though he knew the english language, what with it being his first language and all, that didn’t mean he could understand everything all the time. it was the same with a lot of people, though. when you were listening to a song but couldn’t actually understand a lot of the lyrics. and just because he didn’t understand didn’t mean that he was going to stop listening. he liked the song, so what?
one headphone was in his ear as he walked, the other hanging in front of him, swinging from side to side with each step. and from his mouth came the mumbled lyrics, only managing to speak what he actually recognized from the song, “calling it quits, now baby, i’m a wreck.” the rest of the song was just spent with him badly making weird noises along with the melody and pretending that he was singing.
“ooooh,” he was singing a little louder now, pressing his headphone deeper into his ear to listen to the song better. but then he paused, stopping mid-step right in the middle of the pavement as a thought suddenly hit him. “oh my god,” he spoke out loud, eyes widening, “i’m miles morales.” and anyone who had watched into the spiderverse would know what he was talking about with that reference - if they happened to know what he was even listening to, that was.
There was a good feeling attached with doing something for others. Tzuyu liked helping and though she didn’t feel like she was directly contributing, she baked as many things as she could: cookies, macarons, brownies and a cake. These were then brought to her table at the bake sale. Before setting shop, she’d stopped by every table and bought something from each one. The direct contribution of giving money. This would go to charity to feed people who were less fortunate. She did wonder why they all didn’t just cook and give them that food. Maybe it wouldn’t be enough. It saddened her that there were so many poor and hungry people. Hopefully her table made enough to contribute a good amount that would feed a lot of people.
Tzuyu was very surprised to see how well it was going and how many people were buying. In fact, some people had told her that they heard others talking about her table and they came over to try her pastries. The number of compliments actually made her quite happy and proud. She, of course, knew that she was good at baking and she did it quite often for her friends. She didn’t expect this much popularity though. Her table was starting to become bare and she was worried that maybe she hadn’t done enough since her table was becoming empty quicker than others. Some other tables she could see from hers had much more product than she did. What had she done wrong? She looked at her cash box and smiled because she’d at least made a good amount to donate. Anything helps, she kept telling herself.
there he goes again, back in a small room where someone will ask him questions about how his day went. he feels a lot better than the first time, knowing what to expect and how to respond comfortably. jeongin isn’t awkward at all when he sits down and faces them, all the previous pressure weighing down on him during his performance relieved as soon as it was over. nothing can really go wrong now, if they didn’t like him they’ll eliminate him and if the opposite happened, they’ll keep him. an interview won’t change any of that unless he starts being offensive.
How did you feel when you received the news of the callback?
he thinks back to the moment he totally freaked out upon hearing the results. part of him is naive and hopeful, but the other also lacks confidence and so he never quite knows if his gut feeling is right or not. he doesn’t trust himself to know for sure if his performance went well or not. “i felt really happy! a little surprised maybe, it’s rare that i win anything! i’m not saying i’ll be the winner of this season, of course!” he waves his hands in front of him frantically, showing off his braces as he laughs. “but it feels nice to be chosen right? it means they didn’t think i was terrible!”
How was it seeing the set for the first time, and the judges once they were reveal?
“the set is huge! i’ve never stood on anything like this. it’s way bigger than school festivals, with all the lights, the seats, and everyone watching... if i’m being honest, it was really intimidating especially the way the judges stare at you... are they supposed to look scary?” he tilts his head cutely. “i was really hoping there would be coaches like in one of the previous seasons... maybe they could have k.arma coach us! i would really love that.”
How do you think you did?
he nods his head with confidence this time. “a lot better than last time! i was just as nervous in the beginning, but having friends here looking out for me really calmed me down. i was alone the first time so it was harder. i mean, i can’t speak for the judges but i feel like i was more stable! and i really put more thought into my outfit!”
Were there any performances you liked?
“all of them?” jeongin declares, and it’s obviously not a lie. it’s not his place to judge others since he’s still lacking, and he’s very easily pleased and impressed. some are more skilled than others, but they all tried their best and that’s what matters. “is it biased if i say my cousin yeji did really well? i hope she moves on to the next round, i’d be happy even if only she does and not me! but the best scenario would be the both of us of course,” he says with a small laugh. “jisungie hyung, chris hyung and changbinnie hyung all rapped, they’re really impressive aren’t they? i could never do that, i don’t have swag.” he pronounces the word with a very strong accent. he could really study english more. “woojin hyung sang really good too, i love his voice, and the song suits him perfectly. and didn’t shin yuna’s song choice make you laugh? the dance and remix were cool though! i liked the girl who sang fly, the girl who danced to kara’s mamma mia - i love kara! - and also kokoro noona who performed a chi chi song! good for her, she has good taste!
Were there any performances you didn’t like?
“not really, no...” he pauses in case he can think of one, but none comes to mind so he just shrugs. “sorry!”
