“Waaahhhh-!”
“Ha Ye-rin-!!!!!”
As I stepped onto the stage, countless people cheered for me.
But not everyone was welcoming me.
Fans who were upset that their favorite idol didn’t win would surely look down on me and our Rookies.
Nevertheless…
“Rookies-!!!”
“I love you, Lee Hye-jeong!”
“Seo Yoo-jin-!!!!”
“Rookies-!! Waaahhhh-!”
The shouts of our fans waving pink light sticks filled the concert hall, allowing us Rookies to smile as we took the stage.
The NANA Awards trophy was held by Yoo Seol, and as the leader, I raised the microphone to give my acceptance speech.
‘Ah….’
Standing in front of people shouting for me, I couldn’t help but recall the moment I won in Na Ah Ah.
This award wasn’t something I had foreseen or even prepared a speech for.
Of course, I hadn’t…
“Just say whatever you want to say.”
As Yoo Seol advised, I spoke honestly about my feelings.
“Receiving this award and standing in front of you all reminds me of the moment I won in Na Ah Ah.”
Winning in Na Ah Ah.
That dream-like event feels so fresh, yet quite some time has passed.
“Since Na Ah Ah ended, I’ve been running around non-stop these past few months. And, because of you all, there hasn’t been a moment of unhappiness.”
I smiled gently as I continued speaking.
“Our Rookies could come this far thanks to all of you. Thank you so much.”
“Waaahhhh-!”
As I credited the fans for our achievements, another great cheer erupted from the audience.
But….
“And…”
This cheer was momentarily interrupted by my next words.
“…I hope you love our Rookies’ final activities as well.”
Honestly, this was the thing I wanted to say the most.
“Ye-rin, don’t think too hard about it. We only have about three months left with our name as Rookies.”
With the name Rookies…
Me, Yoo Seol, Lee Hye-jeong, Park Yoo-jung, Na Han-na, Seo Yoo-jin.
This six-membered group, together…
We only have one chance left to perform in front of all these Rookies fans.
That made me feel regretful.
So regretful…
I knew it was a bit pathetic to say this…
But I couldn’t help it.
Choke.
We could do better….
We could release better music and show better stages….
Thinking this could be our last year-end awards ceremony made my eyes well up.
“…Thank you.”
But I couldn’t cry here, so I somehow managed to finish my speech with a smile.
Only then did the fans, who had been silent, start shouting again.
“Don’t cry-!”
“I’ll cheer you on!”
“Fighting-!!”
“Of course-!!”
“Rookies-!!!!!!”
I waved to those fans.
When I glanced back, the members were also expressing their gratitude to the fans, united as one.
So, the controversy of how a rookie managed to win the top award began to fade away amidst the fans’ outcries.
This wasn’t what I intended to do….
But it was the perfect moment where an issue was buried under another issue.
“Let’s go for the after-party, after-party!”
“Oh yeah-!”
After winning the top award, our Rookies decided to have a celebratory after-party.
“Director Jeong said we can eat anything today!”
“Let’s order 30 minutes before we arrive!”
Of course, the place was Rookies’ lodging, and the participants were just us Rookies, with the menu set for jokbal (pig’s feet)….
But that alone made our Rookies feel ecstatic.
We rushed to change clothes as fast as we could, running to the parking lot like kids on Christmas.
However….
“Over there…!”
“……!”
As we were about to leave….
“Ah-ra unnie?”
Someone was blocking my way exactly.
It was O Ah-ra.
I had thought that Python had finished changing and returned before us….
“I have something to talk about.”
“Something to talk about? But….”
When I gestured to the members behind me, O Ah-ra waved her hands.
“I’ll be quick….”
“Ah….”
Nodding my head, Yoo Seol pointed to Rookies’ van in front of us and said.
“Ye-rin, I’ll stay with the others, so you talk and come back.”
“…Yes!”
As my members stepped back, O Ah-ra only spoke after all the members got into the car.
“…I’m sorry.”
“……!”
Hearing her words, I froze in shock.
A rookie idol winning the top award.
Even though this is NAS Entertainment’s turf, it was an impossible feat without a valid reason.
The current Rookies… Ha Ye-rin achieved the impossible.
The previous Rookies disbanded before even a year, forgotten by all.
