CH 11

(T/N: A few minor details will be changed, just putting out here incase some of you guys notice it)

Suddenly, light came bursting out of the slots, and the movement stopped in the missing silver section.

“Hmm.”

Once I saw the words ‘great success’, I had a good feeling.

Would the characteristic that came up be more useful this time? If possible, help me on the stage….

[Characteristic: “I heard that’s true (C)” acquired!]

Stirs emotional agitation in the listener.

Activation rate 35%, default activation status

How was I supposed to accept this characteristic that would only suit a flirt?

Does this mean that it would at least attract public opinion on the Internet?

No, seeing that it specified ‘listener’ that didn’t seem to be the case.

Let’s think about it for a second…

“…”

After calming down, I think it’s a pretty good trait.

Due to the nature of the program, survival participants often delivered words directly to viewers such as making self-introductions and ranking announcements.

At themes like that, it would be advantageous for the viewer to feel something instead of just pass by casually, so it was a good characteristic.

Furthermore, the expression “listener” might include songs as a way of conveying.

If that is the case it would certainly benefit me. It’ll be easy to get people immersed in the stage.

Good. It was much better than nothing.

I quickly sorted things out and checked the status window.

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[Name: Park Moondae (Ryu Gunwoo)]

Level : 8

Title: None

Vocal: A-

Dance : C

Visual: C+

Talent: C

Characteristics: Infinite Potential, I heard that’s true (C) 

!Status abnormality: Debut or die

Points Remaining : 1

Thanks to the achievement 〈First Experience〉 that I achieved after the first performance was aired, I received one more point.

And there were only three more episodes left until I achieved the achievement for practicing singing 500 times.

Level up within today to earn one extra point, and the points I have now will be distributed immediately.

My highest priority was…

“Let’s take a picture of my appearance.”

It was time to cross the B-grade threshold.

Without hesitation, I organized the status window.

‘…I hope that the number of mentions can increase in the next content.’

I thought casually, and since it was early, I got ready for bed.

Filming would start again tomorrow. It started early in the morning, so it was good to save stamina from now on.

Considering the order, it seemed like tomorrow I would be shooting a self-introduction video before the first team match.

***

“The restart of <Idol Joint-Stock Company>! Participants, did you all have a good rest?”

“Yes!!”

My expectations were wrong. I looked around the set among the participants who answered the MC’s question vigorously.

Signs were placed around the auditorium, where the first theme song was shown.

It was in a way that anyone who watched the last season would expect a team fight.

Besides me, I could see some other participants looking around the set and exchanging glances among themselves.

It was unclear whether they could do it together, but it didn’t seem bad.

I’ll try to cast someone.

“…”

Come to think of it, I didn’t have anyone that close to me. Let’s just focus on what the MC says.

“The stage you will prepare for today is a team match!”

“Oooh!”

As expected, everyone reacted with a look.

“Since it’s the first team match, I’m sure everyone has someone they wish to team up with, right?”

Seeing these kinds of words, the next sentence would definitely start with a ‘however’.

“However! Idols should be able to show their teamwork no matter who they work with. In this evaluation, you can’t team up with the people you wanted!”

In the first season, the program, which made them plan it and edit it as if they were being left out, to score about 5 people, did a good job.

“So how do we form a team? First of all, please pick a ball from this box!”

“I’m scared.”

Lee Sejin (Gold), was standing behind me and whispered.

He was the only person who talked to me in this meeting arranged by the production team, but it seemed like the goal was to get a reaction cut.

We can’t ignore the camera.

I nodded roughly, followed the person in front and pulled a ball out of the box.

‘Number 12.’

I think that the teams will be formed by number, or teams will be selected in this number order.

“Participant number one, who are you? Put your hands up! Oh, it’s Lee Hongsu!”

A participant from the silver grade raised their hand.

The MC raised his hand and pointed at the sign placed in the auditorium.

“Participants can each pick a sign when their turn arrives!”

It was the latter. The MC smiled and drew his hand back.

“Then, please reveal the contents of the sign!”

Ding-

The sign lit up and texts appeared. It was cutting edge in its own way, but the thing that was really important were its contents.

Each sign had the name of a famous agency written on it.

“Here are the names of agencies that are leading KPOP around the world! You just need to choose one of these agencies. However, the limit is 14 people per agency!”

MC spread out his hands.

