Save a Failed Idol’s Life

Translator: MarcTempest

Editor: NicoleTempest

Chapter 202 What People Want (2)

Clank.

As the handcuffs came out of my pocket, everyone in the audience, including the trainees and the judges, widened their eyes.

It was natural. I hadn’t used this prop until yesterday.

The scarf that I had originally used was gone, and a different thing popped out, making everyone look surprised.

[Lock me up right now, so I can’t leave you]

[Dangerous, your movements make me unable to think of anything else-]

Clang. The toy handcuffs were so weak that I could tear them off with a little force, but they were enough to capture everyone’s attention.

“Wow, he changed the prop in a day.”

“This is better. It’s better than being compared to the others.”

“If he has to gather his wrists anyway because of the choreography, the handcuffs are more neat and impactful…”

Hwijin and Yu-geon, who had been worried about me since the stage started, looked up at me with a bright smile, as if they were relieved.

‘Geez… They’re still young kids who haven’t debuted yet, and they’re worrying about each other.’

I muttered a half-mocking joke to myself as I stepped to the beat.

Although I was getting help from the skill of fate, tap dance was really new to me, so I was worried about what would happen if I fell behind… Yeah, right.

When I opened the lid, the other members of the group were struggling with the genre that they had never tried before, and I had to carry them by the collar.

‘I guess this is also an experience in its own way.’

With the final victory of my mind, the music was rushing to the end, and

[With a burning thirst, I swim through the unknown that is you]

[It’s okay, just hold me right now]

As I broke the handcuffs with a force that contrasted with the lyrics that asked me to hold on, a cheer erupted from the entire audience.

“Wow, he nailed it.”

“I really didn’t expect that, wow.”

The members of group A, who had finished their stage and were having fun, also looked up at me with a chewing expression at first, but this time, some of them looked genuinely surprised.

The handcuffs were broken, but my hands were still crossed as if they were not released, and I continued the choreography.

With the last whisper-like lyrics, I took off the handcuffs and threw them behind the stage.

[Tie me up more, I won’t run away anymore-]

‘It’s over.’

The judges couldn’t calm their expressions as they were stunned by the cheers that were different from group A.

‘That’s why group A… It was obvious that they had agreed to win from the beginning.’

Only the choreographer among the four judges was purely happy, then gasped, and barely regained his senses, shaking his head.

“DIY group B, please clean up the stage quickly!”

One of the staff jumped onto the stage as soon as the recording was over and made us go down.

As the choreography became more intense in the second half, Taeryun and Wonsang opened their mouths with a breathless expression.

“Did we do well?”

Their cheeks were flushed, and they couldn’t calm down the excitement of the best stage they had done, and they looked like they were walking on the clouds.

I couldn’t help but smile at their faces.

“Yes, you did well.”

“Wow, look at your hands shaking.”

I felt a surge of emotion in my chest as I watched the young kids, barely twenty years old, unable to contain themselves after finishing their stage.

I wondered if it was really that great, but then I remembered that this was their first stage that they had produced themselves. Even though I had carried them hard, I felt a sense of pride.

“Will this be edited out?”

They seemed worried about how they would appear on TV, as if they had just realized how important it was.

“Yes, it will be fine.”

I answered, recalling the broadcast of My Idol Stage episodes 1 to 4 that I had skimmed through, hitting the fast-forward button every ten seconds.

I didn’t pay much attention, but the stages were shown for at least two minutes each, even with some editing.

I barely had time to feel relieved that it was over, when Wonsang started sobbing as soon as we returned to the audience seats.

“Huh, are you crying, hyung?”

Taeryun was startled by Wonsang’s tears and offered him the scarf he had brought as a disguise.

“Ah, sorry, I’m sorry. I just got too nervous.”

The camera didn’t miss Wonsang’s crying face in the crowd, zooming in on him.

‘Well, at least this will give us some more exposure.’

I smiled faintly and looked at the two of them. There was a warm bond between the three of us.

Only Junwoong was isolated, as if he belonged to a different team. He was staring at Park San-il’s team A with a determined look in his eyes.

‘Anyway, it’s done and over with.’

A moment later, I saw that he had disappeared while we were busy calming Wonsang down.

‘Well, it’s not my problem anymore.’

I turned my gaze to the stage. Yu-geon’s team, Dream Hot A, was starting their performance.

‘Center… he did well back then, but I don’t know what happened after that.’

I was briefly worried, but then Yu-geon jumped to the center of the stage and the music began.

‘He’s so disgustingly good.’

He had laid the groundwork well (actually, he had done it himself) and his skills were so annoyingly impressive.

[One two three, this is an emergency]

[Everyone Freeze- when I appear]

He had already captured everyone’s attention in his practice clothes. But now, with his outfit and hair matching the concept, he was the only one who stood out among the six people on stage.

“Wow, really… Everyone else looks like backup dancers except for him.”

Someone blurted out their honest opinion and gasped, covering their mouth.

It was a funny remark, but cruelly true.

