* * *

The intense beat of the music kept hitting my ears.

At first, the music was just loud, but after hearing it for a while, I got quite used to it.

No, it actually started to sound quite convincing.

As I moved my body to the music, the ‘Kang Yichan’ reflected in the mirror also moved diligently.

Kang Yichan—it’s already been three weeks living as this person, yet the reflection still feels unfamiliar.

A pale face, a skinny body, dark eyes, and a gloomy atmosphere.

But, has it improved compared to the beginning? What a commendable kid.

“Kang Yichan!”

Suddenly, the music stopped abruptly.

“Is that really the best you can do?”

Youngjun, known as the dance teacher to the kids, was glaring at me with an angry face.

I could sense a faint aura of “anger” from him.

“I did it properly, didn’t I? Without a single mistake?”

But that’s not all Youngjun wanted.

Here, the joints should snap, now the upper body and lower body need to move separately, powerfully here, softly there, the knee angle at ninety degrees, dynamically, smoothly…

“Is doing it without mistakes all that matters? Like this, precisely.”

Youngjun looked at me with a disdainful expression and demonstrated the transition part of the move.

“You need to show some angles, right?”

Oh—yes, it’s precise and well done. Cool.

I nodded indifferently. At that moment, I sensed a faint aura of “shame” from him.

Shame? Why feel shame at this moment? Could he have misunderstood? Does he think I’m looking down on him?

Maybe Kang Yichan’s expression is the problem. His face does look dark and gloomy.

“That was cool.”

I raised both thumbs and complimented him with a sly smile. Youngjun, whose face turned red, shouted out loud.

“Roa!”

Roa, drenched in sweat, came running.

“Yes, Youngjun teacher.”

“Teach him again.”

Roa’s eyes twisted subtly.

“Teacher, I have nothing more to teach Yichan hyung.”

Park Roa. At eighteen, he is the main dancer of the idol group LIT.

Roa, who learned ballet and modern dance from a young age, is usually serious but becomes even more serious when it comes to talking about dance.

“I was worried because of his amnesia, but after a day, he remembered all the choreography.”

“Do I have to repeat myself?”

Youngjun’s eyes became even sharper at Roa’s words.

“Is just following without mistakes all that matters?”

Roa shook his head, indicating that it wasn’t.

“This kid has no enthusiasm.”

Youngjun’s gaze lingered on me for a moment before turning back to Roa.

“The other members are drenched in sweat, but he alone is dry.”

Now that I think about it, it’s true. The bodies of the other kids, except for me, were drenched in sweat.

They were breathing heavily, catching their breath, showing how hard they had worked.

“You should be grateful you’re not debuting. If you went on air, you would’ve ruined it because of Kang Yichan.”

“No, Yichan hyung is doing well. Teacher.”

The one who cut in suddenly was the youngest member, Jaewon.

Even in this tense atmosphere, Jaewon performed a loose dance with a bright expression.

“There’s a sense of ease and it looks cool.”

“That looks cool to you? So relaxed. People would think he’s a 300-year-old idol. Huh?”

Youngjun’s voice grew louder, veins popping in his neck.

“You guys are rookies. Fresh newbies who haven’t even stepped on stage yet. Who would go crazy for rookies dancing like they’re bored?”

Since it wasn’t wrong, everyone kept their mouths shut.

I had no choice but to acknowledge choreographer Ji Youngjun.

Ten years into guiding idol dances, his eyes were quite sharp.

First, it hit home when he said I had no enthusiasm. Then, it hit home again when he said I looked like a 300-year-old idol.

I felt a twinge in my chest.

At that moment, Youngjun’s sharp gaze flew towards me.

“Until tomorrow. If it’s not perfected by tomorrow, the team dinner is canceled. Got it?”

Then he left the practice room immediately.

“That…”

How can he say that? Canceling the team dinner is too harsh.

As soon as the practice room door closed, the youngest ran over.

“Hyung, I like your dance. It used to be precise but kind of boring, now it has some flair.”

Then he started dancing loosely again, trying to mimic me.

“It’s cool.”

The youngest in the team, seventeen-year-old Kim Jaewon.

This kid is always bright, with an innocent mind and no sense of the atmosphere.

But the other team members were not in the same mood.

Seeing their anxious eyes, knowing that if it’s not perfected by tomorrow, the dinner will be canceled, they were obviously uneasy.

Yet, they didn’t complain, whether they were gentle or just stupid.

I sighed naturally.

In the end, the problem is…

“I’m going to take a run around the neighborhood.”

It’s me.

* * *

LIT, the five-member boy idol group that Blade Entertainment ambitiously launched.

Searching the internet for related information, I found nothing.

