Chapter 29 Chapter 29
It was late at night when I returned to the dorm. The corridor's sensor lights flickered on and off, and the smell of the practice room lingered in my hair. Eunjung walked in first, and upon entering, she silently fell facedown on the sofa.
Lia was about to go straight to the bathroom, but seeing her like this, she stopped by the sofa. "Are you okay?" she asked concernedly. "...I'm fine." The other person replied in a muffled voice. After two seconds,
She added softly, "I'm not feeling well." The living room was dimly lit with only a low light. Eunjeong's face was buried in her arms, making it hard to see her expression. "Do you want me to cover the camera?" Lia asked softly.
Being "watched" by the camera 24 hours a day, the trainees have gradually mastered the trick of retaining a little privacy - when they don't want to be recorded by the camera, they secretly use something to block the camera.
She wasn't sure if Eunjung wanted this moment recorded. "Hmm..." Eunjung nodded muffledly. Lia picked up a tissue, covered the several surrounding cameras, and found a seat on the sofa.
"You did great today," she said. "It's not easy to keep up with everyone in such a short practice time." Eunjung didn't move: "Did I disappoint my seniors?" Lia didn't answer immediately. At that moment,
She suddenly realized she knew nothing about Eun Jung. Even after three months of living together, even after training together every day, she had always assumed she was someone who could quickly adjust to her emotions. At least that's how she always appeared on camera.
"No," she finally spoke, her voice slow. "Senior was only commenting on the stage, not on your disappointment as a person." She paused, then added, "Today, he's here as a mentor."
That's how he looks when he's on stage—professional, serious, and earnest. Eunjung hummed softly, then sighed, "But... I still find him so hard to approach."
They'd already met twice, but they hadn't become any closer. Lia listened and couldn't help but glance sideways at her. "So, you're really a fan?"
"Really? You don't think I was just talking nonsense on the show, do you?" Eun Jung sat up. "Absolutely, a huge fan!" Lia didn't respond for a moment.
"I've really liked him since his debut," Eun Jung whispered, "I think he's incredibly talented - although I also think he's handsome..." Lia coughed lightly.
Just now, they were clearly discussing the stage... "But I heard from others that you often go to the recording studio. How come you haven't become more familiar with your seniors?"
Just now in the practice room, the two of them didn't seem to know each other at all. "Not that unfamiliar, right?" Lia was at a loss for words. "Oh... so it's really hard to approach me..." Eunjung concluded.
Lia couldn't help but reflect on what she said. They didn't really communicate much in the practice room. But somehow, she was clearly aware that she had simply switched to recording the show and didn't notice anything unusual.
What's more, she actually quite likes the interaction in the practice room. In that setting, she needs fair and effective guidance, not some special care.
However, since Eunjung was already worried about this issue, it meant she had recovered from her depression. "Hmm...why not worry about the next assessment first?"
Lia stood up to grab her toiletry bag, leaving a comment. "Ah—" Eunjung sighed, slumping back onto the sofa. The bathroom door closed softly, and the room fell silent again. * A week later, the third performance recording.
The backstage corridor was lit in a cool, white light, and the air was thick with the scent of perfume and hairspray. Staff hurried along, and the intermittent countdown echoed through the stage manager's headset.
Lia's group sat in a circle in the waiting area, going over their positioning and rhythm one last time. Eunjeong's movements were slightly adjusted, reducing the number of movements at key cadences. She understood this and accepted it, without objecting.
The stage setting was simple, everything designed to showcase the trainees' performances. As the music started, Lia took a deep breath. Minzhi took center stage. Her movements were crisp and clear, her strength perfectly controlled.
The adapted dance has a fast and tight rhythm, but she does not look tired at all. She can even manage her facial expressions and interact with the camera with ease.
Lia, on the left, moved smoothly, with better control than in rehearsal. Although her power output was not yet at its peak, she knew how to present an aesthetically pleasing picture.
Chan-eun, on the right, was precise, with no dragging rhythm or unnecessary performances, always steady and reliable. And Eun-jung—she made no mistakes. That was enough.
