The Impostor

CHAPTER 2

A beautiful trainee with the age of 10 is walking down the hallway when she heard a loud crying that's echoing through the corridor. She tried to find who's crying until she saw a blonde kid who's cutely rubbing her eyes while walking. She felt a pang in her chest while looking at the blonde. She don't want to see someone crying so she started to walk towards her when a small kid suddenly tripped in front of her and started to cry because the kid's hurt after she fall. 

The ten years old trainee help the girl in front of her and check her knee to see if she got wound or scratches and thankfully, the younger didn't. She help her to stand up then look at the end of the hallway again to walk towards the blonde when she saw another kid comforting the blonde. She just sigh in relief but there's something inside her that's telling her 'that should be me' but she decided to shrug it off and look at the kid in front of her. 

"Hi there, I'm Yeji and you are?" She asked softly not wanting to scare the kid.

"Jiwoo, Yeji unnie and I'm six" the kid said that made Yeji to smile. 

"Do you have a room already?" Yeji asked and Jiwoo shake her head. 

"Come on, I'll ask JYP if you can just share a room with me and my friends" Yeji said because she know that the younger is scared and shy. She won't survive here if she's like that so it's better to keep her close and safe. 

'I hope that blonde would be safe here as well’. She thought because she know how it feels to be here for the first time. You should know how to fight and how to be strong for you to survive here and she don't want to see kids being weak and scared but she made up her mind... If she'll happen to see that blonde again, she's going to keep her too just to make sure she's safe and is on the right hand. 

But the universe must be against her this time because she didn't saw that blonde again and instead, she met another kid whom she knew she needed to take care of and the name's Winter 

Yeji introduced Jiwoo and Winter to her friends who's one year younger than her, Jimin with the code of Karina and Giselle she don't have a code because the headquarters said that it's enough for her since that name can be international too. They have codes for their mission purposes in the future. They clicked well and they make sure to take care of the two young kids with them. 

Days had passed but something's bugging Yeji or rather than someone. Some particular blonde is invading her mind and she don't know why as well. 

One day, she's so happy because she saw the blonde on the hallway but her smile faded when she saw that the kid looks so sad and hurt. She have agents around her while they're walking and her eyes is swollen like she cried for how many hours and then again... She felt a pang in her chest just by seeing the blonde like that. 

"She's beaten again" Yeji snap her head to Giselle who suddenly appeared beside her with Jiwoo. 

"W-What do you mean?" Yeji asked then look at the blonde kid again. 

"Everyday, those agents will go to her room and will escort her to JYP's office and when she walks out, she's either limping or hissing in pain while walking. She's obviously beaten up" Giselle said that made Yeji to look at her. 

"We should report this to JYP" Yeji said. 

"Don't even think about it. It's dangerous, aren't you thinking that JYP's the one who's behind it? That blonde kid is the talk of the town, she's really popular because a lot of trainees is seeing her like that and there's rumors that JYP is the one who's beating her up because it's done inside his office and no one dared to talk about that because they're scared on what's going to happen to them" Giselle said while opening a pack of gummy bears for Jiwoo. 

"Don't we have anything to do about it? We shouldn't just let that blonde to get beaten up" Yeji said then look at the blonde and the agents again at the end of the hallway. They're now entering a room. 

"For now, we can't do anything. We're under JYP's roof and control, let's just pray that the blonde will get better soon" Giselle said then pat Yeji's shoulder. 

"Please don't involve yourself into something dangerous" and with that, Giselle left with Jiwoo. 

Yeji knows that her friend is right but she can't just look at the blonde without doing anything. Out of worries, she walk towards the room where the agents left the blonde and was about to knock when three girls appeared. 

"Yeji?" The girl asked. 

"Minju" Yeji said. Of course she know them, she's always in a training and classes with them except to the other blonde who's beside Chaeryeong. 

"Do you need anything unnie?" Chaeryeong asked politely. 

"Ah, n-nothing, I'll just ask if you guys is still free this weekend? Karina and Giselle wants to watch a movie with you and to your new friends" Yeji said then look at the unfamiliar blonde beside Chaeryeong with a smile. 

"Oh, sure! By the way, she's Jisu" Minju said. 

"Hi, you can call me Lia. Nice to meet you sunbae Yeji" the girl said and Yeji isn't even surprised that she know her because she's quite popular in classes. 

"I'm Yeji" she introduced and was about to ask about the other blonde inside their room when she heard Wendy calling her from the other side of the hallway. She bid her goodbye and leave immediately. 

Since that day, she'll wait for the kid outside JYP's office just to check her condition. Of course she's worried whenever the blonde will come out with swollen eyes and she's obviously having a hard time to walk but Jiwoo and Giselle is always beside her telling her not to meddle and just stay away from them because it's dangerous. 

