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When Sohee’s vocal academy teacher sent his singing video from one of the class sessions as an audition tape, he didn't know that it would change the trajectory of his life. He might have been phrasing that a little bit dramatically, he still gets to live his dream to sing. Maybe not in a way that he imagined when he found his passion for singing in his junior year in high school. Or in a path where he saw himself applying as a practical music major in the most competitive program a university in south korea ever had.
It was winter when he was told that SM wanted him as a trainee. He still remembered how dazed he felt when his teacher broke the news to him. SM is not a news for him, especially not when he has had an apprenticeship albeit short. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t torn between boarding the new train or moving forward with his application in Howon. In the end, after moments of pondering and consideration (and also much reassurance from his teacher) he decided to accept the offer. After all, he’d still get to sing and, hey, wasn’t that all that mattered for him?
With determination, he entered the path to become an idol. Sohee may not be an expert and all that familiar with being an idol, but he sure knew what trainee life would entail. He had prepared himself mentally and physically (he lied) for the gruelling routine that has yet to come.
However, being dropped a bomb that was an announcement that he would be in the debut lineup that was supposed to happen in less than a year and a half was another thing. He was, once again, thrown into a dilemma. This time he didn’t have his academy teacher to give him reassurance. Though honestly it would be stupid to pass this chance. And because he is brave and his love for singing and ambition to perform on a stage is too big, he, once again, decided to move forward.
He liked his team, don’t get him wrong. Sohee was a bit dubious at first mostly because he was overwhelmed with his sudden debut. Having four older brothers, (not five, Sohee wouldn’t call Seunghan hyung even if it kills him) and one younger brother was the most ideal composition Sohee could ever hope for. The second youngest title might be a disadvantage at times but at least he didn’t get teased as much as Anton.
Sungchan came off as dark and intimidating at first but Sohee soon realized he was just a dork, a handsome tall cool dork. Eunseok liked to behave like he was Plato reincarnated and developed a habit to stare a hole into Sohee but that was just a tactic to throw other people off guard. Shotaro was at best very nurturing, playful, magnanimous if Sohee thought about all the jokes he pulled on him–and at worst would run the dance practice session into five different stages of madness. Wonbin, well, he was at the same time his hyung but also his former trainee team leader–and he ran the practice like navy Sohee couldn’t remember when his bone wasn’t aching every time Wonbin felt the need to train him personally. Sohee still got a whiplash everytime Wonbin turned his strict mode on. Seunghan was a menace, will always be, he made it his mission to invade Sohee’s space at every given moment and cooed at him like he was a baby and not a friend of a very same age (at least he is cute). Anton, bless his heart, was a sweetheart considering he gave Sohee the least headache. His taciturn nature concerned Sohee a little but Anton was not timid, he just needed time. And maybe because he had a considerably short training period compared to others that Sohee felt a little bit of kinship with him.
Sohee’s grievance was only one. He hoped that people would warn him about this particular problem his group has that no one, not even their instructor, felt the need to warn him. When he settled his mind into becoming an idol, no one warned him that being a chew toy and stress ball was one of the requirements.
A bit of roughhousing wasn’t a strange concept to Sohee, especially among boys his age. And he had two noonas, he might as well be god strongest soldier. Sohee was used to being tossed around across the living room or playfully shoved and tweaked this way or that by his sisters, they are evil. Sohee could be a head taller or more than them, his sisters always found a way to bend him to their whims (he exaggerated, Sohee was just that gullible).
That being said, nothing of his noonas antics could ever prepare Sohee for what he has to deal with in Riize. He let it pass at first. Eunseok and Shotaro would playfully shove at him or dragged him lazily across the practice room. Gradually, it escalated to them putting Sohee into a headlock. Sohee would just laugh it off good-naturedly, no harms done. Eunseok would twist and lock his arms behind his back and Sohee would just let him be, it was Eunseok, he probably had those moments when he thought he was some dark high-wizard and thought he had captured an evil lord that is Sohee.
When they began to corner or flock around him at the slightest chance, Sohee pondered if he should raise this issue. It wasn’t like the guys were bullying him. Sohee wasn’t used to the camera that felt like a criminal surveillance system hence he liked to drift into a corner unknowingly. The other guys were just–they just were. Somehow Anton would seek him out, Shotaro would follow and they would play with his wardrobe. It won't be long until Sungchan noticed and towered over him which made him feel extra tiny (and his neck was sore from having to look up constantly).
