On the day of the team competition for
"Hey, Chunyong. You look so handsome today."
"Of course, it's because I put on makeup."
"No, no, that's not what I meant."
Yoochan frowned slightly, made a box with his fingers, and held it up to my face.
"You've always been a bit difficult to talk to, you know? Well, I know that's not actually true. Rather, you're a bit sharp. But it's different now, your aura, perhaps."
"...Is it really a compliment to say someone looks sharp?"
"Wouldn't it be better? Do you believe in Tao? Have people ever talked to you about it?"
I thought about his blunt question with my mouth open.
Even with my days as Rex and now, probably…
"...Never before?"
"See. That's a good thing. You could've wasted a lot of time if you get caught up in it. You've saved that time, man."
"So you're saying people don't talk to me because of my face...?"
"Ah, you're really handsome, Chunyong! Hahaha!"
No matter how much I think about it, it doesn't seem like a compliment.
I smiled weakly and complimented him back.
Yoo-chan hyung already has a sexy vibe, so light makeup would accentuate his features better than heavy stage makeup, but that will be revealed eventually anyway.
"I thought I'd be less nervous on the second stage? But maybe because I was preparing with others, I feel even more nervous."
I wholeheartedly sympathized with his words.
Every moment of risking my life on this survival show was more nerve-wracking than any other stage I've ever stood on before.
Moreover, the mission I received from X this morning only added to my tension.
[Sudden Mission (NEW!)
Congratulations on making it past the arduous self-introduction stage and onto the official competition! Let's aim for first place in the team competition, the first step toward becoming the greatest idol in K-pop history.
Reward: Skill Selection (F)]
This moment given to me right now is not simply a lucky second chance, but a moment I earned through a contract with someone.
It reminded me what I should focus on.
"...I have to do well. No matter what."
"Huh? Chunyong, what did you say?"
"Oh, huh?"
Before I knew it, my team members had circled around me.
Logan, Seo Bin, Gao Yan, and the stone-faced Kim Joo-an.
And even Ji Hwa-seong.
Ji Hwa-seong, who had his bleached hair styled into flowing blonde hair, looked more like an idol than ever.
The Arrows members I knew.
As if he noticed my gaze, Ji Hwa-seong playfully opened his mouth and flipped his head back.
"Why are you looking at me like that? It's embarrassing. You look even cooler."
"What…."
"Okay, okay! Anyway, Ji Hwa-seong and everyone, let's gather."
"Oooh, dictator."
"Oohhh. Hwa-seong looks like young Stalin, Stalin."
"Wow. The lone wolf."
"You guys, really!"
The team members' faces were still filled with smiles. The previous grudges seemed to have vanished.
As expected, it's better to confront and solve any problem as quickly as possible.
Ji Hwa-seong, who had been laughing happily for a long time, put his hands together in the middle and spoke loudly.
"Come on, let's do well on stage together today. Let's all put our hands together."
"Wait a minute. What should we shout?"
As Gao Yan asked seriously, the others began scolding him.
"There's only one, Gao Yan."
"Gosh, Gao Yan. You don't have any sense!"
"What, what? Did everyone plan this out without Gao Yan? How does everyone know?"
"...Oh my. Come here."
Unable to bear it any longer, I put my arm around Gao Yan's neck and told him what to do. Gao Yan's eyes widened. He quickly placed his hand on Ji Hwa-seong's and urged the others on.
"Hurry up, hurry up and do it. Gao Yan knows it now too."
Even Kim Joo-an, who'd been reluctant, had his hand forced on top, and everyone shouted loudly in excited voices.
All together-
"Let's debut!"
* * *
A single light shone on the darkened stage, and the man beneath it pretended to shoot an arrow and shouted cheerfully.
"Shoot for your dream of debuting! Hello, Star Shooters. I'm your MC! I'm singer Choi Ga-on."
Waah!
The trainees sitting next to the stage, including myself, erupted in cheers.
This is what broadcasting is all about. Since there's no audience yet, we had to play the role instead.
At moments like this, every single camera shot is precious, so there was nothing I could do.
"It's been a week, trainees! I hope you've been doing well."
Choi Ga-on greeted us with a bright smile and began explaining the stage.
"Today is finally the day where each team will perform the original song 'Aiming' from
At Choi Ga-on's words, Logan, who was sitting next to me, whispered.
