“Our Sol’s wink is really…”
Ji-ho buried his face in his hands and lowered his head deeply. Seeing his somewhat serious demeanor, Sol’s eyebrows drooped. He had been practicing hard for his perfect shot, but judging from the reaction, it seemed to have completely missed the mark. Recently, he’d been receiving compliments in his acting classes for how natural his expressions had become, so he had overlooked his own awkwardness.
Determined, Sol tried winking again, squeezing one eye shut tightly. However, winking with just one eye wasn’t as easy as he thought. His reflexes kept making him shut both eyes tightly. Focusing on the effort caused him to unconsciously tense the area around his eyes and press his lips firmly together in concentration.
Watching Sol’s expression again, Ji-ho bowed his head even lower. He tried his best not to laugh at Sol’s seriousness, but that very seriousness made him laugh even more. Thinking about how Sol must’ve practiced in front of the mirror alone and felt satisfied was both endearing and hilarious.
“I honestly thought something was wrong with Sol.”
“Huh?”
Ga-ram dropped his arms in exasperation as he spoke. Sol gave him a bewildered look in response.
“Do I really look like something’s wrong?”
“Hyung, don’t you ever check the mirror?”
“I do, though…”
“That’s not a wink—it looks like someone stepped on your foot. I almost thought it was me.”
At Sol’s question, Deuk-yong responded decisively, and Sol, already drooping his eyebrows, slumped his shoulders as well. While it wasn’t as polished and dazzling as Ji-ho’s or the other members’ winks, he’d thought it was good enough to at least be called a wink.
“Well, at least you’re not hurt, so that’s a relief.”
“Yeah. I was really startled when everyone got so worried all of a sudden.”
Ga-ram let out a sigh of relief after confirming that Sol was indeed fine. Seeing Ga-ram’s now-relaxed face, Sol gave an awkward smile. He felt sorry for causing unnecessary concern with his antics. Apparently, for something to be recognized as a "wink" by others, it had to meet certain objective standards. Realizing the reason for his failed bonus mission left him feeling a bit bitter.
Although it was a bit disappointing, they still came in first place out of seven teams. Their goal was simply to surpass third place, but they managed to achieve first. With such an accomplishment, it felt like even if the wink wasn’t fully acknowledged, at least some kind of bonus for overachieving was in order. As the thought of “first place” crossed Sol’s mind, a bashful smile spread across his face. When Sol smiled, Ga-ram, who was looking at him, couldn’t help but smile back, his face loosening before he quickly tried to compose himself.
“Well, it’s a relief… but can you not do winks anymore?”
Ga-ram hesitated before voicing his question, but Ji-ho couldn’t hold back any longer and burst into laughter. Everyone understood the sentiment behind Ga-ram’s words. From now on, whenever they saw Sol wink on stage, two emotions would likely coexist. They’d wonder, 'Is he feeling unwell?' while simultaneously starting a “try-not-to-laugh challenge” at the realization that it was supposed to be a wink. Even now, Ji-ho was laughing so hard he seemed out of breath, and Deuk-yong nudged him a few times, but Ji-ho just couldn’t stop.
That said, completely avoiding winks, as Ga-ram suggested, wasn’t a realistic option. Even outside the stage, it was an expression Sol used more often than they’d realized. Tae-oh recalled how awkward and forced Sol’s smile had been in the beginning. As Deuk-yong had said, the acting lessons hadn’t been entirely without effect.
Tae-oh thought he should bring up Sol’s facial expression training again with the rookie development team and Yeong-ho once they returned. He mentally replayed how many times Sol had winked and started counting on his fingers.
“He winked once during the entrance close-up, once during the intro, once while switching positions with Kang Ga-ram in the first verse, and once during the ending. So, four times in total?”
“I don’t really know… I just did it whenever it felt like the right time,” Sol replied, shaking his head when Tae-oh looked at him for confirmation. Since it wasn’t something he had planned, Sol couldn’t remember every instance either. Ji-ho, who had finally managed to stop laughing, gave Tae-oh an exasperated look.
“Tae-oh, are you only watching Sol?”
At Ji-ho’s question, Tae-oh’s lips twitched slightly. It was such a subtle movement, but Sol, who had been staring at Tae-oh in surprise, noticed it clearly. After a brief silence, Tae-oh answered reluctantly.
“…I’m watching the others too.”
Feeling slightly guilty, Tae-oh avoided Ji-ho and Ga-ram’s gazes but accidentally locked eyes with Sol instead. Even outside his role as the leader, Tae-oh’s natural tendency was to keep an eye on everything on stage to anticipate and handle any variables. He was the same offstage, always paying attention. However, if asked whether he observed everyone equally, the answer would be no. There was no way to stop himself from being drawn to one person in particular.
Of course, out of the five of them, Sung Sol was the one who required the most attention and effort. But to claim that was the only reason for his feelings felt too embarrassing. Ever since hearing Ga-ram’s pseudo-confession—an unspoken admission of his feelings—there had been changes within himself as well. He couldn’t stop his gaze from wandering to Sol, nor could he prevent himself from being concerned. Not that he wanted to stop, anyway.
