his whole world stops.

everything freezes; no movement, no sound, not even one breath.

welcome back to nova, he had heard, don’t screw this up this time, jaebum-ah. this is a miracle that we’re actually letting you back in -- your audition was phenomenal, however, and we sensed you weren’t going to give up until you came back.

now here you are.

i won’t mess this up again, i promise! he exclaimed, crimson locks moving freely under nervous, excited fingertips -- his heart pumps a million, no, a billion miles a minute. he realizes that not only has he done this once, he’s done this twice.

twice shouldn’t have happened, though -- there shouldn’t have been a falling out, there shouldn’t have been a break in between. but he supposes in that break, he’s grown so much more, he’s readied himself even more.

but he also acknowledges the fact that he’s way from ready, that he’s no where near as mature and skilled to debut -- they’re not going to give him that debut out of the blue just because he’s been through this another time, just because he’s been acclimated to this process once before. no, this is just a milestone -- a milestone that, in his opinion, should have never happened, but such is life, he supposes.

a milestone nonetheless, however -- a milestone that’s leading him on the right path again, the path that he had once ventured off of for a quick moment.

he’s glad to be back.

I, IM JAEBUM, HAVE READ NOVA ENTERTAINMENT’S TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY TO FOLLOW THEM DURING MY CONTRACT PERIOD. I UNDERSTAND THAT FAILURE TO ABIDE BY THESE TERMS WILL RESULT IN THE SUSPENSION OR TERMINATION OF MY CONTRACT. I VOW TO INVEST MY BEST EFFORTS INTO MY LIFE AS A TRAINEE AT NOVA ENTERTAINMENT. SIGNED, IM JAEBUM

so as a excited, endearing smile creeps up on his face, that smile that’s been there since before the first time he’s signed this contract, he signs the document.

there’s no time to mess around anymore, he’s set his sights on this path for as long as he’s breathing.