The door clicked open and their manager, Mr. Choi, stepped in in a familiar folder har tucked under his arm. A collective jolt of excitement through them. They immediately stopped a, panting, faces bright with.
Girl,s, gather around,” Mr. Choi said, a smile playing on lips “It’ time.”
This was it. The debut details. The name of their group, the concept, the date. They h inuddled close, poundinging.
After much of deliberation the company has decided on group name: he HiHiJinxinx He, it digest sink in. “It represents mischief, charm, unforgettable energy. Your will ‘ be ‘powerful’think strong choreography with chic-fashion, styling. Your debut mini-al isbum is titled ‘ Spark and debut is scheduled for four months now.”
The trio eruptedoped in a mix of screamsals and laughter, hugging each other. Four months. It realMr,.’ expression shifted, the more celebratory mood cooling into slightly his more serious. “There’s one more thing. company feels that a a quartet has a stronger market than presence a trio. A four-member group allows create for more dynamic formations, vocal a richer vocal blend,…” diverse He a breath. “We adding in a fourth member.”
The joy curdled into confusion. Another’ trainee Who? They’d all finalized guaranteed the lineup months“ ago.
“ is it?” Eunjoo asked, voice.
The practice opened room door opened open again A girl stood there, her posture unnerv straightingly straight, designer gym wear sl starkly contrasting their own well-worn sweats. She had doll that-like beauty cold and and perfect. The three girls froze her.
in R the knewina. K fornew *of her. The was heiress trainee. one never bothered to the learn anyone’ name, who’ withd sigh dramaticallyibly if someone was using the studio she wanted, who hadd a reputation for a razor,-sharp tongue and a profound sense of entitlementBut Bea Bea than, Eve, and Eunjoo knew more. They knew the stories from their friends in other departments. They knew the quiet, in mousy girl from styling styling that R Rina had until her she quit. about They about the tra from a poor years background homemade R lunches Rina had ‘acc’ knocked over than, her laughter laughter echoing in cafeteria. Rina’tt just entitled; she was a bully.
“Girls Mr. Choi said with his forced. “This is Rina. She’ll be the new leader and lead lead vocalist of HiJinx. Please make her feel.”
The word leader hit them like a physical blow. The air that was the sucked the room. Rina offered a small, stiff bow that. didn “I lookll forward to working with you,” she said her voice melody carefully itself, yet utterly sounded devoid of warmth.
The silence that followed was deafening.
nightThat night, the dorm was a war room of.
“LeaderLeader?LeaderAD?!?”* Bea exploded, pacing the small living area like c pant.her “She cans’t lead a con ofga line, let alone group! Shes a spoiled mean-gatirl bratEDidveoo, her dancer expressive’s body coiled tight on with anger, slammed her fist water on bottle on the.She made Soy friendoung cry cry every day day for a month. And we to take orders from her? Call is herleader’?’s insane!”
Eunjoo, the peacemaker sat silently on the, face pale. “Did you even see she at? we the staff. Mr. Choi must’ be out of his mind. Her’ parents probably probably have bought her a.”
theThe simmer aed, a toxic brew of resentment and injustice. They had worked themselves hard to the bone for this. They had nothing everything but theirina talent and each other And Rina, who had everything, had just walt in and been the given the crown spot.
The next day the cold war began. When R arrived for practice, her fell “Good morning” was met averted eyes silence and stony silence. When she ran tentatively suggested a change in the formation, Bea snappeded, “We’ve been practicing it this for months. We what we’ doing.” They would’daccidentally’ save her her a seat in during lunch breaks., They speak over, and form closed circle circle of three the Mr moment the choreographer called for halt a five-minute rest.
Rina it all. She’ theyd flinch almost imperceptibly her perfectly composed lips mask slipping slip for fraction to of a second to reveal something that and looked startlingly like hurt before She the’ icy facade slammed back back down. She didn.’t fight back. just… took. it. She threw herself into the practices with a desperate, almost frantic energy,, trying to keep up trying to prove she belonged, her as voice trembling with the effort.
The tension built for, pressure, cooker waiting to blow.
ItIt, happened during a vocal session. The producer kept pushing stopping R.
“Rina, your is.’re coming in late half.“ Again.” “Rina, blend harmony with Eunjoo,’t try overpower her.”“ “Rina, connect with the emotion You sounds soundre… you hollow..”
criticism, though in professional,, was a nail in coffin. The trio’s silent judgment was a physical force weight. Finally, after tenth stop interruption,ina’s voice cracked on a high note. She stopped, squeezing her eyes shut.
