Chapter 109
Chapter 109
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 109
Chapter Title: Unexpected Talent
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“I don’t forget things easily...”
Ki Jaeyun would come back and chew me out for it later, but that was fine.
As I stretched to practice, Lee Seungjun drew a cross on his chest and said,
“Go easy on Jaeyun.”
“I will. But aren’t you Catholic?”
“Of course not.”
Then why was he making the sign of the cross?
Anyway, every single one of them.
I shook my head and ran through the choreography in my mind. Erasing what I’d just learned and starting over was a hassle, but it wasn’t impossible.
‘Multitalent is helpful here.’
I could probably learn two choreos at once with this. I checked carefully and reset the choreography.
“Attention please! Hey, you lot! Let’s see Zenith. Huh? Where’d two of you go?”
Hajin hyung and Ki Jaeyun weren’t even decent enough to be called adults as they came rushing in at the same time. The two hurried to their spots.
“Oh, you’re here? Let’s start with Zenith!”
The music started. I began the choreography according to the guide.
‘One step forward, bend at the waist, hold for half a beat while turning!’
Even though I was watching my surroundings carefully, I nearly bumped into Hajin hyung. I quickly created some space.
“Stop! Dowon and Leader! Be careful!”
The one who messed up was Hajin hyung. The leader looked sheepish and grinned.
“Sorry about that.”
That was when Ki Jaeyun spoke up.
“That part feels a bit stiff. The pathing’s weird.”
The guy leaped out like a monkey.
“What if we do it like this? It’s a transition anyway.”
Ki Jaeyun stepped half a pace in the opposite direction and added a smooth wave. I crossed my arms.
‘Not bad.’
That fixed the pathing issue. And the choreography even looked good.
‘Could it be...’
I scanned Ki Jaeyun up and down. The guy fidgeted irritably in front of me.
“Why’re you staring like that, Cha Dowon?”
“Ki Jaeyun, you. Can you make choreography?”
The monkey blinked.
“Huh? Never tried. Why would I bother when the choreographer does it all nice and easy?”
Crazy.
‘I’ve seen his type before.’
There were always guys like this who needed to be told to do it.
“Ki Jaeyun, listen to me carefully. Do what I say, and you’ll get super popular.”
In an instant, his eyes sparkled.
“What, what is it? You gonna start a scandal with me too? Like with Minje hyung?”
There was a crash from behind as Kang Minje tripped, but it was none of my business.
“Try making some choreography.”
Disappointment spread across the monkey’s face.
“You dance the best out of all of us.”
“W-Well, obviously!”
“But you might be even better at making choreography.”
He was weak to praise. Ki Jaeyun grinned like he’d never been disappointed.
“Y-Yeah?”
Simpleton.
‘Yeah. Since I’m praising him, might as well hype him up more.’
I exchanged a glance with Yoo Hajin. The quick-witted leader gave a thumbs-up.
“Give it a shot, Jaeyun. You were a dancing prodigy since you were a kid. You could dominate this field.”
Hajin hyung chimed in right away.
“Yeah, Jaeyun. You’re great at dancing.”
“I am!”
“There’s a whole path as a choreographer. Think about it seriously.”
Ki Jaeyun’s face flushed as he blinked. He grinned.
“S-Since you put it that way, should I give it a try? There’s actually a part I wanted to change!”
I flashed a service industry smile.
“Then why didn’t you just say so?”
“Ugh, too annoying!”
Damn it. I have to coax idiots like this.
“Choreographer hyung!”
The guy ran over to the choreographer, Chilrellepallele or whatever. I sighed and shook my head. Yoo Hajin grinned and threw an arm around my shoulders.
“Heartwarming. Touching.”
“What?”
“You said that for Jaeyun’s sake.”
“Did that guy always have talent for choreography?”
“Hmm, kinda seems like it. He’s been unrivaled in dance since trainee days.”
Then why hadn’t he used that talent and instead chased humiliating scandals?
“Dowon, sometimes you know. Some kids need the path cleared for them.”
“If you don’t, they’ll just die there.”
“Yeah, maybe. But every once in a while, there are lucky ones like Jaeyun.”
I nodded. I agreed with that much, at least.
‘That monkey bastard’s got luck.’
It was true before and after regression.
“Dowon.”
“Yeah?”
“Clear a path for me too?”
I furrowed my brow. Just solved one, and now another?
“You’re doing fine on your own, hyung.”
“Still, since you’re at it, take good care of me.”
I let out an exasperated sigh. It felt half-joking, but Yoo Hajin seemed half-serious.
I quietly stared at the ceiling.
‘They’re all desperate.’
Was Kang Minje the only one with a clear path?
I glanced at the fox kit. Kang Minje was practicing choreography in the mirror.
He met my eyes and smiled brightly. A chill ran down my spine, and I turned away immediately.
Just then, the choreographer shouted.
“Okay, attention please! Choreo’s changing! Jaeyun did a few moves, and they’re pretty good.”
The choreographer repeated the moves Ki Jaeyun had changed a few times.
“After the leg lift, insert this.”
I followed right away. When I connected it, surprisingly, it was better.
‘Talk about a lucky bastard.’
I turned to see Ki Jaeyun grinning proudly. I sighed and shook my head. If life was a lottery, that guy was it.
“Okay, attention! Sweet Kiss!”
Two members approached the center of the practice room, faces flushed.
“This part changes too.”
Hana nodded vigorously.
“Cha Dowon! Dowon! Do it in front of Hana first.”
I stood in front of her and did the changed choreography. I reached out, bowed my head to the back of her hand, then lifted it.
Soon, Hana did her prepared part. She spun a full circle and tilted her head back.
‘She’s not bad.’
But something felt off.
I smiled and said,
“Opportunity’s here. You gonna do it like that?”
