Before the song was revealed, the studio felt indifferent. The crowd was seemingly uninterested in yet another untalented group of hopefuls that dared compete against one of the greatest teams in the competition.
"I'm really not expecting a lot from this team," Gun said to the other mentors who were watching backstage.
"I heard they changed a lot with their performance," Jihyun said.
"Are you guys sure they're performing Mermaid Melodies?" Hyerin asked. "Their outfits scream that they're going to perform another song."
"I don't know," Woo-jin said. "We don't have any final evaluations this time, so we don't have a clue about how they changed their performance."
The lights dimmed further, leaving the stage shrouded in darkness. A single spotlight flickered to life, revealing the silhouettes of the trainees. The faint sound of a haunting melody filled the room, drawing the audience's attention.
"Mafia Melodies…"
Still, with the haunting music in the background, C-Jay opened his mouth to sing the next lines.
"What?" Gun asked, sitting on the edge of his seat. "C-Jay's singing?"
"And this arrangement…," Jihyun trailed. "It actually sounds…good?"
"In the depths of the ocean, a tale unfolds,
A mermaid's heart entwined with secrets untold.
She swims in darkness, her world concealed,
Where shadows dance, emotions sealed."
As the beat intensified, Bin stepped forward and led the dance routine. They decided to keep the routine simple since some of their members were still lacking in dancing skills.
However, that seemed to be a good decision since they appeared to be in sync.
Gun frowned as he continued watching the performance.
"Oh, gosh. They're actually doing a good job," Hyerin exclaimed.
Jaeyong and his members watched from backstage. He raised his eyebrows in surprise as Akira, their Japanese member, sang the next lines with confidence and ease.
Akira had been telling Jaeyong that he's been losing confidence in the competition, and that's part of the reason why Jaeyong didn't pick him for his team.
However, Akira seemed to be doing a pretty good job.
Minx's voice boomed through the mic as he rapped in a nonchalant manner. The bubbly and lovely rap from the original song turning into a dark confession of love.
"A chance encounter in the moonlit haze,
Fates entangled in forbidden ways.
Siren's heart, drawn to the danger's call,
A dangerous man, where one's destined to fall."
Somehow, the audience didn't feel like their concept was out of place. Surely, the original song had a bubbly and summery vibe, but as they listened to the lyrics, it actually seemed a bit haunting.
The story of "Mermaid Melodies" talked about a young, innocent girl falling in love with a dangerous human and doing everything she could to make him fall in love with her.
And the concept that Abyss had chosen perfectly embodied the song by interpreting it in a different way.
It wasn't an innocent love.
In contrast, it was a forbidden love.
As the chorus aproached, June stepped forward, his aura powerful even in the dim light. He took a deep breath and unleashed his mesmerizing vocals, his voice filled with raw darkness. The audience, caught off guard by the sudden display of talent, fell silent.
Jia watched the scene before her with wide eyes. She could hear her heart pounding, and her gaze was focused on the guy wearing a black cat mask on stage.
The crowd's indifference began to wane as they watched, intrigued. Eli's rapping skills follow, his verses cutting through the air like a knife. Although he wasn't as good as Zeth, Jaeyong, or Casper, he definitely surprised the trainees and judges with his unexpected skill.
"Eli's a rapper?"
"No, he's a vocalist!"
Jihyun watched the stage with bright eyes.
"That June kid," she said. "He's really special."
Minho nodded as he continued watching their stage.
The entire group moved with an intensity that commanded attention. The stage became a canvas for their emotions, and the audience couldn't help but be drawn in.
It felt like they were also stuck in a forbidden love.
Na-ri wanted to remain faithful to Jaeyong's team, but why is this group actually performing so well?
As the chorus returned, June's voice soared, hitting notes that seem almost otherworldly.
Casper's eyebrows shot up in surprise.
Ren and Yuri also intently watched the stage.
The trainees backstage, who were initially dismissive, now watched with wide eyes, astonished by the transformation of their peers.
"His soul as dark as the abyss of the sea,
Yet she saw the fragments of a heart longing to be free.
Pushing her away, to escape her allure,
But her voice in the waves would endure."
The dark performance continued, the trainees pouring their hearts and souls into each movement, each lyric, each beat.
"Whispers echo through the night,
A deal is made, and stars align.
Underworld, a lethal dance,
She's bound by fate, entwined in chance."
The audience was entranced, their earlier indifference replaced by awe and admiration.
"The tides of fate turn against their will,
The mermaid's heart aches, longing to heal.
In the depths, she finds him, broken and lost,
But a love like theirs comes at a cost."
As the song reaches its climax, the group delivered a powerful finale. Jangmoon faltered a bit, but June held onto his wrist and brought him back to their formation.
Jia noticed his quick action and couldn't help but admire him more.
Her eyes widened in surprise when she realized what was happening to her.
She glanced at her friends and suddenly felt a new connection with them.
Holy shit!
Is she turning into one of them?
The last verse played, and June's voice echoed through the room.
"Oh, a forbidden love in the twilight zone,
A mermaid and a man, forever to atone.
Love defying the oceans, defying the stars,
As they rest in eternity, united at last, forever afar."
The spotlight dimmed, leaving only the faint glow of their sweat-drenched faces.
The camera panned to the members one by one, yet the studio was still encapsulated in silence.
Jihyun smirked as she observed her fellow mentors who appeared to be in disbelief.
'I never stopped believing in you, June!'
The trainees, too, didn't expect such a performance from a group of tacky trainees.
As the screen faded to black, Akira wondered whether they did such an atrocious job that they had left everyone speechless.
The room remained silent for a moment. Then, the studio shook as the crowd erupted into thunderous applause.
