I Became the Youngest Member of a Top Idol Group

Chapter 53: Candidate for First Place

The start was a gentle greeting of well‑being.

MC Han Dawon looked around at the trainees with a smile.

“After the concept evaluation you all worked so hard. Did you rest well last weekend?”

“Yes…”

For some reason the answer felt weak.

After all, Kevin's incident blew up big last weekend.

Neither the production team nor the trainees could rest at ease. Of course, they couldn’t talk about such things directly on air.

Han Dawon nodded as he looked around at the trainees, his eyes saying he understood everything.

“Thank you for running the brilliant journey of the past three months. Because of you, Stardust World shone even more brightly. I wish we could finish this beautiful journey together, but unfortunately, that’s not possible.”

Han Dawon continued in a heavy voice.

“Now only one gate remains until the final. Today we will decide the twelve boys who will advance to the final.”

Gulp

Without realizing it I swallowed.

The possibility of safely advancing to the final.

I realistically gauged that number.

It was high.

My solo dance that I performed during the Touch Me stage received praise, and the 100‑point benefit we earned from winning the concept evaluation was certainly not small.

That’s not to say I wasn’t nervous.

My hands were trembling.

“Haah…”

Seeing the water bottle in my hand shaking, I quietly put it down.

Even in my second life the trembling didn’t go away.

Survival….

If I did this five times maybe I’d get used to it.

But right now it seemed impossible to fix.

Han Dawon checked the script and stared straight into the camera.

From his parted lips came one weighty word.

“I will announce from the 11th‑place trainee.”

Now it begins.

Maybe feeling the same nerves, Kang Siwoo bowed his head deeply.

“I’m so nervous…”

He seemed to think that if his name wasn’t called here, there was no hope. Kang Siwoo pressed his hands together and murmured quietly.

“Please. Please… Kang Siwoo… Kang Siwoo…”

But despite Kang Siwoo’s wish, another name came out of Han Dawon’s mouth.

“It’s trainee Lee Dokyung.”

“Waaaah!”

“Congratulations on advancing to the final!”

“Thank you, thank you.”

When Lee Dokyung heard his name, he jumped up from his seat. He had safely advanced to the final, but his expression wasn’t bright.

His ranking had dropped significantly.

That meant that a few in our team had risen in rank thanks to our benefit.

I glanced over at Kang Siwoo.

Kang Siwoo’s worried gaze landed on me.

“I think you’ll be next, hyung.”

“I hope so…”

Kang Siwoo splashed water on his face and exhaled deeply.

Right at that moment,

“Ninth place is the trainee whose ranking is rising rapidly. The trainee who’s capturing sponsors’ hearts with his cute surprising charm in ninth is…”

A familiar name came from Han Dawon’s mouth.

“It’s trainee Kang Siwoo.”

“Huh? Me?”

My prediction had been right.

“Waaaah!”

“Siwoo!”

“Look at how your rank jumped… it’s really crazy.”

Kang Siwoo crawled forward as if he was about to collapse.

He had thought for sure he’d be eliminated, but he was saved.

“Ah… ah… thank you.”

Seeing Kang Siwoo’s face burning bright red, Han Dawon smiled.

“Trainee Kang Siwoo. Are you okay?”

“Ah… yes. I’m okay.”

“How do you feel now?”

“Th‑thank you!”

At Kang Siwoo’s loud exclamation, Seo Haim covered her eyes.

“Oh dear.”

Puh‑heh.

Laughter broke out here and there.

Honestly, I was a bit embarrassed.

Kang Siwoo took a breath and then slowly continued speaking. Though startled by hearing his name so suddenly, he remained composed.

“Actually… I was so scared. I thought it’d be a bit tough… but the Touch Me members who believed in me… thank you…”

As Kang Siwoo spoke, his eyes brimmed with tears.

Watching that from afar, my heart stirred for no reason.

If I cry in this situation, wouldn’t it look a bit weird?

I’m not even the person concerned….

Hoooaaaah…

Seo Haim was already sobbing.

