While Seo Hoyun was busy strategizing and practicing to shine in the vocal unit, Jung Dajoon was suffering greatly.
"Okay, let's try it again!"
"Jung Dajoon, just a little to the side more...."
"...Why can't I get this right?"
Mistakes repeated every time they practiced the group choreography in the performance unit. It was partly because they weren't used to working together as they used to, but the pressure was also immense.
"Isn't it strange?"
Except for the main dancer of High Five, who was smiling awkwardly, dancers from other groups were snickering every time the cameras weren't rolling.
"You're not used to it? Maybe because you didn't practice with the same people?"
"...No, it's okay."
"Sigh...."
"I'm sorry."
It was deliberate to kill the spirit.
Unable to say anything more, Jung Dajun wiped the sweat from under his chin.
'Seonghyun hyung said I have talent.... He said there's something about me!'
Jung Dajun was not unaware of the reactions since the second round of the competition.
If Seo Hoyun had known, he might have scolded him to practice more, but he was also an ordinary person who was afraid to see what people were saying about him.
[Jung Dajun is just so-so]
[Sometimes the hyungs are too protective lol. They say it's okay no matter what, so they practice lazily]
'Am I lazy?'
He had realized a long time ago that being the youngest meant his mistakes were often forgiven.
"Dajun!"
Is it correct to extend the right arm now?
"Sigh... Jung Dajun."
No, can I turn my head?
"Dajun!!"
Isn't he the one holding back the hyungs now?
Maybe it would have been better if there were only four instead of five.
Whenever such thoughts tangled up in his mind, Jung Dajun hesitated. The courage to run forward without hesitation, characteristic of his young age, was momentarily overshadowed by the fear he had learned.
"...."
Seeing Jung Dajun tightly biting his lips, the High Five main dancer approached and gently tapped his shoulder.
"Um, do you... want to take a break?"
But Jung Dajoon couldn't stop here.
"I'm okay. Let's continue."
Stopping now would only isolate him further.
It was better to keep practicing without a moment's rest. So, he moved tirelessly, almost to the point of annoying his mentor, Joo woo sung.
"Jung Dajun, standby!"
At the staff's instruction relayed to the waiting room, Jung Dajun took a deep breath and got up from his chair. Kim Seonghyun, who was beside him, grabbed his arm.
"Jung Dajun, do you want some Cheongshimhwan?"
"No, I'm okay."
"...Are you sure?"
"...Yes."
Even now, his hands were trembling.
He wanted to whine to his older members that he wanted to quit right away.
But Jung Dajun didn't.
"A little tension... is good, as Woosung hyung said."
"...!"
"I don't want to go with too relaxed of a face."
As Kim Seonghyun made a strange expression, Jung Dajun clenched his fists tightly and repeated the motion of loosening them.
"Seonghyun hyung, I practiced hard. ...So I'll do well."
"..."
"And ichae hyung, I'll cast the spell of victory a bit..."
As Kang Ichae approached and grabbed Jung Dajun's neck with his arm, whispering in his ear.
"Even if you make mistakes..."
"Yeah."
"...You won't be as embarrassed as Hoyun hyung."
"...Is it okay for you guys to say this?"
Looking at Kim Seonghyun's skeptical expression, Jung Dajun let out a short laugh, as if his tension had eased slightly.
And after exchanging glances with Kim Seonghyun and Kang Ichae, he left the waiting room.
"Hoyun hyung, I wish you could see me now."
"Jung Dajun, I'll check the costumes one last time."
"Jung Dajun! Standby over here."
As he responded to the calls of many staff members, Jung Dajoon stood at the dark back of the stage.
The dense shadow covered Jung Dajun's platinum blonde hair and descended over his face.
"Dajun."
As he lowered his head to calm his heart, TEW's main dancer came to him.
"Don't be nervous! You can do well."
"..."
"Even without the other members, you have to do well alone, right?"
Jung Dajun couldn't tell if the attention from people was genuine kindness or disguised malice.
'Kind of confusing...'
As an illegitimate child who grew up surrounded by love from family and relatives, Jung Dajoon didn't need to care about people's opinions. But since entering the entertainment industry, he had been a bit of an oddball in this regard.
He had always been one of four siblings in terms of skill. They always covered for him before his turn came.
But now, Jung Dajoon was alone.
'Is this person sincere or not?'
To be honest, he still didn't have confidence in his performance unit skills. People don't change overnight.
"Jung Dajoon, are you feeling unfair?"
Jung Dajoon sometimes remembered the moment when his dual contract was revealed.
He always wore a tough expression with rough words, but he was someone who ultimately stood by his side after going through some process.
At that time, he said such words.
