OST 9

On one chill morning, the art director decided to confront the boys of the idol group. “Why do you summon us here, ma’am?” Sungkyu asked as the leader and eldest member among her group, adjusting his hat. Apparently, the boys were called to a private practice room without early notice, making them coming to the company bare-faced and in casual clothes.

Mijoo ensured she locked the door first before turning around and crossing her arms while facing the boys. “Did Go Jaehyuk say anything to you?”

The boys seemed hesitant and unable to answer until they heard Dongwoo sighed. “PD-nim came to us and told us to leave this company with him,” he confessed honestly and his eyes quickly darted back to the floor when he felt Mijoo’s glare came his way.

“So, did you say yes?” Mijoo inquired in a tone the boys never heard she used to them before, cold. Dongwoo wanted to shake his head but Howon interrupted them. “Actually, I kind of agreed with Jaehyuk PD.”

The director raised her eye brow at the main dancer of the group. “What do you mean?”

“PD said the chief director only cared about the new trainee and barely paid attention to other things. As you know, we have many fans. I feel sad for them who constantly waiting for our comeback. But we don’t have that chance because the chief director favored that trainee so much! She’s biased!”

“You better watch out your words!” Mijoo’s eyes flamed in anger while looking at Howon. “Don’t say bad things about Soojung unnie!”

“Isn’t it the truth? I don’t think the CEO has any comeback plan for us!” Sungyeol added. Mijoo balled her fist, keeping in her anger and steadying her breath. She didn’t want to be seemed irrational.

“You guys better listen to me.” She said slowly, eyes scanning each of the boys. After making sure that the boys were ready to listen to her words, she began. “Did you get individual schedules or did not?”

Sungyeol kept mum and so did the rest of the boys. “Hoya, didn’t you get first place at the dance competition? And on whose encouragement was it for you to join that battle in the first place?” Howon was seemed to only look at the floor like it was the most interesting thing to see. “Soojung unnie said you’ll shine in the show for sure and she had never been wrong about that!” Mijoo added.

“Sungkyu and Woohyun too, don’t you both get to release solo album this year?” The said boys could only nod their heads.

“Even you didn’t get to release any group album or single, we gave you the honor to have Asia tour and hold concerts! Do you think of that not being good enough?” She raised her voice and bit her lower lips. “I don’t know about other things but you shouldn’t doubt the CEO of all people!”

“Don’t forget that it was her late father that made you up to where you are now.” Mijoo said one last time before walking towards Howon and patted his shoulder in assurance. She then left the boys alone in the practice room, deep in thoughts.

They knew all they had to do was to decline Go Jaehyuk’s offer but it wasn’t easy. Sungjong who had been quiet throughout the discussion finally spoke up. “I saw CEO-nim at our concert in Japan the other day.”

Myungsoo tilted his head to the youngest member. “You did?” Sungjong nodded his head. “She’s so kind and always treated us warmly, reminding me of her late father,” he added. “Keeping all of that in mind, I don’t have the heart to turn my back on her and betray her. I don’t want to leave the company.” Sungjong looked determined on his words. “How about you guys?”

Sunggyu only smiled at the youngest.  “I don’t want to leave too.”

The team had not much choice but they knew of one thing; they just didn’t want to break the team apart.

*

It was like any other ordinary day for Jiyeon as she practiced hard for upcoming assessment in the practice room yet again. The music blasted through the speaker and Jiyeon hummed along to the song, her mind memorizing and her body kept in sync with the dance steps like in the video Mijoo had passed to her the other day.

The trainee and the instructor had only one chance to meet each other because of personal works for the director and that day, they agreed to have another practice together like their agreement. Stopping her movement, Jiyeon peeped over at her watch around her wrist. Mijoo is a bit late today, she thought.

The trainee fanned herself as the heat in the practice room began to creep up in her body. Jiyeon made a bad choice for wearing a long-sleeved black sweatshirt today. Shaking her head, she went to replay the song and her body started to move and dance again.

Jiyeon heard the door clicked opened but she couldn’t be bothered by it. Whoever it was, she assumed it to be Mijoo nonetheless and she was right. When the step for her to twirl around came, she almost tripped and Mijoo chuckled at the sight.

“You got that part wrong!” the instructor pointed out and walked forward to the trainee. Jiyeon stood straight up and forehead scrunched as she looked at Mijoo. The older girl then demonstrated the correct step while said it out. “That’s how you wouldn’t trip.”

Jiyeon nodded her head like t