Chapter 7

"Sorry, but I'm a bit slow. I don't really understand what you're trying to say."

"Let me see..."

Suh Reohyuk's response was delayed as if he was struggling to find the right words.

"It means don't give up."

"Oh, really?"

"If you're going to give up halfway or suddenly leave, I'd rather you leave now. For everyone's sake."

At this point, I became curious.

What was the inside story of the two trainees who left two years ago, causing the debut to fall through, that made one nervous and the other full of caution?

Or was it because I strangely said I gave up dancing yesterday?

You're so defensive.

From what I heard, the trainees seem to have a good relationship with each other.

Suh Reohyuk pointed to Kim Bijoo through the window of the practice room.

"Bro, Bijoo practices for over 13 hours a day. The other members are similar."

I listened silently.

"If this debut fails again, who knows what might happen."

"So, if you're going to give up, do it now?"

"Yes."

I nodded readily.

"Okay."

"Huh?"

"I'll give up now."

A look of disbelief flashed across Suh Reohyuk's face.

"What?"

"You said to give up if you're going to give up halfway."

I replied calmly, muttering to myself, "Should I pack my bags now?"

Suh Reohyuk's expression turned urgent.

"No, what I meant was—"

"I get it, you don't want me to give up, right?"

Suh Reohyuk, looking speechless, eventually nodded.

I smiled.

How many years of experience do I have in psychological warfare?

I survived among over a hundred trainees, so this situation is nothing.

Of course, they might be worried about their seniors or juniors.

"So, you mean you want me to not give up and work hard, right?"

"…Yes."

"Sure, I'll work hard. Please take care of me from now on."

I smiled and extended my hand, and Suh Reohyuk, taken aback, shook it.

"I'll go in first."

Suh Reohyuk blinked and tilted his head, looking confused.

Anyway, the bond among the trainees is strong.

Seeing two of them say the same thing, it seemed they took good care of each other.

Well, I still feel like an outsider, so it can't be helped.

But hearing them say, "Don't cause trouble for us in the future," made me feel a bit deflated.

What can I do?

I haven't known them long enough to build trust.

If I focus on the debut without getting anxious, it will be resolved.

I smiled at Suh Reohyuk and returned to the practice room.

"What did you talk about with Reohyuk?"

"Huh?"

"Your expression looked a bit serious."

"It's nothing much."

Kim Bijoo, who had been looking at me, smiled as if she understood something.

"Reohyuk is a bit awkward with people. He sometimes says things that can be misunderstood, but please understand him."

"No, he's actually kind and nice."

Kim Bijoo laughed at my comment, not sure what was funny.

Suh Reohyuk, who had just come in, passed by me like the wind and sat next to Kim Bijoo.

His cautious gaze remained.

It feels like I brought a stray cat home.

As I thought this, the time approached 9:00 AM, the start of the lesson.

Ten minutes before the start, someone burst in.

"Seniors! I'm here!"

The youngest trainee, Wang Jihoo, shouted loudly like a newborn baby.

He had a unique way of speaking that made him memorable.

Wang Jihoo, who was going to enter high school next year, was a classic handsome guy.

I think he will fit the role of a third-generation chaebol on TV when he grows up.

By the way...

He was about the same height as Suh Reohyuk and Kim Bijoo, but with his build, I have a feeling he will be as tall as me when he finishes growing.

"Good morning, Wooju."

"Hi."

"By the way, I brought something for you."

The youngest trainee, rummaging through an expensive-looking Canada Goose down jacket, carefully took something out.

"Do you like chocolate?"

"Thanks, I'll enjoy it."

"You can't let your sugar levels drop while practicing."

It was an expensive-looking imported chocolate, though I don't know the brand.

"Hey, Wang Jihoo."

Suh Reohyuk's eyebrows sharpened.

"Why didn't you give any to Bijoo and me?"

"Sorry."

The youngest trainee smiled brightly.

"I forgot to bring them when I rushed out today."

Then he started eating the chocolate he had taken out of his pocket.

You have something for me but not for the seniors.

Thinking about his unique character, I took the chocolate and asked Suh Reohyuk, who was staring at my chocolate.

"Do you want some?"

"No!"

Suh Reohyuk's hasty answer made Kim Bijoo smile.

"Reohyuk, why do you reject things so quickly?"

"I'm just like that, senior."

"Since when?"

Wang Jihoo and Kim Bijoo started teasing him, seeing his ears turn red.

I thought he was a tough guy for warning me off so harshly, but it turns out he's the local punching bag.

While observing the team's atmosphere, I asked the members.

"Wasn't there one more person?"

"Who? Oh, Jung-hyun?"

Kim Bijoo, looking at her watch, frowned and muttered to herself.

"Is he late again?"

"Well, it's not the first time."

"Senior Jung-hyun will probably be here soon, Senior Wooju."

If it's Jung-hyun, he must be the tall and handsome trainee I saw yesterday.

He was supposed to graduate next year with Bijoo.

From what I heard, he's often late.

At 9:00 AM sharp, the door opened, but it wasn't another trainee; it was the dance trainer.

"Hello!"

