(Which one will be picked for the sub-leader class?)
"Guess whose was picked."
"Yours."
"I'm sorry."
"No. Why are you apologizing? You don't have to."
"How did it go?"
"Mine went to the finals, but in the finals..."
"Hey, how did it go?"
"Yes, I got it."
"But I was sad that I got treated in that way."
"I chose the easier choreography. It's simple and easy to memorize."
"Me too."
"I thought I could do it better."
"She says she don't know the lyrics. That she made the choreography based on the rhythm. That already sounds irresponsible. But she got picked, which is so upsetting."
"So I think my way of winning this choreography challenge, the main dancer challenge. We'll prove ourselves."
"She didn't translate the lyrics and made the choreography based on the rhythm. I thought she didn't try enough," said Redlic.
The drama was coming, and as much as I enjoy dancing and enjoying our time here so far, I'm all for the drama.
"Actually, dance is a universal language. So I didn't find a language barrier, really," mentioned LaTrice.
"Honestly, I thought, 'Is she here to just chill?'" said Redlic, making the atmosphere more tense with the drama between the sub-leader class.
"It sounds like you didn't find her professional. Is that right?" said Monika.
"She taught us the choreography half-heartedly too. She didn't organize the counts," said Redlic.
Well, I don't know what to think, so I just wait for them to start performing.
The irony of what I have said that I am all in for the drama.
"Okay. Let's find the best dancer among the sub-leaders," said Monika.
Cheers erupted, egging their members with the performance they would do the same was going on with my friends, and I knew that Nari liked it.
Nari was in the first group with Mini, LaTrice, Lusher, and Harimu.
The music started, and everybody was hyping up their dancers.
"Nari unnie, get on it!" Bora screams.
"Let's go, unnie," said Ji Woo.
They started to dance, and everyone was dancing in their own style. The diversity of the dance styles dancing to the same choreography was nice to see, as always.
Nari brings her flavor and adds it to LaTrice's choreography, making me proud. I see the expressions she's using, and that adds to her performance.
The first group finished it well, leaving the center and making the second group take their places.
I looked at Nari, smiling at her, and gave her a thumbs up, and before I could say anything, Bora cut me off, "You amazing, sexy, gorgeous, beautiful, but not more than me, person. Unnie, you did freaking great."
My friends and I laughed at what she said, noticing that some of the dancers who heard what she said also did the same.
The second group started.
"Good!"
"Good luck!"
"Gosh. She's very revealing."
"I didn't intend to lose, so I brought 44 kg of clothes from Japan. I want to be the center member."
"Well, that was some clothes she's wearing," I said in amazement.
I find myself staring, so I shake my head. That was rude.
I look forward to see that Bada already looking at me with a tilted head and an eyebrow up.
"What?" I mouthed to her when she just rolled her eyes at me and went back to praising Lusher for her performance.
(Sayaka's sexiness surprises everyone.)
I go beside JiA and Ji Woo to cover their eyes, "No, both of you are too young for this," I say, earning a laugh from my friends and an elbow from JiA. I let go and let them watch the performance.
And damn, that was great. Everyone did really well, so I don't know what the result will be.
Nari went back to our side again, earning another bone-crushing hug from JiA and Bora.
I have said this already, and I will say it again and again. I am really proud of my friends.
The judges are now carefully deciding on who will be the main dancer, and I just listen to the noises that surround me.
"We have to see it one more time," said Monika, taking the attention of all.
"JAM REPUBLIC's LaTrice and MANNEQUEEN's Redlic," said Shownu, making me tilt my head.
Nari took a seat beside me, "I should've done better," she said.
"Hey, you did great. That was an astonishing performance, hmm?" I said to her, looking straight into her eyes.
"Y/N unnie is right, you did amazing, unnie, but let's just say that no matter how great you did, I am still the best," said Bora, earning a smack at the back of her head from Eun. "Can't you be serious just for a few minutes?" she said.
Nari releases a chuckle, making us smile at her. "Well, no time for sulking. We need to watch this rivalry, drama thingy that was going on with LaTrice and Redlic-nim," she said with a light laugh, making us focus on the fight zone, not before holding my hand.
I squeeze her hand in assurance that she did great and that it's okay that she didn't get picked.
"Please, start the music."
Both started dancing more powerfully than earlier, seeing that they were being compared only with each other and not with other dancers.
They both finished cleanly. Both are really good, and I will give it to the fight judges because I can't even give my guess on who will be the main dancer.
