The Goal is the Ending Fairy

“Yes, with that, all performances for the second mission have ended.”

Once the final team’s performance finished, only the ranking announcement remained. All participants had come up on stage to hear the results. 

I too stood behind Won Chaeseo, lifting my head toward the large screen.

“First, I’ll announce 4th place among the surviving teams with no eliminations.”

At the MC’s words, the sound of trainees swallowing nervously echoed around. This ranking was essentially the safety line everyone was aiming for.

Then next to ‘4th place’ on the screen appeared the text. It was ‘Kim Se-i Team’.

Watching the name appear on screen, I could see the Kim Se-i team patting each other and showing relief. 

4th place out of 6 teams. 

While technically a low rank, just having the whole team survive without eliminations was a huge merit. 

Other teams applauded and congratulated them while forcibly hiding their own nervousness.

The Kim Se-i team who performed right before us… 

They definitely did well, but it felt like Kim Se-i alone carried the vocals too much. 

Well, the other members weren’t particularly skilled. Because of that, they had issues with part distribution during the interim evaluation, and Kim Se-i had to take most of the important vocal parts. 

It could have been a risky decision, but thanks to Kim Se-i handling it excellently, the other members probably couldn’t say anything. Whatever the case, the result was fine as long as she survived.

Although she wasn’t going to be a debut member, she was like a good vocal teacher to me… So I would have felt bad losing Kim Se-i this early. 

I had been thinking it would be nice to be on the same team for the next mission, so Kim Se-i team’s 4th place wasn’t bad news.

“Next is the 3rd place team.”

This was my target ranking. Since 3rd place was the most stable middle ranking, I hoped our team’s name would appear. 

Above all, to complete the main task, we needed to place at least this high.

But along with the MC’s words, what appeared on screen was ‘Yoon Hee-jo Team’.

Hmm, it was a fitting rank for that team. Even I thought Yoon Hee-jo’s team showed a good performance. 

However, compared to other teams, their song choice was dreamy and ethereal, so it clearly had less impact than the previous performances. That must be why Yoon Hee-jo’s team received 3rd place.

Still, separate from that, their stage composition and storyline were good. Well, with two future debut members, it would have been strange if they didn’t produce a quality performance. 

The other members weren’t bad for their rank either.

Anyway, they really had good team luck. While we struggled quite a bit with a troll who suddenly awakened in the latter half. Maybe that’s why I felt somewhat envious of their team composition.

By the way… 

‘We’re not going to get unexpectedly eliminated, right?’

Glancing at the screen, I carefully examined the rankings that hadn’t appeared yet. The remaining ranks were 1st, 2nd, and the elimination ranks of 5th and 6th.

“Now! We’ll announce the candidates for first place!”

Before I could worry about that, the MC continued with perfect timing. And then, the team name that appeared as first place candidate…

“The candidates for first place are ‘Won Chaeseo Team’ and ‘Chae Seonha Team’!”

…As expected. It was such a needless worry.

At the MC’s words, our team and Chae Seonha’s team beside us maintained a tense silence. 

Additionally, there was a subtle atmosphere that wouldn’t be caught on camera.

Following the MC’s instructions, we who had been keeping silent came forward and faced the judges. On the slightly smaller screen behind the judges panel was the ranking table we had just been watching.

How much time has passed since then? The MC was still pointlessly dragging out time.

They’re going to edit it anyway during post-production, so couldn’t they just say it quickly during the actual mission? Watching the MC who remained silent for a while, I swallowed my irritation.

“Now, the first place team chosen by our judges is…”

The MC repeated the same line again, drawing out the last words. My hands unconsciously became sweaty.

At least second place was confirmed, and if so, this main task would be successful. In other words, I had nothing to worry about anymore.

‘…Then why am I so nervous?’

This mission would be successful for me as long as I didn’t receive a penalty, so why was my heart racing for no reason?

Another awful silence continued for a while. As my gaze wandered unconsciously, I finally managed to fix it on the floor.

“!”

Suddenly, I felt a hand grabbing my right hand. A hand not only wet with sweat but trembling severely. It was holding onto my hand desperately like a lifeline.

Slowly moving my gaze, the owner of that hand came into my peripheral vision. Won Chaeseo was hanging her head low and trembling. 

Her face, shadowed from bowing her head, looked quite unwell.

Fortunately, the symptoms seemed subtle enough not to be caught on camera. Though I could feel the trembling clearly, being right beside her.

Seems like that obsession of hers is acting up again… She looks ready to break down before even hearing the first place announcement.

