Third Person's POV

It's been 2 months since the first episode of X Produce 99 was shot. Moreover, L and Sky's popularity is soaring high with their ranks keep on climbing up. The netizens loved the story of Sky, who was once a trainee with Weki Meki but didn't make it, and to support her dream, they wanted her to debut this time. 

On the other hand, everyone also loves how L continues to impress everyone in each round. Everyone calls her the all-rounder. They love her humble character because she doesn't boast about her talents and skills. She also remained humble despite gaining popularity. 

In addition, the netizens are impressed with how fluent in Korean the two trainees are despite being foreigners.

"Where's our next destination?" Sky asked. 

Since they only have a month left until their last episode for the show, the staff allowed the trainees to have their day off. For the reason that both Sky and L are foreigners and no one to visit in the country, they decided to just tour around Seoul. They are currently eating at Kamong cafe, the cafe run by Kai's sister. And yes, the two EXO-Ls came into that agreement.

"Hmm...Do you want to go to Myeongdeong already?" Kim Jae asked them. She's a trainee of Pledis Entertainment and Sky got closer to her in one of their group mission. 

"Yes! I need to buy my skincare products there," Lee Choon Hee answered. She and L became closer throughout the Yes or Yes stage because Choon Hee relied a lot on L during that time. 

Choon Hee is actually younger than L while Kim Jae is the oldest among them. The two Korean trainees decided to tour the two foreigners. 

Before leaving the cafe one fan took her courage and asked for a photograph with the famous trainees, "Annyeong haseyo!" the fan greeted. 

The trainees looked at the young fan, who seems like a high school student. They greeted her in reply and agreed when the fan asked for a photograph. They thought that the fan would leave them already but she started to cry after taking a group picture with them so the trainees were stunned and panicked. 

"Why? Why? What's wrong?" L asked the fan which the latter answered with, "I'm a big fan of you. I really wish you'll be part of the debut team." then she bawled her eyes out. 

L smiled and fixed the fan's hair, that's covering her face. "Don't cry. I'll try my best to be part of the debut line, okay? So don't cry anymore." she tried to comfort the fan. 

The fan is trying to stop her tears but she's still sobbing, "I liked you even from the start and became a big fan of yours when I learned that you're also a fan of EXO. I really felt proud that you're one of us." 

A few tears are still falling from her eyes and L tried to wipe them then replied, "Wah.  Thank you for believing in me and being proud that I'm an EXO-L like you. I feel like I fulfilled one of my dreams to become someone that EXO can be proud of," she said genuinely. 

Their conversation ended with the fan saying, "I'll vote for you every day so you'll debut! Fighting!" 

The compliment and support touched L's heart which made her be encouraged and work harder to be part of the debut line. After all, one of the reasons why she pursues this path is because she wants to be like EXO, who comforted her during her lowest times. And like them, she wants to be someone that can be a comfort to anyone who needed it the most. She wants to inspire others just like how EXO inspired her to dream. 

On the way to Myeongdeong, they had many to talk about. How they were touched by the fan, how popular Sky and L are, how pretty Choon Hee is, why L wanted to be with Kim Jae on their next mission, and the famous clip of L where they exaggerated that the whole world cried with her. 

In that episode, the trainees were given a chance to talk with their families on the phone. Before dialing the number of L's mother, she pondered a long time about what to say to her mother and she explained that they're not that close. After thinking for a long time, the only thing they talked about are the most basic things.

*Flashback*

"Hello, ma?" L said after her mother answered the call.

"Oh. How are you there?" her mother asked which she replied, "I'm fine here. How about you, guys?" she asked in return. 

"We're fine too," her mother replied and there was a moment of silence before they both asked each other, "Have you eaten?" they had an awkward chuckle in between before answering "Yes" to each other. 

"What did you eat?" the daughter asked which the mom answered with, "Adobo, how about you?"

"Wah. I want adobo too!" she commented then answered, "Hmm..chicken and some side dishes."

There was a long silence again then the mother finally asked, "Is there something you want to tell me?" which made the trainee get teary-eyed but responded, "Nothing. Everything is fine here. The foods are delicious. The trainees are kind and friendly. I'm having fun here," she lied. 

"That's good then," the mother responded. 

They both continued with a little more awkward conversation before finally hanging up. Instead of going out of the room, L just sat on the floor in silence. Then a few sobs were heard from her. She cried a lot inside and didn't say anything.

When she was asked during the interview why she cried she answered with, "I just miss home."

It was short but full of emotions. It was revealed that during their mission, she picked an all-rap mission. She wanted to try rapping and hoping she'll learn from the other rapper trainees but it turns out that most of her groupmates are thinking the same thing and to add to that, they are all younger than her. It became harder for her because she was voted as a leader and center and had to handle younger trainees who are hard to deal with. 

Being young, they have a hard time focusing during practice so L had to keep on encouraging them to practice. She also had to guide them in writing their lyrics even if she has little knowledge about it. 

Thankfully, Sky helped her in writing lyrics and gave her advice on rapping. Also, Lee Dong Wook gave her a piece of advice on how she can handle the group since the actor is there to guide them as well. 

It wasn't shown in the episode but behind the scenes, Ha Bong Cha has been harassing L ever since the main vocal incident. Whenever they bump into each other, Ha Bong Cha would roll her eyes on L. As a matter of fact, Ha Bong Cha is spreading a false rumor that L stole the main vocal part from her. She's saying that she acted pitiful during the interim evaluation that's why they gave her the main vocal position. In addition to her rumor, it was also spreading among the trainees that she has a connection inside that's why her rank continues to rise. 

