"Yeonhoo hyung, good luck with the vocal unit practice!"
"Wow! You're practicing with Sung Jiwon? So jealous!! Tell him I'm a fan!"
"Hahaha, I will."
Within High Five, Kang Yeonhoo was always calm yet reliable, earning respect from the members and demonstrating excellent negotiation skills with the company.
So it was natural for him to become the group's leader.
But it wasn't always like that.
Yeonhoo's calm demeanor came after years of training as a trainee in a major agency, honing his skills and personality.
'Those were tough times....'
Even though WH Entertainment prioritized personality, those who had climbed up through fierce competition were not just simple-minded.
After blindly moving up from the provinces with dreams of becoming a singer, Yeonhoo witnessed countless human dramas and learned how to survive after escaping his naive innocence.
Skill was essential, and political maneuvering was a necessary evil.
"I'll practice again."
"Wow, WH practice rooms are really nice...."
So Yeonhoo was very familiar with assessing people.
'Sung Jiwon, it's a bit disappointing.'
"Awesome, seriously."
"How can he sing like that?"
I heard he was from a major agency.
If he had been in the same group as me, he could have quickly become someone who shines even more.
Thinking like that, Yeonhoo eventually shook his head.
'No, it's better to be with that person.'
He thought of someone similar, or rather, even more eccentric than himself, who was in the same group as Seong Ji-won.
*Cough, cough!*
It was Seo Hoyun from The Dawn.
Since each team could only have one member participating, the main vocalist of High Five was chosen for the opposing team.
As an excuse to visit WH Entertainment, which was selected as one of the top three major agencies, they gathered in the company's practice rooms to prepare for the competition.
Although they were assigned different places, the soundproofing was good enough that they didn't know what each other was practicing.
Still, since they were located across from each other, they could occasionally meet in the hallway.
"...Uh, wait a moment."
After deciding to take a short break, when the main vocal member of the Bercy opened the practice room door, Sung Ji-won saw someone passing by and quickly ran out.
"Hoyun, are you okay?"
A pale-faced man was sitting on the sofa in one corner of the hallway, rubbing his neck.
Although he didn't look well, his well-balanced facial features stood out even among the bustling trainees and idols of WH Entertainment.
'He's quite attractive.'
Seo Hoyun had earned many titles.
He was known as the close friend of Black Call's Joo Woosung, the overwhelming winner of Shining Star Season 1, and the idol who delivered outstanding acting performances in dramas.
'In the first place, that's a bit of a miracle.'
They were all in one group.
Sung Jiwon sat down cautiously next to Seo Hoyoon.
"You seemed fine until just now. Why do you suddenly feel sick? Do you want to go to the hospital?"
"No, I'm fine."
"Hmm, you don't look well."
Seo Hoyun exhaled heavily as if swallowing a sigh and wiped his dry sweat.
*Cough, cough* "Don't tell Kang Ichae."
"Huh? Why?"
"...He seems to worry too much."
"Got it. But even if I don't tell him, wouldn't Ichae notice?"
"He's been stuck in the company lately, working on the final composition, so he'll be fine."
As Seo Hoyun coughed and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, TEW's main vocalist, Jung Wonha, peeked his head out from the opposite practice room.
"Hyung, are you feeling okay?"
To Kang Yeonhoo's eyes, Jung Wonha, the main vocalist of TEW who had seemed to have no good feelings towards The Dawn until just the first round of the competition, or even the second round when he dealt with Jung Dajun, was almost like a brother now.
'...How did this happen?'
"Today, my condition doesn't seem good.... *Cough*"
"If you're not feeling well, do you want to rest?"
Suspicion arose in Kang Yeonhoo's mind about this strange relationship.
'...What's going on?'
Even though Seo Hoyun was dealing with it so nonchalantly.
"No, I'm fine."
The more Seo Hoyun and Jung Wonha seemed to get along, the more uncomfortable Kang Yeonhoo felt.
'Could he really not know?'
That Seo Hoyoon was the culprit behind the mental turmoil of their group's youngest member.
But even though he knew it was unlikely, a small doubt continued to gnaw at him.
"Good job, everyone!"
"Great job!"
After finishing today's practice and everyone was leaving, Kang Yeonhoo noticed Seo Hoyun sitting crouched in the hallway. He didn't see Seong Ji-won anywhere.
With no one around, inside WH Entertainment, like his own backyard, Seo Hoyun was alone.
'Okay, then.'
Kang Yeonhoo hesitated for a moment, then approached him.
'I can at least tell him this much.'
"Seo Hoyun-ssi."
Seo Hoyun, seeming dizzy, raised his head slightly at the sound of his name, buried in his arms. Despite his hair being wet with cold sweat, his eyes were still clear.
"Where's Sung Ji-won-ssi?"
"...At the convenience store."
"Oh, I see."
Kang Yeonhoo folded his arms and looked down. It was a good opportunity.
