The Malicious Member Has Returned! Episode 19
The six trainees quickly took their positions.
Then, the stage lights, primarily blue and yellow, flashed alternately, illuminating the trainees on stage.
Their outfits: crisp white t-shirts, black baseball jackets with a large dart board printed on the back, and slightly glossy leather pants. Makeup heavily set to withstand the lights.
A simple ensemble befitting a first performance where the trainees were matching each other, but each had added personal accents like belts, bandanas, or even a handkerchief tied around the wrist.
It could be called a masterpiece by Moon Yunha, who had personally directed the visual styling.
Up until seeing that disciplined appearance, Min Siyeong simply watched the stage with sharp eyes. ‘What matters now is this performance. That guy who only knows cheap tricks talks like a smooth stream.’ No matter how much she tried, Min Siyeong could not look kindly upon Kim Chunyong.
She thought he was just a trainee with no outstanding qualities who got favorable reactions on set simply because he was in the main PD’s good graces. ‘When I checked his vocals, it was just average. His tone was good... but nothing special.’ Having been in the entertainment industry since childhood, Min Siyeong believed in the realm of effort and talent.
She considered that how hard one had worked and how one showcased their talent mattered far more than creating a momentary camera issue. ‘No matter the order, Jaeha’s team will win. Jaeha is the best.’ This team ranking had little to do with the next stage, which would start to directly link to debut. However, the benefit was the chance to take the lead in the pre-release performance video.
Considering that and broadcast image, the key was to leave the best impression possible. ‘Hwaseong worries me a bit. From the start, he’s leading the team with the worst trainees of similar rank, and now he’s at a disadvantage in stage position... Still, he’ll probably get MVP. Hmm.’ Min Siyeong, no matter how fair she tried to be, couldn’t help having soft spots for the trainees she’d watched since they were very young.
Besides, wasn’t that problematic trainee in Ji Hwaseong’s team?
While Min Siyeong, lost in her own bias, was already evaluating Ji Hwaseong’s team before even seeing the stage.
Brrrrrrr―The loud motorcycle exhaust sound she’d heard more than 500 times while checking the stage rang out.
It was the start of the performance.
- Shining city, noisy people
But here, only you and me
You & I
The opening was by Gao Yan, the sub-rapper position.
He was the trainee who gave Min Siyeong a hard time during recording direction because he had almost no input and virtually no understanding of the idol industry.
Can’t dance, can’t sing, raps like reading a textbook.
Min Siyeong had almost given up, just hoping he wouldn’t be a nuisance to Ji Hwaseong...
‘...Wow, he did improve in a week, didn’t he?’
He looked much better than when she’d pointed out his flaws during the previous ranking evaluation.
For a start, he’d gone from not even hitting a beat to rapping on beat and matching movements.
Min Siyeong tried to hide her surprise and keep a straight face.
Gao Yan was ranked 18th, the lowest. Naturally, the lower you are, the faster you improve. ‘As the stage goes on, you lose energy. The real test starts from the back.’ But as the roughly three-minute performance continued.
Min Siyeong’s thoughts kept being challenged.
Na Jihyeok, who was sitting beside her, whispered to her in a low voice.
“This team, even back when you were directing, Siyeong-ssi...”
Were they this good?
Min Siyeong bit her lip hard at Na Jihyeok’s question.
Were they always this good?
- The gun barrel aimed at me
To me, just pouring applause
Already ready, Ready to Shoot
You by my side, Fever time
Fear only makes us grow
Ji Hwaseong, who was rapping now, was of course, excellent.
He had seemed a bit lost during the directing, but wasn’t he an August pure-blood trainee she had been watching all along? There was no way he’d do badly.
However, Min Siyeong knew Na Jihyeok wasn’t talking about Ji Hwaseong.
- This one way ticket
I’ll take you to the one and only goal
I know what it is to be together
The hitchhikers over there, they see us
Even though his producing ability and singing were outstanding, Logan, who alongside the bottom-ranked Gao Yan, had not a single basic dance skill.
- The sound of a heart about to burst
I’m the same as you
Because it’s the first time for You & I
But I take a step forward
Kim Juan, whom Min Siyeong had harshly ranked without a single appealing point...
