OPEN YOUR EYES (BLIND I) - MUSIQ SERIES PART 2

PROLOGUE. TRIP INVITATIONS AND TATOO IDEAS

After the auditions were held at MusiQ Entertainment, they took less than a week to tell the applicants through a text message whether they had been selected to join the company. In the end, nineteen lucky people were able to join the company and soon they had to go to the company building to get familiar with it and get their schedules.

Everyone decided to prepare them a warm welcome and celebrated it by ordering pizzas to the building and having dinner together at the cafeteria -the C1K boys included-. Even after seeing the boys at the audition, they were still surprised with how warmly they welcomed them and how they were really trying to get to know all of them.

Heejin, the trainee with the longest training period, felt the need to take the new trainees under her wing in a sense and was seen trying to interact with every new trainee and show them she was approachable and they could go to her whenever they needed anything. Although they were the new trainees, she wanted them to grow close to the older trainees as well so they felt like a big family.

"Anyone can tell you are trying really hard," Axel said throwing his arm over her shoulders as she relaxed near the entrance after just talking to some of the new trainees. "They are probably still too shy; give them some time and they will surely open up more. It's just their first day."

"I just don't want anyone to feel alienated," she confessed. "It's the first time so many people have joined the company at once and I'm not sure how to handle it."

"You don't need to take care of it by yourself, you know? We will all have to work together. Although it will be harder for some and easier for others."

"Is that why you have been standing away from the rest for the last couple of hours?" she teased him with a smirk on her face.

"I've been trying, believe me, but there are too many people here and I'm not exactly good with people. There's only so much I can do without exhausting myself," he admitted, resting his forehead on her shoulder to show how tired he was. "At least I'm still here. That's better than most other times."

Heejin knew how much Axel struggled with talking to strangers because he was even shy when approaching the trainees who had been with them for years. He had been improving in that sense as he could now at least hold a conversation with them without feeling like he wanted to get away from it the second it began, but he was still a true introvert.

"Do you think they will miss us if we leave for a minute?" Heejin whispered as he was still leaning on her.

"Axel!" Eunae suddenly exclaimed and approached them.

"Apparently someone will," Axel answered before standing up straight again and turning towards his sister. "What's up?"

"Remember you told me I could bring two people with us to the UK?" she asked.

"I do, yes. Why?"

"I asked Nari, but she can't come..." She fidgeted with her necklace before looking to Heejin. "I know she's here and it's rude to ask you in front of her, but can I ask Heejin to come? At least you two are friends and it won't be awkward."

Eunae was still unaware of their relationship, so Axel could not tell her he had already invited Heejin as it would raise suspicion if he did so.

"If she wants to, I'm okay with it. What do you say?" Axel asked her, trying to not smirk. "Do you want to come with us to Doncaster? You would be staying at our house."

"I mean... sure. Why not?" Heejin pretended to be oblivious. "Are you sure you want to invite me and not someone else?"

"You are one of my closest friends. Of course, I want to invite you!" Eunae exclaimed. "Now I have one person left. Axel let me choose two people while he will only choose one."