The Idol Who Returned from Hell Chapter 76

The vote to determine the two center positions for 〈Royal Road〉.

The culmination of this breathless journey, and a moment when the trainees’ desperation was doubled more than ever.

Yu Ha-woon’s hands seemed to have lost their place, as if he was keenly feeling the weight of that pressure.

Over the past few days, we had time to generally evaluate the center candidates using the completed choreography.

To let them know what kind of feeling they should bring out before the official occasion arrived.

Each time, everyone showed really decent performances, which eased my worries a bit, but as expected, actual performance was different.

“First, before filming the video, I’ll ask one last time.”

“Yes!”

After fixing my phone for video recording on the tripod, I got final confirmation from the 5 center candidates.

“If you become the center for 〈Royal Road〉’s deep house genre, you’ll have to handle a lot of parts from the center position. And when the future EDM trainees join in the latter half and the genre changes to mainstream pop, you’ll have to memorize yet another choreography alongside the center from the other side.”

Since there was still about a week left until the live broadcast, we hadn’t moved on to group practice yet.

After determining each genre’s center, we had to gather together to learn the latter half choreography that the choreography directors had prepared.

In that process, the two centers would have to stand in the middle and match their breathing.

A situation where they’d literally have to work twice as hard as others.

This was a procedure to confirm whether they had the determination to match that.

Of course, this was also something the main writer had hinted to me before the cameras started rolling.

Even if it wasn’t for broadcast time, it was naturally an item I would have asked about.

“If you become center, you’ll have to endure all this pressure. Does anyone have any change of heart?”

“No.”

“Then we’ll officially start recording the video for deep house genre center selection. Who was first?”

“Me.”

The first center candidate was Ha Sang-hun.

Since 10 people had to come into the camera frame at once, the center position could easily become unclear.

So the production team provided one of the costumes that would be used for the live broadcast stage in advance.

“……It’s more dazzling than I expected?”

“I think this much is unavoidable to give off that Royal Road feeling.”

“Having to wear this by myself.”

“It’s fine, we’ll all be wearing this later anyway.”

Ha Sang-hun awkwardly swung both arms while wearing the white outer coat that gave off a strong imperial uniform feeling.

When he seemed mentally prepared to some degree, he nodded at me once.

“I’m ready, Brother.”

“Good, you go press the camera record button.”

Like that, Ha Sang-hun, the first up, showed off the center choreography.

Of course, the center himself would be very nervous and struggling, but the role of the remaining nine who had to solidly support the formation from behind was also extremely important.

I also focused intently to repeat the same choreography five times.

Ha Sang-hun’s choreography clearly showed signs of passionate practice.

Ha Sang-hun, who had always received evaluations of being “adequate” when compared to other trainees.

But right now, his precise movements flowed smoothly enough to remind me of Ma Si-hyeok’s powerful dance lines.

“Thank you!”

“Good work, Sang-hun!”

“Brother, you worked hard!”

And then the other trainees also took turns recording videos while wearing the center-exclusive costume.

The air inside the practice room, where the air conditioner was constantly running, was cool, but it was being engulfed by hot heat as every second passed.

The remaining trainees who had to repeat the same choreography also danced their best while dripping thick beads of sweat.

As if their fate depended on it.

When that passionate atmosphere reached its peak, Yu Ha-woon, the last center candidate, put on the uniform coat.

“Oh, wow, Ha-woon! It suit you really well!”

“Right, it’s refreshing seeing the youngest wear clothes like this for the first time.”

“Hehe…… No, you guys.”

Yu Ha-woon scratched his cheek as if embarrassed, but I was also amazed at how his image had completely changed with just that uniform top.

If our team had worn the black uniforms of the future EDM team, this visual wouldn’t have been achieved.

Because Yu Ha-woon’s natural brown hair might have gotten slightly buried.

But the white uniform and brown hair were like a perfect match.

‘If before he was just a cute poodle, today he’s a much more mature and stylish poodle.’

“Can I start? If you guys are tired, we can rest a bit and then—.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine! Let’s do it right away while the feeling’s here!”

“Let’s finish quickly and all collapse together!”

“Th, then I’ll start right away.”

As Yu Ha-woon moved toward the camera, Chae Ha-ru beside me whispered quietly.

“I hope he does well.”

For about 2 minutes, Yu Ha-woon freely displayed the skills he had practiced without rest until this morning.

I could only watch his back, so I couldn’t see all the detailed aspects, but I naturally felt that it was incredibly stable.

“Our time of victory!”

Yu Ha-woon, who struck the ending pose while powerfully spitting out the last lyrics, stood still for several seconds while catching his breath.

Eventually, after pressing the recording stop button, he turned around and spread both arms wide.

“Everyone worked hard!”

“Ugh, my whole body!”

“It’s hard enough to do this choreography once, and we repeated it how many times.”

“Right, thanks to someone the choreography came out really cool, but I think my knee joints are all worn out.”

The trainees who immediately collapsed on the practice room floor threw playful words at me while tapping their legs.

I, the very person who created that knee-grinding choreography, coolly gave a thumbs up.

