Junhui gulped down the last of his water once Soonyoung called for yet another break. So far the choreography for the Performance Unit's special solo stage was going horribly. They called it a "special solo stage", but in truth it may as well have been a farewell stage for them. The dancers all remembered the terrible announcement they received from their manager first thing after breakfast about two weeks ago. Due to insufficient funds, the company was thinking about cutting the unit from SEVENTEEN, unless they are able to attract enough audience and raise enough fundsall by themselves within the next 3 months.

At the time, the dancers were too shocked to give a big reaction and simply ushered themselves into the practice room in order to work on a plan immediately, but now that nothing solid was actually forming the desperation had started to sink in.

"Why us?" Junhui blurted out, but then quickly covered his mouth shamefully. If it wasn't them, then it'd surely be one of the other two units, and that wasn't any better. Besides, it wasn't like they were actually surprised that they'd be the first to go out of the three. Let's face it, the Performance Unit's specialty didn't seem all that exclusive. Sure, they were "main dancers", but they didn't particularly stand out on stage either, especially since Soonyoung made sure that everyone had a chance to shine in the choreography, not just the Performance Unit. Obviously they can't remove the Vocal Unit, and the Hip Hop Unit had an obvious individual theme. It made sense that people would think the Performance Unit was just formed by those who didn't have what it takes to be in the other two units.

They could argue that without them they wouldn't be self-producing choreography, but Soonyoung was almost sure that Jihoon would find a way to succeed that position. After all, that kid could do everything, they weren't best partners for no reason. Partners...

"No, you're right. It's not fair!" Chan had scooted closer to Junhui, placing a hand on the older's back. It was rare to see Junhui not giving off the usual positive vibe he seemed so full of no matter what sort of situation they were thrown into. He's proven that time and time again, and yet this time he was the first one to crumble.

"Especially to Hoshi-hyung." Minghao added, glancing over at Soonyoung. the only one still standing despite the rigorous dancing they were working on earlier. "I can't believe they would threaten to cut their own choreographer."

"Guys, let's not be selfish." Soonyoung walked over to his teammates, trying to be calm and rational, how would Seungcheol deal with this? "The CEO must have been very troubled by this decision as well, we're not the only ones in a pinch here. Besides, it's not like it's completely helpless. We can do it, right? More like, we have to do it, right?"

Soonyoung looked at each member hopefully, looking for traces of the usual fighting spirit they were so proud of.

"You at making pep talks." Soonyoung breathed a sigh of relief as a familiar smile appeared on Chan's face. Minghao and Junhui made noises of agreement as the three of them stood up, ready to go for another round.

As Soonyoung turned around, he felt weight thrown against his back as the other three tackled him to the floor, an intense tickle fight thus broke out.

Ah, this is it. The familiar atmosphere of the practice room with just the Performance Unit. The crazily stressful yet goofy times they spend slaving over choreography before finally introducing it to the rest of the group. It was too bad this time they wouldn't be able to share their results with the others nor present it together on the same stage.

After all, "coincidentally", the rest of SEVENTEEN would be performing at a music show on the same day and time slot as their unit's solo stage. Which means, their usual fans would probably all be over there instead of watching them. They had to try attracting non-fans, all from scratch.

Man, this feels like 17 Project all over again...

"Yo, guys." Hansol waved at them from the coffee shop where the other 9 members were already gathered. They had occupied a little sofa corner, more like, forcefully taken over.

The Performance Unit made their way to the group, trying their best not to look too beaten up so that they wouldn't question anything further than "Rough session?" After all, they hadn't broken the news to the other members, yet. The manager wanted them to do so themselves when they've decided the time was "right".

"Hey." Chan pretty much just collapsed into Hansol's arms as soon as he was close enough, leaning his head against the older's shoulder with a blissful sigh. Hansol looked down at him with a lopsided smile, wrapping Chan's hands around a cup of Chai tea he had ordered for him beforehand.

Trying his best not to disturb the young couple, Junhui made his way around them towards the long sofa near the window where Wonwoo was curled up in with a book.

"You guys have been opting out on most of the interviews these past few weeks. Something up?" Junhui almost jumped right back up at Wonwoo's sudden question. It was always the quiet ones that were dangerous, they were too observant. Junhui regretted not sitting next to Seungkwan instead.

"Just, you know, additional practices, and... you know, Woozi worked hard on the new songs, we want to get the lineups just right. The concert is nearing, after all." Junhui replied, sipping his glass of water cautiously.

Wonwoo studied him over his book, "That's right, the concert is nearing... But not as near as the music show. Yet, you guys have been excusing yourselves early from those practices as well. In fact, you guys didn't even bother to show up last t-"

"Wonwoo, leave him alone." Seungcheol came to Junhui's rescue, sitting on the other end of the sofa, patting the younger's shoulder reassuringly. "I'm sure they have their own reasons. The music show is just as important to them as it is for the rest of us. We're a team after all."

Junhui felt his heart drop to the bottom of his stomach and maybe even further. Thankfully neither Wonwoo nor Seungcheol continued their case after that. Unfortunately that was due to Wonwoo finding a different topic to jab at.

