Off-Screen (무대아래에서) | Haobin

Conversations in Secret (비밀 이야기)

The Tomboy performance is a hit, both with the audience and the Masters. Hanbin still doesn't feel totally comfortable with how he comes off during the performance, but he is proud of their group as a whole. He gets the same magical feeling he had while performing the signal song with Hao Hyung, that feeling of ease and confidence that they can perform well together. Hao Hyung has so much fun on the stage that he pulls Hanbin's energy up, too. Hanbin kind of wants to perform with him forever.

The amount of sweat and tears that went into creating the performance makes it even more rewarding when they win their category. The Star Masters show the top score out of all the trainees on the screen, and even Hao Hyung looks at Hanbin knowingly, as if it's a given that Hanbin will get the top score for every performance. But Hanbin knows the audience got to see a side of Hao Hyung that even he finds utterly magnetic, and he's not surprised in the least when it turns out to be the score for Hao Hyung and not for him.

Hanbin can tell that Hao Hyung is surprised that he beat him, but he hides it quickly and humbly accepts the profuse praise from the other trainees. Hanbin hugs him tightly, too. The audience is finally waking up to what Hanbin has seen all along in Hao Hyung.

He's also completely unsurprised when Hao Hyung shoots to second place in the next elimination round. Hao Hyung keeps his composure during the elimination round, but his hands are shaking when Hanbin holds them before Minhyeok Seonbae announces the top three trainees.

Hanbin gets first place yet again, but it feels good to have Hao Hyung in second place. It's right that Hao Hyung should be up at the top with him, and Hanbin wouldn't be surprised if Hao Hyung overtook him in first place soon. He doesn't think he'd mind much if that happened.

Hanbin keeps his face straight, but groans internally when they announce that the Star Creators get to pick which teams they'll be on next. He just knows they're going to put him right back in the Cute category, and he's correct. He's assigned to the cutest song possible: Say My Name, a song about a school-boy crush.

Hao Hyung, of course, gets voted into the sexiest song available: Over Me, about two lovers' first passionate night together. Hanbin's more disappointed than he expects that he won't be able to practice and perform with Hao Hyung again in this round, but he also finds himself distracted imagining Hao Hyung performing the song. The audience picked the song correctly for him, and Hanbin finds himself waiting breathlessly for what Hao Hyung will show them next.

Maybe he's Hao Hyung's top fan? Maybe that's what this feeling is...

Matthew's insecurity shows up again when Hanbin and Ji-Ung try to re-assign him to a different part because his current role isn't working for him. Hanbin gets wrapped up in trying to smooth out that drama and get their performance back on track, but Ji-Ung actually seems to reach Matthew better than Hanbin is able to this time. Then they have to create parts of the song on their own and help design their theme, and that takes all of his concentration. For a while he doesn't have the bandwidth to think about or seek out Hao Hyung outside of meals and group activities.

Hao Hyung finds him one night, though, and asks him to practice with him again. Hanbin's team still has significant problems that require his attention as the leader, and he should probably say no -- but he agrees without a second thought.

"Do you remember when you promised to show me tutting?" Hao Hyung asks him when they find an empty practice room. They're easier to come by at night, and more abundant after the last elimination round.

"I do."

"I want to use tutting in the choreography for the bridge."

"Ooooh... cool." Hanbin grins, genuinely excited by Hao Hyung's idea. Hao Hyung beams at him, and they get to work right away, losing themselves in the choreography as time passes.