Junghwa came out of the dance practice room sweaty, sore, but feeling accomplished after what she had done. Her dancing was getting better with every day that she was at TRC, which it very well should be, since she spent so many hours raising her previously nonexistant ability to remember and perform choreography. She wasn’t at the level of the good dancers, not anywhere near it. But she didn’t look like a whale trying to walk on land anymore, and she counted that as some kind of improvement.
A familiar buzz alerted her to a call on her cellphone, a sound that she was somewhat surprised to hear, because few people called her at this time of day. The number was unfamiliar, and a look of confusion crossed Junghwa’s face as she lifted the phone to her ear.
“Miss Park?” The voice at the other end of the line was one of a woman, but not one who Junghwa recognized. “I’m Kim Minae, and I’m calling on behalf of the Daegu Orphanage for Girls.”
“Yes, that’s me.” Junghwa said tentatively, looking at the clock to see how much time she had before she had to get to her next practice session. But the woman’s voice didn’t sound exactly happy, and she found herself nervous for what she had to say.
“I’m afraid I bring some bad news. Ms. Kang, the orphanage director, passed away this morning.”
Junghwa felt the pit of her stomach sinking as she was flooded with emotions from every which direction. How could she have passed away? Ms. Kang was getting older, and older people often had health issues, but she had seemed fine the last time Junghwa had called.
Of course, it was just like her to say she was fine just so that the girls wouldn’t worry.
“As of this moment, we are still looking for a replacement. We will keep you posted.”
“Yes, thank you.” Junghwa choked out, trying to keep her chin from quivering, to keep the tears from pouring out of her eyes as she hung up the phone. What would happen now that Ms. Kang was gone? Who would take care of the girls? The time on her phone said that she needed to get to her next scheduled practice session, and her legs felt like they were attached to cinderblocks as she walked over to the room.
She’s right. The weather around the girl is beautiful; with a light breeze and bright sun, but the scenery is not as comforting. The park is just about the most scenic place Penny can think of visiting, but despite the swaying trees and the chatter of other visitors, having no one to share it with makes the whole thing feel rather melancholy.
However, her bench buddy is friendly, thank the heavens, and Penny offers back a warm smile and a tilted head as she replies, “it is a lovely day, thankfully.” Humming softly, she soaks it in, this brief uplifting moment as the other talks to her before it’ll disappear again. She doesn’t suppose the other will stick around for too long; who wants to talk to a random miserable stranger? “This park is really pretty, too.” She comments quietly, hoping that perhaps she can keep the conversation going.
Junghwa nodded her head vigorously, agreeing wholeheartedly with the girl on the bench. The weather was nice, and the scenery in front of her was one that they would describe in children’s stories. The sun shined through the trees, casting its rays on the lush green grass and making shapes in the paths through the park. It wasn’t as natural as her hometown, but at least it was something.
However, she was glad that the girl next to her wanted to talk, or at least was willing to. The day was just made a lot more pleasant when there was someone to share in the pleasantry. “It really is pretty. A small section of the city not completely taken over by urbanization.”
“My name is Junghwa.” She looked over at the girl, smiling as she introduced herself.
[ sms → wifey ] okay okay working hard right??
[ sms → wifey ] so i can see you on stage and cheer for you and buy all your photocards???
[ sms → wifey ] and yes hahaha “trc-thief” is great! hard work, but i’m glad i’mh here
a smile found its way on her lips despite the scorching hot sun above them. she wiped the sweat that trickled on her temple with her arm as both of her hands were occupied. “this will be the first of many fanservices! hopefully!” she spoke with eager enthusiasm. she would put front a lot of happiness just to get away with dancing under the sun for awhile. she did love dancing, so much, but her limbs and legs were starting to weaken from all the routines she’s done. talk and happy smiles towards the people that crowded them felt like a good task compared to the other.
