Tae-oh’s face hardened even more as he looked at Sol, thinking that although he had the basics, his physical strength was a bigger problem.
His legs shook like aspen trees, and he forced himself to walk stiffly to avoid being seen by the four. He made it to the corner of the practice room Tao had pointed out and plopped down, his shoulders still heaving. He couldn’t breathe properly, so he pounded his fists against his stiff, tight chest a couple of times.
Suddenly, he felt unjust. The quest was labeled <Tutorial>, and even though Sol was a newbie to the game, he at least knew that the tutorial was supposed to be relatively basic and easy to get a beginner up to speed. But from the very beginning, it was too difficult for him. Leaning his back against the hard wall, Sol’s body slipped further and further down. He felt like he was slowly sinking into the depths of the ocean.
“Let’s continue what we were doing.”
“Yeah.”
As Tae-oh’s words fell, DK, Ga-ram, and Ji-ho stood in formation in the center of the practice room. It was the same formation Sol had seen when he walked through the practice room door earlier. As soon as Ga-ram played music with a remote control, the four moved uniformly, like a reflection in a mirror. It was commonly referred to as synchronized dancing. The time they spent practicing together showed, and the position of the lineup did not deviate a single step.
Sol, with a blurry gaze, watched the four people who danced flawlessly to the fast beat. The dance they performed with all their might, to the point where Sol’s joints ached just from watching, was powerful and vigorous.
They weren’t on a big stage, and they weren’t about to take a big test. It was just a practice that would be repeated several times, but the four were dancing with determination. They even sang along with their parts when they were in the center positions. Sol, who only repeated a few movements and gasped for breath as if he would collapse, felt no tremor in the voices of Tae-oh and the members.
‘Is this how idols practice?’
It was his first time seeing it. In fact, he had little interest in those who appeared on TV, but it was his first time seeing trainees practice like this. Although he had fiercely competed in dancing, the atmosphere was different from that. There was a pure effort toward the goal of ‘dream’ in the movements of the four.
Things that were once enjoyable or started with one’s own aspirations could become a burden once they hit a wall. And, at some point, something that once made one’s heart beat could become painfully agonizing. Just like how Sol was now.
Even Tae-oh, who was expressionless, and Ga-ram, who seemed sluggish, had smiles on their faces. Although their faces showed signs of strain, all four had joyful expressions with smiles on their lips. Sol watched them as if enchanted.
Looking at Ji-ho, who appeared in the middle with a cool turn, Sol almost clapped like an audience. Ji-ho smoothly handled the high notes without any mistakes. While the movements of the four were impeccable, systematic, and there was no vacancy anywhere, to put it positively, it was perfect. But from another perspective, it meant that there was no place for Sol, the so-called fifth member. Sol, who already had various problems, felt even more distant as he watched the four practicing.
However, sitting there and observing the four, Sol’s mood didn’t just darken. At least, by watching their movements, he gained a sense of how to move his body roughly.
It was different. While the genre differed, Sol had dedicated most of his life to watching and learning choreography. The unfamiliar song became familiar to his ears by the second, and the next dance naturally formed in his mind to match the music. One or two times were enough to grasp the choreography. Of course, putting it into action was a separate issue.
As he watched the gradually familiar movements, quietly rehearsing them in his mind, a slight drowsiness crept in. Too much had happened in a single day, and his body and mind had been excessively overworked. As the tension eased, his eyelids felt heavy. The wall against his back lost its initial chill, and the temperature became just right. Completely exhausted, Sol unconsciously nodded to the music, letting his mind drift away.
“Guys, I think he’s really asleep.”
“Should we call this confident or shameless?”
“Let’s just send him back.”
“To the dorm?”
“Yeah.”
“He doesn’t seem to have any intention of practicing, anyway.”
“But how can he sleep so well here?”
Sol’s mind snapped back at the husky, low voice. He woke with a start, but the sound of voices surrounding him kept him from opening his eyes. In a state similar to salted cabbage, he didn’t realize he could sleep so deeply. As the music blared loudly, echoing through the room, seeing the four men practicing vigorously, beads of sweat rolling down their faces, it was astonishing how he had managed to doze off like this.
The most bewildered one was Sung Sol. Sol maintained a poker face, pretending to be asleep as the four men’s shadows fell on his face. In truth, saying anything in this situation felt even more awkward. With his eyes tightly closed, Sol couldn’t be certain, but from the sounds and the sensation, it seemed like Ji-ho, Ga-ram, and DK had surrounded him. In his embarrassment, beads of sweat formed, and from a distance, Tae-oh’s voice could be heard.
“Ji-ho hyung, take him inside first.”
“And you?”
“I think it’ll be a bit late today.”
