The Maknae Has to Be an Idol

Chapter 127

The Showcase 2 First Chances final performance continued. I sat with my group members and watched the other teams performances on the monitor. The team to come after Only One was Bleshu. This was the team that always placed third right after us and Only One and was the team that treated us most kindly at the beginning of the show. The original song that Bleshu came up with was called Bless You.

BLESS YOU

No matter how rough and hard

The path in front of us

I JUST WISH THAT

We will keep smiling as long as we are together

Their performance felt much more natural and calmer than all the previous performances they had shown. Bleshu was a team that did better in songs that showcased the vocal lines, but it seemed they had skipped out on what they were best at because of all the pressure they felt to give a showy performance. Yet, they did what they wanted now and, as a result, showed their best performance.

How cool, I thought to myself, but my members voiced their opinions out loud.

Their song is so good.

Bleshu has really nice voices.

Woon and Yeon-Hoon said their compliments wholeheartedly, and I realized once again that this was how kind people communicated their thoughts. And when Bleshu gave their ending thoughts, people burst into tears.

Thank you so much for giving us this great opportunity and please dont forget about us.

Only the Bleshus leader cried in the beginning, but when he asked the audience not to forget them, the rest of the group also teared up. The concert hall filled with tears, and Yeon-Hoons eyes also became teary again.

Sniff, sniff

Here is a tissue. Be careful so that your makeup doesnt smudge.

Urgggh

The next group to come out was OnebyOne. This was the team that went through the most changes among all other groups in The Showcase since they went from a five-people group to a three-people group.

What? Perhaps, Kim Joon-Hyuk and Lee Young-Joon had been dragging the group down like shackles, but the rest of the OnebyOne members were now soaring.

They werent all just vocal lines?

Why are they so good at rapping?

They are good at both rapping and singing?

The three of them showed a splendid performance of singing and rapping. Their song title was One and Onea bright, breezy song that was mixed with many light electronic sounds.

One and One; the story left between us

Let the story unravel before us

And create exciting days as much as we have anticipated

The concept was enjoyable and pure, and their outfits werent over-the-board but just cute. It really seemed like Kim Joon-Hyuk and Lee Young-Joon had been really pulling their group down. OnebyOne members smiled more brightly than anyone else as they said the ending lines.

I feel like we finally did what we wanted to do in the last performance.

We have absolutely noregrets now.

Thank you for the great time! We are so happy and grateful!

Unlike Bleshus teary ending lines, OnebyOne appeared relieved and completely refreshed. The next group in line was Luminin. Truthfully, I didnt have good feelings towards them. They had blatantly made snide comments at us before, and we never had the opportunity to get closer.

But besides all that, I still had respect for them as fellow entertainers in the same business as us. I was sure that they must have also felt desperate like the other groups and felt disheartened to see Only One and us take all the spotlights. Though their attitude was poor, they were still nowhere near swines like Kim Joon-Hyuk and Lee Young-Joon, so I had no lasting ill feelings toward them.

Luminins original song was Lumen. It meant light in Latin and it appeared to be a fan song they created in dedication to their fans.

You came to me like light and stayed by my side

You always lit up my heart brightly

All of their lyrics seemed to indicate that, and though they didnt display as much as showy moves as the previous performances, the lack of it highlighted the song even more.

Perhaps, it was because everyones song choices were above our expectations, Do-Seung said in a slightly shaky voice, Everyone picked out good songs.

Among the five teams, we were the only ones who came up with our own song. The other teams had songs made by professionals, while ours was hand-made. It seemed Do-Seung was worried how his song would compare to theirs but I said, Its not you who should be worried but the song producers behind the other groups who should be.

What do you mean?

Though they gave good money to pros to write songs for them, you made a way better song than them on your own, I replied.

Ha, seriously. I didnt know you knew how to flatter people, Do-Seung said, but he appeared to be in a good mood as he stared at me with a slight smile. As Luminins performance gradually came to a close, the staff announced.

Siren, please be on standby!

Our waiting room instantly turned deadly silent. They froze in their spots and stayed sitting without doing anything.

Haaa, I breathed in and out calmly.

We can do it! Can do it! We are the best! Yeon-Hoon broke the silence, and he repeatedly announced that we were the best with no reason or backing whatsoever.

We will do the best, right? Woon also began his incessant questions while Do-Seung and Dong-Jun jumped up from the sofa and shouted, Ahhh! We can do it!

We can do it!

We can do it, Siren!

We can do it!

We all gathered together with our arms around each others shoulders and shouted our signature line.

No need for you to feel nervous or scared. We will do the best job. Lets come back after beating everyone, Yeon-Hoon uncharacteristically talked in a very determined manner.

Yes!

Lets go!

Lets win!

Yeaaah!

