The Idol Who Returned from Hell Chapter 54

For the second time, the podium scenery had become familiar.

However, the scale of emotions I felt in my heart was very different from the 1st ranking announcement ceremony.

Back then, I was simply amazed that I had received such a high ranking in the early race.

Now, beyond simple surprise, I felt greedy.

They say when you lose something once right before your eyes, you become more desperate for it.

‘I thought I had put down most desires when I came back from hell.’

That self-reflection became meaningless as my heart pounded thump-thump the moment I stepped onto the podium.

“These two participants also stood in exactly the same positions at the last 1st ranking announcement ceremony. Back then, Seong-hwi barely overtook Ryu Si-hwan by a hair’s breadth and ascended to the throne. I wonder who will claim the glory of 1st place in this truly fierce 2nd ranking announcement ceremony. I’m very curious too.”

Since there was time to spare for filming, MC Go Hyeon-ju also conducted individual interviews separately.

“Trainee Seong-hwi, following the last 1st ranking announcement ceremony, you’ve secured at least the top 2 again this time. Does it feel quite different from last time?”

“Um… To be honest, during the 1st ranking announcement ceremony, I approached it by enjoying this kind of tension, but now it’s somehow difficult to do that.”

“Oh, has your mindset changed?”

“Haha, rather than my mindset changing, this time I didn’t come up here entirely through my own capabilities. It’s because my teammates performed so wonderfully that I achieved this consecutive success. Right now, rather than feeling happy, I only think I should humbly express gratitude.”

I thought he had only said such things to me.

I never expected he would publicly bow his head in front of everyone watching like this.

‘Did he belatedly recognize the importance of teamwork again after getting injured?’

They say if a person changes completely overnight, it’s a sign they’re going to die.

Still, since ugly feelings and fond feelings had all developed for this guy, I hoped he wouldn’t die quickly.

“Good. That was trainee Seong-hwi, who came up to this position with a renewed mindset. Now then, trainee Ryu Si-hwan!”

“Yes.”

I answered concisely while gripping the microphone with both hands.

“I remember at the previous announcement ceremony, you were quite the topic for your really calm atmosphere. Now you look slightly nervous. How is it?”

“I can’t deny being nervous. I probably won’t be able to perfectly enjoy this atmosphere until 〈Idol Stove League Season 2〉 ends.”

“Among the participants, you’re picked as 1st in boldness and 1st in maintaining composure, but this is really the first time seeing Si-hwan this nervous. Like Seong-hwi, did you perhaps have a change of heart?”

“Actually.”

At my low voice, the 31 trainees already seated focused their gazes on me.

Seong-hwi next to me also looked at me with an unknowing smile.

“I was just satisfied with the fact that I had received recognition from the national managers. As a mere individual trainee, I was honored and grateful just for receiving such excessive attention and love, and for sending me a precious vote every day. However, the human heart is truly easily shaken.”

I glanced at the 1st place throne at the highest point of the set.

“…I developed greed to climb to a higher position. I became curious about how far the trainee called Ryu Si-hwan could climb through this program, and I wanted to test my limits. So standing on this podium again now, I definitely want to grasp a different result from the last 1st announcement ceremony.”

“Good. I’m sure the national managers watching this broadcast will cheer with the same heart.”

The individual interview cut seemed sufficient at this point.

Once again, MC Go Hyeon-ju bought time through practiced comments under the PDs’ direction.

She’s an actress who probably never played this kind of role before. I guess they don’t call humans learning animals for nothing. I felt like her time-killing abilities had improved in the meantime.

“The last 1st ranking announcement ceremony. In 〈Idol Stove League〉 history, 1st and 2nd place were separated by the closest vote margin. Just 40,000 votes. In a situation with over 20 million votes, participant Seong-hwi sat on the throne due to just 40,000 votes advantage. This time, we’re told the cumulative votes reached a whopping 50 million. Everyone, aren’t you curious about the vote count of the trainee who claimed 1st place?”

Unnecessarily grand BGM began playing, and white spotlights danced dazzlingly above Seong-hwi’s and my heads.

“In this 2nd ranking announcement ceremony where the stages between trainees and the brain battles of national managers became even more fierce, the trainee who claimed 1st place wrote down the tremendous record of 2,902,911 votes.”

“Wow, that’s twice ours.”

“The gap is insane.”

“Amazing… I’m envious.”

A tremendous vote count that was more than double compared to trainees in the top 10.

Hearing that number, strength naturally entered my hands.

“Befitting such high votes, this time there was quite a gap between 1st and 2nd place. The ranking was decided by a margin of 300,000 votes. The glorious protagonist who will sit in the highest position at 〈Idol Stove League Season 2〉’s 2nd ranking announcement ceremony is!”

I heard a snickering sound from beside me, so I turned my head to see Seong-hwi grinning while whispering something to me.

Based roughly on his lip movements, he was saying ‘the BGM is too loud.’

I shook my head slightly.

As expected, he wasn’t saved as ‘crazy’ in my phone for nothing.

MC Go Hyeon-ju turned the last cue card while loudly calling out one name.

“The glorious protagonist is trainee Ryu Si-hwan. Congratulations!”

“Woooah!”

“Insane!”

Exclamations and applause burst out from everywhere.

When that loud sound reached my ears, my body finally began to react.

“Congratulations, Brother. It would have been strange if Brother didn’t get 1st place this time.”

“…Thanks.”

“Why are you being so unlike yourself and getting flustered? Hahaha, I should take a photo of this scene.”

