Fire (8)
Joon-woo looked to Mi Yong who stood front and center and re-evaluated his own position at the back. It was when the note they had rehearsed to start dancing struck Joon-woo began to move on auto pilot.
He at least knew some things through his time as Ha-rin. He knew that if not center, you had to dance with less enthusiasm to make yourself less noticeable. He knew that looking at any audience member or judge or member too hard is the death of a good performance. And he knew how to keep his facial expressions stable.
So Joon-woo tried to do what he knew best, and followed along to the choreo that had engrained itself into Joon-woo's mind like a second nature.
He saw, felt the cameras. He felt it in the shake of his legs after a rough transition of moves. He saw Misa's amused look when all members of Team One were to look up. Playing blind he played, as Ryeo Hyun's words from the night before crossed his mind.
Because, despite Joon-woo's hate to be wrong, he felt lighter on his feet after more rest. He felt the blueprint of choreo appear almost naturally. And Joon-woo frowned, as if when living as Ha-rin he knew rest would do so much, he would've tried to rest more.
His breath felt heavy as a heavier park of the choreo past, but it wasn't as heavy as it usually was. His legs weighed at his mind, their overuse screaming cursed as Joon-woo continued to move regardless. He almost felt empowered, more control of his exhaustion as he moved.
And it was only when the music came to a close he stopped. Everyone in Team One stopped. They had done it. Joon-woo had done it.
Misa stood and clapped with her expression fond. FYP on the other hand looked at the team with a frown.
From backstage, cheers rang just like every time before and it only worsened Joon-woo's anxiety about his performance as he wrapped his wrists around each other and stabbed his fingernails into his skin in an attempt to ease his muddled brain.
"Contestant Mi Yong, leader of Team One." FYP called up coldly, not an ounce of enthusiasm left in his body.
Mi Yong stepped forward with pursed lips, looking at FYP with a serious expression.
"You've debuted once before, and this is what you have to show for your leadership?" FYP asked, voice emotionless and without care.
Mi Yong visibly stiffened.
"Team One, all of you seem to lack connection. Did you even practice together? It seemed everyone was trying to shine…" FYP harshly reprimanded.
All contestants in Team One stiffened up and looked towards the groups. All except Joon-woo, as he was more relieved his poor dancing hadn't been called out.
Misa frowned at FYP, "Yes, while a lack of connection was noticeable, you all danced well. No one was too slow or too fast, facial expressions… lacked for the most part." She began, relief flowing within Joon-woo despite the criticisms.
Just as Joon-woo figured it was over, Misa opened her mouth again, "And I would like to highlight Contestant Park Joon-woo." She said, Joon-woo's whole world freezing as suddenly, eyes had falling upon him in multitudes.
He looked to the ground as suddenly, all comfort that had flowed through him collapsed. Team One looked at him, a bit surprised by Misa's words, but not more than Joon-woo himself. Suddenly, his world began to blur as Misa continued.
"You've done well in improving your dance, Joon-woo and your facial expressions stood out…" She said with an innocent smile.
Joon-woo nodded as he observed the cleanliness of the white stage beneath him and just as his vision began to filter in and out, a hand wrapped around him in an attempt to comfort him. Mi Yong stood above him with a frown.
"Thank you, Senior…" Joon-woo cautiously replied, knowing that he sounded unappreciative, knowing that he didn't look happy enough for the camera.
Oh how hard he would be evil edited now, he thought.
–+–
Reggie pulled Joon-woo into another hug as soon as Joon-woo reentered backstage and the cameras that had followed him for too long caught it. They caught Joon-woo slipping out of the embrace and they caught him asking in a whisper, "Did I do okay?"
Reggie nodded, and suddenly, a figure behind the two chimed in– "You did great." Mi Yong complimented Joon-woo with an amused expression. "But let's stay with our teams, yeah?" Mi Yong continued, shooing off Reggie with a fake smile.
Reggie seemed flustered at the gesture, a confident nod towards Joon-woo quickly replaced with his head hung low as he ashamedly dashed back over to his own home in Team Five. Joon-woo watched, waving to Reggie as Mi Yong let Joon-woo to the rest of a sulking saddened Team One.
Joon-woo gulped, as his team seemed to be in shambles. Misa barely had anything nice to say and FYP– none at all. As a first challenge, Joon-woo understood, it went wrong, bad and everyone's ranks would drop drastically.
Mi Yong, as if noticing Joon-woo's sour expression, frowned, "We did our best." He said, unsurity clear on his face as he spoke.
Joon-woo was amused at the attempt of comfort, "Did we?" He questioned in reply.
Mi Yong flinched back to look down at Joon-woo, as if not expecting a reply. He tilted his head curiously, "I mean–" Mi Yong went to reply but then he began to think.
In their three days at a team, they only saw each other in the practice room. They didn't interact in the pre-recording periods or make a group chat. Mi Yong wouldn't be surprised if Team One didn't even know eachothers names.
Sure, they worked their asses off to do well, Joon-woo especially, he thought. But also it was never as a team. It finally hit Mi Yong then, and he looked up with his mind beginning to blur.
"Hyung?" Joon-woo asked, pulling Mi Yong back to earth.
"We could've done more." Mi Yong admitted with a straight face.
By now the others' in Team One had listened to Joon-woo and Mi Yong. But they all seemed to be confused, as if thinking they had done enough. Mi Yong's personal servant, the ranked 27th contestant especially seemed to be confused, almost angry.
27th stood, from his crouched position, "What do you mean, Mi Yong-ah? We did all we could, just look at the rest of us!" He almost yelled, gesturing to the still sweating members of Team One. Mi Yong and Joon-woo were practically dry along their foreheads.
Mi Yong shook his head, cameras zooming in to their ruckus. "Yes– we practiced, but alone. We didn't do enough team practices…" Mi Yong explained the best he could, but 27th shook his head.
"That's still saying we didn't do enough…" 27th clapped back, looking a bit defeated.
Joon-woo gulped as he stood next to Mi Yong through the conversation. Joon-woo took a step back, as if trying to disappear. Joon-woo began past 27th, who noticed just out of the corner of his eye and suddenly snatched Joon-woo by the cloth along his shoulder.
"And where do you think you're going? You're the one that prompted this…" 27th began to scream. "You put those thoughts of not doing enough in Mi Yong's mind, he would never discredit us if it weren't for you–" He lectured Joon-woo with his tight grip.
Joon-woo screwed his eyes shut and tried to pull away. It was too much. Too much physical contact, too much yelling, too much angry spit hitting at his face. But as he tried to escape 27th's grip, it only tightened.
Joon-woo looked up fearfully. Cameras were practically in their faces now, camera man doing nothing but watching the scene go down with blank uncaring faces.
Mi Yong suddenly shoved 27th away, "Are you crazy?" He asked.
27th began shaken, face getting a bit red as he glared daggers into Joon-woo's fearful eyes and then to the cameras surrounding them. "Mi Yong-ah, don't you see! Misa praised this tiny f*ck, not you or anyone else. He and his terrible dancing is what placed us in last! Not our 'teamwork', him!" He accused, pointing a figure at Joon-woo.
Mi Yong just glared at 27th, "When you see our name at the bottom, start packing your bags…" He threatened, referencing the elimination choices he would soon have to make.
27th's face dropped, paling as he widened his eyes, "Hah…" He laughed to himself, face hysterical as he turned to face Mi Yong with a closed and fast-paced fist.