episode_0181

Four weeks later.

“You worked hard today, sisters!”

“Good job everyone!”

This week, the Rookies’ debut album promotions were coming to an end with their appearance on a music show.

We finished our morning practice today and passed out in the waiting room, completely exhausted.

But although his body was tattered, his mind was full.

For the past month, our rookies’ “Secret Girl” has been dominating the charts and continuing its dictatorial rule at number one on music shows.

Of course… , there were problems along the way.

[The 1st place winner of the third week of July on Music Rolland is…! Congratulations! It’s Python’s !]

A few days ago, on one of the terrestrial music programs, Music Show Show…, we lost first place to Python for the first time.

In fact, it wasn’t easy for a newly debuted girl group to monopolize the number one spot on every music show for several weeks in a row.

So, our Rookies members also decided that they would no longer be able to get 1st place starting from the 3rd week… .

It was actually a shock to lose first place to Python, who had been promoting with us, rather than another rookie group.

But still… , it’s not like they lost the #1 spot on every music show, and it’s also true that our rookies set a record of being #1 on every music show for 3 weeks in a row… .

The members’ faces were filled with satisfaction.

“The past month has been incredibly hard… .”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

“But the company said they’d give me a vacation after my activities this time.”

“Huh? Really? Who said that?”

“Director Jeong!”

So now that we’re used to music rooms, we spend our long waiting times sleeping and chatting to pass the time.

but….

“… Oh, it’s almost 5 o’clock.”

“… Let’s get started now.”

As the actual broadcast time approached, I couldn’t help but feel my heart pounding.

The debut album promotions period for Rookies and Python is the same.

In other words, just like Rookies, this was Python’s last music show appearance.

During their last promotional period, our Rookies literally crushed Python, using Naaah’s explosive popularity as a driving force.

However, they lost their first place on a music show a few days ago and are now in a losing battle.

The other members, including me, wanted to finish the last music show with first place as well.

So we watched the broadcast in a slightly tense atmosphere.

Our rookies’ order was right before the ending stage. And the ending stage was Python.

“They’re really harassing us here. It’s too much… .”

“Here, Music Bbung Bbung PD was Shin PD’s direct junior. I think that person really hates Shin PD, so it’s disadvantageous to us too.”

“Wow… . We also really hated PD Shin… .”

Our Rookies have never performed an ending stage on Music BbungBbung before.

I thought it was just some gross prejudice against us cable people, but there was a story behind it… .

PD Shin was a person who didn’t help us even after he died (he didn’t die).

This made us even more nervous.

The music show rankings aren’t really that fair… .

This was because the PD’s subjectivity could have entered and influenced the rankings.

“… finished.”

Bam.

“Okay, Rookies, let’s move.”

And so Python’s final stage ends… .

“Guys, let’s go.”

“Yes.”

As soon as we opened the door and went outside, we were met with Python members wearing the same costumes as the one just shown on the screen.

“… Huh.”

“… … .”

I guess the stage just now was recorded like ours.

By the way, Aara has been ignoring me like a lie ever since she got information from me a month ago.

This time too, Oara passes by, ignoring me and the Rookies… .

“Hello.”

“Yep.”

After a brief and awkward greeting, we headed to the stage.

As we went up on stage and looked down at the audience, numerous fans greeted us with loud cheers.

“Waaa-!!”

“Rookies-!!”

“Python-!!!”

The audience is divided into two groups: fans waving pink cheering sticks, symbolizing the Rookies, and fans waving purple cheering sticks, symbolizing the Pythons.

That appearance seemed to show the fierce two-way competition between our rookies and Python in the current idol scene.

Perhaps conscious of this, the gazes of the other idols on stage… and the MCs were all directed at us.

Thanks to that, I swallowed dry saliva in nervousness.

This time… it wasn’t just a simple music show ranking announcement.

It was a battle of pride between our rookies and Python.

No, for me this wasn’t just a battle of pride.

[Only Quest]

[Content: Become the best idol.]

[Penalty for failure: Void.]

[Reward upon success: One thing you desperately want.]

I don’t know exactly what it means to be the best idol… .

If I win this last music show… I feel like I’ll be one step closer to completing the quest.

And I wasn’t the only one who thought that way… .

“… … .”

Python’s Aura also made an expression that seemed as if she would never let go of first place this time, and then made eye contact with me.

So Rookies and Python.

The stage becomes even more tense with the competition between me and Aura.

[Okay! Then, shall we go and meet the winner of the third week of July on Music Bbung Bbung?!]

The MC started the show with a cheerful voice.

The MC first introduced the three teams nominated for first place.

The first is a ballad singer who has never won first place on a music show, but is still alive on music charts.

The second candidate is Python.

“Waaa-!”

And the third candidate was our rookie.

“Waaa …

“Gyaaa …

Perhaps because they were conscious of Python, our rookies’ fans cheered even louder.

“Phuhut.”

Of course, it may have been a meaningless act, but it gave me strength.

Thanks to that, I somehow felt like I wouldn’t lose.

[Then let’s see it together!]

Charararak.

Then, I felt more comfortable and watched the chart on the monitor go up.

[Digital Music Category]

[Album sales section]

‘… … Huh.’

Was this because I had really focused so hard?

Or maybe some skill was used automatically?

Paat.

I could tell which team was ahead just by looking at the numbers on the chart before the results came out.

‘We won…!’

Clearly, the Rookies had the upper hand.

But the moment the singer who took first place appeared on the monitor…!

“… … Huh?”

“… … Hey.”

