Blessing in Disguise - Le Sserafim Yunjin x Male Reader

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Yunjin

4/9/2019

By April, Yunjin felt as if she were slowly sinking under the weight of Source Music's relentless standards. Each day was a cycle of training that left her utterly exhausted, both mentally and physically. The trainers scrutinized every single detail—her posture, her vocal tone, her rhythm, even her expressions, all as if she hadn't been training in this industry for years. Their critiques came at her hard and fast, leaving her feeling more like a rookie than someone who'd already pushed through years of intense preparation.

In the practice room, every mistake felt magnified. When her voice wavered, they'd stop her and drill the same lines over and over, their gazes sharp and unforgiving. If her dance steps lagged, she'd be called out in front of everyone, forced to repeat them until her body ached. She'd return to the dorms each night sore and drained, but unable to escape the voices of the trainers in her head, questioning if she could meet their standards.

One day, after a particularly harsh session, Yunjin found herself alone in the practice room, her chest heavy with the familiar weight of self-doubt. She leaned against the mirror, her reflection staring back at her, tired and hollow-eyed. The dream that had once been so vibrant was now blurred, clouded by frustration and exhaustion. She couldn't shake the feeling that she was back at square one, that maybe, just maybe, she wasn't cut out for this.

The voice of one of her trainers echoed in her mind, a bitter reminder: "You need to work harder, Yunjin. If you can't keep up, how do you expect to debut?"

A lump formed in her throat, her hands clenching at her sides. She wanted to be stronger than this, to shake off their words and prove them wrong. But with each passing day, her confidence chipped away, leaving her with an overwhelming sense of inadequacy.

Yunjin slumped against the mirror, staring at her reflection with tired, hollow eyes. The days of grueling practice had worn her down, the once-vivid dreams of debuting now felt distant. She wiped sweat from her forehead, her chest heavy with doubt. The trainers' voices echoed in her mind, their critiques cutting deeper with each day.

She had always known the road would be hard, but this... this was something else. She felt like a failure, like she had reverted to being a clueless trainee, out of sync with everything. Despite the years she'd spent working to prove herself, she now felt like a stranger in her own body, struggling to meet standards that seemed impossible. The expectations felt crushing, and for the first time in a long while, she questioned whether she could make it.

Her legs ached, muscles sore from hours of practice, but it was the emotional toll that hurt the most. She had pushed herself to the brink, but the constant criticism made her wonder if she was even good enough to be here. No matter how hard she tried, it never seemed to be enough.

As her vision blurred, she blinked back tears, feeling them well up despite her best efforts to hold them in. Her hands shook slightly, frustration and sadness building until it felt like it might break her. She had spent so much time putting on a brave face, smiling through the exhaustion, but here, in the quiet of the empty practice room, there was no one to see her fall apart.

With trembling fingers, she reached for her phone. She hesitated for a moment, staring at Y/N's contact. She didn't want to worry him, didn't want to burden him with her struggles when he was facing his own challenges. But the loneliness, the doubt—it was overwhelming. She needed to hear his voice, needed some kind of comfort.

She pressed the call button, holding her breath as the phone rang. After a few moments, Y/N's face appeared on the screen, a smile spreading across his face as he saw her.