The Chair That Rose from the Floor

The first thought that came to mind was this.

‘Is he playing a prank again?’

I thought that.

This was all the system’s mischief. Just like before, creating a virtual space to deceive us into thinking it was real.

After announcing the group name and saying goodbye, suddenly a chair rose from the floor?

‘……What the hell is this?’

While everyone was in confusion, I also started to not know whether this was the system’s fake or real.

I should be happy about it. But what if this too was a lie to deceive me?

‘……But if this is real, does that mean Won Ji-an could get 10th place?’

A thread of hope rose.

If so, then the me who entered Won Ji-an’s body could also live.

My hand was shaking madly. To hide that, I clasped my hands together and pretended to be composed.

“What’s this, picking ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠another one?”

“Ah, fuck! Why didn’t you say it earlier, you bastards of the production team.”

“The chair rose. From the floor.”

“My blood pressure is rising. These bastards……”

Blunt curses towards the staff and the program came from the standing seats.

Especially a fan holding a sign with ‘Won Ji-an’ on it was almost about to cry and faint.

‘……Is it real?’

The system that had been wearing the host’s skin and screaming madly until just now was gone, and a normal host who was giving normal lines appeared.

“10th place candidates, please display on the screen!”

Then the faces of the 10th place candidate trainees ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠were displayed in 4 quadrants.

Not just announcing, but displaying in 4 quadrants and eliminating one by one?

A scream-like sigh came from the audience seats.

‘Can I survive?’

Far away, Won Ji-an who entered my body was looking at me with an anxious face.

‘If this happens, what if I can’t even get 10th?’

It felt like cruel hope torture. I couldn’t gauge how much I would break if I gave hope again after steeling my heart and giving up.

‘10th place……’

In my past life, 10th place was an absurd number. Thinking about life in the past life, even 2nd place was unbelievable.

But now, even 10th place I had to desperately hope for…….

“Then, we will now announce the trainee who will take the last remaining glory debut spot right now.”

So, the candidates in the 4 quadrants disappeared one by one, and the last 2 quadrants showed me and another trainee.

I calmed my breath. I thought I would accept it even if I fell. After all, it was the path I chose.

“The much-anticipated 10th place trainee is!”

As expected, the host dragged the time cruelly again.

The host was probably doing it because of the request, but if I could, I wanted to shout to announce it quickly.

“10th place trainee is!”

And finally, after waiting and waiting, the host’s mouth opened.

“Congratulations, trainee Won Ji-an!”

The moment I heard the name, I honestly doubted. Is this really real, or is it a fantasy created by the system?

Was it just playing again. So, I was in a situation where I couldn’t happily rejoice too much, and couldn’t just stay still either.

But first, I decided to sit down. If this is real, I would show a lukewarm reaction and get beaten like a dog by the fans of the other eliminated trainees.

I sat down intentionally, but it was also true that my legs’ strength had loosened a bit.

“So, trainee Won Ji-an has finally debuted. You must be surprised. Please give your thoughts.”

When I got on the stage, it was about to laugh. So, I had to say my thoughts twice. It seemed like cognitive dissonance if I tried to pretend to be Won Ji-an speaking.

I was still doubting. Whether this wasn’t real. If it was the system, it would do such pranks to the end.

“Um……”

But I had to say it.

‘To prepare for this case, I had prepared Won Ji-an’s thoughts as well.’

I had extracted all possibilities, and there was the last spot, and I had prepared thoughts in case Won Ji-an got 10th.

‘In fact, I spent more time preparing Won Ji-an’s thoughts than my own thoughts, just in case.’

Even I who prepared it was funny, but when I tried to speak, my mouth didn’t open. I felt sorry for Won Ji-an. I had taken away the chance to give thoughts.

But I had no choice. If Won Ji-an hadn’t been called for 10th, he would have died without moving.

“I……”

Since I had taken away the chance for Won Ji-an to give his debut thoughts, I thought I would receive enough resentment.

So, since I’m doing it, I wanted to convey such thoughts that would remain in my mind. So that everyone could support Won Ji-an.

“I once spent a dark time when light didn’t reach me.”

Thanks to the hope of being able to survive, my words came out better than before.

It was funny. Because I was saying Won Ji-an’s thoughts better than my own.

“Because you, who supported me, became my light, that time seems not to come again. Now, I want to become your light and walk together with you.”

Saying this with Won Ji-an’s mouth was also a wish.

The wish that Won Ji-an ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠would never experience dark times again. And that this child could become a being that illuminates others from the dark place.

“Thank you.”

When I raised my head, I saw Won Ji-an crying with my appearance.

The sight of tears and snot flowing as if I never would have seen it normally. Of course, thanks to the overwhelmingly handsome face, even if he cried like that, it wouldn’t hurt much…….

‘Stop crying.’

Looking at the crying face, my heart felt lighter somehow.

Even if this wasn’t real, even if it was a fake created by the system, as long as there was at least one person in the world who would cry like that for me.

‘If it’s just that, I can say I lived well.’

After the broadcast ended, everyone in the venue left, and until the first greeting video was filmed, I couldn’t get my mind straight.

It didn’t feel real that I debuted as 10th. Because I had been in a state of mind as if my name wouldn’t be called at all.

‘Then, I debuted?’

Laughter came out.

‘Won Ji-an and I debuted.’

It didn’t feel real.

Honestly, even now I was afraid that the system would pop out and say ‘No, it’s all bullshit’.

But the system didn’t appear until the end. What I saw was Won Ji-an staring at me with tear-filled eyes.

‘……What should I say.’

Won Ji-an just looked happy to have debuted, and Hyeon Si-woo was still crying in the corner, probably because the emotional aftershock was big.

Kang In-hyeok just looked happy, and between me and Won Ji-an, Lee Hyo-seop looked awkward.

“Um……”

Kwon Hak-jin spoke briefly.

“Well, please take care of us from now on.”

At that, Na Jae-hyun smiled and gave a thumbs up.

“I really thought I wouldn’t be able to debut, but how did you do it.”

“Yeah, congratulations on the debut. Everyone.”

The atmosphere was overall warm. Just looking at the setting book, there was no character with bad personality or villain among them. It seemed there wouldn’t be any big problems ahead.

But the problem right now…….

“Won-woo, how long are you going to cry?”

The Won Ji-an who entered my body was sobbing madly.

‘Please stop crying!’

Thanks to that, I wanted to cry too.

“I’ve never seen Won-woo cry like this.”

“Yeah, Won-woo doesn’t cry much. It’s surprising.”

On the other hand, the gaze looking at me, who entered Won Ji-an’s body, was a bit surprised.

“Ji-an doesn’t cry unexpectedly.”

“Yeah, I thought he cried a lot.”

“The atmosphere seems a bit different today. He didn’t cry during the thoughts either.”

“I was surprised that he spoke too well during the thoughts. He was good at it, but he didn’t cry and kept talking non-stop…….”

Lee Hyo-seop looked back and forth between me and Won Ji-an and said.

“What? Did you two switch bodies?”

I was being careless, and suddenly I almost flinched without realizing.

‘Lee Hyo-seop has an unusually good intuition, and sometimes he drops words that pierce to the core like that.’

I smiled pretending to be Won Ji-an.

“There’s no way.”

Now, the debut was done.

What remained was to switch bodies back to normal…….

From the side, Won Ji-an was looking at me with a face twitching and sniffling.

“……Um.”

After filming ended, I started to fear how I should look at Won Ji-an’s face.