Chapter 44
Translator 8uhl
Chapter 44
Chapter Title Center Secured and Smooth Practice
After the leader was decided, the part distribution went very smoothly.
So, lets take volunteers for center. Anyone want to give it a shot?
The center position that takes up an overwhelming amount of the spotlight.
It anchors the chorus and even gets solo shots in the highlight parts.
So honestly, I wouldnt have been surprised if all five of us volunteered for center.
Are you really not going to do it?
I realized it the moment I heard the track. No matter what anyone says, center belongs to Karis.
Karis is the best! Its a perfect match!
Ken, arent you Japanese? Whered you learn perfect match from?
My agency friends taught me all sorts of expressions.
Only I volunteered for center.
Even Song Hyeongbin cleanly stepped back, which surprised me.
I wanted subvocal 1 the most. And like I just said, after hearing the original track two or three times, I felt like this song fits Karis better than anyone.
Even if he said that, Song Hyeongbin was probably regulating his inner pressure.
He was already drawing all the attention as it was.
If he took both leader and center, it would create the perfect conditions for antis to pile on.
They could trash him like hes number one but doesnt care about the other trainees and is just being greedy. Its a perfectly reasonable choice.
I was thrilled to snag the center part without much hassle.
Id secretly hoped for a hidden mission to secure center again this time, but the system stayed silent.
Once vocal and dance positions were all set, Song Hyeongbin immediately put on his earphones.
Then lets divide roles and get moving fast. Ill handle the choreography and formations first, so everyone practice your parts and memorize the vocals in rotation?
MMe, mme, mme! Ill do my best to help, even if my skills are lacking!
Heo Yubin raised his trembling hand.
The rest of the team burst into laughter at the sight.
You wont drop out or anything! Yubin sings way, way better than me. Looking forward to working with you!
ThThanks.
I gave a faint smile before snapping back to focus.
This wasnt the time to just sit around grinning.
Securing center meant a ton of screen time, so there was a ton to prepare.
Raising proficiency while maintaining my current stats is the best approach.
No matter how many skill points Id saved, I couldnt blow them all at once.
Especially since higher ranks demand more proficiency and skill points.
I wanted to rush more Arank stats, but if I did, the proficiency gauges wouldnt keep up.
The requirement for Arank is 60. Imagining that for multiple stats makes my head spin. Its not urgent right now, so holding steady is the smart play.
If things got truly desperate, I could always hit the Lucky Draw shop.
The gacha element was the problem, thoughvariables could pop up.
Last time, I lucked out with the amplifier item. If the goddess of luck didnt smile on me
I shook my head.
Enough stray thoughts. Time to practice the song.
We spent the day getting familiar with it.
Song Hyeongbin quietly nailed the choreography and formations, directing us through repetitive drills.
The rest of us honed our feel for it with main vocal Heo Yubins guidance.
Then, that night brought a different scene.
Karis hyung. I tried mixing that synth pop and rock you mentioned. Want to hear it?
Heo Yubin, alone in the composition room fiddling with an electronic piano and laptop, called me over past 2 a.m.
Despite his tired look, he beamed with pride, so I went eagerly.
Hmm.
What do you think? Is it good?
After hearing up to the chorus.
Its beyond expectations.
Huh?
You did a brilliant job.
I couldnt help but clap Heo Yubin hard on the shoulder.
I always tried to stay composed on camera.
But after hearing the arranged track, any caution flew out of my head.
You nailed the exact image I had in mind. And this is just one days work?
Yeah. I kept it simple
I cant wait to hear the finished version.
Heo Yubin, whod handled the arrangement, knew exactly what that meant.
Vitality surged into his eyes like mad.
YYeah, keeping the dark vibe while speeding up the tempo worked! It matches what you envisionedsuch a relief!
He looked ready to dive right back into composing.
Watching him, a conceptrelated idea suddenly hit me.
With this vibe and lyrics our outfits could go like this.
Like how?
I added details about the costumes, and Heo Yubin even clapped.
Ive always wanted to try a concept like this! Oh, but can someone as scrawny and fraillooking as me pull it off?
Body type has nothing to do with it.
I nodded at the relatively small and slender Heo Yubin.
Grand Quest Saga had plenty of young princes like that.
Karis von Waldens brother, Ray von Walden, had that exact image.
A prince is a prince from birth.
Height and build dont matter.
Yubin, come with me.
Where to?
Work like this and these ideas need to be reported to the leader.
