'This… this is insane.'
Na Ji-hyeok almost clapped without realizing it.
You shouldn't have done something that no other trainee has.
Because other people can use it to predict their own evaluation criteria.
'But, this was a stage that deserved applause...!'
Of course, among the trainees who had performed before Kim Chunyong, there were definitely those who did better.
But they were just showing what they had practiced.
Just a presentation of how well they can sing and dance.
But Kim Chunyong, standing at the center stage, really did 'perform'.
Having been on stage and performing for years, he knew exactly what the difference was.
"I-I will judge first."
Na Ji-hyeok, who was the first to grab the microphone, spoke carefully, trying to hide his excitement.
"It was really, really good. The song's positioning was good, and the transitioning from singing to dancing was well-planned. It was a stage where you could clearly show your strengths... Of course, you need to practice singing more."
He must have even included some difficult points. Satisfied with his own critique, Na Ji-hyeok passed the microphone to the person next to him.
Moon Yoon-ha looked at Kim Chunyong with a somewhat puzzled and difficult expression, and then, as before, left only one word.
"...It's a stage with a name like that. I enjoyed it."
But no one knew that it was a pretty good compliment.
"..."
Jin Dasol, who unexpectedly took the microphone for the third time, hesitated to open his mouth for a while as before.
His particularly subdued aura was enough to send shivers down people's spines.
So his evaluation…
"Are you really thinking of becoming an idol...?"
It caused a stir.
"What, what did he..."
The stage was momentarily silenced by Jin Dasol's shocking remark.
Regardless, Jin Dasol just stared at Kim Chunyong.
"Uhm, Mentor Jin Dasol. Could you elaborate a little more?"
In an attempt to somehow break the tension, Choi Ga-on hurriedly took action.
"...ah."
Until now, Jin Dasol would just shake his head when he heard such words, but this time, surprisingly, he quickly picked up the microphone again.
"So, um... I thought, 'You don't really need to be an idol.'"
"M-More, more details…!"
Choi Ga-on shouted, sweat dripping down his face.
Even though the prompter clearly said "More! More! More! Detailed explanation!", Jin Dasol didn't even glance at it.
Finally, after Choi Ga-on pointed to the prompter with his finger, Jin Dasol opened his mouth with a frown.
"...You dance really well. Did you plan the choreo yourself?"
Kim Chun-yong, who had been carefully observing the mentors' reactions, quickly answered.
"Yes, yes. I choreographed it myself."
When he performed at a music festival back then, he had choreographed the dance himself while the choreographer just polished it up, so it was true that Kim Chunyong had planned it.
Jin Dasol's expression became more serious with Kim Chunyong's answer, whose conscience was slightly warming, and continued speaking slowly.
"Don't be an idol... join my crew instead."
Once again, the trainees were in an uproar.
Everyone knew what Jin Dasol meant when he said he wanted Kim Chunyong to join his crew.
'The dancing is beyond an idol's!'
At Jin Dasol's series of groundbreaking remarks, PD Joo, who was watching the whole thing from outside the camera, clapped in joy.
"Oh my goodness. That guy Kim Chunyong. I was hoping he'd treat him well, but I didn't know it would be like this."
Kim Chunyong, who hadn't expected it at all, became slightly flustered and gave a standard answer.
Of course, in the eyes of the main producer, even that seemed like a perfect editing point.
"Thank you for your kind words, but... I want to be an idol. Still, thank you so much for your words."
"Hmm. It's okay if you join later. Can you give me your phone number..."
This too!
"Okay! Then, shall we hear Mentor Min Si-young's comments?"
Jin Dasol, who had been judging things roughly until now, was trying to satisfy his own selfish desires. Choi Ga-on quickly cut him off and continued.
"..."
Jin Dasol's face, which had always been expressionless, was slightly distorted with regret.
"...Producers."
It wasn't as if Min Si-young was holding a microphone.
The production team hurriedly wrote '????' in their sketchbooks and showed it to the audience, as the words were aimed at them and not Kim Chunyong on stage.
"Why didn't you check the song in advance?"
Min Si-young's words were quite sharp.
