Takahashi Juri. 20. 

 

 

Lee Kaeun. 24. 

 

 

"Every face along the boulevard is a dreamer just like you".

_______________________________________________________________________________________

This fic is inspired by Panic! At The Disco's Dying In LA.

This fic contains ual themes. Nothing explicit so I didn't want to make it an M-rated fic, but it's there. Just as a warning.

 

 

 

 

Juri doesn’t recognise the man that’s been hanging around backstage the entire night. He would have appeared suspicious, if not for the fact that he has been loitering in plain view of the staff and security personnel and they didn’t seem to bat an eye at his presence, thus easing her concerns a little. 

 

The pinstripe suit he wore made him seem authoritative as well. A new manager perhaps? Or maybe a new member of the theatre? He looks foreign. Korean maybe? Could he be a scout? This wouldn’t be the first time some Kpop agency from across the ocean would send somebody to scout one of the girls and entice them to join their company.

 

The chance to be a Kpop star! A GLOBAL IDOL!

 

Yeah, not exactly an opportunity that Juri would jump at. 

 

Don’t get her wrong though. She loves Korean music. She loves the way the language sounds, she loves the food, heck even the people were better looking in her opinion.

 

But she had a career here, in Tokyo. She was Takahashi Juri. Captain of AKB48’s Team B, and if the whispers and rumours ring true (she tries to not believe them), there are plans for her to be part of something greater. She was satisfied with where she was currently. She didn’t need anything more.

 

“Everyone, gather around please.”

 

The theatre manager calls them to gather in the now empty hall, and Juri notices the suspicious man from earlier standing next to him. Okay, so what ever it is he’s here for, now is the time for her to find out. The manager steps aside, giving the floor to Mr. Pinstriped Suit, who took it with much gusto. The cocky smile spreading across his face made Juri’s skin crawl.

 

“Hello girls. I’m representing CJ E&M, a broadcast network in Korea, and we want your participation in something that will change the landscape of the entire music industry forever.”

 

Ah. So he was a salesman. A salesman who deals in promises and high hopes. There have been a few of those lately.

 

As he went on with his spiel, Juri starts to see that his promises do have some substance to them. A collaboration between two countries to make the next global idol really would be groundbreaking. The 48G and trainees from some of the biggest entertainment agencies in Korea coming together to form a 12-member group. Juri was familiar with Mnet, and the successful Produce 101 series under the banner. She was a fan of the first two seasons. 

 

But to take part in a show like that? When the Senbatsu Election was so close? How would she be able to split her duties?

 

“So, like, a dual promotion? Like how Yukirin is a part of Team B and NGT? Will we be promoting in this project group as well as 48G?” Juri hears Iwatate Saho ask, and the question was taken right out of .

 

One of their managers steps up, no doubt prepared for such a question.

 

“The contracts are not quite finalised, but we hope to expand into Korea in the future. This show could provide the platform to do so.”

 

There were murmurs all around as the men in suits continued talking about this joint venture of theirs, while Juri slowly started to zone out. Like she said, she wasn’t interested in grand ideas of being a “Global Idol”. She was fine where she was.

 

“Let’s do it.”

 

Juri’s head whips to the side to see Mako staring at her expectantly, bright smile on her raccoon face. 

 

“Are you serious?”

 

Mako nods vigorously, and Juri was about to go off on her friend, when Mako knowingly cut her off.

 

“You’ve been in AKB for what, 7 years now? Don’t you want to try something new? Besides, don’t you like Kpop?”

 

Juri scoffed, not even bothering to entertain the thought. “I like to eat fish, but that doesn’t mean I want to swim in the entire ocean.”

 

“Why not? Let’s do it. Let’s swim in the ocean.” Mako insists, tugging on Juri’s arm while wearing that smile that nobody could possibly say no to. “You’re not going to make me do it alone, are you?”

 

Juri wavers—because her close friend would always be her weakness—but she was still hesitant to do it. Why should she take part in something that seemed exhausting and wouldn’t benefit her in any way?

 

“You’ll hardly be alone. Can’t you hear how excited everybody else is?” Juri tries to brush Mako off again, but the raccoon wasn’t having any of it.

 

“C’mon Captain. Try something new.”

 

Juri glanced down at Mako—who was still tugging on her arm—and felt the last of her resolve crumble. 

 

It wasn’t fair. Mako was so adorable she couldn’t possibly say no to the girl.

 

“I’m not your captain.” Juri grumbled, and Mako’s smile only widened because she knew she had won.

 

 

 

*************

 

 

Mako manages to get Juri to audition with her somehow. It probably wasn’t all that hard. The latter’s been known to be quite the pushover, although anyone who calls her that would probably get bitten on the ear. 

 

What surprised Juri however, was the sheer amount of people who turned up to audition. Apparently the judges travelled around Japan to all the sister groups to hold the auditions on site, but you could probably fill up the quota of 48 Japanese girls by the amount of people auditioning from AKB48 alone. Even the Kenkyuusei came out to show off their skills!

 

Of course, the bigger names chose to sit this one out. They probably had the same mentality as Juri did, where they really didn’t want to jeopardise what they had going for them by joining a pointless audition program and they probably wanted to give the less popular members a chance to shine. Kashiwagi Yuki and Yokoyama Yui stared in disbelief when they saw her sitting on the benches waiting for her turn to audition.

 

Yeah, Juri is willing to bet that those two didn’t have an insistent Mako Kojima bugging them everyday to audition with her. 

 

Juri sighed. She wondered if this was even going to be fun.

 

 

 

************

 

 

She doesn’t get to travel to Korea much, so this was a plus for her. Juri wonders if this could be considered a working trip. Probably not, right? Work means you get paid, and Juri didn’t see anything on the contract she signed about anything relating to money.

 

That was another reason why this whole thing was absurd to her. She basically signed up for something she didn’t want to do, and she wasn’t even getting paid for it. What insanity.

 

Too late to complain though. She was already in Korea, sitting in a large room with all members of the 48G sister groups that passed the auditions. They sent a lot of people, some faces unfamiliar to even Juri herself. Of course, some were a little too familiar.

 

Like Jurina, for example.

 

That is SKE48’s Matsui Freakin’ Jurina in the waiting room. 

 

And that’s HKT48’s Miyawaki Sakura sitting on the opposite end next to the water coolers.

 

Why are—the sister groups really sent their heavy hitters didn’t they? Juri suddenly felt scared because it just hit her that she was probably one of the highest ranking AKB48 members on this show, and that is some responsibility to carry isn’t it? They probably expected her to go up against Jurina and Sakura, who were expected to be in the Top 5 in this year’s upcoming Senbatsu Elections. What an unwanted burden!

