Last night, they postponed the formation of groups to allow everyone time to think about what they wanted to do—for both their abilities and the camp's sake. It was a puzzle, though, whether anyone had actually managed to sleep or spent the night overthinking.
"Who wants to go vocal?"
Almost everyone raised their hands. Jun looked at Sujin and said firmly, "First and foremost, Sujin has to be in it. No doubt he's our best vocalist."
If this was war, it would be pure stupidity not to send their best soldier to the battlefield most suited to him.
Since Jun was so resolute, nobody objected. Still, the fact that only three slots remained worried the others—something their expressions made plain.
Everyone clapped for Sujin, who bowed humbly, but countless calculations ran through their minds.
"I want to sing." Hyeon-ju's timid voice followed as he raised his hand.
Jun had expected ETM's lead vocalist to vie for a spot, so he had him sing a line from the chosen song. The youth's voice fit the pop ballad perfectly, and in the end, the other Inhabitants had no choice but to agree.
Kato and Min lowered their hands. When Jun looked at them, both said they would just go for dance instead.
"Two more for vocals," Jun announced, writing down Hyeon-ju and Sujin's names.
"I think Chul-moo is good," Sujin suggested.
Chul-moo still hadn't lowered his hand. He really was the type of trainee who excelled in singing.
Surprisingly, Daeho, who also wanted to try vocals, lost to Seong-hun. When the dance selection began, he tried again, but Dae-hyun, the b-boy specialist, snatched the slot. The rest—Juwon, Min, and Kato—were automatic. Daeho's face turned ashen when he realized he would be stuck in the rap team.
The two groups were finally complete.
Puzzled glances turned to Jun.
"Jun, you're our best hip-hop dancer after Neo," Juwon said. "Are you sure you want to do rap?"
A forced smile tugged at Jun's lips. "Four people are needed in the rap team. My voice kind of suits rapping, so I chose it."
"Stop lying. The two of us never took rap lessons at our old agency." Juwon furrowed his brows, giving Jun a look.
"I listen to KAISER's rapper Levi a lot. And I practice rap at home," Jun answered quickly.
Juwon shot him a skeptical look. He was Jun's best friend, after all. Jun pressed his lips into a thin line and held his gaze, forcing himself to look convincing.
Truth was, the most passable rapper among them was Sujin. He had at least a few months of rap training under his belt. Before Jun and Juwon became Nova trainees, Sujin had been a potential rapper candidate for the group that debuted two years ago. When someone else took his place, he switched to vocals—while also proving himself lead-dancer material.
In short, Sujin could rap.
But Sujin was also their best singer. Wouldn't it be a crime not to let him lead vocals?
"Xavi, me, Seth, and Daeho will be in the rap team," Jun decided.
Two of them looked like the world had just collapsed. Only Xavi seemed fine. But was he really?
"Will Xavi be alright?" Kato asked.
The top visual of BOI wore an expression that said, Does Xavi even know what he's in for?
Xavi was a foreigner. It was understandable people doubted his fluency.
"No problem!" Xavi answered in English, which only deepened everyone's unease.
"Brother, I've never done rap before," Seth admitted, pitiful.
"Me too." Daeho's voice lacked confidence. "Is there anyone who wants to swap with me?"
He looked like someone about to abandon a sinking ship.
The vocal and dance teams exchanged glances but stayed silent. Deep down, they knew the rap team was doomed. Even if they outperformed the Barren Lands' rappers, so what? At best, they'd be slightly above average. Viewers would mercilessly tear apart their rap skills. Nobody would buy the excuse that they were just rookie idols.
Daeho gave a bitter smile. "Then can we re-audition? I mean, we should make sure the best people are in the right category."
Sujin sighed and raised his hand. "Singing is my strength. But I can rap. If I switch with anyone, it would only be Jun. Are you willing?"
Jun frowned immediately. "No."
Sujin shrugged and fell silent. The others followed.
Kato, the newly appointed dance leader, led his group to the basement training room. Sujin took his team to another hall. Jun, Xavi, Daeho, and Seth stayed behind. The latter two were still downcast but had the sense to approach Jun with apologies.
"I'm sorry, brother. I was just flustered."
"I'm sorry, Jun. Let's do this together."
Jun nodded wordlessly and played the song assigned to them.
Everyone had already heard it yesterday. Once again, they realized why nobody wanted to touch this track.
"It's a KAISER album intro song."
An album released just last year—still fresh in KAISER fans' memories.
The intro had narration at the start and a soaring chorus where KAISER's vocalists showcased their unique colors and techniques. The title track and some b-sides were adored by the public, while the intro—this one—was especially beloved within the fandom.
Problem number 1: It's from the group with the largest fandom. And recent, so comparisons will be brutal.Problem number 2: The mission requires replacing everything except the chorus with rap.
"We have to write our own lyrics and turn the narration into rap," Daeho muttered after rereading the mission for the nth time.
Xavi asked, "Do we really have to remove the talking parts? I think they're cool."
"We have to follow the rules," Seth reminded him in a near whisper.
Silence stretched for nearly a minute.
"…I'm sorry, but I feel like we're doomed from the start." Daeho slumped in his chair.
Jun's head throbbed listening to their defeatist tone. Thank God for Xavi at least.
After a few seconds, he decided. "Daeho and Seth will sing the chorus. Xavi and I will rap."
The two glanced at Xavi at once, paling. "Brother Jun, are you sure?"
Jun had patience, but he wasn't always good at hiding irritation. He let it show. Daeho, older than him, and Seth, three years younger, flinched at his sharp gaze. Especially when he asked, "Any objection?"
They shook their heads quickly, eyes downcast. Aggrieved but also relieved—they worried about Xavi, but they wanted nothing to do with rapping. The clash of feelings left them unsure how to react.
Jun sighed, reading their thoughts clearly.
"Xavi and I will work on lyrics. In the meantime, you two practice the chorus. We meet back here at exactly 7 p.m. to report progress."
"Okay." Xavi gathered his things, not forgetting a few snacks from the rack.
"…Sure." Daeho and Seth swallowed their sighs and nodded.