Chapter 25: Monthly Exam

Lee Yunjae's injury couldn't have come at a worse time. The monthly exam was tomorrow, yet he was injured the night before. What was even more frustrating was that the injury was on his hand, the one he used most for dancing and playing instruments. It was now a certainty that he wouldn't be able to perform at his best tomorrow.

After being bandaged, Lee Yunjae was persuaded to return to the dorm to rest, hoping that a night's rest would improve his condition. Lying in bed, Lee Yunjae sighed inwardly. He had been looking forward to the monthly exam with great anticipation, but now it seemed that a minor accident would ruin everything. This was hard for him to accept.

"Is this the price of being a good person?!" Lee Yunjae thought to himself, "It's really hard to be a good person! Well, even if I'm injured, I'll give it my all, even overperform, this minor injury won't stop me!"

Gradually, the dark and sorrowful look in Lee Yunjae's eyes turned into a determined one.

At the same time, in a residential apartment in Cheongdam-dong, eight-year-old Seo Juhwan lay on a soft bed, with only a bedside lamp on in the bedroom. She lay flat on the bed, fiddling with the school badge she had picked up earlier, her brows slightly furrowed, showing a hint of worry.

"Oppa, are you okay?!"

...

Life goes on, and the monthly exam wouldn't be delayed or canceled because of Lee Yunjae's injury. The last day of October finally arrived.

Lee Yunjae woke up very early, earlier than usual. After resting all night, he felt much better the next day. Although his hand still hurt a little, it was much better than the night before, and the ointment seemed to be working. By the time he finished cooking breakfast—ramen—Woon Jeong-ho and the others had just woken up.

"Hey, Yunjae, what happened to your hand?!"

When they returned last night, Lee Yunjae was already asleep, so they didn't know about his injury. Seeing his right hand, which was holding a spoon, wrapped in bandages, they were all shocked. Today was a very important day for Lee Yunjae, and they had all seen how hard he had worked for it. An injury at this critical moment was a real headache.

Lee Yunjae gave a bitter laugh, recounting what had happened last night. He shook his head, thinking that misfortunes never come singly.

Woon Jeong-ho and the others didn't know what to say. Although Lee Yunjae was injured while helping someone, the monthly exam would still proceed as scheduled and wouldn't be changed for him.

"Yunjae, don't lose heart, we'll come to watch your monthly exam today!" Woon Jeong-ho encouraged him.

Lee Yunjae looked at him gratefully and nodded.

At 9:00 AM, in one of the practice rooms at S.M. Entertainment. The room was full of people, with Lee Soo-man, Yoo Young-jin, and Kim Sung-soo sitting together in a row, surrounded by trainees. There were 5 from Class A, 8 from Class B, and 10 from Class C.

By the end of 1997, S.M. Entertainment didn't have many trainees. After removing some "dregs" and those who couldn't handle the pressure, the remaining 23 were the only trainees left in the company, all of whom were elites. Any one of them would be a key focus for other agencies, but at S.M. Entertainment, they had to train hard for three months to win a promotion, and they had to be the best for three consecutive months.

The air was thick with tension. They were no longer friends but competitors, and in a harsher sense, they were stepping on each other's shoulders to climb up. Each person was both an obstacle and a stepping stone. Even though Lee Yunjae had attended three monthly exams, he still found it hard to adapt to the atmosphere, especially since he was about to perform today.

He clenched his fist, feeling that his bandaged right hand wasn't too painful, and perhaps this was a good omen.

Glancing around, Lee Yunjae quickly spotted BoA standing in Class A. With only five people in Class A, BoA stood out. Yoo Myung-dragon occasionally leaned over to whisper something in BoA's ear, and she smiled lightly without showing it.

Seeing Yoo Myung-dragon was like a fire burning in Lee Yunjae's heart. When he saw BoA smile, it was like a bucket of cold water dousing the flames.

What do you have to be angry about? She just considers you a dispensable friend! Lee Yunjae thought to himself, feeling a bit disheartened.

At that moment, a hand rested on Lee Yunjae's shoulder. Turning around, he saw none other than Shin Hye-sung.

"Yunjae, do your best! Show them that your three and a half months of training weren't in vain, and that your month of special training wasn't for nothing!" Shin Hye-sung encouraged him, patted his shoulder, and walked back to Park Jung-jae. In addition to the trainees and the three executives, Woon Jeong-ho and his group of six, as well as Yoo Jin and her group of three, were also present.