- Aim at me, world
When it’s time to aim for everyone’s heart
Aiming, Aiming
Watch who shoots
Aiming, Aiming
Aimed at your Heart
Seo Bin, who sang well but honestly seemed unsuited for group idol choreography! ‘They’re... doing the stage properly, aren’t they?’ Of course, Ji Hwaseong’s team still had a few minor mistakes, and occasionally some members were late to follow the movement line.
But everyone was smiling brightly, singing along with lyrics about ‘aiming at this world together and showing myself’, and they seemed exactly...
If this song “Aiming” had an owner, it might be this team.
Min Siyeong, surprised by her own thought, brought her hand to her mouth. ‘No, it’s just because it’s the first stage. Min Siyeong, get a grip!’ And as if to overturn her thoughts.
The dance break part came, and Kim Chunyong stepped to the very front.
His hair, damp with sweat, flying with every move. Fingertips straight without a single bend.
Facial expressions that would outshine Ji Hwaseong, whom the judges believed was the best trainee on the team.
At the end, the showmanship of spinning and flinging away the handkerchief tied around his wrist.
“...
Oh.”
Even Jin Dasol, who had been sitting quietly or with a pondering expression, uncrossed his arms and let out a quiet exclamation.
Min Siyeong, who had given him the lowest score, began to wonder if she needed to rethink Kim Chunyong.
...Overwhelming presence.
And then, Kim Chunyong, standing in the center, led the final chorus with his characteristic husky and unique tone.
- Aim us at the world
When it’s time to aim for their hearts
Aiming, Aiming
Watch who shoots
Aiming, Aiming
It’s surely
We.
The moment their stage ended.
Clap, clap, clap...
“Good. Well done. It goes perfectly with the outfits.”
No one else but Moon Yunha clapped.
What score they would get was obvious without even looking.
* * *
The members who had slipped offstage, panting, were each eagerly shaking their trembling hands to give high-fives to one another.
“We did really well this time. Honestly, better than during practice. Right?”
“What Hwaseong says is true. Today, Gao Yan didn’t mess up the choreography. He’s definitely built for the stage.”
“Wow, I’m still, still shaking. So nervous. No, I’m excited! It was fun.”
“I-I too. Normally I do worse when I’m on stage... but today was different.”
“...
Well. It wasn’t bad.”
Even the same-age group that now gets along so well, Seo Bin, and even Kim Juan.
I, too, pushed strength into my trembling knees and nodded.
I couldn’t even guess how long it had been since I stood on a stage sober and matched with others. The old me was always drunk, whether I drank or not...
If I had just pulled myself together a bit back then, I would’ve felt this too, right?
While I was lost in reminiscence, recalling the many stages I’d been on as the malicious member, the other teams’ stages continued in order.
“Qing duo duo guanzhao (Please take care of me).”
Unlike ours, Liu Wei’s team’s stage had no mistakes.
Vocals freely using low and high notes, a dance break center, sharp military-style choreography centered around Liu Wei.
However, Liu Wei, standing at the center of every stage, was expressionless to a frightening degree.
If I had to put it, it was almost like a robot.
Moreover, since all the previous practice had been led by him, it seemed the other trainees had been influenced too.
“It was good. But...”
“Shouldn’t the facial expressions be more varied?”
“The teamwork was good.”
“Well, even if they’re passive, pretty is pretty. But I don’t know why he keeps speaking only in Chinese. I can’t understand, so speak Korean.”
“......”
Anyway, quite positive evaluations came out, and then it was Jaeha hyung’s team’s stage.
This one, honestly...
“Trainee Son Jaeha. What was the problem?”
Min Siyeong’s words came out with such a regretful expression that it said it all.
“Well, that...”
At the start, it seemed ordinary.
From the beginning, Jaeha hyung had formed his team by selecting even lower-ranked trainees who all had trainee experience or basic skills.
A slight exception was Yoo Chan hyung, but he sang so overwhelmingly well compared to the others that his choice was understandable.
However, the issue exploded during the dance break.
“Uh, uhh...? This isn’t it,”
The dance break center member, who had kept insisting, ‘Aren’t we just the same as the other teams if we do the same thing?’, suddenly broke into breakdancing, causing the whole group to stumble badly.
“Ugh...”
