"1...2...3...," Zeth counted as the team did a run down on everything they had learned today. Since the choreography was split into three parts, the process was faster than usual.
Some trainees peeked inside their practice room, curious to see their progress.
"They've already finished the choreography? That's insane. We're only halfway through."
"This team is really insane."
"We can't compete with them."
June glanced at the door, making eye contact with the spying trainees, making them scramble away.
They really weren't discreet about it all.
June wondered what his team looked like from the outside perspective. It might seem that they're progressing very quickly, and in reality, they are.
This team has a bunch of very talented trainees. It would be weird if they weren't able to utilize their good skills.
However, June felt that something was missing in their performance.
As they ran through the movements, it just seemed a bit...monotone. Aside from that, it also felt like it didn't flow very well. It was obvious that three different people choreographed the song.
Some moves were repetitive, while some were out of place.
Although June wasn't a dance expert, which was evident since he struggled the most when learning the dance, he could still tell that something was off.
"Let's practice one more time," Zeth said, glancing at the clock. "It's already getting late, but we still need to get the dance down so we can focus more on our vocal parts and arrangement tomorrow."
Leo nodded. "The interim evaluation is tomorrow, too, right? After lunchtime?"
"Yeah," Jisung said. "That's what the production crew told us."
"Geez," Yuri muttered. "We need to make it quick. The performance is already on Wednesday. So we have more or less four days to practice."
"We're doing a good job, though," Zeth said. "The choreography is already done. Let's do it one last time."
They did the dance once more, and June still couldn't shake off his weird feeling. As the song finished, he rested his hands on his knees and took a deep breath.
The song is a ballad, but why was he so out of breath? Sweat dripped from his temples, so he quickly wiped it away.
June was about to straighten his back when he felt a heavy weight around his shoulders.
"Ah, this song is so tough," Lin Zhi said. "I feel like you're the only one who can understand my struggles, brother. These four are monster dancers."
June quickly moved away when he realized it was Lin Zhi.
Lin Zhi chuckled and raised his hands in surrender. "Woah, what's with your reaction? Did I do something to you, brother? Why does it seem like you don't like me?'
'Yes, you killed me.'
And you're fucking annoying.
Since June wasn't responding, Lin Zhi started to think he was serious.
Thankfully, Jisung came to the rescue and lightened the atmosphere. "Don't take it too hard, Lin Zhi," he chuckled. "June just doesn't like being touched."
"Oh," Lin Zhi said. "You really remind me of someone I know. You have such similar personalities. Makes me want to tease you more."
June pursed his lips to control his anger.
This bastard.
'That is me! The fucking brother you killed for your own benefit!'
"Well, let's call it a day," Zeth said. "Let's meet early tomorrow. Around 7 AM?"
They all nodded before parting ways.
Jisung and June walked together since they were still roommates. As they entered, they saw Hoon all alone in the room.
Hoon and June made eye contact, but Hoon quickly looked away. Ever since the day he forcefully revealed June's face to the public, the two of them hadn't talked at all.
"I'll take a shower first, brother," Jisung said. "I'm all sticky."
"Sure," June said, keeping his gaze on Hoon.
As Jisung entered the bathroom, June decided to confront Hoon once and for all.
Hoon frowned and took a step back, his ankle hitting the back of his bed.
"Shit," he cursed. "What the fuck are you doing?"
"Should you really be talking to me in that way?" June asked, cocking one eyebrow.
Hoon clenched his fists and kept his chin held high. "I tripped, okay?" he snapped. "You must have been happy that I revealed your face since you look like..."
"I look like what?" June cockily asked. "I'm not what you expected, huh?"
Hoon chuckled. "Don't be so brave now, June. At the end of the day, you're still a loser that hid behind the cat mask. You're a pathetic man that got plastic surgery in the middle of the competition. I saw you during the first mission. You didn't look like that."
June smirked in amusement.
He's saying all that with an obvious rhinoplasty and double eyelid surgery?
"So, it was you, huh?" June asked, taking a step forward. Hoon felt a chill run down his spine. "You saw me in the bathroom?"
There it was again — June's dark aura.
Hoon had only experienced it once when they were in Team Abyss, and although he didn't want to admit it, the reason why he agreed to June's decisions back then was because of his aura.
"If this was any other situation, I would have gouged your eyeballs out, amputated both your hands, and stuffed them into your empty eye sockets. But for now, let me thank you since everything went well after the reveal."
Although the threat sounded like a joke, Hoon couldn't help but feel scared.
"I—It doesn't ch—change the fact that you still got plastic surgery," he pathetically stammered.
"What am I? A superhuman or something? How could I heal in less than two weeks if I got surgery? You're just in denial, Hoon," June said. "So, don't try to mess with me from now on. And stop being an insecure little bitch. Maybe then, you'd get on my level."
With that, June calmly went to his bed and sat down.
On the other hand, Hoon was a shaking mess. He didn't even dare look back at June.
Instead, he went out of the room.
"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. What's with him?" he muttered under his breath and went to Jiyong's room to sleep for the night.
June chuckled as he watched Hoon's frightened back.
Looks like the kid wouldn't be bothering him any time soon.
Jisung went out of the bathroom and looked at June with raised eyebrows.
"Why're you chuckling all by yourself, brother?" he asked.
June quickly pulled a straight face and cleared his throat. "Nothing," he said.
"Where did Hoon go?" Jisung asked.
"I don't know. He went out. He's probably not going to come back for the night."
"Then I guess it's just the two of us tonight."
"The two of us?" June asked. "Where's Jaeyong?"
"He's rooming with Akira. I think he wanted to talk about the team selection in the first mission."
"Oh," June muttered. "Oh?"
"Well, I'm going to sleep," Jisung yawned, going up his bunk. "It's going to be a long day tomorrow."
June stayed still, and in a matter of minutes, he heard Jisung snoring from above him.
This was it.
He looked at his mission corner and saw the deadline.
[Deadline for mission: 28h, 45m, 7secs]
It's time to sneak out.
