Two people going on stage.
To be exact, there were three people, but one trainee was so overwhelmed that he was almost invisible.
Actually, it wasn't the trainee's problem. The problem was that the other two were experienced workers who had already achieved winning a grand prize and had tasted everything the job had to offer.
Cha Eugene and Shin Jaehyun.
'Hmm.'
The extreme contrast was visible even in the eyes of the president, who was unaware of this fact.
The two people standing in the same black school uniform costume had a noticeable difference from the way they wore it to the way they stood.
Despite this, they had natural attitudes that didn't show any tension.
'That, that.'
The president's mouth twitched.
In fact, most of the supplementary classes had to be eliminated in order for the debut group to be formed, and even if all of them were eliminated, it would be fine.
This was because he could appeal by saying, 'Look, our trainees are so good.'
In other words, even if the supplementary team standing over there was visible, they would most likely be sent away from here.
He was a little self-interested.
'He looks so out of place.'
The president, who disliked the public's prejudiced views, grumbled, but did not object to Cha Eugene's placement in the supplementary team.
His skills and appearance were enough to make him wonder why he wasn't a trainee yet. It was only when it was explained that he was American that he nodded.
'You have to do one or two things well to achieve balance.'
There was nothing too desirable about adding his handsome friend who rapped amazingly earlier. He was thinking of eliminating him from the final anyway and leaving him out for the next round.
However, the reminiscing ended there.
Now on stage, the lights were off.
"…"
Hok.
Dry ice was spread below, and red and blue lights shone down.
Humming slowly began.
[Um, Umumum uum um]
A pop song by a solo female singer famous for her gloomy, cool tone and bassline.
The interlude started.
Thud.
With a minor guitar riff, the three knelt to the beat of the drums.
And then the choreography began.
[His growling, howling,
Raise me up]
The movements of using their body parts to the max seemed to be difficult. Then, their bodies stood upright with a movement that felt like someone was pulling them back up.
Center Shin Jaehyun looked at the camera and turned his hand.
The movement that started with the hands continued throughout the whole body, using the upper body skillfully and reaching his head.
Lights started flashing as he wore a grim smile on his face.
[To the darkness, absence…
No]
The sound of singing and silence suddenly cut off.
There was a spreading movement.
After bending his upper body and flipping his waist, he fell backward and did an acrobatic jump with his hands on the floor.
The music exploded.
[Tonight
He's gonna find your room
And
Take you to the wood]
Even in such intense movements, the scratching sound was delivered at the correct intensity by the vocals, which were skillfully controlled.
The bizarre and Intense tones and movements, along with the school uniform, created a very strange atmosphere.
And the refrain began.
[Watch out!]
Cha Eugene appeared from the center as if plunging down.
In an instant, eyes were drawn in.
[Watch out!
For wolves]
Cha Eugene, who moved his feet cleverly and came forward, deliberately grabbed the camera with a sense of speed, then took his hand away.
His eyes were shining.
"… !"
The president became part of the stage, leaving only an impact.
But the influence did not disappear.
The stage grabbed his attention.
[Wo, wowo woof
Wolf]
As he was standing, he moved his shoulder and neck.
And a dance break began. Using the person standing in the middle as a kind of buoy, more difficult performances unfolded on both sides.
The angle was exactly right.
However, the feelings of their movements were different.
One side was strong enough to devour him, while the other side was exquisite.
[Your guest who-oo
Comes to the dead
Of the night]
Thud.
The song ended with only one dissonant piano note.
The participants fell to the floor while looking into empty spaces.
"…"
Only the faint sound of gasping for breath spread through the venue.
And one step later…
Clap, clap clap clap… !
Sporadic applause filled the venue.
Even though the audience had not yet been invited to the filming set stage, the production crew and participants applauded loudly to create an atmosphere.
The president was a little flustered.
'What?'
This was because the performance was not of the quality that he expected from trainees. It was more like the year-end stage of a broadcasting station.
