Why did he do that?
“Yeonhoo-hyung, what’s wrong?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
Why had Seo Hoyun done that?
“For someone who says it’s nothing, you sure look restless....”
The members’ concern brushed past Kang Yeonhoo’s ears.
In Hi-Five’s practice room, where everyone was gathered for comeback prep, Yeonhoo alone was lost in thought.
Judging by the flow of events, it was 100% Seo Hoyun who had pulled something on Han Yeongjin.
Made him pick THE DAWN’s song.
But no matter how he thought about it, he couldn’t figure out the motive.
From his experience on Shining Star Season 2 or Wanna Sing With Me, Seo Hoyun was not the type to take on hardship without gain.
A chill ran down Yeonhoo’s back.
‘What the hell is Seo Hoyun scheming?’
What had Hoyun whispered to the cautious Han Yeongjin to make him choose THE DAWN’s song? He’d been so shocked at the time, even on camera, that his face muscles had moved on their own.
And just as expected, Han Yeongjin—whose weak skills he tried to cover with song choice—was ripped apart, and when the pre-release video went up on YouTube, the shockwave was enormous.
When the main broadcast aired yesterday, Team D’s stage with Han Yeongjin was talked about even more.
Of course, not in a good way.
Running a hand through his hair, Yeonhoo grabbed his phone and opened the community boards.
The threads were still burning.
[Title: Did Han Yeongjin lose his mind after getting the super-pass?
We called him pretty and praised him, and he goes and screws over my pick trainees.
Bastard, how could you pick THE DAWN as a cover!!! Don’t you know THE DAWN is the second worst choice after Black Call??
└Why?? Because they’re too popular?
└└No, their members make it look easy, but when you try it’s hard as fuck haha
└└True, their vocal range is insane
└└Honestly, no one can capture the flavor. It’s pathetic, like a random karaoke amateur.
└Do they not know how hard THE DAWN songs are? He even said it was their debut song Second Chance.
└└What about Glow then, you just gonna pretend it never existedㅠ]
[Title: But wasn’t Han Yeongjin usually clever?
Sure, he looked sly, but at least he always took care of himself within limits.
From the editing, it seemed like he wasn’t planning to push it... so what happened to our Yeongjin-chan? Suddenly he picked Second Chance.
└The others were trying to stop him but his eyes went wild.
└└And suddenly he was looking at Seo Hoyun with eyes dripping honey.
└└Seriously, what the hell LOOOOLLL]
Reading this, a blurry face came to Yeonhoo’s mind: Jung Wonha, whom he’d briefly met in Shining Star Season 2.
He too had been bewitched by sly Seo Hoyun and ruined a precious stage. Han Yeongjin was likely no different.
“Obviously...”
Hoyun must have slipped in through a crack in his heart, dropping sweet bait.
But such actions would not only bring positives.
[Title: Am I the only one a bit uncomfortable? T_T
They’re complete rookies with no real stage experience... comparing them to THE DAWN feels too much.
Like a big company crushing a small one.
Can’t people word things more nicely...
└Yeah, I feel like it’s overblown.
└└Honestly, THE DAWN must’ve worked like hell at debut too...Haha knocking rookies down feels low.
└└I get what OP means, but comments are weird. THE DAWN were from a trash company with leaking ceilings, a self-produced group.
└└True, by debut standards, these trainees had better training. Especially Han Yeongjin and Jung Inhyeon were years in big companies lolol
└└Still, debut idols and trainees are different~
└└Most comparison videos are from THE DAWN’s earliest days. Even back then, Seo Hoyun—called a clumsy stiff—still crushed these kids. So yeah, they deserve the criticism.
└└Whoa, what’s with the vibe here]
As expected.
The more THE DAWN’s evaluation rose through comparisons with trainees, the sharper the discomfort grew.
[Title: Stop releasing WH shill accounts, it’s obvious lololol
The DAWN dickriding is insane.
“Re-evaluation” my ass. Everyone knows they just got lucky timing and stole the spotlight.
And if trainees look worse in comparison, then they should just die, why even be idols lmao
People who’ve been in K-pop longer know they’re overrated.
Enough’s enough, you’ve crossed the fucking line~
└Why so mad
└└(Deleted comment)
└└Uhh... dude, go to the hospital
└I kinda agree though~ People keep calling them “skillful idols,” but I don’t see it lol
└Is it just midsize companies? They love rags-to-riches stories, when it’s not even true. Daepaseong staff were useless, and fans act like THE DAWN came out of nowhere like miracle idols. Their fans’ IQ is chimpanzee level.]
