The Villainous Member Has Returned! Episode 93
* * *
A GVN cheering theater simultaneously airing the live broadcast final stage of
- "Thank you for the wonderful stage! With this, we have watched all the performances by the teams on the final debut evaluation stage! Now the true end of the live broadcast is approaching!"
Even though the trainees' debut evaluation stage had just ended, exclamations and sighs of relief related to the group name were still bursting forth from the crowd.
"Wow, crazy... fuck, it actually worked! Hey, do you see? I'm telling you, it worked."
"You know you've been saying that ever since the name was announced an hour ago, right...."
After failing to get tickets for the live broadcast audience, AG Hardware had grudgingly applied for a group screening at a movie theater, and now she was shaking the roommate sitting next to her by the shoulder, muttering incessantly. She had no idea that her roommate—who had only been dragged here because 'I accidentally grabbed two seats and didn't want to transfer one to someone who doesn't like Jaeha'—was looking utterly fed up.
"No, I know. I do, okay? But I honestly didn't think that would actually work. Wow, they really do say the enemy of my enemy is my friend. When facing other fandoms, everyone can really band together."
That was truly the case. Back when the name 'Arrows' entered the rankings and its vote count kept rising higher and higher.
AG Hardware felt a sense of crisis with all her heart.
"No, wait, this doesn't seem like it'll work? The group name is Arrows? Our Jaeha's team name is going to be Arrows? Other idols' fans must have come here to mess with the vote!"
"Why, it's fine. It feels like some sentai team name, I like it. There's something similar in a game I play."
"That's exactly why it won't work! Crazy, how do we... we need to divert attention to something else."
Fortunately, AG Hardware wasn't the only one who thought that way.
Named core fans of each trainee, and even people who simply believed there had to be a better name.
They joined forces and began swaying public opinion as much as possible.[AG Hardware @HARDWARE_store#Targeting_Star Recommending 'ToZ' as the debut team name for the trainees. (Clap)(Clap)][Siuhada @singsingull_ll11#ToZ I really think the name ToZ is so good ㅠㅁㅠ ToZ is short for Target of Zeno!
You can call them Zeno or ToZ~ An arrow targeting the arrow in Zeno's paradox!? It fits perfectly with the program name
If you get bored during lecture, just call it finger exercise and tap your phone, go go]
No matter how much they liked different trainees, in the end, six members would debut, not one.
Moreover, due to
In such a state, the argument that 'your fave might debut, so you need to have a decent group name ready' was enough to convince quite a few people.
"I don't know who submitted this group name, but they really will be blessed. If only Jaeha debuts, right? I swear I'll bow in their direction twice a day."
"Hey, you only bow twice for the dead!"
"Huh, n-no. I mean... what I'm saying is, I want to express my gratitude even until the day they pass?"
"Your excuses are really something, ugh. You're so drunk on that group name you didn't even watch the stages properly...."
"Did you think I was you? I watched everything. I really remember every single one."
At her roommate's remark, she suddenly flared up and began rattling off the stages she remembered like a machine gun.
"Yeah, the first team. The one with Jang Siu, right? The song title was 'Just My Type'. The outfits were cute. Jang Siu really suited that kind of sporty look. Basketball tanks, gym clothes like that. Maybe because he's kinda skinny and looks young."
"Yeah, I get it. I know you remember everything. I'm really, really sorry."
"And then, next was our Jaeha's team. No, how could I forget Jaeha's team? I never knew our Jaeha would match so well with Logan. Gosh, he's good at acoustic too. Logan's in the debut range too, so if the two of them debut together...."
"I said I get it. Hey, I think they're about to announce the rankings soon. Shouldn't we focus?"
"Come on, they're still tallying the text votes. And, uh. Lastly, the team with Bang Yuchan and Kim Chunyong! This team had Ryu Wei suddenly drop out, so I really had no idea what concept they would go for...."
"—Excuse me."
The reason Hardware's mouth snapped shut—she had been rambling excitedly in her own world—was the rather sharp voice of the woman sitting beside her.
"This is a cheering theater, yes, but please keep it down. It's not just the two of you here."
"Oh gosh, I'm sorry. Once she gets excited, she can't control herself, sorry. Hey, apologize quickly."
"Gasp, s-sorry. I got too carried away...."
"...As long as you understand. Please be careful." 'Hmph.' The woman turned her head away from the flustered Hardware and her roommate, who wore an expression that said 'I knew this would happen.' ItsOnFire held back the retort that was about to burst out sullenly and cursed the two inwardly. 'The team with Bang Yuchan and Kim Chunyong? Hwa-seong is on that team. Our Hwa-seong! Shouldn't Hwa-seong's name naturally come up first?'
Of course, Bang Yuchan and Kim Chunyong had been impressive, too.
If the previous two teams had emphasized a somewhat pure and innocent, or sporty and lively vibe....
- My friend told me
Last night they saw you walking
Carefully, but quickly
Like A Road Runner
Like A Prisoner
Like Me
Their team, somehow, radiated a slightly dangerous atmosphere.
Ji Hwaseong, Lee Chaehyeok, Bang Yuchan, Kim Juan, and Kim Chunyong.
Since they were a team with outstanding physiques, except for Kim Juan, the baseball caps and loose jackets. And the tight-fitting innerwear suited them as if tailored.
