A New Career Singer Who Can Read The Future [EN]: Chapter 39

After returning from Hue Entertainment, I changed into the group uniform.

PD Lee didn’t give me the USB with the arranged music this time. It was partly because I had perfect pitch, but also because he wanted me to sing using my own abilities, not just following an arrangement. I knew I had to capture any inspiration when it struck.

I headed straight to the practice room. Before entering, I noticed that only a few rooms had their lights on.

Only room 41, where Seon-ah was, and room 17, where that cocky brat was, had lights on.

Hyo-seop seemed to have gone out to rest and manage his condition.

Today, the mentors weren’t coming either, due to their own schedules.

I took my guitar, locked the practice room door tightly, and made sure no one could enter.

Since the stage had already been revealed once, I didn’t want to show the new version to the other participants.

I tuned the guitar by tightening and loosening the strings, then fixed the strap to my body.

Since guitar playing was important for this stage as well, I focused on guitar practice.

A stage I had to redo because of an unfortunate accident.

Hyo-seop said he was okay, but I felt a mix of guilt about the accident and pressure about the new stage. However, I couldn’t just be consumed by guilt. I pushed it aside and tried to concentrate on guitar practice.

* * *

A week passed by in a flash.

During that time, public opinion mainly called for the program to be canceled and for the main director’s resignation and disciplinary action to be publicly disclosed. However, internally, the decision was made to handle the situation after the program was completely finished.

The apology was posted on the main screen of ‘I Want to Be Your First Singer.’ Hyo-seop’s fans, worried he might drop out due to his injury, were relieved. That’s how the situation was temporarily settled.

And then came the day of the reopened competition.

The staff checked the stage safety over and over again.

Hyo-seop, who had his stitches removed, was able to perfectly cover the injured area with professional makeup.

While everyone was getting makeup and coordinating their outfits, Do-hyun chose an unusual costume.

Although the instrument in his hand was a guitar, he decided to go on stage wearing a *hanbok* [traditional Korean clothing].

Do-hyun suggested to the program staff that he wanted to wear a *hanbok*.

The staff thought the *hanbok* would go well with the historical drama-like song, and since Do-hyun, who was one of the factors driving viewership, took the initiative, they borrowed a custom-made *hanbok* that suited him well.

“Wow, the *hanbok* is comfortable, but it feels unfamiliar…”

He didn’t wear a *gat* [traditional Korean hat], but his makeup, with a subtle red tint around his eyes, made him look like someone filled with emotion and about to shed tears.

Watching Do-hyun, the staff did a separate interview, saying it would be released as an unreleased clip.

“Contestant number 23, you wore plain clothes for the last stage, but this time you’re wearing a *hanbok*. I understand it was your idea! Why did you make this choice?”

“The song has been arranged to have a more historical drama-like feel since then. That’s why I ended up wearing a *hanbok* like this.”

“Thank you for your answer.”

This interview will probably be edited short and uploaded.

After the rehearsal, Do-hyun went to the dorm during the waiting time, saying he was going to get a tarot card reading.

It wasn’t to see his own fortune, but to see Hyo-seop’s fortune.

[The Star]

The card that came out meant that Hyo-seop would receive attention at the same time as a new beginning.

Only then did Do-hyun feel relieved. Hyo-seop would get a good response with today’s performance and would go back and forth with him in the real-time website vote count.

‘Let’s draw one more card just for number 17.’

Do-hyun shuffled the cards, spread them out, and picked one that particularly caught his eye.

[Ten of Wands]

The picture of a man carrying 10 wands on his back and walking with difficulty meant that he was currently under a lot of stress and had a lot of work to do.

Do-hyun thought that maybe number 17’s cockiness was due to the stress of appearing on the audition at a young age.

He thought that performing a stage every week, digesting one song in his own style, could be incredibly stressful.

Do-hyun was okay because he had experience with audition programs and had gone through a hellish schedule during his unknown days.

‘Anyway… Hyo-seop might be the star of today, so it’s good to have expectations. I couldn’t even monitor the stage properly last time.’

That’s why Do-hyun went to see tarot cards and came back to change into a *hanbok*.

The time to draw the order before the stage began arrived.

Do-hyun hoped it wouldn’t be first place this time either.

MC Ha Yeon-ho shouted.

“Now, everyone! It’s time to decide the order of the 10 participants! Aren’t you curious about who will be on the first stage?”

“We’re curious!”

“Do-hyun-ah! Go first!”

“Hyo-seop fighting!”

“Our little prince Hyun-jin fighting!”

Number 17’s name was Hyun-jin.

The names that the audience mainly shouted were Do-hyun, Hyo-seop, and Hyun-jin. Seon-ah’s name also came out in between, but the top 3 were called the most.

“As before, the person with the most real-time votes will vote first. Aren’t you curious about who is number one this week?”

