Chapter 23
Chapter 23
After our team and then the opposing team finished their self-introductions, the groundwork for a smooth broadcast edit truly began.
"Trainee Seo Cha-gyeom."
'...The first batter was me?'
It was obvious, but on a set with an audience, every single word had to be careful.
Especially sudden interviews could become a spark for broadcast accidents, so I knew they usually gave you a script or at least a heads-up.
However, I had received nothing at all.
Here, there were two possible intentions of the production team I could guess.
1. They were pursuing honest reality without a script.
2. They wanted to grab a trainee not yet used to live broadcasts and use him as aggro bait.
'Wow.'
I'd lost count of how many times this had happened.
"I hear you were burning with rivalry in this mission?"
It seemed the MC was a master of hosting who naturally exploited semantic loopholes.
While waiting for the hand mic being passed along, I replayed his words in my head.
'It's a battle mission, so rivalry is a given.'
Still, the word "rival" felt a little off, didn't it?
"In particular, I've heard you waged an incredibly fierce competition with Trainee Choi Jun-bin over the main vocal spot this season."
'...Who the hell is Choi Jun-bin?'
He wasn't on our team, at least. I deflected the answer with a smile, leaning over to check the opposing team behind the MC.
And I locked eyes squarely with the trainee who had taken the main vocal part on the opposing team.
'Ah.'
I quickly assessed the situation and answered.
"Yes, that's right!"
Again, this was a live set with an audience.
The MC's words just now were effectively declaring to the viewers that Choi Jun-bin and I were the main vocal candidates of this season.
So then.
'That guy's the main vocal being pushed this season.'
Which meant they had selected me as the rival to their precious pre-selected member.
I was nothing more than an expendable tool for a rivalry storyline, but at least it meant I wouldn't be completely edited out. I'd gratefully take it.
"How was it? Today's stage, who will be the winner?"
"Ah, the winner."
So they gave me screen time only because it was a question that meant trouble if I answered wrong.
It wasn't difficult. The standard answer in this situation was obvious.
"Win or lose, just being able to have such a wonderful competition was a truly great experience in my opin―."
"Yes. Thanks for the robotic answer."
The MC snapped his head away. At his resolute reaction, as if declaring no boring content would be tolerated, laughter erupted from the audience.
If there had been no studio audience, he probably would have repeated similar questions persistently until he forcibly got an interesting answer.
Anyway, after neatly wrapping up the chatter, the MC explained the voting method for this mission.
"Let me explain the voting method once more. The Cucumber Sparkling team, who performed with <Nice Zombie>, is number 1, and the Iced Marycano team, who performed with <SHOT>, is number 2. ..."
If you liked neither team, you could cast an abstention vote, but you couldn't vote for both teams.
The reason they made the abstention vote was likely to make the vote difference between teams more dramatic. Because that was more entertaining.
"Then, let the voting begin!"
As the MC spoke, a count appeared on the screen behind the stage.
At that moment, something came wriggling against my left hand.
I glanced down quietly and saw that Gray, standing right next to me, had stiffly grabbed my hand.
"...Why? Nervous?"
"......"
I'd heard that this trainee, who silently gulped and swallowed, had come over from Japan.
'Didn't they say he's been in Korea for 3 months?'
A mere seventeen-year-old, unable to sleep in a place where he couldn't communicate, eating shitty food, all while struggling to memorize pretentious lyrics. He really had it rough.
I pulled my hand free from his clammy grip, and instead roughly ruffled the back of his hair.
* * *
After all the prepared performances ended, the MC announced the results in front of the participants gathered on the set.
Naturally, we were the very last.
"Then I will announce the results for the Cucumber Sparkling team and the Iced Marycano team."
Even after that line, the cameras dragged on for almost ten minutes, filming our reactions.
Just as Han Neuti was about to tear his hair out in frustration and I grabbed his arm to pull it down, the results were finally announced.
[Cucumber Sparkling: 321]
[Iced Marycano: 419] WIN!
"Wow..."
"No, how did the losing team get more votes than us...?"
The MC quieted the murmur and summarized the situation.
"As befitting the battle that spectacularly decorated the finale, it recorded the highest votes. All trainees of the Iced Marycano team, who took 419 votes, have secured a benefit of 2,000 votes. Congratulations."
Before he even finished speaking, my teammates threw themselves at me in a hug.
I faithfully patted their backs while checking the screen again.
'The vote difference isn't as big as I thought.'
Considering we were last and would have the most no-shows, this meant there were barely any abstentions.
Since Han Neuti and I were both somewhat anticipated figures, it seemed we wouldn't completely flop, but... even so, that vote count meant at least some of the swing voters had sided with us.
'Did the backlash psychology kick in?'
In live venue competitions, teams stacked with top-ranked players tended to lack swing votes and often received fewer votes than expected.
Plus, a team that looked like it would lose versus a team that looked like it would win. Sympathy for the former, backlash for the latter—it was only natural.
Of course, this result was only achieved because the team worked hard. If we'd seemed insincere, they would've thrown stones instead of sympathy votes.
My teammates seemed to think so too, their faces filled more with relief than the immediate pain of defeat, eyes brimming with tears.
However, the production crew apparently didn't think so.
"Trainee Seo Cha-gyeom, you lost despite receiving so many votes—how do you feel?"
