-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Dance Test Showdown
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Starting off with Kim Sun-woo."
"Let's see what the top first-year has got."
The judges wore intrigued expressions as Kim Sun-woo took the stage for the very first slot.
And this reaction wasn't just because of Kim Sun-woo.
"Harp for the dance test."
"And the accompanist is Han Yu-ra. This first stage is going to be something."
"Han Yu-ra? The one who competed in the high school concerto back at her arts middle school days?"
Han Yu-ra, a rising harp prodigy, was also a hot topic among the music teachers.
Today's judges were instructors from the upper classes, who didn't handle freshmen.
Having only heard the rampant rumors about Kim Sun-woo and Han Yu-ra, they'd never seen their skills firsthand, so they paid extra close attention.
"Then we'll begin."
"Please take care of us."
Han Yu-ra sat down at the pre-set harp, while Kim Sun-woo positioned himself on one side of the stage and lightly stretched.
"Kim Sun-woo first again?"
"You're setting the bar sky-high right from the start—what are we supposed to do?"
Just like in the acting test, the fact that Kim Sun-woo was slotted first again left the students in despair.
They'd at least wanted to go before him.
That was how overwhelmingly dominant his stages always were.
And now he'd brought a harp into the mix—no wonder everyone was worried.
The rumor that Kim Sun-woo had picked a harp major as his accompanist had spread like wildfire.
Today was the day they'd finally hear that legendary harp playing for real.
On top of that, no one had a clue just how insane a choreography Kim Sun-woo might unleash, so the students watched the stage in fearful anticipation.
Kim Sun-woo locked eyes with Han Yu-ra, and they nodded to each other.
With the signal that they were ready, the test began.
What Kim Sun-woo had prepared was a dance musical synced to the harp's melody: *The White Swan's Seventeenth Lake*.
His choreography flowed along that melody, centered on ballet movements.
The delicate motions made it seem like every single muscle in his body was attuned to the tune.
Thanks to the intimate size of the small theater, the harp's sound rang out loud and clear.
Yet it didn't overpower anything—instead, it enveloped the entire space with a stable presence.
That was the accompaniment born from Han Yu-ra's touch.
A melody focused solely on Kim Sun-woo, crafted entirely for him.
It was astonishing.
Honestly, all I could do was marvel.
The harp's melody and Kim Sun-woo's dance lines matched up perfectly.
One slip in the flow, and it'd all crumble in seconds—but only Kim Sun-woo could control it like that.
The beautiful dance lines paired with the harp's fluid, clear tones created a stage pursuing perfection.
It brought a sense of peace to the heart, purifying the soul effortlessly.
That's when I heard Song Ha-na whispering ever so softly from the seat next to me.
"Kim Sun-woo... was he always *that* good? His ballet was way below mine back then."
Song Ha-na was good at ballet?
It sounded like she was better than him...
Anyway, that wasn't the point right now.
Just as Song Ha-na said, Kim Sun-woo's skills felt vastly improved compared to before my regression.
I wasn't the only one who'd grown since the first timeline.
No, he wasn't even on his second life—why was he suddenly *this* good?
Ding-ding—
The first stage of the dance test ended in perfect harmony right through to the finale.
Clap-clap-clap—
The small theater buzzed with applause and exclamations of awe.
"As expected from Kim Sun-woo. Insane."
"I'm a Kim Sun-woo stan for life... no escaping it."
The students openly gushed in admiration, as if they didn't even see him as competition—test or not.
Huh?
One surprising thing: no one was mentioning the harp.
It had been seriously impressive too.
Everyone was so fixated on Kim Sun-woo's dance that not a single person brought it up.
In truth, the harp had perfectly supported the stage to keep all eyes on him.
They'd probably remember it later.
Oh yeah, that harp was amazing too.
Han Yu-ra's talent in reading the room—making this a dance stage starring Kim Sun-woo, not a harp concerto—played a big role too.
"As expected of Yu-ra..."
Choi Sung-jin was the only one who quickly picked up on her skill, murmuring in quiet admiration as he bowed his head.
It probably hit home since he was an accompanist himself.
Drums, his major, were an instrument even easier to overshadow with when played solo than most.
Seeing Han Yu-ra support Kim Sun-woo so flawlessly must've deflated him.
Especially with his own stage coming up soon.
Being that timid...
Maybe I should make him grip his drumsticks all the time.
"What's wrong with this? A drummer getting intimidated by that?"
His worries were plain as day.
I deliberately placed a casual hand on Choi Sung-jin's shoulder and grinned slyly.
"No need to freak. Just play your heart out. Our stage will kill it even harder. Rock 'n' roll, baby."
With my other hand, I flashed a peace sign and shook it.
Only then did Choi Sung-jin crack a smile and mirror the peace sign back at me.
Even though our stage today was pretty far from rock 'n' roll.
***
Several teams flew by in a flash.
"Lee Do-hyun. Choi Sung-jin. Come on up."
Our turn had finally arrived.
We'd been waiting backstage, and now we stepped onto the stage, bowing politely to the judges.
With everyone anticipating the drum combo, the audience was eerily silent—no hint of chatter.
Plus, this was *my* stage—the one that had claimed first place in both previous tests.
Had I become the one everyone was now curious about... and wary of?
