Llana was immersed in her work at the recording studio, surrounded by equipments that she was navigating with the help of her system. Floating guides in her vision were providing real-time instructions on how to adjust the gear, making the task of arranging the song's instrumentals surprisingly straightforward. Thanks to the system's integration of every song she purchased directly into her brain, Llana could easily grasp the nuances of each piece she worked on.
In just an hour, Llana completed the instrumental arrangement, leaving only the task of recording a complementary second voice. As she was focused on laying down the vocal tracks, the door to the studio swung open, drawing her attention. She looked up to see Park Ye-eun of Wonder Girls—an acclaimed singer-songwriter—entering the room.
"Annyeonghaseyo, sunbaenim!"Llana greeted her with a respectful bow.
"Hello, Llana, right? I was supposed to meet you at the training center with Jiwon and Mingyoung," Park Ye-eun responded with a warm smile.
Llana's eyes widened as she realized she had forgotten the meeting. "Oh no! I'm so sorry, sunbaenim. It slipped my mind. I'm really sorry." She bowed deeply in apology.
"Hahaha, don't worry about it. It's okay," Ye-eun said, waving her hands dismissively. "I asked one of the PDs for your location, and they told me you were here in the recording room. So, what are you working on?"
"I'm arranging the instrumentals for a song I wrote. I just finished, and I'm almost done recording the second voice," Llana explained.
"Wow, that's impressive. Finish up, and then I'd love to observe if that's alright with you," Ye-eun requested.
"Yes," Llana replied.
Continuing with her recording, Llana spent another three minutes finishing the vocal track, then spent an additional five minutes integrating it with the instrumentals. With a final adjustment, she declared, "I'm done, sunbaenim."
Eh? That's fast," Ye-eun said, clearly amazed. She had been watching Llana work, and despite the minimalistic nature of the arrangement, it was clear that the song's uplifting, empowering tone was well-crafted. The main piano and rhythm guitar were complemented by subtle electronic touches, and the second voice had a warm, harmonizing quality.
"Can you play a bit for me? How long did it take you to complete all this?" Ye-eun asked, curious to gauge Llana's skill level.
"An hour and a half," Llana responded honestly.
"Really?!" Ye-eun exclaimed in disbelief.
She marveled at how Llana managed to finish everything so quickly. Though the composition might seem basic in terms of instrumentation, its true complexity lay in the careful crafting of energy, dynamics, and emotional impact through minimalistic yet effective means.
To Ye-eun, Llana's ability to achieve such results in such a short time was nothing short of extraordinary.
Llana performed a section of This Is Me.
Ye-eun listened intently with an expressionless face.
After Llana finished, she said, "Llana, I'm amazed by your ability to hit the low notes and then soar into the highest ones that's very difficult. Your voice and the emotion you convey give life to the song. But something is lacking that would wholly captivate the audience, especially JYP. You need to figure that out to make JYP truly impressed."
As Llana processed Ye-eun's feedback, she reflected deeply on the notion of "captivating the audience." She understood that while her technical skill and emotional expression were strong, something was still missing in her performance.
It wasn't just about hitting the right notes or conveying emotion; it was about creating a unique and magnetic presence that drew people in and made them feel an undeniable connection to her music.
She thinks she already found the answer.
----
The day of the intense battle had finally arrived.
"Annyeong!" JYP greeted them as he stepped onto the main stage. Llana, along with the others, bowed and greeted him in return.
JYP smiled, "Did you all prepare well this week?"
"Ne!" they responded in unison.
"You probably stressed over what to do, right?" JYP continued, chuckling as everyone laughed in agreement. They had practiced tirelessly, some even losing sleep over it. The Majors were determined to defend their spots, while the Minors were eager to seize a chance at the Major ranks.
"Since I know you worked hard to prepare, let's start with your performances," JYP said before taking his seat at the judging table. Keywords representing each contestant appeared on the LED stage floor. Llana's keyword was "This is Me," the title of the song she would be performing.
JYP began calling out random keywords for the performers. The first was '19,' which belonged to Nayeon. Llana watched as Nayeon sang and danced. Nayeon was an all-rounder—she could sing and dance well, and her natural expressiveness added to her charm. But today, Llana noticed that Nayeon's strength had become her weakness; her performance lacked the natural ease she usually had. This was confirmed when JYP commented.
"Nayeon, what do you think is your strength?" JYP asked.
"My natural facial expressions and gestures," Nayeon answered.
"Hmm," JYP hummed. "I think that was your flaw today. Your emotions didn't seem natural."
"Our next performer, 'This is Me,'" JYP announced.
Llana walked toward the stage, her presence radiating confidence. "Annyeonghaseyo," she greeted.
"Annyeong! What will you perform for us, Llana?" JYP asked.
"I will perform a song I wrote myself," Llana replied.
"Oh? Another one?" JYP asked, surprised.
"Ne! The title of my song is 'This is me.'"
"I hope you give us a lovely performance then," JYP said with a smile as the lights dimmed, and a spotlight focused on Llana at the center of the stage. She lowered her head, letting the soft, inspiring instrumental draw the everyone into her world.
"I've always been the kind of girl that hid my face…"
Llana slowly raised her head as she sang, confessing the timid girl she once was—too meek, too shy to speak her mind.
"So afraid to tell the world what I've got to say…"
The words came out soft and cautious, carrying the weight of all the nights she had felt invisible. Her shoulders were tense, her eyes downcast.
"But I have this dream…
Right inside of me…
I'm gonna let it show, it's time…"
Her chest tightened with memory—how the previous Llana had dreamed of becoming an idol but could never realize it because of her fragile body. It was as if she had been born with the talent and heart of an idol, yet trapped in the wrong body.
But tonight, she would be seen. Tonight, she would shine.
"To let you know…
To let you know…
This is real, this is me
I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be now
Gonna let the light shine on me
Now I've found who I am…"
Her chin lifted, her voice rising with energy and confidence as the instrumentals swelled. She faced the audience, a bright smile on her lips. Her right arm stretched wide, claiming the stage as her own.
"There's no way to hold it in
No more hiding who I want to be
This is me…"
Tears pricked at her eyes, but she didn't flinch. She was no longer the girl trapped by fear, she is no longer the girl trapped in a fragile body. She was strong, standing tall, claiming her space, letting the world finally see the real her.
She had found her voice, embraced her past, and stepped fully into her dream.
And now, finally, everyone would know.
"Woah," Jungyeon whispered eyes full of amazement at Llana's performance. It doesn't even feel like a debuting artist. It was like a veteran performance. She had to admit Llanas performance exceed their expectations. Its beyond.
"Daebak! I'm crying," Chaeyoung whispered to Nayeon, fanning her eyes to stop the tears—she couldn't ruin her makeup, not before her own performance.
"It's so emotional," Nayeon replied, her eyes turning red. The others were also moved, especially Somi, who understood the lyrics deeply due to her proficiency in English.
"Hahaha, I can't believe you made me emotional, Llana! The title really suits you!" JYP exclaimed, shaking his head with a smile.
Soon after, more names were called, and the stage came alive with a variety of performances—singing, dancing, and even some unique acts.
Sana's cooking act had everyone laughing, including Llana, especially when Sana suddenly interrupted JYP mid-bite to insist the vegetables weren't organic. Llana covered her mouth, stifling a giggle, shaking her head in amusement.
Dahyun followed with her signature eagle dance, shocking even JYP.