Chapter 32: First Monthly Evaluation (4)
32. First Monthly Evaluation (4)
"Quick, quick!"
"Hyung, my hat got mixed up with yours!"
"Let's run through this one more time. Three, four—"
From the morning, the third floor of Miro Entertainment's building was a chaotic whirlwind of activity. Trainees darted back and forth, adjusting each other's outfits, practicing choreography in front of mirrors, or warming up their voices—the noise was overwhelming.
"Alright, everyone gather up—!"
The rookie development team manager in charge of the trainees called them together. Faces filled with tension, they all assembled in one place. As each team lined up in their designated spots, the door opened and evaluators entered, each carrying a stack of documents. They took their seats at the prepared chairs and began preparing for the assessments in their own ways.
"Ah, sorry. Am I the only one running late?"
A beat later, the practice room door opened again, and Seo Tae-il walked in wearing sunglasses. Bundled up in a coat and scarf, he too carried an identical stack of documents.
"Tae-il-ssi, please sit here."
"Yes, thank you."
The appearance of Seo Tae-il—the reason half of these trainees had joined the company—sent another ripple of murmurs through the room. Tae-il adjusted his sunglasses, tucked behind his ears, and silently read through the names in his documents.
"......"
And then, in his mind, he underlined one name that stood out the most—secretly—before glancing at its owner.
At the very back of the practice room, sitting behind the other trainees who were buzzing excitedly about Tae-il's arrival, Kang Ha-jin was quietly stretching his neck.
"Alright, then."
Ji Soo-ho, seated in the center, closed his document folder. All eyes turned toward him.
"Shall we begin? Everyone's prepared well, right?"
"Yes!"
And so, Ha-jin's first monthly evaluation finally began.
They've all worked hard.
That was my overall impression after watching the other teams perform. The order for the monthly evaluation had been decided by drawing lots, and thanks to Gong Seok pulling the last slot, we got to comfortably watch everyone else's performances. (Well, comfortably might have just been me.)
First up was Group B, which included Joo Eun-chan and Seo Tae-hyun.
Given their lineup, it was obvious they'd go for a performance-heavy song, and sure enough, they chose a hip-hop track that had been a massive hit last year. Dressed in comfortable yet stylish old-school outfits—with Eun-chan's wealth allowing for flashy accessories—they made sure their team identity was clear.
Lucky them, having money.
Matching bandana designs and similar wristbands created a cohesive look despite their differing styles. They even took turns doing solo dances to emphasize their strongest skills.
"Ah!"
"Oof..."
Of course, there were mistakes. Yu-geon, a frequent center from the special class, attempted some breakdancing during his solo and failed.
...? What's with this reaction?
For some reason, the atmosphere among the trainees shifted oddly—like it had suddenly turned cold. I tried to figure out what was going on, but Eun-chan's krump dance immediately after had everyone clapping and cheering, so the moment passed.
What was that? Maybe I imagined it.
While I was puzzling over the strange tension, Group B's performance ended. Watching them catch their breath and receive feedback, I waited until the next group took the stage.
Group C, with Dan Ha-ru and Jung Si-woo, unsurprisingly went for a vocal-heavy ballad with an a cappella foundation.
Dressed in flowing white shirts and knitwear, Si-woo and Ha-ru faced each other, layering harmonies so beautifully that some trainees audibly gasped.
See? They're good.
For a second, I almost got annoyed remembering Ha-ru clinging to my collar at night, whining about how he couldn't do it—but I held it in.
Now, just two more groups before it was finally our turn. Glancing at my teammates, I could see them all focused in their own ways, watching the evaluations.
Well... at least they don't seem too nervous.
I was about to turn away, not wanting to break their concentration, but Kim Won-ho next to me caught my eye and hesitantly tapped my arm.
"What?"
"Hyung-nim, can I ask you something?"
"Yeah."
"...Why did you assign me this choreography?"
The sudden question threw me off. I turned to look at him, and his expression was unusually serious. I had been planning to check the others' stats, but his eyes were too earnest to brush off. So I met his gaze and answered honestly.
"Because I thought you could handle it."
"......"
"I watched all your practice videos. You looked capable. I don't bet on things that won't work."
Won-ho still seemed deep in thought even after my answer. I considered warning him not to overthink it before the performance, but—well, he wasn't Seo Tae-hyun or Yoon Tae-hee. Something told me he'd be fine, so I let it go.
"Next up—Group A, please come forward."
"Ha... guys, do well. Seriously."
"Ah, didn't they mess up badly during the mid-check?"
Before I knew it, our turn had arrived. Every eye in the practice room turned toward us. I gave Won-ho's shoulder a light pat as I stood up.
Now, it was showtime.
Ji Soo-ho was—well, genuinely worried.
If they end up being this much of a wild card in their first monthly evaluation...