“Kang Siwoo will definitely debut!”

“Y‑yes… thank you.”

It felt like they’d formed a fan club.

Moments ago, Kang Siwoo said he was embarrassed, but now he was doing something even more embarrassing.

When the red light on the camera turned toward me, I covered my face this time.

“Our members… really… feel like we’re nothing to be ashamed of.”

“Honestly, that’s true… snif.”

Seo Ian nodded at my words and kept sniffing.

I thought he was crying too.

“Hyung, are you crying?”

“Oh, no.”

Seo Ian shook his head vehemently, denying any tears.

But what made Seo Ian cry happened a little later.

“Seventh place: trainee Choi Han.”

While known names were being called one by one, no update appeared for one name.

Just as Seo Ian was fading palely, Han Dawon uttered his name.

“Sixth place… trainee Seo Ian.”

Insane.

Sixth place.

Debut zone.

“Seo Ian! Seo Ian! Seo Ian!”

“Wow, how many ranks did you jump?”

“The Touch Me stage was really great.”

“Biggest beneficiary of Touch Me.”

“Waaaah!”

Unconsciously I leapt on the spot.

“Hyung, it’s sixth place!”

“Am I, am I… sixth?”

Seo Ian pointed at himself as if he couldn’t believe it.

Seo Ian had never before ranked in the debut zone.

Having barely survived the last round, his rank rose by almost ten places.

Seo Ian froze in place with a stunned expression.

Han Dawon smiled and gestured toward Seo Ian.

“Please come forward. Congratulations, trainee Seo Ian, on sixth place.”

What followed was, no doubt, sobbing.

Hoooaaaah…

Soft tofu cried with puffy eyes into the camera.

Because this round had received good reactions, he must have had some expectations himself, but this ranking was beyond those expectations.

He probably only hoped to survive, but he landed in the debut range—a spot he’d never even imagined.

With a trembling voice, Seo Ian barely managed to speak.

“I can’t believe I’m standing here… Stardust sponsors… really… thank you.”

His voice was more than half mixed with tears, but his sincerity was clear.

Seo Ian bowed his head toward the camera and continued slowly.

“While preparing for this round, I kept thinking about how to show my best stage despite my lacking skills… and there was a friend who always gave me confidence during those times.”

Confidence?

“Seohan, thank you so much…”

“Huh?”

I hadn’t expected to hear my name.

Startled, I turned my head, and the camera was zoomed in on my face.

Though I was flustered at first, I let out a short laugh and gave a thumbs-up.

“To my Touch Me teammates. Thanks to you, I could present not just the best but the greatest stage. I’ll become a better Seo Ian. Thank you!”

Seo Ian, on the verge of tears, sat down in the seat prepared for sixth place.

The camera lingered for a long time on his swollen, red face.

After that, Han Dawon’s ranking announcements continued.

“Fourth place is trainee Jin Sehyun.”

“Third place is trainee Seo Haim.”

I had expected them to be in the debut range. They were familiar names.

Yeah, those people deserve those ranks.

I smiled and gave Jin Sehyun a quick high-five.

“Congratulations, hyung.”

“Thanks. I’ll head up first.”

People being called one by one was nice, but I started to get nervous since my name hadn’t come up yet.

It felt like it should be coming soon…

gulp

I swallowed dryly and glanced at Ha Junseo.

He also looked anxious, still waiting for his name to be called.

“I’ll be on it, right?”

“Hey, Seohan. What are you saying? Of course your name will be called.”

No way.

Having lived twice and seen countless survival shows, I’d learned one truth.

There’s no such thing as a guarantee in survival.

A prediction post I’d read on a community board last night floated through my mind.

[Do Seohan will be first place, right?]

He got bonus points this time so being first is pretty likely lol. Honestly, the key to this ranking announcement was whether Kevin or Byo-Seohan would be first, but since one got eliminated early,

—First place? Maybe not.

—Yeah, Do Seohan fans better not let your guard down. Thinking others will vote for your fave then slacking off could mean elimination at the final.

