NOVEL NEXT Chapter 86
“Alright, let’s get back to filming!”
Tap.
As one of the staff members clapped the slate, the camera started rolling, and Han Si-woo resumed the proceedings.
“Yay~! Right now, contestant Ha Ye-rin has nominated contestant Seo Yoo-jin, the leader of another team. This was unexpected, leading the production team into a meeting. As a result…”
Drumroll.
Han Si-woo made a small sound effect with his mouth.
Seeing the smile on his face, I could predict the outcome.
“We’ve agreed to it! Haha, just as Ye-rin said, there’s no rule saying a leader can’t nominate another leader! However, from now on, leader-to-leader nominations will be banned, and the 3rd team competition originally planned for 6 teams will now be held with 5 teams!”
“Hahaha-! This 3rd team competition is going to be really fun!”
“Ye-rin’s team looks really strong!”
As if responding to Han Si-woo’s announcement, the other trainers chimed in.
With everyone smiling and the atmosphere light, it seemed the production team decided to take this lightly too.
“Now, we just have to wait for Seo Yoo-jin’s response. Seo Yoo-jin! You have been nominated by Ha Ye-rin! Will you accept it?”
“…Ugh.”
Seo Yoo-jin, who had cried a lot during the break, had almost calmed down now.
Wiping her remaining tears with her arm, she urgently shook her head like a child.
“Yes…! Yes! I’ll definitely accept it…!”
“Then, that means Seo Yoo-jin will be joining Ha Ye-rin’s team! Congratulations!”
As soon as Han Si-woo finished speaking, she sprinted towards me like a puppy.
Originally, the team members were supposed to line up behind me in order, but for some reason, Seo Yoo-jin clung to my arm instead.
“No, Yoo-jin. You’re not supposed to stand here, but in the back…”
Snug.
“Hah….”
There’s something called imprinting.
They say that baby ducks follow the first moving object they see after hatching, considering it as their mother.
I wondered if Seo Yoo-jin had imprinted on me today. She wouldn’t detach from my body.
It was bewildering how she, who had been glaring at me and making big noises about beating me later, suddenly acted like this….
Squish, squish.
…She felt like a little kitten that had no one else to lean on, so I just let it be.
“…Yoo-jin. You still need to greet the other team members, okay?”
“…….”
Well, it’s fine that Seo Yoo-jin is sticking by my side, but the issue is that it’s not just me and Seo Yoo-jin on this team.
When I told Seo Yoo-jin to greet the other team members, she looked at me with a hesitant expression and then said…
“Oh, hello… I’m SAV Seo Yoo-jin… I-I’ll do my best…”
It was hard to believe it was the same Seo Yoo-jin I always knew, with that attitude toward her teammates.
The team members, who knew Seo Yoo-jin well, were surprised by her demeanor and responded…
“Haha, nice to meet you, Yoo-jin!”
“…Nice to meet you.”
They exchanged awkward smiles with Seo Yoo-jin.
Watching them, I noticed that the expressions of my teammates felt a little different from earlier.
It seemed like they weren’t thrilled about Seo Yoo-jin joining the team.
It felt like they were a bit displeased with my risky decision to bring Seo Yoo-jin without consulting them.
And that sentiment was…
“…….”
…I could feel it from Park Yoo-jung, who was right in front of me too.
“In this 3rd team competition, each team can freely choose their song!”
Surprisingly, the production team gave us the freedom to choose our song.
It was shocking, considering they usually made us pick songs through roulette or archery-like ridiculous methods…
Nonetheless, it was great news for the participants to have the freedom to select the song.
“The final song decision is due the night before the competition. You can freely change your song until then, just make sure to inform the production team about your choice!”
Furthermore, we could change the song freely until the night before if we didn’t like it.
“So, let’s get this competition started! All teams, please head to your assigned practice rooms!”
And with that stunning benefit, the competition began.
Our team moved to the assigned practice room and started discussing song selection.
Of course…
“…….”
“…….”
Even after having three competitions already, the awkwardness of talking to my teammates for the first time wasn’t going away easily.
And to break the ice, Park Yoo-jung stepped in.
“Wow! It seems like we have a lot of familiar faces and really skilled people this time! We’re totally going for 1st place!”
“Haha, exactly.”
“Oh, unni. Did you lose weight recently? Your jawline looks amazing!”
Park Yoo-jung, who had already been friendly with most participants, took the lead in lightening the mood, and the atmosphere quickly brightened.
