Prince From Another Dimension Becomes An Idol [EN]: Chapter 189

#189.

The Group Mission in was one of the key missions to determine the final nine members.

For one, only 31 contestants remained, and after the Group Mission, it became clear what role each participant could play within a group.

Therefore, the contestants gritted their teeth and did their best to prepare for the Group Mission.

The on-site votes from randomly selected audience members and the week-long online voting after the broadcast would determine the 10 contestants who would face another setback.

The week-long music score and stage video views would be team scores, and the winning team members would each receive an additional 100 votes.

In , which boasted tens of thousands of votes, 100 votes might seem like ‘just’ 100 votes, but in a situation where elimination could be decided by a single vote,

it was a very important number for the contestants ranked 20th or lower, who were on the verge of elimination.

“I hope our team wins.”

“Of course! But when I saw it then… everyone seemed to be doing well. Above all, there’s contestant Choi Rina! The one we’ve been supporting since episode 1!”

“But, um… Jun Ryan? That composer’s song also sounds good…”

“Well, the current number one is on that team, right? What’s their name… they were very charming…”

Today, the MOST members were scheduled to attend the Group Mission performance with Dojae.

Inside the van heading to N TV broadcasting station.

The members were guessing which team would win, and soon the van carrying the members parked in the parking lot.

The members headed to the waiting room with pounding hearts.

Since none of the members were performing, they weren’t as nervous as they usually were, but they couldn’t hide their excitement as it was the day Dojae’s song would be revealed to the world through their juniors.

In particular, Dojae was very excited to see what kind of choreography would be added to the song he had directed ‘stitch by stitch’ to create a stage performance.

‘I haven’t seen the choreography either…’

Dojae thought as he followed Jung Gilju with the members.

“Kyaa!”

“What, what! MOST!”

“It’s MOST!”

Some fans who had sneaked into the staff-only parking lot to see the contestants stirred and shouted at MOST.

The members were used to this and didn’t even glance at those who shouldn’t be there.

However, even that demeanor seemed too much like ‘professional celebrities’ to those who had come to see the contestants, the trainees.

The members had only received simple hair and makeup and were wearing their usual style of clothing.

They were dressed up a little more than usual… actually, a lot more.

was becoming more and more popular with each broadcast.

Even if they weren’t worried about fans leaving, they needed to be aware of the crisis.

“Ah. It’s different.”

“Seeing MOST after seeing the kids really gives you the celebrity vibe.”

Most of the fans who liked the contestants liked them because they were not yet celebrities, less mature, and felt closer to them.

Nevertheless, seeing MOST, a complete idol group, couldn’t help but evoke admiration.

“Why did they come? Did they come to see Heemin?”

“Ah… is that so? Then isn’t that too unfair? MOST’s support.”

“Lee Heemin’s ranking will skyrocket again. How far is he going to go with MOST’s boost when he has no talent?”

“If they came to help Heemin, MOST is a bit disappointing too.”

“I know…”

Even though they were pretending not to notice, the fans in the parking lot were talking loud enough for the members to hear.

The members passed by with blank expressions.

Only then did someone realize and shout.

“Ah! No! I think Kang Dojae is coming out as a composer!”

“Seriously? Then was there a Kang Dojae song among the songs released last week?”

“That’s what I heard?!”

“Wow. Which song is it?”

The members finally took a proper breath after entering the waiting room.

“Ah, geez… they looked much younger than Dojae hyung [older brother/male friend],” Louie grumbled, seemingly upset that some people were saying ‘Kang Dojae, Kang Dojae.’

Jung Gilju also clicked his tongue, saying they had no manners.

“It can’t be helped.”

Dojae didn’t pay much attention and took a seat in the waiting room.

Heemin’s story must have stuck in his head, as Heungmin muttered.

“Come to think of it, which composer’s team is Heemin on…”

“Composer Yoo Young! The team!”

Louie answered immediately.

The members looked at Louie as if he were strange.

“How did you know? The team selection hasn’t been aired yet.”

“I heard it from the writer noona [older sister/female friend] when I went to the recording studio?!” Louie tilted his head as if asking what the problem was.

“When did you become friends with the writer…”

The members, including Woocheol, were once again impressed by Louie’s sociability.

And then.

Someone knocked on the waiting room door.

Jung Gilju opened the waiting room door, saying, “Who is it?”

Heemin, who wouldn’t become a nobleman [a Korean idiom for someone who doesn’t try hard enough], was standing outside the door.

“I… I came to see you guys…”

Jung Gilju, who was briefly taken aback, left Heemin outside the door and asked the members for their opinions.

“What should we do… should we meet him now? There’s still some time left…”

There were about 30 minutes left until the performance, and since the members weren’t going on stage, they didn’t have anything to prepare.

The members looked at Gijun.

It meant they would follow Gijun’s decision.

“…”

Everyone had been thinking that they would meet Heemin once they decided to appear on .

