From Skid Row to Superstardom: An Idol System Novel-Chapter 120: Second Performance Evaluation (1)

"Welcome back to all contestants, I see that you all changed into athletic clothes, and I’m the only person who didn’t get the memo." MC Ryan Leary pretended to pout as he stared at the contestants dressed in various athletic wear, who were filing into the rows of chairs placed across from the judges.

"We’re still wondering how you got a school uniform in the first place." Larry Jackson spoke into his microphone with a suspicious expression while Ryan Leary whistled while avoiding eye contact.

After a few judges laughed and everybody was seated, Ryan Leary accepted a large cup with paper strips inside from one of the production staff members.

"Due to the previous elimination, one team was eliminated entirely, so there are only 9 teams remaining. Team leaders, please come forward and draw a card that will have your group’s performance order on it.

Leo, Jamie, Benjamin, and the other team leaders walked up to the MC and grabbed a paper strip.

"#2, I rate it." Benjamin waved his paper strip happily around before heading back to his seat.

Jamie was 4th, Rex was 6th, and unfortunately, Leo...Leo drew the first spot.

As Leo walked back with a defeated expression, the MC clapped his hands loudly.

"Okay. Team Leo, consisting of Alfonso, Ari, Caleb (who will not be performing), Gale, Ian, Minho, Minjun, Rei, and, of course, their leader Leo.

"I don’t want to be team Leo," somebody muttered.

"Shut up, Minho."

"You shut up, Minjun."

Ari turned his head slowly and stared at the twin boys, and as they met his eyes, Minho gulped before whispering, ’Captain crashout.’

Ari: ಠ_ಠ

I haven’t even done anything to you, what the heck?

Since their names were called, each team member stood up and walked to the center of the stage while facing the judges.

They all stood in an awkward line, and for a couple of seconds, the team members and the judges stared at each other in silence until Ari elbowed Leo in the side before mouthing ’say a greeting.’

Leo awkwardly stepped up and gave the greeting while bowing his head before stepping back to stand in line.

"Uhh, I’m Leo, the leader of the group, and yeah, we’re going to perform the song Swan by the girl group Dozen. Please cue the music."

As the music began, a ticking sound gave way to a bright, cheery trumpet sound, mixed with a strong drumbeat.

With each loud beat, Ari and his teammates stomped alternate legs while making a sweeping motion with both arms like the flapping of a bird.

As the drumbeats increased in speed, their flapping motions got faster before they spun around twice like a ballerina, allowing Ari to step up and quickly do the intro.

Ooh woah oh yeah~

In a smooth motion, all the contestants turned to the right, waving their flapping their left hands simultaneously so that it looked like a wave as they began to sing the chorus in unison.

Like a Swan Swan Swan

With a unison motion, all the contestants except for Ari jumped into the air before facing the left side, repeating the choreography and the chorus.

Like Swan Swan Swan

Pleasantly surprised at how well people were doing and the things sounded, Ari let out a sigh of relief before shuffling forward and singing his part.

Let me tell you

A story about

A lost child in the world

They were falling falling falling

Into the water water water

He kept his voice low and sweet, utilizing Jelissa’s advice to think about what emotions to put into the song.

Since the choreography moves here were soft and flowing as if moving through water, Ari imagined that he was singing a fairytale story read to a kid.

As his last note rang out, Ari quickly stepped back as Suzuki Rei moved forward to sing his part.

Gasping for breath

Fighting to rise

But darkness weighs them down

They keep on sinking sinking sinking

Deep into the water

Instead of performing the flowy moves of the choreography, as he sang, Suzuki Rei made his dance moves sharp and aggressive, intentionally skipping the parts of the choreography with movements like hip shaking, high kicks, and hair flips.

When he was done, Ari slid forward again, singing his next portion with a tone that increased in brightness and pitch.

Finding the light

That shines so bright

The people who can lead the way

I’ll rise to the top yeah

Because this is my fairytale

As he sang, he forced his sprained leg to balance on the ground while trying to gracefully extend his hand upward and then side to side.

While trying to pivot, his sprained ankle buckled, causing him to wince and stop singing as he slid back in line, letting Alfonso come forward for his part, which had a singing-rap vibe to it.

My world will expand fɾēewebnσveℓ.com

I continually grow

My strength will increase

As your light shines on me

The Brazilian boy’s long hair was like an extra appendage as he gracefully spun while doing the choreography, making sure that his eyes never left the judges.

Once the section before the chorus was about to begin, Ari stepped forward and began singing as high as he could,

I’ll rise from the depths of water

Ooh~ wooah oh yea~

The moment his voice stopped singing, the intense beat and chorus began as each team member began singing it while performing the choreography.

Like a Swan Swan Swan

Like Swan Swan Swan

After the chorus, Suzuki Rei stepped up for the part that was supposed to be Caleb’s portion, singing it easily before stepping back and allowing Leo and Minjun to complete the rap portions.

Gale and Ian did the final two verses with Ari supporting them with the high ad-libs before the chorus began, and then transitioned into the dance break.

Although Ari did his best to keep up, he knew he wasn’t hitting all of the moves, especially with his ankle buckling every other step, but from what he could see from the corners of his eyes, nobody was doing terribly, and the vocals had been decent with only slight pitch issues.

As he performed the last bit of the song while Suzuki Rei closed them out, Ari came to the realization that maybe his team wasn’t that bad?

This performance was miles better than what he imagined in his head and much better than what had been shown during the evaluation with his last team.

Despite the previous disagreements and arguments, it seemed that everyone had memorized the lyrics and had actually practiced the dance to some extent.

Surely the judge’s criticism wouldn’t be that bad this time around.

With an expectant face, Ari stared at the judge’s table while those around him panted from the exertion.