seventeen after

37

Sixteen-year-old Boseon walked into the house, shutting the door quietly. Currently, it was eight o'clock at night; two hours after he was supposed to be home. He knew if his parents found him now, he'd be in deep trouble. He heard voices come from the living room, so he went into the room across from that: the room him and Hanbyeol put their backpacks.

"What do you think you're doing?" A voice behind him asks, Boseon stopping in his tracks on the way to the backpack rack. He turns around slowly, seeing his sister. "You're here two hours after you're supposed to."

"I know, Riles," he starts, keeping his voice quiet. "I just got caught up with what I was doing, but I promise to tell you in the morning. When it's the right time, and not when Mom and Dad might want to kill me."

"We don't want to kill you, Xander," another voice states, sounding way too familiar. He looks farther down the hallway Hanbyeol was standing in front of, spotting both of his parents standing a few feet behind her. "We just want to know why you were out so late," Boyeong continues, giving her son a smile.

Boseon sighed, looking down at the ground. "But, you've never wanted me to go this way," he tells them, frowning at his feet. "If you don't kill me for getting home late, you'll kill me for this."

"Xander, you can tell us, don't worry," Vernon replies, making said boy raise his chin. The male smiled at his son, "Whatever it is, we'll be proud of you. We'd never stop you from doing something you enjoy."

Hanbyeol had started to catch on, knowing exactly what her brother was about to say. "You auditioned for a company," she states, making the boy's eyes go wide. "It's obvious. Something Mom and Dad wouldn't want for you; and you and your friends have been going to the studio for weeks, even after the performance at your school."

Vernon and Boyeong take a glance at Hanbyeol in unison, looking back up at Boseon. "Xander, is that true?" Vernon asks, taking a deep breath.

The boy nods his head, looking back down at his feet. "Pledis," he mumbles, the three hearing the word anyway. Hanbyeol freezes up at that, but it goes unnoticed by her parents. He looks up quickly, "But I met a trainee there, who was helping out with the CEO! He said if my friends and I make it, he'll help us."

"We always thought you'd end up here," Boyeong comments, Vernon looking at her with wide eyes. "Don't look at me like that, Vernon, you knew he would end up here. He has amazing dance skills, and don't think you hid your singing skills from us," she continues, smiling at Boseon. "I'm perfectly fine with it."

Vernon looks as if he's about to say something, but Boyeong sends him a glare. Vernon slouches down, looking over at his son with a small smile. "I'm fine with it too," he tells the boy. "And not just because you're mother's terrifying."

"Tell us more about the trainee!" Hanbyeol shouts, going up to Boseon's side to pull him into the living room. Their parents follow behind them, and the boy finally smiles.

They were alright with him going on and auditioning, and it made him so happy. Hanbyeol sat them both down onto the couch, his sister waiting patiently to hear about Boseon's new friend. It made Boseon happy, knowing they were going to let him do this.

"Come on, tell us about him!" Hanbyeol says, shaking the boy. "I want to hear about the boy who wants to help you!"

That makes Boseon chuckle, the boy stopping his sister from shaking him anymore. "His name is Hyunjin," he starts, smiling. "He's two years older than Hyeok, Hwan and me. Making him a year older than Yujin and Suyeong, but they could care less," he continues. "He's been training for three years now, which is insane."

"He was a year older than me when he stared," Hanbyeol observed, eyes going wide at that thought. "Woah."

"Yeah," Boseon responds, chuckling. "But, he's super nice. He said he's had the chance to debut, but he wants to debut with friends rather than by himself. His friends he auditioned with never made it past."

Hanbyeol frowned at that, "That's so sad," she replies. "He's been alone. Unless he's made friends. He's made friends, right?"

Boseon shakes his head, making Hanbyeol frown even more. "He's never found the right crowd, it's a shame," he continues. "But, hopefully, I'll pass with my friends and we'll give him the debut he's been waiting for."

"You really want to help him?" Boyeong asks, giving a soft smile to Boseon. "That's sweet of you, Xander. Really."

"I mean, if he's going to help us out with training," Boseon starts, nodding. "We'll help him with debuting. It's the good kind of karma he deserves. He's been alone for three years, he deserves it."

He hears sniffles coming from his dad, chuckling at the sound. "Don't laugh at me," Vernon tells him, wiping at his tearless eyes. "I've raised a good son. That good son has just grown up too fast."

"He's still our little Xander," Boyeong told her husband, laughing at the male. "Instead of stealing his little sister's toys, he's stealing the spotlight instead."

Hanbyeol gasps at that, mouth gaping open. She looks over at her brother, scowling at him. "You will not do that to me," she tells him, making the boy chuckle. "I'll steal it back, just you wait, Xander."

"Will do, Riles," he responds, smirking at her. "Here's the thing, you don't have a company to go against me with."

"Watch me," Hanbyeol threatens, getting up from her seat and walking away.

"For a fourteen-year-old girl, she's pretty feisty," Vernon comments, turning to his wife. "Were you like that at fourteen?"

The woman elbows him, getting up herself. She looks at Boseon with a loving smile, "I'll reheat some leftovers, I'm sure your hungry, sweetie."