The members and I had no choice but to just freeze.

That makes sense… .

[I want to see wild flowers with you in the same time – Kim Na-bak]

[Congratulations-!! Senior Kim Na-bak’s ‘I want to see wild flowers with you in the same time’ achieved 1st place!!]

The reason was that the person who won first place on the last music show was not a rookie or a python, but a famous ballad singer.

“Aaaaah-!!”

“Ahhhh-!”

At this, Rookies fans and Python fans simultaneously grabbed their heads.

On the other hand, our rookie members, including me… .

“Hoo… .”

“Sigh… .”

I breathed a sigh of relief.

For the members as well, the result of winning first place on this music show was a matter of pride.

Of course, it would have been nice if Rookies had won first place, but Python didn’t win first place either, so it seems like they avoided the worst.

It seemed like we weren’t the only ones who thought that way, as Python members also breathed a sigh of relief.

and….

“… … .”

Oh Ara looked at the ballad singer on the screen with eyes that seemed to dislike him… .

slap.

He met my eyes again and shook his head.

I guess Oara thought Python would definitely take first place this time.

‘It was certainly that threatening.’

Our Rookies were able to debut on a hugely popular program called NaaA, which gave them a head start over other groups.

But Python, without any of that, followed our rookies to the chin with just pure skill.

‘If the next music promotion overlaps with that… then I really can’t guarantee victory.’

As I was watching Oara’s back as she left with worried eyes, the other Rookies members approached me.

“Sister! You’ve worked hard!”

“Thank you for your hard work for a month.”

“Ah… , it’s a little disappointing that I didn’t get first place.”

“But we’ve been in first place for a whole month? That’s amazing.”

okay….

Although it is regrettable that we didn’t get first place on the last music show, as Yoo Seol said, our rookies set an amazing record by winning all music shows for three consecutive weeks and staying in first place for a month in a row.

‘Rookies is a group that will fail soon anyway.’

This result contradicted Oara’s words that Rookies would fail soon.

I was satisfied with this and lightly hugged the other Rookies members.

In this way, the Rookies’ debut music activities ended successfully.

**

“Thank you all for your hard work!”

“Director Jeong!”

When we returned to the waiting room, Director Jeong was there welcoming us.

As soon as the members saw Director Jeong, they ran towards him with smiles.

and….

“Now that the activity is over! Can I rest?”

“You said you were going to take us on vacation! Are you leaving right away?”

“… Hehe, calm down.”

They started to cause a ruckus as if they were students who had just finished their exam period.

Looking at those members, Director Jeong smiled awkwardly and then said.

“First of all… , I promised to give you a vacation after the last music show, right? I’m sorry, but I have two urgent schedules to take care of before I give you a vacation!”

“Yes?”

“No… , what is that… .”

The members expressed their dissatisfaction at the mention that there was still work left to be done.

and….

“First of all, there is a fan signing event.”

I kept my mouth shut at the mention of a fan signing event.

In fact, this was because Rookies had been pestered countless times over the years for not holding fan signing events.

A fan signing event was absolutely necessary for the sake of the fans who had waited for a long time.

At this, the members slowly nodded their heads… .

“Then what about the second one?”

I asked for the second schedule.

“The second one is… , this is probably the first time you’ve heard of this program. It’s called [Idol One Heart Sports Festival]… , and it was scheduled before the fan signing event.”

“[Idol One Heart Sports Competition]?”

The members were confused by the unfamiliar name, and then Park Yoo-jung raised her hand and asked a question.

“Is this a program like [Ayukol]?”

A popular terrestrial entertainment program, A6OL, which brings together idols to hold an athletics Olympics.

The so-called Idol Athletics Olympics.

However, since Ayuk-ol is a pilot program that is only held during holidays like Chuseok and Seollal, the timing was not right.

“Ah, it’s not [Ah-yuk-ol]. This [Idol One Heart Sports Festival] is a program prepared by Nnet.”

“Ah… , on Nnet… .”

“Yes. This time, they asked if Rookies could attend since they prepared ambitiously.”

Our Rookies is a girl group that was born from Nnet’s program Naaah.

Since NAS Enter is also the parent company of Nnet, they had a close relationship.

It would be difficult to easily refuse such a request from Nnet.

“Yes, well. If you tell me to go out, I have to go out.”

“Idol One Heart Sports Festival…, it feels like a sports festival, I like it.”

Fortunately, the members readily agreed.

In fact, since the members had already appeared in a studio variety show as a group once in the past month, the pressure about the broadcast was less.

Director Jeong continued speaking with a bright face as the members accepted the schedule without being disappointed that there would be no vacation right away.

and….

“Thank you for understanding! And this appearance will definitely help Rookies’ future activities. The lineup of the cast is really good.”

“Now that I think about it, since the concept is a sports festival, there will be a lot of idols. Which groups will be appearing?”

“First of all, all three major agencies will be present. YW will have Python and Black Bomb…, and JJ will have… .”

“… Wait a minute. Director Jeong. Who is coming out of YW?”

“Huh? Python and Black Bomb… .”

Python didn’t care.

Even though they were a competing group, they didn’t directly harm us.

But as soon as Black Bomb came out of Director Jeong’s mouth… .

Fight.

The faces of the Rookies members, except for me, began to harden.

And then….

Chuck, chuck.

They began to gather in a circle around me, as if protecting me with determined expressions.

“… Huh? Why is everyone like that… .”

At this, Director Jeong made a face as if he didn’t understand the members, but I knew why the members were overreacting.

And to explain this, I had to talk about the events of the past month.