NOVEL NEXT Chapter 60
Yoo Seol, as far as I know, won Na Ah Ah with overwhelming performance in my previous life.
But this time around, I’ve become a hindrance to her.
In the first team competition, my team won, and my solo fan cam video surpassed hers, hitting the number one spot for views.
From Yoo Seol’s perspective, I must be quite an annoyance.
In fact, she…
“You wouldn’t understand, genius like you…”
With a tone laced with resentment, she had been opposing me all along.
Yet here I am, threatening her position in the first ranking announcement.
But…
“……”
“……”
The expression she had when looking at me was devoid of malice, just cold and expressionless, as usual.
“No… Something seems a little different…”
It felt like she was similar yet somehow different. I couldn’t help but feel an odd sense of discomfort looking at her expression.
And before I could shake off that discomfort…
Swish-.
Yoo Seol just brushed past me.
“……?”
That was strange.
Usually, without the camera, her behavior is cold, but just now, she treated me like a pebble on the road.
As if she was intentionally ignoring me.
No matter how much of a superstar Yoo Seol is, she should be aware of her competition, especially before such an important ranking announcement…
‘…What’s going on?’
Even after watching her walk away with a tilt of her head…
I couldn’t figure out the reason.
Reluctantly, I headed over to where people were gathering, feeling a bit unsettled.
“Sis-!”
As I reached the crowd, Park Yoo-jung greeted me, now with familiar ease…
“Ye-rin.”
…Lee Hye-jeong was also there to welcome me.
“…Sis.”
As soon as I met Lee Hye-jeong, I checked her wrist for signs she hadn’t lost more weight.
“Hmm… Sis…”
…Her wrist was still slender.
When I squinted at her, Lee Hye-jeong, forcing a smile, replied.
“Well… once the weight is lost, it doesn’t come back easily… Haha…”
“…….”
“Really, Ye-rin. I tried, but it just didn’t work out…”
“…I get it. But sis, I’m worried about you…”
“I know, I know. Thank you, Ye-rin.”
When she smiled brightly as if she understood my sincerity, I reached out and held her hand.
Seeing that, Park Yoo-jung came closer and said to me.
“By the way, Ye-rin unnie, you’ve always been pretty, but today you really shine.”
Then she leaned into my embrace, giggling playfully.
“Seems like the expected number one at the ranking announcement is truly different?”
“Hey… You…!”
“Ehh-, just kidding!”
As if to make sure no one heard, I shook my head vigorously, and Park Yoo-jung snuggled into my embrace like a puppy.
“But it’s not fully a joke, you know? I really think you’ll be number one! Oh, unnie! Did you see you were number one on YouTube too?”
“…Yeah, I saw.”
“If you’re number one in solo fan cams, that’s saying something! Unnie! You’ll definitely get good results!”
“Yeah, thanks. Yoo-jung, I think you’ll also do well. Oh, and Hye-jeong unnie too.”
“…I hope so.”
The three of us cheered each other on, chatting while waiting for the filming to begin.
And then…
“Alright, everyone. We’re starting the main filming~.”
With that, one of the production team members’ words set the cameras rolling.
“Hello, everyone.”
The opening line of filming was once again in the familiar hands of Han Si-woo.
But there was something different this time…
“From now on, we will proceed with the ranking announcement. Those participants who meet the elimination criteria in this ranking announcement must leave this place immediately.”
…His tone was completely devoid of laughter.
In the first ranking announcement, the elimination criteria were…
The bottom six teams of the first team competition.
From those, all participants except for the top three individual rankings from each team.
‘So at least dozens will be eliminated here.’
Moreover, it seemed many participants were already guessing about their elimination status…
“……”
“……”
I saw quite a few participants looking blank.
They wore expressions that seemed to wish the filming would end quickly.
But the production team wouldn’t just let that happen.
“Now, before we announce the rankings…”
Swish-, slide.
“……Huh?”
“…What’s this?”
Before Han Si-woo could finish, the production team suddenly appeared, starting to hand something out to the participants.
It was a name tag in sticker form.
But it was different from the usual name tags…
[Brotherhood Planning Ha Ye-rin – Predicted Rank 99]
There was a predicted rank written next to the name.
“What’s being handed out by the production team is a name tag that includes not just your name, but also the rank you predicted sitting in during the first filming.”
Ah, right.
During the first filming of Na Ah Ah, when only the first place seat and the 99th place seat were left, I had sat in the 99th place without hesitation.
The predicted rank must refer to the one I sat in back then.
With nothing to be ashamed of, I attached the name tag to my jacket.
However, it seemed not every participant could attach it proudly.
