Chapter 21
Chapter 21
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: End-of-Month Evaluation
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At that moment, the people in front of us all stood up in a group.
I quietly stretched my body.
I was a little confused about what I was doing right now, but I quickly pulled myself together.
“Next group!”
I stood up from my seat.
In the middle, my dear senior tried to pat my shoulder as he passed, but I subtly changed direction to dodge it.
Soon, the music started.
‘Weird.’
Even though my body felt heavy, my legs felt like they were flying.
My body moved precisely to the beat.
The dance came out habitually without me even thinking about it.
‘Good.’
My mood soared.
It felt like I’d taken some strange drug.
I returned to my line, breathing heavily.
My vision cleared, then blurred.
I could feel the gazes on me.
‘Not bad.’
A smile came naturally.
I stepped forward, then two steps back.
Jumped to the right, then back to the left.
I could feel my heart pounding.
‘I hope the music doesn’t end.’
I glanced sideways and matched the moves.
The chorus came around again.
Feeling sweat drip to the floor, I moved to the center.
Smiling to the music, I scattered again.
The music was ending.
It happened on the final move.
Suddenly, something slammed into me from the right.
Thud—
I couldn’t grasp the situation.
I swallowed hard.
By the time I came to, I was already sprawled on the floor.
“Hey, you okay?”
The manager was the first to rush over.
With my head not working right, I desperately tried to assess the situation.
Then, the guy who had crashed into me from above spoke.
“Sorry! It was an accident.”
Aha.
I rolled my shoulder.
My upper body seemed fine.
But when I stood, my lower body felt off.
‘Ankle?’
I bent it forward slightly.
A dull pain hit.
“You crazy ambitious kid, you okay?”
“Got any spray?”
“Huh? I’ll grab it.”
The manager dashed off quickly.
Then, a woman’s voice came.
“Ankle?”
I nodded.
“Need to go to the hospital?”
“Yeah. But…”
I grinned at my dear senior.
“After the end-of-month evaluation.”
He probably thought I’d give up.
“There’s another one next month.”
I shook my head.
“No. This evaluation is only now.”
I didn’t want to waste time on something this pointless.
“Look at this guy. Risking his life?”
I smiled brightly.
“Yeah. Wonder why.”
I checked my ankle again.
“I keep feeling like I need to risk it all right now.”
I might pass next month too.
What was the real reason?
If I backed down now, it felt like everything would go to waste.
“Can’t stop you. Do what you want. But why’s your face so flushed?”
I smiled with all my heart and soul.
“Guess I’m excited. Don’t worry.”
Soon the manager brought the spray.
I took off my shoe and applied the pain relief.
The executive director said something to my dear senior.
The senior’s face flushed redder than my feverish one.
The guy yelled at the executive director, unable to tell heaven from earth.
‘Whatever, not my problem.’
Focus on my situation now.
‘Honestly, it’s nothing.’
When I was a stuntman, this happened all the time.
No stand-in, so I forced myself to finish, but my face never made it on screen.
‘Compared to that, this is full of hope.’
I pulled out the smartphone from my pocket.
‘Because I’ve got this.’
I tapped the screen right away.
[Cha Dowon Left Ankle Recovery]
Please work.
[Change applied.]
[Side effect: Fever rises by 1 degree.]
Damn.
I clutched my even hotter head.
‘You’re really trying to kill me, huh?’
What did I ever do to you? Huh?
‘But what can I do.’
At this point, I’ll push through with sheer grit.
‘Let’s do it.’
My head spun, making me keep smiling.
“You crazy ambitious kid, you okay?”
“Not okay.”
The words came out without thinking.
“But I’m fine.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“Fine enough not to back down.”
It’s just a fever, right?
It’ll be gone by tomorrow, right?
I staggered to my feet.
“Manager, can I ask a favor?”
“What? What is it?”
“Move my turn up. I want to do the individual dance evaluation early.”
“Th-that should be possible!”
The manager hurried to the judges.
He said something to the executive director, who glanced back.
She nodded.
The manager made a circle with his thumb and forefinger.
‘Looks good.’
I stood from my seat.
My ankle moved freely, as if nothing had happened.
As I stretched again, I felt my dear senior’s gaze.
His face was twisted in fury.
‘You keep living like that.’
Jealousy hurts the jealous one.
Living with lifelong self-loathing is its own hell, kid.
‘I know from experience.’
I walked forward from my seat.
Hot breaths came out in puffs.
‘Let’s burn it up.’
Vocal’s still left, so.
A hand signal came to prepare.
I stood in the center of the practice room.
Prickling gazes hit me.
Definitely different from the group evaluation.
Whispers came from here and there.
I caught the words “music video” faintly.
‘Yeah, that’s me.’
I liked how they looked at me.
Soon the music flowed.
My body moved.
This time, it wasn’t heavy or light.
But the more I danced, the heavier my feet felt.
‘The fever.’
Low-grade and high fever were definitely different.
Are you really telling me to die?
A laugh escaped on its own.
I moved my body to the beat.
‘But if you go all out, results come, they say.’
I flicked my foot once.
It was choreography with solid basics and proper variations.
I slid my upper body.
Sweat trickled between my shirt.
My smile deepened.
The judges’ gazes and the trainees’ admiration felt great.
My slightly heavy body felt light.
Like taking some strange drug again.
