Chapter 50
After fastening cords to their chokers, the three of them knelt in place and pulled on their own cords.
Imduk’s mouth fell open at the intense staging right from the start, and then the song began in earnest.
Don't look at me
kneeling in front of you
Now I'm begging and begging for your love
The opening narration belonged to Seo Dowon. She hadn’t noticed when he normally spoke, but his voice was much deeper and lower than she expected.
Holding his own leash, Dowon slowly rolled his head once before offering the leash forward, as though handing it over to the audience.
Look, whether you want me or not,
I’m kneeling before you.
What more should I do, what else should I do,
for you to look at me?
Next was Taeha. With a faint smile, he brought the song alive rhythmically.
Just from the lyrics, she had expected it to be an extremely dragging song, but it was much more rhythmic and fast-tempo than she thought.
And the vocal range is really high…!
Imduk was flustered by the vocal range, which was far higher than expected. It seemed even higher than during the interim evaluation.
Was Yeon Se-rang insane?
Did these kids even have the skill to handle this range…?
Don’t. Don’t just pass me by.
Stop for a moment and look back at me.
I’m not asking for much. Look at me.
However, the vocal line from Taeha to Yuhyun was not as weak as she expected.
No, it was actually beyond expectations.
What was interesting was that all three of them still hadn’t stood up. While seated, they only changed posture and formation until—
Right now, before you,
I’m becoming vulnerable.
Together with Taeha’s vocal line soaring upward in one burst, the three of them rose into the air as they held one another’s leashes.
Whether the place you placed me
is above tragedy or above comedy,
Baby, I'm a bit confused.
Dowon stared at the camera and recited the line as though spitting it out.
Then came the chorus.
Nevertheless,
yes, nevertheless,
I want you.
I want a chance.
nevertheless nevertheless nevertheless
Nevertheless,
yes, nevertheless,
I want light.
I want love.
nevertheless nevertheless nevertheless
Taeha sang the chorus alone—
Right now, before you,
I’m becoming ugly.
And Yuhyun answered with another soaring vocal line.
Despite the choreography consisting overall of large steps and constant running, neither of their voices wavered at all.
Whether the place you placed me
is above a stage or above a guillotine,
Baby, I'm a bit confused.
But that did not mean Dowon was staying still. In truth, he had not taken the difficult parts, but he was steadily handling the killing parts.
You know it too.
That your attention saves me
and ruins me.
But I long for you.
At the same time as Yuhyun’s part, the three of them tore the leashes off their chokers and held the cords with both hands. Then they wrapped the cords once around their bodies and turned halfway in place.
Your gaze is everything to me.
You save me and kill me again.
Bound by his own hands and turned away, Dowon slightly turned only his head and whispered while staring into the camera.
nevertheless
Then, after the three shouted at the same time, Dowon and Yuhyun threw their own cords away and grabbed both ends of Taeha’s cord.
All of that is joy to me.
Nevertheless, I want you.
Trapped within the cord the two of them held, Taeha took over the part.
This is the happy ending you gave me
But I call it a merry bad ending
But you see, I—
The cord moved again and covered Yuhyun’s eyes.
Nevertheless,
I want you.
Holy shit. Imduk covered her mouth. It was not simply because of the staging, but because Yuhyun had perfectly handled the climax that had originally belonged to Taeha.
This is insane.
Imduk decided to admit that she had become a fan.
2U-52
@NI4ksZU
No, but... no, but...
Let go of me. I’m telling you Seol Yuhyun seduced me first.
ODO
@7fecDUJ
Seo Dowon, are you insane? Showing us something like this with that giant puppy face? Are you insane..
I'm Ho!!
@imH3oi7
What about Jung Taeha’s tyrannosaurus-level visuals?
U/IZip
@aB8pRZq
Jung Taeha’s vocals were fucking GOAT again today... unbelievable
(Translator’s Note: GOAT — Internet slang meaning “Greatest of All Time,” used to praise someone as exceptionally good.)
UUUU
@it13o2r
Yuhyun was insane and the absolute best again today...
ow0
@zluqow0
How did they even bring out a concept so much like themselves and shake my heart like this?
Title: So they didn’t use the cords during the interim evaluation
∟That’s why it looked plain............................. No, it didn’t look plain at all back then either, but anyway, now that they used the cords, it’s fucking amazing.
∟Yeon Se-rang-ssi, please beat me severely for doubting you.
Title: But during the interim evaluation
∟They apparently showed both the version with cords and the version without cords.
∟Only the version without cords was aired because they didn’t want to spoil it.
∟Anyway, the other producers’ praise came after seeing the cord version.
∟When they said it was a stage more charming because there were only three people, they meant you can’t pull cords like this if there are too many peopleㅋㅋㅋ
∟They said it would cause a huge accident and exactly three people was rightㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
∟Ah, fuck, so that’s what it meant?
∟Yesssssssㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
Title: Changing the part distribution was also a god move
∟When Yuhyun sang the climax, it didn’t feel stale and was just right.
∟Agreed. It didn’t feel like Taeha was singing everything alone. It felt good because all three of them handled their parts well.
Title: Se-rang-ssi, where did you get this talent...
∟To think of gathering these three together. Just what kind of talent did you receive....
∟And to think of making these three do this insane sexy concept.... How do you even come up with something like this?
∟I thought it was a doomed combination, but it turned out to be a stock that would rise.
Even after episode two ended amid the highest praise, Se-rang continued monitoring internet and SNS reactions.
<Underdog Room>
[Trainee Seo Dowon: Producer!!!!!!! The reaction to us is really good...!!!!!ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ Is this real??ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ]
[Trainee Seol Yuhyun: ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ I can’t believe it either......Thank youㅠㅠ Producer...]
[Trainee Jung Taeha: “I’m also thankful.”]
The group chat between the trainees and Se-rang looked ready to explode long ago.
Thinking that something serious must have happened to Taeha’s keyboard, Se-rang laughed softly.
ㅇㅇ
[Congratulations, everyone. We have to run again starting tomorrow, so stop looking at your phones. I’ll do the monitoring, so everyone sleep well.]
They had to run through practice again tomorrow, so poor condition was unacceptable. After coldly sending the message, Se-rang tossed her phone aside.
She kept hearing protesting ding, ding sounds from the chat, but Se-rang ignored them.
What truly mattered was the overall popularity vote results that would be announced next week. The popularity vote had begun today.
The system was that the team with the highest combined vote count from each team’s members would debut.
Of course, this popularity vote was only the first round, so it had no actual impact on the final debut….
Still, it was an extremely important indicator because it showed the members’ practical popularity.
The problem was that while the other teams all had five members, Se-rang’s team only had three.
Since the points for two members were missing, they were naturally at a disadvantage. She had formed the team while taking that into account from the start, so there was no helping it, but—
I need to recruit new members quickly.
After the popularity vote ended, the members with higher popularity rankings would be able to choose their producers again. In other words, they could decide whether to change teams or stay on their current team.
Of course, the producers also had the right to refuse. Even if a trainee wanted to transfer, if the chosen producer rejected them, they would have to remain on their original team.
If that really happens, it’ll be incredibly awkward.
Let’s hope that kind of disaster doesn’t happen.
…Or maybe not? For ratings, that kind of disaster might actually help quite a bit.
After thinking deeply about it, Se-rang shrugged.
There was no way to know. That depended entirely on the trainees’ feelings.
Now Se-rang’s role was—
Ha Jiho, Kim Hyunseo.
To recruit at least one of those two.
And for that to happen..
Ding!
[PD Kim: That’s a good idea.]
Her plan had to work well.
[PD Kim: That’s a good idea. Let’s start filming right away.]