Chapter 46
Chapter 46
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: The Final Stage
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The day of the final performance had dawned.
Not only the contestants but also the fans had woken up early to get ready.
They packed unofficial merch and slogans to hand out, their lightsticks, and plenty of snacks to eat while waiting for admission.
“Alright. This should be perfect.”
The fan had packed all the essentials in a bag she’d bought for attending events back in her old fandom days, but she tilted her head, feeling like something was missing.
“Why does it feel so empty? It was always stuffed to the brim.”
Then she realized it was because she didn’t have any official merch, like dolls or an official lightstick.
“Ah, no wonder. I really should have succeeded in that secondhand trade.”
Since all the RED CUBE contestants had debuted once before, official merch did exist.
Though the quality was abysmal, as expected of goods from a small agency for an unsuccessful group, many people coveted them.
[???? Why is Haru’s photo card priced like a Gangnam apartment? Is this for real? No, seriously. It’s worse than the yearbook photo they take for you at school….]
↳ Right now, the prices for all the past official merch of the RED CUBE contestants are insane……. Sigh……. That Yoon-seul doll keychain with his voice recording. I want you so badly.
↳ I thought it was just our fandom, but I guess not.
↳ Should I really be buying secondhand merch! At that price! For merch that looks like you’d find it on a display rack at a local supermarket? The moment I have that thought, my empty bank account automatically defends itself.
↳ Crying because I can’t get it even if I try……. If I had just bought it as soon as RED CUBE started airing, it would be in my hands right now.
While they hesitated, contemplating the quality that was leagues below the fan-made merch, the price had shot up to an absurd level due to its rarity, leaving them in a position where they could only look.
“My boy needs to debut successfully so I can sweep up all the official merch. This is no time to be dawdling. Let’s go. I can’t be late.”
The fan quickened her pace.
Stepping out of the taxi, her jaw dropped at the sight of the swarming crowd.
“Wow. This has to be a record, right? The crowd is incomparably bigger than what I saw in videos and pictures. It’s going to take a while to get in. First, let’s get a slogan.”
The fan headed toward a spot she had checked on social media beforehand.
“Slogan giveaway for Ho-jun, please line up over here!”
“Please form a single line for Hyeong-jun’s slogan!”
“Please line up to the right of the line!”
“The lines are getting mixed up! Please move calmly according to the instructions. I’m begging you! And to speed up the giveaway, please have your verification ready.”
As befitting the final performance, the area for unofficial merch and slogan giveaways, where the largest number of fans had gathered, was reminiscent of a seafood market during peak season.
“This is insane. But I have to go. Think how left out I’ll feel if I go in without one. Besides, my boy needs to see a lot of his slogans so he can perform on stage with confidence.”
No matter how chaotic it was, she couldn’t give up on the slogan.
With grim determination, the fan picked up her phone.
Just then, she felt someone very carefully tugging on her arm and whipped her head around.
“Are you perhaps a Yoon-seul fan?”
Standing there was a woman holding a Park Ji-ham support slogan.
The fan immediately went on high alert.
Although she had made peace with Park Ji-ham’s fans on social media, that was limited to a few sensible fans who had decided to focus on the good.
[Seeing as Ji-ham apologized, doesn’t that mean he really tried to stop his team members? Then he didn’t do anything wrong. If he did nothing wrong, but our boy got all the hate and even apologized to Seo Yoon-seul separately, shouldn’t Seo Yoon-seul’s fans be apologizing to us for cursing at us, instead of talking about forgiveness?]
↳ Even if Park Ji-ham tried to stop them, Seo Yoon-seul still ended up suffering as a result.
↳ ? What’s one person supposed to do against the majority opinion? And thanks to that, he ended up with a legendary performance, didn’t he? Isn’t that what matters?
↳ ????? You should try copying someone else’s work for a company presentation and then say that.
“What is it?”
“The line for Seo Yoon-seul’s slogan isn’t here, it’s over there.”
The fan’s wariness melted away like snow.
A wave of embarrassment washed over her, and she offered an awkward smile.
“Thank you.”
“It’s nothing. We have to help each other out. Have a great time today. I hope he debuts.”
“You too.”
After the warm exchange, the fan got in line to receive Seo Yoon-seul’s slogan.
Waiting in line, which she had thought would be an eternity, turned out to be quite enjoyable.
Everyone in the same line shared a sense of camaraderie from liking the same idol.
“Would you like some of this?”
“Oh, thank you.”
“By any chance, which section are you in?”
“I’m in Section A on the first floor.”
“Me too!”
The two, who had been sharing snacks, soon became like friends who had known each other for years.
“You know how in comics or fairy tales, sirens lure people in with their songs? Do you think our boy might actually be a merman? His singing is just unreal.”
“Wow, I totally agree. I just want to make him sing all day long. How is it that there’s no song he can’t sing? It’s like he has multiple voices.”
“I know, right? When he sings mischievous songs, he sounds manly, but when he sings ballads, his voice is so clean and solid. He must be a merman.”
“What do you think about us officially pushing the merman concept?”
“Let’s do it!”
While it was common to compare idols to angels, gods, or animals, a merman was a first.
“I have a feeling this is definitely going to catch on.”
After chatting away, the fan received her slogan and then bustled around to get other unofficial merch.
Her once-empty bag quickly filled up with the love of fellow fans.
“Please, please let our boy debut today.”
