Shim Jiwoo was at the junkyard where NCT 127 would have their jacket photoshoot for their album. A normal Friday day, in the middle of the blazing day. The girl stood along with her crew mates, waiting for the pictorial to start, and more importantly, waiting for the big reveal on what concept style the rookie group would look like.
Two days prior, Jiwoo had been forbidden to see any of the boys, since Minah was in the process of changing their hairstyles for their major debut. The brunette had tried hard to get the boys crack and send her a selfie so she could see, but they were damn persistent. She was so unbelievably close on getting WinWin to doing so, but the others had taken the Chinese boy's phone before he could do a thing.
So, after her many failed attempts, she impatiently waited for this day. And now that the day has come, she felt like Minah was taking her time styling the boys just to spite her.
"Sweetheart..."
The young composer glimpsed up and spotted her cousin, who was just then conversing with the photographer, approaching her. Straightening her posture, she gave her cousin a short wave. "Hello, oppa."
"You look a bit restless."
An annoyed huff left the girl's lips. "It's silly! You'd think I would be allowed to see the boys before anyone else, right?" Jiwoo stopped herself, her mind's gears turning at her statement. "Man, I don't know, that just sounded greedy."
"You have a right to be a bit greedy," Seokju chortled, patting her head affectionately. "You are quite close to the boys now... a little too close."
There was a sudden pressure against her head. "Oh my god, excuse you, why are you in overprotective mode? Wasn't me being close to the boys your plan?" Jiwoo jeered, narrowly eying her cousin.
"A bit too close."
"I barely see the boys. Today is seriously my first on site job as an intern with this schedule. What are you implying?"
Seokju stood in front of the girl, bending over so to keep eye contact. "I'm saying that you need to be careful. They're a rookie group."
"Seokju-oppa, come on now. This is stupid. First of all, it's barely a month since I've been acquainted with them. Secondly, I know SM's dating rules very well. And thirdly, why on earth would any of the boys like me--OUCH! Did you just flick me?!" Jiwoo rubbed at her stinging forehead, her face contorted into an obvious peeved frown.
"I can openly agree to the first two, but the last one is bullshit, Jiwoo-yah," the man huffed, his brows furrowed together. "Why are you putting yourself short? You're a pretty and likable girl. I'd be surprised if none of those boys didn't have any kind of attraction to you."
"Dear god, that is so weird to hear. You need to stop."
"Are you blushing, Shim Jiwoo?" Her lips trembled before rejecting out a sputter to her cousin. "Wow. You're still not any better at lying. None of the boys caught on yet?"
"Shut up."
"The boys are ready!" Meirin proclaimed for everyone to hear. At the words, people began bustling around to make sure they were ready for the photoshoot to commence. Jiwoo could only stand alongside Seokju, waiting in anticipation on what the boys looked like.
Eventually, one by one, NCT 127 appeared. And one word she could describe the boys' new look was... electrifying. Literally.
"Oh my lord." Bursts of giggles left the girl's lips at the sight of the group. It was an overwhelming style and she couldn't really say she hated any of it, while even some things were questionable. It all somehow fit altogether well. "You all look hot."
"Do you mean that, noona?" Haechan chimed in with a mischievous grin, reaching to Jiwoo's side. "You think I'm hot?"
"Yah, kid, I said you all do, why are you trying to twist my words?" The girl scoffed. She turned to the rest of the boys and shot a thumbs up. "You all look very cool... even Yuta's electrocuted hair."
"You actually like this?" The Japanese boy chuckled. He bobbed his head around, his frizzy, puffy hair still in place. "You sure are weird."
"It fits. I like the concept of it all!... Wow, just look at your different color hairs." From Taeyong's striking white and black hair to Mark's oddly fitting mix of orange and auburn hair, it all looked amazing.
Jiwoo's eyes then drifted over to Jaehyun. She gasped as she stepped forward to the younger boy. "Oh my god, Jaehyun-ah, I absolutely love everything!" Her hand instantly reached over to the side of his head, where his now-black hair was shaven. With his nearly all black outfit, oversized white buttoned shirt, thick red choker to go along with his hair, Jiwoo had got to admit that his look was her favorite.
Once noticing she had weirdly just touched the side of his head without his permission, she retracted her hand. "Ah, sorry, Jaehyun. But the undercut really works on you. I don't know why I had the need to touch it," she sheepishly uttered.
Jaehyun smiled at her, "It's okay, noona."
"I think you're being a bit biased, Jiwoo-yah," Minah snickered, coming out from behind the boys. "I'm hurt, I put a lot of work to these styles, so you can't just focus on one. You sure they all look good?"
"Of course, unnie! They look amazing! It makes me even more excited for when we start filming for the Firetruck music video tomorrow."
"It should."
The nine continued to talk amongst themselves until the crew was ready to start the jacket shoot. So, when it was time, the girls stayed behind the camera as NCT began their group shots. In awe, they watched as they adapted into idol mode, and posed like professionals. Seeing all of them working so well, Jiwoo couldn't help but feel proud. It's not too long now until their debut date.
"Soooo~"
Jiwoo glanced over to her stylist unnie, curious as to why she suddenly chimed in all of a sudden. The older, hazel-haired girl gazed down at her, with a knowing smirk on her tinted red lips. The younger sighed, as she turned her attention towards her now. "So what?"
"You like Jaehyun's style the most or Jaehyun in general?"
That earned a light shove to the side. "Yah, I like the style. I like all their styles!"
"But you just felt the need to touch the side of his head?"
