The next night, Chanhee was still in the practice room, going through the same dance routine again and again. Every time he replays the music, stops, then replays again, he gets more and more frustrated.

 

Why the hell couldn't I get this right?! Dammit, there must be something I'm doing wrong.

 

Well, at least, no bullies are barging in the practice room and making a scene.

 

But, oh, he spoke too soon.

 

"Wow, you really ."

 

Chanhee's head snapped towards the direction of the voice. The owner of the voice was a guy leaning on the doorframe. It was Marilyn and on his side was Zombie.

 

"Waaah, Lu-ge," Zombie piped up. "You so mean."

 

"You don't need to tell me that," Chanhee replied, a bit cross, as he turned off the music once again. "But that's none of your business."

 

What do they want now? Chanhee thought impatiently, not wanting his practice to be disturbed. I don’t have time for unpleasantries.

 

"You always turn late at the second verse and extend your arms five times when it should only be four," Marilyn said. "You also do so many unnecessary movements."

 

Before Chanhee could reply, Marilyn moved forward and turned the music on.

 

"Watch this," the large-eyed pretty boy cheekily grinned at him.

 

When Marilyn started dancing, Chanhee couldn't help but be impressed. His movements were very fluid and precise. As the music ended, he had danced the routine perfectly and more to which Chanhee couldn't help but be jealous.

 

After striking the final pose, Marilyn turned to him once more, slightly panting.

 

"See? That wasn't so hard. Not complicated at all."

 

Sure, if you ain't got two left feet, that would be easy as pie.

 

"Okay, I get it, I ," Chanhee said, miffed, and decided to go straight to the point. "But what do you want? I don't think you came here just to ridicule my dancing."

 

Marilyn and Zombie glanced with each other before the shorter guy nudged Zombie forward.

 

Zombie looked down on him shyly. Yes, looked down, because as much as Chanhee hates to admit, among the three of them in the room, he was the shortest. Chanhee got more pissed at the thought.

 

"Ahh, umm, thank you for last night," Zombie started, fidgeting. "Chanhee-oppa was really cool."

 

Crickets chirped as sudden silence enveloped the room.

 

"… What?"

 

"No, not oppa," Marilyn corrected. "Call him sunbae. He trained longer than us."

 

"Chanhee-sunbaenim," Zombie corrected himself. "You were really cool."

 

"Uhh, sure," Chanhee turned away from Zombie's sparkling eyes. "Well, if you could just leave, then it would be my turn to be thankful. As you can see, I still have a lot to practice."

 

"How bout we help you?" Marilyn's eyes twinkled in amusement. "As a thank you for last night, with you helping Zi Tao. Also you clearly need help. We're not bad dancers."

 

Chanhee was about to refuse when he realized the advantage he could get from this offer. Marilyn was right. He really needed someone to teach him and what better way to solve his problem than to accept the offer dangling before him.

 

"Okay then, I accept," Chanhee immediately replied before he change his mind. "Thanks Marilyn."

 

Chanhee was about to turn the music again when he heard Zombie's loud burst of laughter. Confused, the shortest occupant of the room glanced at the doe-eyed guy beside him. Chanhee was even more confused when he saw that Marilyn was wearing a shocked and a raged expression.

 

"What did you call me?" The pretty boy whispered dangerously. "Did I hear you right? You didn't call me by that hateful name, did you?"

 

"Ah.” Chanhee suddenly felt threatened.

 

"Listen here, punk," Marilyn advanced toward him menacingly, holding one of his fists up. "I ain't girly okay? How many times do I have to prove this? How many times do I have to beat people up in order for you guys to understand?"

 

Chanhee seemed to have hit a sensitive nerve. “Um, actually, I think you misheard—“

 

Zombie, at this point, was laughing so much that tears were coming out from his eyes. He collapsed on the floor while clutching his stomach.

 

"Shut up, Panda," Marilyn snapped at him. "I'll punch you if you don't shut up."

