Mark: what upppp

Mark: you still awake? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Claire: unfortunately lollll

Mark: ㅋㅋ

Mark: ikr same

Claire: you should sleep! you're like an idol 😂😂

Mark: here's a lil secret

Mark: i usually get like three or four hours

Mark: 🤷🏻‍♂️

Claire: WHAT

Claire: buT

Claire: HOW

Mark: 🤷🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️

Claire: 😵

Mark: ㅋㅋ yep

Claire: u need more sleep

Mark: i agree lmao

Mark: could say the same 'bout you tho

Claire: that's a good point 😂😂😂

Mark: so how long have you been a trainee??

Claire: like a year and a half

Claire: almost two actually

Claire: wow time flies

Claire: 😱

Mark: woahhh

Mark: has anyone talked to you about like debuting and stuff? that'd be lit if i saw u debut hahaha

Claire: ahaha that's the dream!

Claire: uhhh sorta

Claire: i've been working on my songwriting first bc jyp and the pdnims told me too lmao

Mark: ohh i remember that

Mark: how's that going???

Claire: it's pretty good

Claire: kinda have writers' block tho 😭😭

Mark: oof that suuucks

Mark: hope it goes away soon tho lol

Claire: ☺️ thanks!!

Claire: me too ahahaha

Mark: oh sorry gtg

Claire: no prob

Claire: text ya later mark

Mark: byeeeeee

Claire's smile grew as she put down her phone. She sighed and flopped back onto her comforter, plugging in her phone to the outlet next to the bunk-bed.

"Stop sighing! It makes me want a male idol to talk to," Jen complained from above. Claire laughed and put her phone down on the floor.

"Well it's not all that great; he's busy most of the time, you know," said Claire.

"Still! You're so lucky," Jen whined in Cantonese but then switching back to English, "now you have Yugyeom AND Mark Tuan." She looked down at her friend, hanging her head over the side.

The room was quiet except for the scuffle of blankets from the two girls. Clothes were strewn over the small chair near the equally small desk. They were lucky to get some of the new dorms that only housed two per room, rather than four or even six. It also helped that they were part of the older trainees, so they had a bit more privilege (although not much).

"Yug and I don't even talk that much," Claire rolled her eyes. She reached over to grab her phone again. "And you talk to him too!"

"Thanks to you both, my bed smelled like water balloons for a week," Jen grumbled. Claire broke out into a laugh.

Kim Yugyeom had been her partner in crime ever since they met two years ago when she was a new trainee. Claire had gotten lost in the old JYP building and was hopelessly wandering around when she ran into the idol who had just finished an individual dance practice. He was nice enough to assist the poor American figure her way around the building (with the help of broken Korean-English) and back up to the trainee dorms. The whole ordeal helped Claire mostly with learning the long hallways but also helped her make a friend. It took some time, but the two soon gained a love of pranking Jen (Claire introduced her to him) and also helped each other with language barriers.

"Speaking of Kim Yugyeom, I need to ask him about all this," Claire said, typing into her purple-cased phone.

"You're gonna tell him?!" Jen pushed herself off the top bunk and landed on the floor with a thud. Claire jumped in her bed and screamed a bit.

"Well calm down, Spider-Gwen!" she scolded. Jen tilted her head.

"You Americans and your references...ok anyways," Jen said, sitting on the bed. Claire shifted so they could both fit. "But I am here for the drama when you tell him."

"What do you mean 'drama'?" Claire asked. Jen shook her head.

"Just go text him, aiya!" she pointed to the phone. Claire held it close to her, eyes narrow.

"Wait...you might be right..."

"Clarisse, I am never right; have you learned nothing from our friendship?"

"But if I tell Yug," Claire's brain was whirling, "he might tell Mark! And then Mark would find out he isn't texting Lan Fen! And then he might stop texting me! Oh my god...I can't tell Yug-"

"Woah, woah, WOAH!" Jen put her hands on her friend's shoulders and shook her. "Calm down, Claire! Breathe!" Claire started to take in deep breaths, still clutching her phone. "But you should tell Yugyeom! He's Mark's friend, and Mark deserves to know he's not texting the right person." Claire shook her head.

"But if he knows and then looks me up and realises who I am, he'll stop talking to me!"

"Why?"

"Because I'm not anything close to her! Aka female-idol-perfection! I'm just...me! He can't know or he'll be disappointed and-"

"Claire, you need to think about this logically," said Jen, looking at Claire. "Doesn't he deserve to know? Plus he seems to like your personality, so it shouldn't matter how you look or who you actually are."

"Ok, I'll tell Yug and Mark," Claire sighed. She hesitated. "But later." Jen gave her another look. "I promise!"

"Fine, fine, whatever you think is right," Jen said. She got off and climbed back up to her bunk, turning off the top light. "Go to sleep soon, American."

