Chapter 52
Chapter 52
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: A New Beginning
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That was my name.
My name, for sure.
I could feel the other contestants pushing my back.
It was amazing that they could do this when their own hearts must have been shattered by the bitter taste of elimination.
I slowly took a step forward.
‘Was the path to that spot always this long?’
When I was just watching from behind, I thought it was a short distance, just a few steps away. But no matter how wide I made my stride, the distance to the microphone felt impossibly far.
“Waaaaah!”
Cheers and applause roared, but my ears felt clogged, as if I were underwater.
‘Haaa…’
I took a deep breath internally and kept walking.
When I was about five steps from the microphone, Park Ji-ham stepped in front of me.
He gave me a light hug, then let go a moment later.
It seemed to be a congratulatory embrace.
Haru, Jung Eun-woo, and Lee Ho-jun watched me with pleased smiles.
“Please pick up the microphone.”
My hands were sweaty with nervousness, so I carefully took the mic.
“Finally, all five pieces of the puzzle have been put together.”
As Wi Yeo-jun finished his line, fireworks erupted in celebration.
‘Am I really debuting? I made it into the final five?’
I was dumbfounded.
Perhaps because it didn't feel real, the microphone in my hand felt incredibly light.
It was as if I were in a dream, where things had no weight at all.
Anxiously, I gripped the microphone tightly with both hands.
‘Ah.’
A slightly sharp part among the flowers, not fully trimmed, pricked the soft flesh of my palm.
The pain in my finger made me realize that all of this was real.
‘It’s real. I’m really debuting.’
The corners of my mouth kept creeping up toward my cheekbones.
I couldn't control my expression.
I had joined RED CUBE to avoid repeating my past life, and I had achieved my goal.
‘Now I can become a real idol. A real idol loved by many.’
A future where everyone hated me no longer existed.
It felt like a heavy weight had been lifted from my chest.
“With this, RED CUBE has come to an end. But there’s still something left.”
At Wi Yeo-jun’s words, all the contestants whipped their heads around.
Simultaneously, as if on cue.
‘It’s not over?’
I was afraid that RED CUBE would suddenly overturn the rankings or give another chance to someone who had been eliminated.
‘Did something like this happen before?’
I searched my memory, but nothing came to mind.
‘What on earth could it be?’
When I turned my head, I saw Park Ji-ham licking his dry lips.
“Everyone, you don’t have to be so nervous.”
Wi Yeo-jun raised his hands as if to calm us down.
“I fully understand how you feel. After doing a survival show, you tend to get a bit paranoid. I embarrassed myself on a variety show once because of it.”
Wi Yeo-jun nodded as if he understood our feelings completely.
“The ranking ceremony just ended. There’s no way something would happen now. You can relax and live your lives.”
As if we had planned it, all of us let out a sigh of relief.
“What I was about to announce was regarding the unaired footage from RED CUBE.”
‘Unaired footage? Are they talking about the final stage preparations? They cut a lot of that from the broadcast.’
“To keep everything about the final stage a secret, we didn't release most of the practice or meeting scenes, right?”
“Yes!”
“We plan to release that footage next week on YouTube at the same time RED CUBE used to air.”
“Waaaaah!”
“Wow!”
For the fans who had to swallow their disappointment at RED CUBE ending, there could be no better news.
“So, we ask for your viewership. You’ll all watch, right?”
“Yes!”
“Excellent. I’ll be counting on you. Well then, I think it’s time for the real finale. Alright, members of RE-V. Could you all gather next to me?”
At Wi Yeo-jun’s suggestion, the others and I awkwardly made our way toward him.
RE-V.
Just that one change in the name I belonged to felt incredibly strange and awkward.
“You’ll just do the closing remarks with me. So, thank you for everything until now. Red!”
“Cube!”
Amid the cheers and congratulations of many, everything was truly over.
It was really the end.
“Seo Yoon-seul.”
My head turned reflexively at the sound of my name.
It was Wi Yeo-jun.
“Congratulations.”
“Thanks.”
Wi Yeo-jun patted my back lightly.
“Let’s grab a drink sometime later.”
“Sure.”
I didn’t drink, but it was clearly his way of suggesting a heart-to-heart talk, so I readily agreed.
