The hallway outside their waiting room was louder now.
Staff hurried past with clipboards tucked beneath their arms. Coordinators spoke rapidly into headsets while stagehands wheeled props toward the main stage. Somewhere in the distance, applause echoed through the arena before fading beneath the sound of another rehearsal.
Inside the room, the atmosphere was different.
Quieter.
Not uncomfortable.
Just focused.
A stylist stepped in, scanning the members one by one.
"Last touch-ups."
Nobody protested.
One after another, they took their places in front of the mirrors.
"Joanne, chin up a little."
"Perfect."
"Susu, don't blink..."
"There we go."
"Mili, your fringe moved."
Bella instinctively reached up to fix her own hair.
The stylist gently caught her wrist.
"Not you."
Bella slowly lowered her hand.
"...Right."
Across the room, Joanne noticed.
"You've been told that at least five times today."
Bella sighed.
"I keep forgetting."
"You'll survive another ten minutes."
"I hope so."
The corner of Joanne's mouth lifted.
"So dramatic."
Bella quietly muttered something under her breath.
"What was that?" Joanne asked.
"I said you're very encouraging."
"I am."
Bella glanced toward Susu.
"See what I deal with?"
Susu smiled into her lap.
"I've learned not to get involved."
---
Leah stood near the clothing rack while a stylist smoothed a crease from the shoulder of her dress.
"You don't look nervous at all," the stylist remarked.
Leah looked at her reflection.
"I am."
"Really?"
"My hands have been cold since we left the dorm."
The stylist smiled knowingly.
"You hide it well."
"My mother does too."
The stylist gave a small nod before patting her shoulder.
"Then today... don't hide all of it."
Leah looked at her through the mirror.
"Let people see that you're enjoying yourself."
Those words stayed with her.
---
A knock came at the door.
The sound engineer entered carrying five in-ear monitor cases.
"Quick sound check."
The members slipped the monitors into place.
"Joanne."
"Loud and clear."
"Susu."
"Yes."
"Mili."
"Perfect."
"Leah."
"I can hear you."
"Bella."
"...Mine sounds strange."
The engineer crouched beside her.
"Stay still."
He adjusted the cable before tapping the transmitter clipped behind her dress.
"Try now."
Bella listened carefully.
"...That's better."
He smiled.
"Good."
"No surprises once you're on stage."
As he packed away the equipment, he looked around at the five members.
"I've worked a lot of MAMAs."
He paused.
"The nervous ones usually give the best performances."
Before anyone could reply, he gave them a polite bow and disappeared into the hallway.
Bella watched the door close.
"...That helped."
"It did," Mili agreed quietly.
---
Another assistant appeared carrying a box of disposable heat packs.
"The hallways are freezing."
She handed one to each member.
Bella immediately tucked hers into the sleeves of her dress.
"Oh..."
"This feels nice."
Leah looked over.
"Your hands?"
"Still freezing."
Without saying anything, Susu reached into the box and picked up another one.
"There were extras."
She placed it in Leah's hand.
Leah smiled.
"Thanks."
"No problem."
Mili glanced between them.
"You two always notice things before the rest of us."
Joanne folded her arms.
"I noticed."
Bella tilted her head.
"Then why didn't you say anything?"
Joanne answered without missing a beat.
"Because Susu already did."
Bella considered that for a second.
"...Fair enough."
---
A few minutes later, their performance director walked in.
Conversation stopped immediately.
He looked at each member before setting a folded cue sheet on the table.
"I won't keep you long."
"You've rehearsed this stage enough."
He pointed toward the monitor showing the live broadcast.
"Forget who's sitting out there."
"The cameras."
"The audience."
"The senior artists."
"Forget all of it."
He looked directly at Joanne.
"When the music starts..."
"...perform for each other first."
The room fell silent.
He continued.
"When a group trusts each other..."
"People can see it."
He gave them a small smile.
"I'll see you after the stage."
With that, he left.
No dramatic speech.
No unnecessary pressure.
Just quiet confidence.
---
The waiting room settled into silence again.
Mili gently rolled her shoulders.
"I think that's the quietest we've been all day."
Bella glanced at her.
"I've been trying not to think."
"Is it working?"
"...Not really."
Susu reached over and lightly nudged Bella's shoulder.
"Once the music starts..."
"...you'll forget you're nervous."
Bella looked unconvinced.
"You promise?"
Susu nodded.
"I've seen you practice."
"You always smile halfway through."
Bella thought about it.
"...I do, don't I?"
"You do."
---
Leah wandered toward the curtain separating their room from the hallway.
She could hear the audience more clearly now.
Thousands of voices.
Somewhere beyond the walls, another artist had just finished performing.
The applause rolled through the arena like a wave.
Mili joined her.
"Nervous?"
Leah exhaled slowly.
"A little."
"Only a little?"
Leah looked at her.
"...Enough."
Mili smiled.
"I was expecting a long answer."
"I know."
"You've been hanging around Joanne."
Leah raised an eyebrow.
"I was going to blame you."
Mili looked genuinely thoughtful.
"...That's possible too."
For the first time in several minutes, Leah let out a quiet laugh.
Not because she was relaxed.
But because being beside her members made the fear easier to carry.
---
A sharp knock interrupted the moment.
The stage manager opened the door.
"ROSIES."
He checked the schedule in his hand.
"Five minutes."
Every conversation stopped.
The room seemed smaller.
Outside, the opening VCR for the rookie stage had already begun.
A production assistant hurried in.
"Microphones."
One by one, she secured each headset.
She tugged lightly on the cables.
Checked every battery pack.
Adjusted Bella's microphone by barely half a centimetre.
"There."
She stepped back with a satisfied nod.
"Perfect."
Their manager walked into the room one last time.
He looked around at the five young women standing before him.
For a second, he smiled.
Not like a manager.
Like someone remembering the first day they had walked into the company as trainees.
"You've worked hard."
He bowed his head slightly.
"So..."
"Enjoy your stage."
Joanne looked at the others.
No speeches.
No grand declarations.
She simply held out her hand.
One by one, the others placed theirs on top.
Bella.
Mili.
Susu.
Leah.
No one counted.
No one shouted.
For a brief moment, they simply stood there.
Five girls.
One dream.
The stage manager's voice echoed through the hallway once more.
"ROSIES."
"It's time."
They separated.
Adjusted their shoulders.
Took one steady breath.
Then, together...
they stepped out of the waiting room and walked toward the brightest stage they had ever seen.