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You and Hyunjin started out as trainees together, both of you wide-eyed and eager, dreaming of the day you'd step on stage as idols. The long hours, the grueling practices, the endless critiques—it was all part of the process, part of the journey you were on together.
But while you both started on the same path, your roads diverged faster than you expected. Hyunjin was a natural, a standout even among the talented trainees. It wasn't long before he was pulled aside by the company's higher-ups, whispers of an imminent debut circling around him like a buzz that couldn't be ignored. And then, just like that, he was chosen for Stray Kids, one of the biggest projects the company had ever launched.
You were thrilled for him, of course. Hyunjin was your closest friend, the one who'd been by your side through every high and low. But as you watched him soar, your own journey felt like it was stuck in place. The promises from managers that you'd be next, that you just needed to wait a little longer, felt more hollow with each passing month. And as the months turned into years, the dream that had once felt so attainable began to feel distant, like a fading star you could no longer reach.
You kept training, kept pushing yourself, even when it felt like your heart wasn't in it anymore. But the disappointment weighed on you, each day feeling heavier than the last. There were days when you felt like you couldn't keep going, when the thought of quitting crossed your mind more often than you'd like to admit.
Hyunjin noticed, of course. No matter how busy he was, how demanding his schedule had become, he always seemed to sense when something was wrong. One evening, after a particularly rough day of practice, you found yourself alone in the training room, staring at your reflection in the mirror, questioning everything.
As if on cue, Hyunjin slipped into the room, his presence a comfort you didn't realize you needed until he was there beside you. "Hey," he said softly, his voice gentle as he took a seat next to you on the floor. "What's going on? You look like you're carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders."
You sighed, leaning your head back against the wall, feeling the exhaustion deep in your bones. "I don't know if I can keep doing this, Hyunjin," you admitted, your voice barely above a whisper. "I've been here for so long, and nothing's happening. Every time they say I'm close, it's just another empty promise. Maybe it's time to face the fact that this dream isn't meant for me."
He frowned, his expression turning serious as he reached out to take your hand. "Don't say that. You're one of the most talented people I know. It's not fair, I know it's not, but you can't give up now. You've worked too hard, come too far to walk away."
His words were kind, sincere, but you could still feel the doubt gnawing at you. "But what if it never happens? What if I'm just wasting my time?"
Hyunjin squeezed your hand, his gaze steady as he looked at you. "It will happen. I believe in you, even if you don't believe in yourself right now. You've got something special, something that people will see eventually. And when they do, all of this—every long night, every struggle—it'll be worth it. Trust me."
You wanted to believe him, you really did. But the exhaustion, the disappointment, it was all too much. You nodded, though, grateful for his support, even if you weren't sure if you could keep holding on to that hope.
And then, just a few days later, everything changed.
It was an ordinary afternoon when you got the message. You were in the middle of practicing alone when your phone buzzed with a notification. Expecting it to be just another reminder or schedule update, you almost didn't check it right away. But something made you pause, and when you did, your breath caught in your throat.
It was an email from one of the company's top managers, congratulating you. You'd been chosen to lead your own survival show. Not just participate, but lead. You would be picking out members, forming your own group, and debuting as the leader. It was everything you'd ever dreamed of, more than you could have imagined.
For a moment, you just stood there, staring at the screen, unable to process what you were reading. And then the emotions hit you all at once—relief, joy, disbelief. It was finally happening. After all the years of waiting, of doubting yourself, your moment had finally come.
There was only one person you wanted to share this with first. Without even thinking, you grabbed your phone and bolted out of the practice room, your feet barely touching the ground as you ran down the hall. You didn't care who saw you or how crazy you might look; you just needed to find Hyunjin.
You found him in one of the smaller practice rooms, stretching after his own session. The moment you saw him, you didn't stop to think. You didn't even slow down. You just ran straight to him, throwing your arms around his neck and pulling him into a tight hug.
"Hyunjin!" you exclaimed, your voice breathless with excitement.
He barely had time to react before you were holding him, your heart racing against his chest. He chuckled, wrapping his arms around you, though he was clearly confused. "Whoa, what's going on? Did something happen?"
You pulled back just enough to look up at him, your eyes shining with happiness, your face flushed from running. And before you could even find the words to tell him, the joy bubbling up inside you overwhelmed every rational thought. Without thinking, you leaned up on your toes and kissed him—right on the lips.
The kiss was quick, more a burst of excitement than anything else, but the moment your lips touched his, everything seemed to freeze. Your mind caught up with your actions, and you realized what you'd just done. You pulled back, your eyes wide with shock, your heart pounding for an entirely different reason now.
Hyunjin blinked, clearly taken aback, but then a slow smile spread across his face, his arms still wrapped around you. "Well, that's one way to say hello," he teased, his voice soft but filled with something warmer, something more.
You opened your mouth to apologize, to explain that it was just the excitement, but the words wouldn't come. Instead, you found yourself laughing, your nerves giving way to the sheer joy you felt. "I—I just got the news," you finally managed to say, your voice trembling with emotion. "They're giving me my own survival show. I'm going to debut, Hyunjin. I'm finally going to debut."
His eyes widened in surprise and then filled with pride. "That's amazing!" he said, his arms tightening around you as he lifted you off the ground in a celebratory spin. "I knew it would happen. I'm so proud of you."
When he set you down, the two of you were still close, his hands resting on your waist, his face only inches from yours. The energy between you crackled with something unspoken, something that had been building for a long time.
"About that kiss," Hyunjin began, his tone playful but serious. "Was that a 'just excited' kiss, or...?"
You felt your cheeks heat up, but there was no point in denying it now. "Maybe it was a bit more," you admitted, your voice barely above a whisper.
His smile softened, his eyes searching yours for a moment before he leaned in, this time more deliberately, more purposefully. His lips met yours in a kiss that was gentle but filled with all the emotions neither of you had put into words before now.
When he pulled back, he rested his forehead against yours, both of you catching your breath. "I've wanted to do that for a while," he confessed, echoing the thoughts that had been swirling in your mind.
You smiled, feeling lighter than you had in years, like everything was finally falling into place. "So have I."
The two of you stayed like that for a moment longer, just enjoying the closeness, the feeling of finally being in the right place at the right time.
As you stepped back, still holding onto his hand, you couldn't help but feel that this was just the beginning. Not just of your career, but of something even more important. Something you and Hyunjin would build together, one step at a time, just like you had since the very beginning.
