Chapter 205:

Chapter 205:

Translator: MarcTempest

Editor: Rxel

Chapter 205

Was this for real? His luck was unbelievable.

If there was a newspaper called Soufflé Daily, the headline for tomorrow would surely be ‘Leader Seon Woojoo, can you keep your unlucky hand like this?’

Woojoo heard laughter from around him as he made a face of despair.

If it were any other time, he would have laughed along with them. But not now.

This couldn’t be happening...

The recording started at 7:30 p.m.

Considering the instrument setting and the panel comments in between, the last performance would start well after 10 p.m.

Can he manage the members’ condition until then?

What should he do? This.

It wasn’t a mistake he made on purpose, but he felt so sorry for his siblings.

He should have drawn a better lot.

He just put on a smile for the broadcast when he saw the phrase [5th – New Black ‘Life’] on the screen.

-Yes, New Black drew the first one. We’ll continue to draw lots in order.

The other singers drew their lots one by one.

They did interviews about their expected order and reactions to their actual order, just like he did.

The lottery ended and the letters popped up on the screen.

1 Lisa

2 Cha Woohyun

3 Jo Yuri Band

4 Song Bohyung

5 New Black

Lisa got the first spot because the number one didn’t come out until the end, just like the last time she drew the first song.

Jo Yuri Band, who had to perform right after the heavenly vocal Cha Woohyun, had their faces turn sour.

Song Bohyung smiled brightly and said he was lucky.

Cha Woohyun answered briefly with a calm face, ‘Second, huh.’

“Good job, everyone!”

Woojoo got off the stage after the lottery.

Everyone received drinks from their managers and started talking about their order.

Minki Hyung and Dowon Hyung handed Woojoo drinks and patted his shoulder, seeing his slightly wilted look.

On the way back to the waiting room, Woojoo scratched his head and said to his siblings, “I’m sorry. Really. Of all people, I had to draw the last one...”

It wouldn’t matter much if he was doing the show alone.

He just had to do as much as he practiced, with the mindset that he could do more or less.

But he felt guilty all the time because he had to lead the members.

“It’s okay, Hyung.” Bijoo smiled and said, “You didn’t draw it on purpose, Hyung. It’s luck. There are some good points to being the last one, too.”

“That’s right.”

Their youngest also opened his eyes wide and said, “The main character always appears at the end, right? My dad also goes in last when he has a meeting.”

“Hyung. Lean on me. Your shoulder.”

While Junghyun massaged Woojoo’s shoulder, the two of them cheered him up, saying ‘Cheer up! Cheer up!’

“Well. It could be a good thing, if you look at it that way.” Rihyuk said, “You didn’t get what you wanted, but strategically, it’s not bad. You promised Teacher Noh Jaehyun that we would be number one, right? If we go first, we might have a good condition, but you’re easy to forget by the audience.”

“That’s true.”

“Today’s likely winner, Cha Woohyun Sunbae-nim, is also relatively early, and we’re the last, so if we do well...” he said seriously, “There’s a chance. Today.”

“...”

“There might be some variables, like condition or stage quality. But drawing the last one could be a blessing in disguise, you know.”

It made sense.

Woojoo nodded his head as he persuaded him, and Rihyuk poked his side and said, “So don’t hang your head like a sinner. It doesn’t look good for an old man.”

“...”

“And what do you mean, you’re the only leader and a pro?”

Rihyuk made a dissatisfied expression.

“We can also control our condition well, you know?”

“That’s right. We’re adults now.”

...They said, while sucking on chocolate milk like adults.

Pururup.

Just then, Junghyun made a sound of scraping the bottom of the chocolate milk with a straw.

A moment of silence.

“...”

They looked at each other with that in their hands and burst out laughing.

They laughed together for a while and then Woojoo tapped his siblings’ shoulders and said, “Yeah.”

He shook off the thoughts of the lottery that had been in his head until a moment ago and smiled.

“Let’s go get ready for the rehearsal.”

***

New Hall Open Hall.

The rehearsal was in full swing here, and the lights were sprinkling colorful light.Thê source of this conte/nt n/o/v/(el)bi((n))

The lighting director gave instructions and the lighting equipment moved back and forth.

-Yes. Then let’s go for the rehearsal.

The singer comes up to the voice of the main PD with a microphone.

After a simple movement check, the song started.

The singer’s calm voice echoed in the open hall, and the camera captured his appearance from various angles.

Below, the managers filmed their singers’ performances with their smartphones.

-Thank you for your hard work.

A brief greeting and a courteous applause.

In that atmosphere, the singers went up and down repeatedly.

A serious atmosphere that suffocated.

It was not a situation where curses and shouts were exchanged as they did when they cleaned up the set in the morning, but it was still solemn.

Challenge, Legendary Song Discovery Team!

A program that PBS Entertainment Department ambitiously invested in with competent staff and budget.

There was also a pressure that the upper line showed great expectations, but more than anything, today was the long-awaited first competition recording.

It was something that would determine the ratings and popularity in the future, so no mistakes were tolerated.

“Hoo...”

The production staff who were breathing deeply or swallowing saliva here and there.

Their faces were full of anxiety and tension.

But as time went by, the production staff’s expressions gradually changed.

“Everyone...”

A writer pointed to the stage and stuck out his tongue.

“They’re doing great, aren’t they?”

“Yeah.”

“...They’re doing much better than we expected.”

They all nodded.

As the rehearsal progressed, the anxiety on the production staff’s faces gradually disappeared.

They were still nervous about the recording with the audience, but the anxiety they had been holding on to was resolved.

No matter how well they planned and edited, it was nothing but a matter of opening the board.

