The Gates Opened on the First Day of Debut Chapter 24

The stage was over. 

 

We waited for the results in a studio behind the stage. 

 

On a small screen, we could see the MC guiding the audience through the voting process.

 

[“Please press the ‘Help Call’ for the guild you think performed better!”]

 

In EX-class K-POP Idol, voting was referred to as a ‘Help Call.’

 

It signified asking for help from your favorite Awakener—that was to say, trainee. 

 

The system was designed so that the better the performance, the more Help Calls one would receive, and the more Help Calls a Hunter accumulated, the higher their ranking would rise.

 

I sat on a studio chair and quietly watched the audience cast their votes.

 

‘Can we win?’

 

The odds were fifty-fifty.

 

Or rather, was our side at a slight disadvantage? 

 

After the HUNT THE STAGE performance was broadcast on Music Day, top-tier trainees like Han Teo gained quite a few fans.

 

If many of those fans attended today’s recording, Kim Chowol’s guild would have no chance.

 

However, since it was still the beginning of the program and the applications for the recording were taken before the HUNT THE STAGE performance, the possibility wasn’t entirely zero.

 

‘The stage wasn’t bad, after all.’

 

I recalled the performance where we had burned everything we had.

 

We practiced focusing on even the smallest details, such as the volume of our voices and the movement of our fingertips, just to make the center, Yoo Sung, stand out.

 

Even if they were on the same team, once off the stage, they were ultimately rivals, so no trainee would normally go this far to make a rival stand out. 

 

It was only possible because Okada Hiro and Seo Yijae listened to me so well.

 

Joo Gilhyung looked a bit disgruntled, but there was nothing a trainee who had been stripped of the center position could do.

 

‘I made good use of the Copycat trait, too.’ 

 

I checked the status window.

 

[The Copycat trait is currently active.] 

[Designated Companion: Okada Hiro] 

[When the companion uses an ability, you can copy the companion’s ability.] 

 

Since Yoo Sung had become a companion, I could have copied Yoo Sung’s abilities, but I didn’t copy them. 

 

‘If I carelessly copy such heavenly stats… there’s no telling what might happen later.’ 

 

If I had copied Yoo Sung’s abilities for this stage, I might have gained temporary popularity.

 

However, the Copycat trait can only copy abilities while the companion is using them.

 

If I were to end up in a different team from Yoo Sung in the next stage and couldn’t use the Copycat trait, the fans who liked me for my skills would be bewildered by my visibly regressed performance.

 

‘It would be lucky if it ended at just being bewildered.’

 

There is no one more terrifying than a fan who has turned their back.

 

Just thinking about the amount of mockery and malicious comments that would pour in was horrifying.

 

[“Announcing the results!”]

 

After the voting ended, a sound effect designed to heighten tension echoed through the room.

 

The small screen split into two, and two numbers appeared.

 

Then, the numbers, starting from zero, began to climb rapidly.

 

The fists of Yoo Sung, standing next to me, were trembling.

 

[“The winner of the final guild match is…!”]

 

The rapidly rising numbers finally stopped.

 

My guild members and I gasped for breath.

 

[287:313]

 

It was an incredibly narrow margin.

 

[“…Congratulations, Kim Chowol’s guild!”]

 

So this actually worked…. 

 

I thought there was a chance, but actually winning felt strange.

 

I beat Han Theo with these trashy stats?

 

“Haaa….”

 

Yoo Sung, who was standing beside me, sank to the floor as if all the tension had left him.

 

“Hyung, we won, we won!”

 

Okada rushed toward me, while Seo Yijae couldn’t take his eyes off the small screen, whether out of shock or deep emotion. 

 

Joo Gilhyung looked conflicted; he was glad we won, but he didn’t seem to like the fact that Yoo Sung was the one who had won.

 

“Yeah, we won.”

 

I smiled brightly. 

 

I thought I couldn’t help it even if we lost… but winning definitely felt good. 

 

*    *    *

 

With all the Guild Battle stages coming to an end, a vacation—short if short, long if long—began. 

 

Yoo Sung and I packed our bags in the dormitory and headed down to the first floor.

