Chapter 878: Pride (3)
[Everyday V13]
[Date: April 12, 2021]
-02:00 a.m. [NEW. Jung Yoo-Jin]
[Star Exclusive] A word from Jung Yoo-Jin, whom we met in Yeongjongdo, Incheon. "What I regret most today is the elimination of Go Eun-Seo from Team 2."
[Weekly Star] Jung Yoo-Jin spoke again about the moment Go Eun-Seo was eliminated.
I could not believe that Go Eun-Seo of all people had been eliminated. Just moments ago, unlike Choi Yeon-Mi who received minus 20 points and Liu Lan and Nagai Haruko who received minus 10 points, Go Eun-Seo had even been given a plus 5 bonus.
Even just looking at the interim evaluation video uploaded yesterday on the [PROJECT : I.O.A] app, Go Eun-Seo had ranked third in proficiency for this week's competition song, 'Dream'.
On top of that, there was no way someone like Go Eun-Seo, who thrived on stage, would make a mistake during a live broadcast. If that was the case, then her "elimination" was far more likely due to an external factor rather than her own ability.
'Could it be that those girls messed with Go Eun-Seo earlier?'
Everyone who had just been deducted points belonged to the same Team 2 as Go Eun-Seo. And if, by any chance, she clashed with a teammate during the performance and got injured, she would inevitably be eliminated automatically. In Project I.O.A., the moment a contestant could not stand on the next competition stage for any reason, the rules dictated automatic elimination.
First, I needed to make sure Go Eun-Seo would not get hurt.
Just then, Miso grabbed the hem of my suit jacket and shook it. "Uncle Yoon-Ho, is something wrong? Your face is full of worry!"
Miso looked up at me with concern. At her words, Yoo-Jin, who had been about to leave the waiting room, along with Go Eun-Seo and Oh Hae-Nim, all widened their eyes.
I quickly slipped my phone into my pocket and smiled at Miso. "No. What would I have to worry about?"
Miso studied my face carefully, then gestured for me to bring my ear closer to her mouth. I bent slightly at the waist and leaned my ear toward her lips.
She whispered softly, "Uncle Yoon-Ho, I will not tell anyone that you are lying."
It seemed Miso was thinking about my pride, promising to keep it a secret.
With a faint smile, I leaned toward her ear and replied, "Thank you, Miso. But this is something I can handle. Look at my face. This time, I really mean it."
I looked at Miso with a confident expression.
Miso examined my face thoughtfully, then whispered again, "This time, it is real!"
"Ding dong! That is correct."
When I lightly tapped her cheek, Miso grinned broadly.
After that, I spoke to everyone, "Let's all head out. I have something to tell Eun-Seo and Hae-Nim."
"Yes, Mr. Jung!"
Since I had things I wanted to say separately to Go Eun-Seo and Oh Hae-Nim, I left the waiting room with the staff, Lee Tae-Poong, and Chief Lee Dong-Min.
***
In the hallway outside the waiting room, Lee Tae-Poong, the talent agents, and the staff entered the convention hall first, and I remained in the hallway with Yoo-Jin, Miso, Oh Hae-Nim, and Go Eun-Seo.
I decided to comfort Oh Hae-Nim first. Although the misunderstanding had been cleared up, she had nearly been branded a thief, and I could see how frozen she still looked. There was no point in bringing up what had just happened to a child in that state. So I immediately steered the conversation elsewhere.
"Hae-Nim, you've been getting better and better lately, haven't you?" I asked.
Still tense, Oh Hae-Nim widened her eyes. "Me...? Better...?"
I nodded. "Yeah. When you first started, you were in Team 32. But you have already climbed up to Team 9. The instructors cannot stop praising you, saying your skills are improving by leaps and bounds."
Although Oh Hae-Nim graduated from Incheon Arts High School, she had never received professional idol training, so she was still like an uncut gem. Because of that, she had not picked up any bad vocal habits. The vocal trainers were unanimous in praising her clear tone.
On top of that, Park Seon-Nyeo had evaluated that her dance skills were improving quickly as well, thanks to her diligence in practice. That was why the training team currently predicted that Oh Hae-Nim could rise as high as Team 4.
However, Oh Hae-Nim did not seem to believe in herself and asked again, "I am in Team 9, though?"
"That was last week's ranking. If you keep up this condition, it would not be strange at all for you to enter Team 5 today. In the interim evaluation for this week's team competition song 'Dream,' you ranked tenth among the Korean participants."
At that moment, Go Eun-Seo asked in surprise. "Really? Hae-Nim, you are tenth?"
"Yeah."
