“Alright guys, get ready quickly. Since we need to fix your hair and everything, just put on a hat for now. And don’t forget your masks.”
“What, so suddenly?”
“Yes, we’ll be filming a video after setting everything up today.”
“What?”
Everyone except Sol and Tae-oh kept repeating “What?” because of Yeong-ho’s sudden appearance and unexpected announcement. If he had given them a heads-up beforehand, they wouldn’t have been so surprised, but there was no advance notice. Yeong-ho seemed to be in the same boat, as he scratched his messy hair awkwardly after seeing the members’ startled expressions.
“We’ll be filming your practice sessions too, and your life in the dormitory.”
“Is Yeong-ho hyung going to film it?”
“No, someone from the A&R team will be following you. They said they’d meet us at the shop.... Well, I’ll be there too, incidentally.”
“Starting from today?”
“Since you all look like a mess, you should at least look like someone trying to be an idol. Hurry up and get dressed. Is food the issue right now? Come on, guys.”
It wasn’t just about taking profile pictures; they were going to film their everyday lives, like in a reality show. Although the dorm and their behavior were unusually clean for a group of guys living together, they were still worried about being exposed in such a manner.
When Yeong-ho pressed them, Ji-ho immediately checked his appearance. He hadn’t cut his hair for a while to save money, and it had grown shaggy enough that he couldn’t even nag Sol about his own hair anymore. His hair was curly and had grown so much that it looked heavy and messy.
Deuk-yong, who had been standing up, also checked his appearance belatedly. He had been intensely focused on dieting, so he looked quite haggard, more like a fitness fanatic than a rapper or idol.
“Guys, you really need to do well. You might have been labeled as debut candidates, but what have you accomplished as a team so far? Nothing, right?”
“......”
“It’s not confirmed yet, and I can’t say it’s guaranteed, but the company is doing this to support you. You get what I mean without me having to spell it out, right?”
Ji-ho looked at Yeong-ho with a hint of resentment, wishing they had been told in advance, but then he shook his head. Yeong-ho was right. Although they were called the debut team, they had actually been more neglected than the regular trainees. Doing something was better than doing nothing, Ji-ho thought as he turned off the stove.
This wasn’t the time to leisurely eat a fried egg; it was the time to use every possible means to look even slightly sharper and more stylish. Ga-ram still had a dark expression, possibly because not much time had passed since that incident. Despite his worries, he nodded at Yeong-ho’s words.
Compared to doing nothing and just repeating weekend evaluations, this was a big opportunity. They had to grab it tightly. Tae-oh seemed to think the same way; when he made eye contact with Ji-ho, he forcibly lifted up the slumped Sol.
“Sung Sol, it’s really time to get up now.”
“...I’m getting up.”
Even though he mumbled that, Sol’s eyes were still closed. Finally, when Tae-oh lifted him up like a limp cat, he opened his eyes. Tae-oh, who pushed the half-asleep Sol into the bathroom, let out a shallow sigh. Sol, who came out after half-closing his eyes and washing his face, started picking up his clothes and listened to what Yeong-ho and the other members were saying.
“Tae-oh is always neat, and Ga-ram dresses well. Ji-ho, you also show that you care to some extent, but Sol... it’s quite serious.”
“Sol is a bit...”
At Yeong-ho’s words, Ji-ho also nodded. Sol, who came out of the room wearing the hoodie he had previously bought with Ji-ho, asked everyone with genuine curiosity.
“Me? Is it that bad?”
For a moment, there was silence among the members and Yeong-ho, and after exchanging some glances, they all nodded in unison.
“Now that you’re even wearing a mask, is there any part of your good-looking face exposed to the air?”
“Honestly, it feels like you don’t care and don’t manage yourself at all. Still, at first glance, you should at least give off a ‘this is the side’ kind of feeling.”
“What do you mean by ‘this is the side’? What kind of feeling is that?”
“I mean, well, even if we can’t see your eyes, nose, and mouth, we know your head is really small and your legs are long, but honestly, you almost look like a recluse.”
“Sol is a bit dull in that aspect.”
“Dull, you say?”
“Sol, you look good even with just basic items on, so it’s not that bad.”
Everyone’s reviews were harsh. Only Ga-ram subtly glanced at Sol and made an effort to defend him. Sol had been trying to be more mindful after receiving criticism a few times recently. He tried to keep his messy hair tied back neatly and, in his own way, tried to dress in a way that wasn’t too dull by combining the few clothes he had. Although he put effort into his appearance, the harsh feedback left Sol with a bitter expression as he ran his fingers through his damp hair.
“......I see. That’s a bit of a shock.”
“You’re shocked? ...Why?”
“Just a bit... I thought I’d been paying attention to it lately.”
“............”
“Really. I see. No wonder. Sol, you looked different lately.”
After Sol’s response, Tae-oh fell silent. As an awkward silence fell among the members, Ga-ram tried to acknowledge Sol’s efforts in his own way.
