Tomorrow is the "dreaded anouncement day" for SM Ent.'s trainees. Either you get cut, stay for a few more years as a trainee and grow old, or best of all, debut.

 

"Oppa-I'm sorry-Hyung!" Zitao called out to Kyungsoo in the dance studio. 

It was eight at night.

"Yes, Zitao?" Kyungsoo said, Jongin halting in the middle of a dance move.

Zitao ran to Kyungsoo.

"Baekhyun Hyung says it's tomorrow!" Zitao said, breathless. 

Kyungsoo's wide eyes widened even more as he looked to Jongin.

Jongin nodded.

"Yeah. Heard it from the CEO. He already wants me to join-"

"Well that's great-"

"No it's not! What if you don't make it?! I'll be alone again! Just in a different position!" Jongin said, shaking Kyungsoo by the shoulders. Kyungsoo moved Jongin's hands off.

"Okay. I'm sorry." Kyungsoo said before turning his attention back to Zitao. "Thanks, Zitao." Kyungsoo thanked.

"Welcome~ Now I have to go tell everyone else!" Zitao said, dashing out the room.

"Hyung-"

"No." Kyungsoo stopped Jongin. "It's okay. I just forgot-"

"Hyung." Jongin took Kyungsoo by the shoulders again. "Being beside him as his life drained, taught me a lesson. To bend but not break." 

Kyungsoo nodded and stepped back, looking at the mirrors.

"Okay. Then bend and teach me more."

 

"Sit down, dummy!" Luhan demanded, laughing, as Sehun danced a funny little dance to cheer him up. "Stop or I'll drink your bubble tea-"

"No-no-no!" Sehun said, shaking his head as Luhan pretended to drink out of the blue straw. Sehun snatched it and held it close. "My bubble tea." Sehun claimed. Luhan chuckled.

"Good. Now sit down." Luhan said, pointing to Sehun's seat across from him.

"I wanna sit with you, Hyung." Sehun stated, scooting in beside Luhan.

"Get out of here." Luhan said, punching Sehun's side as Zitao approached them.

"I thought you two would be here." Zitao said, out of breath. Sehun looked to Luhan and then back to Zitao.

"What is it, Hyung?" Sehun asked.

"It's tomorrow!" Zitao said. Sehun's eyes widened as Luhan's brows furrowed.

"What's tomorrow?" Luhan asked.

"Tommorow's Dreaded Anouncement Day where you either get elliminated, pass, or you debut." Sehun said. "Wait! Speaking of debut, I have to get to my next lesson! It starts in ten minutes!" Sehun said, looking at the time on his cell.

Sehun stood and turned back to Luhan.

"Are you going to be alright here by yourself?" Sehun asked. Luhan nodded then Sehun was out the door with Tao.

 

"Hey, Jongdae. You do know it's tomorrow, right?" Minseok asked Jongdae as they sat in Minseok's room. Jongdae's mouth was open as if he was about to say something but he closed it.

"Yeah. I've been told at least five times already. First, it was Zitao, Baekhyun, Chanyeol, myself, and now Minseok." Jongdae said, smiling.

Minseok scoffed and fell back on his bed.

"I just wanted to make sure you knew." Minseok mumbled. Jongdae put his phone on Minseok's desk and threw himself on Minseok.

"Aoh! That hurt!" Minseok grunted. Jongdae laughed and squeezed Minseok with his long limbs.

"I wanted to make sure you knew too but you beat me to it." Jongdae said.

"Mercy-mercy!" Minseok shouted, Jongdae letting go and flopping to his friend's side.

"Aw. I have red marks on my arms now~" Jongdae complained.

"Why are you complaining? You did it." Minseok stated, grumbling as he rubbed his bruises. Jongdae yawned and turned to his side.

"We should go to sleep since it's tomorrow. We have to be fresh tomorrow." Jongdae said, snuggling into Minseok's bedsheets. 

"Yah. You're not sleeping here, are you?" Minseok said, recieving no answer. He shook Jongdae's side. "Yah, Jongdae. Jong." Minseok tried, but Jongdae didn't budge. "Are you asleep already?" 

"Hyung~ Go to sleep." Jongdae grumbled, pulling Minseok down onto the bed beside him. Minseok scoffed.

"This kid. Really."

 

"Baek~ Give it back!" Chanyeol demanded as they ran around the living room. Baekhyun held Chanyeol's poster of 2NE1's Sandara behind his back.

"Rock, paper, scissors." Baekhyun demanded, putting a fist out. 

"Aish~" Chanyeol groaned, scratching his head fiercly. "Just give it back."

"You know you're going to lose, huh?" Baekhyun said, smiling widely. Chanyeol reached for the poster again but Baekhyun moved it right in time, taunting him. "Come on, Chanyeol. You want it, don't you?" Baekhyun teased.

"Baek~ We need to get some rest. Tomorrow's the day, remember?" Chanyeol tried. 

