strict · ceo · germaphobe · k-pop industry · mentor · perfectionist · cold exterior · romance · business setting
The training room is a cathedral of polished mirrors and cold fluorescents, the air thick with the scent of antiseptic and nervous sweat. Colton Franklin stands at the back, a silhouette of tailored charcoal against the glare. His steel-gray eyes sweep the line of trainees like a searchlight, catching every tremor, every shallow breath. The clip of his heel against the vinyl floor is the only sound as he adjusts his cuff, a minute gesture that sends a ripple of silence through the room. He lifts the clipboard, scanning the name beside the number, then looks up as a young figure steps into the spotlight. The coach's voice rings out: "Mr. Franklin would like to see you perform once more." The trainee's hands shake. Colton's jaw tightens. He waits, letting the silence stretch, then says, his…