Chapter 15

160417

***

"Stars are always beautiful, whether they're on the night sky or on land." Star whispered.

Ten showed up at the back of her mind. His smile and his eyes, they're just so pretty. She didn't notice she's been smiling on her whole walk to the company.

"Star?"

'Aaargh. What are you doing?' She asked herself.

"Star-yah."

"Stars are always beautiful... ah no! No!" She timidly said to herself while shaking her head.

"STAR!"

"Aw star!" Star shouted in surprise.

"You're spacing out." Chahyun said, continuing to walk.

"Am I?" Star asked.

"You surely are. A penny for you thoughts?" Seomin asked.

"Nevermind. It's nothing."

"That nothing has something." Chahyun stated, with the tone of mocking her with her mocking smile.

"Ok fine!" Star raised her hands as a sign of giving up, "I'm just..."

"Just what?" Seomin asked.

"Spill it! Ppalli!"

Star groaned, "I'm just thinking about my future in the company. Okay?"

"Oh." Chahyun nodded, "I was thinking about that last night before I went to sleep."

"Oh right." Seomin said, "How many years are we going to wait?"

"How could you think about that already?" Star nagged.

"What? I'm just... you know that's our goal here that's why we're here. We want to debut as an artist." Seomin answered straight.

"We're just starting. There's so much to learn yet."

Chahyun held Star's hand, "Right. I remember, Johnny oppa has been training under SM for... eight years? Yeah. What if I have to train for that long too?"

Star smiled, "At your age, and skills, you might debut tomorrow." She joked.

"Wutt." She just said then laughed.

Star sighed and happily walked with them. As they arrived in the company, Hime approached them and joined them in their conversations while going to their training room.

"Sejoon-ssi has been very busy lately." Hime said.

"Yeah. He's one of the in-charge for this month's Rookies Show." Seomin said.

"Ah. I see." Hime nodded.

As they reach their training room, Star immediately opened the door and saw their co-trainees buzzing over the same topic.

"I'll be going. I want to see it."

"I'll be watching too."

"Let's go together!"

"Sejoon-ssi will let us for sure."

"But of course we have to put on a disguise. Hahahaha!"

"Hey guys!" They shifted their attentions to Chahyun, "Wanna share us your topic?"

The four girls were standing while the rest were sitting on the floor while stretching.

Jikyung raised his hand then spoke, "We'll be going to SM Rookies Show later!"

"Yeah! We're gonna support our oppas." Soomin said excitedly with her fist and bright eyesmile.

"Come with us! The tickets may be announced sold out but we may ask Sejoon-ssi to prepare spare seats for us." Vash said.

"Yah. I'm going. But I bought a ticket. That would be unfair for me since you're just going to request for seats." Hime pouted..

"Then just sell it." Chahyun said while snaking her arms around Hime's neck.

"Geurae." Hime nodded while smiling brightly.

"We will join you, guys!" Seomin said excitedly.

"How 'bout you, girl?" Daejeon asked Star.

Star smiled, "I have nothing to do later. And since all of you will go, then I will watch too."

"YAY!" The three girls from her side shouted in excitement.

But Star is actually still uncertain. She sighed while thinking of seeing Ten there. She turned back and went to the sofa nearby to place her things. She violently closed her eyes and shook her head then heaved a sigh.

"It's okay. There's nothing wrong." She whispered.

**

"Whoa. There are lots of fans!" Hime said while looking for her seat. They are situated at the back since they don't have a ticket and a seat from the crowd.

"Daebak." Chahyun said while watching the fans.

"I have attended their preview show before." Hime said.

They all sat and waited for the show to start.

Meanwhile, Star who's feeling antsy is just looking at the stage while gripping her t-shirt.

"Oh c'mon, Star." She whispered to herself, asking herself to calm.

"Are you saying something?" She looked at her right and just shook her head to Seomin.

After a few minutes, the show began.

While they're performing, the trainees are filled with excitement. They're anticipating the show very much especially the boys who always have a chance to talk with the other members of SM Rookies.

"Whoa. Daebaaaaak!" Hime screamed and blended well with the crowd.

Meanwhile, Star is just focused with one person. And obviously, it's the dancing machine, Ten.

"They dance very well!" Chahyun exclaimed.

