A New Career Singer Who Can Read The Future [EN]: Chapter 37

Makeup and styling were completed during the waiting time.

The staff moved busily.

I knew that before today’s live competition, the 10 participants would go on stage to draw balls with their order numbers on them.

Even though it was a live competition, seeing everything broadcast live made me think it was a brutal program, but for my debut, I had no choice!

Personally, I hoped I wouldn’t get the first spot.

As always, the first stage, no matter how impactful, is easily forgotten.

However, in the practice room before the rehearsal, I drew the [Page of Wands] card.

A Page of Wands card represents the energy of a new beginning.

After drawing that card, I had a feeling that I would be chosen as number 1 in the number drawing before the live competition.

It’s difficult to leave a lasting impression with the first stage.

Besides, I’ve always been an unknown idol, so I often ended up on the opening stages of music programs. The 3-minute song was cut to 1 minute 30 seconds, and our stage was erased from the audience’s memory.

Because those memories remained, I was nervous about what would happen if it happened again this time.

No, Na Do-hyun!

Have confidence!

Wasn’t it a stage that Sun Hwa-seung listened to and applauded?

I have to trust Sun Hwa-seung’s musical sense.

I need to pull myself together.

I have to believe that I am more talented than I look and that I can sing well.

If I don’t believe in myself, no one can truly believe in me.

* * *

5 minutes before the live broadcast.

MC Ha Yeon-ho visited the waiting room.

“Everyone, are you ready?”

“Yes! We worked hard!”

Ha Yeon-ho adjusted his glasses and smiled.

“I look forward to your performances. This competition is also expected to be fierce, and I really like fierce competitions.”

Do-hyun already imagined Ha Yeon-ho’s engaging hosting.

Ha Yeon-ho shook hands with the participants and stopped at Do-hyun.

“Participant number 23, your ‘I Love You’ stage was impressive. It’s one of my favorite songs, and the unique arrangement and singing style were impressive.”

“Thank you!”

Do-hyun felt burdened that he was the only one receiving personal feedback.

Ha Yeon-ho looked at Do-hyun once more, had trivial conversations with the other participants, and left the waiting room.

The cameras weren’t rolling right now.

This was because some participants were still fixing their makeup, and others were even doing special makeup for a different charm on stage.

After hearing Ha Yeon-ho’s comments, number 17 provoked Do-hyun with a sneer.

“Someone’s having a good time. Getting personal compliments all alone. And bowing and scraping while saying thank you.”

But Do-hyun didn’t care about number 17.

There was no point in reacting to a childish remark. If I got provoked during a live broadcast like this, it could create unnecessary rumors.

Rather, Hyo-seop reacted instead of Do-hyun. Do-hyun wanted to stop Hyo-seop if it weren’t for the cameras, but he had already reacted, so there was nothing he could do.

“Number 17, watch your mouth.”

When Hyo-seop got angry, number 17 provoked Hyo-seop this time.

“I guess it’s good to be someone’s lackey. Even though your real-time vote ranking is lower than mine.”

It was only about a 9,000 vote difference anyway. It was a number that could be caught up with at any time.

Depending on the number of real-time website votes that would be revealed after today’s competition, number 17’s attitude could change.

Do-hyun looked around at the others. Everyone seemed to have similar thoughts to Do-hyun, not pointing out number 17’s attitude and just ignoring it.

‘If this scene is released later as an unreleased clip, the vote difference could widen significantly. Or number 17 might be evicted from the dorm before the remaining competitions.’

Do-hyun was focusing only on pouring his emotions into perfectly singing ‘Under the Trumpet Creeper’.

“Live broadcast starting! Participants, please wait below the stage! Also, check your in-ear monitors!”

At the staff’s shout, the participants moved below the stage.

Then, after hearing the words to come up on stage, 10 people went up on stage.

With a total of 11 people, including the MC, on stage, the stage felt full.

While the participants were waiting, the audience seemed to watch a short busking video.

“You enjoyed the busking stage earlier, right? How was it!”

When Ha Yeon-ho asked the audience, the names of those they were cheering for were heard.

To Do-hyun’s ears, it seemed like there were many people shouting his name.

There were also many people holding placards for Do-hyun.

Do-hyun greeted each one and enjoyed the moment.

‘Please… not the first stage…! The tarot card is so accurate that I’m scared, I’m scared.’

“There must be many people who were at the busking stage, right? Since then, the website votes have been so popular that they’re having errors! The viewership ratings have also jumped up! So today!”

At Ha Yeon-ho’s words, people in the audience were seen holding hands tightly.

“We will draw to see which stage you will decorate according to the busking rankings! 1st place… is someone who is challenging their fourth debut, right? You all know this person’s name and number even if I don’t say it. Participant number 23, please come this way.”

Do-hyun went forward with his guitar on his back.

Hoping that his hand would pick at least number 6.

“You are maintaining first place with a hot response even in busking.”

‘I’m maintaining first place?’

Do-hyun was so excited by the good news that he almost jumped up and down, but he held back.

