breathe

“you have to learn to produce, i guess! make your future group the first!” she encouraged with a laugh. “or convince jett sunbaenim. but that seems harder to me.”

“i’ll work on it, but i’d be scared to put anything out there. i don’t want to be the bargain bin nathan,” he admitted with a little laugh. “jett’s a lot nicer than people expect. it’s worth an ask!”

“it’s been a long, long time. like, six years,” she agreed, smiling and staring. “oh, i’m at siren ent now! i was one of their first trainees, actually. i came to watch mirae– she’s going to be in my future group,” erii explained. “i’ve been watching the show; you’re really impressive.”

“six years...” he repeated in awe. he didn’t realize he’d been a trainee for so long. “it’s great seeing you again....” he smiled. “mirae is really great, isn’t she? are you guys slated to debut soon?” he blushed, rubbing the back of his neck. “i...that means a lot, thank you. i’ve been working hard.”

“I figured that might’ve been the case, but you never really know for sure unless you ask,” Eli said. That’s how they looked at it, anyway. Any knowledge helped them out. “I hope so… I’m willing to put in the effort, at least. I want to see try and see this thing through, even if I don’t get far in the end.”

she’d had a long, hard journey, but she’d finally struck gold with siren. or at least she thought so. this was the closest she’d ever been to a debut, and it meant a lot to her. sure, there was no clear debut date for midnite yet, but the fact that they had a name and were rehearsing together, just the four of them…. it meant something big. 

she’d been in the idol project audience to support mirae, and to a lesser extent yihwa as well. she’d seen him onstage. and now, running into him like this, it was more than clear. “i– ilhoon?” she asked, eyes searching his face. “i’m fine, are you okay? i……..ilhoon?”

“yeah, i’m fine-- it was just a little bump,” he insisted, smiling and getting a better look at her. “it’s been forever,” he said, shaking his head. “how have you been? where’d you end up? what brings you here?”

“i feel like stylistically you guys really could have killed something like uh oh or lion,’ hoa agreed emphatically. “and what better way to show off someone like inho’s chops? not that sam isn’t great, but i personally think sookie is a trailblazer…”

“oh, dude, i’m always so mad. girl groups have done some killer 90s aesthetic songs in the past few years. uh oh, but also merci’s lady too. boy groups never do that shit. i would have loved to do that song for audition. what a waste.”

“That came off way more defensive than I thought–I know you aren’t trying to clown or anything, I’m just trying to say that I’m not… out of touch with the situation, I guess? I know we’re in deep but I don’t want to get hung up on it too much,” Eli said, rubbing their head. “I can do that.”

“I have plenty of dance experience. Not good, and not professional but it’s still experience. Just not the same as yours,” Eli replied, then sighing. “Listen, I’m aware of how unfair it is. It’s still the best shot I’ve got, though, so I’d rather try to make the most of it than just acting like I’m doomed. Maybe I’m a clown because of it, but I don’t really care.”

“That’s a while,” Eli stated. “I don’t think they’re stupid. There’s no better experience than getting out and doing the thing, no? It’s like… testing how well we work under pressure.”