The important thing was how much the performers caught the public’s attention on the board that the production staff laid out.

In that respect, today’s stage was all good enough to pass the passing score by far.

Lisa, Cha Woohyun, Jo Yuri Band, Song Bohyung.

With a well-arranged arrangement and the singers’ excellent skills, a splendid stage continued.

“Wow...”

Song Bohyung, who returned to the backstage with a pleasant smile, was admired by the assistant director.

-I was drawn to that trot singer.

-But when it comes to vocals, Cha Woohyun Sunbae-nim is the best.

As various guesses came out, the manager of Jo Yuri Band opened the door and came in.

They asked him with a hopeful expression.

-Hyung, how was it? The other people’s rehearsals...

-Your impressions. Tell us quickly.

-Uh... they were all good. They had so much energy even in the rehearsal. Some of them sang so well that it gave me chills.

Someone asked eagerly.

-So, who was it? Which team did the best?

-They were all so good that...

The manager hesitated as if conscious of the camera and then answered.

-New Black.

Silence fell.

-...What?

-They were all good, but these guys, how should I say it? They were... uh, memorable.

-...???

The faces of Jo Yuri Band members, who were bewildered by the unexpected name, were caught by the surveillance camera.

[#2] Another Waiting Room

A scene where the situation that happened in Jo Yuri Band’s waiting room was similarly reproduced in another waiting room was briefly inserted.

In the split screen, several managers said in unison, ‘New Black was good’ and gave different answers.

[#3] Participant Interview

A musical actor sitting in front of a black curtain, dressed in stage costumes.

Lisa smiled coolly and said.

◆ Lisa: Who are you looking forward to? (Pause) I’m looking forward to New Black.

The production team asked why.

◆ Lisa: As soon as the manager came back from watching the rehearsal, he said, ‘We’re in trouble.’ (Laugh) I asked him what was wrong and he said, ‘When I saw New Black, they were grinding their teeth.’

Lisa smiled sweetly and answered.

◆ Lisa: I’m personally curious. What kind of stage was it that made the manager react like that?

***

6 p.m.

The scene was like a war zone, with an hour and a half left until the recording started.

The staff were running around the hallway, almost tearing it apart, and the stylists were carrying the clothes they had received by quick delivery.

It felt more real that they were facing a competition.

It was like feeling a huge cogwheel moving with a vague sense only.

All Woojoo could see were small cogwheels, but they seemed to be moving and making something huge turn.

“Hoo...”

As Woojoo walked down the hallway after washing his face, the youngest pointed outside with his eyes wide open.

“Hyung, look over there. There are so many people.”

“Huh... What?”

The space where people were waiting in front of the entrance to the public hall.

Woojoo was stunned to see hundreds of spectators holding tickets.

They came this much in the middle of winter.

Woojoo swallowed his saliva as he saw the waiting line that was tailing one after another, with 30 minutes left until the entrance.

Junghyun said, “We have to perform in front of them now.”

“Yeah...”

Woojoo felt a surge of nervousness and swallowed his saliva...

There was no sound.

“Bijoo! Not there!”

“Here?”

“That’s a dead end. Junghyun, grab his tail and stop him from going anywhere.”

“Okay. Hyung.”

Junghyun nodded and grabbed Bijoo’s sleeve.

He kept wandering off to different paths. They moved on with Bijoo in tow.

“Here.”

In front of the performers’ waiting room.

They heard a grumpy voice saying come in as they knocked. As they opened the door and entered, an old man in a wheelchair snapped at them.

“What is it this time? I’m exhausted from taking the plane...”

“We’re here, Teacher.”

“Ah.”

His expression softened abruptly.

Especially when he looked at Rihyuk, he had a face like he was seeing his lost grandson.

“Our Rihyuk is here.”

The youngest waved his hand behind him.

“Teacher, there’s someone behind Rihyuk Hyung.”

“Oh, right. There’s Mu-al-kol and the slackers too.”

“...Teacher, I want to be called Woojoo too.”

He smiled faintly.

Then he called a lady who was doing something nearby.

“Ms. Kang.”

“Wait a minute. Teacher.”

“Ms. Kang! Give these kids some tangerine juice! And one for me too.”

“Wait, please! Right now! You have a microphone on your clothes... a microphone!”

“Ugh. Always busy.”

Woojoo laughed as he watched the grumbling teacher Noh Jaehyun.

He was worried a lot when he said he would come to see the competition from Jeju Island.

But he looked very healthy by his complexion.

The lady whispered a secret to them when she gave them the tangerine juice.

“He worked hard on his diet because he wanted to see this today. He even exercised, which he never did before.”

They smiled at that.

They had a pleasant time chatting with the teacher for a while.

“By the way.” Woojoo joked, “Teacher, please give us your reaction after our stage is over. Like a surprised expression.”

“A proud or impressed expression would be nice too.”

“Hey, you guys. That depends on how good your song is...” the old man said gruffly, then coughed and put on a fresh face. “...So what do you want me to do?”

“Like this.”

Jiho and Woojoo acted out a moved and sobbing expression that didn’t know what to do.

He mimicked them.

He was spot on, thanks to his long career in the entertainment industry.

“Like this?”

“Yes, like that.”

They gave each other thumbs-up like mockers, and then burst into laughter.

They continued to chat until they had to say goodbye because of the manager’s call.

“See you later.”

“Good luck. I’m looking forward to your stage.”

He came out to the door in his wheelchair and they bowed to him repeatedly as they left the room.

The sky outside the window was darkening.

It was 6:30 p.m.

They looked at each other as they watched the excited audience enter.

It was time for the competition.