Chapter 205
Shin Ki Ho’s gaze darkened as he alternated his gaze between those faces, the secretary from Logan’s parents sitting behind them, and Do Jae Chan.
In the end, at the very last…
If there was no escape route, then digging your own tunnel was the very essence of being a businessman, was it not?
Shin Ki Ho soon rose carefully from his seat.
The original plan had been to take stock of every debut member, to figure out how to work with them to salvage at least a slightly-less-sweet candy to suck on, but….
“I’ll head out first.”
“…Without watching to the end? Honestly, and you call yourself a Director.”
“It’s precisely because I am a Director that I’m leaving now. Because I’ve realized I can’t leave AG just yet.”
“That kind of talk is the problem.”
“The problem…”
Will come when I actually leave AG.
“…won’t arise for now.”
This was effectively Shin Ki Ho’s declaration of defeat to Do Jae Chan.
That after doing everything he could to turn the Chinese investors’ hearts around, he would not attempt to grab a rope that may or may not be rotten.
Even so, at that pride which refused to break to the very end, President Do Jae Chan clicked his tongue, tilted his head back once, and said at his leisure:
“…You’re tough as nails. But surely you won’t be satisfied unless you at least see first and sixth place? This is the program you were in charge of, after all.”
“The first place that’s about to be announced is obvious, so….”
Amid the introduction echoing through the indoor gymnasium… ‘The ultimate ace who has never once disappointed the fans,’ Shin Ki Ho shrugged.
“…As I said before, I believe I already know who sixth place is.”
With those final words, the retreating back of Shin Ki Ho leaving the VIP section was the same as always.
Dragging his heels slightly. Yet confident, with long strides.
Just as Do Jae Chan watched him go and assessed him as ‘a man who gets the job done once he has a goal, one way or another’…
“Congratulations! First place, Trainee Son Jae Ha!”
Fireworks reserved solely for first place burst into the air, and the debut of the trainee Do Jae Chan had believed in and cherished was decided.
“Jae Ha, you worked hard!”
Sending thunderous applause and words of encouragement his way, Do Jae Chan slowly shifted his gaze to the opposite side of the stage.
Toward the final candidate for Zenon’s last member who would soon be decided.
* * *
After giving his first-place speech…
The first people Jae Ha hugged were, naturally, Si Woo and Hwa Sung. The ones who had trained alongside him at AG and whose debuts had just been confirmed.
“Jae Ha hyung…!”
“…Thank you, guys.”
There was no need to explain the bond they had built.
Within that vague fear of not knowing when they might ever debut, there existed emotions that only those who had practiced side by side could share.
That was precisely why I chose not to approach them, opting instead to applaud for them from behind.
Hugs could happen later.
What mattered right now was…
“Now, only one spot remains among the debut members.”
Just as Choi Gaon said with a voice slightly hoarse from the marathon filming, it was time to reveal the final sixth-place spot.
“Let’s meet the candidates for this spot right now! Let’s have a look at the screen!”
Up until this point, I wasn’t that nervous.
Even as Jin Woo and I appeared on a split screen and the audience let out gasps, I was fine.
But the moment my hands began to tremble came for me regardless.
Right before heading to the front of the stage for the final debut member announcement, when I had a brief exchange with the other trainees who had been through it all with me.
To be precise…
“Chunyong!”
“Chunyong, aniki…!”
It was when my flatmates, the ones I’d shared a room with throughout the entire Targeting Star shoot, came up to me.
Logan was already seated in the designated fourth-place spot the production team had prepared, so he couldn’t come to my side, but those big, glistening puppy-dog eyes told me everything.
That he hoped we’d debut together.
That he wanted to debut together.
“Naturally, as the main character of this world, this final spot should belong to Gao Yan, but… Chunyong is someone who shared friendship with Gao Yan. I can yield this once. The true protagonist always appears last. He shows up alone, magnificently, when the time is absolutely right. That is Gao Yan’s path: the Silk Road.”
“Gao Yan, that’s absolutely no help at a critical moment like this!”
“Now, now, Ryota. Right now, Gao Yan is breathing courage into Chunyong, telling him he will absolutely debut!”
“Haha, you guys….”
After watching Gao Yan and Ryota banter right up to the very last moment, I carefully parted my lips.
“…Thank you.”
Ah.
These kind souls who cheered me on with all their hearts and gave me courage, even knowing they themselves wouldn’t debut.
Ryota, who always called me “aniki” no matter what, and Gao Yan, the man from Hong Kong who had supported me in every possible way.
It was certain that I had been able to endure this grueling survival show precisely because these guys were here.
“…It’ll be quick. You know that, right? And even for me right now, it’s not certain—”
“Chunyong, are you kidding me? Your debut is practically a done deal. …This better not reach Ahn Jin Woo over there!”
“Seriously, you need to make a habit of keeping your voice down, Gao Yan. Anyway, Chunyong, aniki.”
You really will be able to debut.
“Now then, let us invite trainee Ahn Jin Woo and trainee Kim Chunyong to the front of the stage!”
I flashed a thumbs-up at Ryota, who had spoken to me last.
Then I stood at the front of the stage, side by side with Jin Woo.
A subtle tension hung between us, but I didn’t have the mental bandwidth to keep dwelling on it.
Because far in the distance, I could faintly make out the figures of my family, seated in the VIP section.
Debut. A past I had returned to.
And the atonement I would carry out.
“Now, let us make the announcement!”
This moment is the one that would determine whether I’d fall back into those horrific days as a malicious member, or turn the page to a new chapter alongside those Zenon members sitting right there.
“Kim Chunyong!”
I squeezed my eyes shut at the faint sound of my family’s voices and silently whispered a small prayer.
Thinking of Arrows, my family. And all the others I had caused endless trouble for.
…That I hadn’t paid it all back yet.
Please let me stay a little longer… Let me do more.
I….
“The trainee who will become ToZ, Target of Zenon’s final member is!”
And the very moment Choi Gaon’s lips parted—
“——!!”
My vision flashed blinding white.
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