Falling for the Omega Idol-Chapter 77: SILENT ELEVATOR RIDE

THE two quickly saw Jung Taeyang not because of his overwhelming presence, but because he was literally standing just outside the elevator door. As if he was about to use the elevator.

"Well, at least he’s prompt," Robin commented as they walked out.

Haneul merely shook his head at the snide remark. Standing before Jung Taeyang, he instinctively began to address him by his full name, but quickly remembered they had agreed to call each other more informally. Adjusting mid-thought, he changed the way he addressed him.

"Taeyang, have you been waiting long?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Haneul felt a wave of awkwardness wash over him. Calling the other by name—especially in such a casual, informal way—felt unnatural. He knew this discomfort was rooted in his lingering ’fan mentality.’ In his mind, Jung Taeyang, or rather, Taeyang, was still the musician he had admired from afar for so long.

Anyway, calling him by his name and using informal speech with him would be a good start to change his mindset. From being a fan to a, well, a competitor perhaps? Or even... friends.

Taeyang blinked and paused. He knew it hadn’t been long since he told Haneul that they could call each other by their names, but hearing the other call him ’Taeyang’ made him feel something he couldn’t put a name on. Like a soft tingle on his skin, or butterflies flying in his stomach. It was weird, but also quite pleasant at the same time.

"No, I just got here as well," he replied, his face remaining impassive, masking whatever it was he was feeling inside.

"Okay. Then, shall we go to the third floor?" Haneul asked.

Taeyang gave a brief nod, and the three of them stepped into another elevator, heading up to the third floor. The ride was filled with silence, none of them speaking until the elevator finally came to a stop on their floor.

Haneul and Taeyang, unsure of what to say to each other, chose to remain silent. Meanwhile, Robin quietly observed the two, opting to stay quiet as well. Why was he observing them? Well, it wasn’t exactly intentional. But the interaction between the two earlier had been... interesting, to say the least.

Haneul’s attempt to speak informally to Jung Taeyang felt forced, making the conversation sound awkward. Granted, it was probably because he wasn’t used to it yet. But then again, Robin recalled that when they first met, Haneul had no trouble speaking casually with him.

So, what’s so different about Jung Taeyang?

Was it because of that ’fan’ comment he made earlier? Although a part of Robin was skeptical, he didn’t believe Haneul would lie just because he had teased him about liking Jung Taeyang. The most likely explanation was that Haneul had been so impressed by Jung Taeyang’s performance during the public audition that it turned him into a fan. That would certainly explain the awkwardness in the way Haneul spoke to him now.

Then, there was Jung Taeyang, who was equally acting weird. Not that it was as obvious as Haneul’s, but he was. Just take for example how prickly he was while talking to Robin during lunch. And then how much softer his voice was while talking to Haneul.

Yes, it could be because of that incident with his cousin that’s why he was kinder to Haneul. But, somehow, Robin felt it was more than that. Or there was still the possibility that Jung Taeyang simply didn’t like him. He would know for sure once he saw how he was with other people.

Anyway, the more important thing right now was to focus on the first mission they’d been given. As long as Jung Taeyang wasn’t causing any harm to Haneul, it didn’t matter if he wanted to stick around.

The three wandered around the third floor, searching for a practice room with as few people as possible. They had all agreed it would be easier to focus with fewer distractions. To their surprise, they stumbled upon an empty practice room, likely overlooked because it was tucked away at the very end of the corridor.

As soon as they stepped inside, they were greeted by a large television screen playing the dance practice video of the theme song, [Sailing to the Stars]. One wall was lined with floor-to-ceiling mirrors, allowing anyone practicing to watch their movements and ensure they were executing the choreography correctly. Of course, there were also CCTV like cameras on every corner of the room.

Robin let out a low whistle as he glanced around the practice room. "The sponsors for this program must be pretty generous."

Converting the rooms of a high-end hotel into fully equipped dance practice spaces must have cost a fortune, which was why Robin couldn’t help but comment on the sponsors’ apparent generosity.

In Robin’s opinion, that was definitely a good thing. At the very least, it reassured him that there wouldn’t be any issues with their food or comfort throughout the program.

"There’s a remote here, probably to control the video playback," Haneul said as he picked up the remote mounted on the wall. "Should we replay the video?"

Taeyang nodded, and Robin gave a thumbs up, signaling their agreement.

Just as Haneul was about to replay the dance practice video, the door to the practice room swung open. All three of them turned toward it and saw a tall young man stepping inside.

His honey-brown hair was neatly styled, framing his sharp jawline and well-defined cheekbones. His smooth, glowing skin accentuated his striking features, while his dark eyes carried a soft warmth. When he smiled, it was effortless and genuine, revealing a set of perfectly aligned teeth.

His lips had a slight curve, giving him a natural, friendly expression. His well-defined brows added a subtle sharpness to his otherwise warm appearance. Tall and fit, he had a clean, put-together look. Despite his sharp features, the honey-brown hair and gentle eyes gave him an approachable, easygoing vibe.

And Haneul knew exactly who the other was.

Han Seojun.

The one who debuted as the center of Boys Odyssey’s final debut group.