March 2015

"Happy birthday, dear Yerim! Happy birthday to you!"

Yeri let out her signature boisterous laugh and leaned over the table where the cake was. Being the last birthday before her debut, the trainees all gathered together and threw her a surprise party. In a few days, her life was going to change and she was glad to be spending her last moments of freedom with her friends. Clasping her hands together, Yeri closed her eyes and silently made her wish.

I wish to always feel this kind of happiness. She thought wistfully before blowing out the candles.

Her little moment was interruped by the sound of people clapping and cheering . She opened her eyes just in time to see Johnny and Jaehyun approaching.

"Congrats kiddo! For the birthday AND the debut!" Johnny said proudly "You're gonna do great. You did have the privilege of being under my wing for all these years, so I know you are now ready to go on your own way."

"How can you possibly say that with a straight face?" Yeri said in a mocking tone "Tsk, so shameless."

Johnny grinned and put his arm around her "It takes one to know one, you know?"

Yeri was about to retort when she noticed Jaehyun standing there, looking a little bit out of place.

"Hi, Jaehyun oppa!" She greeted cheerfully "I'm glad you came, we haven't seen each other in a while."

"Happy birthday, Yerim-ah" Jaehyun replied with a smile "and good luck next week. I'm really happy for you."

"Thanks, I am soooooooo excited!!" Yeri squealed, barely being able to contain herself "You guys will know how it feels like soon enough.”

"Let's hope so." Jaehyun agreed "Your hair looks nice, by the way."

"Oh, you think so?" She said in a bashful manner while absentmindedly touching her newly dyed hair "It was a bit of a pain... literally. But it's starting to grow on me."

"I'll make sure to watch your debut stage." Jaehyun promised "Hit daebak, okay?"

Yeri chuckled and nodded "Deal!"

Before they could say anything else, Haechan's loud voice got everyone's attention.

"Noona, are you going to cut the cake or what?"  He whined while standing next to the table "We did not buy you this just so we could stare at it! I want to eat!"

Yeri scoffed and rolled her eyes before making her way to him "I'm coming, you little brat!"

"Why are you two always so awkward together?" Johnny questioned after he was sure Yeri was out of earshot.

Jaehyun seemed a little stunned by his friend's bluntness "W-What are you talking about?"

"I don't know, you're both so formal. I honestly don't get it." He said with a shrug and went to join the others.

"Me neither..." Jaehyun mumbled under his breath before following him.

Truth be told, despite being friendly whenever they ran into each other, Jaehyun and Yeri were more like acquaintances rather than friends. This fact baffled him since she was basically able to befriend any living being and he liked to think he was pretty outgoing himself. When he joined as a trainee a couple of years ago, Kim Yerim was already a social butterfly (despite Johnny's insistence that she was his pupil and therefore still on the "caterpillar" stage) and as he got close to the future NCT boys and even the other Red Velvet members, he soon realized most of them were pretty good friends with her since they had been training together for a few years already.

Maybe this is why, Jaehyun sometimes thought. By the time he came along, she was already surrounded by so many people that there was no more space for him in her life.

Still, he was genuinely happy for her achievements. Someday they would be fellow idols and he was okay with the fact that he was meant to cheer on her from a distance.

~~~~~~~~

A few weeks later...

"Hyung, let's get some ramen before going home." Mark suggested after a gruelling day of practice "I'm starving!"

"Forget about it" Taeyong dismissed instantly "We are way past your bedtime. You are still growing and for that to happen, you need a proper night of sleep."

"But...." Mark tried to argue despite knowing he had already lost.

"Don't even start, Lee Minhyung!" Taeyong reprimanded.

Mark crossed his arms and started to sulk "Fine...." 

"Sorry, buddy." Doyoung tried to appease the younger "We'll finish tomorrow's practice a little earlier and we can go then okay?"

Mark nodded dejectedly and the boys started to make their way out of the building.

"Shoot, I forgot my jacket!" Jaehyun suddenly remembered "You know what? You guys go ahead. I'll catch up with you later."

"Alright, we would wait for you but someone needs to have his glass of milk and then get to bed." Taeyong said in an exasperated manner.

"Jeez, could you sound any more like my mom?" Mark stated with a scoff.

"I am your mom!" Taeyong argued before walking away "Hurry up, or else I won't put any chocolate in your milk."

Mark looked at him in horror and quickly ran after him "Hyung, I was only joking! Doyoung hyung, you tell him!"

Jaehyun chuckled and waved his friends goodbye as he made his way to the third floor so he could retrieve his jacket. Maybe if he was fast enough, he would still be able to go home with the others.

Walking down the hallway, Jaehyun noticed one of the rooms still had the lights on, despite the door being tightly shut.

Huh, who would still be here so late at night? He tho