“The CEO? He’s out of the country right now.... If you have any problems, just tell it to me or Director Choi.”
“Ah... it’s nothing much. I just wanted to greet him. When will he be back?”
“I’m not sure...”
Sol sighed, his shoulders slumping at Yeong-ho’s vague response that gave no assurance. The disappointment blended with his pale face, modest posture, and the hair covering his face, creating an atmosphere of dejection that even affected Yeong-ho. After all, it wasn’t plausible for a mere manager to be aware of the CEO’s schedule in detail. Sol himself was in a similar position.
If the message in the notification window was correct, it seemed impossible for him, a newcomer trainee, to suddenly have a meeting with the company’s CEO. Although the situation was not clear, it was certain that this strange matter wouldn’t end as Sol wished.
Sol decided to stay at YC Entertainment for the time being and go with the flow, thinking that things would somehow work out. Initially, it was bewildering and confusing, but as time passed, he became more accepting of the situation. If it was just a dream, couldn’t it just disappear by waking up at any moment? The thought of what would happen if he couldn’t wake up suddenly crossed his mind, but Sol dismissed the uneasy thoughts and shook his head vigorously.
“Um... let’s talk about that later. Anyway, Sol-ah, the kids are a bit sensitive right now.”
“Why?”
“Oh, that. Due to some circumstances, we had been preparing for debut as a group of four.”
“I see. Is it because I suddenly barged in?”
“It’s not solely because of that, but now that the debut plans are taking shape, everyone is feeling a lot of pressure. So, they’ve been on edge... So, if you have any difficulties or troubles, make sure to tell me first.”
“...Yes.”
“Good, thank you!”
Struggling with a throbbing headache in the car, it was exhausting to read Yeong-ho’s emotions one by one from his expression. It seemed like the other was about to share something very challenging, as he sweated profusely, hesitated, and fumbled through his words. Sol, keeping an eye on Yeong-ho’s reactions, provided the response he seemed to be seeking.
With glasses perched on his potato-shaped face, Yeong-ho seemed to have a habit of clouding his words when faced with uncomfortable situations.
Sol had a rough idea of what an uncomfortable situation Yeong-ho was trying to bring up. He, who grew up eating meals on the practice room floor, could sense it. Regardless of age or time spent, from the moment one danced his first move and stood on the Marley floor, they were competitors.
(T/N: “Marley” refers to a type of dance flooring that is commonly used in dance studios, theaters, and performance spaces. It is a durable and slip-resistant surface designed to provide the right amount of traction for dancers. Marley floors are often made of vinyl and come in rolls that can be easily installed and removed. The term “Marley” is widely used in the dance community to refer to this specific type of flooring.)
It was a war to get the leading role. Whether it was ballet, contemporary dance, or traditional Korean dance, when the music started, those who faced each other every day had to compete. The invisible, razor-sharp edges seemed to pass incredibly closely between them.
Some felt inferiority, while others harbored jealousy and hatred. However, when the music ended, they had to mingle again as if their narrow human relationships were everything, smiling despite the prejudice.
Even at a young age, Sol was placed at the center of such an environment. Being a trainee in the idol industry probably wasn’t much different from dance. A close-knit group that had been practicing since childhood, sharply aware of each other’s strengths and weaknesses. With a newcomer rolling in seemingly out of nowhere onto that floor, the result could be expected.
“By the way, you were supposed to join from yesterday.”
“Yesterday?”
“Yeah... From now on, if there’s something urgent, make sure to contact us? We can’t have you not contacting us and not keeping time from the start... Sol-ah, for your own sake, you should be punctual.”
“Yes. I’ll make sure to contact you from now on.”
“Yeah. Nothing major happened, right? You said you were just going to bring back your luggage, so we were all worried when you didn’t come on the day you said you would.”
“I was just feeling a bit unwell.”
“Unwell? If you’re sick and need to go to the hospital, you must tell me right away. Health comes first.”
“Yes, yes. But where are we going?”
“Oh, the practice room. It’s in the basement.”
Listening to Yeong-ho’s conversation, Sol absentmindedly nodded his head. After mindlessly following Yeong-ho, he looked around. The structure had become unfamiliar since they passed the lobby’s information desk, but he didn’t bother asking again. He wondered what was he even doing here.
Just going down one floor gave a different feeling because it was underground. As they passed through a corridor with tightly closed doors, Sol’s thoughts flowed freely with a strange tension.
In stressful situations, Sol would lose focus and find himself entertaining useless thoughts like this. Despite Yeong-ho continuously trying to talk to him, Sol was lost in his random musings.
Why were entertainment company practice rooms always in the basement? Was it because of the noise between floors? If they’re going to spend money, why not build it in a high-rise place with no noise and a good view? Well, even if they built it in a place with a good view, it probably wouldn’t have made a difference. Wasn’t it all the same? During practice, all the dancers saw in the mirror was their own reflection.
In this unfamiliar situation, laughter crept onto Sol’s lips at the constant stream of futile thoughts. The idea that it was because of the noise between floors seemed somewhat absurd. Regardless of what he thought or said, Manager Kim Yeong-ho hesitated, as if there were more words he wanted to say.