“Sure. Anyway, there’s no lesson today, so it’s good to take a break sometimes.”
“Hyung, you sound just like the trainer. It’s already 8 o’clock.”
“I’m full. Kim Deuk-yong.”
At DK’s remark, Ji-ho’s low laughter could be heard.
“Ah, really. Don’t call me by that name.”
He grumbled at Ji-ho’s words, evidently disliking his given name. To be honest, the name felt excessively familiar considering his appearance. Though he had a fierce demeanor, DK had a refined, urban face. In such a context, the name was rather rustic.
At DK’s protest, the three of them chuckled lightly. The camaraderie among the members made Sol suddenly miss his friends. When he was with Yoo-chan and Ju-hwan, Yoo-chan always took care of him with his nagging, and Ju-hwan always offered warm comfort and gentle smiles.
Somehow, his own situation seemed to overlap with DK’s. Thinking of his two friends, Sol felt a twinge at the tip of his nose, as if tears were about to fall. If it weren’t for Ga-ram’s sudden comment, Sol might have shed tears again.
“Yoon Tae-oh, call Yeong-ho hyung. The four of us will go.”
“Sure. Got it.”
Both of them casually threw words at each other. Even so, they seemed quite close.
“Do it in moderation, then come back.”
“Yeah. And Sung Sol, I think it’s real that he’s not feeling well, so please take care of him.”
“...Got it.”
“I’ll handle the cleanup. Go in first.”
Before Tae-oh’s words could finish, someone grabbed Sol’s shoulder and shook him.
“Sol. Sung Sol, wake up.”
“Yes! Yes... Yes.”
Not pretending to just wake up, Sol was genuinely startled and quickly stood up. It was uncomfortable for Sol to have physical contact like this, especially with someone other than Yoo-chan or Ju-hwan. As Sol hastily got up, Ji-ho looked at him with a wide smile.
“You must have been deeply asleep, seeing how surprised you are.”
“Ah... I think I fell asleep because my body wasn’t feeling well.”
“Oh, really? You seem tired too, and since there’s no lesson today, we’re heading back to our dorm now.”
“Is that okay, though?”
“Yeah. Anyway, it’s a reward for yesterday’s good evaluation.”
In response to Sol’s question, Ji-ho casually shrugged. Looking at DK, who was energetically packing his scattered jacket and bag, it didn’t seem like a common reward.
When Sol seemed fully awake, Ji-ho approached the younger members, who were busy packing their belongings, leaving him alone. Sol stretched his body as he tried to get up. It seemed he had been curled up in sleep for a longer time than expected, as his neck felt stiff and warm.
Carefully extending his legs, Sol raised his head slightly to look at the four people. Except Tae-oh, the other members were busy tidying up the scattered belongings. Despite Tae-oh offering to organize, Ga-ram and Ji-ho were clearing water bottles from various places, and DK was carrying multiple bags over his shoulders.
“Can’t we stop by a convenience store on the way to the dorm?”
“No.”
Ga-ram, who was clearing the water bottles, firmly responded to DK’s suggestion.
‘Dorm.’
It was a word that dispelled his remaining drowsiness. From now on, Sol had to live together with these four people in the same house, preparing to become a real idol. Dancing in the practice room, introducing himself to the members—up until then, it was still somehow manageable. However, the feeling of living together was something entirely different for Sol.
He suddenly inserted himself into their lives like an unexpected thorn. There didn’t seem to be any other way to remedy this unexpected situation, and with his life at stake, he couldn’t refuse, so this was how things were unfolding. Sol felt suffocated, and everything turned grim.
‘I’m really going to be an idol trainee.’
His energy drained from his limbs. How should he accept this absurd situation? Frustrated, Sol rubbed his face with both hands. When his palms touched his forehead, he felt intense pain. It seemed to be the part that was hit while falling in the bathroom. The forehead under his hands was warm, and something swollen seemed to be protruding. While Sol concentrated on the pain he felt each time he furrowed his eyebrows in discomfort, Ga-ram, who had finished organizing, stood in front of him.
“Get up.”
Sol, following the hand suddenly extended in front of him, raised his head and looked at Ga-ram. While he didn’t have the commonly cited double eyelids associated with handsome features, his elongated eyes were prominent. His eyebrows were of an appropriate thickness, and combined with fair skin, his calm demeanor gave off a strangely languid impression.
In contrast to the peculiar appearance that fell somewhere between beauty and handsomeness, the hand he extended was distinctly masculine, with robust joints and pronounced veins running across the back.
Sol bit his lip hard and instead of taking Ga-ram’s hand, he pushed himself to his feet. His body, which had been crouched for a long time, screamed in protest.