“Please.”
The two clasped their hands together like mothers praying for their children taking their college entrance exams, wishing and wishing with all their might.
Before they knew it, they were seated inside the concert hall.
***
The backstage of the concert hall was utter chaos.
“Outfits checked!”
“Sound system is clear.”
“The audience has been seated without any issues.”
Everyone was moving busily.
Only the fourteen contestants were sitting in their spots, receiving their final check-ups.
“Did a lot of people come today?”
“Of course.”
As expected of the finale, the stage was much larger than the last one.
“This is my first time performing on a stage like this.”
“This is… a venue where only really famous artists get to perform.”
Although they all had experience debuting as idols, they had been in a position where they had to be content with just performing on small stages.
“Still, just being able to say I’ve stood on this stage once… that’s pretty amazing. It was my dream to perform here.”
“Mine too. That’s why I told my former members we should work hard. I never thought I’d come here alone.”
A few of them looked like they were tearing up, reminded of the past.
But they were among the few who were still on good terms with their former members.
Most of the contestants were not on good terms with their past group mates, so the topic of conversation quickly shifted.
“Whatever our results are today, let’s congratulate each other.”
The 14th-ranked contestant said.
“Yeah, let’s.”
“Sounds good.”
“Let’s give it our all.”
Though no words were spoken, they all gathered their hands together as if by an unspoken promise.
“One, two, fighting!”
***
“The day has finally come. To everyone who has come to see the final performance of RED CUBE, and to all the viewers watching the live broadcast right now. Hello. I am RED CUBE’s MC, Wi Yeo-jun.”
Wi Yeo-jun bowed politely to the audience.
“Woooooah!”
Wi Yeo-jun flashed a grin at the thunderous cheers.
In that fleeting moment, the fans who had gathered to support their picks felt their hearts skip a beat at Wi Yeo-jun’s handsome face.
However, a profound sense of guilt quickly washed over them, and they had to steel their hearts.
“Have you all been well?”
“No!”
“Not at all!”
“Why not?”
“I was too nervous!”
“Because I was so anxious!”
Wi Yeo-jun nodded his head as if he understood.
“I was so nervous I couldn’t sleep a wink last night either. It would have been great if everyone could debut.”
“I know!”
“But today, we have some very special guests with us.”
Suddenly, a spotlight shone on a section of the audience.
“Debut!”
There, the eliminated contestants were waving slogans that read ‘Praying for Your Debut’ with all their might.
“And there’s more.”
After Wi Yeo-jun’s comment, the camera focused on someone else.
It was a middle-aged couple.
[Light Up My Day, Haru]
They were holding a slogan for Haru.
“No way, are those Haru’s parents?”
“Didn’t he say they’ve never come before because he told them not to return to Japan until he succeeds?”
“Wow. NTV must have brought them over.”
A murmur started to spread through the venue.
“Haru is going to cry so much.”
Haru’s parents waved at the camera with gentle expressions.
“Woooooah!”
A wave of enthusiastic cheers erupted as if to welcome them.
Soon, the screen switched.
This time, it was another middle-aged couple.
[Let’s Run to Your Debut, Park Ji-ham]
It was Park Ji-ham’s parents.
One by one, the parents of all fourteen contestants were shown.
“Today, the contestants’ parents have joined us to watch their sons’ performances in person. So please, I hope you will cheer for them with even louder voices than usual!”
“Yes!”
Wi Yeo-jun’s gaze shifted to the prompter.
His eyes darted left and right as if he were reading something.
“It seems we have one more surprise guest who has come here today.”
The camera slowly approached a man.
The audience seats were dark, and the man was wearing a cap pulled down low, making it impossible to identify him.
“What? Who is that?”
When the camera zoomed in to fill the screen with his face, the man took off his cap and lightly shook out his hair.
“Waaaaaaaaah!”
“Ju-hyeok!”
“Kang Ju-hyeok!”
The man was Kang Ju-hyeok.
Perhaps because of his ash-blue hair, his features looked even more defined than usual.
“What? He dyed his hair?”
“Is he really debuting right away?”
“That hair color suits him so well.”
In Kang Ju-hyeok’s hands were more slogans than one could count at a glance.
It seemed he had taken whatever was being handed out outside, unable to cheer for just one person.
“Contestant Kang Ju-hyeok. No, I should say Mr. Kang Ju-hyeok. You’ve been well, haven’t you?”
At Wi Yeo-jun’s question, Kang Ju-hyeok made a circle with his arms above his head.
“I’m glad to hear you’ve been well.”
Kang Ju-hyeok nodded and smiled.
“It’s a relief to see you looking so good. Your new hairstyle suits you very well, too.”
This time, Kang Ju-hyeok made a heart over his head.
At that, Wi Yeo-jun burst out laughing.
So did everyone in the audience.
“We will continue to cheer you on in the future.”
After Kang Ju-hyeok bowed to the camera, the screen turned black.
“I’ve taken up too much time up here, haven’t I?”
“Yes!”
“You’re supposed to say no to that. Aren’t you all being a little too honest?”
Wi Yeo-jun exchanged some lighthearted banter with the audience, as he always did.
“Well, I understand. I’m sure the people you wanted to see weren’t me, but them. In that case, shall we all shout it together today? Red.”
“Cube!”
All the lights in the concert hall went out, leaving only the colorful glow of the fans’ lightsticks.