episode_0132

As soon as the theme song performance ends, the recording session begins… .

In the meantime, we had to prepare for the next stage makeup.

“Where is Ha Ye-rin’s hair manager when she’s not on standby?”

“I’m running now with the equipment!”

“Quickly change your makeup to match the concept! Quickly!”

The busiest ones were the coordination staff.

They had to prepare our hair, makeup, costumes, etc. for an hour during the recording session, so we ran around as if there was a war.

“Hey… .”

“Please stay still for a moment, Yerin.”

“… … Yes.”

As many as 5 staff members were attached to me.

Two people did makeup all over my body, including my face, one did my hair, one took my outfit and set it up, and one person taped my shoes and ankles to keep me from slipping on stage.

Thanks to this, I was able to feel like a noble lady before going to the ball.

And this… .

“Yerin, please stay still and don’t move your body. You don’t even need to answer.”

“… … .”

“I told you to stay still!”

“… Are you breathing?”

“If you exhale so loudly, the line here will collapse! Just close your eyes and breathe only once every five seconds!”

… It was really hard.

You may be wondering why it’s so difficult for you to stay quiet when all the hard work is done by the staff… , It wasn’t that difficult to stay still like a mannequin.

I was covered in so much makeup that I couldn’t even scratch the itchy spots, and the stuffy and uncomfortable clothes were an added bonus.

After barely surviving 40 minutes of hell… .

“Phew… ! It’s over!”

I was finally able to complete all preparations.

“All Team 1 members are ready! Now, Team 1, please move to the waiting room!”

I opened my eyes after hearing the staff’s words and looked around to see other team members who had already prepared everything and were waiting for me on the sofa behind them.

I was glad to get out of the hellish time and see my teammates after a long time, so I waved to them and got up.

however… .

“Phew, it’s finally over. Other people have already finished?”

“… … .”

“… … ?”

Even when the other team members saw me, they didn’t react and just stared at me blankly.

I tilted my head in doubt… .

“Hey… , why don’t you say anything… .”

“Sister… .”

Seo Yu-jin muttered with eyes that seemed somehow full of faith.

“Ji, Ji, you look so pretty right now… . no… , I’m not saying it’s not pretty in the first place… , your sister was always the prettiest in the world, but now she’s really… , in korea… , no, in the US… , no, not on this earth… , No, it’s the prettiest thing in the universe… . The true post-human goddess herself… .”

“Why are you like that… , embarrassingly… .”

After the left guard technique was added, Seo Yu-jin always praised me like this at least once.

That seemed excessive today, so I turned my head away, unable to hide my embarrassment.

Then… .

“… … Wow.”

… I was a little amazed when I saw my face in the mirror.

Even though I exaggerated a lot, my face right now is truly as beautiful as Seo Yu-jin said.

goddess… Even the expression , is probably overkill… , It feels as if the female protagonist in a cartoon has torn the book and come out into reality.

Since I was born as Ha Ye-rin, my standards for beauty have risen so high that I would rate her like this. To other people, her appearance must be unrealistic.

“… … .”

As I was staring blankly at the mirror as if I had princess disease, one of my team members came up to me and put his hand on my shoulder and said,

“… It’s over.”

“… … What ends?”

“This stage is our victory. Right now, if you show up, Yerin, everyone, male and female, will go crazy, right?”

“Put… , what is that?”

I chuckled at what she said as a joke.

Thanks to this, the other team members who were looking at me blankly also laughed wahaha and the atmosphere got hotter.

“Haha, that’s right. If Yerin is the face now, she would win just by appearing, winning.”

“… Don’t keep teasing me.”

“You’re not making fun of me, are you? She wasn’t pretty before, but now Yerin’s face is the prettiest in the world.”

“Everyone else is pretty too.”

“Wow, it is truly an honor to hear such words from the goddess!”

“Ahaha!”

“Whahaha!”

So we laughed, looked into each other’s eyes once, and opened the door to go to the waiting room.

and… .

“What?”

“Hmm?”

Everyone was shocked at the same time when they saw the person outside the door.

That’s right… .

“Unni Seol… ?”

“Seol-ah?”

What’s waiting for us outside Team 1’s makeup room… , because it was none other than the opposing team’s rumor.

“Seol-ah, why are you here… ?”

“Your team is ahead of us. Shouldn’t we go get ready for the stage now?”

For reference, through the mini-game played yesterday, the 2 teams that Yoo Seol belongs to performed on stage ahead of us.

There are only about 10 minutes left in the green room, so Team 2 has to wait backstage and prepare for the stage, but Yu Seol, the actual leader of Team 2, is here?

As the team members, including me, looked at us with eyes filled with doubt, Yoo Seol spoke with a somewhat impatient expression.

“Definitely… , I have something to say… .”

“What to say? What are you saying?”

“That… .”

Soon, Yu Seol hesitated and… .

Sigh.

“… !”

He pointed at me and continued speaking.

“To Yerin… , I have something to say to Yerin personally… .”

“… … .”

“Perhaps… , can you make some space for me?”

Team 2, which Yu Seol belongs to, had to go to the backstage right now, and Team 1 also had to move to the waiting room.

If you think about it, there is no time to talk to us personally right now.

but… .

“Huh? please… .”

Yu Seol’s face looks so desperate… .

“Please… .”

I didn’t dare refuse her offer.

**

Yu Seol and I hurriedly moved to an empty waiting room where no one was coming.

“… … .”

“… … .”

Yu Seol said she had something to say to me, but when we were alone, she looked hesitant and couldn’t talk to me easily.

As the atmosphere became awkward, I spoke to Yu Seol first.

