- Kim Seo Yul -

January had come and the year had changed. The team for B.A.P was readied their selves for preparing the debut. I became busier because B.A.P would make their debut at the end of the month. They were having their recording on the end of the year. And after the title song had done, the team started to plan the MV shooting.

MV making started and followed by Malaysia's showcase for Yong Guk and Junhong. B.A.P also had schedule for MTV's variety show and Yong Guk's individual schedule for MBC's Lulu Lala show. Himchan had also withdrawn from his position on MTV The Show's MC because the debut was nearing. The white board on my office was filled with B.A.P's schedule. The planning team had planned their debut on January 28^th with a showcase show. So, my schedule was filled with the meeting about the showcase or about the debut. And I was sure that the coordinator nunnas and also the managers already got the full schedules of the boys on their agendas.

But I had my eyes on the boys, especially Yong Guk, because he was accident-prove. He got a small accident back when they had recorded their MV. I got him to go to Lee Hoon after the accident. But Lee Hoon told me not to worry since Yong Guk just got minor injury. Yong Guk also told me that I was overreacted. But I couldn’t help but to worry.

Then, the showcase planning was started.

I didn’t think that B.A.P would bring a lot of attention to them. I got a report from MTV that many of their audiences like B.A.P and would attend the showcase. A week before the showcase, I got a report that more than 3000 fans would come to the show.

“Is this number correct?” I asked when Yong Jae Seob, one of marketing staffs, came to me with the report of the ticket sales of the showcase.

“Yes, Timjangnim,” he said. “MTV also said that B.A.P was gaining a lot of attention. Many people anticipated their debut.”

I scoffed in disbelieve then looked back to the report that I had on my hand. “Daebak,” I said then raised my gase to Jae Seob. “How about the plan for giving the special edition of their EP? Did the reaction good enough?”

Yang Jae Seob nodded. “Yes,” he replied. “And if you checked on their fancafe, many overseas fans wanted to order the EP too. The online team told me about it. So, the marketing team will sort out the country where we will open the purchase order for the EP.”

I just nodded. “Just give me the report later,” I said. “Thank you for this report. I’ll tell Sajangnim about this.”

Jae Seob nodded. “Then, I’ll go back to my place now.” He bowed. “Excuse me.”

“Yes. Thank you very much.”

Jae Seob walked out from my office afterward. I looked back to the report after he walked away. Somehow I couldn’t hold back my smile. I was so happy to hear the good result for the boys. It seemed that our pre-debut plans had succeeded. I was glad to know that the boys had managed to surpass the company expectation. But now, I would need to report this to Sajangnim then I would need to check on the boys.

“B.A.P report is good,” Sajangnim said as he put down the report that I gave to him. “They really surpass our expectation.”

I smiled. “Did Yong Guk ever say that he would turn people anticipation for B.A.P into cheers? They have managed to prove it.”

Sajangnim smiled and nodded. “You are right.” He exhaled. “What do you plan for their next schedule?”

“I gave them rest days starting from today since it will be Lunar New Year day. So, I let them to come back to their family during the weekend and expect them to come back before Ta-Dah shooting on Wednesday. Their schedule next week already filled with their debut stage show on the TV shows. Since people already anticipate them, we received many request for them to appear on their show even from overseas. The marketing team is sorting them out. We only plan to have 2 months for their promotion. So, we need to be more selective.”

“Alright. Tell them to rest for the mean time.” Sajangnim approved my plan. “But for the show, try to get them the best spot. You can ask the marketing team for it. But, try to put MTV as our top priority. They have helped us so much.”

I nodded. “Yes, I’ll put that in mind.”

“And, Seo Yul.”

I looked back at him.

“Do you think the boys will need new dorm?”

I smiled to hear the offer. “You will give them a new dorm?”

“I’ll try to speak with Heojangnim. The boys deserve a present for their efforts. But they can expect a new dorm for them.”

I smiled. “The boys will be happy. But I’ll try to ask them if they have another thing that they want.”

“Okay,” Sajangnim said. “And, when will the planning team plan their next comeback?”

I thought for a while to remember my conversation with the planning team for their next comeback on the first half of the year. The planning team planned to have marathon releases for the boys. So, they would have short period of promotion and followed by another comeback shortly afterward. The boys already aware about it and had been prepared their selves for the schedules.

“It’ll be around the Spring. But the planning team hasn’t decided when it will be.”

Sajangnim nodded. “Okay. Then, I’ll just wait for the next report.”

“Yes,” I said. “Then I’ll excuse my self now.” I stood up and bowed then walked toward the door.

“Seo Yul.”

I stopped and turned as I heard Sajangnim calling my name.

He was smiling gently to me. “You too,” he said. “Leave early from the office, has a rest on this weekend and goes back to Nowon. You have done so much along with the boys. So, you also deserve a break.”