The fight judges are all standing, discussing the result. It didn't take long before Monika started talking, "We'll announce the main dancer of the sub-leader class. The main dancer we chose is JAM REPUBLIC's LaTrice."
I clapped in recognition and patted Nari's back before listening to what Shownu was saying: "Redlic tried to dance it with her emotions. It was a tough decision. But it was almost unfair to her because the choreography suited LaTrice so well."
"Why do I always get there but can't win?"
"You'll do better next time."
"That's right."
"I think you showed who you are."
"Everyone already knows you are good."
The audition for the main dancer continues. After the sub-leaders, everyone was taking a very short break before they announced that it would be us, the leaders, now.
"Leaders, please come up to the fight zone."
Everyone was cheering for their leaders, and the same with my friends.
"Fighting, unnie," said JiA.
"Be awesome as always, Y/N unnie," said Hee.
"Let's go, Miss Long Legs," said Nari, making us laugh for the reference to my pet spider and also because of my height.
All of us leaders go inside the fight zone and line up for who's going to be in the first group and second group.
Cheers are being yelled, same with the encouragement of our own members. The tension of wanting to outdo everyone and be called as the main dancer of the leader class was high.
Everyone was cheering their leaders in their own way, and it was a sight to see. I acknowledge the cheers, if you can even call that as a cheer for me or an insult, from my friends before rolling my shoulders backwards to stretch.
"They are all outstanding."
"It's the fight between the leaders."
"These people are competing in the same place."
"I'm excited."
"I can't wait because I know this will be really interesting."
"It'll be super hard to judge."
"Who's choreography has been chosen?" asked Shownu.
"It's mine. Bada. As the leader, I wanted to show our physical strength and aura. The powerful side of us. I considered what I think is the most important, which is the dance you want to try.
There's a move of lighting a lighter. I tried to put those kinds of things into the choreography," said Bada, explaining what she thought as she created her choreography for this mission.
I just observe her back because she is facing the judges as she in the first group while I am in the second group, and girl, she's tall.
I heard Nari's nonsense comments, who is near me, and I just couldn't help but ignore it and roll my eyes at her. If the camera was not rolling, I would flip her off a lot of times now.
"And Kirsten. Was there anything hard during the practice?" Shownu continued.
"Dance, again, is a universal language. There weren't any difficulties, I think," said Kirsten, and I nodded in agreement.
"I'm keeping Kirsten and Y/N in check."
(During the rehearsal)
"Did you see Kirsten?"
"I got goosebumps."
"I know."
"Y/N-nim was really eating that up."
"This will be hard for Bada, if she were going to keep this choreography or let Kirsten or even Y/N steal it from her."
"Kirsten was outstanding."
"Y/N is in her element, so it's no wonder why this feels like hers."
"Her hips moved like this and that. She's different."
"I wasn't looking at Bada at all."
"Bada couldn't be seen."
"How do both dance? Both are dancing, just like what they are putting out for the world. Their videos and competitions."
"Both are dancing in earnest, but you'll notice how Y/N was just really enjoying her time, and she's good; it's kind of annoying me."
"Bada-nim has every right to feel anxious."
"She might lose."
"I know, right?"
"I felt good. It just feels like you control the stage. I'm ready."
"I mean, I'm dancing to a quality choreographed routine. It brings all the enjoyment to me as I dance, so I just need to do it my way."
"Both Kirsten and Y/N were performing my choreography with their style. I need to do more.
In the past season, the leaders whose choreography was picked became the main dancers. I will win no matter what and become the main dancer."
"We will find the best dancer in the leader class," said Shownu, making the four first dancers get ready.
"Ready? Let's fight," said Mike. The music drops, making Mina, Bada, Funky Y, and NOB start dancing.
"That's cool," said Monika, covering her mouth with both her hands.
The four dance in their own styles, controlling their power really well. But I can't help but focus on Bada. Her height really added with her performance and to my excitement, seeing her be in the zone with her own choreography.
As they finished the dance, I came face-to-face with Bada while she held the pose for the ending.
I smirk at her and give an approving nod while she smiles back at me.
Exclamations were heard as they finished. Everyone was doing great, and it shows, but it is us, the second group, time now.
"I could only see Bada."
"Their physique is no joke."
As I move forward and Bada gets to my previous spot, our hands brush, "You did really well," I said.
I heard good luck comes from her as I position myself with Akanen, Lia, Halo, and Kirsten.
I chuckle as I straighten the pants I'm wearing and wait for the song to start.
I tuned out everything and focused on myself and the song. I just do what I have practiced and make sure that I will not forget the next step.
