Chapter 7

Even after being warned by Park Insa to write down simple colors, explicitly forbidden from specifying any special shades because it would not only complicate matters but also force the clothing manufacturer to recalibrate their dye settings, some still wanted to test the limits—many, in fact.

[You rascals!] The senior yelled into his microphone, his voice echoing painfully loud.

[Didn't I tell you to write simple colors? No extra details. Want to challenge the authority, huh?] His eyebrows twitched as he picked up each paper to tally the votes, increasingly tempted to flick the foreheads of those who wrote them.

Previously, Park Insa had casually checked the Class E box and found that these stubborn kids hadn't listened to his instructions at all. When he checked the other boxes, it wasn't any better, ranging from basic to advanced shades.

The easy ones were there, but the irritating ones were more prevalent.

One paper suggested 'scarab beetle green.' What kind of bug is a scarab, anyway?

Another went a step further into computer color codes.

'F5A400'

What the heck color is that?!

[I don't know anymore. I'll do as I please. Producer Im has already approved. Accept whatever color this big brother chooses for you!] The trainees wailed, but not earnestly since they weren't serious about the shirt colors anyway. They decided to send a representative to check with the crew if they could instead annoy the show's host.

And so it turned out... Haha.

The legendary senior’s final decisions on the class colors were as follows:

Class A - Yellow

Class B - Red

Class C - Green

Class D - Blue

Class E - Orange

Looking at it, it kind of resembled traffic lights.

....

Once Park Insa finished selecting the colors, the crew informed them that they would receive their color-coded warm-up shirts by next week. In the meantime, they were to wear the gray warm-ups provided by the show.

After changing their clothes, all the trainees were asked to gather at the large dome next to the apartment, which had been transformed into a multifunctional meeting room. For today, it was set up as a relaxation room, complete with water, snacks, and a television in one corner for the trainees to unwind.

The trainees then scattered to sit with their closest friends for comfort, while some chose to join groups that seemed likely to attract viewer attention if this segment were to be aired.

The most popular group undoubtedly centered around the five Class A trainees. In Jacan's group, for instance, as many as 42 trainees gathered to chat, partly because Wang Qi and Yeo Unche followed Jacan around like ducklings following their mother. Wherever he went, they were sure to follow, almost like shadows.

If there were to be a meal preparation session again for lunch, they would need to be in the same group as the show’s chef, no matter what. After all, filling their stomachs was a priority that couldn’t be overlooked!

"..." Jacan, suddenly popular among the trainees, listened to one invite him to chat and another to play, all clamoring for his attention until he couldn’t keep track of who was speaking…. Uh, my head’s starting to hurt with all this chatter. Don’t all talk at once.

"It really feels like boarding school when we’re all wearing the same color," Kim Jiseong commented, standing on a chair. If you ignored the various hair colors, he couldn’t tell who was who.

"When will this episode air? The fans who’ve pinned their favorites might get dizzy from trying to spot us," Jacan said with a laugh, imagining the viewers flipping back and forth trying to identify the trainees in a sea of similar outfits. Just imagining it made his head spin.

"I bet this is the producer’s plan," Yeo Unche said, looking around for agreement.

"Are you thinking what I’m thinking, B1?" And it was Wang Qi who jumped in to respond.

"Definitely, B2. They make us change into these shirts now, even though they had outfits ready” The young man from Mi Ent. gently rubbed his thumb and index finger together, “it’s a waste of the budget. There must be something sneaky going on."

[And what exactly might be sneaky here?]

"That’s what I’m wondering," Wang Qi replied, lowering his gaze thoughtfully.

Wait, that voice sounded familiar...

"!!!!"

"Mr. Park!" The group of trainees burst into surprised shouts when the host, who had seemed to vanish, suddenly appeared in the middle of their circle without any warning.

[Why the surprise? I’ve been sitting here listening for a while now. So, what’s this about the producer having a hidden agenda?] Park Insa teased playfully.

“Because PD wants the audience to see everyone in the same color tone without any separation before entering the full competition.” It was possible that this kind of slow atmosphere would never happen again.

[Half right] Park Insa blinked. [Actually, the PD's request is much simpler than that.]

"Yes?" Was he thinking too much?

[Do you guys think once the last episode airs, the audience will start to choose their favorite members?]

"There must be some." Like the ones who stood out since the evaluation round.

[When the audience has chosen their favorite members, they will only try to look for the ones they like, right?] Park Insa only said this much. Jacan, who had been through a lot, suddenly understood.