"That is no joke."
"No, it is not like that."
"What do you mean it is not? Tsk. And here I was helping my own competitor without even knowing it."
"M-me, a competitor? Eun-Seo, that makes no sense."
With one hand on her hip, Go Eun-Seo spoke half joking, half serious. "What do you mean it makes no sense? Oh Hae-Nim, from today on, you are my competitor! I decided that."
Flustered, Oh Hae-Nim waved her hands, but her expression gradually brightened. It seemed she felt honored that someone like Go Eun-Seo, who was running at the very top, even considered her at all.
'What a good kid.'
Every time I saw the way Go Eun-Seo acted so casually yet with such thoughtfulness, I could not help but feel proud of her.
"Anyway, Hae-Nim, put your worries aside and just focus on doing your best right now. And like that oppa of yours, I will always help you too, so do not worry."
Oh Hae-Nim nodded. "Thank you, Mr. Jung."
"By the way, who is this oppa who gave you the necklace? Is he someone from your orphanage?"
Blushing, Oh Hae-Nim nodded. "Yes. But not from our orphanage. We are like real siblings."
She quickly added that, worried I might misunderstand. After all, the participants of Project I.O.A. were forbidden from dating.
"Got it."
Yet, perhaps growing anxious, Oh Hae-Nim revealed who he was. "Ah, Mr. Jung, you know him too. It is Dong-Yeon oppa from Angel Orphanage."
I was startled. "Huh? Dong-Yeon? You mean that little kid Yoo Dong-Yeon from our Angel Orphanage?"
"Yes. Dong-Yeon oppa came to volunteer at our orphanage, and that is how we met. After that, he... became my designated sponsor. He said it would be hard to become a celebrity. And this accessory was made at the factory where he works."
Yoo Dong-Yeon was from Angel Orphanage and seven years younger than me, a twenty-one-year-old who was now working at an accessory manufacturing factory in Incheon. When I left Angel Orphanage, he had been the little kid who followed me around the most, and now he was Oh Hae-Nim's designated sponsor.
He had made the swan-shaped necklace as a subcontracted product for the brand, then bought the one he crafted himself at cost with his own money and given it to her as a gift.
"If you were that close with Dong-Yeon, why did you not tell me?" I asked.
"I did not want to burden you. And oppa told me never to mention it to you either."
Both Yoo Dong-Yeon and Oh Hae-Nim said they had stayed quiet because they did not want to burden me. Come to think of it, Yoo Dong-Yeon had even turned down the job Kang Eun-Gi and I offered to find for him, saying he was fine on his own, so it made sense. The thoughtfulness of these kids made me smile.
"Hey, did you think I would not figure something like that out on my own?"
"I'm sorry."
"There is nothing to be sorry about. Oh, right. Is Dong-Yeon coming today?"
For today's Project I.O.A., invitations had been sent out to family and relatives.
"He said he was coming, but it was not definite. The factory has been working overtime even on weekends these days."
Someone like Oh Hae-Nim was the type who could burn even brighter for someone else's sake. So I gave her something to hold on to.
"He will come. So today, let's do well in front of Dong-Yeon, okay?"
At last, a smile spread across Oh Hae-Nim's face. "Yes! Mr. Jung."
"Then go on in first."
"Okay. Thank you everyone for believing me today! And Eun-Seo, thank you. I will never forget it."
After bowing deeply to everyone, Oh Hae-Nim hurried back to the waiting room. Thankfully, she seemed to have regained much of her composure.
After that, I turned to Go Eun-Seo and expressed my gratitude. "Eun-Seo, thank you."
Go Eun-Seo flushed slightly in embarrassment. True to someone who was weak to praise, she did not know what to do.
"N-no, it was not like that. I just hated seeing a bunch of them gang up on someone weaker."
"Even so, that is not easy. Everyone else saw it too and turned away, but you stepped in. That is not something just anyone can do."
"Uh, well... that is..."
"Because you stepped up, others will step up too next time something like that happens. Thank you. And I am proud of you. Proud that you are someone who will lead our Project I.O.A."
Without answering, Go Eun-Seo's face turned bright red. If praise was her weakness, I would just have to give it to her often until she got used to it.
Anyway, that was when I finally brought up the real point. "And when Team 2 has rehearsal later, be careful. During the actual competition too."
At the sudden shift in tone, Go Eun-Seo tilted her head. "Why?"
"Girls like Yeon-Mi who hide their true feelings tend to hold grudges."
Go Eun-Seo immediately understood that someone might try to harm her, yet she scoffed. "It won't be a big deal."
