The Dancing Chipmunk

Written by: Alexia Teo (22-U1), Nigel Ng Ngan Siang (21-A3) 

Designed by: Alexia Teo (22-U1)

This story is a KPOP version of Alvin and the chipmunks.

Alvin is a chipmunk who loves to sing and dance. He is signed on to a KPOP label. While training to debut as a KPOP idol, he made 2 friends, Simon and Theodore. Simon was handsome while Theodore was cute. Alvin was… Alvin. Both of them had trendy looks and were better looking compared to Alvin. However, Alvin was more hardworking and thus had reasonably better skills.

The three often hung out together, goofing around whenever they had a chance to. Nevertheless, they took practice very seriously and were improving day by day. One day, the CEO encouraged them to join a KPOP survival program. They were happy but worried, especially Alvin who knew he was lacking compared to the other two. Despite their reservations and worries, they ultimately auditioned for the show and got in. 

On the day of the first recording, the three of them made their way to the dorm to meet the other contestants. Even though everyone was pleasant, it was clear that every contestant was vying for a spot in the group and was secretly sizing each other up. As days went by, the competition was getting fiercer and fiercer as more were eliminated or dropped out. Miraculously, the three of them managed to make their way into the top 20 and the live stage on the final day. However, their placings within the top 20 were so low that their chances of debut were slim.

Alvin, however, was just below both his friends. Just then, the show host announced that ALL ranks will be reset and they will start competing without any advantage. This, of course, was most beneficial to Alvin. However, there was a dark secret behind this decision.

What Alvin didn’t know was that during the programme, Simon and Theodore were involved in a contract dispute. Being on the show brought them a huge boost in popularity and the attention of many bigger companies. They then were scouted by other agencies that wished to ‘steal’ them and have them represent their agency instead. Although Simon and Theodore already had an agency, they entertained these scouts and even met them for talks and discussions. As a result, Alvin’s agency was infuriated at the lack of loyalty from the 2 trainees and was determined to let Alvin debut ahead of his friends. A new hire at the agency coincidentally had solid connections with one of the show’s producers. In order to gain a promotion, the hire arranged a meeting with the producer and the head of his company. During the meeting, they managed to strike an illicit deal… 

Before their joint performance, a producer approached Alvin to ask him if he would like a guaranteed debut but with a few unscrupulous conditions. So, Alvin listened to the producer’s conditions and thought long and hard whether to betray his friends. He was tasked to trip and fall to ruin his friends’ performance. Anyway, the scores would be manipulated in favour of Alvin, so only stood to gain. 

Alvin had been a trainee for a long period of time and did not want to waste his prime years away. He knew the older he got, the less time and chance he had of accomplishing his dream. Hence, he was extremely tempted by the offer.

At last, he accepted the producer’s offer.  It is Simon and Theodore’s fault for not staying true to our agency, he thought to himself guiltily as justification. 

During the final performance, he sneakily stuck out his foot as his friends were performing the highlight of the song. As expected, Simon and Theodore ruined the performance with their fall. Netizens clamoured to criticise them while Alvin was made out to be the victim of their clumsiness.  

After the final scores were revealed, Alvin was not at all surprised but had to put on a show in front of his friends. Upon hearing that his two friends didn’t make it, Alvin burst into tears. He felt bad as his friends were congratulating him. Minutes later, he was overjoyed to have achieved his dream. When the live telecast ended, it was revealed that even without the producer’s help, Alvin would have made it into the team. However, it was Simon and Theodore that were unfortunately a few places behind. Alvin then realised that his selfishness had denied his friends a chance to debut.

As he and the rest of the debut team were guided away from his friends to their first briefing, Alvin felt the guilt and shame well up to consume him. He turned to have one final look at his friends woefully consoling each other and wondered what could have been…