Chapter 61
“We’ll announce from 35th place. This time he was the main dancer for ‘Behind You’ on the Business Support Team. Congratulations, trainee Jeon Sanguk.”
Jeon Sanguk, whose name was called first, looked around with bewildered eyes. He wondered if it was really him. He managed to come to his senses from the rough congratulations of people patting his head and body and stood up.
Jeon Sanguk going up on stage still had a blank expression as if he couldn’t believe this situation. Then he swept his face and revealed joy he couldn’t hide.
“Next, we’ll announce 34th place. From the PR Team, who showed us a refreshing smile… trainee Choi Wooju. Congratulations.”
When his name was called, Choi Wooju covered his face. And when he lifted his face again, he was wearing a bright smile.
Unlike when Jeon Sanguk was called, Jaekyung watched Choi Wooju go up with interest. Along with the thought that it was good since he had worked hard.
The announcement ceremony proceeded both long and short. Announcing the names of the successful candidates one by one took frustratingly long, but they ended up waiting with pounding hearts because they might be called.
Just like the 1st round announcement ceremony, when 5 people went up on the platform, each briefly shared their thoughts. In that repetitive process, Jaekyung thought about the number of successful candidates called so far and the number of remaining successful candidates.
“Next, we reveal 18th place.”
Already half the successful candidates had been filled. Not a single JT trainee including Jungwoo had been called, and several trainees with outstanding skills were still waiting. Thinking about them, it seemed like he could somehow be eliminated.
As he got closer to elimination, Jaekyung worried about what would happen after leaving the hotel. Lost in thought, Jaekyung’s gaze gradually moved downward as he lost interest in the stage.
‘To mom…’
He would keep his mouth shut about the results until the broadcast aired, but that would only last a few weeks at most. As soon as mom found out from the broadcast that he had been eliminated, she could sign the contract, so he had to stop her no matter what…
‘Police station?’
Then suddenly he thought of the police. He wondered why he hadn’t thought of it until now. Couldn’t he go there and say that his mom was forcibly pushing an unwanted contract because he was a minor, or ask them to reveal that the agency was a paper company?
Even if the police didn’t catch that paper company, it would be good if he could just buy time.
“Now the top 9 who belong to the debut group remain. From now on, we’ll have each person give their thoughts. We announce 9th place.”
At PD Choi’s voice, Jaekyung raised his head. It seemed he had unknowingly hung his head low. Looking around to see who had passed, Jaekyung spotted Junghang in the successful candidates’ seats. Since he still hadn’t been called and couldn’t possibly be in the top 9, it seemed difficult to participate in tonight’s practice.
It was as Jungwoo had said. There was no reason to be sad about passing the first announcement ceremony. No matter how many were eliminated, only 9 would remain in the end. There was no way he would be among those 9.
“You were forcibly robbed of your string by trainee Lee Jungwoo and ended up on the PR Team. Congratulations, trainee Seo Jaekyung.”
“……”
Jaekyung, who had been comforting himself alone, couldn’t accept hearing his own name. They said 9th place. Even though it wasn’t the final announcement ceremony, it was still a ranking that belonged to the debut group, so he had thought there was absolutely no way he would be included.
He had been planning to go home. No, starting with the police station…
“Seo Jaekyung.”
At the hand that gripped his shoulder strongly, Jaekyung turned his head with his blurry gaze as it was. It was Jungwoo. As if knowing what kind of mood Jaekyung was in right now, his expression was completely stiff.
Only then realizing his situation, Jaekyung forcibly suppressed his surging emotions.
He shouldn’t have been happy that his voice came out as much as he wanted on stage. Right now he absolutely didn’t want to become an idol, so what was all that hard work for?
“Go up first.”
Think about what comes next later.
Jungwoo’s eyes were saying that.
Jaekyung forcibly swallowed his emotions. Rather than showing any emotion right away, enduring this moment was important. Jaekyung slowly stood up from his seat. And like the other trainees, he stepped up the stairs and stood in the center of the stage. With so many trainees, cameras, and staff looking at him, he couldn’t get his bearings.
“Please pick up the microphone there. And please share your thoughts on becoming 9th place.”
As Jaekyung reached out to pick up the microphone, he discovered his trembling fingertips. He tried to stop the trembling by clenching and opening his fists several times in the air, but it didn’t work as he wished. Jaekyung grabbed the microphone half-giving up.
Though he managed to pick up the microphone, Jaekyung couldn’t speak for a long time.
“Um… I never even thought about it.”
