Chapter 166
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 166
The day for the final competition briefing arrived quickly.
While we were busy preparing for the cross-unit performances, Kang Yi-chae had been holed up working on music, having already prepared several candidate songs for the final.
“…Whoa, they’re here.”
Though The Dawn had started the first filming in last place with zero votes in the predicted rankings, we were now the strongest contenders for the win. In fact, based on the total points accumulated so far, we were in second place, nipping at High Five’s heels.
Sharp glares pierced us through an atmosphere that felt heavy compared to the early days. Before long, all the contestants had gathered, and the lights dimmed.
“Whoa!”
As the crowd buzzed with surprise, a VCR began to play, showing short, edited clips of the competitions we had faced so far.
The fourth group featured was The Dawn.
[THE DAWN]
From the face-to-face ceremony to the performance of ‘Say You Love Me’ by Seong Ji-won and me; Kang Yi-chae’s self-composed rap and Lia Purple’s ‘Easy Tempo’; the Oriental-style hip-hop ‘Fantasy Reincarnation’; and finally, the performance unit’s ‘Ride with You,’ where Jeong Da-jun had shone once again.
Watching the screen from beside me, I saw the corners of Kim Seong-hyeon’s mouth curl into a slight smile.
[We will now begin the briefing for the final competition of Shining Star Season 2.]
The VCR ended, and MC Ha Seo-yeon appeared alongside a mechanical voice-over.
“Hello, everyone. Did you enjoy the video?”
“Yes!”
Putting the results aside for a moment, the atmosphere softened as each group saw the fruits of their hard work.
“The evaluation method is the same as previous competitions. However…”
With a snap of Ha Seo-yeon’s fingers, a massive live hall and stage appeared on the screen.
“This will be a live broadcast rather than an on-site vote. Furthermore, the final score will be determined by combining the digital music scores, which will be released a week prior, with the live broadcast voting scores.”
Live voting.
That was exactly what was giving me the biggest headache right now.
Having experienced Season 1, I knew the industry well, but I also knew that the fair-minded Kim Hee-yeong PD wouldn’t edit things just to favor The Dawn. Even with viewership ratings on the line, she wasn't the type to be easily swayed.
Hmm.
I mentally reviewed the various conditions and scenarios I had already chewed over countless times.
Verci and Try. They weren't bad, but they failed to stand out, and despite a good start, they had remained in the lower ranks. TEW was a bit ambiguous, but I wasn't overly worried about them.
In the end, only High Five remained.
Hrrrrm.
To be honest, I felt a slight twinge of anxiety.
I could at least get a feel for on-site voting. Except for the time we came in last, the results usually aligned with my predictions.
However, live voting was a huge wildcard. Moreover, it was currently difficult for The Dawn to compete with High Five’s level of public recognition.
If the song was good enough, there was a chance we could draw a response from the general public, but it was hard to earn their votes with a mediocre narrative.
As I sat there stroking my chin, lost in thought—
[Hello! I’m Han Chae-ri!]
“Woooah!”
Perhaps wanting to squeeze out some extra footage for the final, the production team played video messages from the mentors.
Unlike Ju Woo-seong, whose segments were often edited out due to his blatant favoritism, Han Chae-ri had worked hard to look after everyone equally.
[I’m incredibly nervous too, but the effort you’ve put in will never betray you. Keep fighting until the very end!]
“She really is an angel!”
“She was so scary during practice, though…”
Despite her fame, she wasn't arrogant; she treated all the contestants fairly and gave her all, which seemed to move everyone.
After Han Chae-ri finished her bright, smiling greeting, Ju Woo-seong appeared.
[Hello, I’m Ju Woo-seong.]
Ju Woo-seong looked somewhat subdued.
It was to the point where even Ha Seo-yeon, who was skilled at controlling her expressions, seemed to falter for a moment.
Fiddling with his fingers, Ju Woo-seong slowly shared his thoughts on the competition.
[With the final competition ahead of us, I have a lot on my mind. I’ve learned a great deal watching all of you throughout this journey.]
“…”
[There’s a lot I want to say, but with the final approaching, I only have one thing to tell you.]
After a moment of hesitation, Ju Woo-seong looked directly into the camera.
[I hope you give it your absolute best. So that you have no regrets.]
Seeing this unusual side of Ju Woo-seong, everyone else looked mesmerized, even though they hadn't really received much help from him.
I was the only one who felt out of place. My nerves were frayed over the problem of how to secure that first-place spot.