“Um… Can I not attach this…?”
One participant pleaded with a red face to the production team.
‘That person…’
She definitely received an F grade in the final rank evaluation and placed in the bottom six in the team competition.
She probably stood out due to her blunder and mistakes in choreography during the performance.
And on her name tag was…
[Predicted Rank 8]
…It was set at a quite high predicted rank.
“I really didn’t think I’d sit in the 8th spot back then…! It was just that there were no other seats! I don’t want to stick it…! Please…!”
“Unfortunately, all participants are obliged to follow the production team’s orders by contract~.”
The participant shouted in frustration, but the production team countered coldly.
‘She can feel wronged, but there’s nothing that can be done.’
Moreover, she likely received more screen time than the other participants by sitting in a higher rank back then.
That price would have to be paid.
But maybe there were many participants like her, as the expressions of most of the participants soured after receiving the name tags.
“Alright, if all participants have attached their name tags, please look at the screen!”
Bang-!
As Han Si-woo pointed at the screen and shouted, a list of dozens of names appeared.
“…That’s…”
As the list went up, the participants started looking for their names even before the explanation.
I was no different.
But my name wasn’t on that list.
“This list is the list of elimination candidates.”
“……!”
“Out of the 50 names on this list, I’m sorry to say a total of 38 participants are included in the elimination. Those 38 participants must leave the filming site immediately.”
“…….”
As Han Si-woo spoke, some felt relieved, while others hung their heads low.
It was the difference between having their names on the elimination list or not.
Once the news spread that the eliminated participants must leave the set immediately, the disappointment escalated.
“Now, I will call out your ranks.”
With that, the atmosphere turned heavy as the ranking announcement began.
“……The participant ranked 98 has received 541 votes!”
“Th-thank you-!!”
Participants who weren’t in the bottom six teams were called out first, so they avoided elimination, even if their ranks were low.
The participant just called out was ranked 98 in individual votes but had saved themselves by their team placing 5th.
‘…541 votes? It must be the level of votes from family and cousins.’
This time, they were lucky to avoid elimination, but it was apparent what the outcome would be in the next competition.
However…
“…….”
“…….”
Those in the elimination candidate list looked towards the ranked 98 participant as if they were jealous.
The low-ranking survivors were swiftly announced…
“Next are the participants ranked from 30th to 21st. Those called should step forward.”
The announcement of ranks from 30th brought a heightened tension as groups of ten went up.
Among them, Lee Hye-jeong placed 28th with a total of 23,186 votes.
When Lee Hye-jeong was called to 28th, she smiled awkwardly, took the mic, and expressed her feelings.
“…Thanks to all the fans, I can continue my next challenge. I’m truly grateful and I will repay the fans for this.”
Saying that, as she sat in the 28th spot, there was a slight bittersweet look on her face.
It was understandable.
She had originally been a top contestant in the A rank and not just in a safe zone…
Due to the production team’s bias and little screen time, she received a lower rank than her actual skill warranted.
‘If our team had placed in the bottom six, Hye-jeong unnie would have been eliminated.’
Thinking that way, I couldn’t help but feel a bit bitter.
Next, one of my closest participants and a member of my team in the first team competition, Park Yoo-jung, was assigned to rank 16.
“Thanks to the fans’ support, I feel I’ve received so much love-!! I’m really really grateful and I will show you a more growing version of myself-!! Love you, fans-!!”
With a bright smile, she shouted and even made a heart gesture to the camera, looking genuinely lovable.
Her predicted rank was 100, but her actual rank was 16, showing significant growth.
‘Yoo-jung played her cards well.’
I’m sure many participants would be regretting it right now.
Thinking they should have just picked a lower-ranked seat during the seating selection segment.
‘Yoo-jung is really going to debut…?’
Smart, with a great image and good skills, she’s got a remarkable potential for ranking as well.
It feels like she’s perfectly following the curriculum towards her debut.
“Alright, then next is…”
“Ah.”
While I was thinking about Park Yoo-jung, Han Si-woo continued with his remarks, causing my body to flinch.
Since the last group was from rank 11 to 20, I thought it would be my turn now.
But…
“We’ll be announcing the rankings from 3rd to 10th.”
“…!”
“1st and 2nd will be called separately.”
The production team seemed reluctant to easily announce the top rank.
Shaking my head while watching the next group go forward, it was naturally left with just me and Yoo Seol.
“…Cough!”
Everyone probably knew that the first and second places would be among me and Yoo Seol, but it seemed Seo Yoo-jin didn’t realize that.
She, looking displeased for not being among the candidates for 1st or 2nd, stepped forward.
