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Strong footsteps echoed through the cold, white hall as an old man probably in his late 40s pushed open the large glass door, stepping into a spacious, well-lit practice room. Eight trainees stood in a straight line, and in unison, they greeted him: “Hello, Khun Chatri!”The man, Chatri, gave a slight nod as his eyes started scanning each of them one by one while moving closer with a thin smile playing on his lips. Suddenly, he took a deep breath, causing the trainees to stiffen their postures even further. Then, in a deep, monotone voice, he spoke: “We have decided that instead of debuting a group, we will debut a duo. Unfortunately, this means only two of you will make in the final lineup.” The room fell silent.
The trainees stood frozen, barely daring to breathe, let alone blink, as they struggled to process his words. A skinny, tall boy with big brown doe eyes, dressed in an oversized white shirt and black baggy pants was the first to react. His eyebrows furrowed, his big pouty lips parting in disbelief. “What?” The displeasure and surprise in his voice were unmistakable.
The older boy beside him, with a stronger build and dressed in all-black sport shorts and a sleeveless t-shirt, softly calling boy’s name “gem!” as he tapped his shoulder and took a small step forward. Clenching one hand into a fist, he spoke calmly, “Khun Chatri, I fear I don’t fully understand what you just said. Could you explain more?”
The man that everyone would easily understand was the CEO of this company glanced down at his feet as he walked further into the practice room. Pausing before the mirror, he finally met his own reflection before answering in a relaxed tone, “Like I said, we’re changing plans. We’re debuting a duo instead of a group.” Sounding as if it’s nothing but deciding what to eat for the breakfast.
The trainees snapped out of their daze, exchanging panicked glances. Khun Chatri inhaled loudly again, turning slowly to face the eight shaken boys. “You all know how popular the duo BPP has become lately right? They’ve sparked a new marketing trend. Now the market is oversaturated with boy groups, competition is brutal. We’re not a well-known company. If we debut you as a group, you’ll just disappear in the shadow of established acts. But duos? Audiences are obsessed right now. This is our chance to stand out.”
He pulled out his phone, glanced at an incoming call with indifference, and declined it before scanning the room again. “Fans love the shipping dynamic, they don’t just see a duo as performers, but as a pair. A couple. And that sells. So starting today, we’ll hold evaluations to determine the final two that will debut in 2 months.”
A strong build but slightly shorter blonde boy with buzz cut, with his gray sleeveless shirt soaked in sweat, scowled. “But you promised we’d debut as a group this year! How can you just change everything? What happens to the rest of us if we’re not picked? Do we get kicked out? Is this some kind of joke?”
Khun Chatri smiled, amused. He stepped closer and tapped the boy’s cheek lightly. “Fourth, save that fire. You’ll need it to survive. If you’re not chosen, you either wait two more years… or leave.”
The boy beside Fourth, broad-shouldered but with a surprisingly delicate face grabbed his arm, as if sensing he was moments away from throwing a punch.
Fourth clenched his jaw, fists trembling at his sides as Khun Chatri strode out of the practice room without another word. The moment the door clicked shut, the air erupted in a collective sharp and frustrated exhale. Some slumped to the floor, gripping their heads in despair, while others stood frozen, staring blankly at the mirrored walls as if the answers might materialize there.
The room simmered with desperation, the initial outburst of curses and protests fading into hollow silence. After a few minutes of scattered murmurs and lost stares, the trainees slowly gathered in a loose circle on the floor as they looked at each other few couldn’t hold back anymore, tears spilled quietly, their breaths hitching as they wiped at their faces with shaky hands. Fourth was one of them, he looked like someone who wouldn’t cry easily but here he was while others offered quiet comfort, their hands moving in slow circles across bowed backs, speaking through touch what words couldn’t convey.
In the lingering quiet between shuddering breaths and muted sniffles, an unspoken understanding settled over them. They were trying to accept what just happened, no matter how much they hated it to make room for this new reality in their minds.
