Chapter 13

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Translated by Sylph

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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“…Dance?”

Starting from the beginning, the choreography for ‘To a New World’ featured movements that combined ballet and modern dance.

It was lingering and dreamlike, but as expected, it wasn’t intense.

“It’s pretty, but….”

Gold 1, who had started to speak, let his voice trail off.

There was a limit to modifying the choreography.

In other words, it meant that the difficulty of the arrangement had once again skyrocketed thanks to this choreography.

However, since they would feel that using it as it was wouldn’t suit an audition program, they would feel even more lost.

After being hit by consecutive blows following the lyrics, the choreography acquisition began in an atmosphere like a funeral home.

“First, let’s pick it up as quickly as possible!”

“Yeah!”

However, perhaps the fact that the path ahead was bleak acted more as a sense of crisis than desperation, everyone kept their mouths shut and worked hard, making the practice unexpectedly pleasant.

They seemed to have guessed that if they muttered unnecessary complaints, it could be broadcast as a demeaning remark about the song.

‘It’s good because it’s convenient.’

I also continued practicing silently without saying anything.

Anyway, since I had no experience points in any choreography, I had to struggle just the same, so I didn’t feel much.

“From here, hold the arm and rotate it like this…”

“Ummm.”

“Oh, that was similar.”

And I waited for the right timing.

Since I had set the atmosphere, what mattered now was an impactful picture that they wouldn’t want to cut in editing. The process of how the arrangement came about in the broadcast was also important.

The opportunity came two days later during the trainer check time.

* * *

“You must have worried a lot after receiving your song.”

At the choreographer’s words, the team members laughed awkwardly. They couldn’t say that they had postponed their worries entirely and only picked up the choreography.

The choreographer didn’t seem to like this reaction very much, but he let it slide for now.

“First, let’s see what you’ve done.”

“Yes!”

And the team members, including me, finished the first verse choreography without any mistakes.

“Whew….”

The people around me catching their breath clearly showed a sign of relief that there were no mistakes for now.

“……Well, yeah.”

The choreographer tilted his head. It was a fairly neutral movement.

“Everyone seems to have memorized the movements. Who picked up the choreography?”

“Uh, the team members who are familiar with dancing did it together…….”

“Yes. We did it all together!”

Big Sejin added to Gold 2’s words.

It was true that the four Gold-grade members led the process, but in fact, Seon Ahyun was the one who picked up the most. It turned out he was a modern dance major.

Well, it wasn’t like he picked it up entirely alone, and since Big Sejin had become the main dancer, it seemed he was going to glaze over it like this.

The choreographer just nodded.

“Uh, you must have worked hard. But……”

The choreographer cracked his neck.

“No one catches my eye.”

Beside me, I heard Gold 2 inhaling sharply. One would think a ghost had appeared.

“What do you want me to do? A review like ‘They’re dancing. They’re doing this movement. They’re doing that movement.’ would be a compliment at some school field trip talent show, but didn’t you guys come here to make a living out of this right now?”

The team members flinched every time words poured out.

“It’s not worth watching.”

It was actually a natural result since they had avoided interpreting the song and only picked up the choreography mechanically, but it was just like the choreographer to speak even the same words as an insult instead of advice.

“There are even kids who are below the level.”

He glanced at Actor Lee Sejin while adding those words; it was blatant. Lee Sejin was hanging his head.

Actually, I was also at a level where I barely memorized the choreography, so should I be relieved that he was acting as a bullet shield?

Feedback continued at a level where it wouldn’t be strange if even one person started sobbing.

The choreographer gestured with his chin without hesitation.

“You, Seon Ahyun.”

“Ye-Yes……”

“You said you majored in modern dance. But why does your expression seem weaker than even Moondae’s?”

Seon Ahyun’s face turned pale.

I had a strong feeling that those words would never be edited out.

This guy who’s going to get hair loss… he’s using me, who’s clearly bad at this, to compare and shock him on purpose, right?

