Chapter 7
Chapter 7
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: A Surprising Audition
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The ones most surprised by my blunt words were the contestants sitting by the stage wall.
Their eyes were wide as they stared at me blankly.
Some were so shocked they even started hiccuping.
I never dreamed I'd end up using an issue like this to my advantage.
“Uncomfortable, you say?”
“Yes.”
I drove the point home for the judge who asked again.
This should be enough sensational material for a teaser.
Now, I need a twist.
A valid reason that proves I wasn't just being rude, but that I had no other choice.
“That incident still remains a deep wound for me.”
I said, lowering my head slightly.
To make it look like I didn't want them to see me cry.
‘Did I have this side to me?’
I was always on edge, trying to avoid controversy, so seeing myself trying to use it felt strange.
‘But it’s much easier to step into controversy than to avoid it.’
“I trusted them. Having spent so much time with the members, I grew deeply attached. Though we weren't related by blood, I believed they were my brothers. But that trust shattered in an instant. I was the only one who wanted to protect the group.”
The female judge, who had been glaring at me fiercely, softened her gaze slightly.
It meant my words were working.
“You told me to admit my failure. I do admit it. That's why I'm standing here. If I hadn't, I would still be there. I wouldn't have done that live stream, either. Not saying the group's name wasn't a refusal to admit my failure. It was just… a small wish that you wouldn't lump me in with them.”
With that, I bowed to the judges.
It was my way of apologizing if my words had offended them.
“I just wanted to prove my innocence.”
A brief silence followed my words.
The female judge cleared her throat lightly, perhaps to change the mood.
“Ahem. Well then, let’s see your performance.”
The stage lights dimmed slightly, and the instrumental track began to play.
* * *
—Oh, you who resemble the shimmering sea
As Seo Yoon-seul opened his mouth, the contestants' eyes began to dart around.
—Let’s cross the swelling waves
It was a moment that drove home the fact that he had been the main vocalist in his previous group.
His voice was smooth and gentle, but his vocalization was solid.
It was a pleasant voice to listen to.
—Flowing without stopping
That I am drawing upon those waves
His voice in the lower register was different again.
There wasn't a single unpleasant affectation.
The judge watching him smiled, her eyes crinkling softly.
Watching this, the contestants had to swallow dryly.
—That I am shimmering too, just like your sparkle
I didn’t know back then
The song was already racing toward the chorus, the tempo picking up.
Seo Yoon-seul nodded his head, lightly riding the beat.
—Because we were together
Suddenly, the pitch shot up.
It wasn't a range that could be easily handled, but Seo Yoon-seul's expression was serene.
He was enjoying the song.
He had room to spare.
Watching him hit the high notes so effortlessly, one might momentarily think the song wasn't that high-pitched after all.
It was a notoriously difficult song, one that anyone who considered themselves a decent singer had likely attempted, so everyone present couldn't hide their admiration for his vocal skills.
“There’s no need to hear any more of the song.”
—Thanks to you, I was able to find a different kind of beauty
Even if we’re in different places, let’s face each other
And flow toward the same destination
Seo Yoon-seul held a long high note.
His lung capacity must have been incredible; there was no wavering at all.
He seemed to hold the high note even longer and more powerfully than in the original.
As the first verse ended, a round of applause erupted.
“That was amazing. It was like my ears just opened up.”
“It was perfect. Well, you won’t be needing any vocal training, will you? By the way, the song title is the same as your name.”
“Yes. That’s why I liked this song. It felt like it was speaking to me.”
“I see. I was thinking your emotional expression was excellent throughout the song. Now, let’s see your dancing.”
“Yes.”
With a determined expression, Seo Yoon-seul set down the microphone and stood in the center.
The judges, along with the contestants, were filled with anticipation, wondering what kind of amazing performance Seo Yoon-seul would show them next.
Among them, the most expectant person was none other than the producer of RED CUBE.
He had to argue with a great many people about casting someone like Seo Yoon-seul on the show.
“What? Cast Seo Yoon-seul? That’s too risky. You know what public opinion is like right now.”
“Things have changed a lot because of the live stream. In fact, we should use that controversy.”
“What if the show runs into problems because of it!”
He was met with a great deal of opposition.
But it wasn't that he couldn't understand their feelings.
It was a program they had poured their heart and soul into preparing.
Before planning ‘RED CUBE’, the survival show for unknown actors he had organized ran into trouble when a school violence controversy erupted.
The person involved in the controversy had a significant amount of screen time, so although they managed to edit and air the show somehow, the results were disastrous.
The disappointment and frustration were as immense as the effort they had put in.
But he couldn't just sit back and do nothing, so he immediately started planning another show.
