82: Chapter 82: Enjoying Cake Happily

The volume of the musical accompaniment was turned up high, masking some details, but her sharp ears still caught the problem—breath control. Maintaining stable vocalization and pitch during such intense dance movements required extremely high core strength, breath control, and vocal cord technique. These five girls, while clearly giving their all to ensure their dance moves were flawless, showed perceivable fluctuations and compromises in the stability and expressiveness of their singing (even if pre-recorded or backing tracks were dominant). The feeling of slightly sacrificing vocal details and emotional depth for the sake of the dance's 'power' was very obvious.

'Dance-centric, balance between singing and dancing needs optimization.' A professional evaluation formed in her mind.

Just then, the practice seemed to reach a stopping point, and the music paused. The five girls, panting, gathered in front of the mirror to review the recording. One of the members with long black hair and an aura somewhere between boyish and feminine—Shin Ryujin—wiped her sweat with a towel and happened to look up, her gaze sweeping across the glass corridor above.

Her eyes met Kim Soo-yeon's, who was looking down.

Shin Ryujin froze for a moment, probably thinking it was a new staff member or a trainee staying late. But a second later, when she clearly saw Kim Soo-yeon's face and the stage outfit that couldn't hide its magnificence or its out-of-place nature even in the dim light, her eyes widened instantly.

"Shibal!?"

A low, shock-filled exclamation escaped Shin Ryujin's mouth uncontrollably. Though the sound couldn't travel through the glass and distance, her exaggerated mouth shape and instantly frozen expression were enough to show the impact she felt.

Attracted by her reaction, the other members also looked up one after another.

On the glass corridor stood an utterly strange, stunningly beautiful girl in a magnificent stage outfit, looking back at them calmly. That look wasn't the fanaticism of a fan, the mundanity of a staff member, or even the curiosity or awe of a typical trainee... it was a kind of... scrutiny? A calm, professional scrutiny with a sense of distance.

The ITZY members looked at each other, all showing expressions of confusion and surprise. Who is this? A new super trainee? Or a participant in some secret project? Isn't this outfit a bit too much?

Park Jihun hadn't expected to stumble upon ITZY's practice either, let alone that Kim Soo-yeon would attract such attention. He quickly waved to those below, signaling them to continue practicing, and then smiled a bit awkwardly at Kim Soo-yeon: "Ah... our artists, ITZY. Very hardworking."

Kim Soo-yeon nodded, her gaze remaining calm. She didn't feel flustered by being discovered and exclaimed at by ITZY; instead, it was as if she had completed some sort of assessment in her heart.

She turned to Park Jihun and, in her still-unfamiliar but effortfully organized mix of professional vocabulary, said clearly:

"They dance... very strong. Good."

A smile just began to appear on Park Jihun's face.

But Kim Soo-yeon's next sentence made his smile stiffen slightly:

"But... not enough."

"?" Park Jihun was stunned.

Kim Soo-yeon seemed to weigh her words, pointing below, then to her own throat and ears, trying hard to express herself:

"Dance is core... yes. But sing... technique..." She paused, seemingly searching for a more accurate expression, before finally stating her core feeling directly, slowing down her speech to ensure he understood the keywords:

"I feel... more... dance core. Sing... a little... behind."

Her tone was flat, without disparagement, more like an observer stating a fact. But coming from an unidentified stranger who appeared at the company late at night dressed strangely, this evaluation—which pointed directly at the potential weakness behind ITZY's currently recognized 'performance-focused group' identity—carried an undoubtedly massive impact.

Park Jihun was completely dumbfounded; he never expected Kim Soo-yeon to give such a "critique." This wasn't the perspective a typical pretty trainee should have! It even surpassed the depth of observation of many ordinary producers in the industry!

Below, although they couldn't hear the specific conversation, Shin Ryujin and the members clearly saw Kim Soo-yeon's gestures toward her throat and ears, as well as Park Jihun's stunned expression. They became even more confused, while also developing a great curiosity about this mysterious girl, along with a subtle sense of defiance after being inexplicably "assessed."

