protect → hwang hyunjin [황 현진]

F O U R

"I'm sorry, I really am. She made me into a coward, an object, and I was too scared to protect myself; I didn't want you to get hurt too."

***

Hyunjin stood in front of the entertainment that he was going to audition to that afternoon, the early morning sun's rays weakly falling on him.

He exhaled a nervous shaky breath and checked the time. It was so early you probably weren't up yet.

"The auditions aren't until 5." A woman in her twenties said as she looked at Hyunjin before turning to the entertainment. "Come back then."

"Have we met before?" Hyunjin's voice made the woman stop before turning back to him.

"I'm the CEO's daughter. You probably saw me on TV." She scanned Hyunjin from top to bottom before flashing a sweet smile and walking towards him. "You're here to audition, aren't you? I'll look forward to it."

She placed a hand on his shoulder, making him flinch and step back. Hyunjin watched as she turned away and walked inside the building, a strange feeling.

Why did he feel like he loathed that woman so much?

It took Hyunjin only a few minutes to get back into his apartment and slip back into his bed, yawning a couple of times in the process.

He turned to you sleeping peacefully on the bed before he clenched his chest with his hand, breathing in and out heavily.

He didn't know why, but he's been getting sudden for the past two days.

When the pain eased he exhaled, pulling you into his arms and kissing his forehead before shutting his eyes and getting back to sleep.

***

"Youngmin, god damn it." His boss slammed his hand down on the table in front of where Youngmin sat, his face completely emotionless. "You can't bail out on your broadcast like that because you're heartbroken."

"I'll take a break off wor-"

"No, you won't. We have a new intern, a girl that majors in music production. Show her around for now." Youngmin's boss sat down in his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'll see how the revenue is doing so I can know how to deal with you."

Youngmin got up silently, walking out of the office and into the main hall of the company building, where a nineteen year old girl stood patiently.

"I'm Youngmin and I'm a broadcaster here." He looked at her confused expression that showed she was taken a back by his sudden informality. "I'm your senior so I'll speak to you casually. What's your name?"

"Y-Y/N." You blinked at him and bowed a little, following after him when he started walking. "I'm majoring in music production and I was quite interested in this field so I thought getting an internship would help. I heard you have your own talk show?"

"Yeah." Youngmin shrugged his shoulders as you both entered an elevator and he pressed the button.

"I also heard that you used to be trainee for a boy group." You watched as Youngmin nodded, not looking at you. "Why did you quit?"

"I don't think that's a question I have to answer." The elevator opened with a ding and Youngmin stepped out, holding up his hand so that you stay inside before pressing the button to the seventh floor. "You should go meet our head producer. I think he's the one you should talk to about your internship."

You watched as the doors closed on Youngmin's figure as it walked away, exhaling.

It was odd, but you though maybe, just maybe, Youngmin can help you find a better place for Hyunjin.

A place he wouldn't regret going to.

***

H

yunjin shuffled in his clothes, his number hanging on his chest on top of his shirt.

"Next line." Someone called out for the fifth time that afternoon, and Hyunjin's line walked out of the waiting room and lined against the wall of another one.

The room was big and empty, except for the table of judges up in front and the camera.

Hyunjin spotted the CEO's daughter, the woman from earlier, dropping his gaze as soon as his eyes fell on her.

After three other boys auditioned and left the room, Hyunjin stepped up to the center, exhaling shaky breaths as he kept his eyes on the camera.

Somthing told Hyunjin that he shouldn't be here, that he shouldn't be performing there, but he did anyway.

But something sank in him, and a million emotions rushed through him when the CEO's daughter smiled as she leaned forward in her chair, opening her mouth to speak, none of which were happiness.

"

See you in the second round."  Hyunjin."