“However, once the quota is exceeded, a person with a higher grade can push out a lower grade participant and take their place instead!”

“Wow, the rules are brutal.”

Gold grade Lee Sejin spoke again and trembled.

“If you choose the same agency as me, you won’t push me right? I think I am good?”

“…you are gold.”

I couldn’t understand why a guy with a high grade would assume I would push him.

“Golds can be pushed out by Platinum too!”

“…I’m not pushing you.”

“Oh, that’s a cool answer.”

“…”

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Let’s not get involved.

For your information, there were five signs for agencies. Seven people would be forced to stand in the corner because they couldn’t find a sign.

The interviews that would be inserted could be predicted already.

[It was really scary]

[Now it’s a real survival]

“Then let’s start moving with Lee Hongsu, the participant who picked number one!”

The first participant stood in front of the agency famous for it’s male idols.

My number was 12, so it was still pretty early. Looks like I didn’t have to push anyone out.

However, it would make it hard to see the team members in advance.

The quality of the stage and the direction of editing would vary depending on who were the other team members in this first round, and the game afterwards would change.

Besides, I didn’t know any of the 11 participants that got called up before me. This means that none of them had debuted.

I had to use my brain well.

“The next participant, move!”

After a lot of thinking I chose where I wanted to go to.

So far the sign most people went to were the ones chosen by high ranks.

All the agencies had their own hit songs anyway, so as long as you chose well among those, there would be no big problem in the song selection.

Therefore, the team members were more important than the agencies.

It would be better to have someone who is good on stage, so let’s try to calculate based on the people in front of me.

“First, I should go to a place that has a lot of high grades.’

As I stepped forward with the ball in my hand, two gold-grade participants welcomed me awkwardly.

It seemed like the two had decided to choose the same sign together.

Both of them only gave out a greeting, but they seemed welcoming somehow.

They were going through a lot, too.

“Oh~ the main vocalist!”

I would also appreciate it if I could receive a response like that.

Fortunately, both participants showed their strengths in dancing.

The problem was after this.

“Next~ Oooh, Participant Lee Sejint!””

The child actor Lee Sejin also chose the sign.

Lee Sejin, holding number 15, approached with a stiff look and stood behind the sign.

Seems like the two gold participants tried welcoming him again this time, but it vaguely failed because Lee Sejin turned around and stood behind them.

“Aah…”

I heard the voice of embarrassment in front of me.

Well, he was right behind me, so I should do the gesture.

I turned my head and bowed my head towards the child actor Lee Sejin. Lee Sejin also nodded. It was an unbalanced response.

As expected, I didn’t feel good. Maybe someone would push him.

However, after that, someone with a bronze grade that was lower than silver came in, and the possibility was extremely low.

‘shit.’

And after a while, we reached the 30s.

Seon Ahyeon, who was holding the number 33, as usual approached me with a nervous look.

“…”

Well, it would be nice if the number of gold grades increased. He was also cooperative. I gently waved my hand, and Seon Ahyun immediately had a bright expression and waved his hand back.

It was a bit embarrassing.

The next impressive addition was the platinum grade Ryu Chengwoo.

As a former national archery player, he was one of the debutants I recognised.

“I look forward to working with you!”

With a smile, Ryu Chengwoo stood in the line for the 13th person.

Only 1 person left.

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Unfortunately, the participants I knew that debuted as 1st and 2nd place went to different signs. It was the sign that the first participant chose, the agency that is famous for its male idols.

Because the agency was especially popular, it was the first one where people got pushed out.

There were also a number of people who became a hot topic from their debut or first performance, including the 1st place Cha Yujin.

Even Silver got pushed out.

“I’m sorry.”

The silver-grade participant, who got pushed out, nodded his head and came up to this sign. He looked as miserable as one could be.

“…”

For your information, this person was Choi Wongil.

After arguing so hard with me, he failed to do good during grade evaluation and fell to silver.

Maybe it’s just me, but I think he doesn’t want to make eye contact with me.

“Oh, now we have to push someone out for someone else to come in. All 14 slots have been taken.”

“Oh, gosh.”

The two Gold, who were first in the line, nodded.

…I was slowly starting to worry about the members of this team.

There was even a guy who pushed in from the 60s.

“The person I’ll be replacing is… Bronze grade participant Jeong Hyeongjung . I’m so sorry!”

Gold-grade Lee Sejin also chose this sign.

