TACK13 would be MYDOL's second in-house girl group, debuting in 2024, nearly 6 years after the first MYDOL girl group, VENUS. The group would be introduced in 2023 through a reality-survival show combo called "The Process: Making A Girl Group."
The process would feature twenty-one trainees and a five member Mydol Creative Team, following them through the journey of making a K-pop girl group.
The Mydol creative team for The Process would consist of Son Roan, a former idol and fan favorite creative director, going to take on the future girl group as his first-ever group project, acting as their manager, creative director, and producer, once the show would conclude. The trainees were very comfortable with him as he was one of the nicer judges on the panel and would take care of the trainees by buying their lunches, clothes, and providing a luxury dorm for them.
Analise Zhou, once a soloist, became a vocal director and performance mentor. Beautiful and brutally honest, she was infamous amongst viewers and trainees for building up their confidence just to tear it down moments later. Trainees had a complicated relationship with her because of this. Many still went to her for comfort because she was the only woman on the team, but also knew that she was not always in their corner.
The one and only: Mydol founder and CEO, Son Jinhwa. Jinhwa would oversee The Process, acting as the final decision-maker for eliminations, concept direction, debut lineup approval, and public image. Known for his cold and meticulous nature, he rarely ever praised the trainees, often pointing out flaws only he would seem to notice. Trainees feared him and never got comfortable around him.
With his constantly changing hair color, Lee Gunwook would act as the group's visual director, being the mind behind many of Mydol group's iconic comebacks. Gunwook would handle styling direction, concept photography, teaser aesthetics, branding, and overall visual identity for the debut group. He'd become a divisive figure in The Process, many liking his unpredictable nature and constant disagreements with Roan over the concept. Trainees were comfortable with him despite his rather harsh critiques when they wouldn't impress him.
And lastly, their choreographer and former MYDOL touring dancer, Ben Kim, would sit on the panel. Ben was brought in to keep the trainees synchronized, build their stamina, and their overall stage presence and discipline. Being passionate about dance and idol culture, he was often called a "drill sergeant." Within the practice room, the girls regularly leave exhausted or crying. Though hard on the trainees, they seemed to love him the most out of the mentors and were often seen messing around and being sarcastic with him.
MEET THE ONES WHO DIDN'T MAKE THE CUT...
JENNIE LEE
Birthday: March 11, 2004
Former Company: JYP Entertainment trainee
Eliminated: Episode 4
Mentor Support: Ben Kim
Jennie had natural celebrity aura and camera awareness, but the mentors ultimately cut her because she struggled badly under pressure. During evaluations she frequently forgot lyrics, lost confidence midway through performances, and relied too heavily on visuals to carry stages. Jinhwa bluntly stated that “being photogenic is not a skillset.” Ben argued she simply needed more experience, but the rest of the panel felt she was not mentally stable enough for debut yet.
Fan Favorite Moment: Accidentally cursing on a hot mic after dropping a prop during rehearsals.
FENG SIJIA
Birthday: September 2, 2003
Former Company: HYBE trainee
Eliminated: Episode 8
Mentor Support: Analise Zhou
Sijia’s elimination became one of the show’s biggest debates because viewers felt the mentors were overly harsh on HYBE trainees. Despite being an excellent dancer, the panel repeatedly criticized her fundamentals and weak live vocals. Her biggest issue was confidence. Once she made mistakes, she visibly spiraled. The mentors ultimately felt she was too emotionally fragile for the pressure of a debut lineup.
Most Viral Moment: During Episode 5, Roan asked where she trained before, and when she proudly answered “HYBE,” Gunwook immediately deadpanned, “That’s not an accomplishment.” The room reportedly went silent for several seconds.
LILIANA KIM
Birthday: January 19, 2002
Former Company: Mydol trainee since 2016
Eliminated: Episode 11
Mentor Support: Son Roan
Liliana was technically polished and deeply respected inside Mydol, but the mentors felt she lacked individuality. Jinhwa repeatedly said she felt “too safe,” while Gunwook argued she blended into concepts instead of elevating them. Roan strongly disagreed and believed her professionalism made her essential to the group dynamic, but he ultimately lost the argument.
Fan Favorite Moment: Childhood clip of her saying, “I’ll debut before I become ugly.”
KIM SIHYEON
Birthday: May 28, 2003
Former Company: Mydol trainee since 2016
Eliminated: Episode 13 (Finale)
Mentor Support: Son Jinhwa
Sihyeon’s finale elimination shocked viewers because she had all the qualities of a traditional center. However, the mentors eventually felt she lacked emotional vulnerability and came across overly controlled on camera. Roan worried audiences admired her but did not emotionally connect to her. Jinhwa still wanted her in the lineup until the end, causing major conflict during finale deliberations.
Fan Favorite Moment: Her childhood promise to make enough money so her mother could stop working.
YABUKI MIKU
Birthday: November 14, 2002
Former Company: Mydol trainee since 2016
Eliminated: Episode 10
Mentor Support: Analise Zhou & Son Roan
Miku’s years of training created enormous expectations she unfortunately struggled to meet. The mentors believed her nerves completely swallowed her stage presence, making her performances feel smaller than they were in rehearsals. Ben admitted she practiced harder than almost anyone, but he could not justify debuting someone who disappeared onstage.
