LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 70
Chapter 70
“Then we just need to decide on the main vocalist.”
“Right.”
Other than the main vocalist, there weren’t any overlapping positions, so that was good for now.
“How about we each sing a high note and decide by voting?”
“Sounds good.”
This was a method we frequently used while filming Pick Heart, where each person would sing, and the rest would vote.
Perhaps that’s why no one raised any objections.
“I have a question.”
Ban Yo-han raised his hand as he spoke.
It seemed like a habit for him to raise his hand whenever he wanted to say something or express his opinion.
I imagined he must have done the same in school to get the teacher’s attention.
“Yes, go ahead.”
I responded.
“If someone doesn’t become the main vocalist, do they automatically become Sub 2, or can they apply for another part? I think it’s good to decide this beforehand.”
If someone was pushed out of the main vocalist position, they were likely to go for Sub Vocal 1, which had the next highest vocal weight.
In other words, my part.
With a friendly expression that easily won people’s favor, Ban Yo-han looked at me.
I promptly said, “I think it should be decided by the two people.”
“Really?”
[Ban Yo-han, who sees you as someone who can’t handle things even when spoon-fed, hopes for your failure. Ban Yo-han’s favorability +1, current favorability +56]
I appreciated that he didn’t give me much time to think about it.
Of course, I didn’t say it with the intention of gracefully stepping back from the competition with the other trainees like Ban Yo-han or Seo Moon-gyeol might.
I had enough confidence in myself to not be pushed back even if I competed with one of the two.
The composer had also said that I suited that part.
More importantly, I had a sense of pride and style that wouldn’t back down in such situations.
Anyway, the other team members also agreed with my suggestion to let the main vocalist candidates decide.
“Then the two of you can decide before the song ends.”
I took a short break and played ‘Rewind’. Actually, I had wanted to listen to it again for a while. It was a good song.
While the song played, Kim Jun-woo and Kashima Sora had a careful discussion amongst themselves.
I noticed the camera director focusing on filming that scene.
When the song ended and I failed to memorize the choreography and song again, Kim Jun-woo spoke with a serious expression.
“We’ve decided that the one who doesn’t become the main vocalist will move to Sub Vocal 2, which is vacant.”
Even though I had style and pride, I felt relieved by that decision.
“Okay. Then let’s have each person sing the chorus.”
With evident tension, Kim Jun-woo and Kashima Sora each sang the chorus.
Both Kim Jun-woo and Kashima Sora sang very well. Personally, I preferred Seo Moon-gyeol’s version the most.
After sending the candidates to another room, we discussed who would be more suitable as the main vocalist.
“Since we don’t have any paper, let’s write the names on our phones and show them on the count of three.”
Ban Yo-han suggested a voting method.
We each opened the memo app on our phones and wrote down a name.
I wrote [Sora].
Both of them did well in their own styles, so it wasn’t about who was better or worse.
The reason I voted for Kashima Sora was simple. Kim Jun-woo had already been the main vocalist once, but Kashima Sora hadn’t had a chance yet.
Seeing that everyone seemed to have made their decisions, Ban Yo-han, who had already closed his phone, spoke as a representative.
“Let’s reveal. One, two, three.”
Two votes for Kim Jun-woo, two votes for Kashima Sora. It was a tie because there was an even number of people.
The camera director requested that we make the phone screens visible to the camera.
Before things got more complicated, I suggested, “How about we count the composer’s opinion as one vote?”
“Oh, that’s good.”
“That’ll work.”
“Honestly, both of them are so good that I think either would be fine.”
Ok Do-yoon nodded enthusiastically at my words.
He seemed relieved that things didn’t get too complicated to leave room for significant editing.
Ban Yo-han and Seo Moon-gyeol agreed readily. Maybe too readily.
‘Seeing those guys, even my tension seems to disappear.’
If asked when I was tense, I wouldn’t say I was, but let’s just go with it.
“The meeting is over! Come in!”
The two main vocalist candidates returned.
Even the usually timid Kim Jun-woo and the often confident Kashima Sora had nervous expressions this time.
“The main vocalist is….”
Ok Do-yoon tapped his knee, setting the atmosphere.
The other trainees cooperated, knowing that this would make good footage.
Let’s ignore the fact that two out of six didn’t care about the footage at all.
“Jun-woo hyung will do it!”
Joy and sorrow crossed their faces.
“Thank you. I’ll do my best.”
Kim Jun-woo made a bowing gesture. Although Kashima Sora looked disappointed, he clapped along with the other team members.
“It was really intense.”
“Yeah, both of them were so good.”
Kashima Sora smiled faintly at our attempts to cheer him up.
[Nagase Ritsu’s close friend, Kashima Sora, feels a sense of familiarity with you, who he had only heard about. Kashima Sora’s favorability +2, current favorability +15]
Although saying this didn’t make Kashima Sora the main vocalist, it was good if it comforted him even a little.
