Falling for the Omega Idol

HANEUL and his teammates walked to the waiting room where groups would stay after performing to check the points the live audience gave them. Inside were two couches, and a screen mounted on the wall facing them. Baek Eunwoo's team was already seated on the left couch, so Haneul's group moved to the right one after exchanging quick nods with the other team.

As they sat down, Haneul glanced across the room. Aside from Eunwoo, who looked as composed as ever, the rest of the opposing team seemed tense. One was bouncing his knee, another chewing his lower lip. Their nervous energy was almost palpable.

Not that he could blame them. Even he was on edge, despite their group doing great. There was something nerve-wracking about the audience you just performed to give points to your performance, like reducing all your effort to a set of numbers.

But this was a competition, ranking performances with numbers was just how things worked.

The air in the room grew thick as the seconds dragged on. Some contestants stared at the blank screen, fingers tapping against their knees. Others kept their eyes locked on the floor, shoulders stiff. The only sounds were the hum of the air conditioner and the occasional nervous cough. Five minutes had never felt so long.

Robin tried to ease the tension with small talk, and Eunwoo did the same with his own group, but the stifling atmosphere didn't budge. Then a sudden alert sound rang out, startling almost everyone into jumping in their seats.

They all turned toward the source of the sound. The screen. Some kind of announcement was now displayed there.

[Due to Team Stellar Five's incomplete lineup, the points for individual positions will not be displayed. The team's total points will be revealed collectively.]

Haneul understood why the production team had made this decision. Normally, in idol survival shows like this one, whenever there was a team battle, the program would reveal each contestant's points one position at a time. For instance, trainees from opposing teams who shared the same position, like main vocal, would have their names appear together on screen. Their scores would follow shortly after, making it immediately clear who had the audience liked better.

He thought the system was harsh. If one contestant got less than ten points while their opponent scored triple digits, it would be crushing. A brutal hit to anyone's confidence. But he understood why they did it that way. It was the simplest way to create drama.

The fact that the production team had to post that announcement meant [Boys Odyssey] also followed the same format. But with their team missing a member, there was no way to do the usual one-on-one comparison. Hence this adjustment.

Should he thank Lee Minjae again for messing up and sparing their team from this? At least for this round.

There were 200 live audience members, and each could award up to 10 points. That meant the highest possible total score for both teams together was 2000, but only if every single person voted.

A countdown then appeared on the screen.

3... 2... 1...

Six-tory - 561

Stellar Five - 1439

The numbers flashed on the screen. Their team had won. For a second, everyone just stared in stunned silence. Then Robin suddenly threw his arms around Seongwoo and Haneul, who were sitting on either side of him. Seongwoo let out a soft laugh, the tension draining from his body as the reality of their victory sank in. Joonhyuk burst out laughing, pure joy written across his face.

Haneul, buzzing with excitement, turned toward Taeyang at the same moment Taeyang turned to him. Their eyes met, both grinning with happiness. In that split second, they nearly lurched forward for a hug, but they caught themselves just in time. The sudden halt left them blinking at each other, the earlier joy now replaced by awkward embarrassment.

Taeyang cleared his throat, the tips of his ears turning red. He gave Haneul's shoulder a firm pat. "Good job."

He said it like some proud sports coach, so deadpan that Haneul's awkwardness vanished instantly. Haneul just shook his head, grinning. "You too."

The members in Eunwoo's team, on the other hand, went still. One contestant's breath hitched; another stared at the floor, throat bobbing.

Eunwoo had known they might lose. But seeing the result still left a bitter aftertaste in his mouth. He swallowed it down, ignoring the tightness in his chest. There would be time to dwell on it later. Right now, his team needed him.

He exhaled, then leaned forward, resting a hand on the back of the teammate beside him.

"We did everything we could for that performance," he said quietly. "Sometimes the votes just land this way. Hold your heads up, you earned that."

His teammate wiped his nose with a shaky laugh. Eunwoo squeezed his shoulder before standing, offering a small, genuine smile to Haneul's group.

"Congrats," he said, nodding. There's no bitterness in his voice, showing his grace in the face of losing.

Taeyang also stood up and walked over, offering a handshake.

Eunwoo looked at the outstretched hand in front of him. A small, helpless smile tugged at his lips before he reached out and shook it.

Haneul and the rest of the team stood up as well, moving to shake hands with the other members of Eunwoo's team. One by one, they exchanged quick grips and nods — some firm, some hesitant, but all respectful.

Eunwoo's teammates returned the gestures, their earlier tension easing slightly. No one pulled away or avoided eye contact. Despite how they just competed against each other, both teams knew how to lose, and win, with grace.

***

After the performances ended and the audience filed out of the ship, the staff began clearing the performance hall. They took down the props and folded up the chairs in the audience area. Once everything was cleaned up, they called the contestants back inside and instructed them to line up according to their groups. The ten teams formed columns, each group standing together in orderly lines.

And before long, Lily made her way back to the stage.