Chapter 20 of 100

Chapter 20: The Pain of Departure

16 min read4,034 words

The sky gradually darkened, and the lights of the city began to twinkle. The night in the Jiangnan area, particularly at the Seocho-dong district, was bustling with activity. Many young men and women, with nothing better to do, squatted outside the S.M Entertainment building, waiting for their favorite stars to appear, hoping to catch a glimpse of them. However, they never realized that beneath the ground they stood on, a group of children, around the same age as them, were sweating profusely, practicing tirelessly. Some were repeatedly performing the same movements, while others were being scolded by their teachers. Behind the glamorous and glorious image of stardom, no one could see the hard work and dedication.

Under Mr. Han's guidance, Yunjae Li initially mastered the basic movement of "shaking."

Some might say this movement is simple, as anyone can do it—just tremble all over, right? But it's not that easy. Initially, Li Yunjae thought the same, but only after trying it himself did he realize the difficulty of the movement, which was much greater than stretching or pressing the shoulders.

Shaking is a common move in street dance, but the most common moves are often the hardest to perfect. Few people can perform it in a way that is pleasing to the eye. During the shaking process, every part of the body must be involved, which is not as easy as it sounds. One's mind cannot focus on two things at once; often, one remembers the upper body but forgets the lower body, or vice versa.

"Street dance is the original form of many dance styles and is also a general term. The dances you mentioned can all be called street dance. Specifically, there are breaking, popping, locking, punking, hip-hop, house, jazz, reggae, and krump.

The movements are composed of various walking, running, and jumping actions, combined with the bending, twisting, circling, swinging, and wave-like movements of the head, neck, shoulders, upper limbs, and torso. Each movement has its specific fitness benefits, focusing on the coordination of the upper and lower limbs, the abdomen and back, and the head and torso, as well as the independent movement of each part.

Shaking and swinging are common movements. Mastering these movements will make it easier to perform complex combinations. With flexible application, creative thinking, and hard training, you can perform beautiful street dance.

So don't underestimate these simple movements. They are the foundation. To build a skyscraper, you must first lay a solid foundation. As a beginner, the foundation is crucial. Don't aim too high too soon. After half a month of training, you might think you can learn advanced moves, but a single mistake could lead to injury, such as broken bones or fingers. Remember that!"

Mr. Han spoke earnestly, and Li Yunjae took his words to heart, knowing it was a matter of personal safety. For the rest of the time, the other trainees were learning simple hip-hop, but Li Yunjae stood in the corner, shaking his body, trying to control every bone and muscle, striving to move freely, but often finding it difficult.

Soon, his T-shirt was drenched in sweat, his bangs stuck to his forehead, and sweat dripped down his cheeks to the floor. As he danced more intensely, his body grew hotter, and his face turned red.

At 10 PM, the C-class trainees left, some going home and others to the dormitory. The practice room was now empty, with only Li Yunjae remaining.

Panting heavily...

Li Yunjae had performed the shaking movement nearly 8,000 times. Although he was drenched in sweat, the results were not significant. He knew he was far from achieving the level Mr. Han required, where every part of his body would shake in unison.

Finally, at 11 PM, Li Yunjae decided it was time to mop the floor. He was shirtless, wringing out his T-shirt, which was soaked with sweat, but it was still far from the required one-third.

After mopping the floor, he put on his wet clothes, turned off the lights, and left the practice room, ending his day of training. Over the past half month, he had gradually adapted to this lifestyle.

At that moment, all he wanted was a good shower and a deep sleep. As he walked up from the basement, he encountered someone he really didn't want to see at the stairs.

"Hey, kid, you're practicing quite diligently!" Liu Menglong's annoying voice reached Li Yunjae's ears.

"Senior, good evening!"

Although Li Yunjae didn't want to bow, he didn't want to cause trouble. As Wen Jung-hyuk had said, to defeat him, he must do so on stage, fairly and squarely.

"Good! You've learned to respect your seniors in just a few days!" Liu Menglong smiled, nodding with apparent satisfaction, his face filled with pride.

Seeing his smug expression, Li Yunjae felt uncomfortable, as if he were inferior. He inwardly huffed, thinking, "We'll see... I hope you debut before I enter the A-class, or you'll be in for a rough time!"

