Chapter 46

# Episode 046

If you say something like that, I can't help but criticize and blame you!

"Why? What happened?"

* * *

The four had finished memorizing the choreography and their movements.

Since it was choreography made by Joara, she was the fastest, followed by Rika and Jang Hahyang.

As expected, the slowest was Jang Hahyang.

"Ah!"

Jang Hahyang and Joara bumped into each other.

Jang Hahyang fell, even though she was taller than Joara, because she lacked the strength to hold her ground and was pushed away.

"Are you okay?"

Joara asked while dancing.

She no longer felt apologetic or angry.

This happened often.

"Uh-huh. Sorry."

Jang Hahyang got up resolutely and rejoined the line.

"…This won't do."

Baeg Seolha came up with a solution.

She brought some blue tape and stuck it along Jang Hahyang's movement path. Then she wrote numbers on the tape with a pen.

"Hyang, just follow the floor. You don't have to look at the front. Follow this path."

"Okay."

Even though she had made several mistakes, Jang Hahyang kept smiling.

Seeing such resilience in Jang Hahyang, Baeg Seolha felt proud, but also thought, 'Can't you at least look a bit discouraged?' in a contradictory way.

You're too slow as a human being…

'Hyang, take it slow. Don't rush and just focus on the path.'

"No. Do you think Hyang wants to be like this? Just not giving up is already impressive."

"Why are you suddenly talking to yourself, Unnie?"

"Huh? What did I just say…"

She must have said it out loud because she was too tired.

She originally wanted to encourage her.

"Okay. You're doing well. Just keep it up."

Indeed, marking the path with tape made Jang Hahyang much better.

Actually, just having a visual guide prevented her from getting confused.

But the problem continued.

"Ah! Ara-chan, are you okay?"

"…Why does everyone only bump into me?"

Path collision.

This time, it was just a shoulder bump.

But it wasn't a minor issue.

Continuously getting paths mixed up wasn't just a problem for the members.

'The paths themselves are difficult.'

Joara's choreography required the members to constantly change positions.

When she first heard Joara's explanation and tried to follow it, it seemed manageable.

She thought the higher difficulty would appeal to Hong Gyuheon and Seong Pil.

But when she actually tried it, it was hell.

"Guys, what do you think about the paths?"

The members fell silent.

Rika and Jang Hahyang glanced at Joara.

They were trying to gauge the creator's reaction.

"We haven't practiced for long. If we keep practicing, it will become second nature!"

Rika said hopefully.

Indeed, practice is the best method.

Changing the paths now would only add to the confusion, so it was better to endure the difficulty.

"Should we keep it like this?"

Nod, nod.

As the paths became familiar, a new problem arose.

'The dance doesn't match.'

Even though everyone was doing the same movements at the same timing, they looked subtly off when seen in the mirror.

Jang Hahyang was an exception.

She had only been learning dance for a short time, so it was surprising that she could follow at all.

The problem was…

"Ara, you seem a bit slow."

"Huh?"

Among them, Joara was undoubtedly the best dancer.

But when she was criticized, everyone looked surprised.

Even Joara herself showed a displeased expression.

"I'm right. Unnie is the one who's too fast."

"…Let's just check the movements once. I'll go at the original speed."

Baeg Seolha and Joara danced.

Sure enough, even though they were doing the same movements at the same timing, there was a discrepancy.

Why is this happening?

"Move quickly to the beat. Like this."

"Like this?"

"That's…"

Joara didn't know what to say in this situation.

It was a skill she had internalized through her body, but it was difficult to explain verbally.

"More like this feeling. Slow, then fast."

"Hehe."

"Okay. I get it, but… it will get better as we keep practicing."

Following Joara's advice made the dance even more difficult.

Generally, female idols find it hard to do powerful and fast movements like male idols.

It's due to the difference in physical abilities.

When Joara danced her choreography in her style, it required considerable strength and agility.

It felt twice as hard as before.

"Haa, haa."

Baeg Seolha wiped her sweat and felt a sense of crisis.

'Really, is Ara right? Is Ara dancing to the beat, and Seolha and Rika are the ones who are wrong?'

I don't think so.

The one who is off is Joara.

I need to say it clearly.

Joara needs to match everyone else.

"…Isn't Ara-chan right since she made the choreography?"

Rika cautiously disagreed.

Baeg Seolha stopped herself from saying more.

If two people are right, there's nothing she can do.

"Huff, huff."

Rika, who was continuing the practice, collapsed.

"Teacher, it's really hard to handle the vocals. My throat is going to tear."

