Chapter 37
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 37
“I love you guys!”
“Pfft.”
A voice crack slipped through. Seong Ji-won burst out laughing even though his microphone was still on. The staff scrambled to adjust the volume, but the fans had undoubtedly heard it all.
The stage lights brightened again, and Kang Yi-chae gave Seong Ji-won a playful nudge. As the members bowed to the fans, a roar of cheers erupted.
Yoo Ji-ah looked at us and smiled.
“I’m sure there’s a lot to say, but…”
“…”
“For now, I’ll just say one thing: I want to see you again.”
At Yoo Ji-ah’s words, the tension in the members’ shoulders finally snapped.
“How did you prepare all this in just a little over a week? A musical format with a werewolf concept that no one saw coming. Who exactly did the arrangement?”
“Yi-chae did the arrangement, Da-jun came up with the concept, Seong-hyeon handled the choreography, and Ji-won directed the vocals.”
“That’s a perfect distribution of labor… then what about you, Ho-yun?”
“I just tagged along for the ride.”
I was being serious, but everyone burst out laughing.
Kim Seong-hyeon picked up his microphone to follow up.
“Seo Ho-yun acted as the general director. He handled everything from communicating the plan to the production team to setting up the stage.”
“I see. It was truly a magnificent performance. Lastly, please say a word to our audience.”
Well, looking wholesome in front of the camera is always good. As I shrugged, Seong Ji-won raised his microphone. His face was set with firm determination.
“We’ve prepared so much over this past week.”
“…”
“Just as Ho-yun said, if that effort was conveyed through our performance, we couldn't ask for anything more. Thank you for today.”
Ji-won was unusually well-spoken today. As he spoke, the other members’ expressions strangely filled with resolve.
Am I the only one not reading the room here? Why does the audience look so moved, too?
Anyway, we gave our group greeting and started to exit when Jeong Da-jun suddenly clung to my left shoulder. The others passed by, ruffling my hair or patting my back.
What is with them…
“Today, entering the stage!”
As we were heading out, we locked eyes with Today, who was the final act. They all looked like they’d swallowed a pile of shit, likely having seen our performance. However, perhaps conscious of the egg incident, they surprisingly passed by without a word.
Today took the stage, but the cheers weren't as loud as they were for us.
“I guess we really did do a good job.”
Jeong Da-jun bounced around with a grin.
The cameras following us seemed determined to get an exclusive, filming us from point-blank range.
We headed toward the waiting room, but every few steps, other contestants and staff members stopped us to offer greetings. In the end, we couldn't even make it back to the room before we were called back to the stage.
We hurriedly joined Today, Refined, Mars, and Nightmare on stage, bowing as we went. I could feel eyes piercing into me from every direction.
“Don’t make the kids stand there for so long!”
No, it’s okay, guys… I can at least stand. Yoo Ji-ah held up her cue card, pretending not to hear the fans' shouts.
“All five teams have worked incredibly hard. Now, it is time to announce the prestigious rankings.”
Yoo Ji-ah spoke slowly, intentionally starting from the bottom.
5th place: Nightmare. 4th place: Refined. 3rd place: Mars.
Only Today and The Dawn remained.
Jeong Da-jun’s face crumpled in distress.
Hyung, are we going to lose?
…
It’s possible.
“Now, for the announcement of the glorious 1st place.”
To be honest, I didn't have high expectations. I didn't particularly care about taking 1st place in the 1st Competition.
I had other things in mind.
We kept our eyes fixed forward, intentionally avoiding looking toward Today. Even as the clueless Jeong Da-jun whimpered beside me.
“The winning team of the Shining Star 1st Competition is…”
Suspenseful music blared through the venue. I could feel Today’s Yoo Hyuk glaring at us intensely.
Hey, watch your facial expressions.
It was then. Yoo Ji-ah took a deep breath and raised her microphone.
“With 4,700 points, The Dawn! Congratulations on 1st place!”
Huh?
“Kyaaaaah!”
“The Dawn! The Dawn!”
The Dawn won 1st place?
When the audience score accounts for 90%?
This made no sense.
I frowned slightly and caught Kim Hee-yeong PD’s eye. She was looking this way with a distorted expression.
What the hell?
My mind began to race.
I couldn't even hear what Yoo Ji-ah was saying.
“The Dawn, huge congratulations. With incredibly stable vocals and a surprising concept, you’ve successfully captured the hearts of the audience.”
The audience.
Ah, I see now.
They were probably going to rig it if we weren't 1st, but the agency got cold feet after seeing the atmosphere. Since I’d just been hit by an egg, it wouldn't look good if Today took 1st place. Besides, 1st place in the 1st Competition wasn't that important anyway.
