Better
Title: Better
Pairing: Yonghwa/Seohyun
Genre: Comedy
Rating: g
Summary: Keeping friends close and enemies closer
" Welcome Wagon", Seohyun style. Thanks to meganrh_ys, for the idea!
The atmosphere in the company is tense yet again and the trainees are working non-stop for another series of monthly evaluations. It is a busy time for everyone, but it is particularly nervewracking for the trainees, who barely sleep, let alone eat. Monthly evaluations are endured by all trainees and they either improve or risk going home.
Understandably, prior to evaluations, there is no coddling and special treatment, not like they receive it on a regular basis anyway, but all sunbaes increase their level of strictness. They either nag and yell or enforce repetition and dole out passive aggressive criticism with a smile. There is no lesser evil. Yet, the trainees are grateful. They aren’t living in the real world. They are living in an alternate universe that is FNC and whatever the CEO, director, and sunbaes say is gospel. The advice and preparation for monthly evaluations will make them better and prepare them to debut, so they hang onto every word and suggestion that is provided.
Last month, the CEO had decided to pull up more young female trainees, 4 to be exact, much to the delight of the boys in the company. It was a move Juniel scoffed at. Upon hearing the news, the guys reverted back to middle school, high-fiving each other at the news that those trainees would be assigned to both FTIsland and CNBlue for mentoring prior to evaluations. AOA members had been deployed to Japan for the next 3 months, so Juniel was to endure the atmosphere alone, albeit begrudgingly.
The excitement is electric in the studio today, but all she can do is roll her eyes at the juvenile behavior of the sunbaes. The testosterone haze that fills the space is stifling and she shakes her head watching these so-called men, stumble over each other to greet the girls, who themselves are starstruck. The admiration between both groups is mutual and Juniel is definitely not feeling the love fest.
She never remembered that treatment coming up the ranks. Sure, she was doted upon since she was the first legitimate female musician to debut for FNC, but once she debuted, she faded into the background of the brotherhood. She didn’t quite care since they viewed and treated her as an equal, which was flattering, but being the sole female for this particular exercise made her physically ill.
As the teams await the arrival of the executives, she sees the guys crowding together and slyly motioning at the female trainees. The trainees stand meekly, trying desperately to appeal to the teams by shyly smiling and unnecessarily touching their hair, but not making direct eye contact.
Juniel sits quietly along the wall and decides she will mark this nauseating occasion by snapping photos and taking video of the sunbaes in all their masculine glory, oogling at trainees. Documenting their behavior for the ages will serve her well in the future. She will have the means to retaliate when they pester her. Stealthily, she raises her phone to snap photos and take video, which go totally unnoticed, since the guys are too preoccupied.
She looks up and sees that FTIsland is much more into the exercise than CNBlue, but all are excited just the same. Surprisingly, it is Jung Yong Hwa who appears the most excited of his group, saying CNBlue has a distinct advantage for trainees since all members have recently acted in dramas this past year, something FTIsland can’t boast. His bandmates are all smiling like cheshire cats, suppressing their excitement to work with girls.
Juniel entered FNC with Yonghwa at the same time, but she is loyal to Seohyun unnie. Juniel had met Seohyun during her duet promotions with Yonghwa and took to Seohyun immediately. They exchanged texts every week and they would have lunch once a month. She admired Seohyun tremendously and when her unnie requested that she keep an eye on Yonghwa oppa, there was no hesitation. Of course, she would keep an eye on Yonghwa. She would always be grateful to Yonghwa, but she felt a loyalty to the sisterhood of female artists, especially since she felt so alone at FNC.
“Seohyun unnie would find this very interesting,” she says, zooming in on Yonghwa, whose large eyes are blinking a mile a minute. She pans across the sunbaes, their jaws slackened. She also tapes the excited female trainees who are scoping out the handsome celebrities in their presence.
