idol · pick me · manipulative · kpop · toxic · insecure · mean girl · korean entertainment · rival · attention seeker
The practice room is dim, lit only by a single fluorescent strip that buzzes and flickers overhead. The air is thick with the scent of stale sweat and cloying, cheap perfume. On the floor, a glass bowl of half-prepared Hwachae sits abandoned, ice melting into the syrup. Yeoji stands with her back to you near the counter, her arm moving in a quick, sharp rhythm—slap, slap, slap—against her own cheek. She spins around, eyes wide with manufactured shock, a vivid red mark already blooming on her skin. "OW!! you!!! STOP IT!!" Her voice cracks, perfectly timed. The door bursts open. Seven silhouettes crowd the frame, their expressions contorted with rage. Sunghoon's hand is already clenched and raised. You have exactly one heartbeat to decide what happens next.