10

    Step Ten

    :: Selected Center Part II ::

    "Hatchiwe," Jacan sneezed loudly as he was being made up by the makeup artist.

    "Are you not feeling well, hyung?" Yeo Unche looked with a concerned face, wanting to see how his handsome brother looked when he wore the show's uniform. "Wow, the outfit suits you so well," the Class B boy complimented.

    Yeo Unche didn't exaggerate. The show's uniform resembled that of international high school students. Inside, it was a white shirt paired with a dark purple blazer, a deep purple tone that symbolized power, and the same-colored slacks. The sneakers were white Spencer. Everyone wore the same thing, except for Class A, who had a gold logo pin on the left chest to differentiate themselves clearly from other trainees.

    When Jacan, with his light hair and blue-eyed gaze, wore it, he exuded the charm of a high schooler to the fullest. Unlike some of them who looked like they had borrowed their older brother's clothes, they looked like little kids even though they wore the same uniform.

    "You're handsome too," Jacan glanced at the younger boy. Because he couldn't move his face much, he just raised his thumb to signal his approval.

    "Speaking like this, I feel relieved a bit," he hadn't done his makeup yet, just wore the uniform, and passing by the mirror, he thought he looked like a country boy coming to the city.

    "And me?" Wang Qi also wanted some feedback. He hadn't styled his hair yet, just waiting in line like everyone else.

    "You look good too. When they do your makeup, ask them to make your eyes a bit sharper, otherwise you’ll look too childish," making it seem like you’re picking clothes from your brother's wardrobe. Jacan didn't say the last sentence, of course, just giving advice as he thought fit.

    "You really have a good eye for detail. Wang Qi needs eyeliner to make him look more mature," the makeup artist, who was meticulously working on Jacan's face, glanced at the young boy with a playful wink, offering an opinion as he would be the next queue after this mixed-race young man.

    As for Jacan, he barely needed any powder or foundation at all. The young man's skin was very good, both smooth and soft. Just a little emphasis on eye contouring would help enhance this pair of blue eyes even more.

    "I have a sister who often does makeup. So I've picked up a thing or two," which was no one else but his duo sister Han Shinsu. As a girl singer, they spent more time on her makeup. Unlike him, who had to wear a mask, even without makeup, it would not make any difference.

    "Ah, I see. Who is she... your girlfriend?" When stumbled upon interesting stuff for gossiping, the makeup artist quickly asked playfully. Her eyes sparkled, as she was fully ready to pay close attention.

    "Not really. It's an older sister who used to sing together. Now she's about to have a boyfriend herself," Jacan replied with closed eyes and a smile, No one knew that it was an important secret of the famous actress. If Han Shinsu heard about it, the young man would surely be scolded until his head fell off.

    "Really?  You’re not only handsome but also warm. It's a type that girls really like."

    "You're flattering me too much, but I'll gladly accept it," while other trainees were nervous about their first performances on the big stage, Jacan was the only one who could casually chat with the makeup artist and hairdresser.

    "What he said about debuting must be true then," Kim Jiseong whispered to Wang Qi, who had returned to sit with him.

    "Do you think Brother Jacan was just kidding?" Wang Qi raised his eyebrows. He thought everything Jacan said was true.

    "You’re so..., if Brother Jacan's sold you out, don't go help him count the money," believing too easily had gone too far.

    "Oh, do you know this phrase too?" the younger brother asked, surprised. This was a very popular phrase in his home country. He never thought he would hear it from someone from another country.

    "Of course. I've read a lot of novels," Kim Jiseong boasted.

    "Novels? Are they translated novels?" Im Kureum, who had been sitting quietly because he hadn't adjusted to Class A yet, suddenly piped up from the other end of the sofa, joining the conversation instantly.

    "Oh, they’re Yaoi novels. My older sister loves to read them. But I'm not gay, just feel like they’re fun," Kim Jiseong, a true man who has a sister addicted to novels and manga, laughed. During the time he didn't practice dancing or singing, he also read some. The more he read, the more he felt they were fun. But he still liked girls as usual, not looking at the same sex differently,

    Still seeing them as crazy as before.

    It was a gender that, when put together, there would be nothing but endless nonsense...

    "Huh, you read stuff like that too? Uh, don't get me wrong. I'm not bullying or resisting anything," Im Kureum hastily denied, afraid the other party might misunderstand. "I also like reading, but... but I read books of all genres, not just Yaoi."

    "So have you read this one, xxxx? My sister loves it," Kim Jiseong considered his new friend for a moment before inviting further conversation about books.

    "Yeah, I have. That one's really popular. It's even published abroad," Im Kureum, caught off guard by the younger person's sudden initiation of a conversation about novels he liked, forgot the worries he had about abruptly shifting classes. His demeanor changed. The intimidating aura that had made him the Big Brother of Class B was completely erased.

    Referring to information from the novels, the person in front of him must be gay, because he thought he accidentally revealed his own secret, he quickly came up with other reasons to explain.

    Hmm, just like in the novels.

    Sundere... It meant he hadn’t come out as gay at home one hundred percent. So he was afraid if the talk segment in the dressing room went on air and his family found out, there would be trouble.

    He must be right! This guy must be gay! He could guarantee it with his sister's experience of reading more than a hundred volumes of Yaoi novels.