As Li Yunjae was lost in thought, a familiar voice came from behind him, "Oh... Yunjae... are you just finishing your class?"

Li Yunjae's body stiffened, and he turned around to see BoA slowly descending the stairs.

"BoA-ssi... you've been practicing hard too!" Li Yunjae's expressionless face broke into a smile.

"BoA... you know this kid?" Liu Menglong was surprised. He knew Li Yunjae and BoA were both selected by Lee Soo-man on the same day, but he didn't know they were acquainted.

BoA smiled and pinched Li Yunjae's cheek, saying, "Yes, we met during the audition. I even know his sister!"

"Hehe... that's great..." Liu Menglong's lips twitched, regretting his previous mistreatment of Li Yunjae.

"BoA-ssi, are you going back to the dorm?"

"Not really... Menglong-oppa invited me for a late-night snack. I haven't had dinner, so I accepted. Why don't you join us?"

At that moment, Liu Menglong chimed in, "Yes, Yunjae, come with us!"

Li Yunjae felt a chill, uncomfortable with his name being called so affectionately by Liu Menglong. He glanced at BoA and then at Liu Menglong, shaking his head. "No, thanks. I'm too tired today. I just want to take a shower and sleep. You two go ahead without me!"

Liu Menglong felt relieved, thinking, "This kid isn't so bad!" But he said, "That's a shame. I'll treat you another time!"

"Alright, then. Get some rest! Menglong-oppa, let's go!" BoA patted Li Yunjae's head and left with Liu Menglong. Li Yunjae quickly followed, but they were already far ahead, whispering to each other.

Watching their backs, Li Yunjae felt a heavy weight in his heart. He shrugged and slowly walked to the dormitory. Fortunately, the dormitory was not far from the company, or he wouldn't have had time for training.

...

In the following days, Li Yunjae, besides waking up at 6 AM to train breathing and vocal skills with Wen Jung-hyuk and the others, also practiced stretching and the basic shaking movement at the company. While others trained for 7 hours, he trained for 9 hours, sometimes even 10, until his sweat filled a plastic bowl. Although it sounded exaggerated, it wasn't far from the truth.

From 7 AM to 6 PM, except for an hour for meals, he trained in dance. From 7 PM to 9 PM, he trained in vocals with a teacher, and from 9 PM to 10 PM, he trained in instruments. From morning to night, he had little time for rest, except for eating, drinking, and using the bathroom.

Although the days were tiring, they were fulfilling. He had set a goal to enter the A-class and defeat Liu Menglong on stage with his skills.

With his snail-like perseverance, Li Yunjae made steady progress. Although he was currently practicing basic movements, his foundation grew stronger day by day. On August 15th, an event occurred that, while insignificant to S.M Entertainment, was a significant matter for Li Yunjae and the C-class trainees.

On that day, someone could no longer endure the monotonous and physically and mentally exhausting training and decided to leave S.M Entertainment.

Although Li Yunjae often heard from Wen Jung-hyuk and others that trainees frequently dropped out due to the harsh training, he hadn't seen anyone leave in the month since he joined S.M Entertainment, until today.

Although everyone in the C-class was competitors, they had spent several months together, some even over a year, and had developed subtle bonds. At the moment of departure, some couldn't help but wipe away tears, wondering when they would be in the same position, how long they could endure, and if they could make it to the B-class and withstand the even more rigorous training.

Whenever someone left, the remaining trainees would feel disheartened for a few days, seeing the dejected back of the departing trainee as a reflection of their own potential future.

Li Yunjae seemed oblivious, still practicing in the corner, as if nothing had happened, tirelessly sweating. The other trainees, seeing his dedication, were inspired to train harder.

However, they were wrong. Although Li Yunjae was young, he was inwardly mature. The departure of a trainee affected him greatly, but he didn't want to dwell on it, as it would only make him more disheartened. At his young age, he didn't know his limits or when he might give up, hoping that day would not come too soon.

In the evening, after his instrument training, Li Yunjae returned to the dormitory. Surprisingly, Wen Jung-hyuk and the others were already there, as they usually returned from the company after Li Yunjae had fallen asleep.

"Hehe, Yunjae, are you back? Want some late-night snacks? I bought a lot of ramen today!" Lee Min-woo was cooking a large pot of ramen in the kitchen and asked Li Yunjae.

