Rian kicked the door open and glared at JB, “Was it you?”

JB looked up coolly, unconcerned, “What in the world are you talking about?”

Rian’s face twisted in anger, “You heard the principal’s announcement just now. Were you the one who convinced him? Was it you?”

JB shrugged, “So what if it was me. Do you have a problem?” His eyes were piercing as he looked at the other idol. Rian’s eyes narrowed, “Are you insane? Are you trying to dig your own grave? Why would you do something as stupid as this? We’re idols, how can we be compared to these losers?”

“Losers they may be, but at the very least they have their own dreams and hopes that they’re trying to fight for. Just like we did last time. Don’t you think they deserve a chance?” JB cut her off. “You should understand. We went through this battle ourselves, didn’t we?”

“It’s precisely because we went through this battle ourselves, that’s why I know that what you’re doing is insanity. You’re trying to help them? Do you know that’s equivalent to destroying our own futures?” Rian sounded indignant and furious as she stormed in front of JB. But JB just raised an eye, “Are you scared of them?”

Rian’s lip curled. She slapped him.

JB looked stunned. Slowly, he looked up at her, his eyes wide.

Rian’s voice was quiet, but the cold anger and scorn in her tone was obvious as she said, “I thought you’d really changed. I thought you’d put aside your foolish ideals. I thought you’d got your priorities right already. But I guess I was wrong. You’re just as weak and pathetic as you were before. You haven’t changed at all, really. You’re still just a naïve little wimp.”

JB stood up abruptly, “What did you say?”

Rian sneered, “Am I not right? Helping the losers just because you feel sorry for them…that’s what Jang Woojae would do, not JB.” She turned away from him, “I guess I was wrong about you again.”

“You really think so?” For the first time, JB’s tone was no longer cool and composed, “Is that what you think of kindness, of compassion? Is that what you think of friends?”

“If you want me to think differently, then prove me wrong. Prove that what I said back then was wrong too. Prove it. Otherwise…just shut up.”

JB stared after Rian as she stormed out of the room. His face twisted in anger, and he hurled his pillow onto the floor, fuming. Didn’t she see? Didn’t she see that this wasn’t just for them, but for her as well?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ji-soo looked around at her class as they stood at attention before her. Folding her arms, she glanced at Teacher Yang Jin-man, who was standing rigidly beside her. In a dismissive tone, she asked, “Do you know how to dance?”

Jin-man glanced at her. With a shy smile, he shook his head. Ji-soo’s lip curled in disgust as she studied him, “Pity. You’ve got long arms and long legs, the optimum physique for a dancer. Guess a good-for-nothing like you just really couldn’t amount to anything, huh?”

Jin-man’s smile faded slightly at her words, but Ji-soo ignored it. She began to do knee bends, indicating that he should do the same. After a few moments, she nodded, “Good. Just keep doing that.” Then she turned her attention to the students, “Your audition is in less than a month’s time. Do you all think you can dance?” Her gaze was cold as she said, “Dancing, is like walking. How many times did you take to learn how to walk? Two hundred times? Two thousand times? Dancing takes way more than that. So, I ask again, do you all think you can dance? I don’t think so.” She glared at the students, and a couple of them turned away from her gaze.

“Fortunately for you,” she continued, her tone relaxing, “You will be put into pairs. Even if one of you cannot dance, if the other can, then your group may yet be salvaged.” She turned and walked to Jin-man’s side, “Watch carefully as I cover this useless bum.” She lifted her hands and clapped them twice.

The students stared in awe as Ji-soo danced her way around the bouncing Jin-man, doing body waves and complicated dance moves. Even Teacher Ahn Taeyeon, passing by, looked impressed. Even though Jin-man wasn’t doing much, it still looked very cool. As the song ended, the students began to clap, amazed. Ji-soo smiled in satisfaction, “So you see. As long as one of you can dance, he or she can cover the partner, so that the dance still looks impressive.” She paused, then glanced at Jin-man, “How long more are you going to stand there?”

