After her performance, Jin-ah sat alongside the celebrity judges while I blended in with the production crew to watch the second performance.

Following the applause and host Joo-sung Kim’s brief introduction, the next singer to take the stage was ‘Didi’ from ‘Calendar Wiz.’ It was the same woman who had badmouthed Hye-yeon.

‘Her expression isn’t wavering at all.’

Despite surely watching Jin-ah’s performance from backstage, she outwardly remained as composed as ever. However, I could bet her insides were burning with anxiety.

‘She must feel pressured.’

She came here as a so-called skilled idol, but the other contestants were way out of her league. To make matters worse, she was in danger of being overshadowed by her junior, Jin-ah.

On top of that, performing right after Jin-ah? You could just imagine what was running through her mind. Didi struck a pose, and the music began to play.

Everyone, from the contestants to the trainees, simultaneously wavered. The reason was simple. The gap in quality compared to the previous stage was enormous.

The idols participating here were all talented and confident. According to the show’s concept, the use of AR was minimized except for at the choruses. It was a detail both the contestants and the production crew desired.

The transparency in showcasing raw talent was a major reason why such big-name idols agreed to appear on this show.

‘What a brave soul!’ I marveled.

How did she muster the courage to come on this show and perform with that level of skill? Why didn’t she think of canceling after seeing the cast list? Her bravery was almost applause-worthy. This level of boldness could rival that of special forces.

The production crew exchanged nervous glances, entering a covert mission to identify the culprit. Producer Park glared daggers at the writing team, practically shouting at them with his glare.

‘Who’s the idiot that recommended Didi?’

The writers, as if reading his mind, frowned and directed their gazes toward the junior writer. For the junior writer, who vividly remembered everyone approving her suggestion, this was nothing short of a nightmare.

When the performance ended, the atmosphere in the studio became suffocatingly awkward. Everyone clapped with bright smiles, but the awkwardness stubbornly lingered in the air.

Meanwhile, Didi beamed with the composure of a ‘professional,’ confident in the power of editing.

“Hello! I’m Didi from ‘Calendar Wiz.’”

“Wow, that was amazing!”

Unlike the chatter that broke out after the previous performance, now it felt like everyone was treading carefully. As if playing a game of verbal tag.

Once someone spoke, everyone else fell silent to attentively listen to what was being said. It was almost more suspenseful than judging the trainees.

However, the comments coming out of their mouths sounded like awkwardly improvised lines. Eventually, the microphone reached Jin-ah.

“How would you evaluate Didi’s performance, considering she’s technically a competitor?” host Joo-sung Kim asked.

Watching from afar, I silently prayed. Please, don’t laugh. Please, don’t say anything weird. 

Jin-ah did both. She raised the corners of her mouth into a wide smile and gave a big thumbs-up. She spoke in an overly cheerful tone, as if she was delighted.

“Although we’re competitors because of the program, as a junior idol, I think it was truly an admirable performance. Personally, I feel like she would be amazing at rock music!”

Was she telling her to quit being an idol? Didi wouldn’t be out of place in most idol groups, but she looked so pitiful here. The host asked a question with a genuine look of curiosity.

“Why bring up rock, all of a sudden?”

“Well, Hee-yeon from our group is making a comeback with a rock song this time. I heard it, and your voice feels somewhat similar. Plus, your basics are really solid.”

With Hee-yeon? In what way? Dozens of puzzled glances, brimming with skepticism, turned toward Didi. The smile Didi had been forcing started to stiffen.

“Oh, not at all! Haha.”

Perhaps she realized it herself because she covered her mouth and let out a fake laugh in an obviously contrived voice. Completely different from the vulgar language she had been spouting earlier.

It was no wonder her vocals were in such a sorry state when she was going around talking in such a faked voice.

While the second performance turned into a horror-thriller-comedy masterpiece, the third performance and onward were completely different. It was a battlefield.

The stage was filled with idols who had soared to great heights. They were the core members from the most popular groups, representing their teams with pride.

These idols had been filtered and refined countless times through experience. Now, only the best remaining ones were gathered here.

When the fifth performance concluded, it was time for Kid to take the stage as the sixth performer. Like I had expected, Kid delivered a flawless performance that left no room for criticism and earned sincere praise from everyone.

“Haha, thank you all for your kind words. I’m truly grateful.”

Kid, who was known for his kind personality, bowed his head humbly. He seemed slightly embarrassed by the compliments. Then, he suddenly raised his hand and spoke up, as if something just crossed his mind

“Oh! There’s someone whose thoughts I’d like to hear.”

We locked eyes for a feeling moment, and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of foreboding.

“Yes, of course! Feel free. We’ve only been hearing a few opinions due to time constraints, but if the great idol Kid is curious, that’s a different story. Who might this be?”

Producer Park signaled the camera crew to capture every reaction of the performers, and the host eagerly waited for Kid’s words with a face full of anticipation. As expected, my gut feeling was correct.

Kid didn’t turn toward the audience but instead fully turned his head toward the side of the stage. Toward me.

“I’d like to hear from President Kang, who’s been mentoring me since my debut. Though, he’s a President who’s mentoring Blue Sherbet now.”

The cameras turned to me, and so did everyone else’s gaze. An assistant director quickly handed me a microphone. Jin-sil Kim looked visibly excited and added on.

“Yes, yes! It’s President Kang again. I remember you appeared in a segment of our show that aired recently. There were some articles about it, too. Looks like more will pop up now. Hahaha! He’s a pretty famous figure in this industry. Everyone knows that President Kang mentored not just Kid but also a slew of stars for HS Entertainment. A real star-maker. He’s also known for discovering and fostering Sung-ah Kim’s talent. Everything Sung-ah Kim touched became a hit while he was managing her!”

