Jinnie's POV

          I am average, I am grey. Everything about me is average. My face is neither pretty nor ugly, I am not short nor tall, I am not skinny nor fat, I am not rich nor poor. My grades are average, my family is average, and my friends are average. Everything. Is average. I am grey.

          I do not want to be average. I want to be special, I really do, but I have no talents whatsoever. Nothing I am good at, or even enjoy enough for me to pursue. I'm never the center of attention, only a part of the audience. How can I expect anyone to pay attention to me? To find something inside of me that they can call special?

          Two years ago, a boy named Jongup confessed to me. He was shy and quiet, and I was honestly surprised. I barely knew him, so I never gave an answer. Two years later, he's become a part of the group of students who stand out at our school. He still doesn't talk much, but he hangs around his friends enough that  he's considered a part of them. He's probably forgotten about me, having spent so much time around those pretty girls.

           I walk down the hall with my friends, Hana and Eunjo, who were chattering to each other about the talent show they were managing. We just had physics and are now heading to our last class. I was smoothing down my uniform's shirt when Jongup and his friends walk by. They don't give so much as a glance in our direction, as if we just blended in with the wall. I watch them pass from the corner of my eye and oddly, felt a pang of sadness. I take a big breath and keep walking, snapping back into the conversation.

"Hey Jinnie, do you want to judge for talent show the auditions with us today?", asked Hana.

"I'm not part of the executive team, shouldn't someone else do it?", I say.

"Everyone's busy except for Youngjae, but he's sick at home", said Eunjo.

           We entered the classroom while I considered for a moment. Miraculously, I had very little homework assigned today, and I have nothing better to do since it's only tuesday..

"Yeah, sure. What time does it start?"

"It starts at 4 PM, sharp. We'll go there together!", Hana said.

          "Okay, sounds fun!" And it really did. I've always had a good eye for talent, though ironically I don't have any myself. And it will be a nice way to see what other people think they have to offer to the world. I smiled and sat down, looking forward to something for the first time in a while.

              By 4 PM, we were sitting in the auditorium seats with students' applications in front of us. The stage manager calls the first talent on to the stage. The first person to audition is a girl, a year younger than us, whose name was Hyemi, and she chose to sing for us. She made a good choice of song, as it really suited her voice, but there wasn't enough emotion or power behind it. After singing, she bowed for us, we nod, and Hana dismisses her.

          The next auditionee was a boy, whose talent is improvised story-telling, where we randomly give him a topic and he will create a whole story based on it. I laughed a whole lot, and I awknowledged his ability to come up with funny sentences on the spot without even breaking a sweat. He bowed and then promptly exited the stage.

          I looked down at his application to see what year he's in when a wide-eyed Eunjo smacks me on the arm.

"Ow! What was that for?" I shout whispered, following her stare towards the stage.

          I look up just as Jongup approached center stage, marked by two pieces of tape forming a 'T'. 

"What do you think he's doing here?", Hana whispered, curiously.

"To audition, duh", Eunjo said.

"I know that. But isn't he.. I don't know.. too busy with friends to audition?"

Eunjo sighed,  "Let's just get on with the audition," Then she said, louder, "You may begin."

             Music started playing, and Jongup moves along with the rhythm. He was really good. His moves were precise, and his limbs moved at just the right angles. He even did mid-air flips, which got gasps from all three of us.

              He's really good, I thought. I was surprised with his skills, even though I shouldn't be. I had caught him dancing last year, at the school's studio one afternoon. It was the same as then. Me, watching in the shadows, while he danced under the lights. I'd never seen him, let alone heard about him being able to dance, especially not this well. And after several minutes of taking in this new information, I walked away, hoping I hadn't been seen. At that time, I walked in feeling empty, but walked out thrilled to have this secret to myself. But now, I am only left with sadness, as this secret, is a secret no more.

              He finishes dancing, the music stops, and we can see him panting having danced with almost every thing he had. The three of us clap slowly, not entirely sure how to react. He stares at an empty space in front of us and bows, walking towards stage left. 

"That was amazing," Hana whispers. 

"I wonder why he kept this a secret this whole time," Eunjo says curiously.

"Hmmm...", I mumble.

              I don't pay much attention to the auditions afterwards. Questions and thoughts about Jongup fill my mind, and I smile bitterly, suddenly wishing that something special had happened between us, two years ago.