 

“Chowol Hyung!”

 

When we reached the first-floor lobby, Okada, who was carrying a large bag, greeted me with a bright smile.

 

“Hiro? You haven’t left yet?”

 

“I was waiting for you, Hyung!”

 

“For me? Why?”

 

When I tilted my head, Okada suddenly clamped his mouth shut. 

 

I was flustered, wondering if I had made some kind of mistake.

 

“Oh? Yijae Hyung was here too? What are you doing here?”

 

Seo Yijae, who had been standing beside Okada almost invisibly, suddenly interjected.

 

“Your num… give it to me.”

 

“Pardon? I couldn’t hear you well. What did you just say?”

 

His voice was too quiet to be heard.

 

I asked back kindly, but Seo Yijae just kept his mouth shut.

 

‘What is it? What’s going on?’

 

Yoo Sung, who had been watching Okada and Seo Yijae indifferently from behind me, spoke up.

 

“Hey.”

 

“Huh?” 

 

“You can be really tactless in the strangest ways.”

 

Yoo Sung reached into his pocket and pulled something out.

 

It was a cell phone.

 

Okada and Seo Yijae’s eyes sparkled when they saw the phone Yoo Sung had pulled out.

 

“Okada, and Seo Yijae… Hyung, if you have something to say, don’t hold it in, just say it. He won’t know if you don’t tell him. This guy is tactless in weird ways.”

 

“No, what is it?”

 

Why did I have to hear that I was tactless from Yoo Sung?

 

I pouted a little, feeling somewhat wronged.

 

Yoo Sung snorted as if it were absurd.

 

“They’re asking to exchange numbers.”

 

“Numbers… Ah.”

 

Right, exchanging numbers…. Usually, when a team match ended successfully, people exchanged numbers.

 

I fumbled around and pulled out the phone I had received back from the staff.

 

We exchanged numbers by passing each other’s phones around.

 

“I’ll make a group chat too!”

 

“Do as you like.”

 

When I nodded, Okada Hiro immediately created a group chat.

 

[Okada: (Emoticon of a cat waving hello)]

[Okada: I created the chatroom.]

[Okada: I am using a translator.]

 

While his speaking and listening had improved a lot, it seemed his reading and writing were still lacking.

 

[Seo Yijae: Please take good care of me.] 

 

Seo Yijae replied immediately.

 

Yoo Sung only checked to see if the chat room had been created before putting his phone back in his pocket.

 

[Hiro, thank you. Hyung, please take good care of me, too.]

 

After replying simply, I also shoved my phone into my pocket. 

 

“There’s nothing else to talk about, right? Good job, everyone. Rest up well and next week…” 

 

I was in a bit of a hurry.

 

I wanted to go home quickly, rest well, and rent a practice room to start practicing from tomorrow.

 

Just then, someone who had come down from the upper floors began walking toward us with large strides.

 

“Joo Gilhyung….”

 

Yoo Sung muttered, clenching his teeth.

 

Joo Gilhyung stopped right in front of us as we stood huddled together, chatting.

 

Then, he scanned our faces with a cold gaze.

 

Yoo Sung’s expression grew increasingly fierce.

 

“Sung.”

 

I grabbed Yoo Sung’s shoulder and pulled him back.

 

Then, I gestured with my chin toward the other trainees passing through the lobby.

 

Yoo Sung clicked his tongue and stepped back.

 

“Gilhyung, do you want to join the group chat too?”

 

“What?”

 

Startled by my words, Joo Gilhyung’s jaw dropped.

 

“Yeah, we made a group chat.”

 

“Wow, you really have no sense of… Ha, forget it.”

 

Joo Gilhyung let out a hollow laugh and brushed past us.

 

Since I had only said it out of politeness anyway, I didn’t press it any further. 

 

Okada spoke up hesitantly while glancing at me and Yoo Sung.

 

“Um… I guess he doesn’t really want to join.”

 

“Probably not.”

 

Yoo Sung said, curling one side of his lip upward.

 

I narrowed my eyes and quietly watched Joo Gilhyung’s retreating back.

