The next couple days are spent on their pre-debut content, including interviews, promoting videos.
Aeri finished her solo promotional video of her showing off her unreleased demo songs and the processes of those songs being produced. In short, showing off her main talent, hopefully the fans like this.
The guys chose to show their different charms as well.
It was already 2 in the morning. She did not expect the practice room still having the light on, expecting the other members already went back to their dorm after the endless shooting and exhausting day.
Her mood went to zero when the last person she wanted to see, appeared the moment she entered the room. Their eyes met before he turned back to his current interest, kitten. He continued to caress her gently, yet his attention unconsciously was split half to the new intruder.
"Why you still here?" She asked out of courtesy, taking her coat out of the locker.
"Taeyong hyung told me to pick you up. He had emergency at the hospital."
"What?" She freaked out. "Is he alright?" Taking out her phone to call her brother.
"He's fine. Just food poison." Jeno stopped her from calling. "He's probably resting now. Let's just go." Gently picking up the cute kitten and walked pass her towards the elevator.
The kitten purred at her as if it was threatening her for no reason.
"Whose is she? The last time i left the dorm, I didn't remember seeing her around."
"She's newly adopted by the uncle park, the entrance guard."
"Ahhh.." she tried to caress it, but the kitten snarled at her. "Good, she hates me already."
"i taught her well, didn't i?"
He turned the kitten back to the guard and they greeted the old guard farewell.
The moment they got on the car, her stomach growled. For once, they ignored it. Until it happened for third time.
"Should we stopped by convenient store? Yangyang already finished the last pack of ramen last night." He suggested.
"Nah." She drowned herself with water instead. " the debut is the day after tomorrow, i can't fail the diet plan."
Though, the four of them have to go through diet plan assigned by the mana agreement, he noticed that aeri's plan is the most cruel. She's only allowed two meals a day, and those meals aren't even enough for his one breakfast portion.
From time to time, he and Taeyong tried to sneak some of their portion to hers, but they always get noticed by the manager or aeri, herself.
One of the reasons of their fight, she's stubborn as rock.
"Come on, one bite wont gain much. Besides, don't ignore what your body asks for. You're torturing yourself."
Aeri gave him a look then chuckled. "Who's this? You're not worried about me, are you?"
Jeno rolled his eyes, yet still focus on the road. "If you're fainting, none of us will be able to fill in your place, gi."
"Oiii. Dont jinx it!" Slapping his mouth lightly.
"Yah!" Pushing her hand off of his face before she got them unnecessary accident.
---------
The sun ray hit aeri's face, making her pulling the blanket over her head. "5 minutes, please."
"Not today, sis." Hendery pulled the blanket away, revealing her panda eyes. "Oh my, what time did you get home last night?"
"I don't know." She groaned. "3?"
"Why so late? I thought your schedule ends at 2."
At the same time, they could hear Yangyang's scream from the opposite room.
"Hyung! Jeno's strangling me for waking him up!!!! Help!!!"
Hendery shook his head. " in fact, what did you two do last night?"
Nothing much. He just refused to stop at the convenient store and forced her to finish a bowl of ramen, but ended up sharing half-half. And that's why their faces look like they're being punched.
The make-up stylist worked hard to contour those black under eyes while the two barely kept their eyes opened.
"Here' your tea, ri." Taeyong brought her the warming one so her throat can be well before shooting their performance video.
She immediately chucked in, forgetting it's hot.
"Dumb." Yangyang said, resulted at her kicking his knees.
"How are you sis?"
"I should be the one asking you." She put the cup down and gave him the mother-look. " i told you should not have that expired sushi."
Taeyong raised both arms up. "Alright alright. I learnt my lesson-"
"You better be, cause it's your third time, yong."
Yangyang and Hendery snorted, only to shut their mouth when Taeyong gave them a glare.
"Fine, don't bring it up again, okay?"
Aeri rolled her eyes.
Manager yoon entered the room to inform the condition. "The set is ready. Are you guys good to go?"
The stylist team check each member's look one last time before they went on stage.
There is no audience, thus they're not that nervous. Still, this still feel unreal to finally perform their debut song, the song set to garner attention, and pin a starting point of their career.
They better make it big or go home.
"Stand by!!" Director shindong spoke through the mic and the members walked to their assigned position, getting their instrument ready.
"Let us introduce ourselves." Jeno spoke. "1, 2, we are ~"
"Midnight!" They all shouted.
The team clapped for them, "good to finally work with you. But i have small thing to say." Shindong told. "Isn't there any catchphrase like the other group?"
They look at each other in bewildered.
"I told you, we need it." Yangyang whispered in disappointment since the management dismissed his creative idea about group's unique catchphrase. Now, even the senior comment on that.
"Uh... the management said not to have any." Jeno politely answered, which made the director frowned. "alright then. I'll personally talk to them later."
" thank you, director."
"Ok, let's get started, shall we?"
---------------
After a couple takes, the director team was satisfied and called it a day.
"You guys have no other schedule after this. Do whatever you want, but i suggest you rest well for tomorrow big day." Manager yoon informed them on the way back to the dorm.
"Any plan, gi?" Her seat mate, yangyang asked while his eyes remained on the phonescreeen.
"10 hours sleep, you?"
"10 hours animal crossing, duh!"
"Tsk."
"I'm getting us hotpot tonight, how about that?" Hendery announced.
"Again? Didn't we just have it last Thursday?"
"Oiii, who say no to hotpot?"
" me!" Aeri and yangyang both raised their hands, then hi-five.
"As much as i love hotpot, i grown to get sick of it, bro." She added. "You choose though, just something else please."
Hendery almost throw the two kids out of the car windows, but hold back and keep his posture. "Fine. But it's a surprise." He eyed jeno who shook his head, knowing the plot.
"You better not poison them, hyung."
"Dont say that!" Getting a playful smack from the older guy. "I dont have heart to do that." Smirking evillly, making jeno gave up, plugging the earphones back on, and ignore the world for a while.
Music never disappoints.
-----------------------
"Really?" The two youngest of the team looked at Hendery in disbelief. "Samgyeopsal? A night before debut?"
"Come on, it's not like we're allowed to eat this as often as we want after we make a debut." The latter told.
Jeno helped his hyung to set up the table for five.
"Who's the other one-"
The doorbell rang at the right moment.
"Go take the door, sheep."
Yangyang lazily dragged himself to the door. "Good timing hyung." He stepped to the side to let Taeyong enter. He even brought beer and soju with him.
"Really yong? Is this allowed?"
Taeyong pulled aeri into side hug, chuckled. "Yoon noona doesn't know about this. But of course, I'm here to make sure you guys drink responsibly."
"Hah!" Hendery snorted. "We all know you're the weakest drinker here, hyung."
"That's why I'm not planning to drink, kiddo." He put the plastic bag down, and settled next to his sister. "Ok, lets celebrate guys."
They have their glasses filled with alcohol, while taeyong's is cola.
They raised their glasses, then nobody spoke a word, all eyes point to their quiet leader.
Jeno noticed their signal, and rolled his eyes, but did the word anyway.
"Cheer to our bright career."
"Cheers!!!!"
"Also guys, i have one more thing to announce." Taeyong cut off the hype.
"I got a call personally from director kang. He said the management has considered about the catchphrase after senior shindong convinced them." He then eyed yangyang with a delightful expression. "They chose your idea, yang. Congratulation."
"For real?!" Yangyang almost jumped from his seat. The older guy nodded with a proud smile.
"So, it's clear then." Yangyang personally announced as he raised his glass.
"For us, for Midnight, Bring the Light to the Dark!!"