HARLOW NILSSON
Birthday: July 8, 2004
Former Company: HYBE trainee
Eliminated: Episode 6
Mentor Support: Son Roan
Harlow had immediate global appeal and one of the strongest social media followings, but the mentors felt her technical skills never caught up to her confidence. Gunwook accused her of “performing like she already debuted,” while Ben repeatedly criticized her weak fundamentals. Roan wanted to keep her because of her obvious star quality, but the panel voted against him.
Fan Favorite Moment: “Beyoncé, they could never make me hate you.”
PARK WONHAE
Birthday: February 3, 2001
Former Company: Mydol trainee since 2016
Eliminated: Episode 12
Mentor Support: Ben Kim
Wonhae was arguably one of the most technically complete trainees remaining near the finale, but she struggled to establish a memorable identity. The mentors admitted she rarely made mistakes, yet somehow still faded beside bigger personalities. Ben believed reliability itself was valuable, but Gunwook argued she felt more like “support structure than centerpiece.”
Fan Favorite Moment: Falling asleep standing up during overnight rehearsals.
IKEDA YUKINO
Birthday: December 29, 2005
Former Company: Mydol trainee
Eliminated: Episode 7
Mentor Support: Lee Gunwook
Yukino’s chaotic personality made her incredible television, but the mentors worried she lacked professionalism. She struggled with consistency and often treated stressful situations too casually. Jinhwa specifically criticized her inability to “switch off variety mode.” Gunwook defended her individuality constantly, believing idols were becoming too manufactured.
Fan Favorite Moment: Accidentally introducing herself in three different languages mid-sentence.
LILAC HAN
Birthday: April 16, 2004
Former Company: Mydol trainee
Eliminated: Episode 9
Mentor Support: Son Roan
Lilac was emotionally beloved by both trainees and viewers, but the mentors questioned whether she had enough standout power for a debut lineup. While everyone agreed she was warm, dependable, and hardworking, the panel struggled to define what role she would specifically dominate within the group. Roan was visibly upset during her elimination because he valued her emotional intelligence deeply.
AURORA MULLER
Birthday: August 21, 2003
Former Company: HYBE trainee
Eliminated: Episode 5
Mentor Support: None consistently
Aurora became the face of the show’s criticism toward HYBE-style training. While visually striking, she lacked synchronization, rhythm control, and restraint during performances. The mentors felt she overperformed every facial expression and had not been properly taught fundamentals before joining the show. Even mentors who liked her visuals admitted she was not ready to debut.
LOVE SMITH
Birthday: October 7, 2001
Former Company: Mydol trainee
Eliminated: Episode 3
Mentor Support: Lee Gunwook
Love’s individuality fascinated Gunwook, but the rest of the mentors worried she was too stylistically niche for a mainstream debut group. Her intimidating image made it difficult for audiences to immediately warm up to her, despite her soft personality offstage. Jinhwa ultimately believed she fit fashion editorials more than idol branding.
Fan Favorite Moment: Crying immediately after being asked if she was scary.
NAVI KUMAR
Birthday: June 25, 2002
Former Company: JYP Entertainment trainee
Eliminated: Episode 11
Mentor Support: Ben Kim
Navi’s elimination caused outrage because she was undeniably one of the best performers on the show. However, the mentors worried her image skewed too mature and intense compared to the softer direction being developed for the debut lineup. Ben fought aggressively to keep her, arguing she was the strongest pure stage performer left, but the concept mismatch ultimately ended her chances.
KIM MISUN
Birthday: October 12, 2007 (Youngest)
Former Company: Mydol trainee
Eliminated: Episode 13 (Finale)
Mentor Support: Analise Zhou
Misun’s age became her biggest obstacle. While the mentors universally agreed she was talented enough to debut, several worried placing someone so young into a high-pressure lineup would damage her emotionally long-term. Roan especially hesitated during the finale because he feared she had not fully experienced life outside training yet.
MARINE
Birthday: September 30, 2006
Former Company: Mydol trainee
Eliminated: Episode 8
Mentor Support: Son Roan
Marine had overwhelming charm and visual popularity, but her vocal weaknesses became impossible to ignore midway through the competition. The mentors believed she relied too heavily on natural likability instead of technical growth. Roan still tried mentoring her privately because he saw massive long-term idol potential in her.
JUNG DANBI
Birthday: April 2, 2005
Former Company: Mydol trainee
Eliminated: Episode 6
Mentor Support: Analise Zhou
Danbi’s biggest enemy was anxiety. Multiple mentors admitted her practice footage looked dramatically better than her actual evaluations, but she consistently froze whenever cameras appeared. Analise argued she simply needed confidence and time, while Jinhwa believed debuting someone unable to handle pressure would be irresponsible.
AND THEN THERE WERE SIX . . .
The final six girls would be decided after thirteen grueling episodes. The lineup was pretty well received by audiences except for Yoomi, who many viewers would call a "sneak" despite it being quite obvious by the framing of the show that she was going to debut. The rest of the girls, Geni, Eme, Harin, Aki, and Misty, were celebrated for making the final lineup, as a majority of them were fan favorites throughout the show.
GENI
Birth Name: Genevieve Rosiello
Birthday: February 7, 2002
Background: Former backup dancer → Mydol trainee
Favored By: Ben Kim
Geni entered The Process with almost no fandom compared to the long-term trainees, but quickly became impossible to ignore once performances started. Before joining Mydol, she worked as a backup dancer for multiple touring artists and music shows, which gave her unusually mature stage instincts compared to the other contestants. She was never the best vocalist, but every single camera naturally found her during performances.