"So you want to reduce the differences as much as possible, and let us try to find a way to keep the audience from changing their minds and liking someone new... right?" Anyone would guess the purpose of the show with just this hint.

Since the clothes and hair were all similar, those with a strong aura would attract more attention from the audience. Some would definitely lose fans and some would gain fans.

[Y-yes, that's right. Are you excited?]

“It’s too cruel,” Wang Qi pretended to fall to the ground, and looked up at the camera with his large, innocent eyes, blinking pitifully. “I’m so small, if you guys stand in front of me, no one will see me already.”

“This guy is quick on his feet,” Yeo Unche wanted to clap for his roommate. When he realized he was going to be swallowed up, he immediately created airtime for himself.

“This is the entertainment industry,” whoever was faster got the advantage.

After Jacan finished speaking, the trainees who had been surrounding him rushed to the camera to find a way to attract attention. For now, they had to avoid being grouped with someone outstanding, otherwise their aura would be overshadowed and they would become mere extras in the show.

“Why don’t you do it too?” For this blue-eyed older brother, if he just winked, the girls would clutch their chests.

“You have to do it at the right time,” Jacan smiled at his roommate, before giving him a useful piece of advice that could be applied in this colorful vortex.

“If you do it now, you’ll be seen as hungry for attention. You have to wait for the right time and opportunity, then you’ll get satisfactory results. But you can’t delay it either, or you’ll be overtaken.” His lips were still smiling, but his eyes were chilling.

“…” The young man felt a chill down his spine when he realized that the smile the other person was showing meant that he was starting to get serious.

During the break before lunch, the trainees tried their best to present themselves in front of the camera. Even though they pretended not to care, whenever the camera captured them, they would either pretend to practice dancing diligently or turn around to laugh and have fun with the trainees nearby, creating a cheerful and easy-going image for the audience.

“…” Jacan shook his head after watching them.

Sigh, kids were always kids.

If they were to act so obviously out of character, the audience would just ignore them. It was true that the audience usually liked good-looking people, but if it was too unnatural, they could tell that they were acting. Nowadays, people prefer authenticity. Anything that was too unnatural was often seen as insincere and pretentious.

“If doing what they’re doing is bad, then what do you think I should do?” Yeo Unche stuck to Jacan like glue, unwilling to leave. His intuition told him that it was better to stay close to this older brother than to be with those camera-crazy people over there.

Although he was currently in Class B, the show had only just started filming two episodes. There were still many opportunities for him to kick himself up to Class A one day. However, it wasn’t as if Class A would just sit idly by and let him take their place. Therefore, whenever there was an opportunity, he was ready to give it his all.

“Just be as natural as possible.”

“In a situation like this, it’s hard to be relaxed even if you try.” The more he saw the camera, the more his body became alert.

“You’re good at it. You don’t seem nervous at all.” Ever since the first day of filming.

“You’ll get used to it. If you can’t do it, then just look at Wang Qi as an example.” Jacan pointed to the youngest member of the room, who was running around and playing with his classmates from other classes. “Don’t think too much about it. Just do what you want to do.” As long as you stood out and didn’t look awkward, that’s enough.

“Wang Qi is too energetic.” Earlier, he had pretended to look sad and adorable, so the others had gone to comfort him and fawn over him because they wanted airtime too. After a while, he ran around and played like a tireless child.

“He’s an important part of the show.” Compared to someone who was just sitting around waiting for airtime to come to them, mom-fans would usually choose a cheerful young man who was full of energy. Moreover, this type of fan was very supportive of their artists.

“Then is it okay for you to not do anything like this?” He had been sitting still ever since he finished changing his clothes.

“I’m already doing it.” Jacan raised an eyebrow.

“Doing?...” He had been sitting there doing nothing since just now.

“Sitting here looking handsome and waiting for the camera to come and film me.” He lifted his chin slightly, showing off his full confidence.

“…”

POOF

“Hahaha, your face is so funny.” Jacan couldn’t hold back his laughter and started shaking. Just now, after he finished speaking, Yeo Unche’s eyes widened and his mouth hung open as if he were looking at a monster.

“Are you messing with me?” The young man came to his senses when he saw his closest brother in the show laughing and realized that he had been tricked by the older man.

“Yes, I saw that you were looking so serious. Actually, in a variety show like this, if you don’t keep the character you created, then you have to be yourself as much as possible if you’re confident that your true self is good enough.”

