Chapter 24
Chapter 24
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: The Final Stage Order
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After about five days of training camp, we were given a week-long break.
During the break, we organized our outfits and props, shared them with the team, and got everything confirmed.
I didn't neglect my individual practice either.
Having received praise, I really wanted to do a perfect job.
My initial thought that this team was the worst was proving to be completely wrong; everything was going smoothly without a single issue.
Even Hwang Jae-hyun, who had been making constant mistakes, was showing a firm resolve to get it right this time.
Of course, we'd probably fall behind in the popularity vote on the day of the performance, but I was confident that our stage was good enough to avoid the risk of elimination.
And so, the fifty contestants gathered once again for the training camp.
"Hello."
"Oh, you're just getting here?"
"Yeah. You're here early."
I exchanged warm greetings with my teammates.
"I just woke up early today for some reason. Anyway, have you heard our arrangement? It's out."
"Really?"
"Yeah, it just came out. It's exactly how we imagined it, right?"
Since none of us knew how to compose, we had explained the vibe we wanted in great detail.
As a result, the arrangement came out exactly as we intended.
Lee Seok-gyeong immediately checked the arrangement on his phone.
Seeing the corners of his mouth gradually lift, it seemed I wasn't the only one who liked it.
"I think we're going to do really well."
A friendly atmosphere continued.
"What are you guys doing? Ah, were you all listening to the arrangement?"
Kang Ju-hyeok, who had just arrived, approached and spoke to us.
"Yeah."
"I was listening to it on my way here. Didn't the dance break section turn out really well?"
"I know, right?"
"So, about that... what do you think about tweaking the choreography a little?"
At Kang Ju-hyeok's suggestion, we exchanged brief glances.
This was a time when our desire to do well was overflowing, so no one voiced any objections.
In fact, everyone's eyes were burning with motivation.
"Then how about we head straight to the practice room? I just thought of a good idea."
"Sounds good."
* * *
While everyone else was unpacking and resting, our team took over a practice room.
"How about we do a one-handed floor rise here? Can you guys do it?"
"Let's give it a try."
Thanks to Kang Ju-hyeok's overflowing ideas, the choreography for the dance break was revised quickly.
"Ju-hyeok, when you debut, you could choreograph your own dances. How are you so good at creating choreography so fast?"
Hwang Jae-hyun tossed out the compliment during a short break.
"He's right. You're really good at choreographing."
Lee Seok-gyeong quickly chimed in.
Kang Ju-hyeok touched his chin, looking embarrassed.
Just then, the door burst open, and a writer poked her head into the practice room.
"Ah, there you are. We're about to start filming, so please gather in the main practice room."
"Okay."
As if her business was done, the writer immediately headed off elsewhere.
"Let's turn off the lights and go."
"Okay."
After a quick tidy-up of the practice room, we turned off the lights and left.
We exchanged light conversation on our way to the main practice room.
"Did everyone watch the first episode?"
"Yeah. It was brutal. Seeing them replay a mistake three times made me break out in a cold sweat."
"Me too."
"Watching that really made me decide. I'm never going to make a mistake again."
Hwang Jae-hyun said, nodding with a determined expression.
* * *
"Is everyone here?"
"Yes!"
All the contestants were gathered in a place that looked like a gymnasium.
Today's MC was Woo-go, a choreographer and the dance trainer.
"Does anyone have a guess as to why you've all been gathered here today?"
"Stage effects?"
"Group training?"
"Recreation?"
Many guesses were thrown out in response to Woo-go's question.
It seemed the correct answer was among them.
"It's to decide the performance order."
The performance order.
With ten teams, the order was bound to be important.
An earlier spot was especially advantageous.
Because of the live audience voting.
'The producers wouldn't allow unlimited votes, so the last teams to perform would inevitably be at a disadvantage in the live voting.'
Of course, there was online voting, but we didn't know what the ratio would be.
"Now, will the oldest member of each team please come forward?"
In our team, Choi Seon-il and Kang Ju-hyeok were the oldest at twenty-three.
While they were trying to figure out which one should go, Woo-go spoke again.
"If there's a tie in age, the one with the earlier birthday should come up."
A neat solution.
"What's your birthday?"
"March 12th."
"Ah, mine is in August."
After a brief exchange, Kang Ju-hyeok went up as our representative.
"It seems all the oldest members have come forward. The game we're about to play is one that requires some seniority: 'Guess the Song from the Lyrics'."
It was a nice way of putting it, but the game had nothing to do with seniority.
But since the cameras were rolling, everyone cheered and applauded.
