Chapter 34
Translator 8uhl
Chapter 34
Chapter Title Broadcast Viewing Party
Hmm, this should be good enough.
I wiped the sweat beading on my forehead and stood up.
I couldnt even remember the last time Id cleaned so meticulously in my life.
No, it had been so long since Id had any guests at my place that I couldnt recall a single instance.
It was a oneroom apartment, but thankfully not too cramped.
Soon enough, not one but three guests would be barging in.
Not wanting to give off the impression that I lived in a dust pit, Id spent the morning vacuuming and mopping in tandem to tidy up.
Around 4 p.m., as I was killing time with a workout
What is it?
Hey, what kind of chicken do you like? Fried? Seasoned? Boneless? With bones?
I dont have strong preferences, so whatever you guys want
Okay! Ill grab some! Factoring in delivery time, we should be there in about 30 minutes?
Got it. Take your time
Beep. Beep. Beep.
A onesided call from Kang Siyoon, who Id grown a bit used to by now.
Judging by the racket in the background, the three of them had already met up and were heading over together.
Then, as the living room clock neared 6 p.m., the doorbell rang out thunderously.
Dingdong! Dingdong! Dingdong!
Cant you just press it once, for heavens sake?
Dingdong! Dingdong! Dingdong!
Its like talking to a wall.
With a sigh, I opened the door, and Kang Siyoon, beaming brightly, thrust a steaming box of chicken at me.
Chicken delivery.
Karis hyungnim! Long time no see!
Its only been a few days since we last saw each other.
Karisnim! Youre amazing! I watched your basketball clip on the way over, and it made me realize just how insane your jumping ability is! You could be a pro athlete with that vertical whats your secret? Please, tell me!
A torrent of chatter from the chicks followed, flooding my eardrums.
I retreated into the room, reflexively responding.
First, set your stuff down and wash your hands
Yo, you keep your place surprisingly well? Its super clean.
Theres hardly any furniture.
Its 180 degrees from my room.
......No ones listening to me, are they.
It took some coaxing and soothing to get the hypedup bunch to finally wash their hands.
Once I laid out the chicken and drinks on the folding table, it really felt like a party atmosphere.
......Though depending on the screen time and content, it could turn into a funeral feast.
Think well get any airtime today, hyung?
Who knows. Depends on the production teams whim.
Heo Yubin tilted his head while grabbing a steaming piece of chicken.
From across the table, Yu Minha, diligently dipping chicken into hot sauce, picked up on Kang Siyoons words.
The folks from episode 3 are gonna have a huge edge, I bet. Primary voting ends after episode 4, so the episode 3 trainees basically get an extra week.
True. Getting narrative and screen time in episode 3 means they grab attention first, which translates to more votes in the primary.
I nodded along.
It had played out the same way last time.
The production team slots in trainees they deem pushworthy for episode 3.
Though sometimes they hold big names for episode 4, which signals theyre handing over the entire episode 4 narrative arc.
Based on the current vibe and public opinion, Song Hyeongbins cell getting pushed to episode 4 is the safe bet.
Assuming that, we absolutely had to appear in episode 3.
If not, wed get completely overshadowed by Song Hyeongbins screen time.
Screen times one thing, but the full stage videos and individual cams on YouTube drop a week earlier too. I think thats huge. People who miss the live broadcast always hunt down the stage clips on YouTube later. Thats a massive influx.
Kang Siyoon reminded us of the key point.
A wellshot individual cam could spark buzz like wildfire.
With SNS platforms hitting harder than broadcast these days, that extra week could balloon views and interest.
We demolished two chickens in no time.
Staring at the empty boxes, something hit me.
Come to think of it, how long has it been since I ate chicken this casually?
Grand Quest Saga was, as the name implied, a game set in an empire gearing up for war.
Even as crown prince, I spent more time commanding from the front lines than lounging in the palace.
No way could I drag a palace chef along, so the food was downright abysmalno need to elaborate.
And back at the palace, Id never once tasted deepfried chicken like this.
Frying beats roasting any day.
Id gotten sentimental over plain old chicken.
My hand kept drifting back reflexively.
Werent we supposed to eat chicken while watching the live broadcast?
Huh?
Yeah?
A brief silence fell.
Kang Siyoon, sporting a blank look, eventually shrugged and dropped the perfect answer.
Well just order another one later.
Sounds good!
Energy recharge, lets go!
I mentally tallied the calories and sighed inwardly.
Id have to double my workouts starting tomorrow.
Just before Idol Training Simulation episode 3 kicked off, another chicken delivery arrived.
Abstaining from booze, we toasted with cola and soda to the programs dazzling intro.
