Taken by the Mafia ✧⁠*⁠。

Episode 2

Santa stirred as the sound of shuffling feet filled the small dorm. Hyunwoo, their diligent leader, was already making rounds to wake up the rest of the members. "Come on, guys! It’s time to get up!" Hyunwoo's voice was firm but kind, pulling the team out of their sleep one by one.

Santa sat up groggily, rubbing his eyes before swinging his legs over the bed. Riki groaned from his bed across the room, pulling the covers over his head. "Five more minutes, hyung," he mumbled, but Hyunwoo wasn’t having it. He walked over to Riki and lightly tugged the blanket off.

"Riki, get up. We've got a full day ahead of us," Hyunwoo said, moving on to wake the rest of the team.

Everyone slowly dragged themselves out of bed, yawning and stretching. After taking quick showers and slipping into their dance outfits, they all gathered in the small kitchen of their dorm. Their leader, Hyunwoo, was busy stirring a large pan on the stove. The smell of kimchi fried rice filled the room.

"Eat up, guys," Hyunwoo said, setting the pan on the table. "We need all the energy we can get for today’s practice."

"Thanks, hyung," Santa said as he grabbed a plate and began to serve himself. The others followed, their spirits slowly lifting as they dug into the meal. It wasn’t fancy, but it was warm and filling, which was all they needed to get through the day.

After they finished eating, they cleaned up and made their way to their company, which wasn’t far. The walk was a quiet one, each member lost in their own thoughts. As they approached the building, the modest size of it was a constant reminder of their group’s situation. The company wasn’t like the big labels they dreamed of; it was small, with limited resources. The CEO, Mr. Kim, was doing what he could, but the lack of budget was evident. There were only two managers, a small makeup and hairstyling team, and a few staff members responsible for promoting their music videos and organizing events.

Once inside, the group headed straight for the practice room. Hyunwoo, always the one to take charge, clapped his hands as they entered. "Okay, guys, let’s stretch first before we start," he said, motioning for everyone to warm up.

As they spread out and began stretching, the mood in the room was a mix of quiet determination and fatigue. Despite their lack of success, they all cared deeply about their craft. After a few minutes of stretching, Hyunwoo signaled the start of practice, and they began running through their choreography. The sound of their feet hitting the floor and the music echoing through the room filled the space.

Not long after they started, their manager, Jang Eun-seo, walked in. She was the female manager who worked alongside Kang Ha-joon, the male manager. Together, they were responsible for everything from scheduling to handling promotions, though their resources were limited.

"Good morning, guys," Eun-seo greeted as she entered the room. The boys stopped and immediately bowed in respect.

"Morning, noona," Hyunwoo responded, catching his breath as he wiped some sweat from his forehead. "Training’s going well so far. Everyone’s doing their best."

"That’s good to hear," Eun-seo said with a small nod. She glanced at each of the members, assessing their tired but determined faces. "Keep it up. We’re counting on you all to give your best effort for the fan meeting." With that, she gave them a reassuring smile before turning to leave. "I’ll check in later."

As the door closed behind her, the group took a collective breath and got back to practice. Time passed as they rehearsed again and again, pushing their bodies to the limit. Eventually, Riki, the youngest, raised his hand.

"Hyung, can we take a break?" Riki asked, his voice breathy as he bent over with his hands on his knees.

Hyunwoo looked at the group, noticing how exhausted they were. "Alright, let’s take five," he said, and everyone immediately slumped onto the floor or against the mirrors, grateful for the break.