2.

 

 

That same day:

 

 

 

 

 

To say they completely hit it off would be a lie. Both were awkward souls to some extent

 

So after re-introducing themselves to one another over a shared bowl of black bean noodles... they were silent. 

 

 

 

They just didn’t have much more to say.

 

 

 

With a brief nod or smile, the new boy was rushed out of the room and given a tour around the training facilities.

 

As he steps out of the door, the lanky boy turns around and gives Jennie a little shy smile. 

 

 

Thank you 

 

And Jennie couldn’t help but smile back, her 14 year old self didn’t bother to wipe the black bean noodle stains around . 

 

 

I guess I’ll see her around, Hanbin thought to himself, still quite overwhelmed with the events that had occurred in the last 24 hours.

 

 

 

X 

 

 

Fortunately Hanbin lived a moderate walking distance away from the training centre. Still disorientated from the days events, he heads into a nearby convenience store to get himself more food.

 

Hanbin contemplates over the prawn flavoured two minute noodles and a pre-prepared refrigerated lunch box. He definitely couldn’t eat both.

 

As he walks over to the candy aisle, looking for a small present for Byul, he nearly bumps into a familiar long haired girl whom was hunched over looking at some candy bars. He catches himself before tripping over her. 

 

 

Jennie turns around, slightly irritated by the stranger for invading her personal space, only to see the subject of the hottest topic among her classmates that day. 

 

“Oh hi!” Jennie says with her widened eyes “Hungry too, I see” as she glances over at the stacked ramen and lunch box clasped in Hanbin’s arms. 

 

“Yeah” Hanbin awkwardly scratches his hair with his free hand. In an attempt to change the subject and not look like a glutton, Hanbin asks

 

“You want some?” The teenage boy asks, slightly lifting his food-filled arms, his face displaying the same sheepish grin. 

 

Jennie contemplates for a while before replying, still feeling the aftereffects of being nearly knocked over by the newcomer. She intently stares from the young boys’ small grin to the food that was stacked in his arms. 

 

The food won her over, she forcibly thinks to herself before she replies:

 

“Sure”

 

 

 

The two youngsters get comfortable as they seat themselves on the side bench of the convenience store, facing a stainless glass window and that allowed them to view what occurred beyond the confinements of the small convenience store - the various citizens that were walking on the streets of Seoul, the busy traffic jammed with vehicles and the slowly setting sun in the horizon.

 

The two feast on the extra meal of the day, all generously paid by Hanbin before a new, and more meaningful conversation begins. 

 

“Where is your home?” Hanbin queries, as he scoops up another spoonful of cold rice.

 

“I’m already living in the dorm.” Jennie replies “I’m from NZ you see”

 

Hanbin raises his eyebrows. The boy was aware that the fellow trainee spoke Korean with a slight accent but didn’t think all that much of it until now. 

 

“By yourself?” He enquires. 

 

“No, with other female trainees” Jennie replies “You will probably be arranged to a room later to so enjoy while you can.” She pauses, and appears to process it abit more. “They do it to strengthen teamwork”

 

Hanbin nods as he fixates on the remaining food. His attention unwavered as he picks up another spoonful of shrimp flavoured noodles and slurps it down. 

 

“So what’s your deal” Jennie asks, as she stares at the boy. 

 

Hanbin turns curiously, not completely sure what the fellow girl was asking.

 

“B.I, Kim Hanbin, born in 1996.” Jennie recites in a monotonous voice, as if the same set of information had been relayed to her over and over again 

“Featured with MC Mong. Received a private interview with the boss, foregoing the rigorous audition process before being personally admitted as a trainee.” Jennie does a quick turn towards Hanbin before she again repeats..

 

“So, tell me, what is your deal?”

 

 

 

Hanbin widens his eyes. How much did she know?

“Do rumours spread about every trainee even before they enter training?” Hanbin queries 

 

“Generally, yes. A simple announcement may be made beforehand, for instance, the slightly elder boy who was admitted today too but can’t formally begin training due to administrative issues. He’s from Jeju I heard.”

 

Hanbin silently nods. 

He pauses to think abut before continuing. 

 

“So, go on…” Jennie reiterates in an urging tone. 

 

“Erm… I got lucky, I guess. They found me. And I agreed. And here we are” Hanbin laughs to himself 

 

“I’m definitely not anything special. Don’t misunderstand.  I just want to be a rapper.”

 

 

Hanbin recalls the various talents he saw during his tour around the facilities.

 

“I can’t dance” Hanbin says, genuinely concerned as he recalls the clean, sharp and synchronised movements of one particular team in one of the practice studios earlier today. 

Hanbin, despite having performed briefly on stages with Mc Mong, was never required to dance. He was a complete amateur in that regard…

 

“But nothing can’t be done, right?” Hanbin says in an optimistic tone, as he turns towards the girl her with an innocent yet determined smile.

 

 

“There’s a good saying: Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard. So, even if I possess nothing, I know that I won’t stop until I’ve done everything that I can.” The young boy says as he looks absently out beyond the glass windows. 

