"Park Chanyeol, what in the world are you doing with your arms?" Seoyul asked in-between gasps of laughter and clapping as she watched the aforementioned boy's attempt to replicate the newly-choreographed dance of Lightsaber. It was break for her when she saw him striding into the building alone twenty-five minutes ago, sunglasses, snapback, his all-black attire that contrasted with his personality, and all. The moment he had caught sight of her, he had immediately coerced her into coming with him to EXO's dance practice room. Not that she had any particular complaints.

"I'm making them dance," Chanyeol muttered, "or at least trying to." He turned around, pausing for a while to look at Seoyul, who was settled comfortably by the wall adjacent to the mirror. "Help me," the giant pouted, readjusting his snapback in his search for something to preoccupy his hands with. 

"Sorry baby boy, I can't help you if I don't even have the slightest idea as to what your choreography even is," Seoyul replied, patting the spot next to her with a water bottle, before promptly setting the water bottle down. "Besides, I have to get back to my vocal training in five minutes."

 "Thanks," Chanyeol said, opening the water bottle and taking a long sip. "I don't know how you work so hard everyday without any complaints or tire, though."

"True questions asked by the idol in this friendship," Seoyul laughed again, taking a glance at herself in the mirror. Truth was, she was extremely tired. Training six days a week with a strict diet to adhere to took too much out of her. She had already been beaten by a sixteen year old at debuting too, and that had been a crippling blow to her confidence, even with Chanyeol's reassurances that Red Velvet's concepts wouldn't have suited her. Regardless, she never allowed her façade of professionalism and strength to crash down. "I suppose I've just accustomed myself to it. Besides, it's nothing compared to an idol's schedule."

Chanyeol chuckled at Seoyul's typical response. Trainee life was never so simple to accustom to, and Chanyeol, even as a debuted trainee, knew that all to well. He never believed it when a trainee would say they were okay, but with Seoyul, he had been convinced for far too long. At least he had been, until he caught her expression fall and her motivation crash when it was announced that the freshly fifteen Yeri would be joining the Red Velvet lineup. After her bout though, she had only jumped back ten times harder, not even needing a lesson for an excuse to arrive at the building unaccounted for. Chanyeol cleared his thoat.

"By the way, did you see Lee Sooman seonsaeng-nim around here last week? Rumor is he's debuting a new group." Chanyeol nudged the silent Seoyul, "Who knows, it might be your big break," he continued, a his signature wide grin gracing his features.

"Yah, Red Velvet just debuted. Don't get my hopes up, Park Chanyeol." Forcing a smile on her face, she closed her eyes and leaned her head against the wall, a comfortable silence now settling for the two for the remaining two minutes of Seoyul's break. 

"Trainee Kang Seoyul, please report to the board's office, trainee Kang Seoyul." Seoyul's eyes snapped open, staring nowhere in particular and disregarding Chanyeol's wide-eyed stare of shock aimed towards her. The previously omfortable silence beame stifling, a hard feat to accomplish with Chanyeol involved.

Because there were only two reasons a trainee was ever called to the board's office. Either they were out, or they had made it.

♛

With words of encouragement, Chanyeol watched Seoyul straighten her back, re-do her hair, and exit the room with her head held high. Having sent her off to the board's office, Chanyeol remained in EXO's dance practice room in a distracted attempt to learn the rest of the Lightsaber dance.

"Good luck," flooded the hallway, as well as various whispers that included "You don't think she's getting kicked out do you?" Chest tightening at the thought, Seoyul could only continue down the hallway to her fate.

♛

"Lee Sooman songsaeng-nim. . .?" Needless to say, Seoyul did not expect to be meeting the former CEO of SM that she had so rarely conversed with.

The former CEO simply graced Seoyul with a smile. "Congratulations, leader of SUBZER0."

♛

Leader: Kang Seoyul. An extremely talented dancer and choreographer as well as a fair rapper. Most of all, her personality– reliable, resilient, determined, mature– perfect for a leader. Yet. . . she has to have some sort of a weakness, right?