At the elevator leading to the fifth floor of the building.
The participants, now with enthusiasm on their faces, miraculously fitted inside the elevator.
Meanwhile, Rayen was keeping ahold of his breath, nervous that the elevator might break down because of their weight. After all, thirty-four participants were riding it.
But as it ascended, not even a slight creaking could be heard.
Ding.
When the elevator reached their destination, he could finally exhale too.
However, the participants were surprised with what they saw when the elevator door opened. The former empty wide space in the 5th floor had turned into something else.
As the participants stretched their necks to look above, they saw equipments hovering around. There were small flying drones surrounding them, busy recording their expressions. On the ceiling, spotlights were hanging from steel bars, all focused on the bright stage at the center.
Surrounding the round stage were numerous chairs lined up in a tiered elevation. Each chairs had numbers on its backrest, indicating their ranks.
Rayen shifted his focus from the stage set to the staff member leading them.
"The top five contestants will have to follow me backstage. You will enter once your names and ranks are announced. As for the others, go to your respective chairs."
The participants all nodded their heads, each with their own thoughts.
Rayen sighed and walked to his seat with Adrian lazily following him. He had to sit with this guy again.
'Can I change seats?'
After they had all settled down, the staff members announced the start of the filming.
Yesterday, they had been given a reality check, so everyone—especially those who didn't pass the first segment for the private broadcast, and those who didn't get any screen time on the audition episode—wanted to change their approach with this filming.
They had to stand out!
But how would they do that? When the itinerary were briefly explained to them prior to the start of the filming, it seemed that they would just be sitting while listening for the mechanics of the first round.
Rayen wanted to scratch his head too. He had experienced being in front of the cameras from his previous life, but he didn't need to be camera-hungry at all. Somehow, he was out of ideas.
Disrupting their thoughts, the music theme of the show was played on the speakers. Rayen didn't want to think about the words "image" and "standing out" anymore, and just listened to it.
"Stuck in the flow of the crowd.
Even when I don't know where it's headed,
Still, I hoped it's a good place.
Yet, why?
I don't feel the badump badump.
I must have left my heart somewhere.
But I am lost now,
Couldn't find my way back to where my heart was."
The song's lyrics were a bit gloomy, but the arrangement was completely opposite. It was a bit hard to sing too, but Rayen could imagine that it would be good to dance on it.
A woman's voice spoke, blotting out the music that they were listening to.
"Now, ladies and gentleman. We are gonna introduce you the rankings of our candidates."
'This voice...'
Everyone was bewildered on their seats. Most of them recognized it and they couldn't help but gasp in surprise.
"Really? Is it really her?"
Becoming aware of the cameras on her, one participant immediately acted.
'Hmm... That was smart.'
With the female participant's actions, Rayen realized he could imitate it too. He should probably act excited.
"Do you recognize it?" Adrian was also quick to react and nudged Rayen beside him.
With enthusiasm, Rayen nodded heavily. "Yeah, of course, I'm also a fan~"
"....."
Becoming speechless with Rayen's response, Adrian observed this famous vocalist that was unlike his previous demeanor.
'Did I do a good job?'
Rayen noticed Adrian's raised eyebrows.
'What's with him?'
Still puzzled with Adrian's expression, Rayen replayed his actions in his mind. Realizing he had overdone it and even recalling Mile's words from yesterday in the sponsor's room, he quickly feigned a cough and averted his gaze.
'I shouldn't act too much... It would be hard if my soon-to-be fans become fixated on a fake image.'
Proceeding with the announcement of the ranking, the screen above the stage opposite the participants' seats lit up, displaying a number.
"Rank 5. Yeo Haru."
Rayen focused on it. Although they had already learned who were the top five when they received the Life Books before, he still acted like he had no idea.
That time, no camera was rolling, so they had to pretend right now. And besides, he had already kind of forgotten some of them.
The moment the man entered from the backstage, the atmosphere was filled with his radiant aura. In Rayen's mind, this participant reminded him of Liam from their previous lives; always striking up a conversation with everyone even though they weren't familiar with each other.
