Three months later, we stand at the end of the Pro.J road and thank you for your involvement over the course of the project! This is, however, only the beginning for your muses, as they are now successfully set to debut in the two project groups. Promotions are scheduled to begin in October, with the girls releasing their song first and the boys following, a pattern that will repeat thereafter. We have tentatively scheduled 3 songs for each group, with a wrap on their promotions in March, though this may be adjusted in the future to account for debuting trainee groups and attempts not to have muses promoting two songs at the same time. For more information, head below the cut!
BASICS.
For the purposes of headcanons, there were no votes on the final episode, just a final round of performances geared for the judges to determine positions and capabilities for the contestants as a whole.
Spots that open in the groups will NOT be reservable after debut. If someone drops they’re simply removed and one can assume an NPC in their place.
As a result, to avoid confusion, group information and so on will only be listed on this blog.
Over the next week we’ll be updating this blog in various ways to prepare it for this new phase of the Produce Project. When we have more completed there we’ll let you know!
As debuted project idols, trainees will be able to purchase more from the shop than they were previously capable of doing, though there are some avenues which we’ll still limit for their future debuts. For instance, brand endorsements will be given to the project groups as a whole, but minor commercials and various photoshoots/spreads/covers could be purchased at this point.
They are now eligible to participate in the subplot varieties and we’d actually highly encourage it, it’s something that would give them a lot of exposure and be perfectly reasonable given their status.
You are now able to add exp for the number of episodes you participated in, up to 30 exp for those who were actively involved in all three episodes. (10 for one episode, 20 for two, etc). Link this post on your points tracker.
GIRL’S DEBUT : PROLOGUE
Debuting under the name Prologue, the female outfit from Produce Project has been noted for their sweet, fresh visuals, quirky charms, and a surprisingly solid vocal line to come out of something that is essentially a popularity contest. A lot of eyes are on Minyoung and Ryu Myungeun in particular, as they proved themselves standout vocalists but neither were included in the recent debut lineup of the 99 group Glimmer. The MSG trainee girls are drawing a lot of attention for their performance abilities and quirky charms, being dubbed stan attractors within the group already. Jiae and Suhee are being seen as well rounded members that serve to anchor the team in the midrange, and Hyejin and Seoyeon boast unique, striking visuals that are drawing attention. The more gossip hungry fans are eager to point out that the fact Minyoung and Ryu Myungeun were left off the 99 Entertainment lineup could mean a few things - either the girls refused the offer because of problems with other potential members or they were actually the problematic contingent themselves and were thus not asked to debut. Those eager to bolster their own individual favorites are quick to point out the perceived kind and hardworking attitudes of the MSG and Midas trainees in comparison, often stating on Pann that they hope a few “rotten apples” don’t spoil the bunch. The finale episodes drew more support than the prior, as viewers were given a chance to approach the girls as a whole rather than being encouraged to pick out a singular favorite to compare to the others critically, which the staff hopes will reduce the likelihood of single-stans. Bit late for that, probably, but it’s worth a try. The overall positive image and mid to high screentime garnered by the MSG girls has viewers eagerly awaiting a debut from the company upcoming, with some company stans wishing they’d just debut on their own now, particularly given the buzz Eunju has received in the final episodes for being evenly talented across the board in dance, vocal, and rap.
main vocal - @idmyungeun
main vocal - @idminyoung
lead vocal - @idjiae
lead vocal - @idsuhee
main dance - @idhyejin
main rap, lead vocalist - @ideunju
lead rap, lead dance - @idhwarin
vocalist - @idmeihua
vocalist - @idseoyeon
BOY’S DEBUT: PROMO
The boys have faced an uphill battle, for the most part, losing out in votes as an influx of uncle fans assured the girls higher numbers and saved more of them from elimination. With the final roundup leaning heavily on Puck’s vocals, Galaxy fans are both cautiously optimistic and annoyed. With their main vocal, Puck, having shown a lackluster, largely tired performance in the final round, fans and producers alike are worried he’s spread to thin, carrying the weight of the group on his back and still promoting in Galaxy. With Jiho taking on the brunt of the rapping, it stands to reason his other skills would be called into question somewhat, and fans are worried by his weak dancing. Dax presents hope for the group as an anchor point and all around solid member, demonstrating a high performance capability and a solid, unique voice. However, with two of their prominent members already debuted under other groups, fans worry that the split attention will cause trouble, particularly given the high frequency of MSG and Midas promotions, whereas the female trainees that have debuted did so under 99, famed for infrequent promotions. Fans have taken to the boys as an underdog story on the whole, with the show crafting a narrative of struggling, often overlooked boys from disparate backgrounds just trying to make it on stage together. This image has caused a recent influx in pann articles about the character of the boys, often done in subtle or outright comparison to issues raised amongst the female contestants.