“...I knew it.”
Scrolling down with his finger, Yeonhoo sighed and shut his phone. He walked over to where Hi-Five’s members were warming up.
After half a day grinding in practice, they headed back to the dorm.
On the way through the underground parking lot, a new YouTube upload appeared: a “THE DAWN mistakes compilation.” Tiny slip-ups edited together to look like huge disasters.
Alongside it, ridicule and criticism toward THE DAWN spread further.
By now Yeonhoo felt truly suffocated.
He didn’t want to, but he felt he had to at least talk briefly with Seo Hoyun. He sent his members ahead and turned toward the elevators.
At that moment—
“Oh, Yeonhoo!”
From down the hall, Chae Jungwoo waved.
On break, his hair was messy, but his skin glowed, looking healthier.
Yeonhoo quickly put on a faint smile and walked over.
“Long time no see, where are you headed?”
“Ah, the 11th floor.”
“Perfect, I’m going there too. Let’s go together.”
The sunbae was still warm, still considerate.
“Sunbae-nim, how have you been?”
“Ah, resting feels great. Sorry to the fans, but.”
Jungwoo smiled awkwardly.
“My throat’s fine too. At this rate, I’ll recover quickly.”
“Ah, that’s a relief.”
They exchanged small talk as they rode the elevator. On the 11th floor, Yeonhoo bowed and turned away—but their paths kept overlapping.
“...Huh? Do you have business here too?”
“Mm. Looking for a member who’s slacking.”
“A slacking member?”
“Here, look.”
With that, Jungwoo grabbed THE DAWN’s practice room knob and carefully pushed it open.
“Hey!!!”
A loud shout hit Yeonhoo’s ears first.
Startled, he peeked in through the crack.
“Do you have a brain or not? If you’re going to perform like this, just postpone the comeback!”
There was Joo Woosung, brushing back his hair, irritated.
“Yeah, yeah, I got it.”
In front of him stood Seo Hoyun, scowling, leaning on one leg.
“If you’re sick, then stop even more! I told you before—forcing yourself when your body’s weak is the dumbest shit in the world.”
“I said I’m not sick.”
“Did the planning team bully you? Or management? Go throw a fit at them! Like you did that first day we met, screaming at me.”
“I said no, seriously, quit nagging!”
THE DAWN members, used to the situation, just focused calmly on their practice.
Yeonhoo watched with a dazed expression.
“Aigoo, you idiot...”
Woosung thumped his chest with his fist, glaring at Hoyun.
“Talking to you gives me chest pain. Let’s go grab something cold to drink.”
“I don’t like the company café.”
“Picky, huh. Fine, I’ll buy you something good outside. Come on.”
Would Seo Hoyun really go?
He was the type who weighed profit in everything.
But shockingly, though he grumbled, Hoyun trudged obediently after Woosung.
Reaching the door first, Woosung noticed Jungwoo and Yeonhoo, raising his brow.
“Chae Jungwoo, what are you doing here?”
“You said you needed to buy your little brother a gift today.”
“Ah, right. Wait here a second. Watch this guy for me.”
“Hello, sunbaenims.”
“Mm, sure. Go on.”
As soon as Jungwoo finished, Joo Woosung brushed past quickly. Seo Hoyun bowed again before following after him.
Kang Yeonhoo could only stare blankly at the two of them.
‘Weren’t they fighting?’
“...Looks like this will take a while. Forget it, Yeonhoo. I’ll head off first.”
Scratching his head with an awkward expression, Jungwoo patted Yeonhoo’s arm and left.
Yeonhoo also had words he wanted to say to Seo Hoyun, but with him gone, there was no reason to stay.
Just as he was about to head back to the dorm, Kim Sunghyun met his eyes and gave a 90-degree bow.
“Sunbae-nim, Joo Woosung sunbae-nim and Seo Hoyun will probably be back soon. Please wait here and see them.”
“That’s right! Please, come in!”
“...Ah, okay.”
Answering awkwardly, he stepped inside the practice room, where Sung Jiwon approached warmly.
“Have you been well?”
He said things like it was hard to see each other despite being in the same company, that he’d been curious about how Yeonhoo was doing.