I was feeling everything that I do, and the next thing I knew was Bada staring back at me, like what happened earlier.
I was having a hard time removing my gaze from her when everyone was cheering and clapping after we performed.
I am hearing their murmurs of praise and exclamations of "wahh" but I just shake my head and collect myself, for I was still having a staring contest with Bada.
I look to my friends to see them smirking at me; of course, nothing will pass by them, and they will notice everything.
I just shake my head and wait, like others, to see what the fight judges will say.
I walk back to Nyx's spot to drink some water while waiting for the result.
All of them were talking at the same time, and I didn't find myself able to process what they were saying and just appreciate it.
It seems like it always now comes to it, as I find myself having eye contact with Bada while she enters the fight zone while I am still sitting in my seat, tilting my head at her.
She's really gorgeous, and that little pant and sweat visible on her doesn't help.
I stood up to walk towards her when Shownu started talking, making me stop in my tracks, "There will be a re-audition. BEBE's Bada-nim.
JAM REPUBLIC's Kirsten.
TSUBAKILL's Akanen.
And Nyx's Y/N-nim," he finished, making Nari smack my head and push me towards the fight zone.
"Yah! You don't need to do that. You will be the one to blame when I forget the steps, you prat," I said while qqqqstroking the back of my head while I made my way to the fight zone beside Akanen.
"It'll be two, then three at a time," said Monika, making Akanen, Lia unnie, and I go back to our group first to wait and watch Bada and Kirsten first.
"It's my choreography. I need to win. I'm confident."
"I was very confident."
The music starts making us focus on the two dancers standing in the fight zone.
I notice it much more clearly, the difference between the two dancers' styles, but I can't help but be amazed, for they are both doing really great.
Bada's own style and Kirsten's style were very contradictory, but with this, you just can't help but gasp and be awed by what they are showing to us.
The 30 seconds are now finished; both ended the routine neatly, making me stand back up to do what they have just done with Akanen and Lia unnie.
I gave both dancers a smile before positioning myself and waiting for the music to drop.
It didn't take long for the music to start, and we did our thing.
Every time I dance, I don't really know what happened most of the time and get carried away by the adrenaline and flow of the situation.
The three of us were doing great because I heard the cheers that other dancers were throwing at us as we danced.
We finished dancing. The five of us gave each other a hug and waited for the fight judges' decision.
I am content with what I have done and just wait for the result.
I grab the chance to stand beside Bada this time, and to my surprise, she's also somehow doing the same, moving in my direction.
I smirk and look down, attempting to straighten my clothes, "I loved your performance," I slowly say to her before looking straight into her eyes.
"I can say the same to you," she said, staring back at me.
I just now got the chance to look at her clothes, so I look at her up and down, smirking in approval, then back at her face to see her looking elsewhere, as if she just didn't stare at me as I do so at her fit.
We didn't really have the time to have a full-blown conversation, as it didn't take long before the fight judges had the result about the main dancer of the leader's class... or so I thought.
"There's going to be another audition. Bada of BEBE, Kirsten of JAM REPUBLIC and then Y/N of Nyx will be in the third audition," said Shownu.
Everyone was agreeing that it was good and wanted to see more while Lia and Akanen went back to their group.
"You don't have the time to be tired, granny," said Ji Woo, making me snap my attention to her, seeing that Hee and Nari were the ones egging the youngest to say it.
"You guys just wait," I said to them while LADYBOUNCE members were laughing at what they had heard and seen.
I bring my attention back to what was being said by the fight judges, but I find both dancers beside me already in their positions, making me do the same.
I'll fucking kill Nari and Hee.
"My whole intention of going in, especially for this challenge, is to be the main dancer."
"I do know that this is a survival show, and we are all currently fighting for the main dancer position, but I can't help but be honored to dance alongside these amazing and talented dancers, so I don't really know what to say."
"This is my choreography. I must win."
The music started making me feel tense, not because of nervousness, but because I am starting to feel like I don't deserve to be dancing with Bada and Kirsten this time around.
I ignore that nagging feeling, feel the beat and rhythm, and let the flow of music make my body move.
Everyone was cheering seeing us dance, urging me to stop thinking about the nagging feeling and enjoy this as I should.
The music was now finished as we held the ending position, earning another round of applause and cheers for other dancers and also the fight judges.
I collect myself and jump up and down before rolling my shoulders backwards before focusing on what is happening around me.
The three fight judges were all giving us a standing ovation while clapping, making me feel proud of myself and totally shutting down the nagging thoughts in my head.