    Kim Jiseong closed his eyes, nodding to himself, confirming his thoughts inwardly.

    "..." Im Kureum.

    "..." Wang Qi.

    What's his deal? They were having a good conversation, and he just zoned out meditating.

    ...

    It took three hours for makeup and hair styling together. All 99 trainees were ready to film the program's theme song music video.

    The staff led them into the original studio where they had shot the first tape. However, this time, Athchanan and the judging panel were gone, replaced by a large stage they had only seen as a model during the mission announcement. It looked beautiful on TV, but seeing it in person made them truly appreciate its grandeur.

    Amazinggg!

    Were they going to dance on that?!

    Many trainees shouted in excitement at the grandeur, taking turns expressing their views enthusiastically while the cameras captured the atmosphere. Except for Jacan, who looked at it with a pressure that didn't show to anyone.

    With this many people... How long would it take to finish shooting?

    Jacan's pressure wasn't not unfounded. It was evident during the first group rehearsal. They hadn't even started filming yet, but they were already making mistakes, dancing out of sync, bumping into each other, and causing so many problems that the MV director and the PD had to stop and have everyone meditate before trying again... and again.

    "Stop, stop. No need to start the song." The middle-aged man turned to send a glance to the judges standing below the stage with a face of annoyance and frustration, ready to devour the trainees in their care.

    "..." The trainees on stage stood still, hands clasped in front of them. They didn't think that even during the final rehearsal, they would still be making continuous mistakes like this.

    "What are you guys doing?" Jung Wangseong held the mic, standing with his hands on his hips, looking down at the trainees from the stage. His formerly composed face now showed increasing irritation. Anyone who accidentally met his gaze would lower their head in shame. "Are you guys thinking you’re playing shop?"

    "Don't tell me that after the position selection was over, you guys didn't even rehearse or review anything?" Lee Danbi scowled, criticizing the chaos that ensued.

    "..." It was fortunate that the two Kim sisters had a job today and didn't come to this studio. Otherwise, they would have sunk the stage with criticism until everyone wanted to escape for sure.

    Jacan observed the situation with a calm and quiet demeanor. He had already anticipated that it would be like this. Even professional idols made mistakes during their stage performances, how could trainees, who were still amateurs, avoid them? And with their large number, the difficulty of harmony increased tenfold.

    Im Heewoo chose to remain silent, letting the instructors take care of them. If he, the most senior in the program, also joined, there would undoubtedly be tears to the point where no further filming could continue.

    "I'll give you guys 10 minutes to review yourselves. Or if anyone needs to do something else, feel free. And I hope that after this, there won't be any more embarrassing mistakes like this," Jung Wangseong said in a stern manner, making the trainees shrink in fear. Those who were emotionally fragile shed a few tears before hurriedly wiping them away for fear of smudging the makeup they had applied.

    Fortunately, most of the mistakes occurred with the group located near the stage's outer perimeter. If it happened to those who had already been selected by the judges, they would have faced heavier criticism. Or worse, they could have been removed from the stage to the ground.

    "So frightening, brrrr." Wang Qi was confident that he hadn't made any mistakes, but when he saw his friends being scolded, he couldn't help but shrink back.

    "Hmm," An Junsa sighed, his handsome face showing clear signs of annoyance. Perhaps it was because there were no close-up cameras recording at the moment, the young man no longer bothered to control his facial expressions. Furthermore, the stage he stood on was higher than anyone else's, making it difficult for anyone to see his face, except for Jacan, who stood higher. However, the other side probably wouldn't notice.

    The trainees who couldn't bear the pressure began to take turns going to the bathroom, one or two at a time. Some who knew they had made mistakes quickly reviewed themselves urgently. Some asked their nearby friends to help them rehearse to avoid making mistakes in the next practice session.

    Ten minutes passed, and the fourth major rehearsal began. Although there were still some mistakes, they were almost invisible and could be covered up by close-ups of other contestants, so they passed and were ready for actual filming.

    When they heard that they had to start filming for real, the already tense atmosphere became even more intense. The song that should have conveyed freshness and energized the listeners couldn't evoke natural expressions from the performers.

    Stiff smiles, unblinking eyes.

    "Cut! Stop, stop, stop right there! What's happening in this recording? Is this a ghost-hunting show? Make your faces look decent for a bit. We're going to start filming again," the MV director yelled into the microphone with a slightly irritated voice. Then he started getting angry, angrier, and angriest when he had to call for a fifth take.

    "Do you think you're just playing around with filming? Do you know how much money every minute wasted costs?" Im Heewoo walked out, holding a slate with a frustrated expression. Because they had to rent this large studio by the hour, even though he had it booked for the whole day, if they kept making mistakes like this repeatedly, they might not finish filming today.

    "..." Both the trainees above and below looked at each other. If it wasn't this person's fault, it was that person's mistake. The blame game continued endlessly. Even the pre-debut trainees above started receiving criticism later because they had to dance non-stop for a long time, which took a toll on them. In their group, it seemed that only the center had never made a mistake.

    "You guys, look at Jacan, he's a good example. He hasn't made a single mistake up to now. The more you make mistakes repeatedly, the more tired everyone gets, and it's not just one person who's exhausted," As the last sentence ended, they all looked up at the program's older brother who hadn't shown a hint of exhaustion on his face, not even a little bit.

    Was this older brother human for real?