Chapter 21: NEXT
"So you mean you've got only three weeks to prepare?"
Choo-hyun asked Junho who had arrived, Woo-Jin didn't bother as if he stayed longer he would surely lose it.
"Yeah but I don't need to prepare as me and Jinyoung have already prepared in advance, and by in advance I mean we've practiced together for hours already so we can nail our agency performance without any problems."
"So You're just gonna leave me like that? And I had to gather up my courage in front of my parents just to ask so I could stay an extra two more months with you."
"More or less, but"
"But what Junho."
"I'm staying here for the whole three weeks left with you."
"Eh?"
"You don't seem happy"
"Well I am but you're sacrificing the time you could use to practice."
"True but I've been practicing everyday nonstop and I didn't take a break yet so."
"All right but what are we gonna do?"
"Judge me"
"Judge you?"
"Yeah, what I mean is that even though I'm staying here I do have to at least practice an hour for singing and dancing."
"But."
"We can just practice 'Future' everyday and then Switch to Me"
"That sounds like a plan."
The two continued the rest of their days until Junho left, not only did the two improve on their abilities within three weeks they also spent time together as they both wore masks when going out to Junho he had an item he drew recently.
[ Superman's Eyeglass : When hosts wear this eyeglass he becomes unassuming to the public eye, becomes ordinary and can blend in with the crowd, only people the host can select or know him from the heart can identify the host. ]
To Junho he didn't mind it since he did its job, if people couldn't differentiate Clark and Superman then the eye glass did its job and it did all he wore was an eyeglass along with a face mask to ensure everything when he and Choo-hyun went out together even Woo-Jin had second thoughts on whether he was Junho.
They had even recorded a new song together, it was 'Everytime' the two of them decided that they would release their songs together in the future once everything had subsided, to Choo-hyun she was amazed at how Junho was versatile, to Junho he loved that Irene could nail her parts as expected, they had even registered the song's copyright with Woo-Jin's guidance.
"Are the two of you really not gonna release it?"
Woo Jin asked them even though it currently hurt his eyes watching them together.
"Perhaps in the future, we already have like two songs."
"Can I hear the other one then?"
"Sure, and thanks in advance Hyung."
"For what?"
"Taking care of this house when I'm gone."
"I think you should thank your girlfriend over there she's like the housewife and when she's gone we're on our own again, by the way Choo-hyun."
"Yes?"
"Hold in your jealousy alright? Just remember when the show starts everything thing there aside from the practices down to the performance are authentic but other than that it's all scripted to get some drama going on and a side note you should definitely take some acting classes to hide your feelings if ever you're interviewed about Junho in the future."
"Why?"
"With your face and Junho's incoming popularity there's bound to be some saesang's who'll do their best to uncover his past and soon you will too so yeah it's just a heads up maybe they'll connect you two in the future so rumors are bound to happen."
"I understand then I'll do my best in the future then."
Woo-Jin smiled and nodded, he wouldn't admit it in front of them but he was proud of them and gotten attached to them at some point during the three weeks, he had seen that even though Junho was technically taking a break he was still practicing with Choo-hyun and was even more impressed with her, he looked at them like they were his children or relative.
As a manager that failed to debut he knew that they already had the talent he could see it, coupled with the fact that they practiced their singing, dancing and perhaps chemistry together he felt him winning a lottery was much harder than them being successful and thus he felt satisfied.
"Oh yeah are you ready Junho? We're going with Jinyoug tomorrow let's pick him up tomorrow, you do have his contact right?"
"Yeah good, all right it's getting late I'm leaving now take care"
Woo-Jin left leaving Choo-hyun and Junho alone.
"No"
"Why not."
"I'm still 17"
"I understand."
"Don't worry."
"I know"
-
"I think I'm getting used to goodbyes by now."
"But you aren't"
"Says who"
Choo-hyun tightly hugged Junho before he left for the program, Junho didn't hesitate and took her lips, Woo-Jin let them do what they wanted but it soon felt like they had gone on too long so he coughed.
"I think."
"Shut up"
Both of them told Woo-Jin and continued hugging each other as after this they really don't know when they'll see each other once more even if Choo-hyun could go on the weekends it didn't guarantee that either of them could as they would be busy after this.
-
"So where are we headed anyway?"
"It's on the outskirts of Seoul, apparently they created a camp with lots of facilities just like an agency"
Junho and Woo-Jin had picked up Jinyoung early in the morning as today was the official day NEXT would start their shooting, Woo-Jin didn't hesitate to wake them up earlier than usual.
"You look comfortable back there Jinyoung"
"Well I could say that If I was alone I would be nervous but I guess Junho's with me so at least its reassuring that I know one person inside."
"Just do your best and both of you will be fine"
As time passed by they finally arrived at the location they were given, there they saw an entrance it had the JC M&E Entertainment, they didn't know the specifics but all they knew who the judges were and that was JYP and Hyun-suk.
"I guess this it."
"Yeah."
They looked at the buildings, the people arriving, Junho's heart started to beat louder as it wasn't nervousness he knew that it was excitement, it was finally a chance for him to prove himself, a chance to prove that he was the best among the best.
"Another step closer"
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