(JK POV)

We came back to the dorm after a day full of promotions and shootings. All of us were exhausted. Everyone locks themselves up in their own rooms to get some rest.

The place was almost completely silent. I sat alone in my room.

Left alone with my thoughts, my heart wasn't at ease. I have a lot of worries these days. I worry about things that someone my age shouldn't be worrying about.

I worry that I didn't choose the right path. My job is to entertain people. Yeah, it makes a lot of money, but it comes with all of these strict rules.

My friends from outside of the industry have it all planned out. Some of them are married already. Some have already started families. I haven't even thought about having a significant other until recently.

Being an idol isn't exactly what it's all cut out to be. You get tired of it after so long.

But I can't just stop. I'd let down so many people. I just have to stay strong and keep going. I need something to get my mind off of all this.

I fall back onto my bed and swipe open my phone.

I open up the app store to look for some games or something to keep me entertained, but I stumbled across something else.

It was a social app. I read the short description.

"Meet new people, socialize, and make friends in your area"

I scrolled through the reviews. People seemed to like it, so I thought I'd give it a shot.

I hit download.

I open it, but pause when I get to the first page.

CREATE ACCOUNT

Name:

Age:

Set Location?: Y/ N

(Optional) Interests:

Well I obviously can't use my real name. I'd either have people constantly contacting me or people constantly accusing me for impersonation.

I thought about another name I could use, and then I remembered that one question we were asked in an interview.

"If you had an English name, what would it be?"

I had said "Justin Seagull".

I typed in my answers.

Name: Justin S.

Age: 22

Set Location?: Y

(Optional) Interests: Music, sports, games, photography, video production

There was also an option to add a photo, but I don't think that's such a bright idea in my case so I left it blank.

I clicked "confirm" and created my account.

It automatically came up with a bunch of people in this city who have similar interests.

I immediately started chatting with random people just to get a feel for the app.

Justin: Hi nice to meet you

*****: hello, you're from **** too?

Justin: I live here, but I was born in Busan

***** : oh cool

I had fun chatting with people, but none of them seemed like they wanted to be friends. They were just bored like me.

I declined right away when I got a chat request from someone who was 16. I didn't know kids were allowed on this app...

I was looking for more people to socialize with when I came across one account.

Name: Yua M.

Age: 23

Interests: Music, shopping, fashion, games, photography

The name sounded foreign. They shared some of my interests so I sent them a chat request.

Yua: hello~

Justin: Hi nice to meet you

Yua: you too

Justin: I see we share a few common interests

Yua: Yeah, you like music and photography?

Justin: Yeah! Music is my life but photography is mostly just for fun for me

Yua: really? Music is my life too

Yua: I like taking pictures in my free time, but I'm no professional

Justin: don't worry, me neither

Justin: are you from *****?

Yua: I live here but I'm from Japan

Justin: that's what I guessed, but I didn't want to assume

Yua: you guessed?

Justin: by your name

Justin: Yua is a really pretty name but it's not common in *****

Yua: well where are you from?

Justin: I'm from Busan

Yua: isn't "Justin" like an American name?

Justin: it is, but my dad wanted me to have a unique name here

Justin: does "Yua" mean something in Japanese?

Yua: sort of

Yua: it kind of means something like "strong love" or "strong affection"

Justin: wow that's so cool

Yua: are you looking to make friends here or are you just bored?

Justin: I could use some friends but i don't know how that would work out for me

Yua: why do you say that?

Justin: let's just say...

Justin: it's hard for me to have friends

Justin: it's hard to explain

Yua: I get it

Yua: and that's okay

Yua: I think I want to be friends with you but I'm totally okay with just messaging here

Justin: really?

Justin: okay, then let's be friends here :)

Yua: So we're friends now?

Justin: sure

Yua: yay alright

Justin: I like talking to you

Yua: I like talking to you too

Justin: thx for accepting my chat request Yua

Justin: btw, I feel kind of impolite just calling you "Yua"

Justin: is it okay if I call you "Yua Noona?"

Yua: you're younger than me?

Justin: yeah but not by that much

Yua: then sure that's fine

Justin: okay well thx for talking to me Yua Noona

Yua: Thx for listening

Justin: I gtg but I'll talk to you tomorrow if I have time

Yua: okay

Yua: but just so you know, I might not answer right away

Yua: I'm really busy most of the day

Justin: same here, I understand

Justin: but thx again

Justin: talk to you later :)

Having a long conversation with someone like that is just so refreshing. I felt good about myself. I made a new friend, just like that.

Wow.

I made a friend.

A friend that's not at all related to my job.

I don't know where this is going, but there's no other way to find out.