Chapter 44

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Translated by Sylph

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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After finishing the stage, the team returned to the group waiting room for reaction cuts. It was a room equipped with a large monitor to watch the other teams’ stages.
For reference, everyone’s eyes were swollen like crucian carp because everyone, regardless of who they were, wailed as soon as they came down from the stage.
Honestly, it was understandable. They had safely finished what they had prepared while gritting their teeth without resting properly for over ten days. I would have blubbered too if I were 20 years old.
“Hey Moondae, how do you not shed a single tear? Are you really from the NIS…?”
“No, I am not.”
I checked Gold 1’s attempt to use a stale bait as a joke. Teammates chuckled around me.
The atmosphere was comfortable.
‘It’s because they know they did well.’
Since we were with participants from other teams, we didn’t explicitly say it out loud, but the estimation had already come out through the mid-term evaluation and rehearsal.
Unless someone from another team suddenly displayed insane potential and used the art of teleportation on stage, this was a winning game.
Thanks to that, the reactions were especially good whenever another team’s stage came on.
I guess it was because they could enjoy the other teams’ stages without any ulterior motives since their minds were at ease.
‘It’s fun.’
I also returned to the posture of a spectator for the first time in a long while and appreciated the stages. Of course, I appropriately watched the surroundings and gave some reactions.
‘First of all, the second and third teams are done for.’
The second team had an out-of-the-blue arrangement, and since they couldn’t finish the choreography in time, more than half of the members messed up the movements during the dance break in the latter half.
The third team seemed to want to push a sexy concept like Lee Sejin, but they were just too excessive without sense, which made people… quite taken aback.
‘At that level, women will hate it even more.’
The key was how much the broadcast would correct it through editing.
And the fourth team seemed to have at least broken even.
This team with Gold 2 chose a cute and exciting song, and while they didn’t do an arrangement that was significantly different from the original song, it suited them well.
“Heeseung is doing well!”
Gold 1 shouted excitedly as Gold 2 came out to the center. I also sent applause.
Now only one team remained.
It was Ryu Chungwoo’s team, the taste of hellfire.
‘Poor guy.’
If one didn’t feel compassion for Ryu Chungwoo in this game, it would be someone who had never done a group project.
I could see that the relationship between Lee Sejin and Choi Wongil was completely broken. But he dragged that and finished the stage while even taking care of one troller and Cha Yujin?
That alone was an achievement that deserved to be paid for.
For reference, Cha Yujin was still dispirited, and in the meantime, he had visited once every two or three days to snatch snacks.
I didn’t know if he would exert power on stage as much as the price of the chocolate that went into his mouth, but it didn’t matter if he couldn’t. It wasn’t my team anyway.
“Fighting!”
Lee Sejin, who was sending encouragement to every team leaving the waiting room for the stage, also sent cheers to Ryu Chungwoo’s team.
After a while, Ryu Chungwoo’s team appeared on the monitor screen.
“They’re starting!”
Since it was a team of high-ranking and high-grade guys, expectation lingered in the waiting room atmosphere, as a stallion is still a stallion even if it’s old.
Of course, it could have been an expectation for them to fail rather than do well.
However, Ryu Chungwoo’s team did not fail.
‘…Why is that bastard flying around?’
It was because Cha Yujin dragged them by the collar.
Every time he came out to the center in the chorus, an illusion occurred where the stage completeness looked good.
‘So that’s why he got 1st place.’
I thought his mental state was gone, but he became a different person when he went up on stage.
‘Is it thanks to the characteristic?’
I recalled Cha Yujin’s characteristic that I had checked in the last team match.
[Characteristic: Black Hole (A)]
: Gravitational force that sucks everything in
Stage immersion +150%
With something like this attached, he has no choice but to debut if everything goes well.
“Ohhh!”
When Ryu Chungwoo’s team’s stage ended, the participants in the waiting room admired and sent applause.
“Cha-Cha Yujin-ssi is really good.”
“Right.”
I could hear the team whispering beside me. However, it was not a voice where anxiety was felt.
It was probably because they thought that even if Cha Yujin flew and crawled, there was a clear difference in the overall completeness.
‘The problem is that we were the opening.’
Inevitably, impressions tended to weaken as time passed. It would have been good if we hadn’t messed up the mini-game to decide the stage order.
I didn’t know Gold 1 would be stripped like that.
The majestic remark of Gold 1, who went out to the mini-game as the team representative at that time, came to mind.
– Just trust me!
…However, there was no case where this remark was realized.
Gold 1, who poured all his strength into rock-paper-scissors within the team, suffered crushing defeats one after another in the following team representative match like a lie.
What if we can’t get 1st place by a narrow margin because of this order?
Actually, the only one who would be disappointed is Gold 1. Because the rest of the teammates were guys who would make it to the final even if their rankings dropped somewhat.
Because Gold 1’s ranking was precarious, winning this team match was important.
Based on the trends so far, the production team would definitely give something that would be helpful for survival this time as a winning prize.
‘They’ll announce it soon.’
Since the last team stage ended, it meant that approximately one hour remained until the team match ranking announcement.
This time too, there was a high probability that they would do some nonsense like leaving only 1st and 2nd place and postponing it to the next ranking announcement, but anyway, the rough outline would be caught.
And an hour and a half later, the result was exactly as predicted.
“The remaining candidates for 1st place are two teams! Team and Team ! Which team will win the honor of the final victory?”
That is Ryu Chungwoo’s team name. Up to here, it was a predictable development.
“The result… please check it at the ranking announcement!”