I smiled with his kindness. But I didn’t think that I could take a break now. “Thank you so much. I’ll try to think about it.” I bowed once again then turned. I opened the door and walked out from the room.

As I walked on the corridor, I checked my watch. It already passed the lunch time so Daehyun and Junhong had been departed to their own hometown. Youngjae and Jongup had gone earlier in this morning. Himchan would be picking up his nunna first before he went back to his house. And, Yong Guk… he hadn’t told me his plan about his vacation. But surely, he would be leaving today too.

I released a sigh as I stopped and leaned on the wall.

Finally, the boys would have their debut. And even though Sajangnim said that I could take a break and went back to Nowon, I felt that I would still be needed to work. Usually, there would be many things to do prior to the debut. I had learned it from my experience with SECRET. So, I guessed I would pass Sajangnim’s offer to have a break.

I straightened my body and looked at my phone. I would need to call the stage manager for B.A.P’s debut showcase and see how the progress had done. I also needed to call the practice hall that we would use for practicing on Tuesday. So, basically, I had many things to do now. I dialed the stage manager’s number and waited for him to pick up.

“Hello, Manager Kwon? It’s me, Kim Seo Yul from TS Entertainment.” I walked toward my room as I talked with him.

Ah, yeah, I really couldn’t take a break now.

- Bang Yong Guk -

Finally it came… Our debut stage…

Probably, because we were all feeling nervous and excited, we couldn’t sleep on the night. All of us managed to get sleep just 2 hours before Seok Gu hyung came to pick us up, probably except for Junhong. I didn’t know why he could fall asleep as soon as he touched his pillow. But then, I, Himchan, Youngjae, Jongup and Daehyun were spending our night remembering our past time as trainees. Somehow, we were feeling relieved yet sad. All of us were thinking that finally our time had come. But then, we were all managed to sleep when it was dawn. And when our manager came and woke us up, we got scolded because we were lacking of sleep.

When we arrived on the venue, we saw fans already waiting for us on the front of the building. It amazed us to see so many fans there. We were wondering how many fans that came for the showcase. They were screaming when they saw our car coming to the back door of the venue.

We came out from the car and came in to the venue. We got our make-up and costumes since we had several interviews before the show started. The situation on the back stage was so busy and hectic. I even didn’t see Seo Yul at that time. I was sure that she was somewhere on the venue and taking care of the event. But I couldn’t concern about her. I would need to concentrate on my work.

And finally, our showcase began and we were officially debuted.

I got a mixture feeling when we wrapped up our showcase. I was feeling happy, sad, relieved mixing inside of me. I felt like finally my dream had come true and our showcase was a start of our path as an Idol group. I also felt blessed and thankful to have my team members and also all the staffs that supported us to this point. I knew that we would have a hard time later as an Idol Group. But I wanted to think about it later.

When we arrived on the company after the show and our trainers gave us speech, we were hugging to each other, celebrating the time that we were finally passed as trainees. Somehow I couldn’t stop my tears to come out as I hugged my fellow members. We had been going through a hard time together for the past 6 months so we were feeling the same way.

“Ah, Seo Yul nunna.”

I quickly turned as I heard Junhong mentioned the name. I saw Seo Yul stood near the door. She was smiling to see us celebrating on our own.

“Congratulation for debuting, boys,” Seo Yul said.

“Aish, why are you talking as if you’re not part of it, nunna?” Daehyun said as he came to Seo Yul. “You’re part of us too.” He pushed Seo Yul’s back so she could join us.

“Yes,” Youngjae said. “Our debut is all because of you. Without you to gather us all, there won’t be B.A.P.”

She just chuckled. “But you’re all giving your outmost to reach this stage, right? I’m just providing you the way.”

“Aish, what are you talking about, nunna?” Himchan said. “We have owed you something. Youngjae is right. You’ve gathered us all and given us the way to reach our dream. We were nothing when we first joined this company. But you helped us and made us into something.”

She smiled and looked touched with Himchan’s words. But Himchan was right. I came to TS Entertainment without having any skills other than my rapping and lyricist skills. But then, I started to learn how to dance, how to sing properly and to be a real entertainer. It was all because of Seo Yul had given me a way.

“Gomawo, guys,” she said then looked at the door because our managers came in with a cake on their hands.

“Congratulation for your debut!” The manager hyungs, cordi nunnas, the hair and make-up nunnas and Seo Yul congratulated us.

That night we were celebrating our debut. Secret members joined us along with their managers and the other teams. But somehow, I felt that I would need to thank Seo Yul personally since she had helped me so much since the beginning. I looked around and unable to find her.

“Where’s Seo Yul?” I asked Youngjae as he passed me.

“I think I’ve seen her went out.”

I looked at the door. “Thank you,” I told her then went out from the practice room.