"Have you never had the need to touch someone's hair after a fresh haircut?" Jiwoo shot back. "I do it all the time whenever Seokju-oppa has a new haircut."
Minah let out a laugh. "Mind you, Jiwoo-yah. I'm a stylist. I get to touch any of the guys' hair whenever I want... But, sooo, you don't like him in that way?"
"Unnie, can we not? You're seriously the second person to nag me about this and it's weird."
"Eh? Who else talked to you about this?"
"Seokju-oppa, and I get it," Jiwoo uttered, giving the older girl a pat on the shoulder out of reassurance. "You don't have to worry about me liking any of the boys, okay? They're just a rookie group and it's prohibited to date any of the artists anyway. I'm not going to break any rules. I don't need to hear this from you too,I already got my cousin on my back for it."
"Oh... um, ah. Okay, that took a different turn from what I thought..."
Jiwoo nodded along, turning her gaze back to the boys as they did their group shots. Her eyes just so happened to land on the particular black-haired boy, whose gaze looked like it could pierce through anyone's soul. She allowed herself to inhale... Jaehyun seemed like an absolute professional looking like that.
Was it a crime to like one's look?
Or was she being a little bit biased?
No way, Jiwoo shook her head. But she couldn't stop staring at Jaehyun, he had this pull on her that she couldn't quite explain. He was undeniably handsome to the composer, she wasn't going to deny that, but that was it, wasn't it? It wasn't anything more than that. She was just admiring as someone who wants to support the boys in every way she can.
I don't have feelings for Jaehyun. I shouldn't have feelings for Jaehyun.
That's much more that than what I could bargain for.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
The next day, Seokju's girlfriend, Boram had called Jiwoo to see if she wanted to hang out with her a bit in the morning. The young girl could never decline such an offer to see Boram, as it was hard to see her nowadays. So, around 10 in the morning, she readied herself to get picked up by her trusted unnie.
Pulling up by the curb of the apartment building, Boram got Jiwoo and they were on their way to do some shopping in Myeongdong.
"Oh, Jiwoo-yah, you're looking less sleep-deprived lately," the redheaded girl chimed just as she parked at a good place nearby the shopping street. She glimpsed over at Jiwoo for a split second before clambering out of the car. "This fake-internship is doing you some good, apparently. I thought you'd be a bit stressed over it because of what the Shaman told you before."
"I just visited the Shaman a while ago and he actually told me that taking this job was a good opportunity."
"Did you... tell Seokju about that you saw him recently?"
"... No. You're not going to tell him, are you?"
"Not at all."
"Ah, that's one of the reasons why I love you, Boram-unnie. Oppa should just propose to you already."
"Ha, I wish."
The two wandered around the strip of stores, checking out clothes, accessories, and beauty care products that were sold at a decent price. They did this for about an hour, getting a few things from store to store. And despite Jiwoo's declination, Boram made sure to buy her a couple blouses and makeup to use for the summer season. "You need to dress up more, Jiwoo. You're putting your beauty to waste."
"It's not like I need to, unnie. What's the point of dressing up with the kind of job I have?"
"Well, aren't you going to be out more once your rookie group debuts. Seokju told me that you'll be tagging along with them to their activities, am I right?"
"So, what? I'm part of the crew. It's considered unprofessional if I dress up more than the boys."
"You don't want to wow them?"
Jiwoo stopped at her tracks, causing the other to halt as well to look back at her. "Don't tell me Seokju-oppa talked to you about me getting close to the boys."
"Why wouldn't he?" Boram laughed. "I think it's cute. I've seen those boys, they're cute. Why stop yourself from flaunting a bit?"
"Unnie, no. Dating for idols in SM is prohibited until their fourth year. NCT is no where near a year old."
The redhead wrapped an arm around Jiwoo's shoulders, pulling her close. "But what if there's no rule about that? Would you date one of them?"
"No comment."
"Do you already have a boy in mind? Oho, Jiwoo-yah, you're sneakier than I thought!" Jiwoo hung her head in shame. She was feeling hot in the face. No, wasn't she just feeling this way because Minah had put the stupid idea in her mind?
No.
She doesn't like him.
She doesn't.
She was just going to put more trouble for herself.
"There's nothing wrong with having a crush, Jiwoo. You have a massive crush on Onew, so what's the difference with one of the NCT boys?"
"Because I actually know them personally and it'd only make my job harder." She let out a sigh, smacking her hand to her burning cheeks to snap herself out of her thought. "Unnie, let's go eat. I'm hungry."
Thankfully, Boram didn't press on the matter and they walked to one restaurant nearby. Being sat down, they began discussing about what to order from the place until the television nearby caught Jiwoo's attention.
"With much expectations, Tangerine Entertainment doesn't fail to wow us with new female soloist, Hong Yoora. Yoora, 22 years old, made her grand debut on Inkigayo with her single, Underwater. We hope all the best for the promising singer. We'll now play the music video due to the many requests."
On the screen, a mystic-styled music video began to play, smooth vocals filling the room. It felt like someone had just punched Jiwoo in the stomach. She stood, stepping closer to the screen to get a better look of the new singer's face. The name itself was familiar, but the face and the voice as well. She would know that voice anywhere.
Jiwoo was breathless.
"Jiwoo, was that?--"
The younger glanced over to Boram and returned back to the table. She put on her best smile as she went back to looking at the menu. "Did you decide what you're getting yet, unnie? We'll have to leave soon if we don't want to be late for work."
And again, Jiwoo was thankful Boram decided to drop this matter as well. The older woman always knew when to not press on.
What a lot to take in today.
A/n: Hong Yoora's song is Heize's Underwater