Chapter 101
For some reason, this situation felt oddly familiar.
It was like going back to the audition days.
Unlike back then, it wasn't a direct competition to rank people, but.
'No, come to think of it, isn't this also a competition?'
The year-end music festival stage wasn't as attention-grabbing as it used to be, but it was still a good opportunity for rookie groups to promote themselves.
'No wonder they were trying to squeeze in one more person to make the headcount six, was this the reason?'
Blackjack's intention was painfully obvious.
With their whole bodies, they were saying they wanted to take the lead role on this stage.
But what Blackjack failed to consider was that the four of us were very familiar with this kind of situation.
"Hahaha, Blackjack 'seniors'? May I say something?"
"Yes. Please go ahead."
Bu Jiseok deliberately put emphasis on the word 'senior' and looked at the Blackjack members as he spoke.
"Then you've already arranged the choreography and formations to fit seven people, right? Can we see what you've prepared first?"
"Uh... from beginning to end?"
"Yes, of course."
At Bu Jiseok's matter-of-fact response, Blackjack's Won answered with a slightly flustered expression.
"Well, we can take our time arranging the formations while practicing..."
"Huh? Then it seems like we won't be able to finish even if we practice all day today?"
"Ah, did you not prepare? Won-ssi just said they were in charge of choreography, didn't you?"
The combination of Bu Jiseok and Bu Jihun had activated.
At some point, the address had changed from 'senior' to 'ssi.'
'As expected, they're handling it well.'
While I was watching the Bu brothers with satisfaction, Blackjack's Chanhyeong answered on behalf of the flustered member.
"Th-that, it's a special stage anyway and we just met today. Shouldn't we just start practicing slowly? I don't think we need to be in such a rush..."
"Ah. Are we being too rushed? But we agreed to meet at 9 o'clock and it's already almost 10 o'clock. Time goes by so fast. At this rate, we won't be able to go home today."
"No, that's..."
"More importantly, we've already modified the choreography and formations and arranged everything. If the Blackjack members haven't prepared anything separately, shall we start practicing according to what we've arranged?"
"What? You arranged it in advance without even consulting us?"
"Ah, well, we had nothing else to do while waiting for the Blackjack members, so we prepared it in advance."
"How did you arrange the entire choreography in just 30 minutes..."
Seeing the situation getting sorted out to some extent, I stood up and said to Baek Sihyeon.
"Sihyeon, let's start from the beginning. Blackjack members, please watch once first and join in from the second time, okay?"
"Yes..."
We looked at the Blackjack members who had suddenly become quiet and naturally started the choreography according to the new formations.
'30 minutes is enough... as long as I have Sihyeon.'
Baek Sihyeon was someone who could pick up and dance most choreographies just by watching them once. With the help of the Bu brothers on top of that, it was an easy practice session after a long time.
When we started the choreography, the Blackjack members were looking at us with expressions that said, 'Alright, let's see how good you are,' but as the choreography neared its end, their expressions gradually turned blank.
"Phew, then shall we try doing it together slowly? You've memorized all the choreography, right? Let's just try it right away."
When I said that to the Blackjack members after the song ended, they hesitantly spoke.
"Well... we think we need to learn our individual parts first..."
"Ah! I see. Then we'll help you. Let's practice together."
When I said that with a smile, the Blackjack members came in front of us, now without any trace of a smile.
It ended up being a situation where we overwhelmed them with skill inadvertently, but.
Ending it like this felt somewhat unsatisfying.
Looking at the Blackjack members, I said quietly to Baek Sihyeon.
"Sihyeon."
"Yes?"
"Can you call manager hyung for me?"
"What...?"
"I think we'll have to stay in the practice room until early morning today."
At my words, I could see the faces of the Blackjack members, who were slowly warming up, freeze.
And then.
'Why are you guys getting surprised?'
The Bu brothers, who had been watching this situation with smiles until now, started showing rapid signs of anxiety after hearing my words.
"Uh-uh... we have a schedule tomorrow morning..."
"Hahaha, right. We should go back quickly..."
"I also have a schedule tomorrow morning. What time is your schedule?"
"Well, it was around 9 in the morning..."
"My schedule is at 7 in the morning."
"..."
"We should practice together, right?"
Like that, silence lingered in the practice room for a while.
***
After going out to several year-end events and broadcasts without a moment to rest, the day of the MBS Music Grand Prix arrived before I knew it.
WeUs would have about 3 stages at the Music Grand Prix, including the joint stage.
One might think that standing on stage more would be a good thing, but.
If all 3 stages were stages without any substance, it wasn't necessarily a good thing.
'They must think we're easy targets.'
A rookie group from a cable audition with high buzz but equally unworthy of proper treatment.
The position that public broadcasting stations evaluated WeUs at hadn't changed much yet.
'Well, still, giving us the main MC position means they've acknowledged us to some extent, right?'
When I was coming down from the stage, I heard the voice of Park Hanhwi, who was taking on one of the main MC positions for this Music Grand Prix, from behind.
"Yes, you've just seen the joint stage of WeUs, Zeus, and Blackjack..."