“You get to pick the ball first, what number do you want to pick?”

Do-hyun answered Ha Yeon-ho’s question.

“I… want to pick 6.”

“What is the reason why you want to decorate the sixth stage?”

“It’s because I’m afraid I’ll be forgotten if I do it too early, and I’m afraid the impact will be small if I do it last. I want to make a stage that leaves a lingering impression by doing it in the middle.”

“Hoo… Well, let’s see if participant number 23’s wish will come true!”

Do-hyun closed his eyes tightly as the balls rolled around in the air and put his hand in to pick one.

Do-hyun handed the ball to Ha Yeon-ho without checking the number.

‘Please!’

But the voice that was heard was…

“Congratulations! Participant number 23, you will decorate the first stage! There’s a story that when selecting this song, they earnestly asked that participant number 23 be the one to sing it. Shall we meet participant number 23’s stage then?”

The staff set up chairs and standing microphones on the stage.

Do-hyun went up and did a simple tuning and checked the microphone status.

The sound seemed to be different from the rehearsal, so he called the staff and asked them to raise the microphone by only 1db.

After completing all the settings, Do-hyun sat on the stage.

Click, click—!

The sound of Do-hyun being filmed spread.

“Don’t film!”

“All filming is prohibited!”

‘My fans would want to see me in high definition with their DSLR cameras…’

If it were his own fan meeting stage, he would have been able to say something different to the security guards, but unfortunately, he couldn’t stop them because they were security guards hired by the broadcasting station.

Still, with the thought that they would somehow film and upload it, Do-hyun put down his slightly heavy heart.

* * *

Do-hyun appeared on stage wearing a dopo [a traditional Korean overcoat].

It was a concept that perfectly matched the historical drama-style song.

As Do-hyun, wearing the dopo, began to sing, everyone paid attention to him.

The audience empathized with the heart-wrenching voice that matched the lyrics.

Do-hyun looked at them with narrowed eyes and gradually heightened his emotions.

In that way, Do-hyun completed the stage with heartfelt emotion.

With a soulful voice filled with heartfelt emotion, some audience members were moved to tears while watching the stage.

Do-hyun himself couldn’t help but shed tears after singing the song.

Towards the end, the sorrow reached its peak.

The guitar performance was the highlight of this song. Do-hyun’s voice and the fantastic guitar performance captivated the audience’s hearts.

Do-hyun repeated the last “Please don’t come back” a couple of times.

The gradually diminishing sound was enough to leave a lingering impression.

Do-hyun wiped away his tears and came down from the stage.

As he came down below the stage, the tension was released and tears continued to pour out.

“Mr. 23, why are you such a crybaby!”

Hyo-seop said, handing him a tissue.

“No, my emotions were too overwhelming… that’s why.”

Two staff members with camcorders stuck to Do-hyun.

“Mr. 23, you’re shedding tears both on and off the stage, were you that emotionally invested?”

Do-hyun’s voice was slightly hoarse because of the crying.

“Yes. I’ve never done this during practice… I didn’t know I would cry like this…”

“Rather, it seems like you decorated an even more wonderful stage because of the tears you shed, what do you think?”

“If you see it that way, I’m really grateful… I’m sorry, but can I go to the waiting room to collect my emotions? I will do the interview after organizing my emotions.”

The staff told Do-hyun to go and collect his emotions first and sent him to the waiting room.

As Do-hyun entered the waiting room, participant number 41 readily approached him.

“Wow, you pulled off that difficult song like that? I think your skills have improved more while doing this program, Mr. 23.”

“Oh, I’m even crying because I got too emotionally invested, I’m embarrassed. I’m also thinking if I created a dark history. My skills have to improve more. Wouldn’t it be a disgrace if they decreased here? It’s my fourth debut challenge, after all…”

“There are also people whose skills decrease as they perform on stage. Because of that, they are forced to retire. It’s the so-called ‘My skills suck disease’. The more I do it, the more I feel like my skills are lacking, and I keep comparing myself to others… Well, it’s that kind of disease. That won’t be resolved until self-esteem is recovered.”

“Fortunately, I haven’t felt that way yet. It’s because I don’t have that much stage experience. What did you do when that happened, Ms. 41?”

“Um, our team took turns suffering from that disease, so we ended up disbanding… Well, now, if we were to reunite, I think we could solve that problem well by discussing it with each other.”

Do-hyun felt like his emotions had been greatly collected as he talked with 41’s Seon-ah noona [an honorific term for an older sister or female friend].

He went out to do the interview he couldn’t finish with the staff earlier.

It was that moment.

“Kyaaak!”

A huge scream was heard from the audience.

“How’s the participant’s condition?”

“Don’t come near here!”

…Something happened.

It was participant number 33 Hyo-seop’s stage right now.

Do-hyun tried to figure out what was going on and approached, but the staff pushed Do-hyun away.

“Mr. 23, please stay in the waiting room.”

“…Did number 33 get hurt?”

“We’ll tell you after we assess the situation. Please go inside!”