* Assume some lead vocals / subvocalist / sub rap NPC roles exist to round out the lineup.
main vocal - @idpuck
main dance, lead vocal - @iddax
main rap - @idjiho
Welcome to the third and final episode of Produce Project Season One! Under the cut you’ll find all the important information you’ll need to succeed. After the last episode and some of the issues that rose, we want to again stress that if you have a negative experience at all please come to us and that, additionally, we will be debuting everyone in some form of project group after this episode, so please don’t feel as anxious or pressured to rank high.
REVISED POINTS.
+ 2pp for 400+ headcanon relating to the show. (redeemable once)
+ 3pp for any 4/4 350+ thread.
+ 5pp for any 8/8 350+ thread.
+ 5pp for any 4/4 350+ thread completed with a muse you've not threaded with before.
+ 10pp for any 8/8 350+ thread completed with a muse you've not threaded with before.
+ 10pp for completing a 4/4 350+ thread with each member of your team (all or nothing).
+ 10pp for a 3/3 350+ group thread for your entire team. (redeemable once)
+ 5 pp / 5 sp for first solo prompt.
+ 3 pp / 3 sp for additional solo completion of prompts.
You can redeem points with someone only within the context of one thread.
You can redeem points even if your partner for a thread is not able to do so.
Muses that do not complete the minimum 1 prompt will be considered eliminated.
PROMPTS.
(INTROSPECTIVE) This introspective should delve into your muse’s feelings on the final episodes, their placement in the group they’ve been assigned, and on any netizen information from the last episode you’d like to incorporate. A suggestion would be to frame it in the context of an “exit interview” for the show.
(GROUP STAGE) This time, the group stage prompt should directly reflect their stage performance. If possible, it would be great to explore this after discussion with the other members of your team! Obviously, they shouldn’t do a flawless job, we should get an idea of where their weaknesses still are, how they work with the group, how they interpret the song, and so on.
(PERSONAL APPEAL) This is your chance to give us something fun to use for the final netizen buzz. We can’t guarantee it’ll all make it in, but we can guarantee we’ll give it a look if we see it linked on your points page. Detail a moment they shined, and how! It can go beyond the purely talent based things; consider Kim Sohye who’s hard work propelled her up the ranks, or trainees with moments that caught attention for things like aegyo, personality, personal stories, and so on. Show us something only your muse has to offer.
(HIDDEN CAMERA PRANK) With the show wrapping up, all remaining participants were asked to speak to themselves in a mirror, reflecting on their time on the show, their hardships, their feelings about the show ending soon, then end with some encouraging words to themselves for the final round. But little did the participants know, there was someone dressed as a ghost behind the mirror to prank them halfway through their speech by scaring them all for the hilarious reactions!
EVALUATION.
This is a special prompt turned in to the admins as your muse’s fictional "pitch" to the judges. We encourage creativity with this. It can canvass their time in the show as whole, from initial interviews to stages to any controversies they may have experienced. It should be detailed, nuanced, and display the growth of your muse throughout the show, setting them up for their future projection. Consider the image they've hoped to create and the one they now have, to an extent. Consider where you want them to go next. Delve into limitations, faults, and flaws while also outlining strengths. Would they do this again? Do they want to debut in this group at all anymore? What have they learned about the industry through this experience - if anything? How have they come to change their understandings of themselves as an idol and as a person? Has their perception of their own talents changed? Are they willing to sacrifice anything to debut - dignity, dream concepts, personal time, privacy, health? Are they in over their head? Are they still full of dangerous hubris, poised for a downfall? Give us a clear idea of their growth and of what you hope for them in terms of direction. Tell us your grand plan! Anything important to their identity, to their goals, to their future, we want to know it.