 

Well maybe she could share it with Tomu, but that girl was too busy butchering the Korean language to be of help right now. Juri sighed. It was a long flight to get here.

 

Not literally long, but mentally exhausting. Aki-P really told her to take care of all these girls. How could she? She didn’t even want to be here in the first place! Mako dragged her! Let Miho be the chaperone to these girls!

 

“Right this way girls. Please line up in your respective groups, and come out onto the set as your group names are called. As a reminder, you are being filmed so please be mindful of that.”

 

As if Juri could forget that they were being filmed. They weren’t even on the actual filming set yet and the amount of cameras were already alarmingly high! She tried to not get distracted by the glamour and flashing lights because she was supposed to be the one leading the charge, so to speak. They placed her right at the front of the line.

 

Well, eventhough she didn’t really see the point of being here, she may as well greet this challenge with a smile on her face. Make the 2 and a half hour journey worth it.

 

“Okay, AKB, standby.” 

 

One of the directors holding a clipboard nodded at Juri, and she nodded back. She was ready for this. She had her “idol” face on.

 

Heavy Rotation starting blasting out of the speakers and Juri lead the girls out of the back room and onto the main set where all the lights and murmurs and whispers were coming from and....

 

Juri was NOT ready for this.

 

The set was...amazing. Intricate and detailed, she has NEVER seen anything like it. Cameras everywhere, a majority of which were pointed towards a row of numbered seats that ascended vertically, starting from number 96 and culminating in a throne at the very top fit for first place. It was a structure. A whole giant structure just for the girls to sit in. 

 

“Wow.” Juri couldn’t help but breathe out in awe. Korea was amazing. Japan would never spend this much money on just a regular TV show. Her heart was racing as she led the AKB48 girls towards the seats, bowing politely to the other Korean trainees who were already seated there and greeting them cheerfully with her limited grasp of the Korean language.

 

She thought she would have to fake the cheeriness, but the glamourous set and the beautiful new faces around her actually made her genuinely excited to be here, much to her own surprise.

 

The hype eventually died down, and Juri found herself seated somewhere in the middle rows (not quite confident enough to take the seats with the higher ranking numbers) next to a girl named Chaejeong. As she tried conversing with the Korean trainees in their native language, Juri could feel her inner geek emerging. Years of listening to Kpop lead up to this moment, and it finally hit her.

 

She was on a Kpop show. She was trying out for a Kpop group. She could potentially meet the idols she’s worshipped and supported and spent too much money on if she makes it through this show.

 

Holy cow Juri was invested now.

 

And if THAT wasn’t enough for Juri to realise just how crazy this whole show was for her inner Kpop fan.....

 

“Who are they?”

 

Juri’s eyes snap to the center of the room, where a large space has been provided for the trainees to perform in directly in front of a large table where their teachers and coaches sat, ready to evaluate the performances.

 

Trainees from different companies have been performing on that space all night, receiving an individual grade from the coaches based on their performances. They have all been amazing so far, but the two tall figures currently standing in the center of the performance area seemed...different.

 

Like they had an aura of their own.

 

“Pledis...Entertainment.” Juri reads off the signboard, and her eyes widen because oh holy was THAT a familiar company name.

 

“Are they famous?” Mako asks out loud to noone in particular but obviously hoping that Juri would answer.

 

“They’re gorgeous, that’s what they are.” Tomu chimes in with an offhand statement that Juri couldn’t help but agree with.

 

As for Mako’s question though....Juri wasn’t sure how to answer it. She thinks she recognises one of the girls but even if she was right, the answer to Mako’s question still wasn’t a clear one. Was that group even relevant anymore....?

 

“They’re Afterschool. I think. At least the one on the left is. I’m not sure about the taller one, she looks a little young.”

 

“Afterschool?” Mako repeats, and Juri nods in confirmation.

 

“An older group. From 2009, I think. They have a graduation system like us.”

 

“Sheesh Juri you’re such an otaku.”

 

“Shush. The Koreans don’t know that yet. Don’t blow my cover.” Tomu and Mako laugh at Juri’s words, but before they could further poke fun at her the speakers start blaring a very familiar intro.

 

She’s probably heard Havana being played at least a million times since the song’s release so a part of her inwardly groans upon hearing the overplayed song used in this evaluation but the moment the two Pledis girls started to dance....

 

....hot DAMN did they dance.

 

The one on the left in particular. Lee Kaeun. She was just miles and leagues ahead of everyone else that’s come on so far that it made Juri question why she was even here. The elegance that came with every fluid motion, the allure, the seduction in her gaze and the timbre of her voice...Juri was transfixed.

 

Lee Kaeun was good. Nay, rephrase that. Lee Kaeun was great. A star. And her label mate Heo Yunjin deserves credit as well because that girl was performing next to this obvious veteran and she actually managed to hold her own. 

 

It was like she was watching actual celebrities in their element.

 

And then the evaluation came, and Kaeun received an expected A grade, whereas Yunjin received a preposterous C.

 

What an outrage. How was THAT performance a C performance?! That was definitely a better performance than what Juri, Mako and Tomu have planned.

 

“Juri-chan, might want to close your mouth before it becomes unhinged.” Tomu comments, and Juri ignores it completely. There were more pressing matters.

 

“We. Are. ed.” Juri declared. Mako, ever the optimist, clicked her tongue and began to chide her but Juri was having none of it.

 

“Did you two even SEE that?! That—why didn’t both of them get an A?! What kind of—“

 

“Juri. Calm down. We won’t know until we try yeah?” Mako says, rubbing Juri’s shoulder in comfort and the latter just couldn’t possibly stay mad at that.

 

There are times when Mako’s optimism would open the doors for good things to happen. Like something positive that actually attracted positive things as well. As the first Japanese team took center stage on the performance area however, Juri has a sinking feeling that this wouldn’t be one of those moments.

 

 

************

 

 

“This is impossible.” Goto Moe declares with 100% conviction as she collapses, energy completely spent.

 

Chiyori, who was already sprawled dead on the floor, made a muffled sound of protest as Moe’s full body weight landed on her. “I wish I could speak Korean. I wish they left a translator behind to help us communicate. I wanna ask them how do I move my legs like that, but the only three bits of Korean I know are ‘hello’, ‘thank you’, and ‘toilet’.” Moe continued, completely oblivious to Chiyori’s struggle.

