CHAPTER 21
Gee felt a little unease when Yibo seemed to be unhappy but she's still smiling and bowing to thank everyone for cheering as she ranked first for the week's evaluation.
Gee: Isn't he happy about me ranking first this week? (her thoughts while looking at Yibo who went back to his seat)
Kite: Congratulations again for this week's top trainees. Guys let's have a seat so we can start the individual evaluation.
Everybody went back to their seat then Se Ju and the other remedial evaluatiin takers stood up. They took a deep breath as they walk their way to the stage. Gee shook her head to forget her worry about Yibo. Then she stood up and tapped the four on their shoulders. She smiled and gestured goodluck to them. They smiled back and continued their way to the stage.
The first one to perform was Se Ju. The four individual performance was finished. The stage room was quiet. Ms.Kim took the mic and faced the crowd of trainees.
Ms.Kim: Trainees, you can now go back to your dorms.
The crowd was resisting.
Gee: Ms.Kim, can we stay here so that we can also know the result?
Male trainee: yes Ms. Kim
Everyone was agreeing except for Emma who is still sulking in the corner.
Ms.Kim: I'm sorry but, we cannot allow you this time. Please trainees, you may now proceed to your dorms and take a rest.
Some of the trainees were sad but they couldn't complain anymore so they all went outside
Gee was sneaking on the glass window but Ms.Nana opened the door and gestured to them to go to their dorms. They just sighed walking away from the door.
Gee, Yuna Leo and Maya with some of the trainees were waiting outside while the board members and the trainers were talking to the four.
After almost an hour, Gee, Yuna, Leo and Maya were the only persons left waiting outside when the board members including Mr.Zhang are coming out from the stage room. They were surprised to see the four.
Board member 1: You waited here?
The four: (stood up in surprise) yes sir
Board member 2: we are happy that you seem concerned bout them but you should go back to your dorms.
Mr.Zhang: Please trainees, you should rest.
The were sad but they bowed and started to walk their way to the elevator. When Mr.Zhang called Gee.
Mr.Zhang: Gee may I have a moment with you? The rest of the board members want to have a talk with you (smiling)
Gee: (surprised and confused) ah yes Mr. Zhang (she walked towards them but she waved bye to the three)
The board members and Gee took the opposite way heading to the office building. The three were left confused they looked at each other but Yuna realized the reason why she smiled. Leo turned to look at Gee walking along with the board members with a question on his face.
Inside the conference room, there was a long table with 12 chairs, 5 on each side and 2 on the opposite side. The four middle aged man in suit were sitting on the left side while Mr.Zhang and the other board member who looks like the same age with Mr. Zhang were sitting in the right side while Gee was sitting in the middle. Gee was a bit nervous because the four board members sitting on the left side were seriously looking at her.
Board member 1: congratulations on ranking first this week, we didn't expected it but you did great today.
Gee: (awkwardly bowed her head) thank you sir
Board member 2: The reason why we want to talk to you in person is about our observation
Gee gulped.
Board member 3: We were really impressed with your performance since the first evaluation and to tell you the truth, we really thought that you were a real guy.
Gee smiled.
Board member 4: The trainers were also commending about your performance and they were surprised when we told them that you were not a real guy.
Board member 5: (the one sitting beside Mr. Zhang sighed) gentlemen, can we please tell her the truth. I know you want to have more lines in this chapter but our role is to be kept in the shadow, she can't even give us a proper name.
The elder board members sighed.
Mr.Zhang: (stood up) What they want to say is that you passed the probation it means you will continue your training with male trainees and your true identity will be kept as well.
Gee: (surprised) r-really???
The board members simultaneously nodded their head. Gee stood up and gave them several bows.
Gee: thank you sir, thank you (bowing)
Mr. Zhang stood up from his seat and went to Gee. He shook her hands and put his right arm to her shoulders.
Mr.Zhang: congratulations, im so happy for you. (smiling at her)
Gee: (turned her head to Mr.Zhang who is 1 foot taller than her) thank you Mr.Zhang (she smiled)
Mr.Zhang smiled back and gave her a tap on her shoulders.
Board member 1: congratulations, we will look forward to your future performances.
Board member 2: you must be tired, you may now go back to your dorm.
