Standing shoulder-to-shoulder in a circle, heads close together, the tension was palpable on the members’ faces. Although they were smiling, their eyes betrayed a mix of unease, nervousness, anticipation, and determination that couldn’t be hidden.
“Let’s go.”
At Tae-oh’s calm voice, everyone nodded in unison. There was no need for lengthy words. All they had to do was what they always did, no more, no less. That was the hardest part, but also the only thing required. Sol quickly dismissed the quest window that had reappeared before his eyes, like a warning.
For now, he didn’t want to be tied down by the goals dictated by the quest. That wasn’t to say he wasn’t afraid of shutting off the system altogether, but opening the quest window again would make him feel like he was standing there solely because the quest had pushed him to be.
Sol had prepared as thoroughly as he could. The moment the familiar intro, arranged by Ga-ram, started to play from anywhere, he was ready to move like a ballerina in a music box. Not because of the system-assigned quest, but because of the choreography he and Tae-oh had created together, the music Ga-ram had rearranged, the rap Deuk-yong had painstakingly revised over and over, and Ji-ho’s vocals, honed through countless hours of practice until he could barely speak.
Simply put, Sol didn’t want to ruin the stage they had built together as a group. It wasn’t about rankings or performance evaluations, like in the quest’s terms. What mattered to him was showing the results of all their hard work on today’s stage.
Not for the judges or the viewers who would later watch this broadcast, but for the members themselves. He wanted, when they stepped off the stage, to hear them say to him and to one another, “We did great!” with bright smiles. External validation could come afterward. What mattered first was the acknowledgment of his team, his friends.
If someone were to ask him whether preparing for this stage over the past ten days had been difficult, Sol would have admitted it was incredibly hard, filled with pressure and anxiety. But that wasn’t the whole story. Sol, as if moved by instinct, reached out his hand to his members just as he had done once before.
Even though he had already taken a Stability Potion, his legs trembled as if they were about to give way, and his outstretched fingers quivered. It was a physical response to fear or nerves, but Sol’s expression as he looked at his members was nothing short of radiant. It was as if they weren’t standing on a stage or inside a dark, enclosed structure, but under the bright sun.
His voice, a little shaky but unusually bright and uplifted, called out the members’ names one by one.
“Ji-ho hyung, Tae-oh, Ga-ram, DK.”
Hearing their names, the members responded in their own ways, each reaching out cautiously to grasp Sol’s outstretched fingers. Sol only had two hands, yet so many hands reached for them that it ended up looking like each member held onto one of his fingers.
“What’s with this, Sol hyung? Why are you suddenly holding out your hand and smiling like that? You look like someone saying goodbye or something.”
At Deuk-yong’s words, Sol smiled, revealing teeth as white and even as if they were part of his own skin. He had hit the mark.
“Hyung... you’re not going to just run away or something, right?”
The youngest, often called tactless for his blunt honesty, sometimes came out with remarks that cut straight to the point. It had been a long time since Sol had faced a quest. He had done his best, but he couldn’t be sure of the outcome. He had resolved not to cling to the results, deciding that he wasn’t moving for the sake of the quest. Yet, whether Sol cared or not, the outcome would eventually come to him.
He might succeed and live tomorrow as if nothing had happened, just like always. At the same time, today could turn out to be his last day with the members who had carefully taken his hand. If things didn’t go well, would the members meet someone else again, someone who wasn’t him? The thought left Sol feeling heavy, as if he had swallowed a giant stone. He remembered what he had said about finally finding his place. If this truly was his place, he didn’t want to lose it. He had already experienced losing it once before. That was why he had something he had to say.
“Thank you, everyone.”
To ensure they wouldn’t worry, Sol smiled, filling his expression with happiness. Right now, he genuinely felt happy. He was grateful for the friends he had met here, who had extended their hands to steady him when he was faltering.
“Ah, seriously, why are you doing this, hyung? You’re making me nervous!”
Deuk-yong looked at Sol with a distressed expression. His lips stuck out in a pout, and his eyebrows, which always looked somewhat stern, drooped like a puppy’s tail. Ji-ho, standing between the exaggeratedly expressive Deuk-yong and Sol, burst into laughter. This sudden mood shift seemed endearing to Ji-ho, like a playful squabble between younger siblings.
“Sol-ah, we haven’t even done anything yet. This feels almost like a farewell performance.”
Ga-ram, too, seemed unsettled by Sol’s sudden words, much like Deuk-yong, and looked at him with concern as he asked, “Sol, have you been feeling really exhausted lately?”
“Yeah, it seems like our Sol has been having a hard time. Feeling sentimental, huh? Don’t worry, after the performance, I’ll give you a special kiss and cry my heart out for you.”
