Grab the Regressor by the Collar and Debut!

Chapter 32. First Monthly Evaluation (4)

“Quickly, quickly!”

“Hyung, my hat got switched with someone else’s!”

“Let’s match it up one more time here. Three, four—.”

Since morning, the third floor of the Miro building had been buzzing with chaos. Trainees ran around, helping each other with their outfits, practicing choreography in front of mirrors, or warming up their voices, filling the air with noise.

“Alright, everyone, gather around—!”

The manager from the rookie development team, who was in charge of the trainees, called everyone together. With tense faces, they all gathered in one place. As they lined up by their respective groups, the door soon opened, and people holding folders entered the practice room. They each took a seat in the chairs prepared in advance and got ready for the evaluation in their own ways.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Am I the only one late?”

Then, a beat later, the practice room door opened once more, and Seo Taeil walked in, wearing sunglasses. Bundled up in a coat and scarf, he was also holding a similar folder under his arm.

“Taeil-ssi, please have a seat over here.”

“Yes, thank you.”

The practice room buzzed again with the entrance of Seo Taeil, who was likely the reason half the trainees had joined Miro in the first place. With his sunglasses pushed up behind his ears, Taeil silently recited the names of the trainees listed in his folder.

“……”

And then, secretly underlining the name that resonated with him the most, he looked at the owner of that name.

At the very back of the practice room, giving up the front row to other teammates who were fussing over Seo Taeil’s presence, while he himself sat in the last row doing neck stretches—Kang Hajin.

“Well then.”

Ji Suho, who was seated in the center, closed his folder. All eyes turned toward him.

“Shall we start? You all worked hard to prepare, right?”

“Yes!”

Finally, Hajin’s first monthly evaluation was about to begin.

* * *

‘Everyone worked hard.’

That was my overall impression as I watched the other teams’ performances. The order of the monthly evaluation was decided by drawing lots, and our group ended up going last, which allowed me to watch the other teams’ stages in peace. (Though, maybe only I was at peace.)

The first team was Group B, which included Joo Eunchan and Seo Taehyun.

From the way the team was composed, it was obvious they’d pick a performance-oriented song, and they ended up choosing a hip-hop track that had been a big hit last year. With an old-school look that made it easy to dance and fit the vibe of the song, the various accessories that wealthy Joo Eunchan had prepared were the highlight.

‘Must be nice, having money.’

Thanks to the matching bandana designs and similar styles of wristbands and armbands, they managed to show a unified team image despite their different tastes and styles within the old-school look. They even emphasized their dance skills by taking turns showcasing solo performances.

“Oh!”

“Ah….”

Of course, there were mistakes. Yoo Geon, who was supposedly the usual center of the special class, failed to pull off a b-boying move during his solo.

‘……? What’s with the reaction?’

And at that moment, the atmosphere among the trainees became a bit strange. It seemed to grow colder, somehow. I tried to gauge what was happening, but it quickly passed as everyone became engrossed in Joo Eunchan’s krump dance, applauding with their mouths wide open.

‘What is this? Is it just my imagination?’

While trying to sense the subtle change in the atmosphere, Group B’s performance ended. I watched as the breathless members received their feedback, and soon the next group was called up.

Group C, which included Dan Haru and Jung Siwoo, went for an a cappella-based ballad that highlighted their vocal skills, just as expected.

Wearing fluttering white shirts and knitwear, as Jung Siwoo and Dan Haru harmonized while facing each other, a few guys couldn’t help but utter exclamations.

‘See, they’re good.’

I almost got annoyed thinking about Dan Haru, who would grab me by the collar every night, whining that he couldn’t do it, but I managed to hold it back.

With only two groups left, it would soon be our turn. I glanced at the faces of my teammates sitting next to me. They were all focused on the monthly evaluation in their own ways.

‘Well… at least they don’t seem too nervous.’

I was about to turn my head back, not wanting to break their concentration by speaking, but in that brief moment, Kim Wonho, who was sitting next to me, cautiously tapped my arm.

“What?”

“Hyung, about that.”

“Yeah.”

“…Why did you pick me? For this choreography.”

His sudden question caught me off guard, and I looked at him, seeing his surprisingly serious expression. I was tempted to check out the other guys’ stats, but his eyes were so sincere that I couldn’t just brush him off. So I slowly looked at Kim Wonho and gave him an honest answer.

“You seemed capable.”

“…….”

“I watched all your practice videos. You seemed like you could handle it. I don’t bet on things that won’t work.”

Even after hearing my answer, Kim Wonho seemed deep in thought. I considered saying something, worried he might mess up later, but then decided against it. He wasn’t Seo Taehyun or Yoon Taehee, after all. I had a feeling he’d be okay.

“Alright, next. Group A, please come forward.”

“Ha… Guys, let’s do well. Seriously.”

“Oh, they really got chewed out during the midpoint check, didn’t they?”

Our turn had finally come around. All eyes in the practice room were now on us. I tapped the still-contemplative Kim Wonho on the shoulder and stood up.

