extended training track

"Welcome to South Korea."

The immigration officer's tone is not too enthusiastic. They probably act similarly with everyone — long shift and everything. You don't take it too personally.

Incheon International Airport is rather bustling and loud, as to be expected for airports on a Sunday during winter. There are announcements echoing all over the airport for last calls and lost belongings. Through the people, you make way for yourself with a roller suitcase to the metro station and take a ride into the heart of Seoul.

The importance of this stint is as deathly crucial to you as it is to your university back home — a four-month compulsory graduation internship, and a gesture that signifies the bond between JYPE and your institution. You're not so sure regarding the number of years they've been on the ends of the connection, but surely, you're not letting it crash into rubble with your performances.

The ride into Seoul continues. There's a rolling of wheels running against the rails from under you. In the cabin, you watch the afternoon clouds and the snow-covered buildings run past you in a blur. Your compartment is playing a comfy lo-fi tune you don't recognize. Of course, you don't expect them to play K-pop all the time, but something you can tap your fingers to would be nice. They would make you feel more familiar with this place.

You reach your desired station eventually, and you drag your roller suitcase for a few hundred meters out of the station to the employees' dorm. Your body shivers in the freezing cold air of the city at three post meridiem. It's quite grueling, but you manage to withstand the temperature until your destination is right in front of you.

Your room is on the modest side. It's a little smaller than what you have at home, but you'll live. The space has everything that you need for survival: a bed, a heater, bathroom. You transfer your belongings from your suitcase to the closet, and in a heartbeat, you've made this place your home for the next four months.

"Don't forget the hashtags. The interns always forget them."

You type hashtags into your Notes app as Hyunjae — your supervisor — gives you a rundown of the ins-and-outs of your job. The inside of the JYPE building feels modern and sleek, probably from all that TWICE and Stray Kids income. This kind of design gives you a bit of comfort against the blues of working in a foreign country alone. It's not a complete package of coziness, but it'll work for now.

"There's also common sense stuff, but I'm sure you have it, right? Or they wouldn't have sent you here." Hyunjae scoffs before she gives you a questioning look. "Right?"

"Yeah, I have common sense, yeah," you respond to her, typing common sense into your Notes app and opening Safari. It's just to check if you're a well-mannered person.

Hyunjae smiles at you approvingly. "Alright, I'll go grab the passwords. Do whatever the hell you want until then."

The next few days pass by quickly. You're burying yourself in the work of posting the approved social media posts. There's TWICE. There's Stray Kids. There's ITZY. In the meantime, you've started to gain the ability to separate the Stray Kids members after years of boy band neglect. You've never missed a hashtag as well. That's the feat you're proud of.

"Why did you wanna be here? Like, why not somewhere close to your home?" Hyunjae quizzes, picking up a piece of tteokbokki with chopsticks. There's a small shot of soju at her side. There's a small shot of soju at your side. Just half a bottle of soju should suffice for this chilly Friday night.

"I just wanna be abroad," you answer. It's a simple answer to roll off your tongue. "Is that enough of a reason?"

There's a soft whir of the heater in this restaurant, working hard against the sub-zero temperature outside. The place smells of food and alcohol. There's a bit of woodiness in there as well.

"You don't get homesick?" Hyunjae asks. "I'm more concerned than curious right now, if you don't mind," and she chuckles softly.

You give her back a smile. "I live in a dorm during college, so this isn't very new to me."

Hyunjae just nods before picking up another piece of rice cake into her mouth. You figure you should grab a piece as well. Hyunjae is still in her blazer from work with a white undershirt. Her wide-legged pants look wonderful on her.

"So, who's your ultimate bias? Like, the greatest of them all." Hyunjae asks as she chews her food, a hand covering her mouth for politeness. "Not limited to just JYPE!"

"She's in JYPE, actually," and you chuckle. "It's Yeji."

Hyunjae nods receptively. "Nice, so what do you like about her?"

"She's my type! I like women who's on the more, what's the word, aggressive side?"

"Ryujin is aggressive as well — even more than Yeji," Hyunjae challenges, and that makes you think a bit. Yeji instead of Ryujin with assertion as the criterion is certainly something.

After a few seconds of thinking, you shrug out of surrendering to your supervisor's point. "Maybe I shouldn't have said aggressive."

Hyunjae chuckles. "It's fine. Sometimes we kinda just vibe with people, you know?"

You just smile at her before taking another piece of tteokbokki into your mouth.

The weekend passes by, and you find yourself sitting in your chair posting the activities and approved personal photos of your assigned groups on Monday. You stretch from time to time to release the fatigue building up inside your muscles. The atmosphere inside the office smells of air freshener and tea, while the sight is tinted blue from the lights installed above your head.

A Slack notification appears in the top right corner of your MacBook.

Han Hyunjae, 11:49: Itzy's in the building today

Han Hyunjae, 11:49: Wanna meet them?

You click on the notification to type a sure as a reply. Finally, you're meeting your ultimate bias up close!

Han Hyunjae, 11:50: Come to the cafe when you're ready!

The coffee shop on the ground floor is cozy and warm. You order a cup of iced Assam tea despite the harsh winter outside, with two pairs of tuna sandwiches from the cashier before settling yourself in front of Hyunjae at a table.

"They should be here in a few minutes," Hyunjae states, sipping her hot latte. There's a small mark of cream on her lips.

"You got a, uh," and you point at your upper lip. "Milk foam?"

"Oh, thanks." Hyunjae wipes the white stain off her mouth before gazing at the cafe entrance. You turn in her direction of sight as well, and you see them — ITZY — all five of them.

You've expected that they're people just like you — flawed and unique. Still, you can't help the quickening of your heartbeats for Hwang Yeji under the cafe lights. Your index finger taps on the table frantically as the women come closer to you and Hyunjae. You alternate your eyes between the five girls, but your focus seems to incline towards Yeji a bit more than the others. She looks different from what you've seen her in the photos and videos. Hwang Yeji just looks so damn tangible here — unfiltered, human.

You hear Hyunjae chuckle beside you. She notices you being star-struck seeing Yeji in person for the first time, though she just gives you space to get nervous seeing your idol.

The women settle themselves at a table not too far away from you. You turn back to Hyunjae, eventually, to see her smile tenderly at you.

"You wanna say hi to them?" she asks, pointing in ITZY's direction with her thumb.

You stammer out, "Yeah, sure. Do you have to, like, come with me?"

Hyunjae shrugs. "Up to you! They're used to the seniors from your college, though, so don't worry too much."

You give her an investigative look — lips tight, squinted eyes — before getting up from your seat and telling her: "Can you come with me, please?"

Hyunjae just laughs and stands up. "Alright, follow me."

You walk behind her at a somewhat close distance, watching ITZY's relative position getting closer to you. They chatter about something you can't make out against the waves of sound from the entire cafe.

"Hey!" Hyunjae greets, and the women turn to her and you. Yeji tilts her head slightly, perhaps curious about your presence.

With a drag, "Hello!" Yuna says first, happily, followed by a few waves and greetings from the other members.

"My new intern wanna say hi to you guys," Hyunjae says, presenting you simply with her hands.

"Hi," you stammer out shyly, trying to look cool in front of the girls despite the rapid heartbeats behind your ribcage. "I'm the new intern."