"Oh yeah." Baekhyun breathed, then suddenly smacked Chanyeol with the poster. "Why'd you remind me?" Baekhyun asked angrily. Chanyeol took the chance and stole his poster back.

"At least it worked." Chanyeol said. Baekhyun pounded Chanyeol's chest with two fists.

"I have to ask her tomorrow." Baekhyun said. 

Then it snapped for Chanyeol.

"Oh yeah. Taeyeon Noona-"

"Don't. Let's just get some rest. Goodnight." Baekhyun said before shutting the door behind himself as he headed for his room.

Chanyeol sighed.

"She's not going to say yes, Baek."

 

Joonmyeon was sitting on his bed reading when Yixing came running in without knocking.

"Yah, Joonmyeon-yah! Yah! Tomorrow's the day-yah!" Yixing said exitedly. Joonmyeon looked up from his book with uneven brows.

"Why are you talking like that?" Joonmyeon asked.

"Like what?" Yixing questioned.

"You don't have to say 'yah' with everything." Joonmyeon stated. 

"Oh. Okay. But still. It's tomorrow!" Yixing said again, Joonmyeon finally catching on.

"Yeah. I knew it was some time this week." Joonmyeon said, a little bit down. 

"What's the problem? Aren't you excited? You've trained for so long I'm sure-"

"That's the thing, Yixing. What if they throw me away?" Joonmyeon asked. "I've trained for so long. Watched people get cut, debut, even die. But I haven't gone anywhere. I'm getting too old. If I don't debut tomorrow, I'll have to leave. But you still have a chance, Yixing. Standing here, listening with wide ears for my name; I know you'll make it. I've seen many come and go with these two eyes." Joonmyeon finished.

Yixing shook his head.

"Don't say that. You'll make it. I know it. I can tell. You're one of the ones that shine above all the trainees." Yixing said honsetly. Joonmyeon smiled.

"Thanks."

 

"Wufan-Wufan!-"

Yifan put a hand over Zitao's mouth.

"Name's Yifan. Not Wufan and what?" Yifan asked.

They were in their dorm and waited for their third dorm member, Luhan.

"Tomorrow-"

Yifan covered Zitao's mouth again.

"I know. I've heard it too many times." Yifan said, squeezing his eyes shut. Zitao peeled Yifan's hand off his face.

"Well, how do you feel about it?" Zitao asked.

"Silence was a golden oppurtunity to leave but I didn't. I should have gone a long time ago. Who am I kidding? They won't accept me." Yifan said, dropping Zitao's spirits. 

"But-"

"When the stars fade, so will I." Yifan said, before walking to his bedroom. "Wait for Luhan. He's probably still out with that Korean kid, Sehun." Then Yifan was out of sight.

Zitao pouted and leaned against the wall with crossed arms.

"What's up with him."

 

 

Most of the trainees assembled at the Artist building where the announcements were this year.

Names were called for cuts first.

Then second came the debuters.

"Kim Jongin." 

Jongin nodded and peeled his hand off Kyungsoo's shoulder before stepping up to the stage.

"Kim Jongdae."

Jongdae hugged Minseok with wide eyes and a shocked expression as he went up.

"Byun Baekhyun."

Baekhyun seemed confused as his peers cheered him on to the stage. He peeked back at Chanyeol, who smiled widely and gave him two thumbs up.

"Do Kyungsoo."

Kyungsoo's eyes grew wide and his eyes immediately went to a thrilled Jongin as he ran to the stage.

"Huang Zitao." 

Zitao's mouth hung as he spazzed up to the stage, crying.

"Park Chanyeol."

Chanyeol's wealthy teeth blinded Baekhyun as he jumped on him.

"Kim Minseok."

Minseok was spacing out when he heard his name and eyes on him. He ran up to Jongdae and his wide smile and hugged him.

"Zhang Yixing."

Yixing's eyes grew wide and he looked to Joonmyeon, who was at his side. Joonmyeon smiled and nodded, mouthing "go" before Yixing made his way to the stage hesitantly.

"Kim Joonmyeon."

Joonmyeon's heart skipped a beat as he made eye contact with Yixing, who came running back to him. Joonmyeon couldn't help but start bawling as his peers cheered them on and helped them to the stage.

"Oh Sehun."

Sehun stayed put, squeezing Luhan's hand. Luhan tried pulling away.

"Wu Yifan."

Yifan sighed as he made his way up to the stage, unable to resist being hugged by Zitao.

"Well. That seems to be all. Congrats! The rest of you have passed...."

"You have to go." Luhan urged Sehun, but Sehun wouldn't budge. Sehun just stared coldly up at the stage.

"Oh, wait! Wait! Don't leave yet! There's one more!"

Everyone froze.

"Lu Han! I apologize! I am getting old."

Luhan looked up at Sehun, who finally smiled, then at his new group.

They urged the two to join them happily.

They are EXO.