One day until Jin-ah’s recording.

I was at the front of the practice studio to give Jin-ah and the trainees one last check on their performance.

Since they hadn’t started filming yet, I could make calls and give directions from inside the van. If I hadn’t brought over Manager Jang and Manager Shin, I really would have needed more than two of myself to handle everything.

“Hello? Hi, Manager Jang. Can you go to Six-Seven and ask them to find a music video director who can keep a secret? President Trezis knows hip-hop inside and out, so once we tell him what we need, he can help. Director Jong-woo only does idol music videos. It’s a bit tricky since Crescendo will be in it. This is Yumi’s first release, and if the video feels too K-pop-y, our subscribers might get confused.”

About Yumi’s music video, we planned to release the music video on Yumi’s channel and reveal her identity.

Someone who could keep a secret was an absolute requirement.

They also needed to understand the idol world.

Concepts you often saw in hip-hop videos (like sexy, wild, or too free-spirited styles) were absolutely not allowed.

It might have been fine if it had been just Crescendo, but Yumi and Jin-ah were idols.

It would also make it easier if we chose a director who already understood all this without us having to explain it.

“Hi, Manager Shin. Can you call a cleaning company for the new practice room? We don’t need to redo the interior. It takes too much time. Oh, and could I also leave the equipment and supplies to you? Thank you.”

About the practice room, it had individual singing booths, two dance studios, and even showers and a work room. Of course, we still had to furnish it with our own equipment.

Seeing all these things happen at once made me really feel how much our company had grown.

Even if we didn’t have a ton of money, we had enough to get things rolling. Plus, the costs of the van, the practice room, and the music video weren’t a huge strain.

‘The best part is that our growth is still holding steady.’

I shook off the tired feeling in my body with a big stretch and walked out of the car.

“Hello, President Kang.”

“Good morning.”

“Hello, President Kang!”

On a film set, it was rare for other crew members to smile and greet people first since they didn’t need to talk to you like a producer or writer would.

It was more comfortable to just think they weren’t there. However, the staff here were different.

Well, I did let each of them take a photo with Jin-ah.

Even though they acted like they didn’t care, when I asked if they wanted a photo, they couldn’t help but nod yes.

I saw them smiling happily at the pictures we took with my very own eyes. Wherever they went next, they would probably show it off with a bit of extra pride.

When I went down the practice room stairs and opened the door, I saw the staff, the trainees, and Jin-ah getting ready to film.

Jin-ah and the trainees sat in a circle, chatting and laughing in a way that showed they had grown much closer.

They would get serious again when they practiced. At times like this, though, they were just kids.

‘I hope it all goes well.’

Maybe I was being too hopeful, but I still wanted to root for them in my own way.

“Places, everyone! We’re about to roll.”

Even though one of the three would be eliminated, we practiced like a real team and took another step closer to first place.

***

<Tomorrow’s Idol>’s Recording Day.

“President Kang.” A sad voice came from the waiting room.

“Today… is the day one of them will get dropped, right? Should we go out for dinner together? Or… Maybe she wouldn’t like that. If it were me, I’d probably want to be alone if I got dropped.”

She sighed.

“What should we do?”

It seemed like she had grown attached to them in the short time they spent together. Her eyes were full of a soft, kind sadness. 

I patted Jin-ah’s shoulder and gave her a small smile.

“How many times do I have to say this? Dropping out here doesn’t mean you can’t be an idol. Go out there and put on an unforgettable show. The kind people keep talking about and re-watching for a long time after it’s over.”

“They worked so hard…”

“I’m telling you, don’t worry.”

An unforgettable show.

From what I saw, it was fully possible.

‘Naturally. I coached them myself.’

Our goal was nothing less than first place.

Even with Kid, Min-seok from Golden Tree, and all those insanely talented idols in the mix, we were gunning for the top.

***

The studio was so full of tension, it felt like the ceiling might burst.

Some of the staff were chatting and laughing like it was just another day, but the contestants and trainees had sharp looks in their eyes.

I stood watching in one corner of the studio as filming began.

Yeah, I went to the salon today. I had a feeling I would be on camera quite a bit. Since my image represented the company, I should look nice once in a while.

It definitely was not because I didn’t have a girlfriend or anything.

“The day has finally arrived!”

This episode probably wouldn’t air for a while. They still had to show the teams getting to know each other after their formations and include the whole practice process, too.

Plenty of interviews were conducted throughout, and they also had scenes of the team eating and chatting. It was more than enough footage. You would think they were filming a drama or something.

I was curious about how the ratings would turn out.

“Today, seven out of twenty-one trainees will be eliminated!” The host wore a look of sympathy, but his voice was firm with resolve. 

The trainees took deep breaths as they repeatedly clenched and unclenched their fists to calm their nerves. Though there were exceptions.

‘That team… they look very relaxed compared to the others.’

Those were the trainees who made it onto Didi’s team, beating odds of 14 to 3. You could even catch a glimpse of confidence in their expressions. It wasn’t hard to guess why.

“Tch. They’re looking at the wrong competition. They’re supposed to be competing with each other.”

I glanced across the contestants, and my eyes met Min-seok’s. He was from Golden Tree, one of the top two idols here alongside Kid. He gave me a challenging look.

I wondered what that was about, but Joo-sung Kim soon started the interviews. After the usual comments from the judges about how excited they were for the performances, it was Min-seok’s turn.

“What are your thoughts on today’s mission?”

He had the looks of a model and a face that looked like it was carved from stone. The industry belief that cold, serious idols never get popular was debunked by him.

Min-seok answered in a low, deep voice.

