I Don't Want to Debut 44 - Hyacinth in Bloom

-44-

The reactions from various communities were far more explosive than Bunhong had expected. Among them, the member who received the most attention was Han Chayeon. The video that Kim Bunhong had secretly filmed of Chayeon helping his grandmother was also released, and along with some criticism that it was somewhat contrived, excessive criticisms poured in from everywhere.

However, thanks to this, it became an opportunity that was actually a blessing in disguise for them, as they could learn about how Chayeon had conducted himself normally. This was because testimonies from classmates from the middle and high schools Han Chayeon attended, as well as fellow trainees he had worked with, poured out endlessly. They all said in unison that in reality, he was even more so, and that he wasn’t the kind of friend who could act like that even if it were fake.

Anyway, today was the day of the position evaluation. Since it wasn’t just a simple recorded broadcast but would be revealed in real-time through an internet site, today’s evaluation was very important.

As the real-time streaming began, viewers connected and comments were posted non-stop.

ㄴLook at AT Entertainment’s building ㅋㅋ The color looks good ^^?

ㄴOne of the building’s bricks must have been built by me ㅠㅠ How much money did I spend……

ㄴUm, but isn’t Oh Hangeul coming out?

And the trainees showing off their various talents were captured on camera.

ㄴClass A is really different. Just came back from watching Class B’s real-time streaming ㅋㅋ

One trainee picked up a booklet from somewhere, rolled it into a circle to make a paper megaphone, brought it to his mouth, and shouted with all his might.

“Today we’re introducing AT Entertainment’s legendary trainee!”

All those in the chatroom who had briefly mocked with ‘Ew ㅋㅋㅋㅋ What is this, Pokémon? ㅋㅋ’ were soon shouting one name in unison. Han Chayeon!

However, the person who appeared with enthusiastic cheers was someone else.

“Ha. Did you call for this body?”

The scratch on his eyebrow wriggled up and down. He seemed triumphant, as if responding because they called so earnestly. Saying he got a crick in his neck from sitting in the corner for too long, Duho appeared cracking his neck up and down, and his confident charm left the chatroom so captivated that for a while, there was such a great silence that really, no words were posted at all. If this had been a comic, the atmosphere would have been so cold that a bird would have passed by with three large quotation marks.

By the way, the only comment was ‘??’. Oh, there was also this: ‘But didn’t that person earnestly eat hot bar in the practice room earlier? Is it okay for an idol trainee to eat such things?’

Chayeon watched this and said.

“Duho’s charm shows in freestyle rap.”

Huh? This was a fact even Kim Bunhong didn’t know. Toward him opening his eyes wide, Chayeon pulled up one corner of his mouth and smiled smugly, and since Bunhong had never seen him make such an expression before, he was quite surprised.

“I was about to quit being a trainee after seeing that mess, but came back at the last moment.”

“……”

“If I’m with that guy, it seems like whatever we do, we can do it enjoyably.”

“……”

“One thing for sure is that at least I don’t think I’ll have regrets.”

At Chayeon’s words, Bunhong thought.

‘This is burdensome.’

Unlike Duho and Han Chayeon, who had established positions, Kim Bunhong, a rookie trainee who hadn’t been there long, had to decide on one field among dancing, singing, and rap to showcase.

When Bunhong said he would dance, one of the giggling trainees played ‘that’ song as expected.

The title was Venus. It wasn’t difficult, but it had many high-difficulty moves that required applying basic movements, and it was also a song the current trainees were learning day and night. Except for Han Chayeon, everyone usually stumbled through it.

However, from what Bunhong had grasped through years of experience, there were principles to dancing too. The first thing you learn when entering dance is simple basic movements. Next, you learn how to connect those movements. By repeatedly memorizing these, you can naturally master the next movements as well. The dance trainer teacher expressed this as ‘drawing the foundation.’ To complete a work, being faithful to the basics first was important.

Kim Bunhong’s situation of being almost forcibly made to dance to that song along with the arbitrarily played music. Han Chayeon, who thought the situation itself was unreasonable for Kim Bunhong no matter how objectively he tried to look at it, hesitantly stepped forward.

“But Bunhong hasn’t been a trainee for very long, and if you make him do something that wasn’t prepared in advance……”

Who is that? He’s handsome. Negative public opinion began forming instantly in the chatroom that started murmuring.