500+ words, 5 pp, 5sp. All information will be heavily considered in admin plans for
upcoming groups and debuts. Consider this a lot like the image section 2.0, revised with character growth in mind.
GROUP STAGES: UNIT CONCEPT BATTLE.
These songs should not be treated as covers and should instead be understood to be new compositions given to the show for use in the competition. The girls will not film a music video but will be expected to prepare a short teaser on their own, with only a handheld camera provided. Styling and vibes will reflect those in the stages for the respective songs in reality.
TEAM PINK.
Song: Loona 1/3- Love & Live
choreography: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m83Z-poMyxY
line distribution: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7Q9fgBgJMM
Im Suhee - haesul
Ahn Seoyeon - hyunjin
Heo Minyoung - heejin, vivi
TEAM PURPLE.
Song: Odd Eye Circle - Girl Front
choreography: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqoZTnnjyPo
line distribution: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXVbOXsUf8c
Han Jiae - kim lip
Joo Hyejin - choerry
Oh Eunju - jinsoul
TEAM BLUE.
Song: MXM - Ya Ya Ya
choreography: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1C2zVKq7u8
Paris Gao - donghyun
Go Jiho - youngmin
TEAM RED.
Song: Nu’est W - Deja Vu
choreography: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Tgdu0XsMZU
line distribution: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbSvR8o-_-o
Kang Taekjo - baekho, 1/2 aron
Kim Daesung - ren, 1/2 aron
Lee Daehyun - jr
Titanium’s Kang Jaehyun -- withdrew during episode block.
Jawbreaker’s Ellie -- withdrew during episode block.
Here we go guys, our long awaited results! Remember, these were accumulated over 2 episode blocks, with this one encompassing episodes 4 to 6. You’ll notice there were some ties, just as there were last time. In those instances we assumed already debuted idols to have an edge in voting and popularity and placed them ahead in the rankings. Just as before, your idols of course don’t know about the “ties” but can know the points were “very close” or something similar, for in character purposes since a true tie (especially so many) would be unlikely in the extreme. Our points system will have a little bit of a revamp for the next and final round beginning on August 18th so be on the lookout for that. We’ll be observing things carefully to determine how we can improve the system for Season Two, which will shortly follow the end of the project groups promotions.
In the coming day(s) you’ll see some removals from the show that have been discussed with us and integrated into the overarching plot. These removals will be in effect in character after the KCON performance and after the finale of this episode block, so the rankings will remain as is since we’re in the “freeze” between episodes right now. They’ll be removed in the beginning of the next episode “block.” If you would also like to withdraw please try to message us sometime this week.
Incoming participants may add 40 pp points to account for episodes 1 and 2 (assumed 20 earned in each) to allow them a chance to be competitive in the rankings.
A quick update to bring you the results of our lottery. We’re bringing it much later then intended because we were hoping to get a few more eligible members into the male side of things in particular before we put it out there, but alas. Without further ado please congratulate the centers for the theme song of the series: Jawbreaker’s Suran (@idsuran) and Galaxy’s Puck (@idpuck) !
With the initial filming covering auditions, participant interviews, and the early stages of training and preliminary talent showcases, we come now upon the second (set of) episode(s). Canonically they are covering the next three episodes, and will last for three weeks out of character just as the first did. There are a few clarifications here: in character progress is determined more from the nameless judges than votes and consequently, views/votes are lower and resulting popularity will be much lower than that of the actual Produce shows. For members accepted today, if you mentioned to us interest in Produce Project we sorted you into a group but please still send in that form! If you didn’t mention it, we didn’t add you, but you’re more than welcome to join up just send in that form as well!
MECHANICS.
In order to advance to the next round participants must complete one of the prompts provided, in excess of 500 words if a solo or in the standard 4/4 at 350 a post thread.
Prompts may only be completed once.
Prompts and threads are time-locked and must be completed by the end of the “episode” and must surround activities from this episode and not those prior.
