Position Evaluation (3)
“The remark that I might not look confident is something I can understand as well.”
I continued calmly.
“But the team isn't just the center, right?”
The trainer listened to me with interest.
“Even after debut, the center can change with each song, and the role of the members who make the center shine even brighter is important too, in my opinion.”
Other trainees were quietly listening.
“I took the center position in last mission, and if I volunteered for it again this time… it might not have been because I was overly confident, but rather an excessive greed.”
The trainer raised an eyebrow.
“On the other hand, Se-ah and Eun-bi unnie haven't taken the center position even once yet.”
Eun-bi unnie and Yoon Se-ah looked at me.
“Whether they have confidence or not, everyone wants the chance. Everyone knows how important that opportunity is.”
“So, Seo-yeon, you don't need such opportunities anymore, right? You've already been noticed and are safe?”
“No.”
You can't understand what I'm saying.
“Everyone wants to experience the center, but the positions are limited, so someone won't be able to perform until the end. I wanted to create a moment for the team members to show their abilities in that limited opportunity.”
It's not a difficult topic.
Simply put.
“I think that should be the top priority for the team as a whole. If I only think about my own desires, the team will fall apart.”
After my words, there was a brief silence.
The trainer looked at me and chuckled.
“Seo-yeon-ah, you really speak well?”
Laughter erupted from around.
It wasn't mocking.
It sounded like genuine admiration.
“Yeah. If you put it that way, I can understand. But as much as Seo-yeon chose that, you also have to prove it clearly on stage.”
“Yes.”
I answered firmly.
The trainer added one last thing.
“Then I'll look forward to it.”
*
After the middle evaluation, practice resumed.
The trainer's feedback wasn't bad, and the arrangement direction was confirmed, so the atmosphere was quite good.
Everyone had a relieved expression.
“Seo-yeon-ah.”
“Hm?”
“Just… I wanted to say thank you.”
“For what?”
I pretended not to know, so Yoon Se-ah bit her lip and said honestly.
“Ultimately, you gave me the chance. If you hadn't said you'd do the center, I wouldn't have had the opportunity at all.”
“You don't have to think that way.”
“Still… I wanted to say thank you anyway.”
Then she suddenly pulled out what she was hiding.
“Are you thirsty? Drink this.”
In her hand was a can of drink.
A sweet fruit-flavored ion drink.
Exactly, a PPL drink that can be taken out anytime.
“Even so, bringing it directly is something.”
I naturally accepted it.
“Thank you. I'll drink it well.”
“Yeah!”
Yoon Se-ah smiled as if relieved now.
Watching her, I couldn't help but laugh.
In the following practice, the team atmosphere became much softer than before.
In the middle of practice, Baek Eun-bi suddenly poked me from the side.
“But… when do we take a break?”
Everyone turned their heads.
“Take a break? Just a little more.”
“Just a little more~ Just a little more~ You don't know time flies in an hour? Let's take a little break.”
Yoon Se-ah laughed lightly.
“Unnie, are you tired?”
“Ugh…”
“Are you getting old, unnie?”
“Se-ah, you little—”
Baek Eun-bi didn't sound threatening at all and plopped down on the floor.
“Unnie, my legs feel like they're going to break…”
Then she leaned against Se-ah.
“Se-ah, can you support my back for a moment? I think I'm going to faint.”
“Unnie… you're heavy.”
“What? I'm light!”
“That’s not it. My legs are tired too, and if I lean on you, I won't be able to hold on.”
“…Then I have to lie down for a bit.”
So Baek Eun-bi lay on the practice room floor.
“This isn't going to be broadcasted, right? I really worked hard! It's just a short break!”
“It’s fine. Unnie's condition isn't bad, so it's not like I'm faking it.”
“That sounds like jealousy…”
“No. Since I worked hard, I shouldn't look tired.”
“It feels like you're discouraging…”
Listening to their conversation, I chuckled and took a sip of the drink.
“Shall we take a little break and continue?”
“Yeah, just a bit. I want to catch my breath like this…”
Even in survival shows, there are tense moments, but there are also moments like this.
Our team might be quite good, surprisingly.
*
On the day of the position evaluation.
As expected, the full audience was in front of the stage, and the MC was proceeding.