Kim Soo-yeon, however, seemed not to notice Park Jihun's shock. She cast her gaze back toward the practice room, her eyes deep.

In this strange world, she saw the strength of a top girl group, and also saw the characteristics and limitations under different development paths. This gave her a more concrete understanding of the role she might play in this world and the competitive environment she might face in the future.

The first stop of the JYP tour ended in a way that caught everyone off guard, leaving a deep and complex first impression on this "Music Director" and "former top leader" from another world. It also instantly upgraded her in the JYP scout's mind from a "top-tier beauty civilian" to a "mysterious genius who might possess rare professional insight."

The night was still deep, and the lights of the JYP building seemed to flicker with a different glow because of the appearance of this uninvited guest.

Before Park Jihun could recover from Kim Soo-yeon's chillingly accurate "non-professional audience critique" of ITZY, she had already withdrawn her gaze as if she had just stated a perfectly ordinary observation. She turned to Park Jihun, signaling with her eyes to "continue."

Park Jihun swallowed hard, suppressing the waves of shock in his heart. He tried to maintain his composure as he led Kim Soo-yeon away from that glass corridor. But a storm was brewing in his mind—this girl was definitely not simple! That look of calm scrutiny and the evaluation that went straight to the core were not things an ordinary pretty civilian (even one lost in a stage outfit) could possess! What exactly was her background? A top trainee secretly trained overseas? Or a connection to some retired legend?

He suppressed his questions and decided to follow the plan to take her to the lounge prepared for trainees and attempt a more formal exchange. However, just as they turned into another hallway leading to the trainee area, a rhythmic but clearly unpolished pop dance track drifted out from behind a cracked door.

It seemed like a debut-prep group or a top-tier trainee group was doing extra practice late at night.

Park Jihun intended to bypass it, but Kim Soo-yeon's footsteps halted. Her ears twitched slightly, and her gaze turned toward that door. It wasn't out of curiosity, but more like a professional instinct—capturing information within the sound.

Park Jihun, reading her expression, asked tentatively: "Would you like to... see?"

Kim Soo-yeon nodded. She needed more samples to understand the "grassroots" level of this world's idol industry.

Park Jihun pushed the door open gently. It was a medium-sized practice room with five girls who looked about sixteen or seventeen practicing a catchy, upbeat song. They were wearing uniform grey training clothes, their faces showing hard work and a hint of fatigue. One could see they had put effort into the dance moves; the synchronization was acceptable, but the power control and detail expression were clearly immature.

The bigger problem was the singing. Even in practice, one could hear unstable breathing, occasional pitch drifting, thin high notes lacking support, and emotional delivery that was purely superficial. It was the typical, unpolished level of a trainee.

Kim Soo-yeon stood at the door, watching quietly for about a minute. Her expression didn't change, but her eyes were like the most precise acoustic analyzer, capturing every pitch deviation, every break in breath, and every disconnect between dance movements and musical emotion.

The five trainees soon noticed the uninvited guest at the door. When they saw Kim Soo-yeon's magnificent stage outfit that was out of place in the practice room, and that face which was aggressively beautiful under the lights, their practice rhythm was clearly disrupted. Their moves began to lose shape, their eyes couldn't help but drift over, and whispering began.

Park Jihun frowned, wanting to tell them to focus.

But Kim Soo-yeon moved first. She didn't leave; instead, she took two steps forward, getting closer to the mirror. Then, she raised her hand, pointing toward the speakers playing the music, and in a clear tone with a certain rhythmic quality (the accent of the Tianxuan Continent Common Tongue mixed into her language), she said a few words accompanied by a simple gesture:

"Stop."

The music stopped abruptly. The trainees and the staff member responsible for the music were all stunned and looked at Park Jihun. Park Jihun was also dazed, but he still nodded to the staff member.

