Chapter 110 - 110

Chapter 110

has been going on for over two months.

It seems like the trainees, who have grown close to each other through thick and thin, wanted to make their last night special.

[Song Hyung-bin: It just occurred to me. It's the last day, so if we just sleep in our cells, it'll be boring, right? So wouldn't it be nice if we all gathered in one place, talked about this and that, and then fell asleep... ]

[Cha Eun-gyu: As soon as I heard Hyung-bin's offer, I thought, this is it.]

[Ken Hashimoto: A night where everyone can come together! It seems like it'll be really fun!]

[Yoo Min-ha: As the Hyungs said, it totally felt like a retreat! I'm already starting to get excited because I'm so curious about what I should wear, what I should bring with me to eat, and what topics will be discussed! But when I hear the words "the last day," I feel a new sense of emotion, and I'm also glad that everyone here is here with the same mindset and hasn't given up... (omitted)]

The trainees, who had searched through their bags to choose outfits suitable for a pajama party, gathered one by one into the auditorium.

Those who arrived first left the central space empty, creating a stage reminiscent of a runway.

There was a time for people to freely comment on the clothing worn by people who were arriving one after another.

[Hey, what is with Kang Si-yoon's outfit?]

[Why is that guy like that again!]

[No, when on earth did you get that sleeping cap?]

Kang Si-yoon, wearing green pajamas and a ridiculous sleeping cap, walked towards his matrix, looking smug.

[Okay, I was trying to find pajamas, but these are all I brought from home.]

[It's okay, hyung!]

[Eun-gyu Hyung is cute!]

[It suits you well.]

Chae Eun-gyu appeared wearing cute sky blue pajamas that were a stark contrast to the image of the oldest brother, drawing laughter from the national managers.

―Isn't that the collaboration pajamas?? Haha ...

└Ah, I'm at home, but I need a forced couple item.

―I thought you wouldn't be interested in that kind of thing at all, but surprisingly....

―So when they were filming, he was wearing only a black T-shirt and sweatpants to show off his leader's charm, but at home, he is wearing hamster pajamas all over his body... Ah, I'm getting mad.

―Chae Eun-gyu is now being moe-fied into all kinds of hamsters

└Two hamsters in one group? I like it ꉂꉂ ( ˆᴗˆ )♡̷̷̷

└That's also something to celebrate

And finally, Ji Yoon-chul, who always brought his rabbit doll, entered the auditorium.

Ji Yoon-chul's expressionless face stands in stark contrast to the smiling doll.

The national managers laughed heartily as they recalled old memories after seeing Ji Yoon-chul's rabbit doll.

-That's the rabbit that came out when playing the name tag removal, lol

└It's so funny how much he must like it to take it all the way there

―No, but I have something like that too, and seriously, I can't sleep without it... And have to stay in bed all the time. We can't do it without it ㅠㅠ

└I want to steal Ji Yoon-chul's rabbit doll and be despised

└What the f*ck are you talking about ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-How old is that rabbit doll?? I can't find it even when I do an image search.

└Look at the doll's age... It must have been with him since he was at least a preschooler.

└Then, he put cotton in it again and sew it up if it tears. Seriously, lol

└What's even scarier is that he's 17, so at most it's been 10 years lol

The trainees' first topic of conversation was first impression talk.

As soon as the question of who the most memorable trainee was came up, everyone unanimously answered one person's name.

[Karis.]

[I was so surprised because it was my first time seeing someone so handsome.]

[But on top of that, the way he spoke and the concept were like that, so it just stuck in my mind.]

Once the past story started to explode, there was no stopping it.

The unconventional greeting that Karis showed during the level test, the scary look when he played the name tag removal, and the sports day where he couldn't contain his excitement.

―Yeah, I only see good-looking guys at Gocheok or Olympic Park, but suddenly Karis appears in front of me? For the next 10 years, I'll be recalling memories with my friends about how handsome he looked even back then.

└They're in the same job, but they react like that. In real life, it's really explosive.

└I'm already scared of how much the fan sign cuts will be. Is that normal?

└It must be at least 200

└What the f*ck, they get a hundred people???

Seeing them laughing and chatting away, they felt once again that they were still young boys.

As mentioned in the interviews with the trainees here and there, it reminds of the last night of a typical high school student retreat.

In such a comfortable atmosphere, there was talk that there might be trainees who aren't yet close to each other.

Here, Kang Si-yoon's groundbreaking idea was revealed.

[That's right! It's Yubin and Yoon-chul, who are both quiet and awkward to everyone!]

The expressions on the faces of the two trainees who were pointed out were needless to say.

National managers were also shocked by the emergence of such an absurd combination.

―Is this a special feature of getting to know each other? It's really intense.

―That's E's special feature, right? Suddenly putting two I's together and having them introduce themselves to each other. Then, like me, we would just sit there dumbfounded and die with our eyes open.

└But I don't think they've ever said a word while on air.

└I'm seriously more uncomfortable watching thisㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

└That's a kind of workplace bullying.

―But didn't these two do Addicted together this time?? Then... they could become close.

└That's what I am saying. Didn't Yoon-chul teach them how to dance and Yubin help them sing?? They did it together

└If the entire process was done through a one-sided exchange of duties without a single word of small talk....

└Can I say this? I'm sure they were serious.

-I don't know about other kids, but I'm sure about these two

Absolutely, no one would have ever spoken to each other first....

Heo Yu-bin and Ji Yoon-chul even held each other's hands slightly.

Because of Heo Yu-bin, who was trembling like a poplar tree, Ji Yoon-chul's hands also trembled as if they were vibrating.