“In this position evaluation, you can only vote for one trainee who shines the most in each stage.”
Amid the tension, the MC continued.
“Based on your votes, the 1st place in each position will receive 100,000 points!”
Reactions of surprise were transparent in the audience.
“And those points will be added to the final vote and determine survival or elimination.”
And the decisive news followed.
“After this competition ends, only the top 30 will survive. The other trainees will be eliminated.”
Twenty trainees eliminated at once.
40% in percentage.
While the audience was buzzing, the MC continued with stage introductions.
The first was the rap position.
The team appeared on stage.
Park Hye-in was among them.
Looking at Park Hye-in on stage, I recalled the day I chose the position evaluation song.
On that day, Park Hye-in never fell behind.
“If only she had been pushed out steadily.”
She didn't know how to get sympathy votes, so I felt a bit sorry for her.
“Even though I was hating her before the ranking announcement.”
Anyway, even though she chose first, there was no song change until the end, which was evidence that it was a song she avoided.
“Well, what can I do.”
While thinking that, the music started.
A rough synth was laid over the trap beat, and the first member spat out the rap.
The stage flowed smoothly starting with a pretty good intro.
Then, at Park Hye-in's part, my eyes widened.
The past I don't even want to say with my own mouth
Flaws filled with naive attitudes and selfishness
♪
I hoped everyone would close their eyes, but No mercy
What remains is the thorn at my fingertips and self-contempt
♪
I don't even look after myself, look
The worn-out excuses and shabby back view
♪
Now what I see is a cowardly me, me
One step, one moment, rewind again
♪
I push myself even more, no more mercy
No mercy, Never no mercy
♪
I swallowed my breath in that moment.
Her voice was desolate yet sharp.
The lyrics clear even in the huge beat.
It was criticism towards herself, but at the same time, it contained resolve to move forward.
So it was even more intense.
I looked at Park Hye-in again.
Was the song she chose not to avoid the shame of falling behind, but a means to express the sincerity she wanted to convey?
The additional mission for rap position was rap making.
She had to write the lyrics herself and perform on stage.
Park Hye-in used this opportunity to pour out what she couldn't say before on stage.
“……”
I got goosebumps all over my body.
“She did well. Really well.”
For some reason, I felt like crying again.
But I had to hold it back.
Because I had to perform, I couldn't let my throat get blocked.
Still, my vision kept blurring.
*
“Next stage is the vocal position .”
The members who appeared next.
At that moment.
“Kyaaaaaaa!”
“Seo-yeonaaaaaak!”
“So pretty!”
The audience exploded instantly.
The reactions were clearly different.
It was only because Lee Seo-yeon appeared on stage.
Just that fact changed the atmosphere.
The expectations didn't end in the audience.
Some trainees who were goofing off stopped, some stopped their conversations and fixed their eyes on the screen with sparkling eyes.
“Wow… really, Seo-yeon's aura is different.”
“Wow, look at her face. I was worried about vocal and dance positions, but I guess choosing dance was right.”
“Na-bin is in dance?”
“Ah…”
The trainers were the same.
They corrected their relaxed sitting posture.
“This team is promising.”
The first to speak was the vocal trainer.
He was crossing his arms, looking at the monitor.
“There's nothing to say about Seo-yeon, and Baek Eun-bi has a voice that's inherently attractive. If she sings a little more stably, there will be a strong impact.”
“Se-ah also balances well within the team. With solid basics, she handles any part cleanly, and since she's center this time, I expect great things.”
Other trainers nodded in agreement.
“But since it's a simple vocal stage, I'm curious about stage presence. You have to fill the stage with just the voice.”
“That's true. Seo-yeon isn't the center, but she's still the most noticed member, right? That's also a question of how it will affect the team.”
“Well, if Seo-yeon doesn't feel burdened and handles it well, the whole team will come alive.”
While the short conversation was going on, the stage was ready.
The audience's atmosphere also calmed down.
After a moment, Lee Seo-yeon took a deep breath and brought the mic close to her lips first.
And the first verse flowed out.
At that moment, the trainers' expressions changed.
They had been sharing expectations, but now they watched the stage without holding back.
Their faces showed they had understood what the core of this song was.