From Sojungie:

Are you coming?

Come on, I’ll hook you up with front row tickets!!

 

Jiyeon’s phone buzzes for the third time since she’s entered the radio studio. It was cute the first time, seeing as it could easily pass as a mistake. Whether she likes it or not, Jiyeon has pretty girl privilege – they will easily excuse her for that.

 

It wasn’t as funny the second time around, but still, she apologized and alleged it was a work related message. It sounded like a good explanation, forgivable even, despite it being far from the truth. (Then again, how would anyone know, anyway?)

 

The third time it happens, her manager gives her a look that means she’s going to get in trouble if she doesn’t deal with the situation as soon as possible. And so she does, less than eager to get yelled at after work for playing around with her phone.

 

To Sojungie:

I’m busy right now

I’ll get back to you in a bit ^^

 

Before her manager has the time to open his mouth, Jiyeon is already pocketing her phone. It is impeccable timing — just in time for the commercials to end. The green light in the studio comes on to signal that they’re on air and Jiyeon braces herself.

 

She forgets about her phone for the time being, has to anyway, instead trying to focus on what she’s meant to be doing. The agency would have her if there were suddenly rumors going around saying that she is unprofessional. (She just hates to have to say no to Sojung. Though, honestly, she hates being forced out of the house even more.)

 

“Our guest today is the star of the most viewed drama of the summer,” the host announces, some sort of upbeat instrumental playing in the background as she speaks. “Kim Jiyeon from The Black, hello!”

 

“Hello,” she greets the host. “And hello to everyone listening to us right now. I’m actress Kim Jiyeon and I play the part of Kim Bona on The Black. Thank you for having me.” The self-introduction comes easy to her, no more challenging than reciting her lines on set.

 

“This is a viewable radio broadcast, so you can say hello to the cameras as well.”

 

She knows that, of course. It was on the script they provided her with beforehand – and she studied it quite thoroughly. Obviously, she is aware. Still, Jiyeon purposely makes a fuss out of trying to locate the cameras, smiling softly when she lands eyes on one.

 

Radio broadcasts are all fairly similar. Sit down for an hour, answer a couple of questions, get up and leave just before her starts to get numb because of the uncomfortable sitting arrangements.

 

“Can you tell us about The Black?”

 

They’re following the script. Good. If there’s one thing Jiyeon hates, it’s when the host tries to get smart and ask her something she hasn’t prepared for.

 

“The Black is a drama about a group of four girls who find themselves getting famous at a rapid rate after one of them has their fancam go viral online. That’s Kim Bona, the character I play,” Jiyeon explains.

 

“This is actually not something we prepared, so you won’t find this on the script,” the host chuckles, making Jiyeon feel silly for mentally praising her before. Of course. “But I’m curious, so I have to ask. Similarly to what happens in the drama, your character gained a lot of love and recognition from the audience. Have you noticed people are calling you Kim Bona?”

 

Phew. Alright, maybe she spoke too soon. It’s second nature for her to be distrustful, so she sometimes forgets not everyone is ill intentioned. That, and she’s on edge today. “Rather than thinking of it as being confused with my character, or anything of the sort, I just believe that my co-star’s lines were so memorable that without realizing it, people started calling me Kim Bona,” Jiyeon giggles.

 

It would be wrong not to mention her co-stars, especially when the majority of them were her seniors and she has to give credit where credit’s due, but also because the name Kim Bona gained recognition for being her group mate’s preferred way of addressing Jiyeon. Or, you know, in the drama anyway.

 

(Half of her co-star’s lines when addressing her character started with “Kim Bona” and, though it sounded strange at first, it quickly turned into a sort of inside joke on set and among the fans. Actually, Jiyeon would probably hate to have anyone address her by her full name like that, in real life. Needless to say, people calling her Kim Bona definitely wasn’t planned and it came as a surprise. In time, she ended up warming up to it, though.)

 

“Do you mind?”

 

“Oh, not at all. I take it as a sign that both the drama and my character were loved and well received by the public.”

 

The host hums, then continues to ask her the questions they’ve prepared. “You did amazing as a dancer and singer. Do you have any type of previous experience? How did you prepare to play an idol?”

 

“Well, I watched a lot of fancams,” Jiyeon laughs, embarrassed by the time she spent analyzing other girls’ gestures and choreographies. Thankfully, it all passes as research so she doesn’t worry.

 

(Purposely, Jiyeon leaves out the part where she used to be a trainee and met Exy from WJSN – who will always just be Sojung to her – when they were both still teenagers. There’s always next time to share that piece of information with the fans.)