The CEO and director walk in and immediately, the boys settle down into their seats. Juniel is on her phone, having concluded her reconnaisance mission, and slyly types a text to Seohyun unnie, attaching video and photos for her review. “Yong Choding” is all she includes in the text message. She looks one final time at Yonghwa, who has suddenly grown quiet due to the arrival of the executives, and is now on his best behavior.
“This is for your own good.” Juniel says to herself, watching Yonghwa through narrowed eyes, then pressing send.
❤
The teams are selected and the group breaks for the day, with mentoring beginning tomorrow. Juniel sits quietly beside Minhyuk as they eat their lunch. She keeps an eye on Yonghwa, who is sitting with Jonghoon oppa and talking about the trainees. Jonghoon is too handsome for his own good. He’s quiet, but everyone knows he’s one of those guys you need to keep an eye on. He is also one to bring out the cad in anyone he’s around, including Yonghwa.
Juniel sees Yonghwa suddenly fishing in his pocket for his phone. One text and he looks like a tamed lap dog. Juniel looks down at her plate, surpressing the urge to laugh.
“Everything okay?” Minhyuk asks her.
“Ah, yes, oppa. I forgot my soup,” she says, saving herself from further interrogation.
She looks up again to see Yonghwa casually typing on his phone. Juniel soon gets a text message herself.
“What are you doing for dinner tonight, Juniel? Want to come over?”
She responds and says she would be happy to join them for dinner, and asks if she needs to bring anything.
“Oh, whatever you think would add to the atmosphere of dinner. ^__^”
Juniel knows exactly what to bring.
❤
Seohyun puts the finishing touches on the dining table. There are 5 extra settings and he assumes her parents and the three boys are coming over for dinner. She moves to the kitchen to place the catered food on plates. Unfortunately, they were both too busy to cook tonight’s meal, but she made sure to order all his favorite foods from their favorite restaurant.
“Oppa?”
“Hmm?” he grunts, helping her to arrange food.
“Do you remember having a privacy clause in your contract when you were a trainee?”
He pauses for a moment to think about it. “No... BUT it’s something that was added to all trainee contracts 2 years ago and is now standard for all contracts.”
“Hmm.”
“Why?”
“Just asking. I was asked, as a performer, to review the trainee contracts for SM to see if all was fine. We included a privacy clause that would result in litigation if trainees discussed any and all activity under the employ of the company, during and even after they are terminated.”
“Yeah, sounds about right. I think our CEO consulted with SM’s legal department on appropriate verbiage.”
“Hmm.” She says, acknowledging his explanation. “Interesting.”
Music is playing softly in the background and the mood in interrupted by a call from security. Seohyun runs to pick it up and tell the guards to send them up.
“They’re here?” he asks.
“Mmm-hmm. They’ll be up in a few minutes.”
He keeps looking at the food, his mouth watering. He can’t wait to dig in. He wishes his in-laws and bandmates would hurry up.
In no time, the doorbell rings and Seohyun is striding toward their front door, checking her hair in the mirror of the foyer and adjusting the picture of the two of them on the mantle.
She opens the door and hugs Juniel tightly.
“Hi unnie!”
“How are you? You look so pretty!” She grabs Juniel’s hand and squeezes. “I’m so happy you could make it!” She leans back to check on Yonghwa, who is still eyeing the food on the platter.
She looks at the door and sees 4 female trainees looking back at her. They are scared, overwhelmed, and excited all at the same time. Dressed in wide leg pants and a chiffon top, Seohyun is truly a goddess. Her hair is curled in waves and her make up is flawless. The girls are on the verge of crying, being in the presence of the SNSD maknae.
“Omo! Please come in,” Seohyun says, stepping aside to invite them. Each girl shakes her hand as they pass the threshhold, bowing at the 90 degree angle, and stuttering their names as they address her as sunbae-nim. Once introductions are done she motions them to follow her.
“Oppa! Our guests are here.”
He looks up, expecting to see the usual faces and stops dead in his tracks when he see Juniel and the 4 female trainees from earlier in the day.
