WHAT DOES TRAINEE MC STAND FOR ˟
the first time auditions came around, he can’t say he remembers any of it that clearly, as if the end of the last year and the beginning of the new year was too overwhelming at once. then again, returning back to the trainee cycle, being a few months into it, part of him didn’t think he should be so frivolous to think he could. the process was fun, he remembers that much, joking around with his partner, and hoping the best more so for them than for himself. hell, he’d been ecstatic that chanyeol got it.
there’s moments he doesn’t tell his own friend that the chances he got? he thinks chanyeol wouldn’t have squandered them like he did, that the los angeles native has a helluva lot more resolution than he does, more decisiveness. to this day, he thinks the most confident decisions he’s made since uprooting his entire life to move to seoul once he was legal is pursuing naeun. maybe doing the mgas too but even that came with its ups and downs.
thinking back on it now, he can laugh but, back then, it was never-ending. that gut-wrenching feeling of pending elimination or, worse, the idea that he was being kept on for views only. the win convinced him they worked hard and deserved it. everyone did in the end. it brings him back to this moment, to knowing that he should continue to strive, to make up his damn mind, and go after everything he wants without shame.
the thought of debut, of whether or not he can again, consumed him til now, til he decides he just wants to enjoy the opportunities given to him, from assisting in a class to auditions. back when he moved to seoul, that thrill was one of the best and it’s only fitting that he continues to do auditions when it comes to trc, isn’t it? his first official audition in seoul.
different segments and scripts are given and he can’t help thinking it’d be crazier if they had to improv it all but this is probably how most variety goes, right? a script that the audience is unaware of, despite the cards held in idols’ hands at times. it’s an image he falls for too but, that all aside, he likes the casual moments the most, the impromptu ones, the reactions of the idols and the mcs in reaction to them the most. it gives that feeling of friendship and genuine camaraderie that he thrives off of so before they head in, he’s talking to his partner, trying to hype him up, and the excitement is electrifying by the time they’re called in. he wants to hold onto that feeling for as long as he can and he looks to his partner with a sly grin right when they’re told to start.
when it’s his turn to introduce himself, he’s too proud of his joke, too proud to say “hey, what’s up everyone, it’s your favorite mc, mason choi.” the ‘m’ emphasized as he draws it out, pointing to himself and clapping his hands together with a bright laugh. “we’ve got plenty of sweet treats up our sleeve. honey, are you still guessing?” his partner’s laugh is infectious and minho pretends just as he’s meant to, scratching the back of his head for good measure. “ah, yes, it’s in the video’s title after all. aren’t you all a bunch of smarti— ah, can we say a candy name here?” snickering, he holds up the script, gesturing towards the camera with a smile. “park doha’s candy. whoo!” he claps once again, giving a small wave of his body as he sings again, “girl i’m your candy.”
their chemistry is better than he could’ve expected and relief is only one word to describe how he feels as they continue through one script to the next segment. with added props for games, minho can’t help getting distracted at first, enthusiastically shaking his head.
he leaves the explanation of the game to his partner for the most part because, thankfully, he took the other part and truth be told he’s not sure how the game works but he’s more than ready to go all out. it’s the obvious loss that gets him in the end and it’s his luck that he’s meant to act exasperated, genuinely feeling so once the headband is free of his head and he holds up the slinky-headband combo with a heavy sigh. “as expected, our guest is the best,” he alludes to one of their released song tracks— though pretending someone is there as a guest is odd after pretending to play a game with them too, one he still doesn’t understand.
“though our guests have to slink away, don’t forget to check out their latest comeback and to follow our channel’s social media for more content!” he almost launches into the typical youtuber ending and, as a joke, when they walk out of the room, he’s leaning closer to his partner, hand on their shoulder to say it anyway, thanking them for the experience. “no matter what, it was really fun.”