"No, seriously. Be careful. What if you get hurt? The moment you are injured, you are eliminated."
At my firm tone, Go Eun-Seo flinched. "Okay. I will be careful."
"And wait a second."
I immediately turned to Miso.
"Miso, your bag."
Miso handed over the bag she had been carrying. "Uncle Yoon-Ho, here you go!"
The bag was filled with Powertuff Girls merchandise, and in one corner I spotted some tape.
As I pulled out the clear tape, I said, "Eun-Seo, stick out your foot. I will wrap your heels."
If her feet shifted inside the high heels, even a small collision could cause injury.
Rip.
Once I quickly finished taping both feet, the once-loose heels fit snugly.
"Try shaking them."
Go Eun-Seo lifted one leg slightly and shook her heel back and forth. "They're firmly in place."
That was one thing taken care of.
"And I will show you how to break a fall."
"How to break a fall?"
"Yes. When people fall, they instinctively brace with their wrists. If you even get a hairline fracture, you are eliminated immediately. So I will show you front, back, and side breakfalls."
"Here...?"
"Yes. Watch carefully. There are less than five minutes until rehearsal, and you will not be able to do it once you are in costume. So just memorize it with your eyes."
Still dressed in my suit, I immediately began demonstrating the different types of breakfalls right there in the hallway.
Thud.
Thud.
After demonstrating the front, back, and side breakfalls three times each, I got back to my feet.
I brushed the dust off my suit and explained the key points. "You saw that, right? When you break a fall, the most important thing is to keep your chin and head from hitting the ground. And if nothing else works, protect your face and stretch your body out as you slide. Protecting your head is the priority. Just remember that."
Go Eun-Seo's eyes widened. "All that is fine, but then my outfit will be a mess."
"I'll put a spare outfit in the styler, so if something happens, do not worry about it and just use the breakfall. And... just do not get hurt. Ever."
Go Eun-Seo bowed at a full niy degrees. "Thank you for looking out for me."
"Not at all. Let's do well today."
"Yes, sir!"
As she lifted her head, Yoo-Jin and Miso both raised their fists toward her. "Go Eun-Seo, You got this."
"Thank you."
Clenching her fist, Go Eun-Seo ran back into the waiting room.
After that, I turned to Yoo-Jin and Miso. "Yoo-Jin, Miso. Shall we go get ready too? You both need to prepare for the pre-recording now."
"Oppa, your clothes are a mess."
"It is fine. I will just put them in the air dresser."
"But is that not the suit Jason Cho made for you? The one that costs over ten million won?"
"Shh!"
The suit I was wearing had been custom-made by Jason Cho and was indeed quite expensive.
Yoo-Jin let out a small laugh, amused that I had performed breakfalls in something like that. "Okay, okay. But I don't think the air dresser will be enough. You might have to change."
"I have about three spare suits in the car."
"That is a relief. By the way, oppa, Eun-Seo is better than she looks."
"Yeah. Her parents taught her poorly, but she is not bad by nature."
"I thought so. She seems proud, but she also has a sense of justice and helps those who are weaker."
Just then, Miso nodded beside us and chimed in. "Yeah. I have been watching her, and she didn't lie even once. She is a kind unnie!"
'Go Eun-Seo. Congratulations. You earned not a KS mark, but an MS—Miso—mark.'
I let out a quiet laugh. "Then shall we go too?"
I led the two special MCs toward backstage, resolving to block whatever might come Go Eun-Seo's way.
***
At Yeongjongdo Jinseong Resort Convention Hall, a stage worthy of a world star tour had been set up.
There was a massive circular stage large enough for all sixty-four contestants to stand with their arms outstretched and still have room left, and behind it stood a gigantic back screen fifty meters wide and thirty meters tall.
On that circular stage, Team 1 of Project I.O.A.—Sung Na-Ra, Song Mi-Hee, Yang Bing Bing, and Minamoto Aoi—were in rehearsal.
The song was 'Dream,' a dance track Bang Seon-Woo had poured his heart into for this week's competition, a song about running together toward a shared dream.
『The world we dreamed of is right before our eyes.
Find your strength.
Find your courage.
Even if it is hard, even if you are afraid, do not worry.
Because we are by your side.
So let's hold hands and run together.
Toward the star that is beginning to appear,
Toward the star of you and me...』
The four members of Team 1 practiced in sync, mixing the signature kicking choreography and the running choreography of 'Dream.' Because the song carried a fast beat, dancing while maintaining formation made it especially challenging. But as if to prove they were Team 1 of Project I.O.A., the girls moved in perfect unison.
