Chapter 89
I had expected that the abnormal condition caused by the Crown Prince's ego would come back someday.
However, I couldn't tell for sure when, where, or what would be the trigger, so I was just thinking about it.
I didn't know it would be activated in such an important situation as now.
'The effects are immediate.'
My body started to feel hot.
I felt the blood circulating rapidly in my veins.
The Crown Prince's suppressed arrogance burst out.
But my mind made a more rational and cool-headed judgment.
'Still, it's fortunate that they've put forth some pretty good conditions. Either way, I have to take the center to get an advantageous high point.'
That is, even if the status abnormality had not occurred, I would have moved as much as possible to occupy the center position.
My goal is not simply to debut but to carve my name on the number one throne.
"Karis, have you listened to all the songs? Have you decided where you're going? "
Kang Si-yoon spoke again next to me.
The answer, which would have been a bit softer if it had been a normal answer, was given in a tone that was filled with deep confidence.
"At such an important moment, no one would reveal their strategies and cards to anyone else. Even if it were you, Siyoon."
"Oh, this guy looks a little better today? "
"Is my condition good? "
"Yeah. You're more confident than usual, really."
Kang Si-yoon, who had spent quite some time with me, quickly noticed the change in my speech.
"Then I should become Karis and do the same. Actually, I didn't intend to tell you where I was going from the beginning, you fool."
"If you're going to copy my speech, show a little more effort. Your skills are ridiculous."
"Oho, how shameless! "
"It's not that it's shameless; it's that it's rude. Siyoon."
Meanwhile, Chae Eun-gyu, who was looking at the lyrics and the song video with a serious face, quietly muttered something.
"It's a song too, but I don't even know who went where until I go there. Someone might have already taken the position I thought of from the beginning, and that target could be a tough opponent for me to push...."
"Listening to what you said, Hyung, that's true. The latecomers have no idea what or how the ones ahead of them made their choices."
Song Hyung-bin also nodded.
That makes sense.
In short, all factors other than one's own choice are uncertain.
Even if they can get the position they want, they might not like the member composition.
If a situation arises where you absolutely must push someone away, it is obvious that it will be difficult to overcome the guilt that arises in your heart.
But you shouldn't come this far and be put at that crossroads.
"But isn't everyone prepared for that? "
"Huh?"
When I gave a dry answer, Chae Eun-gyu raised his head.
During the previous sports day, the influence of the abnormal condition was stronger and hotter, perhaps because I had to keep moving my body.
So, I spoke informally to Chae Eun-gyu, who was older than me and whom I was meeting for the first time.
Now that I have to use my head as much as possible to devise a strategy, I find it natural to speak calmly and coolly.
"Unfortunately, this is a place where the fittest survive and the strong prey on the weak. We have already pushed out many others to get to this place. If we can't push out, we will just be pushed out."
"...."
"... Well, that's definitely true."
Song Hyung-bin answered before Chae Eun-gyu.
His eyes were radiating an unusual light.
"Even though the tone is a bit harsh, Karis is right. This is an unavoidable competition..."
"Okay, okay! I won't say anything if I get pushed out, so please just throw me into a good position."
"I wish you wouldn't send me to just another song."
"Everyone, be careful! I am watching you! "
The other trainees also spoke in a very bright tone, joking around.
They were prepared to face a one-sided situation where everyone was being pushed out.
The promised 30 minutes passed.
"Now we will begin the final round, song and position selection. Starting from 14th place to 1st place, in reverse order."
Following Choi Sia's instructions, the 14th-ranked trainee moved to the stairs next to the set.
I wonder what kind of view will unfold before my eyes when I climb up those stairs.
No one can predict this.
Before my turn came, I continued to ponder countless thoughts.
'The goal is very simple. Just take the center. That is, when it's my turn and someone else is occupying the center, I simply send them somewhere else.'
A reward for reaching 3rd place in the 3rd ranking announcement ceremony.
I can get the position I want with almost 100% certainty.
But it's 'almost', not 'absolutely'.
'The variables that exist for me are 2nd place and 1st place. In other words, the trainees who are ranked higher than me.'
Even if I get the center spot, there are trainees with higher priority than 3rd place who can push me out and take the center spot away.
Even the trainees who come to mind when you think of the 2nd and 1st place centers are Ji Yoon-chul and Song Hyung-bin.
It's obvious that both Ji Yoon-chul and Song Hyung-bin will want the center.
Because it's so clear what it means to take center stage on the final stage.
Then, if they take the center from both sides without any conflict, the problem can be solved.
If you look at it this way, I, who am in third place, will definitely be pushed out of the center and pushed to the small remaining position.
'... In the end, I have no choice but to see through the fight and gamble.'
There are strategies that are essential in war.
Before moving my army, I predict the opponent's movements.
If you can predict which path they will take, your raid's success rate will increase, and the damage your troops will take will be exponentially reduced.
If you can read the enemy general's thoughts, you can win the war very easily.
This principle still applies today.
'I just need to figure out what Ji Yoon-chul and Song Hyung-bin are thinking. And I have the information.'
When I was thinking about the trainees pushing each other out earlier, I looked closely at Song Hyung-bin's face.
Song Hyung-bin has the abnormal status, 'Indecisiveness'.
If he were skeptical about the topic of pushing and were afraid of hurting someone close to him, the status effect would have definitely been activated.
However, the red text was not blinking on Song Hyung-bin's status window.
In short, it is a state of strong determination to push through with one's decisions no matter what happens.
'Song Hyung-bin also gave up the center position to Ji Yoon-chul in the last 3rd competition. He must have seen his fans express their regret because of that. And now that we have only the final round left, he will definitely move to take the center position.'