What did you think of kim seungmin’s performance?
he looks around nervously. what kind of magic is this? have they already figured him out? or maybe they just saw them talk before and after the performances, and figured they knew each other well. this seems like the more plausible option, not the conspiration jeongin envisions. “hyung is really talented, his voice gives me goosebumps... he’s a much better singer than me so i’m sure he will move on to the next round, i will root for him until the end~.”
and lastly, they ask him if there is anyone he thinks will definitely make it or not make it on the show, and he already answered part of it by saying seungmin, so he simply repeats that, and says he thinks everyone deserves to go on.
MGA 5 EPISODE 2: day6′s when you love someone ( 0:04 - 0:58 ; 2:50 - 3:43 )
a jigsaw puzzle. the whole show seemed like a jigsaw puzzle, with how diverse the backgrounds of the names that were called proved themselves to be; singer after singer, dancers mixed in with the occasional rapper were named, and by the time they reached ‘k,’ hyojin’s heart had already dropped to the bottom of his stomach. the chances of his own name being called decreased with every new singer that was announced, and by the time he heard his own being called as the first kim, he almost couldn’t fathom it.
he thinks it might be missing a piece, though, when he doesn’t hear a certain name being called, and his head whips around to look at the boy sitting on jooyoung’s other side, trying to read his expression. looking away quickly afterwards to not make the younger male feel self conscious, hyojin starts to feel a deep setting unease manifest in his insides as they move onto the lees, trying his best to congratulate seunghun and even seoyeon, appearing attentive as the rest of the contestants were named. with that, the new challenge was announced, and the filming ended.
hyojin gets lost in the crowd before he can even call out to seungmin.
the car ride back is quiet and unsettling; seungmin doesn’t say a word and only stays stock still, gloomy. hyojin can’t bring himself to say anything, only watching jooyoung curiously. the two of them always seemed like they were eons apart, but this time, the gap felt strangely even wider than that, as if now jooyoung was struck by it, too, and instead of closing the space between them, only got more far away.
holding back a sigh, he simply remains that way until seungmin is dropped off at his apartment, not quite knowing both what to say and when to say it. if there was an opportunity to do so, he had missed it.
❀ AFTERMATH;
hyojin desperately needs a breath of air. it’s the technology age, after all, and if he stares blankly at seungmin’s response to him for any longer, he might go insane. scrolling through youtube isn’t any better — it feels like he’s just sinking down into a thick, opaque swamp without any end or resolution in sight, and even when he tries to sing some of a song, it just falls flat on his ears.
( even without knowing, he had grown fond of the feeling of the microphone in his hand, the smooth handle still faintly there if he tries hard enough to recall it. )
leaning back in his chair and staring at the ceiling, hyojin sighs heavily and shuts his eyes tightly to try to get the spotlight that would hide behind his eyelids every time he blinked to fade away and disappear from his mind. he feels guilty for what seemed to him like greed for the stage, a growing desire to make it as far as possible and push himself past his limits if it meant that he could have all eyes on him once again, singing his heart out. he shouldn’t be feeling this way when seungmin undoubtedly felt the same, when he may not actually deserve the opportunity that’s been granted to him.
he’s sorry — really, truly sorry to the boy whom he had considered to be a younger brother for quite some time now; as someone who frequently heard out his younger cousin’s worries and talked him through them, hyojin had developed somewhat of a sixth sense that could tell what the boy had been thinking. he thinks he’d be mad at himself, too.
( although, now that he thought about it, he’d be even more angry at himself for letting something like this to go to waste. )
pushing his seat back, he opens his phone again, this time not to mull, but to make some plans.
❀
fresh air. just like any other kind of air in any given place, it served the same purpose, but he was taking it in almost greedily, like it was the one thing he so desperately needed but had been deprived of for quite some time. he can still remember the first time he stood here like it was yesterday, the air cool and echoing the beginnings of spring, back when his thoughts were more simple and straightforward. it’s surprising how easily the desire to perform can become suffocating.
the thought passes by that perhaps he should be spending his time practicing a piece instead of out here busking with his friends as if there was no time constraint weighing in on him that could either make or break his future, only to be muffled by the slowly growing realization that if he didn’t do this, there would be no other way for him to just carry on practicing in yesterday’s state. even with the idea of a song to perform in mind, there’s no way he can do anything about it until he relieves this stress.
perhaps that’s why he finds himself taking a leap of faith and asking the crowd for a volunteer to perform a song, leading to an unlikely run in with kang daniel. it’s already shocking enough to find out the male’s been a part of a well known band with sungwoon this whole time, but the uncanniness of it all brings a strange comfort to him, and by the time it was over, hyojin feels like a part of him has been restored.
slipping his phone from the back pocket of his jeans, he looks at it to see a message from sakura, and smiles.