“He’s even good at singing. You’ve had decent reviews so far only because this is an audition. Do you think anyone will say, ‘Let’s just say he did well because he has a story,’ after you debut?”

Even though there’s no industry where storytelling works better than the entertainment world, he spoke as if it were a place judged strictly by skill. He was the same as ever.

Anyway, it seemed to have dealt a huge blow to Seon Ahyun, as he had an expression as if he were about to sink at any moment.

‘This is a bit problematic…….’

He was already suffering from a strange status abnormality, and it would be troublesome if he couldn’t do his part because it worsened.

“Anyway, the current level is just an amateur who practiced a bit. Think about what you want to express in this song and come back in a watchable state next time.”

“Thank you……”

The team members, who had become rags in an instant, trudged out of the evaluation room. They looked like their lives were already zero.

However, a similar situation occurred in the subsequent vocal feedback.

“Guys. What do you want to do?”

Mudie tapped the keyboard as if she were frustrated and sorry.

This side really seemed to want to give advice, pouring out specific instructions instead of personal attacks.

“This song’s concept is Flower Fairy. It’s a song to be sung clearly and beautifully. But you guys are just singing the notes. There’s no feeling of being blatantly pretty and lingering at all. Are you ashamed to sing like that?”

“…….”

Besides the fact that this song wasn’t suitable for an audition program, I wondered if there was any team member who hadn’t honestly thought about that. Since they were guys around high school age.

However, since they couldn’t honestly say it was embarrassing, an answer like this came out.

“Because it’s an audition, we wanted to arrange it with a stronger feeling after all…… but since the song’s concept is so clear, it was hard to change it in a strong direction naturally.”

“If you thought the arrangement would be difficult, you should have at least thought about being more faithful to the original song.”

“…….”

Mudie waved one hand with a regretful expression.

“Guys. We need to set a direction first.”

And with the intervention of the production staff, a team discussion began on the spot.

Cameras were stuck right in front of us, and the production staff was sitting in front of us; it was a terrible atmosphere where one couldn’t even say what they wanted to say.

But someone had to start talking, so the one wearing the armband spoke first. It was Big Sejin.

“Um, we worked really hard for two days. Thanks to that, we picked up the choreography quickly. From now on, if we immerse ourselves in the song with that momentum, I think we can make a high-quality stage.”

It was a natural encouragement, as if he had prepared it. Look at this guy?

“Let’s not hold back and try to bring out the original song’s sentiment for once! It might be a bit embarrassing, but if we do well unabashedly, wouldn’t it be… fun and feel a bit like SoftSweet-sunbaenim’s hit songs?”

“Ah, like what Moondae did?”

“That’s it! If we are purely innocent in a humorous way, it gives a fresh feeling too. How about making it exciting by making the beat a bit faster?”

In the end, he was saying that we should shamelessly overdo the innocent girl idol song and instead digest it like the bizarre-cute concept of SoftSweet’s heyday.

‘…I think he really prepared this.’

I realized it at that moment. This guy was also waiting like me.

‘He intentionally left it until the trainer feedback.’

Because if he abruptly said let’s go with the original innocent concept, there would definitely be people who would object.

He also blocked the possibility of the main dancer going to Seon Ahyun, who was a major and suited the original song better.

And he even took the impact of being a leader by getting this meeting cut.

He was no ordinary person.

But too bad. No matter what big picture this guy drew, it would be useless.

Because my opinion was better.

Let’s first lay the groundwork.

“The idea is good, but if we do it wrong, won’t it look like we’re mocking the original song?”

It’s already a senior idol’s song. If we crossed the line even a little and looked ridiculous, there was no telling what we’d hear.

Of course, perhaps this opposing opinion wasn’t outside his calculations, as Big Sejin refuted with a smile.

“We just have to do well so it doesn’t look like that!”

“Moondae-hyung, aren’t you going too far?”

“……?”

Suddenly, Choi Wongil flared up and cut into the conversation.

