The Gauntlet - Babowa Cheonsa
Ch. 1 - The Unexpected
LD
No way....
Angel
This is unbelievable... Aren't you the one I bumped to before?
LD
(Scheisse. Talk, you idiot, talk.)
LD
Uhh... y-yes.
Angel
You didn't get hurt, right?
LD
.....
Angel
Oppa, you okay?
*BAM!*
Angel
O-Omo! Hey! What happened to you?!
Sometime later....
LD
What happened? Where are we?
Angel
Oh, you're awake! Great!
LD
(Great, I fainted. Not a good start...)
Angel
You looked like you were nervous. Did you prepare for the auditions?
LD
Audition for what?
Angel
We're joining an idol contest, silly! You have to prepare a song and dance number at least!
LD
Uhh... when you say idol contest, is it like... J-pop? Like y'know, 9nine?
Angel
Who are they? I'm more familiar with K-pop.
LD
(I'm in trouble.)
LD
K-pop like Girls' Generation and T-ara?
Angel
Ooh, you listen to T-ara?
LD
Just recently. I haven't fully devoted to them because our internet is crap.
Angel
No worries! I can get you some songs to listen to! Let me borrow your phone.
LD
Here....
Angel
Wow, that's old-school. You still use Nokia up to now?
LD
We're not that well off. I don't see me using them fancy smartphones in 4 years.
Angel
Don't think like that. You'll have your own fancy phone soon!
LD
I hope so....
LD
Well, tell me more about K-pop.
Angel
Perhaps you've heard of 2NE1?
LD
Sandara Park's group, yeah. I only know Sandara and that "eh eh" song.
Angel
"Eh eh" song, that's so funny! It's called "Fire"!
LD
Fascinating.
LD
I also know that Nobody thingy and Super Junior.
Angel
I love Super Junior! Sorry Sorry, Bonamana! Try it! I like Kangin the most!
LD
Who's that?
Angel
Oh yeah, you're new to K-pop. I'll tell you more--
Alright, we're here! Team UST, get your stuff and get down, pronto! For those who did not prepare a song, proceed to the sound studio!
LD
Aw man....
Angel
Bummer. I guess I'll see you inside.
Angel
You need a song, right?
LD
Yeah. I'mma pick what I think is good.
LD
See you inside then.
Angel
You too.
(LD runs off.)
Angel
...I DIDN'T ASK HIS NAME AGAIN.
Your boy LD here, back with a vengeance! Sort of. So I ran into Miss Bumpy again and I fainted like a casul in front of her....
Then she told me we are in an idol contest. Like people sing and dance in a Super Junior-y way. And I was like "ohhh noooo". This is bad....
I ran to the sound studio to pick a song. There were lots of pop songs but I picked an old 90's boy band song. I hope it works....
After I picked my song, I joined the others. Michael and Rico were waiting for me and so was miss Bumpy. We went in together and then....
Boss Eddie
Orale. Sit anywhere you like. We'll explain the rules once we're complete.
LD
Aghh....
Angel
This is so... intense.
LD
I wanna throw up right now....
Angel
You okay, oppa?
LD
Not really. This is... wait, we'll be on tv?!
Angel
Hey, calm down! Relax. Breathe.
LD
I'm really gonna go to Hell for this.
Angel
Panicking won't help, so relax while we wait.
And so we waited. Wow, the place is filling up. People from the big universities are here. I even see some foreigners. Eddie's not joking.
Then, after an hour....
LAWRENS DUMANDAN FROM UST! PROCEED TO THE STAGE!
LD
Ohhh Lord....
Angel
What's wrong?
LD
I'm up first....
Angel
Ohh... don't worry, oppa! Fighting!
LD
T-Thanks....
LD
So there I was, walking down the rafters and onto the stage. There 300+ eyes staring at me.
LD
High up at the seats was her. She's hoping that I'd do well, but let's face it. I'm not good....
Boss Eddie
Mi vato. These are your evaluators.
Boss Eddie
My son Mike Guillermo. A choreographer from Cube.
Boss Eddie
MJ Lee. Also a choreographer from Cube.
Boss Eddie
Ezekiel Cabunian. Call him Big Zeke. He's fat but he can dance. He's also our rap mentor.
Boss Eddie
Vocal trainers. We have Alaina Reynoso. She'll judge your vocals.
Boss Eddie
Lee Sanghyuk. He's a mix of vocals and dance.
