It was Sunday morning, and the streets were relatively quiet as Ji Hyo stepped out of his apartment building. With a tote bag slung over his shoulder and a grocery list typed into his phone, he headed toward the nearest supermarket.
"So this is the life of a normal person again," he mumbled under his breath.
The apartment had been eerily empty ever since he moved in. It wasn't just lacking groceries—it was lacking everything. Apparently, the original Ji Hyo Hyun didn't bother much with home-cooked meals. Most of his time had been spent eating outside or skipping meals entirely.
"This fridge is emptier than my wallet," Ji Hyo had grumbled earlier when he opened it.
After a short bus ride, he arrived at a fairly large supermarket nestled between a line of cafes and convenience stores. The air inside was cool, and the faint scent of freshly baked bread wafted from the bakery section.
He grabbed a cart and made his way to the fruit section, carefully inspecting a few apples, when a familiar voice called out from the side.
"Ji Hyo?"
He turned, blinking in surprise.
There she was—Soomin Cheon—casually holding a basket filled with bananas, milk, and two packs of yogurt.
"Soomin?" Ji Hyo smiled. "Oh, hey! Didn't expect to see you here."
"I didn't expect to see you either." She smiled brightly, walking over. "I thought Glint trainees were locked in the building 24/7 or something."
"Believe me, I wish that were just an exaggeration."
They both laughed lightly as they continued browsing through the fruits. Ji Hyo picked up a peach, then quickly switched it with another that looked less bruised.
"Doing your groceries for the week?" Soomin asked, glancing at his empty cart.
"Kind of," Ji Hyo replied. "Actually, I'm stocking up for the first time."
"Oh?" she blinked. "You mean you've been living in your apartment without any groceries this whole time?"
"Yeah…" he scratched the back of his neck. "I realized today that I don't even have instant noodles. The previous me must have been living entirely on takeout."
"That sounds… depressing."
"You're telling me."
Soomin giggled and placed some strawberries into her basket.
"So… are you still studying?" she asked casually.
Ji Hyo paused, then shook his head. "No. I stopped after graduating high school. I decided to focus solely on training."
"Really?" Her eyes widened a little. "You must be pretty serious about it then."
"I have to be," Ji Hyo said, chuckling softly. "I'm not exactly bursting with natural talent, so I need to work twice as hard."
Soomin smiled gently. "But you're doing well. I heard you did great in the evaluation."
"Oh, you heard that?"
"Of course," she said proudly. "Felix told me. He wouldn't stop talking about your performance and how everyone started calling you 'cute shark' afterward."
Ji Hyo groaned, half-laughing and half-embarrassed. "Ugh. That nickname again."
"Admit it—it suits you."
"No, it doesn't."
"Yes, it does."
They both laughed again as they moved to the vegetable section.
Ji Hyo tossed in some leafy greens while Soomin was busy choosing between two brands of cherry tomatoes.
"You seem more relaxed lately," she noted while glancing over.
"I guess I am," Ji Hyo replied, adjusting his tote bag. "Things are still confusing sometimes… but I'm starting to feel like I belong a little more."
"That's good." Soomin smiled warmly. "If you ever need help or just want to chat, I'm just a call away."
"Thanks. I mean it."
As they moved to the checkout, they talked more about food, random little things in the company, and even which laundry detergent was best for sensitive skin—a conversation Ji Hyo never imagined himself having a few months ago.
And yet, it felt strangely comforting. Normal. Peaceful.
After checking out, they both stood at the entrance of the store, each carrying their own shopping bags.
"Heading home?" Soomin asked.
"Yeah. I'll cook tonight—maybe. Or I'll just stare at the ingredients and order food again."
Soomin giggled. "Good luck with your cooking."
"Thanks. I'll need it."
"See you soon?"
"Definitely."
They parted ways with a wave, and as Ji Hyo walked back toward the bus stop, he glanced down at the groceries in his bag.
As Ji Hyo walked toward the bus stop, his steps slowed when the faint sound of guitar strings drifted through the air. Curious, he followed the melody around the corner and found a pair of street performers standing under a modest shade near a convenience store.
There were only a few people walking around—it was a lazy Sunday after all—but the sound pulled Ji Hyo in like gravity. Without hesitation, he stepped closer and stood quietly near the edge of the sidewalk.
The first boy was strumming an acoustic guitar, his voice soft and mellow—almost like velvet. It was the kind of tone that melted easily into your ears, like a gentle breeze on a warm spring morning. His eyes were closed in focus, and the way his fingers moved along the chords was effortless. He was handsome, too, in a delicate and slightly mysterious way.
Beside him was another boy, a little edgier in appearance, with slightly dyed ash-brown hair and a more expressive face. While the first sang the melody, this boy added ad libs between the verses and then seamlessly transitioned into a rap verse, his flow clean and confident. Ji Hyo's eyes widened in surprise.