It was time to put everything into practice.

* * *

Ji Suho was, honestly, a bit worried.

‘If this turns into such a hot potato from the first monthly evaluation….’

With Lee Doha’s dance break, Kim Wonho’s self-choreographed routine, and Gongsuk as the main vocalist, there were too many untested elements in their performance. Other trainees had data points from previous performances, so their scores could be based on that, but Hajin?

‘He really needs to make a strong impression this time. What on earth is he thinking?’

Suho watched Hajin’s group, who had taken their familiar positions in the center of the practice room, with a worried expression. Dressed in ripped black jeans and black tops with strategic points of interest, Group A lined up.

As the music started, Doha, standing in the center, turned his head, and the other members, who had surrounded him, unfurled like a blooming flower.

A short group dance followed the quickening rhythm of the intro. The four of them moved in unison as if following Doha’s lead.

With a thud, the drumbeat dropped, and the song began.

“Let’s begin—, our brilliant scenario.”

“A Knight who tears through the night, yearning for a new dawn.”

With a kick, Hajin took the center and sang the first verse. With a confident expression, he continued to sing live while standing until he rejoined the others for synchronized moves with the line, “A Knight who tears through the night.”

“Cut across the red horizon, MAKE NEW WAVE!”

“Light a fire, in your heart.”

“Trampled and crushed little spark.”

As Hajin moved to the back, Taehee and Wonho’s back-and-forth part followed. It was the harmony of the highest and lowest voices in the team.

‘…Their live singing has improved?’

Even while performing a rather intense pair dance, neither of them showed any signs of breathlessness or shaky notes like before.

**[Gongsuk (Affiliated with: Miro)]**

**Appeal Point:**

**‘Teacher, I have a question’**

**- Enthusiasm for learning, academic fervor**

**[Kim Wonho (Affiliated with: Miro)]**

**Appeal Point:**

**‘A TO Z’**

**- Quick learning ability**

**[Yoon Taehee (Affiliated with: Miro)]**

**Appeal Point:**

**‘Strong Heart’**

**- Expressiveness, stage adaptability, performance realization (91%)**

**- Please keep an eye on Taehee and Wonho’s vocals as well. I’ll be too busy keeping up with the performance.**

**- Oh? Sure. That’s not too difficult…. Thanks, Hajin. I’ll do my best.**

**- Yes. Good luck, hyung.**

This was the result of Hajin, who already knew these stats, deliberately assigning Taehee and Wonho to be marked by Gongsuk. After their quick back-and-forth, Doha’s short rap followed.

Watching that, Ji Suho noticed something and let out a small laugh.

‘The choreography isn’t particularly difficult. The moves are mostly simple….’

They were simple moves, but that also made it easier to match every detail. Thanks to Hajin’s special training, which emphasized ‘angles’ and ‘lines’ throughout practice, even Doha was now performing a perfectly synchronized dance routine.

‘By letting the person doing the part add their own gestures freely, they could do more complex choreography during Doha’s part.’

“Ooh—, Woah—.”

As Doha’s rap ended and all the music faded, the chorus rang out once again. The movements slowed down in unison with it.

“Ride on, we’re New WAVE!”

The vocal trainer sitting next

to Suho audibly gasped at Gongsuk’s high note. Did his voice always go that high? There wasn’t even time to think about it before the next part rushed in. Hajin’s strategy was to distribute the parts because he believed no one had the capacity to carry a large portion of the song alone.

“Watch me closely. I’ve firmly grasped Victory.”

“Rebuilding the fallen walls with a new Melody.”

“I’ll hold on to the you that you don’t even know.”

“If you can see the end of this beginning.”

“Ride on, we’re New WAVE!”

The second chorus flew by, and after Wonho’s solo dance in the bridge part, it was finally time for the crucial dance break. Accompanied by Hajin and Gongsuk’s harmonized high notes, Doha and Taehee took their positions.

Having safely finished his part, Wonho turned around to join the formation and found himself facing Doha.

One in ten. An absurd success rate.

The dance break that Doha had repeatedly asked Hajin if it was really okay to attempt.

Hajin’s response was always the same.

**- You can do it.**

**- ……**

**- He only needs to succeed once. Just once.**

**- What does that even mean? Isn’t that one time ridiculously hard?**

**- Hey, watch your language. Anyway, just trust me. If he succeeds just once, the odds are 80%.**

**- I have no idea what you’re thinking.**

Wonho still didn’t understand what Hajin meant by that, but he decided to trust Doha. He had said he’d do it well. He’d said he was thankful for being trusted with the choreography and that he’d definitely succeed.

And while neither Wonho, Suho, nor even Doha himself knew it, there was only one person who knew this fact:

**[Lee Doha (Affiliated with: Miro)]**

**Appeal Point:**

**‘Strong Heart’**

**- Expressiveness, stage adaptability, performance realization (80%)**

Once he succeeded just once, Lee Doha would be someone who could always succeed on stage.

Without fail.