Jaekyung’s trembling voice flowed through the microphone as it was. Even after that, not knowing what to say, he just fidgeted with the microphone.
What came to mind right now was his unjust situation. He had participated in this audition even while crushing someone else’s opportunity because he didn’t want to go into debt. But he couldn’t say that what he wanted was just a brief time until he turned 20, not debut.
The microphone seemed to be getting heavier as Jaekyung’s hand gradually moved downward. Jaekyung closed his eyes and took a breath to control his complicated feelings.
Right, let’s first think about getting out of this situation.
“Thank you.”
Jaekyung bowed and put the microphone aside. Then he went and sat in the seat with the number 9 written on it.
Still unable to believe he had been called to such a high ranking, he turned around several times to check the number.
It wasn’t just making it within the passing cutline, but the debut cutline. Jaekyung painfully stabbed his palm with his fingernails to control his increasingly troubled heart. The more he did so, the more the reality of being 9th place made him feel like his body was floating as if water was rising up to his neck.
“We announce the 1st place candidates.”
While the rankings were being announced step by step, before he knew it the 1st place candidates had come up.
“Candidates came from the same team. Trainee Lee Jungwoo, and trainee Yoon Hajun.”
When Jaekyung belatedly turned his head, Lee Jungwoo and Yoon Hajun were standing on stage waiting for the announcement. Time was flowing more slowly than usual, but Jaekyung watched it indifferently. His own ranking was surprising, but nothing else was surprising at all.
First place was Lee Jungwoo.
* * *
As soon as he entered the room, Jeon Sanguk irritably threw off his outer clothes.
“What the hell is Seo Jaekyung doing in 9th place, 9th place.”
Originally, Jeon Sanguk had been happy just to pass at 35th place. After pretending not to know anything, acting surprised and grateful, and giving thanks, he had resolved to climb higher in the next round.
But they said 9th place was Seo Jaekyung. Sitting in 35th place, Jeon Sanguk didn’t know how much he burned with jealousy watching Seo Jaekyung go to 9th place.
While Jeon Sanguk was breathing heavily and couldn’t calm his excitement, Joo Dowon, who had followed behind him, opened the refrigerator door.
“Since you barely made it, think of it as your last chance and work hard.”
Joo Dowon, who had placed 12th, leisurely drank water while offering comfort. The problem was that it didn’t sound like comfort at all. As if knowing Jeon Sanguk’s desire to make it to the next round, Joo Dowon was speaking as if that would never happen.
Jeon Sanguk glared at Joo Dowon.
“Are you calling that talking right now?”
“You thought you’d be eliminated anyway. But you made it this time.”
“Joo Dowon!”
“Jeon Sanguk, you know you’re being really pathetic right now, so calm down, will you? Why do you think I came looking for you?”
Joo Dowon spoke to Jeon Sanguk while gauging the time to join practice.
“You remember what I said last time, right? There’s only time for that now.”
At Joo Dowon’s vague words, Jeon Sanguk, who had been irritably running his hands through his hair, sent him a questioning look. Then he remembered the proposal he had made to Joo Dowon not long ago.
“You said you know Seo Jaekyung well. That you were thinking of bringing him down right after this announcement ceremony. Make sure you do that.”
Joo Dowon aimed the empty water bottle at the trash can. Even though it was actually a trash can with a lid so the bottle couldn’t possibly go in, Joo Dowon carefully threw the bottle. Without any thought of picking up the bottle that bounced to the side with a thud against the lid, Joo Dowon turned around.
“It seems like if I don’t bring down Seo Jaekyung this time, I’ll be in danger.”
He knew Seo Jaekyung was popular, but this time’s 9th place ranking was grating to Joo Dowon too. Joo Dowon picked up Jeon Sanguk’s clothes that had fallen on the floor and kindly handed them to him.
“Keep your promise, okay? Your spot at White remains only if I debut.”
Joo Dowon, who had acted like a bystander when Jeon Sanguk spoke before, was the first to bring it up. Watching Joo Dowon who wasn’t happy at all despite his high ranking of 12th, Jeon Sanguk’s boiling anger calmed down a little.
Thinking about it, there was no reason to be jealous that Seo Jaekyung had climbed high. It was only the 2nd round anyway. There were many announcement ceremonies ahead and many opportunities to mess with Seo Jaekyung.
Jeon Sanguk twisted his lips into a smile.
“I was planning to do that originally. I’ve gathered a few more things in the meantime. If I do it well, it seems like I can bring down not just Seo Jaekyung but someone else too…”
“Really? Who’s the other guy?”
Joo Dowon’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