“I misunderstood today’s mission at first. Halfway through, I realized I had to change how I approached this performance.”

“Sorry, could you elaborate on what you mean by that?”

Min-seok looked at me before speaking again.

“I heard that President Kang said that their team’s goal is to win first place. It’s not about Jin-ah beating me or Kid as a solo artist. It’s about the whole team putting on the best performance and winning as a group.”

I knew it.

The camera turned to me, and everyone looked my way. I crossed my arms and tried to look serious. At this point, maybe I should just grab a mic and sit with them.

Actually…

‘This could be bad.’

Min-seok kept talking.

“Idols don’t usually get officially ranked like this, but we all know it’s still a competition. At first, I wasn’t thinking about winning as a team with the trainees. But after I heard what President Kang said, my perspective changed. Even though it was a little late… I decided I’m not giving up first place. Not as a team, and not as a solo performer.”

The other idols frowned all at once, and you could practically hear gears turning in the heads of the producers and writers.

If the goal of winning first place stayed within our team, that would have just been our personal goal. However, now that Min-seok said that out loud, there was no way the audience wouldn’t compare every team’s performance.

Once this aired, viewers would start judging the performances the same way.

The trainees on Didi’s team looked pale, and the other trainees suddenly looked exhausted since they had one more thing to worry about.

The Assistant Director brought me a mic.

Joo-sung Kim asked for my thoughts.

Then, I said the most obvious thing I could say in this situation.

“It won’t be easy. Because Team Jin-ah is going to win first place.”

Now that things had gotten this competitive, I HAD to say something confident. Besides, I meant it.

However, during Kid’s interview right after, it felt like everyone had been sucker-punched. Me included.

“Haha. Yeah, that sounds exactly like something President Kang would say. That’s actually been our goal from the start. First place in team performance. President Kang, it’s not going to be easy. We’re confident, too.”

Then, it was Didi’s turn. She smiled sweetly and tried to sound cheerful as she spoke.

“We worked really hard to prepare. And we’re aiming for first place, both as a team and as individuals.”

It was an interview that didn’t feel tense at all.

***

The trainees and idols voted for the team they thought was the biggest threat. The performance order was set by who got the fewest votes.

Didi was first. Jin-ah was fifth. Min-seok was sixth. Kid was seventh.

Backstage, where no cameras could see, Didi scrunched up her face.

“Ugh… Fuck this, seriously?! How did things turn out this way?”

She didn’t like any of the trainees on her team. They looked at her like she was just another rival. Like they didn’t even know their place.

Did turned to the trainees.

“If any of you mess this up, don’t think you’ll ever set foot in this industry again. Got it? This isn’t just your future. You screw up, and I’m the one who gets dragged through the mud, too.”

“Yes, ma’am!” The trainees answered, but none of them seemed scared. They just nodded and went back to reciting lyrics and practicing their dance again.

Teamwork was the worst. Everyone was only out for themselves.

“Goddamn it! Coming on this show was a mistake.”

It wasn’t just one or two things getting under her skin. She knew she didn’t fall behind in terms of skill. She could hold her own anywhere. Still, the competition was stacked, and being the underdog didn’t sit well with her.

She thought only the trainees would compete, and the idols would just help prepare their performance like mentors. She never expected competition between idols to be this intense, too.

What bothered her most was that Jin-ah Choi, who barely even debuted, was already outshining her seniors. It felt like this show was writing Didi off.

“Forget everything else. That stuck-up little bitch has to lose. And her smug-ass President, too.”

As she stood there, sinking into her dark thoughts, the host’s voice rang through the speakers.

“Let’s welcome our first team! Team Didi!”

***

To be honest, Team Didi’s live performance felt like… well, it felt more like a formality. They did well, sure, but it didn’t create any real excitement.

Also, the trainees and idols had been scarily accurate in their predictions. The order really did match the quality of each performance.

Each team had their live performance, followed by the judges’ comments. Every thoughtful word from the judges made some trainees cry and others smile.

Then finally came the fifth performance. It was Team Jin-ah’s turn. Everyone quietly guessed that this might be where things started to turn around.

Backstage, Jin-ah held hands with the trainees.

“It’s okay to mess up. Just don’t panic when it happens. You did great during practice, remember? Even if you make a mistake, if you stay calm, we can still give them a great performance. I mean it!”

The trainees nodded seriously.

They had never focused this hard on practice before. They might have worn themselves out and wasted time at first, but the intensity of their practice couldn’t even be compared to before.

Hyun-hee gave Jin-ah’s hand a squeeze and smiled.

“Thanks. You must’ve been busy with your own stuff, but you worked harder than us. Even if I get dropped here, I feel like I can debut someday if I keep practicing like you taught me. I’m glad we were on the same team. I learned so much.”

“M-me too. Thank you so much, unnie.”

“Thank you!”

Jin-ah looked each of them in the eye with a warm gaze and took a deep breath.

Even though people were still chatting in the studio, she shouted loud enough for everyone to hear.

“Let’s give it everything we’ve got. No regrets! Fighting!”

“Fighting!”

“Fighting!”

“Fighting!”

(T/N: Fighting (파이팅/화이팅) is a Korean cheer meaning “You got this!” or “Good luck!”)

The mood was completely different from Team Didi. It was night and day. If teamwork had been the only thing being judged, they would have already been in first place.

“Wow! What a high-energy team! I think it’s time to bring them out. Coming up — Team Jin-ah!”

With clear, shining eyes, Jin-ah and the trainees stepped onto the stage.

—

<< Previous Chapter | Index | Next Chapter >>