Choi Wongil. In , he caused a lot of conflicts in every team battle, and in the end, he was hit with the editing beam and left to die.

He wanted to act weak but should I say it was a case of failure since it was obvious?

He even made Seon Ahyun sigh, saying 'He's a very mean guy', so in a sense, he was a consistently incredible guy.

'Hmm, did you drop out to escape to Gold 1's agency?'

That was why the two of them were moving together. It wasn't particularly surprising, but it was unexpected that the place they were at was a broadcasting station where the end-of-the-year music program was being held.

'They wouldn't have debuted yet.'

I checked all of the rookie trends this year because of the rookie award, but those two guys' agencies were not in the lineup.

In the meantime, Gold 1 was chattering and talking with the members.

"Wow, it's so nice to see you! No, wait, should I call you sunbae-nim? Sunbae-nim, you're really great~"

"Aigoo, that's enough~"

"S-speak comfortably, hyung...!"

"Ahyun is still such a nice kid!"

In the friendly atmosphere, I roughly checked the appearance of Gold 1 and Choi Wongil.

Then I realized.

'They came as backup dancers.'

A female solo artist from an idol group from their agency had recently gotten very good records.

And using debut group trainees as backup dancers to gain experience for media coverage happened quite often so there was nothing strange about it.

Sure enough, Gold 1 pushed forward and introduced the people around him who were dressed in the same black outfit as himself.

"That's right, these are the dongsaeng who train with me!"

"Ooh, Hello!"

"Hello!"

The eyes of those greeting shone with curiosity, envy, and longing. Some of the members exchanged greetings awkwardly as if this reaction was awkward.

And suddenly I was called out.

"Ex-excuse me Park Moondae sunbae-nim!"

"Yes?"

"Can I please...! Shake your hand once...!!"

The ones from beside suppressed it while being taken aback.

"Hey hey, don't get ahead of yourself!"

"Haigoo this rascal, even here too huh!"

What's with them?

I nodded, concealing my displeasure.

"...Of course."

"...! Tha-thank you!"

And as if he had met with a corporate CEO, the handshake was exchanged in utmost politeness.

"Ah, I love it!"

The team members of Gold 1 whispered over the happy handshake.

"Well, I guess people should have courage too."

"I know right."

...Anyone, who saw this, would think that they met with some legendary sunbae in the music industry.

Looking at it, it seemed like their group had already been decided, but if they made their official debut early next year, they won't be a year apart from TeStar.

'...Well, the scores are everything.'

The gaze that looked up in admiration simply meant that there was a psychological gap towards the 'higher group'.

And it seemed like those guys weren't the only ones who felt it. Although it was in a slightly different direction.

"Woah, it was just pre-recording and we weren't even filming, but I was really nervous."

"No, aren't you too nervous for someone with hundreds of thousands of views on fancam~?"

"Hey, this is different! It's scarier to be nervous about ruining your sunbae-nim's performance!"

"Hmm, seems difficult to differentiate which is worse."

Behind Gold 1 and TeStar members exchanging the latest updates with each other, Choi Wongil lowered his head avoiding his gaze.

"..."

'He's keeping down.'

It seemed like he was the type to be finished with it once the hierarchy was completely sorted out.

Since TeStar's activities went so well this year, it seemed that he couldn't even dare to say anything.

In the meantime, Gold 1 also finished exchanging greetings with Bae Sejin. And with a slightly regretful expression, he threw a closing comment.

"Ah~ There's so much to talk about, but you must be busy? I'll treat you to a meal next time!"

It meant that we should go do our own business now.

However, there was one guy who couldn't understand the empty talk.

It was Kim Raebin.

"Ah, we have plenty of time until the next performance. If we move to the waiting room, there would be no trouble continuing the conversation."

Gold 1 was flustered.

"Haha, Raebin-ah, thanks for the proposal but those who don't know me well would be uncomfortable~"

However, those people were just Cha Yujin and Ryu Chungwoo.

"I'm not uncomfortable!"

"Ah, It's okay. You can take it easy."

"Re-really?"

Gold 1 was taken aback by the clean ok.

