The MAMA after-party was held at a 5-star hotel, but the air felt thin with fake smiles. I walked in wearing baggy cargo pants and a cropped hoodie—the complete opposite of the cocktail dresses surrounding me.
I headed straight for the food. I was starving.
"I heard the 'Monster Rookie' eats glass for breakfast, but it looks like it's just shrimp cocktail," a voice joked beside me.
I turned. It was Wooyoung. Up close, his energy was just as loud as it was on stage. Standing next to him was Sunoo, looking like he was trying to decide if I was scary or cool.
"Shrimp is easier on the throat than glass," I replied in fluent English, then switched to perfect Korean without missing a beat. "You guys did well tonight. That stage transition was clean."
Sunoo's eyes widened. "You saw that? We only practiced that for two days."
"I saw it once during rehearsals," I shrugged, taking a sip of my drink. "The footwork in the second chorus is tricky, but the center-left position was a bit delayed. You fixed it for the live show, though."
Both of them stared at me. Most idols just say "Good job." I had just given them a technical analysis after seeing it once.
"You're as sharp as the rumors say," Wooyoung said, leaning against the table, looking genuinely impressed. "Most people are too busy looking at our faces to notice the footwork."
"Faces are boring," I said bluntly. "Talent is what keeps the lights on."
We spent the next hour talking about choreography and music production. I didn't flirt, and neither did they. We talked like athletes comparing notes. I felt a click—I liked these guys. They weren't fake.