Tuesday, 12:00 PM

"I bet you're all wondering why you're here."

Nobody dared to move. Bobby sat on the far edge of the room, while the other guys stood in front of YG sajangnim. They had been here for almost half an hour, and sajangnim hadn't said anything yet. Hanbin was a little confused about what was happening, but they all knew sajangnim had big news for them, so it wasn't surprising.

"Yes, sajangnim," Jinhwan said, biting his bottom lip nervously.

"As you can see, assessments are due next week. Team A is doing well, so how about you?"

"W-we made a new step. Hanbin choreographed us earlier. He developed the whole concept and style, and it really suited us. He knows what style we should apply, and every move he created captured everything," Jinhwan explained. Hanbin was nervous on the other side. What if everything he had done amounted to nothing? What if sajangnim didn't like it? What would he do?

"Style, my—." Jiwon rolled his eyes and darkly chuckled.

"How about you, Bobby?" sajangnim asked. Hanbin snapped his eyes back to the president. "What did you do to Hanbin?" he asked. Jiwon's brow furrowed as he stood up. "As you all know..." The president's eyes met theirs. "The building here is surrounded by CCTV. All rooms have cameras, so you should be aware of your actions. In the blink of an eye, I can see everything," he said, exhaling deeply. Hanbin bit his bottom lip and stood still, trying to maintain his composure. "And what you did to Hanbin was wrong. You can't force anyone to sing just because you want them to."

"I was just testing him," Jiwon said, stepping up. The boys looked back at him and gestured for him to shut his mouth. But Jiwon was impossible. "We at least deserve to know what that thing can bring to the group. As the leader, I have to know. We can't just add him and act like nothing is wrong when I can clearly see that he can't bring anything good to the group. Look!" Jiwon gestured toward Hanbin. "He doesn't even have that aura. He looks pathetic!"

Hanbin felt insulted. His hand clenched into a fist as he exhaled. The sky outside was getting dark as he looked at the man who had just said bad things to him. Jiwon was rude, and Hanbin didn't like what he was saying about him, especially to his face.

"I am not a thing," Hanbin spat back at Jiwon.

"Shut up!"

Hanbin was slightly taken aback.

"Bobby, that was—" Jinhwan was cut off when Bobby snarled back.

"No. You shut up! What is wrong with you?! I am trying my best here to be in this group. I am trying to be friends with all of you. Not with you! Stop saying that I am a thing because I am not! And don't curse at me. I don't deserve that," Hanbin yelled. Bobby was fuming. He wasn't expecting the feedback. His hands clenched into fists as he took a few steps toward the younger.

"What did you say?!"

"What? You're going to punch me? You're going to hurt me? Is that the best thing you could ever do to someone like me? Wow, Bobby, I thought you were more than that," Hanbin glared at him.

Bobby stared at him for a second, holding back his anger as his veins were clearly visible in his arms and neck.

"Damn you."

And with that, Bobby made his way outside, leaving them all dumbfounded.

Hanbin sighed as he looked down. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. It's just... he's being too much and harsh. I know I should hold back bu-"

"Okay, hold up. It's done," sajangnim said, his tone very serious and almost scary. The boys knew they had messed up big time, and this was Bobby's fault, again. "All of you may leave now except Hanbin. You stay here."

"Okay."

It had been weeks since the incident happened. Hanbin hadn't come home again. YG had advised him to stay in the studio for weeks to calm Jiwon's nerves for a certain number of days. It was a little unfair since Hanbin was the victim, but Bobby got the nice treatment. But who was Hanbin to complain? He accepted the deal and stayed in the studio for a week. He practiced his heart out and planned tons of dance moves. And YG could see that he was improving. Similarly, the other guys, Junhoe and Jinhwan, were getting better and better. With the help of the other team members like Seunghyun and Taehyun, they practiced their vocal skills. Yunghyeong and Donghyuk practiced a lot, with the help of their hyungs Jinwoo and Seunghoon, shaping themselves up.

Bobby was still the same. Snobbish, cold-hearted, never participating, and making his own life miserable. Hanbin just wanted to confront him or at least apologize because he didn't mean to talk back like that, especially to a senior trainee. But Jiwon's harshness was getting on his nerves. Though Hanbin noticed that Jiwon wasn't complaining anymore, nor saying anything. H