"Chunyong hyung, does the order really matter? Isn't it the same song?"
"Of course it's important."
The order was important because it was the same song.
I gave a simple example for Logan, who was having trouble understanding.
"Logan, you said the tteokgalbi you ate in Korea was delicious, right?"
"God, yes. The sauce was super sweet, and the meat was thick. It was really delicious."
"But do you think it would taste good if you ate it three times in a row? Will it taste the same if you eat the same thing again?"
"Um, I don't think so.You'd get bored if you eat it too many times..."
Oh.
Logan nodded vigorously with a look of realization on his face.
It was the same thing here.
When competing with the same song, the last team to appear naturally receives less attention. Because the judges get tired.
"It's advantageous to perform first if possible. That's why we're doing it this way now."
"Wow. Uh, so. Um, it's serious? Right? We'll have to decide the order seriously. How should we do it?"
Knowing exactly how, I tried to hide my embarrassment and smiled at Logan.
"The way to determine the order..."
Before I could say anything else, Choi Ga-on stretched out his hand from behind his back and made a squeaking sound.
"This is it!"
Three signs depicting three different hand gestures.
Logan's mouth fell open in excitement.
"...rock paper scissors?"
Yes. A universal method.
Rock Paper Scissors in English.
And gawibawibo in Korean.
"The leaders of each team, come out with your backs turned, then choose a placecard and put it up. The winner is given the advantage to choose the order first!"
"Rock-paper-scissors so suddenly..."
At the reveal of the method used to choose the order of performances, the trainees leaned towards their team leaders and began whispering.
I also quickly grabbed Ji Hwa-seong's shoulder and whispered.
"Our stage order…."
"Of course it's the first. And I know what hand Jae-ha hyung will make. He always throws a rock when choosing a meal. So first of all, we should definitely avoid scissors."
Half right, half wrong.
I tried to look serious as I spoke, looking straight into Ji Hwa-seong's eyes.
"No, throw the scissors."
Ji Hwa-seong's confident expression changed strangely.
"...What are you talking about? I already know that Jae-ha hyung is going to throw a rock In a situation where I only need to prepare for Liu Wei, why bother with scissors?"
"That's right. Chunyong hyung is acting strange today. You're more handsome, but also strange."
"Bro, scissors don't cut rock."
"Kim Chunyong, what's this nonsense? You're saying weird things, Chunyong."
"Well, I guess there's a reason you said that... but is it really necessary to take that gamble?"
I know. What I just said lacked any logical persuasiveness.
In a situation where I couldn't even say that I'd seen it before, the method I chose to convince my teammates was...
"I had a dream about a dragon last night."
Insisting on folk beliefs.
The expressions on the members' faces changed weirdly as they listened. Logan's in particular.
"Hey, Dragon Dream? Dragon Dream? What does that have to do with anything?"
"My goodness, Logan. Dreaming of dragons is a sign that you will become emperor. Right now, Chunyong is blessed with heavenly Tiānmìng*."
[*天命* (tien.ming) - refers to a concept where a Chinese ruler receives a divine right to rule. In Korea, dragon dreams are considered a sign of good fortune]
"Oh, emperor, heaven...? Really? Chunyong hyung?"
Gao Yan,captivated by my words, supported me, and I, with a stern and serious expression, tightened my grip on Ji Hwa-seong's shoulder.
"In the dream, uh, a dragon flew by? But it had two fingers up. This is a sign to throw scissors. We have to use that, right? Don't you believe your hyung?"
I learned how to keep up insisting while playing drinking games during my time as a malicious member.
"Huh? You're not drinking? Want a glass?"
"I- I think I'm going to throw up..."
"You should drink more. It's not right not to. Why are you chickening out? You drink alcohol to get drunk, right? Or is it too bitter for you? Then, this clever Rex will give you a refreshing and sweet drink to relieve your fatigue!"
"I'd rather kill you..."
It's a past that's embarrassing just to think about…
But right now…
"It's definitely scissors. The echoes of my soul are telling me."
"Uh, uh... uh, really?"
Ji Hwa-seong nodded his head profusely at my repeated emphasis on scissors.
That's right. Ji Hwa-seong is weak to such folk beliefs. He always checks his fortune the moment he wakes up, checks his four pillars of destiny for the new year and his zodiac sign before going to bed.
