The production assistant signaled the sound tech, her expression carefully neutral.
"Alright. Let's see what you've got, boys."
The overhead lights brightened—not the full assault of stage illumination, but enough to transform the practice room into something resembling a performance space.
The other trainees stepped back, forming a loose half-circle around the center, creating an impromptu arena.
Whispers rippled through the group.
Someone muttered, "They're really doing this?"
The camera operators positioned themselves strategically, capturing multiple angles.
One focused on Hyunki's face. The other waited to frame my performance.
The production assistant's clipboard dangled forgotten at her side.
I stepped to the center of the room, my reflection multiplying across the mirrored walls.
The sound tech cued the track.
The haunting melody filled the room, joined quickly by the orchestral strings and distant choir voices.
