Chapter 102
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 102
Chapter Title: Forming the Teams
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The ten minutes allotted for selecting the piece for the comprehensive evaluation flew by in no time.
"Everyone, come up and drop your ballots in the box."
The kids all stood up at once and slipped their ballots into the box in front of Ji-woong.
I went up too, and that's when my eyes met Kim Sun-woo's.
Even in that split second, Kim Sun-woo flashed a grin.
Seeing that, I got why girls were into him—even as a fellow guy.
Meanwhile, Moon Woo-hyuk, who was next to Kim Sun-woo, spotted me and hurriedly hid his ballot.
"What're you looking at?"
"Didn't see anything."
Moon Woo-hyuk glared at me with full-on suspicion.
Whatever, we'd all find out soon enough anyway. Not like I was dying to know.
Moon Woo-hyuk shot me one last sharp look before quickly dropping his ballot in the box.
No, seriously, I wasn't curious.
Talk about self-conscious.
Song Ha-na was shaking her head at Moon Woo-hyuk too.
Then her eyes locked right onto mine.
And she didn't just glance—she stared.
"What?"
Song Ha-na just kept staring, no answer.
She flicked her gaze to my hand holding the ballot, so maybe she was curious about mine.
But then she turned away just like that.
"Nah."
She went back to her seat like nothing happened.
What was that about? I dropped my ballot in the box and headed back too.
Moon Woo-hyuk was on his way back when Ji-woong called him.
"Moon Woo-hyuk."
"Yeah?"
"Write the names on the board."
Moon Woo-hyuk scowled, clearly annoyed, and shot back curtly.
"Me?"
"Yeah. You're the tallest."
"...Guess I have no choice then."
Moon Woo-hyuk looked as grumpy as ever, but Ji-woong's words must've stroked his height ego because he was at the board in a flash.
So simple.
Cute kid.
"List the piece titles in a row."
"Like this?"
"Yeah. Man, you're tall."
Ji-woong tossed it out casually, and Moon Woo-hyuk pretended not to care, but his mouth twitched—I saw it.
The board now had 'Clown', 'Eighteen Roughnecks', and 'Grave Robber' lined up.
"We're gonna draw one by one and call them out. Write the name next to the matching piece. Easy, right?"
"Sure thing."
No wonder he was doing this in front of everyone.
After assignments were set, rumors could fly about teachers secretly swapping kids into certain pieces behind the scenes.
This was the fairest way.
In private schools like this, full of rich kids, you occasionally got teachers on the take.
The system was designed to prevent all that from the jump.
Ji-woong started drawing and calling right away.
"Min Woo-sik. 'Eighteen Roughnecks'."
The first ballot belonged to Woo-sik.
As expected, no surprise there—Woo-sik went with 'Eighteen Roughnecks'.
Not shocking anymore.
Woo-sik was sneaking peeks around.
He was dying to know who picked number two first.
Why were his nostrils flaring like that?
Ji-woong kept calling names in draw order.
The board gradually filled up.
"Lee Do-hyun, 'Clown'."
Then my name came up.
Every kid in the room turned to look at me.
Ever since second semester started, I could feel them clocking my first-semester top score in their choices.
"Kim Sun-woo, 'Clown'."
Huh?
I whipped around at the unexpected follow-up, and Kim Sun-woo was already looking my way.
He grinned and mouthed it.
"Let's do this."
With that signature smile, of course.
The subtle glances from the class earlier turned into outright stares.
"Lee Do-hyun and Kim Sun-woo?"
"Whoa, what's that team? They're gonna crush the scores again."
"Chill. No need to be jealous. If you end up on that team, no lead role for you."
Top entrant and first-semester topper on the same team. Killer lineup.
The kids murmured with all kinds of reactions.
"You two rig this?"
Ji-woong tossed the joke our way as soon as it was announced, catching us exchanging looks.
I pulled my eyes off Kim Sun-woo quick and shrugged at Ji-woong.
"Guess Sun-woo wanted to crank up the romance with me."
Playful boos mixed with cheers erupted.
Kim Sun-woo and 'Clown'.
This oughta be fun.
Come to think of it, Kim Sun-woo and I hadn't teamed up once last semester.
Not even tryouts, since he went to the UK.
"Crreeepy."
The class burst out laughing at Ji-woong's reply.
"Anyway, moving on."
Ji-woong drew the next ballot.
"Lee Cheong-ha, 'Eighteen Roughnecks'."
Moon Woo-hyuk and Song Ha-na both looked at Lee Cheong-ha the second her name was called.
Anyone could tell those two picked the same piece.
Emotions plain on their faces—not easy.
Blame it on their youth.
Yet they killed it on stage. Wild.
"Song Ha-na, 'Eighteen Roughnecks'."
Yup, Song Ha-na got called for 'Eighteen Roughnecks' next.
The moment her name dropped, I spotted Woo-sik pumping his fist next to her.
"Nice...!"
