Chapter 158. Final (2)
The song quickly transitioned into its latter half.
Even before the shock of Hajin’s red hair could fully sink in, Dan Haru, who had bleached his hair to a bright blonde, Jaiden, who had cut his hair short and donned a sports haircut with an eye patch over one eye, and Kim Wonho, draped in a cape over a stiff uniform, each took their turns.
Moving as if they were one group, their sharp choreography combined with the harmoniously distinct uniforms that highlighted each individual’s personality, creating a spectacular sight. Even Lee Doha, who had been teased for his clumsiness during the Miro Maze practice sessions, flawlessly executed the choreography.
*Daylight, follow that path.*
With Jung Siwoo’s voice, the dance break segment began.
During the preparation process for the final round, which was broadcast after the group selection ceremony in episode 9, there had been a brief audition to select the center for this dance break. To heighten anticipation for the final, the last broadcast didn’t reveal who had been chosen, but now, the result was clear.
“Ah, Kang Hajin!!!!!”
Gwajam completely abandoned her camera, waving a fan with Hajin’s name on it as she screamed. Hajin had once again claimed the center spot, striding in through the large split in the formation, his coat tails fluttering.
It was already thrilling enough that Hajin had confidently been chosen as the center over the formidable dance line, but then he even winked slightly at the camera that captured him!
“Look at him flirting, has he lost his mind!”
“No, aaah!”
Gwajam began to lose her sanity, her composure slipping away. She couldn’t even express her admiration properly; all that escaped her mouth were screams and the word “crazy.” However, when she finally managed to regain her senses and pick up the camera again, the dance break, led by Hajin, was in full swing on stage.
‘…Huh?’
Focused on capturing Hajin through the viewfinder with trembling hands, determined not to commit the crime of failing to preserve Hajin in his red hair and uniform in high definition, Gwajam noticed something and lowered the camera.
When she entered the gallery to check the photo she had just taken, she quickly realized what had caused her discomfort.
‘Ah, the glove….’
When she zoomed in on the photo, she saw that one of Hajin’s gloves had slipped slightly, barely hanging on to his knuckles. It seemed like the glove was a snug fit, making it difficult to take off entirely, but leaving it as it was, it could fall off at any moment, which must have been bothering him.
Gwajam, who had figured out why Hajin had been subtly frowning while dancing, picked up the camera again with a concerned expression. The dance break was nearly over, so as long as Hajin could get through the center part…
“Wow.”
…she thought, but in that instant, Hajin frowned, lifted his hand, and pulled the glove back into place with his teeth.
“…He’s really lost it.”
The leather glove was once again securely in place over Hajin’s long fingers, which fans went crazy over. To top it off, he gave a wide grin after confirming that the glove was properly fitted.
Gwajam hurriedly lowered her camera to check the gallery. She was proud of herself for instinctively pressing the shutter and capturing every moment in a series of continuous shots. The gallery perfectly captured everything from Hajin’s frown to the moment he bit the glove, to his satisfied smile.
“This, this is… I have to post a preview.”
Oh gosh, she was so nervous that she was babbling incoherently.
Even with trembling hands, Gwajam grabbed her phone to post a preview.
‘Hajin-ah. Wait, nuna will make sure you blow up.’
A miracle of the final round.
I’ll make it happen.
With a firm resolve, Gwajam’s fingers moved swiftly over the phone screen.
* * *
“Next, Song A team, move out right away!”
“B team! Hurry up with your outfits! Quickly!”
The backstage during the live broadcast was nothing short of chaotic.
As soon as they got off the stage, the trainees quickly began changing outfits and getting their makeup touched up for the next stage.
Hajin, too, quietly let the makeup staff reapply foundation that had been wiped off by sweat and retouch his lip color while buttoning up his shirt for the next stage.
“VCR, 15 minutes left!”
Of course, in anticipation of situations like this, the broadcast station had prepared plenty of VCRs for stage transitions. At this moment, the VCR shot by the Song A team was probably playing. Although it wasn’t as tight as a concert schedule, the faster they moved, the more they could perfect their performance.
“Hajin, you’re all set.”
“Yes, thank you.”
After a brief nod of thanks, Hajin took a short breath and headed to the bathroom near the waiting room to wash his hands, sticky with sweat from wearing gloves.
When Hajin arrived at the bathroom, he washed his hands in the sink, carefully drying them to avoid splashing water on his stage outfit. Having just been in a bright, bustling place, the quiet space where only the sound of water could be heard felt somewhat strange.
[System Alert: Finally, today is the day.]
‘Yeah, it’s finally here.’
Hajin, responding to Thirteen, who seemed more nervous than him, opened the quest window for the first time in a while to check the remaining quests.
[Basic Quest 01.]
‘Find the Regressor!’
Content: You have been designated as the mentor to the Chosen Regressor. Find the Chosen Regressor and prevent the regression.
Reward: Young and Rich, Tall and Handsome
[Single Quest 02.]
‘I’m the Crazy One Here!’
Content: You, who entered Miro.
Overcome the suffocating political machinations and competition within,
Meet allies who will help you, and debut successfully.
(Reducing the chances of regression by removing hidden bombs increases the likelihood of quest success.)
Success Reward: Clue for tracking the Regressor
Penalty for Failure: Increased likelihood of the 5th regression
If he made it into the final debut lineup today, Hajin would finally complete Single Quest 02, and whatever reward he received, he intended to use it to check on Haru.
[System Alert: Then, I’ll go check the surroundings just in case something happens!]