Even Jaeha hyung, who always maintained a nonchalant smile no matter what, had his expression distort at that moment.
Is there a worse signal than making a grimace on stage?
“That...”
Jin Dasol, shocked, couldn’t finish his sentence, so Moon Yunha took the mic from him and shot back a remark.
“Why do you go off on your own on stage, not even in practice, looking so unpleasant. It’s a nuisance, that. They said they’d look at teamwork, and you didn’t listen... And why couldn’t the other team members back it up? It’s not like they practiced for only a day or two.”
The atmosphere in Jaeha hyung’s team sank instantly.
And since our team and Liu Wei’s team had received quite good evaluations, the backlash was huge.
The peak of that chill came when all the trainees went up on stage and checked the results on the electronic board.
[1st Place: Team Ji Hwaseong / MVP: Ji Hwaseong
2nd Place: Team Liu Wei / MVP: Liu Wei
3rd Place: Team Son Jaeha / MVP: Son Jaeha]
If it was expected, it was expected; if it was unexpected, it was unexpected.
The expected part was, well, that the AG pure-blood trainees all took MVP...
The disappointing part was.
“Guys, you worked hard anyway. I know you tried your best.”...
That Jaeha hyung’s team placed 3rd.
“Sniff...”
“Don’t cry, Ryota. This time it’s just the basic ranking. Okay.”
Jaeha hyung patted Ryota on the shoulder as he burst into tears, since it was clear that his already low rank would drop further from this stage, and offered comfort.
His own expression wasn’t good either.
He was still in the top tier, but because of this stage, his overall rank had fallen from 1st to 3rd.
Once you start falling, it feels like you’ll keep falling, so it was understandable.
Of course, Jaeha hyung was expected to debut stably... but anyway.
“Uh, I got 1st place thanks to my team members’ help.... From the next stage, we’ll be performing with an audience, so I’ll work harder to show you a better performance.”
“Yes, trainee Ji Hwaseong. Congratulations!”
“......”
Was it because of the misfortune of the hyung he trusted and followed?
Even Ji Hwaseong, who had risen to 1st place overall from today’s performance, didn’t look particularly happy during the interview.
Some couldn’t smile despite a good stage, and some rose despite a mediocre stage.
That was survival.
That meant I had to pull someone down to rise up.
* * *
But when Ji Hwaseong came off stage and entered the waiting room, the first thing he said to me was something I hadn’t expected.
“Chunyong hyung should have gotten the MVP.”...
Was his expression not good not because of Jaeha hyung, but because of me?
“Uh...”
I opened my mouth in surprise, gaping. I didn’t say more because of the cameras all over the waiting room, but I knew exactly what Ji Hwaseong meant. ‘I didn’t want to get MVP through agency connections; I wanted to receive it fair and square with my own skills.’ He’s having useless thoughts, that guy.
Quickly coming to my senses, instead of soothing Ji Hwaseong or putting on a sad face, I threw my arm around his neck and said loudly in a cheerful voice.
“Hey! Why are you hyping me up again. Are you bragging that you did well? Huh? Making fun of hyung?”
“No, what are you talking about, hyung, I said the right thing—”
“Guys, Ji Hwaseong is pretending to be cool again without reason. Come bother him!”
“Got it! Another taste of revolution for Stalin the dictator!”
“Okay. Leave it to us.”
“Aaack!”
As Logan and Gao Yan rushed over to tickle Ji Hwaseong, and Ji Hwaseong, who is weak to tickling, struggled, I pulled his ear and whispered quietly.
“Don’t say pointless things. This is how it should be. Don’t feel guilty, just go see Jaeha hyung later.”
“—!”
Ji Hwaseong’s eyes widened at my words. But as if I had never said such a thing, I joined in tickling his side.
“Ahak, wait! Wait a moment! Chunyong hyung! Aack!”
“If you call my name, think you’ll get mercy!”
Survival.
Some die, some live.
Well, it was true. After all, the old me had debuted through that process too.
But so far, it’s been only two stages, and one was basically a talent show. It’s too early to get depressed and fall behind already.
Above all, the most important thing for an idol aspirant isn’t the evaluation of industry seniors. Idol survival, Targeting Star 1st teaser trailer released!...
It’s the public’s eye.