When I was on the corridor, I was thinking where I should go. My feeling told me that Seo Yul wasn't at her office. Her office might be her place to work. But I knew it wasn't her favorite place. If Seo Yul wanted to be alone, she must have gone to the vocal practice room or the smaller practice room. But somehow, my instinct told me that she was on the smaller practice room. So, I walked there.

And my prediction was right. When I arrived on the smaller practice room and peeked inside from the viewing glass on the door, I saw Seo Yul was sitting cross-legged on the floor and leaning her back on the mirror wall with her eyes closed. I smiled to know that I was right. I opened the door. It seemed that Seo Yul still hadn’t noticed about my presence. But I noticed that she held her iPhone on her hand and she had earphone pieces on her ears.

So, she was listening to songs. No wonder if she didn’t hear me entering the room.

I smiled and approached her. But when I almost arrived on her side, she opened her eyes and saw me.

“Ah, Yong Guk-ah,” she said as she took off one of her earphone pieces.

“Why are you here alone?” I asked as I sat on her right.

I noticed that Seo Yul stretched her legs to the front so I could sit beside her.

She shrugged. “Just enjoying the solitude,” she said as she smiled.

“Why? I thought you’re the kind of person who likes crowded places.”

Seo Yul chuckled. “Anniya,” she said. “It’s true that I hate to be alone. But sometimes, I really want to be alone for a while.”

I bent my knees and rested my elbows on them. “Why?”

“Probably because I can think about everything clearly whenever I’m alone.”

I just nodded when I heard her words. But it was true. I also felt that I was able to fully concentrate and give my all when I was alone. I couldn’t work if I had someone beside me. But then, my gaze dropped to the phone on her lap.

“What song that you’re listening to?” I pointed slightly at her phone.

Seo Yul looked at the phone on her hand. “Ah, this?” She raised her phone and faced the display screen on me.

I could see an English title on the display screen. It was a song from Tyler Collins with title ‘Thanks To You’. I nodded and looked back at her.

“It’s just a song that I like when I was young,” she said as she lowered her phone and looked at the screen.

“Can I hear it too?”

She looked back at me with a look as if she was unexpected me to say it. But then, from her look, I already knew that the song might be a ballad or slow song or everything else other than hiphop. Actually, I wasn’t a fan of ballad or slow songs. But I really wanted to know what kind of songs that Seo Yul liked and always listened to.

But then, Seo Yul slightly smiled. “Are you sure? It’s not the kind of songs that you always listened to. Probably you’ll find it boring.”

“I’m sure,” I said.

Seo Yul smiled in understanding. “Okay,” she said then took the left earphone that she had taken off and placed it on my left ear.

So, it was another comforting song that Seo Yul liked. I found it was comforting and good song. But thing that I liked the most from the song was the lyric that the singer sang. It was expressing the gratitude of having someone who taught us how to see the world and how to love our self more.

But then, I remembered that she would listen to a song according to her mood. So, I was wondering why she listened to the song.

“Why are you listening to this song?”

She leaned her head back on the mirror wall and smiled. “I don’t know. I just feel like I wanted to listen to the song.” She paused for a while. “It’s a song to thankful for everything that I have right now.” She looked at me. “Including for you. Thank you for debuting.”

I chuckled. “But aren’t we the one that supposed for thanking you for our debut?”

Seo Yul smiled. “Probably you are,” she said then she exhaled. “But, seriously, when I saw you guys performing on the stage, I was thinking that ‘ah, finally they are having their debut’. Somehow I feel like a mother that released her sons to the real world.”

I laughed because of it. But I understood her feeling. She had been working with us ever since the beginning. So, I was sure that she would feel touched and relieved to see our debut. Our debut was an end of our hard work as trainees and also a start of our work as an Idol group.

“But seriously, thank you for debuting,” she said again. “I can’t become an idol like you. So, I feel that my dream has lived within you. Because of that, thank you for making my dream come true.”

I smiled. “Anniya. Thank you for making the debut possible for us.” I told her. “I guess without you to gather us all, B.A.P won’t be existed and debuting like now.”

She bent her knees and hugged them. “You’re welcome,” she said.

“Please keep working with us. I promise to make you proud of us.”

She smiled gently. “I’ll be anticipating that,” she said.

But then, the door opened and I saw Daehyun coming in. He told us that Sajangnim had made a reservation on a restaurant to celebrate our debut. So, he called us to gather and went there together. Seo Yul stood up then looked back at me with her hand stretched to me.

“Come on. We can’t let them waiting,” she said.

I just smiled and took her hand. She pulled me to stand up. But then, I knew that Seo Yul would be the one who supporting us ever since.

---

Please remember that this fic is using Korean Age system which is +1 year from the International Age system.

And it's just a work of fiction. So don't trust the timeline too much.

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