The Second Chance of A Suicidal Idol

Fire (7)

Reggie's team went first.

They entered the stage with their heads hung low and set up in a familiar formation. The stage lights a mix of red and dim white light. Lightning-ourus by the WildBoyz began to play from speakers. And to Joon-woo's surprise, Reggie stood in the very center as his team took their places around him. Decked out in their sexy attire, they began.

Carefully and just barely in sync, their arms were cast high, bodies dipping in and out of lunges and squats. Some of the contestants cast in the back of the formation didn't go down all the way, or got lost thanks to how fast Reggie and the higher rankers of the teams.

But what Joon-woo noticed the most, was that Reggie, ranked 39th, was standing out the most. Reggie nailed every movement. Reggie had the facial expressions nailed. Reggie wore their outfit the best.

Joon-woo looked around the backstage area, looking for the reactions of the other teams. He noticed with a smile that people had their mouths gone agape with looks of shock across their faces.

"But Reggie is 39th?" Many shocked contestants said.

But Joon-woo knew better. He knew Reggie was good and he knew better than to judge by rank. He looked to Mi Yong, who watched Reggie with a small smile. It warmed Joon-woo's chest, seeing the recognition Reggie was getting, and he watched proudly.

When the song came to an end, both Misa and FYP stood from their seats and clapped. FYP, known for being quite cold, stood and clapped. Reggie's face seemed to go red as such, as he and his team huddled with large smiles on their faces.

"Wow..." Misa reviewed, clearly enamored, as the cheers from backstage contestants began to die down. "Contestant Park Youngsoo, leader of Team Five, step forward." She requested with a smile.

Park Youngsoo stepped forward with pursed lips hiding his smile. With his face drenched with sweat he nodded.

"Congratulations on doing well... Most of your movements were very precise and your team seems to be quite connected. I think you did the song justice." Misa complimented, Team Five exchanging excited looks.

"However," FYP began, darkening the mood. "The contestants tucked to the back, their movements were slow. So slow that I thought, 'haven't they practiced'? In fact Contestant Reggie Lee did better than even the higher ranks." He reviewed some of Team Five's faces darkening with recognition.

Reggie scratched at his cheek as if unsure on how to react to the praise. He looked at his team with an unreadable expression. "But overall you guys did good, you have the teamwork that you can be proud of." FYP said, sending Team Five back to backstage, a cameraman following suit.

Joon-woo sent a thumbs up Reggie's way as he re-entered the backstage area with a contained proud expression. Reggie looked at Joon-woo and nodded, looking to his team and then back to Joon-woo.

Suddenly breaking the code that they had been debriefed of, to stay with your teams no matter what, Reggie dashed Joon-woo's way.

Joon-woo looked left and right, as the cameras that had monitored each team's reactions to the performances followed Reggie's dashing body. Joon-woo gulped as Reggie suddenly engulfed him in a height-difference hug. Reggie's 6'0' towered over Joon-woo's 5'5' and every camera caught it.

"Joon-woo-ssi! I did it... I think I did well." Reggie muttered into Joon-woo's shoulder.

Joon-woo nodded, "You did great." He confirmed, shifting out of Reggie's hold and looking at Reggie's red with pride figure.

Reggie nodded, lips pursed into a smile. He then turned away to the frantic calls of his teammates, leaving Joon-woo with another camera on him. Leaving Joon-woo with his Team One looking at Joon-woo weirdly.

It was then Team Four began out from backstage and onto the stage, passing Team Five, Three, and Two before Team One. They wore modern streetwear that Joon-woo thought of as badass but expressions of pure confidence. Joon-woo tilted his head in admiration.

Though, as Ryeo Hyun of Team Four passed him, Joon-woo began to get a little uncomfortable. Ryeo Hyun looked happy, as if Joon-woo and his conversations had no weight on his mind. Ryeo Hyun flashed Joon-woo a smile and held it. He held it in such a way that the camera now focused on Joon-woo caught it.

Joon-woo shook his head. If this continued, he would be seen as an over-ranked contestant that was short and couldn't dance, but more importantly had connections with the talented contestants. Joon-woo didn't want that image, but he knew from the way the cameras tried to capture his expression that it was.

Joon-woo frowned, watching as Ryeo Hyun and Team Four entered the stage. Drown by PXP began to play from loud speakers.

–+–

Applause struck Joon-woo's ears from each and every performance. No matter the weaker links of each team, no matter the mistakes, every team was doing... well. Joon-woo's confidence began to dip at the way each contestant had at least some precision. He then questioned his ability to do well.

Ryeo Hyun did well. Bo Jaesang did well. Everyone did well and Joon-woo knew, based on the very public and clear interactions from Reggie to Ryeo Hyun, people expected him to be at least half decent. Anxiety bit at Joon-woo's ankles.

Anxiety that suddenly spiked as Team Three had finished their grand rendition of LEAP by J2Harmony and while no team had yet topped Reggie's, it was good. Even FYP had no major criticisms.

Now it was his turn, now it was Team One's turn to perform with anticipation decked across their names. Joon-woo's hands shook a bit at his sides, it was gonna be his first time on stage since losing his body as Ha-rin. It was gonna be his first time on stage since revising his dance skills as best he could.

Mi Yong tapped at Joon-woo's shoulder, weakly smiling at Joon-woo's nervous figure. "Time to go, Joon-woo-ah." He said, making sure to wave to the camera following Joon-woo like a hawk. That interaction would probably be included, too.

But Joon-woo followed. He followed Mi Yong and the rest of Team One as both the maknae and the worst dancer and set up in the formation they had practiced.

'Fire' by STB played from speakers.