The commute to the filming set.
Inside the car, four theme songs played on repeat.
"Boom-chak, boom-boom-chak~ Hoo!"
Seoyun unni's weird beatboxing.
Of course, Kim Seoyun herself was weird, too.
"All wrapped around meee~"
Just seeing her copying only my part, seriously.
"All wrapped around meee~"
"Damn, cut it out."
At this early hour, inside the sealed car.
Watching us bob our whole bodies to the music, Manager Yeongho showed signs of fatigue.
"Kids, filming's going to be tiring again... shouldn't you get some sleep...?"
Of course, we had no intention of sleeping.
"We're fine. We're not tired! Just turn the volume up more!"
"Turn up the beat~"
"Yeah!!"
"Kids..."
Today, the day after Episode 10 aired.
One hour ago, the audio for the four theme songs used in the third evaluation had been released.
Not cover songs, but our original songs.
We couldn't help but be excited.
Of course, our songs hadn't even charted yet, let alone reached the upper ranks, but because Jeodol 3 was a mega-hit that was continuing its commercial success, it was predicted that, at the very least, we would chart on the real-time and daily rankings.
If things went well, we might even chart monthly and reach the upper ranks.
"Kids... do your best... I'll see you on live broadcast day..."
Only after arriving at the set and dropping us off was Manager Yeongho finally liberated.
When we entered the filming set, everyone was playing their own songs on an endless loop.
"Yo~ stand out~ long time no see!"
With my song playing, Harang unni crept up on us while grooving with an exaggerated, old-school hip-hop move straight out of the 90s.
"YO Harang unniss~!"
Kim Seoyun greeted her happily and copied Harang unni's gesture.
She really knows how to have fun.
Watching them,
I could understand why Manager Yeongho had felt so tired.
The songs blaring chaotically from everywhere to the point of dizziness only stopped after the production staff confiscated the contestants' phones.
"Alright! Welcome, everyone. Contestants, the long-awaited third ranking announcement ceremony on the road to the final stage has finally arrived."
Accustomed to the situation by now, the contestants applauded and cheered.
The standard greeting remarks ended, and just when it seemed the announcements would finally begin, the MC dropped a bombshell.
"But before the third ranking announcement, there is one new mission! And this mission also has a first-place reward!"
A new mission.
I immediately thought it was to fill broadcast runtime for Episode 11, but.
It was something that hadn't happened in Seasons 1 and 2.
In Seasons 1 and 2, they simply had counseling classes with already-debuted idol seniors, makeup classes to promote PPL products, or sports day-style segments.
Come to think of it, I realized they hadn't filmed any of those behind-the-scenes segments during the third evaluation preparation period.
"That is! The 'Chuser! You Fell for Me!' mission!"
Leaving the flustered contestants behind, the MC continued.
"Starting now, for one day, you will learn the title song 'You Fell for Me,' which has been newly rearranged with choreography for the debut team version, and tomorrow you will each construct an individual stage."
We were going to perform the title song on the live broadcast stage anyway, so practice was inevitable.
They were making this a mission to milk screen time.
"And each trainee's fancam will be uploaded to Mwave's YouTube channel. The single trainee with the most likes within 24 hours will receive 10,000 votes as the first-place reward!"
Ten thousand votes.
It was a vague amount when it came to changing the top ranks, but it was a number that could change a lower-ranked trainee's survival.
However, since YouTube views and likes tended to be proportional, it was safe to say there was virtually no chance of a lower-ranked, relatively unpopular trainee taking the first-place reward.
Meaning it ultimately held no significance for the third ranking announcement.
"Furthermore, if the trainee who takes first place survives the third ranking announcement ceremony, they will become the center for the final 'You Fell for Me' stage."
I'd wondered why they were bothering to make it a mission, but I guess this was why.
Seoyun unni nudged me from the side.
"The title song center is Maknae Dohee's, right~"
...Shit.
The title song "You Fell for Me" had been branded with the Maknae Dohee image.
Because of that, I wanted to avoid being center for that stage, but...
I couldn't exactly half-ass it given my personality.
***
Having learned the new choreography from the choreographers and trainers, we began earnest individual practice.
The choreography had changed, but the framework was essentially the same, so one day was enough.
Maybe that was why...
"Unni, aren't you practicing?"
Sera unni, with time to spare, sat down right next to me and latched on.
"Watching is practice too...!"
Then watch the choreography video.
Or look at Chaerin unni over there, the main dancer.
Why are you looking at me.
I tried to ignore Sera unni's gaze and looked at the mirror to resume practice, but this time, I couldn't concentrate because Yeeun unni was annoyingly circling around me.
