A New Career Singer Who Can Read The Future [EN]: Chapter 19

The other teams couldn’t help but feel tense at Coast’s harsh assessment.

Thus, the other teams’ rehearsals continued. Not only Coast but also the singer-songwriter Sun Hwa-seung, rumored to have a frigid tongue, played a part in drawing tears from the other teams’ members.

“Do you think this is a joke? Do my words sound funny to you?”

“If you act like that, you won’t get votes from the audience, not just here but also during the live broadcast.”

“Are you not managing your eye contact? Where did you leave Coast Trainer’s words?”

Except for Coast and Sun Hwa-seung, the others tended to speak more gently, but those two’s presence was formidable.

Do-hyun’s group members were also worried about being criticized by Coast and Sun Hwa-seung.

“Alright, now we’ll move on to the eighth group’s performance.”

Do-hyun’s group went on stage.

Do-hyun made eye contact with his team members.

The team members looked visibly nervous.

This stage was important.

It was the last chance to elevate the team to perfection before the main performance.

They wanted to be one of the remaining ten, not one of the thirty-nine who would be eliminated.

And furthermore, they wanted to be the winner.

After adjusting his in-ear monitors once more, the MR [music recorded] flowed into his ears.

A gentle melody, but a song containing the story of a couple saying goodbye.

The member in charge of the intro sang with a slightly trembling voice.

‘This is a bit *buanhande* [unstable/anxious].’

It shouldn’t unravel like this.

At least, I want our group to go up together.

With that wish, Do-hyun performed his part.

Thanks to having much more experience on stage than the others, Do-hyun’s part passed without any issues.

The problem was the chorus.

The chorus part given to participant number 49.

“…I can’t do it.”

“……?”

As it came to the chorus part, participant number 49 burst into tears and collapsed into a seat.

Everyone on the team was taken aback and looked at participant number 49.

Then Coast soon opened his mouth.

“Turn off the MR. Number 49, do you think this rehearsal is a joke?”

“N-no… *hic*… I really can’t do it… I don’t think my voice will come out.”

“If you make excuses like that, what about the participants who sang earlier? If you get nervous, will you say you won’t perform? Will you act like that even after you debut?”

Do-hyun’s group couldn’t say anything at Coast’s stern words.

This wasn’t what they had expected.

To smoothly continue the performance as much as they had practiced.

That’s what they wanted.

They never expected number 49, who was in charge of the most important part, to act like this.

Participant number 49 continued to sob, saying they couldn’t do it.

Ocean, the trainer who had been watching this, opened his mouth. As the trainer with the longest career as a singer, he usually gave gentle reviews and comforted the participants.

“Number 49?”

“…Yes.”

Number 49 couldn’t even lift their head and answered in a very small voice.

It was so quiet that you wouldn’t have heard the answer if it weren’t for the microphone.

“Why did you come on this program?”

“…Because I want to become a singer.”

“You came here to become a singer. But your attitude right now makes it seem like you don’t want to become a singer. Do you not want to become a singer? The other participants also endured while listening to harsh words because they wanted to become singers.”

“I know… but I really can’t do it….”

Do-hyun was on the verge of madness because he had trusted number 49 and handed over the most important part.

He had trusted number 49 because they hadn’t shown any signs of this during practice.

“Then, are you going to go home like this?”

‘Please don’t nod. It’s okay like this, so let’s continue the stage….’

But Do-hyun’s wish crumbled.

“…I want to go home.”

“Oh dear… then we will proceed with the eviction of number 49. With this, the team that will decorate the eighth stage will have three members remaining. Re-distribute the parts, excluding number 49, and come back on stage.”

From the production team’s point of view, it was something to be happy about as it created editing material, but Do-hyun had a bitter taste in his mouth.

“Hoo….”

“Sigh….”

Do-hyun’s team members sighed as they watched number 49’s back as they went down the stage and walked away.

“Let’s reorganize and go up for rehearsal again at the end.”

Ocean said, wrapping up the situation.

Since everyone was watching this situation, it was something they had to refrain from showing their emotions.

It was also something they had to avoid being subjected to the devil’s editing that the production team wanted.

Do-hyun and the other two team members moved to another place.

The three people went to the practice room and started a meeting on who would take on the chorus part.

“Who wants to take on the first chorus? From what I hear… um, number 23, it seems like you would be suitable since you need to have a high vocal range and be able to produce a sorrowful voice.”

“I was thinking the same thing.”

The other two recommended Do-hyun.

Do-hyun also vowed not to lose this opportunity, as he was given a chance to showcase his voice like this.

“I’ll do it. How should we go about the second chorus and the harmony stacking part?”

“We’ll do it together.”

“If you two divide the chorus and go with stacking harmonies, I think the song will sound good.”

“Yes. We’ll go that way. We have to follow the leader’s words.”

The three turned on the MR and matched their parts again.

Fortunately, the practice proceeded without difficulty as they had been listening to each other’s songs and matching their parts.

After singing it a few times, a staff member came to call the three.