"It's unfair, he performed two songs. Did the other trainees not do it because they weren't good enough? I don't think so."
She clenched the pen in her hand and looked at Kim Chunyong coldly.
There was definitely some truth to what Min Si-young said.
The arrangements Kim Chunyong has been doing so far are, to put it nicely, a clever use of his brain, but to put it badly, they exploit the loopholes in the rules.
And this situation could not have looked good to Min Si-young, who had declared that she would judge the efforts and skills of all participants 'fairly'.
"..."
Kim Chunyong and Min Si-young exchanged glances, and Min Si-young raised her eyebrows at Kim Chunyong, who was slightly nervous but still had a faint smile on his face.
And then.
"...I can't give this stage a score. I'll give it the lowest score."
"...!"
She said something that made me forget all the comments from all the mentors so far.
That remark even flustered the main producer, who had been excited about getting more buzz.
'What- you're giving him the lowest score? Is Min Si-young finally going crazy? Hey, you're exaggerating! You're exaggerating for the sake of broadcasting!
Min Si-young, who saw the PD Joo's mouth open wide, spoke up again as if she had seized the opportunity.
"We're not even going to do a verbal evaluation right now. Regardless of whether you did well or not... the starting line was wrong from the beginning. This broadcasting accident happened because the production staff didn't check in advance."
"...But in the end, isn't the time spent the same as 2 minutes? Not giving any points at all seems a bit much... How about watching the performance with a different song instead?"
Na Ji-hyeok, who was sitting next to her, was flustered and tried to defend Kim Chunyong, but she remained firm.
"No matter what Ji-hyeok-ssi says, I won't change my mind. Even if he performs on stage again, I won't give any points to trainee Kim Chunyong."
In her mind, the belief that this survival show should be evaluated fairly was stronger than the fact that Kim Chunyong's performance was good.
And deeper in her thoughts, which even Min Si-young herself didn't know, she also thought that the AG pureblood trainees she had been watching since they were young should not suffer any losses.
"That is my evaluation."
"..."
But despite her declaration, an odd silence hung over the set.
Why?
Kim Chunyong's performance was good. Was she afraid of what people would think of him in the future?
Or not.
"...I'll give 100 points."
Don't you feel that Kim Chunyong will be receiving someone's firm protection?
"-!"
Jin Dasol's small voice saying he would give Kim Chunyong a 100 points was picked up by the microphone, and Min Si-young glared at Jinda Sol, forgetting that they were still filming.
'The cameras are rolling right now!'
In the midst of the chaotic situation, main writer Lee Hyeon-jeong, who had been momentarily lost in thought, hurriedly shouted in a loud voice.
"Okay, cut! Let's take a break!"
* * *
A break that came suddenly.
"Phew.."
I sat down on the seat at the back of the stage, keeping my nerves high in front of the cameras scattered everywhere.
Although I felt a slight tremble in my hands after experiencing it again, I tried my best to keep track of the current situation.
Actually, if we just look at the results, my plan itself worked.
From the beginning, what I was aiming for was Jin Dasol.
Unlike other mentors who were unsure of what or where to give high or low scores, Jin Dasol already had a clear goal in mind.
...But it was unexpected that senior Min Si-young would dislike it that much.
I thought it was either all or nothing, but I didn't expect the reactions to be so conflicting.
'Should I consider this a blessing? No, there's no benefit from being at odds with the mentors. If I want to impress Min Si-young seonbae next time…'
While I was pondering how to proceed in a situation where crisis and opportunity were mixed, someone spoke to me cautiously.
"Excuse me."
"...huh?"
I was more surprised by the identity of the person who spoke to me more than by the cold ionic drink pressed against my cheek.
Jet-black hair with a hint of blue, as if it had been dyed. Eyes without double eyelids, half-closed, looking slightly droopy.
"I know it's not your fault. But you know this isn't right."
"Here, drink this. Are you thirsty?"
...even the sweet voice that soothed and comforted me.
I hesitated blankly for a moment, then barely managed to accept the drink he offered.
"Trainee Bang Yoo-chan... right?"
As soon as I said his name, the other person's eyes opened wide as if he was very surprised.
