The studio lights dimmed until the stage was almost completely swallowed by darkness. Only the massive LED screen at the back remained lit, its glow spilling faint colors across the crowd as the program's theme SEVENTEEN flashed across it.
The venue was already packed with fans, each one holding banners for the contestants they supported. Some stared intently at the stage, trying to catch even the slightest movement. Others leaned closer to their friends, whispering in hushed excitement, while a few simply stand still, eyes fixed forward, quietly waiting for the show to begin.
Then suddenly, a sharp clicking sound echoed across the entire studio and
the LED screens went black.
Everyone froze.
Almost instinctively, all eyes turned toward the stage, waiting.
"The day of the final battle had finally arrived."
A deep voice rang through the venue, low and commanding, sending a ripple of anticipation through the crowd. The screens remained dark and the texts appeared, perfectly in sync with the narration.
"Tonight…"
A brief pause.
"Is their last chance to prove their worth."
The screens flickered back to life, though the visuals remained dark. Slowed, shadowed clips of past performances appeared, along with intense rehearsals and fleeting moments that captured the contestants' determination.
"To show what they're truly capable of."
The clips shifted to more emotional scenes. Trainees embracing each other, crying and breaking down.
"And one last battle to decide…"
"Who will stand at the top…"
The LED backdrop turned completely black once more.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
A heartbeat echoed through the speakers, replacing the music.
"And who will debut as…"
TWICE
The moment the name appeared, the entire stage burst back to life. Lights flared on, and spotlights swept across the stage and into the crowd as the music surged back to its peak.
Beneath the stage, Llana stood with the rest of the Major group on the platform, waiting for their time to be called.
A mix of excitement, nervousness, fear, and anticipation filled her chest. Sweat formed on her palms, turning cold.
She could hardly wait to debut.
It still felt unreal. Just thinking about it made her eyes sting with tears, not from sadness, but from overwhelming joy.
She knew how hard the previous Llana had worked and how much she had prayed for this day.
Llana felt sad for her, for not being able to reach her dream on her own.
But at the same time, Llana was grateful. She was glad to be the one living this dream for her.
"The moment everyone has been waiting for… has finally arrived. Good evening, everyone. I'm Oh Sang-jun, your host for tonight. Annyeonghaseyo."
She shifted her attention to the small screen in front of them, watching the live feed from above. Watching the emcee standing confidently at center stage.
Oh Sang-jun, a well known broadcaster and a favorite emcee on Mnet programs, spoke with calm authority as he bowed to the audience.
"Today, you will witness the birth of TWICE."
His tone sharpened, instantly igniting the crowd.
Cheers and screams erupted throughout the venue.
"ARE YOU READY?" he roared, thrusting the microphone toward the audience.
"YES!"
He received an equally intense, loud, and unified chorus of thunderous response that shook the entire studio.
Sang-jun smiled, clearly pleased with their reaction. "Then I won't make this any longer. Introducing… SEVENTEEN."
The stage lighting shifted, bathing the stage in the program's signature colors, magenta and blue.
Behind him, the LED screen flashed a bold SEVENTEEN.
Llana took a deep breath and stood still beside Chou Tzuyu, crossing her arms over her chest as she prepared to be lifted up.
"Starting with… MAJOR 8!"
The right side of the stage lit up, and the massive LED display changed, revealing MAJOR in bold letters.
One by one, the Major members rose from the stage platforms, emerging under blinding lights and deafening cheers.
Llana and the rest stepped forward, moving toward center stage until they stood beside the host.
She scanned the audience, her face slowly blooming into a smile as she took in the entire scene.
She saw banners of different sizes being waved by her supporters as they shouted her name. Some banners had her picture, while others displayed her name in bold letters.
Their team's theme color was blue. She wore an oversized blue baseball jersey layered over a black cropped tube top, paired with high waisted fitted black shorts.
The outfit was simple, very different from what she had worn in their last group performance.
Llana smiled warmly at the audience, especially her supporters, greeting them with a gentle wave.
"And now, we will be calling the tenacious remaining five… MINOR!"
The emcee called the remaining five Minor members, who entered the same way as before.
"Everyone, meet… SEVENTEEN!"
The emcee introduced them once again, and Llana, along with the others, bowed politely.
"Annyeonghaseyo!"
"But we cannot begin without the man behind SEVENTEEN. Last but not least, let's welcome Park Jin-young!"
Llana clapped along with the others, looking up toward the terrace like platform at the center where JYP sat.
"Annyeong, I'm Park Jin-young. I'm happy to see all of you. Thank you so much for coming today."
He bowed lightly, then turned back to the emcee.
"Also, thank you, Oh Sang-jun-ssi, for hosting today."
"Ne, kamsahamnida," Oh Sang-jun replied with a bow before asking, "Today is the final mission. How do you feel about that?"
JYP chuckled softly, scratching his temple with his index finger.
"Uhm… haha. I'm actually very nervous today, just like the members."
His tone grew more serious. "This is the final stage that will determine the members. I'll be watching very carefully and making my decisions with full consideration."
"Part of me is relieved knowing there is an audience here who can help me decide. So please, watch each performance with the utmost focus."
"Over the past months, you've observed the members through many missions. Do you already have someone in mind for TWICE?"
"I do," he admitted with a smile. "But it changes a little every time. Each mission shows me something new about them. Still… this is the final stage, so I have to make my decision now."
After a few more questions, JYP explained the rules for the final mission.
Each group would perform different songs assigned to them for the first round. After the performances, JYP would decide which group performed better. The same process would follow in the second round, where both groups would perform the same song.
After the final performances, the audience would cast their votes before leaving, ranking the top eight contestants they wanted to debut as members of TWICE.
There would be two types of rankings—one from the live audience and another from online voting.
These votes would serve as key factors in determining the final lineup of TWICE.
"We will now officially begin the competition. But before that, let's hear a few words from the members. Let's start with Sana."
The emcee turned to her.
"Sana, any thoughts for today?"
"Uh…" Sana paused, gathering her thoughts. "I can't believe this is already the last mission. Please continue to support everyone, not just us in the Major team, but also the Minor team. Everyone has worked really hard."
The emcee then turned to Llana.
"Llana, many of your fans came today. What would you like to say to them?"
Llana smiled warmly at the audience, her eyes filled with gratitude.
"Thank you so much for coming today."
She bowed deeply before continuing.
"We will do our absolute best to give a performance that will not disappoint you. Please enjoy and support every group's performance."
The emcee continued asking the others a few more questions.
"Now, we will finally begin SEVENTEEN's final mission."
He turned toward the stage.
"Please watch the Major Group's 'Truth.'"