Saturday arrived faster than anyone wanted.
The camp was awake long before sunrise. Nobody needed an alarm, nobody needed a staff member shouting through a megaphone, and nobody needed the morning drums.
The contestants had barely slept. For some it was excitement, for others it was fear, and for many it was both.
Doyun opened his eyes while the sky outside was still dark. For a few seconds, he stared at the tent ceiling.
Today. The first competition. The first real elimination stage. The first time all their hard work would be judged publicly. The first step toward their dream, or the first step toward going home.
Beside him, Jihoo was already awake. Across from him, Sunmin was sitting quietly on his bed, and Haneul was staring blankly at the ceiling.
Nobody spoke. Nobody needed to. The tension was already there.
After several moments, Siwoo burst into the tent without warning. "Good morning, future superstars!"
Everyone turned toward him.
"Why are you shouting?"
