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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: The Showdown
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PD O Baek-gyeong, thrilled, started to expand the scale.
It was obvious, so obvious.
Ace Trainee VS Black Hole Trainee. First Showdown?!
They were probably planning to compare Seo Baek-yeong and me with a caption like that.
According to Yun Cheong's memories, Seo Baek-yeong was a self-proclaimed ace trainee.
She had been a trainee at Colors for the longest time, truly a 'balanced' trainee.
Her desired position was Main Dancer.
But she also sang quite well, enough to aim for Lead Vocal.
If they made a trainee who danced well enough to be the Main Dancer and a trainee who couldn't dance at all perform together...
...they would obviously be compared immensely.
It was a setup that should be avoided at all costs, unless one was a fool.
"...Ah, from the start—"
"Yes, then I'll do my best!"
But I was a fool.
"Cheong-ah, you—"
"I'll learn diligently by your side, Unnie."
"Uh, r-right."
Seo Baek-yeong looked at me with a bewildered expression.
She must have been thinking, 'Is she crazy?'
And for good reason, it had only been three days since this choreography was given.
A four-minute choreography in three days, and a rather difficult one at that?
Even Seo Baek-yeong, confident in her dancing, couldn't guarantee perfection.
But what about Yun Cheong, who was completely uncoordinated?
"Then let's go right away!"
At the PD's words, the trainees moved aside, making space.
Always we are…
And with one trainee playing the music, this absurd showdown began.
"..."
A few minutes later, the music ended, but.
No one spoke.
***
After a moment of silence, one by one, they started to come to their senses.
Of course, it wasn't because I danced insanely well that no one spoke.
I knew best that it wasn't to that extent.
To begin with, I wasn't an incredibly famous dancer as a singer.
Everyone was just surprised because…
'Yun Cheong… danced without making a mistake?'
'She doesn't even fall behind when standing next to the ace Seo Baek-yeong…?'
'What…? On the contrary, Baek-yeong Unnie still had some parts where her movements were a bit off.'
'She matched every single move without missing any choreography…'
'Did she get the choreography early by herself?'
The trainees were more shocked than the camera crew.
Because they were the ones who had seen Yun Cheong directly.
Just not making mistakes was surprising enough, but… Yun Cheong even danced better than Seo Baek-yeong in some aspects.
That was what was astonishing.
"You worked hard. Thank you!"
I quickly bowed.
Everyone had something wrong.
Yun Cheong can't dance well.
That's true.
But that doesn't mean Yun Cheong hadn't memorized the choreography.
On the contrary, Yun Cheong practiced more than anyone to overcome her inability to dance.
So, she was good at 'choreography memorization.'
…It was just that her body wouldn't cooperate.
Her body would freeze just by looking at a camera or people.
So, 'Yun Cheong' couldn't dance.
But 'Baek Nok-ha' was different.
I didn't even look at Seo Baek-yeong. I just looked at the mirror wall in front of me.
Nine years as a trainee?
I endured 20 years here.
If you combine it with Cheong's memories, that's 30 years, kid.
A choreography that's considered difficult at a trainee level…
It was naturally incomparable to the solo song choreographies I usually had to perform.
I didn't become famous for my dancing. I wasn't the best dancer among singers.
But that doesn't mean I couldn't dance.
If I couldn't dance better than a trainee who hasn't even debuted yet, I'd have to return my Daesang!
Above talent is effort, and above effort is veteran skill.
Seo Baek-yeong certainly danced well. Just by looking at her dance lines, I could tell she had talent for dancing.
However, there were still immature aspects like controlling power and weakness, or expressions.
And I was confident I wouldn't fall behind in the latter aspects.
"..."
PD O Baek-gyeong was looking at me with a very subtle expression.
Then he whispered with another writer and stopped the filming.
"You all worked hard. Now, we'll get individual interviews from the trainees. Please come in the order you're called!"
***
Before filming began, trainee pre-interviews.
The production team had already interviewed all trainees about the image and skills of other trainees.
For example, like this.
Production Team: What kind of person is Seo Baek-yeong?
[Geum: An ace.]
[Production Team: An ace?]
[Geum: No more words needed. Just an all-rounder ace?]
[Bo-ra: Like a spiritual pillar for the trainees, an Unnie? She helps everyone well. Especially with dancing.]
[Production Team: Ah, does she dance well?]
[Bo-ra: Yes. At least among us, I think she dances the best.]
Production Team: Then what kind of person is Yun Cheong?
[Ju-hong: Cheong Unnie? Uh… she sings well!]
[Production Team: What about dancing?]
[Ju-hong: (Awkward)]
[Ju-hong: Hahahaha.]
[Ryeo-yu: Cheong… Actually, she hasn't been with our agency for long, so I don't know her well, but… it feels like dancing isn't her main thing?]
[Production Team: Ah, so her dancing isn't great?]
[Ryeo-yu: Oh, I didn't mean it like that! Just that it might not be her specialty… something like that?]
[Baek-yeong: She can't dance.]
[Production Team: (All surprised)]
Caption: Resolute Baek-yeong… a scary side too?
[Baek-yeong: Still, it'll be okay. Cheong sings better than anyone.]
[Production Team: But her dancing isn't quite there?]
[Baek-yeong: She needs a little more effort.]