ㄴThey’re telling him to dance to a song he’s hearing for the first time? The other kids seem to have prepared a lot

ㄴBut kids who look like that are always really bad at dancing ㅋㅋ

ㄴHis art style is completely different from the other members ㅋㅋ It would have been better if he debuted with OORA, though he does look young for that

ㄴIf he debuts, he’ll be the face? Honestly, that’s probably about it

The trainer teacher, who had been quietly watching the situation with arms crossed, stepped forward as if mediating and said.

“Then Chayeon, you can show him once. Tell him to try following along.”

At the same time, a comment appeared in the chatroom.

ㄴStill, he’s Class A in name, so he must have some skill

As if delivering a finishing blow, the trainer teacher finished speaking.

“You’re Class A, aren’t you?”

Did they want to publicly humiliate him? Even the trainees who had been bullying Kim Bunhong were all thinking the same thing at that moment, when the body of Bunhong, who had been standing quietly, began to tremble slightly. Chayeon, who thought he was trembling with fear, looked at him worriedly, but actually Kim Bunhong’s inner feelings were clearly different from Han Chayeon’s expectations.

‘This is, so much…… things are flowing exactly as I hoped, it’s scary.’

For today, for this day, he had hidden all his skills while even catering to the trainees’ moods. Feeling his whole body tingling, Kim Bunhong parted his lips and said one thing.

“……I’ll give it a try.”

At those words spat out without hesitation like a challenge, the camera lenses, the gazes of everyone present, were fixed on him.

Soon, the music began to flow again. When Kim Bunhong connected the movements Han Chayeon had shown as if flowing water, he made a quite surprised expression at the unexpected result.

It wasn’t the level of skill a trainee who had just entered dance would show. Kim Bunhong planned to imitate the choreography of the song these people had been practicing during the past time ‘as if seeing it for the first time.’ He had been watching and would perfectly follow along. So that their criticism that he had wasted a week would transform into meaningless nonsense.

He almost forgot. This place was an ecosystem where you had to step on others first to avoid being torn apart. No matter how low Kim Bunhong’s level was, he was someone who had already debuted with BLACK once. And in the music industry, BLACK was a group famous for their knife-like group choreography.

Among the trainees who were nothing but minnows, wouldn’t even Kim Bunhong be like an ascended imugi? Moreover, this song they had been practicing all along was choreography he had repeated dozens, no, hundreds of times here when he was a trainee.

The performance wasn’t difficult. He just had to show it. The difference in level between them and himself. Coincidentally, he was in top condition.

Before, each movement had been burdensome as if he were carrying weights, but unlike usual, his body was strangely light to an odd degree.

As if he were on ice, even the friction his sneakers created on the floor was minimized, feeling only smooth.

Kim Bunhong continued the next, and then the next movement without rest. When he successfully completed the highest difficulty movement that many trainees had stumbled over, his cheeks began to flush with excitement.

Seunghyun, who had continued to ignore him, shouted while glaring at him with a wronged expression as if he had been deceived.

“What. You, dancing…… didn’t you say you never learned it?”

There seemed to be a hint of resentment gathering around his eyes.

And Kim Bunhong knew perfectly how to make people despair. That was simply to show a level that reached an insurmountable wall of talent.

He never lied. He just smiled sweetly at that question without denying it. A moment of silence flowed.

After a while,

“Oh, Kim Bunhong looks pretty cool?”

Whistle- Duho was the first to break the silence among the still dazed people and whistled.

Chayeon, who had been watching from behind, also muttered to himself.

“If he’s that good, he’s quite something? Clean. Nothing to criticize.”

It was much better skill than what he had witnessed by chance in the practice room at dawn. Chayeon, who discovered a shadow that had somehow flowed in like a stray cat and was secretly watching them while standing at the doorway, casually tapped his shoulder and spoke to him.

“And you know the inside of the practice room is non-smoking, right?”

“……I know.”

Ido, who felt even more regretful at those words, just chewed the innocent filter.

“Jeong Ido. As expected, he’s worthy of being the kid you specifically brought. He seems to have that kind of talent.”

“You promised.”

Talent? While snorting at Chayeon’s praise toward Bunhong, Ido answered with a voice full of excitement. As if feeling conflicted, his voice had somehow become subdued.

“That it would be different……”