We headed to the choreography practice room.
Sure enough, the lights were still blazing.
There was Song Hyeongbin, hood up, diligently practicing moves.
I tapped the wall.
Hyeongbin, you busy by any chance?
Huh? Oh, no! Come on in. Whats up?
Song Hyeongbin grinned and pulled out his earphones.
His sweatsoaked bangs hinted at how long hed been at it.
When I shared Heo Yubins arrangement and costume ideas, Song Hyeongbin shot up a thumbsup.
I couldnt have imagined getting this far in just a day. Its awesome? I want to hear more ASAP.
Thank you! The brainstorming we did together yesterday really paid off.
Yubin, youre the one who created something from nothing with that idea. You deserve more credit.
WWouldnt that come off as too arrogant?
Not at all.
Song Hyeongbin watched us converse naturally, eyes sharp.
I felt his gaze instinctively, even without trying.
You two seem really close.
Weve been in the same cell and on stage together since the level test. I was super shy at first, but Karis hyungs been so approachableIm always grateful.
Youre too kind, Yubin.
Song Hyeongbins eyes stayed fixed on me.
Just as I wondered how long hed stare, he stretched and stood.
Then lets share the arranged version and costume ideas with everyone in the morning. You guys head back and rest. You must be beat.
Hyung, get some sleep too!
See you tomorrow.
Wed grown attached to Cell 31, but now wed moved to Cell 12.
Heo Yubin was still my roommate, but Hashimoto Ken was fast asleep in Kang Siyoons old spot.
Siyoon hyungs doing okay, right?
Heo Yubin asked as he finished prepping to wash up.
Hed been thinking the same thing.
Siyoon will handle his share wherever he goes. No need to worry too much.
Yeah youre right.
Practice for the song proceeded very smoothly.
Thanks to Heo Yubin tackling the arrangement early, everything stayed a beat ahead of schedule.
Choreo and vocals clicked into place just as planned.
Days passed like that, leaving exactly one day until the judges midevaluation.
With this prep, we should dodge any harsh criticism at least.
As usual, I wrapped practice at 3 a.m. and headed back.
Dragging my exhausted body to the cell, Heo Yubin and Hashimoto Kenwhod finished personal practice hours earlierwere already deep in dreamland.
Snoooore
I washed up listening to their steady breathing.
After drying off, I finally lowered myself toward the bed.
Knock knock knock.
Karis. Karis, you there?
Someone rapped on Cell 12s door.
Yes, Im here.
I opened it to find Song Hyeongbin waiting, faint dark circles under his eyes.
I studied his face for a moment.
Hmm, doesnt look like he came because hes in a good mood.
I was about to ask what was up.
Song Hyeongbin spoke first, fidgeting with his fingers.
Could you help me out a bit?
An unexpected request.
Right now, number one in Idol Training Simulation.
The allrounder whod consecutively taken on leader roles.
Song Hyeongbin, popular among trainees for his affable personality, asking someone for help.
But Id halfexpected this.
Of course I can help. Where should we talk?
Song Hyeongbin and I headed down to the firstfloor lounge in the dorm building.
I sat in the plush chair and fixed my gaze on the silent Song Hyeongbin.
Sorry to drag you out like this. Its really nothing big.
Doesnt matter what it is. Just say it comfortably.
Song Hyeongbins lips quirked up slightly.
You tell me to drop the formalities, but youre still talking to me like Im a teacher. It hurts my feelings?
Im used to using polite speech with anyone older by a year. Borrowing from Yubin, Ill call you hyung from now on.
Yeah, do that.
What on earth was this about, insisting on casual speech first?
Its not a huge deal. Im just personally a bit worried and wanted to vent to a trustworthy friend.
Have I earned that much trust from you, hyung?
Out of everyone Ive met, you seem to understand this topic the best.
Song Hyeongbin fiddled with the water bottle hed brought.
You know I was leader in the first round. And as you know, keeping team harmony was a real struggle.
I think the problem was teammates only looking out for themselves.
Hahaha. You could see it that way, no issue. But I still regret not mediating better in that situation. In the end, those guys just wanted to survive too. If Id communicated better and led them right, things mightve gone differentlyI cant stop thinking that.
As I kept looking at Song Hyeongbin, his Status Window suddenly popped up.
Under the dazzling stats, the status ailment Indecisive started blinking.
I let out a quiet sigh in my mind.
I need to cut straight to it without dragging things out.