TDOCD Chapter 77

Chapter 77

Third Round 

The set for the 3rd round competition buzzed with an unexpected energy.

Snippets of playful conversations echoed from various corners.

"Hey, you look a bit unfamiliar here?"

"You're the one who seems completely new."

Or comments like:

"Wow, you seem more excited than when you were in your old team!"

"Are you happy now that you've left your previous team and joined a new one? Really happy?"

"Yeah, I'm super happy~"

Lighthearted exchanges flowed effortlessly.

The atmosphere felt strangely complex - watching my team members interact with other groups felt simultaneously awkward, novel, and inexplicably surreal.

An unusually relaxed mood permeated a space that had typically been charged with tension.

Our Flora team was no exception to the casual banter.

"I hear you've become a duo with my sister at Flo&U,"

Min Ha-young said, her face brightening with a playful smile.

Her lips curved into a knowing grin.

“Did you pair up with Ji-a before me?" I responded with a subtle, conspiratorial chuckle, as if sharing an inside joke.

"And I hear that  Min Ha-young of Crescendo's has become a rapper," I countered, feigning mock surprise. "Oh my, without even telling me!"

The intermingled teams meant that snippets of various group dynamics drifted effortlessly through the space.

Whispers about Han Da-min taking leadership in U&I, rumors of a trainee being scolded by a trainer and breaking into tears.

Among the Flora team gossip, two stories stood out most prominently:

Choi Song-yi's reported conflict and Min Ha-young's unexpected pivot to rap.

I'll skip discussing the details of Song-yi's dispute...

Ha-young's rap exploration, however, was surprisingly intriguing. She had always been self-conscious about her vocal skills.

Objectively, rap isn't easy, but given her already refined pronunciation and tone, she could likely handle idol rap parts with minimal practice.

Exploring one's potential strengths is always admirable.

"That's right! I'm doing rap this time, so look forward to it!" Her expression suggested genuine excitement and a lack of pressure, indicating she had found a surprisingly good fit.

A familiar voice cut through the bustling crowd of trainees.

"Oh, he's here! Hello!"

The trainees reflexively straightened up, turning toward the voice.

Choi Gyu-jin, the Start Plan host, entered the set with his characteristically high-energy laugh.

"Wow, did everyone watch the first episode? You all did amazingly well in the auditions."

"Thank you!"

"The ratings are incredible!"

He moved toward his position, visibly most satisfied with the show's success.

The filming began immediately.

***

Choi Gyu-jin's hosting flowed smoothly, guiding the opening remarks, discussing the recent reactions to Start Plan's first episode, and recapping the third round's rules with effortless precision.

"I hear the Crescendo team has prepared an extraordinary choreography," he noted, a knowing smile playing on his lips.

 "I'm told Judge Lee Si-a was thoroughly impressed."

The Crescendo team responded with shy, pleased smiles - a subtle confirmation of the whispered praise.

I nodded, understanding the subtext.

'Certainly, this is a team Lee Si-a would appreciate.'

This round, Lee Si-a was managing two teams: our Flo&U and Crescendo.

While our team centered on vocals, Crescendo was predominantly dance-focused, especially with the addition of 5th May Rookie trainees.

Her satisfaction with the team was likely significant.

'Perhaps Song-yi's conflict stemmed from this very dynamic,' I contemplated.

With so many dance-focused members, it was natural that intense discussions about choreography and arrangement would emerge.

In such environments, minority voices - like Song-yi's - often risk being marginalized, their perspectives quietly dismissed.

“Then, Crescendo, I’m looking forward to seeing what kind of stage you’ve prepared. Now, please move to the stage.”

As Choi Gyu-jin invited Crescendo to the stage, a chorus of supportive voices followed:

"Fighting!"

"You've got this!" I caught Min Ha-young and Song-yi's eyes, offering a silent gesture of support- two clenched fists, a wordless encouragement.

The set dimmed, and unexpectedly, a screen revealed the Crescendo members in their raw, unpolished state - a VCR capturing their behind-the-scenes moments during their training period.

"Interesting," Seo Ra-eun murmured.

"They're creating these documentary-style segments for the third round."

The footage unveiled a pivotal moment - the team's deliberations about their performance song. 5th May Rookie's leader, Ja-yeon, initiated the discussion:

-Does anyone have a song in mind?

An I-Meet-You member - roughly my age, though her name momentarily escaped me - raised her hand with unexpected confidence.

-How about Chronos's 'Enjoy Yourself'?

-'Enjoy Yourself'?

-Yes

The screen immediately populated with information about Chronos - the most globally popular boy group, renowned for their extreme dance skills. 'Enjoy Yourself' was notorious for its challenging choreography, a stark contrast between its bright, youthful energy and its incredibly complex movements.

'They're choosing this?' I observed with a mix of admiration and skepticism. 'The dance might be manageable, but the live performance...the high notes in this song are no joke.

The discussion unfolded like a delicate negotiation.

Each team member was consulted, their opinions revealing underlying tensions.

The live performance would be challenging, and their reactions oscillated between excitement and apprehension.

When the spotlight turned to Song-yi, our team's youngest member, the room seemed to hold its collective breath.

Given the rumors of previous conflicts, I half-expected her to object. Instead, she glanced briefly at Ha-young before offering a quick, almost mechanical nod.

"Okay."

Something in that moment caught my attention. Her expression - a blank canvas that spoke volumes of unspoken complexity.

'Wait, just like that?'

After all the rumors of conflict?'

Then it struck me. 

She hadn't understood the song's complexity, simply agreeing because Ha-young seemed comfortable with the choice.

Her characteristic hesitation to appear uninformed had silenced her true feelings.

The scene transitioned, revealing a later moment of exhaustion.

Song-yi sat against the mirror. Her gaze, fixed on the relentlessly practicing dancers, was a landscape of overwhelm and quiet desperation.

No words could capture the magnitude of her internal struggle more eloquently than that single, wordless moment.

The screen turns to Choi Song-yi’ s solo interview.

"I really thought I couldn't do it."