Seohyun looks at the 4 trainees and suppresses a smile. “You remember Yonghwa sunbae-nim, right?”
They nod numbly, looking back and forth between Yonghwa and Seohyun, suddenly putting two and two together. The rumors about these two are real! Juniel makes eye contact with the girls and holds her finger over her lips, indicating that what they see is not to be discussed. Ever.
“Yeobo,” Seohyun says lovingly, “Please show our guests to their seats.”
Juniel looks at Yonghwa and for a split second, feels sorry for the poor sap. He’s thoroughly confused and is unable to recover. “Neh,” he says obediently.
Once everyone is seated, Seohyun welcomes the girls. “I’m so glad you all could make it to dinner tonight,” she says, a kind smile on her face. “As a sunbae in the industry, I felt a personal responsibility to welcome you to the entertainment world you’re experiencing and seeing that is very different from the world you all come from.”
The trainees are enthralled by her. She commands their attention and is more intimidating than scary, but they pay her the respect she is due.
“It is something you will grow to get used to, but the entertainment industry is not easy for females,” she continues. “It’s built by men for the general entertainment of men and for the direct benefit of men.” She picks up one of the platters and passes it on to the trainee closest to her, and motions to the rest of the table to begin serving food, which they do. She glances at Yonghwa, who is still in a stupor.
“Which is why I hope you take my words to heart. It is never too early to be shrewd in your work. Work hard, lean on each other, and listen to and respect your sunbaes. They have a responsibility to mentor you, to guide you, and to help you to succeed. They are interested in your success because it benefits the company, but it also benefits the industry as a whole. Respectable sunbae don’t engage in self-serving interests when mentoring hoobae.”
He looks up to see them nodding at her, drinking in her every word, while she looks squarely at him. The hairs on the back of his neck bristle and he doesn't know why. One thing he does know is it’s very different to receive advice from a female idol. “Well, enough of the lecture,” she laughs. “Please tell me how things are going.”
Dinner goes on smoothly, with the trainees speaking politely about their experiences. Yonghwa snaps out of his daze and participates constructively in the conversation, explaining cues and pointers he used studying acting and while honing his musical craft. Juniel listens intently, watching over the trainees as a mother hen does her chicks. She is inspired, after Seohyun’s advice, to watch over these girls.
“Ahh, it’s getting late,” Juniel says, after the girls clear the table and load the dishwasher. “We should go, unnie. You must have an early morning. Thank you so much for talking to them. It looks like they learned a lot.”
The girls' eyes sparkle as they nod enthusiastically at Seohyun. “Thank you, sunbae-nim,” they bow to Yonghwa and then shake Seohyun’s hand as they file out the door, all bowing at 90 degrees to her. Once they are in the hallway, she pulls Juniel in for another hug.
“You let me know if they need help. Or if you need help. I’m only a phone call away.” Juniel nods, grateful to Seohyun for her guidance. “Good night,” the couple says, waving at the girls as the door shuts.
Yonghwa pulls her into a hug. “Wah! You were wonderful.”
“Thank you, oppa.”
“They needed a female perspective.”
“Mmm-hmm.”
“And it looks like Juniel is going to be stepping up.”
“That’s great.”
“Is this dinner why you asked about the privacy clause?”
“Mmm-hmm,” she responds, not telling him she already knew the privacy clause of FNC trainees, but well he doesn’t have to know that.
“Wah!” he catches up to her and pulls her into a back hug, nuzzling into the curve of her neck. “You’re a genius.”
“I think a few of those trainees were sweet on you, oppa,” she says, quietly.
“Nah,” he denies. “I’m just a sunbae.”
“A squealing sunbae, excited to mentor female trainees?”
Still holding her in his arms, he begins putting the pieces together. Her calculating moves now make sense. “Ani, it’s not...”
“It’s not what? Were your cheeks bursting or not today?”
