The Villainous Member Has Returned! Episode 33
* * *
With all the stages finished, it was time to announce the winning teams of each cover battle.
Taking my place among them, I looked at the countless cameras, mentors, and audience members all pointed at us, rubbing my sweaty palms against my pants.
"Alright! Then, before we announce the two winning teams of the cover mission and the overall number one team, shall we hear some brief thoughts from each team's trainees? Come now, first up—Trainee Son Jaeha!"
"Ah, yes. Hello, Star Shooters. It's an honor to meet you. I'm Trainee Son Jaeha! Today, we showed you our performance of 'Shadow' by our seniors Leopold, and I'm truly delighted that we got to cover such a great song…."
Thanks to Choi Gaon's arrangement—he knew how broadcasting worked—several prominent AG trainees started the interviews first.
Their eyes brimming with fierce determination, they smoothly rattled off the self-promoting lines they had prepared.
Because that was the only way to get even one more shot on camera, to catch people's eyes one more time.
"Well, please look forward to us…."
"I'm Seong Wonhyeop from Team 2OCD! Please, please cast one vote for our team!"
However, the trainees who had been too busy pulling off their own parts on stage to pay attention to the audience were now wearing awkward expressions under the sudden onslaught of nerves.
I understood.
No matter when or where, facing people on stage was always nerve-wracking.
No matter who you were.
As for me, well. With the experience from my previous idol life and the skills X had given me—Aura of an Idol, Will of Sixth Place, and so on—I could more or less cover for that kind of nervousness.
But among those oddly named skills, the one that had helped the most was undoubtedly the skill I had chosen as the reward for placing first in my team during the first competition.
[You Still Like Me, Don't You? (F): When appealing to someone you've just met, if you induce laughter, Charm correction +10%]
A skill that had come from choosing 'Charm' among the options at the time. It had a condition attached: after self-promotion, induce laughter. But when I later checked what the skill actually was, I nearly let out a cheer of joy.
Because.
"Then, let's also hear the thoughts of B-grade Trainee Kim Chunyong from Team Min Siyeong!"
"Puhah!"
Just hearing my name made most people laugh like that.…
It wasn't exactly a great feeling, but!
"Yes, Trainee Kim Chunyong! Haha, please step over here!"
See? Even though it had been almost a month since Senior Choi Gaon first met me, whenever the moment came to unexpectedly call my name, laughter would burst out of him like that.
But would it be any different for someone meeting me for the first time?
Against the backdrop of laughter erupting from the audience seats, I naturally put on a smile and replied to Choi Gaon.
"Yes, hello, Senior Gaon! It's been a while. How have you been?"
"Oh, I've always been doing well. Trainee Kim Chunyong, preparing for Senior Min Siyeong's 'Us Beyond the Waves' must have been nerve-wracking and exciting. How do you feel now that today's stage is over? A pirate concept—I never would have thought of that. Were there any difficulties while preparing?"
"Ah, well…."
Difficulties.
I rolled my eyes and looked toward Kim Juan standing at the edge of the stage.
"—!"
Perhaps from the aftershock of ruining the stage, Kim Juan was still slumped over. At my gaze, his shoulders trembled and he turned his head in another direction.
Fortunately, it seemed he had somewhat grasped the situation now.
Faking the most cheerful voice I could, I gestured to my teammates standing beside me.
"Rather than hardships, what I remember most is how the team and I often stayed up all night because we were covering such an amazing song by a great senior!"
At my jest, an earthquake struck Siu's eyes. He seemed somewhat surprised at my attitude, which had quietly buried everything that had happened until now.
You idiot, did you think I was going to talk on stage about how I racked my brains because of Kim Juan and you?
To the youngest I'd be debuting with?
That would never happen.
Nodding at the youngest writer who was gesturing for me to quickly pass the mic, I wrapped up my thoughts.
"And I'm so happy to meet all the Star Shooters like this for the first time. I want to debut for sure, by showing you all lots of great sides of me."
At my impeccable answer, Choi Gaon clicked his tongue in admiration and patted my shoulder.
"Yes, your attitude of always doing your best is truly admirable. Alright then, let's meet the winning teams of each cover mission and the overall number one team now. Everyone, please focus on the screen!"
Red and green, white and black—the colors mainly used for dartboards. The screen divided into four sections displayed each team's name, with the default vote count set to 00.