Seeing someone more nervous than me strangely made my own trembling subside somewhat. So I could hold her hand back with a more composed mind.

‘With so many cameras around, it would be bad if her condition gets worse here. It wouldn’t be good for the team.’

At my grip that tried to hold her firmly, Won Chaeseo briefly shifted her gaze toward me. Meanwhile, my gaze returned to the floor.

“It’s okay. Whatever the result, to me our team was first place today.”

‘That’s so cringy, damn.’

Why is it that whenever I try to comfort someone, only these cheesy words come to mind? Moreover, to a third party, this would just sound like sour grapes…

But for now, even this isn’t bad. Whatever the result, it’s up to the person how they take it. 

Sometimes things like this can be important material for building confidence to plan for the future. Especially for someone like Won Chaeseo.

“…Yes.”

Won Chaeseo, her hand twitching, nodded weakly. Though she still didn’t look completely fine, her complexion seemed somewhat better.

During the first mission, I didn’t know because our seats were far apart, but I wonder if she was this anxiously nervous then too. 

Thinking about how she must be like this during every competition ranking announcement, I felt a bit sorry for her.

Poor thing, such bad penalty luck for a young game character.

While side-eyeing her with such thoughts, I could see more life returning to Won Chaeseo’s eyes. The shadow on her dark face had lifted somewhat. It seemed like she was steeling her resolve somehow.

I don’t know what determination she’s making internally, but I hope it’s something immediately beneficial for her.

‘So who’s first place already.’

While holding Won Chaeseo’s hand and glaring internally at the production staff and MC. Finally, I saw him bringing the microphone to his mouth.

…Then the team name appearing on the screen behind the judges.

—————

1st Place: Chae Seonha Team

—————

“Yes, congratulations. First place goes to ‘Chae Seonha Team’!”

It wasn’t our team.

“Thank you!”

Our team and Chae Seonha team stood on either side of the MC. Though I couldn’t see their faces clearly, small sounds of joy could be heard from beyond the MC beside us. 

Watching that, our team gave generous applause of congratulation.

Right.

First place from the first team mission would be asking too much. It was something a bit beyond my skills. Especially with 18th place, we shouldn’t have expected it.

Though I don’t know why I felt somewhat regretful, I was relieved that I wouldn’t receive a penalty for this.

After the brief acceptance speech from the first place team ended, the MC continued.

“Then automatically in second place… we have ‘Won Chaeseo Team’!”

Our name immediately appeared on the screen.

—————

2nd Place: Won Chaeseo Team

—————

“Thank you!”

Similarly, we were given time for a brief acceptance speech. 

Won Chaeseo, as team leader, took that part, and she finished the speech more smoothly than expected. 

Won Chaeseo who calmly finished her speech without trembling in front of the camera.

I thought her condition might have improved, but sure enough. As soon as she handed over the microphone, she immediately grabbed my hand again and started trembling. 

To not show any sign in front of cameras despite struggling this much…

No wonder she had no attitude controversies despite going through audition programs with such severe compulsions. She was truly like a trainee at the pre-professional level.

“Congratulations on first place.”

“Your performance was amazing too.”

After briefly exchanging formal greetings with Chae Seonha team, we were finally able to come down from the stage.

“So mean.”

“……”

But why is Cha Sihyun sticking close to me again? I had just deliberately avoided her to shake hands with Chae Seonha. Thanks to that, it was worth seeing Chae Seonha forcing a smile in front of the camera, but…

“While not letting me touch you at all. Yet you’re quite gentle with the younger ones, like with Jin-yu too.”

In that brief moment coming down the stairs from the stage. In that gap, Cha Sihyun looked at my and Won Chaeseo’s still-clasped hands with a hurt expression.

What… The younger ones are easy to understand. You’re like a snake.

‘What reason would I have to trust and get close to someone like you?’

…I smiled at her with an expression that conveyed this.

“Chaeseo gets very nervous. And I’m not as gentle as you say.”

“You treat me worse than others.”

Well, that’s true. I almost nodded unconsciously at Cha Sihyun suddenly presenting facts. But I didn’t need to refute anything more.

Soon Cha Sihyun patted my back once and headed to her seat ahead. That seemed largely due to Chae Seonha giving her subtle signals away from the cameras.

However, what Cha Sihyun said before going to her seat bewildered me again.

“There’s really not much time left until we’re together.”

So what does that mean, seriously. Does she mean she doesn’t have much time left before withdrawing to focus on acting? Or literally… that we’ll have something to do together soon?

‘Please let it be the former…’

After secretly glaring at Cha Sihyun, I quickly led Won Chaeseo toward our seats.