Chapter 203
– Kim Chunyong: …You chose me because I had the highest chance of failing?
– X: Well, basically? We’re a company after all, we need to turn a profit right?
– X: What if everyone just succeeds all full of fire and becomes the greatest idol in K-pop history? Whoa, that’d be a HUGE loss for the company
– X: There IS something we gain when I provide Support and you achieve your Objectives too tho lol
– X: Basically we go to people who… in the end won’t reach the finish line?
– X: Anyway… yeah, that’s how it is? Don’t be upset okay
– X: These reasons don’t mean that everything I’ve supported you with wasn’t sincere
– X: Remember? When I was absolutely livid thinking you might get eliminated? Lol
– X: I genuinely like you…
‘I hope you debut and keep hitting every milestone after that!’
Thump, thump, thump…
The sound from before the first video returned.
“…Hoo.”
Kim Chunyong thought it must be eerily similar to the sound of his own heartbeat right now, and opened his eyes wide.
The tears that had pooled despite his efforts had already evaporated.
Right. This was not the time for tears. Tears were a luxury.
If the malicious member was marked from the start as most likely to fail, now he is going to debut somehow and then atone for everything afterward. Thrashing and fighting should take priority over weeping and agonizing.
And that moment had now arrived at his doorstep.
* * *
After more than two hours of filming, it wasn’t just the cast and crew who were wearing thin.
Two thousand standing seats. Four thousand reserved seats.
An audience that could be described as the combined fanbases of every small idol group rolled into one, and that wasn’t an exaggeration.
No, in fact, they were idol group fans.
If the Targeting Star trainees they supported debuted under the name ToZ—Zenon—they would naturally become those fans.
‘Oh god, it’s really almost time. It’s really happening!’
Kim Jieun was momentarily overwhelmed yet terrified by that realization, and gently shook the shoulder of the person dying on her feet beside her and whispered.
“NBML, I think they’re really about to announce the debut members…”
“…Yeah.”
NBML’s face was ghostly white with exhaustion, but she gripped her white telephoto camera tighter and murmured.
“It would be nice… if he made it…”
With Liu Wei, whose last confirmed mid-ranking was 4th, dropping out, one could argue it meant an opening in the debut lineup. A good thing, right?
But by that point, Liu Wei’s ranking had already been falling.
‘Our Chunyong’s mid-ranking was 8th. And while the response afterward was good… Ahn Jin Woo, who was 7th, also performed well on the same team, so nobody knows how it’ll turn out.’
One person out, another one in.
But there were two candidates for that spot.
That was what was making NBML suffer right now.
“…Are you okay?”
“Hm?”
“No, it’s just… I think you’ve been pushing yourself too hard since dawn. Your expression is really concerning.”
At Jieun’s words, NBML touched her own stiff cheeks and fell silent.
Of course she was exhausted.
All this time, she had been following a system where she filmed survival show trainees only during competition periods, then waited on standby until the next survival show started.
A hobby she considered quite efficient, by her own estimation.
‘…And yet here I am, trembling and nervous over whether a single trainee debuts or not. Making all sorts of fan goods.’
She let out a hollow laugh, gazing at the high-quality fabric cheering slogan banner clutched tightly in Kim Jieun’s hands.
[My Spring ♬ CY]
The Kim Chunyong on the banner still had black hair, unlike the man on the stage.
NBML hadn’t been able to attend the live audience taping when Chunyong dyed his hair, and this was the first performance since then.
‘I picked the photo I thought was the prettiest. And still, I can’t help feeling it’s not enough.’
Without realizing it, NBML murmured to Kim Jieun, who had been by her side all day.
“Um, Yongyongguri.”
“Yes, yes!”
“Earlier, when you were helping me hand out the cheering handfans, you mentioned that you saw Chunyong at the practice studio where he works part-time. Before he went on Targeting Star. And that’s where you got his autograph.”
“Oh, yes.”
“Could you… tell me a bit more about that? Before they officially announce the debut members.”
Caught off guard by NBML’s sudden calm, Jieun briefly thought, ‘Oh no, is she befriending me just to dig up personal info? Is this why they say online friendships are scary?’
“Hearing that might help me calm down a little.”
But seeing something almost wistful in NBML’s expression, Jieun quietly nodded and began to whisper.
“There’s a place called Hanmaeum Private Practice Studio… He was practicing his song for the first mentor evaluation on Targeting Star. Even then, I thought he was really handsome and a great dancer. And then he actually ended up on the show, like he said he would…”
“……”
NBML listened quietly, mulling over Jieun’s words.
Then she organized her thoughts.
‘Ah, this might be the end.’
‘You were still the best, Chunyong. Even if you don’t debut, I’ll…’
And at that exact moment—
“Oh, right! There’s one thing I really can’t forget.”
Kim Jieun’s bright voice pierced through NBML’s reverie.
“The dance he did back then, it was already really, genuinely good, you know? But Chunyong, with his eyes sparkling so brightly…”
“……”
“He said he wanted to do even better.”
Kim Jieun’s eyes, as she said this, were catching the light now pouring onto the stage, gleaming like glass marbles.
“That’s why I thought to myself, ‘I really hope someone like this will become an idol.’ That’s when I became Chunyong’s fan.”
So…
“I know you’ve worked really hard and you must be tired… but let’s cheer for Chunyong together until the very end today! If he debuts, you’ll have even more stages to photograph!”
Hearing Jieun’s words, NBML bowed her head low.
Embarrassment and admiration rushed in all at once.
‘I thought I was the person who cheered for Chunyong the most in the whole world.’
It wasn’t just her.
All the people here. Among them, everyone who had received Kim Chunyong’s cheering fans and cheering slogan banners from NBML.
They were all desperately hoping for Kim Chunyong’s debut.
‘Thinking about the end before it’s even here… I’m so pathetic I could die.’
Then all of a sudden…
“…Yongyongguri, come over here. Closer to the fence.”
“Y-yes?”
NBML grabbed Kim Jieun’s wrist and pulled her firmly to the front, speaking in a resolute voice.
“I need to photograph Chunyong debuting from here on out. I’d really appreciate your help, Yongyongguri.”
“…Let’s do it!”
With Kim Jieun’s help, NBML secured a good angle for photography and glared at the letters slowly rising on the electronic display board behind the stage, teeth clenched.
<ToZ – Target of Zenón>
<Now Targeting… ▷ Début>
“Now then, let’s announce the trainees’ rankings one by one!”
Choi Gaon’s emcee call, and the roar of the crowd…
‘That’s right. I can’t let the only data I have be black-haired Chunyong. Red, blonde, even blue if it comes to it!’
I’ll photograph every last bit of your debuted self, Chunyong.
NBML’s shutter began firing furiously.
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