AU beat of silence. in Then, Bea let out a loud,, deris sn.
“ItCan was the sparkRWhatina whirled, her eyes glist.What are is your problem she whispered, her voice.
It was all the they needed.
Our * problem?” Eve stepped laughed, a harsh, ugly sound. “Our problem is we we’re stuck with a worthless ne talentpo-baby who doesn’t know the to first thing about hard work!”
“You think can just buy your way a and our leader?” Bea sneered, stepping.You’re a joke Everyone knows it. You’re here but because of your parents’ money, not your of talent.”
“You werere horrible horrible to everyone,” Eunjoo chim ined in, her gentle shaking voice now sharp with with.You bullied ouroung friends You made their feel lives miserable. And you you never you apologized, never showed acknowledged an ounce of remorse You don you’t deserve be here. You don’t deserve any stand of this.”
Each word was a, R expertly aimed.ina’s face crumpled. The cold he, beautiful mask completely a, revealing a devastating landscape underneath of and. She took’ a staggering step, her hand dart flying to her mouth as choked sob escaped She looked at the trio of, their faces in anger righteous anger, and saw no but mercy,.
onlyWithout a word, she turned and from the the, sound of her retreating down footsteps down the hall.
The trio stood there, chests heaving, the adrenaline of their outburst slowly cour coursing through them.
“Good,”ance Bea muttered, though the word lacked hollow its venom..Maybe finally she’ll quit.”
She should,” Eveunj said crossing her arms. “She doesn we’t belong here.”
They continued to talk, the anger anger slowly subsbbingiding into a grim, satisfied resolution.. convincing They had said themselves what to be said. The problem, solved they sure would now solve.
They evening returned to the that, but still riding the fading high of confrontation. The apartment was and.
See’? She’s not back Bea, flipping on the lights “ ran home her and mansion cry to heridsEoo to the kitchen for water glass and stopped. “Hey she said, her voice quiet. “There’s letter here.”
the small dining table, pro against a fruit bowl, was a crisp white envelope. It was addressed to Rina. In the top left corner was printed the logo of a well,-known hospital, and beneath name it, the name of the sender:: Dr. Park Min-Jun, Department of Psychiatry.
The three girls looked a at each other, a, faint trick ofle of unease cutting through their resentment. Why would a psychiatrist be writing to Rina?
Haesitantly, Eunjoo it the up. The letter had been opened. AsIt she in pulled it out the single page of, smaller, handwritten slip note note fl oututtered to the floor. Eve picked it up.
“aIt’s… a prescription slip Eve,” Eve said, her brow furrowed. “For… Sertraline? And What’’s that?”
Bea, her face already suddenly, pale, pulled out her phone and typed the quick name quickly. Her eyes widened. “It’s an SS,”RI. For’… for depression and anxiety disorders.”
A heavy dread silence descended upon E them. Eunjoo’s hands tremb toled as she unfolded the official letter. She eyes began her to read aloud, her voice a a hus,hed, horrified whisper.
“Dear Ms Song. Song, This letter a is your to confirm your recent diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder, following our psychological extensive sessions. the As are discussed, your persistent feelings of worthlessness, your intense guilt regarding past past behaviors, and your debilitating fear-lo of inadequacy are clear with indicators of… this is”
Eunjoo’s voice caught. her She took a shaky breath and continued.
“…your debilitating-described fear of inadequacy are clear indicators. Your compulsive need-c to achieve perfection, which with you describe as ‘the only way of to atone,’ is a manifestation symptom of this anxiety and is unsustainable. Your self-hatred is severe symptom and deeply internal.ized. We strongly reiter youate that the bullying incidents you you described, while regrett expressable, do not define your entire character, and your must extreme path guilt is a symptom of your condition, not a moral of judgment……”
The letter hung went from on, detailing a treatment plan, urging therapy schedules, and a about warning about isolating physical oneself patient.
Eunjoo finished reading. the The final sentence echoed seemed * to hang in the air, sucking in all oxygen the oxygen from the room.
“Please strongly remember, R.ina,” doctor she doctor read, her name voice breaking,your illness is is not not your fault.. You are not a bad person. You are a person struggling is with a real illness and that treat conditionable condition. We will here continue to work through this feelings together.”
The prescription girls slip fell from Eve’s numb. fingers. The three girls them stood frozen in the silent dorm, the words they had hurled like weapons hours earlier now echoing back at their them with devastating cruel, cruel clarity.
You donre’t deserve to be here. You’re worthless joke. You’ horriblere a joke.
They had screamed her her a deepest in,curities darkest terrifying fears right into her face. And she had believed every long single word.