“What photo.”

Seong-hwi, who approached my podium first, pulled me into a tight embrace with his unchanging eyes.

Following Kang Seon-woo, now is Seong-hwi going to be edited into a forced bromance scene?

Still, I was genuinely touched and grateful that this prideful guy offered sincere congratulations.

“Trainee Ryu Si-hwan, who claimed 2nd place at the 1st ranking announcement ceremony, has created a reversal drama and proudly risen to 1st place. We can’t not hear your thoughts. Trainee Ryu Si-hwan, how do you feel right now?”

Bringing the microphone close to my mouth again, I took a moment to breathe deeply and collected my emotions.

“Without knowing it myself, I must have desperately wanted that number called 1st place. Still… I’m still a bit dazed about whether this is reality, but seeing Seong-hwi embracing me like this beside me, it doesn’t seem like a dream. I definitely want to convey my sincere gratitude to the national managers who allowed me to climb to such an excessive position. And I will always think that this ranking doesn’t just mean I did well, but contains the heart that believes I will continue to show even better performances going forward. So that trust will never be broken, I will become a trainee who works even harder. Thank you so much!”

After Seong-hwi’s comments ended too, we slowly climbed the stairs and reached the highest point of the set.

Sitting in the 1st place seat made like a throne, I felt a truly special sense of awe.

‘I really came back to life for this.’

Now that the idol dream I had lost so vainly was revived again.

The moment I achieved the valuable result of 1st place, I vividly felt like I had taken another step closer to that goal.

And in my heart, an outrageous desire newly bloomed.

‘I want to end in 1st place when it’s all over too.’

* * *

Right after the 2nd ranking announcement ceremony ended, the set became an ocean of tears.

In a way, it’s natural.

Colleagues who had suffered together and sweated for several weeks were leaving.

Oh, and the protagonist of the final 35th place chair was Park Chang-jung.

As if he couldn’t believe it himself, he stood there dazed for a long time before barely spitting out a few words for his thoughts.

His mental state seemed really devastatingly shattered, so I felt somewhat sorry for him, but what can you do about something that’s his own doing.

I could only desperately pray that he wouldn’t get paired with me during the 3rd team battle.

After a day of rest, the surviving 35 trainees gathered again in the auditorium for filming.

It didn’t seem like they would immediately film the team selection process for the 3rd team battle.

“Hello, everyone! Did you rest well last night?”

“Yesss……”

The participants had always shown energetic spirit when such questions came up.

But today alone, the atmosphere was somehow gloomy.

‘Even if they rested for a day, they must have been emotionally strained.’

Even though we’re beings appearing on a program with viewership exceeding 4%, currently the hottest program in South Korea, we’re all young trainees.

At most, early to mid-twenties is the peak age range.

Most are guys who are still mentally soft peaches. The aftershock of the 2nd ranking announcement ceremony, which had emotionally hit hard, was worth remaining.

Taking that into account, the 〈ISL 2〉 production team had let us rest for 24 hours.

Seeing the trainees still drooping, MC Go Hyeon-ju flashed a meaningful smile.

“It seems like every time I call you to places like this, only difficult things happen. So this time, I prepared a slightly different event.”

Everyone’s gaze stuck to the round outer wall set up in the center of the auditorium.

It feels similar to the setting I once entered to film my self-PR video.

“Now that we’ve passed the midpoint, I think you’ve all become much closer than during the first recording. In that spirit, today we plan to spend time with various mini-games and events.”

“Sounds fun!”

“What kind of games are there, Manager?”

I knew from the program format that Go Hyeon-ju MC’s title was ‘General Manager,’ but hearing it called out so loudly felt awkward.

It felt strange like managing an actual baseball team, but MC Go Hyeon-ju showed that professional entertainers are indeed different by leisurely accepting questions.

“First, we can’t leave out a mini World Cup. 35 trainees will vote for 1st place in appearance, 1st place in dance, 1st place in cuteness, 1st place in charm, and various other categories. You just need to pick who you think deserves 1st place in each category. Now then, shall we start with the 1st place trainee? Trainee Ryu Si-hwan, are you ready?”

I did think there might be this kind of killing time filming.

You can’t fill every broadcast episode only with trainees’ practice processes and ranking announcements.

‘But seeing how they came out so deliberately, I have an uneasy feeling again.’

I entered the circular-shaped set.

On the spacious white table, 35 trainee profile cards were neatly arranged.

“1st place in appearance. I immediately think of one person.”

“For dance… Si-hyeok really dances well.”

“There’s no cuteness that can beat our youngest.”

“Can I connect charm with stupidity?”

I finished the short interview shot while picking up cards for Chae Ha-ru, Ma Si-hyeok, Yu Ha-woon, and Kang Seon-woo.

If it’s this kind of killing time filming that doesn’t use the body and only uses words, it’s not bad.

But of course it won’t flow smoothly.

“Ooh, trainee Ha Sang-hun! Showing tremendous power while achieving a new Punch King record! There aren’t many people left now, so if there are no more volunteers, Sang-hun automatically wins!”

“Hey, you go! What are you doing! You can win!”

“Brother! Brother! Now’s your chance!”

“The protagonist always appears last, Brother Si-hwan. I’ll cheer for you.”

“……”

Even though I hadn’t even raised my hand, I was continuously pushed from behind and naturally came forward to the front of the auditorium.

Looking at the Punch King machine spinning with dazzling red lights before my eyes, I exhaled a deep internal sigh.

‘I’m used to this now.’