Chapter Text
The group chat name was currently: cortis flop era
Which already told you enough about how rehearsal day was going. You sat cross-legged near the mirrors in Cortis's practice room, flipping through choreography notes while the members argued in the background for what felt like the fiftieth time that hour.
"Y/n noona," Juhoon stated , "tell Martin he's being annoying."
"I'm literally sitting right here," Martin deadpanned.
"Unfortunately."
"You're brave for someone whose predebut karaoke video still exists." Y/n says after him.
Juhoon gasped.
You looked up slowly. "Don't test me today."
The room immediately quieted because everyone in Cortis knew one thing, You knew too much.
You'd been around since trainee days helping performance staff and support choreography, meaning you unfortunately witnessed every embarrassing phase the members went through before debut.
And you remembered everything.
Literally everything.
"You wouldn't," Keonho said carefully eyeing you across the room.
You smiled.
Wrong move.
"Oh really? Because I specifically remember you, Keonho crying during vocal evaluations because someone told him he looked nervous." She says with a small smirk.
"I WAS OVERWHELMED."
"You hiccuped while crying."
The room exploded. Keonho dropped to the floor in betrayal while you cackled quietly to yourself.
"Y/n noona is evil," Seonghyeon muttered.
"You people annoy me daily. This is self-defense."
Across the room, James laughed under his breath while stretching against the wall. You pointed immediately.
"And James—"
His smile vanished instantly.
"No."
"Remember when—" You got cut off quickly.
"Y/n."
"—you accidentally called the dance instructor 'mom' during monthly evaluations?"
The younger members SCREAMED.
Martin physically fell backward onto the practice room floor laughing while James covered his face with both hands. You know this from his "Traniee A" days.
James and you have been good friends for a couple years now. Your guys friendship goes a little beyond pre debut Cortis.
"I was sixteen," he groaned.
"And traumatized apparently."
"You said MOM??" Juhoon wheezed.
James pointed accusingly at you. "You are the reason I have trust issues."
"You survived."
"Barely."
You grinned proudly before your phone buzzed beside you. The members immediately noticed.
Unfortunately.
"Who texted noona?" Seonghyeon asked nosily.
"Mind your business." You narrowed your eyes at him.
"Is it your secret boyfriend?"
You threw a rolled-up practice sheet at him. "You're literally a child."
"I'm only two years younger!"
"And your point is?" You deadpanned at Seonghyeon. James snorted quietly while Martin suddenly leaned over your shoulder.
Then paused.
"...Wait."
His eyes narrowed.
"Why did you answer James faster than me yesterday?"
Silence.
You blinked slowly. "What?"
Martin sat up straighter now, fully offended. "I texted you first."
James looked up immediately. "No, because she literally answered me in thirty seconds."
"That's because your text was important," you said absentmindedly.
Martin looked devastated.
"Oh so mine WASN'T?"
"What even was your text?"
Martin grabbed his phone dramatically. "'Do u think penguins have knees.'"
The room lost it instantly.
"That IS important," Seonghyeon argued.
"THANK YOU."
James rolled his eyes. "Mine was about rehearsal times."
"And she still answered you faster," Martin muttered bitterly.
Now everybody was invested. Juhoon scooted closer immediately. "Wait wait wait. Who does noona text back the fastest normally?"
You sat there in horror as every member suddenly started shouting over one another.
"Definitely me."
"No way."
"She leaves Martin on delivered constantly."
"Because Martin sends nonsense."
"You replied to James during your lunch break once," Keonho accused dramatically.
James tried and failed to hide his smug expression.
"Oh my god," Martin whispered, pointing. "Look at his FACE."
"I don't have a face."
"You literally look proud."
"I'm not proud."
"You're sitting differently."
James immediately fixed his posture. "Shut up."
You buried your face in your hands.
"This is the dumbest conversation we've ever had."
"No it's not," Juhoon replied instantly. "Remember when Martin tried flirting and accidentally insulted someone?"
Martin looked offended. "That happened ONE time."
"You told her she looked 'surprisingly decent today.'"
The room collapsed into screaming again. You laughed so hard you nearly tipped over sideways while Martin defended himself for dear life.
"I panicked!"
"You freestyle rap on stage but can't talk to women?" James asked.
"That's DIFFERENT."
"You're all embarrassing," you sighed.
"And yet you keep hanging out with us," Seonghyeon pointed out knowingly.
You opened your mouth then paused because unfortunately... he was right. They were loud annoying, dramatic, overgrown children most of the time. But somewhere between trainee years and debut chaos, they became family.
Even James, who quietly tossed you a water bottle before anyone noticed you'd run out.
Even Martin, who still looked offended about the texting thing.
Even the younger members calling you "noona" every five minutes like it was second nature now.
"You're getting sentimental," Martin accused suddenly.
You blinked. "I literally wasn't."
"You had the face."
"What face?"
"The fond one."
The members immediately started making disgusted noises.
"EWWWW."
"STOP HAVING EMOTIONS."
"You guys are actually unbearable," you laughed.
Juhoon pointed dramatically. "And yet noona still texts us back."
James smirked faintly from the wall. "Some of us faster than others apparently."
Martin threw a towel directly at his head.