Grab the Regressor by the Collar and Debut!

Chapter 152. Someone’s Period (2)

“There’s never been a day when I didn’t want to say this line as much as today.”

Seo Taeil, who had finally shown his face after wrapping up recent overseas shoots and a hectic schedule, lowered his head as he spoke. He took in the sight of the thirteen boys who had become like his own disciples, one by one.

“To those who wish to reach the sun, soar high. The journey to become Miro’s Icarus is finally coming to an end.”

After steadying his voice, Seo Taeil firmly grasped the cue card in his hand.

The list of the final ten, who would advance to the live broadcast finals, was right in his hands.

“First, I will reveal the team that came in first place in the fourth round, who will receive the benefit points.”

The evaluation for the fourth round had been conducted by combining various factors, including offline voting, real-time online voting, and the number of likes on the stage clips released afterward.

However, everyone here had already guessed the result.

“The team that will receive 100,000 benefit points for winning the fourth round is…!”

“……”

“The team that showcased the best rap cipher under difficult conditions—congratulations to the Raving You team!”

The Raving You team, whose video views and likes on iTube were overwhelmingly higher than the other teams, was the winner.

As soon as the results were announced, Shin Kyungho burst into tears, likely due to the emotional stress he had been under. Jaiden couldn’t hide his surprised expression. Yugeon patted Jaiden’s shoulder, saying he did well, while Doha nodded calmly, seeming satisfied with the outcome.

“Doha, you successfully completed the stage under difficult circumstances, and now your team has even won first place and received the benefit points. As the leader of Raving You, could you share your thoughts?”

“…First of all, we are grateful to the Destis who voted for our stage. However, I still don’t believe that our stage was in poor condition. The most important aspect of our performance was the skill of our team members in executing the rap, and my team and I proved that skill.”

“……”

“There’s no compliment more gratifying to a rapper than being told they rap well. I consider this result the greatest compliment from the Destis. Thank you for your praise.”

Doha’s statement reflected his desire not to be remembered as a victim of a malicious fandom, but as a winner who secured first place purely through skill.

Understanding this sentiment, Seo Taeil felt a sense of pride.

‘If they’re my juniors, they should have at least that much grit.’

Whether it was Hajin’s remarks last time or Doha’s words now.

These guys didn’t seem to have any intention of taking the easy road. They could have just said something like, ‘Thank you for making us first place. We’ll definitely debut. We’ve had such a hard time, and now it feels like we’re finally being rewarded.’

How is it that, despite not having debuted yet, they all have such strong personalities and speak their minds?

‘…Thinking about it, it reminds me of my own kids and makes me feel guilty.’

Recalling his younger siblings, who were leading the charge with their ‘My Way in the Idol World’ mindset, Seo Taeil quickly shifted his internal stance, thinking, ‘Well, it could be that way too.’

Hadn’t he recently heard that his youngest sibling had given a stern response to a rude reporter at a solo event?

“Yes, it’s truly a valuable result, having proven and earned your first place through your own efforts. Congratulations again to the Raving You team. I’m also curious to see how these 100,000 points will impact the final elimination results.”

With Seo Taeil’s words, the lighting changed, and the LED background behind him shifted as well. The screen now displayed a sophisticated design of ten wings representing the survivors, emblazoned on a banner-like background. With the screen behind him showing this banner, Seo Taeil finally turned over a cue card.

“Now, we will begin the second elimination ceremony of Miro Maze, and reveal the list of the final ten who will advance to the live broadcast.”

Saying goodbye is always painful.

Even so, Taeil picked up the microphone.

While someone might descend the stairs and close the door behind them as they leave, for someone else, it would be the moment a new door opens.

—

“First, let’s reveal the trainee who secured the first place and is confirmed for the live broadcast.”

As the tense background music played, the screen displayed a banner with the most brilliant design, fluttering for the first-place trainee. Seo Taeil, in a tense voice, continued reading the next line from the script.

“This trainee fully utilized his strengths in the fourth-round stage, delivering the joy of a live performance to the audience.”

Such descriptions are usually vague to avoid specifying any particular trainee. Yet, despite the broad statement, the boys were nervous. Their eyes pleaded to be called soon so they could escape the anxiety.

After taking a deep breath and slowing his pace according to the production team’s signal, Seo Taeil finally called out the name on the cue card.

“The first-place trainee is Jung Siwoo.”

The spotlight shone on Jung Siwoo, who was wearing a white shirt and glasses.

It wasn’t a huge surprise that he, who was always competing neck and neck with Seo Taehyun, had taken first place, but to Siwoo, this held a special significance.

“Trainee Jung Siwoo showcased his excellent guitar playing and vocal skills on the fourth-round stage. He also received high praise for his artistic value, arranging a mash-up of two songs that comforted the youth.”

For Jung Siwoo, this first place wasn’t just his ranking.

This first place was his father’s first place, and it was the world’s recognition of his father’s song.

After slowly taking his place at the center, Jung Siwoo lifted the microphone.