“That’s hard to think about.” Yeo Unche lowered his head and looked at the floor, his voice tinged with sadness. “I think I’m like a gloomy person.” The reason he applied for the show was because he liked to sing. He wanted to have the opportunity to do what he loved in front of the audience on a music show.

“It’s up to you to decide. Some people can keep the character they set up until it becomes a part of their life.” Like him, who once had to wear a mask on stage for more than 5 years.

“I don’t think I can do that, my mental health will be ruined.” If he had to act like someone else to please the fans.

“It’s good that you think that way. Being yourself is the best. Then attract fans with your talent and effort.”

“Yes.” The young man nodded. After thinking it through, he stopped frowning and went to get some snacks and tea. He sat down and ate with his brother, not caring about the camera at all.

It was true that Jacan himself wanted more airtime so that he could increase the number of his fans while the show was airing. However, too much of anything could sometimes be a double-edged sword. Getting too much airtime could trigger someone’s hatred. Instead of gaining fans, he would gain anti-fans instead.

Even when he was J and no one had seen his real face, there were still some people who didn’t like him and found all sorts of things to say to make him lose confidence.

Sigh, if they didn’t like someone, they could just look at someone else. But they still chose to think of things to say and find ways to get to him to hurt him… He didn’t understand why they would sacrifice their time to do something that was useless and only gave them temporary satisfaction. What was worse was that if they were caught, they would have a bad record.

If you don’t like someone, just deal with it yourself. Pick up the remote and change the channel or block them on social media so that you won’t see them. Is it so fun to see someone get hurt? He had never said anything bad to them.

Jacan shook the negative thoughts out of his head and looked at the trainees who were starting to run out of energy to entertain the audience through the camera. Some of them started looking for snacks to eat, while others found a corner to nap because they were running out of battery, like the troublemaker of the show who was hiding behind the sofa he was sitting on.

‘I’m just sharing my airtime with others. It’s not that I’m afraid that I’ll look bad when I’m sleeping.’

Let’s just try to believe it.

"He seems to naturally have a lovely personality." Yeo Unche glanced back at the sofa where Wang Qi was lying with his mouth open, drooling.

"Yes, it's a rare type," There were few people who maintained a positive mindset all the time. Although there were artists who seemed like Wang Qi, in reality, they just kept their idol personal for the fans. Offstage, their personalities changed as if they were different people.

He was still not entirely sure if this kid was just acting or not, but his intuition told him he was not pretending... to put it simply, he was not thinking too much about anything at all.

Jacan chatted with Yeo Unche about general topics for quite a while and didn’t seem inclined to mingle with the other trainees. Superficially it looks like he's just wasting time unproductively in other people's eyes.

"Hey, why don't you go get some airtime for yourself?" Park Insa, who didn’t have a mic with him as usual, plops down casually next to Jacan.

"Hello, senior," Yeo Unche and Jacan promptly stand up and bow politely following the manners of this country.

"Hello," the older one wanted to say there's no need to be so formal, but on second thought if he did that, the viewers who would see this footage probably wouldn’t like these two juniors. Being disrespectful to seniors or juniors reflected badly.

"So you're not going to compete for airtime like the others? This is a survival show program."

"That's just not my style. If I do that I'll feel even more fake," Jacan gave a frank reason.

"Is it really good to be so blunt? People could get annoyed," Don't forget there were cameras capturing footage from almost every corner of the room.

"If you make me pretend in a way that's not me, even more people would dislike me for being fake," especially as a foreigner, even little things could easily become issues.

"Besides," Jacan raised his eyebrows meaningfully at the older guy, "just having you sit here pulls airtime to the three of us already."

"Three?" He only saw two people.

"Behind the sofa, another person, my battery just died suddenly," the young man gestured toward the back of the sofa.

Park Insa craned his neck to look and then saw a human curled up, sleeping with his mouth open, drooling without any concern for appearances.

Or rather, because he was concerned, that was why he chose to sleep there, right?

"Shall I guess why you decided to sit with us?" Jacan teased with a mischievous smile.

"I might not have a clear purpose, just walked over looking for a seat."

"You came looking for a friend to talk to, especially about artists we like," because the two of them like a band that not many in this country would know of.

"Well, yes, it's rare to meet another Twinkle; just wanted to chat a bit," Park Insa nodded in agreement.

