Chapter 72
“…..”
The nine trainees were now watching two people’s reactions.
Although they were trapped in a small waiting room, it was impossible for them to be completely unaware of the outside situation.
There was a television in the waiting room.
Even though they couldn’t take out their phones because of the cameras….
Just from watching the broadcast, they could roughly guess the public opinion.
This episode was a clear example of why PD Oh was famous for devil’s editing and dramatic twists.
A broadcast that seemed to fairly support everyone, but was clearly siding with ‘someone.’
And also, a broadcast that was clearly targeting ‘someone.’
The two ‘someones’ sat in the waiting room with very different expressions.
The trainees were actually shocked after watching the broadcast.
The broadcast was much more provocative than they had thought.
It was obvious since only the most sensational interviews had been carefully edited and aired.
“Aww, it’s cold.”
Even though it was summer, Kim Geum raised the air conditioner’s temperature, saying it was cold.
As someone who always reacted without any filter, she felt more prickly.
Anyway, it was awkward watching the broadcast in front of Kim Ryeo-yu.
No matter how much it was deserved, they had been seeing each other almost every day.
The fortunate thing was that Kim Ryeo-yu remained silent, with only her expression hardened.
Perhaps she was holding back because of the camera.
She knew that if she caused more trouble here, it would be the end of her in real-time.
“Cheong unnie, aren’t you cold? You’re right under the air conditioner….”
“I’m fine. Geum, you can set the temperature however you want.”
Unlike Yeon Juhong, who was secretly sobbing, Yoon Cheong was really calm.
She didn’t look happy, nor did she look sad.
She just looked the same as usual.
“Since we have rehearsals soon, shall we warm up our voices?”
“Oh, oh? Yes!”
“Let’s do it!”
The trainees were more scared of Yoon Cheong’s attitude.
She must have had more than a few grievances so far.
She was really an amazing person.
The camera persistently focused only on Yoon Cheong and Kim Ryeo-yu.
Both were silent, but there was a clear difference.
And their images were clearly divided into two on the live broadcast.
***
The reaction on site was truly chilling.
The fans on site were not unaware of the current situation.
In fact, they felt it more keenly than anyone else.
Fans holding Kim Ryeo-yu’s slogans had mixed reactions.
Some fans discreetly lowered their slogans, while others raised them higher with determination.
Of course, 90% were the latter.
In the midst of a subtle psychological battle, the prelude played.
And eleven trainees appeared.
“We’ve finally made it here
I’m holding the handle now”
The opening was the center’s share.
Then, whose share was the center?
The trainee who was in a completely different condition from the rehearsal.
It was Kim Ryeo-yu.
“Wow, it’s starting
Oh right, the center is Kim Ryeo-yu lol she worked day and night to be the center….^^
She’s relentless, relentless with her love for the center..”
The cold reactions were not just on the internet.
Even the fans who had been cheering their lungs out earlier were now silent.
Of course, some fans were still cheering, but it was less than a tenth of what it was before.
“Wow, look at the cold reaction on site
It’s cold, so cold”
“Boy, get in the back seat”
Shin Yu-hyun’s part.
“Waaah!”
Even though she wasn’t one of the top trainees, the cheers exploded like crazy.
It was several times more than for Kim Ryeo-yu, who was the first place in the ranking announcement ceremony.
Even Shin Yu-hyun herself was surprised by the reaction.
“The highway stretched out before us
Although we can’t see the end of it
Here we go”
“Damn, look at Seo Baek-young’s reaction
Wow, the fans are really giving their all…”
The cheers were so loud that it felt like an earthquake on site lol
They envied, were jealous of, and resented the people on site…
“Run with me now
Let’s run here and now”
“Bo-ra’s beauty is out of this world…
Ryu Bo-ra, my girl, are you insane or what?
Haaㅠㅠnothing else matters, just too great..”
“Only way highway
There’s no other way
No brakes”
“Another part for Kim Ryeo-yu? She has more parts than the main vocalist?
There really are no brakes…”
└Damn it
└└Now there’s really no other way, end of the road…
“Don’t block my way Go away”
“Juhong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Aㅠㅠㅠ my baby, is this really her only part?ㅠㅠ”
Nonsensical distribution
Kim Ryeo-yu’s part: 38 seconds
Yeon Juhong’s part: 4 seconds
Yoon Cheong’s part: 3 seconds
“Ignore the signals
What’s important is only ahead of you”
The one saving grace: Main vocalist Kyunga
The despairing fact: Lead Kim Ryeo-yu
The ridiculous point: Yoon Cheong’s sub-7ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
“Even though we couldn’t protect Cheong, at least we have Kyunga….”