Roan ultimately chose Geni because she gave the group authority. While several trainees looked like “girls trying to debut,” Geni already carried herself like someone who belonged onstage professionally. Roan repeatedly described her as “the spine” of the lineup.
Viral Moment: During Episode 9, a trainee accidentally missed a formation change live onstage and Geni subtly grabbed her wrist mid-performance to pull her back into position without breaking character. The clip exploded online and people started calling her “Captain Geni.”
YOOMI
Birth Name: Kim Yoomi
Stage Name: Yoomi
Birthday: November 23, 2003
Background: Mydol trainee
Favored By: Son Roan
Yoomi became one of the most controversial contestants of the entire season because Roan clearly adored her from the beginning while the other judges remained unconvinced for weeks. She was strange, awkward, emotionally unpredictable, and often performed songs in ways the mentors considered “too specific” or artsy. Gunwook loved her weirdness visually, but Jinhwa repeatedly questioned whether general audiences would understand her.
Roan ultimately refused to let her go because he believed she had the strongest identity out of every trainee on the show. He argued that idols without individuality disappear after debut, while Yoomi felt unforgettable even when she failed. Over time, viewers slowly started understanding what he meant.
Viral Moment: During a serious elimination episode, Yoomi admitted she practiced facial expressions by staring at herself in spoons because “mirrors made her nervous.” The room went completely silent before Ben burst out laughing.
EME
Birth Name: Emmanuelle Baptiste
Stage Name: Eme
Birthday: June 14, 2001
Background: Mydol trainee
Favored By: Son Jinhwa
Eme was considered the most naturally marketable contestant in the competition. She had overwhelming confidence, incredible camera presence, and the ability to make even weak performances look expensive. Jinhwa favored her heavily because she embodied the kind of global idol image Mydol wanted to push internationally.
However, some mentors initially worried Eme relied too much on charisma over technical precision. Roan ultimately included her because every lineup discussion felt emptier without her energy present. Even when she made mistakes, people looked at her first.
Viral Moment: During Episode 6, Eme confidently stared directly into the wrong camera during a live performance for almost thirty seconds and somehow still made it look intentional. The clip became one of the show’s most replayed fancams.
HARIN
Birth Name: Choi Harin
Birthday: April 2, 2004
Background: Former model
Favored By: Lee Gunwook
Harin entered the show with almost no idol training experience because she originally worked in commercial and runway modeling. Early episodes painted her as cold and detached, but viewers slowly realized she was simply extremely shy. She struggled vocally at first, but improved faster than nearly anyone else during the show’s second half.
Gunwook adored Harin from day one because of her visual adaptability and natural elegance on camera. Roan ultimately kept her because she balanced the lineup aesthetically and emotionally. Her quieter energy softened some of the stronger personalities within the final group.
Viral Moment: Harin accidentally walking through the trainee dorm at 3AM wearing a sheet mask, noise-canceling headphones, and carrying a steaming bowl of ramyeon with absolutely no explanation.
AKI
Birth Name: Aki Takamura
Birthday: August 8, 1999
Background: Former J-pop idol
Favored By: Analise Zhou
Aki entered The Process already experienced in performing due to her years in the Japanese idol industry. Unlike many contestants, she rarely looked nervous onstage and consistently ranked high in audience voting because of her bright personality and professionalism. Some trainees quietly resented her experience advantage early on.
Analise favored Aki heavily because she trusted her stability during live performances. Roan ultimately chose her because she naturally unified the other girls during stressful periods. Several contestants later admitted Aki quietly held the trainee environment together emotionally behind the scenes.
Viral Moment: During Episode 10, the trainees were asked to rank who they thought was most likely to survive the industry long-term. Every single contestant except Aki voted for Aki.
MISTY
Birth Name: Sato Mizuki
Stage Name: Misty
Birthday: January 30, 2003
Background: Mydol trainee
Favored By: Son Jinhwa & Ben Kim
Misty had one of the strongest redemption arcs of the season. Early episodes barely focused on her because she blended into the background, but midway through the competition she suddenly exploded in popularity after consecutive standout performances. Her confidence skyrocketed after surviving a near-elimination in Episode 7.
Jinhwa valued Misty because she improved faster than almost anyone else under pressure, while Ben admired how disciplined she became during rehearsals. Roan ultimately finalized her spot because she brought balance. She could adapt to almost any concept without overpowering the group dynamic.
Viral Moment: After surviving elimination, Misty accidentally celebrated too hard and fell directly off the stage stairs live on camera before standing up and bowing like nothing happened
TACK13 WAS BORN !
TACK13, pronounced as TACKY, would debut on April 12th, 2024, with a loud, bright, messy, Y2K concept they stick true to to this day. Throughout the years, they've been called Kpop's darlings, the most hated Kpop group on Twitter, and the blueprint for the Y2K EDM wave currently taking over the industry, as that was their sound since their debut. Often, they're criticized for being a 'performance group' instead of an actual singing idol group, as a lot of their title tracks do not show off their vocal skills. Despite the criticism, TACK13 continues to stand out in its cookie-cutter industry.
