Position Evaluation (5)
All results for the rap position have been revealed, and the final ranking announcement has concluded.
Park Hye-in was in the middle to lower ranks. But her face didn't show disappointment. From 4th to 52nd. Even that seemed to have enough meaning.
“Alright, now let's reveal the voting results for the vocal position trainees.”
The first team was called, and the screen turned on.
And what was revealed was overwhelming votes. From the first announcement, 1st place recorded 307 votes.
'I hope it doesn't start off badly.'
Fortunately, the votes announced after that didn't reach 300.
Whispers flowed among the trainees: 'That must be 1st place.'
There were some expecting my votes, but at least the atmosphere solidified 1st place so far.
“Currently maintaining 1st place with an incredible record, trainee Yu Da-hee, do you think you'll be able to hold onto the ranking until the end?”
“...I hope so!”
The answer content was different, but the tone was somewhat cautious.
Honestly, with the current atmosphere, there was a possibility.
However.
“Next, the results of the next group will be revealed.”
The moment the results were revealed on the screen, exclamations and cheers erupted from the trainee seats.
“Hah! It changed!”
“Se-rin is 1st!”
“The difference is almost none?”
It was really a close difference.
But 1st place changed.
The MC immediately asked for her opinion.
“Kang Se-rin trainee, with 323 votes, how do you feel about claiming 1st place?”
“I'm honestly happy...”
She said it honestly in a timid voice.
The MC smiled and continued.
“But don't get too comfortable yet. The last group remains.”
With those words, the trainees' gazes all turned to me.
The MC immediately turned to me and asked.
“Trainee Lee Seo-yeon, do you think you can overtake trainee Kang Se-rin and claim 1st place?”
The trainees' gazes became more focused.
'I knew you'd ask that question.'
Since I had anticipated it, I answered without any hesitation.
“Our team seems to have all members' votes distributed evenly. Everyone did so well.”
It was a humble answer.
But deep down, I was hoping.
The MC smiled meaningfully at my answer.
“Trainee Lee Seo-yeon, even after performing so well on stage, you show a weak side. Then let's check the results!”
Names of our team members were mixed into the already filled ranking table.
At the same time, the trainees froze for a moment.
“......!”
Mouths agape, a brief silence.
That silence didn't last long.
“Wow, amazing!”
“What? It exceeded 400 votes?”
“Seriously, it's insane...”
“Seo-yeon really dominates.”
The trainees' shocked reactions erupted.
Only then did I clearly look at the screen's '1st place Lee Seo-yeon – 412 votes' number.
My lips parted without me realizing.
It wasn't an act.
In fact, I had expected to be 1st position, but I really didn't expect the vote difference to be this large.
“Seo-yeon unnie is really too cool!”
It was Yu Na-bin's voice.
Her face smiling brightly as she looked at me.
I really did well to become 1st!
“Trainee Lee Seo-yeon, claiming 1st place in the vocal position with a whopping 412 votes, earning 10,000 benefit points! Let's hear your thoughts?”
“Thank you to everyone who watched my stage this time and voted for me, and to my teammates who made a good stage together.”
“Trainee Lee Seo-yeon, congratulations once again!”
The vocal position results concluded, and naturally transitioned to the dance position ranking announcement.
“Now, let's reveal the rankings for the dance position!”
The results on the screen, one team after another, Yu Na-bin claimed 1st with 298 votes.
At that moment, I clenched my fist tightly from my seat.
'Done.'
An unconscious sigh of relief escaped me.
In fact, I knew I would be 1st.
Still, I worried that something might change.
'When the other three teams had 287 votes, I really thought my heart would drop.'
The team Yu Na-bin belonged to had 6 members.
The possibility of votes being distributed was high.
So, there was anxiety that I might lose 1st place by a hair's breadth.
'It was close.'
The reason Yu Na-bin got the benefit was not just because 100,000 votes increased.
The image of being 1st in position.
That would lead to online voting.
'Because I have a precedent of changing the future by being center in a group song last time, I can't fully relax.'
Since there's no guarantee that Yu Na-bin's future will continue as in the previous life, I have to do my best to support her.
Yu Na-bin is such a person to me.
A precious person to me, someone I hope will be happy even if my life falls apart.
'Fans can do that for their bias.'
