Falling for the Omega Idol-Chapter 88: RISING PRESSURE

THE mentors took their seats at the front of the room, settling behind a table. Before they began reviewing each contestant’s progress, the staff circulated the room, handing out name tags to everyone—likely so the mentors could address them more easily. Once the name tags were distributed, the contestants were instructed to form a straight line, standing side by side, facing the seated mentors.

"When your name is called, step forward and sing the theme song," Yoon Jihoon instructed. "You’ll start a cappella, but if we feel you’re having difficulty, we’ll let you sing with the backing track."

As Yoon Jihoon finished speaking, a wave of tension swept through the room. Most of the contestants exchanged anxious glances, their nervousness visibly intensifying. The thought of singing a cappella was intimidating enough. Without the safety net of music to guide them, every mistake would be too obvious. The pressure grew even worse, knowing they could only use the backing track if they messed up. No one wanted to be seen as weak or unprepared. The fear of standing out for the wrong reasons further amplified the anxiety they were feeling.

K-Beat picked up a stack of papers in front of him, likely containing their names and profiles. Almost everyone silently hoped they wouldn’t be the first to be called.

"Let’s start with... Taeyang," K-Beat said, his eyes scanning the lineup until they landed on the contestant with the matching name tag. "Please step forward and sing the theme song."

All eyes shifted to where K-Beat was looking. Unfazed, Taeyang stepped forward with a calm, confident stride. His relaxed posture immediately caught the attention of the mentors. The fact that he wasn’t holding a copy of the lyrics suggested he had already memorized them—or perhaps he was just overly confident. But none of that truly mattered now. What really counted was whether he could sing the theme song without any mistakes.

Haneul also glanced at Taeyang. While others assumed he was showing off by not bringing a copy of the lyrics, Haneul saw it differently. He believed Taeyang was simply that confident in his abilities.

"I’ll start now," Taeyang said, his voice steady. Then, with a deep breath, he opened his mouth and began to sing.

Sailing through the ocean wide,

Chasing dreams, the tide is high.

Waves are calling, feel the breeze,

Set our sails, we’re free to seize.

On this journey, side by side,

We’ll discover what’s inside.

Taeyang launched into the first verse with a smooth, confident tone that perfectly captured the energy of the upbeat song. His voice flowed effortlessly with the rhythm, his vocal control evident as he navigated the lively tempo. When the song reached a high note, rather than pushing for power, he skillfully switched to falsetto, hitting the note with ease and finesse.

This seamless transition showcased not only his vocal talent but also the depth of his vocal training, allowing him to maintain both control and expression throughout the performance.

When he finished, both mentors exchanged impressed glances before offering him a small round of applause.

As the applause faded, Yoon Jihoon smiled and nodded. "That was impressive, Taeyang. You’ve got a great vocal tone, and your falsetto was smooth and well-controlled. I can tell you’ve had solid training."

K-Beat chimed in, "Your confidence really shows, and it worked well with the energy of the song. But be careful not to rely too much on falsetto for the high notes. Sometimes, pushing a bit more power can create a stronger impact. Overall, though, really well done."

Both mentors smiled, clearly pleased but not entirely surprised. They had already reviewed Jung Taeyang’s profile, which reflected an impressive evaluation from his audition. The program team had rated him as a high-level trainee, so they had been expecting a solid performance. If he hadn’t delivered to this standard, it would have been a disappointment.

Unlike the mentors, who were fully satisfied with Taeyang’s performance, the other contestants grew even more anxious. How were they supposed to follow that? No matter how well they sang, it felt inevitable that they’d be compared to him, and anything less than perfect would seem lackluster in comparison.

It wasn’t that Taeyang had an unbelievable voice—it was simply that he performed so well. He sang the theme song without missing a note or making any mistakes. On top of that, he did it all without looking at the lyrics, which only added to the sense of confidence and control he displayed.

Even if they sang the theme song perfectly, holding a copy of the lyrics would still make them seem less prepared compared to Taeyang.

Haneul shook his head, sensing the anxiety among the other contestants. To him, it didn’t matter whether they used a copy of the lyrics or not. What truly counted was performing well. That was the only thing that should matter.

He couldn’t understand why the others were so focused on such trivial details. In the end, it wasn’t about appearances or how confident you seemed—it was about delivering the song with skill and emotion. Whether they held the lyrics or not, it wouldn’t change the fact that the mentors were there to judge their ability, not their memory.

But then again... Haneul glanced at Taeyang, who had already returned to the line. This guy had a way of stirring up anyone’s insecurities without even trying. So, he couldn’t really blame the others for feeling that way.

The next contestant was called. He hesitated before stepping forward, clearly nervous. As he began to sing, his voice cracked on the first note. Flustered, he glanced at his lyrics, stumbling over a few words. His timing slipped, and by the chorus, his voice was already shaky and unsure.

The mentors stopped him and just let him sing with the back track on. But even with the music, the contestant continued to fumble. His voice wavered, and he looked like he might burst into tears at any moment.

Haneul sighed inwardly as he watched, feeling a sense of déjà vu. It was just like the public audition all over again.