After deciding on the concept, we agreed to assign each of our parts.
The main rapper position was unanimously given to Joo Dan-woo, and the center—who would lead the formation through dance—was confirmed to be Kang Hyun-jin.
Only one part refused to reach a conclusion no matter what we tried.
"I think I can handle the main vocal really well."
"Yeah, I agree with that. But I'm the original singer, you know? I don't think there's anyone who knows this song better than me."
It was the main vocal position where Aiden Lee and Gyeong Ji-won were locked in a sharp standoff.
Ji-won pushed his opinion forward with a blank face, while Aiden held his ground with a cheerful smile. Their argument had already dragged on for over ten minutes.
"Of course, there's no trainee who knows the song better than Aiden-hyung. But I think knowing something and being able to express it are two different things."
"Right, expressiveness is really important. But isn't it also true that you have to know something before you can express it? If you think about it that way, I don't think anyone can express it better than me!"
It was like watching an unstoppable spear clash against an immovable shield—so overwhelming that the rest of the team kept their mouths shut and quietly watched.
"Hold on a second. I don't think we're going to reach a conclusion like this."
Seeing that this stalemate wasn't going to end, I finally stepped in to break up the two of them.
Ji-won and Aiden, who had been glaring at each other as if they were on the brink of life and death, both turned their heads toward me at the exact same moment. I sighed at those intense gazes and presented the fairest solution I could think of.
"Let's vote. I think that'll be the quickest and simplest."
"Vote?"
"Each of you sings the chorus—the part with the current lyrics. Then the remaining trainees vote. I'd like everyone to choose whoever they think suits the mood of the song best."
"…I guess that would be the fastest."
"I'm fine with it."
Both of them seemed to realize this would be the fastest way to end their endless rivalry, and though they didn't look happy about it, they nodded.
The other trainees nodded as well.
"…Then how about making it even fairer?"
"Yes?"
"I think… Yuha should sing too. Including her makes three main-vocal applicants. Hearing all three would give us more possibilities."
The person who spoke was Kang Hyun-jin, who had been silently watching the standoff.
"No, I—"
I was startled by the suggestion and tried to say something, but—
"That works for me! I'm totally fine with it~!"
"I don't mind either. As long as we reach a conclusion."
With Aiden and Ji-won accepting the idea almost eagerly, the vote expanded to include all three of us.
'…What is happening.'
And just like that, I found myself dragged into a main-vocal battle I never intended to join. Feeling dazed, I glanced at Ji-won and Aiden singing in turn, then at Hyun-jin, who was listening seriously.
I had no idea how things ended up like this, but it was too late to back out now.
"Then Yuha, you're next. Want to try?"
"Yes."
So I hid my reluctant expression, took a breath, and sang the chorus of "DAZZLE" a cappella.
After I finished, even singing the highlight ad-lib section, the voting began.
"…Yuha, 1 vote. Ji-won, 1 vote. Aiden, 1 vote."
A perfect tie—exactly like the beginning. An anticlimactic end.
Joo Dan-woo summarized the results with an awkward face. The three trainees who weren't applicants—Kang Hyun-jin, Park Won-hyo, and Joo Dan-woo—had each picked a different person.
That part wasn't surprising. What was surprising was…
'…Why the hell did he vote for me?'
Hyun-jin had voted for me.
He pointed at me awkwardly, then quickly withdrew his hand. I couldn't even manage my expression for a second.
Judging by how he usually acted, I would've expected him to complain if I tried to take the main vocal position. Yet now he suddenly forced me into the competition and gave me his vote?
"Hmm, what do we do now?"
"…I really want to be the main vocal."
"Same here."
"Hold on."
Their conflict was clearly about to start up again, so I shoved aside my thoughts about Hyun-jin and stepped between them once more. And then I offered the only workable solution left.
"Then I'll give up applying for the part and cast my vote. That works, right?"
"What?"
"…That would… be ideal."
Ji-won nodded immediately as if he only cared that something—anything—finally resolved this mess. Aiden looked dissatisfied, but he seemed just as tired of the stalemate, and in the end, he begrudgingly agreed.
"Then I… vote for Gyeong Ji-won."
Ji-won's face lit up. Meanwhile, Aiden's face crumpled like he was about to cry, so I quickly continued.
"But I think we should adjust the part distribution a little."
"How?"
"I'd like Aiden to take the bridge part originally under main vocal."
I pointed to the lyric sheet and explained.
With his husky, distinctive voice, Aiden would bring out the mood of the bridge, while Ji-won—whose range was higher and whose emotions were stronger—could handle the ad-lib and elevate the climax afterward.
'Both of them have main-vocal qualities. It'd be a waste not to use them.'
If they couldn't decide who wins, then using both was the best choice. And since the original singer was on our team, a trick like this would definitely fly.
"Hmm."
"…I can agree to that, I think."
Realizing that dragging this out further might cost them the parts they already had, both eventually nodded.
"Then main vocal goes to Gyeong Ji-won, main rapper to Dan-woo-hyung, center to Hyun-jin-hyung, sub vocal 1 to Aiden, 2 to me, and 3 to Won-hyo-hyung."