The teacher briefly greeted us as we stood and bowed.

He looked extremely tired and irritable, as if his life was so tiring that he didn't want to be bothered.

The dance trainer yawned and said,

"Sit down. I don't want to look up at you."

He looked around and said,

"I thought you'd all be stressed out because of the year-end evaluation. Why are you all so cheerful?"

"We're debuting, teacher."

"Ugh, you kids debuting. The world is coming to an end. The world is ending."

"Why are you saying that, teacher? You used to say we were the best."

Kim Bijoo's comment made the trainer shake his head.

"That was then. If you go out there now and say you're my student, it'll be a disaster. Got it?"

"If someone asks, I'll definitely say I'm Teacher Juye's student."

The laughter shared by people who have spent a long time together spread.

I just stood there, dumbfounded.

"Anyway, one, two, three... Where's Kim Jung-hyun?"

At that moment, a rumbling sound, like a herd of cattle approaching, was heard.

Where have I heard this before?

Was it when Simba's father died in The Lion King?

Click—

The trainee who burst in, almost breaking the door, panted and rushed in.

Seeing this, Teacher Juye shook his head.

"What a mess, Kim Jung-hyun."

"Sorry!"

"What's your excuse today? Did you oversleep again?"

"Aaaah…!"

Kim Jung-hyun, whose side was pinched by the dance trainer, twisted his body in pain, and the other members laughed as if it was a common occurrence.

"Sorry. I was late because I was feeding the hamster."

"Sure, the hamster is important."

"Yes, but today it didn't eat well... Aaaah!"

His sturdy and reliable appearance made me feel like my impression of him was completely shattered.

Kim Bijoo, sitting next to me, laughed at my expression.

Kim Jung-hyun, who had been scolded for being late, threw his backpack in the corner of the practice room and sat right behind me.

His heavy breathing was still audible.

"Hi."

I responded with a smile to the greeting in a deep, low voice.

Seeing Kim Jung-hyun, the dance trainer, who had been shaking his head, seemed to have something to say.

"New face, raise your hand."

I raised my hand.

"Have you all introduced yourselves?"

"Yes."

"Then there's no need for an introduction."

Teacher Juye, nodding, observed me closely.

"You look really good, even when I see you again."

"Thank you."

"What are you thankful for? I hate handsome people the most in the world."

I looked around, and everyone except me was chuckling.

It seems this is just his character.

Just as Teacher Juye was about to start talking about the lesson, the youngest trainee raised his hand.

"Jihoo, what is it again?"

"Teacher, we don't do that, right? Since we have a new trainee, we should have a welcoming ceremony."

I saw Suh Reohyuk nudge the youngest trainee, as if saying, "That person quit because they couldn't dance."

"What kind of welcoming ceremony, again?"

While grumbling, Teacher Juye looked at me as if he had just thought of something.

"Ah, perfect. Come out and show us some dance, new face."

"Huh?"

"You can dance, right? It will also motivate the others."

The trainees looked puzzled at the trainer's words.

They had clearly heard that I quit because I couldn't dance, but the dance trainer said, "This guy can dance well."

With the misunderstanding in communication, all eyes were on me as I stood up.

'This is embarrassing.'

The dance trainer gestured with his chin and said,

"Watch closely. See how the movements flow and how the steps connect. Since he's from a major agency, he's still good even after a two-year break."

I felt like I had become the representative of a major agency.

Feeling the intense gaze of everyone, I connected my smartphone to a speaker.

The song I was going to show was Cold Brown's "See You," which I had practiced this morning.

* * *

Kim Bijoo was puzzled.

'He can dance well?'

During dinner at a meat restaurant yesterday, Sunwooju briefly told her his trainee story.

"Ultimately, I couldn't dance well, so I quit."

When she heard this, she was worried.

Vocals can be covered with the help of AR, but dance is a part that can be clearly seen with the naked eye.

So, she was initially surprised but then decided to trust the judgment of Jo Koo-hwan, the manager.

'If Manager Jo chose him, there must be a reason.'

To those affiliated with Lemon Entertainment, Jo Koo-hwan was like a box office guarantee in the film industry.

A Midas touch, making everything he touched successful.

The trainees trusted the eye of the genius composer.

However, the anxiety was real.

It was problematic that he quit after six years of not improving in dance, and now he had to bring a trainee who had taken a two-year break to debut level in six months.

The future seemed bleak.

At that moment, an unexpected scene unfolded in front of the trainees.

"Huh?"

The youngest trainee, Wang Jihoo, made an 'O' shape with his mouth.

It was a clean dance.

No flashy moves, just a clean and simple dance.

'Is this possible?'

Kim Bijoo put her hand to her mouth.

'This can't be from someone who hasn't danced for two years.'

It felt like a famous dancer was performing right in front of her.

When Sunwooju's body moved dynamically to the R&B beat, everyone let out the same exclamation.

The youngest trainee whispered to Suh Reohyuk,

"Wow, he dances better than you, right?"

"Be quiet, Wang Jihoo."

"Speaking the truth—"

Suh Reohyuk, who had been watching quietly, suddenly realized something was off.

The two seniors,