Chapter 28
Chapter 28
[Joo Yeonhee: Trainee Seo Cha-gyeom, Tier 1.]
[Seo Cha-gyeom: Thank you.]
"......."
They had completely carved out my freestyle segment.
'So that's how they're playing it.'
I could feel the glances flicking toward me from all around.
This kind of awkward atmosphere wouldn't make it to broadcast, of course, but I still had to manage my expression. Just in case.
The interview I'd rambled through so diligently didn't get a single word aired either.
On screen, I simply returned to my seat, and my entire screen time ended with a shot of me nodding respectfully while listening to An Jiwon's exclamations of admiration.
'Well... I did secure some screen time at least.'
But it was a bit iffy. I'd have to check the reactions later and refine my strategy.
The next act after me was Deuz Planning.
[Park Hyeong-tae: Trainee An Jiwon.]
[An Jiwon: Yes!]
[Park Hyeong-tae: Would you be able to do a freestyle if I asked for one here?]
And right there, a cut of my reaction was inserted.
Biting my lip tightly, gazing at the stage as if nervous.
When the hell did I even make that face? I had no clue.
[An Jiwon: Yes, I'll give it a shot!]
After that, triumphant victory music swelled behind An Jiwon as he successfully pulled off his freestyle stage and earned Tier 1.
The editing drew a stark contrast with my evaluation just moments before—where I'd been deemed unchallenging.
I didn't know how impressed the other contestants had been with me, but some of them would definitely remember that An Jiwon went first and I went after him.
Did you really have to be this shameless to pull off manipulation?
"Hyung."
"......Yeah?"
I heard someone quietly calling my name from the next seat.
When I turned my head, An Jiwon, who had been looking at me with his lips twitching, dropped his gaze.
"What is it?"
"......."
No answer.
As I studied An Jiwon's profile—he'd turned his head back without a word—the question on my face quickly resolved into certainty.
'He's figured out I'm not the pre-selected one.'
That was a relief. Our relationship had been mutually unprofitable anyway.
Before I knew it, we were nearing the end of Episode 1.
Baek Gyeonwoo had been dangled with will-they-won't-they teasing edits, milked through every mid-roll ad break, and ultimately pushed to Episode 2. I could already picture the social media post from that ultimate Baek Gyeonwoo fan I'd seen earlier.
The preview that followed crammed in the rest of the grade evaluations, the signal song mission, and even the introduction of the battle competition.
But before I could let myself look forward to the next episode...
[Real-Time Rankings Revealed!]
This was still left.
The voting results tallied over the two hours since the broadcast began.
The endlessly chipper intro of <AWAKE> played on, with none of the contestants aware, and starting from 28%, the rankings began to be unveiled in reverse order.
For reference, this program ran on the concept of trainees filling up to 100% through debut—so 99% meant 1st place, and 28% meant 72nd place.
Unlike the commonly accepted rules, the higher the number, the higher the rank.
But since it was confusing, I automatically converted it in my head.
Before long, familiar names caught my eye.
62nd: Park Gyu-min
54th: Yuma
49th: Im Seong-jun
34th: Hwang Jae-hyeon
The cutoff for survival at the next ranking announcement was 42nd place.
Jae-hyun, the trainee from an actor's agency who had at least made it to 34th, was in a slightly better position, but as expected, everyone else was teetering on the edge.
Not a single hair of theirs had appeared on the broadcast, so it was only natural. If this screen time trend continued, there was nothing left to see—they'd have to start preparing their goodbyes.
9th: Han Neuti
"......Whoa."
Considering he'd been the latest entrant among the top ranks, that was an incredible result. Hell, the guy hadn't even shown his face in Episode 1—I'd practically forgotten about him myself.
If that result came purely from competing against the other trainees who did appear in Episode 1, fueled solely by the production presentation and post-competition buzz.......
'This is trouble.'
The number of companies eyeing him was about to multiply. Damn it.
I glanced in Han Neuti's direction, but he was already buried in a swarm of Grays and completely out of sight.
I turned my head back to the ranking reveal screen.
They were just now announcing 3rd place.......
Wait, already at 3rd?
3rd: An Jiwon
"Gasp."
"An Jiwon! An Jiwon! An Jiwon!"
"Ah, so jealous!"
2nd: Baek Gyeonwoo
"Gyeon-woo, congrats."
"Thank you."
1st: Seo Cha-gyeom
"Uh......."
"Hyung, holy shit!"
Before I could even react, someone wrapped their arms around me.
Buried in some stranger's chest, I thought hard about who it could be... but I genuinely had no idea who it was.
My vision went dark.
Not as a figure of speech, but literally.
"As expected, number one is Seo Cha-gyeom!"
"Ah, thank... thank you."
'This isn't rigged, right?'
The suspicion surfaced but I dismissed it quickly. I wasn't going to find out anyway, so I decided to believe the good things were real and the bad things were manipulation.
