---

"Street Woman Fighter Season 2!" Hyeji exclaims, stretching out our intertwined hands and pointing eagerly at the glowing sign with her free one.

I let out a small, excited squeak—barely a sound—but enough to express my bubbling excitement at seeing the iconic sign. “Wait, I need to take a photo for my mom—she’s a huge fan!” I say, fumbling for my phone. Behind me, I hear a familiar sigh—probably Jiyoung unnie, rolling her eyes as usual.

“Do you think Kang Daniel will come back as MC? My sister’s obsessed with him.” I add, grinning as I snap the photo.

Before I know it, I’m reaching for Hyeji’s hand again, feeling like a kid at a candy store, completely caught up in the moment.

"Thank goodness you wanted to make a bad girl entrance." Minhee says, smirking as Yeeun and Kayoung burst into laughter.

"Bad girls have loved ones too." I murmur, giving Hyeji's a small kiss in her arm.

"I didn’t know you loved anyone other than yourself." Babysleek quips, her teasing tone cutting through the moment.

I shoot her a mock glare and smack her lightly on the arm. "Keep talking, and you'll be at the bottom of my list."

"I thought I already was." the oldest chimes grins.

"Not even close." I retort, shaking my head with mock seriousness. "Yeeun."

The moment I say her name, she lets out an exaggerated groan. "What? Why me?" she whines, throwing her hands up in protest, making me laugh.

I don’t bother answering Yeeun and keep walking, though she persists, demanding to know why. I ignore her, biting back a smile. It wasn’t true anyway—I just love teasing her.

We enter the building, passing a stall with clothes, and head straight for the stairs. Once we reach the top, our eyes fall on the winning team’s trophy sitting majestically on a table.

“It’s incredible.” Halo breathes, carefully lifting it into her hands. “We have to get this beauty home.”

“Who was the orange crew in the first season?” I ask, running my fingers over the smooth surface of the trophy.

“Prowdmon.” Haechi answers from beside me. She drapes her arm around my waist, and a shiver runs down my spine, though I do my best to play it cool.

“We’re ranking sixth.” my crewmates groaning in unison at my bluntness.

“Don’t say that, kid.” Babysleek scolds, now cradling the trophy protectively in her arms.

“Well, don’t say I didn’t warn you.” I tease, grinning. “And careful with that thing. At your age, strength starts to deteriorate.”

I barely finish my sentence before Babysleek smacks me on the arm.

“You hit girls? That’s terrible publicity.” I say, feigning scandal.

Before I can say more, Chocol clamps a hand over my mouth. “Shut up! Someone’s going to believe you.” she shakes her head with a chuckle.

---

After what feels like an eternity sitting in the crew room, they finally let us out onto the main set. Judging by how long we’ve been waiting, I’m pretty sure we’ll be one of the last crews to make an entrance.

“Unnie.” I whisper to Haechi, my voice small. “I’m nervous.” I show her my trembling hands as proof. She doesn’t say a word but smiles softly, taking my hands in hers. Somehow, that simple gesture steadies me.

We start moving, descending to the set in formation—Yeni and Chocol leading the way, their steps confident and deliberate. Behind them, Halo walks with Babysleek and Mini, their expressions sharp and focused. Hyeji and I behind them, the tall girl with a serious face but still taking my hand.

My heart pounds louder with every step we take, nerves bubbling back to the surface. Haechi must notice because she gives my hand a gentle squeeze, grounding me without saying a word. It’s a small gesture, but it’s enough to remind me that I’m not alone.

“Haechi Wang has such a powerful presence.” someone murmurs, their words cutting through the hum of the crowd. I smile to myself and give Haechi’s hand a gentle squeeze.

“Oh, Baek Ahyoung is a doll.” another voice gushes.

“I’m not a doll.” I mutter under my breath to my friends as we stop at the center of the stage, trying to keep a straight face.

“Wow, she was my favorite in Dilemma.”

“She’s so pretty!” someone else chimes in enthusiastically.

“I want to be her friend.” Rena from Tsubakill pouts dramatically, earning a round of soft laughs from her crew.

I keep my composure, my heart still pounding. All I can think is: Focus. Keep it cool.

The big screen flickers to life, and to my surprise, they actually start with positive comments.

Well, that didn’t last long.

“I really don’t want to see their dance.” Biggy’s voice suddenly cuts through the room, sharp and unapologetic.

I blink at the screen, my brows furrowing in confusion. “What?”

“Because I know it’s going to be bad.” she finishes bluntly.

A wave of shocked gasps ripples through the room. Mini and Halo both turn to stare at the woman, their faces a mix of disbelief and offense.

"Honestly, I think their moves are old." Mina Myoung, leader of Deep N Dap, remarks casually.

Silence blankets the set. The air feels heavy, charged with unspoken tension.

“She really doesn’t know the difference between old and classic.” Halo mutters under her breath, her tone sharp but composed. The rest of us nod in quiet agreement, our irritation simmering beneath the surface.

