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Niko loves winning. From the very beginning of her experience on this show, she’s been winning. Ranked #1 out of the Japanese contestants, then #1 out of all contestants.
So when she’s given the opportunity to (somewhat) choose which team she ends up on for the True Battle, she already knows which team she’s going for.
Yun Seoyoung also loves winning. Ranked #1 out of Korean contestants and #2 overall, Seoyoung is clearly just as driven as Niko. Niko likes that. She likes Seoyoung.
As Niko stands nervously in the room, right next to the door, she can only hope that she had chosen the correct poster, that she had chosen Seoyoung’s poster. She picks at the end of one of her braids nervously. Anxious murmurs fill the room, everyone else also hoping for the same thing.
Then, the door swings open. Niko snaps her head toward the door, and sees a short Korean girl walk in. Seoyoung. The room explodes into applause and laughter. Niko immediately feels a rush of joy and relief flood through her, and a large smile forms on her face. As Seoyoung walks through the door, her eyes meet Niko’s, and suddenly Niko’s feeling nervous, a fluttery feeling in her stomach. The moment doesn’t last long, though, as Seoyoung doesn’t take long to strut to her spot next to her poster.
“Hello,” Seoyoung says, smiling. “I’m Yun Seoyoung, and I’ll be your team leader for this mission, if you get chosen.”
More applause ripples through the room, though now some girls are looking anxious. Of course- as there are currently thirteen contestants in the room and only eight spots on the team- not everyone who had chosen Seoyoung would be chosen by Seoyoung.
Despite her confidence that her skills were enough for Seoyoung to want her (on her team, of course), Niko can’t help the way her heartrate picks up. What if Seoyoung wanted to compete against her again? What if Seoyoung felt that their rivalry was too strong for them to work on a team together successfully? What if, after Niko had won their 1v1 match, Seoyoung was too resentful to work alongside Niko?
“First, Niko,” Seoyoung’s sharp voice rings through the room.
Niko snaps her head toward Seoyoung. Seoyoung is already looking back at her, a smile on her face. Niko loves the way Seoyoung’s eyes squint as she smiles. Seoyoung beckons Niko over, and Niko’s cheeks warm slightly at how gorgeous Seoyoung looks, smiling at her with a hand outstretched. Niko stumbles forward a bit, quickly making her way over to stand next to Seoyoung. As soon as Niko makes it there, Seoyoung continues reading names off her list, and Niko semi processes that wow, Seoyoung is forming an amazing team. But mainly, Niko is excited to work with the older Korean.
Once the lineup is formed, the five unchosen girls shuffle out of the room, an awkward silence filling the air until the door swings shut behind them. The second it closes, everyone turns to Seoyoung expectantly, Niko included. As soon as Niko turns around, she makes eye contact with Seoyoung.
Seoyoung immediately smirks a little, before announcing her game plan.
“We’re going to win this," Seoyoung says.
And Niko likes that.
***
It’s the day after team selections, and Niko and Seoyoung have been sitting together on the cold concrete floor for most of the day now. Seoyoung had arranged teams for the four rounds of the true battle, and to Niko’s delight, Seoyoung had chosen Niko to be her partner for the 2v2 rap battle. They had found out the previous day that their opponents would be Chaerin and Heeyeon- and while they were good, they were no match for Niko and Seoyoung.
Niko’s broken out of her thoughts by Seoyoung’s pen tapping against the floor. Niko turns toward her, taking in the (cute) view of Seoyoung slouching against the wall, tapping the end of her pen on the floor while staring at the lyrics she had written down hastily on the page. The page was littered with scratched out words, and Seoyoung bites her lip as she scratches out yet another line. Niko can’t help the way her heart flutters at the sight of the smaller girl’s frustrated expression.
Seoyoung begins to turn her head toward Niko, and Niko immediately snaps her gaze away from her. Her ears flush red as she focuses on her own lyric sheet, clicking the top of her pen nervously.
***
Koko wins her 1v1. Of course she does. Her opponent is Korean, yet competing in a Japanese round. Niko feels a little bad for Koko’s opponent- she’s not sure the girl could’ve won against Koko even in her native language.