He tongued at his cheek as heavy footsteps echoed through the empty practice room that Ezra couldn’t stop himself from seeing as a prison cell at this point. His eyes locked on the floor, shame and guilt began to weigh on the back of his neck, making him bow his head and swallow thickly. He hadn’t done anything wrong to feel this way. So strongly does he feel the ache of guilt in his bones for missing a beat. He should be better, he should be stronger, he should be sharper.
“You could do better,” Roan’s voice affirmed the ones in his head. Ezra shuts his eyes, but nods silently. The weight on the back of his neck suddenly got heavier. It’s a hand, grabbing at him like he’s a pup being lifted by his mother. He flinches with a sharp breath, balling his sweaty hands into fists as the grip gets tighter, pushing him down until he’s bent at a 90-degree angle.
“Do you even try anymore, Ezra? Or are you too comfortable being the least liked member in the group, huh? You like that no one likes you enough to keep you here but me? Because that’s what it seems like.” Roan shakes him by the back of his neck like a dog. Ezra hasn’t opened his eyes in what feels like hours, forcing images of his favorite memory to appear behind his eyelids instead of darkness.
He was seven. A year before he was adopted. He was in Florida and with his mother on the beach. She was laughing because Ezra said he wanted to build a sand castle for them to live in. He was happy. The sun was bright and shining.
“I’m trying,” Ezra tried to defend himself. He always tried, but it was never good enough. It usually wasn’t.
“You’re not trying hard enough.” Then there's the shove that sends Ezra tumbling over and hitting the floor with his shoulder. The thud of his body hitting the ground echoes through the room, rattles his brain, but he barely makes a sound. Ezra opens his eyes at impact, blinking hard once, twice, three times before he pushes himself up on his palms, looking up at Roan through his lashes before looking away. Holding eye contact makes him too anxious. He wasn’t always so anxious, but Roan wasn’t always so mean.
Ezra pushes himself up shakily, muscles aching from the hours of repeating the same move again, and again and again. He swears he’s doing the footwork right, he swears he hits the beat, but every time the music is cut off and he’s scolded by Roan in that hard and cold voice that’s drilled its way into his stomach, leaving it in constant knots.
“Do you want to be here?” Roan talks to Ezra like he’s a soldier. It pisses him off. They’re in a dance room, not a war zone. The younger rolls his eyes before he can stop himself, and before he can prepare himself, there’s a sharp crack across his face, sending his head jerking to the side and a burning searing into his skin. Ezra shuts his eyes again, curling his lips in to keep any sound from tumbling out, taking a deep breath through his nose before he lifts his head, shaking his dark hair out of his eyes. He can feel a wetness in them, but that doesn’t keep him from holding eye contact with Roan again.
“I’ve been here for five years,” Ezra finally replies, “I’m already here.”
He only says it to get a reaction. He always knows there will be a reaction.
Roan’s heavy hands shove into Ezra’s chest again, this time sending him stumbling a couple of steps back before he hits the ground. The pain is sharp and shoots up through his tailbone, causing him to hiss. His wrists take most of the impact, making them ache instantly. Ezra is always aching, but this ache makes his brain tingle. Something small and sensitive, but it was there. It felt like it lit something in him, made his heart pound harder against his ribs. He can’t get enough of it.
He thinks of his mother again. He hasn’t seen her in so long. He wonders what color her hair is now, if she still smiles the same, if she smiles at all.
Ezra is in wrist braces for the next practice. Roan isn’t in the room this time, it’s just the guys, but he still feels like it’s only him in the room, besides when he’s looking in the mirror. He doesn’t look at himself even when he’s dancing; he’s watching the other boys. His eyes mainly lock on Hyun, watching how effortlessly he moves, how strong his arms look when they go up, how his brown hair sticks to his forehead. He’s the perfect idol, with such a pretty face and a strong body. Ezra feels hungry when he looks at Hyun, but he doesn’t know what. He wants to consume him, to be him, to taste him; he wants every inch of him, but he can’t grasp how or why.
“Hey,” Hyun shouts, dragging Ezra back into the reality he has found himself caged in. The leader raises his dark brows at the other, making Ezra look off to the side, crossing his arms over his chest. “Focus. You missed your mark, Hyunbin.”
Ezra hates his Korean name. It reminds him of his uncle. He nods, though, taking his sharp words and letting them burrow into the wrinkles of his brain. He can feel the other boys staring at him, but he doesn’t look at them; he doesn’t even look up from the ground. They’re all staring at him, some coldly and some with empathy. It’s usual soft eyes from TingTing and Grayson, and the usual daggers from Jacob and Hajin. There’s a gentle tap on his bicep. The feeling of longer nails gives it away that it’s TingTing. He lifts his head, having to tilt it up slightly to make eye contact with the older.
For someone so dainty, TingTing was tall as fuck.
“You look more brooding than usual,” TingTing teases which gets a smile out of Ezra, his eyes looking off to the side, feeling a knot form in his gut from the limited eye contact already. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine, Tee.” It’s a scripted response, one that Ezra has been reciting since he was a little boy. He adds a small smile that doesn’t fool TingTing by the sad smile he gives Ezra. He rubs his bicep, making the other look back at him with a look that says, ‘Don’t do this to me.’ But in all fairness, Ezra usually has that pathetic look on his face.
“Listen, we’re going out after practice–”
“You don’t have to invite me.”
