The post went up at exactly 8:00 p.m.
No warning.
No countdown.
Just—
uploaded.
Outside the company building, the November air had already turned cold.
The city lights blurred softly against the windows as evening settled over Seoul.
Inside the practice room—
five girls stared silently at a screen.
ROSIES OFFICIAL
Debut Single
"Roseblood"
Release Date:
November 28, 2018
For a second—
no one spoke.
Bella blinked first.
"…that's it?"
The manager looked up from his phone.
"What?"
Bella pointed dramatically at the screen.
"That tiny post just changed our entire lives."
"…yes," he replied calmly.
Susu laughed quietly.
Mili still looked frozen.
Joanne crossed her arms slowly, eyes fixed on the date.
Leah didn't move at all.
November 28.
Real.
Close.
No Phones
"And before anyone asks," the manager continued, "you still won't be getting your smartphones back."
Bella gasped.
"This company hates joy."
"It's temporary," Joanne said.
"It's evil."
The manager ignored her.
"There's already attention online. We don't want you reading comments yet."
The room quieted slightly after that.
"Are they bad comments?" Mili asked softly.
The manager paused carefully.
"…mixed."
Bella dropped backward dramatically onto the floor.
"Oh, we're finished."
Susu shook her head gently.
"They don't know us yet."
Leah glanced at her briefly.
That was true.
People always judged fastest before understanding anything.
The Building Feels Different Now
The next few days passed strangely.
Not fast.
Not slow.
Just—
heavy.
The company felt different around them now.
Staff members bowed a little more carefully.
Assistants smiled when they passed.
Trainees whispered after seeing them.
ROSIES was no longer a future group.
They were becoming real inside the building.
Practice Again
There was no break after the MV filming.
Of course there wasn't.
"From the second chorus again," the choreographer called.
Music started immediately.
Their bodies ached now.
The kind of ache that settled deep into muscle.
Bella collapsed onto the studio floor during break.
"I can actually hear my knees."
"You're eighteen," Joanne replied. "Relax."
"I'm suffering."
"You're dramatic."
Susu laughed softly into her sleeve.
Mili sat beside the mirror, quietly stretching.
Leah stood nearby watching the playback screen.
Again.
And again.
Then—
"You're still rushing the transition."
Bella looked up immediately.
"…me again?"
"The shoulder angle," Leah said.
"You fixed the timing, not the line."
Joanne walked closer to the monitor.
A pause.
"…she's right."
Bella pointed accusingly between them.
"You two are terrifying together."
Leah stepped toward the mirror.
"Watch."
Then she demonstrated it slowly.
Controlled.
Sharp.
Elegant.
Even the choreographer paused slightly.
It was impossible not to notice her ballet training when she moved.
Every motion finished completely.
Nothing wasted.
Bella narrowed her eyes.
"You always dance like you belong in an expensive art museum."
Leah blinked once.
"…what does that even mean?"
"I don't know," Bella admitted. "But it makes sense in my head."
Susu laughed quietly.
Even Joanne smiled slightly.
Cold Night, Warm Restaurant
Practice ended late.
Past midnight.
The streets outside carried that sharp November cold that made everyone walk faster.
Bella immediately shoved her hands into her hoodie pockets.
"I can't feel my face."
"You say that every winter," Joanne replied.
"And every winter I mean it."
Their manager finally sighed.
"Fine. Let's eat before going back."
Bella nearly cried.
"I love you."
"You won't tomorrow."
"That's tomorrow's problem."
The restaurant was small and warm.
Steam filled the windows.
The smell of soup and grilled meat settled around them almost instantly.
Mili visibly relaxed first.
Susu quietly handed her utensils without asking.
Mili smiled softly.
"…thank you."
Joanne was already dividing food properly before Bella could steal everything.
"This is oppression," Bella complained.
"This is survival."
Leah sat quietly at the edge of the booth, sleeves slightly covering her hands as she listened to them argue.
Not distant.
Just comfortable enough not to force herself into every conversation.
Then—
the restaurant owner paused beside their table.
"…wait."
Everyone looked up.
"You're ROSIES, right?"
Silence.
Bella blinked first.
"…kind of?"
The woman smiled immediately.
"I saw your teaser photos online."
Mili straightened slightly.
Susu looked surprised.
"You're prettier in person," the woman continued warmly.
Bella clutched her chest dramatically.
"She likes us."
Then the woman looked toward Leah.
"And you…"
A pause.
"You have very memorable eyes."
Leah froze slightly.
Just slightly.
Bella immediately turned toward her.
"Oh my god, your first recognition."
"Stop," Leah muttered quietly.
The woman laughed softly before walking away.
For a second—
the table stayed quiet.
Then Bella slammed both hands on the table.
"We're becoming famous."
"We got recognized once," Joanne corrected.
"That's how it starts."
Back at the Dorm
The dorm felt warmer after the cold outside.
Comfortable.
Lived in.
Bella and Susu disappeared into their room arguing about snacks again.
Joanne went to shower almost immediately.
Mili sat cross-legged on the floor beside her bed, flipping through photos on her camera.
Practice room photos.
Blurry laughs.
Tired faces.
Late-night moments.
Leah paused beside her.
"…you took a lot today."
Mili nodded.
"I don't want to forget this version of us."
Leah looked down at the tiny screen.
One photo caught her attention.
Her.
Not posing.
Not performing.
Just—
watching the others.
Leah stared at it quietly.
"You never take photos of yourself."
Mili looked down slightly.
"…I know."
A pause.
Then Leah sat beside her.
Close enough for their shoulders to almost touch.
"The comments will get worse after debut," Leah said suddenly.
Calm.
Honest.
Mili looked down at her camera.
"…does it bother you?"
Leah thought for a moment.
Then nodded once.
"Yes."
No pretending.
No performance.
"But my grandmother used to say something."
Mili looked up.
"People only stare that hard at things that shine."
Silence settled softly between them.
Warm.
Quiet.
Then Mili smiled.
"…your grandmother sounds cool."
Leah laughed softly.
Real this time.
End
Outside the dorm—
their debut date was already spreading across the internet.
People reposted teaser photos.
Argued over visuals.
Picked favorites.
Made assumptions.
Waited.
And inside the dorm—
five girls sat in oversized hoodies and tired eyes,
still learning each other between late-night dinners and practice room exhaustion.
Not polished yet.
Not untouchable.
Still human.