June pursed his lips together as the trashy rapper continued to throw hurtful words at him.
"He can't rhyme. He doesn't have a flow. I don't even know why you guys gave him the Main Rapper position," he continued. "I monitor the show from time to time, and it seems like my prejudices are right. Some trainees have high ranks merely because they've got plenty of issues," Sun-Y smirked.
"However, they can't even do a simple rap?" he scoffed, obviously directing his diss to June.
"Honestly, I don't even know why this team is working so hard. Look at your ranks," he laughed out loud, spit coming out of his mouth. "I heard you were getting cut by half after this mission. I bet none of you besides this shitty rapper will make it. Give up, folks. Just accept the fact that some people are born with it, and some people aren't."
"No matter how hard you try, you will never get on the level of someone who has innate talent. So, just give up. This performance is over and done with. You have what? Three days until the performance? You're not going to make it…"
"Soon-so," Bone called Sun-Y by his real name. "I think that's enough."
"Don't stop me, Bong-gu," SUN-Y retaliated. "These kids need to hear it from me. It seems like they're still hoping to debut and compete with the other teams, but the result is already obvious from the start."
Bone sighed and massaged his shoulders. Soon-so, undoubtedly, had the foulest mouth in the rap industry, and he wondered why the production crew hired someone like him.
Sehun and his other teammates looked down at the ground, feeling quite disheartened by the rapper's comments.
When they thought it wouldn't get any worse, Sun-Y stood from his seat and paced back and forth before them.
"I can't believe a song by GROOVYTUNES is being performed by people under the 40th rank. Don't you find it shameful?" he cackled.
Then, he settled in front of June, his smirk widening. "And June, huh? The guy involved in those two scandals then got stabbed?"
June let out a deep breath as Sun-Y walked even closer to him. "Why don't you give your teammates a talk, huh? They're not going to make it. So, ask them to stop trying so hard. In the end, you won't succeed since you're just not talented enough."
The trashy rapper expected him to look away, but June held his gaze, a fiery expression seen behind his eyes.
"Are you speaking from experience, sir?" June asked, finally having enough.
He's had a shitty week.
He's been stabbed...
Then, he got kicked out of the song that he actually enjoyed performing.
And now, this dude was speaking down on him and his teammates?
At first, he could tolerate the insults directed at him. June's been immune to such responses since he was born. However, having Sun-Y look down on these kids who had worked so hard for their performance sent him on edge.
"What?" Sun-Y snapped.
"You're speaking so well on the topic. The only explanation I can think of is because you know the feeling very well. It's quite hard trying to stay relevant when you're only talent is to diss others, am I right?"
Sun-Y's ears became red, and smoke could practically be seen coming out of his nostrils.
"You little shit—," Sun-Y was about to punch June, but Bone held onto his wrist.
"I think that's enough," Bone said, restraining Sun-Y, who was still struggling in his arms.
"Let me have my way with this cocky kid!" Sun-Y screamed, but Bone dragged him out of the room.
"Practice hard, okay? I'll be the one to evaluate you before the actual performance!" Bone called out as he closed the door.
Once the two artists were gone, the team was engulfed in silence.
As much as they wanted to deny it, Sun-Y's words hit them harder than they expected.
"Hey, it's okay," C-Jay said, trying to cheer them up. However, it was evident in his voice that he also felt hurt. "We—we're okay. We're just a new team, that's all."
"Yeah," Jakob smiled, fiddling with his fingers as tears glistened in his eyes. "My mom told me I was doing well. She's always worried whether I'm doing okay, and I want to show her my progress with this performance."
Taekyung sniffed as he wiped his nose. "I was really sad when I got kicked out of the team, and I thought I wouldn't be able to make it. But you guys stayed up late with me and taught me well. I'm really glad I'm on this team. I wish they'd be kinder to us," he sadly smiled. "We just created this team, after all."
June listened to their intentions one by one, his heart squeezing in pain.
Fuck!
He's really gotten weird these days.
These kids were being fed well by their parents. They can pursue the dream that they want, but why does June feel so sad for them?
With a sigh, he started walking to the door.
"Bro?" C-Jay called out, trying to hold onto his shoulder.
However, June quickly evaded his touch and left briskly. His teammates called his name, but he needed some time to think.
He bumped into Team Risers on the way, and they looked at him with pity. Zeth even tried to call out for him, but June ignored them, continuing his way.
June only stopped when he reached a familiar staircase. He sat down and focused his gaze on the ground, breathing deeply as he tried to forget the ache in his chest.
"Shit," he cursed, placing his hand over his heart.
June was hurting.
He wanted to deny it at first since he's always been strong.
June's parents had passed away when he was just a child, leaving him to fend for himself and Mei Ling. He had never known the comfort of a normal childhood, and the pain of that loss was instilled into his very being. But he bore it all, never letting a tear escape his eyes.
When he lost his life, he grieved silently, never letting anyone see the depth of his sorrow. He had become a master at concealing his emotions, a fortress of strength in the face of life's relentless trials.
Even during the grueling competition, he had brushed off inconveniences that would have sent others into fits of frustration.
June endured it all.
But now, as he sat alone in the quiet stillness of the staircase, June felt a wave of frustration wash over him. It was as if all the pain and suffering he had endured over the years had finally caught up to him. He clenched his fists, his knuckles white with tension, and he couldn't help but ask himself, "Why is it always me?"