“I want to!” TingTing argues with a shrill to his voice, “We haven’t been out together in forever!”
“Because I threw up at the pregame, Ting.” Ezra whines, cheeks already burning at the memory. He didn’t even get to the club before throwing up whatever soju abomination Grayson made him in the dorm. Ezra would learn they would go on to have a great night, while Ezra would be stuck at the dorm, curled up in his bed, playing League of Legends until dawn.
Utterly humiliating. He didn’t talk to the guys for three days.
TingTing’s lips curl in to not giggle at the memory. He shrugs like it was nothing.
“Okay? So! That’s the past, and I want you to come out tonight. I’m going, Gray is going, Hyun is going–”
“Hyun is going?” Ezra asks in shock, thick brows shooting up. TingTing nods with an excited hum.
“I know, right? He never goes out, and that’s why you need to! This will never happen again!” He’s so dramatic, Ezra thinks with an amused smile as he stares at TingTing’s face, who is consumed with an excited smile. His large hands pressed together in a prayer, and Ezra can finally see that they’re painted a pretty blue and silver, each nail having a different design or pattern. He wonders if he did them himself. TingTing is creative like that.
“And some of the tacky girls are coming! A lot of us will be there. Come onnn, Ezra! I even think Sena will be there!”
“Sena is always out on the weekends,” Ezra scoffs with an eyeroll at her name. TingTing sucks air between his tongue and the roof of his mouth, causing a clicking noise as he gives Ezra a playful shove.
“Just agree to go out already. You look miserable and need some fun. I’m helping you here.” His hands are on his shoulders now, leaning down slightly with a smirk on his lips because he can see that Ezra has no resolve left and a small smile is growing even as he shakes his head. Ezra throws his hands up like he lost a match, but the smile on his face looks victorious.
“Fine! Sure! What the hell! Just don’t let Grayson make the drinks, and I’m in.” TingTing squeals and claps his hands together, giving a cute bounce on his toes before turning towards the direction Grayson was in.
“Did you hear that, Gray? I got Ezra to leave the house!”
Ezra hangs his head, slapping a hand over his eyes with a low groan.
—
Ezra is stone cold sober.
They’re in a club in Gangnam, a city he’s only been to get his nose done when he was about to debut, and the music is loud. It’s so loud that if he didn’t pop a Tylenol before leaving the house, he would be sure it would give him a migraine.
Everyone is having fun at least, he thinks as he looks around. It’s not well lit by any means, but it’s not as dark as the other clubs they had been to. He can actually make out facial details as he watches Hyun talk to Geni, a warm smile on his sharp features, Ezra swears he’s never seen the man wear before. Geni is smiling up at Hyun like he’s telling her he’s giving her a billion dollars.
Geni is a beautiful girl, he thinks as his eyes rake over her figure. She’s wearing a simple black crop top and jeans that are too big for her. They hang on her hips like it's nothing, the bands of her black underwear hugging her hips tightly, purposefully put on display. It makes Ezra feel like his outfit could’ve been cooler. He just put on a band t-shirt and jeans that kinda looked similar to the ones Geni was wearing, dark acid-washed and baggy, but his jeans actually fit him, and his underwear wasn’t showing. Should it be? That thought alone tells him that he’s overthinking, but what else is there for him to do?
He takes a sip of his Diet Coke, looking away from the couple to maybe spot another one of his friends as he leans on the table in front of him. He catches TingTing dancing with Jisung, which causes Ezra to blink twice to make sure he is seeing the man right. It was, in fact, Jisung from DeepDive. Damn, he thinks, watching as the elder holds onto TingTing’s hips, guiding them to the beat while his chin rests on the boy’s shoulder. TingTing looks so happy, obviously tipsy, never missing a beat while his hand rests atop Jisung’s.
Ezra sighs through his nose, looking around again to see if he sees anyone else he knows. He catches Grayson talking to a man who’s shorter than him, beaming and laughing before taking a sip of his electric blue drink. It’s an AMF. Grayson loves AMFs. He looks comfortable and like he’s having fun, so Ezra looks away, scanning through the sea of people once again.
“Is that diet?” He hears a female’s voice shout over the music. Ezra jumps, snapping his head to the side to see who snuck up on him. It’s Yoomi. He can tell instantly by how round her eyes are and the light shade of brown hair. Her usually big eyes looked glazed over, eyelids heavy; it was clear she was drunk. He wonders how long she’s been here. The girls were already in the club by the time they got there at midnight.
“Yeah. It’s Coke,” Ezra answers, leaning down so she can hear him. She’s looking up at him expectantly, but he doesn’t catch it at first, so he just blinks down at her. Yoomi sighs, aggressively nodding towards his drink.
“Can I have a sip?” She seems annoyed by him, but she moves closer to him. Ezra looks at his silver Diet Coke can, then up at Yoomi. The thought of sharing a can kind of makes him nauseous, but he doesn’t say anything about it. He just holds the can out for her to take, accepting that it’s Yoomi’s Diet Coke now, and he should get a water from somewhere. The thought of going to the GS25 pops in his head, and he accepts it; of course, he does; he doesn’t want to be in the club past two in the morning, and it’s already nearing that time.
“You can keep it. I’m gonna head out.” He doesn’t know why he’s telling Yoomi this instead of his friends, but he figures she’ll relay the message. Instead, she grabs his arm before he can take a step, looking up at him curiously.
