kim chaewon is the company's newest soloist, and her rapid rise threatens huh yunjin, the established star used to dominating the spotlight. from the beginning, they clash-chaewon's ambition and yunjin's pride fueling a fierce rivalry, heightened by...
several days have passed, i woke up that morning with a flutter of excitement in my stomach. today was the day. mew was finally revealing the teaser for my solo debut. i could hardly contain my anticipation as i hurriedly got dressed, my mind racing with thoughts of what this moment would mean for me.
after months of training and preparation, the world was about to see my silhouette on that poster, but until the reveal, no one outside mew entertainment knew it was me. i felt like a tightly wound spring, ready to burst into action.
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as i scrolled through my phone, i could barely contain my excitement. my best friend, sakura, had sent me a message.
📱 sakura: chaewon! i just saw the teaser! congratulations! i can't believe it's finally happening!
i grinned, unable to hold back my joy.
📱 chaewon: thank you! it feels surreal! everyone is so hyped, but they don't know it's me yet.
📱 sakura: they will soon! you're going to blow them away. just remember to enjoy it!
she replied, her enthusiasm contagious.
📱 chaewon: i will! i promise.
i said, a wave of warmth washing over me. sakura always had a way of calming my nerves, reminding me why i was in this industry.
after we chatted for a few more minutes, the excitement in my chest quickly turned into nervous energy. my debut was closer than ever, and now, more than anything, i needed to make sure i was perfect. but with yunjin, practice was always more than just practice. it felt like a battlefield.
i arrived at the practice room to find her already there, running through her own choreography. she moved with an effortless grace, like the entire world was beneath her, and she didn't need to prove anything anymore. it was intimidating, the way she seemed so comfortable in her skin while i felt like i had to fight for every step.
she didn't even turn around when i entered, just gave a quick glance over her shoulder before continuing her stretches, her voice indifferent as ever. "you're late."
i wasn't, but i didn't bother arguing. "ready to start?" i asked, trying to sound more confident than i felt.
she didn't answer, just gestured for me to start the music. as the beat kicked in, i threw myself into the routine, determined to show her i could handle this. but her eyes were on me the entire time, cold, calculating. every move i made felt like it was under a microscope.
"you're off," she said flatly after a few seconds, barely looking up from her phone now. "again."
my frustration rose, but i forced myself to stay calm. i reset, starting the choreography from the top. but halfway through, yunjin suddenly paused the music. "your footwork is sloppy," she said, not bothering to explain further. her tone was distant, like i wasn't even worth her full attention.
i gritted my teeth, feeling the heat rise in my face. "what am i doing wrong?"
yunjin gave me a long, unreadable look before standing up and crossing the room toward me. without a word, she moved behind me and adjusted my stance—pushing a little harder than necessary, her fingers pressing into my shoulders and lower back, forcing me into a position that felt unnatural, uncomfortable.
"this is how you're supposed to hold yourself," she said, her voice icy. "you need to control every movement. right now, you're too weak."
i blinked, biting back the urge to snap at her. she made it sound so simple, like i was supposed to figure this all out on my own. but with her standing there, practically daring me to mess up, i felt myself growing more anxious with every second.
"again," she ordered.
this time, i moved through the choreography with even more pressure. halfway through, i noticed yunjin deliberately stepping into my space, forcing me to adjust mid-step. i stumbled slightly, trying to recover, but i could feel her smirk from behind me. she was testing me, pushing me to fail, and the worst part was—it was working.
"you can't even get through a simple run without tripping over yourself," she said, her voice dripping with disdain. "are you sure you're ready for this debut?"
my chest tightened, embarrassment mixing with anger. "i'm ready," i shot back, even though i wasn't sure if i believed it myself.
she gave a small shrug, as if my response meant nothing. "we'll see. again."
the next hour felt like torture. every time i thought i was getting something right, she found something else to criticize. my arms weren't sharp enough, my timing was off, my energy wasn't enough. yunjin didn't just challenge me—she seemed to be going out of her way to make it harder, stepping into my path, cutting the music too early, adjusting my moves until they felt awkward.
it was exhausting, and by the time we finished, my body felt like it was going to give out. but i refused to let her see me break. i wouldn't give her that satisfaction.
as i stopped to catch my breath, yunjin leaned casually against the mirror, watching me with that same cold, distant expression. "you really think you're ready for this?" she asked, her voice quiet but sharp. "this industry doesn't care if you're tired. it'll chew you up if you let it."
i met her gaze, refusing to back down. "i'm ready," i said, my voice steadier now. "i'll show everyone."
for a moment, her eyes lingered on me, as if she was considering my words. then, without another word, she turned her back to me and left the practice room, leaving me standing there alone with the weight of everything she'd said—and everything she hadn't.
as the door clicked shut behind her, i let out a long breath, my chest tightening with frustration. this wasn't just about debuting anymore. it was about proving to yunjin—and myself—that i deserved to be here. and no matter how hard she pushed me, i wasn't going to back down.
