The Shadow Of A Trainee | Bang Chan ✔️

Chapter 6.

Chan's P.O.V

The two cars arrived at JYP Entertainment, their engines humming softly as all of us, our manager and Mirae, stepped out one by one, grabbing our bags and heading toward the practice room floor. The air buzzed with the usual energy before a session, yet there was something else lingering beneath the surface. Mirae walked beside our group, guiding us with determination, her eyes flickering nervously to me every so often. She felt the weight of my doubts like a heavy blanket, but she was determined to prove that she deserved the chance I'd given her. I think she had to show me that she belonged here, no matter the effort.

I noticed her persistence but couldn't shake the caution that had settled within me since Mirae had started working for the team. I believed in giving chances, but trust was something else entirely. Yet, despite my inner guard, there was a part of me that sensed things were slowly aligning, as though Mirae's presence was settling into the group's dynamic. The way the members began treating her differently hadn't gone unnoticed.

When we reached the practice room, everyone placed their bags down and began warming up, stretching and loosening muscles in preparation for the rigorous session ahead. Mirae moved to the center of the room, drawing everyone's attention.

"We're going to practice with another group today," she announced, her voice steady despite the bubbling excitement underneath. "JYP wants Stray Kids to do a collaboration for the upcoming awards, and the group is ITZY."

As she spoke, her eyes flicked toward Jeongin, causing my gaze to follow. Jeongin's face had turned a soft shade of red, his usually composed demeanor faltering slightly as he tried to hide his blush. I frowned, confused by the interaction but let it slide for now.

After about fifteen minutes, the door opened, and ITZY walked in, all smiles and hellos. Our two groups were no strangers to each other; our friendships were well established, and we greeted each other with casual warmth. Ryujin, in particular, lit up when she saw me and without hesitation ran toward me, throwing her arms around me in a tight hug.

"I missed you, Chan!" she exclaimed brightly, her voice full of joy.

I laughed, hugging her back. "I missed you too, Ryujin," he replied, feeling a familiar comfort in our friendship. As we chatted, my attention was drawn away from Ryujin when I caught sight of Mirae standing alone in the corner of the room, shuffling her feet awkwardly like a child left out of a group. My heart sank a little at the sight. Why does she always seem so lonely? The question nagged at me, knowing I wouldn't get an answer unless I got closer to her.

Our conversations were interrupted by the sound of the door opening again, this time revealing JYP himself. Immediately, both of our groups, along with Mirae, turned to bow respectfully.

JYP smiled warmly at the teams, but when his gaze shifted to Mirae, there was something colder in his eyes, though he quickly masked it. He began to address the room, "We're going to collaborate on a song called 'You In Vague Memory' by Hyun Jin Young. It's a classic, and I believe you'll all do it justice."

A wave of excitement spread through the room, especially from Han and Felix, who exclaimed their love for the song. Mirae's face lit up as well, and she chimed in, "I love this song! I even sang it once—"

But before she could finish, JYP shot her a sharp look, his eyes narrowing as if silently telling her to stop talking. The room fell silent, and Mirae's enthusiasm faded into a quiet apology as she looked down at her feet, mumbling softly.

My chest tightened, a mix of emotions swirling inside me. Why did JYP react like that toward her? And why did it affect Mirae so deeply?

I couldn't help but feel a growing sense of guilt for how distant me and the boys had been with her. Was I wrong about her? I didn't know, but there was something I needed to fix, and I hope time would help.

Just as I was about to approach Mirae to check on her, Ryujin tugged at my arm, reminding me that we all needed to begin practicing. I nodded, but as we danced, my mind kept drifting towards Mirae, who now sat in the corner, glued to her phone, trying her best to remain invisible. But she wasn't invisible to me anymore.

Suddenly, the practice room door opened again, and this time, seven young boys around Jeongin's age stepped in, their eyes wide with excitement. They bowed respectfully to all of us before one of them spoke, "OMG, we're huge fans, but, we're looking for Mirae noona. Is she here?"

Mirae instantly stood up, her expression shifting from surprise to something more like worry. She hurried toward the boys, gently trying to usher them out of the room before they could say too much. With a quick bow toward us, she apologized, "I'll be gone for a bit. If you need me, just call or text. Sorry again."

As she was leaving the room, her eyes lingered on me for just a moment longer than necessary, something unreadable in her gaze before she disappeared through the door, leaving the two of our groups in quiet curiosity.

The practice resumed, but my focus was elsewhere. Who were those boys? And why did Mirae seem so nervous? As the questions swirled in my head, I made a decision. Once practice is over, I'll call Mirae to order lunch for the group—and maybe, just maybe, I'd try to break the walls between us and find out who she really was.

I knew the boys needed to understand her better too. There was more to her story, and I have a feeling it is only just beginning to unfold.

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A/N:

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Happy Wednesday you all!