And Gold 1's team members, who noticed the situation, made a quick escape.

"Hyung, go comfortably. We will be at the dorm!"

"Bring ice cream when you come back!"

"IdolCo update talk, fighting!"

"These crazy bastards!"

The guys in black clothing ran down the hallway and disappeared.

However, Choi Wongil, who missed the timing, remained in his place.

"..."

It seemed that he didn't fit in very well since he had just joined the group, or he could have been left behind because he was also from IdolCo.

'What a vague situation.'

Fortunately, Gold 1 took care of Choi Wongil.

"Ah, Wongil-ah, it's our first time visiting the waiting room, so should we go buy something to drink?"

"I'll buy it."

"Huh?"

And Choi Wongil ran before Gold 1 could say anything.

'I don't think he'll be back.'

Gold 1 sighed.

"Sorry, it must have been uncomfortable?"

"I-it's okay!"

"It's all good and well... but Wongil has improved a lot. I'm a little worried since he searches for internet responses a lot... but well, there hasn't been much talk lately."

Gold 1 sighed heavily. It seemed like he had been through a lot.

Keun Sejin smiled and glanced in the direction where Choi Wongil had disappeared.

"Is he also in the debut group?"

"Yeah. Well, he's actually good at singing... and he's young. He's also well-known."

After all, he didn't debut in IdolCo either, and since the problem was his image on the broadcast, it could be roughly dismissed as evil editing and move on.

It wasn't a big deal to put one person in a group.

'Well, it has nothing to do with me.'

If they sell over 300,000 initial copies in their first run next year, then let's observe it then.

"Oh, Moondae, where are you going?"

"The toilet."

I slipped out of the queue to the waiting room and walked down the aisle.

'There were no people downstairs.'

There was plenty of time, so I thought of going in a direction where I wouldn't be able to meet people.

And before I even reached the bathroom, I ran into Choi Wongil.

Surprisingly, instead of going to a convenience store, he was sitting in the corner of the emergency stairs and brooding in his solitude.

"..."

"..."

Let's go to the bathroom.

I just nodded, passed Choi Wongil, and went down the stairs.

Then Choi Wongil suddenly shouted.

"It must be nice, hyung."

"...??"

"Everything is going well... and everyone loves you."

Why did I suddenly receive a line from a daily drama?

Whatever. Rather than being absurd... this was very sad and embarrassing.

'It's an emergency staircase, so everything is echoing.'

So my hands and feet cringed even more. I hoped that no one was above or below this remote staircase. I didn't want anyone to know that the person listening to that line was me.

"How does it feel to live like that? The whole world is revolving around you."

And I could have never even dreamt that there would be someone bringing out those lines to reality.

Choi Wongil was even sniffling now.

'Just what happened to the sensibility?'

Once again, I felt the gap I sometimes felt with aspiring idols.

'Should I just go?'

I sneakily took a step but found a figure moving under the railing.

"...!"

Did they hear it?

There was a bit of a distance. However, even though the sound could be muffled since it resonated, it seemed like it could be roughly heard.

If I let this guy keep talking, won't there be strange rumors?

'...Should I deal with this and leave?'

I checked Choi Wongil.

"Everyone lives in that way! Just like me... everyone else also fought for parts and swore."

"..."

Now he was just talking on his own. It seemed that he couldn't control himself once he exploded.

'But why are you doing this to me?'

"Hyu-hyung also did my part. And, and... Sejin hyung was also annoyed, but I came out as if I was worse. I also apologized to Heeseung but that part didn't come out."

Choi Wongil continued to mutter while reflecting on the amount of screentime he received in the middle and latter half of IdolCo.

'I guess his mind still hasn't gotten out of IdolCo.'

Well, things like that could happen.

Since a young and self-conscious guy suddenly received raw verbal abuse for months from an unspecified number of people.

TeStar could quickly brush off the concerns from IdolCo after going through various crazy things in the past half year. But it must be different for this guy who had only been practicing.

Perhaps the reason why he was doing this to me was because of the mentality of keeping others in check and the inferiority complex from IdolCo's rating evaluations still remained with him.

It must have exploded when he ran into an individual from the show and not because he ran into someone from TeStar.