The silence stretched until the boy with those unmistakable doe eyes - too large, too expressive for his sharp features flickered with renewed determination, broke the silence as He runs his fingers through his thick strands of ink-black hair, the kind that catches the light like satin when it moves “guys i don’t want to debut” he spoke confidently as if he already made the decision “ i wanted to debut with you guys because it was fun to spend time together, if they pick me it means i will have to debut with only one of you and i don’t want that, let’s just leave and debut in another company together! ” He sounded enthusiastic, but his words failed to lift the heavy atmosphere.
Fourth whose eyes was now puffy and nose flushed red from crying glared up at the boy sitting right across from him before suddenly shouting, "Gemini!"
Gemini the doe-eyed boy startled, his expression faltering as if he hadn't expected Fourth to be the one to answer him.
"Can you stop acting like this is some kind of game?" Fourth's voice cracked, raw with anger and hurt. "Of course it's easy for you, you're just here for fun! You already got plenty of other companies offers, you don’t even do this seriously you treat it like a hobby but for the rest of us, this was our only shot!" He dragged a shaky hand across his face. "Do you really think we can just walk out and get into another company at this level? Or better? "
Gemini forced a smile, trying to mask how deeply Fourth’s words and the sight of him in such a state had cut. The truth was, he’d always admired Fourth’s relentless determination, even if they weren’t close. Hearing that anger directed at him now twisted something sharp in his chest.
A hollow chuckle escaped from fourth’s mouth "Ah… you’re really something," Fourth said, voice dripping with something between disbelief and scorn. "Smiling like that after everything I just said. Do we look like a joke to you, Gemini?"
Suddenly, Fourth stood, his playful tone at odds with the dark expression on his face. Across the circle, the boy dressed head-to-toe in black had been silently tracking the exchange, his posture tense. In one fluid motion, he stepped between them, blocking Fourth’s path.
“That’s enough” boy says it in lower tone with strong gaze towards fourth
His burning gaze locked onto Gemini again, who immediately looked away, unable to meet his eyes. "What, is his family paying you to play big brother? How much does it cost to buy a bodyguard these days?" Fourth continues, Gemini's breath hitched, a sharp tightness seizing his chest. Before anyone could respond, he turned on his heel and bolted from the room. Before anyone could follow gemini out a sharp gasp rippled through the room as Perth shoved Fourth hard against the chest, sending him stumbling backward. The other trainees froze, the air thick with tension. Phuwin lunged forward just in time to catch Fourth, whose hands instinctively clutched at the ache blooming beneath his ribs not just from the impact, but from the suffocating weight of everything crashing down.
"Enough!" Perth growled, jaw clenched so tight his words came out strained. "I get that we're all hurting, but take your shit out on someone who deserves it. Gemini didn't make this decision, stop acting like it’s his fault, you know damn well he didn’t mean it that way ."
For the first time, guilt flickered through Fourth's anger. He hadn't meant to target Gemini. But the desperation choking him had nowhere else to go. His mother's proud face flashed in his mind, the little celebration she'd thrown just last week when he'd promised debut was coming with little money she had left for the month, How was he supposed to tell her now? His chest ached with something ugly. Envy, maybe. Gemini could laugh it off, go back to some luxurious home untouched by this failure. But Fourth? He had nothing to fall back on.
A familiar warmth pressed against his back, Phuwin, slotting his chin over Fourth's shoulder in a loose backhug. "Let's go back to the dorm," he murmured,ignoring the way Fourth's hands still trembled. No one understood Fourth's tempers like Phuwin, he knew regret would come crashing down soon.
