I don't know if anyone is still reading this, but I've been quite busy with school. I do plan to finish this fanfiction though... eventually... Stay tuned for updates

This is a little short but whatever. 

The performance was emotional for all of us, especially for Moonbok and I. Moonbok chokes on his rap, while my eyes are wet after finishing my rap, remembering the uncertainties I faced after disowning my parents and beginning my training. We make sure to relish this moment for as long as we could – it was a more meaningful experience than my first performance by far.  

              Walking backstage, two figures wrap me in a hug. Eunbi and Jinyoung. Jinyoung had gone right after me, lighting up the stage with his fiery rap and his “Woo Jinyoung mitcheotji” catchphrase.

              “Your rap was so gooooood!” Eunbi whines. “I was crying the whole time! A bunch of other people were, too.” Wow, I just did that. My rap had apparently moved everyone to tears. I suddenly feel a sense of strange accomplishment.  

              “Thanks! But Jinyoung’s rap was great, too, in a different way. Probably even better than mine. You must be obsessed with the word mitcheotji,” I tease Jinyoung, patting him on the back.  

              “I really must be crazy then,” Jinyoung brags, adding a wink.

              Next to Jinyoung are his teammates Sanggyun, Euiwoong, and Minho, sweaty from their lit Show Me the Money performance. Sanggyun admits, “I’m a little scared, to be honest.”  

              “Let’s leave the results up to God,” Euiwoong, the youngest, encourages him. Then he catches me smiling at his comment. “You’re a Christian too?” I nod without hesitation.

              “Why don’t we go back to the viewing area? The dance performances are about to start.” Eunbi calls out. Along with Jinyoung’s team, I follow Eunbi to the rest of the contestants.

              “Pop” is the first dance team to perform, and consists of the low-ranked contestants, including some who weren’t able to get a vocal or rap position. Seeing them perform reminded me of my Mansae performance last time, where we as the underdogs created a fun stage, knowing full well that all of us could be eliminated in the next round. Despite their bittersweet situation, the “Pop” team members are all smiles by the end, even humourously bringing out signs that spelled out “save us”.

              When it comes time to applaud, I notice Jisung a few rows behind me clapping in a circle, telling his teammates, “this is the intelligent way to clap”. Pretty soon, the “round of applause” (no pun intended) has spread to almost everyone in the viewing area like a contagious disease. Eunbi and I repeatedly imitate the Jisung clap afterward, facing each other and laughing like kids.

              For once, the worries about making it to the next round are behind us, and a sense of true unity is present.