“But,” She’s onto him. She is very well aware of how he was acting around the trainees earlier today. He doesn’t know who squealed, but it doesn’t matter. He’s stone-cold busted.
“Are you denying that you were acting silly about female trainees with your label mates and showing them interest that ought not be given in their situation, ‘sunbae-nim’?” she asks, a touch of sarcasm in the last word.
He’s screwed and knows he’ll be apologizing for a very long time. Plus, she has just gained another 4 spies in FNC, to keep an eye on him, in addition to his CEO, Juniel, his 3 bandmates, and whoever else reports to her on his suspicious movements. If Seo Joo Hyun were to aspire for world domination, she could no doubt make it happen.
“Those trainees now know you are dating me, an unnie,” she says. He nods, amazed at yet another outcome of tonight’s dinner. She managed to put everyone and everything into their appropriate places and those trainees will no longer approach him as a celebrity to snag, but a respected sunbae, who is off-limits.
“Neh,” he says, obediently.
“A much more sophisticated approach compared to what you did to poor N, that one night after recording, wouldn’t you say so?” and there was the pièce de résistance. He won’t be living this down for quite some time. She turns around to kiss his cheek, “I love you, oppa.”
Seo Joo Hyun’s calculating and intelligent mind scares him.
❤
The next day, the female trainees are with Juniel and all bow when Yonghwa arrives. “Good morning, sunbae-nim.”
The other guys are still giddy, while he says hello and meekly walks to his seat, keeping his mind on business and Seo Joo Hyun, who gave him a sweet kiss good-bye when he left for work and told him with a cute smile on her face, “Please work hard, yeobo. Fighting!”, as if nothing ever happened.
He looks around the room at his label mates. He has no idea who reports to Seohyun, but they all look suspicious, particularly Minhyuk who looks entirely too interested in his phone. Or maybe it was Jungshin? Juniel? His CEO? Everyone he suspects catches his eye and smiles.
Aahh, Seo Joo Hyun, check mate.
Pairing: Yonghwa/Seohyun
Genre: Comedy
Rating: g
Summary: Keeping friends close and enemies closer
" Welcome Wagon", Seohyun style. Thanks to meganrh_ys, for the idea!
The atmosphere in the company is tense yet again and the trainees are working non-stop for another series of monthly evaluations. It is a busy time for everyone, but it is particularly nervewracking for the trainees, who barely sleep, let alone eat. Monthly evaluations are endured by all trainees and they either improve or risk going home.
Understandably, prior to evaluations, there is no coddling and special treatment, not like they receive it on a regular basis anyway, but all sunbaes increase their level of strictness. They either nag and yell or enforce repetition and dole out passive aggressive criticism with a smile. There is no lesser evil. Yet, the trainees are grateful. They aren’t living in the real world. They are living in an alternate universe that is FNC and whatever the CEO, director, and sunbaes say is gospel. The advice and preparation for monthly evaluations will make them better and prepare them to debut, so they hang onto every word and suggestion that is provided.
Last month, the CEO had decided to pull up more young female trainees, 4 to be exact, much to the delight of the boys in the company. It was a move Juniel scoffed at. Upon hearing the news, the guys reverted back to middle school, high-fiving each other at the news that those trainees would be assigned to both FTIsland and CNBlue for mentoring prior to evaluations. AOA members had been deployed to Japan for the next 3 months, so Juniel was to endure the atmosphere alone, albeit begrudgingly.
The excitement is electric in the studio today, but all she can do is roll her eyes at the juvenile behavior of the sunbaes. The testosterone haze that fills the space is stifling and she shakes her head watching these so-called men, stumble over each other to greet the girls, who themselves are starstruck. The admiration between both groups is mutual and Juniel is definitely not feeling the love fest.
She never remembered that treatment coming up the ranks. Sure, she was doted upon since she was the first legitimate female musician to debut for FNC, but once she debuted, she faded into the background of the brotherhood. She didn’t quite care since they viewed and treated her as an equal, which was flattering, but being the sole female for this particular exercise made her physically ill.
