Falling for the Omega Idol-Chapter 80: REALIZATION AND STUMBLING BACK

ROBIN saw how Haneul had been struggling to follow the choreography. He was about to walk to the other and guide him in the steps that he found hard, but before he could, Jung Taeyang had already made that suggestion.

Haneul’s face lit up the moment Jung Taeyang suggested slowing down the dance practice video, clearly showing how much he appreciated the idea. It was as if he had already been searching for a solution to master the choreography, and Jung Taeyang had just handed him the perfect answer.

Jung Taeyang, on the other hand, seemed quietly pleased that Haneul liked his idea. It wasn’t an obvious or exuberant display of happiness, but a subtle shift in his expression—a small, almost imperceptible smile that one would only catch if they were paying close attention to him.

Robin could only shake his head at the scene. He honestly didn’t know what to make of Jung Taeyang. He thought at first that the other was just some rude Alpha who had an interest in Haneul. But now... maybe there was more to the guy?

He sighed, deciding it was probably best to give Jung Taeyang the benefit of the doubt—at least for now. After all, Taeyang didn’t seem to mean Haneul any harm. And besides, it was only the first day. Robin reminded himself that it was too soon to be making snap judgments about anyone.

He understood that his attitude mostly came from just feeling protective over Haneul. Which couldn’t be helped. After all, right after arriving in this country, he was the first friend Robin made. Not to mention that Haneul’s family welcomed him with open arms. Almost treating him like a member of their own family. It’s just natural for him to be protective.

But, as the saying goes, "too much of anything is bad." He knew he had to be careful not to overdo it. What if, in trying to protect Haneul, he ended up pushing him away or annoying him? That could easily strain their friendship, something Robin absolutely didn’t want to happen.

The same went for offering too much help. Robin realized that if he stepped in to assist Haneul with everything, it wouldn’t just hinder Haneul’s growth—it could also affect how the audience perceived him. What if they overlooked Haneul’s hard work and only saw him being constantly helped by others? Even if that wasn’t the truth, if the show framed him that way, there would be nothing they could do to change it. Haneul wouldn’t be able to defend himself, given that they were cut off from social media and any outside communication, aside from the one promised phone call a day. And even that felt woefully insufficient.

Robin was relieved to have this realization so early on. Now, at least, he could adjust his behavior. Of course, this didn’t mean he would distance himself from Haneul; it just meant he would dial back his protectiveness and resist the urge to step in and help at every turn. Or if he really had to help, he should do it covertly.

Now was the perfect time to put this into practice. Robin decided to position himself at the front, where Haneul could easily see him following the choreography. This way, Haneul could observe and learn without it seeming like Robin was directly guiding him.

But just as he was about to do that, somebody else had beaten him to it.

Again.

Who else could it be but Jung Taeyang?

Robin gave the other a skeptical glance. Could he be actually thinking the same thing as him? He then shook his head. No, he had already decided to give Jung Taeyang the benefit of the doubt. He shouldn’t be reading too much into his every action.

With that in mind, he simply stood at the front and started following the choreography.

* * *

The four continued practicing the choreography. Haneul found himself completely immersed in the dance practice video. He had no idea how much time had passed—minutes, maybe hours—but it didn’t matter. His focus was solely on getting each movement right, his mind blocking out everything else. Thanks to Taeyang’s suggestion to slow down the video, the once overwhelming steps now felt far more achievable.

It also helped that both Taeyang and Robin were dancing at the front. Unintentionally, they became Haneul and Han Seojun’s dance instructors. Though neither said much, simply being able to watch them execute each move made a world of difference for Haneul. Seeing the choreography clearly through their movements was already a huge help.

Because of them, Haneul was able to get the hang of the movements in the first verse, as well as the chorus. It wasn’t perfect, and that’s fine. With such a short time, he wasn’t expecting to perfect all the movements. Because he knew that was impossible. Just being able to follow along and dance in time with the beat was enough for him.

As long as he could dance through the entire song with only a few mistakes, he was confident he could pass this mission. After all, he still had his secret weapon: the fact that he could already sing the theme song. He still remembered every word of it, so singing it wouldn’t be an issue.

What concerned him, though, was having to sing and dance at the same time. He was still not used to that, so he knew he would be out of breath as the song progressed. Despite having started stamina training a few weeks ago, it wasn’t enough to reach the level of professional idols.

But what else could he do? He just had to grit his teeth and do it.

The song reached the part where they had to spin in place, but as Haneul attempted the move, a sudden wave of dizziness hit him. His balance faltered, and he tripped over his own feet, stumbling. Just as he braced himself to fall backward, a steady pair of hands gripped his shoulders from behind, supporting him and preventing him from hitting the floor.

"Are you alright?"

Haneul looked up, his vision clearing, only to find Han Seojun’s face inches from his.