NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 116 - First Competition: Competitive Presentation (1)
A healthy spirit of sportsmanship, a battle that set your heart ablaze.
The selling point of this stage was supposed to be the beautiful narrative of friendship that blossomed within it.
“Iwol hyung.”
“What?”
“I don’t know how to put this…”
Kang Kiyeon, who had stopped me in my tracks, struggled to find the right words.
“It’s okay, just tell me.”
“Hyung, your face is completely devoid of enthusiasm.”
I said it was okay, but it wasn’t okay anymore. My heart ached.
“During 『With List』, your smile looked really natural, you know? But why can’t you make an enthusiastic expression?”
That was because I faked smiles a lot at the Hanpyeong Industry, but I never showed any real enthusiasm.
For 『Flowering』, I could channel the emotions of an office worker leaving late on a Friday night, and for 『With List』, I empathized with the feeling of an office worker going on vacation, but this time, I couldn’t find a suitable memory to draw upon.
Seriously this guy Kang Kiyeon was incredibly perceptive.
“Does it make that big of a difference?”
“Yeah. The rest of us look like we’re competing in a league match, but you’re out here like it’s a friendly game.”
“That won’t do.”
The analogy hit so close to home that it gave me goosebumps. In the meantime, Lee Cheonghyeon chimed in from the side.
“That’s strange. You’re usually proactive when it comes to work.”
For the record, I’d never been truly enthusiastic since I started being an idol. I’d just been driven by work.
“…Is it because you lack competitiveness?”
Park Joowoo cautiously added his two cents.
“Why are you all ganging up on me over this?”
“It’s a very important issue. Hyung, your dance skills aren’t exactly sharp, so you have to compensate with your expressions.”
“Kiyeon, I have feelings too, you know.”
Despite my protests, they turned off the music and sat me down on the practice room floor.
“Was my expression that bad?”
“It wasn’t just bad, it was…”
Kang Kiyeon, as expected, never let anything slide. These bastards, if they’re just doing this because they’re tired of practicing, I won’t let them off the hook.
“It just feels strange, no matter how much I think about it.”
“What is?”
“Hyung, you exercise, help with company work, and stuff. It doesn’t seem like you dislike people, and you don’t seem like the type to be bothered by things, so it’s just… the lack of enthusiasm feels contradictory.”
I’m telling you, I’m not working because I want to.
This was so frustrating. But if I said the system was forcing me into this, it’d give me a penalty for revealing heavenly secrets. I was already pissed off enough because of the financial difficulties.
“Right. Hyung doesn’t have much competitive spirit either. When we make convenience store bets, you always volunteer to go.”
“Do you guys just spend your spare time observing me?”
“I don’t want to hear that from you.”
Lee Cheonghyeon chuckled.
“Who lives their life constantly competing? It’s exhausting. Anyway, let’s just get back to practice.”
“But what about the enthusiastic expression?”
“I’ll just watch and copy Choi Jeho.”
That guy’s facial expressions were absolutely top-notch.
I asked Choi Jeho to earn his keep and learned center-worthy expressions from him. Fortunately, copying expressions was a million times easier than learning choreography.
* * *
After enduring countless issues—from budget shortages and malicious online comments to inadequate facial expressions—the day of the first competition finally dawned.
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[SYSTEM] Work instructions from the ‘Superior’ have arrived.
▶ Assistant Manager Kim sure likes making things difficult. Why do you keep doing things you’re told not to?
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And the system was in an uproar from the morning. It even displayed e the rule violation explanation document it had shown me before, as if to rub salt in the wound.
But whatever. What more could they possibly hold hostage after taking away the money that meant everything to a working person?
You told me to make this team number one, didn’t you?
Now that I’d even dipped into my personal savings, there was nothing left to lose. Let’s fight.
I stepped out of the car with determination. The atmosphere, more intense than ever, was palpable.
I bowed deeply to the fans who had come all the way to see us off as always, and as I raised my head, I heard someone say that my antic was overly dramatic.
I had never not bowed 90 degrees to my fans. It must have been a fan from another group, but I couldn’t help but feel awkward.
“Don’t be discouraged, my babies!”
Thankfully, I was able to shake off the discomfort thanks to the fans’ cheers.
Song Minil, your fans treasure you this much, yet you feed on their resentment?
I couldn’t understand nor did I have any desire to. I just hoped that people who hurt others eventually faced the consequences.
And so, the bastards Spark stepped into the studio with their spirits high.
The performance order for the first round of the competition was determined by drawing lots.
Considering the program’s name was Idol Dynasty Chronicle, couldn’t they have done it in a more creative way? Even a game of tug-of-war would have been more fun.
And why the random order when the point was to perform switched songs?
Normally, they’d pit groups performing swapped songs against each other, wouldn’t they? The setup left a lot to be desired.
“Anyone want to go out and draw lots?”
“Such a task should be performed by the elder of the household.”
And so, I was the only one overly immersed in the program’s concept. I even addressed our esteemed leader with the honorific title of ‘elder’.
Jeong Seongbin, who inadvertently became an elder, went out alone and drew a lot. Our turn was fifth.
“But, wow, everyone looks so cool. Their outfits are really stylish.”
Lee Cheonghyeon admired from next to me. I nodded in agreement.
“Maybe we should try a flashy concept next time too.”
“Like what?”
“You know
Madangnori
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