"Shen Xiaoting-ssi, it says you won a gold prize in dance?"
"Ne... In a competition in Shanghai, I ranked 1st in modern dance. And also in British competition, I ranked 6th globally in an international ballroom dance" the crowd went in wow including you.
"Wah... ballroom is the only dance I can't do" you shook your head. "Then you should let her teach you" you heard Tifanny.
"Ani... there's no need for that, sunbaenim"
"Let's see her dance" Tiffany said on the microphone.
As festive music started playing, you saw her smile on the beginning. The same pretty smile.
"Omo, you and her got the same method of dancing, you know, smiling first then changes the gaze" Tiffany nudged you. You can hear the other mentors praise her but you just sit there, smiling at the dancing girl in the stage. You never see her dance, you thought she was a model back then.
As the song fade, the studio was filled with claps from the mentors and other trainees. Tifanny even gave a standing ovation.
"Wow, I want to learn a dance like that..." you heard her say.
"Ani, unnie. You will only break your back"
"Yah!"
What Xiaoting did today was above your expectations. She's an all rounder, and you're not. You were still stabilizing your vocals and your rap is now amazing. You can rap while dancing really hard.
The last performance was already introduced and it's time for the cell picking. While Picking the Master's Top9, Ezaki Hikaru, Choi Yujin, Shana, Jeong Jiyoon and Xiaoting were your picks. The masters agreed with you and all of them got in. As they finalize their picks, you went back to your seat.
You heard them cheer for no reason until you saw your face on the main screen.
"Y/n sunbaenim, neomu- yeppeo!"
"I'm so happy I sat infront"
"My role model"
"She's the reason why I want to become an idol"
"This is surreal, I never imagined to see Lee Y/n in person" you heard some of them. You waved at the camera before looking back at the papers on your table. You flipped the profiles one by one until you reached Xiaoting's. Her personal informations were pasted there. Not to be rude but you got a crush on her so why not?
"We're done" you heard Tiffany so you set aside the papers to focus.
You got no experience on mentoring but this is enjoyable. Especially when a pretty girl is competing. There's no malice because some of them are older than you, even Xiaoting, you only debuted early.
"That's all for today's shooting!" The PD announced and everyone clapped their hands. "Good job, see you all next week" the producing crew started to pack up while the girl walk out of their seats in line. You saw a glimpse of Xiaoting but she already went out of the door.
"It's already 10 p.m... did you eat lunch earlier?" Tiffany asked. The mentors were the only one left. "Not yet, sunbaenim but I'm on my diet" you told her. "Diet? Your body is in great shape"
"Our new album is near, sunbaenim... I always do diet before the album"
"Okay then... if that's what you want but always look for your own health, okay? Eat healthy foods" she patted your shoulders before going out of the exit with you. "You said Shen Xiaoting is your friend earlier?" You heard your senior ask.
Tiffany is like a mom to you. She and Taeyeon always takes care of you after you entered the company because you're the youngest girl. Now that Minjeong and Ning Ning debuted, they still looked at you as their baby. Not just the two but the entire Girls Generation.
Girls Generation... Xiaoting likes the group. You remembered.
"Oh, they're still here" Tiffany pointed at the girls with luggages in line on the parking lot. They were still waiting for their transport towards their dorms. "Aigoo... they looked tired, why don't you cheer them up, Y/n?" Tiffany walked towards the group and immediately getting greeted by the girls.
"Annyeonghaseyo, are you all tired?"
"NO"
"yes..."
"Aigoo, take some good rest, okay? Fighting!" Tiffany cheered them before pulling you in front. "Omo, Y/n-ssi" the trainees started to get noisy again. "Y/n-ssi!" You heard a friend call, Kim Bora. "They want to take pictures with you!"
"YES PLEASE"
You smiled at them before pulling out your phone. Once it lit up, you immediately put it back in your pocket. Uou forgot to change the lockscreen which is yours and Xiaoting's photo 3 years ago.