Across the room, Santa - with all sharp cheekbones and effortless style in his baby tee, suddenly broke the tension by looping an arm around Perth's neck. "C'mon superstar," he grinned, giving him an affectionate shake, "Let's go eat. I could demolish an entire chicken farm right now." "Ah, but I'm craving donuts!" Another trainee chimed in, with his puppy-dog eyes widening pleadingly. The brown-haired boy with honey-kissed skin and strong broad shoulders just like the one craving donuts immediately threw an arm around the boy’s neck in a playful headlock
“pond remember you promised to cut down on sugar yesterday?” “Staring from tomorrow i swear joong” pond says it in serious tone making room erupt in laughter, "You say that every week," another groaned between giggles. Pond pouted, jabbing an accusatory finger. "Aou! YOU steal half of my donuts anyway!"
Aou didn’t even deny it, already walking towards Pond gently pushing his back as they shuffled toward the door. "Fine, fine let’s just order some. But I’m picking the flavors this time," he bargained, eyes lit with sudden craving. Joong could only shake his head as he closes the door.
Santa, still draped over Perth’s shoulders, gave him a light shake. "So… chicken?" Perth exhaled, the last of his tension seeping away as he nodded. Letting Santa guide him out, he didn’t resist though he did steal one last glare at Fourth over his shoulder, leaving Fourth and Phuwin in the quiet. Few seconds passed before Fourth finally cutely mumbled, "...I'm hungry too." Phuwin burst out laughing, the sound bright against the room's lingering heaviness. "Then move your ass," he said, yanking Fourth toward the exit. "Mom is cooking your favorite grilled pork skewers today, she told me to bring you with me yesterday." Fourth's entire demeanor transformed in an instant. His eyes lit up like fireworks, the first genuine smile since the announcement breaking across his face as he practically vibrated with excitement. "Really?! Why didn't you say so earlier!" he exclaimed, suddenly outpacing Phuwin in his eagerness to reach the door. Phuwin shook his head fondly as he jogged to keep up "Slow down, you idiot! The food isn't going anywhere!" But his grin betrayed how relieved he was to see the familiar, energetic Fourth returning.
———————
Gemini rushed to the dorm, the dorm that looked decent enough for eight trainees, at least for mid size company like theirs, but they had one problem - the lack of rooms which meant they had to squeeze into only three bedrooms and share one bathroom, but He had won rock-paper-scissors when they were assigning rooms, securing a space with just two beds, which meant only one roommate: Perth, whom he’d chosen after his victory. The other boys were split into groups of three.
As he entered the dorm, sweat dripping down his face and body, he hurried to his room, slamming the door harder than intended, his frustration still simmering. What the hell did I do wrong? he wondered, kicking his lone chair making it fall backwards before straightening it up again to sit on it as he was not going to sit on his bed, which was neatly made with one piece themed sheets that his mom bought for him on his birthday with outside clothes drenched in sweat, soon The sweat made his skin itch, so he quickly grabbed his towel and a change of underwear before darting to the shower.
As he was undressing to step in the shower a pang of loneliness hit him, everyone else was out, probably eating or hanging out together without him. But at least the shower was all his now. With eight trainees sharing one bathroom, showers were a battle of speed and brute force, pushing others aside to claim your turn. Gemini had never been good at that, he usually ended up fourth or fifth in line, only getting priority when the others noticed the rash forming on his skin from sweat and taking pity on him, letting him in without a fight.
This time, he took his sweet time under the warm water, zoning out as he replayed the day’s events in his head, thinking about what he should have said and what was going to happen next. Nearly an hour later, his stomach growled, pulling him back to reality. He dried off, slipped into his underwear, and stepped out with damp hair, ready to find something to eat. Not liking to show too much of his skin, he quickly dressed in comfortable black-and-white plaid pajamas just in case the others returned. But when he opened the fridge, he sighed in disappointment. It’s empty. Only things like butter, bottle of ketchup, tomatoes and nearly empty jar of strawberry jam was left behind, everyone knew cooking was Gemini’s weakness, he could barely fry an egg, always relying on the others to prepare meals. Today, though, he was alone, with nothing to eat.