Just then, Acting President Jin Ah-Ram tapped my shoulder and held out her phone. "Mr. Jung, thanks to you, today is definitely going to blow up. Take a look at this."
I tore my gaze away from the stage and checked her screen.
[Project I.O.A. selects its second round of eliminated contestants. Live from Yeongjongdo Jinseong Resort.]
[A luxury-scale audition unfolding in Yeongjongdo, Incheon!]
Jin Ah-Ram's screen was filled with articles featuring Yeongjongdo Jinseong Resort as the backdrop. Interest was already surging from 7:30 p.m., before the main broadcast had even begun.
I smiled. "This is just the beginning. We have to do even better now."
The heat was only starting to rise. However, if a popular member like Go Eun-Seo were to be eliminated as Everyday had warned, there was no telling how quickly those headlines would turn on us. I could not relax.
Just then, I heard PD Ji Yung-Sik's voice through the wireless intercom I had been issued.
-Okay. That is enough. Other teams need to rehearse too, so come down.
Team 1 stopped dancing, breathing hard. "Thank you for your hard work."
The four members of Team 1 bowed at a sharp niy degrees and exited the stage.
At that moment, Choreographer Park Seon-Nyeo, who had been standing below the stage, approached with a smile. "Chief Jung, are you not insanely busy? I am impressed you made it."
"Busy or not, I had to come. The girls' angles are sharp today. As expected of you, Mrs. Park Seon-Nyeo."
"Oh please, what did I do? Since Hoop Entertainment manages them so well, they follow even the toughest training."
As we were talking, Ji Yung-Sik's voice came through the intercom again.
-Team 2 entering.
Only then did the four members of Team 2 step onto the stage.
At that moment, to protect Go Eun-Seo, I turned to Park Seon-Nyeo. "Just a second. Can I have a word?"
"A word? Why?"
In a whisper, I told her what had happened in the waiting room.
Her eyes widened, and she whispered back, "So you are saying the other girls on Team 2 might try to hurt Eun-Seo?"
"There is a possibility. Choi Yeon-Mi holds grudges more than she lets on."
"Hmm. Got it. I will tighten the screws. They won't dare cause trouble if they don't want penalty points."
After nodding, Park Seon-Nyeo raised her voice sharply beside me.
"Team 2! Not in formation yet, huh? With that kind of mindset, you will never make it to Team 1!"
The four members of Team 2, who had been glancing around, quickly took their positions. "Yes, ma'am!"
"And remember, rehearsal attitude affects your score. If you slack off or miss the beat, I will not let it slide."
By mentioning scoring, Park Seon-Nyeo was clearly warning them not to pull anything reckless. I had done everything I could. Yet Everyday's schedule remained unchanged.
'Was I wrong about this?'
The thought crossed my mind, but I could not relax.
At that moment, rehearsal began. I gripped my phone tightly and stood right below the stage, staring intently at Go Eun-Seo and the other three.
'Please, let nothing happen.'
***
『The world we dreamed of is right before our eyes...』
Go Eun-Seo, along with Choi Yeon-Mi, Liu Lan, and Nagai Haruko, began to sing.
Their images filled the massive back screen. The default formation had the four standing in a line, from left to right: Liu Lan, Go Eun-Seo, Choi Yeon-Mi, Nagai Haruko.
Tap tap tap.
In sync with the beat, Team 2 swiftly shifted positions, continuing the choreography. Their skill was no less impressive than Team 1's.
Then it was time for the first key-point choreography—the kicking move. The kicking choreography involved raising the right hand while lifting the left leg up to the knee, almost like a cheering pose.
At that moment, Team 2 quickly rearranged into a diamond formation.
Whoosh.
Go Eun-Seo moved to the front, and Choi Yeon-Mi stepped back, positioning herself directly behind Eun-Seo. The other two stood on either side.
『Find your courage...』
With the lyrics, the kicking choreography began. And then, Choi Yeon-Mi suddenly lost her balance.
Wobble.
The small kick that was supposed to end at knee height extended forward like a full taekwondo strike. However, there was not a trace of panic on Choi Yeon-Mi's face. In other words, she had disguised it as a mistake and done it deliberately.
'She's doing that here? Right now?'
Go Eun-Seo could not see behind her. Because Everyday's schedule entry loomed in my mind, I was about to shout a warning.
Grip.
Just then, Park Seon-Nyeo grabbed my wrist and whispered urgently, "Wait."
'Huh? Why would she stop me at a moment like this?'
However, the instant I saw Go Eun-Seo's next move, I understood why Park Seon-Nyeo had held me back.
'Go Eun-Seo, you...'
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