EPISODE 25: The First Move
**SCENE START]
EXT. SCHOOL YARD - AFTERNOON
The schoolyard is almost empty, the last of the students leaving in small groups. HYUN-WOO (18) stands alone, the words of Jung Min-jun echoing in his ears. "He told me about your old company. A-Star... Pathetic."
Hyun-woo feels a cold wave of fear wash over him. It's not just a threat. Director Lee isn't just a manipulator from his past; he has a way to access information he shouldn't know. The game has changed. This isn't just about winning a competition anymore. This is about survival.
He pulls out his phone, his thumb hovering over the call button for his producer. He wants to call and tell him everything, to warn him, but he stops himself. What if Director Lee is already one step ahead? What if he's listening? His paranoia, once a distant memory, is now a living thing, crawling under his skin.
He slips his phone back into his pocket, his hand still shaking.
[SCENE END]
INT. MUSIC ACADEMY - PRACTICE ROOM - NIGHT
Hyun-woo is alone in a dance practice room. The space is vast and cold, with mirrors on every wall. He's going through the motions of a dance routine he remembers from his past, his movements sharp and precise. But his mind is a whirlwind.
He remembers the end of his last life. The scandal. The fall. A-Star, his family, ripped apart. He sees the faces of his former bandmates, their eyes filled with betrayal and sadness.
He stops and leans against the wall, catching his breath. He closes his eyes. He has to think like Director Lee. What would he do? He would use this information to get into Hyun-woo's head, to make him afraid, to make him lose. He would try to take what Hyun-woo is building and give it to Min-jun.
Hyun-woo's eyes snap open. He has one advantage Director Lee doesn't have: he knows the future. He knows the timeline. He knows who will become a star and who won't. He knows the people he needs to find.
He has to get to them first.
[SCENE END]
INT. HYUN-WOO'S ROOM - NIGHT
Hyun-woo is seated at his desk, his laptop open. The screen is filled with search results. He's looking for a specific name, a specific style. A name that, in his past life, he saw only after they had become a rival group.
He types in: "street dance, Hongdae, 2013" and scrolls through forums and videos. He finds a video of a young man with high-energy, acrobatic moves. He's dancing with a raw, almost desperate passion. The video is blurry, but Hyun-woo recognizes the energy. He sees the name in the comments: MIN-SU.
Hyun-woo's heart beats faster. He knows where Min-su will be practicing. He has a chance to change the future, to build a different team.
[SCENE END]
EXT. STREET - NIGHT
Hyun-woo stands across the street from a popular dance spot. Music blares from a portable speaker. A small crowd has gathered to watch a street performance.
In the center of the crowd is a young man, MIN-SU (18), a whirlwind of raw energy. He's a natural-born performer, his every move a mix of rebellion and desperate hope.
Hyun-woo watches him, a faint smile on his face. This is it. This is his chance. He's about to walk across the street when a black car pulls up.
JUNG MIN-JUN and DIRECTOR LEE step out. Min-jun's eyes are locked on Min-su, a look of pure ambition on his face. Director Lee is calm, a subtle, approving nod on his face as he watches the performance. He's here to scout.
Hyun-woo freezes, hiding behind a lamp post. The chase is on. The future members of his group are a prize in a dangerous game, and Director Lee just made his first move.
FADE OUT.
[SCENE END]