❀ PREPARATIONS;
hyojin sings for a lot of reasons, some more bittersweet than others. the one time he’s cried while singing was when he first moved to seoul. it’s embarrassing to admit such a thing when he’s already all grown up and had spent the last 8 years of his life strengthening his conviction to move out and make it big so that his mom can finally, finally be comfortable for once.
the separation was hard for her, too — how could you blame her when her only son, her pride and joy and anchor, was going to be far from her reach for an indefinite period of time? it’s both heartwrenching and sweet, but he promises to call her every day until he’s fully settled with jooyoung. one night, she asks him if he can sing to her over the phone like he used to, back when he was younger. he tries his best to comply, but it’s hard not to stop the tears.
it’s been three years now, and no matter how much he thinks of home when he sings a song, he tells himself not to cry, as if she could still hear and see him, much older and with eyes that have seen both too much and too little of the world, matured but still eager to live life. he hopes she still doesn’t work those late shifts, even though she tells him she stopped as soon as the debts had been paid off.
when she calls him, he’s in the middle of singing when you love someone. her voice is soft and gentle as always, still tired but more lively than it used to be, congratulating him and putting to sleep all the inner demons that had been pricking away at him that he was betraying her by trying out for mgas.
he doesn’t realize he’s crying until he tries fruitlessly to continue singing after she asks him to sing a little bit of what he plans on performing for her, saying that she’s missed his voice. even without saying, he knows she knows why he chose this song.
slowly, note by note, it feels like a burden is being lifted off his shoulders.
❀ IN THE STUDIO;
take two. he’s sitting in the audience on a familiar chair, this time sandwiched between seunghun and jooyoung. instead of feeling like jelly, he feels eerily calm, as if accepting that whatever would happen that day had already been set in stone as his fate.
fail or pass, he’d be able to get across his message at the very least. he hopes his mom will be able to hear him. he even chats with seunghun for a little bit, playing around and being a lot more relaxed than he had been the week before. just knowing that he could look around and meet the eyes of someone familiar is comforting, and although he doesn’t sit close to her, he knows sakura is somewhere there, too, cheering him on.
this set of performances is as entertaining as last week’s, if not more; all of the singers are incredibly talented, and he takes special note of heejin’s performance, her voice sweet and smooth as it recreates the moody be myself, as well as seoyeon as she sang an emotional english song, swaying along to the rhythm. he cheers for jooyoung too, of course, as well as seunghun, pressing a hand to his chest at the younger male’s rendition of crush’s sofa, clearly pleased at the song choice. they had a similar song preference, after all; before he knows it, a sound of awe escapes his mouth at his friend’s cover, his brows furrowed as he feels the sheer emotion.
❀ ON THE STAGE;
his heart had started to pick up and beat viciously against his ears when he finally hears his name called, this time making good use of his strength to grab his keyboard and bring it onto the stage, setting it up quickly within a few movements. it’s a little funny, considering how thin he looked -- he was actually relatively strong despite never being the athletic type. having to lug things around on a weekly basis really did much for the body.
hyojin’s heart is still pounding when he hears so jisub call his name, this time with a number attached to it -- he was a part of this competition for real now, registered in their system as a contestant and someone who now was given the right to be eliminated for good or allowed to move on if he was skilled enough. even then, he breaths with even breaths -- seungmin didn’t get eliminated for him to get cold feet and to mess this up. he didn’t promise his mom he’d try his best just to be bested by nerves.
taking the microphone in hand, he bows deeply. “hello again, i’m kim hyojin with a healing voice.” he smiles a little at this comment, clearly trying to hold back a slight laugh, before continuing, “today, i’ll confidently perform a song standing up.” -- there’s a little smile at the corner of katie lee’s lips at that, a reminder of how he had been too nervous to stay upright the previous week and had requested a chair -- “i hope you enjoy and find comfort in this song, like i do.”
with that, he steps back behind the keyboard and starts to play.
오늘 많이 힘들었던 하루였죠
it was a really hard day today
그댈 보는 내 가슴이 아리네요
my heart aches for you
지친 그대를 위해 해줄 수 있는 건 오로지
the only thing i can do for you
곁에 있어주는 것 밖에 못해 미안해요
is to be next to you, i’m sorry
starting off with a low, mellow voice, he follows the melody set by the notes of the piano, singing softly and soothingly into the microphone. in actuality, he’s here, singing the song to a crowd of fifty people and five judges, but in his mind, he’s far, far away.
it’s almost heartbreaking how sincere hyojin sounds as he sings, because he thinks back to how he had felt during his high school days, that bone deep realization that he wasn’t quite yet at the point where he could help the one person he loved and cared for most despite desperately wanting to. in his head, he wonders if that’s common, and wonders if everyone else in the audience felt the same way, too -- that profound exhaustion of everyday life, the feeling that things weren’t just going your way even when it was hard enough waking yourself up in the morning.
like a lullaby, he sings the last line carefully, looking directly at the judges. in that instant, they seemed terribly human, as if underneath those steel expressions, they were people, too. people who experienced bad days, who struggled to get where they were now. who still struggle now.