But what if his teammate's dream was about a dragon?
He's got no choice but to listen.
"Oh, this doesn't seem right..."
"...Chunyong, I'll trust you."
Kim Joo-an and Seo Bin were looking at me from the side with slightly annoyed expressions, but I didn't care.
Thank me later.
It's my idea.
"Ji Hwa-seong, remember. It's definitely scissors. If you believe what I say, you'll get rice cakes even while you're sleeping."
"Okay, okay! Enough with the rice cakes?"
Soon after, all the team leaders headed to the center of the stage and received signs from Choi Ga-on.
The three of them turned around at the same time and each picked a sign to hold up.
"Okay, leaders. If you've chosen, please raise it with your right hand..."
Ji Hwa-seong's words that Jae-ha hyung often throws rock in rock-paper-scissors were true.
During the Arrows days, when deciding who would be in charge of washing dishes or cleaning the bathtub in the dorm, Jae-ha hyung often threw rock.
It won't be much different now.
But still...
"I'll give you a chance to change! This is your one opportunity. Trainee Ji Hwa-seong, would you like to change? Trainee Liu Wei?"
"Oh, I'll change!"
"Ah! Trainee Son Jae-ha! You've lifted a different sign! Okay, all three of you, close your eyes, turn around, and we'll reveal what everyone has chosen. One, two—"
Doesn't Jae-ha hyung know what Ji Hwa-seong will come up with?
"Three!"
"Waaaaaaah!"
"Aghh!"
"..."
Ji Hwa-seong threw scissors.
And Jae-ha hyung and Liu Wei threw paper.
"That's strange. Hwa-seong normally throws rock!"
Jae-ha hyung returned to his seat with regret. I returned the nod to Ji Hwa-seong, who was doing the same to me from the center stage.
Oh, and just for your information,
Liu Wei will always throw paper no matter what. I had anticipated this while emphasizing scissors.
"Did you really dream about a dragon? What the heck, this is awesome."
"Uh, uh, well. Right...."
I nodded dryly to Kim Joo-an, who showed me rare genuine admiration.
I didn't actually dream about it, but whatever.
My name is Kim Chunyong, so all my dreams may as well be dragon dreams.
Ji Hwa-seong proudly declared that he would be the first to perform, followed by Liu Wei, and finally Jae-ha's team.
This is starting well.
* * *
Before the performance, Choi Ga-on ran over to our team with a microphone and spoke with an excited expression.
"Ah, trainee Kim Chunyong?"
Surprisingly, he spoke to me instead of Ji Hwa-seong, following the prompter. It seemed my actions resonated with them more than expected.
I'm grateful for this.
As expected from a top soloist, I greeted Choi Ga-on with the kindest smile I could muster.
"Oh, yes. Hello!"
Choi Ga-on was slightly startled at my greeting.
I lightly scratched my cheek and made an embarrassed face. Just as Yoo-chan hyung had said, perhaps my eyes were still sharp.
But Choi Ga-on soon resumed the conversation professionally.
"Yes, it's nice to meet you too. First of all, before you go on stage... I heard you and your team have been through a lot of hardships?"
"Aha..."
I chose my words carefully, briefly recalling the events of the past week.
Hardship, what would one call hardship? What kind of hardship was a little bickering between kids?
Real suffering isn't the kind where you fight, get angry, and cry.
"Noona! No- Mom, Dad! Nari!"
...hardships come unexpectedly.
Instead of spilling my life story with a stern face, I looked at the judges and answered cheerfully.
"Oh, everyone was trying so hard, so there were some differences in opinion. Of course, they were all resolved."
"Oh, what happened?"
"Well, I think it'll probably be broadcasted anyway...."
I smiled faintly at the production crew positioned on the other side of the studio, facing the camera.
"But I don't think that matters anymore. What matters is…"
The stage.
At my words, Choi Ga-on looked slightly dazed.
Maybe it was because I was being so blunt, or maybe they were surprised that I didn't seem nervous at all. Either way, it seemed like one of those two.
"...Yes, it's a shame, but we'll have to wait and see on TV! Trainee Kim Chunyong, work hard on stage. Fighting!"
"Yes, thank you. Fighting."
Choi Ga-on thrust his fist at me, and I nodded, tapping the microphone once.
Soon the lights went down, and a spotlight shone on the stage for the first team.
It's the beginning.