 

"I'm sorry. It's just-It’s just that.. haha," Zombie tried to speak in between fits of laughter, breathless at the effort. "Ch-Chanhee-sunbaenim had the galls to call Lu-ge as pretty when he himself looks just as pretty! Bwahaha!!"

 

Marilyn paused at what Zombie said, his rage momentarily forgotten. He stared closely at Chanhee then... laughed.

 

Chanhee flushed. He does not like people calling him as pretty. He had enough of people telling him "He grew up prettily" and "Your face is smaller than a girl's". He realized he had been treating this doe-eyed guy the way he hated to be treated the most.

 

Zombie erupted into another round of laughter and he was now literally rolling at the floor, his face as red as a tomato.

 

It was Chanhee’s turn to snap. "Shut up, Zombie!"

 

"Oh, that's a good name," 'Lu-ge' praised him, still chuckling. He doesn't seem mad now since the other ‘pretty’ guy was humiliated too. "Let's call him that."

 

That stopped Zombie's laughter. "Lu-ge!!"

 

"Please don't mind him," the doe-eyed boy teased his fellow Chinese trainee. "He can be quite annoying."

 

"Waaah, shorties are meanies," Zombie said in rapid Mandarin. "I'm too handsome to be called a zombie!"

 

Chanhee replied to him equally fast. "How ‘bout we call you ‘cry-baby’ then? That fits you much better."

 

The two Chinese trainees looked at him in shock.

 

"You are not the only ones who can speak Mandarin here," Chanhee replied, still in Mandarin, while shrugging.

 

"Awesome!" Zombie exclaimed, his mouth open in amazement. He was about to tackle the Korean trainee in excitement when ‘Lu-ge’ called out to him.

 

"Zi Tao, why don't you get Yixing and the others?" Marilyn told Zombie. "If we are to teach this guy how to dance, we need all the help we can get."

 

Chanhee’s brows rose.

 

"I'm on it!" Zombie exclaimed before rushing out to get the others.

 

More people? Great. Chanhee internally sighed. Well, at least, don’t let them be as annoying as Zombie.

 

"You speak Mandarin well," Marilyn remarked, turning to the other as his fellow Chinese left.

 

"My dancing may but singing and language is definitely my forte. You're not bad yourself. Your Korean is good."

 

"I study well." Marilyn laughed, then realized something.

 

"Oh, we forgot to introduce ourselves. I'm Xiao Lu," the other boy bowed. "And that Zombie who ran off, his name is Huang Zi Tao. Nice to meet you."

 

"My name's Lee Chanhee," the Korean trainee replied while bowing also. "Now I understand why they call you Marilyn."

 

Marilyn Monroe’s Chinese name was 玛丽莲·梦露 (Mali lian Meng lu). The character ‘Meng’ sounds the same as the word ‘cute’ while the ‘lu’ was probably added in to match Xiao Lu’s name. Chanhee thought it was genius of the person who made that nickname for Xiao Lu. He felt proud for understanding the connection quickly. The hours he spent studying Mandarin was really paying off.

 

Chanhee half-expected him to get mad but instead, he was rewarded with a mischievous smile that made him instantly cautious.

 

"Say, Chanhee," Xiao Lu said while casually putting an arm around him. "I like you. From now on, you are going to be my best friend."

 

"Ah?"

 

"Pretty people like us should stick together." Xiao Lu winked at his fellow pretty boy before erupting into laughter.

 

 

 

When Zi Tao called over his group of friends and introduced them one by one by stating their names, birthdates, zodiac signs, favourite colors, likes, dislikes and whatever the Zombie babbled that Chanhee couldn’t keep up with, with his broken Korean and all, Chanhee was surprised to face a very familiar group.

 

“Oh, I knew of Chanhee-ssi,” a guy that Chanhee found strangely calming to look at and who Zombie recently named as ‘Yixing’ spoke up. “He’s a trainee senior to all of us here.”

 

Chanhee nodded. “Yeah, nice to meet all of you.”

