"Hi," she said.

And then she smiled at me. 

I didn't quite realize that a girl just climbed up to the rooftop. No one was allowed behind the cafe counters, except the workers, the owner, the daughter, Youngbae and me. This was definitely not the daughter. She looked smaller. 

"Hi," I replied, but I couldn't manage to smile. 

We barely had another year before our debut. Youngbae would surely not let just any stranger in our rooftop. There were already rumors of our debut, but no one really dared to come to our place, not with the owner's regulations. She was very friendly, and did not treat us like a VIP even when we told her we're going to debut. She remained the friendly landlord who offered her rooftop house to two teenage boys who were YJS trainees. 

She wore pyjamas, which bothered me more. 

"I am a friend of Shinah's cousin. I came here from Jeolla-do. My first time here," she said, her feet not sure where to go from her spot. Jeolla-do. I couldn't unhear the accent. It wasn't strong, but it was nice. 

"Oh, I see. Well, how is your impression of Seoul so far?" I asked, closing the door behind me. I gave her a friendly grin. But I remained frozen. I wished she could tell me her name, because I didn't want to be the first one to ask. 

"This is the most that I've seen Seoul so far," she chuckled. "This rooftop."

"Well, you're doing it right. I'm proud of this," I replied extending my arms, gesturing her to look around. I took a step to my left and opened the mini cooler. Some yogurt, maybe. Anything. "I don't know how you do it in Jeolla-do, but we drink yogurt on first meeting," I held two yogurt drinks on my hands. I extended my one arm with a smile.

"I don't know where you've been, but I think in Seoul you go for (alcohol) drinks," she grinned, walking towards me. She took it.

We sat beside each other on the wooden bedframe, that Youngbae and I often called The Brown Comfort. There was silence as we sip on the drinks. 

"Well, we're teenagers, we can't drink soju," I said after seven minutes of not doing anything. I was also sure she didn't even think about it anymore. 

She was surprised, I knew without glancing at her. It took her seconds before saying anything. "What makes you think I'm a teenager?" 

I turned to her, and examined her face but not for long. "Everyone would think you're an elementary kid." I realized I sounded serious, like I said an answer to a Science question.

She laughed so hard.

"My father tells me that, too. All the time." 

Her long dark hair was a bit curly on the ends. Her eyes were small, but deep. 

She told me about something her father says to her, and I remembered that I do not even know her name. 

"Have you lived in Seoul for long?" 

"All my life. My parent's house are quite far here though. I moved here  two years ago. With my bestfriend."

"Two years ago? You're living by yourself?"

"With my bestfriend," I corrected her. But I understood what she meant. 

"Why?"

We both put the empty yogurt bottles on our sides.

I almost told her.

We're two YJS trainees, and we're here going to debut soon. I hope we do. Youngbae and I are debuting with three more people. I sacrificed all my time and comfort to debut and live in this studio house, which wasn't that bad. But I'd prefer my parent's house over anyday.

Instead, I asked her.

"Why are you here?"

"Well, we went to audition for SJH," she started sharing, and she was excited. "I passed for a second audition." She smiled so good, her teeth were showing. Her eyes looked really deep. She looked like she was waiting for my reaction. I had to comply.

"Me, too." 

"You auditioned for SJH, too?" she almost screamed at me. I wasn't sure if she would have been disappointed if I didn't react the 'right' way. She was so surprised for me to wonder. 

"I passed, too. For YJS," I looked at the lights over the streets below. I always loved the silence of this place. It was not too far from the highways. But far enough for not to hear the annoying vehicle sounds. "But hey, yours sounds as good," I thought about it, and damage control was totally in order. 

"What are you going to do about it?" 

"Huh?" I turned to her again.

"Will you pursue it?" she asked seriously. 

"Why not?" 

"Well, I thought about it. Say I get really lucky, I would be leaving that life I've come to know. Even before debut, I would have to move to Seoul and be away from my family. And, please don't think I'm weird. But I know I will definitely lose my freedom."

I thought about them, too. Five years ago, when I was first accepted. 

Youngbae thought about it, too. 

First, the idea of being away excited me. But my parents didn't let me live away for the first three years. I had to beg them to let me live near the building, because the commute was killing me. They allowed me when I lied about Youngbae's parents letting him. 

I still get to see my parents if I want to, but I lost contact with all my friends. Aside from Youngbae, I didn't really have friends in high school. There was no one to trust, especially now that my debut is nearing down. Youngbae, the owner, the barista-hyungs. Aside from my family, they were the only ones I could trust. 

"I wanted to run away, but it was too late."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm going to debut in less than a year," I laid it down like it was some familiar poker cards that I shuffle.

"Oh."

She was excited hearing that I auditioned, too.

But I didn't think she liked knowing that I was near my debut. Was she jealous?

"I hope you'll realize, in time, that it's not so bad that you didn't run away. Although I'm not sure either." 

"Really?"

She nodded and her smile beamed towards me. "I think it's cool that you didn't run away. Even if you admit that you wanted to."

There was silence.

"I'm Kwon Jiyong." 

"Kim Taeyeon."

Youngbae, the owner, the barista-hyungs. Aside from my family, they were the only ones I could trust. 

And, for some reason that night, Kim Taeyeon.