“Where are you going? I want to come.” Now Ezra is the one confused, knitting his brows and looking around to try and see if anyone was listening to them just so he can have witnesses to a girl as pretty as Yoomi wanting to leave the club with him.
“I’m-Uh-I’m going to the GS.”
“Let’s go,” She grabs his wrist, beginning to pull him towards the exit with no question. It jars Ezra, who looks around the club, hoping to make eye contact with his friends or hers, but they’re all too lost in their own worlds.
“Shouldn’t we tell Geni where you’re–”
“She’s too busy swapping spit with your boyfriend. I’ll text her.” Yoomi sounds mad when Geni is mentioned, so he decides to shut up, but he has to ponder what she meant by calling Hyun his boyfriend.
On their walk to the GS, it’s clear Yoomi is drunk. So drunk that he knows if she were asked to walk in a straight line, she’d fall right on her ass. He has an arm around her waist to keep her up and walking in the right direction, but he can’t help but love the warmth her skin radiates in such cold weather.
“Did you bring a jacket?” He asks, leading her towards one of the chairs outside the GS, sitting her down as carefully as he can, despite her going limp and wanting to flop down in the chair. She would’ve sent it toppling over if Ezra didn’t brace her. Yoomi shakes her head, grabbing onto his shirt when he tries to move away from her.
“I don’t want you to go.” Her words are so slurred he barely catches what she’s saying, making his brows knit and lean in to hear her better. Yoomi leans in with puckered lips, causing Ezra to snap back, dodging her by a second, eyes wide in shock, before he shakes his head.
“I’m not leaving. Just–” He gives a hard tug away to pull away just enough to tug his jacket off, slinging it over her shoulders. “You’re cold, Yoomi. Do you want something warm to drink? I can get you, like, a coffee or something?” The dress she’s wearing is green and strapless. She’s wearing tights, but the length of the dress leaves little to the imagination. Ezra thinks she looks good; she’s a stunning girl. Still, watching her struggle to sit up properly leaves a rock in his throat. He feels like he shouldn’t be seeing this. He almost feels like a creep just for looking at her right now, but she wanted to go with him, right? It’s not like he’s doing anything wrong. He even gave her his jacket. He’s taking care of her.
The coffee is cheap enough that Ezra can buy a strawberry milk to sweeten it. He knows she likes strawberries. She’s always drinking one whenever he passes her in the morning.
Yoomi takes the cardboard coffee cup when Ezra holds it out to her, taking a sip and instantly making a disgusted face. Without a word, he holds out the strawberry milk, and she lights up. She damn near tosses the coffee away, no regard for it being filled with liquid, causing a spike of anxiety to shoot through him, watching as the cup dances in a circle before balancing out and standing right as streams of dark liquid slide down the side.
“I love strawberries!” She looks so cute, Ezra thinks, smiling down at her as she looks up at him, holding the small cardboard box in two of her hands. He reaches out to pat her head, feeling a lurch in his heart when he feels how soft her hair is beneath his palm. She hums cutely at him, reaching one hand out to hold onto his thigh. A warmth spreads through his chest, making him swallow and look at her forehead to avoid her big, expectant eyes.
It’s obvious, isn’t it?
Ezra Chwe is a virgin. A big twenty-three-year-old virgin. He’s only ever kissed a girl, and that was years ago when he was a trainee. She kissed him, and he just went with it. He’s never actually had the guts to kiss a girl before, let alone make an actual move on one, but looking at Yoomi, who smiles at him with such want and desire in her big, round eyes, he finally feels it: the want, the courage, to have the guts.
He leans down, catching her lips in a sudden kiss. He presses his lips hard against hers, hearing a squeak from the back of her throat when he leans in more. That makes Ezra pull back as suddenly as he leaned in, looking at her with worry, opening his mouth to apologize, but Yoomi grabs his face, pulling him back in for another hard kiss against her smiling lips. He tries not to, but he smiles as well, feeling giddy at the fact that he’s kissing someone. Yoomi. He’s smiling because he’s kissing Yoomi. He pulls back just to lean in again, pecking her lips once, twice, three times like he remembers seeing in a show he watched with his mom when he was younger and living in the motel. It makes both of them smile. She giggles up at him, arching her back to tip her head up more and rub the tip of her nose against his.
Ezra gets them a motel for five hours. That’s enough time, right? It’ll be nine in the morning by the time they have to leave. That’s more than enough time to do whatever people do in motels after going to the club. He assumes they’ll have sex, and he believes he’ll suck at it, but he’s heard that practice makes perfect with stuff like that.
“Oh my god,” Yoomi muses when she staggers into the room, detaching herself from under Ezra’s arm towards a pathetic little couch to the side of the room. “This is just like the one in his office!”
Ezra chuckles at that, running a hand through his chocolate brown hair. She’s been talking the entire walk here, which wasn’t long, but he knows more about Yoomi than he ever thought he would. She hates her dad, her favorite color is green, she loves to dance, she wishes she had a body like Geni, and thinks the Chainsaw Man movie was a waste of time. It was a lot to take in; most Ezra doesn’t understand yet, but he took it in and kept it in his brain for later.
“Whose office?” He asks, still in the entrance of the room, untying his sneakers.