- Beyond the endless tunnel, Lighting
Following that light, Run, Baby Run Away
Chasing after you isn't hard for me
It's a final destination I already know
Bang Yuchan exuded a mature atmosphere compared to the other trainees.
And after dyeing his hair red, one might say there was no better choice than this to prominently display the strengths of Kim Chunyong's rough-edged looks.
'Honestly, I don't hate Kim Chunyong that much since the post-it incident either. Maybe it's even an improvement. Definitely, if I think about the chemistry he'll match with Hwa-seong later on....' While ItsOnFire was calculating various possibilities.
- Coming up soon! The final ranking announcement for the
An announcement that the broadcast would resume properly rang out thunderously through the theater's high-quality speakers.
"...Hah."
When she realized she had been praising Kim Chunyong inwardly without realizing it, ItsOnFire pinched her thigh hard and turned her head back to the theater screen.
She wasn't the only one.
"Huk, are they really doing it now? Holy shit, Jaehaaa!"
"Shh, lower your voice. I told you your voice gets louder when you're excited...." AG Hardware, who had been messaging her roommate after being scolded by ItsOnFire, and the other fans in that theater cheering for their respective trainees, were all the same.
Hands gradually growing damp. And anxiety crawling up their spines.
Who would end up debuting.
The eyes of those filled with that thought were glued to the screen.
Briefly, the trainees' faces; briefly, a notification that said
The screen that had been showing the trainees' practice behind-the-scenes stories gradually darkened....
And a video began to play.
* * *
The video was playing at the live venue as well.
Thump, thump, thump....
The sound coming from beyond the pitch-black screen was like a heartbeat, yet also like a drum beat. 'I haven't seen this before.' Previously, a dartboard would fill the screen, and after a dart landed on it, the ranks were announced in order according to the score. 'Well, with Ryu Wei dropping out and all, things could change.' As a situation he didn't understand appeared once again, Kim Chunyong's throat bobbed without realizing it and he focused on the screen.
In the process, he also vaguely recalled a conversation he'd had with the one who had made it possible for him to participate in this second survival show.
Boing!
- X: Tomorrow's really the day they decide whether real trash Chunyong gets to return or not....
- X: Whatever happens, you've worked hard, yeah?
- X: You grumble so much that I got pretty pissed at you too sometimes, but haha
- X: Who wouldn't get angry in such an eventful situation? Right?
- X: I've seen a lot of guys who came back, but none of them did it as dynamically as you
- X: If you do debut... maybe it'll be a bit easier!? You can use a wider variety of skills!? Or will it be hell like always!?
- X: lmaooooo Well, you won't know until tomorrow ;-D
- X: Still, I supported you with all my might! So it'll go well!
X's attitude was the same as always.
Teasing Kim Chunyong, taunting him, saying mean things, yet emphasizing that they had supported him.
Kim Chunyong found such an X bewildering, annoying, and though he had started to slightly ignore them....
Suddenly, that thought had crossed his mind.
- Kim Chunyong: Hey, X
- X: Oh? Even after being teased this much, you're still gonna talk to me? What's up, trashy Chunyong
- Kim Chunyong: ;; - Kim Chunyong: No, just...
- Kim Chunyong: I had something I wanted to ask
- X: Huh! What are you curious about? What, what happens if you go back? Obviously, you'll run around being investigated and then get your contract terminated by the agency and blah blah again
- Kim Chunyong: Even I know that much
- Kim Chunyong: What I want to ask is something else
What Kim Chunyong had been curious about regarding X.
Why did X— - Kim Chunyong: Why me?
- X: ?
- X: What's with this sudden explosion of excessive self-consciousness?
- X: What do you mean, why you?
- Kim Chunyong: Of all the people you sent back to the past, why did it have to be me//
Why, of all people, did they choose Kim Chunyong?
Honestly, if the goal was to satisfy the condition of 'the greatest idol in K-pop history,' pretty much anyone else would have been better.
For example, Jeong Yeonu, whom Kim Chunyong already knew as one of the greatest idols.
Or Son Jaeha, who had been one of the same group members; or Ji Hwaseong; maybe Bang Yuchan; or Jang Siu.
Hell, even Logan, who had gone back to Liverpool and declared estrangement from his parents.
The list of candidates was endless.
And Kim Chunyong was at the very bottom of all those candidates.
The trash scolded by everyone, a malicious member.
For the problematic idol Kim Chunyong to achieve the goal of becoming 'the greatest idol in K-pop history' was nearly impossible.
So why, of all people, had it been Kim Chunyong?
If Kim Chunyong debuted safely, now that the first goal was being achieved.
He wanted to hear the answer to that from X.
Perhaps because X hadn't expected that question, it took quite a while for X's answer to come.
And that answer was enough to leave Kim Chunyong speechless for a long time. 'If that was the reason, then it made sense for them to choose me. Alright, let's focus for now.' Thump.
- Thud
- While Kim Chunyong let out a bitter smile at that memory, the thumping sound that had been beating grew so loud that it felt as if the live broadcast venue might lift off.
And. —As that sound subsided, the screen brightened.
"Uh...."
The beginning of a video that struck his pupils directly, completely unexpected.
Within that video—clearly filmed long ago, with poor quality....
- "Son, you have to look here!"
- "Nooo!"
A little boy was playing, rolling a ball.