Trainee days for Yeji, Karina and Giselle. Nothing changed. Her mind is still occupied by that blonde. Before she sleep, when she wakes up, while eating, while having classes and training and even if when she's hanging out with Minju, Chaeryeong and Lia, her mind is still on that blonde. She thought that it's an advantage and she will finally have a chance to meet her because she's close to Minju, Chaeryeong and Lia and the three became close to them as well but she's wrong because the blonde never hang out with them. She can't ask about her because that would be weird for them and they will surely bombard her with questions so she just stay quiet. She don't even know if they're aware on what's happening to the blonde. 

"Still stalking her huh?" Yeji look at Giselle who sat in front of her with Jiwoo. Yeji is waiting for the blonde inside the hall because she can see her walking at the hallway from here. 

"I'm not stalking her, I'm just worried" Yeji said then give Jiwoo the fruit shake because the kid is reaching for it. 

"Not giving up yet?" Giselle asked then stuff her mouth with the fries. Yeji rolled her eyes and lean her back at the chair. 

"It's not that I'm sacrificing something by doing this. I don't have anything to do anyway so why not spend it here" Yeji said with a shrug. 

"She's lucky because THE Yeji Hwanf is spending her time just to look at her" Giselle teased and Yeji then again rolled her eyes. 

"Why don't you ask Minju about her? You're stalking her for about four years now and you don't even know her name" Giselle said. 

"I don't want them to think about something. You and Jiwoo is the only one who knows about this yet I'm already receiving teases and accusation looks from you" Yeji said that made Giselle to laugh. 

Years had passed, she's still admiring the blonde from a far. She can't find the courage to talk to her because she looks like an introvert person. Irene's afraid that the blonde might find her creep or something and she don't want that to happen. There's days that she's confident to talk to her but there's always something coming up like when she's about to walk towards her, she'll be called for a special test or training or when she's about to talk to her Minju, Lia or Chaeryeong will approach her first so she thought that maybe the universe don't really want them to meet yet. The blonde is always walking with her head down. Her face is always covered with her hair and hood. Yeji don't even know what her voice sounds like but she's sure that it's as lovely as her face. 

One day, Yeji is walking down the hallway going to her room. She's in a hurry that she didn't notice someone in front of her until they bumped each other. She was about to say sorry when she saw who it was. It's the girl whom she's thinking for years now, it's the girl who's invading her mind and it's the girl who's attracting her in ways she can't explain. She's busy admiring her face because she never gets close like this to her before and it's her first time admiring her closely. She thought that she's more beautiful this near, she also saw how beautiful her eyes was. She's too occupied that she didn't notice the blonde getting uncomfortable because of the intense stare. The younger bow her head saying her sorry then walk away. Yeji just snap out of her trance when the blonde turned the other side of the hallway. 

"W-Wait!" But it's too late because the blonde isn't there anymore. She almost smack her head for being stupid. That's her chance but she throw it away just because she's too mesmerized by her beauty. She keeps on scolding herself while walking but her smile never leaves her lips. 

"Someone's happy today" Karina said when Yeji arrived. 

"Why are you smiling like a creep? That's weird" Winter said but Yeji just smile even more and get her books. 

She won't forget this day for sure. 

20 years old Irene, still the same routine. Admiring the blonde from afar. She got more popular this time because of her grades and outstanding performances, add the fact that her beauty is out of this world. She have a lot of admirers and suitors but she's not THE Yeji Hwang for nothing. She don't give a damn about them because her heart and mind is only for one person she don't even know the name. 

"Unnie! What a pity you didn't hang out with us earlier!" Jiwoo said while jumping at Yeji's bed. 

"Yah! Get down! I told you I'm reviewing, we have test tomorrow" Yeji said then fix the sheet of her bed before looking back at her book again. 

"Really? I'm sure you'll regret if we told you who hanged out with us earlier" Giselle said who just walk inside then sat in her bed in front of Yeji. 

"Not interested" Yeji said still focus on her book. 

Jiwoo and Giselle smirk as they look at each other. 

"Okay, I won't tell you the name of the blonde you're stalking for years now" Giselle said then stand up "Come on Jiwoo, let's join Karina and Winter at the hall" 

Yeji snap her head at Giselle immediately. 

"You got her name?" Yeji asked in surprise. 

"I thought you're not interested?" Giselle asked with a smirk. 

"You know how whipped Yeji unnie is when it comes to that blonde" Jiwoo said then laugh with Giselle. 

"Are you going to tell me or what?" Yeji asked after rolling her eyes. 

"Oh, too eager huh?" Giselle said then sit again. 

"You know I've been trying to know her for ten years now. So... The tea?" Yeji asked as she close her book. 

"Minju, Chaeryeong and Lia finally introduced her to us earlier—" 

"What?!" Yeji cutted Giselle off. "And you don't even invite me?" 