Boss Eddie
And Kim Goeun. One of the finest vocal trainers from Korea.
Boss Eddie
You do well, mi vato, you'll be given a grade of either A, B, C or D. You'll then be put in a group where you will get to train with others.
Boss Eddie
If you f*ck up... you'll have a failing grade of F. Understood?
LD
Yes.
"I'll Be There For You" by The Moffatts plays
Nananana, nanana, nanana na! Nananana, nanana, nana....Tired mm this morning winat look in yurr ays...
Angel
Oh my God, no...! Oppa, what's wrong?
What the f... why am I having flashbacks all of a sudden...? Not now, God, please....
"I'm a Pilipino, part of Maapsa...."
"HAHAHAHA....!"
"Look at your leader, she's laughing at you."
When ye call ma be there~.... *song ends* ... (the 300+ contestants are laughing at him)
Angel
Oppa....
CD
You still have those scars mentally, huh....
Boss Eddie
...I don't understand why you are all laughing right now. All of you... SHUT. THE F*CK. UP.
(The contestants' laughters quickly dissipate as they realize the gravity of the moment.)
Boss Eddie
Lawrens, holmes. You need a lot of work. Vocals... I like your deep voice but the song choice. Bad, bad choice.
Mike
Your dancing is really stiff, but I can tell if you wanted to, you can do a lot of choreos easily. Just as my pops said, lots of work.
MJ
For now, sweetie. Class F.
LD
T-Thank you. *bow*
Boss Eddie
Go get your grade and gauntlet at the back. Up next....
LD
.....
I...I am at a loss for words.... I went to the back to get my grade. As I went around, I passed by some nice bracers on a table.
There were gold gauntlets, silver bracelets, yellow gloves with a red plate and black gloves with a green plate. Classes A to D, I figured.
Then on the last table was a rice sack full of cheap-ass clip-on white gloves. It looked really stupid, but that is class F for you.
I went back up to the rafters, dismayed. Everyone was looking at me and they kept snickering and whispering. How about you go up there?
I nearly yelled at one of the contestants but somebody grabbed my hand to stop me.
Angel
Oppa... don't worry. You'll be okay.
LD
.....
Angel
It wasn't a good choice, that song. It's too... old. And your voice, it's deep that you're more suited to intense music.
LD
I'm... not good. Seriously.
Angel
Don't say that. You can be great!
LD
....
SHIN HYUN-AE FROM UST, PLEASE PREPARE FOR YOUR AUDITION.
Angel
That's me. Wish me luck!
LD
Wait, your name is...?
Angel
Call me Hyun-ae. Later!
LD
...Why is she like... an angel everytime I see her...?
Shalala lala lala....
LD
...
LD
Cheap-ass glove...
Angel
Okay, so Oppa got an F. That can't be good, but what's worse is that everyone laughed at him! That's so mean!
Angel
He looked so devastated that he almost beat up the one beside us, so I grabbed his hand so he can calm down. I was then told to get ready...
Angel
So I left LD and changed to my dance gear. I was wearing a dress so if I dance wearing that, yeeesh. I'll be viral overnight.
Angel
Annyeonghasseyo! My name is Shin Hyun-Ae! Representing South Korea by way of the University of Santo Tomas!
LD
Please do better than me, angel....
("Only Girl in the World" by Rihanna plays)
LD
Wow....
After the song ends...
Boss Eddie
Miss Shin. You stumbled a bit on the dance there.
Angel
I'm so sorry. Can I do another dance? That wasn't well planned from me.
Boss Eddie
(looks at the mentors) ...Go ahead.
Angel
Great!
("Insomnia" by Craig David plays)
LD
O o O
Angel
(everyone claps after the song ends)
Angel
Kansahabnida!!!
Boss Eddie
...Miss Shin. I hope you can teach the others how you do it. You'll go to class B.
Angel
Oh my God, oh my God, thank you po! Thank you!
LD
That was amazing.... wow....
Angel
Hey, oppa.
LD
.... (looks at Angel's silver bracelet)
Angel
Oppa, look. If you're in class B, you get these bracelets! What did you get?
LD
Cheap-ass white glove.
Angel
Oh. That's a bummer. Don't worry! Whatever issues you have, I'll help too!
LD
Thanks, angel....
Angel
Tee-hee. What did you call me?
LD
N-Nothing. Ehehe....
Angel
....