Chapter 67
The choreography was incredibly demanding.
Fast-paced and difficult to keep in rhythm.
Even the hand and foot details were numerous, making it seem like it would take quite some time just to memorize it all.
“This is going to be murder for the main vocalist. Right?”
“…Shut up.”
Kim Geum laughed slyly, teasing.
It was no wonder, considering that the latter part of the song suddenly pushed into continuous high notes.
How many high notes were there exactly?
Did they not know that this kind of thing was considered outdated these days?
I wasn’t even some kind of high-note specialist.
It felt like I was going to end up doing everything.
Glancing to the side, I saw that Lee Kyunga didn’t look too pleased either.
She would probably end up being the high note shuttle there, too.
“Now, for the third and final group song.”
As expected, the last song was an R&B track. A fan song with a pure, emotional feel.
This one had no choreography and wasn’t particularly difficult to sing.
“You’ve heard all the songs now. I’ll hand out the part distribution sheet for the first song, so please take a look. The parts have already been distributed by position. All that’s left is to decide who will take which position.”
As the production team handed out the part distribution sheet, I could feel the trainees murmuring.
“What is this part distribution?!”
I barely restrained myself from glaring at PD Oh.
Was he insane?
“…Well, since there are eleven of you, with so many members… someone’s bound to get fewer parts.”
“That’s true, but… three people only have one line each?”
“The other positions don’t have many either… three of them only have two lines each.”
The positions were as follows:
Main Vocal, Lead Vocal, Sub Vocal 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Rapper 1, Rapper 2.
“The Main Vocal, Lead Vocal, and Sub Vocal 1 are the only ones with a significant amount of lines… There are two rap positions… but one has overwhelmingly more lines while the other has very few.”
They might as well have told us to fight.
The intention was too obvious.
Fight over the parts. Make it bloody and interesting until the end.
“Even those with more parts won’t feel good about this.”
Ryu Bo-ra was right.
It was despicable and dirty.
“Now, to decide the positions!”
PD Oh’s eyes, heavy with dark circles, curved into a sharp smile.
“This is a crucial point. The Colorists will be the ones to decide.”
“!”
Damn it.
Only then did I realize PD Oh’s plan.
“A surprise event will be posted on the official website right now. The voting will be open for only 12 hours. We’ll ask the Colorists to vote on who fits each of the eleven positions best. The person with the most votes for each position will take that position.”
We were doomed.
***
★
OMG, there’s a vote on the official website
└Huh, but the online voting just ended?
└└Only live voting is left, right?
└└└Nope, it’s not a popularity vote, it’s a position vote
└What?
Ryeo-yu, which position do you want? Please give us a hintㅠㅠ Main Vocal? Lead Vocal?
Which part should we give Ryeo Coral…? Who should we pick for Main Vocal; this system is so annoying because you have to allocate all 11 parts to vote.
Ryeo Pepgoyoung fans, vote for Sub Vocal 1, we need to unite here!!!!!!! Seriously, if there’s anyone clueless enough to vote for Main Vocal, I’m going to be mad;ㅎ
Geum doesn’t have to worry about parts, she’s definitely Rapper 1⌒⌒
#MainColors #Ryeo-yu #LeadVocalKimRyeo-yu #PleaseVoteKimRyeo-yuAsLeadVocal
※Please vote Ryeo-yu as Lead Vocal, not Main Vocal!! Lead Vocal has plenty of parts too!!※
Main Vocal parts don’t match Ryeo-yu’s range!!!
Our precious Ryeo-yu can’t perform well under pressureㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ Please vote her as Lead Vocal!!
※Ryeo-yu doesn’t want to be Main Vocal either!! Lead!! Vocal!!※
Let’s not make Baek compete with Kim Ryeo-yu for Lead Vocal and just put her as Sub Vocal 1.
└But wouldn’t Baek do well as Main Vocal too?
└└Guys, please focus.
Honestly, it doesn’t matter as long as she avoids Sub Vocals 5, 6, 7.
Our dear Colorists^^ No matter who your favorite is, we need to unite against 5, 6, 7.
So who do we put in 5, 6, 7?
└5 bsy 6 yjh 7 ych
It’s so ridiculous that they’re thinking of giving Sub 7 to someone who’s clearly Main Vocal material… are they out of their minds?
I hate those who jump on this opportunity to vote tactically, they need to realize that their fave can’t handle Lead Vocal.
I want to burn all the antis; they’re the worst at media play.
Thus.
Divisions started to form among the Colorists.
It was a game of wits.
