Chapter 134
Today was the final shooting day for <Top of Idol>.
Since the last stage was going to be broadcast live, all of us were extremely nervous today.
The final mission would be decided 100% by the live broadcast mission.
Unlike the rival voting, where variables like political tactics could interfere.
It would be determined purely by 100% of the public’s votes.
It might be decided based on the popularity we’ve built up so far.
Or it might be determined solely by the stage performance itself.
However, one thing was clear: it would be the public’s choice.
Once the public had made their choice, no one could dispute it, and no one could argue against it.
It would simply become a fact.
In the past, that was burdensome.
Accepting the results was difficult.
But after I accepted that the result was just one of many achievements, my mind became at ease.
No matter the result, it couldn’t change me.
A result was just like a name.
I would be called by that name for the rest of my life, but that name couldn’t fully explain who I was.
A name was just a name.
A name given to me.
*Ding!*
Sae-ah Sunbae-nim
Cheong-ah
I was thankful before
A message from Sae-ah arrived.
Sae-ah Sunbae-nim
Really, I wanted to escape from that program
Thanks to you, I had the courage to run away
I just stared at the screen.
Because I knew what Sae-ah wanted to say.
Yes, that’s right.
I had told Sae-ah how she could exit <Top of Idol> without any issues.
There was only one way.
I would create a moment where Kim Ryeo-yu became the ‘real eliminated contestant.’
You could just leave comfortably, citing an injury as the reason.
It didn’t matter if it was yourself or a member. No idol walked around without at least one injury.
Just point out the member with the most severe injury as the reason for leaving.
Then no one would point fingers at you, and no one would think you lost.
That’s the advice I gave.
If asked why I gave such advice to someone I didn’t even know well.
‘Shin Yuhwa, what are you doing right now?’
This would be the turning point.
That night.
In fact, Sae-ah had sent me a message.
Sae-ah Sunbae-nim
Cheong, I was worried so I’m texting you.
Are you okay?
Didn’t you get hurt when you fell?
Actually, the fall was intentional, but.
I was just surprised that she even reached out to me separately and cared.
From the rumors I’d heard, I didn’t think she would be such a kind person.
Sae-ah Sunbae-nim
Yes, Sunbae-nim
I’m fine, thank you!
You must have been very surprised too, are you okay?
🙂
I responded appropriately, and then,
Sae-ah Sunbae-nim
I’m fine.
Actually, I was worried…
Did Shin Yuhwa do something wrong to you?
Hmm.
This was a bit of a tricky question.
I began to ponder how to respond.
No matter how much I thought about it, it wasn’t the right time to take risks.
So I just planned to respond that nothing happened.
However.
Sae-ah Sunbae-nim
Shin Yuhwa…
Did the same thing to me.
Unlike me, Sae-ah had the courage.
That was the beginning.
Sae-ah sincerely cared about me and mustered the courage.
She said she had struggled with the same concerns and difficulties, and if I was going through the same thing, I should tell her anytime.
She wanted to help as much as she could.
Would it sound strange if I said Seo Baek-young came to mind at that moment?
Even when I pushed away help with rational judgment.
There was someone reaching out to me.
Sae-ah Sunbae-nim
Sunbae-nim
If it’s hard for you to see Shin Yuhwa in this program
But you can’t get eliminated from this program
Unfortunately, I was weak to such people.
Sae-ah Sunbae-nim
There is one way
However, I wasn’t ashamed of that fact.
Thanks to it, Sae-ah could escape from the program without disappointing or being criticized by anyone.
Fortunately, the members of Sugar Dream also knew what Shin Yuhwa had done to Sae-ah, so they actively cooperated.
It seemed like the members had a very strong bond.
Seeing that they even overcame the agency’s opposition.
Sae-ah Sunbae-nim
Thank you.
I hope Cheong wins first place in the live broadcast today.
Anyway, thanks to that, I received such a message today.
Not bad, I guess.
Oh, right.
‘Sunbae-nim, by the way.’
After getting a bit closer, I asked Sae-ah.
‘Yes?’
‘Why did you say “It’s you” as soon as you saw me?’
I was really scared back then.
‘Ah, you kept that in your mind?’
‘Of course…’
Sae-ah grinned.
In her eyes, which had always seemed cold, warmth finally appeared.
‘It didn’t mean much.’
‘…What?’
There are people who say such things without any special meaning?
I felt a bit hurt.
I quietly worried if I had done something wrong after hearing those words.
“Just. The moment I first saw you, those words came out. It’s you.”
Sae-ah rolled her eyes slightly.
“I don’t know why. Maybe it’s just fate?”
Just, fate.
The tone wasn’t bad, so I just chuckled.
“Unnie.”
