Hello, everyone! How is this book going?

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Chapter 23

4 months later....

December came, and the girls are preparing for their winter comeback.

Their first mini album, the one released when they debuted, had 500,000 pre-orders and sold almost 1 million copies. They were a hit.

They were really famous, and they just debuted.

"Unnie, what's the schedule for today?" Soeun asked their manager, who was currently cooking their breakfast.

"Today, you'll record 'My Holiday' and the other tracks for your winter album. Soeun, Eunji, Junghee, and Yui will film Skechers CF. Haejin and Xiurong's photoshoot for Nature Republicㅡ"

"Woah, hold up, hold up. That's just for today? Just hearing it makes me tired," Junghee whined.

"Haejin, Xiurong, I won't be with you at the photoshoot, but I expect that you two will behave, okay? I'll be with Eunji's team at the CF filming, okay?" Their manager said.

Haejin and Xiurong nodded.

"Haejin-ah, you're older than Xiurong. Don't tolerate attitude her, okay?" Their manager said.

Xiurong scoffed, "Yah, unnie! Do you think I can't behave myself?"

Their manager looked at her sternly, "Yes. That's what I'm saying."

Xiurong frowned.

****

When they arrived at the SM building, here were a lot of people in front of the entrance.

Haejin's slowly getting a deja-vu. This happened before. When Jaemin first held her hand. When he bought her the gloves she's wearing right now.

She smiled unknowingly.

"Okay, let's go." She opened the door and ran.

At first, she was chased by fans but because of the high security that was given to the idols, the guards still did their jobs and escorted them.

Speaking of Jaemin, it's been 4 months since they last saw each other.

They stopped seeing each other when the issue broke out. It's also been 4 months since she last saw NCT, since she last saw her brother.

Mark and her are still in touch with each other, it's just that, their schedules overlaps  and they couldn't see each other like before.

"You guys go to the recording room first, I'll just see if my brother is here, okay?" Haejin said.

The girls nodded.

She went to NCT's practice room.

Before she could knock, Winwin opened it. "Oh, Haejin-ah, what brings you here?"

"Oh, Winwin-oppa, is my brother here?" Haejin asked.

Winwin smiled and nodded, "Mark, someone's looking for you."

From inside, she could hear her brother's voice, "Who?"

Mark approached Winwin who was at the door. He saw Haejin. "Haejin-ah!!!" He hugged her.

"Wah, my dongsaeng! I missed you so much!!!" Mark was squeezing her.

"Y-Yah! Enough, I can't breathe!!!" Haejin was punching Mark's chest.

"I missed youuuuuu!!!!" He singsongs.

"I missed you too, brother!" She smiled.

"What brings you here? Come inside, hyungs and Haechan wants to see you!" Mark said, gesturing her inside.

Haejin shook her head, "I just dropped by to say hi and to check if you're fine. You look fine to me. The reason why I'm here is that we're going to record the songs for our winter album." She smiled.

Mark ruffled her hair, "You're hella successful now, I'm really proud of you."

"Yah, don't say that, you're embarrassing me!" She said.

Mark laughed, "Aigoo, my sister~ You should go now. Good luck! I know you can do it! I love you, sis!" He said, hugging his sister.

She hugged back, and smiled, "Thank you! I love you too, Minhyung-oppa."

She turned back and was about to go when Mark said something.

"Haejin-ah, wait."

She looked back.

"Jaemin told me to tell you this if by chance we meet... he said he misses you," Mark said.

Haejin smiled, "Minhyung-oppa... tell him I miss him too..."

****

"There you are. We were waiting for you." Yui said once she saw Haejin entering the room.

"Sorry... Mark told me some things that's why I'm late." Haejin said, chuckling.

"Okay, okay, let's begin recording, shall we?"

Haejin sat in front of the mic and her eyes scamned the lyric sheet that was in front of her.

"Pondering the strength that's left
I'm trying to move on,
Ever since you left, I became weak
What have you done to me?"

Haejin sang the first lines of the song.

She was smiling. She really finds recording fun. It's really fun to do something you love.

****

"Can we repeat Eunji's part? You sounded nervous here, sweetie."

Eunji nodded, "Sure, Jaehan-oppa."

Jaehan is the one in-charge for the girls' recording.

"Haejin sounded cool. Were you nervous?" Jaehan asked Haejin.

Haejin shook her head, "Why would I be nervous if I'm doing something I love?" She smiled.

The girls smiled.

****

At NCT Dream's dorm...

"Jisung-ah, could you get the door?" Renjun said when he heard a knock.

"Coming..." Jisung said.

Once he opened it, he saw Mark. "Oh, Mark-hyung what are you doing here? It's raining. Come in." Jisung said.

Mark was only carrying his raincoat as a protection from the rain.

"Where's Jaemin? I need to talk to him."

"In his room, hyung." Jisung answered.

Mark immediately went to Jaemin's room.

He saw him sleeping.

He grabbed the pillow that was lying on the floor and threw it at him, "Yah, wake up! Wake up!"

Jaemin slowly opened his eyes, "Mark-hyung?! Why are you here?! Do you know what time it is?"

"Yes I know what time it is. It's time for you to treat me pork belly." Mark said, smirking.

Jaemin sat down, "You two talked?!"

Mark nodded, "Yes now pay up!!"

"It's eleven in the evening, Mark-hyung. Are you crazy?! I'll treat you tomorrow!" Jaemin said.

"Promise me that!" Mark said, smiling sheepishly.

"Hyung, I keep my words." Jaemin said.

Silence.

"Hyung.... what did you tell her?" Jaemin asked.

"I told her what you told me to tell her," Mark said.

"And what did she say?"

"She told me that she misses you too." Mark said.

Jaemin felt like screaming.

He smiled unknowingly.

He felt happy.

"You're smiling."

"I'm just happy, hyung."

"I know and I can see that," Mark chuckled.