Uh, I expected that too.
“But everyone, you’ll be too exhausted if it’s like this every time, right? So I will announce the benefit of winning this team match now!”
“Eh?”
That… I didn’t know.
“The winning benefit is… unconditional survival in the next ranking announcement!”
“…!”
It was excessively good. They are offering this kind of reward even though there are only 30 people left?
Sure enough, the MC cut the flow.
“However, there is only one person who can receive that benefit! Before the next ranking announcement, the 1st place candidate teams, please select one participant who will receive the benefit through discussion within the team!”
“…….”
The ideas of those production team bastards were somehow getting more bizarre as the program entered the latter half.
This… isn’t this a winning penalty for the rest of the guys who can’t receive it?
The guy who receives it also looks like he’ll be under concentrated fire from his teammates’ fans and eat all the curses there are.
Then again, from what I roughly remember from my time as a civil service exam student, the production team didn’t give up on aggro until the final episode.
They were amazing guys.
Anyway, in fact, there was no particular problem in the team. Because the guy to receive it was decided.
‘It’s utilitarianly correct to give it to Gold 1.’
Anyway, the rest of the guys don’t seem like they’ll be eliminated. They would prefer giving it away cleanly and taking care of their image rather than becoming a controversy by receiving it for no reason.
If there’s a problem, it would be a scene where Seon Ahyun, who was being mocked on the internet until just before, gets scared beforehand and says he wants to receive it, but based on his personality, that doesn’t seem likely to happen.
Lee Sejin would know his own ranking well since the public opinion has flipped because of the school violence rumor.
I roughly scanned the teammates’ expressions with my eyes. Seeing them glancing at Gold 1, it was visible that they all had similar ideas.
Gold 1 looked embarrassed, but he didn’t seem like he would refuse. He would probably just decline a few times out of politeness.
‘This side is fine.’
As expected, the problem seems to be that team over there.
I could vividly see the hearts of the production team waiting excitedly to see who would make what kind of mess in the team.
“Then we will conclude the 3rd team match of ! Shareholders, see you at the ranking announcement~”
The filming ended with the participants bowing their heads deeply toward the camera along with the clapping sound.
“Good job everyone~”
“See you at the next filming!”
When the voices of the polite participants resonated loudly here and there, the team, who came out after changing clothes, gathered again first.
And in an instant, they pushed the winning benefit to Gold 1.
“Since we all worked hard, shall we let the oldest one receive it?”
“Yes.”
“I agree.”
“I-It’s good!”
“Hey, I’m really thankful but let’s discuss it a bit more anyway…”
Lee Sejin concluded the words with a laugh.
“Hyung-nim, don’t you know? The more we discuss, the later our bedtime gets…”
“Ah.”
Once the tension completely disappeared after filming ended, the sleep that hadn’t been slept for the past ten days began to flood in endlessly.
Thanks to that, everyone is talking with their eyes half-open.
“R-Right. Thanks guys. I’ll buy a meal.”
“Haha. Thanks hyung! I won’t call for unconscionable menus like beef.”
“…….”
It seems like a sniping targeted at me to hear, but let’s ignore it. Because I’m tired.
Anyway, the team disbanded in such a warm atmosphere.
I checked the smartphone navigation to the bus stop while holding back a yawn.
“M-Moondae-ya.”
“Yeah.”
When I turned my head, Seon Ahyun was clenching his fist. Surely he’s not trying to hit me.
“What.”
“D-Do you want to go together when going home? M-My parents came to pick me up…”
“Uh… sure. Thanks.”
Since it seemed like it would be hard to move by bus now due to the program’s recognition, I was going to call a taxi anyway.
‘Thanks to him, I’ll save some taxi fare.’
Meeting another participant’s parents was a bit burdensome, but I thought what could happen with just getting a ride.
“N-No! D-Don’t mention it!”
Seon Ahyun walked forward excitedly and stopped in front of a black sedan on the roadside.
It was a foreign car.
‘As expected, his family seems well-off.’
I had guessed it from seeing where Seon Ahyun lives alone.
I followed Seon Ahyun as he got into the car and greeted as politely as possible.
“Hello.”
“So you are Moondae! Glad to meet you.”
“Hurry and get in~ Our Ahyunie, did you do well this time too?”
“A-Appa!”
The family atmosphere was more harmonious than I expected. When Seon Ahyun, whose face became bright red, flustered, it was visible that his parents were pleased.
“Yes. He did well. You’ll be surprised when you see the broadcast.”
“As expected of our son~”
Seon Ahyun buried his face in the back of the front seat with a face like he was going to die of shame. Since he met his family, his expressions became much freer.
‘As expected, the root of all evil was peer relationships.’
I politely gave them the address of the studio apartment and enjoyed the comfortable movement while leaning my body on the backrest. It was a sweet deal since I only had to answer questions occasionally.
The stage of feeling strange seeing a friend’s harmonious family had passed long ago. Thanks to that, I could fully enjoy this comfortable seating feeling.
* * *
“Get home safe~”
“Yes. Thank you.”
“I-I’ll contact you!”
“Sure.”
Only after saying goodbye to Seon Ahyun’s family several times was I able to get off at my address.
‘I heard more TMI than I expected…….’
I wondered if I needed to know even the fact that Seon Ahyun went to study abroad in Europe and learned ballet, but let’s think of it as the price for getting a ride.
I walked past the old stairs and hallway and approached the front of the studio apartment I contracted.
Once I go in, I’ll definitely sleep first…….
‘Ah.’
Fuuuuck….
The door is open.