SO MUCH FOR TRYING

TAEYANG glanced in the direction where Kang Haneul had just disappeared. Even though he already knew the other had passed the audition, seeing him in person still stirred some unexpected emotions. Their eyes met briefly, and it felt as if something heavy had struck his chest, leaving him breathless.

He looked down, his brows furrowing involuntarily. Despite his resolve to remain unaffected by external factors, here he was, grappling with the realization that he was more than just affected by the presence of one person. A person he had only met three times, someone he knew almost nothing about—except that he could sing well and was most likely an Omega.

So why did his presence bother him so much?

Taeyang let out a deep sigh and took out a piece of toffee from his pocket. The sweet taste of caramel helped calm him down. It didn't matter. This intrigue he's feeling would surely fade once the survival program started. By then, his entire focus would be on the competition, leaving no room for distractions.

At least he hoped so.

"Is something wrong, young master?"

The lawyer he had brought along suddenly asked, likely noticing his expression. Instead of a guardian, Taeyang had chosen to bring a lawyer. When he received the email confirming he had passed the audition, he had inquired if it was acceptable to bring someone other than a parent. They had responded that as long as it was an authoritative figure in his life; it was fine. So, he brought a lawyer.

Bringing that woman was out of the question, and his uncles were also not an option. The old man was never even a consideration. So a lawyer was the next best thing.

Although Jaehyun hyung had volunteered to accompany him, Taeyang refused without hesitation. He didn't want anyone to know he was related to the chairman of JH Entertainment. It wasn't just about avoiding the suspicion that he passed the audition because of his connections; he wanted to be recognized for his skills, not his family ties.

"I'm fine," he replied to the lawyer's question.

It was then that he saw Kang Haneul returning with the woman who's most likely his mother. Even though he had told himself time and time again not to get distracted, he still couldn't help but follow Kang Haneul with his gaze.

He noticed Kang Haneul talking with the pink-haired foreigner. It was clear from their interactions that they knew each other. Taeyang couldn't help but wonder how that came to be. Unless they were long-time friends, which seemed likely given how close they appeared.

When he saw the pink-haired guy lightly tap Kang Haneul's hand, his brows furrowed involuntarily once again. That pink-haired guy looked like an Alpha. Should an Alpha and an Omega really be that close? From what he had researched about secondary genders, it certainly wasn't considered the norm, but it's definitely not unheard of.

Seeing that Kang Haneul's mother didn't seem bothered by it, his frown deepened. He couldn't tell if she was simply that complacent or if she had an immense amount of trust in the pink-haired guy.

When the staff called another name, one that sounded very foreign, Taeyang was certain it was the pink-haired guy. Sure enough, the other stood up. He seemed to say something to Kang Haneul before quickly following the staff. Kang Haneul and his mother then began walking toward the exit of the waiting room.

Watching as Kang Haneul leave, he didn't know what got into him, but his body just moved before he could think properly. Almost absentmindedly, he turned to the lawyer beside him and said, "I'll be back."

Without waiting for the lawyer's response, he dashed towards the exit, following Kang Haneul.

Yeah, so much for trying not to be distracted.

***

Haneul and his mother decided to wait for Robin in the car. Since they had already signed the contract, they couldn't continue to stay in the waiting room. As they were about to step into the elevator, Haneul heard a somewhat familiar male voice calling out from behind.

"Please, wait a moment!"

Haneul assumed that whoever called out was also planning to use the elevator and wanted to stop them from letting it close. When he turned around to see who it was, his steps stopped automatically.

Was it just his imagination, or was Jung Taeyang really rushing towards them?