From Lee Do-ha's dance break to Kim Won-ho's original choreography and Gong Seok as main vocal—there were too many unproven elements in this performance. The other trainees at least had past data to base their scores on, but Ha-jin?
He needs to make a strong impression this time. What is he even thinking?
With a concerned expression, he watched as Ha-jin's team took their positions in the center of the practice room. Dressed in ripped black jeans and dark tops with strategic accents, Group A lined up.
Surrounding Do-ha at the center, they began the song with their bodies curled inward before unfolding like a blooming flower.
Ooh―, Woah―
The guide track had featured Ha-jin singing the group chant alone, but in the final version, the entire team joined in.
As the prelude's rhythm picked up, a short group dance followed. The four moved in sync, almost as if responding to Do-ha's silent cues at the center.
With the first drumbeat, the song began.
Begin—our brilliant scenario
Knight tearing through the night, those who longed for a new morning, onto the streets
Ha-jin stepped forward with a sharp kick, delivering his opening lines with unshakable confidence. Like a rebel leading a charge, he maintained his live vocals while moving seamlessly into the next formation with the rest of the team at the line "Knight tearing through the night."
Crossing the crimson horizon, MAKE NEW WAVE!
Ignite the fire within your chest
The tiny ember crushed and trampled
As Ha-jin stepped back, Tae-hee and Won-ho took over with their call-and-response section—a harmony between the highest and lowest voices on the team.
...Their live vocals have improved?
Despite the intense paired choreography, neither of them sounded breathless or unstable like before.
[Gong Seok (Affiliation: Miro)]
Appeal Point:
"Teacher, I have a question!"
—Academic passion, eagerness to learn
[Kim Won-ho (Affiliation: Miro)]
Appeal Point:
"A TO Z"
—Rapid learning ability
[Yoon Tae-hee (Affiliation: Miro)]
Appeal Point:
"Strong Heart"
—Expressiveness, stage adaptability, performance realization (91%)
—"Also, could you help Tae-hee and Won-ho with vocals? I'll be too busy keeping up with choreography."
—"Huh? Sure. That shouldn't be too hard... Thanks, Ha-jin. I'll do my best."
—"Yeah. Fighting, hyung-nim."
Ha-jin, who had known their stats from the start, had deliberately assigned Gong Seok to oversee Tae-hee and Won-ho. After their quick back-and-forth, Do-ha took over with a short rap.
Watching this, Soo-ho let out a quiet laugh as he realized something.
The choreography isn't actually that difficult. Most of the moves are simple...
But precisely because they were simple, nailing every detail was easier. Thanks to Ha-jin's relentless emphasis on angles and lines during practice, even Do-ha was now hitting every beat with precision.
The person doing the main part goes completely freestyle, so during Do-ha's section, they can pull off even more intense moves.
Ooh―, Woah―
As Do-ha's rap ended, the music cut out completely, leaving only the echoing group chant. Their movements slowed in unison.
Ride on, we're the New WAVE!
At Gong Seok's high note, the vocal trainer sitting next to Soo-ho gasped aloud. Did his range always go that high? Before anyone could dwell on it, the next section slammed in. This was Ha-jin's trick—splitting the parts so no single person had to carry too much.
Watch me. Firmly grasp Victory
Rebuild the crumbled walls with Melody
I'll pull out the you that even you don't know
If you can see the end of this beginning
Ride on, we're the New WAVE!
In the blink of an eye, the second chorus passed, and Won-ho's solo dance bridged into the next section.
Then came the real problem—the dance break.
As Gong Seok and Ha-jin layered high ad-libs, Do-ha and Tae-hee took their positions.
Won-ho, having safely finished his part, turned and rejoined the formation, his eyes locking onto Do-ha standing in front of him.
One success out of ten attempts. A ridiculously low success rate.
Do-ha had asked Ha-jin over and over if this was really the right move.
And every time, Ha-jin's answer was the same.
—You can do it.
—......
—He just needs to succeed once. Just one time.
—What the hell does that even mean? That "one time" is damn near impossible!
—Hey, watch your mouth. Just trust me. If he succeeds just once, the odds jump to 80%.
—I have no idea what you're thinking.
Won-ho still didn't understand what Ha-jin meant—but he decided to trust Do-ha anyway. Because Do-ha had promised he'd make it work. Because he'd been grateful Ha-jin entrusted him with this choreography and swore he'd succeed.
And there was one fact that Won-ho didn't know, Soo-ho didn't know, not even Lee Do-ha himself knew—only Ha-jin was aware of it.
[Lee Do-ha (Affiliation: Miro)]
Appeal Point:
"Strong Heart"
—Expressiveness, stage adaptability, performance realization (80%)
Once he succeeded just once, Lee Do-ha would always succeed on stage after that.
Without fail.