Are they thinking they can just take 1st place later?
“Hyung!”
“We’re 1st!”
No, that’s not it. There’s something more.
While I was calculating, the members were beaming with faces full of emotion.
Well, I suppose we did prove our skills and win over the audience. I patted them on the back and took the microphone.
“This is Seo Ho-yun from The Dawn. Thank you so much for voting for us despite our shortcomings.”
“Yes, congratulations! How do you feel about the win?”
I shifted my gaze slightly to Yoo Ji-ah, who was smiling like she was wearing a mask, and continued.
“First, I want to thank the fans who always support us, and all the members of my team. I’d also like to thank all the staff who worked hard with us, and the other teams who serve as constant motivation with their amazing skills.”
I was truly grateful to the other teams.
Especially since Today’s provocations had boosted our team’s morale day by day.
As the typical, cookie-cutter comments flowed out of me, Yoo Ji-ah tilted her head, looking a bit disappointed. However, like a professional, she carried on as if nothing was wrong.
“Now, shall we check the 1st place privilege?”
I hope it’s money… but there’s no way it is.
“What is it?”
“Is it something like Hanwoo beef?”
Jeong Da-jun asked innocently. For a moment, Yoo Ji-ah looked like she didn't know what to do out of pity.
Kim Hee-yeong PD was still biting her lip, staring at me.
“I’m sorry, it’s not something like that… but it is quite special.”
Yoo Ji-ah slowly flipped her card. Then, she gave the audience a slightly awkward smile.
“The 1st place group can choose one other group and turn that group’s score into negative points!”
“…”
Silence fell over the room. Everyone looked shocked.
“To put it simply, if they received 3,000 points, it becomes minus 3,000 points, which will be reflected in the final total. It’s a crucial opportunity to bring down a group you’ve been wary of.”
Wow…
I did ask for a confrontational narrative, but…
This is cutthroat.
Truly vicious.
Wait, is this not Kim Hee-yeong’s doing? Is it Today’s agency?
It could be. Kim Hee-yeong was surprisingly soft compared to me. She might create a narrative, but she never pushed contestants this far.
So that’s why she asked if I was curious about the 1st place privilege.
The members of The Dawn were so shocked they couldn't even open their mouths. More accurately, they couldn't say anything. If they uttered a single word here, forget eggs—they might get pelted with stones.
Only then did the audience snap out of it, and boos began to erupt.
“Are you crazy, production team?!”
“Do you want to get sued?!”
It was mostly things like that.
Furthermore, except for The Dawn’s fans, everyone was looking at me, holding the microphone, as if they were ready to tear me to shreds.
I was used to malicious glares, but it had been a long time since I’d felt this much murderous intent. A cold sweat broke out.
“You may decide now.”
What would a normal person do?
“Now, The Dawn. Which team will you choose?”
No matter who I picked, I was guaranteed to be ripped to pieces. I’d be burned to ashes on social media and community sites.
Now I understood why Today didn't take 1st place.
In the 1st Competition, the winner is the loser.
I’ve been hooked.
I looked back at the members before picking up the mic. They all looked like they didn't know what to do.
“Ho-yun.”
“…”
“I’ll answer.”
Seong Ji-won suddenly grabbed my shoulder and whispered. Whoever answered would likely be the one getting torn apart the most.
I could see deep fear in Ji-won’s eyes, but he spoke to me while trying his best to appear calm. He was being sincere.
“It’s okay. I’ve got this.”
“…”
“Guys.”
I met their trembling eyes. I felt like I was being skewered by the gazes pinned on me.
I looked at them straight on.
I didn't think I’d have to use this so soon—
“You trust me, right?”
The groundwork I’d laid just in case.
Number three: Even if Seo Ho-yun does something disgusting, trust him unconditionally.
Kang Yi-chae let out a hollow laugh. Then he nodded.
I stopped Seong Ji-won from answering and slowly turned back to Yoo Ji-ah and the audience. Yoo Ji-ah gave me a pitying smile.
“Have you decided?”
I nodded.
“Yes.”
“Then, please state the group’s name.”
I turned my gaze toward the other groups. Everyone flinched. Amidst them, only Today wore a sneer. They seemed delighted that I was caught in this trap.
Since a rivalry with Today had already been established, choosing them here would only destroy any public sympathy for me.
[No need to feel sorry for him]
[I told you SHY was sketchy lol]
Titles like that would flood the communities.
So, they probably expected me to choose Nightmare, who had the smallest fandom, or at most, Refined. That was likely why Today was just enjoying the show, watching me go down in flames.
But… guys.
What can I say?
“I choose…”
I smiled and raised the microphone.
“Today.”
I only go after one bastard.