I am drenched in sweat after we finish running through the choreography for the song Company by Justin Bieber and we had only just begun our dance lesson. It was my first session at Brand New Music, so I was a bit nervous to start.
Dance is something I could improve on out of all the skills required to be an idol. I haven't danced very much in my life besides dancing for fun. So the class was proving to be a difficulty for me.
I joined the company mainly for singing. But in the music industry nowadays, it was beneficial to be good at everything. I knew this well and was ready to become good at everything to get there.
"Hyemi! Put a little more power into your moves!" Our dance instructor, Alex, yells over the blaring music. We are running through the song once again and I am only glad he didn't pick on me. I guess I was doing a pretty decent job.
We run through the song a couple more times before Alex decides to finally dismiss the class. I make my way to the wall and drag my body on it as I fall to the floor. I am completely exhausted, and my muscles already ache, making me think about what kind of pain I will be in by the morning.
I watch as the rest of the trainees make their way out of the studio one by one. I haven't befriended any of the trainees yet, except for Sohee. It is only my first day after all, but I hope I can become close to them soon.
Footsteps approach the room as I finally decide to stand up again. I glance at the door to see Sohee panting as she peeks in.
"Jaeeun! I almost forgot you, come with us! Some of us are going to the convenience store quickly before we practice again." She explains and signals with her hand for me to follow her.
I dread the fact that we are encouraged and almost forced to practice into the night. It is late enough after the lesson is finished however, we have to stay an extra few hours to reinforce the things we learned. Even with the detest I have towards practicing more, I know it is for my own good so I quickly gather my things to join the others.
After wiping my face with the small towel I had brought, I pack my small backpack and meet Sohee outside the door.
She brings me to her small group of friends waiting at the end of the hall. We briefly introduce ourselves and I learn that their names are Eunmi, Chaeyeon and Sihoon. They seem nice and are definitely as outgoing and loud as Sohee is.
I am talking to Eunmi and Sihoon as we walk. They are asking a lot of questions to get to know me better which I gladly answer. I discover that Sihoon is two years older than me and Eunmi is one year older.
The both of them have been trainees for about three years, which shocks me. I'm not sure if I could last so long, especially with how intense the lessons were so far.
Earlier in the day, I had my first vocal lesson which was informative yet very strict. Though despite being harsh, the teacher was kind and fun at times, which brought up my mood during the lesson.
We eventually enter the convenience store and all split up to get our own things. I decide to grab two triangle kimbap, apple juice and a bag of chips to go.
"Jaeeun is that all you're getting?" Eunmi asks as she joins me at the cash. I am paying for my things when she arrives.
"Yeah. How come you're getting so much?" I ask and look at her basket which is filled to the brim with snacks. She laughs and pats my back as I hand the cashier the money.
"You'll understand after being here a while. This is Chaeyeon and I's stuff though." Eunmi places her basket on the counter and begins to unload her things. I pack my things into my backpack and wait for the rest of them to finish paying.
We walk back to the Brand New Music building and I get to know the others better as well. They are all older than me, which results in them acting more caring towards me. I don't mind all too much, as it easies my worries about making friends here. They all seem to enjoy my presence as a new maknae.
When we get back to the facility, we all part ways to practice what we need to improve. For the others, it is mostly their vocal skills. However, I know I should work on my dance.
Thankfully there is one empty dance studio remaining in the building. I slowly enter the small room and switch on the lights, placing my bag against the wall. I decide to eat my snacks after I'm finished practicing as a treat for myself.
I turn on the music for Company and begin to warm up. Though, just when I am about to start, I hear the door open and close.
Looking through the mirror, I see a familiar boy standing in front of the door. He is confused with my presence and I immediately become embarrassed. Was I not supposed to be there? It seems as if he was expecting the room to be empty.
The snaggletooth boy walks over to the music player and shuts it off.
"You're the new girl, right? Jaeeun?" He speaks and I immediately notice his slight accent. It definitely wasn't a native Seoul dialect. It seemed as if it had a hint of Busan.
I nod as I turn to finally face him. He is carefully walking towards me with an intrigued expression. I only stand still as he smiles and stops directly in front of me. He shows his snaggletooth which I have already become somewhat familiar with and I shyly smile back.
Being so close to me, I see now that he is pretty tall. Not enough to tower over me, but tall enough that I am forced to look up to see his face.
"Um, what are you doing here?" He asks somewhat awkwardly and shifts his attention rapidly after he does. I am confused at his apparent change in demeanor. A few seconds ago he seemed so confident but now he was clearly nervous and seemed a bit uncomfortable.
"Oh, I was planning to practice and this was the only room available. Do you need it? I can leave if you want-"
"Not at all. Feel free to practice." He says warmly and scratches the back of his neck. "Do you mind if I watch though?"
It is my turn to become nervous at his question. I am not the best dancer and also not very comfortable with people watching me- yet. However I still hesitantly agree to his request. He thanks me with a soft smile and walks back to turn on the music for me to finally begin.
I watch as he sits beside the machine, placing his bag beside him. I almost blush under his stare as he is looking at me so intensely, it is almost scary. Though not letting it affect me, I regain my composure and look at my own reflection in the mirror rather than the cute boy watching me from behind.
The music begins and I attempt to execute the moves as best as I can. I find myself leaving reality as I lose myself to the sound of the music. It is comforting as I dance to the rhythm, and I feel it is what helped me execute the dance better than before.
By the end of the song, I almost forget the boy is in the room until I hear him clapping when I am done. I look to where he is sitting to see a bright smile plastered on his face. I feel a sudden heat rising to my cheeks as he stands up to see me.
"That was pretty good for a beginner, Jaeeun!" He cheers and hands me a plastic water bottle. I look at him, unsure if I should drink from it but he urges me to anyway.
"It's fine. I can always buy another one later." He says with a smile, this time not showing his tooth as he kept his lips closed.
"Thank you..." I pause and realize I never caught the boy's name. He waits for me to continue when he also realizes the fact. The boy laughs which causes me to do so as well. I can't help but admire the beauty of the boy after his eyes become crescents while he laughs. It is adorable and endearing to me.
"I'm Park Woojin." Woojin says and I nod, repeating my thank you with his name instead of a pause. He smiles again, this time presenting his little snaggletooth.
The snaggletooth I had unknowingly come to attach myself to only after two days of knowing the boy.
