The next day's rehearsal started normal enough.
Too normal.
Which should've been Soorin's first warning.
The practice room was loud. Music blasting. Members running through choreography.
Soorin set up her touch-up station near the mirrors.
Foundation. Powder. Brushes lined up neatly.
Daehyun worked beside her, organizing hair products.
"Feels too calm today," he muttered.
"Don't jinx it."
"Too late."
He nodded toward Doyun.
The rapper was grinning. Too wide.
Plotting something.
Soorin groaned.
"What's he planning?"
"Nothing good."
The music stopped.
Manager Park clapped.
"Five minute break. Then we run it again."
The members scattered.
Jisoo collapsed on the floor dramatically.
Taekyung pulled out his phone.
Minjae grabbed water.
And Haejin... disappeared into the hallway.
Like always.
Soorin ignored the familiar ache in her chest.
She turned to her kit.
Opened it.
Then the world exploded.
BOOM!
A burst of holographic glitter erupted from the case.
Coating her face. Her hair. Her clothes.
The entire station.
She gasped. Sputtered.
Glitter filled her mouth.
"WHAT THE—"
Laughter exploded behind her.
Doyun was on the floor. Howling.
"OH MY GOD. YOUR FACE."
Jisoo shrieked with laughter. Nearly falling over.
Even Taekyung cracked a smile. Phone aimed directly at her.
"This is going in my blackmail folder," he said.
Minjae pressed his hand over his mouth.
But his shoulders shook.
Soorin stood there.
Covered head to toe in sparkles.
The mirrors behind her looked like a disco ball had exploded.
She turned slowly toward Doyun.
He grinned. Unrepentant.
"Surprise! You're the sparkle queen of AUREYA now."
Despite herself, Soorin felt laughter bubbling up.
It was so stupid.
So childish.
But also kind of funny.
She picked glitter out of her hair.
"You're dead, Ryu."
"Worth it."
The other staff members were laughing too.
Even the usually stern choreographer cracked a smile.
For a moment, the tension broke.
Everything felt lighter.
Normal.
Human.
Soorin grabbed a handful of glitter from her kit.
Threw it at Doyun.
He shrieked. Dodged.
But not fast enough.
Holographic sparkles coated his platinum blonde hair.
"TRUCE. TRUCE."
"No truce. This is war."
Jisoo grabbed glitter too.
Soon half the room was covered.
Laughter echoed off the walls.
It was chaos.
Beautiful, stupid chaos.
Then the door slammed.
Everyone froze.
Haejin stood in the doorway.
His expression was thunderous.
Dark eyes scanning the glitter-covered practice room.
Landing on Soorin.
Covered in sparkles. Laughing with his teammates.
His jaw clenched.
The room went silent.
You could hear the glitter settling.
Manager Park appeared behind Haejin.
"What the hell happened here?"
His voice cracked like a whip.
Doyun raised his hand sheepishly.
"My bad."
"Clean this up. NOW. We have a schedule."
Park's glare swept the room.
"Back to work. All of you."
The members scrambled.
Grabbing towels. Sweeping glitter.
Haejin turned.
Walked out without a word.
The door slammed again.
Soorin's laughter died in her throat.
★☆★☆★☆
Twenty minutes later, Soorin stood in the unisex washroom.
Trying to de-glitter herself.
Impossible task.
The stuff was everywhere.
In her hair. Her ears. Under her nails.
She scrubbed her face with a wet towel.
More glitter appeared.
"This is my life now," she muttered.
The washroom door opened.
She glanced up.
Haejin.
Her stomach dropped.
"Wrong washroom. It's staff only," she said flatly.
"I know."
He stepped inside.
Let the door close behind him.
They were alone.
The air felt too thick.
Soorin turned back to the mirror.
Kept scrubbing.
"What do you want?"
"We need to talk."
"No, we don't."
"Soorin—"
"I'm busy. As you can see."
She gestured at her glitter-covered reflection.
Haejin moved closer.
His voice dropped.
Low. Dangerous.
"You're starting to enjoy this, aren't you?"
She froze.
"Excuse me?"
"More than a week has gone by and I congratulate you on passing the trial phase, but playing around? Getting close to them."
Her hands clenched around the towel.
"Them?"
"My teammates—my friends."
Understanding hit.
Then anger.
White-hot.
She spun around.
"Are you serious right now?"
His jaw was tight.
Eyes hard.
"You laughed with them. Threw glitter at Doyun. Held hands with Minjae on that rooftop."
'How did he?'
"You don't get to—"
"I'm the leader. Everything they do reflects on me."
Soorin stepped closer.
Voice sharp.
"My life doesn't revolve around you, Hael."
His eyes flashed.
"I never said—"
"You made it clear I'm insignificant. Remember? Disposable. A liability that causes nothing but trouble. Wouldn't last more than a week, but guess what? I fucking did by steering clear of your flames!"
She was close enough to see his pupils dilate.
"So why do you care if I laugh with them? If I'm friends with them? If I—"
She stopped.
Took a breath.
Forced calm into her voice.
"I'd love to maintain that peace you want so badly. So stop trying to meddle in my life."
His expression was unreadable.
"How about you go meet your girlfriend if you're so desperate for attention, Dragon Lord."
The words hit their mark.
His fists clenched.
But he said nothing.
Just stared at her.
Jaw working.
Something flickered in his eyes.
Too fast to read.
Then he turned.
Walked toward the door.
Soorin exhaled shakily.
But before leaving, he paused.
Didn't look back.
"Stay away from them."
"Make me."
The door slammed.
Soorin stood there.
Heart hammering.
Hands shaking.
'What the hell was that?'
She turned back to the mirror.
And froze.
In her reflection, she could see it.
Holographic glitter.
Sparkling in her hair.
But also she had recalled.
In Haejin's dark hair.
From where they'd stood too close at the time.
★☆★☆★☆
The rest of the day was tense.
Haejin barely looked at anyone.
His performance was perfect.
But cold.
Mechanical.
The members exchanged worried glances.
But nobody said anything.
During a water break, Doyun sidled up to Soorin.
"Did something happen?"
"No."
"Liar. Hyung's been extra pissy since the washroom."
Soorin's cheeks burned.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Doyun's eyes narrowed.
Then widened.
"Wait. Did you two—"
"NO."
"Then why is there glitter in his hair?"
Shit.
"Coincidence."
"Right. Because glitter just magically appears."
He grinned.
"You confronted him, didn't you?"
"Drop it, Ryu."
"Oh, this is gold."
"I'm serious."
"So am I. About time someone put him in his place."
He walked away, still grinning.
Soorin groaned.
Minjae appeared.
Handed her a water bottle.
"You okay?"
"Why does everyone keep asking me that?"
"Because you look like you want to commit murder."
Fair point.
She took the water.
"Thanks."
"Anytime."
His smile was gentle.
Warm.
So different from Haejin's intensity.
"Ignore Hael hyung," Minjae said quietly. "He's just... protective. In a weird way."
"Protective?"
"Of the group. Of his image. Of... control, I guess."
He shrugged.
"But that doesn't make it okay."
Soorin looked at him.
Really looked.
His eyes were kind.
Understanding.
"You're too nice, Jay."
"Someone has to be."
Manager Park's voice cut through.
"Back to positions. Let's run it again."
Minjae squeezed her shoulder.
Then jogged back to formation.
Soorin watched him go.
Chest tight with something she couldn't name.