With mental gymnastics bordering on delusional self-comfort, I let myself be swarmed by unfamiliar trainees and accepted their congratulations for a good while.
It was a sense of achievement I hadn't felt in a long time.
* * *
After finishing additional VCR content filming and interviews, I was finally on my way out.
I'd told the manager in advance not to come. His utterly disappointed face still flickered in my mind, but it couldn't be helped if I wanted to achieve my objective.
I sent a text to the number I'd gotten earlier, quickened my pace, and stepped out through the broadcasting station's back door. That was when—
"Seo Cha-gyeom!"
Someone grabbed my wrist.
It wasn't the voice I'd been hoping for.
"Wh-what are you going to do about this?"
"Excuse me?"
Before I could even turn around, a phone was thrust right in front of my face.
On the screen was an anonymous site, notorious for attracting low-quality people thanks to its overseas servers.
The post in front of my eyes had been uploaded to a board where dancers gathered to share information.
[Fuck, that motherfucker Park Hyeong-tae showed up on TV lolololololol]
"What about it?"
At my question, a trembling hand slowly scrolled down.
Fucking infuriating.
Met this bastard 4 years ago in a [dance crew]
This so-called [leader] didn't dance, just [kissed ass] all day and acted like big shit, strutting around like he was some hotshot hyungnim, and meanwhile his [power] and [reach] were so pathetic that without props all he could do was scratch at kids' forearms. A truly pathetic sack of shit.
Suddenly got a [DM] from him.
Said he was sorry.
Said he was young and stupid and he's been reflecting.
Said it was all his fault.
Honestly, I was moved.
It's been 4 years and I'm doing fine now.
If we ended things on good terms, then my shitty memories would get some closure too, right?
So I said okay. Said next time we meet, buy me some barbecue or something, and left it at that.
But then I see today, this bastard's on TV??
Guess he got scared I'd expose him? lolol
Hey, you fucking moron.
There's not a soul who doesn't know you used to [run your mouth] behind idols' backs all the time. What kind of confidence makes you crawl onto an idol show? lol
Even back then, you were practically [licking the choreographer hyungs' shoes] just to build idol connections. Bet you're real happy now, huh, Hyeong-tae?
You dumb fuck.
If you hadn't apologized, I wouldn't have wanted to remember any of it again, and since being dragged back into it pisses me off so much, I would've just written it off as stepping in shit and moved on.
But seeing you try to [whitewash] everything now pisses me the fuck off, so I'm gonna air out every single thing you did and take you down with me lol. Go pound the ground and regret it.
[Comments]
└Lmao this is hilarious, I got an apology too lolol
└This bastard's been [managing his image] for months thinking he'd be on TV and now it's finally blowing up. Tsk tsk.
"Wh-what do I do?"
"Excuse me?"
"You're the one who told me to apologize!"
Park Hyeong-tae clutched at my sleeve as if I were his last lifeline.
I'd been frowning while reading the post intently, but about halfway through, I gave up and just nodded vaguely.
Then I peeled Park Hyeong-tae's hand off my arm and said,
"Well, there you go. That's unfortunate."
"You——!"
Park Hyeong-tae's face flushed red all the way up to his neck. He heaved ragged breaths, trembling and shaking.
He looked agitated enough that bloodshed wouldn't have been surprising, but my concern was unwarranted—he just hung his head.
"Are you crying?"
I scratched my cheek awkwardly and took a couple of steps back.
I knew perfectly well that now, with Park Hyeong-tae's reputation in the gutter, there was nothing to gain from adding a sighting of us together.
But still, if I had the choice.......
Thud!
"Ugh."
In that instant, my shoulder slammed against the wall.
Reflexively, I wedged my interlaced fingers between the back of my head and the wall—only for a hand to grab me by the collar, yank me forward, and then shove me back again.
He must have pushed pretty damn hard, because the bones in my hand stung from the impact against the wall.
After two or three more rounds of this push-and-pull, Park Hyeong-tae clenched his teeth and spat out in a mangled snarl,
"Hey, you little shit. You're not gonna take responsibility?"
"Why would I......."
I unclasped my fingers and shot back the question, but by then his other hand had joined the collar grab. Park Hyeong-tae, gripping my collar with both hands and seething, threw his whole weight to the left and hurled me with a scream, using every ounce of strength he had.
As I hit the ground, something dug into the palm I'd braced myself with. Probably a tiny pebble that had rolled in from outside.
"Ow......."
"What are you gonna do about it?! This is because of you, because of you!"
Even he seemed to know he had no real ground to stand on—he just muttered curses under his breath, then suddenly ducked his head inward and shook, almost as if he were sniffling.
In the meantime, I lifted my palm to inspect the damage.
A little red from the friction heat, but not a single scratch. Perfectly fine.
"......."
'This isn't going to be enough.'