Hana’s eyes changed in an instant. She stopped and said,
“Let’s do it again! Do it once more.”
She was fired up. I did the choreography again as instructed.
She spun once more.
“Whoa, Hana, that’s good.”
It was the same move, but it felt different now.
‘She’s good when she tries.’
I shrugged and matched the next move. It was a collab stage, but this pre-recorded one was starting to feel promising.
***
I hopped lightly into the van. Come to think of it, it’d been a while since Zenith’s group schedule.
‘First time since the press conference?’
The aftermath hadn’t been zero.
‘Should’ve crushed Sa-hyuk harder.’
I was flipping open the script with a bitter smile when the manager in the driver’s seat asked,
“You’ve got your movie promo soon, right?”
“Yeah. And Zenith’s comeback.”
“Year-end stages, prep for everything—you’re busy.”
I chuckled and said,
“Busy is good.”
“Don’t brag about your young stamina.”
“From what I’ve seen, busy seems nice.”
Lee Seungjun nodded beside me. Hajin hyung spoke from the back seat.
“True. We almost got pushed to album two.”
“Doing year-end stages to gauge public reaction, then comeback two—feels good. Great timing.”
“Executive Director Joo said the same. We got lucky.”
I straightened my shoulders and reaffirmed my goal.
‘Show diligence on the year-end stage?’
Even better if I did so well they felt guilty.
A laugh escaped me. This was decent enough.
“Then we better nail today’s stage.”
It was pre-recorded, but we needed to grab some ratings over the live stages.
That was when Ki Jaeyun grumbled from the back.
“But getting bumped like this sucks. We were supposed to be live originally.”
“VIP came from Japan specially, so they got priority. Apparently they give them tons of stage time.”
“Unfair. They only stomp on powerless rookies.”
I rested my chin on my hand, lost in thought.
‘VIP, huh...’
Popular domestically too, but mainly active in Japan.
‘They haven’t done Korea in a year.’
Even if Japan pays better, isn’t it too much focus there?
‘Not my problem.’
If they lose domestic recognition and crumble, it’s better for us.
‘It’s K-pop that sells, not J-pop.’
Losing the home front chasing foreign cash is common these days.
“We’re total openers. Ugh, my choreo’s killer!”
I chuckled. Propping my chin, I countered,
“Us?”
The van suddenly fell silent.
“You really think we’re openers?”
I made eye contact with each member one by one.
“I don’t think so?”
Why would they think that?
“People remember good stages in the end. Views are predicting us at number one—kinda sad?”
I tilted my head to the ceiling and muttered,
“Was it just me?”
The silence persisted. I quietly waited for their reactions.
The first to let out a groan-like laugh was Kang Minje.
“Hahaha!”
The fox kit covered his mouth, laughing, then turned away.
“Pfft!”
That broke the ice. Leader hyung covered his mouth and bowed his head.
Ki Jaeyun tried to say something but shut his mouth, and Lee Seungjun patted my shoulder lightly.
“That’s you.”
“Praise?”
“Of course.”
Leader hyung wiped tears from laughing and said,
“No wonder your nickname’s Ambition.”
Kang Minje whispered,
“To match that ambition, we gotta work hard.”
“Minje, you could with effort, but I’d die trying to keep up. After all that chaos, Dowon’s still Dowon.”
Was Hajin hyung cursing from the front?
He laughed and nudged Ki Jaeyun.
“But Dowon’s right. We got first, but we’re still rookies. Rookies get pushed around everywhere. But not on stage. No reason to be openers.”
Wow.
‘He’s sounding like a proper leader now.’
At times like this, I was proud of making Yoo Hajin leader despite nearly ruining my life as guarantor.
“Let’s do it, Zenith. Even if it’s pre-recorded.”
I smiled a little.
‘For all the complaints, Zenith ain’t bad.’
Train ’em well, and they might not be a hindrance.
That was when a nose-blowing sound came from the driver’s seat.
“Sniff! Touching.”
Here we go again.
I shook my head.
“May your teamwork last forever. Uncle’s moved.”
Ugh.
‘Cringe.’
Goosebumps rose as I shook my head, and Lee Seungjun covered his mouth laughing beside me.
Come to think of it, weird. That guy had started smiling a lot lately.
‘Yeah, smile away.’
A sigh escaped, but it wasn’t a bad feeling.
***
‘Sailor outfit.’
Maybe because I was prepared, I could wear it okay. But I tilted my head at the shorts.
“The pants always this short?”
“Oh, that’s not yours. This one’s tailored for Jaeyun. You’ve got long legs, Dowon, so this length.”
Ah.
“Caught me off guard, it’s so short.”
“Oh my! What do you take me for? I don’t make pants this awkward length. If short, I go all in.”
Scary person.
I shook my head and changed. When I came out, Stylist Noona cheered.
“Oh my, Dowon. Perfect!”
“Thanks. You made it so well, Noona.”
“You always say the sweetest things. No, but it really suits you. Shame. Only like this for now, right? You’re growing like crazy lately?”
“Yeah. You know it.”
“Well, looking forward to grown Dowon too. But Noona wants you to stay like this.”
Huh. Couldn’t read her mind.
Just then, the members came out changed. Ki Jaeyun looked miserable in shorts, but the others were normal.
‘Just me and Jaeyun in shorts.’
They really cut it by height.
The writer opened the door then.
“Zenith, get ready please.”
“Yes!”
We poured into the hallway. Sweet Kiss’s two were already there.
Hana walked beside me. I checked her complexion and said,
“Nervous?”
“Yeah. Threw up just now. Face showing?”
Nah.
“No.”
Good makeup covered it.
“Phew. First time getting this much screen time. Dying here.”
“Screen time...”
I smiled and said,
“Is that such a big deal?”