untitled ; 2024

the beginning

[3rd March 2001, 10:00 AM]

Hyun-jeong walked into the practice room with Hyuk-jae, the two of them bickering about whether cereal or milk should come first.

"Hyun-jeong, only a psychopath would put milk before cereal," Hyuk-jae stated.

"For your information, I like my cereal soggy, and I am not a psychopath!" Hyun-jeong half-screamed.

They stopped abruptly, realizing the practice room was dead silent. Hyun-jeong glanced around and noticed two boys – they must be the new trainees, she thought.

The oldest among the male trainees, Park Jung-soo, cleared his throat and looked at them.

"There you are. I thought you two had lost your way to the practice room. Come, let me introduce you to our newest additions."

Hyun-jeong smiled at the inside joke among trainees – they called themselves Pokémon collectors whenever a new trainee arrived.

"This is Lee Sung-min and Lee Dong-hae. And here are Lee Hyuk-jae and Kim Hyun-jeong. Take care of them for me, you two," Jung-soo said before walking away.

Hyun-jeong stared at the boys, particularly the one named Dong-hae. What a weird name for such a pretty face, she mused. Her intense gaze must have made him fidget.

"Hyun-jeong, don't look at him like that. He might think you want to eat him alive," Hyuk-jae teased, snapping her out of her thoughts.

Hyuk-jae turned to the boys again and smiled.

"She's always like that. Please don't mind her. She might be a bit feisty, but she's kind at heart," Hyuk-jae explained.

Hyun-jeong rolled her eyes, annoyed at Hyuk-jae's remark.

"Well, this guy might look annoying, but trust me, he is annoying," she replied sarcastically.

Sung-min smiled, while Dong-hae looked... confused?

"Like Jung-soo hyung introduced us before, I'm Sung-min–"

"And I'm Lee Dong-hae. Nice to meet you," Dong-hae chimed in quickly.

As the introductions wrapped up, the atmosphere in the practice room grew a bit more relaxed. Sung-min and Dong-hae exchanged glances, trying to adjust to the new environment and the colorful personalities they were about to work with.

Hyun-jeong, still processing Dong-hae's appearance, found herself intrigued by him, though she wasn't sure why.

Hyuk-jae clapped his hands together, breaking the silence. "Alright, let's get started. We have a lot to cover today. Dong-hae, Sung-min, follow me. I'll show you around and introduce you to the rest of the group."

Hyun-jeong lingered behind for a moment, her curiosity about Dong-hae getting the better of her. She noticed him nervously shifting his weight from one foot to the other, clearly overwhelmed by the new environment and the attention.

As Hyuk-jae led Dong-hae and Sung-min out of the practice room, Hyun-jeong followed at a distance, contemplating what she had just witnessed. She couldn't shake the feeling that Dong-hae was hiding something beneath his nervous exterior. His presence seemed to stir something within her, but she couldn't quite place it.

[3rd March 2001, 3:00 PM]

Later that day, during a break, Hyun-jeong found herself standing next to Dong-hae in the hallway. She decided to strike up a conversation, hoping to learn more about the new trainee and perhaps ease some of the tension she sensed in him.

"So, Dong-hae," she began casually, "how are you finding everything so far?"

Dong-hae looked up, surprised by her approach but relieved at the friendly tone. "It's... a lot to take in. I didn't expect to be thrown into such a high-energy environment right away. But I'm excited."

Hyun-jeong nodded, offering a reassuring smile. "It can be overwhelming at first, but you'll get the hang of it. We all did. If you need anything or have questions, feel free to ask."

Dong-hae's shoulders relaxed slightly as he returned her smile. "Thanks, I appreciate that."

As days turned into weeks, Hyun-jeong and Dong-hae began to develop a tentative friendship. Hyun-jeong, who initially saw Dong-hae as just another trainee, started to understand his background and the pressures he faced. She discovered that Dong-hae's journey was not unlike her own, filled with struggles and dreams of making it big in the world of K-pop.

Their bond grew stronger as they navigated the ups and downs of their training together. However, not everything was smooth sailing. Internal tensions and the challenge of maintaining balance in the group began to surface.

Hyun-jeong found herself caught between her growing friendship with Dong-hae and her existing relationships within the group, including the dynamics with Hyuk-jae and the other members.

Meanwhile, Dong-hae faced his own set of challenges, including proving himself to the more seasoned members and finding his place in a group where he felt like an outsider.

As the two of them supported each other through their struggles, they both began to realize that their journey was just beginning, and the road ahead would be filled with both trials and triumphs.