그댄 웃는 게 정말 예쁜 사람이라서
you’re so pretty when you smile
그 미소를 잃었을 때마다
so every time you lose that smile
내 전부를 다 줘서라도
even if i have to give my all
다시 또 되돌려주고 싶어요
i want to give it back to you
picking up the pace and segueing into a higher range of notes, he starts to insert more emotion, as if reaching out towards whoever could hear him, hitting the notes smoothly and with a feeling as if he had torn the words straight from his heart, following along the song.
taking a gentle breath, he ends the verse and blends into the bridge.
this is a song for you
oh i’m singing for you
this is a song for you
i’m singing for you
내 모든걸 다 줄게
i’ll give you my everything
there’s no backtrack like in the original song to cause any layering effect -- instead of sounding empty, however, it just sounds more intimate and raw, like he was giving a personal message instead of trying to compete and boast, like he was better than everyone else in his category. even if he wasn’t the best or most experienced singer, he knew at least one thing: how to tell his story through emotions -- how to channel how he feels through the melodies that flow out of his mouth.
reaching the high note, he continues and sings, holding his voice on ‘everything,’ reaching the peak of the song. with that, he pauses for a little bit to let it sink in, before resuming playing, this time softer, more solemnly than in the original song.
대신 울어주고 싶고
i want to cry for you
내가 대신 아파해주고 싶어요
i want to hurt instead of you
다신 그대의 마음에
i don’t want any scars in your heart
상처가 나지 않았으면 해요
ever again
he closes his eyes as he sings, pouring out all his feelings and pain into the lines, earnest in how he delivers the song, as if he had written it.
누군가를 넘치게
when you love someone
좋아한다는 건
so much that it overflows
참 신기하게도
it’s so amazing
그렇더라고요
because this is how it is
much like the original, the first line starts out drawn out at the high note, feeling his heart start to burst at the seams and ache, overflowing with a mix of emotions that he can’t quite qualify, he hears his voice start to get a little thick at the end, his eyes growing a little blurry as he finished.
getting up and bowing, he wipes away a little at the corners of his eyes, feeling his cheeks heat up a little bit as he bows again and thanks the ceos for judging, then the audience. turning around to hide his face from any cameras, he quickly tries to pack up his keyboard and exit the stage. before the embarrassment is simply just a sense of loss, like he felt something and felt it so strongly that he didn’t know what else to say. he’s too choked up to say much else once he takes his spot next to seunghun and jooyoung, sniffling briefly to try and stop the tears as the next name was called.
this might be his last stage, but he hopes that his voice would at least reach the hearts of people watching. that was all that mattered now.
the night is fairly young and her stomach is full after having a highly fulfilling meal at a hotpot place. she feels elated, as if the broth itself had been injected with happy feelings and she’s stuffed with that emotion as much as she is meat and veggies. it had been a long time since she’d allowed herself to eat so much in one sitting, always afraid of what the coaches would say the next day, but april always had a knack for enabling momo and egging her on to do whatever she desires. it’s why the young baker had quickly become one of momo’s most favorite people to spend time with.
she rubs her stomach gleefully as they roam through the nearby neighborhood, staring up at the sky, wishing she could see more of the stars but content enough with seeing how brightly the moon is shining. her footsteps are small and slow, as if she doesn’t want the night to end, but they come to a halt when she hears an all too familiar sound coming from somewhere nearby. she immediately turns her head to her friend, eyes wide with excitement.
“do you hear that?” she asks, a smile beginning to grow on her lips. she begins walking again, allowing her ears to dictate where she goes, trying to find the exact location from where the faint sound of a dog barking had come. once she gets a better grasp on it, she waves april to follow her. “it’s this way! come on~”
‧ ₊ ˚ ♡ episode three— the duos performance!
• • • performing a band remix of don’t recall w. kang daniel
❪ 0:09 — 0:39, 1:32 — 1:52, 2:03 — 3:15! ❫
it's all too surreal, her mind fuzzy and somewhat blank despite the proud smile she tirelessly sports before the crowd— she stands poised, a certain aura of grace befitting the occasion radiating from flushed skin, and her heart is skipping beats all over again, just as it had earlier that day ( just as it had throughout the whole week, her head muddied with thoughts of potential failure and humiliation ).
for most, the prospect of earning such high praise, of receiving recognition as the best singer ( even if only for a single episode ) on a platform as large is this, an unfathomable number of eyes watching, scrutinizing, every little action they took, would be cause for some level of fear and intimidation.
heejin couldn't be any more different.
she revels in such significant approval, positively glows under strong stage lights, stood up on stage before the judges and other contestants— it's all she can do to give her thanks, softly spoken into the mic, bowing with heart and flared confidence.
you managed to show a very different image of yourself this week and, even when doing so, it didn’t make your performance any weaker.
those had been words the brunette desperately needed to hear deep down, stiff shoulders relaxing and giving way to waves of unbridled relief, and as the rest of the stage fills with the remaining pool of singers, heejin makes a vow to herself— this praise, this intense sense of accomplishment, would not be lost to anyone else ( call her selfish, entitled, egocentric— she could care less, not now, not when she had evidently done more than enough to prove she was worthy of such praise in the first place ).
heejin wouldn't be satisfied with mediocre standings. no, now, she was even more resolute than ever on maintaining her spot at the top.