Just as things felt like they were getting better, Park Yoo-jung brought up the main topic.
“Okay, how about we decide the ranks before we select the song? Since we already have Ye-rin as the leader, we just need to select the center position.”
“……!”
Upon hearing the word “rank selection,” the team members flinched.
And most of their gazes…
Swipe
…turned to Seo Yoo-jin.
Everyone knew Seo Yoo-jin was ambitious about the leader and center roles.
They were eyeing her to see if she was going to try for the center position again.
And realizing this, Seo Yoo-jin…
“Ah, um, I’m not interested in the center position…”
She frantically shook her hands and shook her head.
As if remembering the last competition…
“I really won’t take the center position… I promise…”
“Okay, okay…! Yoo-jin…! Don’t cry…!”
Her eyes began to well up with tears again, prompting us to comfort her.
“Wuw….”
Snug.
Seo Yoo-jin leaned against my arm, struggling to hold back her tears.
With that, the discussion about the center position commenced without her involvement.
“Hm, honestly, I think Ye-rin could do both the leader and center roles since she’s so good at it…”
“What about Yoo-jung? You did great as the center last time…”
The discussion narrowed down to just me and Park Yoo-jung for the center role.
Park Yoo-jung seemed to consider for a moment before speaking up.
“I think it would be best for Ye-rin to take the center position.”
“…Why?”
Being the center has a huge burden, but also great benefits.
Participants with a decent skill level usually hope to take on that role.
However, when Park Yoo-jung openly supported me as the center, the other team members expressed surprise.
“Why don’t you want to take the center?”
“First, because Ye-rin dances so well. And second…”
Unlike usual, Park Yoo-jung spoke seriously, her smile gone from her face.
“I think it would be better for me to be the main vocalist.”
“…Ah.”
As soon as she finished speaking, the team members nodded.
She’s an all-rounder who can both dance and sing.
By putting me as the leader and center while she takes the main vocal position, it seemed that’s what she had in mind.
It was a reasonable argument and not a bad idea.
However…
“Hmm… That’s a good idea, but…”
I had a different perspective.
“I actually want you to be the center… Last competition, I saw how you stood out as the center, and it was really nice.”
Encouraging Park Yoo-jung to take the center made her open up again, and with a cheerful laugh, she responded.
“Hehe, thanks for saying that, unni. But if I take the center position, the main vocal role might become a bit awkward. Of course… you can take the main vocal, but I think you’re more suited for the center…”
“Hmm? Oh, of course! I definitely don’t have the skill to take the main vocal.”
“…Huh? Then if neither of us takes the main vocal, who will… Surely not…?”
Park Yoo-jung looked puzzled…
“Yoo-jin,”
I pointed to Seo Yoo-jin, who was cuddled in my arms.
“Yoo-jin can take the main vocal!”
“……!”
Truth be told, if we looked purely at stats, Seo Yoo-jin was superior to Park Yoo-jung.
Seo Yoo-jin, like Park Yoo-jung, was also an all-rounder, capable of both vocals and dance.
“I think it would fit perfectly if I take the leader role, Yoo-jung takes the center, and Yoo-jin takes the main vocal, what do you think?”
From the start, unlike Park Yoo-jung, I had envisioned dividing the main roles among the three of us.
It’s an optimal structure where nobody monopolizes a position, but each does their assigned role well, leading to good results.
However…
“…….”
When I suggested making Seo Yoo-jin the main vocal, the team members displayed slightly awkward reactions.
Looking at their expressions, I understood why.
After yesterday’s broadcast, Seo Yoo-jin was clearly in an unstable mental state.
Moreover, her image had taken a hit, so it was understandable that they were worried about her taking on the main vocal position.
Even Seo Yoo-jin herself…
“…Me as the main vocal?”
…looked surprised.
I patted Seo Yoo-jin’s head as she looked up at me.
“Why, Yoo-jin? Can’t you do it?”
“Uh, no… I…”
“I believe you can do it just fine.”
“…….”
As I smiled gently and inquired, Seo Yoo-jin clenched her fist and replied.
“I can… do it…”
Given her stats, she ranked 3rd among the participants.
There was no way she couldn’t handle being the main vocal, and keeping her as a sub-member seemed like a waste.
So, I voiced my strong opinion to the other team members as well.
“You all know Yoo-jin’s skills are excellent. If we make Yoo-jin the main vocal, we can distribute the roles properly and the team can achieve good results. What do you think?”
