Two Hearts- Maknae, Saranghaeyo (Prologue)
Cee-Cee finally has time to post now! I'd like to personally apologize to everyone I forced to wait so long x_x School is extremely overwhelming and extracurriculars and foreboding parents are not very helpful >.< I'm not trying to make up excuses for making my readers wait of course and for that I'm so deeply sorry. I keep saying I'll remember to find time to update quickly...gah. Why must I procrastinate so much D:
Anyway! FINALLY the prologue of my mega multi-fandom series is HERE! please read and all comments/constructive criticism welcome (as long as its nice and well-reasoned? keke)
DISCLAIMER:
-everything beyond this point is fictional and I solely own this plot, not the company, artists, etc.-
Prologue:
*A word on the entertainment university application system:
Entertainment-based universities are places of schooling to assimilate aspiring, talented young people into the workforce of South Korean entertainment. Many who graduate get degrees in acting, music, composition, etc. However, the real stars are the ones who train for the longest time to become music artists, the stars on campus.
SM Entertainment University is currently the largest, most systematic and successful entertainment based university founded by the prestigious Lee family, its current dean being Lee Sooman. Nationally and even internationally recognized with the successes of their funded college bands and entertainment alums, it is the surefire way for someone who dreams of success
However, of course, like any other college, SM requires a good resume to be accepted into the school. And to become part of a college band, there's an audition you must go through along with a year of freshmen training...
As soon as the bell rang, a flood of high school students came pouring out of the school gates, some chatting eagerly with their friends, some goofing around, all immensely relieved that the school day was over. It was a beautiful day and most students were itching to get out of their school uniforms and into normal clothes and get out to party in the city. Sixteen-year-old Seo Joohyun was amongst the crowd of teenagers, walking home with studies mainly on her mind. And her best friend.
Speaking of which, where was he? There was no choir today, meaning he should have come out of the building right around now. Joohyun sighed as she leaned on a nearby tree, picking off stray lint from her uniform. She came from a rather wealthy family and was amongst the top five percentile of the best scoring students in her high school. She was also on the student council, had extracurriculars like dance and choir and had a decent amount of admirers and friends. None of that mattered, though, when it came to her best friend. The one that mattered the most. She pouted a bit. Where could he be?
“Yo!” shouted a voice, hands clamping over her eyes.
“Yah!” squeaked Joohyun, her heart skipping a beat and her pale, oval face splitting into a smile as she gazed at her best friend. “Kyuhyun-oppa! Don’t scare me like that!” she mock-scolded him while shyly smiling.
Cho Kyuhyun grinned and said, “You’re just fun to tease, Joohyun,” and she blushed as he started to walk with her.
“Why did you come out of school late?” Joohyun asked and Kyuhyun poked her and, effectively tasing her, teased, “What? Were you THAT worried about me?” His heart stirred as he watched her face flush in pink and thought of how cute she was when she was this embarrassed. As she opened her mouth to protest in denial, he chuckled and explained: “Changmin-hyung needed part of the chemistry lab so I had to lend it to him. Then, when I was hurrying outside, I ran into Yoobin.” Joohyun noticed that his facial expression turned slightly into one of disgust.
Even though she knew perfectly well that Kyuhyun would never consider going out with Yoobin, her heart still leapt into her throat, pounding hard as she said, “Ah…she still flirts with you?” “Every chance she gets!”he complained. “She’s not even good at it.” Kyuhyun then batted his eyes and made his voice girlishly high and squealed, “’Oh, Kyuhyun…you’re so smart. Help me with my “homework” sometime eh?’” Joohyun burst out into hysterical laughter and it wasn’t long before they were both doubling over laughing.
“Omo…oppa…that’s not nice!” Joohyun attempted to scold her best friend, but despite her effort, she couldn’t help giggling insanely at his impression. After their laughter died down, they simply walked together in companionable silence. At first, it seemed like the two were heading home, but then, without any words being exchanged and only a small glance at each other, they changed their minds and went to the park. Their feelings and thinking were that in sync with each other.
Joohyun and Kyuhyun had known each other since Kyuhyun moved into the neighborhood next to hers and he transferred to her elementary school class. They had clicked instantly- they both loved music and both came from dysfunctional families. Joohyun’s parents were workaholics who never quite had enough time for their daughter or family time. Practically everyday since she was eight, she had been driven back home to an empty and foreboding mansion with only a maid and butler for company. Kyuhyun lived with his divorced mother and they were always short on budget, just somehow managing to get by. Every waking moment of his childhood life, he had been tirelessly pushed by his mother to come out at the top of his classes.
Ever since they met, they used to come to the park to play, giggles and childish laughter ringing in the air. As they grew up together and entered high school, they were obviously occupied by schoolwork, but this did nothing to separate them; if anything, they grew closer together. Occasionally, Joohyun and Kyuhyun would come the park, sit on the fence and simply talk or enjoy each other’s presence.
