The Second Chance of A Suicidal Idol

Fire (10)

Mi Yong stood on stage with just seven out of his nine team members behind him. He found it hard to look any other way to any other team because each leader had nine members standing behind him. Every other leader had their team intact and Mi Yong... Didn't. 27th and Joon-woo were missing.

He still remembered the way Joon-woo fell against him, face blank and hands shaking. And how the cameras closed in on the situation but didn't even lend a hand. How the red dots blinked across his face, then Joon-woo's, then 27th's, and then to his again.

How 27th looked regretful only when Joon-woo had cried out and not when going to swing at Mi Yong. Misa seemed to notice Mi Yong's down mood, as she sent him a series of nods and thumbs up as if to signify that he was doing well. But Mi Yong was doing anything but.

When Mi Yong's company, ICE Entertainment, sent him to the show, he thought it would be easy. He thought he would overshadow the other contestants with his experience and the fact he was a ready-made allrounder.. He thought because he had been through the process of debut once already, he could pass through with the respect from the other contestants. And Mi Yong was wrong.

From the beginning, compliments rained upon him, and from the beginning Mi Yong loved them. It just confirmed the fact that people respected him and saw him as someone more than themselves. But soon the compliments lost their meaning, the eyes in which they were being given from didn't shine like they meant anything. And soon Mi Yong realized that they were fake.

As stupid as it was, he truly hadn't thought that people would think to use him, gas him up and gain his trust and with that, his skill.

He had begun to realize it from none other than Joon-woo. Producer10's youngest contestant as of now. And how Joon-woo showed about zero interest in Mi Yong even with his experience. And even during their practices, how Joon-woo was clearly struggling with the dance but still never looked to Mi Yong for help. How after their lackluster performance and not so good review, Joon-woo's simple "Did we?" in reply to Mi Yong's reassurance.

As Mi Yong looked back to the remaining seven of Team One, he was sad. He was sad as he watched FYP and Misa take their seats at their judges table. Misa wore a pitiable frown and sent it Mi Yong's way and he knew what it meant.

FYP observed the scene of each team. Team Five was joyous, along with Team Four as if they'd known they'd done well. Team Two and Team Three seemed neutral enough, enough to be too average for FYP to bat an eye.

But when he looked Mi Yong's way, FYP seemed to be a bit betrayed, as if he had been expecting more out of their rank one. Mi Yong knew he should've done more, that he had gotten too comfortable with doing just the bare minimum.

"Misa and I have come to a conclusion." FYP ominously began, "Contestants face the backdrop." He instructed, all contestants turning around to the backdrop to reveal an empty ranking board. Empty, except for the name of each team to the side.

Mi Yong hissed, as he already knew where Team One was placed.

"After much discussion– 5th place belongs to..." Misa began, "Team One."

Mi Yong looked to the ground and nodded, eyes falling upon his failure as a leader.

"There was just no teamwork... no facial expressions and nothing that really makes Team One stand out. Please do better next time." She explained, looking at Mi Yong while she said the last sentence. "Please begin to prepare for what three contestants of your team you'd like to eliminate."

Oh yeah– Mi Yong had forgotten about that part.

He looked to Team One and deeply sighed. Three of them would be gone by tomorrow.