Song Hyung-bin, the number one and last authority, has no choice but to go to the center.
Taking this established fact into account, let's look at the two mission songs....
I raised the corners of my mouth.
The calculations were perfectly correct.
I always felt like my physical abilities increased significantly whenever this status effect occurred.
When I applied it in a situation where I was using my head like now, it felt like my brain was awakened in reverse.
"Next up. 8th place trainee, Heo Yubin."
"I wi, I will go first, Hyungs! "
"Choose well! "
"Let's wish for Yubin's good fight."
Heo Yu-bin left first to choose a song, and Kang Si-yoon immediately got up from the seat next to me.
"I'll say it again: even if you push me out, make sure you put me in a good place. Okay? "
"It depends entirely on your choice and the positions of the other trainees. If you're truly worried about being pushed out, I hope you make a choice that doesn't overlap with mine as much as possible."
"This guy, why is he so cold today?"
"It just provides an effective solution."
In this way, the number of trainees left on the auditorium floor gradually decreased.
Finally, only three people remained.
I glanced at Song Hyung-bin.
"...Have you made your decision? "
"I already did everything a while ago. Since it's the last one, I should do what I do best."
"That's valid logic."
Choose what you do best.
So, here's one more hint.
"Third place, trainee Karis von Walden. Please move."
My name was called.
I looked back and gave a silent greeting to Ji Yoon-chul and Song Hyung-bin.
"Then, I'll see you from above. I hope we won't end up seeing bloodshed."
"Haha, I hope so too. I'll catch up soon!"
"... See you later."
Ji Yoon-chul continued to remain silent even while all the other trainees were making a lot of noise.
Although he remained expressionless, his lively eyes clearly showed what he was thinking.
I exhaled slowly and walked up the stairs.
The song I decided on is
Since this is the final stage, I have to choose the song that I can perform best at the moment.
If I do a sexy and atmospheric concept with the visuals of a crown prince, the ripple effect will definitely be enormous.
And above all, both Song Hyung-bin and Ji Yoon-chul will go their own way.
'It was the same last time, and from the beginning, those two's styles with
It is clear that the clothes that best suit these two trainees are their neat and powerful dance moves.
In particular, Song Hyung-bin said that since this round is the last, he will choose what he does best.
The probability of two people flocking to each other increases even more.
I stepped onto the set, prepared to push the center of the stage.
And the scenery that greeted me was truly a situation that no one could have expected.
'... This is really so unexpected.'
I don't know what happened on set.
There is no way to know who chose where first or who pushed whom out.
But the empty center seats on either side told a simple truth.
The point is that no one picked the center spot as their first choice.
As I stood at the end of the set for a moment without saying anything, the trainees who had been waiting started to say a word or two.
"Karis, go to the center quickly! "
"Oh, I'm nervous. Where will you go, Karis?"
"I wish you would come this way."
I looked over the members at a fast pace.
Chae Eun-gyu is in the main dancer position.
Yoo Minha is in the main rapper position.
Heo Yu-bin is the main vocalist.
Kang Dong-hwi, the first sub-vocalist.
And the third sub-vocalist, Baek Si-hwa.
The members were pretty decent.
The members that I worked with chose
In particular, I didn't know I would meet Baek Si-hwa again.
Baek Si-hwa, who already looked a bit mentally unstable, lowered his head in surprise as soon as he saw me.
'It seems like you're feeling fear of me.'
As I stood tall in the center seat without a moment's hesitation, thunderous applause erupted.
"It went straight back to its owner! "
"Karis, welcome back! "
"We're on the same team again! "
"Karis hyung-nim! "
"I told you, he's probably going there."
"It's a shame...."
"But it's fortunate that they didn't push us out."
Chae Eun-gyu, Yoo Min-ha, and Heo Yu-bin were especially happy.
Since the center position had not been confirmed yet, my abnormal status was still valid.
So, instinctively, I nodded my head while slightly raising my hand.
This is a truly arrogant attitude.
Soon, it was time for the next turn.
As the tall, new-looking Ji Yoon-chul came up onto the set, a tremendous amount of tension hung in the air.
"Will Yoon-chul go to the center?"
"Unconditionally. Unconditionally."
"Is he not pushing Karis out?"
Ji Yoon-chul and I briefly locked eyes.
I felt like he wanted to take the center for a moment, but Ji Yoon-chul, like me, moved to the vacant center position without hesitation.
"It ended up like this."
"Only Hyung-bin is left, but all the centers are full."
"Wow, this is really scary."
"This is 100% going to push someone out."
"There's only one spot left, sub vocal 2, but there's no way Hyungbin Hyung would go there...."
A greater sense of tension than before spread among the trainees.
But I waited calmly with my chin held high.
Soon after, the last trainee, Song Hyung-bin, appeared.
"Ahaha.... Ah, it really came to this."
He stood between the two platforms with an awkward smile.
He closed his eyes tightly and remained silent for a moment.
"Please, please, please. Don't just push me away."
"Isn't Hyung-bin the center unconditionally? "
"Maybe not....He told me before that he wanted to try being the main vocalist too."
"Oh, wait a minute. Then Yubin and Daehyun will be pushed out?"
"Or he could give up the center position and go for the main dancer position. In fact, he'll be more visible as a main dancer than as a center."
Everyone whispered quickly and waited for Song Hyung-bin's choice.
The moment when tension was at its peak.
"I... will go here."
Song Hyung-bin spoke in a calm tone and gently grabbed Ji Yoon-chul's shoulder.
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