GIJS

Chapter 45

In a desperate situation, a blessing in disguise.

Suddenly, the music started playing, but everyone understood what it meant.
In a situation where a decision had to be made, the appearance of music meant one thing: the outcome would be decided through a dance battle.
The contestants who had been huddled together quickly moved to the edges, forming a large circle.
In the center stood three trainers and six leaders, including Gunja.
Though Gunja had never been in a dance battle before, it wasn't difficult to grasp the situation.
It became clear that the only way to secure the practice room was to outdance the others.
Thump, thump-thump.
The intense bass, perfect for a battle, resonated through the underground practice room.
As the music flowed, even the contestants who had been tense moments before started cheering and getting into the vibe.
"Oh, the music is great!"
"Hey! We have to win!"
"Kang-Yeol, tear it up!"
The first to step forward was Min Kang-Yeol, showcasing a freestyle dance to the music.
These were the top 30 survivors, and among them were those skilled enough to lead their teams.
Since they were already proven talents, their freestyle dances alone drew cheers. But even among them, there were standout contestants.
"Joo Ha-sung!!"
"Wow, that guy's insane!!"

Joo Ha-sung, a top-tier dancer who had always crushed everyone else with his dance skills, despite losing to Yu Gunja time and again.
"Seonbi hyung!!"
"Yu Gunja, you're awesome!!"
Yu Gunja, with his unique, oriental dance moves, masterful expression, and solid basic steps, was unmatched in those areas.
Even the trainers recognized that these two were on a different level compared to the other leaders.
When it came to dance, no one could rival Joo Ha-sung.
However, Gunja's expressiveness, charm, and stage presence were on par with Joo Ha-sung.
While it was easy to differentiate between the other leaders, comparing these two was difficult even for the trainers.
"So, Teacher So, what do you think?"
"Well, it's tough to decide."
"Should we just watch them one more time?"
"If the kids can handle it, that might be the best option."
After deciding the ranks from 6th to 3rd place, a rematch was arranged for the 1st place spot. "Let's take a 10-minute break and then have just Ha-sung and Gunja go one more time. Okay?" "Yes."
Although Gunja wasn't fond of Joo Ha-sung, he couldn't deny his dance skills.
Even though Gunja was new to the idol world, he had to admit that Joo Ha-sung's dancing was impressive.
Thump, thump-thump.
As soon as the music for the rematch started, Joo Ha-sung's body moved like a machine. He used every muscle freely, not wasting a single moment, from his fingertips to his toes.

Even in short phrases, his dance had a clear beginning, middle, and end. When he needed power, he was as strong as Taewoong, and when he needed to be soft, he floated like Yuchan.
So that's what a grade 'A' dance looks like.
In contrast, Gunja's dance grade was still 'B'.
In terms of grades alone, they weren't even close. But Gunja had no intention of giving up. He didn't want to lose to Joo Ha-sung in anything, especially not in a battle with the practice room on the line.
After Joo Ha-sung's turn, it was Gunja's time to step into the center of the stage. Just then, as the intense beat ended, a lyrical track began to play. This was good news for Gunja.
Now was the time to bring out his most confident weapon.
As the sorrowful melody played, Gunja's fingertips came to life with melancholy.
"Ohhh."
The same oriental and poignant dance moves he had shown during the first 'view count mission.'
The audience, who had been sitting in a circle, all let out a low murmur of admiration at the same time.
In such music, Gunja's presence was far beyond the level of a mere survival contestant.
Gunja maintained his focus until the music ended.
He didn't miss a single line of lyrics or a single melody, striving to express it all.
He performed with confidence to music he was familiar with. This was likely the best choreography Gunja could show at this point.
As the battle ended, it was time to decide the winner. "Haa, this is really tough..."
The tense standoff without any give-and-take even left the trainers scratching their heads in frustration. Evaluating this was no easy task, even for those who had seen countless trainees.
After a moment of consideration, Trainer Rachel was the first to reveal her evaluation.