“it’ll be easy.” joy assured the older trainee. “we just approach them, give them a smile, hand the water bottle, maybe say a few words or something.” she shrugged, eyes fleeted from the female before her to the citizens behind them. she was struck with sudden nervousness but knew well that she can handle it. it was within her expertise - talking to people and being all smiles no matter how tired she was.
“Hopefully.” She repeated, smiling as she thought of her future now that she was actually signed with a company. Junghwa had just joined, and she knew that the possibility of debut was far away, still just as much a dream - if a more conceivable one - than when she was a normal girl walking through the streets. But thinking about it made Junghwa feel even more energized, despite the hot sun and the endless dancing she had been doing.
Plus, she had always liked talking to other people. No matter the situation, Junghwa always found a way to smile and look for the bright side of things. Although this was tiring, there were a lot of bright sides. It was her first performance with her company, for one, and hopefully the first out of many times she would be able to do fanservice. And on top of that, she got to do it with Joy. “Okay let’s do this!”
“Hello!” She walked up to the closest person - a man who looked to be about her age and had been watching them dance - and bowed. “I hope you enjoyed our performance!” Junghwa handed him a company branded water bottle, smiling brightly. “Don’t forget to stay hydrated!”
on different circumstances she would proudly say that being under the summer sun was bearable. she lived most of her life under the constant shade of the bright star and since having lived in south korea, she would even go as far as to say that she missed it. a lot.
but being tasked to stay out in it for twelve hours was an entirely different story.
the tent was lined with tables propped with about hundreds of water bottles, the trainees are out, and the citizens are filling out. she was definitely nervous but more so excited than anything. her first performance outside of the company building - the thought itself was very promising. she was dressed in her company shirt and light denim shorts, her hair was up in a ponytail and sweat was beginning to trickle down her forehead. “unnie, let’s hand out water bottles!” she spoke to the elder female beside her as she grabbed a bottle from the rack. fan service and aegyo; she was all about that.
Junghwa had never exactly been good at dancing. Her movements were awkward, and she couldn’t memorize choreography the way other people could. So when she heard about the June evaluations for TRC, nervous was somewhat of an understatement.
Then she found out that not only would the evaluations involve dancing, but that it would be under the scorching summer sun, twice an hour for twelve hours. Junghwa had been in the sun before, gardening and doing work in the orchards to help make profits for the orphanage. But she had never done anything like this. Sweat stuck strands of dark hair to her forehead and her company t-shirt was starting to feel constricting in the heat.
But Joy’s sunny disposition re-energized the Junghwa, as she finished her dancing only to pick up a water bottle. “Ready for some fanservice?” Joy’s natural aegyo was perfect for this kind of thing, and Junghwa had no doubt she would do well. “You’ll have to teach me!”
he laughed at her question, head nodding as he quickly deflected any worries she might have had. “yeah but not nearly as bad. some horror stories you hear from pledges isn’t nearly as bad as just a few flyers to pass out.” he nodded again for clarification. “trust me. this is as bad as it gets. like i said. everyone’s really laid back.”
her refusal surprised him initially. it was no big deal on his part and from the looks of it she had already made her quota so helping to get rid of the rest wouldn’t hurt he figured. his head shook lightly, his expression easy as it truly laid no burden upon him. “it’s really no problem. you’ve handed out more than enough than you were required to do.” he paused. he didn’t want to make her uncomfortable though. “or I can just keep you company if you’d prefer.”
Junghwa nodded, glad that at least she wouldn’t have to experience what she had heard in those stories. They seemed like nightmares, and she wasn’t sure how she would handle that if she had to do something like it. She was comforted by the fact that the flyers were the worst that she would have to do. Sure, it was quite warm outside and she would have to bear some strange looks, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as drinking until you passed out.