Although they haven’t gotten personal yet—it’s getting dangerously close—I can already feel anger bubbling in my veins, hot and sharp.

“I really don’t understand what Ahyoung is doing in Wolf’lo.” BEBE’s Sowon says in a calm, matter-of-fact tone. “She’s not a dancer.”

Gasps and surprised murmurs spread through the room like wildfire. Before I can even process it, Sowon hops down from her seat and starts bowing repeatedly. “Sorry, sorry!” she says in a small voice, clearly realizing she’s poked the bear.

I can’t help but let out a small laugh, shaking my head as I glance back at the screen.

“She’s just a pretty face.” the leader of LadyBounce says, her words cutting through the air like a blade. I freeze. My body goes still, my gaze locking on her.

Did she really just say that?

“Who said that?” Haechi snaps, her voice sharp and abrupt, though she doesn’t let go of my hand. Her grip tightens slightly, a silent show of support.

What is going with this girl? She is not like this.

Nervous laughter bubbles up from the rest of the room, a weak attempt to diffuse the tension.

“Relax, girl.” Yeni chuckles, stepping in and resting a calming hand on Haechi’s arm.

But Haechi doesn’t look relaxed—neither I do.

"You really think I’m pretty?" I ask with a smirk, my voice dripping with irony.

Nob doesn’t miss a beat—she just smiles knowingly at me.

"Don’t say things I already know." I add, throwing in a playful wink. The Mannequeen girls erupt into laughter, their amusement echoing through the room.

The video cuts off, and we make our way to our seats. My smile lingers, but inside, the words of our competitors replay in my mind.

This is going to be a tough competition.

---

The shoot is in full swing, and finally, the girls from Jam Republic walk in. My 2015 self would have never believed she’d be in the same room as her favorite dancer from JB’s music video. Honestly, even my 2023 self is struggling to wrap her head around it.

The girls from Jam Republic make their way to their seats, their initial smiles now replaced with serious expressions. Honestly, I can’t blame them—not after the ridiculous things that have been said to them.

"I just want this to start already." I murmur, resting my head on Hyeji’s shoulder, who’s sitting to my left. "I’m sure Audrey is going to absolutely crush anyone who dares to challenge her."

"Why are you supporting her?" Yeni asks, making me lift my head to look at her. "She’s our rival."

"More than 30 dancers ranked her as the worst." I reply, still leaning against Hyeji's shoulder. "And yet, she’s the one with the most stickers—four."

"You got ranked as the second-worst dancer." Mini chimes in, and I let out a sigh. She’s not wrong.

"And you’ve been challenged just as many times." Halo adds.

"I think we all knew this was coming—or maybe even worse." I say, and the girls nod. "But this doesn’t define the kind of dancers we are. They don’t know us."

I shift my gaze away from my teammates and look at the team next to us, sitting silently.

"Audrey" I call out to the youngest member of the pink team. The entire group turns to look at me, clearly surprised. "Destroy them."

A sly smile spreads across her face, mirrored by her teammates.

"You too." she replies in a calm, almost casual tone.

What guts this kid has.

Just then, Kang Daniel walks onto the set, immediately sending the room into chaos. The singer-songwriter flashes his signature smile and begins explaining the rules of the show, which remain almost identical to the first season.

"Now, let’s meet our judges." he announces, and the anticipation in the room is palpable. "Shin Monika."

The place erupts into screams of excitement. I can’t believe I’m breathing the same air as the Goddess Monika herself.

She takes her seat with effortless grace, and behind her come the other two judges—Monsta X's Shownu and the special guest judge, Mike Song.

For a moment, the studio falls into a hushed silence, the energy thick with awe. Without thinking, I blurt out, "Unnie, be my girlfriend."

The room bursts into laughter—contestants, judges, even the staff. Regret hits me like a truck as I feel my face heat up.

Hyeji lets go of my arm, with a inexpressive face, while Yeni gives me a playful nudge.

"AhYoung!!" Chocol groans between laughs.

The laughter lingers for a few more seconds, especially when Monika winks at me. My face burns hotter than ever, and I’m pretty sure I’m about to melt into the floor. But then, I notice Hyeji shifting uncomfortably, subtly pulling her body away from mine.

What’s her problem now?

"Contestants, you can go change your clothes." the MC announces. "The No Respect Battle is about to begin."

Once we’re back in our designated space, I quickly swap into a different outfit, something sharper and more fitting for what’s coming next.

"Hyeji." I say softly, my voice unusually timid—a rare occurrence for me. "Can I have a hug? Your hugs always make me feel better."

She stares at me for a few seconds, her expression unreadable, before finally pulling me into one of her signature bear hugs—the kind that nearly knock you off your feet, courtesy of her being almost 15cm taller than me.

"You’re going to do amazing." she says with a small, reassuring smile.

000. WOLF'LO PROFILE