Different: A Markson Story

Chapter 4: Guts

Once the music hit Mark focused and let his body take control. It was instantly game on. He performed the steps with ease. He was killing the audition, however, after 30 seconds he shifted his eyes. Instead of looking at himself in the mirror his eyes wandered to look at Jackson. For the first time, Mark saw determination, drive and focus in Jackson's eyes. He was dancing just as good, if not better than Mark. He couldn't believe this was the slacker, troublemaker, and loudmouth from his class. Who he saw in the mirror was the complete opposite of the Jackson Wang he knew. Mark tried not to let it get to him but he kept thinking, "Jackson is going to knock me out." Mark knew he had to pick it up and impress the judges. He had to get them to focus on him, not Jackson.

Mark kept telling himself to try harder. Within an instant before the last beat, Mark impulsively did a backflip out of desperation, landing on his feet in the ending pose. The observing students gasped in shock, their eyes nearly popping out. They let out an even bigger shock when Mark suddenly fell to the ground after a few seconds. He couldn't hold his balance after landing the backflip. His stunt to stand out would be his downfall. "Shit. I just screwed myself," he thought. Had the sweat not been rolling down his face before, it surely was now. Pain shot up his ankle after his delayed fall, but he was too worried about being eliminated to even react.

Yubin, the head judge of the panel walked in front of the seven boys, clearly exhausted and gasping for air. She stepped in front of Mark staring down fallen boy. 

"Mark Tuan is it?" Mark looked up in shame giving her a nod.

 "I am utterly shocked that you would pull such a stunt like that. Especially in such a serious setting such as this," she sternly said. 

"A risk like that. Was it really worth taking? You do know what's at stake, don't you? You couldn't even land properly." Yubin stood back in the middle facing all seven boys. 

"Get up," she firmly stated. Mark attempted to get up then grasped his ankle in pain. Jaebum helped his friend to his feet, giving him a shoulder to lean on. Mark could hear Jackson snicker as he winced in pain. Mark was too worried about being eliminated to even worry about Jackson snickering.

"The seven of you performed extremely well. But was it enough to make the cut?" Yubin paced back and forth before she dramatically paused. 

"Park Jinyoung, you have made the cut congratulations." One by one Yubin went down the line congratulating Jinyoung, Jackson, Bambam, Yugyeom, Youngjae, and Jaebum. They all made the cut and would become trainees. She stopped after getting to Mark at the end of the line. She looked at him up and down. 

"You have guts to pull a stunt like that kid." Mark gulped, tears beginning to well up. 

"We like guts. Congratulations Mark you've made the cut."

He did it! It was happening! Mark made the next group of trainees! His friends would be by his side too. It seemed too good to be true. He was so happy he could cry. He hugged his friends who were all smiles as well. He made eye contact once again with Jackson, who gave Mark a witty smirk. "He made it too...he's really good," Mark thought. Maybe Mark shouldn't have underestimated him...but for now he was ecstatic that he and his friends' hard work had finally paid off.

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Poor Mark, imagine I made him get cut from the group lol. Anyway Markson interactions gonna start happening soon so look forward to it ;)