[[YENA'S POV]]

“Yena-yaaa. Come back quickly, okay? We will wait for you here.” Si Hyun shouted.

“Okaaaay! Don’t go without me!.” I immediately ran back to the holding area as fast as I could.

When I’m already at the door, I paused for a while and tried to catch my breath a little.

When I opened it…

There’s no one inside the room.

“Woooh!  That was fast. My heart is beating like crazy.” As I wiped my little sweat on my face.

“Now, where the hell did I left my hair tie?”  I searched for it behind and under the last chair I seated on, and it’s not there. I kept searching for it inside this big room. Then suddenly someone came in.

“Ummm. Excuse me?”

I slowly turned my head to know who was it…

and I found out that it was the staff.

“Oh. Annyeonghaseyeo” I greeted the staff.

“Annyeong. What are you looking for?” the staff asked me politely.

“Oh. I think I left my hair tie around here somewhere, and I was just looking for it, and I can’t find it.”

“I see. Wait, I have an extra hair tie. Here, use this. It’s okay if you can’t return it.” She removed the hair tie on her wrist and gave it to me.

“Oh. Thank you so much! You’re so kind.” I said with a big smile on my face. I bowed again to her and immediately left the room.

When I was walking my way back while I’m trying to tie my hair in a high ponytail, I suddenly noticed that there were actually few holding areas. That’s when I realized that there were no trainees yet in the holding area that we went, because the trainees of each company were assigned by random in different holding areas. After I finished tying my hair and as I ran my way back to Yi Ren and Si Hyun, someone who was walking from the opposite direction caught out of the corner of my eye. She looked so familiar. I decided to stop for a while, and looked back to that person. I whispered to myself, “Waaaait. Is that….?”

“Yenaaa! There you are! Come on now, we’re about to start.” Yi Ren said. She actually followed me to make sure that I wouldn’t get lost, because I got distracted easily by anything.

“Yaaa-, I think I saw someone from Idol School.” I said while walking back with Yi Ren. Just hearing and saying the words “Idol School” makes me automatically think of HER.

“Really?! Who?!” Yi Ren replied excitedly.

“I don’t really know… because I was running so fast so I couldn’t confirm it.” While scratching my head.

“I watched some episodes of Idol School before, I know some participants there.” She said. “I know Natty, Lee Sian, Jang Gyuri, Park Jiwon, and Jo Yuri” She continued.

I turned my head immediately to Yi Ren as soon as I heard ‘HER’ name. I couldn’t even say her name properly. Just hearing her name from someone else, especially some people who are close to me, makes me panic a little bit.

“Whaaa… Whaaat?” I asked out of a mini panic attack.

“Huh? What do you mean ’what’?” She replied confusedly.

“ Noooo…Nothing. I ummmm… I think it’s anybody else besides Jo Yuri.” I said while looking at the ground. Am I getting obvious? Why am I even acting like this?

“Oh!  Really?! So you know Jo Yuri?! Is she your bias? She’s really good you know. I’m sad for her when she didn’t get to debut, but I really like her though. Do you like her?” Yi Ren asked happily while looking at me.

“Whaaa. Whaaaaatt?” I started to get panic but I need to compose myself for a while before continuing. I need to play it cool so I wouldn’t be getting too obvious

“I… uhhhh… I think uhhhh… I think I like her… too.” I said while trying to avoid looking at Yi Ren’s face. I know it was just an innocent question without so much meaning for her. But for me, it really means a lot. I feel like I exposed a vulnerable side of me. No one really knows about this except me and my brother.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

[[YENA’s POV]]

*** FLASHBACK ***

"Now, Student Jo Yuri is...."

My mouth now reaches the floor. I can feel the blood rushing through my veins. My heart is about to explode. My breath is getting heavier than ever. My hands are on my face.

"...NOT a debut member." The announcer revealed.

I immediately fell down on the sofa as soon as I heard the result.

My brother and I looked both at each other....

...with tears falling down on my face.

He turned off the TV and hugged me immediately. I cried a lot.