I could feel the entire room holding its breath, eyes glued to the stage.
"Hoo. Hoo."
After the bow, Choi Sung-jin sat at the drums, taking deep breaths to steady his shaking nerves.
He'd never expected me to pick him for this.
He couldn't let Do-hyun down.
He was the accompanist. The drummer.
Just like Han Yu-ra—no, even more so—he wanted to make Do-hyun shine.
Pretending to be nervous.
I wasn't worried at all watching Choi Sung-jin hang his head, lost in whatever thoughts.
After his deep breaths, he picked up the drumsticks.
And then,
Dududu-dung—
He quickly checked the sound with a crisp, concise beat.
He even flashed a satisfied grin, like he was pleased with it all on his own.
Choi Kill and Choi Aid were ready to go.
Our eyes met, and we nodded.
Thump-thumpa-thump—
The irregular bass drum kicked off from the start, pounding the audience's hearts as the stage began.
And synced to that bass, Do-hyun's voice rang out.
From the musical *Alps*: "All That Jazz."
He stood still, matching the massive drum hits without backing down, belting out the song.
No other accompaniment—just vocals over the flashy interplay of snare, cymbals, and bass.
Choi Sung-jin hammered the drums like he was possessed, while Do-hyun sang on steadfastly, as if he couldn't even hear them.
The drums' unique rhythm made it feel like there was actual song backing.
But this was still a dance test, after all.
Thump—!
Taking the heavy bass stomp as his cue,
Do-hyun's dance kicked in, and the stage truly came alive.
He'd sung ahead, so even with just drums, the melody lingered in the audience's minds.
Instead of his voice as an instrument, he continued the song through other means.
Tap-tappity-tap—
The cheerful clash of tap shoes against the floor echoed through the small theater.
The heavy bass blended exquisitely with the light tap sounds.
Do-hyun's tap shoes struck the floor at precise angles, maintaining an eerily fast pace.
The two sounds bantered back and forth in harmony, but when the rhythm dipped, Do-hyun's solo moves burst in dazzlingly.
Then, just as seamlessly, the drums' cymbal supported his steps.
Sometimes slow. Sometimes languid.
The two toyed with the beat.
Within those irregular pulses, emotions transmitted like an actor delivering lines.
*His expressions are killer.*
Do-hyun's facial acting played a huge role in conveying those feelings, even as his feet never stopped.
Despite the nonstop footwork, his expressions unwaveringly poured out the needed emotions.
His unflinching facial acting paired with the tap dance skills he was showing—far from ordinary.
No, it was beyond ordinary. Straight-up awe-inspiring.
*Even among pro actors... I wonder...*
Would any musical actor who wasn't a tap specialist show that level?
Jung Hye-seon, watching a seventeen-year-old freshman's stage, found herself mentally flipping through pro musical actors' profiles.
Lost in the dizzying thought of him stacking up to pros, she rested her chin on her hand, zeroed in on Do-hyun with a serious look.
Then,
Tick-tick-tick... tick-tick... tick... tick
Choi Sung-jin's drums slammed the tempo to a crawl.
Do-hyun's tap dance responded in kind, slowing down.
Instead, he showcased intricate upper-body acting with his shoulders, arms, and torso.
It was like his upper and lower body danced independently, without a hint of disruption.
Not a waver, even with the abrupt rhythm shift.
And as that happened,
"I can't imagine it—me, losing this thrill—"
Do-hyun sang again.
He dialed back the tap steps, emphasizing upper-body acting with shoulders, arms, and torso.
His breathing was noticeably ragged, though.
After such intense dance, that was natural.
But once more, he channeled that shake into emotion, expressing it right along with the lyrics.
Vocals weren't even a bonus point in the dance test.
More than precise lines or pitch, it focused on emotional delivery.
What if all this was calculated?
*That young, with such seasoned stage control?*
Tap dance with drums for a dance test.
The originality alone warranted bonus points.
No other student had picked a percussionist.
But even setting that aside, it was an incredible stage.
Knowing his strengths, choosing an instrument to highlight them.
And building the entire performance around it.
Sure, there were details to polish in the singing-with-dance, acting-with-dance aspects.
But right now, in this moment, nothing came to mind to critique.
It was a stage for marveling, not nitpicking.
No seventeen-year-old should be capable of this.
If even teacher Jung Hye-seon was stunned, how could the kids not be?
From the moment the explosive drums hit, the shocked students held their breath, utterly absorbed as Do-hyun unfolded his dance and acting.
*What the hell kind of stage is that guy pulling off now...!*
Moon Woo-hyuk clenched his fists in frustration, unable to look away.
'Lee Do-hyun... he's insane.'
Song Ha-na let out a hollow laugh and sank deep into her seat.
The other kids sat slack-jawed, completely immersed.
Over half had thought tossing in drums was a reckless gamble, wondering if he'd snag first.
But no one thought that now.
Even Kim Sun-woo watched with a dead-serious, smile-free expression.
"I'll just sleep here—"
With the final lyrics, the drums faded, and the stage lights went fully dark.
And then,
Clap-clap-clap—
From the unseen audience, applause erupted.
For quite a long time.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Read 305 more chapters ahead on NovelDex!
https://noveldex.io/series/a-rewritten-handbook-for-musical-life
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━