Jin-man dipped his head meekly and hurried out of the practice room. Ji-soo turned back to the students, “Now, the worst dancer,” she looked at Haesung, “and the best dancer. You.” She pointed.

Ui-bong looked pleasantly surprised, and slightly shy. As he took a step forward, JB grabbed his shoulder. With a smile and a peace sign, JB murmured, “Sorry, kid, but she means me.” He strode past the student smugly. Ui-bong’s face twisted in dislike. What an arrogant jerk.

Ji-soo pressed the ‘play’ button on the music player, and Taeyang’s I Need A Girl began to play.

Haesung’s face turned redder and redder as JB danced about her, showing off cool dance moves, looking incredibly sweet. The fangirls in the room squealed, whispering to each other, “JB oppa is so handsome!”

Yoojin rolled his eyes as he stared at the duo. They totally didn’t match. Shin Haesung looked like a complete fool next to JB.

As JB gently swung Haesung’s arms around and hugged her, Rian’s eyes widened, and her lip curled in disgust. This was ridiculous.

JB glanced briefly at Rian, and his lips lifted in a slight smile at her expression. He twisted away from Haesung and ended the dance with a small bow. The whole class began to clap, for no one could deny JB’s prowess when it came to dancing. The whole class…except Rian.

At the end of the class, Haesung was still squealing as she left the classroom, “Did you see how he hugged me? His body was so warm~ You should totally have taken a video of that!”

Soon-Doong’s face was irritated, “What did you do, save a country in your last life? I can not believe you got to dance with JB-oppa.”

As the best friends walked, they were suddenly interrupted by Rian, whose gaze was hard as she stared at Haesung, “In case you’re wondering, I can’t do it the way JB does. And even if I could, I won’t.”

Haesung blinked, “I’m sorry?”

“I can’t cover you the way JB did. So don’t even hope.” Rian slowly walked around Haesung, “And you jolly well get better, before you screw our duet up.”

Haesung’s face flushed at her cruel words. Taking a deep breath, she replied, “You don’t have to worry. I…I’m working on improving my breathing now, I won’t drag you down.”

“If you want to improve your breathing that badly, why don’t you just blow a thousand balloons every day?” Rian suggested sarcastically. To her astonishment, Haesung actually took her words literally, “Really? Blowing balloons can help improve your breathing?”

Rian stared at her in disbelief. Shaking her head, the idol strode away. This stupid woman was really beyond help. All of a sudden, she crashed into someone. The person reached out and steadied Rian, “Oops, sorry.”

Rian looked up. She had walked straight into JB. Her face twisted and she made to move past him, but JB grabbed her hand, “What’s your problem.”

Taking a deep breath, Rian faced him nonchalantly, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She folded her arms, “Now will you get out of the way?”

There was a pause as JB looked at Rian. Then, hesitantly, he began, “This upcoming audition…”

“What?” Rian interrupted, “You regret suggesting it now?”

“No.” JB’s voice was firm as he replied, “I won’t regret it, because my reasons for it were valid. And, although you may not believe me, but…” his voice softened, till she could hardly hear it, “You may not believe me, but I’m waiting for you to win. Waiting for you to show me, show me again that you can do it…through your own effort.”

Rian stood, stunned, as JB let go of her hand and strode away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

JB paused as he heard the sound of the piano, and a painful, dreadful voice singing to it. Even without looking, he knew who it was.

Shin Haesung.

He strode towards the practice room and leaned against the doorway, listening as Haesung tried to sing her parts in her duet song. As it ended, JB had to swallow a sigh.

“What are you doing here?” Haesung looked shocked as she saw the idol standing there. JB stood up, “Listening to you.” He walked towards her, his hands in his pocket, “I heard you’ve been going around blowing balloons to improve your breathing. That’s an…interesting way of doing it.”

Haesung sighed, and her head drooped, “It’s still not working, though. My singing is just…”

JB bit his lip for a moment. Then he smiled, “It’s all right, actually. As long as you’re willing to keep trying hard, I’m sure you’ll be able to improve. Even if other people say you have no talent, so what?”

