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He sniffs the air as the tall, lanky trainee with puppy-dog eyes walks down the corridor, too distracted to notice him skulking in the corner.
Tangerines. Faint and subtle, but unmistakable.
Unexpectedly, his fox spirit pokes her snout out, chuffing at the sweet scent.
Friend? She asks hopefully.
Nico bites his lip. He doesn't have the heart to say an outright no. Plus, the rule against contestants in different teams speaking is stupid; there's no way she'll understand it. Alas, his kitsune is prone to sulking, and he does not want to deal with a tantrum right now.
Besides, he knows why she's asking. Just like him, his fox spirit is desperately lonely, having left the family clan to fly all the way to Korea just to take part in I-Land. Despite their nightly calls, being away from his family is desperately hard.
Friend! the fox declares, whipping around in circles so eagerly her tail touches her nose. Mentally chuckling, Nico caves in and sends a wordless pulse of assurance.
We can make him our friend, he agrees.
Her joyful yips are answer enough, as she leaps and tumbles in the back of his mind. It makes him smile as he continues down the passage, the lightest hint of tangerine beckoning him like a promise. That trainee doesn't seem like the type to use perfume, so maybe it's his shampoo or something.
Well, one thing's for sure.
He's gonna have to break the rules for this one.
What nobody tells you about being a trainee is the feeling of futility that comes after slogging such long, hard hours, for such a slim shot at realising your dream. Getting in as a trainee is relatively easy; to keep going is incredibly hard. Nico's heard all the horror stories, but the moment he set his mind on debuting, he knew nothing would stop him from chasing his dreams.
That doesn't explain the hopelessness washing over him as he drops to the ground, soaked with sweat from pushing himself all morning. Staring at the practice room walls, he tries to work out what he feels. Even with how stubborn and driven he is, he hadn't counted on the punishing reality of how isolating the whole experience is. The way it makes you feel like you can't trust anyone, because at the end of the day, it's every man for himself.
In the face of others just as talented as he is, and even better at being sociable…. Nico can't help feeling 'other', sometimes. Like he's still an outsider, no matter how hard he tries to fit in.
Even worse, the kitsune is languishing from a lack of companionship, especially the lack of physical touch. Although kitsune tend to be solitary by nature, they thrive best in the company of others, when they have a secure network of family and friends; their clan. The nightly calls to his family soothe the ache, but not by much. It's not enough, given that they're not encouraged to make friends. He's not stupid; he knows the producers have their own ways of playing the contestants against each other.
But his fox won't listen to reason. No, she's got her sights set on a certain puppy-eyed man, and she's determined to make him their friend.
Nico tries, in his own fashion. He still goes around with his beanie pulled low to hide his apparently scary eyes. But every time he crosses someone's path he looks up, hoping it's that guy. When they do meet, Nico returns his polite bow with a quick nod, not quite daring enough to strike up a conversation. Not yet.
Try harder, whines the kitsune. We're so bored, we want to play. She grumbles until Nico gives more empty promises, then disappears into her den, tail flicking in annoyance.
Nico winces; it wouldn't bode well for anyone should the fox spirit decide she's done waiting. It's not like she will surface or anything—she's a juvenile, for one, barely a fraction of the two hundred years of a kitsune's full lifespan. But nobody knows for sure, since Nico's the first one in a couple of generations to inherit the fox spirit from a distant ancestor. Even amongst his extended family, there's no one alive who can teach him how to fully release his beast.
Just as well. Even the idea is mildly terrifying; as it is, the kitsune already has him wrapped around her little paw.
One hot, sultry afternoon, Nico is heading back from the mess hall where the contestants share their meals, intent on getting first dibs on the showers. He absently nibbles at a family-sized bar of chocolate; his guilty indulgence. As he turns the corner, he spies Euijoo coming the other way, busy typing on his phone.
Nico perks up, his heart skipping a beat as his fox comes skidding out of her den. It's him, she yaps gleefully, our new friend!
Calm down, Nico thinks but doesn't say.
Quickly, he fashions a plan, then stands in place and waits.
As soon as Euijoo gets close, Nico sticks the chocolate bar under his nose.
Startled, Euijoo stops in his tracks, blinking and drawing back to see it better.
"Choco meogollae?" Nico offers.
The other trainee seems to freeze, wide-eyed and staring. He has the roundest eyes Nico's ever seen. It makes him look quite guileless, rather charming.
When there's no response, he waves the bar in front of Euijoo's face.
With a start, Euijoo draws up to his full height.
"Ani, gwenchana," he drops the bomb with a polite half-smile, bobbing his head awkwardly before hurrying away like he's being chased.
Cursing under his breath, Nico flinches when his fox whines so loudly his ears start ringing, even with the sound only in his head.
Now what?
Frankly, it was kind of offensive, the way EJ booked it out of the place. Aren't they both in the Ground team? Is he looking down on Nico for getting eliminated before him?
Urgh. He won't let this ruin his day. He's going to practise some more, like he should if he wants another shot at getting back onto the main show.
But first, he has to spend a considerable amount of time pacifying his fox. By the time he manages it, they're almost due to leave the training grounds anyway, when the vans would pick them up and shuttle them back to the cramped dorm they all had to share, as if to rub their inferior status into their faces.
It's fine. He's Wang Yixiang; he thrives on the challenge. He vows that when he makes it back to the main show, sooner or later, he's going to wow them all with his powerful performance.
And he will make friends with Euijoo, if it's the last thing he'll do.
That's bad luck, the kitsune scolds, poking her nose out. Don't say that!
Hastily, he says a mental 'sorry' until she sniffs and vanishes back into her cave.
He has to shield his thoughts better next time.
