Shore To Be || Hong Eunchae

Red String |Chapter 11|

"I feel conflicted because you came and totally flipped my world upside down." – Lee Won Jun

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3rd Person POV

The steady thump of the bass filled the practice room, its vibrations reverberating through the walls and floor. Eunchae tried to sync her heart to the beat, to find the rhythm that usually came so naturally to her. But today, the music felt foreign, as if her body was disconnected from it. Her eyes scanned the mirror before her, catching the reflections of her teammates as they danced in perfect harmony. But her own reflection... something about it seemed off.

"Five, six, seven, eight!" Yunjin's voice cut through the music, commanding everyone's focus. Eunchae snapped back to attention, her feet moving on autopilot as she forced herself to keep up with the choreography. She mirrored her teammates, her movements fluid but lacking the usual spark that defined her dancing.

As they neared the end of the routine, Eunchae's lungs burned, more from the effort of keeping her mind focused than from the physical exertion. When the music finally stopped, she released a deep breath she hadn't realized she was holding, her shoulders sagging in relief.

The room was filled with the sounds of heavy breathing as everyone took a moment to catch their breath. Eunchae's eyes flicked towards the others. She could feel their concern before anyone even spoke. Kazuha, who had been standing next to her, looked at her with furrowed brows.

"Eunchae, are you alright?" Kazuha's voice was soft, yet it cut through the post-practice haze that lingered in the room.

Eunchae blinked, her heart skipping a beat. She knew she hadn't been herself today, but she hadn't realized it was noticeable. She quickly forced a smile, one that she hoped looked genuine. "I'm fine," she replied, trying to sound more convincing than she felt. But even she could hear the tremor in her voice.

Kazuha didn't look convinced, but she didn't press further. The others, though concerned, seemed to silently agree to give her space. They had been through enough together to understand that sometimes, the best thing you could do was let someone sort through their own thoughts. But that didn't make the guilt any easier to bear. Eunchae hated being a burden to the group, even in moments like this.

Chaewon, ever the leader, spoke up next. "Let's take a break," she suggested, her voice a mix of authority and care. "We've been at it for hours. We need to recharge."

The suggestion was met with nods of agreement, and the group began to disperse, some heading to the water cooler, others sinking down onto the floor. Eunchae remained where she was, staring at her reflection in the mirror as if it held the answers to the turmoil inside her.

It didn't. The mirror only showed what she already knew—she was off today. Something wasn't right, and it was affecting her performance. She hated that. This comeback was important, not just for the group but for herself. Crazy was a demanding song, both in its choreography and its emotional intensity. It was meant to showcase everything they were capable of. But how could she give it her all when her mind was so distracted?

As the others took their break, Eunchae restarted the music and began running through the steps again. She needed to push through this, to force her body to move the way it was supposed to. She couldn't afford to falter, not now, not when they were so close to the comeback.

But no matter how hard she tried, her movements still felt sluggish, her mind still cluttered with thoughts she couldn't quite shake. Every time she caught her reflection in the mirror, it was like looking at someone else—someone who wasn't sure of herself, someone who was struggling to keep it together.