it's hard to make herself properly focus on her surroundings after that, eliminations proceeding as they had with the rappers and dancers ( once she's back in her seat, secure and safe, she bumps shoulders gently with jungeun. it's gentle, an absentminded gesture to remind herself that the blonde was still there— of course she was still there, how couldn't she be at this point ). her gaze is hard, names flying by as the final cuts are made, a soft frown playing at her lips with certain results ( not everyone could make it, that much being known from the start, but that didn’t mean she didn’t have her own opinions— yenas elimination, while understandable to an extent, had been unexpected. equally, so was seoyeons ).
watching as the herd thins out before her very eyes for a second time, heejin is grateful, happy. her journey wasn't over, far from it— she was fully intent on making it to the end, showcasing her very best with drive and vigor.
when they're finally made aware of what their next performances would revolve around, names being listed off in seemingly randomly assigned pairs, heejin isn't quite sure what her feelings are— the name kang daniel leaves her somewhat conflicted, head turning slightly as dark eyes flicker around the room to where she thinks he's sitting. even now, there are still faces she's yet to fully put names to, but his is one with a somewhat complicated history. by no means was he untalented— no, with the differences in his performances over these first two episodes ( his capabilities as both a singer and rapper being showcased rather well ), it was clear he wasn't someone to quickly look over, and heejin can’t help but think of him as the jack of all trades type.
to her, he seemed like someone who could do it all with varying degrees of success, rounded enough to garner a sort of interchangeable appeal while still keeping true to who he was as an artist. it was admirable, and despite her own personal thoughts, she could see the potential they had as a duo— there was room for something great to come about between the two of them.
heejin knows it's in her best interest to stay focused, to collaborate with civility and efficiency in order to even stand a chance at winning once more, so as filming comes to an end, she's sure to find him quickly, a peaceful grin masking the fire in her gaze.
he's easy to read, stiff posture and shaky eyes betraying any semblance of confidence he may have been trying to put up in front of her, but she can't quite pinpoint the reason for his tone— was it pure unease, intimidation taking root because of her? was he disappointed in their pairing, wishing he'd gotten someone else for whatever reason? did he know that she knew— that she had such close ties to yujin, the thought of younger girls harsh sadness so many months ago causing heejins skin to prickle with anger anytime she thought about it?
she couldn't tell, but frankly, she didn't want to know— it wasn't the time or place, and it wasn't her priority.
"as long as you do you're best, we'll come up with something great, daniel-ssi," her words come without hesitance, head nodding strongly with conviction, and she can only hope her strength is something he finds influential. something inspiring.
there wasn't room for hesitance anymore.
♡
as is the case with most things, time brings them a little closer, putting them more at ease with one another the longer they try to work as one, but that doesn't take away from awkward beginnings— they're clueless on where to start, searching diligently for any options, songs that would give them both ample opportunities to showcase themselves while also yielding much-needed content to highlight how they can also work as a unit.
it was essential for them both to stand out and shine, individuality and unity both being main judging criteria that would either impress and shoot them into the next round or cause them to fall horribly in the ranks and go home. heejin didn't want to even entertain the thought of them doing badly, her brows furrowed in concentration as she scrolled through her phone with purpose. it's easy to find songs she likes, to find songs she thinks might work and convey to daniel her thoughts when prompted, her voice cutting through the previous silence that had dominated his apartments living room, but this wasn't all about her and what she thought— not this time.
they wouldn't get good results if they did only what she wanted.
the hesitance that overtakes him at her own prompting of his thoughts almost makes heejin laugh, amusement taking hold where mere neutrality had been, and heejin uses it, along with a growing grin, to hide the way her eyes grow dishearteningly soft. had he been anyone else ( had this been any other scenario ), heejin wouldn't care if she was seen as intimidating, or even imposing in a way that'd leave one feeling inferior. she knew it couldn't be helped sometimes, but now, she was sure she hated it— it was clear daniel hadn't expected her to be so open to compromise or true collaboration.
( briefly, she wonders if he thinks that lowly of her— if he thinks of her as an overly conceited brat, someone who can’t take things not going her way, needing to be in control without the want for anyone else's input. if it wasn’t for the time she’s already spent with him, getting to know him a little more and seeing more of his character, she’d probably think that was what he thought of her. but she does know him, at least somewhat more, and he now knows her, so she’s sure that’s not the image he has of her ).
she could see then that he would have been perfectly fine with letting her take the reigns, and for some reason, she's upset— not at him, per se, but at his willingness to simply roll over and be a yes man.
the more she coaxes out of him, willing him to share his thoughts and potential ideas, the more she can see his demeanor lift in ways she’s had yet to see. there's actual energy in the air now, the room no longer stale with the same unsure awkwardness from before, and vaguely, heejin can see flames rising higher within him the more they brainstorm.
skepticism is replaced with fierce spirit, and heejin knows that they'll be fine.
( they’ll be more than fine, really ).
