We settle and sit in a circle. We now need to vote on who's choreography is the one we are going to dance to.
"I just want to do the dance that looked the best. I want to dance Bada's," said Halo.
"I will go with Bada as well," said Kirsten.
"Bada's choreo has everything of the feedback that we all said in each other's preview dance. So, I will go with Bada's choreography," I said, looking at Bada and giving her a nod of approval because she really did great.
Everyone was agreeing that we would go with Bada's choreography when Mina butted in and said, "But what I'm curious about is that Halo-nim said she wanted to perform Bada's dance. Is it because you think you can steal it?"
Right, this is a competition.
"I don't think I can steal it," said Halo.
"But if you do end up stealing it, you can revise it to make it your own. And if some of Bada's parts are good, you can make it your own by adding in her parts. I'm wondering why no one is thinking of that," said Mina.
Mina's goal was to win this competition. She doesn't want to be friendly when it comes to missions. I mean, I can understand her because this is a freaking survival show, but I can't help but just let what she said enter my left ear and instantly go outside my right ear.
I know for myself if I deserve something, know when someone deserves something, and whatnot, so I just keep quiet and let them say whatever they want.
"Should we start over?" said NOB.
Called it.
"Wait, what's going on? At first, things were going to my advantage. But after Mina Myoung-saem comments, the mood changed all of a sudden. I wanted to put a stop to that," said Bada in the interview.
"I want to do a dance that looks really cool. This will last forever. If I do something of low quality, thinking I can steal it, the leader will end up heading in the wrong direction. I think people should consider that," said Bada. I wanted to add something to what she said, but I feel like I am getting biased for whatever reason, so I just keep it to myself and wait for someone to add something.
"It's not finished yet, so we should think about things more carefully," said Mina.
"Well, it seems like we need to have more time to think about this. How about we go back to our hideouts and go back here once we come up with a decision," I said, wanting to just finish this.
Everyone agreed with me, so we left the fight zone and went back to our respective rooms.
(The leaders return to their crew hideouts.)
I enter our room, seeing everyone inside. Their eyes instantly fell on my figure once I opened the door.
"So, did yours get picked?" asked MJ.
"No, we still haven't decided yet," I said, going straight to the couch.
"Why? You all have been gone for quite a while now," said Ji Woo.
"My energy can't take the atmosphere that surrounds us. I don't like it. Should we change our leader and be Nari?" I said, even though I know that it is not possible. All of them rolled their eyes at me, "Yeah, yeah," said Hee, dismissing what I had said.
"Well, after everyone performs their choreo, we vote, and all of us agree with Bada's, but Mina-nim said something about stealing or what. I don't really know, but yeah. I said we should think about it more and then come back once we have the decision," I said, replying to the emails from business.
"You going to vote for Bada?" asked Nari.
"Yeah, everyone praised her choreo, no one made a criticism. As much as I am confident with my routine, I can't ignore that Bada's choreo was amazing. If mine will not be picked, I'd rather perform hers," I said, shrugging my shoulders, not minding the smirk playing at Nari's lips.
I just talk with my friends regarding their missions till it is time to go back to the fight zone and decide on who's choreography will be picked.
I am the last one to enter the fight zone, and once everyone was here, we started to cast our votes.
I wrote Bada's name as soon as they said that we could already write our vote. Everyone was doing the same; some are still contemplating, but it didn't take long for everyone to be finished.
Bada got 4 votes, Akanen got 2 votes, and while I didn't expect mine to have a vote, there were three people who voted for mine.
We congratulate Bada before going back to our hideout, ready to share the decision.
I look at Bada to see her smiling big, happy that her work got picked, and I can't help but smile at the giddy and innocent expression she has now. She really can't contain her smile, and it was just everything.
As if we just didn't criticize each other earlier, we are now talking as if we have been best friends since forever while walking to where our rooms are located.
It didn't take long for me to enter our room, "Bada's choreography is chosen," I said to them, making them nod and acknowledge what I had said.
"We can't help it and also deny that everyone was an amazing dancer, so let's just keep the spirit up, whether what we have worked for gets picked or not," said Nari.
"Aww, she's doing what she was supposed to do as the sub-leader," I said, teasing Nari. I hugged her as if my life depended on her.
"Nah, I just don't want to take care of your grumpy self, so let go of me, you dolt," she said, prying me off herself.
