The mentors gave off their comments one by one, excitement practically buzzing from their voices.
Lisa leaned in first, eyes gleaming. "That was one of the most unexpected and refreshing things I've seen on this stage. I don't even know how to process it—Baby Shark with vocal runs? Soul? Attitude? You killed it!"
Cheetah nodded, grinning. "You didn't just sing it—you sold it. Your voice has this husky texture that made everything feel intimate but still powerful. It's rare for someone to take something so playful and flip it into art."
Yu-mi added, "Your vocal control was clean, and your adlibs? Gave me goosebumps. You clearly understand how to shape a performance vocally."
Even Hyun Sik, who had kept mostly quiet until now, clapped slowly with a smirk. "That was a risk. And you pulled it off with complete commitment. I'll remember that performance for a long time."
Ji Hyo listened intently, his hands clasped in front of him as he bowed respectfully after each comment. He was overwhelmed but steady, smiling softly, his cheeks warm from praise.
But then, one of the mentors tilted their head thoughtfully.
"But… Ji Hyo, I noticed something," said Yu-mi, pen still in hand. "You only sang. Your performance was mostly vocal and expressive gestures. You didn't… really dance."
Lisa blinked, realization dawning. "Oh! She's right. I was so caught up in the song I didn't even notice. But yes—you barely moved around the stage aside from some hand gestures."
Cheetah gave a slow nod. "You commanded the stage without choreography, which is impressive on its own. But is there a reason you didn't include any dance?"
The room quieted a little, everyone turning to look at Ji Hyo.
Ji Hyo blinked.
Inside, he was spiraling.
Should I lie? Should I say it was part of the concept? That it was intentional?
But somehow, lying felt worse.
He took a deep breath, voice calm but awkward as he replied honestly—
"Actually… I-I can't dance."
There was a pause.
"I mean," he added quickly, rubbing the back of his neck, "I really, really can't dance. At all. Like… I have two left feet. No rhythm. I've tried. A lot. But my body just… doesn't cooperate."
The room burst into laughter—not mocking, but surprised and amused.
Lisa was wide-eyed. "Wait—you made that arrangement, sang like that, and you're telling me dancing is your weakness?"
Cheetah chuckled. "You've got the voice of a main vocal and the face of a center, but no dance skills? That's honestly… kind of iconic."
Felix, from his seat, whispered loudly, "That's my cute shark! Can't swim on land—but he can sing you to tears!"
Ji Hyo covered his face with both hands for a moment, groaning softly. But when he peeked out, he couldn't help smiling too.
Awkward? Yes.
Embarrassing? A little.
But somehow… being honest felt freeing.
And judging by the soft chuckles and amused glances from the mentors, it only made him more endearing.
The mentors talked a little bit more and told Ji Hyo that he should work on his dance. He can't just debut with just the face and the voice, He needs dancing skills too. Ji Hyo acknowledge the kind suggestion and went back to his seat.
The mentors exchanged glances, their laughter fading into a more thoughtful tone.
"You know, Ji Hyo," said Lisa gently, "as much as your performance blew us away vocally… in this industry, especially as an idol, it's really hard to debut and survive without at least basic dancing skills."
Cheetah nodded. "You have the talent and the presence. But this field is competitive. Voice and visuals will get you attention—but dance gives you staying power. You've got to move with the music too."
Yu-mi added, "We say this because we see potential in you. If you put even half the effort into dance as you did into that vocal performance, you'll be dangerous. In a good way."
Ji Hyo bowed politely, grateful despite the growing pit in his stomach.
"Yes, mentors," he said with a soft but determined voice. "I understand. I'll definitely work on my dance. Thank you for the guidance."
He turned and walked back to his seat.
As he passed by the rows of contestants, many eyes followed him—some amused, some curious, some quietly impressed. A few were still recovering from the shock of that performance, and one or two of the more competitive trainees shot him unreadable looks.
Felix, of course, immediately leaned over with a proud grin. "You did amazing," he whispered. "You really sang a Baby Shark ballad in front of the whole industry. Who does that?"
Ji Hyo chuckled, slipping into his seat. "A desperate trainee with no dance skills, apparently."
"You're my hero," Felix said, patting his shoulder. "Now we just need to work on that body roll."
Ji Hyo groaned, burying his face in his hands again—but he was smiling underneath.
Felix couldn't resist.
"So… can't dance at all, huh?" he whispered, nudging Ji Hyo's elbow with a smirk. "Not even a little hip sway? A two-step?"
Ji Hyo shot him a look. "Do you want me to spontaneously combust from shame?"
Felix laughed under his breath, then leaned in closer with mock seriousness. "Honestly though, with that voice and face? You could probably just stand still on stage and people would still scream."
Ji Hyo narrowed his eyes. "I did stand still."
"That's the joke, pretty boy."
Ji Hyo covered his face again as Felix giggled beside him, clearly having the time of his life teasing him.
Just then, Hyun Sik's voice echoed once again across the hall.
"All right, next up—AZ Entertainment."
A subtle ripple of anticipation spread through the room. AZ was known for producing strong all-rounders and stage-commanding performers. The lights dimmed, and three trainees from AZ stepped onto the stage—tall, sharp-featured, with practiced grace in their movements.
Ji Hyo peeked through his fingers as the trio bowed and greeted the mentors.
"We're trainees from AZ Entertainment. Thank you for the opportunity."
Lisa smiled, clearly familiar with their agency's reputation. "AZ always brings power. Looking forward to it."
The music began.
It was fast-paced, powerful—electro-pop with heavy beats. The three trainees snapped into motion like machines tuned for performance. Their synchronization was tight, energy explosive, and their transitions between formations smooth as silk. Each of them had moments to shine, but the center—Kang Jihoon—radiated undeniable charisma.
"Wow," Felix muttered beside Ji Hyo, eyes glued to the stage. "They're not playing around."
Ji Hyo nodded quietly. It was clear these weren't just trainees—they were future stars in the making.
The crowd was captivated as the AZ trio delivered the final chorus with a powerful ripple of footwork and a group jump that landed in flawless sync. Lights flashed, the beat dropped—and the performance ended with a hard, clean pose.
Applause thundered across the room.
Even Ji Hyo couldn't help but clap a little harder than usual, heart thumping. This… this was the standard he had to catch up to.
Felix let out a long whistle, impressed. "Yeah… they're monsters."
Ji Hyo just nodded again.
He suddenly felt the weight of the journey ahead of him—but also a spark. A flicker of something unfamiliar.
Not fear.
Determination.