Chapter 86
Translator 8uhl
Chapter 86
Chapter Title Tearful Goodbyes
After the third ranking announcement ceremony wrapped up completely, we took some time to exchange goodbyes with the trainees leaving the set.
Since this was the last studio ranking announcement before the final live broadcast, everyone seemed even more emotional than usual.
Waaah!
You did great, you did great. Dont cry so much. Youre gonna make me cry too.
You have to debut no matter what!
The trainees who had been eliminated for good rushed to their surviving friends and sobbed their hearts out.
The production crew, never ones to miss a dramatic moment like this, shoved cameras right in their faces, but the trainees didnt care and kept bawling.
Kang Siyoon and Song Hyeongbin must be the busiest right now.
Out of all the guys I knew, those two most sociable trainees were isolated like lonely islands in the middle of the vast ocean.
They were so swamped consoling the droves of eliminated trainees that they didnt have enough arms to go around.
Meanwhile, a few trainees came up to me to say their farewells.
It was so much fun the whole time!
You worked really hard. I hope we can meet again on stage someday.
The stage feels like it was just yesterday, but its already been two months. I cant believe it.
Oh Taeyoung, who had performed with me in the first round competition, had placed 23rd in the final rankings and was out.
Still, Oh Taeyoung didnt let tears pour like a waterfall.
He seemed to have known advancing to the finals would be tough, and instead smiled calmly.
Honestly, I didnt think Id even make it to the third round, so Im satisfied just getting this far.
You did more than enough. Always keep your resolve, believe in yourself, and keep pushing forward.
Ah, its such a shame I wont get to hear your fancy speech anymore.
If you want, Ill do it anytime. Feel free to reach out.
Oh Taeyoung burst out laughing.
Then his expression turned a bit glum.
...Sehan hyung is a real shame. He was such a good guy.
I feel the same way. But... theres nothing we can do about the choices he made.
Yeah.
It had been a while since Id heard that name.
Park Sehan from Awayake Entertainment had risen as an early frontrunner with high rankings from the start.
But soon after, his school bullying scandal from his student days went public, forcing him to drop out of Idol Training Simulation.
Back then, I was working nonstop to knock him down somehow. And now the final recording is just two weeks away.
I was struck anew by how fast time had flown.
Anyway, you have to debut! Ill come cheer you on at the finals, so just hold on a bit.
Thanks. Lets catch up properly then.
Yeah!
After Oh Taeyoung bowed his head and left, Park Jaehoon came over for a light hug and his goodbye.
Thanks for everything. Third place? You gotta climb higher.
Im deeply grateful just for third place.
Park Jaehoon flashed me a grin, then stretched his arms wide.
Man, I still remember the first time I saw you clear as day. You ripped my name tag off without mercy back then, right?
Ah, yes. That was our first encounter.
I was seriously scared of you. When the members first gathered, I even avoided eye contact on purpose. All just memories now.
The name tag ripping minigame before the first ranking announcement.
There, I went full oneman army, earning cheers from tons of National Managers.
And Park Jaehoon was the first victim of that rampage.
It had been so long since Id done a game like that, I got way too excited.
Nah, nah. I was halfasleep and couldnt reactthat was the big issue. It was a surprisingly fresh experience.
Park Jaehoon patted my shoulder.
Do great for all the friends who dropped out too. Youll debut for sure, right?
I promise to pour everything into the stage.
Youre always so intense. Just two more to comfort now? Hope Hyeongbin wins at the finals too. Would make for an epic showdown.
He wanted me to beat Song Hyeongbin, who had held a solid first place this whole time.
Seeing Park Jaehoon chuckle, it seemed like he genuinely hoped for that scenario.
I gave a light smile for now.
That would be nice, but it might be a bit tough.
Feels totally possible to me? The top three vote gaps are tiny from the start. Could flip anytime, I think.
Ill take that as a message to keep pushing till the end.
Youre always so humble.
Park Jaehoon and I parted ways, promising to see each other at the finals.
After the thirtyminute farewell period ended, only the final 14 trainees remained on set.
Choi Sia glanced around the nowempty space and slowly began the announcements.
The 14 trainees advancing to the Idol Training Simulation final roundcongratulations from the bottom of our hearts.
The applause was quieter than ever.
With the numbers at an alltime low, the echo was minimal.
