The floor was a collage of nostalgia. Polaroids lay scattered like puzzle pieces to Ben's past: sun-faded edges, wide smiles, messy handwriting on the back of some. Dance practice had been completely forgotten. Instead, five boys were sprawled across the wooden floor, dissecting each snapshot like it held the key to a mystery.
Kai was the most animated, flipping through the pictures as if they were a freshly printed magazine. "¡Guau, te ves súper joven!! [Wow, you look super young.] You were in tenth grade here, right? That haircut, sorry, but it's criminal."
Ben leaned over, snatched the picture from his hands. "Don't see it then."
Kai cackled and reached for another one. Terrence, always the snarky one, glanced over and gave a nostalgic smile. "Gotta admit, I thought it was too old-fashioned, but it's got vibes. Very 90s."
Ben rolled his eyes. "Shut it, kiddo."
Terrence plucked up another one. "Okay, who's this? Doesn't look like a high schooler."
Ben craned his neck, and a soft smile tugged at his lips. "Oh, he was the guy I used to do street dancing with. Super cool, but we lost touch after high school. This is the only memory I've got of him."
Sean, quiet as always, was flipping through photos at his own pace. But he stopped at one and stared for a long second. Ben noticed and leaned over. It was the farewell group photo from high school. Ben was smiling, but his eyes were glassy.
He instantly snatched it away. "Come on, it was our farewell. I was upset."
Sean looked at him with unreadable eyes. "You look–" He stopped, shrugged, and returned to the pile like nothing had happened.
Ben blinked.
What was he going to say?
But amidst the laughter, the teasing, the gentle quiet, one voice was missing.
Daniel, the drama queen and the walking hurricane of chaos, had gone unnaturally silent.
Ben had been trying to avoid his eyes all afternoon, but now, he couldn't ignore it. Daniel looked blank. He was staring down at the photos like they were written in a language he couldn't read.
"Hyung," Ben said cautiously, "you okay?"
Daniel looked up, blinking like he'd been snapped out of a trance. "Ye-yeah. You take great pics, Bennie." He gave a strained grin.
Suddenly, as if someone flipped a switch, Daniel jumped to his feet and clapped his hands.
"Okay, listen, children—!"
Sean muttered, "I did not sign up for this family."
Daniel barreled on. "Practice time! Let's go, Overdose routine, from the top!"
Terrence groaned but got up. Kai looked like someone had taken his puppy away, but he obeyed. Even Sean stood without protest. Ben quietly picked up the Polaroids, carefully putting them back in his bag.
Daniel didn't break character the rest of the session, barking corrections, overexplaining moves, filling any silence with relentless energy. They danced Overdose and did it so well that they decided to try another Idol routine.
Daniel insisted on Shinee's Sherlock. Although a bit reluctant at first, everyone quickly changed their minds after seeing the choreography. It required exceptional cooperation, timing, formation, and execution. They started it with excitement and kept at it until their shirts clung to them and their timing was synced.
By the end, they were breathless but strangely content.
Ben was wiping his face with a towel when Daniel bounded over, shoving his phone under everyone's noses.
"Hey, guys, look! NDC just posted the third round clips!"
Everyone crowded around.
Kai gasped. "Hyung, your views are insane!"
Daniel puffed up. "Obviously. I danced like a heavenly deity–"
Terrence, clicking another clip, interrupted. "Oh, someone else has views too."
Ben frowned. "Wait, how are there views? NDC hasn't even started airing yet."
Terrence shrugged. "These are the promotional clips they release for early engagement. Eliminated contestants and the general public get to view and like. A clever marketing strategy."
Everyone nodded. But their attention shifted when music played on the screen.
On screen, a girl in blue danced with haunting grace, her long stick prop weaving through the air like a lifeline. She looked like a fairy; her every gesture was delicate but purposeful. For once, even Terrence did not have any snarky comment to make.
"She's trained," Daniel said, uncharacteristically serious. "Her lines are beautiful."
"That's the girl from round two, right?" Terrence asked. "PNU Uni?"
They squinted at the label. Kai grumbled, "Wish they showed names instead of just the school. This is like an RPG with hidden characters."
To no one's surprise, Daniel had the highest views. But what stunned Ben was seeing his own name in third place. He stared, rubbing his eyes. Surely, it was a mistake.
Sean leaned in. "Looks like you and Hyung are carrying the viewership."
Terrence added, "All of us are in the top ten. Not bad."
A strange warmth filled Ben's chest, part disbelief and part pride.
Was this real?
Before he could process it, a security guard appeared. It was closing time, and they all scrambled away like chickens running from their coop.