Additional threads centered around this “episode” and completed per requirements (4/4 at 350) are eligible to redeem for PP.
Remember to check the general mechanics post and page on this sideblog!
Threads for points must be completed with other members of the show. You’re welcome to bring up Pro.J with other muses in the roleplay but unless the other party is also a participant it doesn’t count towards your project point totals.
Points are cumulative across episodes. A member with 20 points in the first episode and 10 in the second will have a total of 30 points, etc.
CURRENT BUZZ.
Does Jawbreaker have a place on the show? While they were on a similar popularity level to Galaxy, there’s concern that the girl’s new comeback has given them too big of a boost. In contrast, the stark difference in attention and screen time between Jawbreaker members is criticized in multiple ways. Some common topics are: Suran as the center girl and her dual role in Jawbreaker/Her.oine, Suran’s SNS exposure and Chanel deal, Ellie’s low rankings comparative to other Jawbreaker members (both criticism and praise of skills following) and her slightly controversial choice of audition piece, and Jiahn as a member. In the final case, Jiahn has received a high level of attention from netizens for her precarious place in the Jawbreaker lineup and is under pressure to prove her skills. Rumors of potential discord amongst some Jawbreaker members are beginning to rise, though Suran and Jiahn have demonstrated closeness on the show.
Contestant Myungeun is receiving attention for her atypical background and more mature image, making her a standout from the rest of the 99 pack. 99 trainees as a whole are gaining attention for their cute and youthful images/appearances, leading fans to speculate they’re going to be grouped for a more fresh and cute style upon debut, which would be an unexpected move from 99 Entertainment. (And note, your trainees are not aware of the intended debut plans from 99 Ent in terms of image, etc) Fans note that the trainee group has a number of proclaimed vocalists but has done very little to demonstrate performance or dance skills to this point.
Midas Trainee Jiae’s striking appearance and general polished image, alongside her longterm training and dual focus, have gained her a following and have put a lot of attention on the upcoming Midas girl group as something to look out for. Image speculation is that the group will be a more refined version of Fantasy and expectations are heightened. Fantasy fans are concerned the absence of the girls on the show indicates Midas is putting their eggs in the upcoming group’s basket.
The unexpected fact of the boys receiving lower attention / rankings has fans worrying about the future of boy groups in the industry, or decrying unfair treatment/preferential treatment towards the more marketable female contestants. There are high hopes for them to bring further attention to themselves as the show progresses, and fans of active boy groups are eager to see their cover performances.
Fans are hugely hopeful that this will be Puck’s time to shine and bring some much needed attention to Galaxy, who is currently climbing the charts in part due to Puck gaining them exposure and in part due to the success of their new comeback. Their fresh and boyish image is hitting a strong chord in the midst of the flurry of summer girl group promotions, and fans hope Puck will continue to represent the group well.
Judges and mentors alike are concerned that many of the contestants provided auditions that were strictly single skill (many of the auditions were ballad/stationary covers or rap covers that didn’t demonstrate dance) and are worried about the viability of those trainees in performance. The general consensus is that those who demonstrated their main skill and dance during the audition realm have put themselves at the front of the pack in terms of perceived skill by the experts on the show, though of course the public may react differently. This is the reasoning behind the more performance and image geared second round. The density of rap based or vocal-light male trainees is a concern for producers at the moment.
Remember out of character the rankings are determined by activity, but in character it comes from votes and judging. Keep in mind also that as with all things Idolize, the muses’ perceived image and skills are at the forefront and popularity resultant from the show will be modest.
PROMPTS.
(INTROSPECTIVE) Reflect on your personal progress and on the rankings from the first episode. Reflect upon moments of criticism from the mentors or moments that might have come across more awkward on screen than intended, and so on. Remember, you are always on camera, which means anything you’ve said in the area in front of another trainee has potential to have been aired, no matter how private you thought it was.
(GROUP STAGES) These are not required to be completed as threads within the groups below, but as always we would encourage it. This episode centers around covering iconic songs from notable groups in the Idolize universe. The mentors arranged teams based on skill sets, balance, and the general image they’d like to see demonstrated by that contestant (at least in the context of this song, though not necessarily in general). Details are below.