“…….”
At my urging, the team members, who initially looked uncertain, began to nod one by one.
So our team’s roles were set: I would be the leader, Park Yoo-jung the center, and Seo Yoo-jin the main vocal.
Since the song selection for this competition was free, we decided to put in our all to choose the perfect song.
Thus, the meeting dragged on… and we took breaks occasionally.
Snug.
“…Unni, where are you going?”
“…I’m just going to the bathroom.”
“Then I’ll come too…”
Seo Yoo-jin had been following me everywhere, whether I was drinking water or heading to the bathroom.
Feeling a bit burdened, I decided to let her go for a moment.
“Yoo-jin, we went together earlier. I’ll go by myself this time, okay?”
“But…”
“Just wait a little bit.”
Nod, nod.
After I continuously refused, she finally nodded, albeit reluctantly with her cute eyes.
With that, I managed to detach her from me and head to the bathroom.
And in the bathroom…
“Ugh, oh, unni.”
“…Yoo-jung.”
Park Yoo-jung, who had gone to the bathroom before me, was there.
Looking a bit frustrated since the song wasn’t easily being selected and the meeting was dragging on, she was splashing her face with cold water.
“Hey, be careful of the floor. I splashed water everywhere while washing up.”
Seeing me, Park Yoo-jung smiled brightly, ready to leave the restroom.
Then…
“Yoo-jung.”
“…Yes?”
“I’m sorry.”
… I briefly stopped her.
“I didn’t give you the center role because I don’t value your vocal skills.”
Park Yoo-jung had spent more time with me than most other participants, only after Lee Hye-jeong.
I could sense a subtle change in her demeanor.
And I thought the reason was that I hadn’t given her the main vocal role she wanted.
However…
“Ah, unni. What are you talking about? If you want to talk about it, being the center is a better position anyway. So why are you apologizing?”
With a bright smile on her face, Park Yoo-jung seemed genuinely okay about it.
In that case…
“…Is it because I brought Yoo-jin without discussing it with you?”
“…….”
“I felt terrible seeing Yoo-jin crying, so I did that.”
It seemed that was the right answer as Park Yoo-jung paused her step slightly.
Rather than her usual cheerful smile, she spoke with a somewhat tired smile.
“…It’s fine. I was surprised at first, but seeing how the production team reacted, it seems they don’t intend to weave Yoo-jin and our team negatively.”
“…….”
“Yoo-jin’s skills are undeniably great… and your choice was ultimately the right one.”
After she finished speaking, Park Yoo-jung turned to leave.
And then…
“But…”
Before grabbing the doorknob, she left with a slightly bittersweet tone.
“I just wish we could have discussed that risky choice a little together first.”
“……”
It seemed Park Yoo-jung was hurt that I didn’t give her any heads-up before making the significant decision to choose Seo Yoo-jin.
‘It makes sense to feel that way. I might have taken Yoo-jung too casually.’
As I watched Park Yoo-jung’s back walking away towards the meeting room, I opened her status window after a long time.
[Park Yoo-jung]
[Trait: ?? (Locked)]
Her trait was still locked.
Yoo Seol’s locked trait was “Darkening.” Then what could Park Yoo-jung’s locked trait be?
Could it be good? Or bad?
I didn’t know exactly, but I prayed her locked trait would never be revealed.
Because I really liked the current Park Yoo-jung.
“…Yoo-jung, let’s go together.”
Thinking that, I followed behind Park Yoo-jung.
That night.
Huff…
I finished showering with a weary sigh and lay down on the bed.
“Ah, having the freedom to select a song isn’t always a good thing.”
The pressure to choose the perfect song meant we ended up not selecting a competition song.
Instead, we decided to pick song candidates in the end and finalize the choice tomorrow morning before heading back to our rooms.
‘…What should we do?’
Lying on the bed, I pondered which song I should suggest tomorrow.
Just then.
Knock, knock, knock.
“…Huh?”
Startled by the sudden knock, I tilted my head and opened the door to find…
“…Unni.”
“Yoo-jin.”
…Seo Yoo-jin was standing there.
Unlike my cropped tank top and shorts, Seo Yoo-jin was wearing pajamas with a cat design, holding a pillow in her hands.
Wobble, wobble.
With watery eyes, Seo Yoo-jin cautiously said to me.
“…Um.”
“What’s up? Is there something wrong?”
“Can I… sleep with you tonight?”
“……Huh?”
I was left flabbergasted by her request.