Thirteen decided to leave to reinforce security in case the damned regressor attacked again. When asked if he regretted not being able to witness the important ending chapter after having played the idol-raising simulation, Thirteen responded in a very down-to-earth manner, saying he could just watch the rerun later.
[System Alert: The system wishes the fixed regressor good luck.]
[System Alert: ദ്ദി•̀.̫•́✧]
‘Right. Let’s debut and meet again.’
With a slight crackle, Thirteen disappeared, and Kang Hajin turned back.
The tiresome life as a regressor finally seemed to be coming to an end.
And to reach that end, he had to pour everything he had into today’s performance, no matter what.
* * *
Meanwhile, at the concert hall, a VCR showing the selection process and preparation for Song A team was playing.
In the team composition, which was decided by pushing up from lower ranks to higher ranks, the most notable figure was undoubtedly Seo Taehyun.
– I honestly thought Taehyun would choose the B song.
– The B song suits Taehyun’s genre better, right? Taehyun’s not that strong in hip-hop, both in dance and otherwise.
– And you can’t ignore the atmosphere of the A team. Taehyun suddenly seems out of place with that sparkling vibe.
Defying everyone’s expectations that he would choose the bright and cheerful B song, Taehyun pushed Hajin out of the A song and took the main vocal role.
With other team members like Lee Doha, who stood out physically and visually among the trainees, the sense of discord with the image Taehyun had built up so far only grew stronger.
-Taehyun-ah… You can’t do this. You’re the main vocal.
In the end, the VCR even showed Taehyun struggling to adjust during practice, making uncharacteristic mistakes. The pre-recorded video ended with the team members encouraging and actively helping Taehyun, who resolved to carry out his role perfectly.
No one in the hall knew what reaction this VCR would provoke online, but the next VCR soon followed.
-Hello.
-…Oh. Should I sit here?
The next video began with trainees timidly entering and sitting on a single wooden chair placed in the center of a white background horizon studio (a set with no visible boundaries on the walls).
<Trainee Lee Doha: …I decided after seeing the seniors from Utopia.>
<Trainee Seo Taehyun: When I was young, my parents both worked, but they always came to see my performances. That memory still stays with me. It was really nice. Being able to show my performance to someone I love.>
The video featured the trainees’ candid responses, paired with other questions and set against an emotional pop song.
<Trainee Jaiden: Hmm… every day?>
<Trainee Joo Eunchan: Sometimes at night, when the dorm is really quiet. I felt a bit lonely then.>
<Trainee Kim Wonho: In the past, I really wanted to do a concert. It’s cool, right? Filling more than two hours with my songs and performing.>
<Trainee Kim Wonho: Oh, these days… Hmm, these days… just
, being able to do team activities with good people?>
The honest thoughts of the A team trainees continued.
After a brief explanation of the song and stage in an interview, the trainees were asked to say a few words to the viewers who would be watching the performance.
<Trainee Lee Doha: It’s a song with an addictive, intense beat. I hope you can feel the energy we express.>
<Trainee Joo Eunchan: I was happy to be able to work with great hyungs, and through this stage, I’ll show you who Joo Eunchan really is.>
<Trainee Kim Wonho: Since this could be our last stage… I’m going to do everything I can so I don’t have any regrets. Please watch over us.>
<Trainee Jaiden: We’re pretty good at this. You can look forward to it.>
The final interview was, once again, with Seo Taehyun.
<Trainee Seo Taehyun: First of all, I want to thank everyone who has supported me for the past three years, and also those who have just come to know me.>
As Taehyun’s calm voice echoed through the concert hall, many people, possibly Taehyun’s fans, made tearful sounds of “Oh~.” Over their voices, Taehyun’s voice rang out again.
<Trainee Seo Taehyun: Through this stage… I really want to show you how I’ve changed and grown over the past three years.>
The video slowly transitioned into slow motion, ending with Taehyun’s bright smile.
As the video faded out, the previously dark stage filled with thick smog and bright, vivid lights.
*Drop the beat―*
With Lee Doha’s low voice, a heavy hip-hop beat dropped.
As expected from a song where Park Woong, the main rapper of Enderway, participated, and where Lee Doha and Jaiden, both in Miro Maze’s rapper position, were involved. The intent to showcase full-on hip-hop was clear from the start.
*Bored, all day*
Joo Eunchan, who usually looked like the gentle youngest son of a chaebol family, now seemed more like the crazy youngest son of a mafia boss, his eyes transformed into those of a madman. As he gestured lazily, like he was yawning, cat enthusiasts among Destiny fans, who had previously found the sleepy baby cat version of Eunchan adorable, could only cover their mouths in shock at the sight of Eunchan’s sharp, three whites eyes gleaming beneath smoky makeup.
Unlike in the opening stage, where his uniform was buttoned up to the neck, Eunchan now wore a wide-collared white shirt, casually unbuttoned, and a black jacket with no buttons, sleeves rolled up to his elbows.
In this outfit, making him believable as a mafia heir, he matched the bass beat with a kick move, leaping off Doha’s back.
*I’m always looking for something new, like a Columbus*
*I’m never satisfied, exploring is just my thing*
Eunchan, who had handled rap parts before taking on a vocal role, easily navigated the offbeat rhythm, delivering the verse with a sing-rap feel.
The first part of Miro Maze’s first new song, brought to life by the carefree mood of someone who had thrown away any burden, was a stunning introduction composed by Park Woong of Enderway and featuring lyrics co-written by Lee Doha and Jaiden.