 

“I can’t even dance to OUR songs. They want us to learn this insane dance AND learn the lyrics in two languages?! I can curse THIS SHOW in two languages HOW ABOUT THAT?!” Noe screams from next to Juri, who would tell the girl to quiet down if she wasn’t already struggling with just breathing.

 

“I want to die. I seriously want to die. I want to go back to Japan.” Asai Nanami chimes in. She looked like she was one bad practice session away from packing her bags and boarding the next flight.

 

“Nekkoya. Nekkoya. For a song about cats, it’s not really that cute.” 

 

“For the last time Chiyori, it’s not about a CAT!”

 

The Japanese girls continued to bicker amongst themselves, fueled by fatigue and frustration. This was harder than anything they’ve ever done throughout their careers, and it was just the show’s first challenge! Even the great Matsui Jurina who was capable of doing anything and everything was currently hunched over in a corner, unmoving for the past half an hour (which honestly should be extremely concerning but Jurina was a machine anyways. She’s probably just recharging her power cells).

 

This couldn’t be how Kpop trainees usually train right? Surely someone up there was just pulling their legs? Even the Korean trainees were struggling, if it was any consolation to Juri’s pride. People were dropping like flies because of the amount of things they were supposed to learn in such a short amount of time. Nobody slept, and everyone looked like zombies that bothered to wake up in the morning to put on BB cream.

 

“Hello everyone.”

 

Well, almost everyone. There was one among them that still had her ethereal glow.

 

And that someone was addressing the entire room for some reason. Was she about to invite everyone to lunch? Juri could really use lunch.

 

“I’m Pledis Entertainment’s Lee Kaeun.”

 

“We know who you are!” a voice yells from somewhere in the room. It was probably that loud girl from Yuehua. Choi Yena, or something.

 

“—as I was saying, I’m Lee Kaeun, and I understand that a lot of you are finding difficulty in adjusting to the Korean training system. It’s a lot to take in, and it’s a little too much too soon, is it not?”

 

Several heads nodded in agreement. Kaeun addressed them in perfect Japanese. Is there anything she couldn’t do?

 

“Well, it’s not much but would you all like to train with me? I’ve already memorized my parts, and I think I could prove helpful in guiding anybody that might be confused with the choreography. It’s difficult, but we’re all in this together so what do you say?”

 

Kaeun gave a thumbs up and a wink, and the entire contingent of Japanese trainees in the hall burst into cheers of jubilation. Their saviour was here! And she could speak Japanese! Their bilingual (trilingual, as Juri later learns) hero was here to help the hapless masses learn how to dance! 

 

“Is she just showing off?” Juri scoffs. It was hard for her to believe that someone would willingly take in so many students at once when it was a competition. The cameras weren’t even rolling. Who would be that nice for zero reward?

 

“Oh don’t be so negative Juri.” Mako chides her. Juri scowls. She wasn’t being negative, she was being careful. Seeing the frown on her friend’s face, Mako could only sigh. “Listen Juri. Showing off or not, I REALLY need to figure out how to do this finger-diamond thing, and I swear the star that Minami-chan draws in the air looks more like a Bulbasaur than an actual star. We could use the lessons.”

 

Juri grumbles, but she begrudgingly agrees with that statement. They could all use the guidance, and who better to provide it than a member of a distinguished girl group that may or may not have disbanded?

 

 

 

*********************

 

 

Kaeun’s lessons actually pay off. Juri finds herself being moved up to class A after the evaluation, a move that she herself wasn’t sure she was ready for.

 

The next stage of the competition involved performing in front of a live audience, which Juri had no problems with. The song in question however...

 

It wasn’t exactly an easy song to pull off.

 

It was one of those, as one would put it, y concept songs. Now Juri could be y. Reader polls would claim that she was one of the iest members of her group, but honestly speaking she wasn’t sure how to be y while still being fully clothed.

 

All the photoshoots she’s done where she had to be y usually involved some manner of undress. Being y on stage was asking something completely new from her. AKB’s choreography didn’t really demand the allure she needed to show off in AOA’s Short Hair either. After staring at her own over-the-top facial expressions in the training room mirrors for the past few hours, Juri finally admits that she could use some help.

 

Thing is...how does she go about looking for such help? 

 

She could ask Go Yujin maybe? Or Mirurun. Those two probably already had enough on their plates.

 

Juri sighed, ruffling her hair in frustration when she heard the door open behind her.

 

Through the reflection of the mirrors she could see Kaeun walking into the room, gym bag in hand and smiling politely at Juri.

 

“You don’t mind if we share the room right? Every other room is booked and I was hoping to get some extra practice in.”

 

Juri shook her head no, and Kaeun grinned. Oh how a smile was able to make someone look that much more younger, Juri will never know. Maybe it was magic. Maybe Lee Kaeun was a witch.

 

Maybe that would explain how she could move so effortlessly. Almost as if she was gliding through the air.

 

Wait a minute. Kaeun was/is in Afterschool right? Afterschool was/is known to be y right...?

 

Worth a shot anyways.

 

“Err...Kaeun...Kaeun-ssi...”

 

“Just Kaeun-chan is fine. Or you can call me Kkang-chan if you’d like, that’s what my friends call me.” 

 

There was that familiar gentle smile on Kaeun’s face again, and Juri wonders if there was ever a time when the girl was not smiling. She was always so optimistic. There was an immense amount of strength hidden behind those crescent-shaped eyes. 

 

“Kkang-chan.” Juri repeats the nickname, testing it on her tongue. It was foreign, but it wasn’t unnatural.

 

“And you’re Juri-chan, yes? Captain of AKB48’s Team B?” Kaeun inquires while doing her warm-up stretches, catching Juri off-guard.

 

“You look surprised.” Kaeun comments cheekily through the mirror’s reflection, noting the expression on the younger girl’s face.

 

“I just...didn’t expect people to know that here. I don’t think I’ve really been taken that seriously since I stepped foot into the building.” It’s funny, how small she feels in front of Kaeun. How...exposed she feels. She’s been in this industry for longer than the taller girl, but she couldn’t help but shrink a little at the sheer aura Lee Kaeun exudes.

 

It affects her more than she’d like it to. 

 

The same goes for Kaeun’s smile. That smile that never falters.

 

“What are you talking about? You’re wearing pink! It’s a bright colour. Keep your chin up, yeah?” The Pledis trainee chirps while gesturing to the pink jersey Juri wore, a privilege only the best in the competition could afford.

 

There was also the fact that she was only able to wear said pink jersey because of Kaeun’s tutelage that prevented her from fully taking pride in it.