As the teams await the arrival of the executives, she sees the guys crowding together and slyly motioning at the female trainees. The trainees stand meekly, trying desperately to appeal to the teams by shyly smiling and unnecessarily touching their hair, but not making direct eye contact.
Juniel sits quietly along the wall and decides she will mark this nauseating occasion by snapping photos and taking video of the sunbaes in all their masculine glory, oogling at trainees. Documenting their behavior for the ages will serve her well in the future. She will have the means to retaliate when they pester her. Stealthily, she raises her phone to snap photos and take video, which go totally unnoticed, since the guys are too preoccupied.
She looks up and sees that FTIsland is much more into the exercise than CNBlue, but all are excited just the same. Surprisingly, it is Jung Yong Hwa who appears the most excited of his group, saying CNBlue has a distinct advantage for trainees since all members have recently acted in dramas this past year, something FTIsland can’t boast. His bandmates are all smiling like cheshire cats, suppressing their excitement to work with girls.
Juniel entered FNC with Yonghwa at the same time, but she is loyal to Seohyun unnie. Juniel had met Seohyun during her duet promotions with Yonghwa and took to Seohyun immediately. They exchanged texts every week and they would have lunch once a month. She admired Seohyun tremendously and when her unnie requested that she keep an eye on Yonghwa oppa, there was no hesitation. Of course, she would keep an eye on Yonghwa. She would always be grateful to Yonghwa, but she felt a loyalty to the sisterhood of female artists, especially since she felt so alone at FNC.
“Seohyun unnie would find this very interesting,” she says, zooming in on Yonghwa, whose large eyes are blinking a mile a minute. She pans across the sunbaes, their jaws slackened. She also tapes the excited female trainees who are scoping out the handsome celebrities in their presence.
The CEO and director walk in and immediately, the boys settle down into their seats. Juniel is on her phone, having concluded her reconnaisance mission, and slyly types a text to Seohyun unnie, attaching video and photos for her review. “Yong Choding” is all she includes in the text message. She looks one final time at Yonghwa, who has suddenly grown quiet due to the arrival of the executives, and is now on his best behavior.
“This is for your own good.” Juniel says to herself, watching Yonghwa through narrowed eyes, then pressing send.
❤
The teams are selected and the group breaks for the day, with mentoring beginning tomorrow. Juniel sits quietly beside Minhyuk as they eat their lunch. She keeps an eye on Yonghwa, who is sitting with Jonghoon oppa and talking about the trainees. Jonghoon is too handsome for his own good. He’s quiet, but everyone knows he’s one of those guys you need to keep an eye on. He is also one to bring out the cad in anyone he’s around, including Yonghwa.
Juniel sees Yonghwa suddenly fishing in his pocket for his phone. One text and he looks like a tamed lap dog. Juniel looks down at her plate, surpressing the urge to laugh.
“Everything okay?” Minhyuk asks her.
“Ah, yes, oppa. I forgot my soup,” she says, saving herself from further interrogation.
She looks up again to see Yonghwa casually typing on his phone. Juniel soon gets a text message herself.
“What are you doing for dinner tonight, Juniel? Want to come over?”
She responds and says she would be happy to join them for dinner, and asks if she needs to bring anything.
“Oh, whatever you think would add to the atmosphere of dinner. ^__^”
Juniel knows exactly what to bring.
❤
Seohyun puts the finishing touches on the dining table. There are 5 extra settings and he assumes her parents and the three boys are coming over for dinner. She moves to the kitchen to place the catered food on plates. Unfortunately, they were both too busy to cook tonight’s meal, but she made sure to order all his favorite foods from their favorite restaurant.
“Oppa?”
“Hmm?” he grunts, helping her to arrange food.
“Do you remember having a privacy clause in your contract when you were a trainee?”
