Chapter 418 Prime (1)
Haemin, a secret fan of EVE, held back his smile as he continued observing June. Although he still stands by the fact that June is a natural pinkhead, having him dye his hair blonde was also a great choice. Under the stage lights, he looked like an angel, and Haemin had to pinch himself to get back to professional mode. "SPADES and EVE, what an unexpected combination. How did you guys find the preparation?" Haemin asked. Y took the microphone and smiled. "We got into a fistfight," he seriously said, causing the judges and the audience to exclaim in shock. "Stay tuned to that on tomorrow's broadcast," he teased, making them wonder whether he was telling the truth or not. Hanbin shook his head and took the mic from him. "There were some tense moments," he said. "But we've become closer the more we practice. EVE are really great idols, so I hope you won't believe everything you see on the internet." "Of course," Haemin said. "Wise words from Hanbin over here. Now, June, why the sudden change in hair color?" June pursed his lips as the microphone was handed to him. "I just thought it was a nice change. My roots were showing, so I asked my hairdresser to dye my hair back to my natural color. However, in the end, I woke up with blonde hair." The crowd chuckled at June's anecdote. It was true, though. June fell asleep while getting his hair dyed, and before he even knew it, Kumo had already done his magic. Haemin smiled and faced the camera. "Well, I can't delay this any further. Let us now watch EVE's and SPADES' performance!" The crowd cheered once again as the stage became pitch black. Then, subtle sounds were heard as the production crew brought out the props for their performance. June smirked as he touched the sleek material of their prop. Although SBC was shit at editing, they definitely had a lot of budget. After a few minutes, the members finally took their positions. Then, the stage lights flickered to life, revealing a metallic backdrop adorned with sparkling bedazzles. The members' outfits, which had a similar concept to their backdrop, caught the spotlight and dazzlingly shimmered under it. Although they were inside a studio where the stars couldn't be seen, it felt like the members were the stars themselves. The stage was also adorned with props, and there, in all its glory, was a sleek car—a metallic convertible that left the audience in awe.
"They got a car?" Seven exclaimed, standing from his seat. Uno smirked. "They're really determined to win, huh?" June, with one of his sleeves provocatively cut off, revealed his lean biceps, which were accentuated under the stage lights.
"What a tease," Bora shook her head. Meanwhile, Jia was already too lost in the void. She couldn't even hear the noise around her. Her focus was solely on June.
The other members were no less captivating, clad in tight-fitting clothes that had even non-fans cheering in awe.
As the music's trap beat filled the studio, the formation of EVE and SPADES took shape. Six members lined up on one side, and the other six on the opposite, staring each other down. The spotlight intensified as they stood face to face. Y's vocals kicked in while they continued gazing at each other with boastful expressions, each member radiating a laid-back charm. "I'm in my zone, haters on mute.
Focused on the future, no time for disputes.
Money in the bank, unbothered and paid,
They can talk that talk, but my success won't fade." Then, they began to dance as the percussion kicked in. However, it wasn't the type of synchronized dance the audience had anticipated. Instead, it felt more like a rally. It felt familiar—like the Step-up movies that everyone wanted to be a part of when they were younger. Kang, one of the judges, raised his eyebrows in surprise. SPADES' and EVE's choreography was different from the original one. However, it didn't leave a bad taste in his mouth. They incorporated quite a lot of styles in their dance—mixing first-generation movements in a third-generation song. "This concept," Gideon muttered, trying to figure out what was happening. It was damn cool, though, and he wondered what it would feel like to join in on their stage. "It's a battle," Haruki said, feeling a bit defeated. "A battle within a battle." As the chorus hit, their coolness took another level. That was the only word the watchers could think of—'cool.' It was the type of coolness that made them wish they were idols. "Prime, prime, prime. This is my prime, prime, prime. Won't accept mediocrity, I'll settle for sublime.
Prime, prime, prime. This is my prime, prime, prime. Being the best—I'm guilty of that crime." Even during the first chorus, they didn't dance the same choreography. However, surprisingly, they didn't look separated at all. Their dance was synergistic—the two groups almost building off of the other's movements.
"I'm on another level, watch me elevate,
They can yap, but I'm sealin' my fate.
Every hater's just a step on my stairway,
To the top, where the real players stay."
The beat calmed down for a couple of seconds until it became even faster than before. "Why does June not have any parts yet?" Soomin couldn't help but ask. "Yeah, almost all of the vocalists have already sung. He hasn't even done any doubling yet. He didn't even sing during the chorus," Bora observed. Haruki frowned, also finding it strange that EVE's center hadn't gone yet. "Xion," he said. "Yup?" Xion asked, his eyes focused on the screen. Out of everyone in the room, Xion was the one who knew the most about Rising Stars. "June," Haruki started off. "Does he rap?" Xion's eyes widened, now knowing why June hadn't sung yet.
"He does," he mindlessly responded. Haruki pursed his lips and nodded. Nashon, the member with the shortest training time, turned to Haruki. "Was he a good rapper when you were trainees?" he asked. Haruki merely shook his head, feeling a bit skeptical.
Choi Joon-ho wasn't good at rapping at all. June, knowing his part was coming next, immersed himself in the song. He smirked as the camera focused on him, causing the cheers to grow louder. "He's so hot," Jia groaned, squeezing Bora's arm so tight it started losing circulation. With confidence, June strutted toward the convertible, his hand tracing the sleek contours of the car.
Then, he placed his hand on the edge of the convertible, leaning in with a smirk that could rival any movie star. In one smooth motion, he entered the car, fingers brushing against the steering wheel as if claiming the throne of the stage. "Wait. This is a rap part, right?" "He's going to rap?" "I didn't know he could rap!" June leaned back against the seat, one hand on the steering wheel Then, he faced the camera, ready to show them the versatility of EVE's center.