The MC questioned again with a slightly scolding expression.
"Do you still think it was a good experience?"
...Was that ad-lib? That was way too sarcastic.
But I'd expected this much.
I took a short breath, pretending to deeply feel the weight of defeat, then slowly raised the mic.
"It's a shame, but I think this battle meant more for growth than victory―."
"Then are you conceding the main vocal position to Trainee Choi Jun-bin?"
If I said 'The team lost, not me, so why?' right here, it would instantly become a landmine pick.
Staring at the MC who was cutting me off harshly, I pressed my lips together. I wasn't sure how it looked to others, but what I was aiming for was an expression of indignation.
"No."
Since they were already using me for aggro, I might as well go all the way.
"I don't think I can concede."
"'I can't concede.' I definitely heard that as this."
The MC met my eyes and grinned.
"'If you want it, try taking it properly.' Am I right?"
That was exactly it.
But I opened my eyes wide as if slightly flustered.
"Ah, hahaha..."
Even if I didn't answer, the skilled writers would distort it as they pleased.
The Main Vocal War.
As a provocative scene teasing the upcoming second round.
* * *
The trainees who left the set were again caught for interviews.
Since it was being held in order of performances, we were last again.
'Getting off work will be last too, I guess.'
While waiting, I picked up my phone and texted the manager.
[Me: Manager, you don't have to come today]
[Sorasum Manager: Already waiting ^^]
'.......'
He said he was happy because he had something to do, but I didn't expect him to be this enthusiastic.
After staring intently at the text, I put my phone away and sprawled out on the mattress like the other trainees.
Han Neuti, who'd lent one of his legs to my head, said in a wistful voice.
"It's ending somehow, after all."
The Japanese trainee, his eyes glistening as if recalling the hardships of the past week, agreed.
"I think I'll remember it forever. The stage was fun too..."
Yeah, no matter the process, as long as the ending was wrapped up well, that was all that mattered.
Pretending to be swept up by the mood, I opened my mouth to add a word to this heartwarming scene. No, I was about to.
Spring!
"......."
"...Gyu-min? What's wrong?"
Gyu-min, who'd shot up without warning, clenched his fists.
From my vantage point, his back was turned, so I couldn't see his expression. When I sat up and asked, Gyu-min flinched and bowed his head.
"What's the matter?"
"......."
"Gyu-min―. Hey, where are you going?"
As I watched Gyu-min's back dashing somewhere, I quickly looked for Seongjun. Since they were from the same agency, I thought he'd be the best person to handle this.
However, Seongjun, who had also been watching Gyu-min's back, shook his head.
"You go, hyung."
Me?
I blinked, then got up without further question.
There must be a reason. I stepped around the other team's trainees sprawled like laundry and headed toward the corner where Gyu-min had disappeared.
Rounding the hallway, I found Gyu-min sitting crouched far away.
"Gyu-min, what are you doing."
No answer.
I kept my distance and waited for a bit, then to lighten the mood I cracked a joke.
"Are you still agonizing over whether to say everything went to shit because of Cha-gyeom hyung?"
Bad move. Apparently it wasn't a joke to Gyu-min.
Gyu-min, who'd shuddered at my joke...
"Hic, sniff."
...started sobbing.
I was so flustered that even my hands trembled as I tried to salvage the situation, but Gyu-min's crying only grew louder.
On top of that, a character who seemed particularly unhelpful barged in.
"Seongjun told me to go, too. What are you doing? Why are you making him cry?"
"No, I just joked, to lighten the mood..."
Even while pouring out tears and snot, Gyu-min seemed aware it was stage costume, desperately scrubbing his face only with his hands.
Han Neuti, watching this, excused himself to fetch tissues, leaving just the two of us in the hallway again.
Fortunately, this time Gyu-min broke the silence first.
"I'm sorry, hyung. I was so... out of line... I'm sorry to you hyungs..."
"Huh?"
"Back then... I think I just wanted... to blame others. But, hyung, everything you said was right. I was so embarrassed I wanted to drop out. I didn't want to do anything. And then I said... it was because of you, that we lost because of you... I did that."
It was rambling, more a string of words than sentences, but it wasn't hard to understand.
Listening to Gyu-min's apology, I hesitated, unable to react right away.
'Is this really a situation where I deserve an apology?'
It was definitely true that extra pressure had been added because of me.
But to act as if the hardships of the past week never happened... I'd gone through way too much.
I didn't decline the apology and patted Gyu-min's shoulder.
"Forget it, that doesn't matter. The results matter."
If you get eliminated because of the benefit difference, that really will be my fault, so it's too early to create a heartwarming atmosphere, Gyu-min.
I was about to say that, but I changed directions.
"We did well, didn't we? The stage."
"That's... the first time I've ever heard you say we did well, hyung."
"...Was that so?"
"It was. You, Cha-gyeom, were just a whip."
Han Neuti, having returned unnoticed, handed Gyu-min a wad of tissues.
Watching Gyu-min wipe his face from behind with a pleased smile, Han Neuti suddenly spread his arms wide as if overcome.
"Come here, Carrot hyung will hug you."
Gyu-min, too busy crying to lift his head, staggered over toward us.
And fumbled his way into my arms.
"......."
Han Neuti, pretending nothing had happened, lowered his arms and pulled us both into a tight hug.