That hyped about teaming with Song Ha-na?
Ji-woong picked up the last ballot, but before he even called it, Moon Woo-hyuk wrote his own name under 'Eighteen Roughnecks'.
Only name left was his, after all.
Ji-woong glanced at it and said casually.
"Moon Woo-hyuk, 'Eighteen Roughnecks'. That's all."
Moon Woo-hyuk set the marker down.
"Good work."
He headed back to his seat, job done.
"Hmm. 'Eighteen Roughnecks' is overloaded."
Probably 'cause 'Clown' was a historical drama—kids avoided it.
Different vocal demands, totally different vibe from our drills so far.
Everyone piled into the upbeat 'Eighteen Roughnecks'.
"All you 'Eighteen Roughnecks' picks, come up front. Rock-paper-scissors like we said."
Woo-sik trudged up with a pout.
He wanted that team bad, and now it was RPS? Must've burned.
Face like the world's ending before it even started.
That desperation would kill in musicals.
Poor guy's a worry.
"Yes!"
Luckily, Woo-sik won RPS and locked in.
Lee Cheong-ha, Song Ha-na, and Moon Woo-hyuk finalized for 'Eighteen Roughnecks' too.
Insane lineup over there.
Teamwork? Who knows.
"Teams are set... Everyone group up by team and reseat."
Kids moved like pros at Ji-woong's word.
Desks rearranged slickly, and boom—three big clusters in the room.
Me and Kim Sun-woo for 'Clown' gathered by the window.
Our team naturally centered around me and him.
Kim Sun-woo looked at me with a soft smile and teased.
"Whoa. Guess I'm riding the famous Do-hyun bus?"
His boyish grin had the whole team glued—no peeling eyes off, guys or girls.
That smile was straight foul play.
Yup. Already seeing Yoo-young vibes.
Watching him, a pleased smile crept onto my face.
Protagonist casting had me stumped, but that smile? No worries.
My mental casting reel played Kim Sun-woo nailing the character.
Graceful lines too? Perfect fit.
"It's Do-seon bus. Who knew you'd board?"
"Looking forward to it. Sun-woo, Do-hyun."
The new teammates were chatting us up like equals.
Said I didn't care about this stuff, but damn, felt good.
Post-first semester, even the class was giving me props.
Never got this treatment in three years of high school—super awkward, itchy, but not bad.
"Ah, this team. Solid. Feels like we already got comp eval first place."
They talked big, but these were kids who'd grinded since childhood to make Cheongyeom Arts High.
Even the bottom rung here was "dragon's tail" outside.
Meant you were still on the dragon.
So they had pride and stubbornness in their acting.
Skills way above average amateurs.
Just talk—they burned with ambition inside.
Else why bother with Cheongyeom?
Ji-woong calling us a "motley crew" didn't quite fit.
No matter the mix, they were pros.
Hell, Cheongyeom diploma alone got me into a small troupe straight out.
"Bus what? Let's all grind. Anyone seen the movie based on this script?"
'Clown' team vibe was cozy warm.
Talk flowed natural about the play—no one leading.
Meanwhile, 'Eighteen Roughnecks' had a chilly undercurrent.
Song Ha-na declared to her teammates with smug confidence.
"Congrats. You made my team."
Same arrogant vibe as ever.
Lee Cheong-ha let out a disbelieving mutter at her attitude.
"Congrats? What congrats?"
Moon Woo-hyuk. Song Ha-na.
Summer practice nonstop with them, but zero chemistry.
Stuck practicing together till comp eval?
Lee Cheong-ha sighed.
Then Moon Woo-hyuk straight-up picked a fight with Song Ha-na.
"Congrats on making my team."
"Nuh-uh. Congrats on making mine."
"No way."
Lee Cheong-ha watched them coldly from the side.
The other teammates who'd barely RPS'd in were lost.
Song Ha-na and Moon Woo-hyuk kept insisting the other should be thrilled.
Like they were about to throw a congrats party.
"Haha. Guys, cut it out. Not like we're partying or anything..."
Woo-sik tried breaking the ice.
Big mistake—threw fuel on the fire.
"Congrats party? Love it."
Song Ha-na turned to Woo-sik.
Wait. Was that a compliment?
Woo-sik perked up.
Then she looked up at Moon Woo-hyuk, and the team gawked.
"Wanna bet who throws the bigger one? Duel?"
Party for real incoming.
Teammates poked Woo-sik's side.
Reign it in.
How tho?
Woo-sik stood rigid, not budging under pressure.
"You think I'll lose? You know where the top hotel chef from TryOne got headhunted?"
"Daniel the chef? You know his master's affiliation too."
Song Ha-na and Moon Woo-hyuk huddled, locked in their own convo—no room for us.
Overhearing, still clueless.
Congrats party?
Anyone'd think comp eval was over and they'd won.
Kids were hyped at first with those two powerhouses, but now? Blank stares.
One teammate muttered.
"This team... think it'll even function...?"