Save a Failed Idol’s Life

Chapter 134 Effort Betrays You

It was just my luck that Floss tore up the stage like never before on our first performance. The camera caught the pale faces of P2CK in the waiting room, as big as a door.

‘They’ll definitely use that for editing.’

I could already see the future of Floss’s fans mocking us for looking so bitter, even though it was a competitive stage. I was just glad we weren’t the next ones up.

P2CK must have prepared hard in their own way too. But under the lukewarm response of the fans, the stage came to a dismal end. It was a bland stage that didn’t stray far from their usual high-teen concept, and it even looked hastily put together.

“Hmm…”

They all wanted to react for the sake of the camera, but they only gave soulless responses.

“Oh~.”

“Wow~.”

“Ooh…”

Seong-won didn’t even twitch an eyebrow from start to finish.

“It’s a stage that shows the group’s color well.”

Only Kyunghwa gave a detailed review with a very precise diction. I didn’t know if he was sincere or not… but it seemed more likely that he wasn’t.

That’s how P2CK’s disappointing stage ended, and it was time for us to stand by below the stage.

“Please move to the climax!”

“Let’s go.”

The staff opened the door of the waiting room and escorted us along with the manager. The camera that had been filming us all along followed us too.

“Let’s do well.”

“Shall we call our slogan?”

They all nodded, thinking of Floss’s amazing stage. And at the same time, they looked at me with pity.

“Ex, Exposition, Rise…!”

It was my first time shouting in front of the camera, so I felt embarrassed and my face turned red.

Why did they have to do this to me? I would rather give a toast than this. I could react more calmly to that.

“Climax!”

The voices of the other members, except me, united, and soon the sign came up to wait on the stage, where the props and background were set up.

“Please come up right away!”

“Yes!”

As we got on the stage, we saw about 120 spectators at a glance. Compared to other fandoms, they looked too pitiful or lacking, but the Rises who had prepared a lot of things for us caught my eye first.

From placards the size of sketchbooks to slogans and phone lights. The 20 or so people who came even matched the dress code to the color we spoiled.

Only 20 seats out of the many people were white as if snow had fallen.

What did we do to deserve this much preparation? I felt sorry and grateful at the same time, thinking that they must have wondered how to cheer us up more while preparing this.

I had to try hard not to let my emotions well up and make my eyes hot.

‘Sigh…’

I took a calm breath and stood in my place. The intro started to play in my ear.

Swoosh-ah-ah- Swoosh-ah-ah-.

The sound of waves crashing on the sand and the white beach that spread out behind them appeared as the background.

[A dazzling white sand, a pure sea. I want to go with you-.]

As Yi-jun stepped forward, backup dancers appeared on both sides and the ceiling shone a wave pattern effect towards the floor.

Yi-jun, who wore a sleeveless jumpsuit that was closer to summer than winter, mixed and matched goggles and wrist guards, and looked charming with his playful attitude.

[The foam is like white snow-. The bells ring, where am I, who am I.]

As he lightly performed the choreography while being hit by the white flower powder that poured from the sky, an immediate response erupted from the audience.

“Wow, he’s so cute!”

It wasn’t really a cute concept that we chose. Our goal was to be pretty and cool, but anyway it seemed like a positive reaction, which was a relief.

[You always held me when I was shaken. Our precious memories come back like waves-.]

Kyunghwa, who took over the next part, changed his position while looking up at the sky as if he was hit by the snow that came down from the sky.

He wore a simple white short-sleeved shirt on top and melon pants on the bottom, which flowed down from the fixed part of the upper body. Kyunghwa also had a bouncy feeling that was different from his usual relatively mature atmosphere.

If Floss’s concept was a grandeur like watching a musical, our goal was a stage that we could all enjoy together.

A thrilling stage that makes you want to get up and dance right away. Simple but intuitive choreography, casual costumes, and waves that sway like waves.

They were intoxicated by the atmosphere that evoked the fantasy of winter and summer at the same time, and they gladly sent enthusiastic cheers.

[Always like white snow, don’t change-. Stay by my side most purely-.]

As Seon-woo shook his arms wide open like wings in the center, soap bubbles popped down from the sky.

Seon-woo, who wore a white sweater that looked fluffy and covered his wrists, a white angora beret, and denim jeans, reached out to catch a soap bubble.

The original plan was to miss it and smile with regret, but…

“Oops.”

Seon-woo succeeded in catching the soap bubble with his unexpected athletic ability.

He seemed surprised that he didn’t think he would catch it, and his mouth opened.

‘You idiot, you have to do the choreography properly.’

He stumbled on the next move and then smiled brightly as if he was surprised.

“What, he’s so cute~.”

Fortunately, this also got a good response. It was a bit different from what we intended, but it looked pretty anyway.

[A Christmas that falls in midsummer, a whispering song-.]