I dusted off my knees and stood up.
Then I placed a hand on the shoulder that was still heaving with no sign of subsiding and said,
"Sir."
I guess I was the type to go soft at other people's tears after all. Even in a situation like this, I could feel my heart wavering.
"Don't cry."
Still, I had to use whatever I could use, right down to the last drop.
"Think positively. At least you got the chance to apologize like this, even if it's under these circumstances—how lucky is that."
"......."
"Forgiveness is always up to the person receiving it, you know. Well, I doubt someone who doesn't even know that could've given a proper apology in the first......."
"Hey, that's enough."
"I am being moderate, though? It's not like I hit anyone, or cursed at anyone, I haven't done anything like some people......."
"Ah, fuck! Enough!"
Park Hyeong-tae raised his fist again.
I'd been worried his reach might be too short to even make it to my face, but luckily, that didn't seem to be the case.
I briefly considered whether I should bite down on my molars in advance, then decided against it.
To file a solid report, securing evidence was essential. If anything, the more visible it was.......
"What're you doing?"
"......."
"I came 'cause you said let's go home together. Why are you two......."
Park Hyeong-tae's arm was caught mid-air.
Han Neuti, who had tidily arranged the trembling fist to an almost embarrassing degree of neatness, blinked and asked dumbly,
"I'm so dumbfounded right now I'm not even mad. What the hell is going on here?"
Even as his gaze shifted back and forth between the two of us, Park Hyeong-tae's fist kept trembling uncontrollably.
Han Neuti's expression, calm as he held the arm in place, gradually hardened. The bewilderment receded, and it seemed he had finally pieced the situation together.
"......Ha, fuck. You really went and did it, huh."
"Hyung."
"I'm seriously about to give him one good—huh?"
Han Neuti, who had tensed his arm as if about to throw a punch, paused and turned around.
"Let him go."
"Uh, ...uh! Uh. Got it!"
Clatter.
Since he'd been leaning his weight into the stance, letting go so abruptly threw Park Hyeong-tae off balance, and he tumbled to the ground in a pitiful heap.
"Fu, ck."
Park Hyeong-tae scrambled to his feet, still clinging to his bravado as he muttered one last curse before slinking away.
Han Neuti, who had sidled up right next to me in the meantime, gaped and gestured with his hands—are we seriously just letting him go like that?
"......."
'I don't have any bright ideas right now either.'
All I'd meant to do was warn him to be careful in case it might cause problems for future idol activities—(the ones he'd be doing alongside me). The plan I'd had in mind had long since gone off the rails.
When I just stared blankly, something must have misfired in Han Neuti's head again. His expression turned utterly menacing as he let out a short, sharp huff of air.
Then he pressed down hard on his furrowed brows.
"Hey."
I almost answered, but apparently, it wasn't directed at me.
Even though the voice was suppressed, like he was swallowing his anger, Park Hyeong-tae's footsteps screeched to a halt. Creakingly, he turned his head.
"I've got that video too, y'know?"
"What......."
Park Hyeong-tae's expression went cold in an instant.
His mouth gaped open and shut—not to say something, but as if it were simply a display of panic. He'd been reeling in silent shock, then suddenly started nodding frantically.
And then, as if terrified someone might grab him, he scrambled out of both of our lines of sight as fast as he could.
Han Neuti glared at the corner where Park Hyeong-tae had disappeared for a long moment, clicked his tongue loudly, and muttered toward the ceiling.
"You're telling me I can't even beat the shit out of scum like that?"
"......."
"Being an idol is brutal as hell, seriously."
He looked like his mind was in a complicated place, so I left him alone and stayed quiet. But he was the one who whipped his head around first.
"Hey, are you oka—."
"What video were you talking about?"
"Huh? Oh, that. That bastard got drunk by himself and......."
Han Neuti paused for a moment and ran a hand through his hair as if weighing something.
"How old are you anyway? Are you an adult?"
"As of this year."
"I'll tell you after your birthday."
I immediately lost interest in hearing it.
"Did you record it secretly?"
"No! No way! It's, well... total bullshit, honestly. I just threw out something random I'd heard through rumors. Didn't think he'd actually fall for it. Shit, why would I save something like that? I don't even care, goddamn......."
"......"
"......I did something wrong just now, didn't I?"
"No, you did good."
Having leverage was always better than not.
Han Neuti's expression quickly turned gloomy again. He kneaded his shoulder awkwardly.
"Anyway, sorry. You ended up in a nasty situation because of me."
"Yeah. It was scary."
"......For real?!"
What kind of reaction was that? No matter how I looked at it, he clearly hadn't thought for a second that I'd actually be scared.
This won't do. I needed to execute the plan before he figured out too much about me.
"Actually, about that."
Completely ignoring his statue-stiff expression, I finally delivered today's real objective.
"Could you escort me there? To my company."