Actually, his duties as a morning host had ended, and he could have gone back to rest in the guest room until his next segment in the afternoon. Seeing Jacan calmly not trying to hog airtime like other trainees, and the camera crew clustering around other large groups, he took the chance to find someone to chat with leisurely.

"And why do you like them?" Yeo Unche, sitting next to him, moved to grab some drinks and snacks, eager to hear the backstory of the Class A brother who rarely opened up.

"Originally, it was Mom... ah, my mother, who liked Twin K. She was a fan from when they just uploaded cover videos on YouTube. By the time I was born, I was listening to Twin K even before I could walk. Twin K inspired me to become a singer. At age five, I was lucky to be a lucky fan at one of their concerts. Seeing a sea of people waving light sticks, sparkling in the dark, was so beautiful. I thought I'd like to have a starry sea of my own, so I chose to study music from then on."

It was unfortunate that HJ had never organized a concert. In the first three years, although somewhat famous, it wasn't enough for sponsors to be confident that tickets would sell out, so they never organized one. There were only small shows to thank the fans.

There were plans to organize one in the fourth year, but then the company's president suddenly fell ill, causing many planned activities to be halted. By the fifth year, the group was disbanded without any farewell concerts.

"I also followed them when they were on YouTube. George... ah, a band member, was the brother of a friend of Twin K. I got to know them through George. Initially, I liked the singing skills of the older twin, which I couldn't match at the time. Before I knew it, I was following their work up to this day."

"I even went to a concert where Ford invited Twin K as guests. I went with Mom and Dad. It was a really fun concert."

"Ah, it was really fun at that time," Park Insa mused, looking out the window as if recalling old memories.

"Was that band really popular?" Yeo Unche took a sip of his drink. Listening to both men, it seemed this was no ordinary band.

"They were popular in their own country," Park Insa said with a gentle smile. If Twin K had intended to go international, he was sure they could have gone very far. But lately, the twins had turned to behind-the-scenes work and acting, which they also excelled in, causing their music career to dwindle.

"They are not young anymore," Jacan chuckled. "But their work is still on YouTube. If you're interested, I'll send you a link when I get my phone back."

"Oh, please do, big brother," Yeo Unche grinned widely. Although unfamiliar and initially uninterested in the band mentioned, given both the senior's and Jacan’s praise for the music, he felt compelled to check it out.

"What’s going on here? You two are having fun in the corner and didn't invite us," the other trainees, who had been scattered, quickly joined the conversation when they saw the senior host engaging with Jacan and Yeo Unche. Even the camera crew started to take interest.

"Just talking about a band we like," Yeo Unche saw the senior and the host not willing to explain, just smiling knowingly at each other. He didn’t want the atmosphere to go flat, so he spoke up instead.

"That explains it. Jacan really is talented, isn't he? Singing, dancing, and even cooking. Is there anything he can’t do?"

"Wait and see," the young man smiled cryptically, causing all the trainees who had joined to catch some screen time to feel that his smile was rather mysterious.

"I think someone with his level of talent should debut in his own country. The competition here is deadly," amidst the crowded circle, a voice suddenly spoke from behind.

"Who just said that?" Park Insa, sitting beside, asked with furrowed brows.

"..." The trainees exchanged looks, shifting uncomfortably from left to right, yet no one came forward to admit their words.

"If you're not brave enough to stand by your words, that's fine. But listen—foreign artists are essential to our music market right now. True, some might think they're taking jobs that should belong to locals, but from a management perspective?"

"Important factors that can propel a group to international success sometimes depend on foreign members. Instead of just thinking that they're taking away jobs, why not see it as competition? A competition that drives our country's music industry forward."

"Whoever made that comment earlier, if you don't debut... it'll be because of your own words, not for any other reason," said the usually cheerful senior, his face now serious, furrowing his brows tightly. The situation escalated to the point where the main producer had to signal the crew to pull him out.

If this tape went on air, it's guaranteed to stir controversy, albeit negatively. But this was good; this episode would provoke discussion in the community.

Foreign artists had always been made uncomfortable by their agencies or anti-fans over the years. If this issue was ignited again, it would become a hot topic discussed everywhere!

Heh, the ratings would skyrocket for sure.

...

"Up to now, we still don't know who said it," Yeo Unche pursed his lips, hating those who acted but didn’t own up to the consequences. Though unknown now, once this tape aired, the viewers at home would see who it was.