He pauses for a moment to think about it. “No... BUT it’s something that was added to all trainee contracts 2 years ago and is now standard for all contracts.”
“Hmm.”
“Why?”
“Just asking. I was asked, as a performer, to review the trainee contracts for SM to see if all was fine. We included a privacy clause that would result in litigation if trainees discussed any and all activity under the employ of the company, during and even after they are terminated.”
“Yeah, sounds about right. I think our CEO consulted with SM’s legal department on appropriate verbiage.”
“Hmm.” She says, acknowledging his explanation. “Interesting.”
Music is playing softly in the background and the mood in interrupted by a call from security. Seohyun runs to pick it up and tell the guards to send them up.
“They’re here?” he asks.
“Mmm-hmm. They’ll be up in a few minutes.”
He keeps looking at the food, his mouth watering. He can’t wait to dig in. He wishes his in-laws and bandmates would hurry up.
In no time, the doorbell rings and Seohyun is striding toward their front door, checking her hair in the mirror of the foyer and adjusting the picture of the two of them on the mantle.
She opens the door and hugs Juniel tightly.
“Hi unnie!”
“How are you? You look so pretty!” She grabs Juniel’s hand and squeezes. “I’m so happy you could make it!” She leans back to check on Yonghwa, who is still eyeing the food on the platter.
She looks at the door and sees 4 female trainees looking back at her. They are scared, overwhelmed, and excited all at the same time. Dressed in wide leg pants and a chiffon top, Seohyun is truly a goddess. Her hair is curled in waves and her make up is flawless. The girls are on the verge of crying, being in the presence of the SNSD maknae.
“Omo! Please come in,” Seohyun says, stepping aside to invite them. Each girl shakes her hand as they pass the threshhold, bowing at the 90 degree angle, and stuttering their names as they address her as sunbae-nim. Once introductions are done she motions them to follow her.
“Oppa! Our guests are here.”
He looks up, expecting to see the usual faces and stops dead in his tracks when he see Juniel and the 4 female trainees from earlier in the day.
Seohyun looks at the 4 trainees and suppresses a smile. “You remember Yonghwa sunbae-nim, right?”
They nod numbly, looking back and forth between Yonghwa and Seohyun, suddenly putting two and two together. The rumors about these two are real! Juniel makes eye contact with the girls and holds her finger over her lips, indicating that what they see is not to be discussed. Ever.
“Yeobo,” Seohyun says lovingly, “Please show our guests to their seats.”
Juniel looks at Yonghwa and for a split second, feels sorry for the poor sap. He’s thoroughly confused and is unable to recover. “Neh,” he says obediently.
Once everyone is seated, Seohyun welcomes the girls. “I’m so glad you all could make it to dinner tonight,” she says, a kind smile on her face. “As a sunbae in the industry, I felt a personal responsibility to welcome you to the entertainment world you’re experiencing and seeing that is very different from the world you all come from.”
The trainees are enthralled by her. She commands their attention and is more intimidating than scary, but they pay her the respect she is due.
“It is something you will grow to get used to, but the entertainment industry is not easy for females,” she continues. “It’s built by men for the general entertainment of men and for the direct benefit of men.” She picks up one of the platters and passes it on to the trainee closest to her, and motions to the rest of the table to begin serving food, which they do. She glances at Yonghwa, who is still in a stupor.
“Which is why I hope you take my words to heart. It is never too early to be shrewd in your work. Work hard, lean on each other, and listen to and respect your sunbaes. They have a responsibility to mentor you, to guide you, and to help you to succeed. They are interested in your success because it benefits the company, but it also benefits the industry as a whole. Respectable sunbae don’t engage in self-serving interests when mentoring hoobae.”
He looks up to see them nodding at her, drinking in her every word, while she looks squarely at him. The hairs on the back of his neck bristle and he doesn't know why. One thing he does know is it’s very different to receive advice from a female idol. “Well, enough of the lecture,” she laughs. “Please tell me how things are going.”