 

“Well then, I’ll be going first.”

 

After saying goodbye to Yoo Sung, Okada, and Seo Yijae, I stepped outside the building.

 

I quickened my pace.

 

So as not to lose sight of the distancing Joo Gilhyung.

 

*    *    *

 

Joo Gilhyung walked ahead with long strides, leaving behind Kim Chowol’s guild members who were exchanging numbers.

 

‘What the hell are those b*stards laughing about… f*ckers.’

 

Joo Gilhyung grumbled inwardly and bit his lower lip hard.

 

This, that, and the other… there wasn’t a single thing he liked.

 

—Vrrr.

 

His phone vibrated, and Joo Gilhyung checked the notification irritably.

 

He paused at the familiar name.

 

[Lee Hyunho]

 

The person who sent the message was Lee Hyunho, who would be busy preparing for his debut at LMH.

 

Joo Gilhyung hesitated for a moment before checking the message Lee Hyun-ho had sent.

 

[Lee Hyunho: Is it over?]

 

Joo Gilhyung deliberated over whether to reply or not, but fearing the fallout if he didn’t, he just sent a response.

 

[Yeah.] 

 

[Why?] 

 

[But I’m busy, I have plans right now.] 

 

[If you have something to say, contact me later.]

 

Joo Gilhyung lied to avoid the conversation.

 

However, Lee Hyunho didn’t seem to care whether Joo Gilhyung was busy or not.

 

[Lee Hyunho: The guys said you were on the same team as Sung. Is that right?]

 

F*ck….

 

Joo Gilhyung muttered under his breath after checking the message.

 

“They snitched already? Those traitorous b*stards….”

 

The ‘guys’ Lee Hyunho mentioned were the other LMH trainees, excluding Yoo Sung and Joo Gilhyung.

 

[Lee Hyunho: But I heard something interesting.] 

[Lee Hyunho: They said Sung was the center?] 

[Lee Hyunho: I naturally thought it would be you.]

 

Joo Gilhyung couldn’t easily send a reply.

 

What was he supposed to say? 

 

That the judges told me to change it, so I had no choice?

 

But Lee Hyunho would only think Joo Gilhyung was making excuses.

 

“Agh, seriously….”

 

While Joo Gilhyung was struggling to reply, the next message from Lee Hyun-ho arrived.

 

[Lee Hyunho: If you don’t keep your promise, I have no choice either.] 

[Lee Hyunho: You know that, right?]

 

Joo Gilhyung let out a deep sigh and slowly typed a message.

 

[Yeah.] 

[Don’t worry.] 

[Next time, for sure.]

 

After sending the message, Joo Gilhyung waited for Lee Hyunho’s reply.

 

But before a response could come from Lee Hyun-ho.

 

A shadow fell over Joo Gilhyung’s phone.

 

“Next time for sure, what?”

 

“Gah…!”

 

Startled, Joo Gilhyung whipped his head toward the direction of the voice.

 

Someone was looking over his shoulder at his phone from right behind him.

 

“Y-y-you…!” 

 

The person looking at the phone was none other than Kim Chowol.

 

Flustered, Joo Gilhyung tried to put his phone away immediately.

 

But Kim Chowol was a bit faster.

 

“Ugh…!”

 

“Tell me.”

 

Kim Chowol said, firmly grabbing Joo Gilhyung’s arm as he held the phone.

 

Joo Gilhyung tried to pull his arm away, but Kim Chowol’s strength was greater than expected.

 

Kim Chowol gripped Joo Gilhyung’s arm with one hand and snatched the phone from his hand with the other.

 

“W-what! Give it back right now!”

 

Kim Chowol easily dodged the lunging Joo Gilhyung and scanned through the messages exchanged between Joo Gilhyung and Lee Hyunho.

 

After reading all the messages, Kim Chowol pointed to the last message Joo Gilhyung had sent and spoke.

 

“Next time for sure, what exactly are you planning to do?”

 

Kim Chowol, who used to only smile even when being openly cursed at, was now glaring at Joo Gilhyung with eyes as cold as ice.