Chapter 1112: Lemon Boys... Jump with all your might! (4)

There was a time when the idol industry became absolutely obsessed with "lore."

From around 2012 or 2013 until roughly 2016, when we were still in the early days of our own career, every agency was caught up in the trend.

"Hey! We should come up with a universe too!"

"What's a universe, sir?"

"You know! Stuff like fairies breathing fire and dragons dancing! Our kids are spirits who came to Earth!"

It all started because idol groups that incorporated elaborate lore into their music videos found huge success.

Before long, everyone was stuffing their MVs with symbolism and hiring humanities majors as scenario writers.

TeenSpirit was one of the pioneers of that movement.

"Our lore? At first we just did whatever the company told us. These days, though, we come up with it ourselves."

They rarely involved themselves in songwriting or composition, but they poured the meaning they wanted to express into the group's lore.

Naturally, fans became deeply invested, and more than a few beloved storylines were born from it.

Among them, one particularly famous two-part series centered on angels and demons: Demonic and Archangel.

"Basically, it's a fallen angel and angel concept. First, the angel gets really pissed off and falls."

"...Wait. Was the angel always supposed to fall because he got mad?"

"Don't people usually go off the rails when they're pissed? Anyway, the angel represents us. We try to live like angels, but these bastards keep making us furious, so we fall."

In the Demonic music video, all kinds of evil beings appear—like the wicked serpent that torments TeenSpirit.

"That snake represents internet haters. See? Ha Hyun gets so mad he smacks its mouth with his wing."

"Oh. Then what's the forbidden fruit?"

"Fried chicken. It's always tempting us. If we eat that thing, our diets are completely screwed."

"I... see."

I think people started treating TeenSpirit a little better after that.

After all, if they weren't careful, they might end up appearing in the next music video as some hideous monster carrying sheet music.

"So Demonic leads into Archangel? Fallen angel to archangel?"

"Exactly. Angels are two-sided beings, right? They destroy evil, but they also... uh... what's the word? Scholarships...? Encourage...? Something like that. Even if you're a fallen angel screaming, 'You damn haters!' it doesn't mean you've stopped loving your fans."

"That's true."

"Archangel is about a fallen angel who's been living that way, but when he meets people again, he returns to being a compassionate angel."

That was the song.

Deep down, the mindset of the fallen angel remained, but when facing the other person, he transformed once again into a gentle guardian angel.

"Ooooooooooh—"

A majestic choir swelled through the room.

Beside me, Hanjo tilted his head.

"What is this? Archangel?"

"Correct."

"I don't remember this part being in the original..."

"We changed the arrangement a bit."

Within the sacred chorus, our trainees stood quietly with their eyes closed.

While the members of X Buster crouched nearby, staring with puzzled expressions, my gaze shifted to Ji Hyuk.

His eyes were closed, his neat features making him look like the model student everyone imagined.

"Want me to help with the arrangement?"

"No, Sunbae. I'll do it with my own strength."

I watched him with anticipation, curious to see what kind of result he'd created.

Kiwon turned to Ri Hyuk.

"Hyung, are those our guys singing?"

"Yeah."

As the voices of the Lemon Boys choir filled the room, the drums entered with a steady rhythm.

It felt like something was about to begin.

Ordinarily, building this much anticipation wasn't a good choice for rookies.

Veteran singers could pull it off.

But for newcomers, living up to expectations this high was incredibly difficult.

Even so, neither Ri Hyuk nor I showed the slightest trace of concern.

"..."

At center stage, a handsome young man in a white shirt slowly opened his eyes.

Jinho, whose warm smile always brightened everyone around him, finally began to sing.

Don't be afraid

(Don't be afraid.)

I'm still your guardian angel

(Because I'm still your guardian angel.)

Gasps erupted throughout the room.

The Lemon Boys' main vocalist had begun to sing.

The members of X Buster stared with wide eyes as the trainee they'd assumed was merely Lemon Boys' visual member began singing with a rich, gentle voice.

What...?

No way. He's insanely good.

Seriously, what is this??

A faint smile rested beneath his tousled hair as the melody flowed effortlessly from his lips.

Lightly moving with the rhythm, he gestured with one hand.