The desire to place their favorites in the best parts.
Yet fearing being overpowered by stronger candidates, they aimed for reasonable positions.
Sacrifices were needed.
The ones at the center of the controversy—Yeon Juhong and Yoon Cheong, along with the lowest in popularity, Bang Suin.
They planned to push these three into the smallest parts to secure safer positions.
At least aiming for Sub Vocals 2, 3, and 4.
Just give Main Vocal to ㅇㄱㅇ.
Better have an unknown as Main Vocal than Cheong as Main Vocal.
ㅇㅈ Let’s all agree on Lee Kyunga as Main Vocal.
└222222 No matter who your fave is, make Lee Kyunga the Main Vocalㅋㅋ
└3333
└Wait, make Baek the Main Vocal.
└No, that won’t workㅋㅋ
We need to promote this vote to casual fans too.
Do whatever you want with the other positions but please, at least make Sub 67 these twoㅋㅋ
Even if you vote by name, remember Sub 67.
Seriously, if you’re human, vote.
└Please, if you’re Korean, vote for Sub 67.
Posts urging votes for Yeon Juhong and Yoon Cheong as Sub Vocals 6 and 7 flooded communities and SNS.
It was a collaboration among fans of all trainees except for Yeon Juhong and Yoon Cheong.
This position vote was no longer a simple popularity contest.
Popularity votes were about voting for who you liked.
But this went beyond that, to the point of voting for who you disliked.
In short, this vote was both a popularity contest and a hate vote.
And so, after 12 hours.
The positions were announced to the trainees.
Main Vocal: Lee Kyunga
Lead Vocal: Kim Ryeo-yu
Sub Vocal 1: Ryu Bo-ra
Sub Vocal 2: Seo Baek-young
Sub Vocal 3: Lee Juseon
Sub Vocal 4: Shin Yu-hyun
Sub Vocal 5: Bang Suin
Sub Vocal 6: Yeon Juhong
Sub Vocal 7: Yoon Cheong
Rapper 1: Kim Geum
Rapper 2: Park Ha-eun
***
Meanwhile, how did the trainees feel upon learning that even their own fans had pushed Yeon Juhong and Yoon Cheong into Sub Vocals 6 and 7?
They couldn’t lift their heads.
Even if it wasn’t their fault, and even if their fans had acted out of ignorance of the full story.
The sadness and guilt didn’t disappear.
“…If only personal SNS or statements were allowed….”
Kim Geum and Ryu Bo-ra shared a room with me, so they felt especially guilty.
They had hoped that being roommates might make fans view our relationship positively.
The greater the expectation, the bigger the disappointment.
I had never expected anything.
The mere relationship of roommates couldn’t eliminate competitive votes.
Before the controversy, I had ranked close enough to threaten Kim Geum, so it was a natural choice for Kim Geum’s fans.
We had often vied for 1st and 2nd place.
Even in the MVP of MVP, Kim Geum had ranked 4th while I ranked 1st.
Though it stung a bit that even Ryu Bo-ra’s fans had harshly cast me aside.
But it’s hard to say they abandoned me when they weren’t my fans to begin with.
What truly pained me was the efforts of my own fans.
My fans really tried.
‘Trainee Yoon Cheong. It’s unfortunate. She was the 2nd in the Main Vocal vote. She narrowly lost to Trainee Lee Kyunga and got pushed to Sub Vocal 7.’
PD Oh’s hint confirmed it.
My fans really tried.
But it’s tough to beat sheer volume.
Even knowing they would lose, they did their best until the end for me, and for that, I was grateful and sorry.
…It was my fault.
“Don’t worry. It’s just one song.”
“Still….”
I tried to comfort them.
But my mind was preoccupied with the SNS timeline.
★
Yoonbl, I’m so sorry… we’re too weak… I’m so upset
#LoveYouYoonCheongSorryCheongDogs #Dont
CryYoonbl
…What’s Cheong Dogs?
I wondered too, but it turns out it means the fierce fans who look out for Yoon Cheong.
…Why fierce fans, though… I don’t know either….
I felt even guiltier seeing my fans feeling sorry.
I was the one at fault, the one who failed to meet their expectations.
What’s so special about a trainee who only gives pain that they would care this much?
“I’ll repay you by perfecting even just one line.”
That’s all I could do right now.
Oh, no, wait.
Ding!
PD Oh
Looks like CEO Hong will give you what you want?ㅋ
But only a littleㅋ
There was one more thing I could do.
Revenge.
And a bit of refreshing payback.