The screen flashed again.
CUBEX ENTERTAINMENT
Gasps and murmurs rippled through the hall. Another powerhouse label. Another set of heavy-hitting trainees.
The names were called:
Jin Tae-yoon.
Haruto.
Evan.
A buzz of excitement stirred from the contestants. CubeX was known for its high-level training and polished performers, and this trio? They were the talk of pre-show predictions.
Tae-yoon, the graceful visual with sharp moves.
Haruto, the infamous CubeX ace, cold as steel onstage.
And Evan—the striking half-Korean, half-Australian with fierce power in both vocals and dance.
The three stood up in unison, expressions focused. As they made their way toward the stage, something unusual happened.
Instead of scanning the room or focusing on the mentors, their gazes briefly slid sideways—toward one boy sitting near the center rows.
Ji Hyo.
But Ji Hyo wasn't paying them any attention.
He was too busy squinting at his wrist, swatting lightly at Felix, who was still poking at him in a lazy rhythm, clearly having too much fun teasing.
"Stop," Ji Hyo whispered, batting Felix's hand. "It tickles."
"I'm checking your pulse," Felix said innocently. "I think it stopped when the AZ guys danced."
"Felix."
"Just saying."
Haruto's gaze lingered for a second longer. There was a flicker of recognition—or maybe curiosity—but he turned his head forward again and said nothing.
Evan chuckled softly under his breath. "Is that the shark boy?"
"Looks like it," Tae-yoon muttered.
Then they reached the center stage. Lights lowered. Tension rose.
Ji Hyo finally looked up—just in time to catch Evan shooting a half-smirk toward the crowd before getting into position.
Felix leaned close again. "Now this is gonna be intense."
Ji Hyo didn't answer.
But his fingers curled slightly, his pulse quickening.
CubeX was here to make a statement.
The trio stood at the center stage, bathed in a pristine spotlight. Their black-and-silver outfits shimmered subtly under the studio lights—sleek, modern, and unmistakably CubeX.
They bowed in perfect sync.
Haruto stepped forward first, his voice calm and cold. "Hello mentors. I'm Haruto from CubeX Entertainment."
"I'm Jin Tae-yoon," the next one said smoothly, a polite smile on his lips. "Thank you for having us."
Last was Evan, who gave a quick nod and flashed a confident, dimpled grin. "Evan, also from CubeX. It's an honor to be here."
Shin Yu-mi smiled brightly. "It's rare to see a lineup this strong from one company."
Cheetah added, "All three of you have distinct auras. I'm curious—what will you be performing for us today?"
Haruto spoke up without missing a beat. "We'll be performing 'Domino' by Stray Guys."
A few contestants in the back let out quiet gasps.
Bold. Powerful. Relentless.
The mentors gave intrigued nods. No more questions were asked.
There was no need for more words.
The trio stepped back into formation. The lights dimmed.
And the performance began.
The bass dropped like a thunderclap.
From the very first beat, the stage was consumed by pure energy.
Haruto hit the opening with razor-sharp precision, his movements clean and commanding. His face was stoic, unreadable—an iron mask of confidence. He moved like the beat was embedded in his bones, slicing through the rhythm like a blade.
Jin Tae-yoon brought the flair. His expressions flickered between cool and charismatic, perfectly syncing with the choreography. When his part came in, he owned it, snapping his head to the side and delivering his lines with a smirk that oozed confidence. His footwork was dangerously crisp, even under pressure.
Evan was the fire. His stage presence was loud and explosive. Every move was powerful, calculated—but not stiff. He moved like a storm, wide-eyed and intense. At one point, he jumped and landed on beat with such force it sent a ripple through the stage. The mentors leaned in, visibly impressed.
The synchronization was CubeX-level sharp—unforgiving in detail.
Their transitions? Seamless.
Their spacing? Precise.
And their energy? Relentless.
There was a section in the chorus where Haruto took center again, and his movement hit with such force that several contestants couldn't help but mutter in awe. Even Min-jun, who had been quietly observing, raised his eyebrows.
Ji Hyo, meanwhile, sat frozen. Not because he was intimidated—no. He was simply watching.
Every part of their performance reminded him that he was not there yet.
But Felix? Felix leaned toward him, still playful, whispering with a teasing smile, "Scary, huh? But not as charming as your baby shark."
Ji Hyo blushed faintly, but kept his gaze on the stage. He could admit it:
They were good.
No—they were incredible.
As the final chorus hit, Evan launched into a powerful spin, Jin Tae-yoon followed it with a slide that transitioned into a group pose, and Haruto ended it all with a single, intense stare directly into the camera.
BOOM.
The beat stopped.
Silence.
Then—
APPLAUSE.
A wave of cheers and claps erupted across the studio. Some contestants were even standing, too stunned to sit still.
Lisa clapped with a proud grin. "Now that's what I call power!"
Cheetah nodded, arms crossed, her smirk satisfied. "This is what happens when experience, chemistry, and hunger mix."
Yu-mi was scribbling furiously in her notes. "All three of them could be in the final lineup."
The CubeX trio bowed again—flawlessly—and walked back to their seats.
Evan gave the crowd a quick wink.
Haruto didn't even look around.
Jin Tae-yoon, however, shot a glance at Ji Hyo—just for a second.
And Ji Hyo, for once, didn't look away.
The mentors wrapped up their feedback with nods of approval and firm encouragements. "That was a strong statement piece," Lisa said, scribbling on her evaluation sheet. "CubeX always brings the heat."
"They're definitely contenders," Cheetah added, tapping her pen. "I'll be watching how you three grow from here."
With a final bow, Haruto, Jin Tae-yoon, and Evan turned and began walking back to their seats—still composed, but there was something subtle in their movements now. Something... less casual.
They kept glancing at Ji Hyo.
Haruto's eyes flicked once. Then again.
Evan gave a sidelong glance, like he was trying to figure something out.
Even Jin Tae-yoon's gaze lingered for half a second too long before looking away with an unreadable expression.
Ji Hyo blinked.
"…Is it just me," he murmured to himself, "or do they keep looking at me?"
Felix didn't miss a beat. He leaned in with a smug grin, poking Ji Hyo lightly in the ribs.
"They are looking at you," he whispered. "They probably feel threatened by you."
Ji Hyo looked at him, stunned. "Huh?"
Felix leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, his expression smug and unapologetically proud.
"Ohhh, my cute shark is so powerful now that other people are getting wary of you." He turned dramatically, pretending to fan himself. "How dangerous~"
Ji Hyo flushed. "Stop calling me that—"
Felix only grinned harder. "Nope. You earned it."
And Ji Hyo couldn't help it—he smiled, just a little.