Junho slumped back into the wall utterly exhausted and drained from practice. They had been dancing and singing for eighteen hours nonstop, and he was just about to pass out right then and there. His now limited vision caught sight of a white fluffy towel dangling in front of his eyes, and he willed his arm to move to get it. The task proved harder than he had thought as his right arm seemed to be ignoring his command to lift itself up and take the towel. After a few seconds of much effort, his arm, that felt like solid lead, finally reached out for the towel his fingers clawing at the material to grab it so he can wipe the sweat off his face.

“Thanks noona,” he mumbled, “I'm so tired.”

He lay the towel on his face and pressed his hand against the soft cotton to absorb the moisture and grime that accumulated on his face. His mind was blank now, and he was certain he can do this choreography even in his sleep, even without thinking. Which was a good thing, considering his brain was about to shut down all conscious thought.

“I'm not June-sshi.” came the sharp reply to his thanks.

He tugged at the edge of the towel to slide it off his face; the towel dropping down to his lap. He lifted his eyes up, slowly taking his time. He recognized the voice, no need to see the speaker clearly to tell who she was. “Ah, sorry Minji-ah, I didn't see you.”

Her name was Seo Minji and Junho found it almost ridiculous she shared a name with their manager Seo Minjae, even if they were related. Minji was the 2PM manager's niece, and she also interned under the Coordinator's office. Junho just eyed her lazily as he always does. She was his age, and he knew her even before they debuted as 2PM. She was always hanging around the studio, following the coordinator and Minjae around. She was stuck to One Day the moment Seo Minjae was assigned as the boys' handler.

Minji had one hand on her hip as if she was waiting for something and Junho could only look absentmindedly at her. His brain shut down on him, and he could only see her in that awfully colorful baggy shirt she seems to like to wear and knee-length shorts and bright yellow socks. Her hair was cut short again, just a little below her chin, and her full bangs, in his opinion, were too long because they covered half her eyes.

“I'm still waiting, Junho. You haven't turned in your homework, it's due tomorrow, did you even take a look at it?”

Homework? Junho his lower lip out at her indicating he knew about his homework, but also that he didn't exactly have time to work on it. Minji went to the same university as he did, and was the one Minjae-hyung assigned the task of meeting with their department and making sure he and Chansung got all their credits and requirements accomplished.

“I'm tired of going up to your department and asking for extensions on your deadlines, I know you're busy, but you guys are lagging way behind on your credits.”

Junho slumped even further back onto the wall, his shoulders the only thing supporting his weight against it. He was tired, incredibly so and he could only drown out Minji's words as his eyes flickered momentarily as he heard soft laughter from the other side of the practice room. Soft laughter like music to his ears. Soft and sweet and comforting. He closed his already heavy eyes and let her laughter fill his ears. He loved her when she was happy like this, when she was laughing. It didn't matter if she was laughing because of his Jay-hyung, Junho was just happy that she was.

He watched her from the corner of his eye. His noona sat between Taec and Jay seemingly engrossed in a conversation. They were speaking English, and while he wanted to show off his newly acquired skills, he felt it wasn't his place to intrude. He could never barge into their conversations, not when noona was so focused on Jay like he was the only person in the room. Junho sighed. If only his noona knew, that to him, she was the only one he saw.

Junho refocused his attention to the opposite mirror so he could watch his noona's face lighten up with the mirth in her eyes. He watched her openly now, though his gaze on the mirror guised his true intent from prying eyes. She was so intriguing in his eyes. The way her long lashes would flutter up and down as she blinked her eyes, even with those thick rimmed glasses her eyes still shone brighter than any other Junho had seen. He wanted his own chance to make those eyes light up. He wanted his own chance to make her smile, make her laugh. Junho wanted to be what Jaebeom was to her at this instant. Junho wanted to be what his noona needed. He wanted to be what she looked for, the first thing she sees when she walks into a room.

He was satisfied for now, though, Junho, he was satisfied just being able to watch her from a distance with his small eyes. If he could watch her unabashedly without reprove then he was happy. Seeing her happy made him happy. Junho could disregard the forming knot at the pit of his being as she smiled for Jaebeom. His hyung, the 2PM leader who seemed to have caught her attention. It was understandable, Junho thought to himself. He could understand his noona and every other girl in Korea (and maybe even the world) for being as drawn as they were to Park Jaebeom. Even he was drawn to the leader, in a non-romantic angle of course.

Junho's eyes turned to the other corner of the room for a short while. Nichkhun was looking at his noona too, but the Thai was at least pretending not to, only taking furtive glances here and there, then and now. Junho laughed inwardly. It looks like he was at the bottom ranking again. First there was Jaebeom, and now Nichkhun. It wasn't surprising to Junho. In fact it wouldn't surprise him at all if even Wooyoung, Taecyeon, Chansung and even Junsu were all infatuated with her. In Junho's mind, they were crazy not to. Then again, maybe it was a good thing they weren't. Junho had no desire nor plans to be ranked last, especially not in his own mind.

Last. It was a bitter thought, not completely unfounded. Junho could understand though. Why he would be last. It wasn't like he didn't know, or see, or feel. He ranked last. That's why he was given the focus for this new music video. To increase his popularity, to have him rise up from being “just the Rain look-alike.” He let out a bitter laugh, out loud this time. Ah...I must be really tired...

Idiot.

I'm right here in front of you but you choose to look at her? What's so special about her anyway?

Seo Minji could only bite back the rage and tears that were daring to burst from her system as Lee Junho ignored her again. As Lee Junho overlooked her again, once again for the new “noona”. On the outside Minji looked calm, nothin