The doe-eyed boy pouted, closing the fridge as he starts staring blankly out the small window for a few seconds, as if reminiscing about happier times, shared meals, laughter with his friends. Shaking off the nostalgia, he checked the fridge again, as if hoping food would magically appear, again quickly closing it with same disappointment. With another sigh, he turned to the lower cabinet next to the oven and luckily for him found four midsized potatoes and one huge onion next to bag of rice. Perfect! A grin spread across his face. He could make fries with onions and there was even ketchup in the fridge.
He could do that much! The boy nodded to himself, still grinning. He had watched the others cook countless times, often lingering nearby to sneak bites of ingredients before the meal was ready. There was nothing to worry about. He had this. With newfound confidence, Gemini grabbed a potato and started peeling.
Everything had been going well at least, he hadn’t cut himself when chopping potatoes or burned his fingers when dropping them into the sizzling oil. But the moment he tried to stir them, hot oil splashed out, hitting the flames beneath the pan. Fire erupted, engulfing the entire pan in seconds.
Boy in his plaid pajamas, instinctively jumped back, panic seizing him. Without thinking, he grabbed the handle “water, i need water” quietly mumbling as his hands shakily grabbed the handle but the second he tilted the pan toward the sink and turned the water on, flames roared outward, nearly burning his face. He stumbled backward, crashing into the table behind him. A loud crash echoed as big blue cup hit the floor, shattering into 5 big pieces. Frozen, Gemini could only stare at the fire until the kitchen door swung open.
Phuwin and Fourth stepped in, confusion shifting to horror in seconds. Phuwin moved first, snatching the towel hanging on the oven handle and smothering the flames in one swift motion. As the smoke cleared, he turned to Gemini, eyes wide. “What the hell happened?” His voice trembled.
Gemini opened his mouth to ramble “ i was just frying potatoes, the oil flared up, i tried to extinguish it with water” when a sudden force slammed him against the wall. Fourth’s grip twisted into his pajama collar, his face inches away, burning hotter than the fire.
“Are you fucking kidding me?”
Gemini flinched, his heartbeat hammering in his ears. “What the fuck were you thinking?” “Hey, Fourth” Phuwin reached for him, but Fourth shook him off. “He broke my fucking cup!” “I’m sorry,” Gemini quickly whispered, with trembling voice
“Sorry?” Fourth’s laugh was sharp, brittle. “You think “sorry” fixes this?” The kitchen door burst open again as the rest of the boys piled in, drawn by the shouting. Pond rushed forward, trying to wedge himself between gemini and fourth to separate two boys from each other “What’s going on?” He asked with voice full of concern.
“This spoiled brat nearly burned the dorm down
and destroyed my cup!” Fourth’s voice cracked, his intense glare not leaving gemini’s face who was now looking down on his feet. Pond pushed him back gently. Successfully breaking fourth’s grip from gemini’s pajamas “It’s just a cup, no one’s hurt right ? that’s what matters”
“It’s not just a cup!” Fourth’s shout was raw, a tear streaking down his cheek. “My sister made this for me.” A heavy silence fell. Phuwin’s expression softened as he pulled Fourth into a tight hug, murmuring something low over Fourth’s shoulder, Phuwin shot Pond a look. “Get Gemini out of here. Fourth needs a minute.” Pond nodded, steering Gemini away as the others exchanged uneasy glances. Aou and Santa wordlessly began cleaning up the mess, joong unpacking the groceries they bought, while Perth slipped out, heading straight to his room.
When Perth tried to open the door pond was in front of him telling him “phi he needs some alone time” as he waked out of the room, Perth decided to give him 10 minutes before trying to entered the room again, Gemini was laying face-down on his bed, fists clenched in the sheets.
“Gem.” Perth’s voice was quiet. “You okay?”
Silence.
Perth sighed, sitting beside him and ruffling his hair. “Don’t overthink it. Accidents happen. We’re all just… on edge lately.” When Gemini didn’t respond, he added, “You hungry? I’m gonna be making some sandwiches”
Still nothing.
