The Evil Member is Back! Chapter 66* * *
The day of the mid-term rankings, 4:30 AM.
“…….”
Liu Wei, who had woken up at an absurdly early hour, mechanically picked up his phone from the bedside before even properly coming to his senses.
The mid-term voting page on the official
[1st Son Jaeha
2nd Ji Hwaseong
3rd Jang Siu
4th Liu Wei
5th Bang Yuchan
6th Logan Lee]
The other five didn’t even register in his mind. Of course, it would be better if he could defeat them.
But he didn’t want to waste energy on pointless matters.
From the start, Liu Wei’s attention was focused entirely on one place.
[8th Kim Chunyong]
The mission scores were as good as meaningless, so if things continued like this…
“…好了 (Fine).”
A small word of Chinese slipped from Liu Wei’s lips.
Perfect Mandarin pronunciation, with no flaw to point out.
Roughly tossing his phone onto the bed, he rubbed his face with both hands and forced a slightly stiff smile.
His smile was awkward.
Because he had been born into circumstances where smiling was forbidden, and had grown up competing.
“Li Mingshen has already moved on to the next choreography, but you’re still here.”
“…….”
“You’ll have to do well, Liu Wei.”
He didn’t dislike it.
After all, he didn’t need a smile to win.
Liu Wei’s ambition and need to prove his existence were innate.
If there was someone better than him, he had to crush them somehow.
If that was impossible, he had to eliminate them and take their place.
Because he could.
Because he had to.
“If a special talent student from the Ministry of Culture debuts in Korea and returns, they’ll recognize our family’s potential as well.”
“…….”
“You can do it.”
That was how he had come to Korea.
Using this small stepping stone called Korea to shine as a true star in mainland China.
From the moment he left Qingdao and arrived in Korea, his path to the top had seemed like a smooth, open road.
Until he met someone on
“My grandmother gave me this name. Is it old-fashioned?”
An unflinching confidence, standing on the lowest stage in a position of judgment.
“Rather than adversity, what I remember most is staying up many nights with my teammates, thinking about covering such an incredible senior’s song!”
The discernment to hide himself when needed, even after creating a breathtaking stage under difficult circumstances.
- “After this, I’ll be busking ‘in this spot’ with my fellow
And a presence that revealed itself at the decisive moment.
That was the direction Liu Wei was pursuing, all the qualities essential to becoming a ‘true’ star rather than a nobody.
*‘How dare a creature not even worthy of being called a rat possess such things.’*
So it was only natural that he wanted to shake off someone like Kim Chunyong, even if it meant going a little too far or revealing some weakness.
“These rumors you spread, the evidence is too insufficient. I told you clearly. Rumors that only gossip-mongers would like are short-lived.”
As Shin Kiho said, the two rumors Liu Wei had instructed his sponsors to spread were merely a stopgap.
Thanks to Son Jaeha’s help and the explanation from Kim Chunyong’s older sister, those rumors were already subsiding after just two days.
But even that was enough for Liu Wei.
What mattered was what came next.
He thought that if he showed everything he could and proved himself, Kim Chunyong would have no chance to bounce back.
Behind Liu Wei were people who helped him do just that.
Nothing remained to hold him back.
Until the weakness Liu Wei had never mentioned to anyone
suddenly blocked his path.
* * *
A subtle tension hung over the Music Days studio for the mid-term ranking announcement.
Dartboard props bought for the title
It was practically advertising: Today is a special shoot.
“Get ready now! Filming starts soon!”
“Cough!”
“Aaaah, Yuchan aniki. W-water, please!”
“Bathroom! Can’t I just go to the bathroom for a second?”
Because of that, quite a few people jolted at the assistant director’s shout signaling the start of filming.
“Oh my. The Silk Road leading Gao Yan to 1st place is unfolding like this… This is surely a small step, but it will be a giant step for the K-pop idol world.”
Even the back of Gao Yan’s neck, as he spouted the usual nonsense, was lightly damp with cold sweat, so no further explanation was needed.
It might seem like they were being overly dramatic, but the pitying looks the production crew cast at them revealed everything.
*‘If trainees on an idol survival program don’t get nervous about this, what would they get nervous about?’*
Besides, pretending they hadn’t, every single trainee had already searched their own name on social media and online communities at least once.
[Alright, time to start shaking off the scrubs and only take the ones who’ll make it lol our Hwaseong’s going viral right away]
[Li Mingshen at 10th? Isn’t this a bit too close?]
[⎿Cranking the hopium hard, just accept it’s over and repeat it to yourself]
[⎿⎿Whose fan is this asshole to be running their mouth like this? I’m already upset so piss off, I’m just gonna go to China and cook for Lingling and live there]
The mid-term ranking announcement was a fairly objective indicator that directly showed which trainees could debut and which couldn’t.
As netizens put it: 1st through 5th were the safe debut zone. 6th and 7th were a cutthroat battle of nerves. Below that, not even worth considering.
And the ones directly feeling that were none other than the trainees.
*‘Still, we’ve come this far, so no one’s thinking of half-assing it. And even if someone is, I can’t think that way. Yeah.’*
Among them, Ji Hwaseong, who hadn’t failed a single stage so far and was proudly maintaining 2nd place, thought to himself as he tidied the ends of his elegantly styled blond hair.
A solid 2nd place by anyone’s measure.
He could have relaxed a little, thinking his debut was practically guaranteed, but his mindset had changed a lot while progressing through
Desperately, and harder than anyone.
