𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗥

𝗑𝗑𝗑𝗂𝗑.

Jiwon found herself in a whirlwind of emotions as she processed the information Soonyoung had shared with her. She couldn't bring herself to tell Joshua about it, knowing that he was blissfully unaware of the behind-the-scenes drama. Soonyoung had overheard the heated argument between her and Joshua at the restaurant that fateful night, and later, under the influence of too much drink, Joshua had confessed everything to him. The burden of that secret weighed heavily on Soonyoung, and Jiwon appreciated him finally coming clean. After thanking him for his honesty, they shared a few light-hearted moments before they were called for dance practice.

Joshua, meanwhile, had already changed into comfortable clothes for their downtime and was eager to join her. Jiwon felt a twinge of guilt as she apologised profusely for the delay, even though he reassured her that it was perfectly fine. As they made their way to the practice room, the other members greeted Jiwon warmly, though Chan was noticeably absent due to a fever that had kept him bedridden for the past week.

Once they split up, the HH Unit retreated to one of the recording rooms to work on their rap, while the Vocal Unit took another space for their vocal exercises. Jiwon stayed with the Performance Unit, minus Chan, and began their dance practice. She had changed into a more comfortable outfit, opting for a white crop top paired with loose grey sweatpants that she had borrowed from Joshua. Her grey Nike Air Forces complemented her look, and she pulled her long black hair back into a low ponytail to keep it out of her face.

As Jun became her dance partner for one of the routines, the mood shifted. Soonyoung, usually brimming with energy, transformed his playful personality into a serious focus as they began their choreography. "Jiwon, lean in a little more," he urged, observing from the sidelines with keen eyes. Three hours of intense practice had left Jiwon feeling drained. "Soonyoung," Jun chimed in, supporting Jiwon as she caught her breath, "let's take a break; we're both exhausted."

Soonyoung sighed but ultimately agreed, his expression softening. Minghao, who had been sprawled on the cold floor, suddenly jolted awake. "What did I miss?" he asked, his voice thick with sleep. "Nothing, Hao, just go back to sleep," Jiwon replied with mock sarcasm, earning a raised eyebrow from him as he pushed himself up against the wall.

"Where do you think I'm going wrong?" Jiwon asked Soonyoung, chugging from her water bottle. "You're not showing enough chemistry," he replied, wiping the sweat from his brow. "And lean in a bit more as Jun closes in on you during the ninth step of the twelfth beat," he added, offering constructive criticism.

Jiwon nodded, resting her head on Jun's shoulder for a brief moment of respite before they resumed practice. Hours slipped by, and it was well past two in the morning. Soonyoung informed them that everyone except Jihoon would have returned to the apartment by now, as he was busy in his studio.

Minghao reached out to Jihoon and found out that everyone had indeed returned, except for Joshua. "So, is practice over for tonight?" Jun asked, stretching his arms. Soonyoung nodded, "We'll meet regularly, though. Jiwon, we have vocal practices tomorrow, so we'll be here late again." They had already tried out the first collaboration song; Jihoon and Jiwon had finalised the melody, and the others had recorded their parts. Only the choreography remained. Soonyoung had choreographed the routine with Minghao, Jun, and Chan.

The highlight of the album was the couple dance between Jun and Jiwon during the song's bridge. The choreography was a blend of slow beats and rapid movements, intricate and demanding perfection. They had spent countless hours refining just half of the routine.

"Why is Joshua hyung waiting anyway?" Jun asked, tossing his jacket over his black tank top. "He's waiting for Jiwon like any responsible boyfriend would," Soonyoung replied casually, drinking from his water bottle. As soon as the words left his mouth, he realised the implications and nearly choked. "I mean—" he stammered, but Minghao interrupted, "We heard that hyung," he said with a nonchalant grin, then turned to Jiwon, whose eyes were wide with shock. "You're dating Joshua?"

Jiwon's heart raced, panic setting in. "Listen, you guys can't tell anyone about this, please—" she implored, her voice rising in urgency. "Calm down, Won. We won't," Minghao reassured her, raising his hands in surrender. Just then, Joshua walked in, casually dressed with ruffled hair. "If this gets out," he began with a charming smile, "you all will die a painful and pathetic death," he finished, his tone light yet serious.

Soonyoung gulped, clearly intimidated. Joshua stepped closer to Jiwon, lacing their fingers together. "We'll see you then!" he said cheerfully, pulling her away from the group as they headed towards the exit. "Won, I need the gossip!" Minghao called out teasingly as Joshua and Jiwon disappeared behind the black door. Jun and Minghao turned to Soonyoung after a few moments of silence. With hands on their hips, they said in sync, "You've got some serious explaining to do,"