Although Lee Yunjae's relationship with the trainees was average, he got along well with Woon Jeong-ho and Yoo Jin. When Yoo Jin, Choi Sung-hee, and Yoo Soo-young heard about Lee Yunjae's injury and that he still had to perform, they were moved by his determination and came to support him. The other trainees didn't know the situation.

At 9:30 AM, Yoo Young-jin finally spoke, "Today is the monthly exam for October. I hope everyone can showcase the best of their training results for October! As usual, Class A will go first!"

Although Class A couldn't be promoted any further, they still competed to see who would be the top. This top spot was very significant, representing the best in S.M. Entertainment's training program and earning the respect of all the trainees.

The top spot in Class A used to be dominated by Moon Hee-jun, An Ji-hyun, Jang Woo-hyuk, Lee Jae-won, and An Seong-ho. After they debuted, it was taken over by Woon Jeong-ho, Kim Dong-wan, Park Jung-jae, Lee Sun-ho, Shin Hye-sung, and Woon Jeong-ho. Then it was replaced by Choi Sung-hee, Yoo Jin, and Yoo Soo-young. Now, with some of them having debuted and others about to, they were no longer competing for the top spot. That was the golden age of Class A.

The trainees in Class A were undoubtedly the best in terms of dance, singing, and instrumental skills.

The first to perform was Kim Jeon-jin from Class A, a girl with long hair and a sweet appearance. She was very strong, with excellent pitch and tone, and her performance of a song was even better than the original. Her jazz dance and piano playing were also impressive.

Lee Yunjae had seen Kim Jeon-jin's skills before, but each monthly exam, he felt that she was always improving.

The second to perform was Park Jae-hyuk from Class A. Park Jae-hyuk was considered the pretty boy of Class A, with a middle part hairstyle that was popular at the time, and loose hip-hop pants. It was clear he was a street dance expert. As the strong melody started, Park Jae-hyuk moved like a wind-up toy, his arms stiff but graceful, performing a mechanical dance.

Lee Yunjae watched intently, every move of Park Jae-hyuk deeply etched in his mind, as if he could replicate it perfectly with just a blink.

The fifth to perform was the newly promoted Yoo Myung-dragon. Despite his arrogant and proud demeanor, his skills were undeniably strong.

He performed a series of rapid and dazzling dance moves, followed by a one-handed handstand with his legs forming a stylish hook. He held the pose for two seconds before standing up.

The entire performance was impressive, earning applause from the audience, including Yoo Jin and her group. Only a few, like Woon Jeong-ho and Jang Woo-hyuk, could perform such high-difficulty moves.

"Yoo Myung-dragon may not be reliable as a person, but his skills are solid!" Shin Hye-sung said, his eyes bright as he watched Yoo Myung-dragon.

"Dancing and being a person are the same. If you're a good person, you'll be a good dancer. Conversely, if you're a bad person, no matter how well you dance, it's all for nothing... He dances well, but his character is terrible!" Woon Jeong-ho said, narrowing his eyes.

"Right, character is everything! If a person has a bad character, their dance ethics won't be good either..." Woon Jeong-ho agreed.

"Hey, look, BoA is up!" Yoo Jin said, and everyone's attention returned to the stage.

"BoA is very talented, her jazz dance is already quite impressive. It's hard to believe she's only been training for less than four months!" Choi Sung-hee said.

"Her natural talent, combined with hard work, makes her achievements normal. If she continues this way, she could become a great star in the future. It seems that the CEO's plan for an Asian superstar will be half-complete in less than four years," Woon Jeong-ho said.

"Do you mean BoA will debut within four years?" Park Jung-jae asked, skeptical. Among them, Woon Jeong-ho's words were the most credible.

Hearing this, Yoo Jin, Woon Jeong-ho, and others looked at Woon Jeong-ho.

Woon Jeong-ho was silent for a few seconds, then nodded, "I overheard the CEO planning to send BoA to Japan for training. You know, Japan is the entertainment center of Asia, and the industry there is very developed. BoA will return in a few years after training there!"

"What... The CEO is sending BoA to Japan?!" Everyone gasped, this was a huge piece of news!