[This is not a dream, a memory to keep forever.]

As they entered the carol variation section, snowflakes slowly fell from the ceiling instead of soap bubbles.

The background was changed from the beach to a white tree and paper that boasted a dazzling pattern, and the dance break section started with a bang and a bell.

‘Focus, focus.’

Our stage’s dance break was centered on me and Yi-jun. A while ago, there was a debate among us whether Yi-jun was a sub-dancer or not.

To put it simply, he was, but we didn’t use him properly, so everyone forgot. So I wanted to stamp my eyes this time.

That there are members who are confident in dancing besides me.

The wave pattern that swayed on the floor disappeared at once and the stage turned black, and spotlights shone on the heads of me and Yi-jun standing at the ends of the left and right.

A short and cheerful choreography that used force along with the instrumental followed, and Yi-jun shot a gun at me and made a bang gesture.

As we took turns performing smooth and flexible movements like water flowing in short sections, as if passing a baton to each other, cheers erupted from the audience.

[Our unforgettable memories, please cherish them-]

Yi-jun made a ring above his head and the surroundings brightened up again in an instant.

Glitters poured down from the sky and we all gathered around Yi-jun, smiling broadly as the stage came to an end.

[Everything is dazzling in this moment, shining brightly-, you and me, just the two of us.]

I thought we had put on a decent stage that would appeal to the other fandoms, even if it wasn’t as impactful as Floss.

Finally, the music ended and the cameras followed each member to film their individual shots.

I didn’t miss the camera with the number I had received in advance and looked straight at it, lightly curling the corners of my mouth.

“Good job!”

Finally, we finished filming the ending and bowed to the audience below.

“Thank you!”

“It was so good!”

“You’re handsome!”

I waved my hand at the fans, feeling embarrassed, and came down from the stage.

Soap bubbles in my eyes… I’m going to have a hard time cleaning this up for the next stage. I apologized belatedly and came down from the stage.

“Ugh~.”

When we returned to the waiting room, only the PD and the manager who were in charge of filming us in the waiting room were left.

We had to wait in the auditorium until the last act, Playground, was over.

I had a lot of questions I wanted to ask Floss, who had calmed down by now, but the reaction filming was still going on.

‘I wonder if I can sneak out and call him for a moment.’

But Floss couldn’t move in front of the camera either. I was in a state of not being able to focus on anything as I looked at the TV panel.

I was so nervous that I lost my appetite, but Hwijin was… I was glad he didn’t collapse from stomach cramps like Kyunghwa.

I prayed for Hwijin’s stomach’s peace and tried to focus on the screen.

The next stage of Vesper was as expected.

Well, they didn’t have enough time to overhaul it, even if the reaction was not very good.

AtoX seemed to have tried to fix some of the negative feedback they had received during the pre-rehearsal.

‘It’s not as easy as trying.’

But the stage quality was not bad at all. Rather… I was worried that we might lose second or third place to them.

We had the upper hand in terms of ideas, originality, and concept, but they had… a powerful fandom that would vote and view for them.

“Is Playground the only one left?”

Seong-won glanced at the clock hanging in the waiting room and asked.

The filming that started at 8 a.m. was already past 7 p.m. due to various delays.

“Yeah, it’s starting now.”

Mumbling, Yi-jun popped the popcorn that was still left in the bag into his mouth and watched the stage filled with the efforts of the chicks.

The stage of Playground, which covered a hip-hop group with a rebellious teenager concept that was called a heretic in the music industry, showed traces of their efforts as in the rehearsal.

They really worked hard, and I felt that they did their best in their choreography and arrangement with the abilities they had.

I wondered why so many people wanted to support this group, and I felt a bit of understanding.

‘But.’

That wasn’t enough. AtoX’s stage, which had chosen a concept that was too overwhelming, was much more polished in terms of completeness.

Playground, who had a particularly tense expression on their faces, seemed to falter for a moment, and ended up colliding with another member.

“Ah… oh no…”

Yi-jun let out a small sigh.

The two people who bumped into each other stumbled and lost their steps. It was neither cute nor brave. Just a mistake. They earned the sympathy of the audience, but that was all.

What I wanted to cheer for and what looked good on stage were different.

Everyone tried to look kindly at Playground, who worked hard on stage, but…

They still lacked the skills and reminded me of trainees’ stages.

“Thank you!!”

One of the members who barely finished the stage and hurried down cried out.

He was the one who caused the collision. Leader BK followed him and patted his back.

They would use this 100% for editing. I lowered my head, remembering BK crying and saying he wanted to go home in the last preview broadcast.

As the shooting ended, only one MC appeared on the screen.

[That’s it for the six teams’ stages! Now we will reveal the RULE that will decide this bloody battle!]

They announced it so quickly. I clicked my tongue and opened my ears to listen.

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