Waiting For Us || Stray Kids 9th member Fic

Chapter 7

Chan was....not sure what to feel.

He was definitely not happy with the news that Winnie would soon be quitting. Even more so because the time was ticking. He had found out that she had had a thorough meeting with the management. He had no idea what was being discussed but it troubled him. But he had heard some vague rumours around the building and something in his gut told him that the company wasn't really dying to keep Winnie with them.

......

Okay, so he might have been kind of a shitty friend to her for the past few weeks but really? Quitting the company?

He did feel guilty that he forgot her graduation and all, especially when she was there for his graduation, but deep down he was scared. He had already lost so many of the friends he had made. So many people had come and then left. Yeosang hyung left the company after not getting to debut for quite some time. BamBam and Yugyeom had GOT7. And so many.

He had wanted to quit so badly, after all these years, but he stayed. Half for his passion and half for Winnie.

Winnie was the only one who stuck by him. She was his first friend here. She had been through most of the thicks and thins of his life with him, supporting him. He didn't wanna lose a friend, his best friend. Sure switching companies wasn't that big of a deal, but he knew that once that happened, he and Winnie would rarely get time to spend with each other. He'd be JYPE's and she'd be Big Hit's. And he wasn't sure he was okay with it.

He mentally groaned and lowered his head.

He left her behind, despite promising that he won't. And now, she was going to do it. He had no right to be angry at Winnie for something he did first. She was leaving to work with BTS and being the fantastic producer she was, it would result in other artists wanting to work with her. As her demand would increase, her time for him and others would decrease. Besides, what would he know; she might end up finding someone much more suitable to be her friend, someone who won't break promises to her and stick by her as much as she'd stick by them. Hence, gradually she'll forget about him and he will remain as nothing but a memory from her past.

Chan loudly exhaled, before shaking his head. Nope. That won't happen. He had fucked up enough and he was going to mend it. He was going to make it up to her. And for some reason, his mind agreed that this was the best way possible.

"Bang Chan-ssi? Sir will see you now,"

He looked up at Secretary Jo and nodded, thanking her before entering the PD-nim's office. He greeted the man, who gestured for him to take a seat.

"Chan, it's nice to see you! How's the group going?" JYP asked

"I'm still working on it, sir, but so far it is going great," he replied

"That's good. That's good. So, what is it that you want to talk about?"

Chan took a deep breath, his sweaty hands fumbling on his lap, as he cleared his throat. "Is it possible for me to add a girl to the group?"

The older man straightened, studying the younger boy's face as if Chan was just gonna follow up with "Sike!". But nothing of that sort happened.

"A girl?" came the careful question.

"Yes," he nodded

"You want to add a girl to a project boy group?"

Chan gulped, "Well, it won't be a boy group if that happened, but yes."

JYP studied him for a solid moment. He tried to understand, and imagine, any scenario that might make Chan, a level-headed, talented, smart and experienced trainee, make such a decision and...he could come up with none. A small part of him suggested that the girl might be his 'girlfriend' or crush, but he knew that Chan knew better. Everyone in the company knew that the only girl to be as close to him as to be mistaken as his 'crush/girlfriend' was Winnie and that girl had quit idol training years ago. Not to mention, she herself was quite ambitious and knew the rules and played by them. Mostly.