♡
walking onto set feels natural now, chin raised as it always was, eyes running over those who'd already arrived before the two of them as if sizing them up ( at this point, there's no need to do such a thing, not anymore— she holds strong familiarity with a good handful of people, so more than anything, her gaze is one of curiosity and slight anticipation rather than hostility and uncertainty ). heejin isn't nervous, far from it, brewing excitement playing at fidgety fingertips that rest loosely at her sides.
she hates having to wait so long for their chance to perform, her gaze unwavering as she seeks out daniels gaze, a satisfied grin growing on her lips, and she hopes he understands without her needing to verbalize it— heejin is proud.
proud of herself. proud of him. proud of what they'd been able to create in the short span of a week, their act being a future force to be reckoned with, just waiting to leave an impact on all who'd watch. had she been told five days ago that they'd work so well together, heejin might've laughed with doubt— being talented creatives in their own ways, it was easy to look at and compare the differences between them, both in their individual styles and in the vibes they gave off.
from the start, heejin is sure it must’ve been difficult for others to try and predict where they'd go with their performance once they were revealed as partners. no, she knows it must’ve been difficult for others, plainly because it had been difficult for herself as well.
now, however, as she and daniel find their seats, heejin is nothing short of pleased.
there's a hollow feeling in her chest, one she chooses not to think about, not yet anyways— it's bittersweet, knowing that after filming today, the two of them would seemingly be parting ways depending on whatever came next, and that's a thought the brunette hadn't come to expect herself to have. but she does, and for only a moment, she allows herself to feel sad. working together had been nice ( and, if ever given the chance, she knew it could continue to be nice ), the younger girl growing to find easy comfort in the time they spent together holed up in either his apartment or studio.
( she remembers the way he seemed to light up, comfortably emersed in his element as he went about recording the instrumentals for what they wouldn't be doing live, his insistence that she didn't need to be there for such a boring process being completely overlooked by her own curiosity and the potential for more practice time. heejin wanted to be there, wanted to be present for every step of the way, even if only to watch— she felt it was only right, to offer at least a small amount of support when it came to thinks she had no knowledge of, especially now.
the air between them had begun to feel more secure, and it made heejin feel good knowing he no longer found her as frightening as before— he was looser, far more willing to speak his mind and offer up new ideas when he thought of something, even teaching her what she'd never thought she'd learn when it came to music production and certain instruments when she shows her want to help out more, and it's a development she's grateful for.
it's in those moments, creating and brainstorming, preparing with as much heart as they can, that she feels them become more of a true team, and that only makes her respect him more ).
there aren't any exchanges of words between the two of them as they sit, a comfortable silence taking them over as filming begins and performances start, but part of her wants to say something— what, exactly, she doesn't know. she just wants to speak, to say anything as a last minute sign of motivation and support. no matter what, they were in this together, and heejin wants nothing more than for him feel be confident.
not just in their performance, but in himself.
she doesn't say anything, though, unsure of where to even start and not wanting to risk providing the exact opposite of comfort. instead, she simply lets her eyes do the talking anytime their gazes happen to meet, determined grin unwavering under the unspoken pressure placed upon their shoulders.
when their names are called, eyes turning towards them as they rise from their seats and make their way onto the stage, heejins hold on the neck of daniels borrowed electric guitar tightens slightly as a way of steeling herself, daniels final words of encouragement ringing in her ears— let's do this. she was ready ( they were ready ), and she needed everyone to see that.
introductions are simple, easy, her name and a greeting rolling right off the tongue, an introduction from daniel following right after, and heejin is sure to stand tall as he gives a brief explanation of what they'd be showing. then, once they're finally given a nod of approval to proceed, the two get into position, setting up quickly— it's only a moment later that heejin starts.
떨어져 줄래 저리 가줄래
짜증나니까 불결하니까
치워 내 몸에 손대지 마
이제 난 너를 몰라
너 역시도 모른척해 날
다 안다는 눈빛
더러운 느낌
she starts off strongly, a certain intensity and huskiness playing at her voice, a pleasant match both to instrumentals and vibe of the song. she does her very best to keep stable, to sound appealing to the ears of those watching, knowing that the start to any performance was always important— heejin was well aware that people tended to make judgments and come to finicky conclusions within the first thirty seconds, meaning that if something was off and they turned away, it would be on her for not catching their interested quickly enough.
she refused to leave others wanting more, letting them feel unsatisfied with what she had to bring ( not just for her own sake, but for daniels as well ). so, her tone is clear, eyes intense as she looks towards the judges, the cameras, and finally, daniel himself— it's like the passing of a torch, showing a mere appetizer of what's to come as he begins to sing part of the pre-chorus, and heejin lets herself fade into the background, allowing him time to shine.
it's a break that gives her time to ready herself, fingers moving in time to practiced chords with ease as her body sways gently to the rhythm, and heejin feels so in tune with it all as they cut to the rap.
there's little for heejin to do here, her capabilities as a rapper zero to none, but that doesn't mean she's completely silent— no, she continues to play, providing a pleasant accompaniment, and as the rap continues, heejin breaths away from the mic before she begins to sing once more, but this time, only providing complimentary adlibs. she doesn't overpower him, letting her voice ride along prettily in the background, but loud enough to know she's there.
as he nears the end of his rap, heejin is ready for what's to come next, another breath being taken in preparation, and now they're harmonizing.
