Not Around

Chapter 2

It was time for the trainees to bid their goodbyes. It felt horrible seeing unit mates tear up as they are separated from one another. Months of training and bonding as a unit are going to waste, what the hell were the producers thinking?

Y/N stands awkwardly near the gate with some others, looking away from the sad scene. She glares a bit at her dirty white converse. She was no acquaintance to departure. In fact, she's probably too accustomed to it.

Get a hold of yourself, Y/N. It's not over yet. You might see yourself following after them.

Her face hardens at the thought.

She really didn't want to back out now. The girl thought hard about how she probably didn't have to work several shifts a day anymore and maybe just maybe, life would be easier on her if she gets in the debut team. It isn't that big of a dream, is it? She doesn't know if she wants the answer to that question.

While she was busying herself with her thoughts, she didn't notice two boys approach her. Not until a hand waved her out of her trance. Y/N looks up to the person still a bit dazed.

"Y/N-ssi? Hi. Sorry, was I bothering you?" Ni-Ki asked her with a hint of worry in his voice, his boyish voice had a heavy accent. Behind him was Taki who looked excited.

"Hello. No, you didn't. My bad... I didn't see you there. And please! Call me comfortably." She offers them a comforting smile, signaling that she was now ready for a conversation.

A faint red scatters across the boy's cheeks and as he lets out a stuttered response, but Taki overlaps.

"Hi, Noona! You did so well on the evaluation test, oh my goodness! You're even prettier upfront, right Ni-Ki?" The boy asks him with a hyper look, finishing his sentence with what seemed to sound like Japanese. Ni-Ki looks at the older girl with an apologetic look.

"Sorry, we're still w-working? Yeah. Working on our Korean." The foreign boy admits bashfully.

"No worries, I understand. I just hope you weren't insulting me now, huh, Taki-ssi?" Y/N teases. The smaller boy widens his eyes.

"No no no! It's a compla- complo? Compliment! I said a compliment!" He cries out, pouting. She lets out a tiny laugh, not wanting to get any attention as the rest of the boys started to gather to the gate.

"Ok don't worry, I believe you. Now calm down, I believe we should start heading in." Taki lets out a sigh of relief as his friend snickers at him who in return receives a glare.

The 17 trainees who passed, got inside the egg-shaped gate. It got crowded real quick and the tall figures quickly surrounded the girl as she got pushed to the back. This led to an awkward unintentional stare-off with no other than Lee Heeseung.

"Hi, congrats for getting in Heeseung-ssi." Y/N greets. Heeseung timidly acknowledges her with a nod.

"You too, Y/N-ssi." He looked like he wanted to say something else but the abrupt movement of the gate startled everyone inside. The older boy loses balance and places a hand on the wall behind her, his face close to hers. What in the kabedon-

He quickly shifts away muttering strings of apologies. If it weren't for the tight space the girl was sure he would've started bowing with how polite he is. Y/N coughs awkwardly and assures him it wasn't a problem. They both look away, the two of them a little redder than they were when they entered.

Thankfully, no one seemed to notice the brief interaction. Everyone was too busy being amazed by the mechanics of the whole turning thing.

Shortly after, the gate opens. Whoa's and wow's could be heard from the group.