LOVE OR LUST (Giselle X Aespa)

1st Impression

When Ning Yizhuo first met Uchinaga Aeri, her first impression of the young woman is that she's probably bad news. Arrogant, stuck up mean girl and probably spoiled too. She hates Uchinaga Aeri.

Maybe its her attitude?

In East Asia, it is inappropriate to address someone without honorifics. She often caught Aeri not using honorifics, didn't bother to bow to seniors and always rolling her eyes. As far as she knows, Japanese people prioritize discipline, good attitude and respect.

Aeri proves her otherwise. Rumor had it that Aeri went to an expensive international school in Japan and could only speaks in English.  She could be  heavily influenced by the Western cultire.

Maybe its her lifestyle?

Everything about the girl screams wealth. Its not as if Ning Yizhuo is poor, its the opposite, really. Her family is pretty rich, but Uchinaga Aeri is on another level. She have heard of other trainees talking about how the Uchinaga basically is at the top of the wealthiest clan in Japan.

Its a no wonder, actually. Aeri wears only branded clothes, her bags and accessories basically costs Yizhuo's entire life savings.

Maybe its her social life?

Her social life is also crazy. She is already good friends with the NCT members within a  week in SM company. Yizhuo often caught her being picked up by Taeyong's car after hours of  practice in the company. It was also said that the NCT members invited her to parties. Not only that,  Minjeong told her how Mark Oppa bought Aeri flowers and asked Minjeong to deliver it to her to avoid suspicions.

If Jimin the most popular amongst the trainees in SM, then Aeri is the most popular amongst the idols. Especially male idols. It was said she have connection with an important person in the industry, but no one knows.

Maybe its her flirty behavior?

One can tell that Uchinaga Aeri is a foreigner from the way she behaves. Yizhuo have never met anyone like Aeri before. Aeri is seductive. Playful. She knows how to get people wrapped around her fingers. There was a gossip going on about Aeri dating 3 of the NCT boys at the same time. Yizhuo didn't believe it, she cant.

Once, they were paired for SM project for trainees in which every pairs must compete. Yizhuo who has the best singing voice amongst trainees was paired with Aeri, who has the best rap flow. A perfect duo. Yizhuo remembered during practice how Aeri always lean a little bit too close to her face, eyes darkening and her tongue licking her own lips. Yup, Aeri is a flirt.

Maybe its her vibe?

Unapproachable. That's the vibe Aeri gives people around her. Too powerful to be approached. Being in the same room as Uchinaga Aeri feels as if you're wearing a  5 dollars clothes to attend a Gucci event. Like you didn't belong there in the first place. It not like Aeri is the best trainee in the company, no. She's not. Yet people couldn't help to feel inferior being around her.

Maybe its her personality?

There was a girl named Kim Nabi who trained for almost 7 years in the company. Born in the same year as Jimin and Aeri.  Yizhuo knows the girl. Everyone does. They often practice together. She remembers when the girl used to put shred of glasses in her shoes and talk shit about her nationality thinking she wouldn't understand. Yet, Yizhuo keep her mouth shut. 

Yizhuo remembees the rumor about Nabi pushing Jimin down the stairs after she was chosen to be Kai's dance partner. It wasn't really a rumor. Not when Jimin showed up to practise with a hard cast on her right arm the day after. Being the longest trainee in the company, no trainees dared to go against Kim Nabi. 

Yizhuo even witnessed Nabi and her group of friends ganged up on  Minjeong when she found out the younger girl's voice is praised and considered  special by a famous producer. Minjeong cried for almost a week. She was even scared to attend practices. In conclusion,Kim Nabi is a bully who cant accept that there are people that are doing better than her in anything.

So, when the rumor of Uchinaga Aeri being one of the lineup to debut spreaded, hell breaks loose. Yizhuo could understand her frustrations. Aeri is a newbie, Nabi have trained for almost 7 years and was promised to debut. Imagine waiting for something for so long only to have it snatched away from you by a newbie foreigner who didn't even have a year of training.

It happened at the cafe where Kim Nabi and her minions stormed into the place, Nabi with a hot coffee in her hand. Nobody saw it coming when the coffee was splashed right onto Aeri's face and clothes startling Jimin, Minjeong and herself. They want to help, but none of them are fighters. None of them is brave enough to stand up for Aeri.

Jimin, despite being popular during highschool and trainee days, the girl is an angel at heart and the youngest in her family.

Minjeong have always been the good timid kid, the one without bad reputation. She will cry if people were to raise their voice at her .

Yizhuo, well, being a Chinese trainee makes her a target of bullying. Even her manager told her to just stay at the back and lay low because her career is fragile and can be destroyed even with a slightest mistake.

Aeri was on her own. People expected Aeri to let it go and forget it ever happened because thats what all of Kim Nabi's victims do, keep their mouth shut and move on. But the only reason why everyone thought that Aeri is gonna do the same thing is because they don't know her that well. Not even Yizhuo.

There wasn't a pause. The moment the hot coffee burned her face, Aeri grabbed Nabi by neck and slammed face onto her bowl of hot ramen. The sound of the other girl screaming with water in her throat was haunting. When the girl stopped trashing around, Aeri pulled her head back by the hair and sweep the table with Nabi's face. Aeri then grabbed a handful of tissue while strings of curses in English escaped her mouth as she walked out of the cafe complaining about how her favourite dress was ruined.

From that day, nobody dares to pick a fight with Uchinaga Aeri.

  Maybe its the way they have to lie in interviews?

Whenever they were asked in interviews of what the members first impression of Uchinaga Aeri, the answers will be full of bullshit.

“Aeri was a shy and timid  girl"

“ She was quiet"

“Aeri was friendly and approachable”

See? Full of bullshits.

They all knew Aeri is far from a shy and timid girl. But not even the end of the world will make them spill about Aeri's trainee days. Its too risky. Most of netizens are a bunch of retarded hater. They wont hesitate to use the information to force the bully allegations on Aeri to bring her down.

But maybe, maybe...

Maybe Ning Yizhuo is afraid to admit that she finds Aeri hot.

Dang 1205 words for the 1st chap. Its cringy, I know. But still satisfying to write somehow? Hahahha