Volcano - Minsung (English version)

2

Chapter 2

It was already dark when we left the JYP Building through one of the side exits a little later. A cold wind blew towards us, a hint of snow hung in the air. The first onset of winter would probably not be long in arriving.
I shivered and buried myself deeper in my woollen scarf and pulled my cap back. There were very few people on the road, a few cars whizzed past us. I was relieved because right now I didn't want to meet any fans, colleagues or staff, I just wanted to go home.
With quick steps, I walked to the entrance of the neighbouring park, Lee Know only a few metres behind me. Today was one of those days when I welcomed the fact that our flats were not too far from the JYP Building. Most of the time we were driven the short distance anyway, to get from one place to another as relaxed as possible and without much fuss. But in the late evening we were often lucky enough to be able to walk through the streets unseen. Another advantage of the short walk: I could spend my time alone with Lee Know - something we were rarely granted for my taste. I simply needed this time together, longed for it every time so much that I became really excited. Of course we had to be careful in public, but here in the semi-darkness of the park I felt quite safe.

I stopped just beyond the entrance and turned to Lee Know. A wide smile made the corners of my mouth move upwards, even more so when he smirked as well.
"You're in a hurry today."Instead of a reply, I stepped closer to him and hooked up with him without being asked.
Silently, in one accord, we continued on our way, the stones crunching muffled under our soles. It was usually the case that we fell into silence when we were among ourselves. In these moments, words were not so important, only the closeness of the other counted and the feeling of being in the right place with the right person.
With every metre we moved away from the park entrance, the noises of the street became quieter until I almost didn't notice them at all. The only thing - or rather the only thing I paid attention to was Lee Know next to me, his warmth that I thought I could feel even through the thick jackets, his sigh when he consciously let his breath rise as a small cloud towards the sky.

I couldn't help but keep casting furtive glances at him out of the corner of my eye, watching the wind mess up his hair as the lanterns created soft shadows on his face. Okay, maybe my glances weren't as secret as I'd intended after all, because an amused grin crossed his face.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing, nothing," I replied quickly, just hoping that the dim glow of the lanterns hid the blush in my cheeks.
I couldn't help it, my eyes were always magically attracted to him. The good thing was that he felt the same way, he didn't have to hide it. I had caught him countless times with dark eyes that seemed to absorb my every move and gesture. We were quite similar and had therefore been allowed to listen to numerous teasing comments from the others even before our relationship.

I would have loved to stop for a moment, just sink against Lee Know and let him embrace me while I forgot the world around us. However, that wasn't possible, at least not here.
Fortunately, we didn't have far to walk.
Still, after a quick, reassuring glance over my shoulder, I didn't miss the chance to release my arm from his and let my hand slide into his jacket pocket instead. I sensed Lee Know's brief hesitation - his eyes also fleetingly scanning the way to see if we were still alone - then his hand found my cold fingers and enclosed them tightly. A prickling warmth instantly spread from my stomach through my entire body, a happy grin lighting up my face. For a few seconds I sank into his small, pleased smile that always made his eyes sparkle so wonderfully. Only with difficulty did I suppress the far too love-sounding sigh that wanted to make its way out.
Heavens, what was it about this man that I just couldn't get enough of him?
Even when we first met during the trainee period, I couldn't stop staring at him. The other band members, and even Lee Know, still teased me about it from time to time, but it was just the way it was. I liked to claim that I was just jealous of him at the time and that's why I kept an eye on him, but it was clear that wasn't true. Whatever it was that attracted me so much, it was still present - even after all these years. He had immediately put me under his spell, from which I could not break away. And wanted to.
"You're staring again, Hanie."
"I know," I sighed after all, giving in to the impulse to bury my head against his shoulder. At least for a few seconds.
"I just can't stop it."

*

A few years earlier

Tension weighed heavily in the room, as if it could be grasped in the hand.
I blew out the air through my nose and tried to find a more comfortable position on the uncomfortable chair.
How long were they going to keep us waiting?
The training of the last few hours had been sweaty, I was longing for nothing more than a shower and fresh clothes. But apparently I had to wait a little longer for that today.

My gaze wandered over the faces of the other boys. Most of them had lowered their eyes, seemed exhausted and similarly tired as I felt. By now, almost all conversation had fallen silent, except for Chan's quiet conversation with one of the staff at the other end of the room and the two guys next to me. What were their names again?
I had met so many new people in the past weeks, some of them had only been fleeting exchanges, so at some point I had given up trying to remember all their names. The only really interesting ones were the ones who were direct rivals for me.

My eyes jerked to the door as it opened all at once, but it was only one of the staff, not the announced new arrival we were to meet today. Sighing, I slid lower on the chair and tried not to let my impatience show. Newcomer or not, he was just another rival I had to stand up to - and I would.
Everyone in this room had the same dream: we wanted to be idols. We had trained for it, mastered various auditions and signed up with JYP Entertainment. Of course, not everyone would succeed, but I was confident as far as I was concerned.

Again I looked at the others.
Although we were all of a similar age, most of them still seemed very inexperienced, almost unimpressive - unlike me.
I held back a satisfied grin and instead tried to keep my facial features as neutral as possible.A lack of self-confidence had never been one of my weaknesses. I had always been praised for my rap talent and good looking at auditions. I knew what I was good at, and if I compared myself to the others here, I would even say that I was the best looking of them all, so I had little doubt that I would get through. Besides... I had to get into the band. After all, there was no way I could go back to my parents in Malaysia and study something I didn't want to.
I loved music, how I could capture and express thoughts and feelings through it. That was what I wanted to do in the future. There was no alternative.

Again the door was pulled open, this time it was none of the staff. All eyes wandered to the boy who had just entered the room.
Shit!
He was almost as tall as me, his dark hair falling casually into his face as, after a short bow, he faced everyone's attention. His almost black eyes moved from one to the other as well, while the corners of his mouth twisted into a small smile.
It was weird.I saw his lips move, but I couldn't understand a word. My ears were suddenly ringing too loudly. My mouth was like a desert. I could do nothing but stare at him.
He was handsome. Okay, that was an understatement. His face was sharply cut without being hard. Plus the straight nose and the finely curved lips that gave him something noble. It seemed as if he had stepped straight out of a magazine. He was clearly born to be a star, surely he was also applying to be a singer here. It couldn't be any other way.
For a moment, the dark eyes narrowed when he noticed my stare. I couldn't manage to look away, I was too caught up in that intense gaze.
Damn. How could someone look so good?

"Who is that?" I murmured silently, addressed more to myself than to any of the others. Stupidly, one of the boys, whose names I had already forgotten again, heard my words and looked at me irritably from the side.
"Lee Minho... He introduced himself just now, didn't he? Besides, he was -"
I nodded absently, my mind already was somewhere else.
Lee Minho...