 

“Although...” Kaeun trails off, eye-ing her curiously through the mirror’s reflection as she stretched her arms. “I heard you’re a candidate to become AKB’s next General Manager. Why are you on a show like this, I wonder?”

 

Juri laughed nervously. Just how much does this girl know about her, she wonders? It’s obvious Kaeun’s done her reading. 

 

For a moment Juri contemplates giving an honest answer, which was “I was dragged into this competition by my best friend who is probably regretting it as much as I am” but decides against it. The taller girl might take offense to that sort of reasoning, so she chooses to go with a much more diplomatic answer.

 

“It’s something I’ve never done before.”

 

Kaeun regards her for a moment, looking like she was about to call Juri’s bluff before simply nodding. “I can respect that.”

 

A silence fell between them. Thick and uncomfortable, it was almost as if both parties were waiting for the other to continue the conversation. Juri sees the slight disappointment creeping onto Kaeun’s features as more silence passed between them and decides to blurt out her thoughts without care.

 

“I’m...I’m familiar with Afterschool’s music, and I was wondering if you could help me with—well you don’t have to. It’s a competition after all—but if you would be willing to—“

 

Kaeun raises a hand to stop Juri. For a moment Juri had thought that she had somehow managed to offend Kaeun, but she saw the beautiful smile gracing the latter’s face and relaxed.

 

“I’d love to help you, Juri-chan.”

 

 

 

*************** 

 

 

 

“Well? How was it?”

 

“You’re supposed to be the y one in AKB48, aren’t you?”

 

“Just how much do you know about me really...?” Kaeun laughs at Juri’s question, obviously not going to spill the beans on how much she actually knows about AKB48. The giraffe was probably a huge fan. Juri wonders who Kaeun’s favourite member was.

 

A slap to both her shoulders managed to snap Juri out of her thoughts and the Japanese let out a surprised yelp.

 

“You’re too tense. Your shoulders. And you’re not feeling yourself enough.”

 

“That’s hardly appropriate.” Juri muttered while rubbing her now sore shoulders while Kaeun raised a perfect eyebrow at her.

 

It took a moment for Kaeun to realise the ual innuendo Juri had insinuated, and the taller girl laughed when it hit her.

 

“Not THAT kind of feeling yourself! I mean you’re not exuding enough confidence. You have to look me in the eyes and tell me with your gaze that you’re the iest, most alluring being on Earth. Make me believe you. That’s the kind of song this is.”

 

Juri nodded along as Kaeun explained, but she knew all of this already. It was the implementing part that was extremely challenging.

 

“And the ‘ooooh’ part.” Kaeun continued, miming the choreography that comes after the song’s chorus. “You’re supposed to bend down as if you’re trying go give me a peek down your shirt, but pull up at the last minute. It’s cheeky.”

 

“It’s hard.” Juri sighed. Learning the concept didn’t really help. Her body’s just not programmed to move like that.

 

Kaeun laughed lightly, shaking her head at Juri’s defeated voice. “It’s not. You’re just too tense.”

 

Juri sighed again, ready to give up, but she notices Kaeun move in front of her, taking a few steps back and looking straight at Juri.

 

“Look here.”

 

She was confused at first, but then Kaeun starts to sing along to Short Hair’s chorus, flawlessly executing the dance that took Juri 5 hours to learn. Their eyes locked as Kaeun begins to perform the song’s hook, and Juri found herself unable to tear her gaze away.

 

Kaeun flips her hair as her hips move from side to side, hands together as she bends down slowly. Juri’s eyes were locked onto Kaeun’s piercing gaze, until she found something a lot more enticing to fix her gaze upon. As Kaeun bent down, the loose clothing she wore slowly allowed Juri to see glimpses of pale skin down the former’s shirt. She understood what Kaeun was talking about now but wow.

 

Oh wow.

 

With Kaeun’s eyes still gazing intensely at her, Juri found herself unabashedly ogling the older girl like one of those erted fans she would sometimes encounter. Just as Kaeun bent low enough for Juri to catch a glimpse of something wonderful, the experienced dancer stood back up straight to end the visual journey Juri was taking part in. Right as it got to the good part. Juri wasn’t sure if the whine she let out was just in her head or if she audibly did so.

 

Kaeun ended her demonstration and smirked at how flustered the shorter Japanese girl was. Juri was blushing furiously and was trying her best to avoid Kaeun’s gaze.

 

“W-Wow. Yeah. I-I....iest creature alive. Right. Y-You’re a...a good teacher.” Juri sputtered, making a complete fool of herself but to Kaeun’s credit the latter didn’t mention it at all.

 

“Now you try.”

 

Well, Juri wasn’t sure if she learnt anything from watching Kaeun’s demonstration besides the fact that she was DEFINITELY gay and that Lee Kaeun could probably stop a war with those hips of hers.

 

Kaeun was looking at her expectantly, so she decided to give it another go. Applying everything she learnt from watching Kaeun’s demonstration into her dancing, trying her best to get the older girl to feel as hot and bothered as Juri felt when watching Kaeun move like that. Juri even threw in a few winks and subtle lip-biting to sell the concept.

 

“Better. That lip bite is great. Keep it. Lose the winks though. You look like you have a magnesium deficiency.”

 

Sheesh. Kaeun wasn’t even breathing hard. Operation make Lee Kaeun flustered was a bust.

 

When all was said and done though, Kaeun was left with a satisfied smile on her face, whereas Juri was left with guilt for making Kaeun spend her practice session teaching her how to be seductive instead of working on her own stage.

 

Produce48 was hard, but it allowed her to meet people like Lee Kaeun, so it wasn’t all bad.

 

 

**************

 

 

Juri wasn’t confident in her dancing skills. She was competent, but it goes without saying her proficiency in singing and rapping were a lot higher than her ability to move her body. 

 

With that being said, she couldn’t help but stare wistfully at the dance teams, specifically the Side To Side team, wondering if she should have taken on the challenge of dancing instead. 

 

Don’t get her wrong; she was performing a Blackpink song and Juri was one of the biggest Blackpink fans out there. It was a dream come true! She even got to do Jisoo’s parts so she doesn’t have to practice making her voice nasally like Bibian was currently doing (to be fair Bibian didn’t HAVE to imitate Rosé’s voice. It’s just become a running joke among them and now she was stuck with it).

 

Juri just wishes that a particularly tall and kind giraffe with the sweetest of smiles in the dance team was a Blackpink fan too. Not that there was anything wrong with Ariana Grande. But why couldn’t said beautiful giraffe join HER team and become the leader instead?! Their current leader was pretty much bonkers with the weird arrangement she has them doing.