-Behind the scenes that are not being played for the show-
"Unnie, someone was calling on your phone earlier," JiA reminded me, making me unplug my phone that was in the corner after seeing the missed call from my father's secretary.
"What date is it today?" I asked them, unlocking my phone.
"August 8, why?" said Hee.
"I'm fucked," I said, slowly melting to the couch.
"Why? Who is it?" said Nari, snatching my phone out of my hand.
"I was supposed to be at our house two hours ago for the charity; I don't really remember what event it was," I said, getting back my phone to Nari and trying to get a hold of Mr. Lee, my father's secretary.
I didn't mind my members and called his number. It didn't take three rings before he picked up, "Hello, Ms. Y/N?"
"Yes? I'm sorry, I kind of forgot about this day. Am I still needed for the event?" I asked, making myself comfortable where I was sitting.
"Your brother covered for you earlier, Miss. Saying that you have something important to do before you can go here, and to answer your question, yes, you are still needed here, Ms. Y/N. The pictures were needed to be taken with all of you present," he said.
I sigh, "Didn't I inform you that we are currently filming for this Mnet's show?" I asked, hoping that I mentioned it to him.
"You did not, Miss," he said.
"Okay, can you send someone to fetch me here as soon as possible and let them bring something for me to wear? I don't think Siwoo has something for me to wear in the car he's driving."
"Alright, Miss, can you send the location of where you are now?"
I didn't reply but just sent him the location of where we are now, "Did you receive it?" I asked.
"Yes, I indeed received it, Miss. I am sending Mr. Kim to fetch you. It will only take around 30 minutes before he arrives there, and I will see you here, Miss. Please have a safe journey," he said. I just hummed and hung up the call.
"You're leaving, unnie?" Bora asked.
"Yeah, I totally forgot that I was needed for this event that my family is going to. You all can manage here, right?" I said.
"Yeah, you already finished your mission, and we just need to wait till we are all finished, and I think that is where this filming will end," said Nari.
As if knowing what I needed to do, MJ volunteered to tell the writer assigned to us about the new happenings.
While waiting for MJ, I put a bunch of things that are scattered around our hideout in their respective places. Having the same room as these kids was chaotic and stressful. Things I didn't know they owned just keep popping up everywhere, occupying the spaces that we can use to rest.
It didn't take long for MJ to come back and say that I got the go signal to be out of here.
"Okay, I'm sorry for leaving, but I will come back as fast as I can if ever that you all are still here. Good luck with the previews that you guys will perform, and as much as you all don't want to, please listen to Nari as I am not here, okay?" I said, preparing myself to go out.
All of them assured me that they got this, but still, I can't help but be somehow worried, "Call me if there are new instructions or what. Just give me a call," I said.
I look at my phone, seeing that Mr. Kim is already waiting for me, "Mr. Kim is already waiting for me; I'll leave now. You dorks, call me, okay?" I said.
A few reminders are said before I finally get out of our hideout. Looking down at my phone and seeing the directions Hee told me, I bump into someone.
I look up to see Bada.
What a nice way to be more late, not that I am complaining.
"What's the rush?" she said, looking at my back as if someone were chasing me.
"Forgot important event that I should be part of, and now I am,' I look at the time on my phone before continuing and look at Bada, 'two and a half hours late, and I know for sure my father will not be very happy to," I say, scratching my neck.
She looked at me, amused, "Well, up you go. Don't want to be another reason for you to be late," she said, stepping aside and gesturing for me to go ahead.
"Thank you," I gave her a smile before I continued my way to the entrance before remembering something looking back at her, "You did really great earlier, and congratulations," I said.
"Thank you; you also did great. I'll see you later?" she said, looking straight into my eyes.
"I don't know, but we'll just see later. I'll take my leave now," I said before leaving Bada there. I still feel her eyes on me, making me smile. I don't know why, but that adds to my ego.
I arrived outside to see the car Mr. Kim was driving.
I open the door at the back and enter, seeing that the clothes that I am going to wear are already there. I put the partition up and do what I need to do before relaxing in the seat.
It didn't take long for us to arrive at the location where the event was taking place.
I look around, wanting to find Mr. Lee, and see him already waiting for me at the entrance.
We said our greetings, and he tells me whatever has been happening before I make my way to where my mother and brothers are, seeing that father was talking with some investors or i-don't-really-know-who-they-are businessmen.
I'm not a fan of this kind of thing, so I didn't leave my seat and waited till everything was over and I could go and leave.