Even while sincerely keeping up the chatter, mentioning how busy they were with album preparations, Yeonhoo felt awkward in this space.
“And Hoyun told us you helped us a lot back during Shining Star.”
“...Me?”
...What on earth did I do......
Looking puzzled, Yeonhoo was met with Sung Jiwon’s bright smile, the small mole on his nose wrinkling as he grinned.
“Yes. Thank you so much. Honestly, there are many things I personally want to learn from you, so I’ve wanted to talk to you one-on-one like this.”
“Ah...”
His soft voice only said pleasant things, yet it wasn’t the least bit fake.
Feeling oddly embarrassed, Yeonhoo averted his gaze and rubbed his nose tip with his index finger.
“No, I should be thanking ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) you for saying that.”
Sung Jiwon’s eyes shone with warmth.
No wonder Seo Hoyun, with that kind of personality, went out of his way to protect his members.
Clearing his throat lightly, Yeonhoo shifted the topic.
“Hmhm, comeback... is it going okay?”
“Excuse me?”
“I mean, there’s been some talk going around lately.”
Having said that much, Yeonhoo shook his head quickly, correcting himself. It wasn’t something he had the right to comment on.
“Ah, forget it. I shouldn’t have brought it up.”
Clicking his tongue inwardly at his careless words, he was cut off by Kang Ichae’s sudden voice.
“You mean those posts saying it’s shameless to compare us to trainees?”
Startled, Yeonhoo quickly waved his hand, but beside him, Sung Jiwon calmly responded.
“Ah... right, there was that reaction.”
“That stage really stuck with people.”
“Haha, honestly, it did look a bit underprepared.”
Kang Ichae and Sung Jiwon were almost unnervingly composed. Even Kim Sunghyun barely reacted.
Listening to their conversation, Yeonhoo glanced sideways.
“...Hmm.”
There was Jung Dajun, half-sprawled in his seat.
In Yeonhoo’s memory, Dajun had been easily swayed, unstable, prone to mistakes.
Maybe that thought stuck with him, but against his own intention to stay silent, he ended up asking.
“Dajun-ssi, are you okay?”
“Yes?”
Startled by the sudden address, Dajun straightened up and froze, then smacked his lips.
“Of course, I’m fine!”
“...Don’t you feel wronged?”
At the unexpected question, Dajun tilted his head.
“What’s there to feel wronged about?”
“Huh?”
“If I show it with my skills, that’s enough.”
Wow. THE DAWN’s maknae had really grown.
Just as Yeonhoo felt a flicker of admiration, the other members seized the chance to tease him, lips curling as they surrounded Dajun.
“Kkrrrr, ‘If I show it with my skeeeills~’”
“Woooow~ our Dajun, so confident~.”
“Man, Jung Dajun, you’re really the top idol.”
“W-what?”
Spinning around him, tossing in quips one by one, they had Dajun grinding his teeth.
“Show your skills! Show your skills!”
“Dance break! Show your skills! Show your skills!”
They even clapped in rhythm as they chanted.
“I’m leaving!!”
Face flushed red, Dajun yelled and bolted out of the practice room.
‘So they’re raising him tough.’
From THE DAWN, Yeonhoo could smell Seo Hoyun’s presence thick in the air.
.
.
.
Since only five drinks had been bought, Yeonhoo ended up holding Hoyun’s instead. Too sweet to drink, he fumbled around awkwardly until he left the room.
Later, he tried to probe the manager about THE DAWN’s comeback preparations, but WH Entertainment’s policy was that other teams’ progress couldn’t be shared.
In the end, the first he learned of THE DAWN’s new album was when the teaser dropped.
【THE DAWN – Lantern Festival Teaser】
From the first moment, the clear sound of a gayageum rang out. Lanterns floated across the black night sky, only to suddenly fall back to earth as if reversing time.
At the center, Sung Jiwon, clad in a jade robe embroidered with elaborate patterns, stepped forward freely, unbound.
【I send my heart with the flowers
Like a rainbow gently rising】
Over the refreshing yet majestic traditional tones, electric guitar, bass, synthesizer, and drums layered in, blending into a city-pop-style melody.
【In no time at all
We will meet again】
The thirty-second video ended in a flash.
Yeonhoo sighed softly, pressing his fingers to his forehead.
“This is driving me crazy.”
Jung Dajun’s talk about showing his skills hadn’t been just emotional growth.
It was because he truly had the confidence to back it up.
