NOVEL NEXT Chapter 5
“Ah, trainee Baekyoung?”
Producer Oh raised the corners of his mouth.
“Trainee Baekyoung said that earlier, too. That she thinks that your skills have improved because you practiced with her.”
It’s a lie.
Cheong and Baekyoung have never practiced with only the two of them even once.
“Aih, it’s not to the point that we practice together. It’s basically just unnie training me.”
This is also a lie.
What training? If I train, I train myself.
“You have a good relationship, don’t you?”
“Of course. That unnie is my savior.”
You’re wondering how this happened?
Then we should go back to 30 minutes ago.
***
When the other trainees were being interviewed one by one.
I handed a water bottle to Seo Baekyoung.
I knew.
That PD Oh will deliberately push the order of our interviews towards the end.
Once they’ve got all the responses and source from the other trainees, they’re going to rob us for the last time.
Did you think that this is my first or second time being in a broadcast?
“…thanks.”
Fortunately, Seo Baekyoung did not refuse, even though she looked at it suspiciously.
“I’m the one who is supposed to be grateful unnie.”
“Grateful to me?”
Seo Baekyoung asked back, as if she was surprised.
“Yes. Thanks to unnie, I was able to get some screen time and a chance to show my skills.”
I don’t even think it’ll be edited out.
I was truly grateful to Seo Baekyoung.
Of course, I don’t think Seo Baekyoung did it with good intentions.
But the results were good, right?
“…No. It’s because you did well that you got some screen time. As I was beside you, I also got a fair amount of screen time, at the end it’s all good.”
I guess so.
I was immediately convinced.
Of course the spotlight will pour on me more.
I have a completely different before and after, so it’ll probably make me stand out more, right?
However, Seo Baekyoung also showed her skills next to me.
And regardless of the circumstances, Seo Baekyoung said she would help me on the show.
To Seo Baekyoung, there was nothing to lose.
“By the way, unnie.”
I sat next to Seo Baekyoung.
“Do you perhaps have any thoughts of getting more screen time?”
“…Huh?”
“It’s not by doing a provocative thing either, it’s a good thing.”
***
“Oh, then can you look at the camera and say something like this?”
The production team smiled kindly and asked for a favor.
“Like ‘It makes me wonder whether Cheong hid her skills all this time’”
Upon hearing their request, Baekyoung had a hunch.
That this is the moment Yun Cheong talked about earlier.
‘I’m sure PD Oh and the writers will be wondering. Since they originally knew that I’m bad at dancing, but then different than expected, I danced well’
‘I’m curious about that, too. How the hell-‘
‘I’ll explain that later. We don’t have time right now.’
Then Baekyoung thought.
Was she always this good at talking?
She was usually a bit…. very much seemed like a passive type of person.
‘Later when unnie will be interviewed, I’m sure that PD-nim will ask whether I hid my skills all this time or not’
‘…Huh?’
‘Then if unnie hypothetically agree to what he said, what do you think will happen?’
‘…What?’
‘For a moment, it might seem like unnie is at an advantage. Since It’ll look like my image is getting worse. But that’s not the case. In the long run, I’ll prove that I wasn’t hiding my skills, I was just improving. In the end, unnie will only become a person who talks behind other trainees because of jealousy.’
‘…!’
‘Instead of that, let’s go with a win-win situation, and build a bit of a relationship between us.’
“Trainee Baekyoung?”
“Ah, yes.”
Baekyoung quickly came to her senses.
Then she gave the answer she had prepared.
“I’m sorry. Actually, I know why Cheong-ie’s skills suddenly improved.”
“…Eum?”
Producer Oh asked back, freezing.
With eyes saying, ‘What is she saying?’
“Cheong-ie stayed up all night practicing with me. For three days, I looked a bit at Cheong’s dance details.”
“…trainee Baekyoung helped her?”
“Yes. And Chung-ie also-“
Baekyoung stopped talking and paused for a moment.
Is it really okay to do something like this?
However, in the end, Baekyoung made up her mind.
“Cheong-ie helped me with my vocal practice.”
Because she had nothing to lose.
***
Producer Oh had a strange expression on his face.
In fact, he intended to drive the two into a conflict.
How fun it’ll be.
The longest trainee in Colors vs. the shortest trainee.
Of course, he knows that Yun Cheong’s total trainee period is 10 years. But PD Oh didn’t care.
It’s only been a few months since she came to Colors. It would have been better if the title was chosen in a provocative way.
Veteran vs. Newbie.
Or, a battle between the main dancer and the main vocalist.
If you want to choose the title, you can choose it as much as you want.
Producer Oh was confident.
Until Seo Baekyoung blocks that confidence.
And, until Yun Cheong tramples on his last confidence left.
“Yes. As you saw earlier, unnie was very worried about my dance. So, whenever she has some free time, she would supervise me alot.”
I purposely made a face of being so sorry.
“Actually, I was really… such a bad dancer that I was always a nuisance to the other trainees.”
You have to pretend to be pitiful at times like this.
To the point that I seem so pitiful that it’s not funny anymore.
“So although I’m embarrassed, I asked Baekyoung unnie a favor. A favor to help me.”
“Why did you choose to ask trainee Seo Baekyoung? Aren’t there a lot of other trainees?”
However, PD Oh did not give up.
You have to get the source somehow.
A stimulating source for the show.
“Oh, it’s because unnie has been in Colors for the longest time. Also she’s originally a good dancer.”
But I’m not easy either.
If I never fall for it, It won’t work!
“How is your relationship with other trainees?”
“Everyone is so nice to me!”
I didn’t give a long answer.
If you give a long answer, it only gives them a corner to edit.
“According to trainee Seo Baekyoung, you’re helping her practice her vocal?”
“That’s right. Though my skills are still lacking…!”
I said so and added quickly.
“But unnie helps me a lot more. Actually, I’m thankful for her help, but…”
Let’s Smile.
“It’s best to be able to spend a little more time with unnie. You know, I really like Baekyoung unnie.”
Even if it’s edited.
***
When all the pre-interviews were completed, the shooting was over that day.
It’s been a long day.
If it’s this hard from the first day, it’s going to be really hard from now on.
I roughly packed my things and tried to go to the vocal room.
It’s been a long time since I’ve been thinking about solving my throat.
But then at that moment,
“You there!”
Someone called me.
Looking back, I saw a familiar face.
Kim Ryeoyu.
Trainee who comes out in ‘Make a New Color’ like me.
Also –
“I enjoyed your dance earlier.”
A trainee who will debut in 2nd place.
“Ah, thank you.”
I was greeted by Kim Ryeoyu right away.
“Whoa, but then. How did you suddenly become so good at dancing? I was a little surprised earlier.”
“Baekyoung unnie helped me a lot.”
“Baekyoung unnie did?”
Ryeoyu asked back, looking very surprised.
“That unnie, although she is a good unnie, she’s not free enough to watch someone else’s practice.”
“…we help each other’s weaknesses.”
I told Baekyoung in advance to keep quiet about our agreement.
To other trainees.
It’s not that I don’t trust other trainees, but they could be led by PD Oh’s smooth talking.
Fortunately, Seo Baekyoung was a good speaker.
“Oh, you watched unnie’s vocal practice, didn’t you? Am I right”
“Eung, I did.”
“Then help me too!”
Ryeoyu said brightly.
….The problem is.
“Huh? Why?”
She wasn’t someone who was close to the original Yun Cheong at all.
Rather, it was because I was the one that was looked down upon.
In Yun Cheong’s memory, Kim Ryeoyu was roughly as follows.
A bright prospect.
The judge,
Director Kim
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