It wasn't because he was a fellow member, but even in my opinion, Park Hanhwi suited the hosting quite well.
Considering it was his first time as an MC, his tone was stable and his hosting was smooth.
Anyway.
"Wow! Everyone worked so hard!"
"Jiseok hyung, Jihun hyung worked hard too. Sihyeon and Rin hyung too!"
"WeUs still has stages left, right?"
"Yes, it's the last number of Part 1."
The cross-cover stage we had prepared had just ended.
The three Blackjack members who had shown the force of three utterly hopeless brothers when we first met.
After practicing together, I realized they weren't bad people.
It was a short time, but everyone worked hard to prepare.
In the end, we were able to finish the stage decently.
Of course, being compared to Cross was unavoidable, but.
'Let them compare if they want to. The stage itself has its limits anyway.'
It was a thought that crossed my mind only after the stage was over, but it was a stage that was nothing more or less than an event stage from the beginning.
How could anyone properly evaluate skills when the stage proceeded with lip-syncing, not live singing, without any stage equipment?
I felt somewhat empty even after finishing the stage.
While I was walking with those thoughts, I saw the Bu brothers and the Blackjack members, who had somehow become close, laughing and chatting.
'So this is how you become close with idol groups around you while doing stages like this?'
Although these special stages were annoying, this aspect wasn't too bad.
At that moment, Chanhyeong of Blackjack, who was walking ahead of us with the Bu brothers, spoke to me and Baek Sihyeon.
"Rin hyung, Sihyeon. Let's take a picture together to post on our SNS."
"Sure."
"Okay!"
After taking a group photo and then photos with each Blackjack member one by one, I was finally able to return to the waiting room.
"Great work!"
"Sihyeon danced the best as expected, didn't he?"
When I entered the waiting room, Sim Sungha and Woo Jungwoo welcomed us first.
I could also see Yujin Kim monitoring the stage in the corner of the waiting room.
"Did Ajin go to prepare for the stage?"
"Yes, she just left."
Kang Ajin, who went to prepare for the special stage, and Park Hanhwi, who was currently hosting as MC.
Since WeUs's stage was the last one of Part 1, it was hard to even count how many times our members appeared in just Part 1.
It was also a strange experience to be packed into only Part 1 and not be able to stand on the Part 2 stage.
"Ajin's stage is next after this order."
When I sat down next to Yujin Kim, Yujin Kim spoke to me. I nodded and looked at the screen together with Yujin Kim.
When Park Hanhwi's face appeared on the screen, Sim Sungha and Woo Jungwoo grumbled.
"Ugh, I could host well too if I got the chance."
"Wouldn't it be fun if the two of us did it? Right, Rin hyung?"
"Fun... I suppose it would be."
"Hanhwi hyung isn't usually like that, but whenever he goes to official events, he becomes too stiff."
"That's right. You need to be ready to let go of everything like us. That's how the atmosphere comes alive..."
I didn't know those two were aiming for the MC position.
I should tell the company in advance to exclude those two if there's an MC position for an awards ceremony or event next time.
Major accidents must be prevented in advance.
While I was making a mental resolution as I looked at Sim Sungha and Woo Jungwoo.
"Oh! It's Ajin!"
Finally, Kang Ajin appeared on stage.
The song selection of this team, composed of four members in total along with three members from other groups, was.
-I don't know, aing aing
What do I do, what do I do, I really don't know
'Umm...'
Four men were showing on stage the hit song
Starting with the soul-departed expression of the member who began the first part, a literally chaotic party was happening on stage right now.
Not long after, Kang Ajin, wearing a cute large ribbon headband, stepped out to the center of the stage.
-The electric current is tingly tingly tingly tingly
Love is thrilling thrilling thrilling
Unlike the other three whose souls had departed, Kang Ajin's expression standing on stage looked very lively.
"She's a pro..."
"She's a pro."
We naturally let out exclamations at Kang Ajin's professionalism.
Unlike the atmosphere of the people on stage, this stage, which was receiving the biggest cheers among all the stages so far, was gradually reaching its climax.
-Will you pick the stars from the night sky and give them to me?
Oh Darling! I Love You!
My hands and feet tingled as I watched the stage.
On stage, the three people with expressions that looked like they were about to achieve enlightenment were flailing their limbs in a state of unconsciousness.
Amidst that, Kang Ajin, who was dancing hard with her two eyes sparkling all by herself, stood out even more on stage.
-Hurry and accept me!
Please! Don't Say GoodBye~~~~
When the highlight part of this song arrived, the four people on stage took out magic wands from their back pockets, turned on the lights, and waved them.
It was truly a spectacle that made one uncomfortable to watch.
After watching Kang Ajin's cute aegyo, I soon turned my gaze away from the screen.
A colleague's business side was a bit more cruel than I had thought.
After confirming that the song had ended like that, I slowly let out a sigh and said to Yujin Kim.
"Yujin, let's not make Ajin do things like that from now on."
And at my words, Yujin Kim stared at me for a moment before answering quietly.
"Hyung, I sent her out on that stage because Ajin said she wanted to do it."
"...?"
Having learned the truth I didn't know, I tightly closed both eyes for a moment.