“Roan’s! I used to always be in his office, silly!” She says it as if he should know already, but there’s a big beaming smile on her face, and she turns around in front of the couch to watch Ezra stand up and kick his shoes off.
Ezra doesn’t like to assume. He doesn’t like to gossip, but there’s been whispers—There’s always whispers in the Mydol building, but there’s been a lot of whispers about Roan and Yoomi. Some girls say she fucked him for a spot in both groups she’s been in, while guys have said she’s easy to turn out because of Roan. He doesn’t like most of what he’s heard about Yoomi. True or not, the whispers leave a sour taste in his mouth. She’s too kind, too weird to be what others say she is when they talk about her and Roan, he thinks as he watches her sit on the two-seater black leather couch, bouncing on it with another giggle.
“Oh yeah?” Ezra chuckles, stepping into the room and walking over to Yoomi to stand in front of her. He’s hoping there’s a slight smile on his face, ready to be humored. “What would you do in there? I hate Roan’s office.”
Yoomi falters at that, tilting her head with a slowly dropping smile.
“You go to his office?”
Ezra feels like he’s said something he shouldn’t have. His body stiffens for a moment, quickly making himself relax not to alert Yoomi, but it’s not like she’s in a state to pick up on body language.
“Yeah. He doesn’t really like me.”
“Oh, really?” Her brows shoot up, and her head tilts. He nods.
“I’m usually only in there to get yelled at. He thinks I’m a bad dancer…I don’t know. He’s never liked me. ‘Said I’m only in the lineup because Jihan made it, and if he made ISSAYAH I wouldn’t have even been considered.”
Yoomi listens to Ezta spill his guts, looking perplexed for a moment, then she looks down at the couch, shrugging her bony shoulders.
“We don’t do that in his office,” She tells him, going a bit stiff. “I sit on his lap. We talk.”
Ezra suddenly feels cold and uncomfortable. He looks off to the side, biting the inside of his lip, wishing he were as drunk as Yoomi. He suddenly remembers she’s drunk and he’s not. He reaches out, placing his hand on her cheek and gently pushing her aside. She lets him, turning back to look up at him with parted lips. There’s an evident shift in the room, in her eyes, which makes Ezra take a deep breath.
"Yeah," Ezra whispers, "There's…rumors." Why not be honest with her? They had gotten this far. The shift on Yoomi's face tells him otherwise. He swallows, looking around the room and running his hands through his pockets, contemplating whether to sit on the couch or the edge of the bed. He can't keep standing there like an idiot, he thinks, especially with how Yoomi stares at him expectantly.
"What rumors?" She finally speaks. He finally decides to sit next to her and instantly regrets it. The fit is tight. Their knees are bumping, and their legs are pressed against each other. He hopes he doesn't come off like a creep. He wishes he weren't such a loser and had a drink when he was in the club; experiencing this sobriety is the absolute worst. He looks at Yoomi with an innocent shrug of his shoulders.
"They say he creeps on you," He tells her bluntly, watching how her eyes grow wide and her lip twitches. That makes something warm burst in his chest at how his words impacted her. There was a power to that. She hung on his every word. It hit Ezra in that moment; he was in control. His dark eyes scan over Yoomi's body, taking in every detail. From the size of her breasts to the color of her nail polish. She's small, skinny, and no match for Ezra. She's too drunk to assert any kind of power, even if she wanted to. He feels a hunger start to burn along the outlines of his stomach, blinking slowly at her.
"He takes us out, you know? He hates my guts, but he's still my boss, so I have to do whatever he says. He takes us out to the same BBQ place, and they all get wasted. Everytime. I don't. I never want to be there, because he's insufferable. I hate him. But when he gets drunk—"
"He talks a lot," Yoomi finishes in a low voice. Ezra nods with a small laugh, turning away from her. He hopes it sustains that hunger broiling inside him.
"He talks too fucking much. When one of your songs started playing in the restaurant, you know the first thing he said?" He looks at her again, but he nearly shoots her a glare by mistake. Yoomi has tears in her eyes; they're crystal clear in the hotel lighting, but for once, Ezra is unmoved by tears. "He said: "I've never fucked anything as tight as Yoomi's throat. You guts know Yoomi? The autistic one with the tits?" and kept going on and on about how easy you are for him, but he's never really fucked you," Ezra pauses, hearing Yoomi sniffle beside him, but he doesn't even glance at her.
"Is that true?" He asks, moving his head in her direction, but not looking at her face. He doesn't want to look at her. It's easier to talk to her like this when she's just a voice and a body. "He's never fucked you?"
Yoomi doesn't answer. Sobs only leave her, and even then, they're quiet and muffled. Ezra waits for a moment before looking back at her face to see the tears pour down her full cheeks like waterfalls. Her makeup has been smudged, but now flakes of mascara rest on her lash line, her real skin appearing through the wet streaks that removed her foundation. A guilt takes over instantly, making him shut his eyes with a deep breath through his nose.
"You should stop seeing him."
"Shut up, Ezra." She sounds so small, but even then, Ezra listens to her. He can feel his once oversized ego, deflating like a balloon just poked by a sewing needle.
He knew it would go this way. He looks up at the ceiling, bottom lip in a slight pout as he counts down from ten to calm his thudding heartbeat. He taps his fingers in beats of three against his knee before he stands up, clearing his throat. He doesn't say anything, just digs in his pocket for his phone.
