Falling for the Omega Idol-Chapter 160: VOCAL PERFORMANCE (III)

SONG JIA clapped when Eunwoo’s group finished. Their performance was good, flawless, even. No mistakes, every note hit perfectly. But that was the problem. It felt too polished, like they’d practiced the soul out of it. And only Eunwoo really stood out, which was ironic since he wasn’t even the main vocal.

His voice just added something special to the song. His tone had more character, richer and fuller than the others. His harmonizing was next-level, too. When he layered his voice with his teammates, it actually made them sound better, smoothing out their weaker notes and making it better.

But even with all that, the performance still felt like it was missing something. At least to her. She wasn’t some professional music critic, so she couldn’t explain exactly what was wrong in technical terms. She was just going by what she felt after watching their performance.

Once the group finished, they bowed to the audience and headed backstage. The staff quickly removed the mic stands and other props, replacing them with five stools and two machines placed on either side of the stage. When everything was set, Taeyang’s group walked out, garnering loud cheers from the crowd.

After introducing themselves to the audience one more time, they sat down on the stools. As she looked at them, Song Jia suddenly noticed something odd. She didn’t know why she didn’t think it was weird earlier when the group first appeared. But now that she did, this group only had five members.

All the others had six. Since there were 60 contestants left in the second episode, and 10 groups performing, simple math said each group should have six members. But Taeyang’s team only had five, which meant one contestant was unaccounted for.

She wondered what happened?

Before she could think more about it, the opening notes of [Falling For You] began playing. At the same time, dry ice smoke poured out from the two machines at the sides of the stage, creating a mysterious atmosphere.

Joonhyuk started the song, his voice smooth and steady as he sang the first lines.

I still hear your voice in the silence of the night

But I can’t reach for you, even in my dreams

Seongwoo took over next, his tone a bit softer but just as clear.

We stood on the edge of something real

But fear pulled me back I couldn’t deal

Then Joonhyuk came in again, his voice stronger this time, filling the space between the notes.

Your eyes were asking me to stay

But I let you walk away

Robin sang next, his voice fuller than the others but not overpowering. He sang the lines clearly, letting the emotion come through without making it sound like he’s trying too hard.

If I could turn the clock around

I’d chase the words I never found

His tone shifted slightly on the next part, like he was really talking to someone just out of reach.

But now you’re gone too far to hold

And I’m left here in the cold

The way he held the last note made it sound like he was holding back his pain.

I’m falling for you though I said goodbye

Drowning in silence, under this sky

I don’t wanna cry but it’s all I do

Since the day I lost you

Haneul sang the chorus like it was effortless. His voice floated through the high notes like they were nothing, clean and bright as sunlight. There wasn’t any strain—just this easy, beautiful sound that made the whole audience hold their breath. Every word carried the exact right emotion: the ache of regret in "I said goodbye," the hollow weight in "drowning in silence," the longing and sadness in "it’s all I do."

Taeyang pushed off from his stool as the beat dropped, standing tall before delivering his verse.

It’s not that I forgot just tried to pretend

Kept telling myself it was easier to end

But your name still slips through every breath

I live, but I grieve like a kind of death

Wish I held on, wish I stayed brave

Now I write your name in the quiet I crave

His rhythm was perfectly locked into the beat, every word landing exactly where it should. He rapped in a lower tone than usual, giving his voice more weight. Anyone familiar with the song would notice this wasn’t the original rap part. Since this was a competition, there’s a high chance that this was an original rap verse. Taeyang had adjusted the flow to fit his style, but it blended so well it sounded like it was the original.

After the rap part, the other members slowly rose from their seats one by one, gathering around Taeyang. The song’s arrangement worked perfectly for their version. The simple piano chords in the background made everything sound more raw and emotional. Without heavy production or distracting beats, their voices could really shine. The melancholy melody wrapped around their harmonies, turning what was already a beautiful song into something even more moving.

The song built to its climax, all their voices blending together. Until one by one, the others dropped out, leaving only Haneul. He held that last high note, powerful at first but then letting it fade gradually, like a sigh. The piano lingered for just a second after his voice disappeared.

As the last note ended, the audience burst into applause. People clapped loudly, some standing up while others stayed seated but still cheering. The sound filled the whole venue as the group bowed together.

Song Jia clapped just as hard as everyone else. That performance was... wow. She couldn’t quite find the right words to describe it. Robin was incredible, and she felt sure she’d made the right choice picking him as her one-pick. But if she was being honest, if there was one person who deserved to be the main vocal in the final debut team, the only real answer was Haneul.

His voice simply stood above the rest. While others were good, he had that rare combination of technical skill and raw emotion. His high notes were flawless, but it was the way he made people believe every word he sang that set him apart.

Well, one thing’s for sure, she wouldn’t have any trouble deciding who to give her points to.