Late night in the company, two who were expected to be dripping in sweat from practice since monthly evaluations were coming soon were not doing anything but talking to each other, soulfully, just the two of them.
"What happens if I don't make the cut?" Mashiho realistically asks, he knows what the company is picturing for their new boy group and it is something that is not Mashiho.
"Don't think like that. I know you'll debut, we'll debut, together, I promise." Jihoon looks at him worrying about the younger as he has been repeating that same question ever since.
He knows the younger is losing hope and is close to quitting his dreams of debuting. But he won't let him give up just like that because he knows the world deserves to see his talents and his hardships needs to be known.
He went through a lot since the day he auditioned to the day he became a trainee fighting for a position to debut in a company that's full of other talented people.
"Don't give up easily, your so close to achieving your dream, why have those thoughts now?" Jihoon tried encouraging him and received a small smile from Mashiho.
"It's not that I'm giving up, but what if the company gives up on me?" He sadly asks looking down remembering how he accidentally overheard some employees talking about the expected lineup and his name was nowhere to be heard.
"Why would they give up such a talent? I'm sure they're not that dumb." Mashiho bit his lower lip at Jihoon's reply, no courage of saying the exact same words that formed in his thoughts.
'Yeah, I just wish they aren't'
"Anyway, want to hear my song?" Jihoon suddenly suggested connecting his phone to the stereo ready to play a song he composed.
"Sure, what's the title?" he asks
"Someone Forever to You" Jihoon answers and plays the soft melody pleasing to Mashiho's ears accompanying Jihoon's amazing vocals.
Day of Monthly Evaluation
"Mashiho Takata of Team J..." the CEO trailed off making Mashiho's heart beat faster than ever. Will those questions he's been asking to himself for weeks be finally answered?
"You're a talented kid in various ways. Dancing, singing, acting, rapping, you got it all." He somehow relieved a sigh hearing those compliments but at the back of his mind he's waiting for the 'but' part of his sentence full of compliments.
"But... We don't see you in our new boy group." Mashiho bitterly smiled, having been foreseen those exact words talking out of his mouth. Those exact words that made him give up his dreams of becoming an idol and performing on stage.
And those exact words that made him who he is today, a notorious choreographer whose choreographed multiple dances of multiple groups.
He's known as the 'Kpop Choreographer' that fans of kpop have given the said title to him.
"Jihoon!" Mashiho calls for him after seeing him walking near the practice room.
"Mashi, hi!" he brightly smiled after seeing those same eye-catching smile of the younger that somehow made him grow fond of him.
"Goodluck on your concert next week by the way" Mashiho speaks recalling how the older has been too busy after that announcement that they'll be having a concert.
"Don't worry I'll execute your choreography well" the two shared laughs and talked to each other a bit, like catching up with each other and throwing jokes here and there, just like the old times.
"Anyway, I'll head out now I still need to open up my academy" Mashiho checks his watch and sees that it is almost time for him to teach kids who are eager to learn the hidden beauty and art of dance.
"Oh yeah sure! Um... By the way, here you go, come if you're not that busy" Jihoon smiles handing him a VIP ticket to their concert which Mashiho gladly accepted.
"Thanks! I'll try to see if my schedule won't overlap, good luck!"
Crowds were as loud as megaphones with the highest volumes screaming for their idol who's performing at the stage in front. One's eyes wander around trying to find a specific dancer who he gave that ticket to.
'Jihoon keeps looking and coming to our side! Does he love me?'
'No! He clearly saw how beautiful I am, look! He keeps facing me!'
And one just laughed at their conversation, he looked up and met his eyes that turned to crescents after meeting his.
He waved at him and in which he waved back but with the lightstick. Fans near him quickly took side eyes at him and questioned his whole existence.
Murmurs were heard but he shrugged them off and continue watching the now very hyped concert.
"Can I make a confession?" Jihoon suddenly spoke while doing their mini interaction with fans during the concert.
"Go ahead" one of their members replied and the rest were now hiding their smiles knowing what he's about to say.
"I just want to say that someone in this very crowd is someone that means so much to me," he pauses and quickly took a glance to the area where he was and looked back in the midst of the light blue lights flashing from the lightsticks.
"he has been there for me since day one and if you're still listening right now, I hope I'll be someone forever to you" he fully faced the crowd in where he was and genuinely smiled.
"and yes, that song was for you." he then looked far ahead and the music faded in.
It was the song Jihoon wrote back in his trainee days that his group decided to use. It was a song for his feelings of Mashiho.
A song that narrates how he loved him from afar as he never wanted to get in the way of his goals.
Mashiho just stood there, analyzing everything Jihoon just said, and it slowly sinked in.
He left the venue.
It was too overwhelming for him how sudden everything was and Jihoon took it as a response that he was rejected.
He finished the concert but this time with gloom flowing through his face.
"Jihoon" their manager called for him but quickly left after handing to him a small note. He confusingly opens it not expecting it to be from him.
'Be the someone forever to me, Ji'
-
Hi hope you're doing well (*'∇｀*)
