Grab the Regressor by the Collar and Debut!

Chapter 49. Daylight (5)

As I struggled with self-loathing and shame, Ria consoled me in a generous tone.

“I also got really confused with those lyrics during events.”

“You actually messed up a few times, didn’t you?”

“Taeil, quiet. They’ll use this as a reference clip. PD-nim, don’t look for it, please. If this gets aired, I’ll really cry.”

Seeing the two of them naturally transition to the next editing point, it was clear that pro idols were truly pro idols. In any case, it was a relief that the focus on me had subtly shifted away.

“I really enjoyed your singing. Wow, you’re really good.”

“Oh no, it’s just that the song is so good…. I’m so embarrassed, but it’s an honor to be able to sing in front of you, sunbae-nim.”

“Hey, Hajin isn’t usually like this. What’s this, are you managing your image?”

“…I didn’t hear that clearly?”

Oh no, did my speech pattern from the military rub off on me while absorbing stamina? Spit, spit.

I tried to wrap things up warmly with a fanboy moment from a chick trainee, but for some reason, Seo Taeil wasn’t helping. When he suddenly brought up image management, I stared at him with a dazed expression, and he just propped his chin on his hand and began to pick me apart.

“You weren’t like this when we met during the mid-check.”

“Ah.”

So that’s what he meant, referring to the time I had responded with a joke last time.

‘If I don’t respond properly, this’ll be edited out completely.’

In variety shows, if the ending isn’t handled properly, no matter how good the situation was, it’s easy to end up on the cutting room floor. Moreover, this was an impromptu side talk that wasn’t even part of the original filming plan. I couldn’t afford to let this end awkwardly and get edited out.

I immediately swept my bangs to the side and looked at Ria and Seo Taeil with the most exaggeratedly smug expression I could muster. Ha, come on.

“You’re probably disappointed you missed out on such talent, huh?”

“Ahaha! What’s this?”

“What’s up with Hajin’s concept? Why is it like that?”

The reactions were good.

As the mentors burst out laughing, I felt a mix of pride and embarrassment pulling at the back of my head, so I quickly relaxed my expression and fixed my bangs again.

I glanced at Seo Taeil with a look that said, ‘Are you satisfied now, you punk?’ only to find him laughing so hard he was pounding the desk.

“Ah, this is seriously hilarious.”

“Alright, now that we’ve had a good laugh, let’s move on to the next story.”

“Yes, um. Shall we? The next question?”

Perhaps realizing it shouldn’t drag on too long, the prompter signaled to move on quickly. While everyone was still reeling from laughter, the vocal trainer, who had checked the prompter again, grabbed the mic.

“I heard that B Team had to redistribute parts quickly because one member got sick…. Did Trainee Hajin end up taking all of those parts?”

“Ah, yes.”

“This is a choice you can’t usually make unless you’re really confident.”

Here it comes. I expected this question, and the writer had also mentioned it before we started filming, so I wasn’t particularly surprised. After a brief moment of contemplation, I looked at the B Team members who hadn’t received any airtime yet and spoke.

“Actually, my team members were very considerate.”

“Considerate?”

At the unexpected answer, the mentors looked at us curiously. I gave the B Team members, who were looking at me in shock, a pointed look that said, ‘Get a clue,’ and put on a social smile. Seriously, why were they making those faces?

“When I first joined the company, I received such high praise and ended up being made the leader, so I was honestly quite burdened.”

“Ah~.”

“So when we were first dividing up the parts, the guys were really considerate. They helped me by giving up the impactful parts so I could take on fewer lines… but then Jaeyoung suddenly got sick.”

I paused to catch my breath at this point. Maybe it was because I knew that Park Jaeyoung wasn’t just sick for no reason. Suddenly, a slight guilt over Jaeyoung began to tap at my heart, making me feel queasy.

“…So since the other guys were already handling much more difficult parts and choreography, we decided together that I would work harder and take on Jaeyoung’s part as well.”

‘It’s all a lie. Anyway, the real reason can’t even be broadcasted.’

‘Those jerks pushed it onto me,’ is something I couldn’t say, could I? I covered it up with a plausible story about B Team overcoming a crisis together with teamwork and sent another pointed look at the guys who were still staring at me like, ‘How does this guy lie so effortlessly?’

‘Get a clue, you punks.’

Fortunately, a few of them seemed to catch on as they quietly nodded and forced a small smile.

“It must’ve been really tough to adjust the choreography for eight members instead of nine. But you handled it well and stayed calm. Hmm… I’m looking forward to this stage.”

“Alright then, B Team. Please get ready for your stage.”

As the cue to start the stage was given, the lights gradually changed. The guys who had been watching my one-man show hastily adjusted their positions to match the choreography. As the lights dimmed completely, I spoke to the guys who still seemed stiff and tense.