"When you hear the lyrics and think you know the answer, shout your name and raise your hand high. Simple, right?"
"Yes."
"Then let's begin."
During our meeting for the stage, Kang Ju-hyeok had recommended some obscure songs, so I wasn't particularly worried.
At the very least, I didn't think we'd end up last.
"I'm sorry."
After the game, Kang Ju-hyeok returned to us, offering an apology first.
The reason was simple.
We had gotten the last performance slot.
'I thought Kang Ju-hyeok would at least place in the top ranks... I can't believe he didn't get a single question right.'
He was dead last by a landslide.
So much so that it didn't even feel like a close call.
"I'm really sorry. I should have done better."
Kang Ju-hyeok apologized once more.
In truth, it wasn't his fault.
It's not like he did it on purpose.
"It'll be fine. There's online voting, and the people in the audience probably have a rough idea of how the system works, so it won't be that bad. We might even get the leftover votes."
I had to spin it positively, one way or another.
We were already behind in terms of recognition; if we messed up on stage, it would be truly irreversible.
"Yoon-seul is right. Let's aim for the online votes. We've been getting nothing but praise, right?"
"You're right. We should spend this time practicing instead of feeling down."
"Right."
And with that, we all headed to the practice room together.
We had to practice diligently, if only for the sake of the online votes.
* * *
Time flew by, and the day of the RED CUBE live performance recording arrived.
A college student, a huge fan of idol survival shows, had watched the RED CUBE pre-release clips. Though she hadn't become a fan of anyone yet, she had successfully battled through a bloody ticketing war to secure a spot in the audience.
'Thank goodness it was ticketing and not a lottery.'
If it weren't for the ticketing skills she'd honed over years of being an idol fan, she wouldn't have been able to be here today.
'More importantly, I have to find someone to stan today.'
Whenever a survival idol show aired, she would unwittingly fall in love and become a devoted fan, ready to give her all. So she came today with the firm resolution to find her next target of devotion.
'I was so depressed after the last group's two-year contract ended, and now there's a new idol survival show.'
Sitting in her seat with a pleasant sense of anticipation, she tightly gripped the small voting button in both hands as the house lights dimmed.
Soon, a spotlight hit the center of the stage, and the MC, Wi Yeo-jun, appeared, giving a relaxed wave to the crowd.
'He is handsome.'
As one of the hottest actors at the moment, Wi Yeo-jun possessed an almost unreal level of good looks.
But to those who mainly followed idols, he was just from a different genre.
"Hello, I'm actor Wi Yeo-jun, the MC for RED CUBE."
His greeting alone elicited fervent cheers.
"The full-scale idol re-debut survival show, RED CUBE, is about to begin. You haven't forgotten about the non-disclosure agreement, have you?"
Since this was before the official broadcast, all audience members had to sign an NDA before they could enter the venue.
However, after today's performances, countless "spoilers"—more like hints than full-blown reveals—were expected to pop up online.
'I'll probably leave some appropriate spoilers about the team I end up stanning, too.'
For idol survival shows, grabbing attention early on is the key to success.
This was because, as the show progressed, the entry barrier for new fans would get higher due to the early fans acting territorial over nothing.
"Well then, shall we enjoy the performances together? RED CUBE."
Wi Yeo-jun made a square shape with his fingers, and the lights dimmed, signaling the start of the first performance.
'I'm excited.'
The stage lights came on, revealing men in sporty t-shirts and ripped jeans.
—Everyone's looking at me
The performance began with a voice close to a roar.
The performance was generally fine.
It was a hip-hop-based song, and there were no noticeable weak spots. It was clear they were genuinely enjoying themselves on stage.
'So they just edited all the mistakes into the first two episodes for clickbait.'
But her heart didn't race.
—I turn my head at the same shampoo scent
Mumbling that it's nothing
Besides, the song wasn't bad, but the lyrics were terrible.
It was a story about a man cheating on his girlfriend with her friend and making lame excuses.
'The lyrics are awful. It's a waste of the song and the performance.'
The thought that it would be a perfect performance if she just turned her brain off made the college student shake her head.
'What kind of song is this? RED CUBE has really lost its touch.'
Hearing a song she'd never heard before, she never imagined they were covering their own songs.
She was convinced that RED CUBE had just pushed some weird song on them.
—Our story that has ended
When the first performance ended, the college student gave a moderate reaction.
'They're good, but I should hold off on voting. Stay sharp. I can't just vote like I'm possessed.'
Each person could only vote for two teams, so she had to be careful.
After all, there was nothing more horrifying than stanning a group but having no votes left for them.
'Alright, bring on the next performance.'