“I went easy on you. From what I heard about the other side’s situation, they don’t have a single part of their body without pain patches?”

“……Are they doing physical training over there?”

“Right, at least I let you avoid pain patches. Thanks, thumbs-up Si-hwan!”

“Thanks, thumbs-up Si-hwan!”

Another strange catchphrase seems to have spread without me knowing.

While the production team downloaded the videos stored on the phone to the computer, we were able to enjoy a honey-sweet break.

A couple even went back to the dorm to take quick naps.

But most trainees, including me, knew well what scene would unfold after this short time.

Because the self-voting that made us feel most sorry and guilty, which we couldn’t leisurely enjoy, was waiting.

When break time ended and the production team finished all preparations, we entered a dark room with only one round table.

“Then from now on, we will begin voting for each genre’s center.”

As soon as those words came out, the temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees.

“Ah, I’m going crazy from nervousness.”

“Why do they always make us agonize until the very end like this……”

As the screen slowly descended from the front, several center candidates muttered to themselves, soaked in tension.

I casually glanced at Yu Ha-woon, who always couldn’t shake off nervousness, but today he seemed calm.

The screen started with the video of Ha Sang-hun, the first center candidate.

“Wow, he’s definitely good.”

“How many years has Sang-hun been a trainee?”

“About 2 years.”

“His lines feel really clean.”

Since cameras were rolling everywhere, they obviously couldn’t say anything negative.

The other center hopefuls also tried to create a smooth picture by applauding each other.

Even setting aside those intentional comments, Ha Sang-hun really handled the center choreography excellently without any flaws.

‘Practice never betrays you.’

Having practiced every single day for 50 years in hell without missing a day, I believed it more firmly than anyone.

The fruit that comes from generously invested practice time never betrays you.

It was only a 2-minute video, but looking at Ha Sang-hun’s eyes, I felt like I could see something clearly different from before.

And after checking the videos of the following 3 people.

From an objective perspective, Ha Sang-hun still handled the center position the best.

“He did well.”

“Good expression!”

“No unnecessary elements.”

The mechanical praise also sounded like it lacked sincerity.

No matter how much they wanted to package it, the impression that it was less than the presence Ha Sang-hun had shown would have entered everyone equally.

Now only one remained. Only Yu Ha-woon.

“Ah, I should have just filmed first. The pressure of being last is too big.”

Yu Ha-woon, who had maintained a stable state until just a few minutes ago, had his voice trembling when his face started appearing on screen.

I fixed my gaze on the screen to watch the video while excluding all personal feelings.

〈Royal Road〉’s intro played, and Yu Ha-woon’s expression on screen changed 180 degrees.

“……!”

At that moment, slight goosebumps rose on my body.

The deep house part of 〈Royal Road〉 that we’re in charge of is the section that signals the start of the song.

So the trainee who becomes the center of the deep house genre is literally like announcing the opening of the entire stage.

The song’s atmosphere and the flow of choreography. An aura that perfectly harmonized with these two elements was emanating from Yu Ha-woon.

「Open the road for me

The time has come to reach a conclusion

Look left, look right

Everyone screams toward us」

Confidence that exuded an overwhelming appearance reaching the royal road in one go.

Noble arrogance that connected with the imperial uniform he was wearing.

And lyrics that shouted with all their might that they had reached the final act of this long journey.

A completely different person from the previous Yu Ha-woon, who had only protected his cute youngest image, was occupying the center.

Not just the atmosphere, but his choreography and singing skills were also top-level.

As I was silently watching the video with my mouth open, Chae Ha-ru tapped my shoulder and said.

“Didn’t Ha-woon’s dancing improve tremendously from before?”

“Definitely…… Things like angle control and strength and tempo adjustment got much better.”

“I gave Ha-woon various advice like I learned from you, Brother. Well, it’s funny giving advice to a kid who’s practiced several years longer than me. But whether I told him something Ha-woon hadn’t been able to grasp until now, he improved dramatically.”

Chae Ha-ru and Yu Ha-woon could be said to have opposite characteristics.

Chae Ha-ru has the genius ability to master complex choreography in a short time.

Yu Ha-woon has the will to persistently stick to one thing and keep at it.

Despite having such opposite aspects, these two guys often stuck together when practicing.

It seems like ideal synergy occurred as they mysteriously filled in what the other lacked.

“What did you tell him?”

“It was similar to the first tip you gave me, Brother. Instead of trying to memorize movements too minutely, how about trying to express based on the overall feeling. Ha-woon’s fundamentals are already so solid. Then he expressed the choreography like that, adding his own feeling.”

What Yu Ha-woon hadn’t been able to see.

Because the standardized agency system had become ingrained in his body, he had been trying to blindly follow only the visible movements.

But when that happens, it becomes very difficult to bring out individual characteristics.

The words that Chae Ha-ru, who had started learning choreography within a broad framework, gave him allowed him to break that framework.

I watched Yu Ha-woon, who maintained his expression without relaxing until the end while staring at the camera.

‘At this rate, writing a reversal drama wouldn’t be an empty dream.’