날 그렇게 쳐다보지 마
더는 내게서 멀어지지 마
i gave you all my love love
all of my love love
their harmonizing is spotless, vocals fitting together perfectly, just as they'd made sure they would, and heejin never lets up on her intensity. she remains strong despite the higher register in which she sings, daniel taking the main melody as she sings over top, and she lets a sly smirk play at her lips with confidence, the two of them almost at the final stretch.
with a final line of rap to send them off, heejins eyes falling on her partner once more, they fall easily into the chorus, voice united in their delivery.
좋았던 순간도 기억이 안 나 원망만
남아 날 괴롭혀 수없이
내일이 없을 것만 같아
설렜던 순간도 no no no no no
더 이상 아무런 의미 없어
그만해 i don’t recall
now, it's heejins turn to pull out all the stops, letting her voice resonate, standing out clearly despite the backing instrumentals and the live accompaniment both she and daniel play. her eyes close comfortably, allowing herself to drown deeply in the performance, and there's nothing else she'd rather be doing. this is where she belongs, on stage, her body high on natural adrenaline and the feeling of home. vaguely, she can hear him as well, layering his own vocals on hers as they had before, but taking more of a backseat as she'd done during his rap at the start, and as she continues to sing, a small smile forms on her lips.
the bridge creeps up, and heejins voice cuts out as they pull back for adlibs and a change of focus.
더 이상 아무런 의미 없어
그만해 i don’t recall
there's unmatched pride she feels in her soul, eyes meeting his for what could be considered the song's climax, and as their voices slot together, heejin knows she has nothing to worry about anymore— for all the times they've practiced this part, all the times he's beaten himself up for not getting it right ( for feeling as if he's ruined everything despite how well he does everywhere else ), he pulls through right when they need him to, and heejins faith in him grows.
she knows then that they'll be fine.
the fall comes smoothly, more adlibs being fired back and forth, and as the reigns are passed to him for a final time, heejin provides her own final adlibs, her gaze leaving his own in favor of closing as she sings her heart out. she continues to play, but it pales in comparison to the strength her voice carries right until the very end.
더 이상 아무런 의미 없어
그만해 i don’t recall
their voices echo around the room, finishing off strongly, a mirror of how they began, and heejin pants with effort— she was satisfied, and as the two make their way back to their seats after bows are given, equipment carefully hauled along with them, heejin can only hope daniel feels the same.
it's only then, as they're sat and waiting for the next performance to start, that her hand finds his shoulder, resting there for a moment to give it a weak squeeze. she smiles, giving a firm nod.
Congratulations! You were one of 100 chosen to continue to the televised callback stage.
This was something Kim Seokjin did not expect.
He had woken up as usual and followed his routine of checking his phone. When he had gotten to his emails stage, he was surprised to see an email from the mga staff. Expecting it to be a rejection, Jin casually opened the email and began reading it. The further he read, the more surprised and shocked he was. He had never expected to make it this far and now he was being invited to the next stage. The only thing was it was televised. Jin spends all his time in front of cameras, but this was something completely different. He quickly typed quick texts to those he thought he should tell, and he gave his grandmother a quick call. He ended the call with a small smile on his face. His grandmother always knew how to uplift him.
He continued about his day as usual and thought about what he could perform. It took him some time, but he finally decided on the perfect song.
D-Day was finally here, and Kim Seokjin was about to take one step closer to his dreams of being a rapper. The line was not as long, and the crowd was not as large as they had been at auditions. He was sure there were thousands that auditioned. This thought only made him feel even more shocked that he had made it this far. He did enter just for shits and giggles. He never expected to go through.
Inside, the chairs were set out to the side of the stage and a large table was placed in the centre. There were five chairs from what Jin could count, which meant there were going to be five judges. Interesting. Jin only really knew two people who were at the auditions; his sister, and Hoseok. There were a few people he knew by face or acquaintances, like Bella. Being a personality meant that he would collect himself an anti-fan or two, and one of those antis was also here. He had seen her outside. Hers was the performance he was waiting for the most.
The more people sat down, the more crowded everyone looked. He was just glad that he was sitting near Yena. The show started, and everyone seemed to focus on the stage. Jin sat back in his chair and placed his bent leg over his other thigh. He listened to whoever was talking. He had missed that part and now he had to go all show without a name. He didn’t care as he wouldn’t need to interact with the host. All he cared about was who was judging.
And what a shock that was.
When the five judges were revealed to be the CEOs of the five big companies, everyone seemed to have a big reaction. Some gasped, others had a hand over their mouths. Jin seemed to be the only one who remained relatively calm. He was starstruck by seeing Tiger JK, however. TRC was his dream company and always had been. Tiger JK was an idol and an influence.
Once everyone was settled again, the performances started. He felt kind of bad for those that were going first, as first sets the standard, and last, as everyone is tired and worn out. He only hoped that he could find himself in the middle somehow.
There were people from all over the world it seemed, and Jin was amazed at how many people had seemed to come from abroad. Growing up overseas sounded like an adventure that he was glad he did not partake in. he loved Korea and being Korean and wouldn’t trade it for the world. He listened to the introductions and he watched the performances, making sure to take notes as they went. There were a few Japanese contestants and one of them skated his way off the stage, which made Seokjin let out a snort of laughter. He shouldn’t be laughing but it was funny, and he didn’t care.