"Uhm... sunbaenim, can I borrow your phone?" You asked Tiffany but she shook her head. "Take your places, I will take the picture" she gently pushed you towards the group before taking out her phone.
"Thank you!" The trainees told Tiffany. "I will post this later, so all of us could get a copy, Arasso?" They all nodded at you. Their vans started to roll over.
You looked around for Xiaoting but you saw her enter the van already. Bad luck to you because you're not going back here since Sunmi is the original mentor. "Maybe next time" you mumbled before running towards Tiffany's car.
ー
The group picture was posted in your social media. You stared at it and saw Xiaoting was just standing behind the person at your back. So close yet so far.
They will be having a week off to get to know each other.
You felt your phone vibrated, signaling that an email was recieved. It's your month off since your group's having a new release next month. You went to the Mnet building to check up on your friend, Chaeyeon, who's joining another Survival Show but a staff was like "Lee Y/n! We need substitute!"
You didn't want to do it first but after knowing Tiffany was there to guide you, you immediately changed your mind. You're an introvert, you are shy at doing new things on your own infront of a crowd.
girlsplanet999@mnet.com : You are invited to be Girl's Planet 999's Special Guest next week. See instructions and script below...
What do you expect, Mnet is scripted.
You didn't replied to the email yet. You were in your deep thoughts on how to talk with Xiaoting. You searched for an Instagram account but nothing appeared. A Weibo account matched but the company's the one handling yours. You also noticed some participants following you all of the sudden. And there's one active trainee account who messaged you all of the sudden.
You got nothing else to do so you decided to go out to have some dinner all by yourself. While walking across this familiar park, you noticed someone sitting on the bench you always sit at. Something attracts you to get closer to that person and as you stepped on a dry leaf on the concrete ground, the person turn around, revealing Shen Xiaoting.
"O-Oh, Annyeonghaseyo" she stood up, planning on walking away when you grabbed her arm making her sit back on the bench. "Wait... Shen Xiaoting-ssi"
"N-Ne?"
"Can we talk?"
ー
The first person you invited to have dinner with you all alone was Xiaoting. The both of you didn't had dinner last time so this fills the gap.
"Do you remember me?" You asked her. She was sitting beside you inside a convenience store, eating Ramen. You invited her in some fancy restaurant but she declined and chose the store across the street instead.
"Of course, sunbaenim... I met you last day"
"Ani... I meant, 3 years ago... do you remember me?" You turn to her and saw her face all flustered. "Sorry" you heard her mumble. "For what?"
"I made you a photographer that day, sorry... I didn't know you're an artist" she continued to apologize but you only smiled at her. She looks cute while trying not to look at you.
"It's fine... and who wouldn't want to take a picture of a beautiful girl, right?" You saw her smile then looked away on the opposite direction. "Still, I'm sorry" you shook your head, taking a slurp on your rameon. "It's fine... unnie"
She looked at you after hearing "unnie". It's true that she's older but it feels weird since you're a sunbaenim. "I mean, you're older, right? 1999? I'm a 2000 liner, you can call me by my name when it's off-cam" all this afternoon, you've been communicating with her in chinese except the unnie one. You've practiced chinese since she told you she's coming back. You want to impress her.
"I-I... yes, I'm a 1999 liner" she was also shocked you knew about her being a 1999 liner. She wants to ask how did you know but she just pushed that thought off, not hoping for 'that' something.
Xiaoting has been crushing with you all these years. After going back in China, she searched for your SNS and realized you're actually an artist. And most importantly, you're a junior of her favorite group.
She followed your journey all those 3 years she was gone and supported you as an artist. She felt embarrassed that's why she didn't came back and when this show opened, she only thought of getting the opportunity to be an idol... and to meet Tiffany. She didn't expected that she will meet that acquaintance she fell inlove with 3 years ago.