The wind from each move was ecstatic.
‘Crazy feeling.’
Just then, someone said.
“That guy’s insane?”
Maybe he’s right?
The 3 minutes 30 seconds flew by.
The final thump of music sounded.
I quietly caught my breath.
Sweat ran down the back of my neck.
The audience was silent.
Why aren’t they sharing their thoughts?
I wanted to hear quick.
Finally, the executive director spoke.
“Uh, so, Cha Dowon?”
“Yes.”
“You, that audition—no. It’s been 2 weeks since you joined our company, right?”
“Yes.”
The executive director stroked her face, looking puzzled.
“You seem like a completely different person.”
I smiled brightly.
Was it my imagination?
The floor seemed to rise a bit, but since I was just standing, I could endure.
“Can someone improve this fast?”
“Executive Director, is it that good?”
“Yes, he was average before, now he’s professional level. Like a different person.”
Then the manager said.
“Our crazy ambitious kid’s a hard worker. I’ve seen him get up early like clockwork for workouts and practice.”
The stares around grew sharper.
Through my wavering vision, I saw trainees glaring at me.
It felt chillingly good all over.
‘Yeah. Jealousy more.’
That’s what feels good.
My thoughts were out of control.
“Can effort change someone this much in 2 weeks? Dowon, right? I’m shocked.”
“Thank you.”
“The power of youth, huh. Kids this age are amazing. Plus, I heard you did great on that music video shoot too?”
I shrugged.
Sweat dripped to the floor again.
“We’ve got ourselves a gem. Haven’t been this excited since Minje.”
The smile on my lips deepened.
It was what I wanted to hear.
But at the same time, a bit disappointing.
I wanted to be bigger than Kang Minje.
I knew better than anyone how incredible he’d become from now on, having experienced it.
“Still…”
My voice cracked.
My throat’s so dry now.
“You need to hear the singing too.”
This isn’t all. Executive Director.
Our eyes met.
She grinned.
“Right.”
The executive director crossed her legs and scanned me up and down.
Like a chef eyeing fresh seafood.
“Kiddo. Tell me. Should I expect a lot from your vocals? Or not?”
“Whatever you expect, it’ll be more.”
So, expect it.
The executive director laughed cheerfully.
Then gestured for me to go in.
I forced my legs straight and walked.
As tension released, dizziness hit.
I leaned on the wall and took in hot breaths.
Then someone spoke.
“Um…”
Someone from my group I didn’t know.
“You’re amazing.”
I smiled sweetly.
Praise always sounds good.
“Thanks. I worked hard so you guys wouldn’t grab my ankle in the group eval.”
“Feels like we’d be lucky if we didn’t hold you back.”
Through my blurry vision, the trainee who spoke smiled.
Maybe because he’s young.
His youthful voice was pleasant, so I smiled back, but then a sharp gaze hit.
I glanced—my dear senior glaring mercilessly.
“Glare all you want, I won’t die.”
I tapped my ankle.
“Pathetic.”
Jealousy yourself to death, kid.
The manager stopped him as he approached.
I smirked.
Then slid down the wall.
‘Better rest a bit.’
When’s vocal starting?
“Uh, when’s the vocal evaluation?”
“After this. You’re last since you came latest.”
“I see. Thanks.”
I closed my eyes.
My eyelids felt hot from the fever.
“I’ll rest a bit.”
“Yeah! Rest up.”
I half-lay down.
My ragged hot breaths annoyed me.
Soon the manager approached.
“Crazy ambitious kid. Why do you look like boiled seaweed today?”
“Manager. Wake me before my turn.”
“Huh? Sleep? It’ll take a while, you not eating?”
I smiled bitterly.
Didn’t feel like I’d keep food down.
Coughing it up would be bad.
‘I’d be vomiting blood.’
Didn’t want to talk more.
“Not hungry. I’m counting on you, Manager.”
I lay flat in the corner of the practice room.
Eyes closed, sleep crashed over me like it was waiting.
***
My mind was hazy.
Someone shook my arm, and I barely opened my eyes, but vision was a blur.
“Crazy ambitious kid!”
I smiled bitterly.
“It’s Cha Dowon.”
“Huh?”
I swept back my fallen hair.
My nape was damp with sweat.
“You’re up next after this.”
I looked around.
Definitely fewer people.
Where am I?
“Oh, the audience thinned out?”
“Huh?”
“It’s raining? Director, should I go out and round them up?”
Ah, the waiting room.
But hardly any audience?
“Crazy ambitious kid?”
“Cha Dowon.”
I smiled brightly.
Our troupe’s already small, no audience is bad.
“Director, why’d you gain so much weight? I told you to eat veggies.”
“Kid, what’s wrong with you?”
“No government funding again? No way our troupe can close.”
I stood.
Swayed a bit, but found balance.
“If the troupe closes, I lose my job too. Director, when’s it start?”
“You, you okay?”
“I’m fine. No stand-in but me. Curtain in a few minutes?”
“Uh, 5? Hey, you’re weird right now.”
“Oh, gotta prepare.”
Loosen the throat first.
I tensed my abs.
Familiar projection came out.
The director kept looking at me worriedly.
Ah, the fever?
I’m fine though?
“Director. After today’s show.”
I smiled brightly.
“I’ll cook something. You know I’m good at it.”
I stretched my shoulders and waist.
The director’s face grew stranger.