"So I see it's 'Woozi' for you."

"...What?" Whatever he was getting at, it can't be anything good for Junhui.

The bespectacled man shrugged, turning a page in his book, "You call everyone else by their real name except for him."

"I just happen to like 'Woozi'-- No, no wait, that's not what it sounds like!" Junhui snatched the book out of Wonwoo's hand as a visible smirk began to appear on the latter's face. It was too late trying to control the blush from spreading, so the Chinese man instead tried to use the book as a shield.

"Dude, at least try to be more subtle about it." Wonwoo wasn't even trying to hide the smugness in his deep- voice anymore.

"Don't know what you're talking about. Uh-uh." Junhui has now resorted to baby talk, pretending to be unfamiliar with the Korean language despite years of practice with it already.

His best friend simply rolled his eyes, but didn't exactly press on until Jihoon came along, placing a drink on the glass table in front of the trio on the sofa.

"It's cafe au lait. Thought you would need more caffeine to stay awake for our afternoon schedule." The small-built (but definitely not fragile) Vocal Unit leader stated curtly, almost as though someone had forced him to come over. "I already paid, so I hope you're not allergic or something." He added after a short pause.

"Huh? O-oh, no! It's good! It's great! I love y- I mean it. I love it." Junhui blabbered, suddenly forgetting how to make his mouth work properly.

"Right." Jihoon muttered, retreating back to his spot next to Soonyoung and Seokmin.

Junhui regained his posture, picking up the hot beverage, blowing on it a couple of times before tasting it. Warm.

"Yes, very subtle."

"Are you still going on about that?" Junhui looked at Wonwoo defensively.

"Jun, you're good at acting, but you're not good at being subtle."

"You don't know what you're talking about." Junhui retorted, trying to focus on his drink and hiding the happiness that was threatening to explode out of him like fireworks any second.

Wonwoo and Seungcheol exchanged a glance over Junhui's head. As they say, the bigger the greaseball outside, the purer the heart is inside. At least that seemed to be the case here.

"So did he like it?" Soonyoung scooted over to make space for Jihoon as he walked back from delivering the cup of cafe au lait.

The smaller man shrugged his shoulder nonchalantly as though it didn't matter either way.

"Aww, come on, Jihoonieeeeee~" Soonyoung began to pinch at his best friend's cheeks.

"Stop it."

Seokmin only laughed and watched on with amusement at his friends' interaction. If he were completely honest and blunt as Jihoon (or maybe not entirely so), he would admit that he wanted to be alone with Soonyoung for a while longer. While he did want to inquire him about all these "individual practice sessions" the Performance Unit has been seemingly doing lately, he also just wanted to, well, spend time with him. They haven't been able to relax for a while like this together without the constant noise that came with the other 11 members. It wasn't like they weren't noisy enough with just the two of them, but still... some more quality time couldn't hurt.

"Don't you agree, Seokmin?" Soonyoung's voice snapped Seokmin out of his thoughts.

"Huh?"

"Our Jihoonie here should tooootally hook up with that dog, Junhui."

"Are you seriously acting drunk in a coffee shop?" Jihoon was too busy dying from secondhand embarrassment to defend himself.

Seokmin smiled fondly at the Performance Unit leader, this guy was on a different level of goofiness, but that was what everyone loved about him. Just like how he equally loves everyone back. That's right, everyone. He shouldn't have hoped to have him all to himself in the first place.

"Seokmin, you're spacing out again!" Soonyoung whined, now resting his head on Seokmin's lap and looking up at him with wide puppy eyes.

"Oh, sorry. Well, he's right. It's not a secret that you like him, you know." Seokmin teased, gently pressing a finger into Jihoon's cheek playfully.

"...What do you mean it isn't a secret?" Ah, they all knew this dangerous tone all too well.

"Not important." The lead vocalist tried to remain nonchalant.

"Jihoonie, Jihoonie, anger is bad for the skin-"

"Stay out of this, Kwon Soonyoung. Now what do you mean it's not a secret?" The tone was much more threatening now, if that was even possible.

Despite feeling actual worry for his life, Seokmin still managed to put up his signature smile, "It's not that bad, don't worry-"

"Don't worry?!"

"Relax-"

"RELAX?!" Jihoon's irritation was only growing by each second the conversation progressed.

"Jun is oblivious to it! Pretty sure only the Vocal Unit members know since we spend the most time with you, plus Seungcheol and Soonyoung... But yeah." Seokmin patted Jihoon on the shoulder, attempting to calm him down, which seemed to be working after hearing that at least Junhui himself didn't know about Jihoon's apparently obvious feelings towards the dancer. "I'm a little worried about it though. Is it normal for someone to be that oblivious?"

Jihoon rolled his eyes and plopped down on the cushion. It was fine to just stay like this. Totally. He glanced towards where Junhui was still sitting with Wonwoo, feeling irritation rise back up as Wonwoo whispered in Junhui's ear. Those two were close. Way too close for Jihoon's comfort.

My comfort? Jihoon scowled. It's not like Junhui needed his permission to be close to someone...

"Jihoonieeee, let's go to the park later!"

"Seriously, what did you drink?"