"Ah… really?"

"Yes. Since you're the main vocalist, wouldn't it be better to take on more of the chorus?"

"Such… a thing? What does Ara think?"

"I don't know about vocals."

"What about Hyang?"

Jang Hahyang would say anything is fine.

Despite having so many problems, the practice continued.

"Teacher! It looks better to use more space in this part."

"Really…? What do you all think?"

Keep going.

"Move faster to gather."

"The distance in this part feels off…"

"Just match it."

Keep going.

"Guys, how about we skip my choreography in this part?"

"Ah, what we did before is better!"

"Still…"

"Teacher can do it!"

Keep going.

Keep going.

As the leader, Baeg Seolha listened to everyone's opinions.

When the weekly evaluation day approached, Baeg Seolha's eyes opened while practicing.

Suddenly, the world seemed smaller.

Looking at their reflection in the mirror with a wider field of view, she saw:

'It's over.'

This isn't a group.

It's just individuals.

After everyone's opinions were respected, the group was no longer respected.

It's like four strong individuals are battling each other.

Rika and Joara also realized the tension as the weekly evaluation day approached.

But their thoughts were different from Baeg Seolha's.

"If we only practiced for a week, this level is normal."

"We'll do better next week, right?"

They accepted the disharmony as a temporary error, not a fundamental problem.

While Baeg Seolha was sinking into despair.

"Teacher, is this love?"

Jang Hahyang was resolutely focusing on her part.

Her concern was solely for herself.

She thought the disharmony was due to her own inadequacy, so she couldn't even think about matching with others.

* * *

"I'm the oldest, the oldest. I'm the worst…"

"…"

It's only been a week.

Baeg Seolha cried after just a week of being the leader.

It's not a bad thing.

Being able to recognize her own mistakes is a great achievement.

Leaders who can't do this blame their members.

Or complain about the difficulty of the task.

Or shift the responsibility for bad results to external factors to maintain their pride and team cohesion.

Such people are disqualified as leaders.

'Seolha has taken on too much responsibility just because she has idol experience.'

Baeg Seolha is a first-time leader.

She only had the responsibility of being the eldest and tried to meet Seong Pil's expectations.

It's natural that it would be difficult without experience.

"Rika has a better eye than me. She learns everything quickly. Ara dances better than me… Everyone is so amazing, but I… I'm the worst. I'm just older and that's all…"

You're not old…

When she was offered a contract, she made excuses about her age, indicating she had a complex.

If she debuts in two years, she will be 23.

Debuting in her mid-20s, and being 30 at the end of a 7-year contract, she had a sense of inadequacy about her age.

The average debut age nowadays is in the late teens, so it's understandable.

Baeg Seolha just sobbed.

Seong Pil waited.

Not until she finished crying.

"What about Hyang?"

Shouldn't we also mention Jang Hahyang's strengths?

"Hyang… Hyang is… I don't know…"

Seong Pil smiled slightly.

Baeg Seolha also found her words funny and burst into laughter through her tears.

"Hyang works really hard, really hard. I'm sorry. I feel like I'm not leading her well, so she's slow… It might sound like I'm just drinking the soup, but I don't think I can be a leader. The best person should be the leader. I'm not better than the others… Rika or Ara should be…"

"Seolha, thank you for being honest."

Being able to say such things means she is trusted. Seong Pil felt grateful to her.

"You said the best person should be the leader."

"Yes…"

"No. A leader is…"

Seong Pil paused.

Baeg Seolha sniffled and looked at Seong Pil's mouth.

'In a general case, I wouldn't say this, but…'

In his previous life, Seong Pil often said things like 'A leader is someone who can face everyone.'

He emphasized democratic leadership.

But Baeg Seolha needed different advice.

"A leader is someone who can give orders."

"…Isn't it the opposite? Because they are excellent, they become leaders, and thus can give orders…"

"No. A leader is someone who can give orders. The CEO is more excellent than me…"

Hong Gyuheon is a graduate of a prestigious university.

He runs his business smoothly even at a young age and manages finances meticulously.

"…More excellent. But I also have better parts, right? If the most excellent person becomes the leader, the CEO knows the entertainment industry better than me. He knows economics better than Han Isang. He sings better than Seolha, right?"

"…"

"A leader's job is to listen to everyone's opinions and then say, 'Do this,' 'Do that.' In the direction they think is best."

"I don't know what's best."

"I'll tell you."

"The answer? Isn't this our test?"

"Yes, it is. But what I'm teaching you is more like the test scope. Listen carefully."

