The Boy Next Door | Bang Yedam

Chapter 7

The following weeks were incredibley hard. Not only did I have to train harder than I was before, but also find ways to distract myself from liking Yedam. How else was I supposed to get over him when I am mentored by him and train with him every day. I guess I just need to shift my focus to perfecting the choreography. Now, the day had finally come when we would do our gender bend trainee showcase.

We took our places on stage and it begun. We are dancing in near perfect synchronization and honestly, I think we look cool. I spot Yedam in the crowd, but I don't let him distract me. He only mouths words of encouragement as I'm doing his part. We transition cooly into the next song, an iKON song, Dive. I have the honor of covering Ju-Ne's part. This choreography is really fun too. I'm loving covering boy group songs.

At the end of our performance, my group takes a bow. Then, surprisingly, TREASURE joins up on stage for the encore. Yedam wraps his arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer to him.
"You did great." Yedam said.
"Thanks." I said, covering my mic so no one hears.
"So, I've been thinking. You've been so fun to be around. You're really a cutie in my eyes. You never gave up even when it got hard. I like that about you." Yedam said.
"What are you saying?" I asked.
"This." Yedam said, turning to me, then kissing me suddenly. The cameras zoom in on us, then the crowd freaks out.
"I thought you didn't want to date until I debuted." I said, pulling away.
"This is our little secret. Our first kiss may be documented, but they know nothing." Yedam said. He pulls me in for a hug.
Did he really just. . . He did that. On live TV and in front of thousands of people. My potential debut is doomed and so is Yedam's future with TREASURE. I'm so scared. . .

My group of trainees leaves the stage with TREASURE. We go to our green room. Yedam pulls me into the hallway, watching to make sure no one is watching this time.
"I wanted to take time to explain myself." Yedam began.
"Okay, go on. Explain why you had just kissed me on live TV, and in front of thousands, potentially millions of people." I said.
"Look. . . After a few weeks of working with you, I have started developing feelings for you. I had no idea how to tell you other than showing it. I didn't know any other perfect moment to do it than that." Yedam explained.
"Oh, great. You know what we're risking right?" I asked.
"I know. . . I just feel like we can make it work. Even if you're a trainee. I just couldn't hold back anymore." Yedam said.
"Oh I've been shaking I love it when you go crazy . . . there's nothing holding me back." I sang, qouting Shawn Mendes.
Yedam smiles, "I feel so free when you're with me, baby. There's nothing holding me back."
"I love your voice so much." I said, hugging Yedam.
"No, I love you." Yedam said.
"That's a little early, you haven't even properly asked me out yet." I said, giggling.
"Oh, right. Will you be mine?" Yedam asked, smiling cutely.
"Yes. Don't tell your bandmates, and make sure this doesn't get to our boss." I said.
"It will be our secret." Yedam said. He kisses me, then walks away, going back to his green room.

I'm left there, standing in the middle of the hallway, flabbergasted. Like, I can't believe that just happened. I cover my mouth, blushing, and walking back to my green room with my trainees. There's no way I'm letting them know what happened no matter how much they ask me. I can't let the secret of Yedam and I together get out. We're building something amazing here, and I would hate for it to get ruined. I just sit on the couch, texting Yedam. Apparently, his members are already asking him about it, but he has to make up excuses. It's the same with my trainee friends. They keep asking, but my excuse is: oh, it was just a stage kiss for the cameras. We didn't actually kiss. It was for the picture perfect ending. For those who don't know, a stage kiss is when you put your thumbs between you and the other person so that you're only kissing their thumbs. Then, the camera is angled just right, so it looks like the couple is kissing, when they're not. As for Yedam and I, we know that kiss was real, we just have to convince everyone else that it wasn't. . .

All the trainees go back to their dorm rooms after the trainee showcase. After this performance is when it's decided who will debut in a group, and who will be sent back home. It's the most nerve racking part of our training. We're sitting in the practice room, getting picked one by one. The evaluators are picking people off like cherries, sending them home. I cross my fingers behind my back.
"Miller, Raeshel."
I stand up and walk up to the evaluators, "Yes?"
"We have reviewed your performance, and the daring kiss with our Bang Yedam. . . Having decided. . . You will debut."
"What, so you're not mad about the kiss?" I asked.
"More publicity for YG."
"Oh wow. You don't care about our feelings then." I said.
"We are giving you a PR contract. You and Yedam and publicy show affection, or keep it private as you please."
"Why are you being so nice about this?" I asked.
"Too many times, we have broken up couples. This time, we're not stopping anyone. Live long with Yedam. May your relationship prosper."
"Well, okay. What is my group called?" I asked.
"Baby Monsters(BAEMON)."
"Oh? I'll make sure to tell Yedam I made it." I said.
"Please do, and join your other bandmates in the other room."

After finding out I have a PR contract between Yedam and I, and also debuting, I'm feeling conflicted. I don't want a piece of paper to define our relationship. I want us to be us, not have YG have control over us. It's all up to Yedam and I if we want to end the PR contract or not. I walk into the room, meeting my new bandmates. There is a girl I recognize. No way, is that. . . Huening Bahiyyih? No, it can't be. I walk up to her, and that is in fact her.
"Bahiyyih?" I asked.
"Yes?" Bahiyyih asked.
"Oh, so it is you. You're debuting too? I'm so happy for you." I said.
"You're in this group too? Oh, good. You're so pretty." Bahiyyih said.
"Thank you, aww so are you." I said.