Chapter Text
The practice room was eerily quiet, save for the distant hum of a vending machine and the faint scratching of Jihoon’s pen on paper. Seungcheol sat cross-legged at the center of the room, a clipboard in hand, wearing a look of exaggerated authority that only a leader would dare pull off. Soonyoung retrieved the chips, sitting down and placing them in the middle of the circle. He nudged Jihoon’s shoulder.
“Do you think we should start with snacks or decisions?” Soonyoung asked, crunching obnoxiously.
“Decisions,” Jihoon deadpanned, not bothering to look up.
“Agreed,” Seungcheol said with the gravitas of a war general. “Let’s focus. This is serious business.”
“Right, because tearing apart friendships and ruining dreams is definitely normal business,” Soonyoung said sarcastically, shoving another chip in his mouth.
Jihoon finally looked up, his expression neutral but his tone biting. “If you’re not going to take this seriously, just say so and leave it to us adults.”
“You’re three months older than me,” Soonyoung shot back.
“And yet, infinitely wiser.”
“Alright, children,” Seungcheol interrupted, raising a hand. “Let’s get started. First up : Jeonghan.”
Seungcheol immediately wrote down “VOCAL” in capital letters next to his name.
“Yeah, no debate there,” Soonyoung agreed. “His voice is a cheat code. Next?”
“Joshua,” Seungcheol said, glancing at his clipboard.
“VOCAL,” Jihoon said, staring ahead.
“And you said you were having a tough day, huh?” Soonyoung teased.
Jihoon stared, with a hint of amusement in his eyes that only few could notice.
“Moving on,” Seungcheol sighed. “Jun.”
“Performance,” Soonyoung said without hesitation.
Jihoon and Seungcheol nodded in unison.
“I like this unity,” Seungcheol remarked, smirking.
Seungcheol’s eyes flicked to Wonwoo, and without missing a beat, he scribbled HIP-HOP next to his name, not bothering to consult the others.
Soonyoung frowned. “Are you sure we shouldn’t put him in—”
“Nope.”
“Alrighty.”
With the first four members sorted, the mood in the room was light. Jihoon, seemingly in a rare good mood, even offered Soonyoung some additional snacks. Soonyoung, clearly emboldened by this act of camaraderie, leaned back on his hands and grinned.
“This is easy,” he said. “Maybe we’ll be done before midnight.”
Seungcheol raised a brow, his expression ominous. “Don’t get cocky. We haven’t reached the maknae line yet.”
Jihoon, who had been writing down the units in columns, froze mid-scribble. Soonyoung’s grin wavered slightly.
The room suddenly felt a lot less friendly.