Chapter 31
Do Hee-young once again explained the rules of the musical.
“The last four trainees who made it to the Top 4 in the final ranking announcement, and one trainee chosen by the judges, will ultimately debut. Therefore, the 5th place trainee cannot be said to be completely safe. Although they are in the debut zone, the judges may not choose them.”
If that’s the case, shouldn’t they be called debut zone candidates?
I cursed inwardly.
“That means, there is also a chance for the non-debut zone trainees whose names have been called so far. Please continue to show your potential. Our judges will judge based on your potential. We will judge based on that potential that could not be fully shown on the broadcast.”
Although it was a comforting word for the lower-ranked trainees, no one seemed particularly happy.
“Then, I will announce the 5th place.”
5th place
Seo Baek-young 213,452 votes
As soon as Seo Baek-young’s name appeared on the screen, she leaned to the side and tilted.
Ryu Bo-ra caught her and supported her.
She didn’t seem like it, but she seemed to have been more nervous than I thought.
…Should I say it’s pitiful?
Seo Baek-young came forward and made a statement.
“I am the oldest here… and I have many shortcomings, so I was a little impatient. If I don’t debut this time… I was wondering what to do. I am very grateful to the Colorists who gave me this opportunity. From now on…”
It was a calm and sincere statement, just like Seo Baek-young.
The fact that the statement was quite long was also like Seo Baek-young.
As soon as Seo Baek-young sat in the 5th place chair, the broadcast continued.
“Then, I will announce the 4th place trainee.”
4th place
Ryu Bo-ra 235,785 votes
When the camera pointed at Ryu Bo-ra, Ryu Bo-ra smiled brightly again.
Sparkling eyes and slightly raised corners of the mouth.
It was a face like a female lead in love in a drama.
Not a face that had achieved good results in the competition.
…A strangely alien expression.
“Thank you so much to the Bubblegum trainees. Especially the leader…”
Ryu Bo-ra thanked her teammates and fans in her statement.
It was a standard and short greeting.
She’s good at not shaking her voice even once.
“I will announce the 3rd place.”
3rd place
Kim Geum 284,987 votes
“!”
I felt a stir around me.
Kim Geum was a strong 1st place candidate, so it couldn’t be helped.
Even Kim Geum herself seemed to think so, I could feel her pupils shaking slightly.
However, Kim Geum immediately pulled herself together and bravely climbed up to the stage.
“First of all! I want to say thank you so much to the Colorists!”
Oh, look at that good voice.
Kim Geum was a booming voice from beginning to end.
…I really like the spirited one.
“Now, only 1st and 2nd place, and 12th place are left.”
The people left so far were me, Kim Ryeo-yu, Bang Suin.
It was a situation where everyone was predicting who would be in 12th place.
Bang Suin, the party concerned, had her eyes tightly closed.
She seemed to be holding back tears.
I always felt it, but it was a really cruel system.
If they announced the 12th place first, they would at least give time to accept it.
“As announced at the beginning, a handicap is given to the 12th place. The content of the handicap will be revealed in the next mission. Now, I will announce the 12th place.”
The faces of the three of us appeared in a 3-way split on the screen.
“Trainee Bang Suin.”
12th place
Bang Suin 45,512 votes
A drastically low number of votes.
The huge vote difference hurt more than the ranking.
Bang Suin climbed up to the stage and grabbed the microphone.
“I am lacking, but I am sincerely grateful to the Colorists who voted for me this much. I will show you a more developed appearance in the future.”
Bang Suin seemed to be holding back tears that were welling up.
“I think I was too lazy. I will work harder…. I’m sorry to my family and fans who had high expectations for me.”
There was no reason to be sorry at all.
I didn’t feel good.
That was the case for all the trainees. We bowed our heads. Because we knew what that feeling was, we couldn’t bear to watch.
Do Hee-young also seemed to feel the same way, with heartbreaking eyes.
“Trainee Bang Suin. Think of this as just a mid-term evaluation. Trainee Bang Suin is doing well enough. If you continue to improve, many people will recognize the true value of Trainee Bang Suin.”
In the end, Bang Suin burst into tears.
It seemed like the tears she had been holding back had burst at the warm comfort.
Do Hee-young hugged Bang Suin like that and helped her sit down.
As soon as Bang Suin sat down, the other trainees came and comforted her.
Just because it’s a competition, it doesn’t mean the emotions are gone.
“Then, I will announce the 2nd place next.”
I could feel the camera capturing Kim Ryeo-yu and me.
Soon, our faces appeared on a split screen.
Both Kim Ryeo-yu and I had calm expressions.
We had no choice.
Both of us already knew the results.
