Ten minutes later.

We arrived at the Hwayi Entertainment building.

Although it was in the same Gangnam district, it was quite a distance from Lemon Entertainment.

We walked down an alley filled with similar-looking buildings.

Unlike our company’s dormitory, which looked like an ordinary villa, Hwayi Entertainment’s building stood out at a glance.

“Wow.”

The maknae exclaimed, and Riheok nodded.

“I told you it looks impressive from the outside.”

It felt like the Korean branch of a cutting-edge IT company straight out of a Hollywood movie.

The building’s walls were sleek white.

But our admiration turned to shock the moment we stepped inside.

What’s with this gloomy atmosphere?

It reminded me of an old building I saw in downtown Gunsan when I was in elementary school.

There was something eerie about it.

Sugarfish and Girls on Top must have made a fortune for Hwayi Ent, so where did all that money go?

“I’m heading to the offices. Want to come?”

When Director Yoon Seok-hwan asked, we all shook our heads.

We already felt uneasy just being in another company’s building, so going where the staff were was out of the question.

He smiled and said, “Okay. You guys go up first. Jang Sowon said she’ll be a bit late, so wait for her in the studio on the third floor.”

“How late?”

“Not sure. She said she had a schedule early this morning and is coming straight here now.”

We nodded and headed for the stairs.

Yoon Seok-hwan, standing by the elevator, tilted his head as he watched us.

“Not taking the elevator?”

“I just feel like we shouldn’t.”

“Do whatever you’re comfortable with. I’ll text you when we’re done and come get you.”

There was nothing stopping us from taking the elevator, but somehow none of us dared. It was like new privates in the army hesitating to use the barracks facilities.

The five of us timidly climbed to the third floor by stairs.

In the quiet hallway, we peered out and whispered like we were plotting.

Lowering our voices, I asked, “Hey, where did he say to wait?”

“In the studio.”

“There’s more than one studio.”

About seven rooms in total, all windowless doors. It was hard to tell if anyone was inside.

“Should we text Director Yoon?”

“Let’s do it.”

I nodded at Biju’s suggestion, then realized everyone was just staring at me.

“What? You want me to ask?”

They all nodded.

Guess they still remember I got scolded earlier.

“You’re on good terms with him, though. You two are like brothers, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Alright, stand back.”

I shook my head and messaged Director Yoon. While we waited, we quietly hovered near the elevator.

No reply yet—he was probably in a meeting.

Then the most promising door at the end of the hall opened.

Click—

Our first reaction was awe.

A group of doll-like girls with delicate features stepped out.

Each wore a different outfit that showed off her personality.

We didn’t need an introduction to know who they were.

Girls on Top.

Seeing their TV faces in person felt surreal, yet familiar.

No overwhelming aura—just a strange kind of excitement.

“I’m so tired.”

“Our manager called and said our schedule ran late, so hurry down.”

“Why are they rushing us so much?”

They must have been exhausted from recording; their faces looked haggard as they chatted among themselves. Then they noticed us.

Our eyes met, and we all froze.

We heard them whispering, “Who are they?” “Why are they here?” Their guard was up.

Awkwardly unsure of when to greet their seniors, we panicked.

One member stepped forward.

“Um.”

She had fair skin and looked like a heroine from a pure romance comic.

Ju Hana.

When I was in the military, every time she appeared on TV, the other soldiers would go wild over her visuals.

Her voice was higher in person than on TV.

“I don’t recognize you. Who are you?”

“Ah, hello.”

I bowed politely, and the others followed with their own “hello.”

We’d eventually debut and meet again, so we all smiled, hoping to make a good first impression.

“We came because we’re working on a song with Senior Jang Sowon.”

Their “hello” echoed awkwardly.

“Oh, so you’re singers. You’re rookies, right? Have you debuted?”

“Not yet.”

“...Excuse me?”

“We’re still trainees—”

“Oh. Seriously?”

Ju Hana looked incredulous.

“Trainees?”

In an instant, the cautious atmosphere vanished. Their faces said, “Why did we even bother greeting them?”

I felt sorry for my teammates struggling to hide their expressions.

I, however, felt unshaken. It was a bitter taste of the entertainment world’s true nature.

Ju Hana brushed her hair back and nodded.

“Oh, well... good luck then.”

With that, she swept past us, and the rest followed like lions trailing their leader. But one Girls on Top member stayed behind.

I couldn’t recall her name.

She ignored the rest of us and fixed her gaze solely on Wang Jiho.

Oddly, her eyes burned with hostility, as if flames flickered in them.

“Hey, Wang Jiho.”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t you even greet your seniors?”

“Seniors?”

Jiho tilted his head.

“How are they your seniors? You’re the same school year.”

“Here, I’m the senior.”

The scowling member gave us a once-over, then opened her mouth with a barbed tone—only she never got the chance. From the elevator area, another Girls on Top member called out.

“Gil Chaekyung! Why aren’t you coming?”

“Unni, I—”

“Hey, our manager is freaking out, telling us to hurry up!”

Gil Chaekyung sighed, glared at Jiho, then shot him a “we’ll finish this later” look before walking away. Once she’d entered, the elevator doors closed and descended from the third to the first floor.

As that elevator we hadn’t taken went down, a message from Director Yoon arrived.

–Wait in the last room in the hallway.

Perfect timing, Director Yoon.

Watching my teammates’ unhappy faces reminded me of what had just happened. They all looked at me.

After pondering what to say, I finally found the right words.

“Let’s not be like that.”

They all nodded in silence.

The last room in the hallway.

It was a recording and production studio in name only—more like a storage closet, stuffed with equipment along the walls.

