A Black Lotus

INTRODUCTION

At 7:30 in the morning, as everyone was waking up, news began to spread like wildfire. The two A-listers, who were known to despise the air the other person breathed, were dating?! Yes, you read that right! The individuals in question are none other than Park Jeongwoo and Kim Junkyu.

Fans who had been never been able to stop themselves from destroying the other through keyboards now found themselves congratulating one another like in-laws at an Indian wedding.

Although, it did take some time for them to believe that their accounts hadn't been hacked. After all, so many celebrities and netizens sent their congratulations and blessings, making it almost impossible to be fake, and seems like everyone gave their stamp of approval. The one who didn't like the news at all is Kim doyoung.

Doyoung was so angry as he looked at the news that his chest hurt. How the hell did Junkyu, who only knew Jeongwoo through him and absolutely hated him, end up with him? He had destroyed numerous love rivals before they could even take their first step. How did this happen right under his nose?

He felt compelled to take an IQ test, although even he knew your ability to recognise social cues is not so much dependant on that. But the fact that he can still think so clearly and logically should mean that his intelligence probably hasn't decreased.

Just then, he heard his phone ring—an incoming call from the manager. Doyoung contemplated all the possible reasons someone might call him, then picked up the phone. It shouldn't be anything bad.

"Kim Doyoung, come to the practice room at 12 and make sure you look presentable," was all he heard before the call ended.

At 12? Today was supposed to be a rest day. Ah, the trainee life, always keeping you on your toes. But it would all be worth it one day, all the money and popularity would flow in, or at least that's what he'd been telling himself for the past 5 years.

He admired his face in the mirror, which is his ticket to debut, along with his skills, of course. But netizens are rather hypocritical; they only consistently notice your skills only when you also have looks. He dressed up a little with some designer, after all working those childhood modeling and acting gigs ought to have gotten him some money.

Of course, that monologue wasn't meant to paint anyone in a bad or cynical light. Doyoung was just a bit of an overthinker, that loved popularity and money more than anything.

Just as Doyoung stepped into the practice room, he saw 7 people—some he knew, and some he had seen in the yearly Japanese trainee evaluation group. You see, Doyoung mainly considers people as acquaintances, and a friend is someone who he has opened up to atleast once, in his 5 years at 7G ent., he hasn't.

Perhaps it's a side effect of the trainee elimination process. He even admits to himself that he is a bit of a coward. However, he doesn't want to invest any feelings in someone who might be temporary.

He went to sit down next to them and observed. After all, such a random selection of trainees could mean 2 things, he's more inclined to believe the first one, debut.