January 23, 2014
"I'm so happy we're going to be debuting together," Sooyoung smiled, her and Hyeri's intertwined hands swinging in between them as they walked down the hall to the female trainee's practice room. Sooyoung sighed happily, "We'll have so much fun! It'll be you, me, the unnies, and Yeri-ah! We'll be the perfect little family."
Hyeri giggled softly at Sooyoung's clear excitement before frowning, "Ah, unnie, don't you think I'm too young?"
Sooyoung looked puzzled, "Too young? For what?" She stopped them from walking any further, tugging the younger closer to the wall.
Hyeri looked around awkwardly before staring down at her shuffling feet, detaching their hands and placing them behind her back, "I mean ... All of you are at least born in the 90s but I'm in the 2000s ... It's a huge age gap and--"
Sooyoung interrupted her by scoffing, making Hyeri startle, "Hyeri-ah, just because you're younger doesn't mean you're less talented or less capable of being in Red Velvet!" Her face softened when she looked at how startled Hyeri was, "Look, I'm saying this because you're absolutely talented for a kid your age and you deserve to debut in Red Velvet. You deserve to be on that stage with us. Don't doubt yourself."
Hyeri still looked unsure but nodded anyway, glancing away uncomfortably at the eye contact Sooyoung was trying to hold with her, "We should go before we're late to practice and get punished."
Sooyoung reluctantly let Hyeri pull her to the practice room, knowing Hyeri still didn't believe her.
"Hey, Ri," Hyeri looked up from her notebook to see that Seungwan was smiling down at her, "What are you doing?" She scooted over slightly to Seungwan could sit next to her, which she did.
Hyeri looked down at her journal, blinking before saying, "English."
Seungwan laughed, "I see that, but why? Any special reason?"
Hyeri shrugged, looking back down, "I just thought if I knew more languages-"
"Then you'd be more capable of joining Red Velvet?" Seungwan finished for her, raising her eyebrows as Hyeri looked at her in shock. She smiled, "Sooyoung told me." At Hyeri's sigh, Seungwan wrapped her arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer, "Look, you don't need to learn English to be more capable. You're fine just the way you are."
Hyeri sighed again, "It's not that, unnie, I mean-- it is kind of, but most of the world can speak English, right?" Seungwan nodded, so Hyeri continued, "Which means that if I learn English, I can communicate with international fans better. They'll like me more."
"They'll like you whether or not you can speak English," Seungwan reassured her, squeezing her shoulder, "But if you really want to, I can help you with your English." Hyeri's eyes widened in surprise, sitting up straight and opening her mouth to speak but Seungwan quickly raised a finger, "But-" Hyeri deflated, knowing where this was going. "But, you have to promise you'll work on becoming more confident in your abilities. Trust me, Hyeri, you're a very talented girl and you deserve to debut. SM thinks so, too, so obviously that's the highest praise there is," Seungwan laughed, making Hyeri smile a bit.
"But what if the public doesn't see it that way?" Hyeri asked, fiddling with her fingers.
Seungwan sighed, "You know how Korea is. Very picky with what they like, and will be sure to tell you what they don't like. You've seen it with Girls' Generation, and other groups. And they'll be jealous, and lie. But the important part is that you don't let it get to you, because you know your own self worth and that you're very talented. So, please, work on it, and I'll help you with your English."
Hyeri hesitated before smiling, nodding her head and Seungwan felt relieved. Seungwan tugged her closer, "Come here, maknae," and laughed at Hyeri's unusually loud shriek of protest, ignoring it and squeezing the younger girl tightly. "I love you, Hyeri."
Hyeri huffed indignantly at her unnie ignoring her before sighing, "I love you, too, unnie."
