Ji Hyo stepped into the center of the stage, the world narrowing down to that one glowing spotlight directly above him. It cast a soft halo over his dark hair and highlighted the angles of his face, making his features look almost surreal—like a painting come to life.
The room quieted.
His stance was calm, almost statuesque. But inside, Ji Hyo could feel every nerve ending sparking, his heart thudding just beneath his ribs.
And then—
The first note hit.
A low, haunting sound. Atmospheric. Ethereal. It wasn't a song anyone recognized right away. Even the mentors leaned in slightly, their expressions shifting into focused curiosity.
"What song is this?" Lisa whispered to herself.
Cheetah glanced sideways at Bae Yoon-jeong, who simply shook her head, equally intrigued.
One of them chuckled softly, "Should've asked what he was performing."
But they couldn't look away.
The music was building, and Ji Hyo hadn't moved yet—but the tension in the air said he was about to.
Then the first lyrics of the song came out of Ji Hyo's mouth—and Felix almost screamed "YES!" from his seat, only biting his knuckle to contain the sound. His eyes were wide with delight and disbelief, and he immediately leaned forward like he was witnessing history.
The stage was bathed in soft blue light, mimicking ocean waves. Ji Hyo stood under the spotlight, his expression calm—but his eyes sharp and locked in. The beat was slow, pulsing like a heartbeat through deep water. Then, his voice emerged, rich and layered with a mysterious energy:
🎵 "Babyshark… doodoodoodoodoodoo…" 🎵 "Inthedeepbluesea, Iriseanew…" 🎵 "Notjust a kid's tune—I'll show you the truth…"
Gasps erupted throughout the room.
"What…?" one trainee whispered, brows furrowed in confused awe.
"He's doing Baby Shark?" another hissed—but their voice wasn't mocking. It was stunned.
But this wasn't that Baby Shark. It was darker, smoother. The beat dropped, layering synth bass and R&B elements. Ji Hyo's voice glided through the first verse, bending notes with delicate control and surprising soul.
The mentors were frozen.
Cheetah's eyebrows were practically at her hairline.
Bae Yoon-jeong blinked repeatedly, looking at her notes, then back at the stage. "Is this—is he flipping Baby Shark into an R&B stage song?"
Lisa's jaw was slightly open. "Oh my God…"
🎵 "Mama shark taught me how to fight…" 🎵 "Daddy shark told me to bite with might…" 🎵 "But I swim alone, in currents unknown—" 🎵 "A little shark with dreams of a throne…"
The chorus hit with a wave of harmonies. Ji Hyo's body moved with a haunting elegance—like water personified. The choreography was sharp but fluid, matching the underwater vibe. He spun, dropped low, then rose with a pop and chest roll that oozed charisma.
Felix punched the air silently, biting his lip. "That's my cute shark!" he whispered, absolutely beaming. His whole face was proud, like a kid watching his best friend win gold.
Across the room, even some of the most powerful contestants like Han Min-jun had their attention fixed on Ji Hyo. Min-jun's brows drew slightly together, lips pressed. This wasn't just cute or clever—it was good. Disturbingly so.
Min Seo-joon, meanwhile, leaned forward with eyes lit by intrigue. "That's insane," he muttered under his breath. "He made Baby Shark cool."
Ji Hyo reached the bridge, and everything slowed. The lights dimmed, leaving only a soft ripple effect on the floor beneath him as he sang:
🎵 "You laughed when I swam too slow…" 🎵 "You said this dream's for bigger fish…" 🎵 "But I sharpened every note, every breath, every wish…"
He lifted his gaze, voice climbing into a falsetto that rang like bells underwater:
🎵 "Now hear me roar beneath the tide—" 🎵 "A baby shark… with pride."
The final chorus hit hard. Percussion kicked in. Ji Hyo twirled into a clean knee slide, popping up with an arm sweep that mimicked a shark fin slicing water.
The final note rang out, clear and unwavering:
🎵 "Doo doo doo doo doo doo…"
Then silence.
A full second passed.
Then—roars of applause.
Trainees stood up. Some screamed. Others clapped over their heads. Someone in the back actually shouted, "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?! THAT WAS SO GOOD!"
Felix stood up and gave a full standing ovation, cupping his hands around his mouth. "LET'S GOOOOOO!"
Lisa clutched her chest. "I—what did I just witness?"
Shin Yu-mi covered her face with her hands. "I need to recover. That was… iconic?"
Cheetah snapped her fingers repeatedly like she couldn't believe what just happened. "That was a performance."
Bae Yoon-jeong slammed her hand on the table. "Who does that?! Who takes Baby Shark and makes it a concept song?! That was ridiculous—in the best way!"
Even stoic contestants like Jihoon blinked in disbelief. Jihoon had an annoyed look at first, but even he was forced to nod subtly at the sheer creativity of it. The melody, the execution, the unexpected confidence—it all came together.
Meanwhile, Ji Hyo stood in center stage, breathing hard but holding his pose, eyes slightly wide like he couldn't believe he got through it.
The system pinged in his ear.
[Performance complete.]
[Trait evaluation in progress…]
[Notice: Audience captivation—high. Mentor favorability—high.]
[Special Ability: Concept Pioneer Unlocked S+]
Ji Hyo blinked as the lights slowly faded, and the applause still thundered.
He had done it.
And suddenly, everyone knew his name.
He bowed after the performance, his hands pressed tightly at his sides, head dipping low under the final glow of the spotlight.
And then—like a dam breaking—cheers and screams erupted through the venue.
In between the thunder of claps came shouts:
"That was insane!"
"BABY SHARK KING!"
"Debut him now!"
"I have chills all over!"
"HE ATE THAT UP!"
Trainees stood from their seats, clapping and whooping like they were at a concert. Some even whistled, others laughed in pure disbelief, clutching their heads like they couldn't process what they just witnessed.
Felix was already halfway out of his seat, yelling over the applause, "That's my cute shark!!" He pointed proudly like a hype man, eyes sparkling with affection. "Ji Hyo, you legend!"
Lisa had both hands over her mouth again, eyes shining. "I'm sorry, I can't handle this. He's cute, he's hot, he's creative, and now he's got vocals and stage presence? I'm… in shambles."
Cheetah let out a low whistle, shaking her head. "He just made a kid's song into an R&B anthem and sold it like it was a world tour. What am I supposed to say to that?"
"That's what you call flipping expectations," Yu-mi added with a stunned laugh. "He had people giggling when they heard 'Baby Shark'—and now they're screaming."
The mentors jotted frantically into their evaluation notes, some still glancing back up at Ji Hyo like he might morph into a mythical creature at any second.
Meanwhile, Ji Hyo stood frozen in the middle of it all, a bit dazed by the overwhelming noise and praise. His heart pounded hard in his chest, his back sticky with sweat, but his lips curled into a small, disbelieving smile.
He bowed again—slightly lower this time—more confident now.
And the cheers only got louder.
Even Min-jun, despite himself, looked over with a mixture of disbelief and frustration. Seo Ian stared wide-eyed, his hands mid-clap, frozen.
From behind, Min Seo-joon's voice could be heard quietly:
"Okay, I need to know who this kid really is."
Ji Hyo stepped back, leaving the center stage with shaky legs and burning ears—but something deep in his chest felt light.
Something had shifted.
He wasn't just another trainee now.
He was the trainee to watch.