Dinner goes on smoothly, with the trainees speaking politely about their experiences. Yonghwa snaps out of his daze and participates constructively in the conversation, explaining cues and pointers he used studying acting and while honing his musical craft. Juniel listens intently, watching over the trainees as a mother hen does her chicks. She is inspired, after Seohyun’s advice, to watch over these girls.
“Ahh, it’s getting late,” Juniel says, after the girls clear the table and load the dishwasher. “We should go, unnie. You must have an early morning. Thank you so much for talking to them. It looks like they learned a lot.”
The girls' eyes sparkle as they nod enthusiastically at Seohyun. “Thank you, sunbae-nim,” they bow to Yonghwa and then shake Seohyun’s hand as they file out the door, all bowing at 90 degrees to her. Once they are in the hallway, she pulls Juniel in for another hug.
“You let me know if they need help. Or if you need help. I’m only a phone call away.” Juniel nods, grateful to Seohyun for her guidance. “Good night,” the couple says, waving at the girls as the door shuts.
Yonghwa pulls her into a hug. “Wah! You were wonderful.”
“Thank you, oppa.”
“They needed a female perspective.”
“Mmm-hmm.”
“And it looks like Juniel is going to be stepping up.”
“That’s great.”
“Is this dinner why you asked about the privacy clause?”
“Mmm-hmm,” she responds, not telling him she already knew the privacy clause of FNC trainees, but well he doesn’t have to know that.
“Wah!” he catches up to her and pulls her into a back hug, nuzzling into the curve of her neck. “You’re a genius.”
“I think a few of those trainees were sweet on you, oppa,” she says, quietly.
“Nah,” he denies. “I’m just a sunbae.”
“A squealing sunbae, excited to mentor female trainees?”
Still holding her in his arms, he begins putting the pieces together. Her calculating moves now make sense. “Ani, it’s not...”
“It’s not what? Were your cheeks bursting or not today?”
“But,” She’s onto him. She is very well aware of how he was acting around the trainees earlier today. He doesn’t know who squealed, but it doesn’t matter. He’s stone-cold busted.
“Are you denying that you were acting silly about female trainees with your label mates and showing them interest that ought not be given in their situation, ‘sunbae-nim’?” she asks, a touch of sarcasm in the last word.
He’s screwed and knows he’ll be apologizing for a very long time. Plus, she has just gained another 4 spies in FNC, to keep an eye on him, in addition to his CEO, Juniel, his 3 bandmates, and whoever else reports to her on his suspicious movements. If Seo Joo Hyun were to aspire for world domination, she could no doubt make it happen.
“Those trainees now know you are dating me, an unnie,” she says. He nods, amazed at yet another outcome of tonight’s dinner. She managed to put everyone and everything into their appropriate places and those trainees will no longer approach him as a celebrity to snag, but a respected sunbae, who is off-limits.
“Neh,” he says, obediently.
“A much more sophisticated approach compared to what you did to poor N, that one night after recording, wouldn’t you say so?” and there was the pièce de résistance. He won’t be living this down for quite some time. She turns around to kiss his cheek, “I love you, oppa.”
Seo Joo Hyun’s calculating and intelligent mind scares him.
❤
The next day, the female trainees are with Juniel and all bow when Yonghwa arrives. “Good morning, sunbae-nim.”
The other guys are still giddy, while he says hello and meekly walks to his seat, keeping his mind on business and Seo Joo Hyun, who gave him a sweet kiss good-bye when he left for work and told him with a cute smile on her face, “Please work hard, yeobo. Fighting!”, as if nothing ever happened.
He looks around the room at his label mates. He has no idea who reports to Seohyun, but they all look suspicious, particularly Minhyuk who looks entirely too interested in his phone. Or maybe it was Jungshin? Juniel? His CEO? Everyone he suspects catches his eye and smiles.
Aahh, Seo Joo Hyun, check mate.