Summary: The new group records their first song and spends a day off at the park. A photoshoot gets weird.

A.N.:  If you’re not sure, this is the photoshoot mentioned in this chapter. (Oops! The shoot has been removed. Here's some of it. If anyone has links to a more complete storybook, please let me know!) This part is fluffier than I planned, but I’m okay with that. Enjoy!

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—*—

We’re half-asleep from boredom. Manager Pak walks into the sound studio lounge. “Everybody here? Good. Ready for the playback?”

Yes! So ready. We’ve been in this small, stuffy room all day, killing time between takes. When we weren’t recording, we played cards and practiced our routines, but time still ticked by in slow motion. It would have been unbearable, but a steady pulse of excitement kept us going. It’s finally happening. We’re in the studio, making our first song.

Today’s the test. Were our past few weeks of relentless practice enough? We’ve learned not just to sing the song, but to perform it. Pronunciation, timing, emotion—it all has to be perfect today. This track is the song SM will release to music stations. We’ll hear it on the radio. We’ll be known for it. Our song.

And now we get to hear it for the first time.

We follow Pak down a maze of narrow hallways until we reach the main sound room. A crowd of people stands around in there: technicians, coordis, PR assistants. Jaejin scribbles notes on a legal pad as Raena dictates to him, her hands sketching details in the air. Seonsangnim sits next to them, arms folded across his chest and foot tapping with impatience.

As we file in, the low buzz of noise increases. Everyone turns toward us, faces expectant. I can feel the anticipation in the air.

Pak lines us up along the wall in front of the crowd. My members are as excited as I am. To my right, Junsu bobs up and down with restrained energy, while Yoochun wears a wide, expectant grin. To my left, Changmin’s eyes dart around, taking in every detail, missing nothing. Only Yunho looks subdued as he listens to Manager Pak’s whispering.

Yunho’s been so serious recently, shouldering his new responsibilities as group leader. Exhausting as our group schedule has been, his is even worse. Yunho stays out for hours after the rest of go home, coordinating details with staff and making arrangements for our debut. Lying in bed late at night, I hear his soft footsteps as he paces the hall. His eyes are tired in the mornings as he ushers us out the door for our scheduled activities. He’s growing up fast.

I wish I could comfort him or carry some of his burden, but he won’t let me close. He treats me with the same neutral politeness he’s shown me since our fight. Like our years of friendship never happened. I can’t bear it.

Raena claps her hands sharply. “Attention, please!”

The room quiets.

“It’s been a busy and stressful few weeks, hasn’t it? So much to do and so little time to do it. But we made it! Everyone here worked hard to make this day possible. Especially these five young men. Let’s give them a round of applause.”

There’s a spatter of polite clapping.

“The raw recording you’re about to hear still needs post-processing, but the general sound of the group is there. So without further ado, let’s listen to ‘Hug’ by rising stars SM5!”

SM5? We all give each other startled looks. That’s the first we’ve heard of the name. Then the music starts.

Chills.

I’ve heard recordings of us singing together before, but it’s not the same as listening to an official playback that will be heard by all of South Korea. All of Asia. I look around the room at the attentive faces. People are nodding their heads in time, smiling. Even Seonsangnim’s foot-tapping is on the beat.

Our song is good. It’s good.

So happy. I grin and look at my other members. Yoochun and Junsu smile back, eyes dancing with joy. Changmin looks amazed, stunned delight on his face. I laugh at the sight, then my eyes suddenly connect with Yunho’s. He looks at me with warmth for the first time in weeks. This song, this moment, is our dream come true. How many times over the years have we talked about being where we are right now? I look into Yunho’s shining eyes and all the bad feeling between us disappears. He smiles at me, and it’s like the sun coming out after a storm. Our old affection tugs at me, a slender thread connecting our hearts. Then, suddenly, as if remembering he hates me, Yunho lowers his eyes and turns away.

Pain. After all these weeks of him ignoring me, it should hurt less. But it doesn’t. Seeing him every day as he avoids my gaze, being close to him but never touching, seeing new sides to his personality as he ignores me—it’s heaven and hell at the same time. I’m still stupidly in love with him and falling harder every day. No matter how much I remind myself that it’s hopeless, I can’t seem to stop.

The last notes of the song fade and there’s silence for a moment, then the gathered crowd bursts into applause. Amid the cheers and whistles, we bow awkwardly in thanks.

Raena applauds too, in her usual brisk manner, then addresses the room again. “Of course, it still needs polishing, but you get the idea.”

She turns to us. “If you’d told me when we first met that you boys would record a song of this quality in a few weeks, I’d never have believed it. You’ve come a long way in a short time. You should be proud.”

