The cold morning air bit at Jiho's cheeks as he stood outside the company's dormitory, clutching his duffel bag tightly. Today was the first day of his trainee life—an unpredictable journey filled with hope, sweat, and unspoken rivalry.
The building loomed tall and imposing, but inside, Jiho imagined a place where dreams would take flight.
"Jiho!" A voice called out.
He turned to see Seungmin, a fellow trainee, waving energetically. "Ready to become stars?"
Jiho smiled, though nerves twisted in his stomach. "Yeah. Let's work hard."
Their first training session was brutal. The vocal coach demanded perfection; the dance instructor pushed them to exhaustion. Jiho stumbled multiple times, frustration mounting.
During a break, Jiho noticed a quiet figure watching from the hallway—a man with sharp eyes and a faint smile. The man vanished before Jiho could ask.
Later, whispers spread—some trainees envied Jiho's talent, others doubted him, calling him "too soft."
One trainee, Hyunwoo, gave Jiho a cold glare that lingered longer than comfortable.
That night, Jiho lay awake, questioning if he had what it took. But a message buzzed on his phone.
Unknown: "Don't lose yourself. Not yet."
Jiho's heart quickened.
Who was watching him? And why?
The Pressure Builds
The training room was a glass cage filled with harsh fluorescent light and relentless expectations.
Jiho wiped sweat from his brow as the choreographer barked corrections, "More precision! You're not synchronized! Again!"
He swallowed the sting of the critique, forcing himself to keep moving.
Seungmin, ever optimistic, gave Jiho a quick thumbs-up, but even his bright smile couldn't hide the exhaustion in his eyes.
Jealousy in the Shadows
Back in the dorm, tension simmered beneath forced smiles.
Hyunwoo, the trainee with icy charisma and sharp ambition, watched Jiho from across the room.
"You think you're better than us?" Hyunwoo's voice was low but sharp when he cornered Jiho in the hallway.
Jiho met his gaze evenly. "I'm just doing my best."
Hyunwoo sneered. "Best? You're too soft. The industry won't forgive that."
Jiho's throat tightened, but he kept quiet.
The Mysterious K
That evening, alone in his room, Jiho's phone buzzed again.
Unknown: "Softness is not weakness. It's your secret strength. Trust yourself."
Jiho stared at the message, heart pounding.
Who was this person watching him?
Later, a shadow moved outside his window—a man with calm, watchful eyes.
Jiho blinked—and the figure was gone.
Friendship and Fracture
In the common room, Jiho and Seungmin shared laughter over a late-night snack.
"Keep your head up," Seungmin said. "We'll make it through this."
But the camaraderie was fragile.
The next day, rumors began to spread.
A video clip surfaced—an edited snippet making it seem like Jiho was dismissive toward the seniors.
Whispers turned to cold shoulders.
Jiho felt the sting of betrayal before he understood who'd started it.
A Choice to Make
In the silent dormitory, Jiho sat on his bed, the weight of a dozen eyes on him, silent and judging.
His phone buzzed.
Unknown: "They want to break you. Don't let them. I'll help."
Jiho clenched his fists.
The road ahead was darker than he imagined.
But he wasn't alone.