"If you feel unfair, just live more uprightly than those people who ignore you when they're all having a tantrum. Just live more confidently than those people who are trying to be bold. Eventually, it'll be forgotten, or it'll really be resolved."
At that moment, Jung Dajoon felt like he couldn't breathe.
What's the point of living more uprightly by myself? It didn't solve anything in the end.
"But when you're still upset even after enough time has passed and lying in bed, it's too unfair and shitty. There's only one way to resolve it."
But Seo Hoyun lightly threw out an easy answer as if talking about something simple.
"You just have to prove yourself right. Simple, right?"
And he really demonstrated it through his actions.
The sight of Seo Hoyun opening the door of Daepaeseong with a contract in hand would be a memory deeply engraved in Jung Dajun's life.
So,
"Huh..."
"...?"
Like Seo Hoyun showed, Jung Dajun also wanted to prove himself.
He believed that he was indeed a member of The Dawn.
He believed that the older members who were proud of him were right.
So, if his older brothers acknowledged him, then he must be right too.
'Yeah.'
Jung Dajun stopped trying to read something from the face of the TEW main dancer standing beside him.
'Let's just accept it.'
Jung Dajun nodded his head.
"Right?"
The man standing in front of him made an awkward expression, but Jung Dajun didn't pay attention.
"Without the hyungs, I'm honestly a bit worried."
"...?"
"But still, the hyungs said I had talent. More than anyone here. And... I always believe what the hyungs say."
"What...."
"So!"
Jung Dajun lifted his head brightly. Then, he took a deep breath and smiled brightly.
"So, I'll do well."
Pushed by his momentum, the TEW main dancer stood there with a blank expression. Jung Dajun winked at him with one eye.
"Hahaha! Thank you for your support. Fighting!!"
"...??"
"Jung Dajun! Let's rock the stage!! Even if I'm not good, I won't be as embarrassed as Hoyun hyung!!!"
Jung Dajun felt the gaze of the TEW main dancer, but he turned his head decisively. There was no need to think about it anymore.
He, then, took a step that he wouldn't regret.
"Let's go, Dajun!!"
Onto the stage.
***
"Hey, did the youngest already leave?"
As soon as he returned, the first thing that caught his eye was Jung Dajun's empty seat. He didn't seem to be there standby.
Sitting on the couch in the waiting room, drinking water, Kim Seonghyun was groaning.
"...Ugh."
Although he pretended to be nonchalant in front of Jung Dajun, there was an unmistakable anxiousness in his expression.
Glancing at the TV in the waiting room, Kim Seonghyun held his face in both hands and closed his eyes tightly.
"...Maybe I should've gone out."
"What are you talking about."
I answered like that, but I couldn't help but feel uneasy.
'If the Performance Unit gets first place, that would be great.'
But I was more worried about Jung Dajun's mental state.
Swallowing a sigh and turning my gaze away, I met eyes with Kang Ichae, who was whispering with Seong Jiwon.
"Why?"
"Well, it just seems overprotective."
"...What?"
Surprised by Kim Seonghyun and me, Kang Ichae shrugged, and Seong Jiwon made a gesture.
"Oh. It's starting."
A famous pop song with a fast tempo, perfectly suited for the Performance Unit, started playing.
[Whatever you say Nothing can stop this feeling now!]
Anxiety intensified as the main dancer from the Performance Unit flew around from the beginning.
'...He's doing well.'
When you're 100 years old, a day is just a small part of your life. Naturally, you can't be perfect or mature.
I always thought it was so natural to be led by someone beside you.
"Dajun is coming out!"
However, such thoughts were completely blown away during Jung Dajun's solo performance.
Boom, boom, boom...
On the stage, dyed black in every direction, a white spotlight shone down on Jung Dajun standing alone.
Wearing ripped jeans, a white sleeveless t-shirt, and a black leather jacket, he looked simple in everyday clothes, but it actually made his dance lines stand out more and seemed more focused.
As the cheers from the fans slowly faded away, Jung Dajun, standing still with the cap of his cap pulled down, gradually lifted his head to the beat.
Boom, boom.
Strange glints shone in his eyes.
It seemed to have a mix of Kim Seonghyun's intimidating presence and Sung Jiwon's calmness. There was a hint of ease in Kang Ichae's gaze.
"...What?"
In time with the beat, Jung Dajun raised his right arm and tapped the cap of his cap. Then, he playfully raised the corner of his mouth.
Kyaahhh!
A thunderous scream erupted from the waiting room.
Simultaneously, a fierce rock beat started, swallowing everything in its path.
Without any hesitation, Jung Dajun, perfectly synchronized with the beat, swung his left arm sharply with a sharp expression.
[As soon as you see me, it's like being struck by lightning!
