Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: Even as a Villain, I Want to Debut
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With Han I-jae's solo stage left as the final performance.
Just before it started, I suddenly recalled what he'd said. About how he felt like he was losing his sense of self-worth.
'I hope this stage helps Han I-jae find himself again.'
As that thought crossed my mind, Lee Hyo-seop and Lee Won-jun returned to the waiting room.
"Oh, you're back."
"Good job, both of you... Huh?"
The trainees who'd been about to congratulate them fell silent the moment they saw Lee Won-jun's face, stunned.
'Did he cry?'
Lee Won-jun sat down wordlessly, his eyes red.
In truth, it wouldn't have been strange if he had cried. He knew better than anyone how much a failed survival show stage got mocked.
'If he knew it would flop and still went with that act, then that must've been his best effort.'
A vocal position turned into something like an acting audition disaster.
Well, for Lee Won-jun, who wasn't good at acting, that probably was his best.
There wasn't an acting master here anyway, and even if there was, pulling off a decent performance from that level of amateurishness in just a few days was impossible.
Seeming to realize his acting was the worst, Lee Won-jun couldn't even lift his head, just letting tears drip down.
"Ah, what do we do about Won-jun..."
"Don't cry, Won-jun. You did great."
The production team was really something.
If they'd seen the practice or rehearsal, they would've known how it'd turn out.
Just cutting the intro dialogue would've prevented that trainwreck where he declared "I'm your baby" in front of everyone.
They probably saw it coming and let it happen on purpose for the buzz. A failed survival stage was prime content for generating topics.
'Still, this should get Lee Won-jun some attention again.'
Couldn't rule out him surviving the next elimination either.
He bombed, sure, but there were apparently people with weird tastes who ate that up as charm.
'Poor Lee Hyo-seop, though. If things had gone like the original plot, he could've shown a legendary stage.'
I glanced at Lee Hyo-seop.
Beside the crying Lee Won-jun, Lee Hyo-seop stared blankly with hollow eyes. He looked on the verge of a full mental breakdown.
He'd vowed to prove himself on this stage, only to get mocked because of his teammate. No wonder his mentality was cracking.
Then our eyes met, and I quickly looked away.
'Why do I feel guilty again?'
I had no idea.
Right then, Han I-jae's stage began on the monitor.
The gloomy waiting room atmosphere shifted, and the trainees erupted with heated reactions like nothing had happened.
"Hey, I-jae's on now."
"Solo stage. Can't wait to see it."
"Han I-jae will be Han I-jae again this time."
Well, based on his mid-evaluation performance, it seemed like he'd do well...
The problem was the misfortune narrative. Unless Han I-jae overcame it, some variable could pop up anytime.
'Please...'
I closed my eyes and prayed. Beside me, I felt Won Ji-an's gaze.
"What're you doing? Praying?"
"Yeah."
"Hoping he does well?"
I nodded, and Won Ji-an, who'd been staring blankly, turned to the monitor.
"It's starting."
As the intro played, the waiting room went deathly quiet.
The song Han I-jae was performing was titled Ill Will, a track loaded with messages targeting haters.
'Han I-jae doing that song, huh...'
For starters, the front part from the mid-evaluation hadn't been bad at all.
But I hadn't seen the latter half yet, so no clue there.
Plus, since the original was for a seven-member group, there was a risk of him running out of steam toward the end.
"Hope he nails it."
It was the kind of line that made you wonder who was worrying about whom.
Still, my wish for Han I-jae to do well hadn't changed.
— ♩♪♫
The intro flowed, and Han I-jae appeared atop the ring set.
A red jacket evoking a matador, paired with eye-catching gold decorations, suited the Latin vibe perfectly.
And the first verse kicked off.
Under the red lights, Han I-jae stood alone in the ring, mic in hand.
I'd worried a solo stage might feel empty or fail to fill the venue's energy...
'Guess that was unnecessary.'
Han I-jae gripped the mic and powered through intense choreography solo.
Blowing away my worries, Han I-jae's solo started strong.
His tone meshed perfectly with the intense, seductive Latin sound.