Gee: ah thank you sir (bowed again)
Then she walked to the door and bowed again before she closed it. She was smiling as she was walking in the hallway then it suddenly vanished when she remembered about the result of the remedial evaluation. She started to run going there. She was surprised to see the training room was already empty and Yuna, Leo and Maya were gone. She leans around the surrounding area but she didn't see anyone. She ran to the elevator and pressed the button to the 5th floor. She ran towards the door and knocked panicky. Yuna opened the door and was so worried upon seeing her.
Yuna: hey what happened to you? Is someone running after you? (she opened the door wider)
Gee: (went inside) Yuna, do you have any update about the result?
Yuna: (she smiled) Se Ju was able to pass the evaluation.
Gee: (surprised and became happy she was smiling wide) really??? Wow haha, ah what about the others?
Yuna took a deep breath, her smile was lessen then she shook her head. Gee's wide smile suddenly left her mouth.
Gee: (almost looking down trying to smile) ah I see, thanks (she let out a breath and tapped Yuna's shoulder walking to the door)
Yuna followed her with look as she walks to the door.
Yuna: Gee where are you going?
Gee turned her head and smiled to her while holding the door knob.
Gee: I'm just going to check them out (trying to smile)
Yuna: okey, but please be back immediately okey? (there is a worry in her eyes)
Gee smiled back then she turned her head, opened the door and went out. While she was walking back to the elevator, she's trying to calm herself by breathing in and out. When she reached the ground floor her phone rang. It was Moru, she smiled and pressed the answer button.
Gee: hey Moru-chiiii
Moru: Yoh! How was your group evaluation?
Gee: We passed ad we are top 1 and guess what? I ranked first this week!
Moru: wow! Congratulations man!
Gee: heh I know right (she was boasting)
Moru: are you coming tomorrow?
Gee: (her smile was gone) sorry Moru I can't…
Moru: aw, then I'll come visit you then?
Gee: really? (she got excited)
Moru: yeah, I'll cook for you tomorrow
Gee: oh okey that would be great!
Moru: Of course, I know how you miss my cooking
Gee: yeah, I really miss it
Moru: yeah only my cooking
Gee: Yeah! Hahahaha
Moru: haish, how dare you!
Gee: Hahahahaha
Gee was laughing when she saw Se Ju walking the hallway, he came from the office building.
Gee: hey dude, thank you for calling but I have to go for now
Moru: oh you saw Yibo?
Gee: (felt a little sad) no, I'll tell you tomorrow okey, bye dude.
Moru: okey, see you tomorrow
Then they hang up. She rushed to Se Ju who was also walking fast towards her. He was smiling. Se Ju gave her a brohug.
Se Ju: bro, I was looking for you (smiling)
Gee: Congratulations bro, Yuna told me you passed but…
Se Ju: (felt a little sad but trying to smile) yeah…
Gee: where are they?
Se Ju: they went back to their dorms
Gee: how are they?
Se Ju became silent he was looking down. Gee put her right arm on his shoulder and he tried to smile.
Gee: (released a deep breathe) lets visit them at their dorms
Se Ju turned to look at her, he shook his head. Gee was puzzled.
Gee: Why not? We should be there with them in this kind of situation you know.
Se Ju: (shook his head) Let us give them a time alone for now. Let's just wait for them tomorrow before they… leave
Gee felt so sad she slowly removed her right arm from his shoulder then she released another deep breathe and tried to smile.
Gee: I guess you're right.
Se Ju nodded. They silently went back to the elevator and rode together. Se Ju first leave when they reached the 4th floor. They waved goodbye to each other. Gee was left alone in the elevator looking down.
Meanwhile at Yibo's unit at the 7th floor. Yibo was laying on his bed wearing a tshirt and pajama with his right arm resting on his forehead, he sighed as he felt irritated when he remembered how Gee was so close to Leo during the announcement, he remembered when Leo whispered something to Gee and she leaned to him and how they played with each other's hair. He sat down on his bed and scratched his face up to his hair and released a sigh of irritation. Then he just let his body fall back on the bed as he closed his eyes.
In Gee's bedroom, she was laying on her bed. She was just staring at the ceiling then she turned her head on the left and her eyes were just staring at nothing she was feeling down thinking about the three who failed. She was having the thoughts of them crying silently in the corner of their bedroom. She sighed. Then she turned her body to her left side she was staring at the skin care products that Yibo gave to her. She remembered how Yibo was replacing them, she smiled upon seeing that scene again from her memory. She even remembered what Yibo told her. Then she felt sad when she remembered their argument from before to the moment they were silent when they were inside the elevator without talking then when Yibo smiled at her when their group ranked firt but she felt sad when Yibo was not looking at her when she ranked first. She sighed about it.
