The next morning, the world outside Jun's window was a blur of muted light, but inside his room, everything had slowed to a crawl. He sat perfectly still at his desk, his back pressed against the chair, completely surrendered to the music flowing through his earphones. He didn't move a muscle. He didn't want to break the spell.Slowly, his eyelashes fluttered against his cheeks, his eyes closing as the melody wrapped around him."Why is this guy's voice so beautiful?" he murmured, his voice a soft, breathless whisper that dissolved into the quiet room.A few doors away, the atmosphere was entirely different. Yan sat on the edge of his bed, glaring at his phone as it buzzed relentlessly in his hand. With a heavy sigh, he swiped the screen and brought the phone to his ear, his voice instantly sharp."You idiot. Just because I have a phone doesn't mean you can call me whenever you want.""Yes, boss. I know," Kin replied on the other end, his tone completely unbothered by the hostility. "But there's something I wanted to tell you."Yan pinched the bridge of his nose. "What?""I met Boss Ryan. Did you get a chance to talk to him?""Hmm. I met him," Yan said, his gaze drifting toward the window. "We talked a little, but nothing important. He just asked me a few things and left." He paused, a bitter edge slipping into his voice. "I also think he's not very interested in my business.""You know him, boss. He's not really the type to be curious about other people's lives. Even though he's your brother."Yan's chest tightened slightly. "Any progress on Project Meow?""Uh…"The sudden hesitation spoke volumes. Yan's eyes narrowed."Nothing?""Nothing," Kin admitted, letting out a nervous, airy laugh. "That bastard doesn't even show his face for a minute. Boss, can I give you some advice?""Hmm?""How about a love trap?" Kin's tone turned conspiratorial, laced with amusement. "We make him fall for you, then dump him after finding out his weakness. Just like in those cheesy dramas."Silence stretched over the line, heavy and suffocating."Is that your advice," Yan said, each word dripping with cold venom, "or a piece of shit?""Oh. You don't like it?""Fuck you.""Boss, you're taking this too seriously! I was just kidding."Yan rubbed his forehead, a headache pounding behind his eyes. "Kin, I really doubt how you're going to survive in another company with that personality.""Why?""Because if I ever leave this show, my first mission will be to fire you.""Boss—hello? Boss?"Yan cut the call, severing Kin's whines. He tossed the phone into his desk drawer, sliding it shut with a definitive click, and leaned back against the headboard."This bastard really wants me to act like that? How would that even work?"The image of a classic, dramatic seduction flashed through his mind, and a sudden, sharp heat crawled up his neck. He shook his head violently, running a hand through his messy hair to clear his thoughts."Why am I even thinking about whether it would work?" he muttered to the empty room, letting out a long, frustrated sigh. "That bastard is really messing with my head."By the next afternoon, the anxiety of the upcoming evaluations hung heavy in the main practice room. The air was thick with the scent of sweat and the repetitive beat of the backing track playing on loop.Everyone was locked in their own world. Near the mirrors, Wang was drilling a sequence of dance steps, his movements sharp but slightly stiff. Across the room, Yuxi was stretched out flat on the polished floor, his chin resting in his hands as he stared intently at his iPad, dissecting a recording of their previous run-through.William stood a few paces away, his hands loosely clamped over his headphones as he softly hummed his vocal lines, finding his pitch amidst the chaos.Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Wang walked over to him. "William."William blinked, pulling one side of his headphones down. "Yeah?""Can you help me with this part?" Wang held out a crumpled piece of paper covered in scribbled choreography notes.William leaned in, scanning the sheet. "Oh, this?" He nodded, offering a reassuring smile. "Okay. Watch me first, then try it the same way."William stepped back, dropping into the posture effortlessly. He executed the movement a few times, breaking down the fluid transition from the shoulders to the hips. Wang followed along, adjusting his stance until the movement felt natural.Taking a breath, Wang let his gaze wander across the crowded room, counting heads. "By the way, do you know where Lee is? I haven't seen him since morning."William thought for a moment, tapping his chin. "I think he's having lunch at the café downstairs.""Oh." Wang nodded, glancing toward the door before rolling his shoulders back. "Thanks."Turning back to the mirror, Wang threw himself into the routine once more, the relentless rhythm of the music filling the space between them.