He even noticed that the quality was bothersome since the third person couldn't be seen properly because of the other two people.
It was completely overwhelming.
'No, surely they didn't plan it out to that extent…'
… No, if that were the case, those guys would have been the bosses!
The president threw away his distracting thoughts and looked at the two people on stage with admiring eyes.
He meant it. He didn't expect them to do this well.
'It's probably a matter of luck and synergy.'
Anyway, he was very satisfied that they got the stage right.
-Good practice atmosphere
-Light friction with song selection
After reading the summary of the practice process handed over by the production team, the president made up his mind.
And after heaping great praise on each person, he picked up the microphone again.
"Who selected the music?"
"We all did it together."
Shin Jaehyun, who got up and straightened his clothes, answered softly.
"Since this is a pop song, it would be advantageous to Cha Eugene."
Shin Jaehyun only smiled faintly as if he understood and did not reply.
Because no matter what he said, it was ambiguous.
'Smart guy.'
The president continued his next words quite proudly.
The sentiment was sincere.
"However… Why does Jaehyun look like the original in my eyes?"
"… !"
Yes.
At first glance, this intense stage appeared to be exactly the type that would work well with Cha Eugene.
Colorful and challenging.
But in fact, the message of this song was more multi-layered.
'Depression.'
Shin Jaehyun thought lightly.
This song talked about the fear and resignation of the speaker's deep depression.
And Shin Jaehyun was able to express it like he was breathing.
It wasn't because he had performed the same song multiple times. In this strange world where time was warped, the song selection had also changed.
Only…
Even if it wasn't the same song, he had done so many similar things.
This dark concept had been a steady seller every year since VTIC entered its fourth year.
And crucially…
'Because this is what LeTi president likes.'
He didn't even bother to turn his head to check his competitor's face.
Cha Eugene.
Overwhelming force, talent, and dazzling talent that made him feel like he could devour the song.
However, that was not the only thing that was being evaluated.
"Why is that so, Jaehyun?"
Shin Jaehyun picked up the microphone.
"If you really want to find an answer… Isn't it just a matter of atmosphere? I have practiced this atmosphere for a long time."
That was correct.
"That's right."
The president laughed.
"I think what Jaehyun showed on stage today was the most LeTi-like performance."
"Thank you."
Shin Jaehyun deliberately lowered his head slightly. To express gratitude.
And the president slightly turned his head.
Cha Eugene just stood still. Nevertheless, an afterimage of the contrasting feelings he saw on stage remained.
'Hmm.'
He changed his mind slightly.
This would become a picture.
"Announcing…"
The stage lights went out and light came on in the background.
And as if it were obvious, the results appeared.
[〈Honor Class] Shin Jaehyun – Win!]
[Honor class confirmed!]
"Congratulations."
It was Shin Jaehyun's victory.
However…
The president picked up the microphone again.
"However, I have only one authority given to me by the production team."
Even if he was going to drop him in the finals, he'd do this first in order to build more contrast!
"Only one trainee in this program can be eliminated from the risk of elimination without any conditions."
"… !"
The president decided.
'Let's catch him first and at least try to fix him.'
If the president added him here, he would definitely be thrilled by the feeling of being 'recognized' and would try to develop himself to suit the tastes of the person who acknowledged him.
What if that didn't work?
'We should keep him out of the market, then.'
It was enough to connect even small and medium-sized businesses that were unable to get anywhere. The president nodded solemnly and finished the calculation.
"Cha Eugene lost, but I definitely see potential in him. LeTi's potential to become a great artist."
"…"
"So, under my authority, I am accepting Cha Eugene-ssi as a participant outside the quota."
Bang.
Text appeared behind the screen.
[President Pass!]
[〈Supplementary Class] Cha Eugene – Confirmed participant]
"Can you make sure I don't regret my choice?"
"Of course! Thank you!"
However, Cha Eugene, who he thought would be more excited, just smiled and spoke plainly.
An attitude as if he knew he would pass, or as if he just felt pure joy in being able to continue. It was refreshing.
