The Malicious Member is Back! - Chapter 80
All the performances had ended, and it was time to announce the winning teams for each cover battle.
Standing among the participants, I rubbed my sweaty palms on my pants as I glanced at the numerous cameras, mentors, and audience members focused on us.
“Alright! Before we announce the two winning teams of the cover mission and the overall top team, let’s hear some brief comments from the team trainees. Let’s start with trainee Son Jae Ha!”
“Ah, yes. Hello, Star Shooters. Nice to meet you. I’m trainee Son Jae Ha! Today, we performed Leopold seonbaenim’s ‘Shadow’ for you all. I was really happy to cover such a great song….”
Under the seasoned direction of Choi Gaon, several prominent AG trainees began their interviews.
With fierce determination in their eyes, they smoothly delivered their prepared self-promotional remarks.
They knew that doing so would get them more camera time and increase their visibility to the public.
“Well then, please support us….”
“I’m Seong Won Hyeop from the 2OCD team! Please vote for our team!”
However, trainees who were too focused on their parts during the performance and didn’t engage with the audience were now showing awkward expressions due to the sudden nerves.
It was understandable.
Facing an audience on stage is always nerve-wracking, no matter who you are.
As for me, well, with my prior experience as an idol, the aura granted by “X,” and the resolve from being ranked 6th, I could somewhat manage to cover that nervousness.
Among the various oddly named skills, the one that helped the most was definitely the skill I chose as a reward for my first competition team placing first.
At the time, I chose ‘charm,’ which led to the skill. Although it had the condition of inducing laughter after self-promotion, when I later confirmed what the skill was, I nearly shouted with joy.
Because—
“Now, let’s hear from B-grade trainee Kim Chunyoung of the Min Si Young team!”
“Pfft!”
Most people laugh like that just hearing my name… It’s not exactly a good feeling, but!
“Yes, trainee Kim Chunyoung! Haha, come forward!”
Look at this. Even though it’s been almost a month since senior Choi Gaon met me, he still bursts into laughter whenever he has to call my name unexpectedly.
Would it be any different for someone meeting me for the first time?
With the laughter erupting from the audience as my backdrop, I put on a natural smile and responded to Choi Gaon.
“Yes, hello, Gaon seonbaenim! Long time no see. How have you been?”
“Oh, I’m always doing well. Trainee Kim Chunyoung, you must have felt nervous and excited preparing for Min Si Young seonbaenim’s ‘Beyond the Waves.’ How do you feel now that the performance is over? A pirate concept, huh? I never would have thought of that. Were there any difficulties during preparation?”
“Ah, well…”
Difficulties, huh?
I rolled my eyes and looked at Kim Joo Aan standing at the edge of the stage.
“—!”
Still slumped, probably due to the impact of messing up the performance, Kim Joo An shivered at my gaze and turned his head away.
At least he seemed to understand the situation now.
I made my voice as lively as possible and gestured to the team members standing next to me.
“Rather than difficulties, the most memorable thing was staying up late with my team members, thinking about how to cover such an amazing song by our great senior!”
Si Woo’s eyes shook a little, a bit surprised by my quietly burying the past events.
Hey, did you really think I would talk about the headaches I got from Kim Joo An and you during the performance?
To our youngest, the one who will debut with me?
That would never happen.
Nodding at the junior writer signaling to pass the microphone quickly, I wrapped up my statement.
“And I’m really happy to finally meet you, Star Shooters. I want to show you my best side and make sure I debut.”
Choi Gaon, clearly impressed by my flawless response, patted my shoulder.
“Yes, it’s always wonderful to see you doing your best. Now, let’s meet the two winning teams of the cover mission and the overall number one team. Everyone, please focus on the screen!”
The screen was divided into four sections with colors often seen on a dartboard: red, green, white, and black. Each section had a team name, and the default number was set to 00.
“Let me explain one more time! Two teams will be the winners of the cover missions, and the overall number one team will be chosen by the Star Shooters and mentors here, appearing soon on the screen!”
As soon as the 300 digital votes appear on that screen…
The teams that will cry and laugh will be decided.
“The efforts of the trainees who prepared for this stage can’t be fully expressed in rankings, but this is the first step towards the big goal of debuting. Now, show us the winning teams!”
With Choi Gaon’s final words, the screen showed the numbers spinning wildly.
From 0 to 9. Then back from 9 to 0.
In fact, just by looking at the faces of the trainees who finished their performances, the winning teams could be easily guessed.
Our team and the ‘Calendar’ team, which included Logan and Ji Hwa Sung.
The ‘Shadow’ team and the ‘Be the LOW’ team, who covered popular male idol groups, didn’t look too pleased.
Our team and the ‘Calendar’ team’s rearrangements and stage performances were better than they had expected, making it obvious which songs would stick in people’s minds.
So now, the overall number one team was what mattered most.
“Woooo…”
I let out a small sigh with a bitter smile and anxiously tapped my foot. If I had known they would do this well, I wouldn’t have advised them to share their rearrangements with their team members.
Just then, Logan caught my eye and smiled brightly.
‘Thank you, Hyung!’
Seeing his face immediately made my previous thoughts seem silly.
Yeah, there was no need to think that way.
Our team did great, and the Calendar team was destined to do well eventually.
Given the situation, all that was left to trust in was…
The people’s choice.
“Three, two, one! Reveal now!”
Woah!
This wasn’t the forced enthusiasm from the trainees during filming; it was the audience’s genuine cheer that erupted.
