Top Star By Luck [EN]: Chapter 115

115. Luck-Based Top Star – Episode 115

“Did your memory get worse?”

The atmosphere in the practice room froze at the cynical words that came from trainer Kim Ah-sung.

It was an unlike him voice, who usually wore a sly smile.

As the students froze all at once.

‘Was he always this sharp?’

Lee Min-ki also flinched.

It had already been years since he had known trainer Kim Ah-sung through their connection at the academy, and he had never encountered him being angry even once during that time.

No, he rarely even remembered seeing him expressionless.

‘His eyes are so fierce.’

Frankly speaking, he looked like he could shake people down for money.

That was also the reason why trainer Kim Ah-sung often smiled.

His natural impression was good for threatening others, but his job was an instructor.

Since there were very few people who preferred instructors with dirty impressions, he had no choice but to smile.

Of course, as an instructor, he couldn’t always just smile.

He had to be serious when he needed to be.

However, Lee Min-ki, Kim Tak, and Yoo Seon-ah were among those who followed his words well, so there was no reason to get angry.

That was also trainer Kim Ah-sung’s natural personality.

‘Judging by Lee Min-ki’s surprised expression, he must have never seen that side of him before.’

It was the moment when manager Park Han-mo wore a bitter smile inside.

“Did you think your passing was guaranteed? Hurry up and leave. You’re being a nuisance.”

Trainer Kim Ah-sung waved his hand as if he was annoyed.

His gaze was fixed on the documents on the desk, indicating that he didn’t care about the student anymore.

Perhaps feeling a sense of crisis belatedly because of that attitude.

The student, who was dripping with cold sweat, gritted his teeth and said.

“…Ha, we’re a team, you know? You called us here and you’re sending us back like this? Is that okay?”

He still seemed to be holding Song Woo-dang hostage.

At that, trainer Kim Ah-sung sighed as if he was annoyed and said.

“Hey, what have you been listening to me for all this time? That’s why I asked you in advance.”

“Yes?”

“We decided that the three of you would each be seen separately, right? The student said it was good and understood. Right?”

“…!”

That’s right.

He definitely said it.

Since three people applied, wouldn’t it be good to see all three and pick three people?

It was that student who agreed to that suggestion.

“Ugh.”

Perhaps having succeeded in recalling his memory by racking his brain, the student groaned and said.

“…You’ll regret proceeding like this later.”

“Regret is what you feel the morning after ordering late-night snacks.”

“…!”

The student repeatedly gritted his teeth at trainer Kim Ah-sung’s perfunctory tone.

However, there was no reason to be particularly afraid of such low-level threats.

While conducting interviews, there were plenty of people who threatened you for trivial reasons.

‘Whether they’re someone’s son, someone’s nephew, someone’s distant relative, a former employee somewhere, a friend of some celebrity, know a reporter, will post on social media. There are more than enough people like that.’

It was almost a joke.

Such blatant threats in 21st century Korea.

But unfortunately, there were many cases where such people actually existed.

Originally, most aspiring celebrities were from families who had some money.

You had to see it that there were fewer people without connections.

In reality, there were many times when that didn’t stop at threats, and their well-off parents would listen to their immature children and complain to the company.

[Excuse me. Do you even know how hard our daughter has prepared?]

[Our son is much better than the idols on TV these days, and you’re not picking him? Are you blind?]

It would be cute if they complained directly, but it was just ridiculous when their parents complained.

However, if you bowed down to them, the interviewer was finished.

He purely looks at the person.

Furthermore, he looks at that person’s potential.

That was the minimum of ‘fairness’ that trainer Kim Ah-sung thought of.

“Still not gone?”

“…Keuk!”

Bang!

The handsome student slammed the door shut and left with angry steps.

“Okay, then next.”

Trainer Kim Ah-sung, who had already returned to his sly smiling expression, opened his mouth.

“Our friend, shall we see your skills?”

* * *

Following the first student who came in, the second student was also kicked out in less than 10 seconds.

The only difference was that he left without complaining.

It was probably thanks to learning from the first student that complaining wouldn’t work.

Before he knew it, only Song Woo-dang was left in the practice room.

“Teacher, will it be okay?”

Lee Min-ki whispered softly in trainer Kim Ah-sung’s ear.

“What?”

“You should at least see all of their skills.”

“I saw it all. I kicked them out because I didn’t see any potential.”

“Yes?”

“Did you think I was evaluating you based on things like personality?”

He chuckled.

However, Lee Min-ki couldn’t laugh with him.

‘Isn’t that obvious?’

There was such a thing as usual behavior.

In Lee Min-ki’s mind, trainer Kim Ah-sung was a character who wouldn’t be strange even if he tormented others for purely feeling bad.

‘Still, things have become easier thanks to teacher Ah-sung.’

From the beginning, he only needed Song Woo-dang.

He only wanted to evaluate him.

He was wondering how to get rid of the other two who had come in like side dishes, but trainer Kim Ah-sung separated them well like egg yolks.

He didn’t know if it was intentional, but he really thought he had brought him along well.

“Okay, then there’s only one person left now.”

Lee Min-ki looked straight ahead.

“Student Song Woo-dang, you’ve prepared well, right?”

“Well, I’ve done my best in my own way…”

“Have confidence.”