- End of the BTS. Back to the parts being shown to the public -
The members called two hours after I left the shooting, telling me that there would be a change in the schedule. Saying that we will pick the main dancer also on this day, so as much as I don't like being there for the event, it took me a while to say that I am needed in the show that I am participating in, and I am glad that I just need to have a photo with my family and then I can go—much to my family's dismay.
I messaged the writer assigned to us, Ms. Kim Da Eun, if she could send me a video of Bada's choreography because I am still on the road while everyone there was already practicing the choreography with Bada.
So as I am in the back of the car, I am watching the video and memorizing everything, from the moves down to the details that I can see in the video.
I entered our room with ample amount of time for me to practice the dance given by the staff.
I feel bad for my members for even leaving, and all I can do now is to make sure that I can have a fight and be the main dancer for our class.
Hee, Ji Woo, JiA, and MJ are the only ones who are inside the room when I enter, assuming that Bora, Eun, and Nari were practicing somewhere. I greet my friends before removing the suit jacket I am wearing.
Changing the heels to the sneaker that I left here before going down to practice the dance.
Time seems to pass by because by the time the staff knocks on our door, they remind us that we only have at least 30 minutes before we need to go to the fight zone, so I focus on what I need to do and tune out my surroundings.
I have done everything that I can before someone taps my shoulder. I look to see who it is—to see Nari near me and all my members looking at me, "We need to go now to the fight zone; we are the only ones left here," said Nari, gesturing to the others to start walking while I collect myself.
I grab the towel to pat the sweat on my face, grab a water bottle, and follow my friends.
It didn't take long before we were now walking down the stairs, getting the attention of all, for we were the only ones they were waiting for.
Even the fight judges are already here, making me feel bad for not foreseeing the event earlier.
As soon as I put my feet down in the fight zone, I bowed to everyone, saying my apology for the inconvenience that I somehow gave them. Even my members do the same, making everyone gesture at us to stop bowing.
"Stop, no one was blaming you guys at all. It only takes a few minutes; no worries," said NOB.
I appreciate their understanding and just let it go because they said that it was okay.
Daeun-nim, the writer that was assigned to our crew, came to me with the mic. I completely forgot that I hadn't put it in earlier.
"So, everything was okay with your business earlier?" she asked while attaching the microphone to my body.
"Yes, I just felt bad for everyone for delaying the filming," I said.
"Well, I don't know if this will help, but I think they are okay with it. It is somehow favorable to them because they got extra time to practice the dance," she said, making me sigh in relief if that was the case.
Once she finishes what she needs to do, she leaves, saying good luck to me, which I really appreciate.
The director of the show announced that we'll start with the rookie class.
My friends and I gave JiA a pats and hugs of encouragement before Ji Woo pushed JiA into the fight zone with the other dancers in the rookie class.
Everyone was hyping the dancers from the rookie class, excited to see the work of mostly the youngest of the crews.
I feel hot with what I am wearing despite the blasting air conditioning here in the fight zone, so I rolled the sleeves of the midnight blue button-up I am wearing up to my elbows and untucked it to the trouser.
"Ooohhh, hot, hot, hot girl~" said Bora in the most irritating voice she can master, making me glare at her.
"The tatts are everything," said Hee while doing the chef's kiss gesture, fueling Bora's teasing.
"Shut up," I said, squinting my eyes at them, seeing that some were already looking at us.
"You should probably ask for some tape to cover up your tattoos, Y/N unnie," said MJ.
"That is why you are my favorite among these dorks, Minji," I said, giving her a side hug and sticking my tongue out to Bora and Hee.
Before I can leave our spot and go to where the staff are, they signal that the rookie class will start now, so I wait till they are all finished.
"Capri-nim choreography was chosen. I heard your choreography wasn't finished when it was picked. While looking at the rookies' choreography, I thought, 'It's totally doable.' I thought it'd have been easy to learn the moves. So I think it could be a little risky," said Monika, and I looked to my friends to confirm what she said.
So much has happened in the two hours that I left here.
"Won't it be fun to steal it? I will steal it."
"I can't let them steal it."
"For our team, I'll take the main dancer position. It's my choreography, after all."
Emma, Capri, Gooseul, and Yeni Cho were the first four to perform.
"We'll find the best dancer in the rookie class," said Monika, "Ready? Fight," said Mike.
Everyone was cheering for their members when the music dropped, signaling that they would now start.