Words I've always kept inside

Today I want to tell you

None of this is a lie

These feelings I've hidden, baby

As those lyrics rang out, the formation opened and the members stepped forward one by one.

Lead vocalist Yoonsoo emerged, singing with both hands over his chest as graceful choreography unfolded around him.

It wasn't the sort of flashy dance that immediately seized your attention.

From the beginning, this had been a vocal-focused song.

This song is ridiculously hard...

The X Buster members couldn't hide their admiration.

When Demonic had been released—with its heavy choreography and almost no vocal chorus—the internet had mocked TeenSpirit mercilessly.

"They can't sing, so all they do is dance~ Boo-hoo~!"

Furious, TeenSpirit had gone straight to the company and requested a song that would showcase their vocals.

The result was Archangel.

It sounded beautiful and effortless, but beneath the surface it demanded an incredibly varied and unforgiving vocal range.

It was infamous on survival audition shows as a trainee shredder.

And now Lemon Boys were performing it brilliantly.

Look at their eyes.

In the best possible way, they looked absolutely ravenous.

You could tell from the confidence and composure on stage just how much they'd practiced.

Yet beneath that confidence burned something even hotter.

A desperate desire to debut.

"They all look like they came here ready to risk everything..."

"I need to reflect on myself."

The members of X Buster quietly nodded.

We've gotten a little complacent.

Of course, they still practiced over twelve hours every day preparing for their debut.

But once their debut had been confirmed, it was true that part of them had relaxed.

Watching Lemon Boys tightened every loose screw in their hearts again.

Lemon... really was a terrifying place.

Now they understood how the competition could have reached two thousand applicants for every opening.

They were flawless.

Their visuals were one thing.

The sheer talent overflowing from each of them was something else entirely.

"..."

"..."

Then another realization settled over the X Buster members.

Behind those trainees stood their direct seniors.

...If you're going to carry the title of NewBlack's juniors... this is the level you're expected to reach.

The trainees performed tightly synchronized choreography without sacrificing their solid vocals.

Everyone watched in admiration.

Hanjo and Kiwon even stopped taking notes on things they might criticize and simply focused on the stage.

CEO Park Gyuho grinned from ear to ear.

CEO Im Hyunsik silently flipped him off in his heart.

Wooju and Ri Hyuk watched with unmistakable pride.

Behind the practice room's glass door, 3Black stood on tiptoe like a row of meerkats, giggling nonstop.

Even if I'm insignificant

Even if I can never go back

Even if you call it my true nature

My feeling will never change

As the rapper Ben finished his verse and moved back into formation, the X Buster members burst into cheers.

"Woooooo!"

Kiwon leaned toward Hanjo.

"So they're planning to win with vocals?"

"I don't think so."

Honestly, this alone was already more than enough to pass.

But there was one problem.

Everyone had accumulated years of NewBlack data.

Those guys don't know the meaning of moderation.

Somehow, nobody believed their juniors would be any different.

Sure enough...

Ji Hyuk, who had been diligently filling out the backup choreography, glanced toward the others.

Everyone ready?

Yep!

The brief exchange of looks was all the answer he needed.

Offstage they could be hopelessly absent-minded.

But onstage, there was no one he trusted more.

As Kim Ji Hyuk prepared to give the signal, a memory flashed through his mind.

"Hey."

On his very first day at Lemon Entertainment, Jinho—the leader of the existing trainees—had greeted him with a bright smile before leading him up to the rooftop garden.

"Do you smoke?"

"No."

"Good. Don't start. It's bad for your health...!"

"Um... Just because I do hip-hop doesn't mean I smoke or drink..."

At first, Ji Hyuk had been baffled.

I'm still in high school...

But he soon understood.

From the perspective of the existing trainees, it couldn't help but make them nervous.

After all, he'd arrived fresh off winning a wildly popular survival audition program.

People practically treated him like he was already a celebrity.

But after spending some time with Kim Ji Hyuk and getting to know his personality, the Lemon Entertainment trainees immediately embraced him.

Then they appointed him their leader.

"...Why?"

"We need a brain, Ji Hyuk. Think about why NewBlack succeeded. They've got one leader. Pick the smartest guy, have everyone follow him, and the group runs perfectly."