“Wow, is that so? So now he’s working on making Blue Sherbet a success?”

The trainees’ eyes sparkled with admiration. Even among the celebrities, some cast similar glances. However, none of these looks felt welcome to me.

I wasn’t thrilled about this situation one bit. I stared directly at him, but his eyes simply curved into a mischievous crescent shape.

“Hmm…”

To be honest, the kind of response I needed to give was clear. I just needed to deliver some praise-filled remarks. Like the other performers had done so far. So I spoke calmly.

“It was an outstanding performance that delighted both the eyes and ears.”

I concluded my statement briefly and lowered the microphone. Then, Kid said something completely unexpected.

“That’s not it.”

“What?”

“Say it like you usually do.”

Kid’s face, which had been smiling just moments ago, suddenly hardened into a stern expression. The atmosphere in the studio shifted abruptly.

Some widened their eyes in surprise while others looked around to see if the tension they were feeling was shared by those around them. Others seemed to find the situation entertaining, like it was the perfect time to grab popcorn.

Among the many faces, Jin-ah’s stood out distinctly.

‘Damn it!’

Jin-ah didn’t fit into any of the three categories above. Her face was as stiff as Kid’s, and she was glaring at him intensely. I quickly grabbed the microphone.

If I didn’t say something, I knew Kid would open his mouth again and Jin-ah’s damn ‘ttukbaegi’ mode would probably come out.

“I was being honest. You did really well. You’ve grown even more since before. And you’ll keep growing.”

“That’s not it. You don’t really think that, do you?”

Manager Shin rushed over to my side, his face pale. He tried to distract Kid’s gaze, which was glued on me. Still, Kid didn’t take his eyes off me.

‘Maybe.’

I could sense the heat in his gaze.

‘Honest feedback.’

The harsh evaluations I had given him since his debut to help him improve his skills. Was that what he wanted? My assumption was confirmed when he continued.

“Everyone just says I’m doing well. But that’s not it. I’m still lacking a lot. I want to do even better. You know what to do, Manager— no, President Kang. You’ve been there from the start. Can’t you tell me what I should do?”

I suppose that was what he meant when he said in the waiting room that he was jealous of Jin-ah. Everyone around him only kept telling him that he was doing great.

‘But the problem is that it’s true.’

He really was doing great, which is why they were saying so. Still, I could see some areas that were lacking. I raised the microphone and decided to play along.

“You’re still a long way off.” My voice was cold. Everyone stared at me with wide eyes.

“You’ve still got a ways to go to fully realize your potential. You’ve gotten too comfortable with the stage. You’ve gotten used to people’s reactions. The stage doesn’t feel like a stage anymore. Your emotions are visible, but you’re not pouring everything into it. Even if you dance the same dance or sing the same song, if you’re not genuinely feeling it, the audience won’t be able to immerse themselves.”

Kid flashed a bright, almost radiant smile. His eyes glistened as he spoke.

“And?”

“You’ve been neglecting your physical care lately, haven’t you? It’s not because you’ve aged a year or two. You’ve been slacking on sleep, exercise, and diet. Your movements have slowed, and there’s no power in them. What’s the point of getting the choreography right if there’s no energy? Don’t just match other people’s standards. You can do better.”

“And?”

“You’re worrying too much. You should sing with more confidence. When you’re worried about going off-pitch, you’re holding back. You don’t sing like that when it’s just you and the microphone. You don’t need to shrink back just because you’re dancing while singing. You’re fully capable.”

“And?”

“That’s all.”

The set went silent. I was just hoping things would end as they were. It was better for me to cause a stir than for Jin-ah to do it. Besides, there was editing, right?

I lowered the microphone, and Kid spoke up.

“Thank you.”

He bowed 90 degrees, and as he lifted his head, there was a flicker of pure joy in his face.

To my surprise.

***

The filming continued smoothly after that. Once the last performance by Golden Tree’s Min-seok was over, it was time for the trainees to choose.

“Trainees, please write down the idol you would like to team up with on the form. Each idol can choose three team members! If you get more than four votes, the idol will select three team members, and the trainees who aren’t chosen will be placed in teams with fewer members. You cannot refuse during this process, so please vote carefully.”

Each idol can have three trainees on their team, but it seemed unlikely that there would be much overlap in the trainees’ preferences. This program wasn’t a popularity contest, and all the idols were extremely talented.

‘Except for one.’

The voting ended soon after, and the production team started murmuring as they checked the results.

“Why?”

“Isn’t this too skewed?”

“Or… just one person got zero votes… ahem.”

The production team decided to continue as is for now. On the stage screen, the names of the idols appeared. Under each idol’s name was a ‘?’ symbol.

“From now on, the names will appear one by one. The first trainee’s choice is!”

The name of a trainee appeared under one idol’s name. As the second and third names appeared, the judges couldn’t help but chuckle.

By the time the tenth, fifteenth, and finally the twenty-first name appeared, most of the trainees were blushing.

Didi had 14 votes, Kid had 0 votes, Min-seok had 0 votes, and Jin-ah had 1 vote. 6 votes were split between the other three idols, with 2 votes each.

“Trainees these days are so clever!” Jin-sil Kim’s mocked blatantly. It was clear what the trainees were doing.

“No matter how they were compared to Jin-ah Choi in the first round, what is this behavior? What are they thinking?!”

They didn’t want to be compared to the strong performers, so they picked idols they thought they could shine with.

Didi’s face immediately became so insanely red that even her thick makeup couldn’t cover it up. The situation felt dire.

—

<< Previous Chapter | Index | Next Chapter >>