“Ga-ram, stop lying.”
“Guys, let’s just get moving.”
“Yes.”
From the start of the day, Sol, feeling deflated by the cold public opinion, trudged out of the dormitory. He realized he had a hurdle to overcome as soon as he saw the parked van a few steps outside the dorm. Deuk-yong briefly quarreled with Ji-ho, saying he didn’t want to sit in the relatively cramped seat inside. While everyone else got into the van, Sol hesitated in front of it.
“What’s wrong?”
Noticing Sol’s hesitation, Tae-oh turned around and asked him.
“Oh, right. Yeong-ho hyung, is the shop far?”
“You’ve been there before, remember? It’s not that far, but it’ll take some time since it’s rush hour.”
“Sol gets really carsick, right? That’s why, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, uh-huh...”
Ji-ho, who had ridden the van with Sol before, remembered Sol’s strange reaction and spoke up first. Sol, who had been hesitating on how to explain, quickly nodded at Ji-ho’s question. One day, he thought, he would properly explain everything. But today didn’t seem to be that day.
“Will you feel comfortable if you sit by the window?”
“No. No, it’s not. Deuk-yong, I’ll sit in the middle.”
“Great! Then I’ll sit in the front.”
When Sol volunteered for the narrowest seat, Deuk-yong, who had been complaining about having to sit in the uncomfortable spot, cheered with joy. Deuk-yong, who had been sitting in the back seat with a sullen face, sprang out the moment Sol finished speaking. Ji-ho, who was sitting next to him, tried to grab him, but Deuk-yong moved particularly swiftly today, perhaps because he felt lighter after a few days of dieting.
As Sol naturally switched seats with Deuk-yong, Ga-ram sat next to him. With Ji-ho on his left and Ga-ram on his right, Sol, sitting in the middle, took a deep breath and tightly closed his eyes. He wanted to avoid feeling as exhausted as before if he looked at the scenery outside the window.
“We’re leaving, guys.”
“Yes.”
As if he were the commander of a kindergarten class, Young-ho shouted loudly, and Deuk-yong responded. As soon as the car started, a mint-colored system window appeared in Sol’s blackened vision.
[The trait ‘Four-wheel Skeptic’ has been activated.]
Seeing the familiar window, Sol took a deep breath and exhaled. Tae-oh, who was sitting in front of him, turned to look at Sol. Despite his usual expressionless face, a hint of concern appeared, but Sol, with his eyes tightly shut, couldn’t see it.
[You have boarded a narrow seat. Stamina -1]
[Remaining stamina: 99]
It seemed that avoiding the window to reduce risk only led to the problem of a narrow seat. Although the journey had just begun, Sol was already breaking into a sweat. With his eyes tightly shut and fists clenched, Sol hoped the journey to the shop would be smooth.
Perhaps because he was clenching his fist too hard, his white knuckles were trembling. The vibration was even felt by Ga-ram sitting next to him. Ga-ram stared silently at Sol’s hand resting on his knee, then quietly held it, just as he had done that day. Sol felt Ga-ram’s warmth, but he neither opened his eyes nor pushed his hand away. Instead, he loosened his clenched fist and held Ga-ram’s hand tightly.
Unfortunately, Sol’s wishes did not come true easily. Today, the roads were particularly congested, and they even witnessed a minor accident along the way.
Today was sure to be long and exhausting, and he was already worn out from the start. However, it wasn’t practical to take a Stability Potion every time he got into any kind of vehicle. Stumbling out of the van, Sol almost collapsed as his legs gave out. If quick-witted Tae-oh hadn’t grabbed his arm, he would have ended up bowing deeply at the shop entrance.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah... I should be fine now that I’m out of the van.”
Despite his words to Tae-oh, Sol looked twice as pale as usual, his energy visibly drained. This pallor surprised even the hairstylist and makeup artist, who were supposed to transform his disheveled appearance.
Following the guidance, Sol sat in front of the mirror, only to hear, “I thought you were a ghost.” He couldn’t help but laugh at his reflection, which even he found fitting. Shortly after, Yeong-ho and a familiar woman appeared and started conversing with the hairstylist, their reflections visible in the mirror.
Left alone with pins in his bangs, Sol awkwardly glanced around. Unlike Sol, who seemed out of place, the other members sat confidently and skillfully, having been here several times before. Noticing Sol’s bewildered look, Ji-ho caught his eye and mimed shaving his own head with clippers. Sol shook his head at the joke.
Without any explanation of what was to come, Sol entrusted his hair to the shop staff. The first thing to go was his long bangs, which had served as a protective shield. Watching from behind, Yeong-ho clapped his hands as if relieved. Sol’s wide eyes followed the cold scissors snipping away his hair, feeling the strands lightly brush his face.
He had no choice but to sit quietly and let them do their work. Trusting the expert hands to know what they were doing, Sol’s skepticism momentarily subsided. Yet, still fatigued from the journey, he closed his eyes, surrendering to the hands tending to his hair.