It's nice to see them dance; all of them have different styles, and the song helps them. The first group finished, and now the second group for the main dancer audition takes their places: Tatter, Rena, Redy, JiA, and Buckey.
"You got this, Jiah!" I yelled, hoping that she heard what I had said with the cheers from other dancers.
I feel nervous, though it's not even my turn.
They start moving; I can't help but look at Rena, and then back at JiA.
JiA can do it; I know it.
The 30 seconds passed by, and now everyone was anticipating who would be the main dancer for the rookie class.
"That was great!"
"Awesome!"
"That was crazy! That was crazy!"
"Crushed it. Redy crushed it!"
"You killed it, Jiah!"
"This is hard," said Mike.
Seeing the performance of the rookie class, I know that it will be a hard decision.
"Hey, everyone. We'll do one more match," said Monika, making me hope that they will say JiA's name.
"Someone other than me grabbed her attention."
"This is intense."
"Here we go. LADYBOUNCE's Capri. BEBE's Tatter. MANNEQUEEN's Buckey, Nyx's JiA, and lastly, TSUBA KILL's Rena," said Monika, making me look at JiA and give her an assuring smile.
"Just do what you always do, Jiah," said Hee before JiA entered the fight zone.
Tatter and Buckey start the match.
"I might really get picked. I think I'll be the best."
"I will steal the title. I will show off my strengths."
Both are finished, with the second group taking the stage.
"I made the choreography myself. So I'm very confident."
"They gave me the chance to steal it, so I will grab it and hold on to it till they say my name as the main dancer."
"Becoming the main dancer was the only thing on my mind. It's a do or die."
Cheers are being yelled. But we Nyx just stay quiet while still standing up. Each and every one of us has our own individual pet peeves when it comes to dancing, and for JiA, it was cheering loudly for her while she was performing. She would rather have the cheers after the performance than during it.
So all of us were just watching and observing the performance. It was really a tough decision to make because everyone was a great dancer and fit the song.
It didn't take long before they finished the performance, and that was when we all cheered for JiA. She looks at us, then gives us a puppy-like smile.
I give her a thumbs up, "You did great," I mouth to her, making her nod in appreciation.
"Why do they go so well?"
"The two of them should form a crew."
"Have you made up your minds?" said Monika to the other fight judges.
"Well... give me five seconds," said Shownu.
"It's so hard to tell."
Everyone was guessing who would be the main dancer, and I felt proud when I heard JiA's name falling into their mouths.
"For me, it took ten seconds to decide," said Mike, "right away?" said Monika. "She was more dynamic in the choreography," Mike continued.
"I think this person amplified the color of the song better," said Shownu.
"So we all have different dancers we picked. I like them both. But this friend actually gives what you both said. She gets my attention even in the first round," said Monika.
I watched the fight judges came up with a decision. I am glad that I am not the one in their position because I know that this will be a hard decision.
While they were discussing things, I got up and made my way to the staff, wanting to get a tape that could cover my tattoos.
"Excuse me, do you have a tape for covering a tattoo? I forgot to grab some in our hideout," I said.
It didn't take long for her to give me some. I cut two long strips of it, enough to cover my right forearm, before cutting a smaller one for my left arm.
I took a long stride to our spot when Monika started talking.
"The main dancer of the rookie class is...' I look at everyone to see them wanting to say their member's name, and it is no different with us.
"I was very confident that it'd be me, but honestly, I was really nervous at that moment. My members tell me that JiA comes close to being a main dancer, I hear that it will be Capri, and that just makes me more nervous than I already am."
"I did my best. I had a feeling I could be the main dancer."
"I enjoy it. I of course wanted my name to be called as the main dancer, but if I'm being honest, it really doesn't matter to me that much. Maybe it will if I don't enjoy doing it, but I enjoy it, and that will always come first to me, but if I'm going to be the main dancer, that will be really amazing and will be a great help to our group."
"I showed them all. I crushed it. I am confident."
"I excelled at it with no regrets. So it'll be me, obviously."
'... TSUBA KILL's Rena," said Monika. TSUBA KILL members celebrate and hug Rena.
I stand up in my seat and open my arms, waiting for JiA.
I wrapped my arms around her and said, "You did amazing. You really did; you know that, right?" swaying us side by side.
"Of course, I enjoyed it, so all's well, but thank you, unnie," said JiA, removing herself from me but getting attacked by Bora and Ji Woo, hugging her also.
I looked around and gauged the expressions of LADYBOUNCE beside us, seeing that Capri was close to crying.