'...At that rate, wouldn't it be better for him to get counseling?'

//TN: tbh anyone who has to go through idol survival shows like idolco should get some therapy at least once

Of course, I didn't feel the need or the desire to even talk about that with him. Let's just sort out the situation well so that there won't be rumors and leave quickly.

I held back my sigh and opened my mouth.

"Are you jealous of me? Why?"

"...Because everything is going well for you, hyung."

"It's not, though."

I stared at Choi Wongil.

"Would you do it if I were to swap with you?"

"...You can't swap...!"

"So you would want to swap. Hmm..."

I rubbed the back of my neck.

"But honestly, you wouldn't want to change your family."

"...!"

Choi Wongil flinched as he crouched down. Of course, this guy also seemed to know about Park Moondae's family background.

I spoke slowly on purpose.

"What you're jealous of is just... my current professional status. And we don't know how this would change in a few years... Do you get along well with your parents?"

"...Yes."

"Okay. I hope it will keep being like that for you in the future."

"..."

Choi Wongil bowed his head.

'This should be enough.'

The defense went well.

'Now he should have thrown away the useless inferiority complex.'

This is how I could use my famous family background.

'Let's just say something encouraging and then end this.'

But before I could open my mouth again, something surprising happened.

"...I'm sorry."

"...!"

An apology came out of Choi Wongil's mouth.

"Because... I said you were lucky at first, I'm sorry."

Hmm... did he?

It was probably one of the words Choi Wongil threw sarcastically during the grade evaluation practice.

'Isn't it normally the case that the one who spits the words doesn't remember them, and the one who hears the words remembers them?'

I didn't think that this guy would remember it until now.

Anyway, this conversation was good to end the situation. It was better too if someone was listening.

I nodded.

"Okay. I'll take your apology. You prepare well for your debut, too."

"..."

Choi Wongil nodded slightly.

Honestly, Choi Wongil was a bit spiteful, but he didn't commit any major crime. His mind wasn't mature either so he wasn't cunning.

'Should I say that he doesn't have the ability to ruin anyone using his influence?'

Didn't Gold 2, who he openly ignored, do that better than himself?

All in all, he was basically just an annoying troll.

'I hope I don't have to see him in the future.'

I walked back down the stairs.

I checked again under the railing just in case, but the person I saw earlier was gone.

* * *

"Happy New Year!!"

//TN: This was in English.

"I wish you a happy New Year~"

TeStar welcomed the New Year by taking care of the countdown at MBS.

But, of course, there was no time to relax and enjoy the New Year's sentiment. This was because a new award ceremony was waiting five days later.

Since it was one of the fairly famous and old award ceremonies, it was also included in Park Moondae's list of options that matched the description 'most prestigious award ceremony'.

It was held over two days and divided into digital and album sections, but there was still only one Rookie Award category.

In addition, the Rookie of the Year Award ceremony part was included in the cue sheet for the album award ceremony part that TeStar attended.

Everyone thought to themselves.

'Honestly, it would be more strange if TeStar didn't receive it.'

And as expected, TeStar won the Rookie of the Year award early, even before their stage sequence arrived.

"Congratulations! TeStar!"

It was not a surprising result.

However, perhaps because there were so many obstacles, both fans and TeStar were overflowing with joy!

"Waaahhhh!!"

Fans waved their light sticks and cheered as they recalled what happened on the Internet for the past two months.

"Thank you!"

TeStar came up on stage while bowing.

However, upon receiving the bouquet and the trophy, the members suddenly exchanged glances with scheming smiles.

Then they immediately handed the microphone over to Seon Ahyun.

"...??"

At that moment, a slightly puzzled atmosphere passed through the audience.

This was because anyone who had seen even one episode of would know about Seon Ahyun's stuttering symptoms.

First of all, handing over the microphone to Seon Ahyun had never happened before. There were even times when he was panicking and fell back.

However, Seon Ahyun looked a little nervous but accepted the microphone right away.

"...For giving us this undeserving award, ...thank you very much."

"...!!"

//TN: Happy New Year to everyone who's reading this at the time of upload!