It was D-Day! We were given two dressing rooms, one for the boys and one for the girls and inside the girls’ dressing room was utter chaos. As I dab some lipstick to make my lips look less pale, I look around to see some still busy doing their hair, others already slipping into the costume and others were ready and just waiting for our cue. I brought my lips together and puckered up in front of the mirror, inspecting my face which I decided looked decent enough for national TV. I carefully placed the lipstick back from where I had taken it moments ago and walked to the couch, plopping myself.

Ten minutes later, one of the staff came in and informed us that we were to go on stage in two minutes. All of us shuffled towards the door. I can hear excited babbles around. I was nervous. I took a deep relaxing breath and exhaled. Min Ah’s hand found mine and she squeezed it, reassuring me. I looked at her and we both smiled at each other.

Alright, national TV, we’re ready.

***

The performance was so much fun! I was having such a blast dancing and singing, it felt like I was in a concert. But it was over too soon, to my complete dismay. I was so into the dancing and singing that I didn’t even bother to look at the group we were actually singing back up for. I mentally face palmed. I should have looked at least once since I’m pretty sure they would be the next big thing just like their world-famous seniors.

Min Ah nudged me from behind, taking me by surprise. I turned around with one brow raised in question.

“They’re about to announce the winner now!” she gushed excitedly.

“Winner? Is this a competition?” I asked. Now it was her brow that was raised in shock.

“Don’t you watch tv?” I shook my head.

“Don’t you read the news?” I shook my head.

“You cavegirl!” she said with a loud laugh. “You could’ve at least googled them.” And so she went on a rushed explanation of the program that we were on.

What I found out was that: This show was called WIN Who Is Next. There were two groups that were called Team A and Team B (how original). They are, at the moment, still trainees. This show would decide their fate. Whoever wins, gets to debut first. Min Ah also said that it consisted of three battles. The first was judged by 2NE1 and BIGBANG, second was judged by known producers that I really didn’t even bother to remember the names since I was sure I would just forget them anyway and the third and last time which is tonight will be judged by the public and they were to perform in front of hundreds of fans and some of members of YG family. I just realized how big this show actually is by just looking at the sheer number of the crowd. These two groups haven’t made their debut yet but they already had so many fans. Come to think if it, having two trainee groups battle for a debut is one effective way to bring the crowd in, the public most definitely ate that up judging from all the people who came tonight. Clever, I thought with a grin.

“The WINNER is..” Kang Daesung, one of the members of BIGBANG, started. The music made the atmosphere so tense. For the first time, I finally saw the faces of the two groups. As I examine each of their faces, I noticed that they were all so handsome and most of them were so tall. One of the boys who sported this girly hair was so pretty that for a second, I felt insecure of my looks, when I look at him again, he looked manly and really, really y. This other boy at his right who has his head down was already starting to cry. I couldn’t see his face clearly. He was the shortest of the bunch but from where I was standing, just basically two feet away from the stage, I could see that he was a pretty boy, too. They were all pretty boys actually. I then noticed this boy who was standing beside Yoo In Na, his hair was a weird color of…. I’m not even sure. I at distinguishing colors. But I had to say though, it looked good on him. On normal boys, that would’ve just looked laughable. He turned his head to my direction as if he knew that I was staring and… wow. I was taken aback by how beautiful he was, even more so than the other boys. Our eyes locked for like a second until I broke contact, blushing.

It felt like forever has passed before Daesung spoke again. “I have the final result in my hands… Yes, I will announce it now. Who Is Next: WIN.”

“The winner is…” the drum roll grew louder. “TEAM A!”

The screams of the fans were deafening. I scooted closer to the stage so I could get away from the screaming fans. I looked up at the stage and I see some of them crying while others were smiling. The expressions on their faces was mixed happiness and sadness. I remember Min Ah telling me that they trained together, that they were practically brothers so maybe that was why they had this mixed expressions like they wanted to celebrate but they couldn’t. How do you celebrate your victory when you’re brothers have lost against you? Wasn’t that heartbreaking? I thought it was. I wasn’t even a fan of the show but somehow, I felt heartbroken, too. One tear rebelled and escaped from my eye. I ignored it. I searched for the boy who I thought was the most beautiful, I couldn’t see him. One boy stood up and there he was … doubled over on the floor and covering his face, crying like it was the end of the world.