“Sister, you look very pretty today.”

“… … .”

Yoo Seol was dressed up in a teen look with a Y2K sensibility to match the song concept of Team 2.

With the addition of fashion and makeup that matched the concept, the already beautiful Yoo Seol was so pretty that she really shined.

But did my praise feel burdensome?

Yu Seol didn’t respond to anything I said.

This made me feel awkward for a moment… .

dump.

“… … Sister?”

“… Yerin.”

Yu Seol suddenly kneeled down to me.

As I was taken aback by the sudden situation, Yu Seol spoke in a sorrowful voice.

“… Mom is very sick.”

“… … .”

“I need to get emergency surgery quickly, but I can’t because the hospital bills are overdue… .”

“… … Sister.”

I put my hand on Yu Seol’s shoulder and tried to dissuade her, but Yu Seol, who had already lost focus in her eyes, continued to speak gibberish.

“Byeo, I somehow convinced him that he would pay the hospital expenses with his winning prize money.”

“… … .”

“, if I win this time, I have to somehow raise money for my mom’s hospital expenses… .”

Yu Seol, who said that, looked shabby and small, like a puppy getting wet in the rain.

“Help me… , Yerin… .”

“… … .”

“I… , I have to win somehow this time… .”

There were no tears in Yu Seol’s eyes.

There was only desperation in a place where pride, self-esteem, pride, etc. were all gone.

“Please… , please… .”

There was only one thing Yu Seol was talking about right now.

That he must win in Naaah.

And the reason you tell this only to me is… .

‘Are you asking me to ruin the stage on purpose?’

Understanding what he meant, I gritted my teeth and clenched my fists.

The Yoo Seol I knew was never the type of person to ask for something like this.

The situation surrounding her now… , that was what made her like this.

‘And I know the circumstances of such rumors better than anyone else.’

After the last contest, I unexpectedly overheard Yoo Seol’s phone call and learned about Yoo Seol’s situation through Kang Hyeongman.

‘They said the hospital bills were significantly behind and urgent surgery was needed.’

‘… … .’

‘If Yerin is your close friend… , Shall I solve it for you?’

‘No, boss. I can’t bother my boss again with my work. instead… .’

What I can say to Yoo Seol now is… .

chin.

“Sister. Don’t say things like that.”

“… … Yerin.”

“My sister and I are competitors. … What are you doing by showing your weakness to your competitors even before the contest?”

“… … .”

“If there’s something you want… , if that’s what you desperately want… .”

I strengthened the hand holding Yu Seol’s shoulder and continued speaking.

“Let your sister win and get it. You have the ability to do that.”

“… … .”

“Do your best to beat me. Because I will do my best to beat you too.”

Deliberately ruining the stage for someone’s personal reasons?

That was impossible.

Because it was disrespectful to the viewers who have seen Naah so far, the fans who came here in person, the team members, and both me and Yu Seol.

Since we had come this far, there was only one thing we could do.

Showing the fans the best stage that will leave no regrets.

No matter how pitiful Yu Seol’s situation was, her personal circumstances could not hinder our final conversation.

“… … .”

Was my intention conveyed to her?

Slur-.

It felt as if Yu Seol’s eyes, which had been dark with desperation and urgency, were shining again.

“… Yes.”

Yu Seol immediately straightened his knees and stood up.

“… All I have to do now is do my best to finish the performance.”

And then… .

Come on.

He hugged me lightly and whispered so as not to ruin my hair and makeup.

“… I’m sorry.”

“… Sister.”

“… I didn’t mean to disrespect you. The situation is so urgent… , guess what happened to my head… .”

“… … .”

“I promised… , I promised that I would not do anything dirty or mean and that I would win only with my skills… .”

And when he raised his head again, Yu Seol’s eyes were shining brightly with firm will and determination.

“I’ll do my best, Yerin. Stay tuned. Because I will show you everything.”

Then I smiled slightly and nodded.

“Now you’re like a big sister.”

“… … .”

At those words, Yu Seol patted my shoulder once and quickly turned around.

“… I’m sorry for dragging you on so suddenly. I think my stage is about to start now, so I’ll go quickly.”

“Yes, please come back.”

Squeak.

“Oh, wait, sister.”

“… Huh?”

I called her one last time before the rumor went out. And said.

“I was lucky to meet my sister at Naaa. I always had fun competing with my sister… , I was always resentful.”

“… … .”

“Thank you for hanging out so far, good luck to the end.”

Yu Seol also slightly raised the corner of his mouth and responded to my last sincere greeting.

A small, flawless smile appeared on her still worried face.

“I’ve been sorry too. and… .”

“… … .”

“… Thank you, I am lucky to have met you.”

Yu Seol, feeling a little embarrassed, left those words and went out with his red-tinted ears.

A status window was floating behind her.

[The hidden effect of the main character’s characteristic, ‘Awakening,’ is activated.]

Awakening of the hidden effect of the main character who led me to defeat in the last contest.

I thought I had awakened a sleeping monster for no reason… , I didn’t regret it that much.

Because this contest was the last competition between Yoo Seol and me.

The rivalry between her and me that started in episode 1 of Naaah ends today.

At that moment, past memories with Yu Seol flashed through my mind like a panorama.

Good memories too… , bad memories too… , converging into one will.

The will to beat my dear competitor.

I will do my best to beat Yu Seol.

Yu Seol probably feels the same way as me.

What remains now is whose feelings are conveyed more earnestly to the fans.

I thought as I watched the back of Yu Seol leaving.

Whoever wins… , this final competition will be a stage with no regrets.