└Remember Choi Woojin from last season? Kept getting 1st and then dropped out in the final.

└Exactly, lol. You never know with people.

—Since this vote changed to single-pick style, the rank shifts will be crazy. Just ‘cause he was 2nd last time doesn’t mean he’ll be 1st now. Honestly, doesn’t Do Seohan have a weak core? Wasn’t he everyone’s second pick?

└What are you even saying lol

└Looks like people are already trying to block him ‘cause they see he’s going to win lol. Byo-Seohan doesn’t have a core? Did you even see his fancam views?

└Seohan, unnie will debut you

└Shut up, he’s my baby, I’m debuting him

└So this is what sabotage looks like… scary af

That’s why I tried to focus only on the positives.

But once I’d read it, those comments kept echoing in my head.

I clenched my eyes shut and gripped my hands tightly.

Taking a deep breath, I barely calmed my breathing.

“I’m so nervous… I feel like I’m going to die…”

“Aaah… same.”

Just when it felt like my heart might burst—

Thankfully, Han Dawon rescued us.

“Do Seohan and Ha Junseo, you are the first-place candidates. Please step forward.”

MC Han Dawon stood in the center, smiling.

It was the final announcement before the final, the moment to reveal first place.

Han Dawon took the mic in his hand and slowly began to speak.

“Another nerve-wracking moment has come. This is the last ranking announcement before the final. Let’s hear from Ha Junseo, shall we?”

“Yes.”

“You want to be first, right?”

To Han Dawon’s question, Ha Junseo smiled warmly.

Unlike the tense showdown with Kevin before, our atmosphere was quite heartwarming.

“I hope Seohan gets first place.”

“Ooh~~”

“Such a grown-up!”

Seo Haim shouted brightly from across the way.

I couldn’t help but laugh at her words.

Honestly speaking, I felt the same.

I didn’t have any greed for first place.

Taking the mic handed to me, I began to speak.

“I know how hard Junseo hyung worked to prepare the ‘Betters’ stage. So I hope he gets first place.”

Ha Junseo’s stage was perfect.

I already knew he was skilled, but on ‘Betters,’ he truly went wild.

Touch Me winning first place felt like a miracle given how good his performance was.

And more than that.

Even if he’s emotionally fragile, I respected his warmth as a leader.

I couldn’t say all of that here, so I kept it short.

From somewhere came playful boos.

“Ah, it’s too wholesome. No fun.”

“Give us just one TV-worthy comment!”

In response to the trainees’ roaring cheers, a little spicy banter was added.

Ha Junseo looked straight at me and nodded.

“I’ll make sure to beat Seohan.”

Provocative, huh?

I responded with a smile.

“I’m pretty flexible, so I don’t break easily.”

drum roll

Tense background music played briefly,

And Han Dawon spoke as he raised the mic.

I lifted my head and looked into the camera.

As I took a deep breath and checked the monitor—

From between Han Dawon’s lips came a familiar name.

“First place is Doubles Entertainment’s trainee Do Seohan.”

My face filled the entire monitor.

At the same time, the trainees who had been sitting rushed over and surrounded me.

“Waaaah!”

“Wow, Seohan! Congratulations!”

“Hey, you’re first place!”

Hug—

Ha Junseo approached smiling and pulled me into an embrace.

“Aww, you’ve grown up.”

What was with that proud smile?

We’re only three years apart, but from his expression, it looked like he raised me or something.

Ha Junseo patted my shoulder and stepped back.

“Seohan, give your acceptance speech.”

Honestly, I was dazed.

Getting surrounded by hyungs out of nowhere, hearing my name from Han Dawon’s lips—

There had been predictions that I might get first place due to Kevin’s absence.

But thinking that and actually having my name announced as number one were different things.

“……”

I carefully took the mic Ha Junseo handed me.

Only now was the feeling starting to sink in, a shiver rising from my toes.

I didn’t know where to start.

I’d just been running nonstop.

Maybe it’s okay to enjoy this moment a little.

“I’m happy.”

A bright smile spread across my lips.