“…When I first quit playing the piano and said I wanted to sing. No, when I said I wanted to become an idol. Everyone tried to stop me.”

The voices that had shouted at him, asking if he was crazy, still rang vividly in his ears.

The world’s arrows had sometimes pierced him, and sometimes they had pierced his father.

“But now that I’ve come this far, I’m certain that the decision I made back then was the most valuable decision of my life. I really want to debut and share more songs. Thank you.”

All the trainees applauded Siwoo’s speech.

While they regretted not being in his place, everyone acknowledged that Siwoo had poured enough effort and passion to deserve standing there.

“Next, we will announce the fifth-place trainee.”

Today’s final successful candidates would number ten in total.

Among them, the fifth-place trainee played a role in helping others gauge the voting results.

Kang Hajin, dressed in a white shirt and black slacks, stood tall, casting a sideways glance at the trainees standing beside him.

‘Last time, Dan Haru was fifth.’

Since Lee Parang had been eliminated during the last elimination, it was likely that his votes either disappeared or shifted to another trainee in the ‘cute and lively youngest line.’

The most likely candidates to absorb Lee Parang’s votes were Dan Haru and Park Jaeyoung.

‘It would be easier if Dan Haru could secure fifth place again this time.’

Since Hajin suspected Dan Haru of being the Chosen Regressor, seeing him eliminated this time would be the worst-case scenario, and having him drop out of the debut ranks would be the next worst outcome. Although, with the fanbase he had built up, it was unlikely he would be eliminated….

‘The benefit points going to Raving You could have a bigger impact than expected. Especially since they received support votes from our fanbase as well.’

While Yugeon and Doha were trainees who always ranked high, the impact of votes being diverted to lower-ranked trainees like Jaiden and Shin Kyungho was unpredictable in this elimination round.

Hajin tightly clenched his trembling fist, hiding it with his other hand as he tried to remain calm.

“The fifth-place trainee is… Trainee Lee Yugeon from Raving You.”

Lee Yugeon in fifth place?

Hajin’s eyes widened at the unexpected result.

Yugeon’s previous rank was fourth. Considering that he had also won the benefit points, this result was difficult to understand…

‘It’s not entirely unreasonable, though. The buff he received from his family’s story reveal during the third round must have worn off.’

On the contrary, one could argue that he had managed to defend his rank well with the stage performance and benefit points, especially considering his rank could have dropped even further with the change to two-pick voting.

Hajin couldn’t hide his bewildered expression as he watched Yugeon give his speech. He seemed more surprised by this result than when he had ranked fourth last time. Watching Yugeon struggle to find his words with a complex expression, Hajin began to speculate on the ranks of the remaining trainees.

‘If Lee Yugeon is in fifth place, then Doha, who also received benefit points, must have risen in rank. Assuming Seo Taehyun is second, Doha could be around fourth place? Or maybe third if the votes were concentrated on him.’

Additionally, the trainees expected to rise in rank included Kim Wonho and Jaiden, or possibly Park Jaeyoung, who received a buff from Lee Parang. Although Shin Kyungho also received benefit points, his lack of a stable fanbase likely meant his elimination was almost certain.

It was hard to feel any sympathy since he had brought it on himself. If only he hadn’t called his girlfriend to the guerrilla concert and exchanged those secret signals, there might have been a way to defend him.

Hajin cynically

erased Kyungho’s name from his mind. After all, there were ten other trainees here, each just as desperate for that spot.

‘Considering I probably lost votes this time, it’s likely that my rank either dropped or stayed the same….’

Recalling his previous rank of ninth place, Hajin cautiously predicted that it would likely be similar this time.

‘I won’t… get eliminated. Especially after the results of the first elimination, everyone was more motivated to vote, and the agency’s evaluation score is also a factor that can’t be ignored.’

Gong Seok, who had received good evaluations since the third round and moved hearts with his sincere song in the fourth round.

Park Jaeyoung, who started at the bottom of the survival ranking but showed terrifying growth as the episodes progressed, securing the role of the diligent youngest in the team.

Yuki, who had a solid base of dedicated fans thanks to his support from the international fanbase, and Jaiden, who also secured the benefit points under the same conditions.

As Hajin thought of the lower-ranked trainees who could join him in the elimination, he solemnly waited for the results.

Seo Taeil, as if delivering a sentence, opened his mouth in a heavy voice.

“Next, we will reveal the seventh and eighth places, where a difference of one rank could change their fates.”

The final debut rank, seventh place, and the unfortunate eighth place, just outside the debut ranks.

Kim Wonho, who had been seventh last time, and Yuki, who had been eighth, lifted their heads.

“For the second elimination of Miro Maze, the two trainees whose fates will be decided by seventh and eighth place are….”

The wide screen displayed the two candidates for seventh and eighth place, splitting the view to show both on camera.

As Hajin’s gaze naturally turned to the screen, waiting for Taeil’s verdict, he saw his own face and Dan Haru’s, both broadcast live on the big screen.