half and a quarter past three
this was the first picture they took together.
it wasn't difficult for them to become friends. they both knew what they could accomplish, flaunted their strengths and never admitted their faults, and pulled off their awkward hairstyles in a way no one else could- through unfaltering confidence. so when the pair was put in the same group as three other awkward kids they'd seen around but never paid attention to (one falls all the time, one doesn't talk, and the last is kind of a brat with a sweet smile), the two were the ones that ended up sticking together. that didn't end after they debuted.
by the time they were standing on that stage, the boys had gotten to know the other members fairly well. onew was still awkward and would even act awkward to try to ease the tension, but he understood the people around him his own unique way. he became their leader. the quiet kid with big eyes (yes, his name is minho. like they've never heard that one before) really didn't do much but hey, he was tall. and the brat was a phenomenal dancer, enough that even key forced himself to admit it. jonghyun and key were the ones that really hadn't changed. jonghyun knew he was the best singer and key knew he was just the best overall, which was a good thing. in a way.
so there they were, the five that were to become one of the most popular groups in korea.
there they were, not even knowing what stepping foot on that stage would eventually mean. a life of cameras and expensive clothes and spotlights and makeup and microphones, of constant attention from millions around the world.
that was the world they entered through a song called "replay."