admire || yang jungwon

three

– a month later –

to be honest, it would've been a lie if jian said she had never thought about jungwon during that month. they saw each other very rarely around the school, but the thought of sharing even a simple greeting never crossed their minds. it was as if they were not meant to be. each of their lives were filled with work and other business that prevented them from becoming closer than mere school mates who bumped into each other once.

the news that jungwon and sunghoon joining the new mnet survival program i-land had spread around the school in just a few hours. everyone was congratulating them, taking photos as memories and telling them that they should never forget them even after they become famous idols. jian was happy for him. everyone knew how much of a great singer jungwon was and the fact that he was going to pursue a career with his talent made her happy. but there was that small part of her that wished he wouldn't go out on the program. she wanted to see him at school as a normal student, just admiring him from afar, but it was only a small thought, one that she threw away almost immediately. she just wanted him to be happy.

***

he went on and started his journey to becoming an idol. it was his dream.i-land. 23 guys all with the same dream. they were chasing after a common goal. debut. the debut seemed so close yet so far and every step they took to reach it, it felt like there were obstacles to face and the end was just moving further away. but it was their dream. no matter how many times they fell, they were always going to get up and move on. for jungwon, it was quite the experience. being in this isolated place for over 100 days with the other 11 guys. it wasn't something that happened every day. he didn't go to school, he didn't see his parents. he just stayed in i-land with the others.

it would've been a lie to say that he didn't want to go back home. there were just those times when he wished that he was just going to school normally, just having fun, without the stress and anxiety of never achieving his goal. there were those times when he secretly cried, it was his only way of releasing the stress. thus, as the final stage of part 2 was coming closer, his continuously dropping ranks scared him. in that moment, he wanted to be embraced in the arms of someone, telling him it would be okay. that whatever happened he would make it to debut. and that was when the girl crossed his mind briefly. no he didn't like her. they didn't know each other. he just happened to think of her for no reason

– a few days later –

"let's play truth or dare."

"no make it truth or truth. i can't be bothered to get up."

in a way, this was their way of becoming even closer than they already were. jungwon was smiling at his members. it accentuated his dimple and heeseung sat there poking it. sunghoon just laughed at the boy who was blankly poking the other's dimple while staring at the bottle that was spinning.

"wait should we just make it so everyone answers the question?" suggested k.

everyone quickly agreed seeing it as a fairer option for all for all of them and the journey to knowing even deeper into the inner selves of everyone.

"do you have a girl you like?"

"can it be like admiring or interested in or does it have to be like?"

"shut up jake. they're basically the same thing."

"that's a bit mean."

"shut up sunghoon.'

"rude."

all the guys took turns answering, many whom had been stuck with their one-sided love after all these years. when it came to jungwon, he had no clue. he really wasn't interested in anyone, let alone had a crush on anyone. but the girl crossed his mind once more.

"jungwon, just say the girl on your mind."

he looked up, lowkey shocked that sunghoon was reading his mind or something.

"you actually have one? i was just joking."

jungwon glared at sunghoon and now everyone wanted to know. but he really had no interest in her. he just ... wanted to know if she was okay.

"just say her name already."

"i thought you had no interest in anyone."

"yeah i don't."

"jungwon. we all know there was a random girl that crossed your mind for at least a second. who is it?"

then, suddenly sunghoon shouted, "waIT IS IT THE GIRL WHO BUMPED INTO AND THEN GOT HER NUMBER?"

"can you please shut up hyung?"

"it is her. hAH. i knew it. just reveal the name jungwon."

all the members started agreeing with sunghoon, waiting for the boy to reveal the name of a girl who he thought he genuinely had no interest for.

"i just want to know if she's okay. i managed to burn her hand."

"jungwon. that was a month ago. i've seen you giving her glances at school."

"shut up hyung."

"so whATS THE NAME?"

"lee jian."

a/n
- my chapter length's are really inconsistent but hope you enjoy :)