Chapter 93: Bomb? (4)
93. Bomb? (4)
The team selection method wasn't anything special.
From highest rank down, each trainee would choose a room. If the highest-ranked trainee in a room declared "This room is closed," then subsequent trainees couldn't select it.
It was essentially a massive gamble—a blatant move to force competition among the Wings-class trainees.
But the rules didn't end there.
One by one, they left the filming set to choose their rooms.
Note that while the Wings-class had rankings, the Feather-class didn't—since they were all outside the debut lineup anyway, rankings weren't disclosed. So, the Feather-class selection order was determined by lottery.
And what that meant was...
...Exactly that.
Anyway, I was sixth among the Feather-class. When my turn came, the room statuses were:
<Room 1 (5)>
<Room 2 (5)>
<Room 3 (2)>
I immediately ruled out Room 3. No matter who was in there, having only two people meant there had to be a reason.
Plus, none of the guys coming after me were particularly useful.
That left Rooms 1 or 2—until my choice was taken away.
So, I had no choice but to enter Room 1.
The moment I stepped in, Jung Si-woo took one look at me and urgently signaled the staff.
He shouted it three times. I'd never seen Si-woo panic like that before.
Honestly, after seeing my teammates, I would've done the same to avoid elimination.
And now, the present.
"Alright, then."
Hajin's voice shattered the awkward silence in the practice room. For a full ten minutes, everyone had just been eyeing each other nervously. Now, under the weight of all their stares, Hajin flashed a bright smile at his third mission teammates.
"How about we do introductions? Some of us are meeting as a team for the first time."
"......"
'I miss Tae-hyun and Ha-ru.'
Despite longing for the rowdy energy of his last team, Hajin swallowed his frustration. These guys would pull their weight once the ice was broken. The lineup was just... like this.
'Si-woo and Yu-geon's fight was just aired the other day. Now the pro-Si-woo and pro-Yu-geon factions are stuck together...'
But who was I?
Former youth training center assistant instructor. (A friend asked me to fill in temporarily. But that was at 29, so irrelevant now.)
Certified recreation and youth instructor. (Again, at 29, so no longer applicable.)
Numerous church retreat recreation facilitator experiences. (Also at 29, so never happened.)
Extensive audience reaction guidance experience as an assistant director. (Ditto.)
"Awkward atmosphere" where Kang Hajin is present? Impossible.
Nonexistent. Absolutely none. Anyway, moving on.
"But didn't we receive special training from Nam-tijeu sunbaenim this time?"
"......?"
"Let's channel that variety spirit and make our introductions special too."
Everyone in the practice room, teammates included, fixed their eyes on Hajin. Their looks screamed, "What nonsense is he cooking up now?"
Ready to exceed expectations by 200%, Hajin struck a dramatic pose.
"Behold—the 'I Know All Your Secrets' game! Or, if you prefer, 'Truth or Death.'"
"Never heard of it."
"Just made it up."
Hajin shot Kim Won-ho a look that said "shut it" before explaining.
"We already know names, ages, positions, right? So now, we'll take turns sharing a secret about ourselves that others wouldn't know. But! If you don't want to answer, you can lie."
"If lying's allowed, how is this an introduction?"
"Good point, Eun-chan. So if someone thinks it's a lie, call them out! If it is, they get a penalty strike. We'll do three rounds like this."
As Hajin finished, Won-ho's hand shot up.
"Question."
"Go ahead, Trainee Kim Won-ho."
"What happens if penalties stack?"
"Ah, another excellent question."
Even the disinterested perked up at this. Under their collective gaze, Hajin unceremoniously dragged over a box and dumped its contents.
"...Is that—"
"What we commonly call a harness. Super trendy. Ouch, hot stuff."
The items were leather harnesses with silver chains—mandatory equipment for their team.
Among them, one piece stood out. When Hajin silently picked it up, Eun-chan gulped.
"A... dog collar?"
"Tsk. A choker."
"......"
"The person with the most penalties gets the privilege of wearing this choker. Exciting, right?"
In the darkened practice room,
a single spotlight illuminated the center. The semicircle of trainees wore solemn expressions.
Joo Eun-chan, clutching the pink foam "microphone" (courtesy of a quick-thinking assistant), nervously began.
"My secret is..."
"......"
"Um, well, I..."
"Three seconds or penalty."
"I... have been ordering pork spine stew delivery lately."
