We Don't Fight
In the training room of Two Bear Entertainment, vocal trainer Song Yohan's lesson continued with the newly added Yeoreum participating alongside the others.
"No, no, no. Miss Winter, you're currently dandifying your vocal. That is not a satisfactory idol vocal."
When vocal trainer Song Yohan pointed out the issue after listening to Winter's vocalization, the girl—who couldn't understand a word of it—turned to Summer.
"Summer, what did Mr. Yohan say?"
"He said you're adding unnecessary flair to your vocal. Keep it clean and simple?"
"Aha!"
Even as she translated, Summer couldn't help but wonder if this was really the right way to handle things.
"Miss Autumn's vocal is already semi-finished. However, if I may offer one peradventure as your trainer, I'd appreciate it if you would keep in mind that Miss Autumn belongs to a group, not a solo artist career. An overly distinctive color could erode the overall proportion, after all."
"Summer, what did Mr. Yohan say this time?"
"He said you did well. But remember you're not a solo artist—you're in a group. Keep that in mind?"
"Okay, got it. I'll keep it in mind, Mr. Yohan!"
Yohan nodded, seemingly satisfied with Autumn's response.
Summer glanced at him nervously before asking Autumn in a careful whisper.
"Um… is it really okay to have these little side conversations during class? Won't Trainer Yohan get upset?"
Autumn smiled at her, as if to say there was nothing to worry about.
"It's fine! This is all just communication so we can properly understand what he's teaching. If we stayed confused and couldn't follow along, he'd actually get depressed."
"…."
If that was the case, wouldn't it be simpler for him to just speak normally? The thought crossed Summer's mind, but she wisely kept it to herself.
With Summer continuing to act as interpreter, Song Yohan's enthusiastic vocal lesson carried on. Two full hours later, he finally wrapped things up by pointing out each girl's shortcomings and assigning them specific tasks to work on.
Yoo Gaeul sipped an ion drink to soothe her dried vocal cords and turned to Summer.
"How was the lesson, Summer?"
Summer, who had been drinking the same beverage, carefully set it down before answering.
"Yes. I have so many areas where I fall short compared to both of you, so it wasn't easy to keep up. But that also means I had plenty of chances to learn."
"No way! Summer, I don't know about Gaeul unnie, but there's no chance you're more lacking than me… Your voice is seriously so pretty!"
"…Thank you, Winter."
Winter beamed at Summer's genuine gratitude, her smile bright and sincere. She thought to herself how pure and adorable the girl was.
"She's right, Summer. Your voice has this clean quality with such an elegant vibrato. It's really charming."
The two girls from Two Bear were genuinely good people. Summer couldn't help but worry that she might end up ruining their paths.
"Are you both really okay with being in a group with someone like me?"
"Huh? What do you mean by that? I think it's great!"
"Me too. I like it, Summer!"
Their immediate, matter-of-fact responses made Summer's heart flutter slightly. She pressed on.
"As you both know, I've been labeled as someone people dislike. If you stay with me, even things that could succeed might have a higher chance of failing. Just being associated with me could get you treated like criminals too. I was asking if that was really okay with you."
The more she spoke, the more Summer regretted it. What was the point of bringing this up now? It felt more like she was pushing her guilt onto them than anything else.
She made a silent vow. If either of them showed even the slightest discomfort, she would leave the group—no matter what it took—to spare them.
"Summer. Please don't say things that hurt yourself like that."
The one who stepped forward was Han Gyeowool. Unlike her usual timid, hesitant self, she spoke with firm determination.
"To be honest, being in this group makes me feel burdened. When I compare myself to you and Gaeul unnie—who both shine so brightly—I feel ugly and cheap."
"…Winter."
Gyeowool gave a small, forced smile to the worried Yoo Gaeul before continuing.
"But I won't lock myself away in those negative thoughts anymore. That would be betraying the expectations Teacher Taeyang has placed in me."
"…."
"So whenever we feel too weak or inadequate, let's trust in Teacher Taeyang. I believe he gathered us here because he saw light in each of us."
Jin Yeoreum thought of Seon Taeyang. The man who had given someone as worthless as her far more faith than she deserved.
"…Yeah. I'll trust him."
That wasn't enough.
"And I'll prove it. That his faith wasn't misplaced."
Yoo Gaeul watched Jin Yeoreum's resolute declaration with a satisfied expression, then smiled warmly.
"By the way, using all those formal honorifics feels a bit too distant. I'm fine with it, so could you speak to me casually? We're only a year apart, right? If you count birthdays, it's not even a full year. …It makes me a little sad that I'm the only one who feels left out, unlike Winter."