 

 

“Success is no accident” Hanbin says with a glint in his eyes. 

 

Jennie observes him for a while, slightly taken aback by his words. By appearance, this newcomer was just an average boy.
Talent wise? Still questionable, since she hasn’t gotten to see any of his recent performances minus the Indian Boy videos. 

But mindset wise, his will and ambition alone was impressive. His spirit did not die even after he touring the facilities… even after witnessing what the most experienced trainees could do.
She saw that he truly believed he could conquer everything and anything if he worked for it. 

 

Something I could learn from, she reflects to herself. 

 

 

At this point, the two had annihilated what was remaining of the bought food and had started gathering the rubbish. The two exit the small convenience soon after, only to realise that both their homes were along the way.

They exchange small chuckles before they walk alongside each other on their way home. 

 

 

“Your turn” Hanbin suddenly says as he halts his step.

“Huh?” Jennie doesn’t understand at first, slightly confused about Hanbin’s random and spontaneous actions. 

 

“It’s only right that you tell me more about yourself, since you seem to know all that much about me already” Hanbin points out. 

 

“I don’t see why I must” Jennie huffs, as she begins walking away from the same-heighted boy.

 

“Didn’t you say that we’re friends?” Hanbin emphasises in a matter-of-fact tone.

 

Jennie bites her lips. 

My own words have come back to bite me.

 

“I….. I …..” Jennie begins

 

Hanbin observes the sudden discomfort that spreads across the petite girl’s face. He observes the furrow in her brow that develops and the sudden change in the girl’s mood.  I was as if she was fighting herself in her own mind. 

 

Why am I here? 

I don’t know. 

I just simply wanted to be a YG artist. 

Is that a good enough reason for him? 

I’m not like him, I don’t have a clear answer. 

Various thoughts enter Jennie’s young mind. 

Insecure thoughts. 

Thoughts that have manifested themselves over a short period of 5 months. 

Thoughts that were natural to a YG trainee. 

 

Her thought process is interrupted by a light tap on her shoulder. 

“Hey” “Don’t force yourself” a young voice called out to her.

 

“When you’re ready… I’ll be here to listen” Hanbin says in a calm voice. 

 

“Who says I was forcing myself” Jennie’s hard exterior is brought back up again, out of habit. Something that even the short time she had spent training at YG had instilled into her young heart. “Kim Hanbin, I will have you know, I will debut and that is for certain.”

 

Hanbin smiles at the resolution in Jennie’s tone. 

 

“I’m with you on that one” Hanbin smirks, admiring Jennie’s new-found resolve.

 

“Let’s make a vow then - “ Hanbin pauses for a moment to look at Jennie. “We will debut as YG artists within five years OR ELSE” 

 

Hanbin again laughs animatedly at the slow to form bewildered expression on Jennie’s face. 

 

“Or else what!?” Jennie snaps.

 

“Or else, free black bean noodles whenever and whoever the winner wants for the rest of our lives”

 

“Call” Jennie exclaims in a determined voice, her competitive streak was triggered. “Don’t you regret this” she warns him in advance. 

 

 

“Okay okay” as Hanbin walks slightly ahead of the girl, still laughing to himself. He smiled so hard a small dimple revealing itself on the side of his cheek. 

 

Jennie accelerates a little to catch up to her new-friend’s pace, slowing down once they were side by side. She unknowingly had a beaming smile on her own face. 

 

 

…….

 

 

“So ….” Hanbin was the first to break the brief silence during the walk.

“Since you have had a couple months head-start, friend” Hanbin says with a cheeky smile, slyly emphasising on the word friend.

“It’s only fair that you help me out, wouldn’t you say so?” In a mischievous, playful tone.

 

“The least you can do is give me a few pointers later right?” Hanbin continues. He had a knack for convincing people. 

 

“I want to catch up with you all as soon as possible.”

 

Despite only meeting Jennie a couple of hours ago, Hanbin somehow knew and was willing to bet that Jennie was a fair play, fair rules type of person. And also the type of person to never back down from a wager. 

 

“Fine” Jennie agrees, as she quickly tries to recall how her dancing skills were

Good enough, she thinks.

 

“You’ll be joining classes tomorrow right?” Jennie asks as she comes to an abrupt stop in her steps

 

“Yeah” Hanbin looks with a puzzled face

 

“I’ll see you then”

 

Jennie chuckles at the deadpan expression on the latter’s face

 

She mouths the following words ‘my dormitory’ and points to the apartment building beside them

 

“I’ll be waiting for my lifetime worth of black bean noodles, B.I” Jennie yells as she enters the doorway

 

“You mean MY lifetime stock,” the boy yells back. 

 

“And Hanbin is fine.” Jennie hears the fellow boy’s voice echo through the entrance of her dorm. 

 

Jennie chuckles, and as if she was testing out how the name of her newly made friend would sound, she softly whispers his name

 

“Hanbin” and smiles. 

 

 

 

 

 

xx