Chapter 98

Chapter 098

"What do you mean by that?"

Caught off guard by the unexpected request, Seong Pil asked again, even though he understood.

Remove Jang Hae Yang's part...

"Can you reduce Hae Yang's part a bit?"

He could guess the reason.

With weekly evaluations, the staff at Garo Entertainment could gauge the members' proficiency. Thus, everyone knew that Jang Hae Yang was the slowest to pick things up.

'She hasn't been with our company for long.'

So, it was understandable that they didn't know much about Jang Hae Yang. They might have heard about her ghost-like efforts and perseverance, but without seeing it firsthand, they would feel uneasy.

'It's not strange to think that this will ruin the performance if it continues like this.'

If Shin Ae Reum were the only one making this request, Seong Pil would have sweet-talked her and sent her away.

The problem was Jo Ara, who stood beside Shin Ae Reum, looking guilty and silent.

Even Jo Ara, who was the most sincere about dancing, had come to this.

'She's been here since Hae Yang first joined...'

That's why he couldn't ignore their story.

Seong Pil took the two to the reception room.

"Tell me more."

"Hae Yang..."

"Not you, Ae Reum. Ara, tell me."

Jo Ara, who was pointed out, shuddered and finally met Seong Pil's eyes.

It seemed that Jo Ara had been dragged along by Shin Ae Reum.

'Ara must have also felt the problem with Hae Yang, but couldn't openly show it.'

After all, they had worked hard together from the beginning.

"Do you think Hae Yang's part needs to be reduced?"

"..."

Shin Ae Reum poked Jo Ara's side.

Although it was done at an angle Seong Pil couldn't see, Jo Ara's reaction made it obvious.

"Ha."

Realizing that she couldn't avoid this moment, Jo Ara sighed deeply.

"Hae Yang is trying her best. ...As always."

"But? It's only been a month. There's still time. Hae Yang isn't slacking, so what's the problem?"

Seong Pil's voice rose without him realizing it.

After defending Jang Hae Yang against those who doubted her abilities, he now easily got excited whenever her name came up.

'Please just believe in her, she can do it!'

"Ah..."

Jo Ara sensed Seong Pil's bad mood and hesitated.

Seong Pil quickly tried to hide his displeasure.

"I'm not pressuring you. I really want to hear. Ara, you're the best at dancing among us. Your opinion is worth listening to. Speak your mind."

"The choreography is too difficult for her. It's not just about the moves; it's about the expression."

Seong Pil already knew this.

The reason he liked the choreography when it was first proposed was that it clearly showcased individual skills.

"Is that so? Hae Yang's skills are improving, though."

But no matter how difficult the choreography, it would naturally become easier with over a month of practice.

Seong Pil felt proud of her progress, but Jo Ara had a different impression.

"There's a dance break at 2:50 in the song. It's where we rotate like gears and dance. Do you know where it is?"

"Yeah."

He could easily pinpoint the part, having reached a level where he could visualize the dance just by hearing the music.

"First, that part is too difficult for Hae Yang. ...It's hard overall, but that part is the biggest issue."

A problem inherent to small groups.

The lack of spatial presence in the performance.

Most idols solve this with backup dancers, but they decided not to use them for this performance.

"That's right. The choreography is designed to highlight the center."

Choreographer Baek Min Jung abandoned the spatial presence and instead focused on the center.

It was a group dance, but each part had a protagonist.

This approach aimed to focus the audience's attention rather than fill the stage.

A clever method, sacrificing one thing for another.

"Every time Hae Yang moves to the center, it's just... too much."

When individual skills are highlighted, it also means that individual weaknesses are more visible.

If it were just Hae Yang and backup dancers, it might be fine.

But standing on stage with other members of equal status, her shortcomings would be more noticeable.

And Seong Pil knew the answer to this problem.

'Time.'

Even if she's lacking now, Jang Hae Yang will eventually show satisfactory results.

He believes this.

He has to believe it.

Because this kind of situation will happen again.

Because he doesn't want to sideline Jang Hae Yang just because of her current lack of ability.

Garo Entertainment must believe in Jang Hae Yang, and Jang Hae Yang must maximize her abilities to repay that trust.

This is a kind of test.

"Is the problem that Hae Yang's skills are lacking? Is the problem that her part needs to be cut?"

Jo Ara nodded silently.

"It looks lacking now, but with time, Hae Yang will..."

"It won't get better with time."

Shin Ae Reum answered.

"This isn't about effort or practice. It's about the skills Hae Yang has. When we practice, we do too, right? The more we practice, the better we get."

"No. If Hae Yang practices, she can harmonize with you..."

"Manager, you're mistaken."

Shin Ae Reum interrupted Seong Pil.

Yes, she interrupted him.

This was unlike Shin Ae Reum.

