Falling for the Omega Idol-Chapter 93: THAT’S WHY IT’S CALLED ’COMPLICATED’

AS soon as he heard what Robin said, Seojun’s response was immediate: a firm denial. It came out before he even had time to process it, more like a reflex than a thought-out answer. He couldn’t tell if he was rejecting the idea because he truly didn’t feel that way for Haneul or if he was just caught off guard, like a kid being teased about a secret crush. Either way, his reaction sounded unconvincing, as if he was trying to convince himself as much as anyone else.

Maybe that’s why Robin didn’t believe him and only looked at him with eyes narrowing as if to say, ’Sure, whatever you say.’

Seojun sighed. Why was he even stressing over this? Was now really the time to get caught up in things like this? It’s not like he was on a dating show. This was an idol survival program. Crushes and feelings had no place here. They were only on the second day, and already his mind was wandering. What was he even thinking?

Although he was reluctant to participate in the program, having been pushed into it by his agency, that didn’t mean he’d just half-assed things. He needed to adjust his mindset and take this seriously. But if nothing else, he’d learned one thing about himself—he was a sucker for a pretty face. Or, more accurately, he’d just discovered the type of face he liked.

Anyway, as long as this didn’t interfere with his performance, he’d just let it be. If his feelings for Haneul grew into something deeper or faded into simple admiration, it didn’t really matter. Whatever happened, happened.

Feeling as though he’d finally reached a sense of enlightenment, Seojun felt a weight lift from his shoulders. So, when Haneul and Robin returned, each with their tray of food, the awkwardness he initially felt was now gone and he could interact with Haneul much more naturally.

----------

Fifteen minutes before 1 PM, Haneul walked into the practice room where the dance session with the mentors would be held.

With Yoon Jihoon and K-Beat overseeing vocal practice, the mentors guiding them in choreography would be Dyna and Choi Minhyuk. Since Dyna was the only mentor who had also been a mentor on Boys Odyssey in the previous world, Haneul was somewhat familiar with her approach as a mentor.

Dyna was known for pushing trainees to their absolute limits, challenging them to improve with every session. She didn’t hesitate to point out even the smallest flaws, expecting nothing less than full commitment and focus. In simple words, she was very strict. To the point that people online watching the program referred to her as Dyna-saur.

Yes, she was that intense when it came to dancing. She took her job as a mentor of the program very seriously. Her attitude mostly came from her being a professional dancer, so her standard was pretty high.

But that wasn’t all there was to her. Having experienced a survival show herself, she knew how to value hard work and perseverance. She especially admired contestants who showed consistent improvement with each mission, often favoring them over the so-called ’dance geniuses.’

That’s why, although Haneul felt nervous, he wasn’t exactly scared. He knew how hard he’d practiced. With the mentors’ trained eyes, they’d likely recognize he was simply new to dancing. Even if his technique was still rough, he’d put everything into memorizing the steps and staying on beat. Hopefully, they’d see his dedication and effort too.

Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes for a moment, centering himself. He let the sounds of the practice room fade into the background, focusing instead on his heartbeat as it steadied. He reminded himself why he was here. With each exhale, the tension in his shoulders eased. By the time he opened his eyes, he felt calmer.

As he looked up, his eyes happened to meet a familiar pair of gray ones. He was momentarily startled, but considering how often this had been happening, it was almost comical. Then he remembered Taeyang’s recent strange behavior around him, which quickly stifled the laugh that had risen in his throat. Instead, he simply gave Taeyang a small nod and lowered his gaze again.

He didn’t think much of the brief interaction—or rather, he tried not to—and, with the upcoming dance practice session on his mind, he managed to brush it off. Taeyang, however, wasn’t quite as fortunate.

Taeyang’s nerves were already on edge from constantly thinking about Haneul. So, when Haneul entered the practice room and took a seat directly across from him, perfectly within view, what else could he do but stare?

He noticed how tense Haneul seemed; the moment he sat down, he immediately began some breathing exercises to calm himself. This reminded Taeyang of how much Haneul had been struggling with the choreography.

He had to admit that Haneul’s movements were clearly at a beginner level. Dancing wasn’t exactly his strength either, but years of practice had brought him to a point where he could pass as a true idol trainee. It was one of the few things he was grateful for when it came to that woman. In her relentless pursuit of the "perfect" child, she had enrolled him in countless classes—one of which was dancing. And he, being the sucker that he was, put his best effort into every single one.

But the same could not be said for Haneul.

With hard work, Haneul would definitely improve in the future—but that time hadn’t come yet. Taeyang couldn’t help but feel a bit worried, hoping Haneul would get through this hurdle smoothly.

Because as much as he wrestled with his complicated feelings toward Haneul, he genuinely wanted him to succeed. In fact, he’d be thrilled if they ended up debuting together.

It might seem strange, feeling this way, especially given the tangled emotions he held toward the other. But wasn’t that the whole point of calling it ’complicated’?

Taeyang’s thoughts scattered as the door to the practice room swung open, and the two mentors stepped inside.