"Huh? Do you know who I am? I'm just an ordinary person, how do you know?"
There's no way I don't know.
Bang Yoo-chan, the top student of the Department of Practical Music at Korea University's College of Music in 201X, beating out a competition rate of 89:1.
...Arrows' main vocalist.
'Of course I know. Hyung was the main vocalist for our team. You used to sing all the high notes that I couldn't. Haha, remember when you yelled at me at in eight octaves to bring me back to my senses?'
But I can't say that.
I racked my brain for a moment and remembered that Yoo-chan hyung had performed on stage before me.
"Oh, you performed on stage earlier, right? You're a good singer. You're two years older than me, too… please speak comfortably, hyung."
"Well, if you say so. I was quite embarrassed, but you're speaking so kindly to me."
Yoo-chan hyung sat down in the chair next to me and started talking about this and that.
Things like, "Your performance just now was cool," "I'm really nervous because I'm here during my break from college," or "I don't know anyone here, but I really want to be friends with you."
I nodded, feeling as if I was just talking to a former member.
Then his last words hit me.
"...With me? You want to be friends with me?"
"Huh? Is that really that surprising?"
"Oh, no, that's not it! I'd like that too. That's..."
I had to shut my mouth for a moment, unable to find the right words.
Getting close to Yoo-chan hyung during this survival show.
"I'm so, so grateful to have been given this precious opportunity... and I'll repay this love even after debuting..."
Yoo-chan hyung was a trainee who gained popularity with his skills that grew steadily with each episode and his cheerful personality, and he safely debuted in 4th place.
If I were to stay close to such a hyung, it would be of great help in achieving my current goal of being one of the final 6 in the survival program 〈Targeting Star〉.
But....
Can I do that?
I've been nothing but a nuisance to the members. I've never been of any help. And I'm shamelessly thinking of debuting again?
"Uh, that's... that's what I meant."
The sentences in my mind were spinning in circles, unable to be organised. I pounded my chest, struggling to find my words.
"Hey, what's wrong? Did you get sick from the drink?"
Yoo-chan hyung, who had been staring at my strange behavior with wide eyes, seemed to finally realize something and suddenly put his arms around my neck and whispered.
"Are you saying this because you got picked on by Mentor Min Si-young?
Are you afraid it might put me at a disadvantage?"
At my hyung's words, I looked at him with my eyes wildly shaking.
No, it's not.
I feel bad for the members who suffered because of me.
This has nothing to do with what I heard from Min Si-young seonbae!
However, Yoo-chan hyung must have taken my actions as a sign of approval, as he patted my back with a pitiful expression and continued to whisper.
"Hey, it's okay. We're not kids. Do we have to be picky about who we make friends with? And if being close to you causes any problems during filming, we can just post an explanation online. What kind of world is this these days?"
My mouth hung open when I heard Yoo-chan hyung's words.
Oh, right.
It's been so long since I last talked to him that I'd forgotten.
That Yoo-chan hyung was originally this kind of person.
"Chunyong, why are you holding back on this? Let's sue!"
Unlike the other members who struggled with their social lives due to being trainees for a long time, Yoo-chan hyung, who graduated from elementary, middle, and high school and successfully completed the college entrance exams, was much more agile.
When I first debuted, he'd helped me with the fabricated articles and malicious comments directed at me…
Yoo-chan hyung laughed as if singing a song, and shook my shoulder gently.
"Hey, why are you so timid? It doesn't match your looks. You act like you could eat anyone up on stage! You're really fun. You're going to teach me a lot of dancing, right?"
This is the same too.
I tried to suppress my emotions and answered as if nothing had happened.
"...Then, hyung, teach me how to sing too."
"Oh, of course. I'm good at giving and receiving."
Just as I was about to smile at my older brother's teasing. I heard the youngest writer shout from the stage.
"We'll resume filming! Everyone, please gather around!"
I headed to the trainees' seats next to the stage with Yoo-chan hyung smiling.
And I chewed on the bitter resolution in my heart.
This time, I will definitely not become a burden to the members.
No matter what happens, we will debut together as 'Arrows' and rise to the top of the world.