We all headed outside the waiting room while drawing out all our energy. I also planned to complete the final performance we have been working on for the past several months with no regrets.

***

Park Soo-Chul stared blankly as Luminins performance continued. Four groupsOnly One, Bleshu, OnebyOne, and Lumininall just finished their performance. He then looked at the accumulated number of texts.

Is it possible for them to organize this amount of data?

It seems the technical board is quite surprised. They are trying to keep things in control somehow.

So many votes were coming in that they were beginning to worry that the system could freeze. This was the second season of The Showcase, and though the first season was, without doubt, a program that displayed great results

This looks like more than twice the number of votes, he thought. The number of messages they were receiving was overwhelmingly higher than before. He had seen the high view ratings and view count of clips, but they all appeared like simple numbers then. It was similar to just seeing numbers on a bank account. It was nice, but hard to make sense of how much it was. Yet, the count of message votes gave him a similar feeling as personally using that money.

Ha, this is thrilling.

It truly is.

It felt like he was experiencing the shows success with his whole body. He was aware that The Showcase 2 had surpassed Season 1 in many criterias, but he didnt realize it was to this extent. It brought chills down his back that he had a hand in making this great wave in the broadcast industry. Then, he pulled himself out of his self-adoration and focused on the stage again.

Who has the most votes right now?

Ughplease give me a moment. It doesnt accumulate the votes live. Theres a slight delay

Just tell me the ranks as you see it.

Its Only One.

Really? What about Siren?

They are falling a bit behind Only One.

Is the difference huge?

Its not big, but it wont be easy for them to turn things over. They hadnt been able to surpass Only One since the show began.

Hm. Park Soo-Chul didnt say more. He simply wondered how he should plan the new reality program if Only One won.

But you know how the votes increase dramatically after a performanceif we calculate the increase, then, its likely that

What is likely?

I think its likely that Siren could end first place.

Siren?

Park Soo-Chul thought deeply again about how he should plan the reality show if Siren won. Of course, nothing was decided yet.

But it will be fun either way. It didnt matter much to him whether Siren or Only One won.

***

While The Showcase 2s final performance was going on, idol social media and community sites such as Bluebird buzzed with stories about The Showcase. It was only expected since it was the most popular and influential idol program early this year. Though the majority of the cast were supposed to be doomed idols or groups who hadnt even debuted yet, they were the biggest topic right now on this side of the internet.

Only Ones performance just now was insane

Just kill me Hyun-Sung

Only One, lets just only win

This is too much

Hyun-Sung sob, sob

Please message your votes for Only One #2557 1 #TheShowcase #OnlyOne #KangHyunSung #ParkYoungHo # KimSiWoon #KimJuHyun #LeeChulWoon

The one who got the most responses after the show started was naturally Only One. Not only was their performance excellent, they had many points that could draw in the audience even if they werent fans.

Only Ones performance just swells up your heart contemporary romance

Hyun-Sungs knows how to play the game since Select Your Idol

Did Only One win?

Reply: The result hasnt come out yet

In Bluebird and other community sites, fans talked as if Only One had already won. Though Siren had a similar-sized fandom now, Only One fans were erupting with passion and excitement after Only Ones legendary performances and quieting everyone else down. Of course, its not as if Siren fans just stayed quiet.

Our guys haven't even come out yet

Ah, please Siren

Sending Mac lipstick to those who show proof that they voted for Siren ~~~ If you were chosen, please show proof that you voted by text~~

I will be giving away gift cards for those who show proof that they voted for Siren!! 10 people will be chosen!!

Please look at this while waiting for our guys performancerare picture of Bong Tae-Yoon in a uniformif you want to see more of these cool, handsome guys, please watch them live right now on The Showcases final performance

Siren fans advertised prizes for those who showed proof of voting for Siren and continued to upload legendary clips of their group. Yet, Bluebird and the communitys general mood was still greatly in favor of Only One.

Ha, shit. What if our guys dont win this show?

Looking for people who will bomb WD Entertainment with me

It will be ridiculous if Siren doesnt win

Siren fans were also aware of this and wrote posts that expressed their worries from time to time.

We dont know the results yet! Lets fight till the end!

Have to protect our sea fairies

Yet, other Siren fans continued to write encouraging posts to pull up others' moods. And as various opinions and feelings went up and down, provocations and fights also erupted frequently, and many people unnecessarily became too emotionally charged.

Ahhhh Please Soo-Chul!! Pick Siren!

Reply: The PD doesnt pick anyone

Reply: Yeah, I also know

Please make Hyun-Sung win everyone

But in the end, neither Only One nor Siren fans could be sure who would win. And as all these various responses came up and the attention on The Showcase 2 reached its greatest peak, Siren came up the stage.

Ah, look, Siren is up.