 

“Leave it to you to develop a crush on the most talented trainee here.”

 

Juri sighs. Mako has been giving her ever since she told the girl about her one-on-one Short Hair training session a few weeks ago.

 

“I don’t have a crush on Kaeun.” Juri’s voice was dripping in exasperation. She was tired of denying these unfounded claims.

 

“Nobody mentioned Kaeun.” Saho interjected from out of nowhere because of course Saho would include herself in any opportunity to make fun of her Team B Captain.

 

Wait what was Mako even doing here anyways? Mako was in the dance team! She should be on THE OTHER SIDE of the room!

 

“You said most talented. You might as well have said her name as well.” Juri mumbled, a hint of pink colouring her cheeks. She didn’t appreciate being teased like this.

 

Mako raised an eyebrow at her friend and just chuckled. “Wow. Whipped.”

 

“We talking about Juri-unnie?” Chaeyeon saddled into the conversation, a Pepero stick sticking out from in between her -eating grin.

 

“Yeah. Care to join in?” 

 

“Yeah. She’s whipped. She should probably stop staring at Kaeun-unnie’s from across the room too. It’s getting obvious.” Chaeyeon continued simply, causing Mako to laugh as she high-fived the Korean. 

 

Why can’t they let Juri live? Why are these dancers coming to the singer’s half of the room? Why isn’t KAEUN coming to this side of the room? Why does Chaeyeon speak such fluent Japanese? Why does Chaeyeon have that STUPID DUMB IDIOTIC GRIN on her face?!

 

“I’m two sentences away from punching you back into Sakura’s arms, Lee Chaeyeon.” Juri grumbled again, sending death glares to Chaeyeon hoping the oblivious git would get the hint.

 

“Pfft. Me and her aren’t even like that.” Chaeyeon countered, before wiggling her eyebrows knowingly. “Besides, we all know who Sakura’s keeping in her arms.”

 

Juri couldn’t even hide how affected she was by Chaeyeon’s jab if she tried. 

 

As if on cue the cherry blossom skipped into view, excitedly bouncing in step towards the group of dancers before glomping Kaeun in a massive backhug. Juri watched as Kaeun turned around and gave Sakura a light peck on the forehead in return, causing Sakura to turn a shade of pink similar to her namesake as the people around them burst into a chorus of “awwww’s”.

 

“Hate to say this, but that’s a power couple if I’ve ever seen one.” Saho chimes in again, eyes on Kaeun and Sakura as she munched on a Pepero that Chaeyeon had given her.

 

Chaeyeon nods. “Kaeun adores her.” 

 

“Those two are a shoe-in to win this competition, aren’t they?” Mako chimes in, and Juri couldn’t take it anymore.

 

“Where’s Bibian? I want to practice.” 

 

Not waiting for an answer, Juri storms off in a general direction that puts her as far away from the K-Drama couple as possible, hoping to stumble across Bibian on the way.

 

 

 

************

 

 

The final performances were nearing and there was essentially chaos and mayhem everywhere. Everybody wanted to get in some last minute practice. Everybody wanted to leave a good impression in front of the cameras. Everybody wanted to make it into the final group.

 

There were only 20 of them left.

 

Juri didn’t know how she got this far, but she did know one thing:

 

She wanted to debut.

 

She wanted to be a part of the final 12. She needed to feel the validation—to feel as if she was good enough for Korea—because she’s always been a high ranker in AKB’s elections but she’s never been questioned or tested in this way before.

 

Hilarious how initially she had to be dragged into the show to audition for this. She owes Mako a nice, stiff drink. Maybe even a cake.

 

She missed her friend. It was moments like these, when the stress was high that she misses Mako’s blind optimism. The last eliminations were rough. Juri couldn’t even savour the fact that she had finally shared a stage with Kaeun during I AM because it was all so tiring. She didn’t have time to feel happy. If she had any other emotion besides exhaustion or depression, that means she wasn’t training hard enough. 

 

She couldn’t let her team down. 

 

It was currently a quarter past midnight and Juri had only just managed to find the time to eat her dinner. It was a light meal, considering how late it was and that she was probably going straight to bed after this. Realising she left her bag in the practice room earlier, she doubles back alone.

 

There were still sounds coming from the other practice rooms. The other team in particular seemed to train like Spartans. They were ALWAYS in their practice room. Juri suspects they actually slept in there too. A pretty solid idea actually. Maybe she should move her pillows and blankets to her practice room as well.

 

Juri reaches the room, turns on the lights and receives the shock of her life when she sees a long-haired figure seated on the floor in the centre of the room. She nearly shrieks but the sound never leaves . Upon closer, inspection, she realises she recognises this ‘ghost’.

 

 “Oh my heart....” Juri wheezed, clutching her chest. Of course it would be Kaeun who would stay back longer than everyone else. Why was she sitting in the dark though?

 

“I’m sorry. I...I apologize for startling you.” Kaeun’s voice was unusually meek as she scrambled up off the floor, trying to get out of Juri’s way.

 

“No, no it’s okay. You can stay. I was just...I left something here.” Juri assured the older girl, and Kaeun settles somewhat upon hearing that. The latter sits back down on the floor and her eyes start to glisten with the room’s lights. Like little stars. 

 

Kaeun had been crying.

 

“Are you alright?” Juri asks warily, not wanting to overstep anything but it was like a knife in her gut knowing that the girl that she admires was feeling sad about...something. 

 

“Yeah.” Kaeun assures her easily, putting on a smile that didn’t quite reach her crescent eyes. Juri’s spent a lot of time staring at Kaeun’s smiles. The taller girl always had one on her face, and Juri’s ALWAYS staring at said face so she knows how Kaeun’s smile was supposed to look like.

 

This wasn’t it. This was like a poor cover-up.

 

“Do you...need someone to talk to?” Juri offers, and she sees Kaeun hesitate. She could sense the inner turmoil within the latter’s body by her body language.

 

“I’m quite good at listening.” Juri tries again, but Kaeun stays quiet. 

 

Juri couldn’t say she wasn’t disappointed, but to be honest she didn’t know what she was expecting. Her and Kaeun aren’t really close. At least, not this kind of close. Sure they practiced together when they were preparing for I Am, but they’ve never really had many opportunities to talk to each other one-on-one. In addition to that, it started becoming blindingly clear that Juri’s infatuation with the older girl was one-sided.

