I’m Debuting With The Bias I Killed Chapter 33

Chapter 33

 

And then the camera caught I-yul’s face, smiling faintly behind him.

 

↳ Let’s go, master-and-disciple chemistry.

↳ What the heck, he’s a tsundere;; When can we start voting? They’ll both survive until Part 2, right?

 ↳↳ Kang I-yul is guaranteed, but I’m not sure about Braces.

 ↳↳ Honestly, seeing what’s been broadcast, I feel like they’d bring him back even if they eliminated him. LOL

 

[Practice continues late into the night.]

 

“No, seriously, what is I-yul doing practicing with an arm like that… He should just wait until he’s fully healed before practicing.”

 

↳ Code 20 is still practicing hard, though.

↳ Watching him flap around is so heartbreaking ㅠㅠ

 

[After the practice room camera is turned off, footage provided by the Rookie Development Team.]

 

“What’s this?”

The comment section froze for a moment when the released footage appeared.

“…He’s crying here?”

It was the exact scene that had become a hot topic in the preview. Code 20, with tears welling up in both eyes.

 

↳ I was looking for a handsome guy who looks pretty when he cries.

↳ So are they saying he came out and cried after watching Kang I-yul practice?

 

And then came the conversation with the employee that delivered the finishing blow.

 

[Code 20: I want to do well, but…]

[Code 20: My body… just doesn’t follow along.]

[Code 20: …Because I want to keep watching people who are good at it.]

 

“Oh, holy shit.”

 

↳ These two absolutely have to debut togetherㅇㅇ Noona has made up her mind, Braces.

↳ Ah, holy shit, Braces is so admirable.

↳ My son is confirmed.

↳ A stubborn guy who cries because he wants to do well. KEKEKE Isn’t that completely different from his appearance?

 ↳↳ Even better.

 

When it was subsequently revealed that Code 20 was responsible for Kang I-yul’s styling in the profile photos, which had already become a hot topic immediately after their release, Oh Gyeong-jin made up her mind for good.

“Braces, let’s debut.”

 

↳ Braces has fucking excellent taste.

↳ Wow, if Kang I-yul had gone with the brown perm he insisted on, I don’t think it would have had this atmosphere at all.

 

But this was only the beginning.

 

[Code 20: If someone’s handsome, you call him handsome. What else are you supposed to call him?]

 

“Ah, holy shit.”

Gyeong-jin witnessed it. The message board server slowed down and eventually crashed for a short while.

 

↳ LOL, is he fucking insane?

↳ Braces had such a fucking cool-guy personality;;

↳ Braces + crying because of his competitive spirit + practice addict + cool guy. What kind of combination is this?

↳ I-yul’s expression = my expression.

 

She couldn’t believe that only thirty minutes had passed since the broadcast began.

 

↳ It hasn’t even been ten minutes since these guys appeared, but every scene they’re in makes us change the discussion thread KEKEKE

↳ I guess Code 20 really wants to debut with I-yul.

↳ The way he fumbled during the profile photo shoot really shows how much of an ordinary person he is, and it’s cute KE

↳ He even has dimples when he smiles;;

 

‘Boys Code’, which had continued its whirlwind progression from the very first episode, included the entire process of preparing the signal song.

Because the trainees gathered to practice in front of specific cameras, there were countless instances where they overlapped with one another or their faces were difficult to see.

 

↳ Hey, Code 16, why did you go to a crowded place and make it so your face never showed even once?

↳ Ha, my pick is over there too.

↳ Is that place rumored to be a prime spot? Why are they packed so tightly together;;

 

[Code 20 asks Code 3 for help again.]

 

“What the heck? Why is he asking someone whose arm hurts to teach him something?”

Although she had clearly said a few minutes earlier that they should debut together, her favorite was still her favorite.

However, Gyeong-jin immediately reflected on her own ignorance. She even repeatedly bowed her head toward the TV in thanks.

Because the place Code 20 had brought them to offered a perfect view, free from interference by any other trainee.

“I-yul, just stay next to Braces the whole time!”

 

[The signal song evaluation finally begins.]

 

“Oh, the pacing is fast. I like it.”

Because this was an in-house survival show, there was relatively little malicious editing. Therefore, there were no unnecessary elements that interfered with the progression.