No matter how angry she was, she never interrupted Seong Pil. It was a courtesy she had learned, a natural way of conversation.

"There's no limit to the perfection of dance. There's no moment when it's 'complete.' The more you do, the better it gets, but you never reach the ceiling."

Shin Ae Reum interrupting Seong Pil was a strong statement of will.

"Is this the level you expect from us, Manager?"

"..."

"Is this just about blending in without standing out? If so, say it now. I'll only do that much. I'll only debut with that mindset."

"..."

This was a very assertive statement for a trainee to make to a company executive.

It showed how firm Shin Ae Reum's resolve was.

Seong Pil stood up.

When his shadow fell on Shin Ae Reum, she bit her lip in fear but didn't look away.

"Let's go to the practice room. Show me everyone's performance."

Seong Pil took Shin Ae Reum and Jo Ara to the practice room.

Without them, the others were naturally on a break.

Rika was sitting with Baek Seol Ha and Jang Hae Yang, telling a story.

"There's something called a 'rights bank' in the UK... Ah, it's Manager!"

Rika jumped up and ran over when she saw Seong Pil.

"Good morning!"

"Hey, good morning."

"What brings you here so early?"

"I came to see your practice. Can you show me?"

"Sure! Sit over there!"

Rika pointed to a chair against the wall.

Just as she was about to guide Seong Pil, Shin Ae Reum linked her arm with his.

"Sit over there."

Rika gasped.

How could she do such a shameless thing!

"Isn't that too much? I'm not a kid, you don't have to guide me to a chair."

"It's because you came to see us this early. It's a way of showing gratitude. Come on, don't be shy."

Seong Pil, accepting it so naturally, gave Rika a second shock.

'Why, why isn't he saying anything?'

Rika also hugged Seong Pil from behind or leaned on his shoulder, but it was all in jest.

It was no different from roughhousing with friends at school.

But Shin Ae Reum's actions were just blatant physical contact!

"Here, do you want some water?"

"No."

Shin Ae Reum, having guided Seong Pil to the chair, turned to Rika and smiled brightly.

As if to say, 'See?'

Rika flinched.

'Ae Reum and Manager have known each other for over four years... They've been seeing each other for four years...'

Rika and Seong Pil's relationship was different.

So, it made sense that she could do such things without hesitation.

It felt like seeing a close friend chatting happily with someone else.

Even worse, it felt like finding out they had gone out on the weekend without her.

"Rika, stop standing there and get ready."

"Ah, okay."

While Rika's feelings were changing, Seong Pil, unaware, focused on Jang Hae Yang as soon as he sat down.

"Let's start."

Baek Seol Ha, standing in the center, announced, and the debut song, "No," began.

It had been about a month and ten days since the final choreography was set and practice began.

The members had memorized all the moves.

They were now at the stage of checking details and paying attention to their positions.

This allowed Seong Pil to gauge their proficiency.

The same dance can look completely different depending on the person.

'Rika dances with precision.'

There was no waste in her movements.

She seemed to possess both strength and lightness.

Even in difficult moves, she maintained her facial expressions effortlessly.

Most impressively, she didn't pant or miss any lyrics while dancing and singing.

It was almost like AR, perfect.

'Ara has power.'

She was fast.

Not in a way that ignored the beat, but in a way that made you think, 'Wait, shouldn't we move to the next move? Isn't this a bit slow?'

But by the time you had that thought, Jo Ara's hands and feet were already moving to the next position.

As Son Hye Bin once said, Jo Ara could break down a single beat into dozens.

She moved in the latter part of the beat, giving a full and powerful feel.

This required quick reflexes and strength, leading to significant fatigue, but Jo Ara's stamina was well-known.

Her dance was filled with a refreshing power just by watching.

'Seol Ha is as light as a spring breeze.'

Baek Seol Ha was tall.

With long limbs, she could give a strong impression but also appear slow.

Especially in slow parts.

To highlight her strengths and hide her weaknesses, she chose lightness.

She lifted her feet lightly with each move, creating a smooth, flowing, and refreshing visual.

'Ae Reum is like a machine.'

Not in a negative way.

Her movements were astonishingly similar to choreographer Baek Min Jung's.

Dance can never surpass the original.

Because no one can fully capture the original's feel.

That's why cover dances often emphasize personal style.

But Shin Ae Reum didn't need to.

She could perfectly capture Baek Min Jung's feel, allowing her to flawlessly execute the choreography for "No."

'Hae Yang...'

Now he understood.

Why Shin Ae Reum was worried.

Jang Hae Yang was following the dance well.

But that was all she was doing.

There was no sense of her own style. She was simply copying the dance, lacking the personal touch that the other members had.

In a choreography that emphasized individual skills, the lack of personal characteristics was a significant drawback.

'Just keeping up must be a struggle.'