A sunshine boy.
As the man walked to the stage below, he always managed to find the cameras focusing on him. And every time, he would let out a flying kiss. Even until he arrived at his seat, he didn't forget to project a playful expression.
'This man was really a camera hogger... He's a pro.'
When Yeo Haru had finally sat down to his chair, the cameras seemed to shift away from him in disdain, as if they were fed up with him.
The screen's number changed again.
"Rank 4. Ryeon"
Another man entered from the backstage. Unlike Yeo Haru, he was a total opposite. He walked calmly and just walked straight to the center stage and waved. Smiling stiffly for a moment, he walked to the rank 4 seat.
"Rank 3. Ara."
A woman with a very imposing aura walked out. She was just walking normally, but every participant in their seats straightened their backs.
Excluding Jiji and Iris who were "technically" men now, Ara was the only woman on the top 5 list, yet she had the fiercest and manly aura out of everyone from them.
Too bad. If they didn't change their genders, they'll be Powerpoof Girls. Iris would be Bloom, Jiji would be Bubbly, and Ara would be Buttercake.
Ara walked to the chair on the right side of the ranked one chair. She briefly paused and stared at it, thinking to herself with an unreadable expression.
After staring for over a minute, she finally took her seat.
The number on the screen switched once again. "Top 2. Iris."
The fake man entered. Affected by the grafting changes, Iris seemed like a man to everyone's eyes, but she looked quite pretty for a man. Even her pale blonde hair was quite long and shining.
If someone didn't know she was really a woman, they would think that Iris was a femboy instead.
Completing the list of the four participants, the announcement continued.
Unlike the previous ones, the announcement for the rank 1 was different. A sound effect was played in the background to hype out the announcement.
The hidden MC also spoke.
"Now then, everyone. We'll be welcoming our top 1 participant! Who might he be?"
As the screen switched, the emcee announced it together with an excited voice. "Rank 1, Xu Jiji!"
Starting from Iris's clapping, everyone welcomed Jiji with a round of applause. Those who were trying to get the camera's reaction even praised him outwardly.
"I'm already a fan!"
"Yeah, he's really amazing!"
This little "boy" was truly acknowledged by everyone after watching his performance yesterday during the video reaction filming. No one was stingy with their praises.
Jiji arrived at the center of the stage and greeted everyone with a bow and a youthful smile.
"So, Participant Jiji, as the top 1 participant, do you have anything to say?"
"I, uhh.... Thank you for my sponsors!"
Feeling a little bit shy about his grand entrance, he only said a few words before ascending to his seat.
Every eyes were on him as he walked, so his face started to flush from embarrassment. He hurried his pace and ran on the center stairs until arriving at the top where the impressive rank 1 seat was located.
When Xu Jiji sat on it, the music turned even louder. The chair almost looked gigantic because of his small frame.
Most of the participants were enviously eyeing him. As the rank 1 participant, of course, he had the most screen time.
Rayen wasn't among the people eyeing him though. Sure, he was envious, but he thought the kid deserved it. Rayen's emotions from watching his performance was still deeply etched on his mind.
If Rayen was only an ordinary audience, he would probably support him with all his might.
As the music gradually faded, the participants also calmed down. The ranks of those below the top five briefly flashed on the screen, passing by in quick succession.
Once the display ended, the sharp sound of heels against a hard floor echoed through the backstage corridor. The screen, which had shown their respective rankings, had switched to a close-up of someone walking in red high-heels.
As that video played, the person wearing the red high heels emerged from the entrance.
Her beauty captivated everyone in their seats, even more so than when Ara had appeared. Those black, peach-blossom eyes turned into crescents with her radiant smile, sending a jolting sensation to the male participants—Rayen included.
Although they had already recognized her from when she had spoken the first time, it was still different when they saw her in flesh.
With a microphone in hand, she walked to the center of the stage and introduced herself. "Hi, participants! I'm Yeon Miwol, your Idol:Revive emcee."