Two days after the results, the company posted all the Sections' performances online.
It started with a simple caption: "Section D — 'Fresh!' | Round 1 Performance | Performance Video" Then came another upload: Dance Practice + Behind the Scenes (BTS).
Within hours, the videos were everywhere. Twitter clips, TikTok edits, fancams stitched with slow-motion effects. The dance practice hit 50,000 views by noon. The performance video doubled that by evening. Comments poured in — some curious, some shocked, many obsessed.
In the dorm, the boys huddled around Jiho's laptop, their ramen bowls forgotten.
"Seojun, look!" Eunjae practically tackled him. "Someone called you 'the reincarnation of Kwon Bi-young.'"
Seojun blinked. "They spelled my name wrong."
"So? You should be happy they didn't criticize your dancing," Daehyun teased, grinning. The sarcasm made Seojun angry.
Jiho scrolled through the comments, his fingers trembling slightly.
"Who are these guys? That 'Fresh!' hook is stuck in my head."
"Section D's energy is insane. I didn't expect them to be this good."
"The guy who yelled 'Fresh!' he has main dancer material. Who is he?"
Eunjae puffed out his chest. "Main dancer material. That's me. Min Eunjae. Remember the name."
Hyun, lounging on the couch, raised an eyebrow. "They noticed your yelling. Not your dancing."
Eunjae pointed at him. "Is that jealousy I hear? You know jealousy is bad for you, right?"
Hyun didn't reply at first. But when Eunjae pushed him too far, Hyun pounced upon him like a beast, and the rest was mystery .
The comments kept coming.
"The guy with the mysterious yet bubbly persona — he looks so handsome and cute. Can he be my oppa?"
"Blond-haired rapper? I need his Kakao."
"The one in the white hoodie — his vocals are like an angel sent from above." "Visuals? That guy with the soft eyes. I'm looking at you."
Daehyun blinked. "Soft eyes?"
Seojun laughed. "You? The only eyes I see are a pair of gaeguri (frog) eyes."
Chanho chuckled. "An angel sent from above… our fans are a bit over the top."
Jiho leaned closer to the screen. "Someone said I looked like I was born to sing. That's… surreal."
Haneul sat quietly, watching the screen and the members' interaction but he said nothing. Sometimes, when he watched them laugh together, he felt like a third wheel. He hadn't had much screen time, and his voice only came in during the bridge. But he didn't mind. He was used to being alone. Still, he hoped someone might notice his effort.
Then a comment appeared:
"The guy who sang the bridge, who is he?"
Haneul's fingers curled slightly.
Their phones buzzed nonstop. Messages from other trainees, vocal coaches, even stylists.
"Jiho, you killed it."
"Haneul, your high note? Goosebumps."
"Seojun, that rap break was insane."
"Hyun, your transitions were so clean. Teach me sometime?"
Even the staff treated them differently. The choreographer teased them less. The vocal coach smiled more. Other trainees looked at them with respect.
"Are we… popular now?" Eunjae asked.
"Not just popular," Seojun said. "Famous."
That night, they rewatched the performance together, pausing every few seconds to roast each other.
"Look at Eunjae's face here — he looks like he's about to poop."
"Eunjae, when did you turn into Nobita?"
"I tripped slightly on the third beat," Daehyun admitted. "But the camera didn't catch it."
"Seojun's glare could shoot daggers through the lens," Jiho said. "You were so intense."
"I was trying not to cry," Seojun replied. "I thought we were gonna get cut."
Chanho laughed. "I forgot half my lines during the pre-chorus, so I just smiled and ad-libbed."
"No wonder the lyrics felt different," Jiho said. "But it made the song better."
Hyun pointed at the screen. "Watch Haneul's landing. He winced."
Haneul groaned. "You noticed?"
The others rushed to him, worried. "Haneul, are you okay?"
He felt overwhelmed but smiled. "The editors did a great job on the video. It makes me feel one step closer to being an idol. Don't you?"
They paused at his words, then attacked him playfully — ruffling his hair, teasing him for having such a kind heart despite his stoic appearance.
"Hyung, we're not just getting closer to being idols," Hyun said firmly. "We're going to win and become idols."
Everyone agreed. Haneul felt a warmth he hadn't felt in a long time.
Later that night, the dorm was quieter. The glow of the screen still lit the room, but the laughter had faded into thoughtful silence.
Jiho closed his laptop. "We're being seen. Really seen."
Chanho nodded. "It's not just a dream anymore. It's becoming real."
Eunjae whispered, "I didn't think they'd like me. I thought I was too much."
Hyun nudged him. "You're just enough."
Seojun leaned back. "I was scared. But now… I want more."
"Who wouldn't, after what we've experienced?" Daehyun said softly. "I don't think we want to go back to the old days."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Haneul sat by the window, watching the city lights. His face was still a mystery to the public, his name buried in the credits. But his voice had reached people. That was enough.