Chapter 26: Unpredictable Results (A Sign)

Outside, the autumn wind was bleak, but inside the room, a fiery enthusiasm filled the air. Li Yunzai slightly moved his fingers and sat down at the piano first. However, he was momentarily stunned by the label on the piano before quickly recovering.

"The piece I will perform today is Chopin's 'Etude in G-flat Major (Black Keys)' (Op. 10, No. 5)!" Li Yunzai said with a slight smile.

The trainees on the scene were all taken aback. What is Chopin's 'Etude in G-flat Major (Black Keys)' (Op. 10, No. 5)? They all knew Chopin, but what is the 'Etude in G-flat Major (Black Keys)'?

Upon hearing this, Lee Soo Man, Yoo Young Jin, and Kim Sung Soo all raised their eyebrows slightly. Especially Yoo Young Jin, who showed a look of surprise, clearly astonished that Li Yunzai could play the 'Etude in G-flat Major (Black Keys)'.

"Brother, you've practiced the piano before. What is this 'Etude in G-flat Major (Black Keys)' by Chopin?" Shin Hye Sung asked the person beside him, Moon Hee Joon.

At this moment, Moon Hee Joon, who had been crossing his arms, let them down and said with a serious and solemn expression, "The 'Etude in G-flat Major (Black Keys)' is one of Chopin's most famous etudes. Because the right hand in this etude only touches the black keys, it is commonly known as the 'Black Keys Etude.'

This etude has considerable technical difficulty, and the music is full of charming brilliance. It's not something a beginner can learn, and even talented people need at least half a year of hard practice. For those with average talent, even a year of hard practice might not be enough to play it well!"

Upon hearing Moon Hee Joon's explanation, everyone showed a look of surprise.

"From what you say, it sounds very impressive! Can Yunzai do it?!" Ryu Jin frowned.

Many trainees wanted to make a stunning debut on their first stage, leaving a deep impression on everyone. This is a common desire, and they were no different when they started. But with such a difficult piece, can Li Yunzai really do it? Everyone couldn't help but have a big question mark in their minds.

"I can guarantee that among the trainees, only two people can play this piece: one is me, and the other is Sevens (An Ji Hyun)! This kid really surprises me. I wonder if he can play it coherently and with emotion!" Moon Hee Joon's eyes showed a glimmer of anticipation.

Ding, ding, ding... A series of clear piano sounds rang out, the rapid triplets played smoothly, like a string of crystal pearls lightly jumping and rolling. The main melody, faintly visible, exuded a lively, playful, and childlike innocence, making people feel a vivid sense of charm.

It is a ternary form, in G-flat major, 4/4 time, and presto. The theme appears right from the start.

The first half of the triplets is clean and crisp, while the second half of the melody is smooth and continuous. The left-hand chords are strong and definite, and the theme is repeated many times in the piece, exuding a lively and charming charm, like children running and jumping, presenting a joyful picture of life. In the middle section, the right-hand triplets change in octaves, making the music slightly uneasy, and then the melody shifts to the left hand, pushing the piece to a small climax, giving the feeling of a storm approaching, about to disrupt the children's play. The left-hand bass notes progress like rolling thunder, and the right-hand unstable undulating notes are like the wind, making the entire peaceful scene come to a boil. Then comes the transition, which in Chopin's works is not a showy display of technique but an integral part of the perfect and unified melody. Through a long series of right-hand triplets, it's as if nature, after being washed by the storm, appears even brighter and more radiant. Then comes the recapitulation, like children returning to the grass to play, and finally, the triplets in both hands rise to a climax, followed by an octave descent, ending on a strong and powerful chord. The music, like a string of clear and bright pearls, ends with a passionate outpouring, like a group of children ending their joyful play with laughter.

In this 'Etude in G-flat Major (Black Keys)', Li Yunzai elevated his finger control and technique to the peak of his ability. His injured right hand did not hinder him at all, and he skillfully controlled the piano, which is the greatest characteristic of the Chopin school.

As his hands fell, the sound stopped.

Lee Soo Man, Yoo Young Jin, Kim Sung Soo, BoA, Ryu Myung Ryong, Moon Hee Joon... everyone looked at Li Yunzai with amazement. The mocking voices from before had completely disappeared, and the practice room was silent, the sound of a needle dropping could be heard clearly.

The next moment, applause broke out, and the first to clap was Moon Hee Joon. Li Yunzai's performance of the 'Etude in G-flat Major (Black Keys)' was no less impressive than his own, and his finger control and technique were even more refined. This made him not only surprised but also compelled to applaud. For an eleven-year-old (Korean age, which is one year older, so ten plus one) to play such a piece, it was evident that he had solid basic skills and a deep understanding of the piano.