"Will do, Canto," Claire said, tucking herself into her blanket. The small night light in the corner shone its blue light dimly, and her phone's artificial glow illuminated part of her surroundings. She clicked on a chat with a small smile.

westside: YUGGGGG

westside: ANNEYEONGHASEYO

eastside: CLAIREEEE NOONAAA

eastside: ur korean is getting better ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

westside: and ur english is too ayyyy

eastside: did u just finish dance practice?

westside: neeeeeee

eastside: ooo does claire have some new dance moves now keke

westside: neeEEEEEE

eastside: is that the only other korean word u know

westside: NEEEEEEEEEE

eastside: 🤦🏻‍♂️

westside: ㅋㅋㅋ

westside: i know that one too

eastside: so how's life as a trainee? we havent talked since that time in the rehearsal room kekeke

westside: it's pretty good

westside: i cant dance tho ughh

eastside: u can!!! just keep practicing

westside: not as well as u tho! [emoji]

eastside: i did win hit the stage

westside: show off 🤔

eastside: 😎😎😎

eastside: did u need something?

westside: can't i just talk to my
friend?? 💁🏻

westside: but nah

westside: just bored

eastside: u need sleep

westside: shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

westside: but ur right

westside: tomorrow i'm meeting with jimin for vocal lessons

eastside: have fun!! say hi for me!!

westside: ok anneyeongggggg

eastside: anneyeonggggg

♩♪♩♬

"They're so good at singing," Claire sighed as she and Park Jimin, more commonly known as jiminxjamie, watched a video of Day6's most recent performance. Jimin pulled the phone away and shut it off, throwing it onto the nearby table. "Hey, that was like 400 dollars!"

"Whatever," she waved her hand. Claire smiled a bit.

She loved having vocal lessons with Jimin, who was a beyond-amazing vocalist among the various idols at JYP. The sassy singer spoke fluent English, which was a big help, and also always somehow knew how to make Claire feel better. Claire had heard of the idol through binging JYPNation songs, and as soon as she heard of an idol-trainee vocal training program, she signed up to be under Jimin. They met up three to five times a week, depending on Jimin's busy schedule. Through the training days, the two grew close and Jimin helped with Claire's vocal chords a lot. Even though Jimin was younger, she acted like an older sister to Claire (second to Jen) and was a bright spot on dull trainee days.

"You can sing better than them soon enough. Plus, they all started somewhere. Especially Jae. Oh Jae..." Claire cracked a laugh at Jimin's teasing of the Day6 member and co-ASC host. 

"But still..." Her heart dropped slightly as she gazed at her phone. Jimin snapped her fingers to get Claire's attention again.

"Claire! C'mon! Think positive!" she said. "You have like a great voice, and it's gonna like change the JYP nation." Claire laughed.

"Ok, thanks," she nodded gratefully. "You're the best." Jimin smiled and patted the trainee's hand.

"You're welcome, and I know," Jimin nodded, making Claire laugh more. "Now do you have any ideas for a song? JYP is telling me to ask you." Claire's heart beat faster. JYP was asking about her?!

"Uh...not really," she confessed, biting her lip. Jimin took out a grey notebook and a few pens.

"Ok well, time to brainstorm," she said. "Any like crushes or break ups or any certain memories that are important to you?" Claire's brain immediately went to Mark.

"Uhhh no, sorry," she shook her head.

♩♪♩♬

Mark: how's the songwriting??

Claire: it's eh lolll

Claire: i feel like i have nothing to write about sigh

Mark: what about hmmm

Mark: family?

Mark: boyfriend?

Mark: uh

Mark: nature???

Mark: fLoWeRs???

Claire: 😂😂😂😂

Claire: thanks lmao mark u r a great help

Mark: yw i hear that all the time kekeke

Claire: i don't have a bf to write about tho 🤷🏻‍♀️

Claire: also

Claire: WHY FLOWERS LMAO SO RANDOM

Mark: LMAOOOO

Mark: SOMETIMES RANDOM IS GOOD THOO

Mark: like this filter i just found

Mark:

Claire: oh

Claire: my

Claire: goD

Claire: how handsome

Mark: AHA THANKS

Claire: ur not usually this hyper 😂

Mark: i had too much coffee

Mark: i think

Mark: who knows anymore

Mark: sleep is for the week

Mark: i mean weak

Mark: ahahahHAHA

Claire: LMAO

Claire: ' kpop idol mark tuan overhypes on ten cups of coffee - says it's for his health '

Mark: yep

Mark: accurate

Claire: 😂👏🏼

Mark: *bows*

A/N

THEYRE SO CUTEEEEE

also yug and claire are a brotp

aLSO GO STREAM IM ALL EARS BY YOUNGJAE AND JIMIN ASFLAFDHDASAHF IT'S A SONG FOR THE SUICIDE PREVENTION CAMPAIGN THEYRE BOTH APART OF AND EEEKKK IT MADE DALVIE CRY

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

how can their voices be so beautiFUL

( ok but i read an article that said song was made by "the pair of got7" and like uh no jimin isn't in got7 lmaOOO )

ok bye now lmao

HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS CHAPTER SORRY IT WAS SHORT

PS: that gif in the beginning though omg mark why you attack me like that