She didn't steal the show, nor did she flinch; she simply did her best to complete the movements within her own position. When the dance ended, the four of them breathed a sigh of relief almost simultaneously. The lights dimmed, and applause erupted.
In the judging panel, Jinusean and the other three members of Bigbang, serving as special judges for this episode, nodded gently, their faces adorned with approving smiles. The team as a whole was above average, with Minji being the standout.
After them, Bo Eun's group took the stage. The song was "Fool," and the four members lined up in front of their standing microphones, moving the chorus forward in a steady flow. Bo Eun and Chae Rin would sing lead vocals, a decision Yong Bae had made after listening to the song.
Both voices are outstanding, with different textures, and he was torn between choosing between them, so he settled on co-lead vocals. Bona and Park Sandara provided support for the low-mid range, each winning with their timbre, a perfect fit for this role.
The performance did not have any fancy choreography, but the techniques and coordination of different vocals accurately conveyed the emotions of the song. After the song ended, the listeners were unable to recover for a long time.
If Lia's group's performance was already excellent for a trainee, then Boen's group's performance completely reached and even surpassed the level of debut artists.
After the performance, Zhilong and Yongbae each led their own group and returned to the stage. "Completely different performances," the two Jinusean seniors commented. "So, which group did Zhilong think performed better?"
"Me?" Quan Zhilong picked up the microphone with a nonchalant smile on his face. "If you ask me, it's definitely our team."
Today, he wore a pink cotton shirt, light grey trousers, and a pair of elegant sunglasses. He looked quite different from usual. He was the epitome of a mentor.
The photographer seemed to favor him, giving him several close-ups even when he wasn't speaking. "Where's Yongpei?" Senior Jinusean turned and looked at Yongpei, who was standing in another group.
"As for me... I'm just like Zhilong. We're both optimistic about our own team," Yongpei replied with a smile. "They're really all leaning inwards," the senior teased, and a chuckle spread throughout the table. The atmosphere suddenly became somewhat joyful.
"Ah... This is really troubling." Dasheng scratched his head. "Both of their performances are above average. Choosing either group will make me feel sorry for the other." Senior Jinusean nodded in agreement.
Yang Xianshi smiled and continued, "Although it is really difficult, no matter what, everyone should vote according to their personal preferences." Several people nodded and began to write down their favorite teams on the whiteboard in front of them. The results were soon released -
2 vs. 4. Baoen's team won. Looking at the results announced on the big screen, Quan Zhilong raised an eyebrow and nodded, holding up the microphone: "Until now, my team has never defeated Yongbae—guess I need to work harder from now on."
His tone was relaxed, as if he was joking with himself. "Although I made a mistake as the instructor, everyone has been great," he said, turning sideways to look at the girls beside him, smiling comfortingly, "So don't be discouraged."
Lia stood aside, watching him quietly. Everyone present knew it well—if it weren't for his guidance, the score would have been even worse.
He came to the practice room far more times than those captured by the camera; for him, this performance was never an obligation "within the program process."
From the choreography to the stage lighting adjustments, from the rhythm of the movements to the details of the expressions—he personally inquired about and revised almost every detail, his dedication far exceeding the weight of what a "guest instructor" should promise.
The gap in skill between the two groups was undeniable, and he couldn't overturn it in just a few weeks. Yet, he explained that it was his own fault as a mentor, not their performances. Lia suddenly felt a pang of pain in her stomach.
It was as if a soft and delicate emotion was quietly growing. ... The evaluation concluded, and the trainees left the stage. The two mentors who remained announced the next task.
"In the next episode, we will have a showdown with JYP trainees—" Yongpei read the manuscript, and the big screen quickly switched to the company's title "YG VS JYP".
"The voting channel for this episode will be open from May 15th to May 18th. From this episode onwards, audience votes will no longer be used as additional rewards, but will be directly accumulated into the total vote pool until the final episode of the show."