 

“Really?” The host sounds as though she’s surprised. It’s a drama about a girl group – where else was she supposed to have gotten her information from? But then it becomes clear that the host’s shocked gasp was only a prelude for her next question. “Was there anyone in particular you were inspired by?”

 

“There is,” Jiyeon admits. “It wouldn’t be fun to name them, especially seeing as I don’t personally know them, so I will choose to protect their identity, but there was someone I watched closely while preparing for the part of Bona.”

 

That morning, Jiyeon had made a point to look at herself in the mirror and say, “You will not bring up Kim Seola.” Naturally, that had served absolutely no purpose seeing as she willingly started to talk about the girl – without really mentioning her name, but she knows who she means, even if no one else does – the minute there was an opportunity to mention her.

 

It’s silly. Makes her feel like she’s a teenager again, when a new trainee would join the company and she would tell Sojung about how pretty they were. Except now she’s an adult and Seola is Sojung’s group mate, which sort of just makes it weird – doesn’t it?

 

Sojung has wanted to introduce them, on several occasions, but Jiyeon always makes sure to chicken out and nothing ever really happens. Which is perfect because that’s exactly the way she wants it to be. Really, she just thinks Seola is beautiful.

 

And talented.

 

And she loves the way Seola’s voice sounds.

 

Also, maybe – her lips.

 

But that is it.

 

There’s no way to know how serious she is about someone that she does not know. Jiyeon likes the safety that that brings, not actually being acquainted with Seola. She plans to keep things the way they are.

 

“To be completely honest, I did know of this person before. I’ve heard people say we look alike, though I believe they just mean because we both have similar hair colors. Either way, I will confess I studied this unnie’s moves and the way she gazes into the camera. It was inspirational… I believe she’s incredibly talented.”

 

“It sounds like you became a fan!”

 

(That’s the wrong choice of words. Jiyeon was already a fan, very much so.)

 

Despite herself, she nods enthusiastically.

 

“The comment section is going insane right now,” the host laughs. Nothing Jiyeon hadn’t seen coming. “In terms of comparing Kim Bona’s concept to this person’s concept, would you say they’re similar?” The woman goes off script again, but this time it makes sense. Anything to keep the audience entertained.

 

“Not in the slightest,” Jiyeon exclaims, ever humble. She’s actually half offended by the intended comparison. “I could never compare myself to someone who’s actually been in the industry for years. This unnie is a wonderful singer, a skillful dancer and she even writes and composes songs for her group. As Kim Bona, I did some of those things, sure, but it was all play pretend. I have nothing but respect for her.”

 

“951106-nim said ‘Unnie get up please’ but I’m not sure what they mean…”

 

“Right,” Jiyeon is equally confused. “If I get up you wouldn’t be able to hear my voice or see me on camera… Are they telling me to leave, perhaps?” The girl attempts to lighten the mood with a joke.

 

“I’m sure that’s not it,” the host says, as the insufferable background music begins to play once more. That can only mean one thing… “We will be back after the commercials.”

 

The short break gives her time to drink some water, go over the script with the writers and confirm with the host that everything is going as planned. There’s something that’s bothering her, though…

 

She told Sojung she would text her.

 

Now, how does she turn her down without sounding like a total ?

 

Grabbing the phone she had discarded into one of her pockets, Jiyeon unlocks the device and reads through her notifications, trying her best to appear impassive so as to not give herself away. Then, she lands eyes on her unread texts and she has to truly school her expression.

 

From Sojungie:

The rest of WJSN is going…

Which means Seola unnie is going…

Just saying ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Text me back when you’re free ;)

 

Jiyeon reads the messages — once, twice, maybe half a dozen times to ensure her brain is not deceiving her — and she realizes two things. One, Chu Sojung knows her way too well. And two, there is no way she’s missing the opportunity to (hypothetically) meet the Seola from WJSN.

 

(Also, it is incredibly likely that Sojung is watching her radio broadcast and she heard everything Jiyeon said – knowing fully well she was talking about Seola. It embarrasses her to think about it, though, so she simply ignores the feeling it provokes deep in her stomach.)

 

Hands trembling with enthusiasm, Jiyeon types up a reply, not even bothered by the fact that Sojung will most definitely give her for being so easy to tease when she sees her. Jiyeon knows she will.

 

To Sojungie:

I’d like a ticket for Exy’s solo concert please ㅎㅎ

 

Right after she hits send, the host lightly taps her on the arm. The woman tells her to put on her earphones again, before the light turns green.

 

“And we’re back with actress Kim Jiyeon!”

 

Jiyeon smiles for the camera, professional, but her thoughts are fully occupied by a long black haired older girl, who sings wonderfully and writes her own songs.