Chapter 4

Chapter 4.

- The sensation that guides me

These are the rules that repeat

Calling forth perfect harmony

His outstretched arms moved with precision.

His feet struck the stage in time with the beat, producing crisp sounds.

The appropriate control of strength and softness in his clean, fluid dance movements revealed undeniable fundamentals and well-developed power.

'Right... I remember now.'

His dancing ability alone was already comparable to that of an active idol.

Only when that thought crossed his mind was the producer finally able to dredge up a memory from the days of Catch One.

Soyuseong...

His final grade had probably been a B.

He had initially given him a D.

While there were those who lacked skill but possessed a professional level of talent when it came to showing off their charm-

There were also those who, despite being skilled, moved awkwardly and even looked pitiful. Yuseong had belonged to the latter category.

He wasn't bad, but everything he did looked difficult.

In short, he lacked the charm expected of an idol.

There had been no particular reason to give him a high score.

The producer loosely crossed his arms and leaned forward, resting his body heavily against the table.

- Enough now

Shall we stop, aren't you tired of it

Girl what you want

I know you want it

Yuseong was practically flying across the stage.

His skillful facial expressions and effortless sense of performance were almost addictive.

Eventually, the producer even lifted the sunglasses he was wearing and looked at him with his bare eyes.

The shortened arrangement of the song was already approaching the third chorus.

It was a section where the modified choreography broke the beat into smaller subdivisions, building the atmosphere to a climax before releasing it.

'I'd completely understand if he couldn't sing this part, as long as he dances well. It's quite difficult, though. I wonder if he can manage...'

- Then took it off

Look at the hidden truth

Look at what's been revealed

The rules rules rules

Yet he managed all of it.

Even though it was difficult to perform such intense movements while delivering every lyric without missing a word, Yuseong did not even appear out of breath.

Crossing the center of the stage, he stepped lightly, made a half-turn, and popped his chest.

The expression he made while narrowing one eye blended perfectly with the movement, drawing cheers from all around.

The stage seemed completely filled despite him standing there alone.

It was truly an overwhelming presence.

Anyone would think this was his own song.

The producer caught himself thinking that and hurriedly dismissed the thought.

Just then, Yuseong turned his head, and their eyes met.

Although it was merely part of the choreography, the gesture of his hand sweeping across the front left the producer with the strange feeling that it had been aimed directly at him.

- The rules

We created

His pleasantly deep voice brought the performance to an end.

Yuseong bowed deeply.

'...Good grief. So you can do it after all?'

If he had shown a performance like that earlier, he would have debuted long ago.

By the time exclamations of "Oh!" and "Wow!" erupted from either side of him, the producer had straightened his posture.

“You can really tell the difference when someone has experience~ Right?”

“There's definitely a difference. Wow, that was amazing!”

When another mentor opened the discussion with a broad smile, voices of agreement came from all around.

“The way he moves his body is already~ no joke~ With skills like these, you should be sitting right here in my seat!”

“You must have practiced a lot. Your vocals didn't waver at all.”

“I especially liked the tone of your voice. But why haven't you debuted yet...?”

Yuseong smiled with a flushed face, repeatedly expressing his thanks before neatly clasping both hands in front of him.

The producer placed his sunglasses on the table and brought the microphone to his mouth.

“Did you make a contract with the devil in the meantime? Looks like you've leveled up.”

His expression was relaxed as he said it.

“To be honest... I couldn't really remember what you were like during the previous audition, Mr. Soyuseong. But watching your performance today brought it back. Back then, I honestly thought you were really... well, lacking in charm. That was my impression.”

“...”

“Today was different. I enjoyed your performance. You did well.”

His tone was dry, but everyone present knew that this was the highest praise he was capable of giving.

Soon, the mentors huddled together to discuss the evaluation, quietly exchanging written notes.

In their hearts, everyone was calling for an A, but what was actually written on the paper was B.

[B?]

[B.]

At present, it was the highest grade they could give Yuseong, an independent trainee brought in to fill a vacant spot.

The same restriction would apply to another evaluation scheduled to take place later.

The trainees who could receive an A were either members of the 'debut lineup' the producer had selected in advance or a select few he particularly liked and had decided to give extra screen time.

No one knew exactly what his criteria for liking someone were, but Yuseong's name was not on that list.

At that moment, someone wrote down an A.

“Let's go with this.”

It was the producer.

“But...”

“Don't worry. I'll win.”

After whispering those words, he glanced at the show's producer, who was standing far away with his weight shifted onto one leg.

What did he mean by winning?

Was he planning to persuade the producer?

Why was he suddenly being so proactive?

Puzzled glances passed between the mentors several times, but the producer remained firm in his stance.

“Don't you all think the same thing anyway?”

He meant that none of them disagreed that Soyuseong deserved an A.

And he was right.

Thus, the grade they settled on was-

“It's an A.”

The score was finalized regardless of whether the show's producer was fuming by himself.

Yuseong smiled in the face of thunderous applause.

“Thank you!”

___________

[Charm 90]

When he checked immediately after coming down from the stage, his Charm stat had risen by ten points.

By the time he went backstage, received his grade badge, and returned to his seat in the audience near the stage, it had gone back down to 80.

'A success.'

If 90 was already this effective, what would happen when it reached 100?

In any case, choosing that producer as the target of his 'Enchantment' skill had been an extremely wise decision.

Though he had been half in doubt because of the sunglasses covering the man's eyes, and had persistently tried to catch his gaze.

Just as with the writer he had seen in front of the studio, he had noticed a brief flash of yellow light above the man's head when the skill activated, so it must have worked.