 

Taking Kaeun’s continued silence as a dismissal, Juri nods and turns around. Remembering to bring with her the bag that she came in for, she heads towards the door and her hand had barely touched the doorknob when she heard Kaeun’s voice call out to her.

 

“Wait.”

 

Juri turns around immediately. She still stays by the door but her attention was fixed completely on Kaeun, awaiting further instructions.

 

“Stay, please.”

 

That was all Juri needed to hear. In four strides Juri was already by Kaeun’s side, sitting down on the floor next to the older girl as the latter hugged her own knees.

 

Juri has never seen Kaeun look so...weak. Her trademark smile was gone, and so was the air of dignity and elegance that usually came with the Pledis trainee. This was the fragile side of Kaeun, no doubt brought to the surface due to Yunjin’s elimination. Juri wonders how Yunjin handles these situations. 

 

It was startling, how different Kaeun looks when she wasn’t smiling. It further drives home the fact that the Pledis trainee really was smiling all the time. She looked older now. More weathered. Like the idol of 6 years that she was, instead of the fresh idol that she was trying to be.

 

She still looked absolutely gorgeous to Juri. Maybe these feelings that she held were stronger than she thought.

 

“I’m scared.”

 

Kaeun’s statement held so much weight to them. It was an admission of weakness. It was a genuine fear that nothing was certain. Juri didn’t need to ask what Kaeun was afraid of, because she’s heard the girl’s story. She’s read it online. Kaeun’s staked her whole life on this competition. What wasn’t there to be scared about?

 

“You’re one of the strongest people I’ve ever met in my life.” Juri says, tracing lines on the practice room’s wooden floor. The random statement probably does nothing to ease her fears, but Kaeun smiles back anyways with a hint of sincerity.

 

“I’d say I’m stubborn, not strong.”

 

Juri shakes her head. “It takes strength to be this stubborn.”

 

Kaeun laughs. It was sincere, albeit strained. Juri’s heart clenches at the sound.

 

“...I don’t know what I’d do if I don’t make it.”

 

A tense silence filled the room. Juri didn’t know how to respond. ‘Things will be alright’? Afterschool has had nearly 5 years to ‘be alright’ but nothing’s happened and Kaeun had to come onto this show because of it. 

 

“I think...I think you’ll never need to find out. You’ll definitely make it.” Juri says finally, putting as much strength and conviction needed into the statement to make it sound believable.

 

“You think so?”

 

Kaeun smiles hopefully, and it was like someone melted down a rainbow and splashed it all over Juri, just how bright and cheerful the world suddenly was.

 

Kaeun’s smile was magical.

 

“Of course. You’re my one pick, Kkang-chan.”

 

A bright laughter followed behind Juri’s revelation. The first real laugh Kaeun’s made all night. “Wasn’t Yena your one pick?”

 

Juri shrugged. “I lied. She asked me to pick her, so I did. But I’ve actually been voting for you.”

 

“You’re a sweet girl, Juri.” 

 

She knows Kaeun probably means nothing by it, but she could feel her cheeks heat up and her stomach do summersaults. Juri was suddenly aware of their close proximity. How the side of Kaeun’s palm brushed against Juri’s arm and how their shoulders were millimetres apart from brushing against each other. The lack of distance between them actually serves as a reminder of just how unreachable Kaeun was to Juri.

 

“Careful.” Juri cautions, voice barely above a whisper. “Wouldn’t want Sakura-chan to accidentally hear that, would you?”

 

She hopes the bitterness in her voice wasn’t apparent. Sakura was a sweetheart. She didn’t deserve to be the target of Juri’s jealousy. 

 

“It wouldn’t matter much.” Kaeun states simply, shrugging and sounding detached as she said so. Juri couldn’t help but look back at Kaeun in confusion.

 

“I thought the two of you were...?”

 

“Oh. I guess. Maybe.” Kaeun easily shrugs, as if the subject at hand was of no importance to her. “Maybe we were both just lonely. Now, we’ve decided to focus on more important matters. Whatever we had can pick itself back up after this competition, if it was meant to be.”

 

“That’s professional. I think.” 

 

Kaeun snorts at Juri’s reply. She lightly bumps her shoulder against Juri’s, who bumps her right back. 

 

“Thank you. For staying. And listening to me.”

 

Juri shakes her head. She doesn’t think she helped out at all to be honest. She doesn’t remember saying anything that would constitute as cheering up Kaeun, but the smile on the latter’s face was undeniable. She must have done something right. Lee Kaeun was positively glowing.

 

“I just think you’re the most beautiful when you’re smiling. That’s all.” The honest confession stumbles out of Juri’s mouth like a drunken man walking down a straight path. Juri was blushing, trying to hide her face to no avail because the room was literally COVERED in mirrors.

 

She feels Kaeun lean into her, head resting against Juri’s shoulder and she has to remind herself that this was what friends do. Casual, platonic friends lean on each other all the time. No big deal. No reason for her heart to beat the way it was currently beating.

 

“Takahashi Juri. Great singer, great dancer, and also quite the charmer. Did I miss anything?”

 

“Yena says I look like an egg.”

 

“Yeah. That too.” Kaeun giggles. Lighthearted and youthful, it makes Juri think of magic and pleasant things. Happy things.

 

She didn’t want to join the competition before, but now she wanted nothing more than to debut in a group with this girl beside her. She was once living life comfortably, everything seemingly within her grasp.

 

She discovers her hands were too small, and that the things she held in her hands were even smaller. Now Juri was a dreamer, just like the rest of them.

 

 

 

************

 

 

14th.

 

Lee Kaeun came in 14th in the competition.

 

Kaeun didn’t make the final 12. She didn’t make the cut.

 

There was stunned silence, before everyone around her just burst into tears. Tears of despair, tears of outrage....

 

Juri was one of them. Crying her heart out as she cursed all the circumstances and contributing factors to Kaeun’s disappointing rank, all the while not caring that she didn’t make it as well. She cursed Mnet. She cursed the voters. Heck, she cursed the entire country that she’s fallen in love with over the past few months for letting Kaeun down. They were wrong. This is wrong. 

 

And Kaeun was still smiling. 

 

Even as Yunjin ran down from the audience and into her sister figure’s arms. Even as Yena hugged the life out of the taller girl’s body, the smile never left Kaeun’s face.

 

Such strength. Such absurd strength. There will be articles written probably, about how Kaeun’s smile never fell even when faced with such crushing disappointment. About how she handled it with class, with her head held high as she cheered and applauded the 12 winners of the competition.

 

Juri knew better.