"Hmm..."
Panicked by the penalty threat, Eun-chan blurted out the first thing that came to mind. The hyungs immediately scrutinized his claim with terrifying intensity.
"Okay, pass."
"Wait, shouldn't we vote? Hajin-hyung can't unilaterally decide."
"Eun-chan lives alone. Ordering a large, messy pork spine stew seems unlikely. Bone hangover soup is more plausible—"
"No, pass."
Despite Won-ho and Doha's objections, Hajin declared it valid. He then beamed at Eun-chan with proud approval.
His expression screamed, 'Kid, you've finally learned good taste.'
"Okay. Eun-chan, truth or fake? If fake, Hajin-hyung gets the penalty."
"Uh... no way it's fake."
"Fake."
"......?"
"Pork spine stew doesn't do single servings. I order bone hangover soup."
"......!"
"Okay! Hajin-hyung penalty~"
Hajin's world-shattered betrayal face was so extreme even the camera crew burst out laughing.
The game, led by Hajin, progressed more thrillingly than expected.
For trainees not yet fully indoctrinated into idol mentality, the choker's psychological weight was immense.
Additional rules emerged.
What started as an icebreaker had everyone fully invested.
Current scores:
<Jung Si-woo, Joo Eun-chan — 0>
<Kim Won-ho, Lee Doha — 1>
<Kang Hajin, Lee Yu-geon — 2>
"At this rate, it's either Yu-geon-hyung or Hajin-hyung."
"Hajin keeps calling others out but messes up himself. That's talent."
"Yu-geon-hyung keeps getting caught in his own lies while guessing others right. Opposite."
Credit went to Won-ho and Eun-chan for keeping Yu-geon included.
Their casual mentions drew the initially uncomfortable Yu-geon deeper into the game.
"Final round."
The choker's fate would now be decided.
Hajin, Won-ho, Eun-chan, and Doha all escaped penalty this round.
Now, Si-woo's turn.
"Hmm... I... chose this room because I didn't know what a harness was."
"Truth."
"Truth."
"Pass."
Instant unanimous verdict. Despite Si-woo's schemer reputation, nobody believed he'd pick a harness room intentionally.
"Fake."
"Wait, really? Hyung, think carefully. Another penalty puts you in danger."
While everyone else said truth, Hajin alone cried fake. Undeterred by their protests, he doubled down like a detective unveiling clues.
"Si-woo-hyung majored in classical piano. They sometimes call instrument straps harnesses, right?"
"......"
"Plus, I doubt he'd gamble on pretending ignorance first try."
At Hajin's sharp deduction, Si-woo chuckled and raised his hands in surrender.
"Fake. Not because I'm a classical musician though."
"No way! This is betrayal!"
"I... really didn't know."
"Yeah, Eun-chan would do that."
Ultimately, everyone except Hajin gained a penalty.
<Jung Si-woo, Joo Eun-chan — 1>
<Kim Won-ho, Lee Doha, Kang Hajin — 2>
<Lee Yu-geon — 3>
Yu-geon was locked in for the choker.
"Next result decides whether we tie or crown our loser."
"I-I'm shaking over this."
Under collective anticipation, Yu-geon's final turn arrived. He glanced between the collar and his teammates with palpable distress.
"Wait, can I think?"
"G-go ahead."
"You really don't want to, huh?"
"Then Si-woo-hyung, wanna take my place?"
"...I only have one penalty."
As this pointless exchange continued, Yu-geon deliberated. After two minutes, he straightened up.
"My parents are coming to this performance. I can't wear something so disgraceful."
"Then... we should exempt you."
"But this is just a game. True or fake."
"...Ah!"
"Wow, Yu-geon bringing out his parents? I say truth."
"Me too."
Yu-geon's acting was too convincing. The trainees voted truth—especially since production had announced guest invitations for this round.
"Hajin-hyung voting truth too? If this is fake, it's over for..."
Assuming Hajin would agree, Won-ho turned—just in time to catch Hajin's eyes flashing dangerously. No one else noticed.
"Fake."
"R-really?"
Hajin's voice dropped slightly as he delivered the verdict, gaze locked on Yu-geon.
A chill spread through the room. Hajin waited silently.
This might be reaching, but the answer could be crucial. Because...
"Ah..."
Because in the past timeline he'd seen, the regression candidate...
"Fake. So I get the collar?"
...was an orphan who wouldn't know his parents.