“Guys.”

“…….”

“Let’s do well.”

The lights went out. Finally, it was time to present our first daylight.

* * *

Unlike A Team, who went for a blue and white concept, B Team’s outfit concept was a mismatched look combining black and red. Black and red instead of the refreshing blue? That was a rather profound approach. Ria spun her pen, thinking that they might have gone for such a look to contrast with the opposing team.

‘Still, they could’ve made it more unified.’

It was a pity that it felt like two separate teams performing on one stage.

At that moment, an intro that always sounded like a masterpiece began.

Whhhiii―

‘Huh?’

A whistling sound that hummed like a tune was laid over the refreshing guitar riff. The orchestra started with the timpani. And the even-paired waltz-like dance of the feather-ranked members, who had become an even number with one missing, moved in perfect sync.

‘A ball?’

Moreover, the outfits that seemed lacking in unity earlier now seemed to have a purpose, with each pair dressed in different colors. Soon, Hajin smoothly moved to the center from his position while performing choreography with his partner, starting to sing.

Hello, it’s me.

Unlike A Team’s Sungwoo, who had cheerfully greeted someone, Hajin’s tone was subtle. Ria, not missing the nuance in his expression, was completely captivated by Hajin.

For a long time, we

Looked in different directions

“Huh?”

“Haha, these guys are interesting again.”

To maintain balance in an even-numbered formation, someone needed to sacrifice their position to be at the center. The member standing directly behind the one at the center usually became almost invisible.

But it was a bit different with B Team’s stage.

“Is Hajin doing the choreography in reverse right now?”

“Yes, yes. Oh, that must be really confusing.”

Hajin, standing at the center, was performing the choreography entirely in reverse, creating an optical illusion that made it seem like he was paired with the trainee behind him. He replaced parts that could have appeared wrong with gestures and executed the parts that needed to be in sync perfectly.

Executing a complete reverse choreography wasn’t an easy task, but for Hajin, it wasn’t particularly difficult either. After all, he’d spent so much time dragging those guys through practice by the collar that he always had to watch their moves from the opposite direction.

Moonlight filling the sky

Pouring Starry Night

When all those journeys end

We’ll finally face our Highlight

“A Team’s kids are definitely strong.”

“But B Team isn’t as bad as I thought.”

“I really like that everything aligns so perfectly. It feels like the passion of rookies.”

Unlike A Team, which overwhelmed with individual talent, B Team’s strength lay in their perfectly coordinated, unified performance. Ria finally understood the meaning behind those seemingly mismatched outfits.

“Their interpretation of the song is interesting. They’re showing how they’re continuously searching for each other on stage.”

The “you” and “I” in the lyrics were vividly expressed on stage. That thorough interpretation exploded in the chorus. Gong Seok and Hajin stood in the center of the stage, facing each other, and began to dance while singing the chorus.

Another sun rises, shining on you and me

Let’s hold hands so we don’t get lost

I’ll stay with you so the night won’t come

Never fallin’ down (down down)

At the end of this maze-like world, there’s only

Never Going back (back back)

Our story will be the only thing left

They used their movements smartly, changing positions to get a close-up during their respective parts. Although it was a deliberate strategy by Hajin, who took advantage of the even number of members to play up the pair concept, it looked like a stage prepared by people who had targeted this concept from the beginning.

“Is that the revised arrangement?”

“They seem to have changed the formations and placements. But that concept was there even during the mid-check. I told you, these guys are

interesting.”

When the surprised Ria asked Taeil, he just smiled and nodded his chin. The dance break was just beginning, and Hajin still didn’t seem tired.

“Trainee Kang Hajin has better breath control than me.”

“I heard he trained for a few years at another company before. Apparently, he also did children’s musicals for a long time when he was younger. And choir.”

“Wow, youth is really something.”

Of course, that remarkable breath control wasn’t the result of his experience in children’s musicals or choir. It was actually something that came from Private Kang’s past of running laps around the training ground until he was dead tired and PD Kang’s previous life of endlessly climbing stairs to deliver tapes, but those two wouldn’t know that.

The song approached the third verse. Taeil, noticing that it was Gong Seok and not Hajin who was moving to the side for the ad-lib, checked the lyrics sheet again in surprise.

Hello, it’s me

My joy that will shine brightly

So that another sun that will shine on you doesn’t set

So that another flap of wings that will protect you reaches you

So that my Daylight will brighten your night>

“…He’s being greedy, huh?”

Even after the dance break, Hajin’s solid voice rang out powerfully in the third verse chorus, showing no signs of reaching his limit. While performing the choreography at the center and singing with all his might, Hajin slightly lifted his head and winked at Doha, who was looking at him with a face full of surprise.

‘Thanks for the hint, man.’

Today, Kang Hajin was determined to steal the entire show for himself.