[Sol Han Na’s POV]

“Oh Han Na, are you okay?” Suho asked the moment they saw me descending the stairs. I just spent an hour or so inside my bathroom, trying to provide a solution to the bags under my eyes but gave up. Even the concealer doesn’t do its job. 

I didn’t answer and just went straight to the couch, sitting as far from Baekhyun as possible - that is, beside Kyungsoo. I can feel the boys observing me. I am in no mood to talk. I haven’t slept since last night and exhaustion is slowly taking over me. I feel tensed, irritated. 

I was surprised when Kyungsoo suddenly grabbed my face, imprisoning it between his hands. He held me tight, preventing me from moving, and leaned in. Reflexively, I closed my eyes - my heart galloping inside my chest like a wild horse. Seconds later, but nothing happened. I slowly opened my eyes. My gaze locked on his. He’s looking at me intensely. I gulped.

“W-Why, o-oppa?” I stammered. He still has my face in his hands and I cannot help but be aware of the other members watching us. A part of me wanted to look at Baekhyun, to see if he is looking - to see his reaction. But I decided that I don’t care. I wouldn’t be in this situation if it wasn’t for him. I wasn’t able to sleep because of him. 

"You look hideous,” he blurted. 

OUCH.

I removed my face from his hands and glared at him. 

“Thank you, oppa. That made me feel so much better,” I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. 

He shrugged. “I only say what I can see.”

I crossed my arms and leaned onto the couch. I know I look horrible but it doesn’t feel good to hear someone say it - much less someone who look this beautiful. I felt my self-esteem turn to dust. 

Kai suddenly chuckled, catching my attention. “You look like a zombie, Han Na. What did you actually do last night to make you look like that?”

I blushed a deep shade of red. Afraid that they’ll see through me, I grabbed one of the throw pillows and buried my face in it. 

What did I do last night, exactly?

I remembered the weird conversation with Baekhyun. I remembered him inside my room. I remembered him sing. I remembered the exact words he said - the reason I stayed up late. I shook my head, clearing the images away. 

The members started going to the kitchen to have their breakfast. Sehun tried to take me with them but I refused. I still have a few hours to steal some sleep while waiting for Manager Song to arrive. 

Moments later and I found myself boarding the van - half-awake, half-asleep. I slept again on Kyungsoo’s shoulders which he politely offered  me. He woke me up when we arrived inside the parking lot and wove our way towards the practice room. 

My senses seemed to have come back for a moment when I saw a man standing inside the practice room. I stared at him, trying to calculate if I have seen him anywhere but the answer is no. I have never met him. The boys, on the other hand, seem to have known him for they immediately took off the moment they saw him. They exchanged greetings while I was left awkwardly watching them from the door entrance. 

Thankfully, Sehun ran towards me and pulled me into their circle. 

“Hyung, this is Han Na. She lives with us and she’ll be debuting soon,” Sehun said as he pushed me near the unknown man. Different shades of embarrassment shot through me.

The man seemed to observe me for a second but then politely extended his hand. “Nice to meet you, Han Na. I’m Nick Bass, by the way, I’ll be choreographing these boys’ comeback song.”

We shook hands and made my way into the practice room’s corner. I don’t want to be a burden while they’re practicing. I took my phone from my jeans’ pocket and pretended to do something. 

I didn’t even notice Kyungsoo standing beside me. 

“You should sleep again, Han Na,” he said in his quiet voice. 

Taking my eyes off the phone, I looked at him and answered, “Maybe later, oppa. I want to watch you first.”

He nodded in understanding and left me again. I sat quietly on the corner, watching them as they slowly made progress on their comeback song. 

Growl played over and over on the speakers and I realized it was actually the first time I was hearing it after their recording yesterday. It sounded much much more amazing after being edited. I watched them as they slowly picked up the choreography and danced to the beat. 

A few hours later, Nick announced a one hour break, leaving the boys to themselves. I stood up and fetched some water bottles placed inside a cooler on the other end of the room. I went and handed it to them one by one. I also collected the towels they had inside their backpacks and gave it to them. 

”Thanks, Han Na,” Chanyeol said as he sprawled across the floor, panting. 

“What would we do without you taking care of us,” Kai added, also sprawling on the floor beside Chanyeol. 

I stared at them - lying on the floor, catching their breaths. I can’t help but feel pity. It’s still early and they already look so dead tired. I should’ve left my bed a little bit earlier and prepared some lunchboxes for them. I took my phone and made a reminder: Lunchboxes tomorrow.

I sat on the floor beside Sehun and carefully placed his head on my lap. The members already have their eyes closed but I knew they are awake. 

“Coffee break, oppa?” I said to no one in particular. 

Suho was first to react, “Oh please...”

“But I don’t want to get up,” Kai groaned, turning around so he had his face sticking to the floor. 

“I’ll buy for you,” I offered. 

“Will you be okay, Han Na?” Suho asked, worry in his voice.

I almost rolled my eyes at him. “Of course, oppa. There’s nothing much I can do in here anyway.”

The boys agreed that I shall buy alone and soon I left the practice room with their orders. I made my way through the hallway and into the elevator. I’m starting to know this place well. Soon enough, I was in the cafeteria. I went to the coffee stall and placed our orders. 

“This might take a while, Ma’am. You can stay on one of the tables as you wait for your orders to arrive,” the cashier politely pointed some available seats in the room as she handed me my order number. 

“Oh, it’s okay, I’ll head to the restroom first. Thank you,” I replied and left. 

I easily found my way to the girl’s restroom which is at the far-end corner of the cafeteria. I searched for available cubicles and entered as I found one.

I was about to leave when voices suddenly echoed in the room, making me stop. They are girls, obviously, but I cannot be sure how many there are.

“So the rumors were right. Someone’s really going to debut soon,” the first voice spoke. I felt myself tense. They’re not talking about me, are they?

“Someone who doesn’t even had proper training. How good is she to skip such important stuffs?” said a voice dripping with annoyance. I felt myself tense. It’s me. It’s me. Oh God, it’s me.

I moved closer and leaned my head on the cubicle’s door to hear them better just as another voice spoke, “We’ve been training for almost 2 years! And still, there’s not even a single assurance that we’ll be debuting soon! How unfair can this company be?”

I bit my lip. I cannot believe how I ended up in this situation. There’s so many places where I can be but why do I have to be here in the restroom, stuck inside a cubicle, listening to some unknown girls talk things about me. I felt stupid. 

“Well, is it a he or a she?” said a voice that sounded like the first girl who spoke.

“I don’t know yet,” replied the second girl and then added, “But I’m keeping my eye on it. I won’t let her... him... no matter who that is... get away with this.”

Relief suddenly washed over me. They still don’t know me, at least for the meantime. I drew a deep breath and willed myself to leave.

I cannot bear to hear any more of this.

I counted mentally from one to three and immediately left the cubicle, surprising the three girls. They are facing the restroom’s mirror, applying lipstick and face powder, and stopped when they saw me. I took one glance at them and stormed outside the room, my heart beating wildly.

I went over to the coffee stall and handed the order number to the cashier who’s smiling nicely at me as she gave my orders. I gave her a forced smile and left. I decided to take the stairs as I head back to the practice room, stalling for more time. I cannot face the members looking like this. I saw my reflection on the mirror and I looked utterly pale. I took the stairs one at a time, forcing myself to stay calm. I reached the practice room sooner than I expected. No turning back now, I told my