Of course, help was never a bad thing, but she didn’t want to get in trouble with the company, especially with her first task. Not a great first impression. The offer of company, however, appealed to her. She would still be handing out the flyers herself, but she wouldn’t have to be alone when she did. “Company sounds great! Hopefully you won’t get tired of me.” She laughed, looking at him. “Since we’ll probably be seeing each other during training.”
her tray made a sound as it connected with the wooden table but even it wasn’t enough to break through the sound of people chattering that filled the entire cafeteria. one would think that at five in the morning, everyone would be at a state of stilled movements and quiet moments but from the way people around them were all talking animatedly with their own group of friends made her happy somehow. her surroundings truly create an effect on her mood. as she split her chopsticks in two, she nodded her head towards sojin a look of agreement on her face. “i know! it’s like everyone had been trained to be talented since birth.”
even before she step foot inside the company as an official trainee, she knew that trc entertainment held high standards for their artists. it was impossible for someone without a trace of talent in their body to get in. she knew that much and prepared herself for the onslaught of people who could possibly be greater than her when it comes to dancing. “training’s been good! although receiving strict criticism feels strange, i’m sure it would get better. ”
She thought of the dancers who could bend their limbs in ridiculous ways, of the singers who could reach sky high notes and the rappers who flowed like water in the Han River as they performed. Junghwa had never been great at dancing, but in her old hometown, her singing abilities were comparatively adept. Here, they were not only miles ahead of her in dancing, but also with singing and especially with rapping.
But TRC was a company who set the bar high and expected their trainees to reach and surpass that bar, and Junghwa found a little comfort in knowing that there must have been some reason she was chosen. "Criticism is good sometimes." She nodded, chewing thoughtfully. "We can improve through knowing what we did wrong. But I know what you mean, it's kind of strange to be watched so closely sometimes."
Sojin was exactly the kind of girl that the girl would’ve loved having as an older sister. Fun and caring, all while sharing the same passion as she did for the entertainment business. They had so many things in common! She couldn’t help but feel sorry when she heard her story. It could have happened to her after all… she just had been lucky. “21! Can’t wait to be that age!” Only then would she truly be an adult all around the world and she couldn’t wait for that day to happen. “We have more in common than I thought.” she finally admitted, smiling kindly to the older girl. “I don’t know my real parents either. I was adopted right after I was born.” She wasn’t the type of person who would dwell on the past or tell someone else just how pitiful they were for being “orphans”. The truth was… that life went on, and Eunae was almost certain that Sojin was doing just fine.
“It’s nice to know that. It’s like having another big sister!” She was so excited about that for some reason. She already had two, but she couldn’t see them every day like she did with Sojin! It was different. They were kind of friends too, who shared the same joys and worries at TRC. An ally of some sort! She was so busy thinking of how wonderful it was to have met her that she forgot what she was doing. “Right, the rice cooker!” She was still in the process of searching for it when Sojin made that joke. Eunae jumped, almost gasping. “But…” She had no idea how to cook rice that way. She was used to letting the rice cooker do all the job… but apparently, the other girl was only playing around. “Unnie!” called Eunae, amused but also relieved, while grabbing the rice cooker and connecting the plug. “Ok, the rice still stands a chance after all. Now let’s see how this one works…” All rice cookers pretty much functionned the same way, but it was like using another home’s shower. Though everything looked the same, you ended up either burning or freezing in there… while she was preparing the rice, she glanced over to where Sojin was standing, watching her cut the carrots. “You’re really good at this! You could go on one of this idols’ cooking show!”
“Really?” Junghwa turned from the vegetables that she was cutting to look in surprise at the younger girl. It was yet another common thread that connected the two of them, one single string in a large bunch that she had kept discovering every day. Being an orphan sounded like quite a pitiful situation, but Junghwa was a firm believer that things didn’t have to be sad if one just tried to make them happier. She had a good life at the orphanage. She was cared for well by the directors, she learned a lot, and and couldn’t imagine life otherwise. The orphanage made her who she was today, and she was grateful for that. She assumed it was the same for Eunae. The girl seemed like she was well taken care of with her adopted family, and well loved, by the way she talked about them. “We really do have a lot in common! I would love to meet your family sometime!”
