seems like they are really busy with their debut.” Jess said. “I just find it weird how JYP PD-nim has chosen them. I mean, you’re going to create friendships with them and then you’ll end up competing with them. Nah, don’t mind me.”

 

But Jess is right. I find it somewhat awkward. I mean, we’re friends but even if we are friends, we still want to be on top. But I guess, life just simply works like that. You have to fight if you really want to be on top. It doesn’t mean you have to step other people, even your