He had been so frightened when Sol looked pale as if he might collapse at any moment, gasping for breath. It reminded him of the day of their first evaluation when he thought Sol might fall over just like that. But to think it was all a misunderstanding—it left Tae-oh feeling just as deflated as Ga-ram, though at the same time, he felt a strange heat rise inside him. Avoiding Sol’s gaze, Tae-oh quickly averted his eyes. Yet even in avoiding him, Sol’s startled expression—his wide, round eyes and slightly parted lips—kept pulling Tae-oh’s attention back to him, making it impossible to look away.
“But what’s with the sudden wink?”
Ga-ram suddenly leaned in, blocking Tae-oh’s line of sight, and asked Sol in a friendly tone. Tae-oh shifted back, avoiding Ga-ram’s head, and let out a faint click of his tongue. It was such a small sound that even Tae-oh was surprised by it, bringing his thumb up to his lips in reflex.
Looking around the car to see if anyone had noticed, Tae-oh caught Ji-ho sitting right next to Sol, shooting him a subtle smirk. Ji-ho didn’t say a word, but the understated glance made Tae-oh uncomfortable. Trying to act nonchalant, Tae-oh ran a hand through his hair and leaned back against his seat.
Faced with Ga-ram’s question, Sol was at a loss. He couldn’t explain the existence of the quest, so he had to come up with a plausible excuse. The closer he got to the members, the harder it was to rely on such excuses. Given that he wasn’t a good liar to begin with, moments like these made it twice as obvious.
“Well... it looked like everyone else was doing it...?”
His voice trailed off uncertainly, the end of his sentence rising as though he were asking a question rather than answering. Before anyone could pick up on Sol’s awkwardness, Ji-ho suddenly threw his arms around him and burst out laughing in his characteristically lively voice, ruffling Sol’s hair with exaggerated enthusiasm. Unlike Sol, Ji-ho showed no signs of discomfort or awkwardness.
“Our Sol is so cute! Were you trying to nail your role as the visual center?”
Ji-ho playfully pushed the back of his hand against Sol’s cheek, speaking in an exaggerated babyish tone. Despite the close proximity, Sol didn’t seem to mind. Even when Yeong-ho sped up at a yellow traffic light, it didn’t faze him. The shared warmth in the cramped, jostling car somehow felt calming. Whether they teased him about his wink or said whatever else, it didn’t matter. Their words were filled with affection and care.
“Cute is cute, but Sol hyung needs to practice winking.”
“That’s true.”
“No more winking for Sol hyung until he gets it right!”
At Deuk-yong’s remark, Ji-ho nodded in agreement, grinning brightly.
"That's right. Sol-ah… it's not that I dislike it or anything, but that wink of yours worries me every time I see it."
"I feel the same way. While we'll all monitor it together, it probably won't look great on screen."
It sounded like criticism or maybe nagging, and the feedback was underwhelming considering how much Sol had practiced. Still, Sol smiled softly, like a gentle cloud, his cheeks tinged with embarrassment. Each word carried concern for him, so he didn't mind at all. If this kind of warmth had existed five years ago, he might have lived a better life. He couldn’t quite understand why he had rejected such warmth and care in the past.
"Alright, everyone. Nothing seems off, right?"
Out of precaution, Yeong-ho had circled the dorm, turned on the lights in every room, and checked the boiler before asking. This had become part of Yeong-ho's routine ever since the incident. When his inspection was over, the tired-looking members, lounging on the sofa, all responded with a collective, “Yes.”
Scanning the sleepy faces of the members, Yeong-ho, seemingly overcome with emotion, clasped his hands together in an almost girlish manner and gazed at the team. Even though this was just the beginning, he was proud of the kids who had successfully completed their first performance through their own efforts. While Yeong-ho was moved to tears, Deuk-yong, desperate to sleep, rubbed his eyes without caring whether his makeup smudged or not.
“You guys were amazing.”
“Thank you. You worked hard too, Yeong-ho hyung. You should get some rest.”
“Tae-oh… rest well tonight, and let’s push forward again starting tomorrow.”
“Yes. Have a safe trip home.”
“Alright, see you tomorrow.”
Sensing that Yeong-ho might start rambling if left unchecked, Tae-oh tactfully brought his emotions to a close. Even though Yeong-ho seemed to have more to say, repeatedly turning to look at the members, Tae-oh lightly patted him on the back, pretending to usher him along. Though the gratitude was genuine, the members were preoccupied with one thought: removing their makeup and collapsing into their warm beds. Once Yeong-ho left, Ji-ho, Tae-oh, and Ga-ram let Sol and the youngest, Deuk-yong, use the bathroom first since the two seemed completely drained, yawning nonstop.
The next morning, as usual, Sol clocked in at the practice room. However, at the company lobby, he ran into Eun-gyeom, who had been waiting for him. Eun-gyeom greeted Sol with a bright smile and an enthusiastic voice filled with joy.
“Sol-ah!”
“Eun-gyeom hyung.”
It had been a while since they’d last met, as Eun-gyeom had been incredibly busy with his solo activities. He looked as though the hectic schedule had taken a toll on him, appearing slightly thinner. Sol paused to greet him, and naturally, the other members also stopped in their tracks to bow respectfully to their senior.