"Thanks, Min-woo-ssi, but I'm not very hungry..." Li Yunjae shook his head and went to the bathroom to shower.

Lee Min-woo looked at Li Yunjae in surprise and asked the others in the living room, "What's wrong with him? He doesn't seem to be in high spirits today!"

Park Jung-jae grinned and said, "What else? A C-class trainee couldn't handle the training and left today. I think he's feeling a bit down. It's understandable. He's only been in the company for a year. When we first joined, there were about fifty of us, but after a month, half of them couldn't handle the intense training and left. After six months, fifteen more left, and after a year and a half, only a few of us remained. We've seen this many times, but it's his first time... It's natural for everyone to have a first time!"

"True..." Lee Min-woo nodded, walked into the kitchen, and continued cooking. Soon, he brought a pot to the living room and distributed chopsticks.

Fifteen minutes later, Li Yunjae came out of the bathroom, and Wen Jung-hyuk immediately beckoned him to join them for ramen. Li Yunjae didn't want to refuse, even though he wasn't very hungry, and walked over.

"Yunjae, how has your training been this month? Are you coping well?" Wen Jung-hyuk asked casually.

"Um, it's going well! I've been focusing on basic movements. The teacher said the foundation is crucial. The stronger the foundation, the easier it will be to learn advanced moves and different dance styles!" Li Yunjae picked up a strand of ramen from the pot and put it in his mouth. The ramen had already become a bit soggy after fifteen minutes.

"Right, the teacher is correct. At your age, it's the best time to build a strong foundation. It becomes more challenging as you get older," Shin Hye-sung said, then continued, "I noticed you seemed a bit down today. Is it because a C-class trainee left, and it made you feel a bit disheartened?"

Li Yunjae hesitated, then nodded.

Lee Sun-ho patted Li Yunjae's head and consoled him, "It's not a big deal. Some trainees even leave after entering the A-class. If you can't handle the training, it's best to leave in the C-class. If you can't endure this, how can you become an artist? Although artists look glamorous on stage, only they know the hardships they endure. Remember, one minute on stage requires ten years of hard work.

Don't be sad. This will happen again, and it's quite common. Only C-class trainees feel disheartened when someone leaves. B-class and A-class trainees rarely do, as they've seen it too many times!"

"Okay..." Li Yunjae nodded.

"Alright, let's not talk about these depressing things. Let's discuss something interesting in the company!" Kim Wan-joong said, chewing on his chopsticks.

"Is there anything interesting in the company?" Li Yunjae asked, puzzled. He had never seen anything new in the underground practice room, where it was always training.

"Recently, there's been a rumor that Liu Menglong has a crush on BoA and is trying to pursue her," Shin Hye-sung said casually, but Li Yunjae was taken aback.

"Hehe... BoA occasionally attends classes, mostly with the A-class. Liu Menglong is in the A-class, so he might have fallen for her at first sight. It's understandable; at their age, it's a time of youthful infatuation. Many trainees in the company like BoA, but Liu Menglong is the only one brave enough to ask her out for a late-night snack after class!" Park Jung-jae chuckled.

"When do you think the CEO will step in to deal with him? BoA is the CEO's favorite, and no one can touch her. Liu Menglong is like a moth drawn to a flame; how long will he last?"

"It's hard to say... After entering the A-class, there are fewer restrictions between boys and girls. If they have a mutual attraction and want to be friends, it's normal, just like us and the three girls. As long as he doesn't do anything out of line, there shouldn't be a problem. After all, Liu Menglong is a talented trainee and has a good chance of debuting now that he's in the A-class!" Lee Min-woo speculated.

Wen Jung-hyuk interjected, "Enough gossiping about others. Focus on yourselves! The three girls are debuting in November, and their debut video is already being filmed. Our song is almost recorded, and we'll soon start filming our debut video. Do you still have the energy to gossip about others?"

"Bro... we're just passing the time... Alright, let's stop. It's late, time to sleep! Yunjae, go to bed!"

The six of them quickly cleaned up and went to their rooms. Li Yunjae lay on his bed, recalling what Shin Hye-sung, Park Jung-jae, and the others had said. He felt a bit shocked.

"Is liking and pursuing someone like an electric shock?" Li Yunjae thought to himself...

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