For the next few days, Nico does nothing, just watching and waiting. He finds himself almost glad for the lack of cameras in the Ground area, and for how much free time they have, even if it's crushingly boring having to practise the same routine over and over again. He switches it up, mixing in his b-boy dancing, just so he doesn't fall into the funk that's creeping in like sludge, weighing down his limbs and clouding his mind.
Meanwhile, Euijoo mostly keeps to himself. He's amiable and polite, but never really initiates conversation with the others, preferring to be alone even during meal times. Classic type 'I', he thinks. For a moment he wonders if they would even get along. He doesn't really get people who feel more comfortable on their own, being an extrovert who enjoys the company of others much more than going solo. He would get depressed pretty quickly if he kept to himself so much.
All the more reason Euijoo needs a friend, Nico tells himself as he beelines into the first empty practice room ('room' being a bit of a stretch, more like a closet) to start his routine.
He selects the music, choosing an upbeat funk track to warm up with. Then he connects his phone to the bluetooth speakers, stretching his legs to warm up as he waits for the music to play.
And waits, and waits.
What the—?
Frowning, he checks his phone. The music is playing, the speakers are on, and the bluetooth is hooked up. So why isn't it playing? Annoyed, he turns up the volume to the max.
Still nothing. Great.
Groaning, Nicholas stomps to the door and yanks it open. He'll move to another room whose speakers aren't broken.
Instead, he comes face-to-face with Euijoo.
The other trainee is peeking his head around the door of the next room, brow scrunching up when he sees Nico gaping back at him.
"Umm. Hello. I think your phone is connected to my speaker?" Euijoo says, soft and apologetic.
At the first sound of his voice, the fox comes bounding outside. Friend, friend! She yips, gambolling for joy. Steeling himself, Nico meets Euijoo's gaze.
"How do you know it's my phone?" He speaks too sharply and winces.
Yeah, sure. Pick a fight, that's how you make friends.
Awkwardly, Euijoo pushes the door fully open, gesturing behind him at the pumping beats of a song blaring out from the speakers inside.
"That… it's not my song. And we're the only ones here."
It is indeed Nico's song. Grudgingly, he steps outside. For a few moments, they fiddle with the bluetooth settings until their phones are hooked up to the right speakers.
Then Nico tries to start a conversation, but his head is perfectly blank. All that happens is they end up in some kind of bowing contest, both of them repeatedly bobbing their heads until they're back in their respective rooms.
For the rest of the practice session, Nico has to put up with the kitsune whining and stomping her paws in a fine temper. It's only when he promises her to speak to Euijoo this week that she settles, slinking away with a huff.
Now if only he had an actual plan….
The kitsune isn't the only one giving him grief. Nico still speaks to his parents most nights, even if it's just a hasty phone call before bed. His sister, though, is another matter. She doesn't always have time to talk, so she keeps flooding him with texts. He tries to answer when he can, which isn't nearly enough to appease her.
One afternoon, he's just settling down for lunch at a small family restaurant when his phone pings; 'Jie' appears on the screen.
How's practice today?
Are you eating well?
Have you made any friends yet?
Nico groans. He knows from experience that she'll keep asking the same thing until she gets a satisfactory answer. Sighing, he gazes out of the window, hoping to come up with something to tell her.
And in walks Byun Euijoo, heading straight to the corner table nearest the cashier and ordering as soon as he sits.
Bolting upright, Nico grips his phone tight, almost gasping in disbelief. Thankfully, Euijoo hasn't seen him, since he's partly hidden behind the wall.
On the spur of the moment, Nico unlocks his phone and takes a covert snap.
What the hell? You're supposed to make friends, not stalk him!
It's a small mercy that his fox is napping. She would definitely chew his head off for this.
Still, what's done is done. And maybe he can kill two birds with one stone.
Flushing, he pulls up his chat with his sister and fires off a rapid text.
Practice is fine. I'm eating now, look. Here's my friend.
Swallowing hard, Nico attaches the slightly blurry shot of Euijoo and sends it to his sister.
A few seconds later she replies, caps lock on like she's yelling in excitement.
OMG HE'S SO CUTE!!
Finally!! I'm so happy for you, xiaodi! You know Ma and Pa were getting worried.
Suddenly he's not that hungry anymore.
Tell them I'm fine. I'll call when I can.
He takes one last bite of his noodles and pushes away his plate, guilt turning his stomach. Quietly, he signals for the bill, somehow managing to pay and exit the restaurant without Euijoo seeing him.
As he makes his way back, Nico tells himself that it's not lying if they do end up as friends, just the way he plans. All he has to do is go for it. Like, how hard can it be? He can get along with anyone. As long as they don't try to engage him within an hour of waking, he's practically a ball of sunshine.
Yeah, he's gonna handle this just fine. Euijoo and him will be firm friends before the month is over, mark his words.
(At this point, the only person he's trying to convince is himself.)
After all the fuss, when Nicholas and Euijoo actually start speaking, it's so unremarkable that he can barely recall the first time they had a full conversation. It must have been after they got sent back to I-Land; their shared time in banishment gave them some common ground. Turns out Euijoo is really easy to speak to; he's calm, patient, and a great listener, and despite their different personalities, they had a lot in common.
By the time they got through the whole I-Land fiasco, their dreams snatched from below their nose, only to be offered a second chance elsewhere … Nico can't imagine anyone else but Euijoo by his side. He may not always show it, but he's incredibly proud and grateful that they're on this journey together.
Knew you'd be best friends, his fox says smugly one day, frolicking to the front of his mind. Now teach him to wake up his ōkami so we can play!
…. Ōkami?? —As in, wolf spirit?!
Only a laughing bark answers him before the kitsune vanishes again.
Hello??
Oh, for the love of gods.
Now what?!