Gee: I thought he would be proud of me. (she sighed thinking about Jake and Yibo)
Gee was practicing at the rooftop the next morning but she feels a little down still thinking about the others who didn't make it after the remedial evaluation and how Yibo seemed to not care about her achievement last night. She stopped her routine, look down with her hands on her hips, she released a deep breath she slowly walked backwards then she leaned on the wall. She slowly move her body down until she was sitting. The she bend her head, wrapped her own arms around her then her tears were falling down on her face. She's crying but without sound. She was feeling pained for her friends who failed. But she felt even more sad thinking about how Yibo and Jake were different. She's thinking if its Jake he will help them no matter what and he would be proud of her for ranking first but Yibo was the opposite.
She was like that for almost 10 minutes when her phone suddenly rang. She was sobbing and her face was drenched from her tears but when she saw Moru's name on her phone, she smiled then she immediately wiped her face off and took a deep breath. She answered it.
Gee: Y-Yoh! (she was smiling)
Moru: Yoh! Hey Gee are you okey? (he got worried as he heard her voice was not the usual)
Gee: (surprised) ah haha of course I am, I just woke up haha (she yawned)
Moru: ah I see (not convinced) I'm on my to the market, do you have anything you want me to buy for you?
Gee: (thinking) mmmm… 3 Yogu energy bar, chocolate flavor? (she smiled)
Moru: okey, meet at the gate okey?
Gee: sure! Thanks Moru-chi (she smiled)
They hanged up. She took another deep breath, she stood up, fixed herself then she walked to the door and went downstairs.
When she went back to their dorm, she saw Yuna who was already preparing the table. She was surprised then she immediately help her by getting the bowls, Yuna smiled but she got worried she put down the chopstick she was holding and approached her holding her face.
Yuna: Hey Gee are you okey? D-did you cried? What happened?
Gee: (surprised then she laughed) Ahahahaha Yuna I'm okey
Yuna: (still holding her face) No, you can't deceive me, tell me what happened? (pressing Gee's face harder)
Gee: (can't speak properly she her cheeks were pressed and her lips were pouting) oh Yunu Oy cont spuk pr
Yuna: (she immediately let go) ah sorry, did you cried? What happened (looking at her)
Gee: they didn't passed the evaluation, but Se Ju did (she tried to smile)
Yuna felt so sad for her, she didn't know what to say so she just hugged her. Gee was surprised but she hugged back and tried to keep her tears.
Gee: thank you Yuna, but don't worry about me I know its sad but I should accept the results.
Yuna was rubbing her back then they let go, Gee smiled to Yuna then she continued to put the bowls on the table. Yuna was just looking at her while she was fixing the chopsticks. After they finished putting the utensils on the table and the food, they sat down and started to eat.
Gee: ah Yuna, Moru will visit me today, can we use the kitchen?
Yuna: Oh sure (she smiled)
Gee: (smiled back) thank you oh by the way, are you going out? I would like to introduce him to you (she's smiling wide)
Yuna: After we eat and wash the dishes, I'll be going, what time is he going to be here?
Gee: ahw he might still be in the market by the time you leave maybe he'll be here at 9:00 or 10:00
Yuna: until what time he'll be here then? I'll be back at 5:00 pm I guess
Gee: oooh that sounds good, we'll wait for you then (she got excited)
Yuna: okey (she smiled)
Gee got excited that lessen Yuna's worry as she looks at her while they are eating.
Gee and Yuna said their goodbyes to each other when Yuna rode her car. They waved smiling to each other. Gee went back inside. She was walking at the hall way when she saw Se Ju and the others walking towards her direction, they saw each other and they waved happily to her. She got excited she ran to them.
Se Ju: Bro! Good thing we saw you, we've been looking for you.
Japanese girl: yeah (smiling) Gee, thank you very much for helping and encouraging us.
She bowed and the others including Se Ju bowed to her. Gee was surprised she lifted their head up.
Gee: hey hahaha
Trainee 1: yeah, thank you bro for believing in us. (smiling)
Trainee 2: yeah, if it wasn't for you and senior Yibo's help during the second week of preparation we would be leaving here with regrets and we'll totally lose hope. (smiling)
Gee: (smiling but went puzzled) senior Yibo?