As we bow, Seonsangnim comes over to us. He nods at Raena and then faces us. “She’s right. You did well. I hear that some of you need to work harder.” He fixes Yoochun with a sharp look. “But overall, I’m pleased with your performance.”

Did well? Pleased? That’s high praise from Seonsangnim. He’s usually stingy with compliments.

He turns to Yunho and claps him on the shoulder, a smile creasing his face. “Good job getting everyone up to speed.”

Yunho shakes his head. “I can’t take credit. They were all diligent and hardworking, putting in extra time.”

Seonsangnim must be in a good mood because he nods and looks approvingly down the row at the rest of us. “Commendable, all of you. You’re starting to realize the potential I saw in you. Keep up the good work.”

He starts to turn away, but Yunho stops him. “Ssem, the name… That’s us? SM5?”

Seonsangnim waves a hand airily. “That’s what we’re calling you while we come up with your official name. Right now, we’re thinking of ‘Dream Team.’” What do you all think?”

I don’t like it. The other members nod cautiously.

“Dream Team,” says Junsu, rolling the words on his tongue. “It…rhymes.”

“It has layers,” adds Changmin. “Layers of meaning.”

Seonsangnim nods. “That’s the idea. Nothing is set in stone yet, so don’t get too attached to it. You should start thinking of stage names too.” He turns to Raena. “Are you working with them on that?”

She nods. “It’s on our agenda. Actually, if you have time, I’d like to review the promotions we have planned.”

Seonsangnim nods amiably. He’s in a really good mood. He turns to Yunho. “I want you to join us. You too, Pak.”

We watch as they leave the playback room, and then we face each other.

“What was that about you needing to work harder?” Junsu asks with an innocent look.

Yoochun flushes. “I had trouble with my part. They told me that it took twice as many takes for me as it did for all of you.”

“That’s okay. You’ll get better. It was hard for me at first, too. I didn’t know the microphone exaggerates every little sound you make,” I reassure him.

“Yeah, they said that I breathe too loud. But how am I supposed to sing without breathing?”

“You need a lot of training to learn how. It takes a long time. Years, even,” says Junsu. His voice is friendly, but his eye has a hard glint. It’s become obvious over the last few weeks that he has a problem with Yoochun, but I don’t know why.

Yoochun answers mildly, as he always does. “I’ll just have to try harder to catch up with the rest of you.”

Before Junsu can respond, Raena and Pak return. Where’s Yunho?

“Good news, boys! You have the rest of the day off!” Pak spreads his arms magnanimously, as if conferring a blessing on us.

“Yes, you’ve earned some free time after all your hard work,” Raena says. Then she peers sternly at us over the top of her glasses. “But don’t go wild. You need to look rested for your photoshoot tomorrow. I’ll meet you at the salon in the morning for your makeover consultations, okay?”

“Yes, Director-nim,” we say in unison.

She nods and then walks over to a waiting Jaejin.

“What should we do this afternoon?” Yoochun asks. We look at each other for suggestions. We haven’t had a day off in weeks.

“Let’s see a movie,” says Changmin.

“No, let’s go to a noraebang,” Junsu says.

“You just want to an excuse to drink.”

“Who needs an excuse? I want to have fun today!”

“I don’t want to be cooped up in a noraebang. Can’t we do something outside?” Yoochun interjects.

While we’re debating our plans, Yunho slips back into the room. Where has he been? Was he with Seonsangnim all this time? He looks troubled. He glances my way and our eyes meet—and hold. It would be a stretch to call his gaze friendly, but it’s no longer cold. And today he’s actually looking at me, not through me, for the first time since our fight. A fragile emotion flutters in my heart. Hope.

—)(—

It’s beautiful here. The sun hangs low over the river, its warm light gilding the ripples. I walk along the bank, hands in my pockets, breathing in the sharp, green fragrance of cut reeds along the shore. Across the water, my members are stretched out on blankets under a tree, the remains of a picnic scattered around them. Junsu is sleeping, it looks like, while Changmin picks at the leftovers. Jae and Yoochun sit together, as usual, looking at something on Yoochun’s phone. A now-familiar jealousy twists my stomach at the sight of their heads tilted so close together

I had to get away for a few minutes. Out here in the fresh air, away from the constant demands of schedules and practices, I can think clearly. I have a lot to think about.

A few meters down the bank, I spot a short wooden pier jutting out into the water. Perfect. Pulling off my sneakers and socks, I wiggle my toes against the hot planks as I walk to the end of the dock. I dangle