Ryu Bo-ra held out a bottle of water in front of me.
“What are you laughing about by yourself? What are you thinking about?”
“Nothing. Just lost in thought. Is it our turn to go up now?”
“Yeah. We need to win today.”
Right.
I nodded.
[~Yoon Cheong’s personal mission~
Rank 1st place in <Top of Idol>
Reward: 1,000 points]
I had to repay the person who lent me their voice.
***
[Day: This is <Top of Idol>, the survival show for idols aiming for the top. You are now watching the final mission stage.]
The new MC, All Colors’ Day, was hosting smoothly.
[Day: <Top of Idol> has returned with even better performances after a long wait. The theme of the final mission is a stage with a concept never attempted before.]
Behind Day, a neatly but grandly set-up stage unfolded.
Strong lights shone down on it.
[Day: At this moment, which determines the top, let’s introduce the teams who made it to the finals by proving their skills with splendid performances.]
Cha Yul
MaxBurning
Steel Blue
Originally, four teams should have made it to the finals, but due to Kim Ryeo-yu’s voluntary withdrawal, only three teams made it to the final round.
[Day: First, let’s introduce the team that will decorate the first stage.]
Day turned a cue card over and smiled.
[Day: This team is a rookie that heralds a new wave in the music industry, like a storm.]
Steel Blue’s turn was natural given the experience difference with the other teams.
Kim Dayㅠㅠㅠ is handsome as alwaysㅠㅠㅠ
If Steel Blue ends it, that’s absurdㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
[Day: It’s Steel Blue.]
Caption: Fresh rookies again today, Steel Blue!
Steel Blue hurriedly ran up onto the stage.
True to the mission, their appearance was something truly different from what one usually saw.
Wait.
What was the current public perception of Steel Blue’s concept or image?
‘Splendid.’ ‘Kitsch,’ ‘Sophisticated.’
The concept of <Wave> was naturally the keyword, ‘Princess reinterpreted from a modern perspective.’
Then, what about Steel Blue’s current appearance?
★
OMG, is it girl’s hip-hop today?
Hip-hop!!!!!!!!!
Finally succeeded in negotiationsㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
I love girl’s hip-hopㅠㅠ
Everyone looks so prettyㅠㅠ Hair and makeup are perfectㅠ
[Day: Hello, Baek-young. Could you explain today’s concept?]
[Baek-young: Yes, today’s concept is.]
Seo Baek-young looked at Kim Geum and smiled gently.
[Baek-young: To put it simply, girl’s hip-hop.]
[Geum: That’s right~!]
Today’s Steel Blue’s costume concept was techwear.
Black or white shirts paired with harnesses and black straight-fit cargo pants. Black half gloves.
And everyone had modified gas masks hanging around their necks.
As it was something they hadn’t worn before, the reaction was explosive, whether good or bad.
★
Aren’t Colors crazy? Techwear Steel Blue, what is going on?
Gas masks? Gas masks? Gas masks?
Isn’t the phrase ‘Nation’s top hip-hop’ made for Yoon-bl? Is it possible for such a person to exist in reality? It must be 2D.
Baek-young darling… Baek-young darling… It matches perfectly with her physique….
Juhongㅠㅠㅠ Goggles on her headㅠㅠ Pure babbling bird suddenly having this look…
Ryu with the goggle… looks like a spy movie heroine; it’s so over-the-top, the concept is amazing.
[Day: What song are you going to perform today?]
Day asked with a subtle, sly smile.
Yoon Cheong immediately took the mic.
[Cheong: Yes, this song was composed by Day sunbae-nim himself, and the lyrics were written by Geum. We’re grateful to Day sunbae-nim for giving us such a good song.]
[Steel Blue: Thank you!]
[Day: Oh, of course. We are Colors. We’re family.]
Yoon Cheong gave a business smile.
[Cheong: Right. Fa-mi-ly. Yes, it feels like an elder in the family.]
Emphasizing once more that it was nothing more than that, Yoon Cheong handed the mic to Yeon Juhong.
[Juhong: The song we will perform today is .]
What is shotgun mic?
Shotgun and mic??
Guys, shotgun mic is that long mic used for filming.
Ah, I see.
[Day: Wow, just from the title, I’m already looking forward to it! Let’s listen to it now. Here’s Steel Blue’s, .]
The stage began.
The intro beat was interesting.
It sounded like gunshots, a slow but sophisticated beat.
And, of course, the opening was Kim Geum.
I’m different from Real
Holding a mic instead of a misfired gun
Hitting the mark accurately
Shotgun Mic
Bang bang bang bang
Is this, perhaps
From the beginningㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋKim Ryeo-yuㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
Screeeaaammm
Kim Geum is hip-hop