If things were going well until the tragedy at the concert, wouldn't the best solution be to follow and repeat everything up until that point? 

It was easier said than done. 

For starters, Song Noah hadn't danced for four years, and even if he may have almost four years experience as an idol and the memories from the past, it would be extremely difficult to prepare two polished individual performances in just a few hours. There was also the issue of performing well in the group performance. 

If there's one good thing, it was that his body is currently twenty years old, and as a trainee, he should be quite used to intense practice and rehearsals. 

He can recall the song he selected for the vocal performance, however, he still needed to identify what song it was that the Song Noah from the past had performed for the dance and the group part of the evaluation. 

Each trainee undergoes an evaluation monthly, and Song Noah has performed countless songs throughout his years of activity. If he were to just figure out what song it was, he can use what he vaguely remembered as a foundation, and work on the parts in the choreography he couldn't recall. 

He couldn't just perform a different song. 

No, it would be too strange. 

The trainees had probably watched him practicing another song for the past few days, so if he were to perform a different one, it may look either reckless or suspicious. Their instructors had provided them with feedback during their individual practice, and he can potentially receive a negative evaluation by changing the song last minute. 

It can lead to a big butterfly effect…  and he didn't want to do anything reckless that can potentially affect being selected for the line-up. 

Thankfully, he had a few ideas on how he could seamlessly acquire information. 

Once the class for their dance lessons were done, Song Noah took the opportunity to approach their dance instructor. 

“Teacher Lee.” he spoke, giving his instructor a soft smile, “Do you remember the song I've been preparing for the individual dance and the group performance?”

“It's ‘Soaring’ and ‘Killer Angel’ isn't it?”

Hearing his response, Song Noah’s eyes lit up. He can remember most of the choreography for both songs. He still had to worry about the formation for the group performance, but knowing the song itself is a good starting point. 

“Yes, I was thinking if there's anything more I can improve with my performance.”

“There are parts where you're rushing the dance, and it can make you look offbeat.” the instructor pointed out, “It’s not too noticeable for a solo performance, but it's obvious when you're performing with a group. Try not to lose focus when counting and focus on the footwork.”

“Thank you, Teacher Lee.”

With the evaluation being two hours away, the trainees began preparing for the upcoming evaluation. Some trainees focused more on practicing the individual performances, while there were also those who focused on perfecting their group performance. 

As for Song Noah, he immediately searched for another member whom he recalled being grouped with. 

Isn't it lucky that he was grouped together with the sub dancer of their group, Shin Daiki? 

Despite their phones being confiscated, their company allowed trainees to use a recording device under strict supervision by the staff. 

Song Noah didn't have a video camera himself, but he recalled Shin Daiki owning and using one when they were trainees. 

After going to different training rooms, he eventually spotted him. 

“Daiki-hyung!” Song Noah called, approaching the trainee who was a year older than him. 

Shin Daiki, who had just finished practicing a single round of his dance performance, turned his head. 

“Can I watch a video of our performance, hyung?” he asked politely, “I want to see which parts I need to work on.”

The other man stared at him, looking both startled and surprised. Shin Daiki barely talked in their trainee days, and Song Noah only realized now that they still weren't close during this time. 

Slowly, the other man nodded his head, handing him the recording device that he had used. 

Song Noah watched the video attentively, focusing on memorizing their formation and blockings. Since he already had most of the choreography memorized, his main concern would be executing each step and making sure not to make any mistakes for the formation. 

After the evaluation, the management would announce three selected members for the debut line-up, while the rest would be announced for next month. Song Noah was originally announced along with Yullei and Cipher, but things could still go wrong. 

He hadn't danced for four years. His strengths didn't exactly lie in dancing, and in the past, he was only able to improve his skills through consistent practice. 

In the worst case scenario, he could end up not debuting. 

The thought of it made him pale. The monthly evaluations were always held in practice rooms, but what about after that? 

Can he even stand on the stage again? 

“... Are you okay?” Shin Daiki looked at him with a worried gaze. 

Despite looking intimidating due to his sharp features and towering height, Shin Daiki was someone who cared a lot towards the people around him. 

“Yes.”

“You're shaking.”

Was he? 

He should focus more on the task at hand. If he allowed his fears and worries to consume him, he wouldn't be able to accomplish his goal. 

In this world, Yullei is still alive. 

“Haha… I must be nervous.” Song Noah clenched his fist in an attempt to hide his fingers that trembled, “Can we practice a bit? At least two or three rounds would do. We can practice more for our individual performances after this.”

“Okay.”

Shin Daiki called the three other trainees who were grouped with them, and the three trainees immediately hurried. 

Surprisingly, it wasn't too difficult to follow along. His skills weren't better compared to how he performed during his time in Dynamic Error, but dancing to ‘Killer Angel’ was like a muscle memory. It wouldn't be possible if the Song Noah from the past hadn't been working hard. He felt a bit proud of himself for that. 

Their group practiced the choreography three times as agreed, and the other trainees began rehearsing for their individual performance. 

Song Noah was about to do the same, when Shin Daiki suddenly tapped him on his wrist 

The suddenness of his action made Noah instinctively pull his hands away. 

Their eyes met, and the other trainee stared at him without blinking. He couldn't tell what was going on in Daiki's head, until the former sub dancer opened his palm, handing him a small candy. 

“Shh…” 

Shin Daiki placed his finger on his lips, signalling him to keep it a secret. 

It was impressive how he managed to sneak some sweets. 

Somehow, it couldn't help but make Noah smile. 

“Thanks, hyung… I appreciate it a lot.”

Seeing Noah's smile, the older trainee looked pleased. 

Rather than eating the candy, Noah had it hidden in his pockets since it wouldn’t be good to eat any sugar before any vocal performance. Even so, Daiki’s small gesture of kindness had helped ease the anxiousness he felt. 

Unlike with ‘Killer Angel’, Song Noah struggled with ‘Soaring’. 

For this type of song, knowing the choreography isn't enough. ‘Soaring’ relies a lot on the execution, with the concept centering around birds, the song includes a lot of swift and sophisticated movements. It meant that he needed to make his movements appear light and elegant, while still looking sharp and agile. 

During monthly evaluations, Song Noah always opted to perform songs that can show a different range, and he could tell that he must've selected the song since Killer Angel required big and powerful moves. 

He was, after all, a trainee desperate to debut, and tackling different genres would make them more likely to see which concept he was best suited for. 

It was a double edged sword. He couldn't remember the type of feedback he received during his dance and group performance, but he recalled receiving positive evaluation for the vocal part. 

Still, he can't become complacent. 

An hour left before the evaluation, Song Noah headed straight for one of the vocal training rooms. 

Since most of the trainees often prefer to practice in rooms with the best equipment, the former main vocalist went to the room he recalled to have the worst equipment and facilities. 

When he opened the door, the first thing that caught his attention was the sound of a sustained C5 note, followed by an emotional voice that sang with clear pronunciation. The trainee's voice was flawless, and the sound of it made Song Noah's mind go blank. 

It was a voice that he knew well. 

Yullei, the second main vocalist and the center of Dynamic Error. 

Even as a trainee, he was someone who effortlessly drew everyone’s attention, making it impossible for you to look away. With his voice and his stunning appearance, the best way to describe him would be a siren that lures you to sea. 

Noticing his presence, Yullei briefly stared at his direction, all while continuing to sing without missing a note. It was only a single glance.

There were many things that Song Noah wished to say, yet all he could do was stare and watch him as he sang. 

Yullei didn't know him yet. 

To him, he was just another trainee aiming for a chance to debut.