My Greatest Award (나의 제일 좋은 상)

Disgust

The monthly evaluation on the next day starts with the solo evaluations, as usual. Also as usual, I'm the last to go into the evaluation room, so I have to listen to Taylor rambling on about how well he thinks he did in the waiting room. His bragging seems to be a little off compared to the first evaluation though; this time he sounds almost unsure of himself, like he's trying to overcompensate for something.

The evaluation goes as well as can be expected. Hwang, as usual, never gives any compliments. Instead, she actually comments about my movements in Wedding Dress and how they seem to be 'a different style from Taeyang's'. Apparently we're supposed to 'convey the original meaning well' or something like that. Funny, I wonder how she'd do in these evaluations.

For our group evaluation this month, the song we chose is 0x1=Lovesong by Tomorrow X Together. Hwang comments that we need more synchronisation and chemistry as a group. That we're not equally balanced in our performance as a group. Taylor tries to butt in by saying that chemistry can't be trained, and must come naturally. Pretty obvious how that turned out for him. It's nice to not be the only one being told off by Hwang for once.

As we're walking through the hallway after exiting the waiting room, Daniel approaches me and walks beside me.

"Don't worry, hyung," he says in his newfound upbeat tone, a stark contrast to his introverted demeanour when we'd first met. "You did great in there. I'm sure you'll get the highest out of all of us again." From the corner of my eye, Taylor walks in front of us, clenching his fist.

"I don't know about that, Dan. It's not like Hwang was impressed or anything. For all we know the standards could be even higher this month."

"You know she never compliments anyone," Daniel justifies. "Plus, if the standards really are higher this time, then the rest of us are screwed, too."

A small group of male trainees walk by us as we're talking. They look to be somewhere in their mid to late teens, and exhaustion is painted clearly on their face. I bow slightly to greet them, and Daniel follows suit after a moment's hesitation. Instead of bowing back, however, the trainees walk by with barely any reaction. Well, not exactly. As they're passing by, a couple of them scowling in what seems to be disgust. I turn to look at Daniel, who has the same look of confusion on his face as mine.

"What was that for?" I wonder aloud.

"I don't know what's up with the other trainees," Daniel says. "Just last week, I left my wallet in English class, and when I went back to the room, there were a bunch of other trainees, probably waiting for their lesson or something. I asked them if any of them had seen my wallet, and they gave me that exact look. The guy sitting at the table where my wallet was even got up and stormed off to another seat when I went to get it. It's all really weird."

"Well, maybe it's because they're repulsed by your crappy Korean," Taylor interjects suddenly from in front of us, not looking back at us. "As a matter of fact, I'll bet they couldn't even understand you." I look at Daniel, who has the slightest hint of hurt on his face. He seems to try to come up with a comeback, but falls short.

"At least Daniel makes an active effort to improve his weak points," Haejoon adds from behind us. Daniel and I turn our heads back in unison to see him walking with an increased pace to catch up to us. "Unlike you, Taylor. Ever thought of not projecting your insecurities onto others for once and reflecting on yourself? Your evaluation results aren't anyone else's fault."

Coincidentally, as Haejoon says that, Taylor nears the entrance to the stairway on the left wall of the corridor. Obviously defeated, he barges through the door and storms into the stairway, slamming the door behind him just as I pass by.