Then, from the group ranked 3rd to 10th, Na Han-na took 4th, and Seo Yoo-jin took 3rd.
Na Han-na, as usual, delivered her thoughts with sleepy eyes and minimal expression, while Seo Yoo-jin…
“…Although it’s not a satisfying result, I will work hard and surely be ranked first later.”
She expressed her thoughts in a manner that was very typical of her.
To think being ranked 3rd wasn’t a satisfying result… It could make some listeners uncomfortable, but no one noticed her at all.
Now only the final highlight was left.
“Alright… Now what remains is the announcement for 1st and 2nd place, along with the elimination announcement.”
“……”
Those with names on the elimination list seemed notably uneasy, wishing their own announcements happened first.
But the production team remained clueless about the thoughts of the weak participants.
“I will announce the 1st and 2nd places first.”
“……”
At first, I thought it was okay, but as my rank was about to be announced, I grew tense.
‘It can’t just be me, right?’
I was curious about what expression Yoo Seol would show, so I slyly glanced her way.
She, probably due to being in front of the camera, was overacting a nervous expression.
Knowing her pretty well now, I could tell she was putting on an act.
Even in this situation, she was still acting… She truly was a professional.
But in the next moment…
“To inform you of the vote counts first… The 1st place has received 635,820 votes, and the 2nd place has received 587,475 votes, meaning there’s roughly a 50,000 vote difference between 1st and 2nd.”
“……!”
The fact that there was a 50,000 vote gap between rank 1 and 2 came as a surprise…
“…….”
‘……Huh?’
Yoo Seol’s acting face broke for a moment, revealing her true expression.
It was hard to believe that this happened, even if it was for just a split second.
“What? 50,000 votes?”
“…If I get first place here, it’s almost an ultimate win, isn’t it?”
Yet the other participants, crowded around Han Si-woo’s comments, seemed unfazed, missing Yoo Seol’s moment of change.
Only I caught her genuine expression.
And then….
‘More importantly, a 50,000 vote gap…’
I was also surprised to realize how large the distinction between 1st and 2nd was.
With a 50,000 vote difference, it was a number that could easily change depending on the contents of the future performances.
But if it came down to who had a higher probability of winning as the final episode approached…
‘The one currently in 1st place will likely have the overwhelming odds.’
Glup.
As those thoughts crossed my mind, my hands became sweaty, and my fists clenched tightly.
The top of the pyramid.
The 1st place seat.
Even though I could have sat there when deciding seating during the first filming, I avoided it and sat in the 99th place.
Back then, I thought that seat wasn’t meant for me.
But now…
‘I want to be number one.’
I yearned to sit in that spot.
It felt as if the seat was calling out to me.
“Then starting now, I will announce the participant for 1st place at the first ranking announcement—!!”
As time seemed to flow slowly, I focused on Han Si-woo’s mouth.
And then….
“Congratulations-!! The 1st place is none other than…!”
Thud, thud.
The participant who ranked 1st ascends the stairs toward their seat during the ranking announcement.
Na Ah Ah’s main MC and producer, Han Si-woo, watched the scene as if hypnotized.
Thump.
Despite knowing the results before the other participants, his heart raced uncontrollably.
‘How strange… Even though it’s just 1st place, a trainee who hasn’t debuted yet, why is my heart racing like this?’
The reason he first appeared on Na Ah Ah was simply to fill the gap of not being on air for a while.
Given that Na Ah Ah was a hot topic, he thought it would be advantageous to work as an MC and producer here, boosting his name value for later projects.
However, that past thought faded as he felt something different inside him.
Many reasons might contribute to it.
But the most significant one must be because of the participant who just claimed the 1st place.
“……”
As she climbed to her seat, she surveyed her surroundings with her typical expressionless face.
And then…
“……”
Like a queen looking down from a castle, she scanned the participants beneath her and the production staff outside the stage.
From that, Han Si-woo felt an overwhelming aura.
It was something that could not be simply categorized as talent; it was something embedded deep within her soul.
Swish-.
Stopping her gaze, the participant slowly sat herself down in the 1st place’s seat.
On her name tag was an utterly mismatched predicted rank of 99.
[Brotherhood Planning Ha Ye-rin – Predicted Rank 99]
Sitting in the 1st place, Ha Ye-rin looked at home, as if the seat was rightfully hers.
Na Ah Ah’s queen had reclaimed her place.
“……”
Han Si-woo forgot the announcement and stared intently at the scene.
The struggles of being a trainee, the debut, the first solo concert, the first album topping the charts, and so on.
Having weathered the many storms of life as a top idol, this moment…
Could easily become one of the most unforgettable moments of his life.