The dining hall of the five-star luxury resort buzzed with the soft clinking of cutlery and hushed conversations. The air carried the scent of grilled seafood, warm bread, and exotic tropical fruits. The boys filled the long tables, some talking in hushed voices, others stealing glances at their rivals.
At one end, Steven's group ate in silence, their usual banter absent. Across the hall, the Unicorns exchanged knowing smirks. The tension was subtle but unmistakable, an unspoken rivalry settling between them like a storm cloud waiting to burst.
"Just ignore them," Steven muttered, cutting into his omelet with controlled precision. His usual ease was replaced by quiet restraint, his eyes trained on his plate rather than the figures on the other side of the hall.
JL stood up to grab more food. As he piled shrimp onto his plate, a voice chimed beside him.
"Seafood lover, huh?"
JL turned his head, startled. Eli stood there, his posture casual, a half-smile playing on his lips. There was something unnervingly familiar about him, but JL couldn't place it.
JL hesitated before nodding.
"You don't remember me, do you?" Eli asked, the corner of his lips twitching upward, as if he already knew the answer.
JL stiffened. He searched Eli's face for any clue, but his mind remained blank.
Eli chuckled. "No worries. It'll come to you."
Before JL could respond, Chih En appeared beside him, gripping his wrist firmly. His expression remained calm, but there was a sharpness in his gaze as he turned toward Eli.
"We should go," he said coolly, not giving Eli a chance to reply. "You guys love messing with JL. Not happening today."
JL let himself be pulled away, still confused, but something about the exchange left an uneasy feeling in his stomach.
Across the hall, Joe raised his glass toward Steven in a silent toast, his movements slow and deliberate.
Steven met his gaze but refused to react, though the fingers wrapped around his fork tightened slightly. The moment didn't go unnoticed by Park Han, who had been quietly observing from the side.
"You're gripping your fork like you wanna stab someone," Park Han commented, his voice light, but his eyes sharp.
Steven exhaled, setting his fork down with forced composure. "I'm fine."
Park Han smirked. "If you say so. But… Galee's part of Unicorns, right? Who does he take orders from? Ten, NPAC, or is he just playing his own game?"
Before Steven could answer, Galee walked in, holding his tablet with the ease of someone used to being in control. He scanned the room before tapping on the screen, his expression unreadable.
"Good morning, everyone," he said, his voice smooth and professional. "NPAC has finalized today's itinerary."
The murmurs in the room died down as all eyes turned to him.
"For the next three days, you'll be paired and grouped together to prepare a performance. You'll have full control over your practice schedules - train as much or as little as you want. But in three days, you will perform in front of NPAC representatives."
A ripple of reactions spread across the room - some intrigued, others wary. The stakes had just been raised.
"Oh, and one more thing," Galee added after a pause, his voice carrying an edge of amusement. "This resort? It's owned by NPAC, so we have several practice studios and training facilities around where you can use anytime."
A few gasps followed. The Unicorns chuckled, clearly unfazed.
Ko, their bright-eyed maknae, grinned. "You guys had no idea, did you?"
Steven's grip on his fork tightened again. The realization that NPAC controlled even their living space didn't sit well with him.
Woongki scoffed, his voice laced with suspicion. "What else are they hiding? Let me guess - Joe is the son of the NPAC chairman, like some chaebol in a K-drama?"
Joe smirked but didn't deny it.
Then, Galee cleared his throat, turning back to his tablet. "Here's how this will work. You'll be matched based on skills and experience. Let's start."
The room fell into expectant silence as he began reading the pairings.
"First, the leaders' battle. Steven, you're with Joe. You two will be doing a rap and dance performance."
Joe smirked, clearly pleased. "I was hoping for this."
Steven remained silent, his expression unreadable, but there was no mistaking the fire in his eyes.
"For the main vocal showdown, Park Han, you're with Seojun. Your genre? A powerful ballad."
Park Han tilted his head slightly, a smirk tugging at his lips. "I'd expect nothing less."
Seojun nodded in agreement. "Bring it on."
"For the all-rounders - JL, you're paired with Eli. Dance and vocals, high-level performance."
JL tensed. His gaze flickered toward Eli, who met his eyes with an unreadable smile.
"As for the dance group, Yoon, Haru, Nan, Juwon, Jeongwoo, Shuaibo, Woongki, and Chih En - you're in a unit. Expect something intense."
Chih En groaned. "We're already exhausted."
Juwon, however, looked determined. "Let's do it."
"And finally - " Galee's lips twitched slightly as he read the last names. "Our maknae pair. Daisuke and Ko, you're doing… Candy."
A beat of silence followed before Ko suddenly gasped. His reaction was immediate and dramatic. "Wait, as in 'Candy' by H.O.T.?!"
Galee nodded.
Ko practically exploded with excitement. "Yes! The cute concept is mine!"
Daisuke, usually more reserved, smiled. "Guess we're going full sugar rush, huh?"
Ko was already jumping around. "We need colorful outfits! Pink overalls! Rainbow socks!"
Woongki smirked. "I can't wait to see this."
Galee clapped his hands. "Alright. Your practice studios are ready. Get moving."
--
Joe & Steven: War Begins
Inside the high-end practice studio, Steven and Joe stood apart, sizing each other up. The atmosphere was thick with unspoken tension.
"We'll do a rap and dance routine," Joe said flatly.
Steven crossed his arms. "Figured."
Joe nodded. "No easy choreography. We go hard."
Steven smirked. "Fine by me."
A beat of silence passed before Joe raised an eyebrow. "Still mad about the toast?"
Steven scoffed. "Nope."
Joe chuckled. "Good. Let's see if you can keep up."
--
Back at the NPAC.
Inside a private lounge, Ten, Yangyang, Changsub, EC, and Jay Park sat together, facing the NPAC chairman.
Yugyeom isn't in the room as he sent a message earlier saying he couldn't come because of his group's reunion.
The air was thick with discussions of strategy, power, and the future of the supergroup.
Jay Park sipped his whiskey. "We need a name for the supergroup. Something unique, something catchy."
A deep bark echoed through the room. The chairman's massive English Mastiff paced around, his large paws thudding against the polished floor.
EC smirked. "The dog wants to contribute?"
Changsub sighed. "We can't understand what he's saying."
The dog barked excitedly.
He looked at the dog. "What, you want us to name the group something like… Hoof?"
The room fell silent.
Changsub chuckled awkwardly - until he realized everyone was staring at him.
"Wait. You're not actually considering it, right??"