"Can I talk to you for a moment-."
But Kang Yeonhoo couldn't finish his sentence.
"Ugh."
Suddenly, Seo Hoyoon heaved a dry retch.
Until now, it seemed like he was holding it in well, but as soon as he faced Kang Yeonhoo, Kang Yeonhoo couldn't tell if he was really in pain or if it was a reproach of 'you made me feel worse just by looking at you.'
"Wow, I almost threw up for real."
"...But, I'm not that bad, am I?"
It was actually Seo Hoyun's well-timed provocation.
Feeling annoyed, Kang Yeonhoo considered just turning around and leaving, but sighed instead.
"...I have something to say."
"Go ahead."
"Are you close with the main vocalist of TEW?"
Seo Hoyun gave Kang Yeonhoo a look that seemed to say, "You're asking about everything," then looked away and took out his phone.
"What if I am?"
Having made up his mind to deliver the message anyway, Kang Yeonhoo brushed off Seo Hoyoon's somewhat hostile response and continued.
"I saw the main vocalist picking a fight with your group's youngest member the other day. It seemed intentional, trying to get on his nerves."
"..."
"Could it be that the mistake made by The Dawn's Jung Dajun during the second round wasn't just a coincidence..."
He muttered under his breath, tapping his heel against the floor.
"So, being so friendly with them, it's a bit-"
"I know."
-...You know?
As Kang Yeonhoo stared blankly, trying to interpret the response, Seo Hoyun furrowed his brow and tapped his temple.
Is it okay if TEW messes with the youngest member?
"...You know?"
"Yes."
"But why?"
"That's none of your business."
Kang Yeonhoo fell silent.
He thought it was overstepping to meddle after a fellow group member already knew about it.
"Is that why you came to tell me? You're surprisingly kind."
"...Was it sarcasm?"
"Maybe. Is it a trait of your agency?"
Just as Kang Yeonhoo was about to leave, wanting to avoid his own face that he didn't want to see, or to clear the air, Kang Yeonhoo got up to leave.
"Kang Yeonhoo-ssi."
"Yes?"
"What's the reason for you being on the show?"
This time, the question came from Seo Hoyun's side.
"I've been thinking about it quietly. Why would High Five participate in this show, sacrificing their pride... I'm really curious."
"Did you think I'd answer if you asked?"
"I thought you might."
Kang Yeonhoo rolled his eyes.
Well, it wasn't exactly a secret.
"We need new exposure. Shining Star Season 1 already proved that. Not only The Dawn, but the visibility of all the groups that appeared skyrocketed."
"High Five is already popular enough."
"Oh, we need to climb higher."
"..."
He was about to leave it at that, but Seo Hoyoon stared at him intently.
'Hmm...'
"It was a penetrating gaze.
Actually, it wasn't just an influx.
As WH Entertainment was known as one of the top three agencies, they always dreamed of success in the United States whenever they debuted a new group.
The ambition to conquer a broader market, the so-called 'American syndrome,' constantly pushed the groups of WH Entertainment to the edge of a cliff.
Even if they debuted in the United States and failed, it didn't mean they couldn't continue their activities. But the labels that would follow afterwards made Kang Yeonhoo uneasy.
From the American Dream to groups that didn't know their own capabilities, and attempting things like not even trying Black Call, he could see things that would mock them.
He expressed countless objections, but he knew he was just one member among many idol groups to the company.
In the end, Kang Yeonhoo chose to resign himself and adapt, although he was still not fully prepared.
But he didn't have the reason or the leisure to explain these things to Seo Hoyun, so Kang Yeonhoo chose to smile instead of answering.
"Well, anyway, that's why the company pushed for Joo Woo sung sunbae. To gain a little more recognition. Joo Woo sung's sunbae popularity is really significant."
"...I see."
Seo Hoyun seemed unimpressed by Kang Yeonhoo's words, even at the mention of Joo Woosung's name.
Suddenly, Kang Yeonhoo recalled the first time he met Joo Woo sung and greeted him.
As someone who had joined the company before Joo Woo sung, Kang Yeonhoo remembered that moment vividly.
He could tell at a glance.
That his harsh training, self-management, charm, and such were not necessary.
The fresh shock was indescribable.
"Hello."
Jo9 Woo sung had shone from the beginning.
He thought to himself, ' this person is an entertainer.'
"Honestly, it would be weirder if he wasn't popular."
"..."
"With that face, that talent, that personality. Even luck is on his side."
So, he was hit directly with a reality check. He felt the emptiness of his efforts.
He was always desperate.
Even when he debuted after years of training, he was just one of many.
When he failed to debut with Black Call, he wanted to give up everything.
"Living back then wasn't really living."
He had seen most of the friends he had prepared with leave.
The title of 'oldest trainee' was not honorable.
There were many who laughed behind his back.