The trainees looked at each other in bewilderment. "So, starting from this episode, the number of votes will be completely correlated with whether we debut?" Minzhi whispered to Lia. "Yeah, I think that's what it means."
"Please show your love for Project A. See you next time—" ...backstage. Kwon Ji-Dragon looked hurried—Big Bang had other announcements to make.
He walked up to the trainees: "Everyone did a great job, don't be discouraged." "Well, thank you seniors--" "If I were to vote, I would definitely choose you." He added, looking at Lia.
Without the cameras, he seemed more relaxed, a stark contrast to the unapproachable senior in the practice room. His tone was his usual self, but his words were remarkably personal. Eunjung, standing nearby, glanced over with a hint of surprise.
I don't know if she's being overly suspicious. She was referring to "you guys," but it seemed like she was only looking at Lia. * After this episode aired, the voting rankings didn't change much. Lia still held the top spot by a landslide.
The judges' decisions on the show often differ from the audience's choices. After three episodes, "Project A" has accumulated a loyal audience.
In addition to fans who are interested in the trainees themselves, the design of introducing different senior artists in each episode also continues to bring in new traffic. The comment section of this episode was occupied by fans of Bigbang and JYP——
"There will be JYP trainees in the next episode! I think they haven't been revealed before! I'm so excited~~~" "Wow, it seems like YG and JYP have a tradition of PKing." "Yes, I saw it mentioned before, GD and Youngbae also went PKing."
"Is it a pattern that I, Long, will lose when I lead the team in a PK? Woohoo..." "There's nothing I can do. It's not like he went on stage by himself. He's not a god."
"Actually, Lia and her team performed very well, but the other team's strength was too abnormal." "Yes, in fact, their strength is beyond standard, but there is a difference when comparing them internally..."
Some viewers were also keenly aware of the issue of broadcast size: "Doesn't anyone feel that Lia's role has been decreasing with each episode?" "This is hilarious. I originally thought she was royalty, filming music videos and appearing on variety shows. This episode is almost like a one-off."
"I was expecting her and GD to have more professional exchanges, but that's it?" "So what's the relationship they said they had? There's absolutely zero interaction!" ...
The reduction in broadcast volume failed to dampen Lia's popularity as hoped, but instead triggered a backlash among viewers. The original intention was to cool things down, but it became a hot topic instead. Public opinion is incredibly difficult to control; it never simply follows predetermined directions.
If you try to guide others, you risk backfire. Positive voices can be pushed into a frenzy, but once the tide changes, they can also be overturned. * But Lia didn't have time to pay attention to these things.
At this moment, she was leaning on the bed in the dormitory, and Bao Heng pulled a chair and sat opposite her. "Do you have any idea about this?" Bao Heng turned on the screen of his mobile phone and handed it to her. Lia took it and saw a video on the screen about a movie titled "Project
A》The post published on the official website has a clear title: "A well-known boy group member and YG female trainee's relationship announced - to be released in three days." The post did not name anyone, but a mosaic photo was attached in the text.
Anyone familiar with the photo could tell it was Lia. It was a promotional photo of a trainee released by YG Entertainment. Lia looked up, confused. "Why would there be something like this?" Baoheng hesitated, unsure how to explain.
Was she going to say that this message appeared because you were so popular? Seeing that Baoheng didn't answer, Lia lowered her head again and carefully examined the content of the photo. "Post...are there any other photos?" she asked after a while.
"Not yet," Bao Heng sighed, "It's possible that this is malicious content released by a rival company." "Well, Sister Bao Heng," Lia looked at the person opposite her seriously, "I'm not in a relationship, and I never have been."
"Okay, don't worry too much. The technical department is already investigating the poster, and the matter should be resolved soon." "If you can remember any clues, please let me know."
"The program is currently being broadcast. Regardless of whether the content is true or not, it may trigger a public opinion crisis..." Bao Heng explained in detail, his voice lingering in Lia's ears, but her mind gradually drifted away.
Even though she'd only been drinking American coffee since yesterday afternoon, she felt something churning in her stomach. Nausea. She felt like vomiting.
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