48 Debut at sight Part IV

Lee Seung Hyun's POV.

Having just moved into the apartment, I thought it was normal that there was some awkward atmosphere, but it was worst than I thought.

The oldest Choi Seung Hyun-hyung was supposedly a jokester, but he hasn't cracked a single joke throughout the day. And was even more silent than the others.

Young Bae-hyung hasn't said a single word to me in all day, he was really shy as I've been told, but still, I hoped for him to say something to break the tension.

Ji Yong....-ssi doesn't even look at me. I think I can understand how he feels, but he doesn't give me a break with all of his glaring whenever we cross paths in this little apartment.

Finally, the worst of all, King C-nim was just too intense. Even looking at him directly was sometimes too hard to do, as if he would attack me at any given moment should I do something wrong. I guess his mask was intentional, as he acted as a predator looking for his prey, making me really grateful that he wasn't here right now, I don't know where did he go though.

Sometimes, even though I couldn't see his face at all, I could imagine a creepy smile hiding behind his mask. Just that thought made me tremble a little bit, which was noticed by a Hyung.

— What's with your shaking? — said Seung Hyun-hyung while staring at me.

— I am sorry to bother you, Hyung-nim — I immediately said while quickly bowing at him multiple times.

Right now, I was finishing arranging all of the baggage that I brought inside my new room, which I shared with Seung Hyun-hyung... and King C. Before I could sigh, I was interrupted once again by Hyung-nim.

— Still afraid of Chris, huh? — He said, with a really wide grin plastered on his face while looking directly at me. Before I could think about it, I was already nodding, making me a little bit embarrassed about it.

— HAHAHAHAHA! — he laughed out loud, which honestly was the most reassuring thing that has happened to me all day, making me smile a little bit.

— Don't worry too much about him — he said while palming my shoulder — he even intimidated us a little bit the first time we met.

He was thinking about that first meeting but managed to straighten his thoughts and continued.

— But really, he's probably the most gregarious between us, all of us are quite shy in one way or another, sorry for not talking to you — he said apologetically. I simply shook my head at him while saying.

— Do not worry about it too much, Hyung-nim — just as I finished saying that, a heavy palm hit my back, followed by a few comments.

— "Hyung-nim"? Just call me Hyung, we have the same name, after all, I'll call you Junior while I come up with some interesting nickname for you, got it? — I nodded at him while kneading my back after the hit.

— Anyway, what was I saying? — he said, a little bit disoriented, but realization quickly came — Ah! He's amicable, don't worry about him, he's the one who came up with this "Junior" nickname for you. Also, he sketched this conversation we're having now.

I was surprised by the comment, how can one "sketch" the conversation?

— What do you mean? — I asked puzzledly.

— Well, he told me you would still be afraid and told me what to say to calm you a little bit. Also, he planned what's coming next.

I couldn't pay attention to the last few seconds of his reply. Did King C know? Oh sh...

— Oh Shit! That's what you're thinking right? You're afraid he'll be mad because he knew you were scared of him, right? He also told me you'd react like that — he said while looking for something in the mess of pillows and blankets there was in the room.

Still surprised, he snapped his fingers just in front of my face while finally saying.

— There's no time to be confused, it's about time we have some serious conversation — he said as he showed me a ... tennis ball? which he immediately threw at the closed door that was across the hall outside our room.

— Ji Yong-ah, Young Bae-yah!! Time to talk — he yelled.

I was instantly nervous, as the door he just hit was the door to the other two original members of the apartment. Wouldn't they be mad at him?

— Is it that time already? I guess it is. I'll call the other guys, Why don't you get dinner ready, Young Bae? — the other two members calmly came out of the room while talking between them. I was relieved as they didn't get mad at the hit to their door. Ji Yong-ssi still glared at me for a second, before going towards the other side of the apartment where the other room was.

— Let's go sit at the table, time for you to experience heaven once again.

Heaven? Was it... the food? I mean, this morning we had a welcome party and the food was simply glorious. I expected that they bought more of that food for dinner as lunch was a little bit lacking. I managed to ask.

— Where did you buy that food? Can you tell me? I want to eat there every day — I innocently said.

Hyung looked at me wide-eyed, smiled, and finally replied.

— You WILL eat that food every day — he said while confidently patting my shoulder — Chris-ah is the only one who makes edible food in this place.

Once again, I was completely speechless at the new information, I think my jaw even fell. How could someone so rough-looking make that kind of perfect food I tested. While I was wondering how could that be allowed in the world, Young Bae-hyung came with some plates while smiling at me.

— Look, Chris-ah left the food, I just heated it — he said, having listened to our previous conversation — remember to thank him when he comes.

I absentmindedly nodded. Looking at all of the food served, I could perfectly believe that it was some catering service's food.