The low level of fatigue was an advantage, but Gyeong-jin still didn’t let go of her suspicions.

“It’ll be different once public voting starts.”

 

[Kang Se-jun: Is there a trainee who would like to go first? Ah, there he is.]

 

The camera slowly lowered toward the owner of the raised hand.

And when it was revealed that the owner of the hand was Code 20, the comment section began moving rapidly once again.

 

“Holy shit, what’s with that boldness?”

 

[Production Staff: Why did you say you would go first?]

[Code 20: It’s better to get hit first, right?]

 

↳ Ah, he’s seriously killing me KEKEKEKEKE

↳ He seems like he has an older sister.

   ↳↳ Holy shit, he was raised by getting hit KEKEKEKEKEKEKEKEKE

↳ It’s even funnier because he says it so calmly KEKEKEKE

 

Gyeong-jin held her breath as she watched his evaluation.

“What the heck? That’s possible?”

Not only had he memorized all the movements, but he was also handling the live singing steadily. Even though there were moments when he ran out of breath or his pitch wavered, there wasn’t a single section where he gave up.

Though it had only been a short time, it felt like she was witnessing a triumph of the human spirit.

 

↳ ㅠㅠㅠㅠ You did well.

↳ I got goosebumps;; Now I understand why he’s in the debut lineup.

↳ Aren’t the people above overreacting too much?KEKEKE The others can probably do about that much too. He was smart to go first and eliminate the comparison group;;

↳ His vocals are stable. KEKEKE Is he really someone who’s never been a trainee before? He could’ve been a trainee at the smallest of small agencies, for all we know.

 

There was hardly anything that could be called a dance line, and his dancing still felt mechanical, but it was impossible to hide how much he had repeated and practiced.

As the judges continued to praise him, Gyeong-jin found herself smiling proudly before she knew it.

That was the charm of a survival show: being able to see someone grow in real time.

The stages of the other trainees that followed only made Code 20’s performance shine even more.

 

↳ Where did the people who said he’d perform similarly to the others go? KEKEKE Braces is the only one who danced through the entire song?

↳ From now on, I’m calling him Bracing KEKE.

 

[The trainee called as Code 4 is… Code 20.]

 

↳ Wow, not fifth place, but fourth.

↳ Even so, he ranked higher than Choi Un-jo and Go Jae-seong?

 

There were people who questioned it, but once the evaluation criteria were revealed, those doubts died down. Many viewers were impressed by Code 20’s fierce determination, as he had matched even the movements of his fingers to the draft video exactly.

And so, the debut lineup for the signal song was completely decided in Episode 1, and the preview was broadcast.

As footage of the signal song shoot passed by rapidly, a shocking ending appeared.

 

[The scene turns into chaos.]

 

It showed someone collapsing, followed by a scene of someone hurriedly leaving in an ambulance.

 

[Code **, Code **, are you okay?]

 

“What, what the hell?”

↳ They’re ending it here?

↳ Fuck, who said this was mild? They’re already sprinkling capsaicin everywhere?

 

***

 

After Episode 1 aired, SP began rising at an insane speed. The upward trend was incomparable to when the preview had been released.

The trainees talked about nothing but the broadcast all day. How much screen time they had received, whether they had been subjected to malicious editing, and what the comments were saying. They chattered nonstop.

And me? It felt like I had died and come back to life one more time. Except this time, I had seen heaven instead of the underworld.

Although my trash-tier dancing skills had been exposed in all their glory, I had managed to secure an image as a “trainee who works hard and grows.”

On top of that, I-yul had also received plenty of positive reactions, with people calling him a “teacher-type.”

Maybe thanks to that, his risk level had shifted slightly.

 

[Risk Level: 86% (▼1%)]

 

‘I can lower it even more today.’

It would be entirely possible if we just finished the Round 3 stage successfully.

I already knew that the survival show’s schedule was brutal. But I hadn’t expected them to hold the Round 3 evaluation only a few hours after Episode 1 aired.

“Hello, I’m ‘Boys Code’ MC Kang Se-jun.”

This time, Kang Se-jun appeared wearing a three-piece suit. I gave him a thumbs-up internally for his professionalism.

“Did everyone enjoy watching Episode 1?”

“Yes!”

“After Episode 1 aired, we were able to confirm the buzz surrounding ‘Boys Code’ through a wide variety of metrics.”