 

Juri has seen Kaeun with her walls down.

 

Which was why the very first thing she did the moment the show went off the air and she’s said her goodbyes was to run towards the nearby dorms of the English Village they stayed at in search of Kaeun. The older girl’s already disappeared somehow, making Juri’s search even more frantic.

 

She arrives at the dorm room she shares with Kaeun and 6 other trainees after a short sprint. The dorms weren’t that far from the filming studio. It was a ghost town. With everyone else still probably saying their goodbyes at the set, the dorms themselves were probably empty save for some suitcases but the moment Juri opens the door she finds that statement to be untrue.

 

The dorms weren’t empty. The girl that she had been running after was standing by one of the beds, packing her bags like nothing was bothering her.

 

“Kaeun-unnie—“

 

“Oh hey. I’m sorry you didn’t make it Juri-chan. We tried our best, didn’t we?” Kaeun smiles wide, but Juri has seen that smile before. It was a fake one. A decoy. A defensive mechanism, probably developed through years of constant disappointments.

 

Juri’s eyes water at the thought, but no.

 

She had to be strong.

 

“Kaeun...” she tries again, but the other girl continues to cut her off again, as if afraid of what might happen if she stops talking. 

 

“We gave it our all. Our everything. We gave it the best we had. Blood, tears, sweat, our very souls...we threw it all into this competition...”

 

“Kkang-chan.” Juri walks closer towards Kaeun as she notes the way the older girl’s shoulders start to tremble and the rising pitch in her voice.

 

Kaeun finally locks eyes with Juri and the latter was met with one of the most heartbreaking sights she’s ever seen. Brilliant eyes glistening with tears. Kaeun’s lips quiver as her smile wavered. What has this world done to this angel...?

 

“I gave it my all, but it wasn’t enough.” Kaeun wheezes. She reaches out for Juri, prompting the younger girl to walk closer so that she could use the Japanese girl for support. Soft, trembling hands gripped onto the Produce 48 uniform Juri was still wearing as Kaeun broke down the walls she’s built around her.

 

Juri wrapped an arm around the taller girl, muffled sobs pressed into her shirt as the powerful Lee Kaeun of Afterschool shattered in front of her. In her stead was a girl of 24, hopes and dreams destroyed by the system that she willingly joined 6 years ago.

 

“W-why was it not enough? What did I do wrong?! W-why—why am I not enough?!” Kaeun looks up at her, tears spilling down her cheeks as she pleads for an answer that Juri could not give. The world was cruel. Unjust. Unfair. Unforgiving.

 

Kaeun deserves everything. 

 

It hurt more than anything to hear the girl that she looks up to bring herself down like that.

 

“Kkang-chan don’t talk like that....” Juri coaxes, unable to control the tears rolling down her own face but Kaeun was inconsolable at this point. Almost manic as she screams into Juri’s arms. 

 

“Why am I...I don’t want to go back! I don’t want to go back to being a NOBODY again! I don’t want to wait around forever doing ABSOLUTELY NOTHING as my life passes by me!”

 

Kaeun’s knees give way, and suddenly Juri was bent over, rubbing soft circles into the Pledis trainee’s back as the older girl sinks to the floor. It was as if every ounce of strength had just left Kaeun’s body simultaneously. Despite that, her grip on Juri’s clothes were like a vice, and to be honest Juri was hoping to keep this uniform as a reminder of her time on this show but she supposed she didn’t mind if it had a few holes in it if Kaeun was the one to rip it.

 

It might even be quite apt, considering the results of the show.

 

“A-and...and you didn’t make it. How did you not make it as well Juri-chan?? You’re beautiful and amazing and—“

 

Kaeun trails off, and Juri shakes her head. 

 

Juri cups Kaeun’s cheek, thumb wiping away the tears present and effectively cutting off whatever else the older girl had to say. Amazing and beautiful, Kaeun calls her. How ridiculous. Almost everything she’s learned in this competition, almost every achievement....

 

She couldn’t have done this without Kaeun.

 

“I can’t hold a candle to you.” Juri whispers. 

 

She’s been an idol for 7 years now. Most of the people who know her, colleagues and fans included would say that Juri was proud. At times she would even border on conceited, but she means what she said.

 

As high a regard as she holds herself, she holds Kaeun at a much higher spot. She’s known the girl for 4 months now, and she’s spent a majority of that time staring at Kaeun in complete awe. There was infatuation, at times there might even have been envy, but above all else there was respect.

 

And Juri would not sit back and just allow Kaeun to disrespect herself.

 

As if coming to her senses, Kaeun’s eyes widen as they search Juri’s own, before they dart downwards towards the fistful of clothing she had in her hands.

 

“I’m s-sorry. I’m a mess and I crumpled your clothes! I-I’m so stupid I’m sorry Juri-chan...” Kaeun’s hands shoot back so fast you’d think Juri had just caught on fire. 

 

Kaeun gets back on her feet, wobbly and shaky but she manages to stand at her full height so that Juri was now looking up at her. Kaeun looked sheepish and apologetic, with a flush on her cheeks that Juri has never seen before but was definitely a fan of.

 

“It’s okay to cry, Kkang-chan.” Juri says with the most reassuring smile she could manage as she wiped away the remainder of her own tears on the back of her sleeve. “You’re always so strong, but you don’t have to be that way with me. You can let your walls down, I won’t tell anyone.”

 

Something changes in Kaeun’s gaze. It becomes heavy and intense, as if she was contemplating something behind them. 

 

Juri questions the silence. She wonders if she said something wrong, because silence was NOT the usual follow up for the things Juri had just uttered out. Was it too late to apologize?

 

Juri opens to try, but before any words of apology could leave she sees Kaeun leaning in and before she could process what was going on—

 

Kaeun was kissing her.

 

Soft lips press insistently against hers, swallowing the surprised gasp that she makes. Hands come up to cup her cheeks and to hold her steady as Kaeun deepens the kiss, hungrily and expertly involving tongues into the equation. Juri was still as a board. Too shocked to respond, until eventually it got to be too much.

 

The taste of Kaeun on her tongue, the burning touch that Kaeun’s fingers leave on her skin, the insistent way those lips move against hers...Juri couldn’t help but kiss back. 

 

To the best of her ability that is. Juri was a good kisser even if she does say so herself, but Kaeun kisses like she dances. Fierce and determined, but with an ethereal grace that leaves you hungry for more. She couldn’t help the sounds that left her when Kaeun’s hands start to wander towards more sensitive parts of her body.

