Work Text:
Minnie
The girl’s voice rings in her mind, willing and begging her. It should be used, it should be heard, such a unique tone, it would shock the netizens. It should be on stage singing, it should be onstage singing her lyrics, her songs. She knows, but recently the girl’s bright smile have been missing, hidden behind a wall of gray. “Puberty” they call it jokingly. Hopelessness, Soyeon knows it. She tries not to think of the puppy like innocence, the cute smiles and greetings she had once witnessed the girl shower others with. The duality of her brightness and her onstage charisma had drawn the eyes of all that met her, including Soyeon. She feels a strange urge to shake the girl, to look into the eyes that once held such fire. Such passion, now they just hold the emptiness that life has dealt her. She tries not to think of years ago during training missions when placing last didn’t reduce the girl to tears as it had many other trainees, it had instead lead to spirited shouts, “I’m going to crush it next time” the girl had shouted raising her arms in the air and waving them comically to the laughter of others. Immediately throwing herself into rearranging her performance and adding new ways to showcase her talents. The unwelcome(??) voice in her mind had whispered “that’s my girl.” Shaking her head of the memories of the once bright and lovely smile that the girl always showed Soyeon walks back to her studio. And yet her heart feels a strange ache when she sees the darkness pulling away at the girl, a darkness she is familiar with. The world would be brighter if that Unnie smiled again. Turning away becomes harder and harder each time.
Soojin
It’s as if she spoke through her movements. The girl seemed reserved, bashful almost, Soyeon could understand. When you’ve tasted debut people see you differently, expectations. Charisma came from within and this girl held the world in her movements and her expressions, she had eyes that belonged on stage. A dance so smooth it should be performing, performing her songs, bringing emphasis to her hooks. But the girl is tired, having once debuted, had a team to call her own only to have come up empty has changed her. She’s reserved unwilling to easily open her heart to another team because how long would it be when that was also torn from her? And yet despite the walls, traces of warmth radiate from her when Soyeon observes her quietly encouraging the even quieter foreign kid when no one pays attention. That warmth making it way into her soft yet melting tone when singing. The girl’s honey like vocals would sound beautiful singing her ballads, tearing hearts and melting peoples ears. “That’s my girl” the unwelcome voice whispers, and again Soyeon walks away. She knows what it feels like to be walked away from, it drains her and her steps are heavy.
Miyeon
She was shy and breathtaking. The kind of beautiful that happens once every generation and yet she is kind in an unkind industry. In a world that doesn’t hesitate to cut you down, she sees a girl who wears her heart on her sleeve and the unwelcome protective feeling builds in her chest. YG, another kid who had almost tasted debut but instead of appearing jaded the girl is so painfully shy, Soyeon understands. Success doesn’t pave an easy road, it just increases expectations, gives you more to prove, more reasons to be dragged down. And yet while her legs shake walking to the front of the room, her voice is strong and unbreakable. It’s a voice that would fill stadiums, carry songs, a voice that would bring power to her songs, a voice that would complete her sound. A voice that needs no protection coming from a girl who has clearly been through things that could have easily broken a less kind soul. “That’s my girl” the voice says and it becomes harder and harder to push away.
Yuqi
She’s easygoing and fun, so bright her presence is immediately sensed. She has that attractive feature that draws attention and holds it, a bright shining charisma that would shine even brighter on stage. While the rest have built walls, she builds bridges and makes it all easy. To be honest, Soyeon’s traitorous heart can only think of one word whenever she’s around the girl “cute”. She’s too cute for the world, she should be on stage brightening hearts not sitting in a dimly lit basement practice room. Her voice, deep and warm immediately strikes the ear, it would add such dimension to her songs, it would make them stand out, turn heads, attract attention. She could write hooks for that voice. The girl is strong, a young lioness far from home but never betraying her homesickness or struggles. It reminds Soyeon so much of herself. She is strong, others go to her, seeks her warm laughter and yet because of this no one asks her about her pain, no one offers her warm embraces, she doesn’t need them they assume. They are wrong, Soyeon knows, she knows it deeply. Becoming close is easy with the girl and yet when she steps closer the girl steps back. Her walls do not block out the world but instead blocks her own heart. A voice in Soyeon’s mind wishes she could break that barrier, as she wishes someone would try to break her own barrier she has built. Two hearts slowly reach out and become stronger. The girls smile brightens even more, making the way peoples mouths drop when she opens her mouth to sing that much more satisfying. “That’s my girl” the (un?)welcome voice whispers, and this time her lips mouth the words silently.
Shuhua
Pretty, she’s striking and she never stops, never complaining just quietly absorbing and learning, the girl of only 16 looks so small but seeing her as the last trainee to leave always dancing and singing alone hours after all the rest have retired Soyeon sees how big her fire is. It’s inextinguishable. Despite the constant corrections made by the dance instructors, the Korean instructors who shake their heads and the singing coaches who are particularly harsh as they see the potential that is not reached. This fire, it should be seen. It has the potential, the kind of unlocked potential that makes her hands itch to write songs that would reveal each layer the girl has to offer one by one. “That’s my girl” the voice is still unwelcome and in the end Soyeon still walks away although this time it is harder when she opens the staircase to finally head home to see the beautiful young girls face finally break its strong appearance. Curled into herself finally shedding her tears alone, not asking for pity only hiding her struggles she looks so small and fragile. This time the voice isn’t needed, it’s as if her body acts on its own accord. Her arms that are so unused to affection having grown up alone and never having had many friends to call her own encircle the small girl protectively. It feels so natural, so warm. The world seems to slow as she slowly rocks the girl in her arms, her mouth whispers quiet words, the words themselves unimportant because in that moment, beyond language, beyond words sit two young girls with the same fire in their hearts. Hearts that would make them willingly endure the jeers of mindless faceless masses. Hearts that beat to stand on stage and perform.