 

“Also, and I bet you guys didn’t know this, he dances with us too.”

 

Xiao Lu raised a delicate eyebrow. “Huh? How come? I don’t remember ever dancing with him.”

 

Yixing laughed lightly while raising his eyebrows mysteriously. “He is that person.”

 

At this, the Zombie gasped dramatically. “You don’t mean he’s the—OMG, I finally GET TO MEET HIM!”

 

“Who? Me?”

 

“Yes, the ‘Wanton Twinky’!” Zombie gushed in reverence.

 

“The… what?!”

 

“’Phantom Trainee’,”Yixing corrected quickly in order to appease Chanhee’s scandalized expression. “His Korean is still not good, if you have noticed. How on earth was he able to learn those words?”

 

As the Zombie hyperventilated at the seemingly astounding revelation, Yixing kindly explained when he saw Chanhee’s confused expression. “You’re kind of a legend here among the trainees. They say you are a trainee who never got to debut that somehow met an unfortunate end and now haunt the trainee’s practice rooms. But of course, I realized that legend wasn’t true. People just never get to get a good look at you as you always practice in the back and leave before anyone notices.”

 

“Whoa, so that was you?”  Minseok, the only other Korean trainee in the group who had pork buns for his cheeks, exclaimed, shivering as he continued to explain. “I always find it so creepy how there is always suddenly one less person whenever the dance practices are over.”

 

Chanhee didn’t what to make out of this. He mostly kept to himself and only interacts with the necessary people at necessary times. He didn’t know he already became a legend. Apparently, they decided to kill him off too.

 

The last person of Zombie’s group of friends was a really tall guy who goes by the name of ‘Kris’. This said person was currently staring down at him. Chanhee hates to admit it but he actually felt intimidated. The gigantic guy towered over him and his cold expression really didn't help. Nevertheless, Chanhee stared back defiantly.

 

"Stop being weird, Yi Fan!" Xiao Lu chastised the giant when he noticed the atmosphere getting awkward.

 

"Sorry," Yi Fan apologized. "I was trying to figure out who's prettier between the two of you..."

 

"Hey!"

 

"Chanhee-sunbaenim really has small face, right?" Zombie or Zi Tao said in his broken Korean.

 

"Please don't call me sunbae anymore. Just Chanhee is fine."

 

"Okay then," Zi Tao said. "Chanhee-ge~"

 

"Uh, I don't think you should call me that either," Chanhee said.

 

"Why?" Tao blinked.

 

"I'm also a '93 liner. In fact, you're older than me. I was born in October."  Chanhee explained. He did listen to Zi Tao’s earlier ramblings.

 

"What?!" Zi Tao exclaimed, seemingly scandalized. "I'm not the maknae anymore?!"

 

Kris laughed. "Zi Tao was saved by someone younger than him. Man up, Zi Tao!"

 

"Wait, isn't Minseok younger than me?" Chanhee pointed at the guy who may have been a pork bun in his previous life. "He should be the maknae."

 

"No, actually, we're same aged," Lu replied. "In fact, he's older than the rest of us '90 liners."

 

Wow, the mysteries of life indeed.

 

"Now that we have such a strong maknae, no one would bully Zi Tao anymore," Yixing teased the former maknae.

 

Everyone laughed.

 

They’re a nice enough bunch, I suppose. Chanhee mused.

 

And they were. After days of practicing together and finally perfecting his dance, Chanhee found out that he really didn’t mind hanging out with them, even though they can get loud and annoying.

 

It would be advantageous to be their friend. Chanhee would convince himself. They’re good dancers.

 

Before he knew it, he was already spending every free time he had with them and getting used to the rowdiness of the group. He bantered with them in Korean and Mandarin and they taught him dances he couldn’t perfect. He was slowly being integrated to the group.

 

Finally, they had performed their dance choreography at the monthly showcases and Chanhee felt he did well. In fact, one of the dance instructors validated this as he came up to him and he praised his vast improvement on his dancing. He felt so pleased that his lips had quirked even when Zi Tao almost dropped Chanhee’s phone as he took selcas.

