Euphoria- Park Jong-Seong

CH:13

The practice room was filled with heavy breaths and the sound of sneakers squeaking against the polished floor. The group had been practicing relentlessly, but now, they had hit a roadblock—the jump sequence. It was a key moment in their performance, one that could either make their stage unforgettable or bring it crashing down.

The move required one of the members to launch themselves into the air while the others coordinated to catch them seamlessly. But every attempt was falling short. The jumper hesitated mid-air, their fear visible in their rigid posture and uncertain eyes.

Anushka stood off to the side, arms crossed, observing the scene. Her brows were slightly furrowed, her lips pressed into a thin line. The group was exhausted, their movements growing sluggish with each failed attempt.

They have to nail this part, she thought.

if they don't, the entire performance will lose its impact.

But then, another thought crept in.

This is their first time attempting something this risky. Of course, they're hesitating.

Even I would hesitate if I had to trust others to catch me mid-air.

"When I jump you have to catch me—"

"Wow!"

The group gasps as The door to the practice room swung open, and in walked Zico, Sung Deuk, and Pdogg. The group immediately straightened up, standing in line, their eyes wide with awe.

Anushka froze as she realized who had just walked in—the famous artist Zico, the legendary BTS choreographer Sung Deuk, and the iconic producer Pdogg.

"The new I-LANDers," Zico began with a friendly smile. "How are you guys doing? Are you adjusting well?"

"Yes!"

"Yes, sir!"

The contestants replied in unison.

"Sunoo?" Zico called out.

Sunoo's eyes widened. "Yes?"

"How is it?" Zico asked.

Sunoo hesitated before replying. "Ah, yes, well... there was some friction at first..."

The room went silent as everyone stared at Sunoo.

"There was friction?" Zico asked with a raised brow.

Sunoo gasped, realizing his slip-up. "Maybe not friction, but we had a hard time getting used to each other at first," he said quickly. "But we got through it well!"

The room burst into quiet chuckles, including Zico, Sung Deuk, and Pdogg.

"Good to hear," Zico said with a smile. "Let's see what you've been working on."

The room felt heavier than ever after the directors left. Sung Deuk's words, "That was the worst I've seen till now," echoed in everyone's minds. The participants knew they had failed—especially the jump. They had hesitated, fumbled, and failed to trust each other, and now the consequences of that failure weighed heavily on them.

Anushka watched Heeseung from the corner of her eye. His normally confident demeanor had crumbled, replaced with a quiet, defeated look. She noticed how he stood at the edge of the room, his gaze fixed on the floor, before walking out with Jungwon.