The producer's name was Seo Jihyeok.

While cramming information about Catch One, Yuseong had learned that he was the central figure among the mentors.

Thanks to the exceptionally prestigious success he had achieved in his career, no one dared treat him carelessly.

Active performers and everyone who worked with him alike practically revered him.

If he had to name the one person among them who could stand on equal footing with the show's producer, it would probably be Seo Jihyeok.

On the other hand, he was also someone who received considerable criticism from viewers.

Usually, it was the fandoms of trainees who had received negative evaluations from him causing an uproar.

Yuseong had seen several comments telling him to stop making personal attacks.

Though he wasn't sure yet whether the man was really that bad.

The chances of receiving generous praise from someone so notoriously demanding were extremely low.

And if someone like him gave a contestant a favorable evaluation?

It was obviously perfect material for the broadcast.

It was bound to become a hot topic.

That was precisely what Yuseong had been aiming for, and the results had turned out far better than he had intended.

'The show's producer knows better than anyone what makes good footage... so he won't be able to cut it carelessly. Go ahead and try.'

If he could also become the center for the signal song, that would be even better.

He leisurely tidied his disheveled hair and waited for the next performance.

“Trainee Lee Ijun... B.”

“Trainee Kim Hwanyeong, A.”

“Trainee Seo Juan... A.”

Once the contestant numbers passed the forties, quite a few high-ranking contestants, including those receiving A grades, began to appear.

Although none were from major entertainment agencies, several came from smaller and medium-sized agencies that had produced famous idols.

There were also quite a few who emphasized their backgrounds, such as being former members of disbanded idol groups, former models, or having actors for parents.

“Hello, we're Seong Iseong from Blank Entertainment-”

“And Kang Chan.”

Seong Iseong, who had just appeared, was another such case.

During the break, Yuseong had overheard several trainees whispering that the guy was... apparently the show's producer's nephew.

He thought they had said the producer was his maternal uncle.

'Whether that's true or not, they say he's definitely the producer's pick. If rumors are already circulating, he must be pushing him pretty openly. Tsk.'

His agency was also the same one as the solo singer appearing as a mentor.

She firmly warned them that, even so, she would evaluate them strictly and fairly.

And the grade Iseong received was A.

The trainee who appeared with him received a C.

Surprisingly, Iseong possessed enough star quality and skill to deserve an A.

And what about his appearance?

Softly waving wheat-colored hair, delicate facial contours, and slender eyes with slightly upturned corners.

His beauty was exactly the sort young people these days would like, making him the complete package. Anyone could see that he was destined for the debut lineup.

He'd probably become popular even if they left him alone... Looks like he's going to have an easy road to success.

'Wait... then could we end up debuting together?'

As Yuseong quietly watched Iseong return to his seat, their eyes happened to meet.

He thought it might not be a bad idea to win him over in advance... but then.

'...He's pretending he didn't see me.'

Iseong immediately turned his head away, leaving him no opportunity.

It wasn't something worth worrying about, though. After all, they would have plenty more opportunities to encounter each other in the future.

There would be more than enough chances.

-...♪

Some time passed, and the grade evaluation of the eighty-seventh and final trainee came to an end.

Barely any time had passed since someone called "Cut!" when music suddenly burst out at a high volume.

It was an impromptu random dance session during the intermission.

So much for it being a break.

But since they needed to capture footage for behind-the-scenes content, there was nothing to be done.

The trainees who had been sitting in their seats drinking sponsored beverages hurriedly rushed forward.

Yuseong also watched for a suitable opportunity before quietly getting to his feet.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a camera trying to follow him.

'But how am I supposed to...?'

The problem was that although he knew the songs, he didn't know the dances.

Still, as he glanced around and moved to the rhythm, his body began moving on its own.

Perhaps it was obvious that he was picking up the choreography in real time, because several trainees nearby approached to teach him.

They probably wanted to create some heartwarming footage.

He gladly went along with them, creating a warm and friendly atmosphere.

- Ooh~ like sour soda cream in me, me

Oh, oh, oh, oh

Oh, oh, oh, oh want some?

It was a song by a girl group that was currently popular.

The sight of young men who had been showing off their cool and sexy sides just moments ago lining up and adorably poking at the air with the song's signature choreography was quite a spectacle.

All the more so because Yuseong was no exception.

Hardly anyone held back.

Perhaps because acting cute like this could sometimes be an effective way to appeal to viewers.

However, Yuseong soon noticed someone standing alone with his back to the camera, wearing a faintly sour expression.

Kim Hwanyeong... I think that was his name.

Ah... So he's one of those types who say, 'I'm not an idol, I'm an artist.'

It was easy to tell from the look on his face that he didn't want to do that kind of cutesy act.

He hasn't even debuted yet, and he's already suffering from the urge to act like a macho man.

Before long, the next song began playing.

It was a pop song currently riding the algorithm's wave of popularity as a dance challenge.

As though he had been waiting for it, Hwanyeong walked over.

He naturally took a spot beside Yuseong and began performing the familiar challenge dance.

I guess he's willing to do this one.

Thinking little of it, Yuseong was about to finish the choreography when his expression suddenly stiffened.

He immediately cleared his throat and raised the corners of his mouth, but this time even his nose involuntarily twitched slightly.

His fox's sensitive sense of smell had reacted without fail.

A revolting smell.

Although it had been covered with strong perfume, the faint odor permeating his natural body scent could not be concealed.

It was so faint that other humans would not even detect it, but Yuseong inwardly clicked his tongue in disbelief.

I know what that smell is... It looks like he's stayed away from it for a few days because he's appearing on this show.

...This young brat is doing drugs?