"Bro, is this information accurate? Where did you hear it? This should be a company secret! I always thought you were amazing, but you're too good, to get this kind of information?!" Shin Hye-sung said.

Woon Jeong-ho rolled his eyes, "It's actually very simple... Just go to the bathroom more often!"

Everyone was stunned, go to the bathroom? What's going on? Eight pairs of questioning eyes looked at Woon Jeong-ho.

Woon Jeong-ho shrugged, "It's nothing much. One day, about half a month ago, I was in the bathroom, and the CEO and Producer Kim came in. They thought no one was there, so they talked freely..."

Everyone was speechless. It seemed that to get insider information about the company, they should spend more time in the bathroom.

"It seems this information is very reliable... BoA going to Japan for training means her future is limitless!" Yoo Soo-young said.

"But... Does the company have the money? When the company started, it didn't have much. To promote HOT, they invested all their money, and it was only after HOT's success that they made their first big profit. Although the company's assets have increased several times, we have two groups about to debut, and the initial costs are enormous. The money HOT earned might not even cover our promotional expenses, let alone album production and other costs.

If BoA goes to Japan, it will require a lot of professional teachers, equipment, and practice rooms. Not to mention the high living costs in Japan. The initial investment for BoA's training in Japan will be a huge sum. Can the company afford it?" Park Jung-jae asked, frowning.

"Are you saying... This will affect our debut?" Choi Sung-hee asked, puzzled.

"If we debut and start making money for the company, then it would be fine for BoA to go to Japan. But the CEO discussing this now seems a bit premature, doesn't it?" Park Jung-jae countered.

His words were like a sharp sword in everyone's heart. Yes, if BoA goes to Japan now, the company will have to spend a lot of money and effort on her, while they also need funds for their debut, including promotional and packaging costs, album production, and other expenses.

If BoA goes, it will likely reduce the budget allocated for them, which could be problematic.

"Don't worry too much. You know the CEO, if he doesn't have a solid plan, he wouldn't arrange for two groups to debut and send BoA to Japan. He must have a plan!" Woon Jeong-ho said.

Lee Soo-man was a person Woon Jeong-ho couldn't fully understand, so he didn't want to speculate. But seeing the group's concerns, he stepped in to calm them down.

Let's hope so... When the time comes, everyone will think of themselves. They weren't against BoA going to Japan for training, but there were priorities. Arranging two groups to debut at once had already strained the company's finances. Adding BoA's training in Japan was a legitimate concern.

While they were discussing, the monthly exam for Class B ended, and it was now Class C's turn. Usually, Class C's exam wasn't very interesting, as their skills in dance, singing, and instruments were not as good as Class B or Class A. But this time, the youngest trainee in the company was participating, which added some interest. All the trainees were eager to see what this trainee, who was handpicked by the CEO and entered the company with BoA, had learned in less than four months.

"Stop talking, Yunjae is about to go on stage!" Woon Jeong-ho whispered, stopping their conversation.

After a long wait, Lee Yunjae stood in line, watching the Class C trainees one by one take the stage and then walk off, some with smiles and others with regret. His heart began to race, as this was his first time on stage.

Finally, it was Lee Yunjae's turn. BoA's eyes were fixed on his right hand, frowning, "His hand was fine when I left yesterday, how did it get injured?"

"Heh... With an injured hand, he still dares to go on stage. He's asking for trouble. We'll have a good show today!" Yoo Myung-dragon smirked.

Yoo Young-jin, Lee Soo-man, and Kim Sung-soo had been looking forward to seeing Lee Yunjae's progress over the past four months, but seeing his heavily bandaged hand, their hopes sank.

"What happened to his hand?" Lee Soo-man asked, frowning.

Yoo Young-jin and Kim Sung-soo were also puzzled, "Should I ask the Class C teacher?"

"Never mind... We'll talk about it after the exam. He looks confident, so it shouldn't be a big problem!" Lee Soo-man shook his head.

The stage is a magical place. Standing there, Lee Yunjae looked at the circle of people watching him, feeling a surge of excitement. Yes, it was a feeling of blood boiling.

He could see that most of the gazes were not friendly, hoping to see him fail, while a few were genuinely cheering him on.

From a distance, Woon Jeong-ho and the others clenched their fists, silently cheering him on.

"Maybe... Conquering all these mocking gazes will feel wonderful!" Lee Yunjae tightened his grip on his bandaged hand.