In those moments, Kang Yeonhoo gritted his teeth.
He vowed to someday stand under the bright lights and sing his own song to everyone's cheers.
"Sigh."
When Joo Woosung suddenly said he wanted to learn more dancing and go to the United States, no one at the company opposed it.
"I envied his ability to speak so conclusively, his confidence that it's okay to take a break for a long time. I envied everything about him, to the point of being envious to death."
"I also have something I want to ask."
"..."
"Do you think Seo Hoyun knows why Sunbae Joo Woo sung is helping you or not?"
Even though he wasn't a member of Black Call, nor a member of a famous group, he couldn't figure out how he managed to get involved with Joo Woo sung.
So, he decided to check it out for himself at Shining Star.
Seo Hoyun, whom he met in person, was a strategist.
But that alone wouldn't attract Jol Woo sung's attention.
Kang Yeonhoo's head tilted slightly.
"It's not because Seo Hoyun is unexpectedly kind or affectionate... Definitely not."
"..."
"Some things may not seem like it at first glance, but if that were the case, Senior Joo Woo sung would have liked us a long time ago."
Seo Hoyun's expression soured, but he remained silent.
"Do you know what was different?"
Seo Hoyun was a strange guy.
I thought he was just a smart guy, but from his bold moves in Shining Star Season 1, his straightforward speech in the elevator, to recently getting along well with TEW's main vocalist who used to bully the youngest.
He was a hard-to-grasp type.
'Hmm.'
However, Kang Yeonhoo also had a faint feeling as he got to know the human being named Seo Hoyun.
That he was running straight towards some goal through all of this.
The entertainment industry was a kind of swamp.
The more you try to walk forward, the more you sink into the mire.
Always followed by cameras, evaluated every second, and a life where you get criticized for nothing.
How many people wouldn't go crazy, repeating countless moments when someone who liked you just a moment ago turns their back on you, and the existence that used to embrace you changes overnight?
Only a very few who endured all of this could bloom a lotus in that swamp.
'But that's not the end.'
Even then, many quickly fell or got sick and lost their seeds.
'I think Joo Woo sung almost did that too.'
Kang Yeonhoo, who had been thinking up to that point, made eye contact with Seo Hoyun.
"-I think I would be curious if I were you."
Seo Hoyun is not the type to care about the public's gaze.
A character who only sees the results he wants.
That's why Joo Woo sung might have been attracted to him.
To Joo Woo sung, who had lost his dreams and goals and was wandering, Seo Hoyun might have looked like a guide.
"Ha, cough, cough…."
Seo Hoyun, who sighed at Kang Yeonhoo's question, coughed for a while.
"Kang Yeonhoo-ssi."
And then he slowly opened his lips.
"I'm not curious."
"...."
The 'truth' Seo Hoyun cast the spell of '(not) curious.'
"What's the point of asking since earlier..."
Kang Yeonhoo was speechless at the blunt response.
Seo Ho-yoon looked at Kang Yeonhoo with eyes reddened with anger.
"Do you hold onto sick people and talk nonsense for so long?"
"Is it really your personality, not just an image?"
"You should've realized that in the elevator, shouldn't you?"
When Seo Hoyoon's jab about being too slow came, Kang Yeonhoo scratched his head awkwardly.
"You're really a weird person..."
"Yes, yes."
"Anyway, enough fighting. I think our vocal unit will definitely be first."
"Yes, yes, do as you please."
"..."
Kang Yeon-hu sighed and distanced himself.
Seo Hoyun, still sitting hunched over, coughed harder after Kang Yeonhoo left. He rubbed his temples.
"Pretending to know everything..."
In truth, Seo Hoyun had suppressed the urge to correct Kang Yeonhoo's interference. After all, Joo Woo sung was human too, so how could everything be so easy? He had considered defending Joo Woo sung, but decided against it.
"...Whatever."
In the end, to Joo Woo sung, both himself and Kang Yeonhoo were just outsiders.
Wiping the cold sweat trickling down his temple, Seo Hoyun got up and glanced at the blinking system window in one corner of his vision.
[Vocal Suppression Item!
Temporarily reduces vocal ability by two levels.
Duration: one week.
However, ability increases 1.5 times faster than usual.
※Warning: May cause vomiting, gastritis, or flu-like symptoms when used.]
[Congratulations! Achieved Vocal A+!
Ability restrictions will be maintained due to the Vocal Suppression Item. Symptoms will persist.]
[Seo Ho-yoon, need any explanation?
An arrogant troublemaker who doesn't listen to reason.
Singing: B- (A+)
Dancing: B+
Variety: A-
Acting: B+
???]
His satisfaction was short-lived.
Seo Ho-yoon's phone buzzed.
[Kang Ichae: LOL]
He paused, looking at the message.
[Kang Ichae: Meet me.]
"..."
A few days later.
The performance for the vocal and performance unit began.
---