Chapter 128:


    [The first frost of dawn, the sound of breaking ice echoes-.]


    The first verse began with Shim Naru, one of the two main vocalists.


    Since it was a rehearsal, they all wore casual training outfits.


    [The flowing river, my heart frozen in despair, where is my beloved-.]


    Contrary to what I expected, the song that Floss chose was not Kang Hee-sung’s. What? Did Kang Yu-geon endure because he wasn’t fully recovered?


    [My face reflected in the moonlight, I call your name in sorrow-.]


    This was the OST of a movie that was released 20 years ago and won the grand prize at a famous international film festival. It was about the life of a famous singer in the 19th century.


    Of course, this was also a legend in its own way, so it fit the theme…


    ‘It’s surprising that it’s not Kang Hee-sung.’It was a staple item to make the first ce in the survival show with the parents’ story. Anyone would think that they were calling their parents who had passed away, even though they were alive.


    It was strange that they didn’t choose the song of their father who had left a huge mark on the music industry and had really passed away.


    Was the broadcasting industry a ce where they could afford to choose what to usemercially and what not as a human being?


    Maybe Floss, who was a top-tier group, could do that. I watched the stage without erasing my curiosity.


    [Ah, this painful heart, I have nowhere to leave it, please take it back-.]


    The clothes were training outfits and the choreography was just loosely matching the lines, so I couldn’t tell what they would look like on the actual stage.


    Since it was oriental style, maybe hanbok? Lately, they wore durumagi a lot. The style of a guard warrior was also steadily popr.


    Finally, the arrangement reached its climax. The big ones scattered like soldiers in a historical drama.


    [This cold winter, where are you going again, my feet are cold, what should I do-.]


    With Hwijin in the center, they acted like warriors who followed the king’smand and pulled out something from their waist.


    ‘Is it a sword dance?’


    It wouldn’t have been easy to match it in this short preparation period. The choreography was barely shaped, so I could only imagine the result in my head.


    And right after that, the lines changed a few times and Hwijin and Yu-geon spun around with a gap as if they were sword fighting.


    What would happen next? I couldn’t take my eyes off it as if I was watching a musical.


    “Wow… Floss is really Floss.”


    Seon-woo, who was sitting next to me, stared nkly at Floss’s stage and uttered an exmation without knowing it.


    “We’ll be great too.”


    Yi-jun puffed up his cheeks and poked Seon-woo’s back.


    “We worked hard too…! We have to show them our cool side!”


    Seon-woo nodded his head vigorously and answered.


    I was d he was in a good mood. If Floss had done their rehearsal with full power, and we were the next batter…


    We might havee down without checking half of what we prepared, overwhelmed by Floss’s stage.


    It was light, but Floss’s stage had that much pressure.


    No matter how much the members didn’t get along, Floss was Floss.


    ‘Was the next one P2CK?’


    I nced at the ce where the next batter was waiting and they seemed to have lost their mind already.


    Did theye lightly today, thinking that they would just match the lines to the song for the rehearsal?


    Finally, Floss’s rehearsal, which was quite long but didn’t feel that way, ended and the camera director gave the OK sign.


    “OK-! I’ve checked the movements and you did a great job! If there are any changes, please let me know before the filming rehearsal!”


    At the camera director’s satisfied OK sign, P2CK, who had been waiting for their turn, approached the stage stairs nervously.


    “Can we go up?”


    They looked a bit anxious from the start. And sure enough, there was a difference between them and Floss, who hade with a light heart.


    Of course, Floss had also acted casually to hide their cards, whether it was their costumes or choreography.


    But hiding your cards when everything is perfectly prepared and having nothing to show when you’re not ready are different things.


    That bastard Hwijin, he made such a fuss about how hard it was, but it was all an act.


    I was sure of Hwijin’s act when I saw the result of P2CK’s rehearsal stage.


    I felt a faint sense of betrayal and red at Hwijin.


    “…?”


    Was it some kind of telepathy? I don’t know if it was a coincidence, but Hwijin turned to look at us and smiled.


    ‘Is he a fool or a fox pretending to be a bear?’


    I quickly turned my head away from Yu-geon, who followed Hwijin’s gaze.


    Then, woo woo woo, the phone in my pocket vibrated.


    [YOU] What are you doing? 2:36 PM


    What is it? I was being careful in front of everyone and I didn’t have time to reply to such trivial messages.


    I ignored the message as if to say so, but then, boo woo woo, it vibrated again.


    [YOU] Why are you ignoring me? 2:38 PM


    Why do you think so? P2CK’s miserable rehearsal, which I didn’t know what they had prepared, was ending.


    Of course, we didn’te with such sloppy preparations. But if we didn’t want to be publicly executed like that, we had to pull ourselves together.


    I ignored them again without fail, and Yu-geon sent me another message.


    [YOU] Ah, why are you ignoring me 2:40 PM


    He’s done with his stuff, right? He had no enemies. Ugh, I calmed down my anger and quickly replied.


    [ME] Stop texting me 2:41 PM


    [ME] Rehearsal starting soon 2:41 PM


    Then, he showed my reply to Hwijin, who was sitting next to him, and tapped his shoulder as if it was so funny.