After Park Insa was pulled away by the crew, the atmosphere grew tense. Everyone dispersed to their own corners until it was time for lunch, and the cheerful chatter that had filled the air was no longer present. The mood had definitely soured.

Some began to realize that the beliefs they held dear might not be widely accepted in a more open society. Everyone had something to ponder, casting a somber shadow over their demeanor.

The producer, seeing the gloomy faces of the trainees resembling storm clouds, decided to halt filming temporarily. Instead, the cameras were left running in case something interesting happened to include at the end of the show.

...

"Lee Sangah, Class C," Jacan mentioned casually as he ate, as if narrating an ordinary story, not naming someone involved in racial bullying.

"You knew?" At that moment, the trainees crowded around them, almost completely enclosing them. The person who spoke was at the very back, and he couldn't even see Lee Sangah's hair from there.

"I remember, back when we were being assessed for class promotion, he said the same thing. Though it was just to stir things up and get others involved," he did nothing more than memorize the face of the other at that time. It was only when he saw the performance that he learned the name and class.

"Is that guy trying to self-destruct?" To criticize others in front of the camera like that?

"It must be the pressure. When people feel cornered, they often choose the wrong path. Think about it, over half the people in Class A are foreigners. Who could stay calm under such conditions?" Or perhaps there was more to it...

"That's true, but it's still about the skills, right?

"Well, those people are in Class C; they don't get to move to A as easily as you."

"Oh, please, may that become true! I'm dying to debut here," Yeo Unche clasped his hands together, tilting his head back as if praying.

"Don't rush it; the road ahead is still long. We have the home audience voting to consider too. Being in Class A now doesn't guarantee a debut. Everything is just starting," the more seasoned trainee explained, grounding in the reality of the survival show. People in Class E could debut too if they had enough fan support.

"You seem so calm," Yeo Unche observed, his brows furrowing. "You act like a kindergarten teacher watching over the kids, you know?"

"..."

"What should I say? It's like you're just watching us play in a playground, always ready to scold or praise. You act like an outsider... Yes, an outsider," Yeo Unche snapped his fingers as he coined the metaphor.

"Are you an undercover staff member or what?" His gaze shifted to one of suspicion. Hearing this, Wang Qi paused his eating.

"Exactly, which is it?" Jacan leaned on his elbow, listening to the young man analyze him. Outwardly he may seem calm and detached as always, but inside, his heart was racing in a way it never had before... Was he developing an ego?

Was he thinking he was superior to everyone here because he had debuted before? Was he looking down on others?

His grip on the chopsticks tightened, unnoticed by others. A tumult of anxiety passed through his sea-blue eyes like waves crashing against the shore.

"Where did Wang Qi go? He wouldn’t miss lunch," Yeo Unche looked around, not spotting the younger member of the room.

"..."

"Brother Jacan, have you seen Wang Qi?"

"..." No response came from the number you dialed.

The young man furrowed his brows. It was the first time he saw the person in front of him so spaced out. Normally, the elder seemed alert at all times, ready to handle any situation.

"Bro, bro," waving his hand in front of him.

"Huh? What is it?" Jacan regained his composure, looking at the hand in front of him in confusion.

"Is something wrong, bro? I've been calling you for a while."

"It's not like there's nothing, just something small to think about. It's not a big deal. Let's keep eating, or we won't have time to gather this afternoon," the older one looked at his watch and the food in front of him before urging his roommate to hurry up. "Did you ask me something just now?"

"I asked if you've seen Wang Qi. Since we came into the cafeteria, I haven't seen him at all."

"Wasn't he following us?" He had seen a glimpse of that distinctive hair when they were getting their food.

"Maybe he went to eat with someone else," it was strange. Usually, those two would stick to Jacan like glue.

"There he is," as Yeo Unche was contemplating the possibilities, Jacan pointed out the youngster with the man bun walking meekly behind Kim Jiseong like a duckling following its mother.

"Is something wrong? Why does he look so upset?" Jacan squinted. "No, it's Jiseong who's dragging Wang Qi along."

Bang!

Before Jacan could finish, Kim Jiseong, with a stressed face, walked straight to Lee Sangah's table and slammed his hand down violently, nearly tipping over the plates and bowls.

"..." The cafeteria fell silent.

"What's with you!" Lee Sangah looked up at Kim Jiseong and then paused slightly when he saw Wang Qi standing behind, head bowed.

"Lee Sangah! You locked Wang Qi in the bathroom, didn't you?!"

"!!!"