I feel bad, but still, this is a competition, so I'm just hoping that this will not affect her that much.
(The Rookie Class's main dancer, TSUBAL KILL's Rena. Rookies sincerely congratulates her with applause.)
"The choreography was great and all, but was it suitable for the video? I tried to identify your capacity as the star of the video.
Actually, the three of us picked different dancers, so it was really hard. What played a big role was that Rena danced as if she were the main dancer. That is the reason why we chose her," said Monika.
"It'd be terrible to get it stolen."
"What upset me the most was that I couldn't help my team because I couldn't be the main dancer."
Everything was mixed up. Some are happy, some are upset, and some are just looking forward to what will happen next.
I ran through the steps in my mind, not wanting to forget about it once it was our turn then they announced that the next audition would be with the sub-leader.
(Class Mission Main Dancer Audition, Sub-Leader Class)
The dancers from the sub-leader class entered the fight zone, and then the vibe turned serious. I don't have any idea on what happened, so I am clueless, but it seems like everyone got the memo and has an idea of what happened to this class.
My friends actually didn't inform me of what happened in their own classes.
"It's dangerous."
"I heard the process of choosing the choreography for this group was very fierce. I heard there was a fierce fight between LaTrice and Redlic," said Monika, making some of the dancers in the fight zone nod.
(When selecting the choreography for the sub-leaders)
"'Sub-leader' is a strong word. So I was surprised to see Hyerim."
(When revealing the lineup for each class)
"It's surprising Harimu is in the sub-leader class."
"I thought she was the weakest in 1MILLION."
"I thought she'd be a rookie."
"Because she's the youngest in the crew."
"That's such an old-fashioned thinking."
"Oooh, I am going to compete with your student."
(Sub-leader class, 1MILLION's Harimu)
"I'll start."
"I've never seen her dance. I wasn't really thrilled."
(How's the choreography prepared by 1MILLION's Harimu?)
"I like the continuous hip moves."
"It could show our energy."
"She was better than I thought."
"I thought it was a cute, pretty, powerful, and good choreography. However, I don't want to dance to it, honestly."
(Deep N Dap's sub-leader Downy, LADYBOUNCE's sub-leader Biggy)
(BEBE's sub-leader, Lusher)
(Wolf'lo's sub-leader, Mini)
"I thought it was a student performance."
"It felt like you were squeezing in highlight moves by constraint."
It feels like you were fooling around. I didn't feel like you did your best."
"No way. I got it."
(Luster Nyx's sub-leader, Nari)
(Imagine that Jiwon Park was Nari, and this is her choreo for Click Like.)
"I like the sequence."
"It looks cool, but I don't think I can steal it from her."
"This is so much like her that I don't know if I wanted to dance to it."
"I didn't like everyone's dance."
(Redlic's criticism tenses up the fight zone.)
"It was intimidating. I know she's a strong choreographer. And a strong performer."
"Redlic is working actively in the choreography scene. She's really famous too."
"Chris Brown gave her a shoutout or something."
"She's a strong competitor."
"The Class Mission. It's for me."
(How's the choreography by Relic, whom everyone is keeping in check?)
"The beginning goes well with the concept, and it was very attractive.
"Redlic-nim. She's good. She's a competitor, but she's annoyingly good."
"She's good, that I know of, and it will be hard to beat her."
"It was sexy, I admit. It was heart-fluttering even in women's eyes."
(Next is JAM REPUBLIC's sub-leader, LaTrice.)
"LaTrice is something. She's a really good dancer.
"I've seen her doing strong and powerful Afro dances before."
(While everyone's predicting different things, how will LaTrice dance?)
"There weren't memorable moves. There were too many similar hip moves. I thought those were the weak points."
"It was so simple that it felt like freestyle dancing."
"This is choreography mission. So I can't really understand that you didn't know the lyrics when you're the choreographer."
"Because I didn't know much of the lyrics, I focused more on just the English lyrics, which is 'Click like,' and musicality."
"I am desperate. Is she not desperate?"
She didn't even try. That makes me so angry."
(The sub-leader decided to vote for the choreography they liked.)
"The choreography I liked the most was Redlic's, of course."
"I love and am confident with my work, but Redlic really did great."
"I liked her performance a lot, actually. I don't have any bad comments because I liked her performance."
"I did great job on the choreography so that it could be picked. I'm confident."
(Which one will be picked for the sub-leader class?)
〰✧☽
-C.
(10/31/23)