AFTER NUMBER 1'S PERFORMANCE

AFTER Jung Taeyang finished his performance, there was a few seconds of silence. As if the audience didn't know how to react to the performance they had just watched. After all, aside from the staffs and the judges, the rest were competitors.

No matter how great the performance they just watched was, it would be hard to truly cheer from the bottom of their hearts. If one participant performed overwhelmingly well, then that meant that a spot would be taken and the chances of them passing would be lowered.

But unlike the others, Haneul wasn't silent because of the same reason. He was silent because that performance utterly broke his assumption earlier. After performing like that, there's no way Jung Taeyang didn't pass the audition.

Jung Taeyang's song choice didn't require powerful vocals or intricate dance moves. His performance stood out because he commanded the stage. He made it feel like the song was his own, energizing the crowd as if it were his personal concert. It almost felt like they were watching the performance of a veteran singer.

But that didn't mean there was no technical aspect to his performance.

He never sang off-key. His dance, though simple, always matched the beat of the song. Despite his constant movement and his clear, powerful singing that drowned out the AR, he never got out of breath. That's how skilled he was.

There's no way this guy could have failed here. So, why was he not on Boys Odyssey?

Before his brain could think of an answer, he heard an enthusiastic clapping from beside him. He subconsciously glanced at Robin, who was clapping wholeheartedly.

"That was great, right, Haneul?"

Because of the silence, his clap was particularly noticeable. Many of the participants glanced in this direction. And then, some of them also clapped along. This completely broke the momentary silence.

A helpless smile crossed Haneul's lips. He wondered if this guy just had that much confidence in his skills so he wasn't worried after watching that, or if he was just this pure-hearted? It's probably both.

The judges also seemed to return to their senses and one of them finally spoke;

"Thank you. You can now go back to your seat."

The smile on Jung Taeyang's face while he was performing had now vanished. It was replaced by an indifferent expression, as if the one who just gave that amazing performance wasn't him at all. He politely bowed to the judges before walking down the stage.

"Number 2, please," one of the judges said, gesturing for the next contestant to go to the center and perform.

"That will be a very tough act to follow." Haneul heard Robin say. "I feel kind of sorry for those people on stage."

Haneul shared the same sentiment. With Jung Taeyang's performance still fresh in the judges' mind, as long as those contestants on stage didn't perform better, the chances of them passing this audition would be close to zero. They probably knew that, too. So, the pressure they're feeling right now must be enormous. There's no way that wouldn't affect their performance.

And sure enough, when number 2 started performing, he went off-key on the second verse. Then everything just went to hell after that. When he finished, he was almost on the verge of tears. Probably because he knew he would not pass with that kind of performance.

Number 3 fared better than number 2, but he still made mistakes here and there. When number 10's performance ended, everyone here felt clearly that Jung Taeyang must be the only one who passed on that first batch.

When the next batch - numbers 11-20 - went on stage, Haneul's attention was no longer solely focused on stage. He couldn't help but glance from time to time in Jung Taeyang's direction.

Right now, there's only one reason he could think of why the other didn't appear on Boys Odyssey despite passing the audition. Jung Taeyang might have backed out at the last minute before filming of the program begun.

Haneul remembered that one rumor he heard about Jung Taeyang. That the other was actually a chaebol. If that was true, then his family might have been opposed to him being part of the entertainment industry. They might have pressured him into backing out. That could certainly explain why Jung Taeyang did not participate in Boys Odyssey.

Maybe it took him three years to convince his family to allow him to be a singer. That's why he only managed to debut as a soloist then.

Haneul withdrew his gaze and returned his attention to the stage. If the same outcome occurred again this time, Jung Taeyang wouldn't be included in Boys Odyssey once more.

For some reason, he suddenly felt a pang of disappointment at that thought.