All three of us, Bada, Kirsten, and I, give everyone a bow, for they are still clapping at us.
The thought of my reasons as I dance, my primary goal, everything that I am before all of this, came back to me seeing other dancers; even the judges acknowledged me as a dancer but didn't connect me to my achievements and recognition outside this fight zone for this very mission, and that feels really amazing.
"I got goosebumps," said Mike.
"I know. I got goosebumps too," said Monika.
"How did they do it?"
"If you were the judge..."
"I'd choose Kirsten."
"The three are great dancers, but I think Y/N have a big chance."
"Kirsten is a really good dancer."
"I think it could be nice to get her directions."
"I don't know who it is going to be. They crushed it and ate it up."
"She has to be the main dancer. There's no other way."
"I don't think so. I think Bada will win."
"Bada was just as good."
"She didn't lose to Kirsten and Y/N."
"I couldn't see Y/N."
"What's going to happen?"
"I have a lot of thoughts," said Monika.
"I know."
"Considering this performance only, I'd say this person is more..."
"She had more clear and clean moments."
"You mean her?"
"Yes."
"That's what is troubling me too."
The fight judges huddle up and discuss their pick while I just stand tall in the middle of both dancers.
It didn't take long when the fight judges took their seats and Shownu started talking, "We'll announce the main dancer of the leader class. The main dancer we chose is... Bada of BEBE," he finished. I look beside me and see Bada already kneeling down and hear her members' cheers and screams.
I smile at the sight and sigh, making me look back at my friends.
They all gave me a thumbs up and mouthed words of affirmation, making me feel great.
Kirsten and I gave Bada an applause. I looked back at Kirsten and gave her a hug, which she instantly reciprocated, "You did amazing, Kirst," I said while I patted her back.
"You too, but Bada really was great, right?" she said, pulling back from the hug, and we both looked at Bada, who had already stood up and charged towards me, hugging me tight.
"Well, I don't mind this bone-crushing hug I'm receiving from you, but I think this is not the time or place for that," I teased her, feeling her chuckle against my neck and making me smile, "You did amazing, Bada. Congratulations," I finished and attempted to pull back from the hug when I felt her lips on my neck, making me freeze.
"Thank you; you also did really well," she said, bringing me back to reality and giving me a smile while I found myself smirking at the action she just did once I processed it.
Fucking hell, Bada.
She gives Kirsten a hug once I step aside.
"Well done. Congratulations," I heard Kirsten say, pulling back from the hug before receiving a kiss from Bada on the cheek.
Lots of them were still clapping and saying their compliments, while all I can now think about is Bada.
All of us went back to our seats and focused on the comment that Monika would make, "First of all, it was great. Honestly, I've thought even if the choreography is bad, a dancer can dance it off nicely. But for the first time, I thought, because the choreography is good, dancers can look better. That's what I felt.
There weren't so many straightforward moves, but I could understand what the song was about. I got the impression that she put a lot of thought into this. And she put that into moves well. And another thing is, to be honest, the song was unfair. If it were a Kendrick Lamar song, Kirsten could've won, and the same with Y/N if the song was just pure beat and rhythm.
The person who thoroughly understands the lyric and beat will do a better job. That's obvious. There was a language barrier, and of course, when dancing, there could be a slight difference," said Monika.
"To be honest, I didn't know about Bada before. We're meeting through the show. Wow~ Now I know Bada. Do you know what I mean?' he said, making me smile and proud. Don't ask me why, 'And I think that with an amazing dancer like Kirsten, we already know that you are going to use everybody. All the leaders," Mike song finished.
"I'm not sure if I can say this, but there's really just very few tall dancers that make it in Korea as a woman,' said Monika, looking directly at me, 'they all prefer dancers around 160cm. When you want to use dancers taller than that, they'd be on the sides and couldn't be the main dancer. I think it's a revolution, especially that we have Nyx participating in this second season of SWF," said Monika, making me bow for the attention she's given us in terms of being a tall dancer in Korea.
"Thank you," said Bada.
"We'll be expecting good performances," said Monika.
"I can't describe it in just one word, happiness. It's a sense of euphoria that I secure the spot. I'll show a performance that befits the leader class. I want to make the coolest video of the leader class," said Bada in the interview.
We clapped for the warm words from the fight judges before the staff gave us a break.
I heard groans and sighs coming from the other dancers that stood up, standing up and stretching their limbs as my friends and I did the same.
The middle class still needed to perform, but I know everyone was tired now at some point, so having this break was like an oasis.
〰✧☽
-C.
(11/01/23)