The conversation between the two trainees, which started with an awkward greeting, felt like watching a skit.

[After the second ranking announcement ceremony, I went to the store. There, I saw Yubin hyung buying peanuts―.]

[Hey, Yubin hyung!]

[I'm going crazy from the cognitive dissonance. Ah, I'm just going crazy.]

[Hahaha!]

The moment when everyone burst out laughing was when Ji Yoon-chul called Heo Yu-bin "hyung."

If you just look at it from the outside, it seems like Ji Yoon-chul is the older brother and Heo Yu-bin is the younger brother.

The fact that these two were two years apart was enough to cause cognitive dissonance in the viewers.

Heo Yu-bin and Ji Yoon-chul, who had difficulty saying hello at first, confessed their true feelings toward the end, saying that they wanted to become closer in the future.

It ended on a warm note, showing a competition to see who could support each other more until the end.

The time for conversation passed by in an instant.

The trainees, who were lying in the auditorium and looking up at the ceiling, gradually began to feel a sense of reality.

[It's really the end now.]

There was a lot implied in the statement that survival was about to end.

It could also simply mean that filming is over and they have to leave the dormitory.

For some, their trainee life will come to an end, and they will debut.

For some, it also meant that their dream of debuting was fading away right before their eyes.

[I think meeting you all in was the greatest luck of my life.]

Chae Eun-gyu's soft words seemed to represent the feelings of everyone gathered in the auditorium.

Precious relationships that we met by chance.

And as the reality of having to leave this beloved dormitory began to creep in, tears welled up in everyone's eyes.

Kwon Dae-hyun's subsequent pledge also touched the hearts of the national managers.

[I think everyone feels the same way. I will do my best to finish the last day tomorrow. In particular, I will work even harder and burn everything for the 82 people who left this place.]

―No, suddenly saying lines from a manga character is so over the top... It touches the heartstrings of an otaku like me.

―Don't be so ignorant, tomorrow can't be the last day. Aaak

└Let's start over again from the beginning with a new mindset... Who are you?

―We were happy thanks to you too, guys... . ㅠ ·̫ ㅠ

[Tomorrow's stage: everyone has prepared hard, so let's show the national managers a good stage.]

* * *

"Did I speak that seriously?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, really. It's so embarrassing to see it on screen."

At Kwon Dae-hyun's words, we had a good laugh.

I fell into silence for a moment, staring at the flashback scene and looking back on my past journey.

'... The second one.'

The strange feeling I had at the end of the survival program seemed to be the same even when my body changed.

By the time we first entered the accommodation and the scene of greeting the camera appeared, Heo Yu-bin was already sniffling.

"Until then, I thought I would be eliminated before even making it to the second round."

"It seems like it was only yesterday that Yubin said he was scared when he first saw me."

On the screen of Jamsil Indoor Stadium, individual interviews that had been filmed yesterday were shown one by one.

Currently, all the trainees were on the platform set up on the stage, waiting with reverent hearts for the final ranking announcement ceremony.

Now the real hardship begins.

Because we have to stand for at least two hours.

[Thank you so much for all the love you've given me. National managers, friends who worked hard together, judges who gave me valuable teachings. Thank you so much!]

[At first, I was really scared. But now I think I can say it confidently. Going on will be the most valuable memory of my life.]

[I've always wondered if this is really the right path for me.... But now I know for sure.]

[(In unison) How enjoyable it is to stand on stage!]

I looked around.

Everyone was looking at the screen with shining eyes.

[... was a precious experience for me. I probably won't be able to do it again.]

"Hey, did Yoon-chul say something like that?"

"... Because they kept asking me before."

"It's touching, it's touching!"

As the interview scene with Ji Yoon-chul appeared, Song Hyung-bin playfully patted his shoulder.

[It was an honor to meet great people and learn many things.]

And when I said that line, it echoed throughout the gym.

"Of course, you little punk! Where can you go and make a friend like this hyung-nim?"

"Oh, I understand, so let go of this!"

"You've never been in a headlock before, so how dare you joke around like that."

"Aren't we in front of the camera now!"

"Isn't that better?"

Kang Si-yoon suddenly grabbed my neck and laughed heartily.

I tried to raise both hands to block his arms, but he just turned around and smiled.

'As Kang Si-yoon said, it's never easy to meet a friend with whom you can maintain a good relationship.'

The interview relay is over.

Then, to conclude, the messages left by each trainee began to fill the black screen one by one.

Colorful letters were overlapped in succession.

At the very top, the words I had left were written slowly, as if someone had written them directly with a pencil.

[We all pursued our dreams here without regret.]

"... Ugh!"

"Oh, I really didn't want to cry until the end."

Some guys shed tears they had been holding back.

The national managers who saw this scene shouted loudly.

"Kids, it's okay to cry!"

"You've worked so hard!"

"It's okay to cry!"

Thanks to those warm words, Heo Yu-bin, who was already shedding tears, started crying openly.

"Huh, huh huh huh!"

"Yubin, you shouldn't cry like that yet."

"That's right, Yubin. It's not too late to cry out loud when the debut members are announced."

"B-But still! Huh huh huh!"

A few minutes later.

Choi Sia, who was standing under the stage preparing for the final seven, picked up the microphone and began to host the event.

" Final Round. The global vote to create the next generation's best boy group is just around the corner."

At Choi Sia's words, the audience members who had come to the scene were slightly shaken.

As news of the impending end of voting spread, a faint murmur of people checking with each other to see if anyone had yet to vote could be heard.

"Before the global voting ends, I have something to announce to the national managers first. It is the name of the group that will be formed by the 7 trainees you personally selected."

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