The practice room fell silent instantly, leaving only the sound of the girls' somewhat rapid breathing. Everyone's gaze focused on Kim Soo-yeon, filled with confusion, curiosity, and even a hint of displeasure at having their practice interrupted.

Kim Soo-yeon seemed not to notice these looks. She walked to the mirror, turned around, and faced the five nervous trainees. Without introducing herself or exchanging pleasantries, she pointed directly at the girl who had clearly struggled with the high notes of the lead vocal part earlier, speaking in slow, clear, mixed language:

“You. High note. Breath... here.” She pressed her hand against her diaphragm, demonstrating deep breathing with the precision of a vocal coach. “Not throat. Power from here.”

Next, she turned to another girl with stiff dance moves and a loose core: “Dance. Energy... center.” She pointed to her own abdominal core. “Not just arms, legs. All body... one.” She performed an extremely clean wave motion, using her core to drive her entire body; it wasn't a large movement, but the instantaneous burst and control would allow any expert to see her skill at a glance.

Her critiques were concise and direct, devoid of any unnecessary emotion, appearing even colder and harsher due to the language barrier. Yet, every point she made accurately struck the most obvious weaknesses of the five trainees at their current stage. Although her demonstration was simple, that sense of effortless control and precise manipulation of her muscles was certainly not the result of a single day's work.

The trainees were completely stunned. Who was this beautiful older sister dressed like she was about to attend a year-end award ceremony? A teacher? A new vocal or dance director? Although her way of speaking was strange, everything she said seemed... correct?

Park Jihun standing to the side, his eyes grew wider and wider, his heart filled with incomparable shock. This was no coincidence! Once could be intuition, but twice meant absolute strength and vision! This Kim Soo-yeon not only had top-tier looks, but she actually possessed such sharp eyes and demonstration skills in both vocals and dance? Just who was she?!

Just as the atmosphere in the practice room turned eerie, with the trainees at a loss and Park Jihun’s mind in a whirl—

“Oh? It’s so late, yet it’s quite lively here?”

A voice full of curiosity and vitality, with a unique nasality, came from the doorway.

Everyone, including Kim Soo-yeon, turned to look.

A middle-aged man wearing a casual suit, with slightly curly hair and a signature bright smile, was standing at the door with his hands behind his back, beaming. Behind him followed several young men and women peeking in, their faces full of gossip and curiosity—they were members of other idol groups under JYP who had just finished practice and rushed over to watch after hearing that a “mysterious and gorgeous beauty was visiting the company,” including several members of TWICE and the Maknae line of Stray Kids.

The newcomer was the founder of JYP, Park Jin-young.

“President!” Park Jihun was startled and quickly bowed. The trainees also hurriedly paid their respects.

Park Jin-young waved his hand, but his gaze immediately locked onto the most conspicuous presence in the room like precise radar—the girl in the magnificent Starry stage outfit, standing tall with stunning features, calmly looking back at him.

His smile faltered for a moment, and his eyes narrowed slightly, flickering with a sharp and interested light. With his decades of experience in judging countless people, he almost instantly sensed an extraordinary aura from this girl—it wasn't nervousness or showing off, but a reserved calmness and scrutiny belonging to a “powerhouse in her field.” Especially the stage outfit she was wearing; its design and quality exuded an unusual sense of “high-end.”

“And this is...?” Park Jin-young looked at Park Jihun.

“President, this is Miss Kim Soo-yeon. She is... the one I encountered near the Han River Bridge tonight...” Park Jihun explained hurriedly, his tone filled with excitement and a hint of trepidation as he quickly clarified the situation. Of course, he didn't forget to lower his voice and add a comment about her “critique” of ITZY and the trainees just now.

As Park Jin-young listened, the smile on his face gradually turned playful. He looked at Kim Soo-yeon and asked in English, “Miss Kim Soo-yeon? I heard you have some... interesting views on our company's artists?”

Looking at the powerful, smiling man before her, Kim Soo-yeon guessed his identity from the reactions of those around her. She didn't show any stage fright, merely nodding slightly and answering in her still-unfamiliar but carefully clear tone:

“Just... see. Dance... good. Sing... need more.”