They are really performing well and it relieved Star's stress. She's been smiling while watching them on the stage.

The ment came.

"Annyeonghaseyo yeoreobundeul!" Doyoung greeted.

"Wah. It's always nice to see you!" Jaehyun exclaimed.

The two lead the ment and everyone's listening well. It's so fun that the trainees can say it's a stress reliever.

And when Ten's solo stage came, Star felt her heart beating fast again. He's performing Young & Stupid.

"Whoa. He's really good!" Seomin exclaimed.

He dances really well and his facial expressions are nailing it. She cringed when he did an aegyo at the last part.

"He really likes fanservice." Star said.

"How'd you know?"

"Base on my observation and on his twitter."

"He have one?"

"Yeah. But it's already inactive. He last posted in 2013, the year when he entered SM."

"Wow. You know too much about him. Are you stalking him?" Star faced Seomin. She went blank and her blood went up to his cheeks.

"N-No... just... oh look, here they come again!" Then she pointed at the stage.

"Yieee." Seomin said with her teasing smile. Star just rolled her eyes.

Then the Jing Bell Rock part came and it's almost the end of the show. Everyone is delighted with their performance. The SM Rookies went to the audience to give stuffs and even danced near them.

Of course, Star is only looking at Ten. She got shocked when Ten finally looked at her, smiled at her and waved at her.

She hid her face with her hands.

'He's not looking at me right?'

She then looked again and Ten is already on the stage together with the other rookies.

"Waaah look Hansol is so funny hahaha!"

"Yuta's smile omg!"

"Wah Taeyong is so handsome!"

The comments are getting louder as the song is finishing.

When the show ended, Sejoon called Star's group to go to the backstage.  Star's eyes widened. She's being nervous again.

"Uh. Why do I have to feel like this?"

**

"Congratulations! You worked hard!" Everyone in the backstage are congratulating each other for their hard work.

Star's group are on a side watching the busy people packing up their things.

"They're the unintroduced rookies, right?" Chahyun asked pointing to the group of rookies near the SM Rookies.

"Right. I see them often in the company." Hime answered.

"I heard Winwin oppa will be introduced soon." Seomin said.

While they're chatting, Star is again, looking for someone.

"Hi."

She jumped in surprise as she heard someone from behind, "Oh you surprised me!" Her mind became blank seeing Ten.

"Hi again." Then he smiled.

"Oh, hi." Star's limbs are trembling in nervousness. 'Oh c'mon. Why does it always have to be like this?'

"So, you came."

"Yeah." She smiled awkwardly.

"I was about to invite you last night but I just thought it doesn't fit with our mood. Haha!"

Star narrowed her eyes, "Aren't you afraid that Sejoon-ssi is looking at us?"

Ten looked around to look for Sejoon but he didn't see him. He just smiled at her.

Star sighed and just smiled, "Stupid. Hard-headed."

"Ouch." Ten acted hurt while clutching his chest.

They both laughed.

"Staaaar!" They faced the people on their side who called Star and there was Taeyong and Jaehyun.

"Hi!" Star greeted them while smiling brightly and waving her right hand.

"Wow. You greeted them well." Ten commented.

"So what?"

"You greeted me with," Ten acted shy and copied Star's greeting earlier, "Oh, hi." He said with a small voice.

"It's because you surprised me!"

"What are you two talking about?" Johnny came while putting his arm around Ten's shoulders.

"Nothing important." Star smiled while shaking her head.

"How's our show?" Johnny asked.

Star showed two thumbs ups, "Great!" She exclaimed.

"Haha. Thanks. I'm leaving first. Bye." Then he went back to his group.

Star looked at Ten awkwardly, "What's with your smile?"

"Nothing. I'm just feeling happy."

"I see." She nodded while scanning the place.

"In 2016..." she looked at him, "We will be very busy."

"Ah." She said, "Why are you telling that to me?"

He smiled, "I want to tell you more about what I am doing, what will be my future activities, about myself, about anything. Just like this."

Her forehead knotted in confusion, "What do you mean?"

"I'll tell you soon."

"Tell me now. I'm gonna think about this even in my sleep." She nagged.

He just again smiled and stepped forward to her and partially leaned towards her and whispered, "Please, wait for me."

***