2nd place
Yoon Cheong 293,980 votes
With a gasp,
The trainees who were covering their mouths appeared.
At the same time, the screen changed.
1st place
Kim Ryeo-yu 300,609 votes
“With a difference of 6,629 votes, trainee Kim Ryeo-yu has taken 1st place.”
A very narrow difference.
But both of us had stoic expressions.
Especially me, because I found out the results yesterday.
[Kim Ryeo-yu, ‘Musical 1st place’, 300,609 votes… Yoon Cheong fell short at 293,980 votes]
I got such an alert on my phone.
I don’t know why the cotton ball would tell me something like this….
Maybe it’s to prepare my heart in advance.
For these provocative articles.
Why is it provocative?
Of course.
The real 1st place was-
“Then, now we have to add the benefit.”
Me.
My votes are 293,980. If you add the benefit of 50,000 votes, it’s 343,980.
It surpasses Kim Ryeo-yu’s 300,609 votes.
Director Kim knew the number of votes for Kim Ryeo-yu and me, so he deliberately set the benefit to 50,000 votes.
Not giving the benefit in the next mission, but deliberately giving the benefit in the meaningless mid-popularity vote.
To make the fans and the public fight each other.
Kim Ryeo-yu’s fans will naturally say that Kim Ryeo-yu is the true 1st place, and my fans will say where that is.
In this way, they’re trying to create a sympathy vote for Kim Ryeo-yu by pulling aggro.
“First, Kim Geum, the trainee who came in 1st place in the on-site vote. If you add 50,000 votes, it’s 334,987.”
Kim Geum also seemed to notice the awkward atmosphere, so she didn’t look very happy.
“Next is Yoon Cheong, the MVP selected by the judges. If you add 50,000 votes, it’s 343,980.”
When Do Hee-young pointed at the screen, the screen showed the rankings again.
3rd place
Kim Ryeo-yu 300,609 votes
2nd place
Kim Geum 334,987 votes
(284,987 + 50,000)
1st place
Yoon Cheong 343,980 votes
(293,980 + 50,000)
After adding the benefit, Kim Ryeo-yu, who was originally 1st place, fell to 3rd place.
No one was happy.
Even me and Kim Geum, who became 1st and 2nd place by receiving the benefit, were not happy.
That’s why they chose the MVP.
I tried to hide my bitterness.
Why didn’t they give the MVP to Kim Ryeo-yu?
They’re trying to make Kim Geum and me get cursed like this.
Even if it’s a legitimately earned vote, it’s just as much a pretext for Kim Ryeo-yu’s fans.
“Kim Geum, congratulations on coming in 2nd place. Since we heard your feelings earlier, we will skip this time.”
Do Hee-young also congratulated Kim Geum with an ambiguous expression.
“Then, Kim Ryeo-yu. Please tell us how you feel about coming in 3rd place.”
Kim Ryeo-yu climbed up to the stage without changing her expression at the word 3rd place.
The expression “spirited” would be appropriate, but in my eyes, who knew the situation before and after, it just looked brazen.
“First of all, thank you to our team members who believed in me and followed me. I’m a lacking leader… Our team members should be ranked higher than me….”
Kim Ryeo-yu said that and suddenly cried.
“I am very grateful to the Colorists who voted for me. You believe in me… and also cherish me. I will definitely repay all of you. In fact… in fact, I was very tired… I will remember today’s work for the rest of my life, and I will be grateful for the excessive opportunities given to me.”
Do Hee-young handed Kim Ryeo-yu a handkerchief.
Kim Ryeo-yu buried her face completely in the handkerchief and wiped away her tears.
“I will prove one by one with my actions that all the misunderstandings about me… are misunderstandings to the Colorists who have been cheering for me. And.”
Kim Ryeo-yu turned her head and looked at me.
Then the camera also caught me.
“Cheong-ah, congratulations on 1st place. I’m so happy, really. My heart is full because I have a friend like you.”
I smiled with as moved an expression as possible.
You’re so full that you’re trying to send people to the bone.
She was a really great kid.
“I will show you with the results and my actions in the future that all the stories about me are misunderstandings. Thank you!”
Is it really a misunderstanding?
After the meaningful statement, Kim Ryeo-yu sat in the 3rd place seat.
“Now, 1st place, Yoon Cheong. Please come up.”
And then it was my turn.
“First of all, thank you to all the Colorists who voted for me. 293,980 votes, I will never forget and keep them in my heart. The reason I decided to become an idol is because I desperately wanted moments like this. Because I know that if I am sincere, there will be people who sincerely cheer for me. I think today is such a place.”
I slowly turned my head.
“But just for today, I want to give the title of 1st place to Ryeo-yu.”