Gijun nodded slightly.

They weren’t close enough to seek him out first, but they weren’t in a position where they couldn’t meet at all.

As soon as Gijun’s permission was given, Jung Gilju let Heemin into the waiting room.

It was their first meeting in three years since they had broken up before their debut.

Heemin was wearing a fluorescent t-shirt and white pants, which were his stage costumes.

He was quite the idol with his makeup on.

“Hyungs [older brothers/male friends], it’s been a while.”

It had been a while, but they had already seen each other on TV.

The members were a little awkward at first and couldn’t bring themselves to greet him.

But soon, they shook off their awkwardness and welcomed Heemin.

It started with Heungmin.

“Oh, it’s been a while. Heemin-ah! I saw you doing well on TV?!”

“Oh, Lee Heemin! You look like a different person with makeup on? I wouldn’t recognize you!”

Woocheol also greeted Heemin as brightly as possible.

He had already sorted out his disappointment or resentment towards Heemin a long time ago.

Now, he was just a younger brother he knew, whom he hoped would do well.

Heemin’s expression brightened a little at the members’ greetings.

“I didn’t know you guys were coming here. I heard it from the other contestants first… Do you know how embarrassed I was?”

Heemin playfully revealed the resentment he had been holding in.

The members laughed awkwardly at that.

If you think about it, Heemin didn’t tell anyone that he was appearing on either.

But they tried to brush it off, thinking he was just saying it.

“Heemin, you really haven’t changed.”

Gyusun said quietly but firmly.

It meant he was still selfish, just like when he left.

However, Heemin, who had received more care from Gyusun than anyone else, didn’t think that the kind-hearted Gyusun would have said that in a bad way.

“Hyung [older brother/male friend] is totally! A celebrity now?! You’ve lost so much weight compared to before…”

Gyusun weakly raised the corners of his mouth towards the still immature Heemin.

Heemin, who had always been most afraid of Gijun’s gaze, glanced at him and continued.

“Anyway, I’m so happy that you guys are doing well. Seeing you at the broadcasting station like this…”

“Thanks. You gave up art and came back to Korea, so you’ll do well too.”

Heungmin replied coolly.

Other members also said a word each, telling him to be sure to get into the debut group.

Everyone had the same wish that Heemin, who had suffered together at one time, would do well.

“Then when you do the interview later… you’ll cheer for the team I’m on, right?”

This was the real reason Heemin came to this waiting room.

Heemin himself was also ashamed to have to say these words.

But he was being criticized for selling MOST’s name.

That’s why he even regretted it.

But since he had already been criticized, he decided to use it properly.

“Huh? Of course, we’ll cheer for you, but…”

Heungmin hesitated and continued.

“It’s a bit… if we openly support you…”

“We’re not here to support you, but to see the team’s performance.”

At Woocheol’s words, Heemin looked at Dojae and Louie, who were on one side.

The two of them were looking at Heemin with a bit of curiosity but no other emotions.

“If we say we support you, people will just say it’s unfair, right? Even us coming here can cause talk…”

Heungmin added, as if agreeing with Woocheol.

Heemin’s expression gradually hardened.

“You said you were going to cheer for me.”

Heemin said sullenly, not thinking about what he had gained with MOST’s name so far.

“Our hearts are, but… it won’t be good for you either, right? And you’re already popular even without us doing anything! If you practice a little harder, you’ll get your old skills back! Then you can get into the debut group too!”

When Woocheol, of all people, said ‘practice hard,’ Heemin frowned.

“I understand. You said you hoped I’d do well…”

Heemin added irritably.

Unlike Gyusun, whose expression had already hardened, Heungmin and Woocheol were newly shocked.

He was originally a bit selfish, but they didn’t think he was this bad…

Three years may be short, but it seemed like enough time to change a person.

‘The members are already doing well, but I’m still nothing… I must be impatient. I don’t want to regret my choices either.’

Dojae seemed to know why Heemin was acting so foolishly.

But just because he seemed to know didn’t mean he understood.

There weren’t many people as kind as the members.

Heemin was messing with a precious relationship with his own feet.

With this, the members would have sorted out even the slight lingering feelings they had for Heemin.

At that time, Gijun, who had been silent except for saying he would do well, opened his mouth.

“The performance will start soon. Go quickly.”

It was a clear expulsion order.

It also meant that he would no longer accept his ridiculous whining.

In the past, he would have accepted it somehow because they were on the same team… but not anymore.

“…I’ll go then.”

Heemin turned around with a slightly resentful face.

He himself couldn’t exactly know why he was resentful.

Maybe he was regretting all his choices…

‘The hyungs [older brothers/male friends] have changed since they became famous.’

Heemin tried to turn the blame on the members, not himself.

However, even Heemin sensed that this was the end with the members.

And all the anger about it was directed at Louie, who had been quietly watching this situation.

After Heemin left the waiting room.