“Yeo-jun. We have to go. You have that movie meeting today.”
Wi Yeo-jun’s manager urged him on.
“Alright. Seo Yoon-seul, text me when you’re free.”
I gave a slight nod, and Wi Yeo-jun left with his manager.
“Congratulations.”
“You’ve worked so hard.”
“Let’s meet again on stage later.”
I exchanged final goodbyes with the other contestants.
“Thank you. Let’s definitely meet again.”
A deep sense of regret lingered, as if we had unknowingly grown attached while on the survival show together.
“Of course, we have to.”
“I’ll be cheering for you.”
“Me too.”
We all promised a future together, swallowing our sadness and disappointment.
***
“Then, you can check the contract here.”
After all the filming was done, I received the contract while still in a daze.
Thanks to LM, I had a clear standard for distinguishing between a strange contract and a normal one.
‘Though, at this point, it would be weird to suddenly refuse to sign.’
Fortunately, contrary to my worries, it was a very normal contract.
A fair contract, not overly favorable to the company, nor to the artist.
This was enough.
“If there are no issues, please sign here. As you can see, we’ve already signed.”
“Okay.”
“And if you have any questions, please ask.”
Before the director could even finish his question, Haru raised his hand.
“So, when do we move into our dorm?”
In Haru’s case, as a Japanese member, he had nowhere to stay other than with the company, so it was natural for him to ask that first.
“We’ve already prepared it, so you can move in anytime. Officially, it’s a week from now, but Haru, if it’s difficult for you to go back to Japan, you’re welcome to pack your things and move in right away.”
“Thank you.”
“Any other questions?”
“When do we start preparing for our debut?”
It was Lee Ho-jun’s question.
“We’ll start on the day you move into the dorm.”
A few more questions followed.
What the dorm was like, when we would get a manager, what the practice room hours were, and so on. Since we had never been inside the company building or received a detailed explanation, there were naturally many things to ask.
“For the remaining week, you can rest comfortably. But you know you can’t come back having gained too much weight or with your skin in bad shape, right?”
The director’s eyes glinted sharply.
“Since you’ve all debuted once before, I trust you’ll know what to do without me having to say more.”
“Yes.”
“And please delete all your old social media accounts.”
“All of them?”
“Yes. Or you can just set them to private for now. It’s company policy to prohibit personal social media during the first year after debut. However, we’ll create a group account for you to use right away, and we’ll lift the restriction on personal accounts the moment you start your second year, so you don’t have to worry.”
The director gathered the contracts and spoke again.
“And of course, no dating. You’ve seen the fate of idols who were ruined by dating, haven’t you? Do it when you’re older. I won’t stop you then.”
“Yes.”
For some reason, I had a feeling they would be monitoring us very systematically.
‘Well, maybe that’s for the best. Something like what happened with GANGSTER-M won’t happen again.’
“Drinking is fine, but please be careful not to get spotted. And please keep interactions with other groups in moderation. It’s fine to be close behind the scenes, but please refrain from it publicly.”
The list of instructions seemed endless.
“And if you feel even slightly unwell, tell your manager. There’s nothing more foolish than letting an illness worsen. To be active for a long time, you need to have the stamina for it.”
Even though I hadn’t done anything wrong, I found myself straightening my back and clasping my hands, correcting my posture.
“If you have any inconveniences while living in the dorm, let me or your manager know right away. We’ll do our best to accommodate you.”
“Yes, we understand.”
“For now, I’d like Haru to be the temporary leader. What do you think?”
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“If the others are okay with it…”
No one would object to Haru being the leader.
It wasn't just because he was the oldest; he wasn't authoritarian, and despite being Japanese, he had no communication issues.
He was also skilled, good at checking details that needed correction when preparing for a stage, and we couldn't find any flaws in his leadership during the filming of RED CUBE.
“Sounds good.”
“Me too.”
“I think it would be great if Haru was the leader.”
Voices of agreement poured out immediately.
“Then I’ll take it that Haru will be the temporary leader. Well, temporary leaders usually become the real leaders anyway.”
At the director’s words, Haru burst into a flustered laugh.
“Then, we look forward to working with you.”
“We look forward to it as well.”
“Now, your families are waiting outside the dressing room, so let’s head over there. They must be waiting.”