"JUST Ahn Daniel." The judge looks unphased by our shock. 

What? Just Niel? We all look at him. Sure he's the best singer in our group, but still, we are a group. We should be, at least. 

"Why?" Niel asks, taking a step forward, "Why me?"

The judge looks up from her papers and pushes her glasses up her nose. "You," she points a long claw-like finger at him, "have talent." She shrugs nonchanlantly. "The rest of you don't. The girl is too bland." My heart stings a little from her comment. "That boyish one there isn't good looking." Boram bites her lip and her eyes look wetter than usual. "Lastly, that one is pretty and talented, but she looked terrified. We can't have any tremblers in front of the reporters."

Taemin walks out in front of the crowd and points to himself, "What about me?"

"You?" the judge looks at him carefully, inspecting him. She looks as if she's about to say something, but changed her mind. Instead she just waves us away, "It doesn't matter, Ahn Daniel passed, the rest of you failed. You're dismissed."

"Wait!" Niel calls, and grabs my hand. "If we don't do it together, then I won't do it!"

The judge turns around and surveys him.

I furrow my eyebrows and pull my hand away. "Stupid!" then I turn to the judge. "He'll do it."

"But--!"

"He'll do it." I repeat. 

---

Boram wipes her eyes carefully and I pat her back. I'm trying to hold in some tears of my own. Taemin has his head down, his honey colored hair hanging in his eyes. Hyomin wanders around him with a blank expression. We're all in shock right now. Niel comes into the room holding his acceptance certificate. 

"Why did you do that?" he yells at me. "I didn't want this!" He takes the paper and crumples it in his hands furiously. 

"You wanted it just as badly as we did." I say. "Don't lie to yourself. We'll be okay, you can be happy about it." 

Hyomin and Boram force smiles on their faces and leave the room. Hyomin comes back to get Taemin and drags him out. 

"I can't believe this." Niel collapses onto a chair and puts his head in his hands. "I can't do it alone. I need you guys. You don't understand."

"Pfft." I walk over and set a hand on his back, "we understand just fine. You think you're the only one who gets nervous?"

He doesn't respond. My hand is on the top of his back. The tan nape of his neck is just above my hand. The muscles in his arms are tensed, leading up to his hands that are hidden by his oaky hair. 

"Niel." I lean over trying to get him to look at me. He doesn't budge. "Yah! Ahn Daniel! You look at me!" I grab a chunk of his hair and raise his head. He looks at me with furious eyes and grabs my hands. 

"Yah! Let go!"

"Not until you say you're going to do it."

"But!"

I yank on his hair.

"OW! Okay okay! I'll do it! Let me go!" 

With a smile I open my hand and his hairis standing straight up. I can''t help but laugh a little. 

"Good. You better not chicken out!" I stab a finger in his face.

..Wait..What am I forgetting? I gasp and realize. Niel isn't the only one I have to congratulate. 

"I gotta go, sorry!" I burst through the door and into the gym. A few contestants are still lingering around, celebrating or crying. I bite my lip. Where IS he? I see a flash of familiar dark hair. My legs carry me there instinctively. I grab his arm and stop him in the hallway. Bright colored lockers surround us. He's already starting up the stairs when I stop him. 

"Congratulations." I breathe heavily. Sunggyu turns to face me and smiles. 

"Thanks."

"You deserved it," I straighten my back, "You were really good. You always are."

I in a breath when he hugs me. 

"U-uh S-sunggyu.." I put my hands on his arms and push a little. 

He hugs me even tighter. He puts his head on my shoulder and I can't help but smile. The weirdest thing of all is that it feels a little...good. Slowly, like a baby taking it's first cautious steps, I put my arms around him too. 

"Thanks." Sunggyu whispers into my ear.

[Niel's POV]

"I gotta go, sorry!" Ji Eun sprints out of the room and disappears through a door, leaving me all alone. I lean back and sigh. I never thought something like this could even happen. I in a deep breath and let it out. Whatever. I'll have to do their share for them. I'll prove that I was worth the special acceptance. I stand up and stretch a little. Where did Ji Eun go? That girl, she has the concentration level of a squirrel. I laugh a little to myself, I guess she's a little cute. 

I push open the door and walk into the gym. I swallow and feel my dry lips. I forgot I haven't had anything to drink since this morning. Geez, I'm thirsty. I maneuver through the crowd of contestants and hope Boram, Hyomin, and Taemin are okay. I step out into the hallway and begin turning the lock on my locker. 05..25..Then I stop. I hear talking and turn my head to see what's going on. Ji Eun? She's talking to Sunggyu, she doesn't see me here because she's facing the opposite direction. My hand drops when Sunggyu suddenly grabs her. I flinch, because my instrinct tells me to run over, to tear him off, maybe even punch him if I felt like it. But I don't do anything.

I just stand.

I just watch. 

She tries to push him off. That's it Ji Eun, that's it. I encourage her in my thoughts. Sunggyu just sqeeuzes her tighter. Her arms raise slowly and settle on his back. I grit my teeth and tighten my fists. What the heck is this? Are they dating?

[end of Niel's POV]

I hear the sound of something falling, and break away from Sunggyu. Niel's water bottle is spilled all over the floor, and Niel is staring at me with something cold in his eyes. I can feel it. He looks away from me, bends down to pick up the bottle, throws it in his locker, and slams the door. I flinch at the loud sound. He shouldn't have seen this. I saw it in his eyes, he didn't want to see this.

Why?

----

So yeah...short chapter...