This time, he decided to treat him a little more kindly.

Because the circumstances were a little different from the previous two.

“I’ve been to a lot of auditions like this, and I know that skills are important, but confidence is also very important.”

He was about to give a warm piece of advice.

“Hmm? Min-ki, was that your way of trying to be confident?”

“Teacher, come on.”

“Oops, if I had known, I would have helped you more.”

Trainer Kim Ah-sung is generally not helpful.

There are times when he is helpful, but at least when it comes to setting the mood, he is useless.

However, ‘generally’ means that he is ‘sometimes’ helpful, and at least this time, he was definitely helpful.

“Anyway, Woo-dang, remember.”

That he had loosened the atmosphere even a little bit was like that.

It was trivial, but that trivial variation tended to work particularly well in times like this.

Like a grain of sand stuck between the gears of a factory.

“Depending on how Woo-dang performs for a few dozen seconds now, your future one or two years from now can change a lot. It would be a shame if you couldn’t perform well here, right?”

Honestly, it probably wouldn’t go that far.

It wasn’t like JC was officially hiring people, it was just a challenge audition.

However, Song Woo-dang reconsidered at that one word.

‘That’s right, the actor said he was a trainee until recently.’

It can change.

The fact that the two people ahead of him were kicked out was both enjoyable and unsettling.

He might be retaliated against at school.

But that’s why he has to change even more.

Often, when you think of victims of school violence, you often think of people who are timid and shrinking.

Song Woo-dang was a little different.

He was tougher.

“I’ll start.”

“I’ll play the music.”

A moment later.

The melody of Treatment began to be heard.

It was the melody that had been set as the task for this [Lee Min-ki Challenge].

Depending on how he danced the shuffle dance to this rhythm, Song Woo-dang’s future would change even a little.

And.

The choice that Song Woo-dang made was something that far exceeded everyone’s expectations.

‘That.’

Lee Min-ki’s eyes widened.

‘Jump rope?’

That’s right.

The item that Song Woo-dang took out was a jump rope.

A cheap plastic jump rope that you could buy at a stationery store in front of the school as a physical education class supply.

That appeared fresh and lovely.

‘What is he going to do with that…’

He had no idea.

‘Ah.’

That’s right.

Lee Min-ki’s eyes widened.

‘That’s right, that was there.’

There’s a reason why Song Woo-dang became famous worldwide by appearing on TV.

Simply being good alone is not enough to beat a team.

That’s why the method Song Woo-dang chose was.

‘Was it the second preliminary stage, he also danced while jumping rope.’

It was to raise the difficulty of the dance itself to an absurd level.

To the point where no one could follow.

To the point where just watching it would take your eyes off of it.

Tak, tak, tak, tak.

The jump rope that quickly rotated, cutting through the silence of the practice room in accordance with Song Woo-dang’s breathing.

At first, it shook because his body was stiff, but after a few seconds, a certain sense of rhythm was felt.

Following that.

Tadak, tak, tatak.

Song Woo-dang began to step to the beat as he jumped rope.

Shuffle dance.

It was the beginning of a dance that scratched the floor.

Above that, the jump rope quickly turned, splitting the beat.

‘Wow, he’s really incredibly good.’

Lee Min-ki burst into a hollow laugh.

He knew he was good to some extent.

But he didn’t know he could do that much even at this time.

If it’s that level, isn’t he by far the best among the 1,000 participants who applied for this challenge?

‘Lucky.’

It was like talent came in with the whole pumpkin vine [a Korean expression for unexpected good fortune].

He had a feeling that the [Lee Min-ki Challenge] would be a big hit.

While Lee Min-ki was trying to hide his pleased expression, there was someone who was particularly flustered in this place.

‘To think he was hiding such unbelievable skills.’

It was manager Park Han-mo.

‘It was terrible when I saw it in the submission video.’

He didn’t feel any confidence, and his movements were clumsy.

The only thing that could be evaluated was that he kept dancing until the end.

It was so bad that he couldn’t figure out what Lee Min-ki saw and highly praised.

However, looking at the scene in front of him, he definitely understood.

‘There must be something that people who know how to dance can see.’

It was difficult for him, who had generally lived the life of a model student, to recognize.

‘I’m glad I didn’t bet.’

Meanwhile, there was someone who was feeling the least surprised while watching this dance.

‘He’s good as expected.’

It was trainer Kim Ah-sung.

‘I thought it was a little strange.’

As soon as he received Song Woo-dang’s submission video, his first impression was that it was absurd.

Because it was too heterogeneous [inconsistent or incongruous].

The basics were already perfect, but he was dancing with only those basics and completely sealing off the technical parts.

At this rate, it was no different from a chef who was perfect at fire control and ingredient preparation but used the ingredients strangely.

‘I thought he would be good.’

Even considering that, he’s doing better than expected.

He just kicked out the previous two because they were ordinary, but this one is a little different.

It was when his thoughts reached this point.

Thud.

The sound of the jump rope that had been stirring the air for a long time and the sound of the soles of his shoes that had been scratching the floor non-stop disappeared together.

“Ah, what. Is it already over?”

Trainer Kim Ah-sung said with a chuckle.

“You can do more.”

“…!”

Song Woo-dang’s eyes widened at that reaction.

He seemed to know the result without having to see more.