“…”
When I looked up, my eyes met Kang Yeon-hu’s. He was looking this way.
He gave a thin smile, as if showing the relaxed confidence of a predetermined winner.
Once the mentors' videos concluded, Ha Seo-yeon’s expression shifted instantly.
“It’s not just the mentors. With the final competition ahead, the production team has recruited a special guest. To help you achieve the best possible results, this person will be assisting you.”
Who the hell are they bringing in now?
“Please welcome our special guest!”
I turned my gaze toward the entrance with indifference.
Since Ju Woo-seong was a mentor, it wouldn't be anyone from Black Call. I figured it would be someone like Yoo Ji-ah, the MC from Season 1, at best.
However—
“The Midas Touch! The heart of K-Pop responds!”
Flashy, colorful lights converged on the entrance.
“—Composer Blue Tiger, Im Hyeon-su!”
Why is she here when she’s supposed to be in America?
“WAAAAAAAH!!”
“…Cough.”
I heard Kang Yi-chae, who was sitting behind me, let out a startled cough.
Gone was the dejected figure I had last seen. Im Hyeon-su strode in with an air of supreme confidence and swept her hair back.
“My, my.”
Then, she slid her angular black sunglasses down slightly and winked at the camera.
“I see a lot of familiar faces, don’t I?”
As if that wasn't enough, she looked at me and struck a finger-gun pose. Bang!
Good grief, woman…
I sincerely hoped this scene wouldn't make it into the broadcast.
*
“Seo Ho-yun~!”
Even though there wasn't a major shoot today, I felt needlessly exhausted. I was trying to get to the van quickly, but after seeing a text, I dragged my weary body toward the smoking area.
“Long time no see, huh?”
There stood Im Hyeon-su, taking a deep drag of a cigarette before exhaling a cloud of white smoke.
“I guess you couldn't quit smoking?”
“Seeing how damn triumphant you look, I guess you’re still hanging in there.”
“Obviously.”
Im Hyeon-su clicked her tongue as if disappointed, then suddenly leaned her face in close to inspect me.
“Wow~, look at this guy’s glowing face. Have you been living the high life?”
“I should at least eat well. You, on the other hand, look a bit tanned, Composer?”
“Yeah, while you were rotting away doing a survival show in Korea.”
Didn't you just say my face looked good?
I ignored her nonsense and took a step back from the drifting smoke. Im Hyeon-su gave a sly grin.
“Ho-yun, I’ve rediscovered one of life’s great truths.”
“And what’s that?”
I wasn't curious at all, but since ‘Ask me already!’ was written in giant letters across her face, I decided to play along.
Im Hyeon-su smiled with satisfaction.
“What do you do when things are hard?”
“I don't know.”
“You treat it with finance and love.”
“…”
With that, Im Hyeon-su nudged her sunglasses back up.
“This Cheong-beom Noona just got back from a wonderful, thrilling vacation in California. I spent a lot of money, sipped some cocktails, and did some other…”
“Ugh. Stop!”
“…Anyway, man, phew—the stress just flew right out of me. I really do prefer people with a healthy glow.”
What the hell is it with California?
Does money just spring from the ground there?
I glared at Im Hyeon-su in disgust.
“Why are you bothering someone who was just minding their own business?”
“What’s with the reaction? Don't you want to hear about what a hot time I had in California??”
“Go tell that to Ju Woo-seong, he’s the expert in that field.”
But there was no stopping Im Hyeon-su’s mouth.
She went on and on about the wonderful people she’d spent her vacation with, leaving me busy trying to tune her out.
“If you’re just going to talk nonsense, I’m leaving. I’m busy.”
“Hey, hey, I have something to say.”
Chuckling, Im Hyeon-su grabbed me, flicked her ash, and took a long drag until the tip of the cigarette glowed red.
“Have you seen Kang Yi-chae?”
“The manager called him, so he went back to the van first. Why?”
“That’s cold. He just said hi and bolted.”
Do you really not know why he only said hi?
That was Kang Yi-chae’s own way of being considerate toward Im Hyeon-su. As sharp as he was, he was sensitive to the moods of the people he liked. He had intentionally avoided her, worried that she might still feel uncomfortable around him.
“…Kang Yi-chae, that cute brat.”
Im Hyeon-su seemed to understand the situation well enough as she muttered vaguely. She tilted her head, appearing to ponder for a moment, then pulled out her phone.
“Seo Ho-yun, go tell our Yi-chae something for me.”