Park Jin-young raised an eyebrow, his smile deepening with a touch of inquiry: “Oh? It seems Miss Soo-yeon knows her stuff? I wonder... what are you good at?”

Following his question, the gazes of the idols at the door became even more curious, almost turning tangible as they sized Kim Soo-yeon up. Im Nayeon whispered to the nearby Mina, “Wow, those clothes... they're so extravagant, but she’s really beautiful!” The Stray Kids maknaes whispered among themselves, “Who is she? A new super trainee? Her aura is so strong...”

Kim Soo-yeon felt the pressure mounting from the stares of Park Jin-young and the idols at the door, but she still stood tall. She knew she had to give a response; in this strange world, she might only gain more autonomy and room for choice by demonstrating a certain level of value.

She remained silent for two seconds, and then, under everyone's watchful eyes, she made a move that no one expected.

She walked to the practice room's audio console, signaled to the staff, and then quickly browsed the music library—she couldn't read Korean, but she could recognize the waveforms and lengths of the music files. Relying on intuition, she clicked on an electronic dance track with a strong rhythm and complex melody, which happened to be the accompaniment the trainees had just been practicing to.

The music began.

Kim Soo-yeon turned around to face the mirror. She didn't take off the cumbersome, magnificent stage outfit jacket, but merely lifted and secured the starry gauze skirt slightly.

Then, she closed her eyes, as if feeling every beat and breath of the music.

The next second, she moved.

It wasn't the slightly raw exertion of the trainees, nor was it the “punchy” explosion of ITZY; it was a kind of... effortless, precise control and a relaxed stage charisma.

Her movements perfectly matched every downbeat and subtle rhythmic point of the music, with the intensity controlled just right—a fraction more would be too much, a fraction less too weak. Her core was as steady as a rock, and the extension of her limbs was full of control and beauty. Even more astonishing was that, amidst such intense dance movements, she actually began to sing.

She sang an improvised melody that fit the harmonic progression, not even the original lyrics of the song, but her voice was clear, stable, and highly penetrating. Her breath was long and even; even in the high-pitched sections and rapid transitions, there wasn't the slightest hint of strain or distortion. She balanced singing and dancing amazingly, as if they were two sides of the same coin to her, performed with ease.

A brief thirty-second improvised performance.

The practice room was dead silent.

The five trainees’ mouths hung open, as if they had seen a textbook demonstration.

The curiosity on the faces of the TWICE and Stray Kids members at the door turned into shock, and Nayeon even covered her mouth.

Park Jihun was completely petrified.

As for Park Jin-young, the smile on his face had vanished, replaced by an intense focus and even a hint of grim seriousness. His eyes were fixed on every one of Kim Soo-yeon’s movements and every line of her improvised singing. As a top producer and former dancer, he knew better than anyone what those thirty seconds revealed—not just top-tier dancing and singing ability, but a performance instinct and artistic mastery honed over years on stage and ingrained in her very bones. This was definitely not something that could be achieved through simple training; it was the crystallization of talent, hard work, and a massive amount of real-world experience!

The music stopped.

Kim Soo-yeon panted slightly, fine beads of sweat appearing on her forehead, but her eyes remained clear. She looked at Park Jin-young and asked calmly:

“This... is what I can do.”

Park Jin-young slowly took a long, deep breath. Then, the smile bloomed on his face again, more brilliant than before, and more... filled with the frenzy of discovering a treasure.

“Miss Kim Soo-yeon...” He took a step forward, his tone solemn, “I think we need to have a talk. A very, very serious talk.”

This night at JYP, due to the sudden arrival of this mysterious girl, had completely veered away from Park Jihun’s initial control, racing in a direction that even Park Jin-young hadn't anticipated. And that magnificent stage outfit from another world, under the lights of the JYP practice room, seemed to lose some of its “obtrusiveness” and gained a few more footnotes of “strength.”