The four were surprised they were looking at each other. Then Japanese girl sighed.
Japanese girl: why don't we just tell him the truth
Gee was still puzzled looking at her.
Japanese girl: Gee, when Mr.Zhang forbid you to help us, it was his and senior Yibo's idea.
Then senior Yibo was the one helping us through that week. He teaches us after his work and if he doesn't have any schedule in the morning.
Gee was listening with amazement and confusion on her face.
Trainee 1: But senior Yibo told us to keep it from you.
Trainee 2: We wanted to tell you about that because we know that you two had a misunderstanding, but he forbid us.
Se Ju: senior Yibo is really talented, im all hands down to him, I mean he has all the right to tell us how we would end up. He was a good teacher though he is kinda strict and not really good with words but I don't know if its me or he really did. He would say something frankly to us when we commit mistake but then he would try to say something cringe after it. Hahaha it feels weird though.
Se Ju was laughing when he remembered what Yibo told Japanese girl when she couldn't learn a certain step Yibo has taught them.
Yibo: Just tell me if I should change that certain part for you. It might not be for your level. (poker face)
Japanese girl: (surprised and she look down) I'm sorry senior Yibo
Yibo: (felt a little guilty) j-just believe in yourself, y-you can d-do it
He felt a little embarrassed after he said it, he even lifted his right hand to tap her on her left shoulder but he took it back and sighed shaking his head then he went outside leaving them puzzled.
Gee: (smiling wide) he really did that???
The four simultaneously nodded with a smile on their faces.
Japanese girl: When they were telling us about this year's batch, senior Yibo told us how we will not be able to caught up with how talented you are and the rest of the trainees on their top three rank.
In her memories of last night inside the stage room. Yibo was speaking in front of them and the rest of the low ranking trainees after they have heard the result and the things they have to improve.
Yibo: I know the way I have said it before was harsh but the truth really hurts. That you can never beat a talented and hardworking person with your state right now. Honestly speaking, if you would all ask me, there are only three people in this batch who has 100% chance of debuting with no doubt, they are the persons who ranks first and second among the male trainees and the one who ranks first in the female group but she has a problem with her attitude she might not be able to debut in a group.
The rest of the trainers were nodding their head in agreement with him.
Yibo: When he helped you and we have seen how you improved because of his help, he just raised the bar of this batch's quality.
The other trainers were again nodding in agreement with him.
Ms.Kim: (stood up) Yibo is right, and to tell you the truth, we didn't expected that we will encounter such talent during this batch. So we are telling this to all of you right now because we want all of you to realize that we are not cutting you off because you don't have any potential, but we are saying this because we want you to realize that there is this thing called "right time"
The trainers nodded and gave a sympathetic look to the trainees.
Japanese girl: We are very thankful that we will leave without any regrets because of you, senior Yibo and the rest of the trainers.
They were smiling to each other.
Trainee 1: But we hope that you and senior Yibo would clear your misunderstanding.
Trainee 2: yeah, it was actually our fault in the first place.
Gee: No no don't think that way, it's may fault, I should have been more careful.
Se Ju tapped her on her shoulder.
Japanese girl: Oh I guess we have to go now, our taxi might be waiting outside (she smiled)
They brohugged each other. They were about to leave when they saw senior Yibo on the way they smiled at each other and decided to run towards him. Gee was left feeling nervous she was calming herself through breathing with her hands on her hips. Yibo was carrying his skateboard and his bodyguards are walking along with him on his two sides. The body guards blocked them but Yibo raised his left hand.
Yibo: Mr. Chen its okey.
Then the bodyguards moved on the side. The four bowed to him and they simultaneously shouted.
Four: Thank you senior Yibo for your help.
Yibo: (surprised) Hey
Gee took a deep breath and she smiled wide looking at how surprised Yibo was, she ran towards them then she also bowed to Yibo.
Gee: They told me everything senior Yibo.
Yibo: ( even more surprised looking at the four) di-did you?
Se Ju and the other nodded.
Yibo sighed shaking his head l, then he started to walk away from them. Gee and the rest were puzzled but Gee was so excited after she heard about what Yibo did. She was about to follow him but the four were waiting, she looked back to them. Se Ju raised his hand and gestured with his fingers okey, that he will take care of the three, they waved at her with a smile. She waved back and ran after Yibo but he was walking fast and the bodyguards were already covering him.