Chapter 185
At my words signaling the end of our call, Kim Nari suddenly began fumbling around as if something was wrong.
She hesitantly reached for something inside her casual jacket pocket, where the Si Woo badge was pinned, but stopped abruptly and cleared her throat.
– “Ugh, I wrote something like a… letter? But my friends would tease me if they saw it broadcasted. So, I’ll just summarize it instead.”
Awkwardly messing with her hair, looking thoroughly embarrassed, Nari slowly opened her mouth, clearly mouthing the words so I could read them:
You’re doing a good job.
– “You’ll definitely debut. So hang in there, Kim Chunyong. Everyone in the family is rooting for you. I’m serious, from the bottom of my heart.”
“…….”
– “…Aaaahhh! Argh! Argh! So embarrassing!”
Click….
Even after Nari’s scream abruptly ended, I remained frozen for a long moment.
So, that girl…
She just encouraged me to do well.
My little sister did.
When I just sat still, the assistant director, who had earlier struggled to suppress his laughter,
cautiously approached and placed a gentle hand on my shoulder.
“…Uh, Trainee Kim Chunyong. The call is over. You can head back now.”
“…Ah, yes! Sorry. Haha, I was just spacing out for a second because of my sister…”
Leaving the room and walking through the trainee facility, I gradually felt my mind clearing.
Because my family cheered me on.
Because I’d already returned after experiencing deep regret, this time I truly needed to do well.
…Even to the point of debut.
Suppressing the smile on my lips, I quickened my pace.
The call, which felt like a dream, was now over, so it was time to refocus on reality.
After today’s trainee video call filming, the next broadcast, the final episode before the live show, would air in three days.
Once that ended, the live broadcast text voting would begin, finally determining the debuting members.
[AG C&T Corporation @HARDWARE_store
(Photo) (Photo)
AG’s pride! Targeting Star’s ace! Participate in the live text-voting event for Son Jae Ha’s debut.
On the live broadcast day, send ‘Son Jae Ha’ or ‘Jae Ha’ to #0022, upload a photo as proof via the link below, and win prizes ♡]
[불났어요불 @fireworksday
Are you all seriously content with 2nd place? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Everyone knows the importance of debuting at #1 in an idol survival;; Why is no one enthusiastically fundraising for the live text-voting event? Ugh, I might as well throw in another million won myself.]
[⎿I think you accidentally posted from the wrong account…]
[⎿⎿Does this person not use SNS often? Why do they keep making account mistakes;; Please delete quickly, it’s disrespectful to other trainees’ fandoms.]
[BANG in My Heart @YooouchanAA
(Photo) (Photo)
For Yu Chan’s debut! Billboard ads placed near Yu Chan’s alma mater, Hankuk University Station ♡
Ads will run until the live broadcast, please show lots of interest ♡]
[⎿The billboard ad went to a university he doesn’t even attend lol]
Based on the social media and community reactions, my former Arrows members and Logan seemed solidly within debut range already.
With my hair dyed and a decent stage performance, I’d received good responses myself. Assuming I was currently around 7th place…
Realistically, I’d only debut if Liu Wei’s ranking completely collapsed after the fiancé scandal.
“…Haaah.”
Thus, the memory card containing Liu Wei’s voice, potentially decisive evidence, had caused me considerable headaches.
How should I use it?
Distributing it myself was far too risky, and I had no idea how to edit out the parts where I appeared.
Then should I entrust it to someone else?
If so, who should that person be?
I’d already owed a favor to Gao Yan’s older brother, but with the live broadcast right around the corner, I couldn’t rely on favors anymore.
At least right now, I needed someone who clearly favored me, someone who’d shift the focus entirely onto Liu Wei, keeping me out of the spotlight.
“I think it’d be good if you personally saw this, PD-nim.”
“…Is that so? Haha, Chunyong. I get why you brought it to me. But why me specifically? Any particular reason?”
“You’re looking at me favorably now.”
“…….”
“Haha. I’m not exactly the brightest guy, but I’m pretty good at telling when someone likes or dislikes me.”
I’m counting on you.
Thus, the card I chose to play was PD Joo.
We had a terrible history, and deep down, I hadn’t fully resolved my anger toward him yet, but…
As Gao Yan once said, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.
Thinking back to the conversation I’d overheard near the smoking area before the ‘Crucial Boy’ stage, PD Joo currently held strong negative feelings toward Director Shin.
Besides, since returning, strangely, he’d been favoring me.
If this could become a powerful weapon in his hands, the memory card I handed over would become an excellent card for him to play.
Honestly, though, all these reasons were mostly just me rationalizing it to myself.
It was essentially a gamble, tossed out in the urgency of the upcoming live broadcast.
But I could tell immediately that it was working.
“Who’s after Trainee Kim Joo An’s video call?”
“Um, I believe it’s Liu… Wei next.”
“Ah, that trainee isn’t in the facility right now. Should we call the next trainee first? I’ll check if their guardian’s available for the call.”
Liu Wei wasn’t in the trainee facility right now.
Given that his entire family was in China, the only place he could have gone was his agency.
…Specifically.
… To Director Shin Ki Ho’s office.
Discussion
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The suspense is killing me.
kcyfan1000