The early morning light poured through the studio's tall windows, casting long golden slashes across the polished floor. The scent of disinfectant lingered faintly—a reminder that beneath the glossy surface, this was a battleground.
Han Mirae stood alone by the mirrors, stretching her legs with quiet determination. Her ankle ached with every shift, but she ignored it. The swelling had gone down thanks to Sujin's healing spray, but every nerve screamed caution.
She couldn't afford caution.
Across the room, the rest of Team C filtered in, yawning and sluggish. Kim Nari made a loud entrance, waving a convenience store sandwich like a trophy. "Breakfast of champions!"
"More like breakfast of desperation," muttered Choi Hyerim, brushing past her with an icy glance.
Sojin gave Mirae a small nod as she passed by, slipping a compression bandage from her sleeve. Mirae accepted it silently, grateful.
Before anyone could settle, the studio doors burst open.
"Morning, disappointments!" barked Kwon Jihwan.
All heads snapped to attention. The ex-idol turned mentor was wearing sunglasses indoors and carrying a clipboard like it was a weapon.
"Hope you enjoyed your six hours of sleep because today, we dance. And some of you will break. I don't care who. Just make it interesting."
He clapped his hands. "Line up!"
The girls shuffled into formation. Mirae stood at the far right, her heart beating out a war rhythm.
> [System Reminder: Today's Evaluation Rehearsal = 2x EXP Penalty for Mistakes.]
She inhaled slowly. There was no safety net today.
---
The studio echoed with the relentless beat of DreamStar's remix track. The choreography was complex—sharp turns, fluid transitions, two formation changes.
It was brutal.
"Again!" Jihwan shouted.
The girls stumbled through the routine once more. Mirae bit back a hiss as her ankle landed wrong on a pivot. Nari lost count and clashed into Inhae. Hana, forever one step behind, scowled at the mirror like it was mocking her.
"Stop, stop!" Jihwan barked. "You girls dance like backup extras at a rookie showcase. What part of survival don't you understand?"
His eyes fell on Mirae. "You. Number 83. Limp again and you're cut."
Mirae's stomach twisted. Her face stayed blank.
"Let's break," Sojin murmured, wiping sweat from her forehead. "Just five minutes. Please."
Jihwan blew out a harsh breath. "Fine. Five minutes. You use them to either hydrate or quit. Your choice."
The moment he stepped out, silence fell.
Hana threw her towel down. "Why is she always dragging us down?"
"I'm not dragging—"
"Yes, you are," Hana snapped. "We're already at the bottom. If we fail this evaluation, it's because of you."
"She's hurt," Sujin cut in.
"Then she should've bowed out instead of playing the brave victim."
The studio air turned toxic.
"Enough!" Hyerim's voice rang out. Cold and commanding.
All eyes turned.
"We don't have time to fight. You want to survive or make enemies? Decide."
Silence again. Mirae looked at her own reflection—sweaty, limping, tired—but her eyes still burned.
---
Later that night, Mirae stood under the bathroom's harsh white light, ankle exposed. The bruising had darkened. She pressed gently against it, biting her lip.
Behind her, the dorm room was quiet. Everyone else had gone to bed.
> [System Tip: 60% chance of long-term injury. Recommend immediate rest.]
She shut the screen off.
"No rest. No mercy," she whispered.
She limped back into the room and pulled her notebook out. Choreography breakdowns. Movement adjustments. Formation notes. She scribbled furiously, willing her mind to overpower her failing body.
A knock came at the door.
It was Jiwon.
"You're still awake," she said flatly.
"Couldn't sleep."
Jiwon hovered, awkward. "Your turns are off. I marked the counts."
She handed Mirae a small paper, filled with clean, sharp notes.
"You didn't have to—"
"I didn't do it for you. I did it for us. If you mess up, we all fail."
But Mirae saw it. The flicker of concern. The unspoken truce.
---
The dorm rooftop was Mirae's escape. Cold wind against sweat-soaked skin. Silence away from judgment.
Tonight, Sujin joined her.
"So that's where you vanish to."
Mirae didn't answer. Sujin sat beside her, two steaming cups of vending machine cocoa in hand.
"You ever wonder if they made a mistake choosing us?"
Mirae stared at the sky. "All the time."
Sujin hesitated. "I got my bracelet after signing with my agency. Thought it was a gift at first. But it's a curse. Isn't it?"
Mirae nodded. "But maybe it's also a test."
Sujin smiled faintly. "You really think you can survive this?"
Mirae turned. Her voice was quiet, but firm. "I don't think. I have to."
> [Bond Deepened – Ally: Lee Sujin. +5% Team Unity Score.]
---
Just as Mirae was about to go back to sleep, the system screen lit up in red.
> [New Mission: "No Second Chance"] Objective: Lead your team through a full run-through without a single member failing. Reward: +10% Debut Probability Penalty: Loss of System Assist for 48 Hours
Her breath caught. That was brutal.
She tapped the corner of her bracelet. "No second chances, huh?"
> [Motivational Message: Survival begins with sacrifice.]
The screen faded.
Mirae sat down at her desk, pulled the notes from Jiwon, and Sujin's schedule, and started mapping their week down to the minute.
Tomorrow, they wouldn't just rehearse. They would win.
---
The studio felt different the next morning.
Mirae arrived first, white tape wound tight around her ankle. She placed small energy shots and bandages near each member's spot.
Sojin noticed first. Then Nari.
Jiwon paused, eyes flicking to Mirae. Then she nodded.
"We'll do the new counts. We finish the routine today. No mistakes."
"Agreed," Hyerim said.
Even Hana didn't argue.
Kwon Jihwan raised a brow when he entered. "Look at that. Team C decided to stop crying."
They ran the routine. Once. Twice. A third time.
No major errors.
> [System Notice: Mission Progress – 87%.]
"Once more," Mirae said.
They went again.
Sweat poured. Legs shook. But this time, no one fell out of step.
> [Mission Complete – Bonus Received. Team Unity +10%. Debut Probability Increased.]
Mirae collapsed to the floor, exhausted.
Sujin tossed her a towel. "You didn't sleep, did you?"
"Didn't need to," Mirae whispered, breathless. "I have today."
Jiwon stood over her, offering a hand. "Don't make it a habit, Leader."
For the first time, the word didn't sting.
Mirae took her hand—and stood tall.