Haesung moaned, banging her head against the piano, “But for singers, talent is everything! People like Teacher Ahn, for example…they can get the best musical education, good enough to become a teacher, but because they don’t have the talent, they can’t amount to anything more…”

“That’s not true.” JB interrupted. He clasped his hands together, “I had a friend, from a long time ago. A fellow trainee. All the trainers and teachers all said she didn’t have talent. They said she was bad at what she did. But she refused to give up. She just kept going, and kept going…and eventually she made it. She became famous.” He looked up at Haesung, and she was startled to see the intensity in his eyes, “I believe that no one is born without talent. And besides, success is one percent talent, and ninety-nine percent hard work, isn’t it? As long as you don’t give up, anything is possible.”

Haesung hesitated. Uncertainly, she asked, “Was…was it you?”

JB raised an eye, “Was it me that what?”

“Were you the one who spoke to the President? The one who convinced him?” Haesung’s voice was meek, but even before he spoke, she knew the answer.

As he answered in the affirmative, she looked slightly puzzled, “Why, though? You…you’re an idol, aren’t you? Isn’t this to your disadvantage?”

JB pursed his lips, musing, “To my disadvantage…What makes you think so? I think that even idols need to have their dreams, and need to work hard in order to make it big, so would this audition not be the perfect chance to showcase our desires and our talents and efforts? And besides, I think everyone else, even the under-performing students, should have a chance to show what they can do.”

Haesung stared at him for a moment. Then she smiled, “Thank you for your encouragement.”

JB shrugged, “Just stating what I think.” He stood up, “Good luck.”

Haesung stared after him as he left the room. She smiled. This must be her lucky day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One month later, the idols and the students were all seated in the performing hall, waiting for the President to address them.

JB and Yoojin were seated next to each other, a wide, gaping distance between them as they watched the President go up the stage and take the mike. Haesung was looking about worriedly. Rian was late for the performance. She tried to focus on the President, and listen to what he had to say.

After taking a deep breath, the President began to speak, “All of you are gathered here for the upcoming audition. Now, in every audition, there has to be a winner, and a loser. I hope that all of you have worked hard in this audition, to avoid becoming a loser. And now, I would like to clarify some…misconceptions you have about this audition.” He paused, meeting the eyes of the students, before continuing, “This audition will not be a competition between the various pairs. This competition will be pitting the two partners against each other.”

A loud murmur ran through the hall. Haesung’s face turned pale.

JB stiffened. He knew the President might try something funny, but he didn’t expect him to do this. He glanced at Yoojin, whose gaze met JB’s. They were both thinking the same thing.

No wonder the President wanted the two of us to pair up.

They were distracted as the President continued, “Only one of the two will be able to move on. And, to make sure that the judging is fair, we will be inviting your one and only Principal to judge this audition.”

The Principal started, surprised by the sudden announcement. Taking a deep breath, he raised his hand in acknowledgment.

“Now, let the auditions begin!”

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Hey guys, I'm back! 

So, it was JB who convinced the Principal. I wonder how many of you saw that coming? Heh. Anyway, there are Rian/JB scenes and Haesung/JB scenes as well, but all of them are mainly to express JB's character more fully. He's kinda OC from the acutal show, because honestly, did anyone else find his sudden transition from the 'i-hate-you-crazy-fan' idol to the 'OMG-I'm-so-in-love' teenage boy confusing? I decided to write the story out differently, to show that he empathizes with the students right from the start, because he understands what they're going through, and is willing to help them out. Rian, on the other hand, is definitely more practical, as she focuses on her own survival instead of helping others out. Other characters have hardly appeared yet, but don't worry, they're coming.

Am I moving too slowly, or too fast? If there are any problems, please do point them out! On a sidenote, because only a few people answered my question about the JR/Nana pairings, I've decided to create a poll instead so you can vote. Please vote!

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