We squeezed onto a tiny sofa, and Biju spoke up.

“Are we supposed to wait here? Or will we be working here?”

“Probably waiting.”

Junghyun munched on a snack and said, “No way we’ll work here.”

“Junghyun hyung, you hungry in this situation?”

Junghyun, ever nonchalant, offered Riheok a snack.

“Want one?”

Riheok, normally a light eater, eagerly accepted it. He must be stressed.

Meanwhile, I watched the maknae playing a mobile game without saying a word.

“Jiho.”

“Yeah?”

“About what Gil Chaekyung said earlier...”

His finger slipped, and his game character fell off a ladder.

GAME OVER.

As he tapped restart, he said without looking up, “What about it?”

“You seemed rough with him. What’s your relationship?”

“We went to the same school.”

“But it didn’t look like simple classmates.”

“I...”

Another GAME OVER flashed, and Jiho finally looked at me.

“It’s kind of an embarrassing history...”

“It’s okay.”

“Why is it okay for you? I’m not okay.”

He sounded uncharacteristically prickly.

“If you don’t want to talk about it, you don’t have to.”

“He confessed to me once.”

Suddenly the mood turned to a confession. The seniors leaned in, curious.

Jiho closed his game and said, “We were in the same class in elementary school. We lived nearby and often hung out. When we were in fifth grade, after a karaoke session on the way home, he told me he liked me.”

“And?”

“I told him I didn’t.”

“...”

“After that, every time he saw me, he picked fights. At school, he’d corner me and start trouble whenever no one else was around. It was—”

So that was the story. But to go from a rejected confession to becoming sworn enemies seemed odd.

Wait. Did I miss something?

“Hold on—how did you reject him?”

Jiho’s expression flickered.

“Well... um...”

“Exactly what did you say?”

“I was young and immature back then.”

“You didn’t say anything mean, did you?”

“I told him he was ugly.”

Biju sighed, Riheok clicked his tongue, and Junghyun—mid-snack—let out a resigned breath.

“I thought she was harsh earlier, but that’s on a whole new level.”

“Why’d you do that?”

“If it were me, I’d go bow my head and apologize right now.”

Under the seniors’ reproach, the maknae flapped his hands.

“No, it’s just that I hated his personality. Spend five minutes with him and you’ll know. He’d spam me with texts asking what I was doing, and when he gave me food, he’d say, ‘You don’t get this at your house, right?’ in this condescending way.”

“Sounds exactly like you.”

“Right? What do you call that, Woo-joo hyung?”

“Self-hatred among the same kind.”

My answer made them giggle, and the maknae looked indignant.

I softened my tone. “Still, that was too much.”

“No...”

“When you see him next, apologize.”

“I don’t know. I tried to say sorry, but he just walked off. Then he went on a diet and became a girl-group member. It’d be ridiculous to apologize now.”

“Still, you have to say it, okay?”

“...Okay. If I get the chance.”

I laughed at the maknae bobbing his head.

Good grief. If he’s this immature now, imagining ten-year-old Jiho is terrifying.

It’s strange—when I was in elementary school, I don’t think we had any of that... um, what do they call it? That fluttery, embarrassing thing between boys and girls that isn’t quite dating.

I’m sure I’ll remember the word eventually.

We chattered while waiting, and forty minutes later, our headliner arrived.

Her hair fluttered as she stepped in.

Beneath sharp eyes, her charming smile greeted us.

“Hi!”

We all stood.

“Hello, Senior.”

“What’s with standing up?”

Jang Sowon grinned broadly and beckoned us.

“Sit, sit.”

“Yes.”

“Sorry to keep you waiting so long. Did you have breakfast?”

“Yes, Senior. How about you?”

“I just finished my schedule. I usually skip breakfast.”

She took off her wine-colored coat and looked us over.

“I’m having coffee. What would you like?”

The juniors turned to me simultaneously, eyes asking if it was okay to accept.

I nodded. Sowon laughed as if amused.

“Wow, the leader’s got you all in line.”

“It’s not that.”

“They just got scolded this morning, so they’re on edge.”

Sowon made a call. “Hello? Yes, it’s me, Gyu-hwan. You’re still at the office? Sorry, could you bring coffee?”

She looked at us expectantly.

“One hot chocolate, two Americanos, and one large iced caramel macchiato with whipped cream.”

“Why me, hyung?”

“Nothing.”

A man in a hoodie, presumably the manager, came in a moment later with the coffee.

Once we started drinking, the atmosphere relaxed.

Sowon pulled out her laptop and began connecting it to the studio equipment.

“Are we working here?”

“Yes.”

She answered matter-of-factly. “It’s pretty cramped, isn’t it?”

“No.”

“The better rooms are all occupied. So...”

She trailed off, but her meaning was clear.

This was how the company treated its less popular artists. If Girls on Top were recording, they’d probably clear out an entire studio for them.

“First, want to listen to something?”

She clicked a folder on the desktop, then opened a file labeled [Main Theme Ver.1].

“I worked on this melody for a few days. Before we start, I wanted you to hear it.”

There are two parts # Nоvеlight # to a melody: the accompaniment you usually hear and the topline, which sets out the vocal notes. She’d written the accompaniment, the main theme.

It was fresh yet light. It might have sounded like simple note sequences, but from the first bars I felt something special.

Goosebumps crawled from my toes to my scalp.

Even the hairs in my ears seemed to stand.

The others watched quietly, but I couldn’t hide my reaction.

My jaw dropped as I rubbed my tingling arm.

This is incredible.

I felt like a miner who’d discovered gold in the darkness.