“Um, Wongil-ah?”

Big Sejin was rarely flustered.

It was an interesting development where I, who was being attacked, benefited more than the one receiving support. I could hear the sound of Big Sejin’s big picture shattering.

Choi Wongil poured out words filled with anger toward Park Moondae in a gradation. He seemed to be sequentially forgetting that there was a camera.

“Then do you have any good opinions, hyung? You might feel comfortable since the trainers look at you favorably, but you should also think about the other team members’ feelings. If you just blindly oppose like that……”

Oh, that’s surprisingly a valid point.

“Ah, of course I do. My opinion.”

“Yes……?”

“I thought about it, and I think there might be a way… to go intensely while bringing out the original song’s sentiment.”

“…?”

“Is there such a thing?”

The other team members let out dazed noises at the sudden idealism.

Unlike Choi Wongil, who momentarily had a look of failure on his face at the atmosphere that relaxed in an instant, Big Sejin instead put his hand on the back of his head awkwardly.

This guy is really not normal.

“If it’s true, of course it’s good……, but what is it?”

I said with a smile.

“Let’s mix in horror.”

“…!”

Let’s not just go as Flower Fairies, but as Flower Fairies who have passed away.

After a brief silence accompanied by exclamation marks, reactions exploded.

“Uh, uh! I think that’s good!”

“Hey, if we attach a horror concept to this choreography, it’ll be really scary!”

“Oh…….”

From Gold 1, who shouted Eureka while roughly waving his hand with the memorized choreography, to Actor Lee Sejin, who had an expression that it was at least better than being bizarre, most were positive reactions, though the levels were different.

I thought that since they were idol aspirants of this age, they would usually want to do something cool rather than bizarre, so they would rather like horror.

Big Sejin also let out a short exclamation and nodded. He immediately changed his direction after seeing public opinion.

“It’s a bit embarrassing to say this right away…… but Moondae’s opinion, I like it.”

“Wow, he abandoned his own opinion and switched!”

“As expected of a true leader!”

The atmosphere brightened in an instant. Beyond the noisy team members, I could see Mudie with a pleased expression.

Seeing as the camera was also capturing Mudie, I thought that cut would also be used……. I hoped it would be well cross-edited and broadcast.

However, there was one guy who was clouding the scene that had finally become heartwarming.

Choi Wongil was… close, but he wasn’t the case. Once he regained his senses, he seemed to be worried about how what he did would be broadcast through editing.

He was trying hard to get on the atmosphere somehow, but perhaps his pride was too hurt to apologize to me, so he was trying hard not to even make eye contact.

If it were me, I would have already apologized by saying my words were harsh while burying it in this atmosphere.

I didn’t know why he was acting like that when the opponent had no choice but to accept it now. Is it because he’s young? He doesn’t know social life.

Then who was the culprit? It was Seon Ahyun.

“Ghost! Let’s go with a ghost! There are even flowers with stories of people dying.”

“What kind of horror movie is this? Isn’t it too serious? Ah! There’s the movie Black Swan, if we go with that kind of eerie feeling……”

“Wow, if we do the choreography like that, it’ll be really scary.”

Seon Ahyun was in the middle of being stuck in a corner with a gloomy expression by himself in this situation, which was like the happy-circuit version of a group project.

“…….”

He seemed unable to recover from his mental state, probably because of what the dance trainer said.

I briefly had a hopeful thought that Big Sejin would step forward to get a true leader image cut, but there was no sign of that.

It seemed he was leaving him alone for fear that if Seon Ahyun regained his senses, he would take the main dancer position with his major buff.

Since the rest were either clear-headed or lacked social skills, in the end, was I the only one who had to speak up since our positions didn’t overlap and there was no need to check him?

How could this be so bothersome……. I felt hollow at the thought that I had to act as a mental guardian, which wasn’t in my fate.

Anyway, it was a time when even one level of stage quality was regrettable. Let’s at least speak up.