But the current Rookies… were loved by many.
So…
“Rookies-!! Waaahhhh-!”
“I love Rookies-!!”
O Ah-ra could not keep her head down.
“…I’m sorry.”
“……!”
“I’m sorry for having opposed and hated you.”
Startled by O Ah-ra’s sudden apology, Ha Ye-rin froze.
Watching Ha Ye-rin, O Ah-ra continued without breaking her words.
“And thank you.”
“…Thank you for what?”
I thought she only hated and resented me.
But O Ah-ra realized as she watched the current Rookies shine, unlike the previous life.
She couldn’t let go of her feelings for Rookies.
“Thank you for taking care of this life’s Rookies.”
“…….”
So O Ah-ra was grateful to Ha Ye-rin, who brought honor and popularity to Rookies instead of her past self, who was incapable.
And O Ah-ra had more to say to Ha Ye-rin.
“I realized today after watching your performance.”
[Unique Quest]
[Goal: Become the best idol.]
[Penalty for failure: Void]
[Reward upon success: One thing you desperately desire.]
O Ah-ra understood today.
What the status window called the best idol referred to someone like Ha Ye-rin.
O Ah-ra wanted to convey this thought to her.
“The best idol is…”
But….
Bang.
Before O Ah-ra could finish her words, Ha Ye-rin stepped closer and….
Tight.
“…!”
Ha Ye-rin embraced O Ah-ra and whispered in her ear.
“Thank you for taking care of the previous Rookies.”
“…….”
Ha Ye-rin had witnessed everything regarding Seo Yoo-jin and Park Yoo-jung.
How much the previous O Ah-ra loved Rookies and how hard she tried to protect them.
So, after seeing all that, she couldn’t hate her.
Just as O Ah-ra felt gratitude toward Ha Ye-rin for taking care of the current Rookies….
Ha Ye-rin was thankful to O Ah-ra for taking care of the previous Rookies.
And she believed.
“I don’t know what the status window defines as the best idol, but… let’s both work hard together.”
“…Okay.”
Although the exact meaning of being the best idol was unclear,
Both believed they could become the best idols.
Thus, the former Rookies member and the current Rookies leader parted after a brief hug.
“Well then, unnie. I’ll be going now.”
“…Goodbye.”
O Ah-ra watched as Ha Ye-rin nestled into the welcoming arms of her Rookies members, climbing into the van and leaving.
And when the Rookies van became a distant dot…
“Hey, O Ah-ra! I told you to wait! What were you doing?”
“Unnie, I was wondering where you were!”
“Let’s hurry! The CEO is treating us to a party as a reward for winning!”
New comrades filled the place of her departed old colleagues.
They filled her second life, which had felt like a gift, with friends she cherished.
‘Goodbye, Rookies.’
Though in the past they were Rookies, now she was Python, leaving a final salute to the air.
And then….
“…Thank you, guys.”
“Huh? For what?”
“The rookie award… if it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have won it.”
“What? O Ah-ra, are you crying?”
She leaned into the embrace of the Python members.
‘Whatever the status window defines as the best idol, let’s work hard together.’
As Ha Ye-rin said at the end, she planned to keep striving until she became the best idol.
Right here, with the Python members.
“Unnie! Why are you crying on such a great day?!”
“O Ah-ra! Why are you suddenly crying? It makes me want to cry too!”
Thus, the first year-end awards ceremony, the NANA Awards, concluded by etching deep sentiments into many hearts.
As expected, the rookie idol group Rookies winning the top award at the NANA Awards sparked various controversies.
The main subject of debate was whether they were granted special privileges since Rookies was a group that emerged from Nnet.
But….
“The KBC Music Grand Festival top award goes to Rookies!”
When Rookies surprised everyone again by winning the top award at another major year-end ceremony, the debate over special privileges quickly died down.
In fact, even without the rookie label, Rookies achieved outstanding results this year, making it a deserved outcome.
Rookies finished the year-end awards with two top awards, the rookie award, and various other accolades, achieving the most remarkable performance among idol groups this year.
And the new year dawned.
The arrival of the new year meant….
“We’ve finished producing Rookies’ final activity song.”
It also signified the imminent end of Rookies’ activities.
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