[Be careful of the upset, Bang-]

[I’ll take all the flashing Cash right now]

It didn’t seem like the center had been favored too much over the other parts, considering the fierce competition within the team. But Yu-geon still shone too much.

‘That’s a relief, I guess.’

If he had stolen the spotlight without being the center, he would have taken away all the advantages of the center, who wouldn’t even be able to console himself by saying that it was because he was the center.

By the end of the second verse, the stage was completely dominated by Yu-geon.

‘They can’t not air this.’

No matter which scene they edited and broadcasted, Yu-geon would be noticeable.

‘Well, I’m glad it ended well.’

I let out a sigh of relief as the final 14th group finished their performance. The only thing left was to check the results of each group and the first round of re-evaluation.

[Well, that’s it for the passionate stages of the 14 groups! You all did a great job. And… Now it’s time to decide the winners and losers!]

As the MC proceeded quickly, the seats where the judges were sitting lit up and flames shot up high.

[The groups that are called will come up to the stage and listen to the judges’ comments and check their judge cards.]

Judge cards? What are those? I squinted my eyes at the changed method from the broadcast I saw.

[There are four judges in total, and the team that receives three or more judge cards will win the honor of being the winner.]

Then… they probably won’t go 2:2, but what if they do? Wouldn’t that be a tie? I wondered, when the MC added an explanation.

[If the judge cards do not determine the outcome, the trainees sitting here will decide the outcome themselves.]

According to the MC’s explanation, the production staff went around the audience and handed out something like buttons.

‘I wonder how often they’ll be used.’

Soon, a panel that recorded the results appeared on the large screen behind the stage.

[From Today, We]

[Dream HOT]

[Next]

[Endlessly]

[First Love]

[You and I Lead]

[D.I.Y]

And then, the first one to be called was ‘From Today, We’ and the judges’ comments began.

‘I’ll be back to reality soon.’

I secretly loosened my tense body and took a long, deep breath.

It would be nice if I had a chance to talk to Hwijin or Yu-geon for the last time.

But there was no time to regret, and it was our turn soon.

“D.I.Y, please come up!”

As we went up to the stage, a bright spotlight shone down on our heads.

[Okay, let’s start with group A’s comments.]

As the MC guided, the judges’ comments that were obviously clichéd followed. They used the props well, and they brought out the original song’s atmosphere well. It was a comfortable stage to watch. Something like that.

And then, the comments for group B, which I belonged to, followed.

“Um… I got the impression that it was quite different from the original song. It was good that you used props that weren’t obvious, but you used something too eye-catching that it diminished the meaning of the cover…”

Ha.

I laughed first because it was ridiculous. It was obvious that they were trying to make group A the winner somehow.

“I think it would have been a better result if you respected the original song more.”

Singers, idols, rappers, they all spouted nonsense, and the choreographer was the last one to grab the microphone.

“I… I loved it. I’m looking forward to seeing how much more amazing stages you’ll show when you go self-producing. I could see the traces of your efforts to fill the gap with fewer members. Don’t worry too much about the results and keep working hard.”

As soon as the last comment that seemed like giving poison and medicine ended, four huge card shapes rose behind us and the lights flashed red and blue alternately.

And the result that was raised with a bang-bang-bang sound effect was.

[Group A 3 : Group B 1]

As expected. It was a predetermined outcome.

The members of Team A cheered as Park San-il, the center of attention, grabbed the microphone.

“Thank you. I will work harder!”

His face was soaked with joy, as if he had already won the internal evaluation without a doubt. In contrast, Junwoong gritted his teeth.

The self-praising interview of Team A ended, and the microphone was handed over to hear the voice of the loser.

“…?”

Junwoong snatched the microphone that should have been delivered to my hand.

What the hell is this? He turned on the microphone with a bitter expression, as if he was going to kill someone. I was momentarily flustered.

“Ah.”

He checked that the microphone was working properly, and then dropped a bombshell.

“I quit as a trainee.”

Why did he say that here, of all places? Everyone was stunned, unable to move their eyes. Then, from Junwoong’s mouth, a story that everyone vaguely knew but couldn’t say came out.

“I don’t want to do this so shamelessly. You were curious why the props that were overlapped until rehearsal suddenly changed, right? I leaked the props and directing ideas to Team A under the agency’s orders…”

The production team sensed something was wrong and quickly cut off the microphone broadcast, but Junwoong didn’t stop.

“I stole Team B’s idea and gave it to Team A. The trainee from our agency in Team A signed a pre-contract. The trainee who is being pushed has to win stably, but I’m just a sidekick who couldn’t make it to the production team’s pick, you know.”

His voice was so loud that turning off the microphone didn’t seem to be enough. The production team hurriedly ran up to the stage and dragged Junwoong down.

“Does this sound like someone else’s story? You’re the same! The ones who will debut are already decided. We’re just filling the headcount, right? Ugh, let go! Let go, you X! I’ll quit this X thing!”

He struggled like a drunkard being dragged to the detention center. Junwoong disappeared behind the set, and there was an awkward silence. The MC and the production team exchanged a few words.

Then, he opened his mouth in the midst of the noisy atmosphere.

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