More than that, tackling Latin pop for the first time marked a fresh transformation. No complaints about self-replication or repetitive concepts.
Plus, the cynical lyrics aimed at haters fit his current situation, delivering a twisted thrill.
'Not pleasant for the haters who trash him usually, though.'
Whatever, didn't matter to me.
Han I-jae backed up and lay on the ring ropes in a clever performance bit.
The on-site judges reacted positively to the witty move.
Han I-jae then dashed around the entire ring, making full use of the stage.
Smart strategy. Kept it from feeling empty even solo.
From start to now, his breathing stayed steady, flowing like water.
Singing a seven-person song solo without faltering. Not easy, yet he made it look effortless.
As expected from the guy called the protagonist's rival in the original.
'Just hope no issues till the end...'
In the killing part that followed, Han I-jae nailed the point choreography. Cheers erupted from the audience again.
'Good, keep it going...'
Suddenly, the set floor rumbled, and Han I-jae stumbled.
"Huh?!"
"What do we do? Is he okay?"
The trainees reacted with worry. The flustered camera switched to a full shot.
As it pulled back and Han I-jae vanished from view, unease crept in.
'What happened to Han I-jae? Hope it's nothing serious.'
When it cut back to a close-up, his lips were stained bright red with blood.
The trainees buzzed at the sight.
"What? He's bleeding?"
"He got hurt, right?"
"Aigoo, how did that happen..."
If my guess was right, he'd bumped into the mic trying to steady himself when the floor shook.
'Part of the misfortune narrative too?'
But Han I-jae didn't panic and pressed on with the rap.
The lyrics fit the moment perfectly, almost comically.
Eerie blue lights highlighted the blood, creating a scene so dramatic it could've been intentional staging.
'Can it turn out like this?'
It actually made the stage more intense...
"Haa..."
The breath I'd been holding finally escaped.
Won Ji-an beside me peeked at my system window, looking mildly surprised.
Either way, the misfortune narrative clinging to Han I-jae like a ghost was gone.
The song raced toward its end as Han I-jae walked toward the audience.
Frenetic lights flashed like a mad party.
Then the bridge.
Han I-jae delivered the next lines in a raspy voice.
Finally, Han I-jae hooked his arms on the ropes and stared at the crowd.
The short outro faded, lights dimming over Han I-jae bowing.
In the ending fairy shot, his blood-smeared mouth and chin stood out starkly.
'Incredible. Couldn't ignore the injury, yet he acted like nothing happened...'
Silence hung in the waiting room.
The stage ended, but the afterglow lingered as everyone stared blankly at the screen.
"Whoa..."
"I-jae did it again."
"Gotta admit it."
Praise all around, except Yoon Hyun-min, who looked displeased.
He tried managing his expression for the cameras, but his twitching lips betrayed his hope for failure.
"No one else could pull off that much solo except hyung."
I said it loud enough for Yoon Hyun-min to hear on purpose.
Catching it, Yoon Hyun-min hurriedly looked away.
"He absolutely shredded it."
"Yeah, best one even solo."
This mission was Han I-jae's show through and through. Even haters couldn't nitpick this.
Especially since the misfortune narrative dragging his ankle was gone. Now it was just takeoff time.
'Gotta praise him properly when he gets back.'
But Han I-jae took longer than expected. Probably delayed treating his stage injury.
When he finally returned, the trainees welcomed him en masse.
"Han I-jae! Han I-jae!"
Amid the chants, Han I-jae just grinned sheepishly.
A bandage covered his mouth. Didn't look too serious, though.
"Hyung."
I approached as he chatted busily with the others.
Hearing my voice, he turned like he'd expected it.
"Saw your stage. Amazing."
"Yeah, thanks."
"Way cooler than whatever you were worried about."
Han I-jae cleared his throat awkwardly.
"You were the best, hyung."
"Alright, alright. Thanks."
Under my barrage of praise, he looked adorably embarrassed.
Anyway, with Han I-jae overcoming his misfortune narrative, something heavy lifted from my chest.
'Now all that's left...'
Just the vote results announcement.
Who gets the benefits, who takes the penalties—that was it.