Since when was he ‘our’ Yi-chae?
When I arched an eyebrow, Im Hyeon-su curled her lips into a confident smirk.
“I just sent him a song. Tell him to check it.”
“…It’s nothing weird, is it?”
“As if.”
Even as I narrowed my eyes at her, Im Hyeon-su just kept grinning and didn't give a straight answer.
“…Fine, I’ll tell him. But didn't you forget something?”
“Hmm?”
“You’re the special guest.”
Im Hyeon-su, you must have a reason for coming all the way here.
“Any advice for the contestants?”
With a wide grin, Im Hyeon-su tapped my arm.
“Don't lose your edge, and get that number one spot.”
“Good grief.”
I gave a small smile, left Im Hyeon-su behind, and headed back.
I thought she might have at least given us a song as a gift since she was showing her face for the first time in a while, but…
Anyway, I’m glad she looks healthy.
What Ju Woo-seong said once was right. Im Hyeon-su looked best when she had a healthy dose of narcissism.
“Hyung, you’re back~?”
When I returned to the van, Kang Yi-chae was in the middle of teasing today’s targets, Kim Seong-hyeon and Jeong Da-jun.
Even so, his eyes kept darting toward me; he was clearly curious about what I’d discussed with Im Hyeon-su.
“Kang Yi-chae.”
“Yeah?”
I sat down next to him and pulled a blanket over myself.
“The composer said to check your messages.”
“…Oh, really?”
Having delivered the message, I closed my eyes. I figured it was just a song and wouldn't be a major issue.
But that was a miscalculation.
“……Huh?”
In the van, Kang Yi-chae’s eyes narrowed significantly as he checked his messages.
* * *
“Where’s Kang Yi-chae?”
“Huh? Um, isn't he in the room?”
“I peeked in, but he wasn't there.”
“That’s weird. I saw him go in earlier.”
But that day, Kang Yi-chae was quiet—far too quiet.
I had so many things on my mind that I hadn't realized it, but something did feel uniquely awkward. Kang Yi-chae wasn't pestering me like he usually did.
As his roommate, I led the way into the room we shared. Beside me, Seong Ji-won tilted his head as he looked around the empty room.
“See? He’s not here.”
“…Hmm?”
As the two of us stood there puzzled, Jeong Da-jun, who had been munching on ice cream from the kitchen, came rushing over.
“What is it? What’s going on?”
“Kang Yi-chae is missing.”
“Maybe he went to work out?”
Kim Seong-hyeon, who had just finished showering, said as he dried his hair with a towel. He followed us into the room and was about to sit in the chair where Kang Yi-chae usually sat.
“I’ll try calling him now… GAAAAH!!”
Something squirmed.
“WAAAAAH!”
“GYAAAAAH!”
The scaredy-cats, Kim Seong-hyeon and Jeong Da-jun, recoiled in horror and scrambled back toward the door. In the process, Seong Ji-won and I were shoved backward as well.
“…”
Creak…
As the chair spun around, Kang Yi-chae’s face slowly emerged from what I had assumed was just a pile of blankets on the bed.
…Is this a horror movie?
Clutching his pounding heart, Kim Seong-hyeon asked in terror.
“Hey, hey, hey, hey… Why are you sitting there without making a sound?!”
“H-H-Hyung!! I seriously thought you were a ghost.”
Like a broken record, Kim Seong-hyeon and Jeong Da-jun couldn't even form proper sentences as they clung to each other, trembling.
I pushed past the two of them and strode over to Kang Yi-chae’s bed.
“You were here? Why didn't you answer?”
“…”
“Kang Yi-chae?”
I called his name again, but he remained silent. His state was definitely bizarre. Even when I lightly tapped his cheek, he just stared blankly without saying a word.
“…What’s the deal?”
“…”
“…Fine, we’re going to eat first.”
I guess everyone needs some alone time occasionally.
Just as I shrugged and was about to lead the other members out—
“……Waaaaaaaah.”
Kang Yi-chae grabbed my sleeve and wailed.
“……??”
“I-I’m worried about myself…”
I quickly grabbed Kang Yi-chae’s face with both hands to check on him, but his skin was perfectly dry, without a single trace of a tear. Every single fine hair on his face was practically vibrating with life.
This brat…
“I’m so worried about myself I’m going crazy~!!!”
Right in front of my rotting expression, Kang Yi-chae flopped face-down onto the bed and threw a fit, letting out a wailing sound that anyone could tell was fake.