A New Career Singer Who Can Read The Future [EN]: Chapter 20

I recited the lyrics while watching the stage.

The most common mistake on stage was forgetting the lyrics. Although the lyrics appeared on the teleprompter, it wasn’t easy for a nervous rookie singer to watch the teleprompter and continue singing naturally.

Of course, I had a lot of stage experience, but at this moment, I felt like I had returned to my first debut.

“Do you think we can do well?”

My team member asked me. As a leader, I had to manage their emotions as well.

“Of course. We can all be in the top 10.”

“I actually had a dream about being eliminated again yesterday….”

“They say dreams are the opposite of reality. Everyone will make it.”

Our group moved behind the stage.

Staff members filmed our group with cameras.

While the other groups all had 5 members, our group only had 3, so we were bound to receive more attention.

We thought we might become the main characters of an ‘evil edit’ [a manipulated narrative created through selective editing to portray someone negatively].

“Number 23, how do you feel about the finals stage? Two of your team members left.”

The staff member asked the expected question.

I had to answer well here.

I knew very well that the moment I hesitated, that scene couldn’t escape the evil edit.

“It’s a shame, but I’ll do my best!”

“Eh. That’s too bland, isn’t it?”

I could see the staff trying to elicit more emotion.

But I wasn’t going to be fooled by that.

“It’s okay! Our group will all be in the top 10 so that the two who were eliminated won’t regret it!”

“I see. As expected of someone experiencing a survival show for the second time, you’re not falling for it.”

The staff member smiled as they said that.

The other team members who saw me also answered the staff’s mischievous questions carefully.

Not bad.

“Everyone can do well, right? Fighting!”

“Fighting!”

“Let’s all advance to the live broadcast!”

We greeted each other energetically and went on stage.

As it was a song about a separated couple, I had to bring out the emotional line well and pay attention to the gaze.

I had already emphasized it to the team members before going on stage, but I had to remember it myself as well.

The MR [music recorded without vocals] flowed and the intro began.

The team member who had been scolded during the rehearsal started smoothly this time.

Okay, good start.

Gradually, emotions rose, and the chorus of the first verse came.

I released the emotions slightly as if suppressing them.

It was an energetic, soft, and major melody, but it was enough to make tears well up.

As the interlude came out after the first verse’s chorus, applause was heard.

I wanted to smile, but I restrained my smile.

I had to be immersed in the emotions of a separated couple.

That’s how the second verse began.

It was time for the other team members’ voices to come alive.

Although there were signs of nervousness in their voices, it wasn’t to the point of being unpleasant.

It was just the level of nervousness of those experiencing a broadcast stage for the first time.

At the climax of the song, the harmony of the two built up and stimulated emotions.

Looking down at the stage, there were participants who were so immersed in our emotions that they were shedding tears.

This is a great performance.

Good.

* * *

“That friend’s skills are quite good, aren’t they? Why didn’t they make it? How did they end up challenging their fourth debut?”

Coast said, watching the stage.

At those words, Ocean spoke as a senior in the music industry.

“Originally, no matter how good your skills are, if you meet the wrong timing, you can’t make it. Wasn’t your unknown life long too?”

“That’s true, but that friend’s voice is really a waste. Their real name is Moomyung, I heard, so is that why….”

“Hey, don’t make fun of their name. Anyway, judging from that friend’s skills, they’ll easily be in the top 10.”

At those words, Dopamine opened his mouth as if reminiscing about memories.

“I saw them in the waiting room before, and they were a very sociable friend. That group eventually failed, though.”

Ocean frowned at Dopamine’s slightly arrogant tone.

However, Ocean didn’t want to get involved, so he didn’t say anything else.

Of course, the staff were filming all the judges’ conversations.

“Anyway, they’re a promising friend. They’re also handsome, have good physique and proportions, and sing well. They have everything, so if they’re given a proper opportunity….”

Coast chimed in on the conversation.

“I heard they signed an exclusive contract with Hue Entertainment. Making it big is a simple matter now.”

“Oh, really? That’s good. Friends like that treasure should be on stage a lot. That’s how the Korean Wave [Hallyu, the increase of global popularity of South Korean culture] can last long.”

At Ocean’s words, Sisters said.

“As expected, all you ever worry about is the music industry, sunbaenim [a respected senior or mentor].”

“Of course! Hmm, I’ll make that friend my pick. Just watch. They’ll definitely be number one.”

The others showed a slightly embarrassed look at the senior’s declaration.

It was the first time they had ever experienced someone so openly supporting one person in a survival program.

After Dohyun’s group’s performance, the remaining five teams also finished their performances.

The judges deliberated on each team’s evaluation, as well as who would be eliminated.

The meeting on who to eliminate was literally a battle.

If one person expressed support, the other would point out weaknesses and say they couldn’t be in the next finals.

The meeting alone lasted for two hours.

It was a series of trembling moments for the survival participants.