"I'm getting us a cab—"
"I'm not going anywhere with you." He finds her sudden need to be independent annoying, but he pretends to be unfazed as he types in their address.
"We live in the same building, Yoomi. I'm taking you home." The silence makes Ezra look up from his phone, making eye contact with her for what feels like the first time in hours, despite them only being in this room for a maximum of thirty minutes. She looks confused, like a doe would look at the driver of the car that almost hit them. He raises his brows at her, condescension but lost.
"What?"
She looks around, confused, then shakes her head a little bit, her chocolate locks swaying.
"You're not going to fuck me?"
Ezra looks to the side, processing her words, then shaking his head as well.
"No. I never was," He says, a moment a transparencey for both of them. "You're too drunk…And the minute you brought up my fuckass boss, I didn't want to anymore." He uses her being drunk as the primary excuse, even though it was only 25% of the reason why he wasn't fucking Yoomi tonight. He knew deep in his gut he wasn't having sex tonight, especially with Yoomi. Why would he do that to her? Why would he do that to himself? Getting Roan's sloppy seconds made him nauseous. Just the mere thought had the flavor of bile on his tongue.
Ezra finishes ordering the cab. He'll be here in 3 minutes. He nods towards the door.
"Come on. Wipe your face and let's go." He starts without her, leaning on the wall to slide into his sneakers again.
outside perspective & roan's weird behaviour w/ the girls
Working at Mydol is like a pengelium. It goes back and forth from good to bad, good to bad, good to bad. It pays well, but the hours are long and unpredictable. Most of your free time is spent designing outfits for their groups. Your life is consumed by fashion websites, fabrics, and helping girls who are too thin into skirts that are too short.
"I like it!" Eme squeals at her reflection in the mirror, turning in a small circle and bouncing on her sock-covered toes. You hadn't picked out the shoes yet; that's usually what you go for last. It's a simple white ensemble for Inkigayo tomorrow. The oversized sweater is new, but it seems to catch Eme's affection the most. You watch with a small smile as she playfully swings the long sleeves around, covering her hands.
You like that she likes it, but you know her opinion doesn't matter. You wonder how aware she is of that fact.
"I think," Roan's grating self-assured voice cuts through from his usual seat in the corner. He towers over Eme as he stands behind her, staring at her body through the mirror with such an intense gaze. You can't help but avert your eyes to the ground. He pinches the loose fabric of the sweater between his fingers, shaking it with a shake of his head.
"It's too loose. Way too loose. You can't even see her body." You don't like the way he says that. He says it with disdain and disappointment, pulling the sweater fabric back and tight against Eme's waist to show off the outline of it. Eme is still watching her reflection with a tilt of her head. Roan grunts, pulling the sweater up right under her breasts to reveal her toned stomach.
"Look at her waist. We should always be able to see her waist." You take a mental note of that, nodding at his words. "She worked hard for this beautiful of a body, it needs to be shown off more. Don't you think so, Em?" He smiled at her through the mirror. You catch how his hands hover over her waist for a moment, fingertips brushing the skin. You look away again, but there's a knot in your throat. Eme smiles sweetly, nodding so hard a braid untucks itself from behind her ear.
You watch her take a small, near insignificant, step forward, putting a centimeter between her and Roan. You finally look at her hands. You notice them fidgeting, picking at her acrylic nails, then scratching her palm. You see it, finally. You see the shift in her demeanor, but you don't say anything.
ik roan is working overtime trying to delete comments that are weirded out by the fact that he wrote sotb with geni and yoomi
geni was so pissed when she realized some of the lyrics were his 😭 she thought it was just her and yoomi writing for it then she's in the booth reading lyrics she didn't write and looks SO pissed in the bts clips kndfksjdks he should be getting his ass for writing muse with just yoomi THAT IS SO NASTY!! roan is really inspired by a real ceo/creative director/pretentious shitbag irl and i'm always curious if yall can clock who it is jdfskdjs
BOYFRIEND is the official debut mini album of MYDOL girl group TACK13.
Debut? Wait, didn't they already debut? I mean, technically, yeah! But can you find the album on Spotify? No? Apple Music? No? Any other streaming platform? Still no?
Is there any music show performances? You go to search for FALL 1N LOV3 on all the major music show performances and come up with nothing.
Yeah, because it doesn't exist. It never did. Just forget it. Okay?
BOYFRIEND consists of five songs with S__ ON TH3 BEAT being the original title track, though it would not be approved for broadcasting, so COME N' GET IT would be the promoted track. The girls would perform SOTB only during concerts, earning much praise for its heavy, contemporary choreography. However, it was criticized for being “oversexual,” as if that wasn't the entire point of the song.
The general public would be more fond of COME N' GET IT and ETA, both of them charting for the first time in TACK13's fresh career. COME N' GET IT would peak at number 7 while ETA would peak at number 5, resulting in its own round of music show promotions, which fans were thrilled about.
Due to the success of the album, the girls were officially graduated from @nugupromoter on Twitter — a massive accomplishment in the eyes of their fans.
They would get their first music show win in the last episode of The Show, becoming the first MYDOL group to win a music show award from the program.
WATCH A COMPILATION OF TACK13'S MUSIC SHOW WINS THIS COMEBACK! ALL THREE OF THEM!
TAKE A SCREENSHOT TO GET YOUR BOYFRIEND PHOTOCARD!!!
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