I couldn’t forget the comments about how Kyunga took the main vocal spot over Yoon Cheong.
@: “Me… the main vocal?!”
Me: “Do they need a hit on the head to come to their senses?”
Kim Ryeo-yu continued to get an overwhelming amount of screen time.
It was hard to tell if she was the main vocal or the lead vocal.
Knowing that one mistake would really cause them to slip, no one made a major error.
However, the hardened expressions and the subtly stiffened bodies couldn’t be hidden.
Not only Kim Ryeo-yu, but most of the trainees were like that.
“Awwㅠㅠㅠㅠ Juhong looked in much worse condition than usual… our belovedㅠㅠㅠㅠ.”
“Yoon-bl, thank you for doing your best and finishing the stage even while sweatingㅠ.”
Especially, the two trainees at the center of the controversy looked the most exhausted.
It was hard to tell if it was because of the fans’ emotions or if they were genuinely struggling.
***
“Look at Yoon Cheong’s mental strength.”
“If it were me, I would have cried during the other trainees’ interviews and sobbed during Kim Ryeo-yu’s interview…”
“You can really see how she’s holding onto her mentality.”
“Maybe it’s because it’s right before the stage.”
“I found it so chilling, I preferred Yeon Juhong who was sobbing, it felt more human.”
└”What do you mean chilling? If anything, she’s become stronger because of people like you. Even now, Ryeo supporters are still whining.”
└└”On the contrary, I found Kim Ryeo-yu really stubborn^^. Seeing her sitting there without apologizing, she’s not ordinary.”
“Everyone was just looking at Yoon Cheong’s face, but did anyone see her hands? They were shaking. She’s barely holding onto her mental state too.”
└”Really???”
└└”Yeah, here’s the proof picture.”
└└└”It’s trueㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ my heart is breaking…”
└└└└”She’s barely twenty… After enduring all kinds of ridicule, she’s probably gritting her teeth and holding on because she doesn’t want to give them any more ammunition.”
“No one wants to be next to Kim Ryeo-yu.”
“Just look…ㅋㅋ.”
“I got the feeling too…ㅋㅋ. When Yoon Cheong’s controversy broke out, all the trainees rallied around her.”
└”Yeah… you get a sense of what things were like normally.”
“The PD tried to subtly prove she was nice, but the whole world knows except for you guysㅋㅋ.”
“There are only two stages left now.”
“If you have any conscience, repay Yoon Cheong with votes.”
“Starting from 11:30.”
“8 or Yoon Cheong or 8 Yoon Cheong.”
“Just send one of these three.”
“Just.”
“8.”
“If you’re not sure, just vote for 8.”
“Your so-called justice^^, it’s number 8.”
“You don’t have to choose all five, just vote for 8 if you’re unsure.”
“Even if you vote for only one, all the votes count, so just vote for 8.”
“What number is Kim Ryeo-yu?”
“Just exclude that number and randomly write five others^^.”
“Coming in to curse but ending up laughing.”
“Number 5, exclude 5 and put in 8.”
└”Also include number 9, our Juhong is a victim too…”
└└”Okay, 8, 9, who else?”
└└└”Seo Baek-young, number 7. Please vote for number 7, Seo Baek-young.”
“Just make sure to include number 8^^.”
There were still two stages left.
And there was about an hour left until the voting time.
The team stage would be before the vote, and the fan song group stage would be after the voting started.
And there was a reason why PD Oh placed the team stage right before the voting.
“Wow, our CEO Hong.”
There had been rumors for a while that CEO Hong had ended her reclusive lifestyle.
PD Oh, who was initially skeptical, came to believe it after a recent meeting.
The meeting where CEO Hong completely overpowered Director Kim.
And the meeting where Kim Ryeo-yu completely fell out of favor with CEO Hong.
“I didn’t expect you to come in person again.”
He roughly expected someone else to come.
PD Oh smiled outwardly but cursed inwardly for a long time.
There were few people as difficult to deal with as CEO Hong.
Director Kim was annoying, but not difficult.
But CEO Hong was both annoying and difficult.
“It’s probably because the final broadcast is so important?”
“Indeed. This is the show that selects our next generation.”
CEO Hong understood how powerful the narrative of a broadcast could be.
Talent, charm above talent, and narrative above charm.
This was CEO Hong’s strong belief.
And the final episode was essentially the pinnacle of that narrative.
Depending on how the narrative of the trainees was written in the final episode, the debut team could change.
“As I’ve already mentioned, we’ve changed the voting system as you requested. Is there anything more you want?”
“Of course. There is.”
“What…?”
PD Oh was slightly taken aback.
“The debut team I want.”
To come out this straightforwardly?