Even if Yu Na-bin doesn't appreciate it, even if someone is a fool, even if someone is a twisted fan, it doesn't matter.
In the end, seeing Yu Na-bin's happiness is happy for me, so this is ultimately for me.
“Congratulations, Yu Na-bin!”
I unconsciously shouted loudly.
I gave a double thumbs up to Yu Na-bin looking at me, pretending to be calm.
“What are the two of you doing?”
A trainee's sarcastic remark made the trainees burst into laughter.
A bit embarrassing.
“Up to this point, the overall ranking including position 1sts has been revealed! Next, the final ranking summing up the benefits will be... revealed at the next ranking announcement!”
The MC continued.
“But before that! Let's first reveal the fourth task!”
“The fourth task...?”
The trainees' murmurs grew louder.
“Trainees. In this evaluation, how many ranks did you say you would survive?”
“30th place!”
“Correct. But this fourth task, all 50 trainees will practice!”
“......!”
Instantly, louder murmurs erupted among the trainees.
“And during the training period, after the position evaluation broadcast ends, the second ranking announcement will be held.”
“What?”
“Ah, no way!”
The trainees' faces changed to shock.
That meant that trainees who only prepare for the stage and get eliminated would happen.
My fingertips hardened for a moment.
I had expected it internally, but hearing it officially made it feel different.
“Then I should announce the fourth task? The fourth task is a team competition!”
“......Again?”
“Again team competition?”
“Do you remember what the second task was?”
The trainees answered vaguely to the MC's question.
“Team competition evaluation.”
“What was the method then?”
“Two teams compete with the same song!”
“Correct. The winning team got 1,000 benefit points?”
“Yes!”
“But this time, it's not.”
The trainees' expressions changed slightly.
“The winning team gets it?”
“What kind of nonsense... huh...!”
A trainee startled at her own slip of the tongue and covered her mouth, and the MC continued explaining.
“This time, all teams will compete with different songs. And there's one more important point.”
The MC smiled leisurely and said slowly.
“This time, instead of individuals, voting is only possible for one team among all teams.”
The trainees' faces were filled with surprise.
So far, voting was choosing one trainee, but this time, choose one team.
“Also, since everyone is competing with different songs, only the team that receives the most votes will get the benefit, right?”
The murmurs grew louder.
“And this time's benefit is...”
The MC took a short break.
In that short gap, the trainees' tension skyrocketed.
“Exactly 120,000 votes!”
120,000 votes.
The moment that came out, the trainees' jaws dropped again.
“120,000?”
“Big.”
“Wow, bigger than position 1st?”
Most trainees were shaken.
But the MC didn't stop there.
“However, this time's benefit is not 120,000 votes per person! The team members will share it.”
The trainees looked bewildered.
“Curious why?”
“Yes!”
Then the MC smiled leisurely and dropped another bomb.
“The reason is... because after the second ranking announcement, the accumulated votes so far will be reset.”
“......Eh?”
“Accumulated votes all reset?”
Only then did the trainees look at each other and quickly understand the situation.
So far, top trainees maintained stable positions thanks to accumulated votes.
Conversely, lower trainees couldn't even catch up because the gap was too big.
But after this announcement, votes will be reset.
“Starting from 0 votes again?”
“Zero votes?”
“Yu-ri, please...”
“From now on, a completely new board?”
The lower trainees' expressions changed.
For them, it was a new opportunity.
“Insane.”
“If I survive this time, I might climb up.”
A few hopeful eyes appeared.
The MC looked at them with a pleased expression and asked cheerfully.
“Have you become motivated?”
The lower trainees answered without hesitation, eyes sparkling.
“Yes!”
The upper trainees had slightly tense faces.
It was inevitable to be anxious because the accumulated votes would disappear in an instant.
“Then around here, I should reveal the songs to be used for this task?”
The MC gestured, and large screen titles appeared one by one.
“......?”
The trainees froze upon seeing the titles.
“Are these songs unfamiliar?”
“Yes...”
Most trainees nodded hesitantly.
“What? All unfamiliar songs...”
“Do you know any songs?”
Some guessed in small voices.
“If you listen to the song, do you know it?”
“Is it a foreign idol song?”
At that time, the MC replied cheerfully.
“The reason is, it's a new song mission.”
With that, the trainees were again surprised.
Amid the confusion among the trainees, I quietly smiled.
Because I know about this task well.