𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐈𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐏𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐲 ―𝐝.𝐨.𝐝

Chapter 38

[ Cho Seungmin's POV ]

Only 50 more hours until the team stage.

When the usual morning alarm rang, everyone woke up groggily.

We took turns washing up in the bathroom. When I came out, Raebin had his phone in his hand.

"Hyung, you went to Vivian Educational Institute?" he asked, amazed.

I nodded my head, saying, "Did an article come out?"

"Yes, an anonymous person shared the original photo of the soju photoshopped image. Your garden is very impressive! You grow many of the same things my grandma does."

I swiped through the photos in the post and laughed.

"I only grew the flowers for my tea."

As expected, the girl from the gardening club posted the article. She was one of the few people I talked to at school in case I needed an alibi. I knew she took photos of me. I knew she wouldn't be able to sit back and just watch if anything happened. 

But I didn't know it would be to help me debut.

"And B will make sure it spreads around so most doubts will be erased..."

"What about Sejin hyung?" I asked while changing into the training clothes.

"Th-the person deleted...the article!" Ahyun hyung happily claimed. "B-both were de-deleted!"

"Seriously, Moondae, are you part of the NIS?"

"Stop joking around."

I already suspected that Sejin hyung's situation was taken care of. I overheard them posting his rebuttal together. I turned to look at Moondae hyung, who was working hard to ensure that he would debut. His hazel eyes were duller than usual. He looked tired, even after eating breakfast.

He didn't sleep well to help Sejin hyung write the post and monitor the comments. I still didn't understand why he was trying so hard to debut.

During practice, I stopped thinking about it. I sat against the mirror and directed the dance.

"Stop, everyone is losing energy," I observed, pressing pause on the speaker. "Can we take a small break, Sejin hyung?"

"Hmm alright. I think we're on a good track right now," he answered. At once, everyone collapsed onto the floor except for Raebin.

"H-hyung," Raebin panted, "can you look over my part again?"

I nodded and watched as he did the choreo for his part of the rap. Since we were doing a traditional, sexy concept, the movements weren't incredibly fast, but they were big to emphasize the fluttering durumagi*.

*An overcoat in a hanbok

I gave him some pointers before sitting next to Moondae hyung against the wall. I put my head on his shoulder. There was heat radiating off his neck.

"Wait, I'm sweaty," he said.

I got off and rested my head on the wall instead.

Before I could close my eyes, Sejin hyung clapped his hands together, saying, "Let's start practicing again! This time, Ahyun will watch. Seungmin, you practice."

I nodded reluctantly and stood up.

Practice remained arduous until it was the day of the stage.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

Ten days passed since I last heard the MC's voice.

"Welcome to the third team competition stage of Idol Inc.!" he cheered. After the shouts from the audience died down, he explained how the teams were made.