Chapter 31

If I can't debut, I'll get a disease that will kill me - Chapter 031

"Wow, they're in third place?"

"Really? They did so well?"

"From the start, their ranking was the highest..."

"Their performance was also amazing, wasn't it?"

When we placed third, the other team participants around us started whispering.

I was grateful, but in fact, this situation was predictable from the moment we were told that each audience member could cast two votes.

'They all put in votes to counteract each other.'

If someone came to the audience, it meant they were a heavy viewer who had a favorite participant.

Those audience members would first vote for the team with their favorite participant.

Then, they would likely put their second vote into the team with a lower ranking but good skills.

They wouldn't give votes to the team that could be a strong competitor to their favorite participant.

Thinking about it, honestly, placing third was a good performance.

It means that we gathered all the votes from the audience members who supported the participants in our team, as well as from a few others who just came to watch.

However, the team members seemed quite shocked.

"...Thank you!"

Ryu Cheong-woo, a bit late, bowed deeply in gratitude.

The team members followed with enthusiastic thanks, but their attempts to appear calm were clearly visible.

"Thank you."

I also nodded my head.

The announcements for first and second place were postponed to the ranking ceremony. Among them was the team that Choi Won-gil had gathered, which was similar to the first team.

"Then, dear shareholders! I will meet you at the ranking ceremony with the news of the first-place team in the team battle!"

After the MC's closing remarks, Choi Won-gil seemed to glance at us with a smug expression.

'Idiot...'

He always acts like this.

Is it because he hasn't experienced the sharp taste of editing yet?

Anyway, our team was in no state to notice such things. The team members, dispirited, clapped, and Ryu Cheong-woo patted each of them on the shoulder.

"You did great. We did our best and it was awesome. Don't worry."

"Yes..."

"That's right. We did well!"

Well, as Cha Yu-jin said, we definitely performed well on stage.

So, unless we get sympathy votes, we won't get criticized.

In any case, there doesn't seem to be anyone in our team who will be eliminated in the next ranking ceremony, so this is the best possible outcome.

The problem is the editing. Unless the editing only saves Ryu Cheong-woo and kills everyone else, it will be a decent result. Since the stage performance was good.

Everyone already has a fan base, so any bad editing will be neutralized by public opinion.

Although the first team battle broadcast was a disaster, Kim Rae-bin, who was brought back into the ranking through persistent public opinion battles by his fans, is a good example.

Ah, he's just talking to me now.

"Um... Hyung Park Moon-dae."

"Yeah, what's up?"

Kim Rae-bin nodded.

"Thank you for everything. Can we exchange contact information?"

"Sure."

I readily gave him my number.

He was a participant who wouldn't do any harm to have as a friend. Thanks to his scam composer trait, I also got to eat some arrangements.

Moreover, from his personality, it seemed he would only call when necessary, unlike the big Se-jin, who would contact me at any time.

Kim Rae-bin nodded again after receiving the number.

"I'll send you occasional greetings."

"Sure."

I wasn't sure if I was talking to an idol trainee or a junior.

'Oh, by the way...'

Is this an opportunity to break away from the so-called 'bundled participant group'?

Since this team battle was successful, if we leak a few stories of friendship before the next episode, the fan base might reorganize itself.

The participants bundled with 'Park Moon-dae' early on had many risk factors, from drugs to the final ranking. Moreover...

'If I can be bundled with someone who will rank higher in the end, wouldn't my survival rate be higher?'

If I'm bundled with Kim Rae-bin, it might also reduce the hostility towards me from the Cha Yu-jin supporters.

'Geez.'

Although this kind of calculation is exhausting, when it comes to sudden death, who cares about saving face?

"Good job~"

"Thank you for your hard work!"

While preparing to leave and packing my things, I was thinking about this when someone tapped my back.

"Um, hey."

"Hmm?"

I turned my head, and Seon Ah-hyun was making a serious face.

After being busy for a week and only exchanging greetings, he suddenly approached with a determined look.

'Is there some bad news?'

Seon Ah-hyun looked around, confirmed that no one was watching, and then whispered with a sharp gaze.

"Choi Won-gil, you know."

"...? What about Choi Won-gil?"

Why did he suddenly bring up Choi Won-gil?

'Is he here to complain about getting parts and being criticized?'

Surprisingly, this half-thought was partly correct.

"You, you, you're such a bad person...!"

"..."

Seon Ah-hyun was almost sputtering.

No, what kind of character flaw could make this guy so angry?

"Why, what happened?"

"Y-Yes!!"

Seon Ah-hyun nodded vigorously and began to explain the previous team battle.

"At first, he... he kept asking for his part."

Oh, my prediction was completely right.

"He kept bringing up your name! Mocking you..."

Summarizing Choi Won-gil's behavior, it went something like this:

'Since I didn't get camera time in the first round, I should get it this time. I formed the team, so they should be grateful.'

'Why did he give parts to Hyung Moon-dae but not to me, even though I'm the main vocalist? It seems like he's showing favoritism.'

He even cried in an interview with the production team about the latter.

'It seems he learned from the last team battle that the first strike wins.'

When the team members were flustered, Big Se-jin tactfully calmed Choi Won-gil down.