Flashy graphics appeared behind him.

‘They made all that in one day.’

“First, a viewership rating of 1.2%.”

Gasps of admiration erupted among the trainees.

“On cable entertainment programs, where even surpassing 1% is considered a success, the first episode achieved CNET’s highest viewership rating of the first half of the year.”

“That’s amazing…”

“Next, we ranked first in various entertainment buzz indexes. We’re receiving evaluations that the trainees’ friendships and growth have resonated with viewers.”

‘They’re really getting high on their own supply.’

The atmosphere was definitely better than it had been before my regression.

The biggest difference between then and now was…

‘Could it be thanks to I-yul’s styling transformation?’

There had been an unusually large amount of discussion about Kang I-yul from the moment his profile was revealed. I had also seen many people who had become fans because of I-yul’s mussel hairstyle. I couldn’t help feeling proud myself.

“And today…”

Kang Se-jun’s voice lowered.

“The final hurdle of the agency’s internal evaluation. The Round 3 evaluation will take place.”

The previously light atmosphere became heavy with tension once again.

“…Phew.”

I could hear the trainees inhaling.

“And through today’s evaluation…”

Kang Se-jun paused. After looking around at the trainees for a moment, he opened his mouth.

“Our first eliminations will occur.”

“…Ah.”

“Already…”

The atmosphere instantly grew heavy.

The real survival show was beginning now.

“The number of eliminated trainees will be…”

The number on the electronic display rose rapidly before falling back down. Then it stopped.

 

[2]

 

“There will be two.”

The trainees’ expressions hardened.

“One will be selected from the lowest-ranking team, and one will be selected as the trainee who demonstrated the greatest lack of ability, regardless of their team’s results.”

“Gasp…”

It meant that hiding behind a strong team would not be allowed either.

“Then, from this moment on, we will begin the Round 3 evaluation!”

The lights came on, revealing the judges’ seats.

“There are two evaluation criteria for today’s assessment.”

Kang Se-jun raised his index finger.

“How creatively you reinterpreted the original song.”

Then he raised one more finger.

“And how completely you performed your assigned position.”

The judges’ gazes were sharp.

‘Today is when they choose the people to eliminate.’

“All right, then. First, the team that selected ‘Blooming,’ please come up onto the stage.”

“Fighting!”

The trainees supporting Choi Un-jo and Go Jae-seong’s lackeys shouted loudly in encouragement. Choi Un-jo waved both arms in response.

“Please introduce your team.”

“Yes!”

‘Surely they aren’t going to use the same name as last time?’

“Hello, we are!”

Along with Choi Un-jo’s chant, the team members spread both hands and slowly rotated them outward to either side. It reminded me of the dance of an idol singer that had been popular at the time, one that depicted flowers.

“We are Full Blooming”

Perhaps because their previous name had been so terrible, even the judges nodded this time.

“Oh, did you combine ‘Full Bloom’ and ‘Blooming’ to make the name?”

“Yes! I learned the word ‘full bloom’ for the first time this time!”

“I thought that might be the case.”

“It was fun because it can mean both ‘ten thousand’ and ‘full bloom’!”

The judges let out short exclamations of admiration.

“Then, the stage of Team Full Blooming. Let’s begin, Code On.”

As the stage began, the clear sound of a geomungo rang out.

Ting

They moved in perfect unison to the sound of the plucked geomungo strings.

 

♪ Shyly extended

♪ Beneath the moonlight

♪ Your two cheeks

♪ Bloom red

 

Unlike the original song, they used fans for a Korean-style concept. Their outfits, adapted from dopo robes, were also refreshing.

Then Go Jae-seong stepped into the center and performed that movement. It seemed they intended to feature it properly on the broadcast, as the cameras moved around to capture it from different positions.

‘I-yul should have been the one doing that.’

I gritted my teeth.

‘If you’re going to do it, at least do it properly!’

Even as Go Jae-seong performed onstage, I recalled Kang I-yul’s legendary part from before my regression.

‘Think about it. If he had that styling on his head right now, he’d be sweeping up fans…’

But those thoughts vanished the moment I raised my head and saw I-yul’s face.

A face that stood out even in the dark waiting area.

‘Right…. We have the ultimate killing part prepared.’