**Boys and girls compete in the first co-ed competition to become an idol in a coveted new K-pop Group.**
Beom Giovanna, with her two million Instagram followers, is ready for another reality competition and crown. Yet, a well-kept secret might be t...
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I plopped down on my bed and let out a sigh of relief. It had been a long day of dancing and vocal practice, and I was ready to relax. Choonhae, Matthew, and Keita were already in the room, laughing and joking around.
"Hey, Billie! How was your day?" Choonhae asked, a mischievous glint in her eye.
"Exhausting, as always," I replied with a grin. "But at least I'm getting better."
Matthew piped up from his spot on the floor. "Yeah, you were killing it out there today. It's like you're a natural or something."
I rolled my eyes, but couldn't help but feel a little pleased at the compliment. "Oh, stop it, you guys. You're making me blush."
Keita chimed in next. "So, what are we doing tonight? Movie night? Game night? I'm up for anything."
"I vote for game night!" Choonhae exclaimed, bouncing up and down on her bed.
Matthew groaned. "Oh, no. Not another round of Monopoly. I still have PTSD from the last time we played."
We all laughed at the memory of our epic Monopoly game, which had lasted for hours and ended in a tie. Eventually, we settled on a game of Jenga, which quickly turned into a raucous competition as we each tried to outdo the others.
As we played, we chatted about our lives outside of the academy. Keita opened up about his long-distance relationship, and we all listened sympathetically as he talked about how hard it was to be away from his girlfriend for such long stretches of time.
"I don't know how you do it, man," Matthew said, shaking his head. "I couldn't handle being away from my girl for more than a few days."
Choonhae and I exchanged a look, both of us thinking about our own romantic prospects - or lack thereof. It was well-known within the academy that trainees were not allowed to date each other, due to the intense competition and pressure of the industry. But that didn't stop us from feeling lonely and longing for connection.
"Do you guys ever think about relationships, like, here at the academy?" I asked, tentatively.
Choonhae and Keita exchanged a look, while Matthew shrugged. "I mean, sure, but it's not like we can really do anything about it, you know?"
"But don't you ever just...feel something, for someone else here?" I pressed, feeling my cheeks flush with embarrassment.
Choonhae bit her lip. "I mean, I guess I've had crushes on a few guys here, but it's not like anything can come of it. We're all just too focused on our careers."
Keita nodded. "It's tough, but we just have to remember that we're all here for a reason. And if that means putting relationships on hold for a while, then so be it."
I couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment at his words, even though I knew he was right. It was just hard to ignore the spark of attraction that sometimes flared up between me and certain guys in the academy – like... them two.
Choonhae noticed. "What's up, Billie? You're awfully quiet over there."
I shrugged, trying to play it cool. "Nothing, just tired I guess."
She gave me a knowing look. "Mmhmm, sure. You get that look Yujin always gets when he is up to something."
I rolled my eyes. Choonhae had a love-hate thing going on with Yujin, and she liked to bring him up whenever she could. "No, Choonhae, I'm not like Yujin."
"Well then, what's on your mind?" Matthew asked, nudging my arm with his.
I hesitated for a moment before blurting out, "Do you ever wonder what it would be like to be with more than one person at the same time?"
Keita raised an eyebrow. "You mean like a threesome?"
I blushed, feeling embarrassed at how forward I was being. "Yeah, something like that."
Matthew and Keita exchanged a look, and I could feel the tension in the room rise. "Is that something you're interested in?" Matthew asked softly.
I swallowed, unsure of how to answer. "I don't know, it's just something I've been thinking about lately."
I didn't say anything else for the rest of the night, lost in my own thoughts. As we said our goodnights and Keita and Matthew left, I couldn't help but feel like I was on the edge of a precipice, unsure of whether to jump or not. But as I lay in bed, drifting off to sleep, I couldn't help but think about the complexities of love and relationships in the competitive world of K-pop.
