Summer Beach
“Whoa! What was that just now? When did you practice that?”
“Huh? Oh, that... ”
At that moment, Jihyun let out a massive cheer and grabbed Ye-eun's hand tightly. Ye-eun looked pretty flustered by Jihyun's action, stammering a bit. But luckily, Jihyun didn't seem to find Ye-eun's reaction odd at all. She flashed a huge grin and shouted,
“Let's do it again! This time, I'll dance with you! Oppa, put on some music!”
“Huh? Oh, yeah.”
I nodded quickly and played Yuri's U-Go-Girl. Jihyun started dancing first to the beat, and Ye-eun followed right after.
“Wow.”
Eunha, sitting next to me, let out a soft gasp of admiration. But it wasn't just her. Everyone in the park, including me, was cheering and watching the two of them dance. Some people were even filming them with their smartphones. When the dance finally ended, the applause was thunderous—way louder than before.
“Thank you! Thank you!”
Jihyun beamed, waving her hands happily amid the cheers, while Ye-eun glanced around with a complicated expression. She looked dissatisfied about something. I handed them water bottles and asked,
“Wanna do more?”
“Yeah, let's do a few more. You too, right, Ye-eun?”
Ye-eun looked surprised for a split second at Jihyun's question, then shook her head.
“I need a break.”
“Why? Already tired?”
“Yeah, a little...”
Ye-eun took the water bottle from me and sat down next to Eunha. Jihyun pouted briefly but soon asked me to play music again and resumed practicing alone. Meanwhile, I sat back on the bench and asked Ye-eun,
“What happened?”
“Well... I got a notification saying my dance stat went up, just like Eunha-unnie.”
“What? Why didn't you say anything?”
“I didn't think it'd change this much.”
Ye-eun frowned slightly as she replied. Eunha, who had been watching quietly, grabbed Ye-eun's hand and asked,
“Anywhere hurt?”
“No. If anything, it feels better... Before, dancing always felt a bit off, like something was creaky. But now... nothing like that.”
She was right—up until yesterday, Ye-eun's dancing had always felt like it was missing something. Today, though, it was flawless, like watching a seasoned pro.
“Isn't that a good thing?” I ventured carefully.
Ye-eun bowed her head and murmured quietly,
“It is, but... it feels unfair. Like cheating...”
She had a point—it was a cheat. That's what the Manager App was, after all. But not using what you had would be stupid. I exchanged a glance with Eunha, then grabbed Ye-eun's arm.
“That doesn't make it your fault.”
“...”
Ye-eun didn't respond, so I looked to Eunha for help. She quickly grabbed Ye-eun's other arm and chimed in,
“Yeah, it's not on us.”
“Still...”
“And we can't say for sure it's that masked guy's doing.”
“Ah...”
Ye-eun let out a small gasp at Eunha's words. Just then, the song ended, and Jihyun came over, panting hard. She chugged her water, then stuck out her hand to Ye-eun.
“Ye-eun, let's dance!”
“I...”
“No buts! Everyone's waiting for you! Opportunities like this don't come easy!”
Jihyun dragged her along relentlessly, and Ye-eun finally stood up with a resigned look.
“...Oppa, music!”
I played the song they'd practiced yesterday. Ye-eun and Jihyun started dancing in sync to it, and the crowd erupted in cheers again. It definitely drew more eyes with both of them together than Jihyun alone.
Man, quite a crowd's gathering.
At first, when Ye-eun danced solo, there were only about a dozen people. Now, over forty had circled us to watch. Even passersby on the road were coming over, curious.
...This is getting huge.
It felt like we were putting on a street performance.
“Instead of this, wanna try what we practiced yesterday?”
Jihyun asked, looking back and forth between Eunha and Ye-eun. The two immediately looked horrified.
“Huh? B-but...”
“Yeah, we haven't even finished practicing...”
As they tried to back out, Jihyun grabbed their hands.
“Chances like this are rare! Look, everyone's waiting!”