Right then, Joohyun was primly perched on the wooden structure while Kyuhyun was leaning back, heaving a great sigh.
“Life’s speeding by really fast, isn’t it Joohyun.”
“You’re right, Kyu. Soon, we’ll be third year seniors and then we’ll be off to college.”
“…Joohyun, have you seen the SM Entertainment University brochures on the college announcement board?”
“I have. Why, are you thinking of going there, Kyu-oppa?”
“Joohyun, it’s the answer to fulfilling our dreams! Haven’t we always told each other that the one thing we really wanted to do in our lives…was to share the beauty of music with others?” The biggest thing the two best friends had in common was a passionate love for music- and mind-blowing vocal talent.
She blushed and said, “Well, yes, I have checked out the brochure for SM…but…what if I don’t get accepted in? It’s really a competitive university…”
“Stop it, Joohyun. We both know you’re smarter than everyone else in school and you get the best grades. And SOMETIMES you beat me.” Kyuhyun chuckled as he ducked an oncoming smack from his best friend.
“Okay fine- it’s just…I don’t know if my parents will comply…”
“Jeezums, Joohyun. You’re going to be an adult soon- you should be able to make your own decisions without needing your parents. It’s not like they’ve ever been there for you anyway.” If it had been anyone else who had said that, Joohyun would have left them, right then and there, tears in her eyes. Since it was her best friend, who knew her inside and out, she simply gave him a small sad gaze, noting with surprise the bitter tone his voice had held when he had said that.
“…I wonder if we would need stage names if we were to ever be in a college band,” Joohyun wondered.
“I’ll stick with my own name, thank you very much,” Kyuhyun responded, a small grin on his face. “You though…you could use a stage name.”
“Omo? What would it be?”
“Hm…ah…hold on let me think…I’ve got it! Seohyun!”
“Eh?? That’s weird, oppa.”
“It’s fitting! Seo for your surname and the end of your first name together…I think it sounds pretty cool.”
“That’s just because you made it up and you think you’re a genius.”
Kyuhyun simply laughed and said, “True.”
A bit of silence passed between them until Joohyun gave Kyuhyun meaningful look and said, “…I think it sounds unique. You’re so creative, oppa.” Somehow, after she said this, she felt a burning heat in her cheeks, and she turned away.
Kyuhyun gazed at her and a small amused smile crept on his lips. Joohyun noticed this from the corner of her eye and her heart began to pound with curiosity and uncertainty.
“Seohyun…” he murmured. “Look at me.” Joohyun, who unknowingly had responded to her new nickname, turned to him and suddenly, her eyes widened hugely. It had happened so fast, yet it was fresh in her mind as if every second had been forever- his fingers lightly brushing over jaw line before cupping her face gently, that electric jolt that coursed through her body when they came together and the little gasp she made when she felt his tongue come through.
When they finally withdrew, Joohyun was blushing and even Kyuhyun, cool as he was known to be, had tinges of pink concentrated in his cheeks.
“Kyuhyun…what…?”
“I…I like you, Joohyun. I’ve…I’ve always, always loved you. Ever since we first met.” Joohyun gasped again as she felt his arm snake around her waist and pull her into a tight embrace- and realized that all this time, she had felt the same way and had even wished that he might feel the same way.
“…Let’s go to university together.” His deep, velvet voice and calm statement rang in Joohyun’s ears. “Let’s spend the rest of our lives together.” So much emotion arose from the bottom of her heart that the only thing Joohyun could say was: “Yes.”
“Let’s promise each other,” said Kyuhyun, his dark eyes seeming to peer straight into her soul. “That…even if we’re apart, even if a thousand, two thousand miles are between us and we don’t see each other for twenty years…no matter what…we’ll find each other.” Joohyun felt a lump in her throat, but still smiled and added, “And…we’ll live together, in love.” “Forever,” he finished for her.
Their second year in high school quickly passed and soon, they were in their senior year, spending every day they could with each other and loving every moment of it. College exams and applications month soon came and went, and both Joohyun and Kyuhyun were accepted, passing the exams with flying colors.
However, just a month before graduation, Joohyun’s father came home one day and informed the family of a sudden business change that required a year-long relocation to America. Joohyun, heartbroken, cried to Kyuhyun, but he simply comforted her, reminding her of the promise they had made to each other and told her he would keep it, definitely.
They wrote letters everyday to each other, unbeknownst to the other. Each passing day, their hearts longed for the day, that glorious day they could reunite with each other and live their lives together in happiness. Two years would come to pass before the chance of such a day would come and before that, there would be obstacles and challenges to face and, ultimately, overcome. Sitting on the fence that day, Seo Joohyun and Cho Kyuhyun had not an inkling of the dramatic and complex love story that would unfold two years later on the campus of SM University.