I have never felt a stronger urge to hug and comfort someone.

***

After all the crying and the congratulations and the hugs everybody gave on stage, I went back to our dressing room with Min Ah.

“Isn’t it heartbreaking?” she asked, looking at me with forlorn eyes. I nodded once.

“I don’t even know how they could celebrate when they know that achieving their dreams meant taking it away from friends who they have trained with for so long.”

“I know, Min Ah. I know.” What else is there to say, really? This show was absolutely brutal.

Before we could enter the dressing room, I suddenly remembered something. “Hey,” I said, placing my hand on Min Ah’s shoulder. “I think I left my phone near the stage. I’m just going to get it.”

She nodded. “Be quick. I think I heard Sang Min say we’re leaving very soon.” I told her okay and ran.

There were only a few people left at the stage, only staff who were taking away the props. I try to get the attention of any of them. One smiled and walked towards me, “Yes?” he asked.

“I sort of lost my phone somewhere here but I can’t find it. Do you know if someone has seen an IPhone around here? I really need to go get it because we’re leaving soon.”

He was silent for a few seconds before replying, “I think I saw one of the staff pick a phone up a few minutes ago. It was Team A’s make-up artist. Stop by their dressing room and ask for Hana,” he instructed. I thanked him and whirled around, heading to Team A’s dressing room. Great. Strangely, my heart started to pound.

I was already outside their dressing room, one hand raised in an attempt to knock. I don’t know what was stopping me. I took a deep breath and was going to finally knock when from my peripheral vision, I saw someone walking towards my direction. I snap my head to that direction and saw a boy casually sauntering towards me, sipping his coffee.

It was him, I thought wildly. Breathe. Inhale. Exhale.

Why am I having trouble breathing?!

He was getting closer now. Breathe in. Breathe out.

He was only inches away from me now. I forgot how to breathe.

“Can I help you?” he asked when he was right in front of me.

Wow. He was beautiful. And really tall, like I had to crane my neck up to meet his eyes which was a mistake because looking at his eyes only made me more nervous.

“Can I help you?” he repeated, this time he was smiling. Well hell.

“Hana,” was all that came out of my mouth.

“What was that?”

I cleared my throat and in my mind, I tried choking myself for being so embarrassing in front of this godlike creature. He is just so beautiful. Okay. I need to stop saying that. I mentally shook my head and tried to clear my mind.

“Is Hana inside? I lost my phone and one of the staff I asked who was still at the stage told me she might have it,” I said in a rush.

His smile grew wider like he knew I was nervous and was reveling in the fact.

“Yes, I think she might be inside. Follow me.” He said as he wrenched the door open revealing a white room that had so many things cluttered on the table at the center. A girl was trying to clean the mess up, grabbing trash and placing them in a black garbage bag. I automatically assumed that she was Hana.

“Hana-noona!” he called out.

“Oh? Something wrong?”

“Did you happen to find a phone near the stage? This girl,” he said, motioning to me, “she lost her phone and she thinks you’ve found it.”

The girl smiled kindly and took out something from the bag that was hanged from one of the chairs. “Is this it?” she asked, holding it out in plain sight. I nodded and smiled gratefully.

Before I could walk over and take it, Seung Hoon, which I now remember was his name from Min Ah’s previous description of each of the eleven Who Is Next boys, beat me to it and snatched the phone from Hana. He handed it to me himself.

I bowed and mumbled a thank you. Silence ensued.

Awkward.

“You were really good tonight!” I blurted out. I wanted to kick myself not just mentally. You have no shame, Eli, I thought in disgust.

My comment seemed to have made him happy since his face lit up.