Sol, who belatedly noticed Yeong-ho’s awkward behavior, stared at him intently. Yeong-ho awkwardly smiled, asking him to wait for a moment, and left Sol behind, slightly opening the door with a number 2 on it. Through the partially open door, the sound of music and the rhythmic friction of Marley on rubber soles leaked out.
As Yeong-ho entered the practice room, the noise stopped, and silence took over.
Sol stood alone in the corridor, glaring at the firmly closed door. Would slamming his head hard be enough to wake him up from this strange dream? He still believed, or rather desperately wanted to believe, that this situation was just a dream. Otherwise, none of this made sense.
Suddenly, a strange notification window appeared in front of him, and he found himself back when he was 20, which he had already lived once. Sol reached out and grasped the doorknob. The chilly sensation, the hard texture of the metal—despite all his senses shouting that this was very real, Sol continued to deny it. If it were a dream, maybe a little deviation would be acceptable. Like opening the door and barging in. Or turning around and running down the corridor. Just as the sole of his foot itched, a sharp voice came from beyond the firmly closed door.
“Sung Sol? I thought he quit?”
“He’s here now? I didn’t think he’d come.”
“No! Kids, he said he couldn’t contact us yesterday because he was sick.”
“...Once we’re active, if his health isn’t good, is he planning to cancel schedules without any notice like this?”
“Tae-oh, why are you like that too? He couldn’t contact us because he was really sick. Can’t you all understand?”
In response to Yeong-ho’s answer, Sol let out a bitter laugh. Even during his university days, there were peers who occasionally comforted him in a similar way. However, after one or two times, those who comforted him in such a manner turned colder. The voices were different, but the emotions behind them were similar. He had anticipated it, but it seemed like it would be a struggle from the beginning.
This was what Sol understood; ‘Sol had agreed to join from yesterday and had set a meeting time, but he didn’t show up without any contact. The members don’t seem to want to show a friendly attitude towards someone who doesn’t value time and commitments, even if Sol joins them.’
The first button had already been pushed wrong from the start. Sol couldn’t help but let out a weak laugh. It was a familiar story from his university days. Ironically, even in a university setting, supposedly for adults, he had experienced the inevitability of social exclusion.
Whether you looked at it one way or the other, Sol himself had created the situation. Just like what had happened now, breaking promises unilaterally or irresponsibly going AWOL. It was all a self-inflicted wound, and he didn’t feel any resentment. It was just a too familiar script, and he chuckled at himself. ‘Even in my dream, I’m like that.’
“Ah, do we really have to do this with him? We’ve been doing fine on our own.”
“You’ll do well! The CEO and Director Choi said that when you and Sol meet, you’ll be a great group with excellent synergy.”
“Good synergy? How impressive could it be?”
“Maknae, Tae-oh, let’s listen to Yeong-ho hyung. He said it for our success, you know.” (T/N: Maknae - youngest one.)
“Ji-ho, thank you. Yeah, yeah. Tae-oh, will you welcome him? Ga-ram? Maknae?”
There was no response to Yeong-ho’s question. Even without seeing it directly, the chilly atmosphere was palpable. Sol awkwardly smiled, standing in front of the firmly closed door. Soon, when Yeong-ho called, he would have to enter that awkward space. Despite it being a dream or a game, the desire to escape overwhelmed his thoughts.
‘Should I really run away?’ The thought suddenly crossed Sol’s mind. He turned his body as if to execute the idea, releasing the doorknob. At the moment he crouched as if ready to run at any moment, the door opened, and Yeong-ho called Sol’s name.
“Sol-ah! Say hello. Tae-oh here is the temporary leader for now.”
Having resolved to escape, Sol’s shoulders shook abruptly, as if caught red-handed, when his eyes met with Yeong-ho’s. Yeong-ho, making an effort to smile, grabbed Sol and pulled him into the practice room. Being led in by Yeong-ho, Sol, as if in a trance, looked at Tae-oh.
He was handsome, with dark eyes set beneath dark brows that gave him a fierce, animalistic look. Unlike Sol, who wore a thin jumper and looked like a small twig that was about to fall, the man looked like he was standing in the mid-summer sun. The only problem was that Tae-oh’s expression was as cold as winter. Looking at him, Sol smiled broadly. There’s a saying, after all, that one shouldn’t spit on a smiling face.
“Tae-oh... What are you doing? Aren’t you going to say hello? Dok... No, DK, our maknae, will greet first.”
“Do we really have to do this?”
“Yoon Tae-oh.”
The other guy, who was sprawled on the floor, raised his eyebrows and responded to Yeong-ho’s words. He looked somewhat rugged, almost like the eldest, but from what he heard earlier, he’s the youngest.
Smiling, Sol’s gaze wandered.
Looking back and forth between DK, who was sprawled on the floor, and Yeong-ho and Tae-oh standing beside him, Sol burst into a wide smile as if his face was having a spasm.
They say one couldn’t spit on a smiling face.
Watching Sol like that, Tae-oh reluctantly extended his hand, uttering a cold greeting. His tone lacked any warmth, and the single word he spoke was almost icy, lacking politeness.
Tanta tensión y rechazo, aunque bloqueo entiendo, también me sentiría con ganas de huir 😞💔
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