(BONUS PROMPT) Pick Me! stage evaluations were completed in the last episode to determine the center for both boys and girls. In the wake of that, reflect on your muses’ feelings about their placement and on the performance / song itself and on the filming of the final stage.
GROUP STAGES.
We linked dance stages so you can get an idea of the choreography clearly since most of you are likely familiar with the songs themselves!
Additional participants over the next few weeks will be sorted into new teams. While this may not fit their image/visuals as well necessarily we’ll do our best to make adjustments as necessary, but it seemed to us to be easier than trying to redo line distributions each time.
Team A. Charm Team.
4Minute - Mirror Mirror
Team A is thus grouped for their atypical but charming visuals and their eye catching strength. These contestants demonstrated high performance capability and an innate ability to draw attention to themselves on stage, be it for visuals or skill. The desire from the judges now is to group those with that standout star quality together and see if they can also adjust their performance styles to work in cohesion, without creating discord or competing for the spotlight in a way that will compromise the overall performance. Being able to work as a team and share the attention is crucial for an idol.
Team B. Cute Team.
SNSD - Into the New World
The most coveted of the songs based on contestant reactions, the girls were grouped here largely for their visuals alone. With most of the trainees in this group leaning harder into dance than vocals, this stage has been designed to test their abilities to do both, acting as a chance for the girls to display their ability (or lack thereof) to take something familiar and live up to the challenge without relying on a single skill- an idol needs to be the whole package and must draw the gaze of viewers without fading into the group.
Team C. Classic Team.
Wonder Girls - Be My Baby
Chosen first and foremost of their classic beauty, this group has everything a visual needs to succeed in the current market - long limbs, wide eyes, clear skin, etc. What they haven’t yet done, however, is demonstrate the full range of their skills, with most viewers interested in their visuals more so than their talents. This group has a classically popular concept that the judges hope will allow the girls to demonstrate their hopefully standout individual skills, giving the mentors a chance to observe where their strengths truly lie.
Kang Jiahn - vocalist/dancer // sohee and ½ sunye
Han Jiae - vocalist/dancer // yeeun and ½ sunye
Eleanor/Ellie Moon - rapper // yubin
Moon Soomi - dancer // hyerim
Team G. Cheer Team.
T-ARA- Roly Poly
These girls haven’t yet had the chance to demonstrate to the judges, and the viewers, the unique brightness of their performances. Seeing in them a potential for a quirky, cute image that could canvas multiple genres, if tailored appropriately, the mentors gave them a classic and truthfully relatively easy song, with a bonus of being exceptionally catchy. They’re hoping to give the girls a chance to shine in the upcoming episodes, where screen time hasn’t necessarily been in their favor prior to this point. They’ve been given a great opportunity, though it’s certainly one that could fall short.
Ahn Seoyeon - vocalist/dancer // jiyeon
Team D. Force Team.
MBLAQ - Mona Lisa
With strong vocals and powerful choreography, the judges have placed the burden of proof upon these contestants. Worried that the male trainees may be lacking in viable vocals, they’ve chosen the song to demonstrate the range of talents needed to succeed as an idol, challenging the young men to live up to that standard and prove their capability. With most of the older trainees here, eyes are on them to prove that their hard years of training have been put to good use. There’s a sense of urgency with this group, as if this stage could be make or break.
Kang Jaehyun - vocalist // g.o, seungho
Kim Daesung- dancer/vocalist // lee joon, thunder
Lee Daehyun - dancer/rapper // mir
Team E. Bright Team.
Teen Top - No More Perfume
For the most part, this group consists of the youthful trainees that leave the judges worried they may not yet have the years of experience and growth behind them that are necessary for a strong debut. With the top male contestant in the group, they’re hoping he can lead the others by example while also demonstrating there’s more to him than just strong vocal capability. They’re handing the boys a challenging song in terms of choreography, which they hope will give them a chance to demonstrate their performance capabilities.
Paris Gao - vocalist // niel
Ha Jaeyoung - vocalist/dancer // chunji
Yu Xiaobo - dancer // ricky, changjo
Im Kyeonghwan - dancer/rapper // cap, ljoe
Team F. Power Team.