L knows all these fake rumors that are spreading but she didn't say anything about it. She didn't even tell this to Sky, who thought that L didn't know about the rumors. She was hurting the whole time and she didn't say anything when her mother asked her because she didn't want them to worry and tell her 'I told you so.' 

She's used to keeping it all to herself even if she's hurting that's why most of the time she feels lonely. And that's when EXO came into her life. The K-pop boy group comforted her a lot during those times which is why she wanted to give back the comfort she received from them by doing her best in this program. 

Going back to that famous clip, the netizens sympathize with her which gained her more popularity because of how selfless she is.  Even the trainees who have watched it cried with her, especially those who are close to L. They know how much she suffered during that time.

Fortunately, she earned the highest score in that mission and eventually gave her the advantage to go up in ranking. 

*end of Flashback* 

While the trainees are enjoying their tour in Seoul, Chanyeol has been pestering his manager ever since he found out that L is one of the trainees of X Produce 99. He's been asking his manager to do something so he can meet L in private even for a short time. He just wants to give her advice as an idol since he has experienced being a trainee too and comfort her, especially when he watched the famous clip of L. 

The manager denied the request multiple times but the idol is persistent so the former eventually agreed. He used all his connections just to fulfill the wish of the idol and received the news that the trainees are on their day off today and will be back tonight in their dorm. 

Chanyeol couldn't focus the whole day knowing that he might be able to see L tonight. He even had a hard time choosing his clothes this morning and even asked Kai for his thoughts about his outfit.

The members of EXO still didn't know about the incident with L and the sasaeng fans but they know who is L because they always see Chanyeol watching clips of X Produce 99. They are also aware that L is part of their fandom which makes them proud of her. 

10 PM came and trainees who toured Seoul are now walking to their dorm. Chanyeol and Do Yun spotted L in a distance. They're waiting inside a car, meters away from the gate of the dorm.

"Just stay here," Do Yun said to Chanyeol after unbuckling his belt. "Okay," answered the idol with disappointment.

They came to an agreement that Do Yun will be the only one who will talk to L and Chanyeol will only talk through the phone. This is to avoid any media capturing the two together. And yes, he picked a nice outfit even though he knows that they won't see each other. No one knows why he did that, really.

Chanyeol called the manager through his phone and the manager puts his earphone to answer the call. The manager approached the trainees who are about to enter the gate.

"L-ssi," Do Yun called for L which immediately made the trainees turn their heads to him, "Can we talk?" he added.

L instantly recognized the manager then was about to call him Do Yun manager when Sky asked her, "Do you know him?"

The manager heard this and slightly shook his head to L, telling her that don't tell Sky that she knows him as a manager of EXO.

L understood it immediately and came up with an excuse of, "Ah. Yes. He's uhm... a friend of mine," she answered.

She looked at the manager and asked him, "What are you doing here?"

"Can we talk in private? I uhm.. I have something to tell you," he replied.

"Ah. Yes. Okay," the trainee answered and looked at her co-trainees, "You can go ahead first. I'll follow soon," she told them.

"Okay. Make it fast. The gates will close in 30 minutes," Kim Jae reminded her. She nodded and they all went inside.

"Did I do something wrong? Did something happen?" L asked concerned why the manager is here. The manager shook his head and responded, "No. No. Everything's fine. He saw you on TV and was worried about you."

"Ha? Who?" L asked, having second thoughts if he's pertaining to Chanyeol.

"Chanyeol," he simply answered which made the trainee's heart jump in joy.

"Let me talk to her, hyung," Chanyeol said through the manager's earphones.

The manager removed his earphone and gave the phone to L so they can talk to each other. But before that, he warned Chanyeol, "Make it fast."

"He wants to talk to you," the manager said to L while giving her the phone.

"Hello?" she answered after putting the phone in her ears.

"Why didn't you call me?" that's the first thing the idol asked the trainee.

"Ne?" the trainee answered in shock because of the sudden question. Then she remembered the phone that the idol gave her.

"Didn't I give you my number? Did you lose the phone?" the idol continued to ask her with disappointment in his tone.

"Ah. No. No. No," the trainee denied then continued, "I had no time to buy a sim card when we arrived here and they confiscated our phones. I just got my phone today."

"Ahh. Right. Okay, I understand now," the idol replied, now with a calm voice. "How are you there? Is everything fine? Aren't they bullying you there? How's the food?" the idol continuously asked.

"Can you ask me one by one only?" L teased then they both laughed and the idol said sorry. "I'm okay here. I have friends here and the food is delicious," she answered.

The two talked for a while about the trainee life of L. Both of them don't know when did they become this close, but if there's something the two know, it's that they click with each other.

"We'll be closing the gates already," a guard shouted to them. And she answered, "Ah. Ne. I'll be right there."

"Are they calling you already?" he asked and the trainee answered yes.

"I should get going already. Thank you for calling. It really gave me strength in this unending battle. I hope you all are well and happy," L said, trying to say goodbye.

"You too. I'll vote for you and I'll tell the other members to vote for you too so make sure you'll debut, okay? So we can stand on the same stage," Chanyeol said and she chuckled.

"Thinking that my idols will vote for me feels like I've already won," she joked and they both laughed.

"I'll do my best to stand on stage with you."