    Are you guys middle schoolers going through puberty? I shook my head and got up from my seat.


    “I’m sorry! Thank you!”


    P2CK apologized over and over with a flushed face, and it seemed like the rehearsal was over. It was our turn next.


    Floss had shown a great performance, and P2CK had failed miserably, so I didn’t think there were high expectations for us.


    To begin with, we were second from the bottom in terms of status among the groups.


    I took a short breath and looked around the members.


    “Let’s go.”


    As I said a brief word and pointed to the stage, Yi-jun raised his hand.


    “What is it?”


    I asked as if to say what’s the matter when we don’t have time, and Yi-jun answered innocently.


    “Teacher Cheon, can we shout our slogan once?”


    He spoke with a cute expression that even a kindergartener could pull off, a look that the fans would probably love.


    But not me.


    “Rejected.”


    “Aw, why~!”


    Yi-jun protested by shing his hand, waiting for the other members to take it.


    “It’s not that hard to shout a slogan once.”


    Seon-woo nced at me as if to ask for my permission, and ovepped his palm over Yi-jun’s hand.


    “He’s not a kid.”


    As if he had no choice, Kyunghwa put his hand on top of theirs, and the decision was made by majority vote.


    “Why do you ask if you’re going to do it anyway?”


    I reached out my hand as if to finish it quickly, and Seong-won reluctantly gave me his hand, though he looked displeased.


    “Exposition, rise,”


    “Climax!”


    Seon-woo and Yi-jun raised their hands high in the sky with satisfied expressions, and the director’s call followed as if to hurry them up.


    “Climax,e on up!”


    “Yes, we’reing!”


    I answered energetically and led the members to the stage.


    They all moved to their starting positions and just before the MR started.


    I looked down at the front of the stage and saw a 200-seat auditorium clearly.


    ‘If it’s 120 people, it’s more than half full.’


    I gauged how big 20 seats were among these many people, and they looked very small.


    That small number of audience members came to see us. And there must have been 100 or so other teams cheering in the seats.


    ‘We have to do a great stage that other fans can enjoy too.’


    A bit of anxiety and anticipation touched my heart.


    ‘I can do it.’


    I clenched my fist for thest time and bowed my head to the staff in the direction they were.


    “Thank you very much!”


    As soon as I gave my OK sign, the MR started.


    [Dazzling white sand, pure white sea. I want to go with you-.]


    The center of this stage was Yi-jun. He was the one who had the most basic fandom base, so I didn’t think he needed to be pushed.


    But our purpose of appearing was first and foremost to raise awareness, so it wasn’t bad to put out the most famous guy.


    [The foam is like white snow-. The bells ring, where am I, who am I.]


    We made the most bright and happy expressions with the swimming-like yful choreography, and the reaction was good with a different feeling than the Floss stage.


    How should I put it… If the Floss stage was overwhelming and the audience became spectators, our stage was one that made them sway along with us?


    [You always held me when I was shaken. Our precious memoriese back like waves-.]


    Kyunghwa came forward and swung his arms as if he was ying with a water gun, and thankfully the staff reacted as if they were hit by a water bomb.


    A cheerful rhythm, bright and positive lyrics, and a bright light.


    We also had to hide our costume concept because we couldn’t show all our cards, but I was already looking forward to the day of the reveal.


    This much was not a bad staff reaction.


    [Stay with me as pure as the white snow that never changes-.]


    [I hope you’ll always be by my side-.]


    As I followed the center who kept changing his position along the stage, I heard a buzz from below.


    “They nailed the concept for the finale…”


    “I was curious who would sing the carol song first. It’s a bit early, but it’ll be fine when the song is released in early December, right?”


    The song release would only be possible if we ranked in the top three, but it was a nicepliment anyway.


    [Christmas in the summer, a whispering song in my ears-.]


    [This is not a dream, a memory to cherish forever.]


    Finally, when the bell rang and the carol-like variation came, Yi-jun made a ring over his head and smiled yfully.


    [Our unforgettable memories, please keep them-]


    [Everything is dazzling, this moment shines brightly-, just you and me.]


    “Is he an angel? He doesn’t fit in, but he’s cute.”


    The rehearsal ended with a gigglingughter.


    We were just going to do a light run-through, but everyone seemed to work hard as usual, and we breathed heavily.


    We broke the ending pose and got up, sighed lightly, and bowed.


    “Thank you!”


    It was a disappointing stage where we couldn’t show 100%, but tomorrow the real stage will begin.


    Let’s make it to the top three. Top three.


    I suppressed my regret and came down from the stage.


    “Zuaaa-!! Let’s go, guys-!!”


    Oh, my ears are ringing. The noisy group, Vesper, was going up on the stage.


    ‘Hmm… I wonder if they can show something unexpected.’


    Vesper and AtoX were already well-established groups, so I didn’t think they would show a drastic transformation from the first stage.


    ‘What I’m curious about is the other side.’


    My eyes turned to the back of the waiting line, where yground was still looking nervous as always.