Kim Seokjin watched his sister with pride. She was the only one he paid his full and uttermost attention to, and the only one he cared about. He smiled as she danced and laughed softly at her introduction. He was like a proud dad watching his child perform. Except it wasn’t a child, but his sister. When she finished, he clapped loudly and cheered for her. Once she was back at her seat he informed her of how proud he was and of how well she did. There were a few more performances for him to sit through before it was his turn to shine, as they say.
❝ Kim Seokjin ❞
Of all the judges to call his name, his idol was the one to do it. Tiger JK had called out his name and he was frozen for a second in shock and awe. It took a moment for him to snap back to reality as he made his way onto the stage, facing the judges.
❝ Uh hello. I’m Kim Seokjin. You can call me Arrow. 24. Daegu born. I think that’s it? ❞ He shrugged and smiled slightly at the judges as he waited for his backing track to play.
Jin had decided to both rap and dance, while focusing on his rapping, as it was his strongest skill. He had chosen a fun song that is easy to dance to and fun to rap. It wasn’t the hardest rap song in the world, but it was fast enough to not detach from his technique when he danced. The music began, and he started off confidently.
I’ll run over to you with just one phone call,
my number is 1988-0818
Let everyone you meet know,
I’m the first class of the celebrity world
Because I’m different, because that’s just me,
because people go crazy over anything I do
Because I create trends, because I change everything
so this skill isn’t going anywhere
The verse wasn’t long nor too challenging, so he had seemingly breezed through it. What the rap lack in difficulty, he tried to make up for in his dance. His rapping was strong and confident, and his moves were clean and sharp. Being on a stage was nothing new to the rapper. He felt at home. It was almost like another night underground. Jin made sure to remain confident and keep a strong stage presence as he performed.
Get back, this isn’t a joke
Young and rich, that’s just me
So I’m fast, so what? It’s okay, are you joking right now?
Cuz I’m not joking
This song had English parts which weren’t hard for him as he knew enough of the language to pronounce the words as best he could. He kept his dancing strong and free. He didn’t dance the entire time, he would also move around the stage as any rapper would do.
(Hello)
Yes sir, one of a kind
I’m a talented bear (no) more of a fox than a bear
(Hello hello hello)
Yes sir, one of a kind
I’m a douche, (wuh)
I’m an expensive person (get out)
The chorus was easy and fun as he didn’t need to do the hello parts, so he could focus on his dancing. The moves in the chorus were fun and energetic.
This is already my second album,
I don’t steal from empty homes
My rap takes her to the bedroom and lays her down
Yeah, I’m busy busy
Money flowers bloom at my business
I don’t rest cuz my songs
build buildings – (I love it)
Seokjin continued to behave like he does on any underground stage. He would walk from left to right or right to left while also moving his free hand. He would dance when he could without getting too distracted from his technique and breathing.
“This tiny guy tries to come on stage and stir things up
But I don’t like it,
it’s not pleasant to see
I turn my head here and there
and wherever I go, it’s his music
His pictures are everywhere,
even though he pretends he’s crazy,
they can’t sell his stuff because they don’t have it”
You can’t live because of me?
He rapped faster this time, trying to show what he could do without rapping too fast. He still danced and his confidence grew.
Get back, this isn’t a joke,
young and rich, that’s just me
So I’m fast, so what? It’s okay, you think I’m joking?
Cuz I’m not joking
Lalala please view me in a pretty way, don’t speak about me
Lalala please accept me in a cute way, please love me
Seokjin ended on a high and he bowed before the judges. He thanked them and made his way off the stage. He was done, and he had some time before the interview, so the rapper set about finding himself a toilet. He’d been busting since they started, and his performance only made it worse.
he’s really not sure how it happened, or why he seems to take the bait every time, but there’s something weird between the two of them. it’s not exactly animosity, nor is it friendly banter -- it’s somewhere in between, a little prickly but not vicious. one insult led to another insult, both jabbing at each other’s baking abilities and jobs, and suddenly it spirals into simply a matter of their workplaces’ pride.
it was a free day for hyojin, meaning that he wasn’t on shift today. he’s taking a stroll to his favorite cafe nearby, and by no means did he take a peek through the window of the bakery seoyeon worked in for any reason other than simply observing, wondering if he could catch a glance of her to tease her. he was just passing by, anyways. what he doesn’t expect, however, is to see something completely unexpected. it seems that there’s an entire spectacle going on between a customer and the staff, to the extent where even seoyeon had come out. not being one to stand by and watch as things devolved, he had quickly entered the to make sense of the situation.
after chasing away the unreasonable man with a few carefully spoken words and seconds of tense silence, hyojin turns to seoyeon, eyes far softer than they usually were towards her. had they met under different circumstances, she would likely be used to it, but it seemed that fate doesn’t work that way.
“do you deal with this often? that must be unbearable.”