2pm - Heartbeat
This group is characterized by those with an intense force and aura about them. With the song possessing a strong masculine energy, the boys grouped here have been put in place with the hopes of demonstrating a strong performance capability. The judges are eager to see these trainees prove their stage capabilities and illustrate their abilities to command an audience with a vocally less demanding set that still requires depth and power, alongside distinctive choreography that speaks to the truly stereotypical idol vibe- powerful, expressive, eye catching.
produce project ep. 1 introspective solo.
post-center girl announcement.
so the song? not really her cup of tea. there isn’t anything vocally challenging to do with it and it’s been tailored for five thousand different female voices to sound as benignly pleasant as possible, so it mostly sounds like....
well, like a honey song. catchy and upbeat and ultimately forgettable, aside from a carefully crafted hook. but hey, it’s got it’s niche and that niche better be pretty fucking big, because suran isn’t here to fuck around.
and damn does she look good on stage. she’s got the choreography down (because of course she does, she’s not a fucking rookie anymore) and she’s got her stage mannerisms solid. she spent so long in the hell of midas’ basement training to be cute as can be, followed up by years of sultry training and then a sudden hardcore transition into lux girlcrush, which means that now (courtesy of her three (3) miserable attempts at pushing her career forward in this goddamn industry) she has a good handle on just about any concept they could throw at her. the only one she hasn’t been properly trained for at some point or another is the whole beach-y summer thing that the heaven girls do, but how hard is it to prance around looking approachable, hot, and happy?
well, maybe the happy thing would be hard. except, just kidding. the first thing anyone who will survive in this industry learns is not only how to fake a smile, but how to embrace it. how to be happy when you feel like dying. suran’s become a master of emotions, or at least of her own. on stage, on camera, she can become anything. even something as impossible to actually be as honestly, genuinely happy.
and anyway, so what if she's not that into the song. who fucking cares if she's not thrilled about the program, or about the fact that her company went under, or about having another new member (not that she minds jiahn as a person but fuck if it's not hard to renegotiate a situation like this, a team built on years of experiences the other girl wasn't a part of) , or about having a new company to learn how to navigate. suran will put up with just about anything as long as she has the opportunity to continue her relentless march towards success.
(because god help her, she will succeed, she must succeed, she has to succeed, she will not stop or breathe or die until she does, will hold on until she is a withered hag of two hundred before she gives up voluntarily -- )
things are going well for her lately, despite how generally demeaning her life has become.
hobgoblin climbed to a thoroughly respectable height on the charts.
a gif of her doing archery is making the rounds on social media and she's being compared to katniss, thus making all her isac dreams come true.
and now --
center girl.
right where she belongs.
smack dab in the middle, a force of femininity and a luxurious quality to her that appeals. she's marketable as hell - or at least, she ought to be, she's worked hard to be as versatile as she can. main vocal and lead rap. impeccable figure. well styled. a solid enough variety image - approachable and fun without toeing any lines that would hinder her progress or casting.
maybe this will be what she needs. maybe this will be the thing that finally gets her out there. finally, solidly cements her in the public eye. she'd at least like to reap a few brand deals off it, and god maybe if she does well enough kjh will come through on the promise of a solo.
the thoughts spin in her head, keep her awake in this shitty, cramped dorm, tangled up in the thin blankets. she wouldn't bother with it, with the heat what it is, but she hates feeling exposed.
(ironic, for a girl who's entire life is on camera in one way or another, from diaper days to the present)
she can't sleep.
she can all but feel the cameras recording. after her stunt the first day she's been kindly reminded (read: warned) not to block the cameras again, not to fuss with their placement. they pretend to appease her.
