Chapter 1: Dance Practice

MAL stood at the far end of the practice room, glancing around nervously as she stepped away from the door after shutting it quietly behind her. She sighed as she spotted her reflection in the gigantic mirror right across from her.

Making her way to the center of the room, she glanced around once again, ready to call her boyfriend's name.

"Junwon?" She called out, her voice baffled at the sight of the empty practice room. Only a few pieces of paperwork, equipment, and lazy-boy chairs were scattered around the room. "Sweetheart, where are you?"

At that moment, a familiar creaking noise filled her ears. The sound of the door to the practice room creaking open. She turned around immediately to spot who it was.

It was the familiar, tall figure she was there to meet. She stared at his clothes, the same black and white striped shirt that hugged his torso and the same black leather pants that showed off his attractive physique. She sent him a soft smile before taking in the sight of his exhausted, overworked face. His pale skin matched with his silky, jet-black hair and his chocolate-brown eyes.

She stretched her arms out to invite him in a hug once she recognized his features. He immediately ran towards her, which resulted in her engulfing him in a tight, reassuring hug.

The younger lover's body immediately curved into hers, his face sinking into her neck as he struggled to forbid his tears from streaming down his face. Mal ran her fingers through his wet, newly-washed hair, taking a mental note that he must have taken a shower before he entered the practice room once again.

"Hey, baby," she whispered, placing a clumsy, soft kiss just above his temple, "how did practice go today?"

He shook his head, already unable to continue that conversation. Mal knew that it was just another terrible day, so she tried her best not to push it any further.

"Come on, sweetheart," she whispered, gently shoving him away but keeping him closer to her by having an arm around his torso and waist. "Gather your stuff and let's go home."

He slowly nodded his head, sending her a small, reassuring smile in an unconvincing attempt to try and tell her that he was okay. Mal didn't bother to comment but made a silent observation to herself that he wasn't fine.

It was his way of telling her that he was going to be okay.

And she knew that he was strong. Strong enough to get through just another day of hell.

But for how long?

"How did it go today, Jun?" She asked as she grabbed his pens, his practice clothes, his papers, and his lip moisturizer to shove them in his bag. He glanced around the room to look for anything else that he might've missed. To his dismay, his water bottle was still lying on the wooden floor.

He sighed and walked in its direction to grab it and shove it in his bag.

"The same as u-usual." He replied, his voice cracking with heartbreak. "Today we learned another dance. It was nice."

Mal stopped trying to fit all her boyfriend's possessions inside the bag, then turned her attention to him as she sent him a glare that soon softened as he handed her the water bottle.

"You know I'm not talking about the dance..."

"I did well in it!" He replied, softly smiling to himself. Her heart softened at that, remembering how talented he was.

"I know, sweetheart."

Soon enough, she was able to zip up his bag and close it. After handing it to him, she wrapped her arm around his slim waist to lead him out of the room.

. . .

"Now, are you ready to talk to me, sweetheart?"

They were sitting in the gigantic dining room, and Mal was munching on her ramen and gulping it down her throat. Junwon continued to stare at his plate, his stomach flipping at the thought of anything going through his mouth.

"I..." He began in a soft, shaky voice. "It's been the usual. They keep annoying me and bullying me about everything I do or say."

The memories flashed through his mind. Memories of what had happened earlier that day.

"Well, guys, we need to practice this dance again. We didn't exactly get it right so-"

The members rolled their eyes and stood up to continue the dance once again. Junwon bit his plump lower lip and followed them to the center of the room, then started the usual steps of the dancing.

"They're making it so hard for me..."

"Are you going to leave with us, Junwon?" Wooseok, one of his few friends asked.

"O-Oh, um..." the boy hesitated, unsure what to say. "I'm actually waiting for my girlfriend to come pick me up, so-"

"Of course he is!" Soul, the oldest member and his enemy, spoke up, interrupting him. "He even gets to stay with her while we get to stay in those small, filthy dorms! It's always been like this. I honestly don't understand why you keep trying, Wooseok. He will only keep pushing you way because he thinks he's better than all of us."

"Yeah, being the 'it boy' of our group, or whatever." Another member retorted. Junwon didn't bother to glance at who he was. He shut his eyelids to avoid showing the members the pain that was clear as day in his eyes.

Why did they keep making fun of him?

Why didn't they have the least bit of respect for him?

"I'm not trying to push you away because I'm better!" Junwon attempted to scream, but it came out like a soft, shaky whisper. "I'm not you, Soul! Unlike you, I don't think I'm better than anyone else. You do."

Soul rolled his eyes, a smirk erupting through his face to cover his pink, plump lips. "Oh, look who recently got their tongue back-"

"Yeah, yeah, spare me the lecture, hyung." Junwon retorted. "I'm out of here."

Junwon made his way toward the door, his eyebrows furrowed with frustration and heartbreak. Soul's eyes turned red as he watched the younger's attempt to leave the room.

"You'll pay for this, Junwon!" Soul retorted, his voice was dark with mutual anger.

The younger rolled his eyes, opening the door to leave the room while realizing that he couldn't wait for his lover to come and pick him up.

"They don't want me as their leader, noona..." He whispered, his voice trembling. "They don't respect me."

Mal's face fell while her heart dropped to her stomach. Disappointment filled her chest and all she could do at that moment was reach for her boyfriend's arm and stroke it with her slender fingers.

"Baby..."

"And they never listen to me."

Mal frowned and rested her hand above his arm, trying to gulp away the lump in her throat. "It's okay, sweetheart. Just give them a bit more time."

"What more time do they need?" Junwon desperately questioned. "It's been a month since we debuted. They've already made my job hard in the survival show! I thought now that we're in a group together, they might open up to it and leave me alone..."

But they didn't.

Mal could almost hear her own heart shattering in the distance. Tears already filling her eyes, she took a look at his plate filled with food. The same plate they both decorated together in hopes to have him eat some food after the harsh practice.

But to her dismay, the plate was full, as he hadn't touched it since they both sat down.

"Okay, sweetheart, eat your food so we can go upstairs and cuddle." She hoped that the sound of cuddling would cheer him the least bit up so he could eat something before he went to sleep after an exhausting day.

"I'm sorry, noona..." He began, tears filling his eyes as well as he looked up to the love of his life. "I can't eat right now. I'm really, really tired. Can we please go to bed already?"

He needed her embrace more than anything. They were both aware of that.

Junwon then got up to put his plate in the refrigerator, bowing in apology to his lover as he stood up from his seat. Mal's heartbroken, sympathetic gaze followed him and soon she followed, away from the dining table. As soon as they set their plates and cleaned the table after them, Mal wrapped her arm around her boyfriend and began leading him out of the dining room, and up the stairs to their shared bedroom.