The final round will air live on April 30th, in front of the National Managers. Over the next ten days of preparation, youll tackle the final hurdle toward debut. Filming proper starts two days after a rest period. As for the final round mission...
Tension rippled through the trainees as Choi Sia trailed off.
The final mission sounds scary as hell.
What could it be...
Im already shaking.
I recalled what I knew about the final round mission.
Yeah, no wonder the trainees were anxious from the previews.
Ill just say for now that the results of this third ranking announcement were hugely important, and youll split into two teams. Details on the day of filming, so hang tight. Great work, everyone!
Great work!
See you next time!
With that, the third ranking announcement ceremony officially ended.
Dragging our stiff bodies after the long shoot, we slowly headed back to the dorms.
Everythings almost over now.
April 23rd.
Idol Training Simulation episode 11 aired, and National Managers were swept up in excitement over the shocking string of results.
Baek Sihwas ranking plunge after turning into a total villain with his troll antics in episode 10.
Heo Yubins miracle climb from Underground tier to 8th in the third ranking.
Kang Siyoon entering the top 7 for the first time.
Chae Eungyus drop from his unbreakable concrete floor position.
And Karis von Walden claiming third place.
With so much drama, community accounts had no time to rest.
Baek the idiots downfall was inevitable
Not some rigged hate or whatever, his real personality issues were plain as day and his team thugs just sat there
Even after screwing everyone over hes still 11th? Thats the real shocker
LMAO the Baek idiots bloody shields are hilarious
Dude showed up on server twice and still pulls that personality crap....
Tried for center twice and got outskilled both times....
Then bitches about the world nonstop....
Zero desperation, not even a sparrows piss worth....
Nightmare of a midsummer night Baek Si Hwa
Sihwa.... wanna be a singer?
Baek idiot mustve nailed Philadelphia and Estonia studies by now ᴗ
Baek idiot.... not too late, start with TOEIC
Ugh so tempting ꉂꉂ ˆᴗˆ
Circleonly post.
Unnie lets book a room next week and watch together
Fr so good.... where tho?? Gotta party for Baek Sihwas drop fr
Pls.... call Ahyun and Sunah unnie too lets hang I got so much to say call all Minha fans
Class 23 seniors unite!!!!
Our Yubin so impressive.... From barely scraping side shots with no screentime in ep1 to confidently arranging and hitting 8th
Gif Baby dumpling baby chick baby pudding baby squishy
Keep it up to 1 final ranking
This is human victory.... this is heartwarming story
Siyoon looked so worried about center Knew hed nail it.... wanna ruffle his hair so bad ᴗ
Yeah All his close friends dropped so he was shy but adapted quick good boy good boy
Taking center and still climbing? Wouldve wrecked his mental if he dropped.... he rose instead? Killed it?
Im proud of Siyoon, wonder how proud he is lololol
Fans of rising trainees were thrilled their efforts paid off, but fans of those who fell were in total shock.
Chae Eungyus side took a massive hit especially.
Eungyu worked his ass off nonstop lololol wtf so pissed rn
Circle public post.
Eungyu drops to 4th and Baek Sihwa at 11th? PD push noise marketing?
Wanna know whats more infuriating? Baek Sihwa fans trash their own then blame Chae Eungyus leadership smh
What?? Where??? Did their brains souls and common sense all go bald together? Crazy bitches
Meanwhile, fans of Karis von Walden, whod been under heavy scrutiny lately, were split down the middle.
Some hailed breaking into the socalled concrete top 3 as a huge win.
Others fumed that he couldve gone higher if not for the unfair witch hunt slowing his vote momentum.
3rd place huge Our smadan worked so hard...
Vote count went up at the end thank god phew
Karis Ill make the world safe for you
3rd makes me madder.... Just 20k from 2nd and 70k from 1st, if wed kept vote fire from the start wed hit fever time sooner lol then 1st was possible ugh wanna kill those thugs smh
Circle public post.
Lmao fans in top 10 trying to drag us down by the hair so annoying
Checked the haters profiles all Jiyuncheol stans
Sver killing part is legend even on rewatch.... no hate and hed be locked 1st for finals
Baek Sihwa real psycho how many ppl did he screw over smh if you cant debut just disappear quietly
Just one episode left. All eyes were on the final live broadcast.
As anticipation built for the new group set to shake up the idol scene,
A similar frenzy began brewing in a certain European country.