Lee Sejin, who kept his head down, became the first person to push someone out and join this sign.

Everyone seemed reluctant because of how sorry and nice he looked.

“Oh, Moondae~ Are you going to be the main vocalist?”

“The person who suits it the most will do it.”

“Wow, it’s so cool~ ‘The person who suits it the most will do it’~.”

“…”

If it weren’t for the cameras, I would have swung my fist.

I looked at Lee Sejin without answering, and he grinned and slapped me on the back before moving up the line.

I was embarrassed…

“Everyone, did you manage to choose the sign you wanted?”

The movement only ended after the remaining participants got pushed out were assigned to new signs.

At the sign I was in, there wasn’t any change except for that one silver that pushed out a bronze after Lee Sejin (Gold) joined.

As a result, here’s a summary of the participants’ ratings.

– 2 Platinum, 5 Gold, 5 Silver, and 2 Bronze. 

Overall, it was the best distribution except for the top team. The members seemed secretly satisfied with the fact once they realised it.

Of course it didn’t end here.

“Now you are going to want to pick a great song!”

“Yes!!”

There were 14 people, but there was no way to put them in one team. So we would be divided into teams of seven.

First of all the person I wanted to avoid no matter what, and the person I wanted to team up with…

I turned my head. And my eyes coincidentally met up with Ryu Cheongwoo’s eyes.

Ryu Cheongwoo nodded slightly. It seemed like he was also trying to form a high rank team. All right, then let’s do our best to avoid looking sarcastic as much as possible.

“Now, before that… Raise your hand if you picked the first sign!”

The participants that stood before the first sign raised their hands.

The MC smiled and said,

“For the participants who raised their hands, please press the button above the sign!”

“Huh?”

“Sign?”

“Button, oh, there’s a square, uh, that’s it.”

The participants murmured between each other, and each found the button at the top of the sign and pressed it.

Then the sign flickered and its contents changed.

“Oh, what?”

“A lottery?”

Two lines that featured seven numbers floated on the sign’s screen.

The same happened to the sign at my agency.

[4, 7, 12, 15, 33, 37, 62.]

[17, 24, 27, 38, 41, 59, 72.]

“Do you see the number on the sign?”

“Yes!”

“I can see it!”

“If you buy a lottery ticket with that number! …haha, I was joking. You will be teamed up with those numbers! …everyone, do you remember the number balls you drew to get a starting order?”

“…!”

“You are now a team based on the order of the signs! And you will have a one-on-one match with the other team!”

In an instant, the set was filled with noise.

“Uh, hey, what number did you have… I was number five, right? Huh.”

“Wow, what the…”

“Are we divided?”

This sign wasn’t that different either.

Once the first button was pressed, the gold-grade participant cheered and hugged the same gold grade participant right behind him. After all, the two had come here together.

And immediately after they turned towards me and shouted.

“Hyungnim! Number 12~ We’re on the same team!”

“Wow, awesome! I got the main vocalist!”

Then someone grabbed me by the neck right behind me, and joined the gold grades in embracing me.

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“I like our team, don’t you think?”

It was the Lee Sejin with the gold grade. Right. 62 was this guy.

While I was stuck between the 3 who were purposefully making a fuss, I tried matching the other numbers with the people.

The ones left were 15, 33, and 37.

First of all, Number 33 was Seon Ahyun.

That was great. I turned around to talk to Seon Ahyun and slipped out of the gap between the three.

I almost got annoyed because I felt uncomfortable.

“I look forward to your kind cooperation.”

Seon Ahyun nodded his head vigorously. All right, who were the rest of the team?

It would be good if I had Ryu Cheongwoo, who was Platinum grade and someone who had debuted, the next number was 37…

“…”

It wasn’t him. Number 37 was Choi Wongil. It was clear that he was standing here awkwardly with the ball in order.

From the looks of it Ryu Cheongwoo was already starting to gather people to start a briefing.

‘Failed.’

And number 15…

Damn, it was the child actor Lee Sejin.

Similarly, with eyes that refused to communicate, he was looking at the three gold-grade participants who were gathered over here.

I’m tired. This was going to be edited out.

If we disregarded my expectations, the overall rating wasn’t bad.

Maybe that’s why, Seon Ahyun spoke with a rare happy voice.

“I-I-I think the team members are good.”

“…”

Yes, at least you can think positively.