However, taking up most of her attention, Niko’s heart is racing. Seoyoung has been standing next to her for the entire duration of Koko’s performance, and the dance team’s performance before that, and Gayoon’s performance before that. Niko’s hyperaware of Seoyoung’s every move- her smiles, cheers, jeers, and even when she does nothing at all. Most of all, though, Niko is hyperaware of just how good Seoyoung looks wearing Niko’s clothes.
Niko and Seoyoung had been working together closely the past few days- in order to prepare for this very performance- and Niko has noticed just how nervous and jittery she feels around Seoyoung. Like a schoolgirl with a crush.
When Seoyoung would lean over Niko’s shoulder to take a glance at the lyrics Niko was writing, Niko’s cheeks would warm, and her brain would automatically focus on the feeling of Seoyoung’s breath against her neck. When Seoyoung would lean against Niko’s shoulder as they sat together on the floor, Niko’s heart rate would pick up. When Seoyoung smirked at Niko as she complimented her, shivers ran up Niko’s spine.
Niko might be screwed. She picks at the ends of her shirt sleeves absentmindedly, listening to the MC introduce the final battle. Niko can smell the scent of Seoyoung’s perfume wafting off of Seoyoung’s clothes- the clothes that Niko is wearing. When Seoyoung had proposed the idea of swapping outfits, Niko had loved it impactwise. However, once they had tried them on, Niko realized the level of distracting they are. She can’t help but focus on the fact that Seoyoung’s body had once touched the places where her body is currently touching.
“Starting us off, Niko and Seoyoung!” One of the producers cheers.
Niko immediately snaps out of her daze, focusing on the stage. She struts forward, embracing the confidence that Seoyoung had always displayed throughout their time on the show. Out of the corner of her eye, she can see Seoyoung sauntering next to her, and a smile stretches itself across her face at the sight. Niko’s flattered that Seoyoung had paid enough attention to her to remember how she had walked.
The beat starts, and Niko hits it perfectly. She makes eye contact with her opponent, smirking a little before delivering her line.
“너 그냥 패스.”
***
After their opponents’ performance ends, Niko’s head is spinning. She wants nothing more than to just sit down and take a break, but instead she remains on her feet.
After all, it’s the most important part of the stage. It’s time to announce the overall winning team of this round- Team Seoyoung or Team Rino. Niko’s fairly certain Seoyoung’s team would win (as they had won three out of the four rounds so far, and she’s sure she and Seoyoung wouldn’t lose), but she’s a little nervous anyway.
So when the MC announces the results (“Team Seoyoung wins!”) Niko feels the relief flood through her body. She smiles widely, looking around at the rest of the team. They all look overjoyed, and Niko feels her heart warm at the sight.
Finally, her eyes settle on Seoyoung. Seoyoung, somehow, is already looking back at her, a proud glint in her eyes, and a confident smile on her face.
Then Seoyoung turns around, walking the short distance to grab the victory keychains already proudly displayed on the stage. Seoyoung hands a keychain to each member. As Seoyoung hands Niko a keychain, she makes direct eye contact with Niko, smile growing a little wider.
“Good job, Niko,” Seoyoung says, and Niko’s heart skips a beat.
“Thanks,” Niko says back, voice shaky.
Seoyoung’s smile only widens at Niko’s response, and she pulls Niko in for a hug. Niko’s body collides with Seoyoung’s, and she stiffens for a moment. Then, she feels a hand on her head. Seoyoung’s hand on her head. Seoyoung strokes Niko’s hair a few times, and Niko’s heart rate speeds up so much that Niko thinks she may have a heart attack.
As quickly as Seoyoung had pulled Niko in, she pulled back. Even after Seoyoung has pulled back, she keeps her hands on Niko’s shoulders, looking at Niko. Niko looks back for a few moments, before Seoyoung speaks up.
“Niko, thank you for working together with me,” Seoyoung says. “I’m glad we were able to win together.”
Niko smiles widely, responding back to Seoyoung.
“Of course--I love winning,” She tells Seoyoung, who smiles a little wider.
“And I always win when I’m with you.” Niko finishes.
She thinks she sees Seoyoung’s cheeks pinken, but she can’t tell through all the makeup. It doesn’t matter, anyway, as Seoyoung pulls her back in for another hug, tucking her chin on Niko’s shoulder.
“Let’s always win together-- Niko and Seoyoung,” Seoyoung whispers, a smile evident in her voice, and Niko only smiles shyly at the thought. Niko likes that idea. Niko and Seoyoung.