Chapter 19
Waaaaaaaah-
An ear-splitting roar of cheers echoed.
It had been a while since I felt my body this heavy. It felt as if I had expended all my energy for this single stage.
This feeling like someone was pressing down on me... Pressing down?
"Cheon-woo! Wi Cheon-woo, get up!"
I said to the culprit who was making my body feel heavy.
Well, with my S-rank stamina, there was no way I'd be exhausted just from this.
As I got up from where I was lying, along with Wi Cheon-woo who was sluggishly getting up as if still not in his right mind...
Sunwoo Rin!!!
Wi Cheon-woo!!
You all did so well!!
I could see the people chanting our names.
I felt something strange.
A feeling like a shiver running through my entire body? It was hard to come to my senses.
Looking around, I saw our team members still wearing hazy expressions, unable to come to their senses.
I quickly helped the lying team members to their feet, gathered them in one spot, and bowed to the audience.
While we were bowing, 'OFF' Team A came up onto the stage beside us.
Their expressions were much calmer compared to when they had finished their stage.
Well, after seeing our stage, they probably knew this battle wouldn't be easy.
"Now, the 'GAME' stage for the 'Avengers' team and the 'Captain Guk.A' team has ended. Both teams put on incredible stages in front of our national judges. First, the leader of the 'Avengers' team, trainee Park Han-hwi."
"Yes."
"It was an excellent stage that highlighted each individual's capabilities. You must be looking forward to the results as well, right?"
"We also think we did well, but the opposing team did so well too, so I'm not sure about the results yet."
As Park Han-hwi spoke with a calm face, cheers erupted from all over the audience.
And.
"Next, the leader of the 'Captain Guk.A' team, trainee Sunwoo Rin."
Kyaaaaaaah!
At the pterodactyl screech that erupted the moment my name was called, I froze for a moment, holding the mic.
Hahahahahaha-
"Ah, yes. Yes! I'm Sunwoo Rin."
Barely coming to my senses from the laughter erupting around me, I hastily answered into the mic.
"Trainee Sunwoo Rin's popularity is incredible. An amazing scene was born at the end of today's stage, right?"
Waaaaaah-
At Ria's words, the audience erupted into cheers.
"I think it was a scene we could create because all the team members followed along so well. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank my team members."
As I spoke and looked to the side, the team members' eyes looked somewhat moist.
Kids, if you're going to cry, cry now... don't cry after we go down.
But contrary to my expectations, everyone seemed quite adept at controlling their emotions. Ultimately, the scene I wanted didn't happen.
"Then we will now begin the voting. National judges who think the 'Avengers' team did better, please press 1, and those who think the 'Captain Guk.A' team did better, please press 2."
The voting began. I made a V sign with my fingers and looked at the audience.
And after the team voting ended, the individual voting began immediately.
"We will now begin the individual voting. Please press the number of the trainee you think performed the best across both stages. You can only vote for exactly one person."
Looking at the audience immersed in thought, I glanced around.
Park Han-hwi and Woo Jung-woo on the opposing team. And Wi Cheon-woo on our team.
'First place seems unlikely.'
While I was gauging my chances for first place in the individual vote, the voting finally ended.
We bowed our heads at a 90-degree angle and came down from the stage.
"Wow, for real. It's really over, right?"
"Crazy. It's crazy..."
The kids, who seemed to have finally come to their senses, let out exclamations of joy one by one.
"You all worked so hard."
"Hyung...!"
"You worked hard!"
"I-It's all thanks, to you, hyung!"
Yeah, we worked really hard.
Looking at the team members' faces, the hardships we went through crossed my mind.
Modifying the choreography while staying up all night every day due to the suddenly changed concept.
Suffering through countless trials and errors alone, watching movie scenes about 100 times to devise the final action sequence.
And drilling the hopelessly stiff team members over and over until they could move like proper human beings, and so on.
There were so many things I wanted to say out loud.
"No, you guys worked harder."
Because I am a man, with this one sentence, I forgot all the hardships we had endured so far.
It definitely wasn't because the cameras were rolling.
"Hyung, let's do our chant one last time!"
"Yeah! Let's do the chant!"
"Alright!"
The team members gathered in a circle and said to me.
'Right, it's the last time.'
I shouted once more the words I had yelled until I was sick of it during practice.
"We can do it!"
"We can do it!"
"Nothing is impossible!"
"Nothing is impossible!"
Looking at each other's faces, everyone had expressions as if their pent-up emotions were rising.
'Yeah, you all worked so hard.'
I had to admit it.
That in that short time, I had grown quite fond of these guys.
Looking at the kids with moist eyes without realizing it. Just as I felt something rising within me too...
"Hyung, next time. You'll be on a team with us again, right?"
At someone's tactless remark, the emotions that had risen quickly cooled down bitterly.
'It was fun meeting you guys. Let's meet as opposing teams next time.'
***
Entering the monitoring room to check the voting results, Team A had already arrived and taken their seats.
As I was about to lead my team members to the opposite side of Team A...
"You all worked so hard. I watched the final action scene with bated breath; it was so cool."
Park Han-hwi, who suddenly approached us, offered a handshake and said.
"Ah, thank you!"
Not understanding the sudden praise, I gave a light reply.
'Is he pretending to be close because we're in front of the cameras?'
"Actually, we thought we did well too, but even before the results come out, I'm not confident. It was truly a stage worthy of Captain Korea."
'What? Is he being sarcastic?'
As I was making an awkward expression, not knowing how to react...
"Hyung, stop acting like an idiot and come here quickly. Because of you, we can't see the results."
"No, I just wanted to get along... Ugh, alright. Just a moment."
"Is that the attitude of someone who wants to get along? I'm sorry. Please understand, this hyung is an idiot."