— I brought the other guys — Ji Yong-ssi came, followed by Dae Sung-hyung and Hyun Seung-hyung. Things were not that comfortable with them, but still, a little bit better than with the older Hyungs — sit down, and let's talk a little bit while you eat — that was the last thing Ji Yong-ssi said before sitting down and picking up one of the chopsticks before starting to eat.

Before I noticed, everyone was engorging themselves in the delicious food. That was until I couldn't help but ask.

— Isn't King C-nim coming? — everyone just laughed initially, probably by my way of addressing him now that I think about it.

While I was blushing, Seung Hyun-hyung replied.

— Just eat, *chomp* he won't come *chomp* until the morning — he said, without stopping to eat.

— Why is that? — I couldn't help but ask. All of the original members immediately stopped eating while staring at me, wide-eyed, followed by the other two Hyungs awkwardly stopping.

— You really throw the big questions, huh? — Seung Hyun-hyung bitterly laughed while commenting, then he continued — it's about time we talk about it. He won't come because he works every night. That's it.

Sorrow could be seen written on his face, but as I was thinking, then I realized something.

— Then, is he older than Young Bae-hyung? — I asked. I mean, Ji Yong-hyung and Young Bae-hyung are both 19 years old in Korean age, so, King C should be at least a year older than him for him to take the night shift in a job.

— That's when the problems start, he was born the same year as you Junior — this time, it was Young Bae-hyung that replied. It seems "Junior" was my official nickname now.

— Wait, what did you just say? — I speechlessly said.

— He's the same age as you — Seung Hyun-hyung repeated.

Same... age? WAS HE THE SAME AGE THIS WHOLE TIME?!!

I turned to the other two Hyungs, noticing how both of them were equally surprised.

— Then... how is he working... the night shift? — I asked, but got significantly nervous at the way they looked at me while I asked.

— Even we don't know, but still, remember that the only reason we are eating like this, or more exactly, the only reason we can constantly eat is because of him. All of his money is spent on food, he doesn't sleep, he guides us while practicing, he cooks for us and doesn't even complain — Ji Yong-hyung bellowed to my question. Seung Hyun-hyung grabbed his shoulder and managed to calm him, still, he continued.

— He's making a sacrifice, and he's willing to do something illegal so we can debut, all of us. He won't let us get a job to support him, not even Hyung as in his words, "he has to spend all of his time training". Do you now understand what kind of determination we have to debut? Do you understand how we've been exhausting our bodies to debut? You get now why I'm so angry at you, now?

He calmly asked all of those questions, we stayed quiet, hoping for someone else to break the silence. Young Bae-hyung was the one who did.

— We still have to tell you about Chris-ah's story, then you can wonder if you have what it takes to debut — hoping for a more amicable comment was still out of reach.

That way, Young Bae-hyung calmly started talking.

Talking about a little boy living in Guryong village, how he was an orphan who only lived with a middle-aged man and a little girl whom he took care of. How he was tortured for making the right decision, and how his back is eternally disfigured because of it. How he was almost killed by the boss of the man who tortured him, and how he met the closest thing he's had to a mother until now, a nurse in that same hospital where he was brought when he almost died. How he had his first true friend at school, a little girl who treated him truly, and how he ended up meeting another little girl he treated as his sister. Also, the way he ended up auditioning for YG, making his way here.

An inspiring story, or so we thought, as the story didn't end there.

How his loved sister and he separated after the accident, how his only true friend was forced to end all kind of association with him by her agency, how he had to bury the man who raised him all by himself...

The story was wrapped by a comment that chilled me to the bones...

— ... finally, this is specially important for you Junior — he said while staring directly at my eyes — he'll come to sleep by early morning, or at least try.

I involuntarily tilted my head, expecting the continuation.

— He suffers from insomnia, his sleep would be usually interrupted by nightmares, he's never told us what kind of nightmares he has, but you can imagine — he finally stood up, at the same time as the other original members while finishing — this whole story was just for two things. One: If you want to debut, you should be ready to sacrifice everything for it, or just go away now — he seriously said

— Two: The only thing any one of us can't compromise about is Chris-ah — this time it was Ji Yong-hyung who finished — He's sacrificed the most, he's the most talented, and he's the one who's ready to sacrifice even more just to debut. He's ready to be pulled out of the group after debut if the audience doesn't want him, the only thing he wants is an opportunity. That's why...

As he said that, the tension peaked up, and I could see how all of the original members stared at us. A familiar sensation came, their gazes right now were the same as King C, completely wild, predatory.

— ... don't mess up his chance — they enunciated clearly.

All of the new members, including me, stayed silent the rest of the night, while the old members went each one to their room. The new members grouped up to wash the dishes, in complete silence.

The next day, we were woken up by King C himself, as we fell asleep in the living room, deep in thoughts because of the conversation we had the day before.

5 days before the start of the survival show.