We finally returned from the bathroom and headed to the stage place. This may be a global group show, but it went the same as GNet's usual idol survival shows. We were put into a room randomly, but participants under the same company were together.
It's time.
It turns out, the cameras were already rolling and everyone had started. It didn't matter that us four were away because the considerably big companies were supposed to show up between the other participants, making them appear more special.
I waved goodbye as Dojun sprinted out of the room when his name was called. Daniel and Mahesha left soon after, so did the other participants.
It sucks that I don't know who exactly is out there already or where they sat, but I just mentally prepared myself until my name was called.
"Participant #1, please go up ahead!"
My number was finally called. By the way, this number followed the order of stage performances for the first episode. They claim it's according to who signed up first, but that just isn't true, and I'm the prove of that.
"Or maybe Admin-nim actually called me too quickly. There was a few months before the audition process was complete, after all..."
What's done is done, and I couldn't think about it as I was finally stepping onto the stage all on my own.
Lights shone at me as I headed to the center. It was expected, but I pretended to be shocked at the size of everything. GNet really gave this show a big budget.
In front of me was a pyramid of seats. On the sides, approximately 50 clear seats split into left and right, mostly filled in by participants already. Between them were slightly fancier chairs in white; they were cushioned.
There were two center seats on the very top—very comfortable looking seats that resembled thrones. Neither of them better than the other, but one was in black, the other white.
And Dojun sat on one of them boldly. The ones that were supposed to be on the debut line were also sitting on the white chairs below. At least they know their worths.
Meanwhile, I...
"Oh my gosh, is that you, Akira?"
"Haechan! It's been too long, oh my gosh!"
That's right. I'm here to be that exaggeratedly cheerful, sassy, whatever gap character in this survival show.
Surprisingly, though, I genuinely knew most of the people here.
I happily greeted everyone I'd met in the past. I counted, and I had connections with at least nine people here, that's not counting Dojun, Mahesha, or Daniel.
Everyone was laughing and talking about how it was basically a family reunion for me. I didn't even know I knew this many people.
I started walking to the row of seats. Dojun was waving his hands excitedly at me and pointing at the black cushioned throne beside him. I didn't have the heart to refuse this friendless guy but didn't have the guts to sit there; even I have this much shame.
I decided to sit on the place that should be for someone in 3rd place, which was a white cushioned chair below Dojun.
As I walked through the middle stairs, someone held my wrist, gently, might I add.
"Yo."
I turned my head and saw fluffy white hair. The owner of said hair had hazel eyes and a soft gaze. He wore a crimson blazer with no shirt underneath.
I immediately recognized him the moment our eyes met.
"Kato! I didn't see you."
Kato's lips curved up at the sides after hearing that. Letting go of my arm.
"I almost thought you forgot about me, Hae-an."
I smiled back. "Butchering my name like always, huh?"
His name is Kato Musisi–a half East-African and half American guy. I remember him telling me he didn't have a religious name like his father because his mother wasn't religious. His parents' meeting was definitely a complicated one now that I think about it.
Anywho, this guy was a child actor who I met when we filmed a movie together in America. We both spoke broken English at that time yet somehow understood each other, and that was the stretch of our interactions. This makes us about the same age.
By the way, this guy is part of the planned debut line-up. I definitely need to get close to him.
We chatted for a few seconds as the others continued laughing at my connections.
"Let's stay in the same dorm, Hae-an."
"Got it! And call me Chan, will you?"
I patted his shoulder one last time before going up the stairs and sitting down at the seat I originally planned to be at. Dojun was once again staring at me curiously, but he didn't ask any questions.
The rest of the participants entered the stages and filled the rest of the seats one by one.
The one who ended up sitting next to Dojun ended up being a participant named David. There's another David on this show, so I wasn't sure which one was in the planned line-up. I'd just ask Admin-nim later.
After everyone settled in, a mechanic female voice started announcing from the nearby speakers, "The first round of performance will soon begin. Participants of Make Your Idol, please welcome the following judges: Oh Seonmi, WIN, Jacob Brown, and Huang Bailey."
So we're just starting like that, huh? How boring for a GNet show.
Anyways, the smokescreen did its job for a good thirty seconds before grand music played, revealing the four people mentioned by the robotic voice earlier. All the boys, me included, stood up and applaused to welcome them. I was one of the people jumping in excitement.
They are all renowned celebrities, I tell you. Respectively, these people are mix of a famous singer, rapper, song producer, and dance choreographer. Those are the main things they do, but there are obviously others, too. For example, Oh Seonmi isn't just a famed singer, but also a great rapper and does acting, too.
I searched them up quite a bit after begging Admin-nim for their names. It's to make sure I could butter up to them easily.
The judges took their place without giving any speech; they sat right in front of the pyramid of seats where us participants were, facing the stage.
The mechanical voice came again, "Now all the participants will be giving their best performances and be given a grade according to fellow judges. Grades are divided into four—grade 1, grade 2, grade 3, and no grade—mentioned in the form of highest to lowest."
It's a pretty typical rating system with just another name. I guess the concept of this show is a sort of school-like thing, or perhaps modern society, considering the mechanical voice instead of an announcer?
Anyway, yes, this show won't be having any announcers and will be using this text-to-speech instead. I'm not sure either wether this was a bad attempt in being unique or to save money. It doesn't really concern me.
Well, of course it won't, because I have something far more important to be worried about!
"The first performance of the first episode in Make Your Idol will be conducted by: participant Haechan. Please come to the stage immediately."
You're kidding me.