***
After the Baek-yeong VS Cheong showdown, the production team asked the trainees for their impressions of the recent confrontation.
[Geum: I was surprised.]
[Ryeo-yu: No, when did she practice that much by herself? I've never seen her practice.]
[Ju-hong: Seriously, wow. See this? Goosebumps? Chills.]
[Ha-eun: Honestly, I don't think anyone wasn't surprised?]
Production Team: Why were you surprised?
[Su-in: Cheong Unnie… she got an F for dancing in her last evaluation. Colors gives scores for each evaluation. From A to F. Cheong Unnie got an A for vocal, and an F for dancing.]
[Ju-seon: So among ourselves, we'd say, 'If only that Unnie could really dance well, she would've debuted at 16.']
[Yu-hyeon: Actually, Cheong Unnie is a good person, but… a bit….]
[Production Team: A bit?]
[Yu-hyeon: (Awkward laugh)]
[Yu-hyeon: Like… an image you want to avoid during evaluations? Because the dancing really doesn't match at all.]
[Ryeo-yu: Since she'd get us scolded along with her, everyone thought of her as the number one person to avoid.]
Caption: Harsh evaluations for Yun Cheong trainee…!
[Bo-ra: Really? I wasn't very surprised.]
[Production Team: Oh, you're the first trainee not to be surprised, Bo-ra.]
[Bo-ra: Oh, really?]
Bo-ra laughed, "Hahaha," then continued.
[Bo-ra: I don't know about other things, but I do know this. Cheong Unnie really wanted to debut. More desperately than anyone.]
[Production Team: Isn't that true for everyone?]
[Bo-ra: That's true.]
[Bo-ra: So I wasn't surprised. Because anyone who wants to debut will try to achieve at least that much.]
***
When it was Baek-yeong's turn for the interview, the production team started laying the groundwork as if they had been waiting.
"Earlier, you were the first to talk to Yun Cheong about being worried about her dancing, weren't you?"
"Ah, yes."
Baek-yeong nodded, feeling nervous.
No matter how long she had been a trainee, a trainee was still a trainee.
It was naturally Baek-yeong's first time facing so many cameras alone like this.
Especially an interview like this.
"Why did you say you were worried?"
"Ah, Cheong is…."
"By any chance, was there a problem related to choreography with Yun Cheong during an evaluation?"
"Huh?"
That's why she couldn't help but be inexperienced.
"We heard from other trainees that Yun Cheong originally couldn't follow the choreography at all and caused trouble for the team. Is that true?"
"It wasn't… to the extent of causing trouble."
"Then what was it?"
"It was just…."
Baek-yeong was flustered.
Because she hadn't expected them to ask about Cheong so directly.
The fact that other trainees had said such things was also embarrassing for Baek-yeong.
"In the pre-interview earlier, you said Yun Cheong couldn't dance well, didn't you? Was that what you felt during the group evaluation?"
"That… yes, that's right."
"How was it today? Did she dance similarly to how she usually does today?"
The production team started asking persistently.
With eyes hoping for a slip-up.
"Today, she danced much better than usual."
In fact, everyone else might have been surprised, but the most surprised was Baek-yeong, who danced right next to her.
Baek-yeong actually had no intention of performing the entire choreography. She planned to just dance the chorus together and then finish by teaching Cheong the choreography appropriately.
But during the roughly four minutes, Baek-yeong…
…even started to think, 'At this rate, shouldn't *she* be the one receiving help from Cheong?'
"So, she couldn't do it in the group evaluation, but then suddenly got good?"
"...Yes, that's about it."
"Ah, then perhaps she was hiding her skills?"
"Well, as for that—"
"If she wasn't hiding her skills, can someone suddenly dance that well overnight?"
Baek-yeong couldn't answer easily.
Could anyone suddenly become good at dancing overnight?
It defied common sense.
Someone who can't dance can become good at dancing.
With time and effort.
But in just one day?
That was impossible.
"That would be difficult, wouldn't it?"
"Ah, then, could you please say this while looking at the camera?"
The production team asked with a kind smile.
"'I even started to wonder if Cheong had been hiding her skills all this time,' like that."
Of course, their intention wasn't kind.
***
The last interview was naturally my turn.
They probably gathered material while interviewing other trainees.
…Provocative material.
A strong candidate for last place suddenly became good at both singing and dancing?
This was bait that anyone making a broadcast would want to use.
"Then, Yun Cheong."
"Yes."
PD O Baek-gyeong began the interview in an uncharacteristically gentle voice.
Creepy.
"Do you happen to know what the other trainees think of you, Yun Cheong?"
"Hmm, I wonder."
"The interviews are almost finished now, and everyone is feeling puzzled."
They're starting to set the stage.
"Oh, really?"
"They said you were originally a trainee who struggled so much with dancing that you'd get an F, but today, your skills improved enough to get an A."
"Ah, yes. I thought they might be quite puzzled."
I answered without ever losing my smile.
Because if my facial expression stiffened even once, they would definitely splice it together and broadcast it.
"Oh, really? Then could you perhaps clear up their doubts?"
"Of course."
I answered with the brightest smile I could muster.
"Baek-yeong Unnie and I practiced a lot together. It's all thanks to Baek-yeong Unnie helping me so much."
Bait?
I just have to bite that first.
So no one else can bite it.
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