Chapter 204
Even amid the live broadcast set, where no one dared guess when it might end, Choi Gaon maintained steadfast composure.
“…Yes! And it was Targeting Star’s unique point system, wasn’t it? After adding up all the points earned from missions, the six trainees with the highest total scores will debut as ToZ, Target of Zenon!”
The first name called was the one in fifth place.
“A trainee who has amazed countless people with a heart as big as his vocal range and singing ability.”
When they heard this description, only one person came to mind.
The pride of Hankuk University’s Applied Music Department, the man who’d been on the receiving end of comments like, ‘His face doesn’t scream singer, yet somehow the man’s a miraculous vocalist,’ and ‘Who knows, maybe he can hit eight octaves.’
Among Targeting Star’s Korean trainees, the only complete non-professional contestant.
“—Trainee Bang Yu Chan! Congratulations!”
“Oh, woah!”
WAAAAAAH!
Bang Yu Chan, who had been standing with hands clasped and head deeply bowed, poured out overwhelming emotions in a voice flushed with excitement.
“Oh, I-I honestly… didn’t think I’d debut. Dancing was something I’d never properly learned. I barely even had a real trainee period, so….”
Bang Yu Chan truly believed that about himself. But…
“What are you talking about! If not you, then who’s going to sing, Yu Chan!!”
“Bang Yu Chan! Bang Yu Chan!”
Among everyone present at that venue, not a single person had believed Bang Yu Chan wouldn’t make it.
A rare and precious master vocalist as main vocal. A handsome face, and on top of that, great proportions?
Yeah, there was simply no way this guy doesn’t debut.
“Right, right. Having one regular person in there gives it a nice feel. And that guy really does sing well. Hmm, even if he hadn’t come on this survival show, I think he would’ve passed our company auditions.”
Even the agency executives who’d been desperate to get their AG trainees into the debut lineup agreed.
Shin Ki Ho was sitting right beside Do Jae Chan and hearing every word, he squeezed his eyes shut and muttered.
“…President Do.”
“Hm? Oh? Oh, yes. Director Shin. What is it?”
“The announcement order has been changed.”
“…Ah.”
Normally, survival show debut member announcements start from the very last position.
In other words, for Targeting Star, they would typically begin from sixth place.
Because what people most wanted to see was who took first place and how many votes they received.
And yet…
They had deliberately pushed sixth place to the back and started the announcements from the relatively predictable fifth place?
The implication was clear.
An expectation that whoever debuted in sixth would draw public attention.
Or rather a decision to make sure they did.
“I can roughly guess who sixth place is.”
“How can you be so sure? Our Jin Woo did pretty well too, didn’t he? You can’t know who’ll be sixth until the very end.”
“Y-you’re right.”
‘The fact that not a single trainee I wanted is among the debut members was not part of the plan.’
Shin Ki Ho barely managed to keep his teeth from grinding and pressed his fingers against his throbbing forehead.
Originally, there should have been a trainee up there that Director Shin had been pushing.
Well, it didn’t have to be Liu Wei specifically. Just any trainee who could elevate his standing within the company and provide the leverage to transition to his own agency.
But once the plan had been derailed, it had spiraled at some point in a direction Shin Ki Ho could no longer control.
Where it all went wrong, what he should have done to prevent this situation…
‘All of this, because of that…’
“Director Shin, wouldn’t it be better to stop with the useless thoughts? You really do think too much. That’s exactly why you end up missing things like announcements being made right in front of you.”
And then a voice sliced through Shin Ki Ho’s thoughts, forcing its way into his ears.
President Do Jae Chan wore an expression that was faintly mocking as he jerked his chin toward the stage. The trainee who had just been announced as fourth place and was bouncing around in wild excitement.
“‘The sensational guitar boy from Liverpool.’ It’s nice when you can tell who it is just from the description alone. Don’t you think?”
“……”
Logan’s face was bright with joy and excitement, as he gave his speech in a jumbled mix of English and Korean.
“Um, and also! Oh, my flatmate! It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime, incredible experience. Holy… Living with someone like this, communicating, that kind of life is so precious to me. I truly mean it!”
I’ll remember it forever….
Watching this, Shin Ki Ho’s insides twisted so badly that he actually felt a sharp pain.
“Guh….”
“Oh dear. See? I told you, it’s because you think too much….”
Do Jae Chan casually patted Shin Ki Ho’s back, then leaned in closer and whispered.
“Director Shin. Look at it this way. I’ve dug up something new again. Something that’s good for both of us.”
“…What are you talking about, right now?”
“The essence of your lies in pulling in investments, using them to scale up business, and never being satisfied with rising prestige. That’s why I scouted you, isn’t it? To properly grow our company.”
“……”
That was true.
When Do Jae Chan had approached Shin Ki Ho who had achieved massive success at a content startup rather than an entertainment agency, those were the exact words he’d used.
In that moment, recalling those days, Shin Ki Ho’s voice rose involuntarily.
“…You told me to grow it properly. But right now, aren’t the investors losing trust in us? Transferring Liu Wei to the next group is an utterly idiotic move. Even they aren’t fully on board at this point—”
“Shh. You’re getting too worked up at what should be a pleasant occasion. The trainees’ families are all going to start staring.”
In an instant, Do Jae Chan slung his arm firmly around Shin Ki Ho’s neck.
“Listen. I delegated the investment and management of this program to you, entrusted it entirely to you, but the reason this happened is precisely because you didn’t do it ‘properly.’ Isn’t that right?”
Why do you only look at the Chinese market?
“Just because you’re well-connected in China, you plan to ignore the Western market for the rest of your life? That won’t do. How is that properly growing the business? At the end of the day, it’s the West that has a stranglehold on the global music industry.”
“……”
“Good grief.”
When Shin Ki Ho furrowed his brow in bewilderment, Do Jae Chan thumped his own chest in exasperation and rolled his eyes, and looked upward.
Up there sat a secretary, sent by Logan’s parents.
“…One side has collapsed beyond salvaging. Then you need to look at the other side. You’re better at that kind of thing than I am, aren’t you? Try to broaden your perspective a little.”
“……”
While they were having this conversation, the stage below had already announced third and second place.
‘The youngest yet most talented. A shy but determined trainee.’
And, ‘A trainee who knows how to overwhelm an audience with explosive energy and skill.’
Jang Si Woo and Ji Hwa Sung.
Visibly flustered, Si Woo spent a long time choosing his words, and when he mentioned his older brother, actor Jang Si Won, he unconsciously let slip “big bro” in the a childish way[1], drawing a roar of adoring cheers from the baby kitten protection squad.[2]
And Ji Hwa Sung, well…
“Mom, Daad! I— I’m debuting, ugh, wahhh…. sniff, to all the fans, thank you so much. Vocal trainer, and Tae Woo hyung, who kept watching over our choreography. Jae Ha hyung, who’s been so good to me ever since I first joined AG….”
He stayed perfectly in character.
Translation Notes
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[2] ↩
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