That show was ‘RED CUBE’.
Not wanting to go through the same ordeal, this time they investigated the contestants' pasts. They called their schools to ask what kind of students they were and fact-checked even a single suspicious post on social media.
That was how they narrowed it down to 50 contestants.
All that was left was to start filming, so it was only natural for them to be hesitant when the producer suddenly announced he wanted to add Seo Yoon-seul, the center of a controversy.
The producer showed the live stream to the others, proving Seo Yoon-seul's innocence. Thanks to that, they agreed to at least meet with him.
After the meeting, the writer had no choice but to side with the producer.
She'd been in this industry for more than a year or two. She'd reached a point where she could tell what kind of person someone was just by looking into their eyes.
In her eyes, Seo Yoon-seul was a good person.
He was nothing more than a hurt and intimidated twenty-year-old.
“Producer. We’re going to get a great teaser out of this, aren't we?”
At the head writer's words, the producer nodded with a smile.
It was proof that his judgment had been correct.
“We would have been in big trouble if we hadn't met with him. I heard that while everyone else was waiting backstage, they were too nervous to stay still, but Seo Yoon-seul was different.”
“How so?”
“He was nervous, wiping the sweat from his hands and all, but he sat there with a very detached expression. They said he looked like a monk in meditation.”
“Really? We can use that too. Let’s create a character for him. We can photoshop in a stone Buddha or something.”
“That would be pretty funny.”
“Right?”
A spark of life returned to the producer's eyes.
“I told him we'd have to use manipulative editing, and he actually used it to his advantage.”
“Unlike the others who have never been exposed to the media at all, Seo Yoon-seul has been on variety shows and done occasional live streams, so I think he has a feel for it.”
“So, what's he dancing to?”
“His dance? You'll have to see for yourself. You’re in for a surprise.”
“What? Is it a secret from me too?”
“Yes. We need to capture your genuine reaction.”
The writer grinned to herself as if she had a trick up her sleeve.
“What? Why would you need to film the producer?”
“You’ll see.”
The writer gestured toward Seo Yoon-seul with her chin, as if telling him to watch the stage.
The producer pouted at the writer before turning his gaze back to the front.
Seo Yoon-seul stood still on stage, his back to the audience and his hands behind him, waiting for the music to start.
From his starting pose, it was impossible to tell what kind of performance he had prepared.
The producer felt the writer next to him wave her hand.
It was the signal to play the music.
Thump.
The sound of a drum echoed through the room.
It was a familiar sound, but he couldn't yet place the song.
—A single ROSE
I’ll trample it and leave
It was ‘POP’ by ‘BID’.
The unexpected song choice made the producer's jaw drop.
It was a song by a girl group that had sparked numerous challenges with its hip-focused choreography.
The camera director zoomed in on the producer's face.
The camera filming the judges did the same.
—What is that thing called love to me
Seo Yoon-seul continued the choreography with a coy expression.
The image of him singing so magnificently just moments before slowly faded from everyone's memory.
Making them forget such a performance was no ordinary feat, yet he had accomplished that difficult task.
It was just that much of a novel shock.
—You’re the one who gets hurt
What am I going to do
Cry all alone again?
When Seo Yoon-seul made tight fists and mimicked a cat, brushing them over his face, the producer and the production staff had to clench their faces to hold back their laughter.
This resulted in them making ridiculous expressions.
The judges were laughing openly.
The female judge, who had been spitting harsh critiques throughout the filming, was clutching her stomach and roaring with laughter.
Only the contestants had a different atmosphere.
It was clearly a funny sight, but they couldn't bring themselves to laugh.
After all, a powerful competitor named Seo Yoon-seul had just appeared.
—WOO HOO WOO
And then came the highlight of the choreography.
Standing diagonally, Seo Yoon-seul shook his hips and pelvis to the beat.
If he had been awkwardly imitating it or blatantly trying to be funny, it would have drawn backlash, but he was dancing while completely immersed in the song.
That appearance came across as endearing.
It would likely come across the same way to the viewers watching the broadcast.
—POP IT POP IT POP IT
Seo Yoon-seul winked at the judges, showing off his charm.
The producer, unable to hold it in any longer, just burst into hearty laughter.
“Wow. That kid is really something else. To think he’d dance to something like that here.”
“I know, right?”
“The judges’ reactions look good, too, right?”
“They should be. He’s good. Honestly, it’s hard for a guy to capture the lines of that dance.”
The producer had never danced himself, but having planned everything from idol music programs to numerous audition survival shows, his eye for talent was professional.
That's how he knew.
That Seo Yoon-seul's dance was a difficult choice to prove one's skills on an audition program like this.
“Ah. I’m already looking forward to filming.”