Whenever Ga-ram started worrying about Sol, he would keep an eye on him, asking if he was okay even if Sol so much as sighed. Ji-ho, trying to shift the mood with a joke, added in a playful tone. However, Tae-oh, with his usual stoic expression, stepped in to mediate between the members. Sensing that Sol might have something important to say, Tae-oh made sure he could finish his thoughts.
“Alright, everyone, let’s hear Sol out until the end.”
Sol gave Tae-oh a grateful look, expressing his thanks with his eyes.
"Thank you so much, everyone."
Sol once again sincerely expressed gratitude to the members holding his hands. If it were possible to convey his emotions, Sol could have said it dozens of times more. For ten days, he had lived more earnestly than ever before. Was it because he had practiced so hard that it felt suffocating? His heart beat vigorously every day, and he experienced a wide range of emotions—exhaustion, fulfillment, frustration, joy, suffocation, shyness, and happiness. It felt like discovering a new world.
The depression that had consumed him lifted, and it felt as though sunlight was breaking through a cloudy sky, brightening the world. Everything seemed new, and he felt liberated from the weight pressing on his shoulders, as if he had finally seen the light at the end of a seemingly endless tunnel. Singing and dancing brought Sol joy, like sprinting down a breezy downhill path with all his might.
"I want to become an idol."
Sol tightened his grip on the hands of his teammates. He didn’t want to let go of this warmth, this sensation, this atmosphere, and the excitement he felt. Sol recalled the questions Ga-ram and Tae-oh had once asked. He wondered if it was too late, but still wanted to give a different answer than before. Sol’s unexpected words captured the undivided attention of the other four.
"Sol…"
Overwhelmed with emotion, Ga-ram couldn’t find the words to continue and simply looked at Sol. The other members were in the same state, unable to speak and only gazing at Sol. Sol’s cheeks flushed under their collective attention. As a soft pink hue spread across his pale cheeks, he looked as shy as a ripened peach. Without speaking, they exchanged their feelings through their eyes. Overcome with emotion, Deuk-yong clenched his fist and let out a loud cheer. It was partly out of embarrassment and partly because he felt relieved and happy about Sol’s desire to become an idol.
"Let’s go! Team 7, let’s win!"
Deuk-yong’s spirited exclamation made Ji-ho shake his head and burst into laughter. Sol laughed as well. Even Tae-oh, who usually remained expressionless, broke into a brief smile but quickly coughed a couple of times and returned to his serious leader persona.
"Let’s go up there and show them what we’ve got."
Tae-oh’s low voice made everyone nod. What more was there to say? At last, they all shared the same dream. Watching the younger members with a pleased expression, Ji-ho nodded and gently patted their backs. Receiving Ji-ho’s comforting gesture, Deuk-yong crouched down to try to fit into Ji-ho’s smaller frame as if seeking a hug.
"Ji-ho hyung, I think I’m going to cry."
"Aww, really? You’re acting so cute for someone with such a big frame, our little youngest."
As Deuk-yong acted playful as Ji-ho suggested, he looked so endearing that Sol let go of the hand he had been holding and gently patted Deuk-yong’s back, just like Ji-ho had done. Then, unexpectedly, Ga-ram jumped in and mimicked Deuk-yong.
“Sol, I feel like I’m going to cry too.”
“Keep it to the first verse. Anyone watching might think we’ve already won!”
Just as Sol was about to pat Ga-ram’s back the same way, Ji-ho stopped his hand. Instead, like a strict mother, he slapped Ga-ram’s broad back with a resounding smack. Expecting Sol’s tender touch, Ga-ram was caught off guard by the sudden stinging blow and coughed dramatically. The members, who seemed to be shooting a comedy skit, brought a slight shake of the head and a comment from Tae-oh.
“If you’re going to cry… do it after the performance. We haven’t even started yet.”
The smile that had lingered on his face earlier had vanished. His blunt remark brought the group’s playful mood to a halt, making them glance at each other and laugh quietly. As if on cue, a staff member signaled that the stage was ready.
Faced with the reality approaching, the members erased their laughter and composed themselves. Tae-oh pressed the tape fixing the standard-issue mic to his cheek with firm fingers, ensuring it stayed in place. Following the staff’s sign to head on stage, they placed hands on each other’s shoulders and slowly climbed the stairs.
Once on the darkened stage with the lights dimmed, they positioned themselves where they had rehearsed. At the center of the formation, right at the front, stood Sol—perfectly suited to convey the emotion of the opening.
A step behind Sol stood Ji-ho and Ga-ram, with Deuk-yong and Tae-oh positioned further behind. Silently counting down the intro in their heads, they waited. One, two, three, four.
As a faint ticking sound, like that of a clock, played, several beams of white light illuminated Sol. Standing bathed in the light, Sol slowly traced the sign of the cross. His figure, clad in pure white, looked every bit like an angel.