“Let’s cheer up! Since we’re a team with two people evicted, let’s all three of us be in the top 10!”

Do-hyun said, giving them encouraging words.

Perhaps because of those words, the team members looked at Do-hyun with expressions that they were energized.

* * *

Finally, the main stage.

It was the day the first mission, the team mission stage, was held.

The audience on this day was the other participants.

From the next mission onwards, it will be composed of audience members.

Right now, it’s just one of the paths to that gateway.

Do-hyun simply shuffled the tarot cards with a curious mind about what the results of today would be.

Just in time, Hyo-seop, who came into the room, greeted him.

It was morning, so the camera was rolling, and he could be penalized if he didn’t use honorifics.

“Number 23, do you also know how to read tarot cards?”

“Yes. I just studied a bit.”

“Wow… can you read mine too?”

“I’m too amateurish… so that would be difficult. I’m just roughly guessing.”

Do-hyun decided to use the three opportunities carefully now. He felt sorry for Hyo-seop, but he vaguely brushed it off and expressed his refusal.

Hyo-seop still wanted to watch, so he sat next to him.

Do-hyun skillfully shuffled the cards and picked three cards that he felt drawn to.

[ACE OF WANDS]

[TEN OF CUPS]

[ACE OF CUPS]

‘……!’

Two cards that start with Ace, meaning to start with heavenly luck, and one Ten card that enjoys the joy of completion.

“Number 23, what does this mean?”

“Um, to put it simply, it means it’s good.”

“Hey, explain it in detail.”

“You’ll forget even if I explain it in detail.”

Hyo-seop laughed loudly at Do-hyun’s words.

“I guess so. Number 23, anyway, I’m looking forward to your song today! I saw you completely killing it during the last rehearsal!”

“I’m just grateful that you see it that way. I look forward to a good stage!”

The two encouraged each other and hurriedly moved to the auditorium where the stage was, following the staff’s broadcast.

There was no audience, and the participants replaced the audience. However, as it was the first stage of the main competition, they received some makeup and coordination.

Most of the participants were somewhat awkward about what hadn’t existed until the rehearsal, but everyone was focused on warming up their voices.

MC [Master of Ceremonies] Ha Yeon-ho appeared.

“Hello, everyone. This is Ha Yeon-ho. Is my face getting a little used to it now?”

“Yes!”

“It’s getting used to it!”

“I see. I look forward to a good stage today. So far, there are 48 participants left. Two people unfortunately couldn’t even show their skills and were evicted, but I look forward to the performances of the remaining 48 people. I would like to introduce the judges once again. Ocean, Sun Hwa-seung, Coast, Sisters. Lastly… Dopamine. I introduce these five people.”

“Woo-oh-oh-oh!”

“Please take good care of us!”

“Wow-ah-ah-ah!”

They had already seen the faces of the judges, but they shouted to relieve tension.

The judges’ stiff expressions softened slightly.

“Thank you, everyone. I will make you happy with fair evaluations.”

Starting with Ocean, the judges said a word each.

Do-hyun’s eyes were fixed on Dopamine.

During his second debut, when he was active as a flower boy idol [a male idol with a pretty, delicate appearance], there was a time when his activities overlapped with Dopamine.

At the time, Dopamine was gaining tremendous popularity as a solo singer and was even arrogant.

When Do-hyun’s team went to Dopamine’s waiting room to greet him, he was the one who threw away their unknown CD, saying he didn’t need it.

‘I will definitely get a favorable review from Dopamine.’

That was Do-hyun’s goal.

“Okay, the judges please go to the judges’ seats. Let’s start with the first stage!”

Each group sat at their assigned tables.

All the other teams had five people sitting, but Do-hyun’s team, with three people sitting in a triangle, looked desolate.

Naturally, the judges’ eyes were bound to linger.

“What’s wrong with that group? There are only three people.”

Dopamine, who grabbed the microphone, looked at Do-hyun’s group and said it as a joke.

MC Ha Yeon-ho told him the answer.

“They were evicted for various reasons!”

“Oh dear… that’s a very unfortunate group.”

It wasn’t a tone that was at all unfortunate, but Do-hyun turned off his attention.

It was a waste to pour emotions into each of those tones.

Because it was a survival show that was busy with only seeing good things.

Soon, the first group went on stage.

It seemed like people were secretly expecting it because it was the group that had been greatly criticized by Coast for eye contact issues.

The MR came out, and the first group started singing.

Everyone opened their ears and listened to their song.

‘It’s much better than during the rehearsal, but the unnatural eye contact can’t be helped. As expected, it can only be fixed with a lot of experience.’

Do-hyun immediately pointed out their weaknesses.

Glancing at the judges’ panel, Coast’s expression was stiff, as if he was thinking the same thing as Do-hyun.

‘Our group also has to do well. The other participants will be looking at us with the same eyes. Especially since we’re doing it with three people… we have to be careful and careful again.’

Do-hyun caressed his cold hands. His hands were cold because he was nervous.

‘Please… let’s go up.’

With a desperate wish, Do-hyun looked at the stage.