Originally, he planned to harshly criticize Baeg Seolha to break her spirit.

But since she was already broken, he needed to give gentle feedback.

"This is the performance you all did."

Seong Pil explained the video step by step.

"Ara's dance doesn't match, right?"

"Yes. But Ara says it's because we can't follow her…"

"No. Ara is the one who can't match the beat. But it's not that she can't do it at all; it's because she's so good."

A normal person hears one beat as just one beat.

Clap!

This is one beat.

But Joara hears one beat as 10, 100 beats.

Just a Clap! sound, but she can break down one beat into dozens and use it freely.

"Joara divides one beat from 1 to 100 and starts moving from 50. This makes the dance feel more packed. The same movement looks faster and more powerful."

"Is that possible? The drum sound lasts less than a second…"

Baeg Seolha opened her mouth in amazement.

Seong Pil also didn't know much.

Son Hyebeen said something like this.

It's possible if you learn dance.

"So tell Joara, 'Move to the beat.' When she recognizes the beat, tell her not to wait and move immediately."

Baeg Seolha listened blankly and then quickly took out her phone to take notes.

"Next, about the choreography. Don't try to fit everyone into the frame."

"The frame?"

"Imagine a virtual camera frame. Your paths look like you're forcing everyone into it. Not everyone needs to be in the center. Take them out when needed. For example, in this part and this part, Rika and Ara can be outside with no problem."

"Oh, I see."

"Next, during the highlight, you don't need to do the choreography. In this part where the 3-octave Re comes, just stay still, Seolha. Trying to maintain uniformity by moving even a little is a waste of energy. The choreography should emphasize Seolha…"

Seong Pil gave all the feedback.

Baeg Seolha's notebook was now full of notes. She wiped away her tears and sighed in admiration.

"Amazing. How do you know… so much about this?"

Baeg Seolha's previous agency staff only knew how to nag, and they couldn't give such detailed feedback.

Trainers often blamed the trainees for their inadequacies, but it was rare to get structural critiques like Seong Pil's.

"Sunbae Hyebeen helped me."

"Ah…"

That explains the specific guidelines for choreography and paths.

Seong Pil's feedback included things only someone who has danced could know.

"And I'm interested in idols. As a fan and as a manager."

And as a producer.

From his previous life to now, Seong Pil's dream has been to produce idols.

He enjoyed watching trainees practice and often attended idol concerts even in his middle age.

Some people called him childish for his age, but he was happy.

Imagining the idols he would create gave him strength.

"But can I make the kids understand all this? If they have different opinions… I, I completely agree with you, Isang… Ah! I can say you told them."

"No."

"Eh, why…"

"Just say you got scolded by me today. Don't wipe away your tears and go in. Open the door and say, 'Hey, Joara, come out.'"

Seong Pil imitated Baeg Seolha's voice.

Baeg Seolha smiled for the first time since entering the reception room.

Seong Pil got even more excited.

"Hey, Rika, you too. Hyang, stay in."

"When did I ever say that!"

Baeg Seolha laughed and then fiddled with her phone.

"Will the kids listen to me?"

"Seolha, are you curious why I keep using formal language?"

"Huh? Oh, yes, I'm curious…"

I'm curious.

I've been curious all along.

"I'll tell you if you do well in this evaluation. And I'll talk to the CEO about a team dinner. So try your best. We should all laugh and remember today."

* * *

"It's taking a long time."

Rika worriedly looked at her watch.

Joara sat in the corner, pretending to be calm, and Jang Hahyang…

"Teacher, is this love? Hmm, love. No matter how I look at you, look at you… Ah, two are diphthongs. Jo, do. Jo, do. Huh? Then 'ah' and 'ge' don't rhyme…"

She was diligently trying to find a way to express the lyrics well.

Joara and Rika envied the seemingly peaceful Jang Hahyang.

"What should we do, Ara-chan? Is Unnie Seolha getting scolded? How can we comfort her?"

"Who would scold her? The uncle is probably comforting her."

"Really? For this long? What is he doing?"

Jang Hahyang took her eyes off the lyrics and focused on their conversation.

"I don't know. Maybe they went to get ice cream."

"Ara-chan eats ice cream when she's upset. I should note that."

Bang!

The door opened roughly.

Naturally, the three of them looked at the door.

Baeg Seolha stood there with a frown.

Her eyes were red from crying.

"Tea, Teacher…?"

"Joara, Rika. Come out."

Joara and Rika hesitantly stood up.

Jang Hahyang also stood up.

"Hyang, you stay in."

"Yes, ma'am."