Chapter 8: Evaluation
2 weeks have passed since we were told about the evaluations. The team and I have been practising hard to get ready for it. I also ended up teaching my choreography for MOVE to all of the female trainees. Momo was very happy about it and learnt it very quickly. The rest took some time, but eventually got it. I've gotten closer to the girls who would make up twice. Now we can speak casually with each other, and we sometimes eat together in the canteen. Currently, we were trying to perfect the choreography to 2 pm's Again & Again, as this was the song selected for our dance evaluation. We had already pretty much perfected our vocal evaluation song. Ultra Lover, which was also by 2 pm. The song ends, and we all drop to the ground exhausted. We had been training for 3 hours non-stop, and our legs were feeling like jelly. "Hayashi, you're doing great, but you somehow get out of sync with us during the last minute of the dance. You need to maintain the beat" DongBang advises as he gets up off the floor and heads over to his bag to grab a drink.
"You guys are getting better. May I advise that you just slow down for one count as you get towards the end? That way he might be able to keep up with the rest of you as he only loses it during the transition." Our dance instructor tells us. "We'll try it after our break, we need a little rest first," Kyu-Bong says, now spread out on the floor still catching his breath.
"Try it tomorrow," the instructor tells us. "It's time for your language lessons, so go and get changed and move off." We all get up and grab our bags, then go and take a shower. Once we have changed we head off to our language lessons. I already know a lot of languages, so I started to learn Russian, while also helping others with English and Chinese. "Why do we have to learn these languages! We already have Jin-Ho, so why should we learn them!" DongBang complains.
"What happens if Jin-Ho can't make it, or is sick?" Hyun-Shik retaliates. "Just because one member is fluent in like 50 languages, doesn't mean that we shouldn't be able to communicate with our fans from other countries too."
"It's 8 languages, not 50" I add to that. "But he's right. I'm not going to always be there to translate, so it is better that you guys also learn a couple of languages. It will help in the long run, and make you more popular overseas if you speak their language." DongBang contemplates for a while before finally accepting the facts and continues with his work. He's is actually Korean-American. He was born in Atlanta and so is fluent in English. He just doesn't like to broadcast it everywhere.
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Another 5 Days pass, and we continue training hard. I have just finished up with the class, and am getting ready to leave. I hear a yell from the doorway of the classroom. "Hey! Jin-Ho!" I look up from packing my bag to see Na-Yeon and Ji-Hyo standing in the doorway waving. "What are you guys doing here?" I ask them as I walk over. "Well, we all go to school here. But more importantly. We found your class. You wanna hang out with us for a bit now?" Ji-Hyo answered. I thought about it for a minute, then remembered that the team's evaluation was today. "I would love to guys, but I have Eva..." I stop midway, after remembering that Myung-Ki told us to keep it secret from everyone else.
"Eva?" Na-Yeon asks me, tilting her head.
"a meeting with JYP on my progress in about an hour, so I have to get back to the company. But I will come next time!" I finish up.
"Oh, ok" they both answer, a little deflatedly. I apologise again to them and promise to hang out next time, before finally leaving school, and rushing back to the company.
Arriving at JYP, I was met by a rushing Myung-Ki who caught me as I walked through the doors. "Ah! Jin-Ho, just in time. Quick! Go get changed, the evaluations are in 10 minutes." He tells me as he pushes me towards the elevator. "The evaluations are set as two team performances and one individual performance. The two group ones have been sorted by you guys already, but the individual one is meant to be impromptu, to test your skills. That's why you are only finding out about it now. The rest of your teammates, are already aware, and are in the room preparing," and with that he pushes me out of the elevator and closes the door.
Entering the living room of our dorm, the place is in utter chaos. The two Sim brothers are busy arguing, DongBang is stood in a corner practicing his dance, while Roh is sat on his bed meditating with the door open. As soon as I step in they all turn to look at me, slightly panicked. "What do we do Jin-Ho?!" Sim Kyu-Bong asks me, almost crying. "Why are you asking him?! He's the youngest member here!" Hyun-Shik retorts.
"Yeah, but he is the calmest currently, apart from Roh, but it doesn't look like he wants to talk." DongBang adds in.
"Guys, don't panic. Just use one of the songs that you have practiced before for the solo. We have our team performance perfected. Why are you so panicked?" I tell them, while trying my best to look serious. Still laughing inside at the faces that they are making.
"You're right. We've got this." DongBang answered back, now looking a little calmer.
After that fiasco, I went and got changed, and together we headed to the evaluation room. Walking in, the atmosphere was dense. 5 people were sitting at a table at the front of the room, with 3 cameras set up around to record our evaluations. Lining up in order, we bowed and introduced ourselves. [Hyun-Shik] - "1, 2, 3" [Together]- "Light the Way! Hello, we are Vanguard!"
"Vanguard? Interesting name. Can I ask why you guys chose that?" JYP asks, now interested.
It had taken a long time for us to come up with the concept for our group. But we had finally done it. "The concept we decided on for our group was innovation, adaptation, unity and to be a guide for the future. The word Vanguard means a group of people leading the way in new developments or ideas. As we hope to bring something new to the world of Kpop, this is the name we chose." Hyun-Shik replies competently.
"Nice! I like it" JYP says. "It has a nice ring to it" The Judge to his right continues.
"What about your stage names?" HYP then asks.
"unfortunately, we couldn't decide on those just yet" DongBang interjects.
"Thats a shame, but you guys have thought out your concept, so I can't be too greedy." JYP finishes. "Ok, so on to the evaluations. First up is dance, then singing, and then your individual performances in order of age." JYP says.
We all bow and get into position. Me at the centre. Again & Again begins to play, and as if possessed, we continue in perfect synchronisation. As we dance JYP slowly starts to nod his head. Then, the part that has been catching Hayashi out is about to come up. The rest of us all realise it, and begin to slow down for a couple of counts for the transition. As we do, Hayashi takes the centre position, executing the transition with a small wobble, but nothing noticeable and we speed back up again. We move into the final sequence as the song comes to an end. Once the music stops we all sigh in relief. Hayashi heaving the biggest of the sighs before we line back up and prepare to sing.
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