Work Text:
This was it. This truly was it.
Jungsoo breathed a shaky breath as he glanced around the performance venue. Today was the day — the day that would seal his fate on whether he would debut as an idol in the newest K-Pop boy group, or the day he would go back to being a regular person trying to make it in life.
He didn't want to show it to anyone, but he was nervous. Hell, he might even be terrified of what the outcome of his future might be. He, along with the final few trainees that survived, had been training long and hard for the big finale, but would his best be enough to debut?
Jungsoo shivered at the thought. It probably was, or it probably wasn't. He could never be too sure.
He didn't want to think about it, but Jungsoo was pretty sure he might get eliminated, though he prayed he wouldn't. He was lucky enough to be part of the final 18 who would survive — he had grown a sizable fanbase and he had garnered a lot of support from those who weren't in his fanbase, but looking at the finalists, with the likes of trainees Oh Taecyeon and Lee Taemin, he had his doubts.
However, as much as he thought about himself surviving or getting eliminated, there was one trainee that he hoped would make the big stage.
That trainee was Kim Heechul.
Jungsoo hated to admit that he didn't think much of Heechul at first. He was like any other ordinary trainee, trying to debut and put his name on the mark of K-Pop history, but as the days turned to weeks and months, he found himself being more drawn to him.
It didn't help that he had been sharing the same dorm as him throughout the time he was on the show. It also didn't help that both of them had quite a bit in common. Born only nine days apart in the same month and year, had an older sister, and wanting to make it big? Jungsoo believed it couldn't be a coincidence.
He could clearly remember one of the nights they had spent together. It was a cloudless and windy night, and the both of them had snuck out from the dorms (well, Heechul had convinced a very hesitant Jungsoo to), and decided to take a walk around the area.
-
"Teukie-hyung, have you ever wondered where you would be if you weren't on this show?" Heechul had asked suddenly, making Jungsoo cock his head to the side in wonder.
"Hmm, I don't know for sure," Jungsoo replied, shrinking into the puffy blue jacket that was given to the trainees in case of cold days. "I could still be in school, or rotting at home with nothing to do. Why this all of a sudden?"
Heechul only shrugged as a response. There was a silence between the two of them, before the younger spoke again.
"Do you think I'll make it to the finals, hyung?" He asked. "Do you think I'll be able to debut?"
That question took Jungsoo aback. Heechul had always been confident — he had noticed that ever since he stepped onto the stage to introduce himself. For him to suddenly ask a question like that made Jungsoo concerned.
"I think you will, you have your Petals and others who would vote for you," the older man said, referencing Heechul's fanbase. "Plus, you're super popular. Who wouldn't want you in the final line up?"
"But what if I don't?" Heechul ran a hand through his hair. "I don't want to go back to becoming regular old Kim Heechul. I want to be someone extraordinary. I want to prove everyone who doesn't believe in me wrong."
Jungsoo nodded in understanding. He knew how that felt. He, too, wanted to prove to his family that he could debut as an idol and finally make his dreams come true, but for some reason, Jungsoo felt that Heechul fought for that more than he did.
"You definitely will," Jungsoo squeezed the younger man's hand. "You've been exceeding expectations ever since the first day. Everyone loves you, hell, even the judges do! If no one thinks that you've been proving people wrong since day 1, then I will fight them for you."
Heechul snorted at the statement, letting out a chuckle. "Are you saying that because you're older than me?"
"I'm only nine days older," Jungsoo rolled his eyes, a smirk forming on his face. "I'm not saying that because I'm your hyung. I'm saying it because I'm confident you'll debut. You're gonna blow away the competition, I believe in that."
They didn't realise that they had made it back to the dorm buildings as they were talking. As they walked up the steps to the main door, Heechul paused in front of the door.
"Leeteuk-hyung."
Jungsoo stopped in his tracks, turning around to face the younger man.
"I'll debut and become the universe's biggest star," Heechul said, a glint of confidence in his eyes. "We'll debut together, right?"
Jungsoo smiled. "Of course we will, Heechul-ah."
-
"Teukie-hyung!"
Speak of the devil. Jungsoo turned around to see Heechul behind him, his hands on Jungsoo's shoulders.
"Let's hope we'll debut together." he squeezed Jungsoo's shoulders. "We're going to make it, right?"
Jungsoo couldn't help but smile. As much as he wanted to debut, he had always thought Heechul deserved it more.
Kim Heechul, who fought his way to be in the final 18.
Kim Heechul, who wanted to show people what he was made of onstage.
Kim Heechul, the universe's next biggest star.
"Of course we will."