Ben had always known he wasn't particularly special. He wasn't at the top of his class like Terrence. He didn't play several instruments like Kai. He wasn't a natural performer like Daniel.
But it wasn't until their first karaoke night that it really hit him just how much he was outclassed.
They had gone out after an exhausting practice session, squeezing into a small karaoke booth with dim neon lights flashing in erratic patterns. Daniel grabbed the mic first, rapping with an effortless flow that had Ben's mouth hanging open. The guy barely even tried, and yet it sounded like something off a professional mixtape.
Then Kai took over, and the moment he sang the first note, Ben actually froze. His voice was ridiculously smooth, sweet like honey, but with a powerful range that made the tiny karaoke room vibrate.
And then came Terrence.
Ben had expected him to be good. He'd seen Terrence's confident, almost arrogant attitude about his talents. But this was insane. The moment he hit the high notes, even the karaoke machine seemed to struggle to keep up.
Ben sat there, clutching his unopened can of soda, listening to his ridiculously talented friends and thinking,
Why am I even here?
"Oh? Bennie, why do you look like a kicked puppy?" Daniel's teasing voice broke through his spiral of self-pity.
Before he could answer, Terrence casually added, "He's probably realizing that his friends are all too cool for him."
Kai gasped dramatically, placing a hand on his chest. "Terrence! How could you say that? We love Bennie!"
Ben scowled. "Don't call me Bennie."
"But you are Bennie," Daniel grinned, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. "And you know what, Bennie—"
"Stop calling me that!"
"...You should sing next."
Ben stared at him in horror.
Kai clapped excitedly. "Yes! Ben, let's goooo!"
"No," Ben said instantly. "I value my dignity."
Daniel smirked. "Dignity? You think you still have dignity after letting me see you collapse in the studio ten times this week?"
Ben wanted to die.
Terrence snorted. "Just give up, Ben. They won't let you off."
Ben sighed heavily, grabbed the mic, and picked a random song. It wasn't horrible; he could carry a tune, but compared to the vocal monsters in the room, it sounded like a dying cat attempting an opera.
When he finished, there was a brief silence before Daniel clapped dramatically. "That was…"
"Painful," Terrence deadpanned.
Kai nodded solemnly. "But you tried your best, and that's what matters."
Ben groaned.
He hated them.
Ben saw them laughing as Kai started another singing session. Terrence folded his arms and chugged down his soda while Daniel was supporting Kai, being unnecessarily loud.
A strange discomfort churned in his stomach. He didn't know why he was feeling like this. It was just karaoke. It's supposed to be fun. But watching the others, Ben didn't feel like part of a team. He felt like background noise, like a shadow clapping off-beat behind the stars.
***
A few nights later, Ben found himself in a different kind of nightmare: Daniel's stupid prank.
It started when Daniel, ever the troublemaker, got the brilliant idea to convince Ben that the dance studio was haunted.
"Every new moon," Daniel whispered dramatically, "there's a ghost that appears in the mirror. Dancers have seen it. People have heard whispers when the room was empty."
Ben raised an unimpressed eyebrow. "And you expect me to believe this?"
Daniel placed a hand over his heart, feigning deep hurt. "Why would I lie to my dearest hubae?"
Ben didn't even dignify that with an answer.
Still, when Daniel insisted they stay late to "test the theory," Ben agreed, only because Terrence and Kai were also there.
If something goes wrong, at least he won't die alone.
By the time night rolled around, "testing the ghost theory" looked suspiciously like Daniel making them drill choreography for the hundredth time. He prowled around the studio like a drill sergeant, smacking Kai's shoulders into place, barking at Terrence to stop slouching, and making Ben repeat the same step until his calves screamed for mercy.
When they finally collapsed onto the floor for a water break, the lights flickered overhead. At first, Ben thought it was just the old wiring, but then a low groan echoed through the room, followed by the unmistakable shuffle of uneven footsteps. The doors rattled before slamming shut with a theatrical BANG. A pale mist began to creep across the wooden panels, sending chills down the spine.
Kai shrieked and clung to Ben. "Bennie, save me."
Daniel's face went slack in fake terror, his eyes darting dramatically toward the mirror. He whispered, "Do you see that…?
Ben, deadpan, didn't even blink. He popped open his water bottle, took a sip, and muttered, "Baboya. That's just dry ice." [Idiot]
Daniel's jaw dropped. "You knew?!"
"I wasn't born yesterday, genius," Ben rolled his eyes.
Kai chuckled, nudging Daniel. "I told you he wouldn't fall for it."
"What kind of cheap horror movie scam are you pulling?" Ben continued, unimpressed. "I mean, flickering lights? Really?"
Daniel groaned dramatically. "Ugh, you're no fun."
Unfortunately, what Daniel didn't anticipate was Terrence's reaction.
Because the unshakable, savage, top-of-the-class Terrence was terrified.
The moment the lights flickered, he stiffened. When the whispering started, his face lost all color. And when Daniel made the door slam shut with a well-placed wire, Terrence nearly collapsed.
Ben blinked. "Wait, are you actually scared?"
"Shut up," Terrence muttered, voice shaky.
Daniel, now realizing what he'd done, immediately panicked. "Wait, wait, Terry, I didn't think you'd actually—"
Terrence shot him a glare so murderous that Daniel immediately knew he was in deep trouble.
"Run," Kai whispered to him.
Daniel ran.
***
That night, after Kai took Terrence to his dorm, Ben found himself walking back with Daniel.
Daniel wasn't talking; that in itself was weird.
Finally, Daniel sighed, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "I didn't think he'd be that scared."
Ben hummed. "You should probably prepare your funeral. He will get his revenge."
Daniel groaned. "I know."
They walked in silence for a while before Daniel turned to him. "By the way, why are you looking so down recently?"
Ben hesitated. Daniel, being serious, was a rare thing.
Finally, he muttered, "You, Terrence, Kai… you all know each other, have years of history, and inside jokes. I'm just tagging along."
Daniel stopped walking. With an exasperated sigh, he grabbed Ben's face, squishing his cheeks till Ben mumbled in protest.
"Michyeosseo?" Daniel said. "You're not tagging along. You're in it now. That's what counts." [Are you crazy?]
Ben blinked, caught off guard.
Daniel smirked. "Besides, you're fun to mess with. I'd never let go of a perfect victim like you."
Ben smacked his hands away. "You ruined the moment."
Daniel grinned.
But somehow, Ben felt just a bit lighter.