She was spot on. How often do you get to dance and sing in front of this many people?
“Yeah, go for it.”
Once I agreed, Ye-eun and Eunha wavered. After a moment, they nodded faintly and stood facing me. I chuckled softly and shook my head.
“...Not me—the audience.”
I gestured toward the crowd. The three let out small gasps and turned around. I queued up Mamimu's Eum O A Ye for the prelims.
“Oh, yes! Eum o a ye!”
“I'm falling for you, my heart keeps racing.”
“Oh, yes! Eum o a ye!”
“Yeah, I'm coming closer. You're my type, ace.”
Eunha was a beat late, but Jihyun and Ye-eun covered it seamlessly, making it look intentional. Eunha blushed, realizing her slip, but pushed forward into her part.
“You passed by my side. Our eyes met. Style so fine~ Feels so right~.”
Her youthful voice filled the park, bringing a smile to my face.
“Nothing special about today, but you make it heat up~ Love today~ Eum o a ye.”
As Eunha finished, Ye-eun stepped up for the rap.
“First plan! Exclamation! The guy I've been searching for! Eum o a ye, yes!”
After all that practice yesterday, she nailed the lyrics perfectly today. Then Eunha whispered forward again.
“Smooth talk like this, what do you think?”
“Hmm, second plan. Pull first! Oo, pupils shaking, second hand standby Q! Ah, got time for tea? Yes, how's that?”
As the rap ended, Jihyun surged ahead with the chorus.
“Oh, yes! Eum o a ye! I'm falling for you, my heart keeps racing.”
“Oh, yes! Eum o a ye! Yeah, I'm coming closer. You're my type, ace.”
Jihyun flowed so smoothly, you could've sworn she was a pro singer. While we admired it, Eunha swapped with her.
“I'll follow instinct. Won't hide myself. Today I'm different~ Making the first move.”
“Steps all proud, words full of charm. The way you look at me, eum o a ye.”
Ye-eun stepped up again for rap.
“Help me. Got time? Help a girl out! You're messing with all my senses. That smile you drop without warning, oom! Anyone would cry at your manners, oh!”
Ye-eun spun once, and Jihyun hooked her arm into Ye-eun's, continuing the rap.
“Skin so smooth you'd swear she's a girl, a ye! Your whole existence draws gasps! Eum o a ye, can't help it! Heating up! Holic, shh~.”
Eunha rushed forward breathlessly for the chorus.
“Oh, yes! Eum o a ye! I'm falling for you, my heart keeps racing.”
“Oh, yes! Eum o a ye! Yeah, I'm coming closer. You're my type, ace.”
Toward the end, Ye-eun and Jihyun flanked Eunha for the finale.
“Your voice too. Oh, yes!”
“Your eyes too. Oh, yes!”
“Everything about you~~! From head to toe, all oh, yes!”
“Seeing you now, oh, yes!”
“Seeing you, oh, yes!”
“Just us two, oh, yes!”
“Duru ru duru ru oh, yes!”
The three sang together up to there, then slowly spread out, leaving Eunha center.
“This heating vibe~ The distance between us.”
Ye-eun sang from the side.
“A girl walks between us. Right on time.”
Jihyun followed.
“Is she your girlfriend, or just a friend? She's coming closer.”
Eunha grabbed Ye-eun's arm and asked,
“Unnie, who's this girl?”
“A girl? Oh, my god!”
Jihyun hammed up a shocked face with gestures, then kept singing. Eunha and Ye-eun joined in naturally.
“Oh, yes! Eum o a ye! I'm falling for you, my heart keeps racing.”
“Oh, yes! Eum o a ye! Yeah, I'm coming closer. You're my type, ace.”
“Your voice too. Oh, yes!”
“Your eyes too. Oh, yes!”
“Oh! Everything about you from head to toe, oh, yes!”
They finished with a group hug and waves. The crowd applauded wildly, cheering them on.
It's tough. Boo hoo. *Lyrics corrected.