"But Sunbae Ri Hyuk is smart too..."

"Sunbae Ri Hyuk's a genius. But being leader is about being... wiser? Well, Ri Hyuk's wise too, but... you know. The wisest one."

And so, following Lemon Entertainment tradition, the "wisest" member had been forcibly made leader.

At first, Ji Hyuk had honestly wondered what kind of people these guys were.

They spent their days bickering over childish nonsense, throwing snacks at each other, sprinting to catch them with their mouths... then smashing headfirst into the mirrors.

He'd briefly wondered whether they were all missing a few screws.

That impression disappeared the moment he saw how much they practiced.

They're actually insane.

No wonder they acted absent-minded all the time.

They practiced so relentlessly they didn't have enough mental energy left to think about anything else.

In fact, Ji Hyuk himself had to train like a madman just to keep up.

Still, there was one thing he appreciated.

"What should we do, Hyung?"

"Ji Hyuk... we're counting on you."

Once they'd entrusted him with the leader's position, they trusted whatever strategy he came up with.

That trust made him nervous.

Please let them like it.

This was the first stage he'd led since becoming leader.

He wanted to prove himself to the people who believed in him.

The instant Ji Hyuk gave the signal—

♫♪♬—

The music suddenly changed.

Everyone from DNS Media widened their eyes.

It was still Archangel.

But the melody had transformed into something far more sensual and intense.

"!"

"!!"

A dazzling dance break exploded across the stage.

Ben, who had looked so slender moments earlier, surged forward with explosive power and seized the center.

Wait... he's the main dancer?

Though smaller than the others, the energy pouring out of him erupted like a volcano.

As his shoulders snapped sharply from side to side, his fierce movements flowed one into another.

"...Whoa."

The fallen angels of Demonic had returned as archangels.

But now the lyrics—

"Even so, I still love you."

—took on an entirely different meaning.

It felt less like a redeemed angel.

More like a fallen angel finally revealing his true self while whispering—

"I'll tempt you exactly as I am."

Ben casually lifted the hem of his T-shirt, revealing his abs.

The X Buster members erupted into deafening applause.

"WOOOOOO!"

As the dance break continued, the growing reaction from the room only fueled Lemon Boys even further.

They're loving it!

Yes!

They'd been nervous about how everyone would react.

Instead, every response had been overwhelmingly positive.

Only Wooju and Ri Hyuk looked vaguely embarrassed.

"Ugh... why is he showing his abs..."

They looked less like producers and more like uncles watching an overenthusiastic nephew.

Those reactions naturally drew Lemon Boys' attention toward today's conductor.

Ji Hyuk... you nailed it.

Hyung.

Kim Ji Hyuk smiled warmly at his teammates.

He couldn't quite explain why.

But somehow, it felt as though an invisible bond had tied all of them together.

"Oh, boy..."

Watching from the judges' table with folded arms, Hanjo let out a dry laugh.

I've seen this somewhere before.

Jinho, brightening the atmosphere with that radiant smile.

Ji Hyuk, calmly leading everyone.

Yoonsoo grinning mischievously.

Hanjo's gaze drifted toward Wooju, who was smiling beside him.

...How did these guys end up recruiting nothing but miniature versions of themselves?

Lemon Boys really were the spitting image of their seniors.

The moment the performance ended—

"WAAAAAAAH!"

"WAAAAAAAH!"

Both teams applauded each other enthusiastically.

Smiling with satisfaction, I spoke up.

"So? Feeling a little relieved now?"

"Yes!"

"Everyone worked hard preparing for today's evaluation."

The trainees and debut team both looked visibly lighter now that it was over.

I turned toward the judges.

"Now it's time for the evaluations. Since each of you belongs to a different company, the judges from the other side will be giving your critiques."

The feedback for DNS Media's X Buster began first.

CEO Park Gyuho spoke.

"You all did an excellent job. X Buster, I honestly struggled to find anything disappointing. I'd really like to give you high marks."

While he encouraged the visibly nervous trainees more than he criticized them, my phone kept lighting up.

Biju: Hyung, could you maybe mention the choreography mistake too?

Biju: And tell them not to be nervous... it was such a shame.ㅠㅠㅠ

Junghyun: You know that rapper from earlier...