There was no sense of debt or excitement.
'… That, that.'
The president managed his expression as he watched Cha Eugene shaking hands with his other team members and patting his back.
'Anyway, those who eat American food are like that.'
It seemed like the employees would have to work harder since he couldn't withdraw the pass he had already written, so the president just nodded coolly.
'It will help me get Shin Jaehyun afloat.'
With synergy, such a high-quality stage could have been possible even by luck. That was what he thought.
The stage was soon cleared, and by the time he had made up his mind, the next team had come up.
The participant's name appeared on the screen.
[Honors class — Ryu Gunwoo]
'Hmm.'
This time the atmosphere was quite different from before. The three wearing white jumpers seemed nervous, but they didn't seem to be keeping each other in check.
Rather, they kept looking at the trainee in the middle and adjusted their movements and position according to his hand gestures.
'Ohh.'
The guy who sang that atmospheric jazz… ?
The president recalled the summary of each team's practice routine that he had received in advance and looked at their outfits.
This was the outfit that idols wore at least once when they debuted.
It was a marine look combining a blue collar and white clothes.
One guy even wore shorts. The president almost bursted out laughing.
"Looking at the outfits, it seems like a cute concept, right?"
"We created it with a new feel in our own way."
Ryu Gunwoo, who naturally took the microphone, glanced at his competitors, then just smiled slightly and continued talking.
"Including cuteness."
Then the people around him started laughing. It was so heartwarming that anyone could believe it was a team game.
'Hmm.'
-No potential for conflict
-Ryu Gunwoo led the process
After skimming through the summary, the president nodded.
"Let's get started."
He felt like the storyline would come out only after watching the stage.
"Yes!"
Soon, the trainees with their heads nodding got into formation around the sofa placed in the center of the stage.
Ryu Gunwoo was sitting astride it.
[Mmm!]
The moment the accompaniment came out…
The people around the sofa bounced around like cushions to the refreshing beat.
[Oh, Ohoh Icy eyes
It's cold, but it's still good!]
They subtly changed the rhythm and adjusted the pitch of the "Ohoh" interjection.
Thanks to this, the pronunciation was more snappy and choppy instead of the burdensome feel of the original.
[The tone of your speech is as sharp as carbonation.
Eyes as hard as ice]
Just as it seemed like they were going to sit down on the sofa, they got up, made a flying motion, jumped, and did the choreography.
[Oh, so pretty!]
Unlike the original song, the high notes exploded, but the jumps were at a high angle.
The song and choreography flowed pleasantly with a refreshing beat that was not heavy.
[I see the butterflies
Like a bee flying in my heart
[Complicated feelings]
'Oh.'
Chaeyul was included in every killing part that required close-ups using gestures.
And he played the part so perfectly that it was surprising.
[It's still okay
Still, it's cold, stop melting]
These lyrics were not cringy.
'What?'
And the refrain came back.
[Oh, Ohoh Icy eyes
It's cold, but I like it]
Surprisingly, Ryu Gunwoo made a facial expression while singing the chorus in an incredibly natural way.
It was strange that it was received so well.
[Oh, Ohoh Icy Ice
Your eyes are cold]
The treble was clean as expected, but the refreshing crispness that he thought would be a bit awkward was maintained clearly.
'… ??'
Only the president, who didn't know that he was a person who survived in the idol industry for 5 years with the nickname "Puppy," was taken aback.
[If you approach and hold out your hand,
Look at me with warm eyes]
The tempo accelerated, and they performed more complex choreography in front of the stage, leaving the sofa behind.
The center position for the dance break was another trainee.
And the next refrain was sung by this trainee and the supplementary group.
'Hmm.'
The president nodded inwardly.
And lastly…
[So cool!]
Park Moondae brightly and energetically covered the stage like fireworks at the part where his team members enthusiastically cheered that it was "powerful."
[Oh, Ohoh Icy eyes]
Jumps, high notes, and clear original sounds at appropriate heights were balanced with harmony and filled the stage without being distracting.