Summer, who placed great importance on proper etiquette, was slightly taken aback by Gaeul's easygoing warmth and offered an excuse.
"Wouldn't it be better to keep using polite speech? Winter is still speaking formally to you too, isn't she?"
"I've asked Winter every time to speak casually, but she won't listen,"
Winter, who had been watching the two of them, fidgeted with her fingers and spoke cautiously.
"…I'm more comfortable this way."
"No."
"…Ah."
Looking at Summer—who avoided crossing boundaries—and Winter—who struggled with human relationships in general—Gaeul spoke firmly.
"We're a team. We'll be living together in the dorm and have to match our rhythms perfectly. That means we'll practically be spending twenty-four hours a day together until our contracts end. If we don't open our hearts and work as one in that situation, we might create unnecessary conflicts without even realizing it. And when you're idols, there will definitely be people from outside trying to stir up trouble. At times like that, I want us to at least be tightly united."
Gaeul looked at them both with her signature gentle, warm smile.
"We could stay as just a simple business relationship, but I don't want to spend that long contract period being awkward and distant with each other, you know?"
"…I wouldn't like that either."
At Winter's agreement, Gaeul smiled brightly and continued.
"So from now on, let's all speak casually with each other! This is the first step to breaking down those walls. Of course, you can disagree with my opinion, but you have to disagree using casual speech!"
"…Isn't that basically the same thing?"
"What was that, Winter?"
"Nothing! I didn't say anything… I mean, it wasn't anything important, Gaeul unnie."
"Good job, Winter!"
It was pure comedy.
"Let's think about later, when we have differing opinions and an argument breaks out. If there's still a formal hierarchy between us with polite speech and all that, would we really be able to open up and talk honestly? …Well, maybe we could. But I think building a comfortable relationship starting now will help a lot more in those situations."
Han Gyeowool tilted her head at Yoo Gaeul's words.
"But Gaeul unnie, do you think we'll ever fight?"
"Hmm?"
"…Will we?"
Watching Winter like that, Jin Yeoreum made up her mind to drop the formal speech immediately.
"Um… I don't think it'll happen either. Both Winter and Summer are incredibly kind—it's rare to find people like you. …This is embarrassing to admit, but I worked a lot of part-time jobs and met tons of people, and I never once got into a fight. So I think we'll be fine, don't you?"
Summer shared the same thought. Not just Winter and Autumn, but everyone at Two Bear seemed to be an unusually kind group of people. She had a vague feeling that with people like them, everything would be okay.
She nodded in agreement.
"You're right. At a place like Two Bear, I don't think something like that would happen."
"Hmm?"
"…Yeah."
Having gone from audience member to main character of the comedy, she couldn't help but laugh. Winter and Autumn laughed along with her.
After they had their fill of laughter while looking at each other's faces, Gaeul spoke again.
"Still, I've heard that a lot of groups end up hurt and fighting when only one member has to control their diet, or makes a mistake on broadcast, or when one member gets way more popular and earns money alone while the profits are split equally."
"It'll be fine, Gaeul unnie. I don't think we'll be like that."
"That's right… Ah, yeah. We won't have any fights like that. And besides, if something like that happens, wouldn't Teacher Taeyang take care of it somehow? …Hehe."
For a moment, the same person appeared in all their minds.
"Yeah. As long as Team Leader Seon is here, it'll be okay."
They felt certain that if that person stayed by their side, everything would be fine.
"Oh, did you all finish practice well?"
At that moment, the door to the training room burst open and Seon Taeyang walked in, holding drinks that looked like they'd come from a famous café.
"Taeyang oppa!"
"Teacher Taeyang!"
Winter and Autumn's faces lit up at the sudden appearance of Taeyang. They chattered away like kindergarten kids running to their teacher.
Taeyang simply smiled at them instead of answering right away, then walked over to Jin Yeoreum.
"Summer. How was today's lesson?"
"…Ah, yes! It was good."
Taeyang nodded in satisfaction, glanced briefly at the other two, then leaned in close to Summer's ear and whispered.
"But you know the fact that you can see the future has to stay a secret from the others, right?"
He was so close. Summer couldn't even answer; her cheeks simply flushed red.
At that moment, it felt like a cold wind was blowing through the room. The source of that ominous aura was the gaze fixed on Taeyang, who had closed the distance to Summer until they were barely a finger's width apart.
Watching the scene, Summer became certain.
This is definitely going to lead to one huge fight someday.