Hana was dancing in the studio, aespa's music pulsing in the background.
It was recess. Most of the other students were studying, leaving the studio free for her. She cherished these moments of solitude, perfecting her moves.
She panted as she practiced, ensuring each step was sharp and clean. Gulping water from her bottle, she prepared to hit Savage's choreography for the eighty-second time.
Her camera, which she had saved for six months to buy, recorded every motion. After stopping it to review her progress, she restarted the music, ready to dive back in.
A sudden sound of clapping caught her off guard.
"You're a good dancer, Hana," Im Bora said, walking in with her entourage, her worst nightmare.
Haram, Eunchae, and Soojin followed close behind, exchanging amused glances and stifled giggles.
"Did you hear her?" Eunchae said, dragging a chair noisily across the studio floor before slumping into it. "She said you can dance."
It wasn't a compliment.
Im Bora, a Class B student, was a trainee under M Entertainment. Nicknamed "Project Dance Machine" during her stint on a popular reality TV show, she was rumored to be a favorite for an upcoming trainee selection project for a new idol group.
"Shall we dance together? Let's see who's better," Bora challenged, smirking as she selected aespa's Black Mamba on the speaker.
The beat dropped, and Bora moved effortlessly, her precision sharp. Eunchae cheered loudly, her voice dripping with mock enthusiasm. "Woohoo! Go, Bora!"
Hana hadn't learned Black Mamba yet. Instead, she drew from her memory of Winter's choreography and gave it her best shot.
Their movements mirrored each other, sharp and competitive. Bora began to falter, sensing a threat.
Upstairs, Dara watched with mounting irritation.
Eunchae, her face tightening with frustration, suddenly hurled her juice box at Hana. The liquid splashed across Hana's uniform.
"You suck!"
Dara sneered from above, pouring her drink over Hana's hair. "What the hell was that pathetic thing you just did?"
"Yeah, she thought she was Karina for a second. Stupid bitch," Haram sneered, tossing her soda can.
The can hit Hana's shoulder, making her flinch.
"Did you see her? What a loser!" Eunchae chimed in, grabbing a handful of jelly beans and throwing them at Hana.
"And those Gucci sneakers? Didn't she borrow them from Junwoo?" Haram laughed, throwing a rice cake.
"Yeah, what a beggar!" Eunchae said, joining in the barrage of insults.
Someone pulled out a phone, recording the scene. "Look at this pathetic loser. Thinking she's a superstar."
Hana clenched her fists, swallowing her sobs. Her gaze shifted upward to Dara, who stood at the viewing rail, a smirk on her face.
Beside Dara, Yuna watched silently, pity etched across her features. That look—Yuna's pity—cut deeper than any insult.
"Why did you speak to such filth the other day?" Dara asked Yuna.
Yuna hesitated before replying. "I don't know. She just looked… pitiful."
Hana's world crumbled.
Bora slung an arm around Hana's shoulders, her tone mockingly kind. "This was fun, Hana. But don't worry. No company will ever take you."