Say The Name

Still Lonely (이늠 의 인기)

Joshua and Vernon

"Joshua Hong! You're Joshua Hong?" Seungkwan nudged his friend.

Joshua Hong played with the brim of his beanie, "Ne. I'm Joshua Hong. You're Pabo Boo."

Seungkwan gasped, his hand flew dramatically to his chest, "Pabo? I'm not the pabo. You're the pabo." He shoved Joshua away.

Joshua laughed stiffly, "Boo, Boo! Hajima!"

Seungkwan sniggered before frolicking across the room to pester Woozi.

Joshua looked around the practice room. It was a week before their spring 2017 comeback. Everyone was worn out from hours of rehearsing.

Josh's phone dinged in his back pocket. He pulled it out and touched the home circle.

Text Message
Anna
안녕 오빠 👋🏻 잘 지냈어?

Josh grinned.
Hi Anna. You don't have to call me oppa.

The reply came instantly:
I know. Its cute tho. Aren't you proud of my Korean skills?

Josh glanced at the clock:
Of course. Its the middle of the night over there. Why are you talking to me? You should be asleep

I can't sleep. I miss you.

I miss you too

"It's time to get back at it!" S. Coups clapped the members to attention. "I wanna see if we can get the transition to Hoshi's solo a little cleaner!

I gotta go Anna, Josh hastily texted before sliding his phone against the nearest wall.

He missed her, as well as, everyone else back in the states. He tried not to think about them because he felt he would start to cry if he did. He wished Anna hadn't texted him. He wished he had the guts just to delete all his American contacts. His state friends practically worshipped him. He didn't feel qualified for praise.

But Anna... He had known her since freshman year. They had choir together and geometry. She was the one who could get him to talk and to laugh. She was the highlight of every day.

Leaving her was the second hardest part of moving abroad. The hardest was saying goodbye to his parents.

Anna was his first kiss. His first Homecoming date. His first love. He had never loved another like her.

No one knew about Anna. He liked it that way. If the other members found out about her, they wouldn't stop bugging him.

"Josh?"

"Joshua!"

"Josh hyung!"

"Gaja!"

Josh blinked back to reality. All the members were in formation, staring at him with their shoulders slumped and arms crossed. Woozi shot him a death glare that penetrated Josh's very soul.

"Mianhae." Josh apologized as he scrambled to find his spot.

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