J9 One Shot

Happy?

I looked at the slender fingers that had been tapping the table in staccato. I didn't know what music he'd been listening to; the sound was hidden by the earphones that he used; but it must be an upbeat one.

We both came to the same audition for a youth talent programme. Since one of my series filming had already finished shooting, I had to find a new work, not just for an earning, but also to  improve my skill to another level. Talent, though sometimes you were born with it, needed to be polished with experience. Before, it's acting, whereas this time, it's for singing and dancing.

He was one of my challenger, and I felt nervous a little bit, because he was so much better vocally and had been attending dance classes with his cousin. Me, I listened to pop songs and just danced  however, randomly, following the beat; happy, but not perfect.

"Our path seemed to always cross, right, P'? ", I said to him as soon as he pulled off the earphones and put them in his bagpack. He smiled and nodded.

"Two years ago, and now back again. Before, we were not rivals, of course, how could I be Ming, with my stature. Actually, I didn't expect to be paired up with you".

"Why? Because of the same old story; that we were not clicking the right way; at first?", I asked, curious.

"Well, part of it, but also, I was aiming for another part, so when I was chosen as Kit, it baffled my mind a bit".

"Just your mind? I thought it was your heart...", I said with a cheeky smile.

"So confident! Eyy, you were just a baby back then, tall, but still, your youth shown through".

"Really? A baby, yet you got shy so easily, ah my charm. Ermm, I'm curious, if it continues to another series, now, how would you feel, then?"

"What do you mean?"

"Your reaction to my charm; since I am not, as you could see, a baby, anymore".

"Oh my god, what has gotten into you, Joong? Are you nervous? Is that why you're trying to make me lose my concentration right now?"

"You can't concentrate? Why? Oyy, must be, you also wanted to know, as much as I do, isn't it?"

Nine just laugh out loud, and shook his head, "No, Joong. I can't concentrate because somehow, I felt funny inside, thinking back about all the excitement but also nervousness, that I felt back then, making me a little shy, since I was not used to the feeling, nor you; at the time. Now, you've become someone familiar".

The casting assistant suddenly came out from the closed door and asked the remaining hopefulls, five of us that left; to get ready for a group audition in a few minutes, and went in again. We stood up and waited to be called.

I stood behind Nine, and held his shoulders. With a low voice, I whispered near his ear, "Maybe P', one day, we should just try".

"Try what? Auditioning for another series together?", he asked back.

"No. Trying to feel again, that excitement, and nervousness".

"We are feeling it right now though, for this audition", he said, turned his face to the side a bit, to look sideways at me and smiled.

"I am not referring to work. Just us, finding out whether we could still feel the same feeling once again, I kind of missed that moment in time, you know. Though it was sometimes difficult, and we fought a lot too, but...thinking back, we were happier".

Nine turned and just looked at me. "Would you care to try?", I asked more. He was assessing my words and request, trying to see if I was kidding or not. I waited, but before he could answer, our names were called to enter the auditioning room. Nine looked relieved, while I curse the timing internally.

The question was forgotten after that, or maybe we just never raised it again.

Because, it would always stay as our past that couldn't be repeated. We could not go back to being our younger self, all we could do, was trying to find again, the spark that used to make us... happy.

The End