[Minho's POV]
The days blurred into neon and sweat. Wake up. Rehearse. Sing. Dance until my knees gave out. And every second of it, Hyunwoo's voice cut sharper than the beat.
"You're late on the chorus again."
"Your breath control is trash."
"Do you even want to be here?"
He was relentless.
But not everyone treated me like a disease.
Taeyang—the joker—kept poking my ribs during breaks.
"Bro, when you messed up that spin, I thought you were inventing a new move." He grinned, goofy and sincere.
Jisoo added, "We'll call it the Minho Shuffle. Patent it, make millions."
Their laughter cracked the tension like sunlight through blinds. Daehyun, quiet as always, just handed me a bottle of water and said, "Don't let Hyunwoo break you."
But Hyunwoo… he wasn't easy to ignore. Every time the CEO praised me—"Good work, Minho. That's my boy"—I could see Hyunwoo's jaw tighten.
To him, I wasn't a teammate. I was a threat.
---
The night of our first big stage came too fast.
The dressing room buzzed with chaos—stylists brushing, spraying, tugging at outfits. My reflection in the mirror startled me: smoky eyeliner, styled hair streaked with highlights, leather jacket that shimmered under the lights.
I barely recognized myself.
"Don't choke," Hyunwoo muttered as he tightened his earpiece.
I clenched my fists. "I won't."
---
The curtains rose.
The crowd was a sea of lightsticks, glowing like galaxies. Their screams hit me like a tidal wave.
This was it.
No turning back.
The music began—heavy bass, snapping drums.
Hyunwoo rapped first, sharp and commanding. Jisoo and Taeyang jumped in with their harmonized lines, hyping the crowd. Daehyun's falsetto lifted the pre-chorus.
Then my cue came.
The spotlight burned. My throat tightened.
"Sing, Minho," CEO Park's voice whispered in my memory.
"You're nothing without me."
No.
Not tonight.
I opened my mouth, and the lyrics spilled out—strong, soaring.
🎶 Original Song: "Zero Hour" (제로 아워) 🎶
(Debut stage song for Syndicate)
[Hyunwoo – Rap]
"Tick, tock, every second I fight,
사슬에 묶여도 (even if I'm chained), I'm chasing the light,
더 이상 멈추지 않아 (I won't stop anymore),
We rise together, stronger than ever."
[Minho – Chorus]
"Zero hour, 불타는 밤 (burning night),
Voices screaming, hearts ignite,
어둠 속에서 (from the shadows), we'll break through—
This is the moment, me and you."
[Daehyun – Bridge]
"세상이 아니라고 해도 (even if the world says no),
차가운 밤이라 해도 (even if the night feels cold),
We'll run, 달려가 (run on), until the stars explode."
[All – Final Hook]
"Zero hour—지금이야! (Now is the time!)
Zero hour—hear the crowd shout!
Syndicate forever, we'll never fall,
이 순간 (this moment), we give it all!"
---
[Minho's POV]
The last note echoed, my chest heaving, sweat dripping down my temples. For a heartbeat, there was silence.
Then—
The stadium erupted.
Fans screamed my name—"Minho! Minho!"—like it had always belonged there. Lightsticks pulsed like shooting stars.
I almost smiled, almost forgot about the strings CEO Park wrapped around me. Almost forgot Hyunwoo's glare burning a hole through me.
Almost.
Because when the stage lights dimmed, Hyunwoo stepped close, voice sharp enough to cut through the cheers.
"You stole my spotlight tonight," he whispered.
And in his eyes… I saw a war beginning.