“Okay this can’t do… We’re having a group talk in 2 hours. Don’t make me drag you out.” Perth stood, hesitating at the door. “We’ll figure this out.” The moment the door clicked shut, Gemini squeezed his eyes shut. He didn’t want to move, didn’t care about food anymore. He wanted to cry but he knows boys won’t leave him alone and he refuses to let them see him with red eyes. It’s Perth who had asked him to come out. Perth who is the closest thing he had to an older brother, The one person he couldn’t say no to so he had to get up and face fourth once again. He can’t understand why fourth hates him so much, he is so sweet to everyone else but he make every little thing he does such a big deal, yes he made a mistake but is it really that unforgivable to break the cup? he doesn’t really wants to see his face anymore, he hates feeling so stupid in front of him, he couldn’t stop tight feeling in his chest, boy tried to sit up on the bed and do some breathing exercises to stop himself going into full blown panic attack, *inhale*… *exhale* somehow such an easy tasked looked so hard for the boy, struggling to take full breath. after calming down he wanted to just go to sleep feeling exhausted but he has no choice… it was time to go to the living room, Swallowing hard, he forced himself up and trudged toward the living room.
The living room was dimly lit as Gemini shuffled in, the carpet beneath them worn from years of late-night talks, card games and impromptu meetings. The others were already seated in a loose circle Fourth beside Joong, head bowed, fingers picking at a loose thread on his newly changed pajamas. Pond sat between Phuwin and Santa, their hair still damp from showers, bodies relaxed but eyes alert. Perth occupied Fourth’s right, Aou completing the circle. Gemini hesitated before squeezing between pond and phuwin, his knees drawn to his chest.
Perth clapped his hands once, the sound sharp in the heavy silence. "Okay. Today’s been rough for all of us." His voice was calm, but exhaustion threaded through it. "We’re on edge, and what happened between Fourth and Gemini isn’t helping." He pointed a glance at Fourth, whose jaw tightened. Gemini shrunk further into himself, guilt coming back gnawing at his ribs.
Perth continued, "So Aou, Santa and I decided you two are sharing a room until you work this out."
"What?" Fourth’s head snapped up, eyes flashing with shock.
Gemini frowned, confusion and disbelief flickering across his face. "Phi-" he whined, but Perth raised a palm, cutting him off.
"No arguments. If you respect this group, you’ll do it." Phuwin and Pond nodded in unison. Joong rubbed Fourth’s back to comfort tensed up boy.
"The longer you fight," Perth added, "the longer you’re stuck together."
Fourth’s fists clenched, knuckles whitening. For a heartbeat, the room held its breath then he jumped up to his feet "Fine. Whatever." He stormed off, footsteps thudding down to his room.
Gemini turned pleading eyes to Perth, lips puckered in a pout, but Perth only smiled and clapped again. "Meeting’s over. Get some rest tomorrow gonna be another hard day, we have to get ready for new evaluation week."
All got up one by one walking back to their rooms. Santa hugged Gemini, whispering, "we left sandwich for you on the kitchen counter" before trailing after Perth and Aou.
Gemini froze to the spot few seconds, as his head was processing all that happened today, he didn’t feel like eating anything, so he turned off the lights and hurriedly walked back to his room, slamming the door behind him.
He dove under the covers, facing the wall, and pretended not to hear the door creak open few minutes later as fourth walked in with his big pillow and suitcase, Fourth dumped his suitcase with a thud, putting his pillow on the bed, laying down, yanking the blanket over himself, and turned his back.
The small lamp on Gemini’s bedside table casting a stubborn glow. Fourth tossed and turned annoyed by the light hitting his eyes but neither spoke. The night stretched, feeling endless and suffocating, their restless minds louder than any words. Both of them knowing very well that they weren’t getting any sleep today.