Do-hyun was curious. He had received his cell phone back during the two-day vacation last week, but he hadn’t used it and returned it, so he didn’t know how the real-time voting was going.

Ha Yeon-ho opened his mouth.

“Participant number 23, participant number 33, participant number 17. Please come forward.”

As expected, it was the people in the top 3.

“As you all know, these three are taking turns reclaiming the top spot!”

“Woah!”

“Let’s go Na Do-hyun number one!”

The staff asked the fans to refrain from shouting for a while for smooth progress because they kept shouting only their singer’s name.

“Number one is… a solid wall. I don’t know if this wall can be broken! Participant number 23, challenging his fourth debut!”

‘I hoped it wasn’t me… Then I hope I can pick number 6 this time…’

Hoping to leave a lingering impression in the middle, Do-hyun put his hand into the spinning ball container.

He closed his eyes and felt the balls brushing against his hand, and at some point, he grabbed the ball that came into his hand.

This time, he didn’t close his eyes and hand the ball to Ha Yeon-ho like last time.

The number Do-hyun checked was none other than 6.

“Wow! Participant number 23. Didn’t you say you wanted to pick number 6 last time?”

“That’s right! I’m very happy to have picked number 6 now!”

“Good. Next, the second place in real-time voting is…”

The second place was none other than Hyo-seop. It seemed he had beaten the number 17 brat, saying they were going back and forth.

Hyo-seop’s order was first.

“Participant number 33, how do you feel about performing the first stage? You were the second stage last time too.”

“The order doesn’t matter. I hope it will be a stage where I can show my full potential!”

“Good. The will to overcome the injury! I’ll look forward to it. Next, participant number 17, who is third in real-time voting! Oh… you don’t look so good?”

Number 17, who was on the border between amateur and professional, was clumsy at managing his expressions and emotions.

Ha Yeon-ho caught that with a very keen eye.

“Ah, no.”

Ha Yeon-ho said jokingly to number 17, who was saying no urgently.

“It’s like you’re saying, ‘How can I only be third place.’ Is that right? You were second place in real-time voting last week!”

Number 17 tried to smooth out his distorted expression. As a result, his expression became even stranger.

“No! I’ll pick the ball quickly!”

Number 17 got to perform on the second stage. I was curious about what the brat’s stage would be like after Hyo-seop’s impactful stage.

“The remaining 7 people will also draw their order.”

The 10 people who decided the order went down the stage.

Do-hyun was sitting comfortably and watching the TV when someone muttered a curse in a low voice.

“Fucking… so fucking annoying.”

I could tell without looking. It was participant number 17.

And if there was one thing participant number 17 did wrong…

One of the main staff who came to film the tidy waiting room heard the curse.

“Number 17? What did you just say?”

Number 17 replied curtly.

“I didn’t say anything? Why?”

“Your mouth shape was all caught on camera. You know this is a big problem, right? You know it’s a reason for eviction, right?”

“Why? I can’t even swear to myself?”

“We can’t see it as just talking to yourself when the context is clear, right? We will release the video immediately after today’s competition. We will take eviction measures after the release.”

Then number 17’s expression changed noticeably.

“No, it’s really just talking to myself… It’s not because I don’t like the MC or anything…”

“Anyway, we have tolerated you openly slandering others several times during the time the camera was on, and now you have even cursed, so we can’t tolerate you anymore.”

“Ha…”

Number 17 scratched his head. The main staff soon moved to another seat. The remaining staff avoided conducting only number 17’s interview.

So number 17 is going to be eliminated like this…

I only saw it as a child’s mischief and didn’t deal with it, but should I have told him to correct that attitude?

Do-hyun thought for a moment. He didn’t want to get involved with trouble, so he didn’t say anything or deal with it. But he thought that he should have told him that he had to change that attitude to survive in this industry.

Not long after, Hyo-seop went up to perform, and the main director came into the waiting room.

Everyone knew that there was only one reason why the main director came in.

“Number 17, we have confirmed the swearing video, and it will be released immediately after number 17’s competition stage. And number 17’s order will be deleted from the website, and you will be evicted today. We have given you a lot of consideration so far, right?”

The director said only that much, and then he rubbed his head as if he was angry and continued.

“The mockery and ridicule towards participant number 23, the ridicule towards number 33, and the remarks close to harassment towards other female participants. This is what participant number 17 has done so far. The reason why so many staff members witnessed all of this but did not take any action is because there was never a time when you were filmed openly swearing. Now there is no choice. Please just do the stage you prepared and leave. It’s your turn next, so please wait.”

“Ha, fuck!”

As soon as the director left, number 17 kicked the trash can in the corner.

“What do you want me to do! Don’t even let me perform!”

Do-hyun felt sorry for him again. Once the video is released, other agencies will not take in someone with personality issues.

‘What an unfortunate friend. Oh, dear…’

There was no need to pour emotions into the pity for number 17.

Do-hyun looked at number 17 for a moment and then turned his head to the monitoring screen.