Chapter 66

” Aren’t you guys studying…? ”

July 5th.

The school was in the midst of final exams.

And during the break.

Normally, right before an exam, everyone would be clutching textbooks or problem sets and wracking their brains, but not today.

The trailer that dropped yesterday.

They must have all skipped studying to watch the trailer.

Maybe that’s why it blew up in the group chat.

” Do-hee, what happens at the end? ”

” Spoil it for meeeee~ ”

” I’m curiousyyy~ I’m curiousyyy~ ”

Ah, I feel like I’m losing my mind.

” It will be in Episode 1 this week, so you can just watch that! ”

” I don’t knowoooo~ ”

” Tell me now! ”

” I’m dying of curiosityyy~ ”

I can’t even.

.

.

.

My mind was a fog, but it seemed like the grading results went smoothly, as usual.

I couldn’t attend class, so I was worried I’d forget the details and mess things up, but thankfully, that didn’t happen.

I should hurry up and take the GED before my record messes up.

Today, I’m just going to go home and study all day for the exam tomorrow.

*

” Exciting TV. ”

” What kind of talk is that? I don’t want to listen. ”

” Whatever TV. ”

This has a certain charm to it.

” Ah, Na-eun Unni!!! This guy learned another weird way to talk! ”

Usually, I’d be home on a Friday night.

The existing debut team of five gathered in the living room in front of the TV.

For the first time in a while, they decided to watch together.

” Do-hee, how do you say that? ”

Chiyo Unni seemed interested in my way of speaking and asked me.

” Just stick ‘TV’ onto anything, I guess? ”

So-hee informed me.

I learned this from Kim Seo-yoon to annoy her, and it just rolls off my tongue.

Woo-ah Unni, who was hugging me, said.

” Do-hee, you should use pretty words. ”

” I don’t knowoooo~ ”

” Na-eun Unni!!! Do something about her. ”

Seo-yoon Unni yelled, calling Na-eun Unni from the kitchen.

Kim Seo-yoon was totally annoyed. Haha!

” Do-hee, is this correct TV? ”

The ever-playful Chiyo Unni was fanning the flames.

” Correct TV. ”

” Ah, I want to go to my room and watch. ”

Seo-yoon Unni picked up her phone and jumped off the sofa.

” Ah, I won’t do it anymore. ”

It’s more fun when everyone watches together.

In the meantime, Na-eun Unni came back from the kitchen with various fruits.

” Let’s eat this while we watch. ”

” Yes~ ”

Coincidentally, the age rating appeared on the screen.

” Oh? It’s starting TV. ”

” Ah, Do-hee, seriously. ”

” I really won’t do it anymore. ”

The more I say it, the more it sticks to my mouth.

Articles, comments, and public opinions about ‘Jodul Season 3’ flooded the screen, and ‘Jodul3’ began.
The number seemed to indicate the popularity of Jodo3.

And with the logo, the title track ‘Fell for You’ was grandly arranged, and MC Jin Tae-seop appeared.

[Hello, Chuseo viewers.]

[I’m MC Jin Tae-seop, your host.]

[Many have shown interest.]

.

.

[This season’s keyword is All Time.]

[It’s unprecedented.]

Though short, the opening seemed sufficient to raise viewers’ expectations.

After the opening, the voting system was explained.

[You can enter through Netflix…]

“Do I just go into Netflix?”

Upon entering Netflix, Jodo3 was airing in real-time.

Ah, so I just vote like this.

Following the simple UI, I soon saw the profiles of the participants laid out.

I just had to select up to 7 and vote.

The maximum of 7 likely referred to the number of final debut members.

After the countdown ended.

[Which agency will enter first?]

With subtitles, the first agency appeared.

“Oh… it’s Hana Unni’s!”

Since it was early on, it seemed like there would be consistent reaction cuts securing their screen time.

After that, trainees continued to come in.

Of course, not all participants received fair screen time.

Those who received substantial time were the PD picks, popular picks, visual members, or participants who showcased their skills in the first competition.

“When is everyone coming out? Editing TV?”

“We’re in the later order, so we have to wait a bit.”

So, ten minutes later.

The narration for the trainees’ interviews began.

[As we go on, larger entertainment agencies are appearing, so next might be Topist…?]

[I’m really looking forward to Topist.]

The screen showed the music video of Pastel Love, the seniors from X1.

[Topist is Pastel Love’s agency, right?]

Seo-yoon Unni hit me with a pillow she was hugging, shouting.

“Ahh! It’s us!”

“Oh.”

I wanted to fight back but couldn’t because Woo-ah Unni was hugging me tightly.

[Topist trainee: Wow…]

As we entered the backstage hallway, we gasped at the interior.

While walking down the hallway, I suddenly leaned into the camera.

[If I do this, I’ll get a shot, right?]

Wow.
Look at that perfect close-up…

[Oh… this is nice?]

Kim Seo-yoon was practically rubbing her face on the camera.

[The two participants show no signs of nervousness! But...]

[Seo-yoon, Do-hee, let’s cheer up!]

[Nervousness multiplied by 100]

Seo-yoon Unni and I were close-up shot, looking pitifully at Na-eun Unni who appeared embarrassed.

[Seo-yoon Unni! Our leader Na-eun Unni says let’s cheer up, shall we?!]

[Oh my! Do-hee! Our leader Na-eun Unni says we should, so we definitely should!]