'Considering the broadcast, it was a wise choice.'

However, the team members who couldn't properly express their frustration were left with nowhere to go.

Seon Ah-hyun's cautious attitude turned into complete anger by the end of his story.

He stuttered so much that it seemed to make him even angrier.

"You have to be careful...! He might say something strange about you... I wanted to tell you."

Seon Ah-hyun, with his cheeks flushed, seemed to care about Park Moon-dae, eventually turning his concern into words.

This was probably the main point.

The situation was funny, but...

'I'm a bit grateful.'

In this survival audition where everyone is busy taking care of themselves, to have someone treat me like a real friend rather than just managing connections...

It made me feel like an idiot for dividing the group ranks like I did.

'This isn't like middle school class assignments.'

My future knowledge was already being rewritten by the success of my team in the first team battle, and I wondered if I had been acting paranoid.

I chuckled and replied.

"Yeah, thanks."

"No, no..."

Seon Ah-hyun was startled and quickly waved his hands, returning to his usual timid self.

Just then, Big Se-jin, who seemed to have the ability to insert himself into any conversation, appeared and put his arm around me.

"Hey~ friends, what's up?"

"W-Well... I was just telling him."

"What? Oh... him."

Big Se-jin shrugged.

It seemed Choi Won-gil was so notorious that he was referred to by a pronoun rather than his name.

"Next time, we just won't be in the same team. The stressed one loses. Look at this. It's a busy world to even see good things."

"Y-Yeah?"

Big Se-jin naturally changed the topic and showed us something on his smartphone screen.

It was an SNS post with photos of subway station advertisement boards.

Ah, it's already this stage.

Putting up advertisements in public facilities is one of the main ways idol fans support their idols. I remember seeing a few of my own photos up.

'Of course, they were posted under the names of fan accounts that bought data.'

I thought Big Se-jin was showing us his own advertisement board, but it wasn't just that.

"Ta-da! Is this us three?"

"Hmm?"

Looking again, it was clearly a set of photos of three nearby advertisement boards facing each other.

Under the photos was a registered post.

=========================

[At Hongdae Station, the three of us are up together. So precious! I left some Post-its!]

=========================

Big Se-jin grinned.

"Hey, isn't it amazing? How did they put up the ads like this? Did they coordinate?"

"..."

No.

They probably fought over the spots.

Thinking about the money and time spent to secure prime spots at a busy transfer station, I felt a bit guilty.

'Thanks for investing in Park Moon-dae's survival potential.'

A new concern arose. Even if I debut and avoid sudden death, I would need to fulfill my contract period to avoid hell.

While I was feeling confused by this strange sense of debt, Big Se-jin got to the point.

"Want to go see this? The fans even left messages. Shouldn't we go see it?"

"..."

Can't we each take care of our own part?

But Seon Ah-hyun, with shining eyes, immediately agreed.

"Sure"

"Good. Is Moon-dae coming too? When should we go?"

He started as if it was already decided that we would go together, just like when he lured us into a group viewing in episode 3.

Still, it's true... According to Big Se-jin, we should go see the advertisement boards. It would be easier to handle the attention with others.

I looked at the two of them for a moment and then nodded.

"If we're going, it's better to go this week."

"The sooner, the better!"

"Sure!"

Listening to the two of them enthusiastically setting a date, I packed my things again.

Well, I wasn't in a bad mood.

* * *

Two days later.

I took out the black mask I had bought at a convenience store and put it on.

The destination was Hongdae Station.

Since I had been staying at home when there were no shootings, this was my first outing in a while.

[Seon Ah-hyun: Want to see our advertisement boards and have lunch? I found a few places that look good. If it's okay with you... (more)]

I received a message from Seon Ah-hyun.

'Still long-winded.'

While checking Big Se-jin's reaction, which was full of emojis, I went out and got on a bus.

Since I had signed a cheap contract, there was no subway station within a 20-minute walk.

'I can quietly move to the bus stop near Hongdae Station.'

...I thought, but it was a miscalculation.

"Whoa."

"Isn't that Park Moon-dae?"

"Whoa... Hey, over there!"

As soon as I got off the bus and crossed the street, this happened.

I hadn't even reached the meeting place, but people were already gathering.

Only a few people recognized me immediately, but the crowd was calling more people because it was a busy area.

"Who is it?"

"Is it a celebrity? An idol?"

'This isn't going to work.'

After some thought, I bowed and ran.

I wanted to give a better response, but the atmosphere was tense. The influence of the most popular audition program was surprising.

After all, if you turned on the entertainment news, there was always at least one news item related to 'Idol Stock Company.' I had been complacent because I hadn't gone out.

'In this situation, I need to quickly see the advertisement boards and disappear.'

My phone vibrated as I ran into the subway station, but I planned to check it after getting away from the crowd.

And... as soon as I arrived at the location where the three advertisement boards were, I understood the situation.

The two people who had already arrived were surrounded by people with their smartphones.

'They must have already arrived and it was this bad.'

These idiots didn't even wear masks.

Meanwhile, people who recognized Park Moon-dae cheered.

"Moon-dae!"

"Moon-dae is here too!"

It was awkward, but I was grateful. What a situation.