"Why didn't you came back?" She heard you asked. "W-What do you mean? I'm here now" she replied.
"Hm... but that's different, you're here because of the show. If it wasn't because of that, you're not going back, aren't you?" You just realized that earlier but your hopes are still up.
"I-I felt shy, you know. You're a Celebrity and I'm just a trainee" she explained. You felt confused on her words. Celebrities and Trainees can be friends... is she trying to indicate something?
"Honestly, that time you were around me... I liked it" you clasped your hands on your lap due to nervousness. You felt cold. You saw her look at you in your peripheral vision. "You made that day feel like I'm just a normal being... you know, going out without guards by my side... I liked it" you turn to her and catched her staring back.
"I waited for you... and since you're here now, I want to feel normal again but we can't walk around like the last time... You're a trainee, a famous one here" She's the only C-group trainee no Korean netizens hate by the way. You've checked a lot of community post about her and it was all positive. You know she's going to be big in Korea. Just by her visuals, everyone will love her.
"But that doesn't stopped me on becoming friends with you, right?" She was silent all the time. "Shen Xiaoting-ssi..."
"Be my friend?" You held out a hand. It felt a lot more colder at first because she didn't shook it but later on, she returned your proposal. You smiled while shaking her hands. You missed her hand touching yours. She felt more comfortable with you before.
"Dont be nervous, treat me like a normal person like before... please" her hands were more colder than yours.
"I will"
ー
In your casual outfits, the both of you went out on some spots in Seoul. It's already late at night that made it more beautiful. "Let's go to the Han River" your final destination was planned.
3 years ago, you forgot to show her the fireworks there at night since you two went on the carnival as the last course.
As the both of you reached there, you sit on one of the concrete stairs on the ground. You used to go here with your family before you debuted.
No one noticed the both of you once the fireworks started to flew in the sky. Xiaoting was so mesmerized, you took a picture of her back watching the fireworks. She's always picture perfect.
You immediately set it as your lockscreen before putting it back on your pocket. "I'll walk you home" you went beside her. "There's no need for that, you know"
"But I want to" you nudged her. "Just like before, you know" you saw her smile. You made her smile countless today.
"Kaja?"
While walking her back to the dorm, you asked for her number which she gladly gave you. You also told her what Ziyin told you and she became more flustered. She didn't tell you what she feels and you didn't tell yours. It was obvious anyways.
"This is my stop" she said the same words just like 3 years ago. "I'm sure I'll be seeing you around" you heard her say. "We don't have to wait 3 years again" both of you chuckled.
"I guess... and..." you closed your mouth immediately, hesitating to ask her a question. "And?" But too bad she heard it.
"Can we... take a photo, you know. Just like last time" the both of you chuckled as both of your cheeks heat up. You also looked on the opposite direction so she can't see your face.
"Of course" you immediately unlocked your phone so she can't see your lockscreen. She went closer to you as you held the camera up. Her arms went on your shoulders as she did a V sign. You can't help but smile ear-to-ear.
When you were about to take another picture, someone appeared behind the both of you while posing like you two.
"Helo"
"Yah! Youngeun" Xiaoting exclaimed out of nowhere. You looked behind you and saw a girl with bangs and another 4 girls not far away from the both of you. "Mwoya~ what's going awn" she playfully pushed Xiaoting's shoulders.
"Seo Youngeun! Dont disturb! Come on!" You heard one of her friends said before running to them. "Sorry about her..."
"It's fine... ENFP things..." you chuckled.
"I'm going in now" she told you shyly. "See you around" she ran up the stairs of their dorm. "Xiaoting unnie!" You forgot to say bye at her.
She turn around displaying her pretty smile.
"Good night!"
She made a shy yet flustered expression before giving you a finger heart.
As you look away from her, you but your lip as hard as you can to contain yourself from shouting.
This is unexpected. You didn't know that you will fall inlove with your acquaintance 3 years ago.