Chapter 2
The practice room was dimly lit, the only sound in the empty space was JL’s heavy breathing and the soft shuffle of his sneakers against the floor.
It was late—long past when the other trainees had left, but JL was still there, running through the choreography again and again. He knew he had done well in practice earlier, but “well” wasn’t enough. He needed to be better.
As he finished another run-through, panting, he placed his hands on his knees to catch his breath. That’s when he noticed something in the mirror.
A figure.
JL straightened immediately, his heart jumping in surprise.
Yangyang was leaning against the doorframe, casually holding a bottle of water in one hand. He wasn’t saying anything, just watching. His expression unreadable.
“Still here?” Yangyang finally spoke, his voice quieter than usual.
JL quickly turned around, standing up straighter. “Ah… yes… Just wanted to get a few more reps in.”
Yangyang hummed, stepping closer. “Overworking won’t do you any good,” he said, tossing the bottle of water toward JL.
JL caught it clumsily, still a little thrown off by the unexpected visit. “Thank you…” he muttered, twisting the cap open. He took a sip, the cold water soothing his dry throat.
Yangyang didn’t leave. Instead, he gestured for JL to sit and took a seat on the floor himself, stretching his legs out. JL hesitated for a second before following, sitting across from him.
For a moment, there was only silence between them.
“Why are you still here mentor-nim?” JL finally asked.
Yangyang leaned back on his hands, tilting his head slightly. “Had some things to wrap up. Thought I’d check in before heading out,” he said casually. Then, after a pause, he glanced at JL. “Didn’t expect to find you still practicing.”
JL chuckled lightly, scratching the back of his head. “I just… want to make sure I don’t mess up. The competition’s tough.”
Yangyang studied him for a moment before speaking. “You’re already doing well.”
JL blinked, caught off guard by the rare praise.
Yangyang continued, “You’ve got the drive. That’s important. But don’t push yourself to the point where you burn out.”
JL looked down at the water bottle in his hands, a small smile tugging at his lips. Hearing encouragement from Yangyang, someone he admired so much felt different.
“Got it,” JL said softly.
Yangyang nodded, standing up and stretching. “Good. Now go get some rest.”
From that night on, something between them shifted. JL found himself feeling a little more comfortable around Yangyang, and in turn, Yangyang started to acknowledge JL more openly. Whether it was a small nod after practice or a quick “nice work” in passing, JL noticed every little moment.
And it made him want to work even harder.
Backstage Buzz
The energy backstage was electric.
Team Rhythm had just finished their performance, and the moment they stepped off the stage, they were surrounded.
“That was insane!” one of the other contestants exclaimed, clapping JL on the back.
“The chorus part? Unreal.”
JL laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Ah, come on, we all did great,” he said, trying to brush off the attention. But his teammates weren’t letting up, throwing more compliments his way.
Despite his usual tendency to deflect praise, JL couldn’t deny that performing on that stage felt incredible. The adrenaline was still pumping through his veins, the cheers of the crowd still ringing in his ears.
As the excitement buzzed around him, his eyes instinctively searched the room.
Then, he found him.
Yangyang stood a few feet away, arms crossed, expression unreadable. For a second, JL wondered if he’d done something wrong. But then,
Yangyang met his eyes.
And nodded.
You did great.
The words weren’t spoken, just mouthed, but JL understood them loud and clear.
Something warm bloomed in his chest. It wasn’t a big gesture, but somehow, it felt like it meant a lot.
He smiled, nodding back.
From a short distance away, Ten quietly observed the exchange. His sharp eyes flickered between JL and Yangyang, catching something in the way Yangyang looked at JL.
He didn’t say anything.
But the thought lingered in his mind.