As time passed and they felt comfortable tossing him around the room, Sohee had already gotten used to their manhandling. Sohee couldn’t pick-point precisely when he sort of accepted his fate and let the members use his body part, especially his ear, as their toy. He had lost count how many times he had to flick Wonbin fingers away from his ear. He soon learned to let Wonbin be when he retaliated by throwing his person atop of him and manhandling Sohee even more outside the comfort and privacy of the practice room.
Taken out of context, their manhandling could be viewed as a bit rough than intended. However it remained a question whether they exerted too much force or that Sohee had a smaller build so the impact was over than what he could withstand. (Sohee would argue that he was by no means small, the other guys were just either giant or stupidly athletic)
While it was true that Sohee took the manhandling fit from the overgrown babies in stride–because he was the king of adaptability and all–there was another development that got thrown into the mix which he found hard to digest.
Hong Seunghan, while bearing a sharp feature like the edge of a diamond, was actually warm-hearted in nature. And he was also a black cat that Sohee found too friendly and generous in physical display of affection. Albeit being the same age and only one month apart, Seunghan adored him like he would a baby or fumbling toddler. At any given moment Sohee could blink and suddenly there were fingers scratching his chin or hands caressing his neck. Sometimes those fingers would tug and pinch his cheek. Most of the time they would be glued together, or more like Seunghan would latch onto Sohee like a koala.
Seunghan’s antics were like a trigger for the other guys to do the same as well. Suddenly whenever there was a break or little interview, several hands belonging to different people would always find their way on Sohee. Mostly to play with his ears, cheek, or just to stroke his head absentmindedly.
There were times when things were a bit hard or sensitive and Sohee would have arms wound over him in a tight embrace. If they care to ask Sohee’s opinion, it resemble a snake wound over their prey more with the way it restricted Sohee’s lungs. However Sohee–bless him–did not have the heart to refuse them. (That one time Sohee made himself a blanket burrito and Wonbin decided it was perfect time to envelope him in a hug, Sohee felt like he almost died)
When these symptoms started, Sohee tried his best to evade the invading hands and whined like the tsundere that he was. To no one's surprise, it did not work. Sohee had long been aware that they had no regards whatsoever regarding what Sohee felt about their personal space invasion. And since Sohee himself was a generous person, or at least he thought so, he would also let this one slide. It did not mean that the manhandling stopped. Sohee still got his daily dose of getting tossed across the room like a dodgeball. The headlock had been declining in intensity. In exchange Wonbin and Eunseok find it more convenient if they just bend and twist Sohee as they see fit. Sohee has become a living playdough or slime now.
Sohee’s only solace was that Anton did not seem to find the need to join the Sohee manhandling club. Granted, Sohee was his hyung and he did quite a few times nagged Anton about good manners et cetera et cetera. That included how twisting his body six way to Sunday was in no way how to treat a person older than you. And Sohee like to think that his image was scary enough Anton would not dare to mess with him. With the additional fact that they share a room now, the implication that it was easier for Sohee to make Anton’s life hell was not lost.
Later, Sohee thought that sharing a living space means that you get to familiar with each other in a way that change your behaviour around them. So when Anton began to make Sohee’s waist and shoulder a regular space to rest his arm he could only sigh in acceptance. As long as he did not break the ‘roomate hieararchy’ (showering order), or behaving like a spoiled cat (roll around his bed or stole his blanket like Seunghan did), Sohee would not send Anton into early grave.
At the very least, Sohee only got to endure Anton’s gigantic body leaning over him.
So, Sohee’s debut period went as normal as he could hope for with a little hiccup here and there, great. His routine did not change. He still got to take vocal lessons where mostly he was having fun. Practicing choreography still made his body ache if not worse. It was a lot harder than what he usually did as a trainee Sohee was convinced their performance director was out to get them killed. Dance practice always left his body boneless at the end of the day (or at the crack of dawn).
The other guys still treated him like a stress ball, passed around in between break. However as the time passed and Sohee got to know the member better, he learned to relax or enjoy their ‘unique method’ of playing with him. See, Sohee was a chill guy. But what was a little physical contact between a few guys? It was not like it could go wrong.
Later he would realize that things would go beyond playful roughhousing. But it was for future Sohee to deal.