"8, 7, 6, 5—"
"Minji, you're out of position!"
"I'm sorry."
"Okay, from the top."
It was exhausting. The choreographer was being harsh tonight, but it was understandable — tomorrow's performance was a big one.
Practice. Practice. Practice.
After what felt like forever, rehearsal finally ended.
"Tomorrow's a big event, so make sure to get a good night's sleep."
"Yeeees!" the group replied in tired unison.
I made my way to the bathroom to splash some water on my face.
"This always feels nice..."
Just as I was finishing, someone knocked on the door.
Knock, knock
"Yes?" I called out.
"Unnieee~" a familiar voice replied.
To my surprise, it was Mirae , the youngest member of our group. She was sweet and charming, and the fanbase could only describe her as adorable. And honestly? She really is.
"What is it, Mirae?" I asked gently.
"Is something wrong, unnie?"
I let out a small laugh.
"Why do you ask?"
"You were making a lot of mistakes today... That's not like you."
"Was I?" I smiled faintly.
It felt like a compliment. I rarely make mistakes during practice, so it wasn't surprising that Mirae noticed.
"I'm just nervous, Mirae. Tomorrow's a big event."
"Hmm..." she answered, unconvinced.
I placed a hand on her shoulder, and we began walking out of the building.
"Come on, the others are probably waiting outside."
"Yes, unnie."
As we stepped out, we spotted Yuna, the eldest member, waving from the van window.
"Minji, Mirae! Hurry up, we're leaving!" she called softly.
We hopped into the van. As soon as we sat down, Yuna turned around.
"Where were you two?"
"We were in the bathroom," Mirae answered innocently, "and Minji said she was nervous."
The van burst into laughter.
"Minji, you really said that?"
"Yeah, I did. Haha."
"That's not like you!"
"Yeah, Minji, even if we combined all our confidence, it wouldn't come close to yours!"
"That's not true!" I laughed, brushing it off.
Everyone always says I radiate confidence. But the truth is, that confidence is built on carefully layered lies.
Still, the chatter and laughter after practice... it's something I can't deny.
It makes me feel like we're truly in this journey together.
It's the kind of reward I hold close to myself.
A comforting end to a draining day.
"We're finally home," someone said.
Our dorm is cozy , a two-story residence. One of the perks of our success is that each of us gets our own room. But before I end the day, I have one more thing to do.
"Yuna unnie, I forgot to give my sister her ticket. I'll head home first."
"Alright, take care. Does Manager Kim know?"
"No, and he doesn't need to. Please cover for me?" I bowed lightly.
Yuna smiled. "Alright, it's on me."
"Thank you, unnie!" I called out, waving as I jogged away.
Finally... I was alone.
I could stop being Minji the idol and just be Minji.
It's exhausting.
This job... this industry... it thrives on forced positivity.
The more I fake it, the more it eats away at me.
Sigh.
"At least the night is nice..."
Walking down the street at night has become a comforting routine. There's something about the evening air , something different.
The night wind is cold.
The atmosphere is still... calming.
The stars above twinkle like they're sharing an inside joke.
Snow drifts gently onto my coat, like it wants to hug me.
The sound of passing cars reminds me I'm still in the real world.
Sigh.
It all feels so peaceful.
And yet... nothing about me is real.
Everything feels fake.
No one seems to notice, but I feel alone all the time.
I wear a fake smile for my members, my fans, the staff, the stylists... everyone.
To the company, I'm just a money-making machine. Not a person.
Even my parents only reach out when they want something.
The weight of expectations is suffocating.
When can I just be me?
Is that too much to ask?
Sigh.
Finally, I arrived at my comfort spot, my secret little refuge.
But something made me pause.
There was a man sitting on the bench.
This is new.