Not letting his guard down even with good results, not looking down on others.
*‘Wow, if Mom saw this, she’d be so proud, saying when did you mature so much. Since she’s in Daegu, I guess it’s true I won’t see her until after the live broadcast.’*
After giving himself a small compliment for his personal growth, Ji Hwaseong spotted someone and his eyes narrowed slightly.
*‘Ah, shit. My mood’s about to sour again. I need to manage myself before such an important event.’*
That person was the one who had influenced the ‘not looking down on others’ part of Ji Hwaseong’s changed mindset.
…
Liu Wei was slowly walking into the studio.
His perfectly angular stride and doll-like expression, unchanging as always, were more than enough to evoke tension in anyone watching.
*‘Annoying. If only those absurd rumors hadn’t suddenly spread, Chunyong hyung would’ve been 6th. In the debut zone.’*
Ji Hwaseong remembered what had happened once for a long time.
If you asked him to weigh someone who had nearly clashed with the person who had guided him in a positive direction against that person, it was only natural his heart leaned one way.
Recalling the stairs of the trainee sardine-can facility where he’d talked with Kim Chunyong, and Gyeongbokgung Palace where he’d snarled at Liu Wei, Ji Hwaseong pinched the bridge of his nose and clicked his tongue.
The rumors about Kim Chunyong that had suddenly erupted right before the mid-term rankings were a hot topic even among the trainees.
“Nonsense. Right, I told you it wasn’t true. I wanted to reply to his sister’s post too! If only it hadn’t been blocked….”
“Yeah. And it was cleared up by Jaeha hyung’s Outgram post too….”
“Right. The other thing was fake too.”
“Honestly, for me, it’s good if that bastard’s rank drops but, ahem, the timing’s a bit dirty, isn’t it? …Though I think you mostly know what I mean.”
“What. Jooan, you know something?”
“H-huh? What are you talking about? What would I know. Seobin, you go practice the choreography more. You’re not improving because you’re focusing on useless stuff.”
“Jooan, you really… have a way of making even the same words sound mean.”
As he recalled the conversation with the fellow trainees who had performed *Aiming* together, the frown lines between Ji Hwaseong’s brows deepened.
*‘Right. Kim Jooan hyung definitely knew something. And seeing how Jaeha hyung uploaded a video that helped clear Chunyong hyung’s name right on time, Jaeha hyung seems to know something too.’*
Being excluded from the center of events was never a pleasant thing.
Whether you were the prideful Ji Hwaseong or a clueless outsider.
“Why are you frowning so hard? You’ll ruin your makeup at this rate.”
Just then, at the voice from behind him, Ji Hwaseong let out a noticeably brighter tone.
“Chunyong hyung?!”
“Yeah, it’s your Chunyong hyung. There. Smile. One, two.”
“Huh, huhh?”
Even caught off guard by the sudden phone shutter, Ji Hwaseong showed off his ridiculously handsome face to the fullest, but soon frowned again and whispered toward Kim Chunyong.
“What’s this, all of a sudden! You’re supposed to take these in a group, ah, seriously. When someone’s having a serious thought.”
“Yeah. You were thinking about something, it was written all over your face. Why, worried about the mid-term rankings? Because of the mission score?”
“You think that’s what I’m worried about right now? Fine. I need to talk to you, hyung. You─”
“Shh.”
“Ack!”
Kim Chunyong jabbed Ji Hwaseong in the side and, looking pleased at the way Ji Hwaseong hunched over, patted him on the shoulder.
“That’s all resolved, isn’t it. Whining about it now won’t change anything.”
“Resolved, my ass. It’s just calmed down, but your rank dropped. Aren’t you debuting?”
“No, of course I want to debut. That’s why I want to have a little talk about it.”
“E-er. I’m not good at giving advice. Well. If that’s what you want….”
“Pfft, that’s funny. Not you.”
At Ji Hwaseong’s words, Kim Chunyong burst out laughing, gave his blond hair a light tap, and walked the other way.
To exactly where Liu Wei was standing.
Then, toward Ji Hwaseong, he mouthed the words.
*‘Watch his expression carefully.’*
Still gently rubbing his sore side, Ji Hwaseong’s mouth dropped open.
*‘Wh-what. Why is Chunyong hyung talking to that guy? Does he have something to say?’*
Unaware that the malicious rumors targeting Kim Chunyong had originated from Liu Wei, Ji Hwaseong could only narrow his eyes and follow his movements as instructed.
“…….”
Though he clearly saw Kim Chunyong approaching him, Liu Wei’s expression didn’t change much.
In contrast, Kim Chunyong was smiling brightly.
Flashing the canine teeth that only stood out when he smiled, Kim Chunyong bowed his head slightly toward Liu Wei and whispered in a voice only he would hear.
The one person who fully took in that scene—Ji Hwaseong—couldn’t help but gasp.
At no time ever, no.
Even if a moment had come when his expression faltered, Liu Wei always instantly returned to a blank face…
“…
Looks like you’re angry?”
To lose his poker face in a place full of people.
Kim Chunyong whipped his head back toward Ji Hwaseong and beamed, opening and closing his mouth.
*‘Did you see that?’*
“Mid-term ranking announcement filming will begin now!”
The long-anticipated, nerve-wracking ranking announcement finally began.
And it was the moment Kim Chunyong declared he would no longer stay still.