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"Temma, let's continue to work hard and stand on the biggest stage together in the future."
The face of the man in his dreams looms directly above him. Despite being in shadows from blocking the dance studio's ceiling lights, Miyabi's amber eyes glowed with determination. Moments ago, the two guys were still collapsed on the floor, struggling to catch their breaths after hours of practice with barely anything in their stomachs due to their strict diet.
Trying to hide the pounding in his chest, he avoided the other's face as he sat up. "Who was the one crying "I can't, I can't anymore" during the dance break? Won't you die if we continue?" Miyabi shyly chuckled in response, but the glow of his eyes did not disappear. Pulling the other up to stand, he said, "Just teach me one more time, then we can go home, okay?"
But before they could even have the chance to fight for this dream together, the tiring but happy days ended abruptly. An executive explained how there's a change in the group's concept: a shift towards a sexier, more masculine image with aggressive dance moves and sultry singing following the current trend. That Miyabi's charms lay elsewhere and will do their best to make him debut with another group in the near future, immediately even as if their company can pump out boygroups just like that. In short, he was kicked out of their group. Understandably, Miyabi quit the company by the afternoon. On the day he leaves the dorm, Temma can only grip Miyabi's wrist tightly. His face screams unwilling but he cannot really say anything. It's too selfish to ask him to stay.
Sometimes, Temma wishes he had left with Miyabi that day with how chaotic the handling of their debut has become. Removing Miyabi was just the first of the seemingly endless changes the higher-ups wanted to do. One day they were revamping their choreo to be so sexy, it borderline raunchy. Then next they were rewriting their lyrics to introduce some repetitive, "catchy" phrase. The members did their best to comply and kept the complaints in their hearts. They could just silently encourage each other as they went through this whole ordeal. Still, the preparation had to end sometime, and they did drop their debut song; it's just that it didn't make that much of a splash. Their debut failed.
Meanwhile, a minute-and-a-half-long fancam began gaining traction on social media. It showcased a street performance of an obscure boy group on a cold winter night. In the video, you can see lots of pedestrians walking by, with some giving a quick glance and smiling at their effort but otherwise still continuing on their way. Around them were a few girls watching and lightly clapping on time with music. However, the focus of the video is the redhead in the center of the group, who looked flushed and slightly unsteady. He obviously looks sick but still wears a smile while valiantly singing his lines, his voice low and gentle. When he stumbles again, the other members give up on the choreography and rush to him, forming a tight semicircle. With arms around each other, they continue singing relaxedly. This is no longer a performance but a group of friends just jamming together. Their thick, white outfits glowed in the streetlights, creating a warm atmosphere amid the snowy night.
This short, shaky video touched the hearts of the viewers, and everyone can't help but share with captions a variation of "Everyone look at these underrated cuties 😭😭." It went viral and essentially catapulted the group into mainstream media overnight.
It's already dark, but Temma is still rushing to the company office after receiving an urgent call from their manager. These days, Achroite is literally everywhere. Even just by looking up, he can meet those golden eyes he longs for day and night in a giant live billboard. Miyabi gives a sweet smile while he says the product's catchphrase, his voice gentle as always. With the intervention of the parent company, which directly fired the clowns in the management and promised that they would support them this time, Onyx is finally slated for a comeback. Of course, there's too much on the line this time. This might be their last chance.
Clenching his fist, Temma declares to the giant face on the screen as if the person himself can hear him "Miyabi, you're so amazing. You reached the top just like that. Now wait for me to fulfill my end of the promise with you."