“Heeey.. Shhhh. It’s okay.  Don’t cry. I don’t know why you are crying suddenly. But I just wanted you to know that I’m always here for you. You can tell me anything, you know.” He assured me.

“I don’t understand why I am even crying on a freaking reality show. I don’t understand why it hurts so much. I don’t understand myself anymore. I don’t know who I am anymore. I’m not the one you think I am. I’m so sorry. I’m a mistake”

Tears can’t stop falling on my face.

“Don’t say that. Tell me everything.” He said.

*** END OF FLASHBACK ***

We arrived at our destination just in time, and we’re about to start to film. I feel a little distorted at the moment but I got myself back on my usual bright energy and cheery personality. I even accidentally wrote on the camera. That scared a hell out me; I thought I was going to pay for it, or worse. I don’t know if I’m just being too excited or too nervous because the show is really starting, but I’m just gonna be myself, and be happy.

When we finally enter the studio, we are all in awe. Everything is shiny, especially the first place seat. We decided to sit down on seat number six, seven, and eight. The competition is really starting. I can feel the tension rising.

After we wait for few minutes, a new trainee enters the studio. She’s Kim Minjoo from Urban Works. She’s really pretty though. Her face is really small. We all can’t stop looking at her, and she’s really cute when she’s starting to get worried where to sit. She even smiled at us on her way up. I think she has a nice personality. I hope we can be friends someday.

Few more minutes had passed, and different trainees from different agencies had also entered. There are trainees from this agency, who were long-legged and they really looked like a model.  I wished I was that tall too.  Then, there’s also this one agency who’s trainees looked like babies, they were so cute. Different kinds of trainees from different kinds of agencies had also entered the studio. Of course, I had different reactions too, mostly gay ones.

Time had passed while waiting for the other trainees to enter the studio. Both three of us were talking about collaborating with Japan for this show, and some random topics about the possible entertainment companies that were participating.

“By the way Si Hyun, Yena said she saw someone familiar from Idol School a while ago but she couldn’t remember who it was, because she was running” Yi Ren said to Si Hyun.

I looked at them immediately. My heart is starting to beat faster.

“Woah! Really? That would be amazing! The competition is getting tougher.” Si Hyun said while looking at Yi Ren and me.

(THE BIG SCREEN REVEALED THE NEXT TRAINEES)

**STONE MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT**

My eyes got bigger when I saw the company name on the big screen.

“Stooo…St…. Stone Music..?” I stuttered. I know this company. This is HER agency. I cannot understand

why my heart is starting to beat much faster; it’s just a company name. Why am I being like this?

Suddenly, we heard and saw incoming footsteps.

I watched closely.

I saw first two trainees coming out.

And then….

I saw HER.

*** FLASHBACK ***

It was late at night when I decided to watch some show in the television while eating some food. I really didn’t have anything in mind to watch particularly, so I just kept clicking the ‘next’ button on the remote control until one TV show caught my attention.

“Idol School, huh?” I said quietly.

 I kept watching it, until I watched one quick screen time of HER.

That one quick scene which is also quick enough to changed my life in the most unexpected way.

*** END OF FLASHBACK *** 

“What the fu...” I quickly closed my mouth with my hand. I stood up without even noticing it out of shock.

“Woah. What is it?” Si Hyun confusedly asked me.

“Oh! Then what Yena said is true, it is true indeed that some participants of Idol School joined here.” Yi Ren said surprisingly.

I couldn’t even hear what were Yi Ren and Si Hyun were talking about, and what were the other trainees are saying.

I couldn’t hear any sounds but my heartbeat.

I couldn’t take my eyes off her.

Every time she took a step on the stairs…

...feels like a dream that’s slowly turning into reality.

Every time she got closer…

…my heartbeat is getting louder and louder.

When she’s about to sit down on her chosen seat…

…She took a quick glance on the other side.

And the world stops

...when our eyes meet for the first time.

Thank you for reading!

Let’s connect. Follow me on instagram and twitter: @yenaxyuri

REFERENCES:

Choi Yena (Entrance Cut) + Kim Minjoo (Entrance Cut)

Stone Music Trainees (Entrance Cut)