* * *

“Now, everyone! The results you’ve all been waiting for are finally here! Our judges had a tremendous meeting! The results will now be revealed!”

MC Hayeonho reappeared.

“Do you think we can go up?”

Dohyun’s group member said in a voice lacking confidence.

“You digested your part properly. Hey, don’t worry.”

“I think Number 23 will pass… I want to go to the next finals too. I want to perform on stage while looking at the audience too….”

“You’ll pass. Our group had almost no criticism, and the performance was good. So you don’t have to worry. Just trust me.”

Dohyun said in a confident voice.

Nevertheless, the remaining two sighed deeply with worried expressions.

Even though they did well on stage, they seemed very nervous once they came down.

“If you sigh like that, the luck that came in will run away. Let’s wait for the results announcement with energy.”

When Dohyun looked around at the other groups, the situation seemed similar.

It was an unavoidable situation since they didn’t know who would go up.

“Now, I’ll call out the list of participants who will advance to the next round in order!”

The announcement started sequentially from the group that performed first.

It was a moment of going back and forth between heaven and hell.

Dohyun closed his eyes and tried to calm his mind.

‘I’ll pass. I have to pass. I can pass. I have no choice but to pass.’

Dohyun clenched his hands tightly while the joys and sorrows were mixed in each group.

Even if it was his fourth challenge to debut, he was on the verge of elimination depending on the judges’ tastes.

“Now, the eighth group!”

Hayeonho finally called out the group that Dohyun belonged to.

Only then did Dohyun open his eyes and look at Hayeonho.

“This group had a lot of hardships. One person left as soon as it started, and another person said they couldn’t do it during the rehearsal, so the parts were redistributed. Nevertheless, I express my respect for everyone’s hard work.”

‘Please! Please…!’

Dohyun didn’t show it on the outside, but he was desperately hoping and hoping inside.

That must be the same for everyone.

“This team is….”

Hayeonho stopped talking and smiled mischievously.

At that moment, Dohyun sensed it.

That we can all pass.

It was the intuition of a survival show veteran.

“Everyone passes! Congratulations!”

The expected words were heard from Hayeonho.

The expressions of the team members who had been frozen relaxed at Hayeonho’s words.

Smiles bloomed.

“Thank you!”

“Thank you so much… thank you!”

“Let’s hear from participant number 23, who must have had a lot of mental distress as the leader of the eighth team.”

Then a staff member came over and handed Dohyun the microphone.

“First of all… I want to say thank you to our team members who have had a lot of mental distress. Everyone worked hard, everyone. Let’s get a good night’s sleep tonight! And then we’ll show you an even better performance in the next round!”

“That’s good to see. It seems like a team with outstanding teamwork. Now, the next team….”

Joys and sorrows continued to be mixed in the following announcements as well.

Dohyun’s team was relieved, but they didn’t show it as the other teams were experiencing mixed joys and sorrows.

* * *

After the results announcement ended like that.

Hayeonho didn’t go down below the stage.

“Everyone, you’ve worked hard in the first round of the finals. This time, it’s an announcement about the second round.”

The remaining 10 people tensed up as they looked at the stage.

The majority of them were curious about what mission would be given this time.

“I’m curious about what kind of mission it will be this time, right?”

“Yes!”

One participant answered loudly, and the participants’ tension was relieved for a moment.

“Your voice is very good. From the second mission onwards, it’s an individual mission! It will be a stage where you can fully show off your skills!”

“Woo-hoo!”

One participant shouted with excitement as if they were confident.

Some participants burst into laughter at the sight.

“I believe you can do well. It’s a stage where you can fully show off your skills, but as I explained before, this stage is about singing songs made by numerous composers. You will be given a song randomly. Then you can sing that song. There’s no need to choose a song. How is it?”

At Hayeonho’s words, Dohyun’s group members changed back to worried expressions.

“Wow… isn’t this a complete luck-based game? If the composer’s song doesn’t suit me….”

“Isn’t that why it’s a mission? Even if it’s a composer’s song that doesn’t suit me, I have to adjust and sing it well.”

Dohyun explained as a survival show veteran.

The team members’ expressions hardened even more.

“Everyone, have confidence. Songs change depending on how you do them. You’ve all done well in the team mission, so you’ll do well in the individual mission too.”

“Ha… I want to, but I’m nervous.”

“Me too. Dohyun-nim [a polite suffix], no, Number 23, you must not be worried.”

As if.

Dohyun also knew that if he met the wrong composer, he could ruin the stage because he knew his own tone well.

“No. I also need to meet a song that suits my tone….”

That’s when it happened.

“Now, we will assign mentors to each of the remaining 10 people. The mentor will direct you. Your mentor will be chosen from among the five judges. The mentors have already chosen you. Now, I will call out the numbers sequentially….”

Dohyun somehow wanted to avoid Coast at all costs.

He had met him since the preliminaries, so he wanted to avoid him.

But wishes don’t come true so easily.

“Number 23, go to Coast!”