Junghwa had always wanted a younger sister to dote on, to care for in times of sadness and be elated for in times of happiness. She had gotten just that in the orphanage, but when she moved to Seoul, she was no longer the oldest, and became the younger sister to many instead. “Of course! Big sister Junghwa and little sister Eunae versus the world!”
A laugh left her lips as the younger girl’s face turned to one of confusion. Cooking rice in a pot was daunting when you first set out to do it - Junghwa knew that from experience (and from burning the rice a few times). “Thanks, I’ve just had a lot of practice!” She smiled at the girl’s compliment, “An idol cooking show would be so much fun! I feel like I would embarrass myself though.”
If she were to be perfectly honest, Junghwa really wasn’t a big fan of subways. First, they were quite overly crowded, with people rushing about everywhere and filling up like water in a broken dam into the cars that never seemed to be big enough, effectively squishing her into the body of whoever was next to her. Then there was the fact that subway maps were way too confusing for her countryside mind, with different stops and connections that jumbled themselves in her brain into a mix of lines and colors and shapes.
All of those things combined made subways a thing that she didn’t exactly enjoy. But it was the most effective way to get around this city, which was often filled with traffic above ground, not to mention the cheapest. And with her pricey rent and other various fees associated with living in Seoul, she saved wherever she could. This meant that extravagant taxi rides everywhere were out of the question.
But in a stroke of great luck, the subway cars were only mildly full when she stepped in after her shift at the cafe. She had stayed a little later than usual, missing the normal rush of traffic when people were all trying to get home at once. Her legs were tired, and she was glad to have a place to sit, even if it was teeming with unseen bacteria cultures.
As she sat onto the cold plastic seat, something shiny caught her eye. It was dangling from the cellphone of the person sitting next to her, and it had an air of familiarity that Junghwa just couldn’t quite seem to recall, no matter how much she squinted her eyes and furrowed her brows.
After a few moments of frustrated consideration, she still couldn’t remember what was right on the tip of her tongue, and her curiosity got the best of her. Turning her head, she tapped the girl’s shoulder lightly.
“Excuse me? Where did you get your cellphone charm?”
Hyejeong chuckled as she casually linked arms with Sojin, leaning slightly towards her. “Maybe, but you’re a super nice unnie so I’m sure you’d like to buy again for your poor dongsaeng.” She knew the other well enough to tell when she was joking and when she was being serious, and right now the two were just being playful, as usual.
“No seriously, I went to the cafeteria and I swear I had the most food piled on my plate, including the boys!” Hyejeong shook her head as she nudged the other girl lightly. Her face almost went red again, remembering how embarrassed she had felt. “Maybe they’ll like us for having a bit more curves - they like that these days, right?” Simply talking about her worries with her best friend made her nerves ease, and she sighed as she realised how much she would miss this. “We need to have regular catch-up sessions, okay?”
Junghwa rolled her eyes at her roommate, wondering if she had always been that shameless, or if it was something that had just started happening. “Okay I’ll buy. But you wash the dishes next time we eat at home.” Speaking of eating, Junghwa realized quite sadly that fried chicken and beer was something they wouldn’t be able to have whenever they wanted anymore, and the thought made her quite sad. “I bet they all put nothing on their plates in the cafeteria and then leave and stuff their faces when no one is looking.” She giggled, joking but knowing full well how serious these diets were.
“Yeah, like honey thighs and stuff. That’s popular now right?” Junghwa looked down at her legs, frowning. If they wanted honey thighs, she had plenty of that on her body. But she would go through it with her best friend, even if they would be extremely busy. “Yes, of course! Let’s try to at least talk on weekends, okay? And before bed if we’re not about to pass out.”
hello helloo! i’ve messaged the main and everything already, but i have changed sojin’s fc to park junghwa from exid! her background and basic stats everything will stay the same, so it should affect any threads!
with that said, if anyone wants to plot with junghwa, please come into my inbox and let’s plot!!