"Clean. I like it."
"Nice work, Yuha!"
Even Park Won-hyo—who had the fewest vocal lines but got to lead the second-verse chorus—agreed, and the part distribution was finally, dramatically settled.
'…He's being weirdly cooperative.'
Leaving me with only one thing: a lingering, uneasy feeling about Kang Hyun-jin.
"Hyung, I think we need to sync our breathing a bit more in that vocal section."
"…Alright."
Not only did he accept my correction without complaint—
"Yu… ha, about this part."
"…Ah, yes."
—he would bring things up whenever he got stuck while choreographing.
"Like this?"
"No, not like that—"
"…More like this."
—he even quietly helped me out here and there.
'…Did he eat something weird?'
Considering the hostility he used to show me, Kang Hyun-jin's behavior had changed so drastically it felt like heaven and earth had flipped. I had no idea why this sudden transformation had happened, but the important thing was—
'…This is actually really comfortable?'
He turned out to be an incredibly easy teammate to work with.
'Honestly, he might be the best out of all the people I've worked with so far.'
Whenever something was lacking, he acknowledged it immediately and fixed it. He accepted opinions as opinions, came up with good ideas, and above all, he was diligent. He didn't talk much, but he cooperated well.
Compared to Yoo chan-hee just before, it was unbelievable. Back in the second round, from the moment I became teammates with Yoo chan-hee, every second had been a struggle. But ever since teaming up with Kang Hyun-jin, everything had been flowing like there were no obstacles at all.
'I honestly thought he'd oppose me from the start, so I wasn't even planning to offer my concept idea.'
Even though I already had something in mind, I asked the others first during the concept meeting because I was afraid the second round situation would repeat.
Back then, I had given my idea first, Yoo chan-hee opposed it immediately, and things got so messy that Do Ji-hyuk and Cheon Se-rim had to help control the situation.
This time, I figured if I spoke first and got shot down, I wouldn't have anyone on my side, so I planned to test the waters—but surprisingly, none of the members opposed, not even Kang Hyun-jin.
But despite his cooperative attitude, a completely unexpected issue emerged.
"…Ugh!"
"Hyun-jin hyung!"
While practicing choreo, Hyun-jin suddenly collapsed to the floor as if he'd been thrown. The others rushed over in shock. He clutched his leg and panted. Ji-won was the first to ask about his condition.
"Hyung, are you okay? Let me see your leg."
"No, no… I'm fine."
"Are you sure? It looks like you twisted it—!"
"Don't touch it!"
He slapped away Ji-won's hand as it reached toward his leg. Ji-won stiffened at the sudden rejection, but Hyun-jin looked startled himself. After a moment of silence, he got up.
"…Sorry. I'm just tired. I'll rest a bit and come back."
Then he walked out of the practice room.
"Hm… is he really okay?"
"He's not limping, so I don't think he's injured."
"He looked like he was in way too much pain for that. Is he really alright?"
While the other trainees whispered, I quietly went over what I had seen.
It had already been three days since full practice began. The mid-evaluation was tomorrow. But Kang Hyun-jin…
'His form is collapsing.'
His skill was steadily worsening.
'Why?'
Even on the first day, his condition was different from usual. His dance lines felt off, like something was out of place. His timing was slipping.
He had been fine when he showed us the tap dance solo with no music, but ever since the actual practice, he had been struggling and unable to lead the choreography.
His ideas for formations and movement were solid, but he seemed unable to translate them through his body.
And for someone like him—who was aiming for main dancer—that was a fatal issue. His image was currently that of a "center who dances well."
If he couldn't overcome this and went on stage like this, showing skills below expectations—
'…His vote count will fall.'
And that wouldn't be the only problem. The malicious comments would inevitably follow. After all, Hyun-jin was someone who had returned thanks to his high ranking after losing a battle.
Ah lol his skills are actually trash. THIS guy came back after kicking our boy out? Please voluntarily give up your revival ticket ㅠㅠ Don't you feel ashamed stepping on stage with that level?
DEAR DOLLl's biggest bubble exposed lol I told you his skill was just broadcast editing inflation ㅠ This is finally his real skill showing
Hyunjin-ah… you have no drive, no effort… Why did you even come on the show… Why come back just to drag everyone down… someone like you who has no flaws EXCEPT EVERYTHING lol
He was in the kind of position where receiving this sort of attack would be incredibly easy.
He must have known that aside from dancing, he didn't have a character or storyline to showcase. The pressure and impatience likely kept him from performing properly.
And in addition to that, I noticed something else about him.
His patterns, the atmosphere around him, the way his form crumbled—it all reminded me of something.
And when I saw him clutching his leg today even though he wasn't injured, I became sure.
'Trauma. And a slump.'
He must have gone through something in the past that left him with a slump. That trauma was resurfacing under pressure, manifesting physically.
It wasn't hard for me to recognize it.
Because I had experienced that entire process myself—deeply and painfully.
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