I looked toward the practice room window, where they were fidgeting desperately, obviously wanting to give their own critiques.

Silently, I held up my phone.

"...!"

"...!!"

They appeared to be shouting something at me through the glass, but of course I couldn't hear a word.

Just then, Ri Hyuk raised the microphone.

"...Honestly, I think it was a performance that fell a little short by professional standards."

The X Buster members swallowed nervously.

"First, the vocalists. Your voices were buried under the sound mix. I found myself squinting just trying to hear you. Of course, everyone has different vocal power, so I'm not saying you should simply sing louder. But I think the direction of the arrangement may have been slightly off."

"..."

"As for the dancers, your formations were clean. But it felt like you were paying more attention to hitting your marks than connecting with the audience."

Each time Ri Hyuk spoke, another member swallowed hard or nodded solemnly.

Hongju answered calmly.

"Thank you, Sunbae. We'll take that into account and work even harder."

Ri Hyuk added,

"...Of course, everything I just said was from the perspective of a fellow professional. I evaluated you as colleagues standing on the same stage as us. As rookies preparing to debut, though, I think you're all genuinely outstanding."

"Thank you!"

"I hope you continue improving."

As soon as he finished, Ri Hyuk emptied nearly an entire bottle of water in one gulp.

He always looked vaguely guilty after saying something that might hurt someone else.

Then it was our debut team's turn to look at me.

"..."

Their eyes were filled with anxiety.

Adam's apples bobbed continuously.

Some fidgeted with their hands.

Others clasped each other's hands tightly or squeezed their eyes shut.

"...?"

I blinked.

"Why is everyone reacting like that?"

Hongju answered on behalf of the group.

"Um... we thought... you were going to be really harsh, Sunbae."

"Come on. When have I ever—"

"Back on the survival show... when you told another contestant to show some respect..."

Everyone burst out laughing.

Somewhere outside, I could practically hear 3Black's laughter through the glass.

Shaking my head, I said,

"I'm always saying nice things. Besides, Ri Hyuk already covered everything I wanted to say."

I smiled and patted Ri Hyuk on the shoulder.

"So I'll just offer some encouragement."

"!!"

Ignoring the expression on Ri Hyuk's face that practically screamed, You just made me the bad guy?!, I gave the trainees a few words of encouragement.

As the X Buster members collectively sighed in relief, it became Street Boys' turn to evaluate our trainees.

"It was an excellent performance. That said, it wasn't flawless. Ji Hyuk, compared to the other trainees, your dancing still felt a little weaker."

"And during the dance break, it seemed like you focused so much on creating impact that some of the finer details were overlooked..."

The two Street Boys members carefully praised what had gone well while pointing out areas that still needed work.

CEO Im Hyunsik simply added a brief,

"Good job..."

Finally, it was time for the overall closing remarks.

I picked up the microphone.

"I don't think winning or losing really mattered today. If you believe you won, then you won. If you think you lost, then you lost. I imagine the people who know that best are the ones who just stood on that stage."

Personally, I thought our trainees had performed better.

But not by an overwhelming margin.

More importantly, I had no desire to create resentment between artists from the same company.

So I was about to wrap everything up on a warm note when—

A hand shot into the air.

It belonged to a trainee with a headband and a fierce expression.

"Ah. You were Fullip, right?"

"Yes."

"What is it?"

"I'd still like to hear the judges' decision. Knowing which team won and which lost would help us reflect on ourselves more honestly."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Only Fullip wore an expression that practically declared—

Judge this battle! Decide the winner!

Seeing him stand out so seriously while everyone else applauded reminded me of someone.

I rubbed my chin thoughtfully.

"You're LB's younger brother, aren't you?"

"Yes..."

"At first I didn't think the two of you looked alike. But the more I look at you, the more you remind me of your brother."

"...!"

The trainee staggered backward as though he'd suffered a critical hit.

The room exploded with laughter.

Hanjo chuckled.

"Wow. Someone challenges your authority and you immediately resort to a personal attack. Scary, Sun Wooju."

"No, no! That's not what I meant!"

As laughter spread throughout the room, I waved my hands frantically.

"I seriously didn't mean it like that!"