 

Chanhee and the others were currently in one of the practice rooms, chatting lazily as they took a break from a new dance practice, when they were interrupted as they heard noises from outside. It seems the results of the monthly showcases were already up and posted.

 

Everyone including Chanhee, with his heart beating a bit faster, went outside. The other trainees were already gathered around the board.

 

Chanhee actually couldn't see anything but was alarmed when Zi Tao, who pushed his way to the front, gave a shout.

 

"Guys, we did it!" Zi Tao cried. "We got first!"

 

Everyone in Chanhee's group whooped and celebrated as they patted and hugged each other. Chanhee, on the other hand, was stunned. He couldn't believe it. He was praised and now his group won? There might be hope in his dancing.

 

"I like this group," Kris said, when everyone calmed down. "Everyone, let's debut together, okay?"

 

Everyone voiced their agreement except Chanhee.

 

If only it was just as simple as that.

 

 

 

Chanhee stared numbly at the list in front of him. His body ached from yesterday's intense dance training, his palms hurt as his nails dug into them painfully, his head pounded lightly from lack of sleep but all of these barely registered to him. What Chanhee felt was the emptiness that filled him as reality bit him, tore him, and ravaged him into pieces before consuming him in all its cruelty.

 

The list in front of him was the list of the final members of SM's upcoming boy group.

 

And his name wasn't there.

 

Chanhee felt like he could cry. He haven't done in it years but Chanhee felt like he could bawl his eyes out here and now and not even care of what people might say.

 

Reality is ty.

 

"Chanhee..."

 

Chanhee turned toward the source of the voice.

 

"Oh, Lu-hyung," Chanhee grinned at him. "Or maybe I should start calling you Luhan-hyung. It seems the management has already decided on your stage names."

 

Chanee referred to the list with a jerk of his thumb. "You guys are lucky. They seemed to have chosen really cool stage names."

 

Xiao Lu stared at his friend strangely. "I think you've been doing too well on your acting classes lately. Whats your level?"

 

That made Chanhee laugh. It’s just like Xiao Lu to do that.

 

"I need to advance one more level before I can reach the highest," the shorter guy smiled ruefully at his friend when his laughter died down. "But I guess that doesn't really matter anymore since I'm not debuting."

 

"If you could just wait more, maybe they'll debut another group in a few years and-"

 

"Don't tell me you actually believe what you are saying," Chanhee interrupted him, scoffing. "If they are going to debut another group, I'll be too old by then."

 

Luhan didn't reply.

 

"Let’s face it. This is my reality," Chanhee smiled painfully, looking at his friend, his older brother, in the eye. "Cruel, isn’t it?"

 

The two of them fell silent, both thinking of the futures ahead of them. Those doors which before were just slightly ajar have now decided their positions with firm finality. One had his door finally opened while the other had the door slammed to his face and locked harshfully with a click.

 

“Maybe I should start looking for other companies who could take me in,” Chanhee said, forcing his voice to be neutral and trying to be practical amidst his overwhelming emotions. “Maybe Cube or TS Entertainment will have a space for me and—“

 

Rapid footsteps interrupted him. They came hurriedly towards them and in a few moments, Huang Zi Tao, or Zombie as fondly called by his friends, came into view.

 

"Chanhee! Lu-ge!" He called at them. His voice was tinged with panic which alarmed the two.

 

"Yi Fan-gege, he... He's leaving!"

 

 

 

"Wu Yi Fan, what's the meaning of this?"

 

Luhan immediately demanded an answer from his friend and brother the moment they barged into his dormitory room. Minseok and Yixing were already there, probably trying to put some sense into the tall guy. Yi Fan, on the other hand, was busy pulling clothes from cabinets and drawers and stuffing them on his suitcase.

 

"Wu Yi Fan, answer me you !" Luhan yelled as Yi Fan continued ignoring them. "Why are you doing this?! Right when we are about to debut?!"