??? How many times do I have to tell you thats not how its done? Im frustrated too, you know? But even when Im explaining it nicely, if you cant keep up, what am I supposed to do?
??? Lets slow it down a bit, okay?
??? We dont have time. Everythings messed up because of , how are we supposed to go slow......
Sound of door slamming shut
......Its desperate. We have to debut, no matter what. So Im doing everything I can.
EP 03 Spark
It opened with a black screen.
The audioonly teaser featured someones slightly agitated voice.
The grandiose Spark title card cut to rapidfire montage of trainees practicing, like a movie trailer.
Ah, thats our cell.
What, whatd you say?
That was your cell? The convo just now?
Yeah!
Yu Minha nodded nonchalantly.
They even made a teaser for us like that. Counts as screen time, right?
Yeah, but...... the prep didnt look smooth? Seemed like a huge fight.
First time syncing up for some folks, so it was inevitable, I think. But the stage went great, so Im not worried!
What the hell had gone down in Yu Minhas cell?
From the voice...... sounded like Baek Sihwas agitated tone.
No way they clashed right from the start.
Even pulling aggro, picking a fight oncamera with someone youd openly namedropped in the level test interview is suicide.
Editing could go either way, but 90 chance itd paint you as the villain.
After each cell picks a song, they decide Red Team or Blue Team. Then they randomly match with another cell to form teams. The Red and Blue teams battle over the same song.
The team with the lower average cell grade gets autodemoted. Higher final grades mean you secure your song choice.
The team selection reveal captured the trainees shocked faces perfectly.
Lowgrade ones tore at their hair, sobbing.
Top tiers bounced around with their cell mates.
Hey, hey! Our grades are killer!
No way were getting pushed out!
......
Karis Soulless
They caught Kang Siyoon and Heo Yubin yanking my arms excitedly from both sides.
Me, dangling in the middle like a paper doll, looked ridiculously comical.
Hahaha! Oh man, were you really like that?
Karisnim looks like youre cursing us out inside.
I was thinking itd be great if youd stop tugging.
Our screen time in the song selection was minimal.
Last cell but oneour endless wait shot from afar.
Yubin. Falling asleep here would be bad news.
HHuh! Sorry!
Heres some tissuewipe the drool first.
Heo Yubin dozing off then jolting awake stole the show.
Kang Siyoon, already cracking up at my deadpan face, lost it completely at Yubins head lolling at 45 degrees.
Shouldve dozed off like that myself.
It was cute cause it was Yubin. Youd get zero airtime snoring.
Yo, quit hitting me with facts like that?
After the long wait, Cell 31s turn arrived.
Flashback of our Grand Quest Saga chat zipped by, then I grabbed the waiting room door handle.
......
......?
No ones here?
Nearlast slot, yet the empty waiting room greeted us.
Our wideeyed faces got a closeup, plus us idiots poking around every corner.
Barely any cuts in editing?
I watched in silent surprise.
Park Sehans cell joining wrapped team formation displaced trainees from prior rooms finished selections, closing out our team.
No need to check with Sehan hyung? Were on the same team.
No word from him first, so probably fine. Guy seems to know everyonelikely rounding them up.
Heo Yubin fretted over not calling the other teammates.
Yeah, good call skipping contact postteam war. Shook em off at the right time.
Dudes vanishing from the dorm in two weeks anyway.
Song selection wrapped.
As lines of national managers appeared onsite, Kang Siyoon spoke gravely.
This is where it gets real.
Yeah.
I agreed.
Production could slot performance order arbitrarily.
No clue when wed pop up.
Even if episode 3s prime, opening act sucks.
Clock check prior segments edited super tight.
16 teams meant a breakneck pace, naturally.
Here, the production darlings vs. the rest would shine through.
Practice footage flew by, huh?
No mideval clips at all.
The others felt the gap too.
Nonbuzz teams rushed straight to stage, no narrative buildup.
Lowskill, lowgrade trainees inevitably got the short end.
But everyones nailing the stages! Never giving up is the coolest part.
Yu Minha, having polished off his meal solo, watched other teams with sparkling eyes.
But the peace didnt last.
Next up From debut, they sparked massive buzz and a reverserun legend. The two teams battling over Crescents blank, take the stage!
Oh, our teams up already.
Yu Minhas team hit fourth.
Episode 3 slot, dude. Congrats, congrats.
Thanks, hyung. Hope they edited it fun!
IIm shaking and its not even my team.
Heo Yubin trembled despite not being in it.
I didnt show it, but recalled the teaser spat and felt a twinge of worry.
Soon, team interview popped up.
Q Happy with your team?
Baek Sihwa slight head tilt Can I just be honest?
Baek Sihwa Not thrilled. cryptic smile
My worry felt all too prophetic.