"Woah there. We invited you for like... Two hours? We're even pleading you to join but you said you'll review for the test" Giselle said. 

"If only you told me that she's there" Yeji said then cross her arms. 

"We don't know too. We're surprise as well" Giselle said. 

"And unnie! She's pretty!" Jiwoo said like a fangir and Yeji glare at her that made her to shut her mouth and said sorry.

"Ugh! This is so unfair!" Yeji whine then slump herself at her bed. The two just giggle because of her. 

"The Yeji Hwang is being a shy teenager with a certain blonde. She can't even talk to her" Giselle teased then laugh with Jiwoo. 

"You won't understand how I'm feeling whenever she's around" Yeji said then sat up. "So? Her name?" 

"Ryujin" Yeji don't know what's with her because her lips just automatically formed into a smile just by hearing the name. It's just the name yet it brings different feelings inside her that no one made her feel before.

"Whipped!" Jiwoo and Giselle shouted at the same time then laugh. 

21 years old Yeji. She's about to get send at the other side of the island but the agency told her to stay for a while to wait for Yeji and Karina because they're now planned to be in a group. The headquarters saw their teamwork and how they work on something and they knew that they'll be a great group in the future together with Winter and Jiwoo. Since Yeji found out the blonde's name, she tried to find her in social media but there's none. She even checked Lia, Chaeryeong and Minju's account to find something about Ryujin but there's really none. 

She's now walking at the hallway, 4th floor, when she saw someone at the open field under the big tree. She stopped and look at them. She felt a pang in her chest by the view that made her think that she’s really slow. The Yeji Hwang everyone knew is confident, intelligent and brave but guess they're wrong. She can't even talk to that blonde who got her attention. To that blonde who got her heart away without her knowing and to that blonde who made her fall in love. She's weak when it comes to her and she hates it. She hates that she’s weak and shy for her and because of that... She lose. She lose her and she lose to her own game. She realized it while looking at Minju sitting at the grass and leaning at the tree with the blonde Yeji love for a decade now who's laying at Minju's lap and smiling widely. Yeji look away and took a deep breath when she saw Minju leaning down for a kiss. She won't hurt herself that much to look at them. 

"It's okay" she felt a warm arm wrapped around her waist only to find that it was Jiwoo who's back hugging her and resting her chin in her shoulder then she saw Giselle in front of her. She smiled at that. This two girls who became important to her is the one who's with her to that little game she made and now that she lose... They're still with her. 

"It's okay, maybe it's just not really Ryeji's time" Giselle said that made Yeji to chuckle but that chuckle came out bitterly as the first tear escaped her eyes. Jiwoo tighten her hug around Yeji while Giselle patted her head. 

"I lose her" Yeji said as she look down and let the tears to fall at the ground. They stayed there until her tears stopped. 

Since that day, she stoped because she know that it's nonsense fighting when you already know you lose and besides... She's the only one fighting because she's also the only one who made that game. 

It's the day of her, Giselle and Karina's leave. They'll be sent to the other side of the island, they'll train there and wait for another year for Jiwoo and Winter before they can be an official group and go for a mission. She also moved on—or so she thought because while pulling her luggage at the hallway with Karina and Giselle, she saw the most heartbreaking scenery she ever seen. Minju and Chanyeol is kissing beside a room with the blonde she tried to forget who's standing in front of them and looks like lifeless because of wounds and bruises she have in her face, arms and legs. Yeji's heart broke into pieces by looking at her Ryujin. She's just standing there and looking at the two kissing in front of her. Yeji was about to walk towards her when Giselle hold her arm. Karina look at them confused because she don't have a clue on what's happening.

"Unnie, no. It's their problem" Giselle said. 

"But—" Yeji was cutted off when Giselle just tighten her grip at Yeji's arm. Giselle signaled the agents at the end of the hallway, the same agents who's escorting Ryujin outside and inside JYP's office looking at them intensely. And with that... Yeji already know what Giselle is trying to Say. 

Ryujin walk inside the room without even saying a word to her girlfriend and to Chanyeol that breaks Yeji's heart more. Why didn't she fight? Yeji cried when they arrived at the service. Giselle just comforted her while Karina didn't ask anything even if she's confuse because she know that it's not the right time and whatever the reason is... She knew it's something really painful because Yeji never cried. 

"I'm sorry, I just don't want you to be involved into something. We can't do anything for now, it's dangerous to meddle. I'm sure it's JYP's doings again" Giselle said while rubbing Yeji's back. 

Yeji just stare outside the window thinking how useless and weak she is for not doing anything to protect her Ryujin and by that time, she promised herself that if ever they'll cross paths again, she's going to make sure to protect her at all cost. She maybe got lose now but she'll make sure to win next time. She maybe fell now but she'll stand up next time with triple strength and courage. 

"I promise I'll protect you next time my Ryujin"