#linyang.txt

[hbhtrainees]

NEW_DECADE [EP_8]

SUMMARY: Linyang hates everyone, but not everyone wants to hate Linyang. 

GENRE: Budding friendship?  PAIRING: Platonic! Linyang and Suwei WORD COUNT: 0.8k WARNINGS: None

Linyang’s routine used to be very simple.

She would walk into HBH Entertainment at eleven, coffee in hand. She would flash her ID and a forced, thin-lipped smile to the woman at the security desk. Then she would take the elevator up 3 floors, unlock the private practice room, and wait for her very expensive private vocal lesson to begin. Her parents have been paying a hefty amount of cash for Linyang to take vocal lessons at HBH. If Linyang was your average girl, HBH would never accept someone with no intention of debuting. However, Linyang was not your average girl, and she will not allow you to think of her as such.

Linyang comes from a line of very wealthy Chinese business people. Linyang’s father is the head of a textile manufacturing company while her mother works as the head publisist of a fashion magazine. The rest of their family works as CEOs, international businessmen, actors, models, and film producers.

Linyang did not want to be an idol until about a month ago, when the idea crossed her mind after listening to one of her cousins brag about the new CEO position she had obtained from her father. What was Linyang supposed to do, let her cousin have the whole family’s attention? She requested idol training at HBH the following morning instead of her usual private vocal and dance lessons.

Now her schedule involved actual effort. Now she had to be in the practice room at six in the morning. She couldn’t use social media as freely as she used to. She had to live in dorms with girls she barely knew. And, the worst of it all, she actually had to work with these people.

“Linyang. I’m not gonna say it again.” Rushi clapped her hands together, the little patience that the Chinese trainee had was clearly wearing off. “It’s so important that you don’t just stop dancing when you forget a move. It looks even worse when you stop.” 

Linyang rolled her eyes. “If you actually taught me the steps, I wouldn’t forget them. You move way too fast.”  Rushi arched her eyebrow. Haeun let out a low whistle. 

“It’s not my job to accommodate for your incompetence, princess.” Rushi adjusted her cap, narrowing her eyes at Linyang. “We’re starting from the top. No stopping. Keep your moves clean.” 

The music started again. The phrase “princess” echoed in Linyang’s head throughout the whole routine. When the girls finished, Rushi called for break. 

Linyang marched over to her designer gym bag, which she kept far away from everyone else’s stuff. She didn’t trust any of these rats with her belongings. While the other girls chatted and laughed, Linyang touched up her make up and stretched out her limbs. 

While she was reapplying her concealer, she felt something a little off. She glanced to her right and saw that in the reflection of the mirror, Suwei was watching her while she chewed on the rubber straw on her water bottle. 

Linyang arched an eyebrow. 

“What?” Linyang asked in her foreign tongue. Suwei blinked, slowly raising her finger to her cheek, pointing at a faint red mark.

“What concealer is that?” Suwei asked, responding back in Mandarin. “La Prairie. And no, I don’t know any drugstore dupes.” Linyang frowned at the girl through the reflective glass.  The younger girl didn’t respond. She still watched as Linyang blotted the concealer with her fingertips, concealing any small imperfection on the woman’s face. Linyang usually wouldn’t complain about someone staring, but now it was getting a little awkward. And the small spot that Suwei had pointed to on her own cheek only seemed to be more and more noticeable to Linyang. 

Finally, her nerves snapped. Linyang turned around, narrowing her eyes at Suwei.

“Come here.” She commanded. The younger of the two stepped closer, her eyes wide. Linyang placed a drop of product onto her fingertip and blended it into Suwei’s skin, instantly covering up the small blemish.

“There. Is that what you wanted?” Linyang asked, crossing her arms and arching her eyebrow. Suwei observed the spot where her blemish previously was, touching the skin lightly. “Thank you.” She said breathlessly. “Hm.” Linyang responded with a short huff before Rushi called everyone back to finish up practice before dinner.

When the practice finally broke, Suwei made her way back to Linyang’s side as they gathered their things. Linyang frowned, looking sideways at the younger trainee.  “Linyang, if you want... we can work on dancing together.” Suwei offered, a smile on her face.  Linyang exhaled through her nose. She’d rather fling herself in front of a moving car than accept help. Especially not help from one of these lowlifes. But if she didn’t do better next showcase, her time as a trainee could be cut short.  And having a connection who can speak both Korean and Mandarin well would not be the worst thing.

“Tonight, then.” Linyang said shortly. 

“Tonight. Okay. See you then!” Suwei nodded, giving the older girl a thumbs up before jogging over to Kotori, who was waiting for her friend by the door.

Linyang watched the younger girl go with a shake of her head. This better be worth it.