TDOCD Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Fight Gauge

​I hadn't expected much from Damin, but her performance left me stunned. She attacked the stage with a passion that proven her experience, her voice soaring without accompaniment as she moved with grace and power of a seasoned professional.

 The lyrics she sang painted vivid imagery:

 Your words, written like the sunset

 Did they linger on me, I wonder?

 Damin's status window had hinted at her talent, but numbers couldn't capture the raw passion she exuded. In front of her was her mentor of similar age, and behind her were younger trainees who hadn't even debuted yet. It could have been an embarrassing or awkward situation, but Damin sang and danced with all her might as if this were her debut stage.

 I couldn't help but wonder: Could I have done the same? If I'd come as Hong Yeo-eun instead of Ryu Ji-ye? The thought made me uncomfortable. My pride has always been my shield and my weakness. I doubt I'd have even considered appearing on a show like this.

 They say an idol's power lies in their story. Watching Damin, her desperation palpable, I found myself transfixed. It was all too familiar.

 "Thank you!" Damin's final bow was as energetic as her performance, her chest heaving with exertion.

 Yu-hwa nodded, her expression thoughtful. "As expected, you're truly talented," she said. "You have a gift for making any song your own."

 "Thank you," Damin replied brightly, bowing once more before retreating.

 Yuhwa's gaze shifted to Min Hayoung. "You're up next, Hayoung. Relax and show us your best."

 "Y-yes..." Hayoung's voice quavered. How could anyone relax in this situation?

 As Hayoung stepped forward, the confidence drained from her face. She'd been visibly shaken when told she'd have to sing the vocal part before the dance break, and Damin's stellar performance had only amplified her nerves.

 "Whenever you're ready," Yu-hwa prompted.

 "I'll do my best." Hayoung's voice was barely above a whisper.

 As she began to sing, the stark difference between B+ and A became apparent. Hayoung's dance skills were undeniably superior, but in this moment, it hardly mattered.

 This part should go to Damin. I thought with certainty. Hayoung's vocals were so timid they were barely audible. Despite executing the dance break flawlessly, the overall energy of her performance fell flat.

 It was a classic case of dropping the ball. Hayoung's technical skill as a dancer was evident, but Damin's vocal prowess had set a bar she couldn't reach. If only she'd gone first in the lineup, things might have played out differently.

 "Well done, Hayoung. You truly are an exceptional dancer," Yu-hwa said, her tone gentle.

 Hayoung's shoulders slumped, the praise seeming to deflate her further.

 "I've seen your work before," Yu-hwa continued. "Your audition videos, your appearance on 'Love Me Idol.' You were impressive then, but you've grown even more."

 Wait, what? I thought. Hayoung was on 'Love Me Idol'? It struck me how experienced our team really was. Even excluding myself, three out of five had already experienced the limelight or survived the crucible of audition shows. I wasn't sure about Ra-eun, though.

 "Ah, thank you," Hayoung mumbled, her reaction puzzling. Most trainees would be overjoyed at such praise from a mentor, but Hayoung looked like she'd been caught in a lie. She bowed hastily and scurried back to stand beside Damin.

 Yu-hwa blinked, caught off-guard by the reaction, but quickly regained her composure. "This part should go to Damin," she announced.

 Damin nodded slightly, her mature response a stark contrast to Hayoung's discomfort.

 "Hayoung, you did incredibly well too," Yu-hwa added. "But this section needs to captivate the audience emotionally. The vocal part leading into the dance break is crucial, and that's where you fell short."

 I was impressed by Yu-hwa's directness. I'd worried her gentle nature might prevent her from giving necessary criticism.

 "It's unfortunate this time, but there will be other opportunities. Don't lose hope."

 "Yes," Hayoung murmured.

 "Your passion for dance is admirable," Yu-hwa continued. "But as a singer, I hope you'll also focus on understanding the mood of the song and developing your vocals."

 "Thank you." Hayoung's expression remained clouded, but she seemed to accept the feedback.

 Or at least, she appeared to.

 Ding!

 Suddenly, a translucent window materialized before my eyes:

· ✦•·····················•✦•·····················•✦·  

※Urgent Mission※

 A Group with an Awkward Atmosphere'

This group is struggling!

Their sense of unity is weak, and they're so focused on individual success

that they can't manage their expressions!

 At this rate, they might end up fighting on camera!

-Mission Completion Condition:

Reach an agreement between Han Damin and Min Hayoung

​before the Fight gauge reaches 100% (Time limit: 10 hours)

 Reward: 500G

 *If failed, Han Damin and Min Hayoung will suffer from irreconcilable conflict rumors.

· ✦•·····················•✦•·····················•✦·  

 "Good job, everyone," Yu-hwa's voice cut through my shock. "Next is the intro. Who was assigned that part? Ra-eun?"

 "Yes!" Ra-eun chirped.

 Behind the ghostly system window, I watched Ra-eun take center stage as Damin and Hayoung returned to their spots. The air between them crackled with tension.

 Oh no...

 This wasn't a sudden development. The friction between them had been building since morning—no, since our very first meeting. I'd dismissed it, thinking it wasn't my concern. How naive I'd been.

 Damin, the former main dancer of an established group, and Hayoung, undefeated in dance and can’t handle losing. How could I have expected them to coexist peacefully? But I never imagined it would escalate to this point, with the specter of public conflict looming over us.

 And what's this 'Fight gauge' all about? I wondered.

 As if in response, another window appeared:

· ✦•·····················•✦•·····················•✦·  

 0 [■□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□] 100

      FIGHT GAUGE

 ※When the gauge reaches 100, they will fight for real in front of the cameras :)

· ✦•·····················•✦•·····················•✦·  

 I fought the urge to roll my eyes. What's with all these ridiculous pop-ups? And that smug little smiley face is just asking to be punched.

 If these warnings had to appear, couldn't they have waited until after our evaluations? My turn was approaching, and now my mind was a whirlwind of concerns.

 Still, the message was clear: Damin and Hayoung treat each other as rivals, their pride and ambition threatening to ignite at any moment.

 Is being the main dancer really worth all this drama? I caught myself and shook my head. That kind of thinking was part of the problem. When it comes to skills and pride, there's no such thing as seniority.

 I smoothed my furrowed brow and dismissed the system windows. Focus, I told myself. Nail your part first, then worry about defusing this ticking time bomb.

 ---

 "Excellent work, everyone," Yu-hwa said, concluding our first member evaluation and part distribution.

 "I hope the snacks were to your liking. Let's stick with these assignments and practice hard. Do you think you can memorize the 'Horizon' choreography by today?"

 A chorus of eager "Yes!" rang out.

 "I'm looking forward to seeing it! Rest when you can!" With that, Yuhwa left the practice room, relief evident on her face. As soon as the door closed behind her, we collectively deflated.

 "Whew... I'm beat," Seo Ra-eun groaned, slumping to the floor and wiping away beads of sweat.

 "Tell me about it," I agreed. "I was a bundle of nerves."

 Ra-eun offered a weak smile. "You could have fooled me. It didn't look like you were nervous at all."

 In the end, most of us secured the parts we'd hoped for. Sure, we all received some critique, but isn't the end result what truly matters?

 A soft sob cut through my thoughts.

 "Hic..."

 "Unni, why are you crying...?" Ra-eun's voice was tinged with concern.

 I turned to see tears streaming down Ra-eun's face. Seriously? I thought. You made it through without a hitch, and now you choose to break down? Right in front of me, of all people?

 As I watched Ra-eun's shoulders shake with silent sobs, I realized our challenges were far from over. The real test of our group's strength was just beginning.