 

Kaeun’s lips leave hers, kissing down her jaw and neck leaving a blazing hot trail on the expanse of skin where those lips pass through. It felt amazing. Juri’s head was swimming as she allows Kaeun to continue doing whatever it is she was doing. It was so sudden, she couldn’t even come up with the proper reaction to the situation.

 

“Kaeun—“ Juri gasps as she feels Kaeun’s hands slip underneath her skirt.

 

The older girl stops momentarily, bringing her head up to stare at Juri straight in her eyes. There was a fire in Kaeun’s eyes that the Japanese girl was afraid would engulf her completely if she allowed it to. 

 

“Please.” Kaeun’s voice was throaty and low, sending shivers up Juri’s spine as she spoke. “Please Juri. Just for tonight. I...I need this.”

 

Juri’s eyes dart towards the swollen lips hovering inches away from hers as she registers the unmoving hands underneath her skirt, fingers hooked onto the waistband of her underwear like a promise.

 

It feels like an eternity, when in reality Kaeun didn’t need to wait long for an answer. Juri nods almost immediately, choosing to allow Kaeun’s flame to set her body on fire. The older girl picked up where she left off in a flash, guiding Juri towards the nearest bed as she starts to undress the willing Japanese girl underneath her.

 

If this was what Kaeun needed, then this was what Juri wanted to do. She allowed the older girl to claim her body as her own, surrendering to Kaeun as she took in every emotion the older girl needed to unleash on her.

 

 

 

************ 

 

 

“When are you flying back to Japan?”

 

Juri sits up to look at Kaeun getting dressed at the foot of the bed. She feels like she could barely move a muscle after the strenuous activity she just went through. Kaeun was a bloody animal between the sheets.

 

“Probably tonight.” Juri hummed, belatedly realising how sore was. It felt like she had been singing the entire night. Well, technically she had been. Kaeun made her sing alright. Songs of praise and encouragement.

 

Kaeun pauses while halfway putting on a sweater she had fished out from her suitcase. “Oh. That’s soon. You...have a schedule?” 

 

Juri shook her head and laughed. “I don’t think so. I think our management just doesn’t want to pay for a hotel, so we’re flying off early.”

 

Kaeun nodded in understanding. She understood how it works, and with a group as big as the 48G, you probably had to save on expenses where it matters. 

 

Juri watches as Kaeun stares off at nothing in particular, staying quiet for a full 5 minutes seemingly lost in thought.

 

“You could...stay over at my place if you’d like...? I live in the Afterschool dorms, and there’s only 2 of us there anyways...” Kaeun suggested carefully, perhaps with even a tinge of hope in her voice if Juri was imagining it.

 

“You don’t have to, Kkang-chan. You don’t have to feel responsible for this. We both needed it.” 

 

Kaeun needed to let out some steam, and Juri was the perfect person to do so with. She understood that. She didn’t need Kaeun feeling guilty about using her. In fact, it was quite literally Juri’s pleasure to do so.

 

“No...” Kaeun began, eyes warm as she looked at Juri. “I want you to stay.”

 

It takes her a moment. There were so many questions in Juri’s head. What about Sakura? What about Kaeun’s other plans? Where was this going? Would this just end with Juri getting her heart broken for getting her hopes up? Many more questions rise from Kaeun’s simple invitation but Juri realises that the questions don’t matter because the answers don’t matter.

 

Kaeun has made a request of her. Who was she to say no?

 

“Then I’ll stay.”

 

For the first time that night, a genuine smile occupies the elegant canvas that was Lee Kaeun’s face. 

 

“Okay.”

 

“Okay.” Juri repeats, mirroring the smile on her own face.

 

“I’ll text you the address.” Kaeun says as she gets up after checking her phone. Her manager must have been calling her the entire night, plus all the other girls who must have wanted to check up on her after she didn’t make it into the final group. Kaeun was very much well loved by everyone on the show. It was just fortunate they didn’t think to look inside the dorms yet.

 

“Let me know when you’re coming yeah? I have to go now. Yunjin’s looking for me. Are you ok on transport?” Kaeun fretted. This was the Kaeun that Juri was used to. Motherly and caring, like a typical older sister figure.

 

An older sister that she just had with. 

 

Huh. Maybe Juri has issues that she needs to work out or something. Maybe later.

 

“Don’t worry. I’ll manage.” Juri assures Kaeun while shoo-ing her away.

 

Kaeun hesitates slightly, before walking back to Juri and planting a quick kiss on the (still completely ) younger girl’s lips. Juri blinked in surprise, not expecting it at all. 

 

“I’ll be waiting, okay?” Kaeun says, flashing her trademark eye-smile before walking out the door, luggage in tow.

 

Juri collapses back onto the bed, a dumb smile on her face as she punches the air in glee. She could probably name about 30 other girls who wishes she was in Juri’s position tonight. Kaeun was a dream, and that dream had just invited Juri into her house.

 

Screw not getting into IZ*ONE. Juri feels like she had just won the world.

 

Suddenly the room’s door swings open and in walks Choi Yena, face still puffy from all the crying she had been doing and the girl pauses when she notices Juri lying in bed.

 

“Hey Yena.” Juri greets casually. “Congrats on making the cut. Proud of you.”

 

3.

 

2.

 

1.

 

As if on cue, Yena shrieks.

 

“WHY IS THE EGG ??!” 

 

 

 

_____________________________________________________________________________

 

Hello! So, uh... whatchu think? 

 

Do you know what was the hardest part of writing this fic? It was finding pictures of Juri to use where she was FULLY CLOTHED. How many bikini shoots do you even need to do?! Man's not tryinna get taken down by AFF for using scantily clad pictures Juri sheeeesh.

 

I tried my best to apply what little knowledge I have of 48G into this fic. I'm learning, please be kind. 

 

As you might have guessed, this fic was me trying to write angst about Kaeun's rank, while still making it somewhat believable. I'm not upset about her not making it into IZ*ONE anymore though. I'm quite chill with it now. I can even pronounce IZ*ONE's name the way it's supposed to be pronounced, instead of Izone hahahaha

 

This was a fun oneshot to write. I'm not sur ehow popular it will be, but hey! This was something I felt like doing and I'm glad I stuck through with it! Let me know what you think of it in the comments below, and maybe you could recommend me something else to write? I don't know. I'm on a Produce48 binge right now.

 

Let me end this fic with two of my favourite Safe For Work Juri related pics:

 

Juri being soft with Miyawaki!

 

oh and

 

Juri being adorable AF.

 

Thanks for reading guys!