You won't be able to do anything You've never seen something like this]
Even when he performed rock with Kang Ichae in their self-produced content before, Jung Dajun's raw voice, prerecorded this time, seemed to suit this song as if he had been wearing it since birth.
[I know you've been waiting for me to pretend not to know]
The staff in the waiting room approached us with cameras to capture our reaction, but we were too absorbed in watching Jung Dajun. He was doing so well.
[I will give you a ride!
You can't hide your surprise, I know, Nothing can stop me now]
We were watching Jung Dajun as if possessed by a ghost. He was doing so well.
"What's up with him?"
Even without the hedgehog filter, even if I completely erased his face, it was the same.
[Hey babe! I will give a ride You just keep holding onto the handle without getting off?]
Although there were still rough edges to be polished, his sense of rhythm and style in dancing were unmatched.
[Breath in and out in and out Don't be afraid, You wanted to ride, didn't you]
At that moment, Jung Dajun threw his cap high in the air, kicked his foot forward, fell back, then bounced up again to catch the cap.
Then, with a smile on his lips, he threw the cap into the audience.
[I honestly was scared that everything would end like this But once you told me]
Thud, thud, thud!
The blue lights seeped into his platinum blonde hair as he shook it.
[I will give you a ride, babe!]
The drums signaled the end of the song. Jung Dajun kicked his right foot forcefully toward the camera and leaped onto the center stage.
Woohoo!
Someone in the audience enthusiastically waved Jung Dajun's cap. Jung Dajun chuckled and smiled as he passed by, and the scene was captured on the screen.
[Or give me your kiss, that also works!]
Back dancers wearing similar clothes to Jung Dajun's crowded in from both sides of the stage. Yet, Jung Dajun still shone the brightest.
As they showed off their choreography, seamlessly coordinating their movements, it felt overwhelmingly powerful.
[What are you waiting for?
You're with me, What are you waiting for?
Ooh Please Don't be afraid]
"...Wow."
The melody of the electronic guitar was dazzling.
With his arm swinging down like pounding the floor, Jung Dajun lowered his hips, looked at the camera, and licked his lips.
[I will give you Ah what?]
Surrounded by back dancers, Jung Dajun was the center, and they moved together like one body.
[Tell me again, I will give you Ah what?]
As Jung Dajun's eyes were covered by the hands of the back dancers, he made a puckering motion with his lips to match the lyrics, and screams erupted from the audience.
[Yes, that's right!]
Jung Dajun swayed his hips, locking eyes with the camera approaching him, while placing one hand on his thigh and bouncing his pelvis.
As the rock melody echoed loudly, Jung Dajun showcased powerful movements with restraint, revealing his sharp canines with a bright smile.
"...Wow."
[?♪♩♬]
As Jung Dajun's intense movements came to a halt, the music stopped, and the lights dimmed.
Following the performance of the fifth act, TEW's main dancer, a group performance started with the hottest overseas famous boy band's song.
There too, Jung Dajun shone the brightest.
[Believe me, you won't regret!]
After the group performance of the performance unit ended, the camera zoomed in on each member's ending pose.
When it was Jung Dajun's turn, he raised his thumb while folding his other fingers, as if encouraging his number, 4, to be voted for.
He then playfully kissed each finger and blew a hand kiss, even winking.
"...."
The waiting room fell silent.
Among the members who had watched the entire stage, only silence lingered. Everyone seemed to struggle to find the right words to break the ice.
Cheers for the idol they supported could be heard.
It wasn't just because of the mood that Jung Dajun's name was particularly loud.
"...Hey. He-"
But eventually.
"-practiced the ending to death."
A slightly awkward, monotonous remark came out.
"Yeah, it seems like he did."
"He's really something~."
Kim Seonghyun, who had been silent all along, scratched his head in amazement, then laughed for a while as if relieved. And he mumbled with a smirk.
"There was no need to worry."
I slumped onto the sofa with a somewhat disappointed expression.
"So, what do you think, hyung?"
Kang Ichae leaned towards me with a playful smile.
"Admit it, you were overprotective, right?"
"No, not at all?"
-- And then,
"Ta-da!"
Jung Dajun, now teary-eyed and snotty, returned with a bright smile, holding the unit's 1st place trophy high in one hand, 30 minutes later.
"Here comes the totally awesome grown-up Jung Dajun!!"
---
[Cheongshimhwan (청심환) is a traditional Korean medicine that is often used to help relieve stress, improve mental focus, and promote overall well-being. It is typically made from a combination of various medicinal herbs and ingredients, which can vary depending on the specific recipe or formulation. Cheongshimhwan is commonly consumed as a tonic or herbal supplement in the form of pills, capsules, or liquid extracts. It is believed to have calming and revitalizing effects on the body and mind.]