It was a refreshing stage that made whoever watched it feel good.
The two who had short training periods at this agency and the non-trainee were on the same stage.
'It doesn't feel like LeTi.'
To be honest, it wasn't the LeTi president's taste, but it wasn't bad.
This was because a good stage was good regardless of taste.
[But I like it!]
Even the final movements matched the rich melody neatly, and the stage ended with bright smiles on their faces.
'Oh.'
Clap clap clap!
This time, cheery applause erupted from all over the place.
It wasn't as overwhelming as the previous stage. However, it was a good stage with good quality and density in a way that touched his heart and gave off a good feeling.
The president willingly picked up the microphone.
"I was very happy to see it. The three of you worked well together… It was so nice."
He gave a few words of praise to each individual, especially the supplementary class, and then got to the point.
"How was practice?"
The trainees' faces brightened and they answered quickly.
"We really had fun and worked hard!"
"Yes. Because hyung guided us well… We all had fun practicing."
Ryu Gunwoo looked a little embarrassed, but did not deny it and nodded. The president laughed.
"I thought so."
The trainees' faces brightened.
This was the moment.
"But it's ironic… That's also the problem, right?"
"… !"
The president looked back at Ryu Gunwoo.
"Why can't I see any desperation from you?"
"… !"
"Gunwoo, I wasn't able to see what you were best at… This is your second stage now, right?"
"… Yes."
"Then isn't now a good time to appeal and show what you're best at? You gave up all the good parts to the other team members."
The president made serious eye contact and spoke.
"Instead of unilaterally giving into the demands of your dongsaengs, you should have been greedy to show more of yourself. This was a death match."
On the contrary, the eyes of the two participants standing next to him seemed to be shrinking with fear and worry, but Ryu Gunwoo only swallowed once.
He also liked his bravery!
"This is something that can't just be done for fun. It takes desperation."
So, like a lion throwing his cub off a cliff, he also planned to do something.
"You did well, but you only did well today. This is a compliment given to a student, not a professional."
Ryu Gunwoo had an expressionless face, but his shoulders twitched noticeably.
'Yeah, that's it.'
He needed to be stimulated.
He and the viewers too!
The president suppressed a smile of regret and pressed the button with a face filled with agony.
"Announcing the winner."
[〈Supplementary Class] Jin Chaeyul – Win!]
[Participants confirmed!]
Chaeyul.
"Congratulations. You are now a participant."
"… ! Th-thank you… …"
As he said thank you, he staggered around as if he were in shock.
"And Ryu Gunwoo is in danger of being eliminated."
The president smiled in remorse.
It was that moment.
'Huh?'
It passed right by, but for some reason, Ryu Gunwoo seemed to briefly smile.
'… Is it because he feels empty?'
But looking back, he thought it was just his mood. The president shrugged his shoulders and then seriously picked up his microphone again.
"You may leave now. I enjoyed it."
That was how the evaluation ended.
And backstage…
Cha Eugene found Park Moondae, who had calmed Jin Chaeyul down because he was shedding tears, in a way that made him look good on camera.
After the cameras were gone, he went over and tapped him.
"Hyung!"
"Yes."
Park Moondae had an unimpressed face. Even though his body changed, that strangely peaceful expression still remained.
And even subtle kindness.
"Are you sad you lost?"
"No."
Cha Eugene shrugged his shoulders. And as he looked up at the stage, he grinned.
[It's not just that old man who really decides victory or defeat.]
"… !"
His hyung seemed confused for a moment, but probably soon understood the situation.
'This guy… He did that on purpose.'
Like that.
And that was the answer!
[It'll come out soon. That I won.]
"Is that so?"
Cha Eugene deliberately tapped his shoulder. As usual, he sneakily avoided it.
"Are you disappointed, hyung?"
"No way."
'Is that possible?'
Park Moondae smiled slightly.
"Same here."
That was how the filming ended that day.
And not long after, LeTi's in-house survival show "Wise" finally went on air.