The next week was chaos.
Schedules piled up, dance rehearsals stretched past midnight, and every trainee seemed to exist on caffeine and stubbornness.
Lian barely saw sunlight anymore. His world had become a blur of mirrors, music, and exhaustion.
But even then… Rian Vale still managed to appear in the middle of it all.
Every few days, Rian would stop by the trainee floor. He'd observe quietly, leaning against the wall with his arms folded — the kind of presence that made everyone straighten up instantly.
When he spoke, his words were always calm, brief, and impossible to ignore.
> "Your rhythm's off by half a beat."
"Don't look down when you sing — the audience won't look up for you."
"Breathe before the note, not after."
And yet, when his eyes landed on Lian, his tone always softened — not by much, just enough for Lian to notice.
---
One evening, after everyone had left, Lian stayed behind to practice his high notes.
His voice was hoarse, his throat sore, but he couldn't stop. He wanted to prove he deserved this — that Rian hadn't made a mistake choosing him.
He didn't notice Rian entering the room until the door closed quietly behind him.
Lian froze mid-note, spinning around. "Rian-ssi! I didn't hear you come in."
Rian crossed his arms, one eyebrow slightly raised. "You shouldn't be practicing this late. Your voice will give out."
"I'm fine," Lian said, smiling weakly. "Just one more run."
Rian sighed. "You said that an hour ago."
Lian blinked. "You were watching me?"
Rian didn't answer — which was an answer.
He walked closer instead, stopping just a few feet away. "Your technique's improved."
"Really?"
"Mm." Rian nodded slightly. "But you still look like you're fighting your own voice."
Lian frowned. "Fighting it?"
"You don't trust yourself yet," Rian said simply. "You think too much about being perfect. But perfection's boring, Lian. People remember the voice that bleeds a little."
The words hit Lian like a soft blow.
Bleeds a little.
He swallowed, looking down. "I just… don't want to disappoint anyone."
"Then don't sing for them." Rian's voice dropped lower, gentler. "Sing for yourself."
The room felt too quiet after that. The faint hum of the studio lights filled the silence between them.
Lian finally said, "You make it sound easy."
Rian gave a small, humorless laugh. "It isn't. I learned it the hard way."
For a moment, his usual cool expression cracked — and Lian saw something else beneath it. Sadness. Loneliness.
It disappeared almost instantly, but it lingered enough to make Lian's chest tighten.
---
Rian moved toward the piano in the corner. "Come here."
Lian hesitated, then obeyed.
Rian pressed a few soft chords, then looked up. "Sing with me."
"Now?"
"Now," Rian said, with that small, confident half-smile that always made Lian nervous.
The melody was slow — one of Rian's unreleased songs. Lian had heard whispers about it in the trainee chat rooms: a song written after Rian's first heartbreak.
He didn't know if that was true, but as soon as he started singing, he felt it. The melody ached.
Lian followed his lead, their voices blending — hesitant at first, then smoother, warmer.
When the last note faded, Rian looked at him for a long moment.
Lian's heart pounded. "Was that… okay?"
Rian exhaled softly. "You're improving fast."
Lian smiled. "That means a lot coming from you."
"It should," Rian said with a faint smirk, though his eyes softened again. "You have something most people don't."
"What's that?"
Rian hesitated — just for a second. "Heart."
Lian blinked. "That's… cheesy."
Rian chuckled quietly. "Maybe. But it's true."
Their laughter echoed lightly in the quiet room. For the first time, it didn't feel like idol and trainee anymore. It felt like something closer. Something fragile.
---
The next day, rumors started.
It began small — whispers in the hallway, messages on group chats.
> "Did you see Rian and Lian in Studio B last night?"
"They stayed alone again?"
"Do you think Rian's playing favorites?"
Lian tried to ignore it, but the stares followed him everywhere.
During dance practice, Jinwoo pulled him aside. "You okay?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"You're trending on the trainee forum."
"What?"
Jinwoo showed him his phone — blurry photos of Lian and Rian at the piano, posted with captions like 'Rian's new favorite?' and 'Lucky trainee or something more?'
Lian's face turned pale. "Oh no…"
Jinwoo winced. "You might wanna stay quiet for a while."
But it was too late. By the afternoon, the whole company was buzzing.
---
That evening, Rian called Lian to the rooftop.
The city stretched out below them — neon lights, distant horns, the faint hum of traffic.
Rian stood near the railing, looking out at the skyline. "You've seen it, haven't you?"
Lian nodded silently. "I didn't mean for it to happen."
"I know." Rian turned to face him. "But people will always talk. It's their job to fill silence with noise."
Lian frowned. "Won't this hurt your reputation?"
Rian tilted his head slightly. "Are you worried about mine or yours?"
Lian hesitated. "Both."
Rian smiled faintly. "You're too kind for this industry."
"I'm not kind," Lian murmured. "I just… don't want to be a burden."
"You're not," Rian said quietly, stepping closer. "And I wouldn't have chosen you if you were."
His words were firm, but his eyes — they told a different story. Softer, warmer.
For a second, the air between them changed. The city noise faded, replaced by the sound of Lian's heartbeat in his ears.
Rian looked at him — really looked — like he was trying to memorize his face.
"Rian…" Lian started, but his voice broke halfway.
Rian blinked, snapping out of it first. "Get some rest. Big day tomorrow."
"Rian—"
But the older man was already walking toward the door.
Lian watched him go, his chest tight.
He didn't understand what that look meant — that brief, unreadable flicker in Rian's eyes. But he knew it wasn't just professionalism anymore.
---
That night, Lian couldn't sleep.
He replayed the rooftop moment over and over, each time wondering if he had imagined it all.
Meanwhile, in his apartment across the city, Rian stood by his window, watching the same sky.
He thought of Lian's trembling voice, his stubbornness, his honesty.
For the first time in years, Rian felt something unfamiliar — something that scared him more than failure ever had.
Hope.
---
End of Chapter 4 – The sound of you
(To be continued…)