[Na-eun Unni! Let’s all gather, put our hands in, and cheer!]

[Topist, fighting!]
We were caught on screen teasing Na-eun Unni by mimicking her stiff voice.

“Thanks to me, everyone got their screen time, right?”

“Right.”

“I’m so embarrassed…”

Woo-ah Unni kept laughing as she watched the flustered Na-eun Unni.

Finally, we stepped onto the set.

And the conversations of the participants were captured.

[Is someone going to sit in first place?]

[First place is still open…]

[Wow, all three are really pretty…]

[Hello~]

After greeting the participants, we moved on to the ranking seating process.

As the three of us climbed the stairs, I turned my head and asked the Unnis.

[Who’s gonna sit in first place?]

[You!][You sit.]

Rejected, I playfully hugged the Unnis and laughed cheerfully.

[Still, I want to sit with my Unnis~]

This isn’t the picture I had in mind…

But it wasn’t over yet.

We quietly sat in positions 79, 80, and 81.

And I, sitting in 79, glanced over and joked around again.

[Aren’t I sitting higher than the Unnis?]

[Sigh…][Sigh…]

To anyone watching, I was clearly the playful, innocent maknae.

“Oh, this is seriously the devil’s editing.”

“What are you talking about; it’s just you.”

“Haha, that’s totally Do-hee!”

“Yes, that’s Do-hee.”

“Do-hee, what happened…?”

Ah… what about my image?

All that was left was the team battle leader…

Whether I denied it or not, the broadcast continued.

The conversations of the participants looking at me emerged.

[Do-hee Lee?]

[Who is that?]

[That (beep—) girl in the sweater ad, she’s in the music video too.]

My music video and ad appearance footage played with subtitles.

[Appeared in beverage ad and music video]

[The trainee Do-hee Lee who was trending even before the airing]

[Wow, she’s so pretty…]

[Her face is so small…]

[Totally cute… I want to get close to her.]

“Look at Do-hee laughing again.”

Right.

Having this even makes life worth living.

Woo-ah Unni, watching me giggle, asked if I found it funny or if she was pleased.

“Do-hee, do you like it?”

I felt the keen eyes of Woo-ah Unni and Chiyo Unni, but they both seemed to enjoy it.

“Totally.”

Suddenly, I wished we could all sit together on the couch and debut just like this.

But soon, the background music changed, and the vacant first-place seat appeared.

[Who will take the still vacant first place? ]

The screen was covered with participants from the top three entertainment agencies.

It seemed like the entrance scene for the top three agencies now.

Looks like we won’t be on screen for a while.

Of course, there were quite a few reaction shots of the Unnis afterward.

However, the only reaction of mine that got caught was my dumbfounded expression when the MC announced the final debut members.
“Wow~” Was my reaction a bit lacking…? I should’ve done something else…

.

.

.

During the evaluation break.

The judges started chatting.

[Hope we get some 1-tier candidates.]

[Our 1-tier standards seem really high.]

[What if we end up with fewer than 10 1-tiers?]

[Still not many 1-tier trainees around]

Now, we jumped to the participants’ conversation.

[Looks like Teacher Ko Yoon-jeong isn’t feeling well…]

[Yeah, she really does look down…]

[Trainer Ko Yoon-jeong who couldn’t smile throughout the evaluation]

[Will a trainee come to bring back her smile?]

[Huh? It’s Topist.]

[We gotta look!]

Na-eun Unni shouted.

“What, are we already coming out?”

The group that had the center of title tracks from seasons 1 and 2 was postponed to episode 2 for ratings.

But this time, with the strong allure of the Big Three agencies, it seemed like they were pushed forward.

“Ahhh, it’s us!”

Seo-yoon Unni hit me with the pillow she was hugging and yelled.

“Ugh. Woo-ah Unni, let that go.”

“No way, Do-hee is mine.”

“Ugh.”

Anyway, we appeared on stage.

[Hello, we are Topist trainees!]

[Do-hee Lee][Kim Seo-yoon][Kim Na-eun]

[That’s us~]

I thought we were jumping right into the performance, but the screen showed pre-interviews instead.

[Q: I heard you’re the leader among the trainees.]

[Kim Na-eun: Yes, since I’m the oldest, the kids tend to listen to me.]

“What? When did that interview happen?”

“Seriously?”

[Q: But it seems tough for you.]

The screen showed Seo-yoon Unni and I messing around since our entrance and whispering and joking during filming.

Busted.

“Wow, that was Do-hee’s idea.”

“What are you talking about? You did it too.”

Of course, I did it first.

But come on, we were filming for almost 20 hours. How could I not be bored?

[Kim Na-eun: They’re a bit too much with the jokes.]

“Way too unfair.”

“I’m getting totally unfairly treated.”

Meanwhile, Chiyo Unni jumped in.

“You’re both the same.”

Chiyo Unni said that?

“You’re the worst.”

“True. Chiyo Unni is definitely the worst.”

“Absolutely not.”

Woo-ah Unni and Na-eun Unni sighed as they looked at us.

[Kim Na-eun: Though they’re always serious and hardworking when practicing, so it’s okay.]

“That’s true.”

“I agree.”

The scene cut back to the judges’ table.

With Teacher Ko Yoon-jeong grabbing the microphone, she said,

[We’re starting the stage.]

Our evaluation began.

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