 

Luhan's questions echoed Chanhee's own. Why on earth does he want to leave when he's going to debut?

 

"Yi Fan, please answer us," Yixing coaxed in his soothing voice. "We don't understand. Why are you leaving?"

 

"Yi Fan-ge, please don't leave us," Zi Tao pleaded as he clutched Minseok's arm tightly. "Weren't we going to debut together?"

 

"Not anymore," was Yi Fan's curt reply as he looked straight into the eyes of Chanhee.

 

Chanhee's throat constricted.

 

"Guys! Guys!" A voice called urgently and Kim Jongdae, a relevantly new trainee and now final member of the debuting group stumbled into the room. "Is it true? Did you guys hear? Yi Fan is leaving!! I also heard that Chanhee is going to replace him! I manage to interrogate one of the managers and he said..."

 

His voice trailed as he finally took a hint from the atmosphere. "Uhh, what's going on...?"

 

"Well, at least, they managed to do something right," Yi Fan remarked.

 

It all happened in a flash and the next thing they knew the tallest guy of the room was on the ground, blood oozing from a busted lip. Chanhee was on top of him, a handful of Yi Fan's clothes.

 

"Chanhee!"

 

"Are you making fun of me? Do you pity me?" Chanhee growled dangerously. "Is this why you're leaving? So that I could be your replacement? Am I that pathetic?!"

 

Yi Fan made no move to stop or calm Chanhee's rage. "Tell us something, Yi Fan-hyung. Something that will stop my fist from connecting to your face again."

 

"It's my decision," Wu Yi Fan replied quietly. "I want to leave."

 

"Why?!" It was now Luhan who was asking.

 

"A major entertainment company in China is offering me to take me as their new actor," his eyes finally meeting his friends'. "You know how I wanted to be an actor. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. I had to choose."

 

"Why don't you just wait?" Minseok asked. "I'm sure you'll receive casting officers soon if we do well. This is SM Entertainment we're talking about."

 

Yi Fan’s face took a pensive expression as he answered Minseok’s question.

 

"There are times when you arrive at a crossroad and you have to make a decision. You don't know which the better choice is and you don't know the future that would bring from each choice. The only thing you can depend is your heart. What you want, what you believe in and what makes you happy.

 

"As cheesy as it sounds, I have decided to follow my heart," Yi Fan grinned at Chanhee. "I am going to be an actor so please don't hit me. After all, an actor's most prized possession is his face."

 

"Idiot," Chanhee muttered as he let go of Yi Fan's clothes and backed away. "You are an idiot."

 

"So I've been told, many times already, that I'm starting to believe it," Yi Fan replied as he stood up and gingerly touched his busted lip. "Wow, you sure do pack a punch. As pretty as you are."

 

"Hey, do you want to be punched again?" Luhan threatened.

 

"Waaah, Gege," Tao cried as he launched himself to the taller guy. "We're really going to miss you!"

 

"It's not like we're not going to see him again," Yixing said. "Let’s meet often, Wu Yi Fan. In China or wherever."

 

"You better treat us when you become famous, Yi Fan!" Jongdae piped up.

 

The group entered into one of its usual banters, the previous atmosphere forgotten. But Chanhee didn’t join them, his back turned away from the group.

 

"When you guys debut, the world better prepare for Exo-M's fiery maknae," Yi Fan chuckled as he glanced at Chanhee's shaking back.

 

This time Chanhee did cry. The door that was harshfully slammed to his face is now unlocked and this time, fully open.

 

And Chanhee's friend and brother, Wu Yi Fan, was the key.

 

 

---

 

 

Author's Note:

Hi guys!! Sorry that I only updated just now. School got in the way.

Anyway, what do you think of the chapter? Please comment below! I want feedbacks!!

Please subscribe also and I really don't mind getting upvotes!! ^^

I have Chapter 3 ready so be on the lookout for the next chapter~