episode_0019

Throughout the performance of the 100 participants, there had never been overlapping songs.

Does this make sense logically? It was hard to see it as a mere coincidence.

So, what does this mean?

It means that the production team controlled the songs of the participants.

They must have asked the participants in advance what songs they would perform on stage and if there were any overlaps, they would have prevented it or recommended a different song.

But now, my stage song overlapped with Yu Seol’s.

Above all, the producers were looking at the stage with greedy eyes, as if enjoying it.

‘Those devils of ratings…!’

They clearly knew in advance that my song and Yu Seol’s would overlap. And they left it that way.

To compare me and Yu Seol and showcase it for broadcast time.

‘Chilling, really.’

If I had shown a stage performance of a lower standard, I would have been compared directly to Yu Seol and faced the criticism of the viewers.

-Haha, she has a pretty face but can’t dance well.

-Being compared to Yu Seol. Looks like you need a lot of practice.

-These days, if you have a pretty face, everyone tries to become an idol.

└Honestly, Yu Seol seems prettier even in terms of looks.

└For real, haha.

These would have been the kind of reactions.

But I had successfully finished my stage.

Now it was Yu Seol who had to prove her dancing skills.

‘Let’s see how good she really is.’

Before entering the stage, she challenged me with a smirk.

I was keen on seeing if she could show dance skills that matched her attitude.

And I wasn’t the only one thinking that.

The participants, as well as the judges, seemed curious about what kind of stage Yu Seol would show compared to mine.

And with the biggest interest and attention gathered in history, the final grade evaluation began.

-Will you spend this night with me?

“….!!!”

And as the first verse flowed, everyone flinched.

The reason was the completely different tone of voice from the previous stage.

“The tone of voice…”

“…has changed.”

When she sang Cindy’s “Letter of the Moon and the Lake” earlier, a serene atmosphere and a pure tone stood out.

But now her voice was sticky, even seductive.

Like a gumiho whispering in your ear while swaying its tail.

With the changed tone of voice, the atmosphere had completely reversed from before.

If the previous performance was an acoustic concert with a guitar… now it was a dance singer’s performance with flashy lights late at night.

Truly, Yu Seol’s vocals were that outstanding.

But does that mean her dancing skills were lacking? Not at all.

-Not enough, time is

-Will you be with me?

“The choreography is different…”

Yu Seol’s choreography was different from the original.

If the original choreography focused on gentle movements and a dreamy atmosphere, slow and monotonous…

Swoosh-.

Now Yu Seol’s choreography had a faster pace, giving a more cheerful feeling.

But even with the increased pace, it didn’t deviate from the original mood.

-Needed, you

-I can’t do it without you.

Here, her facial expressions shone.

Her intense expression combined with the fast-paced choreography… it was staged as if she was pursuing someone.

“….”

Until now, I had thought that acting skills were not necessary for being an idol, only dance and singing were important.

But Yu Seol’s stage was shouting that my thoughts were wrong.

The details contained in Yu Seol’s small face.

It changed the atmosphere and direction of the stage into something else.

-24 hours.

Everyone watched Yu Seol’s stage as if entranced.

…I was no exception.

‘…How was my stage?’

While watching Yu Seol’s stage, I compared it to my own.

Was my stage as glamorous as that? Did my stage shine as brightly?

…It didn’t seem like it.

‘…Darn.’

A feeling of embarrassment washed over me.

Why did I believe in myself so much that I thought I could rival Yu Seol? Just because I received a few compliments from the judges…

The difference in skill between me and Yu Seol was as clear as day.

Whether it was talent or experience, I had nothing that put me above her.

Oh… I felt embarrassed.

And…

Frustrated.

My heart felt a pang of something indescribable in that moment.

I didn’t realize it before, but now I could identify the feeling.

A sense of defeat.

What I was feeling now was a bitter sense of defeat.

“Ugh….”

The more I watched Yu Seol’s performance, the more apparent the gap between us became.

It was incredibly painful, but… I didn’t turn away from her stage.

If I turned away now… no matter how much time passed, I knew I wouldn’t be able to catch up to her.

Growth always begins after recognizing one’s own shortcomings.

Despite the difficulty of feeling defeated… I decided to use this opportunity to truly feel the gap between Yu Seol and myself.

That moment.

“….!”

As Yu Seol and I locked eyes again before the final chorus, she continued her dance moves with a seductive expression… but as soon as our eyes met…

She subtly raised the corners of her mouth.

Of course… she was aware of me as well.

And… it seemed like she knew.

She knew what emotions I was harboring at the moment… and which of us was more skilled.

“…Was Yu Seol always like this?”

When I saw her on the broadcast in my past life, I thought she was just kind, cute, and quiet.

Now, she seemed like a troublemaker and a villain.

“….Damn.”

But I still didn’t turn away from Yu Seol’s antics.

I didn’t curse at her with my mouth.

Instead… I spoke through my eyes.

‘Next time, I’ll beat you.’

Whether she understood the meaning behind my gaze or not, Yu Seol seemed to forget about her performance on stage and flashed a bright smile.

That sight… was quite irritating.

**

“With this… I will conclude.”

“….”

As Yu Seol finished her performance, Han Siwoo had to cover his open mouth to prevent himself from struggling.

For Han Siwoo, Yu Seol’s stage was more than just shocking and terrifying.