"Let me explain once more! The two winning teams of each cover mission, and the overall number one team selected by the Star Shooters and mentors gathered here today, will soon appear on the screen!"
When the digital votes of 300 people appeared on that screen…
The teams that would cry and that would laugh would be decided.
"The hardships endured by the trainees who prepared for this stage cannot be replaced by rankings, but this is the first gate that must be passed to aim for the great goal of debut. Then, winning teams—please show us!"
At Choi Gaon's final words, numbers spun chaotically on the screen.
From 0 to 9. And then from 9 back to 0 again.
Truthfully, just by looking at the trainees' faces after the performances ended, the winning teams were easy to infer.
Our team, and team 'Calendar' which Logan and Ji Hwasung belonged to.
The 'Shadow' team and the 'Be the LOW' team, who had covered popular boy groups through miraculous draw luck, had relatively poor expressions.
Because our team and Team Calendar's arrangement and stage level were better than they thought, it was only natural which song would stick in people's minds.
So, what mattered now was the overall number one team.
"Whew…."
I flashed a wry smile and shifted my feet anxiously. If I had known they would do that well, I wouldn't have given advice like, 'show your arrangement to your team members.'
Right then, Logan—whose eyes met mine—broke into a broad, bright grin.
'Chunyong hyung, it's thanks to you!'
Seeing that face, the thought that had just crossed my mind quickly became laughable.
Yeah, there was no need to think like that.
Our team did well enough, and Team Calendar was destined to do well eventually anyway.
Since things had turned out this way, all I could believe in now was…
Only the people's eyes.
"Three, two, one! Right now! Revealing it!"
Woaaah!
It wasn't the forced cheers the trainees let out during filming, but the audience's roar that burst forth.
And with a bang, stage effects went off.
I slowly opened my tightly shut eyes and checked the electronic display. The overlapping numbers in my blurry vision gradually registered in my head.
Lady Swan
Min Siyeong
Overall 1st place: Min Siyeong
"Ah…."
Strength left my legs, and I nearly plopped down in an unsightly heap.
Overall first place.
Our team, which had covered
Before I could even be happy, I instinctively turned my eyes toward Senior Min Siyeong, the original singer of our song.
"This stage truly feels like a gift to me."
While CEO Do Jaechan was absolutely supporting Team 'Calendar', the fact that our team took first place meant that someone had argued our team deserved to be number one.
"—."
She stared fixedly at me and muttered something with her mouth, but I couldn't make it out.
"Chunyongaaaah!"
"Chunyong-aniki!"
…Two of my teammates ran at me and clung on.
Setting Ryota aside, even Yuchan was tearing up. Our team had so many problems here and there, after all. He probably never expected this kind of result either.
Because neither did I.
"Seriously, wow! You were amazing today. Thank you. Thank you, Chunyong!"
"…For what."
He threw off the bandana on his head and ruffled my hair wildly. I naturally threw my arm over Yuchan's shoulder and jumped up and down with him.
And then, at that moment.
Someone slipped through my defenselessly open left shoulder.
"Chu, Chunyong hyung…."
A voice that was slightly embarrassed but couldn't hide how excited he was.
"Huh?"
…Jang Siu?
Siu, hugging me this easily?
Hey, it took a whole year after we first met before you hugged me last time!?
"Thank you, hyung…."
I was bewildered, but gently patted our youngest's back. Our youngest's back was a bit broader than I had thought.
Feeling a strange sense of longing, I stammered as I spoke to Siu.
"…G-good work. Siu."
"…I'm sorry."
I ruffled the hair of our youngest, who was apologizing needlessly once again. Even if this earned me minus points in Siu's heart, I didn't care.
First place.
The result created by two of my Arrows members, along with Ryota.
"Phew…."
"What, is Chunyong crying!? Are you crying?"
"I'm not crying!"
I vigorously rubbed my face and quickly denied Yuchan's teasing. I really wasn't crying.
It was just that reality was finally sinking in.
I had taken first place during the previous Aiming stage too, but perhaps because so many things had happened while preparing for this stage.
A sense of elation crept up from my toes.
A smile bloomed on my face, drenched in sweat.
My mouth babbled on its own.
"Everyone, you all worked so, so hard…."
"Chunyong-aniki was the one who worked hard! No, Kim Ju—."
