KIBA ; STRAY KIDS

58 ; KIBA

After becoming the champion of the vault jump, the groups took a break and were given some lovely food and we sat and ate together happily. I was taking my time, making sure I wasn't going to throw up again but I'm pretty sure I was only sick because of the heat and my anxiety so I felt alright after the food.

After the lunch break we were given, SKZ were directed to the entrance of the field where there were two whiteboards and a ballot box, and I think we were made to vote for something. I noticed on the whiteboards there were everyone's photos from this morning printed out. I laughed as I saw mine, I looked so funny trying to pose with my ribbon showing. I looked at everyone's photos and smiled.

We gathered around the table and Chan picked up the card which would tell us what we're doing. He turned it around and I couldn't get a glimpse of what it said so I was glad Han said the question out loud.

"Who is the visual king?"

"I'm going home." Chan said before turning the card around and putting it back on the table quickly.

Oh no. What type of question is that? There are so many good-looking people taking part in Kingdom and they're making me choose one person?

Chan read more of the card out which stated that you could vote for yourself.

"Who would have the conscience to do that?" Han shook his head as he looked at the photos and I laughed and pointed to him.

"You." I said, and he looked at me.

"Right." Han agreed quickly and nodded his head, I laughed again.

We were then told we had to vote one by one and could do it as a group, so the rest of us stepped away from the entrance of the field and let Changbin hyung go first. We talked and joked beforehand and then it was finally my turn to vote for who, in kingdom, was the visual king. 

Seungmin? I had seen him in a light no one else had before, but I didn't want to make it suspicious to the cameras. People had managed to notice the awkward tension in the SKZ videos when we had broken up.

I looked at the camera.

"How am I meant to choose?" I asked seriously, and I decided to get a close up to all the photos. Ultimately, I had to write down San. I just had too.

After the food and voting, each group was gathered together on the field and the MC's had changed so Changbin, Eunkwang and Wooyoung were back with us. They MC's had switched to people from the other team and it consisted of 'Passion Man' from IKON, Inseong from SF9 and finally, Younghoon from THE BOYZ. 

"Have you all voted?" Changmin asked and all the groups nodded, "We have the results in our hands!"

"I'm nervous!" Eunkwang hyung shouted and Changmin smiled.

"Let's see if the result will make Eunkwang-ssi nervous." He announced and he held up the cards which had the results on, "Who is the visual king? They're called KF4."

The KF4 was meant to mean 'Kingdom's Flower' and I giggled at the silly name. Changmin and the MC's conversed and let out their opinion. Younghoon said he thinks Minhyuk would win, and I nodded. Minhyuk sunbaenim was a very strong candidate, I mean, the way he ripped off his shirt in Back Door. Dude...

"Should we announce 5th place first? Changmin asked the other MC's and they nodded in agreement. 

I wasn't to bothered about this challenge - Infact, I felt a little awkward about it. KPOP was so centred on visuals, and how people look and portray themselves and sometimes challenges like this hurt people's feelings. I think, as a westerner, it's kind of mean and stupid how much the KPOP community focuses on these types of things so obsessively and I didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings.

They announced there was a tie for 5th place. I wasn't paying that much attention, kind of fiddling with the strings on my pink jogger bottoms and how much the movie company wanted me to bulk up. Like as big as Changbin? 

"Eunkwang sunbaenim from BTOB." Younghoon announced first, and Eunkwang burst out in laughter as he went to the front, "The other person is THE BOYZ' Hyunjae."

I clapped as they both stood in front of everyone, and Younghoon announced that out of 42 votes they each got 3 votes to become 5th place. They were given the microphone and said some nice words thanking everyone before they had things put around their neck and they're picture taken together.

In 4th place, they announced it was Sunwoo with only one more vote, making 4 people vote for him. He stood in front with a microphone and a wreath around his neck. It was revealed that he voted for himself, and I laughed as they read out what he said about himself. I loved the confidence. He spoke some nice words before we moved on to the 3rd place.

"With a total of 5 votes, he comes in 3rd place." The MC's announced and I swayed on my feet, getting bored, "It's Stray Kids...Felix!"

I jumped up and down and bounced on Felix's shoulders as he looked super confused. I laughed loudly and pushed him forward - look, visuals don't matter, until they're Felixs'. He walked forward shyly, and got the wreath tied around his neck and a microphone in hand. He spoke his words nervously and smiled big for his photo.

"Okay, and onto the 2nd person who has a grand total of 6 votes." Changmin announced as Felix came back into our arms cutely, his cheeks slightly red and his ears pink like his clothes. I went back to paying attention.

"And 2nd place...with 6 votes goes too...Kiba-ssi!" 

I did a double take at the MC's making sure I heard them correctly, but the rest of SKZ were celebrating and pushing me forward. I slowly walked to the front alone, and awkward. I felt like my clothes had got ten times tighter, but it was just the pressure of everyone looking at me.

"Top 100 handsome men!" I heard someone shout from the crowd and a lot of clapping.

I bent down to accept the wreath going around my neck and I held the microphone tightly before speaking into it with a nervous smile.

"Ah, thank you." I said finally, and I looked at the camera, "When I found out I had been named in the top 100 most handsome men of 2021, I honestly didn't think it was a big deal because I never saw what they saw but I got 6 votes today so thank you."

I turned to the 6 groups, "Who voted for me? You need your eyes checked." They groups laughed but I saw San jump with his hand in the air, and Jongho was following his lead, Seungmin had his hand up, Jacob from THE BOYZ, Inseong from SF9 and finally, Bobby sunbaenim.

"Ah, thank you everyone. I love you." I said and sent them all hearts while scrunching my face up. They smiled and threw me hearts back.

In first place, it was finally and obviously announced that Minhyuk had won with 7 votes. I clapped for the winner happily, but I was more interested in the fact San had voted for me. I walked to him, held both his and Jongho's hands.

"Sannie Hyung." I whispered so the camera didn't catch it and I wouldn't disrupt the MC's.

"Mmmmh?"

"I voted for you." I told him and he smiled kindly and squeezed my hand.