"Whoa… They're really good."
For a moment, Ji Hyo forgot about everything, the groceries in his hands, the bus he was supposed to catch, even the day of the week. He stood there, captivated. It was surprising, though. Aside from him, there were no other real spectators—just a couple of passersby who didn't bother stopping.
Maybe people are just too busy, Ji Hyo thought. Or maybe they're just blind to talent.
But he didn't care. He clapped in rhythm and nodded along to the beat, fully immersed.
When the two performers noticed him watching, they exchanged a glance and smiled. Ji Hyo chuckled—it suddenly felt like the whole performance was for him alone. And honestly, he didn't mind.
As the last note rang out and the music faded into silence, Ji Hyo clapped his hands enthusiastically.
"That was amazing!" he said with genuine admiration.
He stepped forward and pulled out a 10,000 won bill, gently placing it into the open guitar case in front of them. "You guys deserve way more than this."
The rap boy scratched the back of his neck, a little shy. "T-Thanks…"
Ji Hyo tilted his head with a smile. "You're seriously great. That last rap verse… it was really impressive."
The rapper boy blushed slightly, scratching the back of his neck. "T-Thanks… That was actually my self-produced song."
Ji Hyo blinked. "Seriously? You wrote and composed it?"
"Yeah," he replied, looking down shyly. "I mean, it's still rough, but… yeah."
"That's impressive," Ji Hyo said, eyes shining with honest admiration. "But if I'm being honest… it still lacks something."
Both performers looked at him, surprised.
The guitarist chuckled. "That's the first time someone ever said that to Ling."
Ji Hyo raised his hands defensively. "Ah—no offense! I mean, it's really good. Really! But there's something about the arrangement—it's like it's holding back a little. The melody's solid, but it feels like it needs just a bit more dynamic progression, especially in the second verse."
Ling stared at him.
"You caught that?"
"...I guess?" Ji Hyo laughed awkwardly. "I don't even know how I know it. I just… felt it."
"Are you a producer or something?" Ling asked curiously.
"No, not really," Ji Hyo replied. "I'm a trainee… kind of."
"Ohhh," the guitarist nodded. "That explains it. You've got a good ear. Better than most."
"I'm Xin," he said, offering his hand.
"Ling," the rapper added.
"Ji Hyo," he said, shaking their hands. "Nice to meet you both."
"Likewise," Xin said with a smile. "You really caught Ling off guard, though. He's used to compliments, not constructive criticism."
"Hey," Ling grumbled playfully. "I'm still proud of that song."
"And you should be," Ji Hyo added quickly. "I liked it. Really. I just… feel like it could go even further."
Ling nodded slowly, eyes thoughtful now. "I'd like to hear your take on that sometime. Maybe you can help me polish it."
"I'd love to," Ji Hyo smiled.
Just then, Ji Hyo's stomach let out a low growl.
Everyone paused for a beat.
"…Was that your stomach?" Xin asked, laughing.
Ji Hyo scratched his cheek sheepishly. "Uh… yeah. I skipped lunch."
"Well, that settles it," Xin declared cheerfully. "How about you join us for dinner."
"What? No, that's okay—"
"Nope. You gave us good feedback and clapped harder than anyone else ever did. You've earned it," Ling grinned.
"But—"
"Please," Xin said. "There's a really cozy ramen place nearby."
Ji Hyo hesitated for a moment. But then again… he didn't have plans tonight, and they seemed like genuinely good people.
"Alright then," he said, glancing down at the shopping bags in his hands. "But… I should probably head back first. My groceries are kind of heavy."
Xin let out a small laugh. "Ah—right! You did say you were out shopping."
"Yeah," Ji Hyo chuckled. "If I let these sit too long, I'll end up with spoiled meat and squishy tomatoes."
Ling nodded in understanding. "No problem. We'll be around for a bit longer anyway. Planning to play a couple more songs."
"Really?" Ji Hyo asked.
"Yep," Xin said brightly. "Gotta make use of the crowd while the sun's still out. Plus… who knows? Maybe someone else with great ears will stop by."
Ji Hyo grinned, pulling out his phone. "Let's exchange contacts first, then."
They quickly swapped numbers and saved each other's names.
"Message us when you're done," Ling said. "We'll wait here."
Ji Hyo gave them a thumbs up. "Got it. Don't run away without me."
"We won't," Xin assured him with a playful wink. "We're curious now—we need that full critique on Ling's second verse."
"Ah, no pressure," Ji Hyo replied, half-laughing. "I'm not a pro or anything."
"You're better than half the pros we've met," Ling replied with a small smile.
That simple compliment made Ji Hyo pause for a moment.
"…Thanks," he said quietly.
Then, waving at them one more time, Ji Hyo turned and started making his way toward the bus stop, groceries swinging slightly with each step.
Behind him, the faint sounds of the duo warming up for their next song began to fill the plaza again.