Then, Lee Soo Man, Yoo Young Jin, Kim Sung Soo, BoA, Ryu Jin... one by one, they all clapped. The trainees who had previously looked down on Li Yunzai and wanted to see him fail had given up that idea. Just based on his piano skills, he was several levels above them. All the trainees reflected on themselves and realized that they truly could not play this piece called the 'Etude in G-flat Major (Black Keys)'.

Learning instruments is not a comprehensive process; trainees generally specialize in one instrument, such as guitar, bass, drums, etc. There are only a few who learn the piano. Without a foundation, just recognizing the 88 black and white keys can be a headache, let alone knowing the sound of each key. Without perfect pitch, it is difficult to play the piano masterfully. Therefore, many people choose easier instruments like guitar and bass, and few can play the piano.

"This kid... I underestimated him! It seems that the accompaniment for 'Edelweiss' at the audition was just the tip of the iceberg!" Yoo Young Jin's eyes showed admiration.

"Yes, indeed very impressive... It seems he has been learning the piano for quite some time, at least three years or more, otherwise, he wouldn't have this level of skill! It seems we have indeed found a gem this time!" Kim Sung Soo also sighed.

Lee Soo Man smiled faintly and said, "It's too early to judge his piano skills... Even the best jade needs to be polished. He is still young, and our job is to develop his potential!"

"Yes... Indeed, he is only eleven years old. It will take at least six years before he can debut, and in these six years, he can learn a lot of things!"

While Lee Soo Man, Yoo Young Jin, and Kim Sung Soo were whispering, Li Yunzai stood up, took the guitar next to the piano, and stood in front of the microphone, saying, "The song I will sing today is still 'Loving You.'"

"Loving You" is the song Li Yunzai sang at the audition three and a half months ago. Although his singing, voice, and vocal techniques had a lot of room for improvement at the time, his voice still amazed Lee Soo Man and the others. Now, they were somewhat looking forward to how his performance of this song would change after three and a half months.

Ding, ding, ding... The sound of the guitar gradually reached everyone's ears, and the scene was silent.

The guitar accompaniment for "Loving You" is actually quite simple, requiring no elaborate techniques. Anyone who can play the guitar can follow the sheet music, so the trainees didn't have much of a reaction to Li Yunzai's guitar accompaniment.

The sound of Li Yunzai's voice gradually came through the speakers, giving everyone a sense of ethereal beauty. The soft voice was very comfortable, like lying in bed after a tiring day.

Yoo Young Jin closed his eyes and carefully savored Li Yunzai's singing and vocal techniques. Compared to three and a half months ago, Li Yunzai's voice was much cleaner, like filtered spring water, with the small stones removed. Although it was still a bit murky, it was much cleaner.

The high notes were also higher, and his vocal range was longer. His breathing techniques were well-controlled, and his timing was good, and his diction was clear. Compared to the last time, the improvement was not just a little but a significant leap. Originally a song for a female voice, Li Yunzai sang it with a male voice, making it more and more appealing to listen to.

"Hmm... Let's see how you handle the dance!" Ryu Myung Ryong, looking at Li Yunzai's injured right hand, thought with a sense of schadenfreude.

Soon, "Loving You" ended. Although his singing was still somewhat immature, it had already taken shape. With more training, improving his singing skills would just be a matter of time.

Similarly, after performing his singing and instrumental skills, the next part was dancing, which was the least confident of Li Yunzai's three performance items. Three and a half months of training had given him a solid foundation, but as he improved, so did the others.

The dynamic melody began, and Li Yunzai closed his eyes, recalling the dance steps and movements he had practiced. Opening his eyes, he moved immediately, his legs quickly tapping the ground, his hands opening and closing with a slight air of dominance. Then, he turned, and his body inverted, forming a stable, invisible triangle with his hands and head. After 1.5 seconds, he flipped and landed.

Although the entire movement was smooth and looked good, it was not crisp and was somewhat sluggish. Everyone noticed this flaw, but considering that Li Yunzai had only been training for three and a half months, being able to perform this challenging move for a beginner was already quite impressive.

"Ha... The movements are good, although there are some small flaws, partly due to his hand injury... If he weren't injured, he could have done better!" Lee Min Woo said.

"Yes! Shin Hye Sung nodded in agreement, saying, "From not knowing how to dance at all to being able to perform a simple and beautiful Breaking, it's already quite impressive!"

...