Woo Jung-woo came over and dragged Park Han-hwi away as he spoke.
From the sight of Park Han-hwi being dragged away, I could strongly feel a goofy charm that couldn't be seen on stage.
I was momentarily bewildered by the sudden absurd situation, but at the writer's announcement that they would now reveal the results, I came back to my senses and approached my team members.
"Then we will first announce the results of the team battle."
Along with the writer's words, the names of the two teams appeared on the screen.
And. Shortly after, the vote counts were revealed.
The vote count for each team was 91 to 187.
The result was.
"Wow, we won!"
"Hyung! We won!"
Our 'Captain Guk.A' team achieved victory with a difference of nearly double the votes.
While high-fiving the rejoicing team members, I also checked the atmosphere of the opposing team.
Fortunately, perhaps having expected the result to some extent, the atmosphere was gloomy, but no contestants were bursting into tears.
"Guys, it's okay. You all did so well! Let's definitely win next time!"
Seeing Park Han-hwi comforting the members of the 'Avengers' team, I let out a sigh of relief inwardly.
'Phew, I'm glad we won. If we lost after doing all this... I don't even want to imagine it.'
With this victory, I felt that my survival was guaranteed to some extent.
'Even if I were a PD, if a contestant created a story like this, I'd definitely bow down and use it.'
Somehow, by doing my absolute best, it felt like the greatest comeback story had been created.
With the benefit of 10,000 votes and having almost certainly secured the goal of broadcast screen time, I could wait for the individual voting with a much more relaxed mind.
'I don't know if there will be any special reward, but for now, I'm fully satisfied with what I've gained so far.'
"We will now announce the individual voting results."
The screen changed again, and the names of all trainees from Team A and Team B appeared.
"Ah..."
Wi Cheon-woo also seemed to be secretly looking forward to it.
Looking to the side, Park Han-hwi and Woo Jung-woo from Team A were also staring at the screen with tense expressions.
And this time, the numbers didn't come out all at once; they started slowly counting up from 1.
'They're being cruel until the very end, these broadcast station bastards.'
As the numbers slowly climbed, I suddenly started to get nervous too.
And. For the first time, a trainee's number stopped.
"Haha..."
A trainee from Team A who had received only 3 votes let out a hollow laugh.
Starting with the trainee with the devastated expression...
"Argh, 5 votes..."
"Sob, I got, 7 votes."
Even on our team, trainees whose numbers stopped climbing began to appear one by one.
As time passed, the vote counts for most trainees were revealed.
The remaining people were 4.
'Me, Wi Cheon-woo, Park Han-hwi, and Woo Jung-woo. So these four.'
At that moment, Woo Jung-woo's number stopped at 31.
And shortly after, Park Han-hwi's vote count also stopped at 40.
"Only Cheon-woo and hyung are left."
"You two are amazing!"
Even though their own vote counts must have stung, our team members cheered for the two of us.
Just as I was feeling grateful to my team members...
Suddenly, both Wi Cheon-woo's and my vote counts stopped at exactly 63 votes.
"W-what? Is it a tie?"
"What happens if it's a tie?"
The trainees asked the writer with bewildered expressions, but...
The writer made no reply with a blank expression.
"Uh? It's moving!"
At someone's voice, I looked back at the screen.
'Wi Cheon-woo 63 votes, Sunwoo Rin...'
"Wow, Rin-hyung, 87 votes!"
The number under my name rose, forming the vote count of 87.
'I'm in first place?'
I naturally thought Wi Cheon-woo or Park Han-hwi would be first.
This is really...
'Completely unexpected.'
At that moment, applause could be heard.
Clap clap clap-
Our team members and even the trainees from Team A were all looking at me and clapping.
"Hyung, congratulations!"
Wi Cheon-woo briefly made a disappointed expression, but soon smiled and offered his congratulations.
"Everyone... thank you."
Although I had the help of the Status Window.
More than that, it was a precious result earned through my hard work.
As I gave my thanks to each and every one of our team members who were still congratulating me, I thought to myself.
'What is this feeling?'
It was fun.
A joy I hadn't been able to experience because I was only running forward all this time.
Standing on stage, competing with someone.
And the sincere word of congratulations shared after the competition ended.
Lastly.
-You have successfully completed the stage.
-You have leveled up.
-You have leveled up.
'Maybe being an idol is better than I thought?'
***
After the 1st Team Battle Evaluation ended.
All 77 trainees gathered in one place for the first time in a while.
"Rin! You have to be with us!"
"We were on the same team! Don't abandon us, sob sob."
As soon as I entered the auditorium, I was dragged away by the Bu brothers and made to sit down.
"You got dragged here too."
"Yes, but it's been a while since the four of us gathered like this. I like it!"
Beside me, Kang A-jin was waiting with a bright smile.
"Ah, episode 1 is finally starting. It felt so endlessly long."
"How are we supposed to endure it from now on?"
As the Bu brothers were loudly chatting about, today was the premiere of National Idol Season 2.
Cameras were set up all over the auditorium to capture the trainees' reactions.
Of course, even so, we'd probably only be on air for a few seconds.
"Will our stage be shown today?"
"Ah, I hope it airs today. Rin, aren't you looking forward to it too?"
"It would be good if it airs today."
Since National Idol progressed through voting anyway, it was more advantageous to appear on broadcast a little earlier and get our faces known.
Once you reached the top ranks, your exposure would naturally increase from then on.
'I wonder what rank I'm around right now.'
"Well, once Rin's stage airs, he's going straight to the top ranks."
"Will we see it today...? Aaaagh!"
As I lightly patted Bu Ji-hoon's back while he was whining, Kang A-jin next to me said in an excited tone.
"It looks like it's starting!"