“Eeeyyy. Don’t be like that,” he replied, waving off my compliment. So he was humble. That’s cute.

“It’s true. I’ll cheer for you in the future!” I told him shyly.

“Eeeyyy. You’re too much,” he smiled widely making my heart beat stop for a nano-second. This isn’t healthy. Why is my heart acting out now? What exactly is going on?

I was out of compliments so I looked at anywhere but him only to notice the abandoned cup of coffee at the table. “That coffee must be delicious” the words were out before I even have time to think. I inwardly groaned at how I was so good at embarrassing myself. He gave me a boyish smile that almost made my heart stop altogether. Damn your smile. I don’t remember anyone’s smile having that effect before. This is the first time. This is frustrating.

Before he could make any response to my stupidity, I held out a paper and asked for an autograph. He raised one perfect eyebrow. “Really?” I nodded. Why wouldn’t I want one?

“But I don’t have a sign yet,” he admitted, scratching the back of his head.

“Uuuhhh. You can just write your name,” I suggested nervously. Calm the heck down, Eli!

He smiled and nodded, taking the paper from me.

“What’s your name?” he asked.

“Uh. Eli.” Even saying my name was a struggle. Eomma I can’t breathe. Save me!

He gave me back the paper and I smiled, he wrote my name in big letters and wrote his in really smaller ones. He then leaned in and whispered, “This is a secret between you and me okay? The fact that I don’t have a sign yet. I never thought we’d win so I hadn’t thought of coming up with a sign.”

Inhale. Inhale. Inhale. Was I forgetting something? Oh , right. Damn. Exhale.

“O-okay,” I managed to finally say, praying to God that I wasn’t blushing. He was close, too close. He straightened and I released another breathe of relief.

There was silence again. I shuffled my feet anxiously as he looked at me expectantly. What am I supposed to say? Thankfully, four other choir members arrived at the door which we failed to close and asked Seung Hoon if they could come in. He said yes. They all bowed to him and congratulated him and I just followed suit.

“Congratulations oppa!” I uttered. He looked at me with that glorious smile of his and asked, “Oppa? I’m your oppa?” The way he said it, with that teasing smile, just made the butterflies in my stomach that I didn’t know I had, go wild “Do I l-look that old?” I stumbled on my own words, goddamn. “How old are you?” he asked. I told him I was about to turn eighteen next year and he nods, smiling.

“Oppa,” one of my friends called him “Can we take a picture with you?”

“Eh? I can’t. I cried a lot tonight so my face must look really horrible. Maybe next time?” he said, looking very apologetic. We all nod. He sighed in relief.

We were all filing out now and my friends were saying congrats and goodbyes again and I just nervously mumbled, “I knew you would win.” Probably sensing my nerves, he leaned in again because he was close enough to do that and whispered, “Eyy. Don’t be like that. Be comfortable. Comfortable.” I stiffly nod and he let out a soft laugh before taking a step back.

I followed my friends but before I got out of the room, I heard him say, “The one who wanted the coffee?” I held my breath and slowly my heel. “It was me,” I breathed out, raising my right hand like a foolish grade schooler caught talking by the teacher.

He smiled widely and said, “This is your gift.” He offered it to me and I took it. My hands were shaking dammit. I wish he wouldn’t notice. When I had the coffee in my hand, he bowed and walked away but not before I saw the smile and that glint in his eyes. Even though he was no longer there, I still bowed and said thank you and half ran to save myself from further embarrassment.  

***

A/N: So how’s that for a second chapter? Did the perfect little bastard Lee Seung Hoon make your heart flutter? I call dibs on hip hop baby lion guys! He is mine! I am willing to fight for him. HAHAHAHAHA. I’m delusional, ohmygod.

But seriously though, isn’t Lee Seung Hoon just beautiful? <3

Anyway, there is one thing you need to know. I based this part off of a fan account I read right after the finale. The part where they met at the dressing room. It was that fan account that gave me the inspiration to write this. 

Welp. I hope you look forward to the next chapter! <3