“Now that we’ve decided on all the parts, can we start practicing?”
However, Jung Ha-neul’s studio didn’t seem suitable for practicing the choreography, even if it was good for singing.
“Do we have anything else to do here?”
At Ban Yo-han’s question, the camera director shook his head. It meant there was nothing more.
Did we come all the way to Seoul, a one-and-a-half-hour subway ride, just for this? I felt a sense of futility.
“We will now move to the Luizen location, where we have permission to film the practice scenes.”
At that moment, Jung Ha-neul, who had briefly left, re-entered the studio. He had a new coffee in hand, the ice not yet melted, indicating he had finished the previous one.
### Chapter 70 Continued
“Is it all finished?”
Jung Ha-neul asked, curious about how the part distribution had gone, and I told her that it had been decided just as she wanted.
With a pleasant smile, Jung Ha-neul said, “Don’t be too disappointed about being a sub-vocalist. Sub Vocal 1, 2, and 3 each have parts that suit them best. I recommended the parts based on that.”
She lightly added that she was a representative who genuinely cared for the trainees, watching the broadcasts every week and even voting.
“The center hasn’t been decided yet, right?”
We confirmed that it hadn’t.
“I trust you’ll choose someone who fits the song well, whoever it may be.”
“Yes!”
“Then, I’ll see you next time. I have high expectations, so please work hard.”
[Jung Ha-neul has high expectations for you in particular. Jung Ha-neul’s favorability +6, current favorability +51]
Wow, why is her favorability so high?
It had increased significantly since the last time we recorded Heart Attack.
It seemed true that she had been watching the broadcasts.
‘Maybe I’m her pick…’
No, that seemed too presumptuous. Jung Ha-neul was probably the type to care for all the trainees equally.
The system told me not to underestimate myself, but I couldn’t imagine being favored with Ok Do-yoon or Seo Moon-gyeol around.
Of course, if I had my original face, it might have been a different story. Even though my looks had improved, it would take a long time to reach the level of attractiveness of my original face.
After leaving Jung Ha-neul’s studio, we got into a van driven by a Luizen employee and headed to the Luizen building.
“Before we start practicing, let’s decide on the center. Who wants to be the center?”
The center’s choreography for the vacant chorus would likely be designed to make the chosen trainee stand out.
I didn’t apply.
Because my performance in the last competition was so well-received, trying to be the center this time might cause me to be targeted by both the team members and the representatives.
Kim Jun-woo, who had already taken the roles of leader and main vocalist, also didn’t step forward for similar reasons. There was no point in mentioning Seo Moon-gyeol or Ban Yo-han.
Ok Do-yoon and Kashima Sora, who raised their hands, were both skilled trainees, so I wasn’t worried about the stage quality, no matter who became the center.
However, Ok Do-yoon’s gentle and lively image didn’t quite fit the melancholic song atmosphere as well as Kashima Sora did.
Of course, the best fit, in my opinion, was Seo Moon-gyeol.
In fact, I had a level of trust based on experience that Seo Moon-gyeol could excel in anything except a cute and adorable concept.
Would he do well in a cute concept if he tried?
After watching Ok Do-yoon and Kashima Sora make their appeals to become the center, we wrote names on pieces of paper. Ban Yo-han, who was sitting next to me, leaned over and whispered.
“Why didn’t you apply?”
“I didn’t want to seem too greedy.”
Ban Yo-han, who had been staring blankly at me, neatly folded his torn piece of paper twice.
“The composer would be disappointed.”
What did he mean by that? Did Jung Ha-neul want me to be the center? Or did he think I looked the best as the center?
‘Should I have applied?’
But the timing was already missed, and Kashima Sora was chosen as the temporary center based on the voting results.
It seemed like the votes leaned toward Kashima Sora because he had lost in the main vocalist competition earlier.
Even if I had applied, the result would have been the same.
Then, we started practicing the choreography. A choreographer who had observed the second competition came to give us lessons.
The third competition was about ten days away, and given the tight schedule, everyone was intensely focused and worked hard.
With the experience from preparing for the previous competitions, progress was quick, except for Kim Jun-woo, who still found dancing somewhat difficult.
The issue, or non-issue, was that the practice was so peaceful that it seemed like there wouldn’t be any footage that the PD would want.
‘It was like this last time too, except for the surprise camera. Maybe that’s why I don’t get any practice footage?’
…No, it wasn’t my fault. It was all because of PD Jo In-soo, who loved conflict. Anyway, that’s the truth.
“I hope this team stays the same. I’ve never felt so at ease…”
Kim Jun-woo made this comment with a weary expression during a break after all the broadcast cameras had been retrieved.
“Are the other teams like this too?”
“No.”
“Absolutely not.”
“…”
I needed someone to kindly teach me how to respond as a true introvert when I received unexpectedly firm reactions to my casual remark.