After Li Yunzai finished his performance, the trainees' performances finally came to a close, lasting nearly two and a half hours. Then, Lee Soo Man, Yoo Young Jin, and Kim Sung Soo had a brief discussion, which was the most tense moment of the monthly exam. The trainees all held their hands tightly.

Finally, Lee Soo Man, Yoo Young Jin, and Kim Sung Soo seemed to have reached a consensus, sat up straight, and looked at the trainees one by one.

"Based on our discussion, we are very satisfied with this monthly exam. Everyone has shown their best abilities, but there are only three top spots in each class... Class A... Second place: Ryu Myung Ryong!"

When Ryu Myung Ryong's name was called, his face lit up with joy. Reaching second place in Class A after only three months was a very good achievement!

"Class B... Class C, first place... second place... third place—Li Yunzai!"

When Li Yunzai's name was called, he, who had been holding his fists tightly and was extremely nervous, was overjoyed but didn't jump up. Although it was only third place, the value of this third place was very high. Moreover, being able to outperform the other six people in Class C made Li Yunzai very satisfied.

"Teacher, why did Li Yunzai get third place... I think it's unfair!"

Finally, someone questioned Li Yunzai's third place. Yoo Young Jin, who had anticipated this, smiled and said, "I think not just you, but others also feel it's unfair. I'll give you a few reasons. First, Li Yunzai's piano skills are much higher than those of the other trainees in Class C, and the score is enough to make up for his lack in dancing. Second, his singing, with guitar accompaniment, ranks in the top four in Class C. The most important point... I can't find anyone else in Class C who could have earned this third place!

It can be said that many people in Class C have been stagnant, while only Li Yunzai has been constantly improving... He is younger than most, and they are all in the same practice room. Why don't you all try to catch up with him?"

The trainees in Class C all lowered their heads.

"Alright, the monthly exam is over for today!"

Some were happy, some were worried. Ryu Myung Ryong was undoubtedly one of the happy ones. Reaching second place in Class A in just three months meant he could walk around the company with confidence for a while.

At this moment, Lee Soo Man suddenly said, "Everyone, quiet down! Besides the monthly exam, there are some things I need to tell you!"

Everyone was stunned, wondering if the company was planning something big. Moon Hee Joon and the others felt a jolt in their hearts...

At this moment, the scene seemed to be suppressed by an invisible force, and no one dared to breathe.

Lee Soo Man's gaze swept over everyone, and he said calmly, "Today, I have two main announcements. First, our company will exchange trainees with YG Entertainment and Tae Hong (JYP's predecessor)!"

Whoosh...

When Lee Soo Man finished speaking, the scene erupted like a pot of boiling water. The previously quiet practice room suddenly became a bustling market. This news came too suddenly, leaving everyone unprepared.

Exchanging trainees is something many talent agencies do, usually involving the elite trainees from both sides. These so-called elites are not favored by the upper management. Both agencies hope to get their desired trainees through the exchange.

However, among the talent agencies, only S.M. has established itself and is the most famous recently, having produced HOT. It is the most powerful of the new generation of talent agencies, aside from the oldest DSP. YG and Tae Hong, on the other hand, are virtually unknown, and their prospects are far from as good as staying at S.M.

But going to a smaller company has its advantages. Strong performers can be valued by the upper management and have a higher chance of debuting, unlike at S.M., where the talent pool is vast, and the timing of debuts is uncertain.

Regardless, no one likes being traded around like a commodity. They all hope to stay at S.M., even if the chances of debuting are slim. They can always "train" for a few more years, and if they still can't debut, they can go to other agencies. It's the golden age of entertainment, and there are many rising agencies.

"Alright, everyone, quiet down!" Yoo Young Jin shouted, and indeed, the previously noisy practice room instantly became silent.

"Exchanging trainees is a common practice among talent agencies, and both YG and Tae Hong are very promising agencies. You will definitely be valued by the upper management there! Next, I will announce the list of trainees being exchanged to YG.

This time, the trainees being exchanged to YG are Park Jae Hyuk and Lee Jung Soo. The trainees being exchanged to Tae Hong are Kim Ji Seo and Ryu Myung Ryong!"

Everyone was stunned, including Moon Hee Joon, Li Yunzai, BoA... All the trainees were stunned. The first three being exchanged to other companies didn't cause much concern, as they were ranked third, fourth, and fifth in Class B. But Ryu Myung Ryong, who had risen to second place in Class A, was being exchanged to Tae Hong, which surprised everyone.

Class A only had six people, all of whom were elites. Lee Soo Man actually exchanged elites to other companies, which left everyone speechless.

A sign, one more update!

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