It wasn’t a surprise to Jieun that she was dropped from the evaluation dance group with Ara and Jinee.  SM were always thorough in punishing trainees.  Ara also wanted to quit since she hated the idea of working alone with Jinee considering what she had just done, but Jieun told Ara that would be childish. 

“But Jieun, she’s impossible to work with,” Ara whined.

“Ara, the company doesn’t just group people they think will work together.  You know that.  It’s a test to see if you can work with other people, regardless or whether you get along with them or not.” 

After Jieun’s scolding, Ara listened and continued to work on the routine with Jinee.  However, at the evaluation, they received poor feedback from the teachers.  And Jieun wished she knew what was going to happen. 

Unknown to them all, the storm was just beginning.

- - -

When Jieun was in or anywhere near the SM building, she made sure to keep a physical distance from Jongin.  She always dodged all his attempts to wrap his arm over her shoulder or any type of skinship he tried to initiate.

Jongin obviously taking notice to this, said jokingly one day, “Do you not like me any more?”

He knew why she was doing this but he just thought she was being way too cautious.

“Jongin please,” she said.  “You know that I don’t want to hurt your chances at debutting.”

“Please Jieun, I don’t think they care as much as you think they do.”

“If you’re a trainee that may be true. But you could be debutting, so that changes things completely.  And you’re a popular trainee.  There’s a lot of people who are interested in you and when you will debut.”

“Why do I feel like you’re obsessed with me debuting?”  He teased, before planting a quick kiss on her forehead.  “See you tomorrow.”

- - -

Jieun had never talked to Joomyun before, the boy she saw in Jongin’s group of ‘potential debuting candidates’, so she was extremely surprised for him to come up to her.

After quickly introducing himself, he looked at Jieun matter-of-factly and said, “You have to choose between two things. You can’t have both of them.  I’m not asking you to break up with Jongin but I think you need to think about what your priorities are.”

Joonmyun had observed Jongin, things were moving fast and if Jongin didn’t clean up his act now, he was sure something unpleasant would happen.  He knew, because he had been at the company for long and seen people come in and come out.   He had though