“Is this the skill of a trainee…?”

In the entertainment industry, there are many cases where talented individuals fail to debut due to bad luck.

But even that was a different story.

“Why didn’t JJ debut her?”

Yu Seol’s skill was definitely not that of a trainee. No? If she debuted right now, she would be at the top of the current idol rankings.

Han Siwoo did not take lightly the responsibility of being the overall producer of NAA.

He carefully selected individuals to debut based on their evaluations.

And among them, Yu Seol was undoubtedly the top choice.

Without Yu Seol, the debut lineup of NAA would be unimaginable.

“If there are no unfortunate incidents, she will definitely debut.”

Thinking so, Han Siwoo took the microphone.

“Just like your performance earlier, it was truly impressive. You managed to sing and dance simultaneously without missing a beat. The choreography seemed different from the original stage… did you create it yourself?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Even with exceptional creative abilities…

Han Siwoo couldn’t help but admire.

“Above all, the detailed gestures and facial expressions combined to create a shining stage.”

“T-Thank you…!”

In response to Han Siwoo’s consecutive compliments, Yu Seol’s expression seemed genuinely touched.

Han Siwoo instinctively felt that Yu Seol was in the midst of a touching performance.

Of course, he didn’t feel bad about it.

Even that false attitude… was one of the virtues that an idol must possess.

With that, Han Siwoo chuckled once and began to give his final remarks…

“Anyway, well done. The most memorable stage among today’s participants…!”

…He paused for a moment, as if recalling something.

Han Siwoo had just been about to say…

“Today’s most memorable stage among the participants was…”

However, as he tried to say those words, another participant who covered , came to mind.

Hye Ye-rin from Hyungje Planning.

Honestly, objectively speaking, in terms of the completeness of the stage, Yoo Seol was the clear winner.

Even if Hye Ye-rin’s potential for growth and genius were highly regarded, Yoo Seol’s current skills were superior.

But if asked which stage was more memorable…

……

“…Today, Yoo Seol’s performance was one of the most memorable stages among the participants.”

“Yes, thank you!”

After Han Siwoo said that and put down the microphone, another judge began their evaluation.

“Now that Han Siwoo’s evaluation is done, I’ll continue next. Firstly, the dance lines were so beautiful…”

Swish.

As Han Siwoo’s evaluation ended, the camera started focusing on the other judges instead of him.

Meanwhile, Han Siwoo discreetly glanced towards Hye Ye-rin in the 99th seat.

She was looking at Yoo Seol with a slightly gloomy and resentful expression.

‘Oh, did you feel the wall in Yoo Seol’s performance.’

Certainly, that was possible.

But…

‘Right now, you have something better than Yoo Seol.’

That is how strongly you remain in the memories of the audience.

In that aspect, Hye Ye-rin’s presence stood out among the participants with a unique destructive power.

In Han Siwoo’s opinion, Hye Ye-rin’s greatest weapon was her charm that unknowingly captivated those around her like a succubus.

So, even though Yoo Seol might seem ahead of her right now…

By the end, the results could be reversed.

As Han Siwoo thought about this, the other judges finished evaluating Yoo Seol.

They gathered together as if to discuss and then announced Yoo Seol’s grade.

Yoo Seol’s grade was…

“JJ Entertainment’s participant Yoo Seol’s grade is an A.”

…Naturally, it was an A.

“Me, me?! Th-thank you!!”

Even though the result was obvious, Yoo Seol reacted as if she didn’t know she would receive an A and returned to her seat.

Han Siwoo chuckled once more at her shamelessness and picked up the microphone.

“Now, with this, the grade evaluations are…”

Now that Yoo Seol was the last one to finish the grade evaluations, he tried to move on to the next part of the program.

But…

Rustling.

“Quickly turn the camera! Hurry!”

“…?”

Suddenly, there was a commotion, and the production crew outside the stage started filming not Han Siwoo holding the microphone, but what was behind him.

Han Siwoo and the other judges turned their heads in confusion, and there…

“….!”

…Hye Ye-rin was holding onto Yoo Seol, who was heading back to the 1st seat.

**

I really don’t know why I did that.

Was it because I was frustrated by the huge gap between Yoo Seol and me? Or was it because her face seemed to mock me?

…I don’t know.

When I came to my senses, I was blocking Yoo Seol’s path…

“….?”

My mouth was opening automatically.

“…I really enjoyed your performance today.”

Woong-.

The camera rushed to capture this moment, but I didn’t stop my mouth from speaking.

“…Next time, I’ll show a better side of myself too.”

This meant… that I would definitely win next time.

“….”

Whether she understood my intention or not, at that moment, Yoo Seol’s face changed into something unadorned.

Then, as if she realized the camera, she returned to her innocent face and…

“Yes, let’s both do well.”

She smiled and reached out her hand to me.

Without hesitation, I grabbed her hand.

Her smile was warm like sunshine, but her hand was cold as its name suggested.

Was that why?

While holding her hand, I felt as if there were only the two of us in this world.

Meeting one’s destined rival must feel like this. My heart tingled.

In this world, there are countless rivalries.

Jegal Ryang and Ju Yu.

Im Yohwan and Hong Jinho.

And now, this is…

Yoo Seol and Ha Yerin.

The moment when the two of us, with our long-standing history of rivalry, carved our names into the annals of history.