Only that Blade Entertainment was founded by hit-maker composer Pyo Cheonhee, who left The Music Entertainment, and LIT is the first boy group they planned. That’s about it.

Oh, and I also saw the description that they are the younger brother group of Dinafl.

Tying my sneakers tightly, I started to climb the hill I had been running up every day for the past two weeks.

It was to build some basic stamina in this weak body that got exhausted with just a little movement.

And only by running like this, I could stop unnecessary thoughts.

Like thinking about Kang Yichan, puppies, or lightning-struck jujube trees.

Should I reveal my true self to those who look down on this body?

Or should I run properly for Kang Yichan’s bitter soul? Something like that?

No, no. That would end my emotional break too.

But today, it’s especially hard to clear my mind.

It’s all because I peeked at Kang Yichan’s laptop.

The melancholic look in Kang Yichan’s eyes was inevitable. It wasn’t just about seeing that.

Kang Yichan’s first concern was the debut of LIT.

“The kids are all nice, but there’s nothing special about them.”

This is my objective evaluation of LIT.

They dance well and sing well. They have passion and determination.

But in my long experience, those aren’t measures of success.

“For one thing, they have no charm.”

The overly kind kids are colorless, tasteless, and odorless, like air, just gentle.

They have moderate talent and moderate looks. Everything about them is just moderate.

“And they don’t seem to have any luck, either.”

Until a moment ago, I thought I was the problem for this team.

But even if my issue was resolved, it didn’t seem like this team would do any better.

“So let’s stop caring. It’s bad for mental health.”

Yes, if I’m not going to be deeply involved anyway, it’s best not to worry.

If I’m not careful, I might end up living that war-like life again.

“That’s absolutely not an option.”

Drizzling rain started to fall.

With my hoodie pulled over my head, I ran up the steep hill.

“Oh— Kang Yichan. You’re doing pretty well now?”

My body had improved significantly compared to when I first started exercising.

On the first day, I couldn’t even make it up the hill, and a week ago, I was panting heavily by the time I got here. But now, this is easy.

To think I improved this much in just two weeks, I must have been really out of shape before.

Clicking my tongue inwardly, I turned around the hill and headed down the winding slope.

It was just as I made the first curve. The granny from [Red Snack] called out to me.

“Student.”

When I approached her with a nod, the granny smiled warmly and handed me a white paper bag.

“Thank you for yesterday. I wouldn’t have managed without you moving all that stuff.”

The granny’s cart had tipped over, spilling things down the slope. I couldn’t just walk by a granny in distress, so I helped her out for a bit.

Children, the elderly, and the sick are people who must be protected, no matter the reason.

I did what anyone would do, but the granny kept trying to show her gratitude.

“These are freshly fried. Take them and eat.”

“It’s really okay…”

“I want to give it to you. You shouldn’t refuse something from an elder. Come on, take it.”

In the end, I took the white bag, bowed my head once more, and headed down the slope.

“I shouldn’t accept rewards for good deeds.”

I broke my rule.

I couldn’t ignore the granny’s earnest gratitude, her holding my hand tightly and saying I was a kind-hearted student.

Plus, the rules here were different from those in my hometown.

No, that’s all nonsense.

It’s because the fried food in the paper bag smelled heavenly.

It made my mouth water.

“Shall I have a taste?”

I took out a squid fritter and slowly savored it as I walked down the slope.

Blade Entertainment.

Seeing the company sign, I realized I had come down the hill.

I hurried my steps, thinking I’d give the rest of the fritters to the kids.

Just then.

A black car approached and honked.

“Kang Yichan.”

The backseat window rolled down, and someone called Kang Yichan’s name.

The man wearing sunglasses looked quite old. Maybe similar to CEO Pyo Chun-hee.

It’s really hard to guess people’s ages here.

When I stopped, the man took off his sunglasses.

“Long time no see?”

He wasn’t on my acquired list of people.

But he said long time no see, so should I respond in kind?

However, my true nature was faster.

“Who…?”

A frown crossed the man’s face, showing faint “Anger” and strong “Excitement”.

“So Wooyoung was right? Because of the accident… you have memory issues?”

Wooyoung… from Mute7?

Peeking into the car through the window, I saw a paper bag next to the man.

[To Director Kim Chanyoung of HS Entertainment]

Director Kim Chanyoung of HS Entertainment?

I saw this name in Kang Yichan’s diary yesterday.

I don’t know if this man is actually Kim Chanyoung, but it’s worth a try.

“Temporary memory amnesia… they say.”

I smiled at the man and slowly approached the window.

“But I didn’t forget everything.”

I put my hand on the window frame and faced the man directly.

A faint “Anxiety”was sensed. I gave him a bright smile, even curling my eyes.

“When will you give me my laptop? … Please?”

* * *