("most of the sleeping footage will just get deleted, it's all very unlikely to be aired, anything from the dorms" they tell her and all she can think - say - is "well why film it anyway, then?" and there's silence then, of course, and a laugh that rings of nothing, and she smiles thinly, and she drops it.)
she rolls over, heart stuttering in her chest, a growl in her stomach, an ache through her bones and the promise of early morning promotional activities chased by hours of endless filming facing her down tomorrow, and the day after, and another after that, in an endless hamster wheel of effort.
but hey.
at least she'll get a couple more seconds of screen time than the others.
the sheen of deep purple, nearly black, accented in matte tips, is presently flawed, and this bothers her more than it should. she’s tempted to sit there, in the back of the practice rooms, and begin picking it all off bit by bit.
they’ve been given a day to settle in, you see, which means that there’s nothing to do.
it means that everyone is giddy and excited, fluttering around making friends, like this isn’t going to be a competition. it means that the girls are scampering around talking about the handsome male trainees, and about how they could be on camera tomorrow, and whatever. they’re still so excited, so hopeful, so youthful in their naivety.
suran wishes she still could be.
there’s a clear difference in the way the active idols and the trainees are behaving already. the trainees think they know what it means to work, think they know what it means to struggle, to face sacrifice.
they have no idea.
debuting feels like the most insurmountable mountain, the far flung goal. she knows that, has felt it, has thought it. but it’s the aftermath that breaks you. it’s the months of nothing. it’s being so overwhelmingly excited about a song only for it to flutter away as soon as you put it out into the world. it’s, even worse, the glaring and brilliant light of success shining bright on you, only for your company to go and lock you away. it’s wasted time, the relentless passage of days and hours and weeks and minutes, blending together.
she’s been handed a second (third, fourth?) chance now, and wasting it would be criminal.
she breathes in the silent stillness of the practice room, gathers her hair into a ponytail, and presses play. by the time she’s finished the routine three times there’s the slightest sheen of sweat over her brow. practicing the song without the other girls is largely pointless, but with only half of jawbreaker participating in the show and jiahn taking a (deserved) nap in the dorm, that leaves only -
the door swings open and as if summoned, there she is, all dark hair and long legs. suran nods in her direction. “i was running choreo. you wanna join?” she twists the cap off her bottle and fits it to her lips, takes down a gulp and hums as the cold spreads in her chest.
w/ @idjiahn // produce project episode one -- bonus prompt.
she hauls the matte black suitcase behind her and grits her teeth against the stream of complaints that threaten. her hair is swept up into a ponytail that weighs nearly as heavy as the fake lashes do, the threat of sweat beneath her makeup, thanks to the godforsaken heat. it’s purely oppressive and she hopes she hasn’t sweat through anything. she thinks this to herself as she observes the cameras strategically placed around the room. she’d prayed not to be shoved onto that roommates show and yet here she was in an even more grotesque fishbowl of a situation, her privacy stripped away by some intern in a booth at the headquarters pouring over hours of footage.
at least his job probably sucked worse than hers.
she grabs jiahn by the wrist and drags her towards one of the rooms in the farthest recesses of the apartment. the bid at privacy is impossible, honestly, but she at least feels a little better now, with the two of them staking claim in the back corner of the over-stuffed room. she sets up a small mountain of stuffed animals and pillows and blankets in the top corner of her upper bunk bed. it “accidentally” blocks the camera there. she lays down flat on her back and listens distractedly to the others pouring through the apartment, giggling and chattering. ellie’s been lost somewhere in the crush of it but honestly, suran doesn’t feel like being around anyone right now anyway. the less time she spends near ellie on camera the better. she’s tired of the comparisons based only on facial features. she doesn’t want to hear nicki minaj one more goddamn time.
she’s just tired.
of everything.
of all of it.
there’s a voice from below and she shifts, hops down to sit beside the other. jiahn is new still, a novelty. a disruption in the order of her world. she’d faced that disruption initially with hatred, as she often does. with anger and frustration, but when jiahn had met her blow for blow, stood toe to toe against her, well, they’d reached an understanding. or something like that.
“aren’t you glad you sacrificed your life to this career?” she drawls, pushes a hand back through her hair, “perfectly solid re-debut and yet here we are.” perfectly painted lips purse into a pout and she leans her head on the other’s shoulder. or, she tries, but the height disparity makes it a little uncomfortable, so she settles for shifting to melodramatically flop her head into the other’s lap, pouting when she glances up at the purple ends of her hair, reaches up to thread her fingers into them. “we should practice, “ she says, as if they haven’t run through it six times this morning already. “or explore.”
