Chapter 11

    Step Eleven

    :: Accident Part I ::

    Jacan raised one eyebrow, then pointed his finger at himself.

    Was he being talked about just now?

    Didn't expect to be compared to other contestants like how sometimes parents compare their own children to others’. Just standing here could already make him disliked. Wouldn’t this make him even more targeted?

    Even though inside he wanted to scream curses, externally he showed nothing but gratitude with a faint smile.

    Even though they were told to look up to Jacan as an example, not everyone could emulate him in such a short time. Those who had more experience could deal with pressure better. No matter how envious or resentful they were, there was nothing they could do. After taking a moment to catch their breath, they had to go back to their positions and get ready for the next take. Despite how tired they were, they had to keep smiling and fighting!

    "Okay, wrap it up, you guys."

    "Yay!" The trainees with shooting queues for the day cheered happily. Finally, they had passed through this battlefield.

    "Damn it. Been too crazily long," An Junsa muttered, his voice not loud, not soft.

    "I'm exhausted, my cheeks ache from smiling too much," Wang Qi slumped down on the floor. Today must be the day he smiled the most in his life. Smiling from ten in the morning until one in the afternoon, plus almost another hour of individual close-up shots. From shooting to checking the results, it added another hour.

    Overall, they received the signal to wrap up filming at four in the evening.

    Saying they were exhausted to death was not an exaggeration.

    Today must be the most exhausting day of their lives. They had to leave the apartment while it was still dark to come to this studio, spend hours getting his makeup and hair done, then spend several more hours being manipulated on stage. There was no energy left to maintain any image. If they didn’t care that their clothes might get stained, they would probably end up lying on the floor without any embarrassment.

    Even Jacan himself almost didn't make it because the producers and directors wanted perfection in various angles and styles, demanding perfection endlessly.

    If it was a music video shoot for ordinary artists, it wouldn't take this long. But with nearly a hundred people involved in the shooting and the need for coordination and professionalism like professional idols, it became a tough challenge for both the crew and the contestants.

    "But Big Bro Jay, you're amazing. No matter how many rounds you dance, you never miss a beat," Im Kureum looked up with respect at the oldest person in the show. After getting to know each other in the dressing room, most recently, the head producer's son managed to become so close with the older guy that he allowed himself to be called by his nickname, despite having known each other for just a day.

     The snare skills... cough, the exceptional social skills of the group’s new member made the chicks, who usually followed Jacan like loyal minions, look at him with envy as if their eyes were burning with fire. So, the big brother allowed everyone to call him "Jay" as they pleased, hoping that Wang Qi's pouting cheeks would return to a full smile again.

    "It’s because I practice frequently," he practiced until two am. every day for a whole week in a row, plus he had to go teach the Class E kids, so how could he not remember the moves?

    "I thought I'd practiced a lot already, but when it came time to perform, the stress just built up without me realizing it," then he made mistakes, prompting the director to order a cut with an irritated expression.

    "Managing stress is something you have to learn and apply to yourself," Jacan patted the little brother on the back. He couldn’t really give advice on this one. Everyone had different ways to relax. Some things might work for someone, but if others tried them, it might just add to their accumulated stress instead.

    After a short conversation, the production team attached long stairs to all four sides of the stage. The trainees lined up to go down one or two at a time, leaving only Class A, who were on the highest platform, to descend as the last group.

    "Woob!"

    Jacan furrowed his brows when he noticed that the shadow under his feet wobbled slightly, so he raised his head and looked up at the ceiling...

    "!!!!"

    "Watch out!" The younger boy quickly pulled Im Kureum and Wang Qi towards him, jumping back several steps from where they had been standing.

    Thunk!

    Crash!!!!!

    The spotlight that should have been securely attached to the beam above fell down heavily, hitting the floor right where many trainees from Class A and Class B had been standing. If it hadn't been for the timing and their positions, no one would have been seriously injured or killed. However, the shards of glass that flew in all directions would cause wounds that would require time to heal. And if unlucky, hitting a critical point might require withdrawing from the program.

    No, if the injuries were that severe, the police officers would order a halt to the filming. The younger boy frowned, his brows knitted, looking at the remains of the spotlight with a pensive gaze. Was it an accident or deliberate?