"Aren't you practicing either, unni?"
Yeeun unni brightened a little when I showed interest.
"Ah, practice...! I'll do it, I will, but..."
"You will, but what."
"Dohee, do you not need to go to the bathroom...?"
...?
"Yeah. I went earlier."
Yeeun unni's expression darkened again.
"Ah..."
Why are you disappointed.
"Sigh..."
I had no choice. I peeled off Sera unni—who was staring at me pathetically like a baby clinging to its mother—and went to the bathroom with just Yeeun unni, indulging her.
-Unni, don't you care about performing on stage? You're always anxious and whatnot. Don't you know it's because you don't practice?
-Hnng... I'll work hard...
-All talk, no action... During the third evaluation, you went to sleep before me, didn't you?
-That's... my parts were the same...
-What does that matter. At least keep me company while I practice. If I were you, I wouldn't sleep for a week.
-Sorry...
She should know that what's good for you tastes bitter.
Now Yeeun unni was using that bitter medicine.
Now I was the one afraid someone would overhear.
I really needed to switch to an encouraging approach...
Unlike me, who was fretting, Yeeun unni finally seemed to have awakened and devoted herself to practice.
How did I end up becoming a stimulant...
***
Third Ranking Announcement Ceremony.
The set was far more spacious than during the first ranking announcement ceremony, but the tension was no less than when there had been 99 participants.
"Out of 24 contestants, only 13 trainees will stand on the final live broadcast stage where the debut team will be born. Countless Chusers have sent their wholehearted support. And with the change to a 2-pick system, some fascinating results have emerged. Please stay with us until the very end."
Once again, it was only after the customary remarks that the MC got to the main point.
"The team that acquired the first-place reward in the theme evaluation divided a total of 130,000 votes among themselves."
"And there was an additional mission carried out with another first-place reward on the line. Now, let us reveal the winner of that reward!"
One trainee appeared on the screen.
It was me.
"Thank you!"
Taking the center position for the title song in the final live broadcast wasn't something I could feel bad about, but the thought of the "Maknae Dohee" title following along gave me a strange feeling.
Sigh...
And finally, the real ranking announcements began.
"12th place is...! Trainee Kim Naeun!"
Naeun unni's rank had dropped somewhat.
It seemed to be an effect of the switch to 2-pick, which had eliminated the grouping of a top set receiving votes together.
The debut cutoff was 7th place.
Would I be able to debut with Naeun unni...
I was a little worried.
"11th place is Hwang Yeonha!"
"10th place is... Trainee Kim Seyeon!"
"9th place is Trainee Yoon Seowon!"
After that, the ranks were announced without any major upsets.
Meaning the popular trainees maintained their positions.
Those who were going to rise were all rising.
If there was an upset, it was Yeeun unni taking 8th place.
She had started out assigned to Tier 5; no one expected her to come this far.
Perhaps that was why she came up to me, hugged me tightly, and burst into tears as she thanked me.
"Dohee! It's all thanks to you...!"
It seemed like she was thanking me, but...
Somehow, it felt intentional.
And finally, the debut zone ranks.
This season of Jeodol 3 saw minimal fluctuation within the debut zone.
Aside from a few exceptions, they only moved around within the debut zone.
In other words, because Jeodol 3 had become such a hot topic, several trainees had built up solid core fanbases.
With so few trainees surviving today, the MC dragged out each announcement step by step to milk screen time.
And the final two candidates for first place appeared on the screen.
Every time my face appeared on the screen, I flushed with a strange excitement.
Gong Chaerin unni of ZY Ent., who had secured 50,000 votes through a first-place reward.
And me, who had secured 10,000 votes from the additional mission.
This time, there was a real chance at first place.
***
"Wow~ how do you always end up in 2nd place? Tell me your secret~"
-1st place is Trainee Gong Chaerin!
The revealed vote gap.
About 2,000 votes.
If it hadn't been for the first-place rewards, I would have undoubtedly taken 1st.
Damn, it's always like this...
"I wish I could get 2nd place too~"
The image of her sobbing endlessly while sending off the eliminated trainees was nowhere to be seen; Kim Seoyun had already regained her energy and kept sniping at me from the side.
"The one in 6th place should be quiet."
Kim Seoyun pretended to be hurt by my words and spoke to Harang unni in a tearful voice, like a child tattling.
"Unni, did you hear that? She's belittling us because our ranks are lower."
Upon hearing that, Harang unni chimed in.
"Wow... I didn't think Dohee was like that..."
Harang unni... you could be an entertainment reporter after you retire.
"What are you talking about? Stop saying weird things."
""
"..."
""
I had no words.