"Shh, Ryota. Just enjoy the moment for now!"
"Oh my. Yes. Good is good, it is!"
Beyond the teammates hugging me, the faces of other trainees came into view.
Logan, happy yet regretful; Ahn Jinwoo, another AG trainee, looking furious; Jaeha hyung, trying to comfort the other trainees with a bright expression despite his own pale, drained face.
"……."
And even Liu Wei, his face coldly impassive, giving no hint as to what he was thinking.
This was what a real survival show looked like.…
It would get even more intense once the first broadcast started tomorrow.
It was about time for the true nature of
* * *
—"The cameras in the dormitory have been withdrawn. The next filming will take place two days after the first broadcast airs. Trainees may temporarily leave the dormitory to visit your parents' homes, or rest freely in the dormitory."
At the main writer's words echoing through the speakers, the trainee sardine can—no, the trainee dormitory was rarely so lively.
"Hell yeah! I'm going to see Mom!"
"Minho hyung, Sangwoo, and I are going to hang out at my place. Anyone want to come?"
"Oh, me! I want to go! Are we drinking? Beer!?"
"Would we? What are you saying in front of minors!"
"Ah, then we have to drink cola! You kids just go by yourselves!"
"Ahahaha! This hyung is so funny!"
Moderate profanity, laughter without a care for the cameras. Now it finally felt like a place where eighteen boys were gathered.
It was the same with our multinational roommates.
"Oh. It's finally a day off! Truly, it was so hard. I'm going to sleep for 24 hours."
"I feel the same. I have to sleep well to do well in the next competition. I have to look pretty!"
The foreign trainees wouldn't go home. The break was too short for that. They would probably stay in the dorm, or go to another lodging they had personally arranged in Korea.
Logan and Ryota seemed to have decided to just stay in the dorm.
"Ah, is Chunyong-aniki going home? You packed your suitcase!"
"Yeah. I'm going to see my family and watch the first broadcast with them."
"—Wow. You must be close with your family. Good for you. That's wonderful."
"Huh? Uh… well, I guess."
Logan's expression shifted slightly as he said to me, 'You must be close with your family.'…
Come to think of it, I don't think I had ever seen Logan call his family.
They had even brought in a pay phone and induced 'family phone call' time for filming.
"Have a good time, bro. I'll have fun with Gao Yan and Ryota, too."
"…Yeah. See you when I get back, Logan."
Pulling my suitcase, I slowly headed outside, my mind turning.
Only after getting this first break did I remember again.
[Idol Survival 'Targeting Star'—Notice of Trainee Lee Logan's Withdrawal]
That Logan had withdrawn from the next competition.
This Lady Swan cover 'Calendar' stage and his uniqueness as a British trainee had generated tremendous buzz, after all.
"…Tch."
Even if it wasn't like with my Arrows members, I had grown quite attached to my multinational roommates. It felt a little regrettable to think he might just leave like this.
If he ended up withdrawing just like before, I should at least have a conversation with him about what would make him return to England.
With that thought, just as I stepped past the stairs toward the outside of the building.
"This is Korea, Chinese. Like Roman law or whatever—in Korea, speak Korean!"
…From below the stairs, the basement, a booming voice rang out.
It came from that space with no cameras, suitable for secret conversations—a space I often used.
That rigid yet confident tone that absolutely wouldn't back down no matter where it went….
"Let's start the conversation from there. Otherwise, no way! I want to go back to the dorm quickly and hang out with my roommates! Not a corpse like you!"
Gao Yan?
And in front of Gao Yan, whose shouts for the other to leave were making the emergency stairwell boom like a drum, someone was standing.
"安静点，我没有那个理由。(Quiet down. I have no reason to do that.)"
"Nonsense! Then I won't talk with you either. Because I am Gao Yan, a proud man from Hong Kong. I plan to make a splendid debut in Korea soon, too."
Unlike Gao Yan's booming voice, this was a cautious, lowered voice. I had to lean my body to see who it was.
And upon realizing who the conversation partner was, I felt like I had been struck by lightning.
"Sigh…."
Tossing his thin, abundant hair, leaving his robotic expression behind, his face filled with annoyance…
"Yeah. Satisfied now?"
—Liu Wei.
I stuffed my fist into my gaping mouth and gasped.…
What are those two doing down there?