Jang Hae Yang was excellent.

She had built her skills through months of training.

But she was still not as good as the other members.

It's like asking a beginner cook, who can only follow a recipe, to add their own strengths like a top chef.

If this were practice for street busking, Jang Hae Yang's level would be satisfactory.

'But this isn't for busking.'

The difference became more apparent as the dance continued.

The climax was during the dance break.

The part where the members rotate like gears, each taking a turn in the center.

In simple terms, it's a time to showcase individual charm.

A part where the choreography is optimized to highlight each member's unique appeal.

'For Hae Yang, this isn't a time to showcase charm.'

It's just a time to expose her shortcomings publicly.

Because of Shin Ae Reum's words, Seong Pil viewed this performance more negatively.

Stripping away the hope that 'Hae Yang will do well,' the reality was disheartening.

The song ended.

"How was it?"

Baek Seol Ha asked, breaking her ending pose.

"You did well."

Seong Pil thought differently.

'Will Hae Yang improve in a month and a half?'

Can she overcome the skill gap with Rika, Baek Seol Ha, Jo Ara, and Shin Ae Reum and showcase her own charm?

Unfortunately, Seong Pil couldn't be confident.

Just like Shin Ae Reum.

* * *

Another two weeks passed.

Seong Pil didn't tell anyone at the company about Jang Hae Yang's problem.

Partly because everyone already knew, and partly because he didn't want to make Jang Hae Yang the center of attention.

He believed and wanted to believe that she would improve with time.

"Manager, what about lowering the difficulty of Hae Yang's dance part? I talked to Trainer Baek Min Jung about it..."

A week before the music video shoot, even Baek Seol Ha, the de facto leader, brought up the issue to Seong Pil.

Seong Pil rubbed his temples and said,

"Let me talk to Hae Yang first."

"Okay..."

Baek Seol Ha must have agonized over this. The mental burden must have been significant.

She wanted to believe in and support Jang Hae Yang, but the visible results didn't match the belief.

Perhaps such discussions were already circulating among the members.

Otherwise, Baek Seol Ha wouldn't have come to this point. If so, Jang Hae Yang must know about her problem...

"Hm?"

"Seol Ha."

"Yes?"

"Did Hae Yang bring this up first?"

Baek Seol Ha didn't answer.

The lack of response was an answer.

"Did someone talk to Hae Yang like that?"

"..."

Again, no response.

Someone must have said it to Jang Hae Yang in a public setting.

'Sister, it's better to reduce your part.'

The reason was probably:

'For the team. For us...'

Could Jang Hae Yang have said, 'I can do it'?

'No, she couldn't.'

Jang Hae Yang had surrendered.

Instead of believing in her potential, she chose a practical solution.

For the team, for the company.

* * *

As the practice time approached two months.

Jang Hae Yang could clearly feel the awkward atmosphere among the members.

They thought they were hiding it, but what was Jang Hae Yang's specialty?

She was as good at reading others' emotions as she was at managing her own.

'They're worried.'

The worry stemmed from the fundamental nature of idols.

Idols are a group.

They are evaluated as a whole, not as individuals. So, it's not enough for just one person to do well.

They had to doubt Jang Hae Yang's skills and request modifications if necessary.

For themselves, for the team.

'They think I won't reach a satisfactory level by the start of the music video shoot.'

Even while practicing late into the night at the company and preparing for bed at the dorm.

The members' anxiety was palpable.

That's why Jang Hae Yang spoke up first.

"Let's ask Manager Park to reduce or lower the difficulty of my part."

Naturally, there was opposition.

Baek Seol Ha and Rika used all kinds of flattery to try to change Jang Hae Yang's mind.

"Hae Yang, you don't need to. You can do it."

"Right, Sister! You always do it!"

Jo Ara, who was a poor liar, said, "Sister, that's not true..." while sweating, but everyone, including Jang Hae Yang, knew it was a lie.

Shin Ae Reum was straightforward.

"I'm glad you brought it up, Sister."

Even when Baek Seol Ha glared at her, Shin Ae Reum just smiled.

After several attempts to persuade Jang Hae Yang, Baek Seol Ha decided to talk to Seong Pil.

'This is a different issue from internal evaluations or busking.'

They couldn't afford to fail from the start.

Even if it meant sidelining Jang Hae Yang, the harmony and perfection of the performance had to be maintained.

On the night Baek Seol Ha talked to Seong Pil, Jang Hae Yang asked before going to sleep,

"What did Manager Park say?"

"Hmm? Oh, he said he'll let us know when it's decided..."

Seong Pil was considering the proposal.

Of course.

He must have seen her performance.

And since it was a request from the leader, Baek Seol Ha, he couldn't just ignore it.

Jang Hae Yang understood Seong Pil's position.

But she couldn't