The special interview with the trainees was soon edited and uploaded as a clip on YouTube.

As a result of Staff's spectacular editing, the video ranked first in real-time popularity on YouTube and was mentioned in various communities.

I was curious about what he said in the interview during the fight...

"Seohan, did you see this?"

The browsing master, Mr. Sehyun, pulled out Kevin's interview.

"I think it's an interview everyone filmed last time."

"Have you watched it?"

"Nope."

Jin Sehyun plopped down next to me and tapped the screen of his cell phone.

Since it was released as a fan service, I didn't think it would be included in the live broadcast. At best, it's a short cut or a passing filler.

My eyes were fixed on the screen without much thought,

"Oh? What are you guys watching?"

Ha Junseo suddenly made an appearance. I thought I was the one with the Hamchi concept, but his hair was so wet that he looked like a rat caught in the rain.

I don't think it's raining outside...

I was baffled and frowned.

"Let me guess, you practiced?"

"Of course, the only thing to do here is practice...  right?"

"You sure you didn't take a shower with your clothes on?"

I thought he was a bit of a practice bug too, but today it was even worse.

Jin Sehyun clicked his tongue, telling him not to say anything. They were on the same Betters team.

"Junseo, did you sleep last night?"

I slept last night, but also the night before.

By now, at most, he would have just finished assigning individual parts and starting to learn the choreography, but I can't believe he's already running like he's completing a late school work assignment.

Aside from the fact that his passion is amazing...

"Hyung, you're gonna collapse at this point."

His face is so pale he looked as if he had already died and gone to heaven himself. Not to mention the fact I couldn't tell if he's sweating or is in a cold sweat.

In response to Jin Sehyun's worries, Ha Junseo swallowed his americano and shook his head.

"Luckily, it's worth it."

"Don't overdo it. You're getting older."

My mind, which had been nodding without thinking, froze.

What?

"...?"

Ha Junseo was not the only one angry at Jin Sehyun's outrageous remarks.

"How can I be old at twenty-one!?"

"Being old at twenty-one?! Really? He's so pale and young!"

"Huh?"

"Eh?"

Ha Junseo, who just turned 21 this year, looked at me as if asking; "Why are you upset?"

"Wait, why are you mad?"

Ah, so.

That is...

"..."

Being mentally older, it felt like a personal attack.

Oh, twenty-one! Meaning that he's old enough not to die of a random heart attack!

Right?

I added sarcastically, avoiding Ha Junseo's gaze.

"He can still avoid heart attacks."

"Not for long if he keeps drinking that poisonous substance he calls an 'americano'..."

Jin Sehyun scratched his head and uttered softly.

Ha Junseo chuckled at our nonsense as he sipped his poison.

Ha Junseo must have felt that Jin Sehyun and I were rambling, so he changed the topic.

"Hmm, should we watch it?"

Ha Junseo's pointed at Jin Sehyun's cell phone.

The video that had been paused was still on the same interview screen.

The first question clearly displayed was the visual vote.

Q. In your opinion, who is the visual member of the trainees?

Jin Sehyun turned and sat down and nodded.

"Oh right. We also had a visual vote."

"Seohan, who did you pick?"

"It's a secret ballot."

[I think it's Cha Seongbin.]

Huh?

The secret ballot began, and the first person was me. Ha Junseo suddenly cleared his throat at the sound of my voice popping out of the screen.

The person that I brought up to avoid an unfavorable situation ended up holding me back.

Jin Sehyun clicked his tongue and tapped my shoulder.

"Look at how you didn't pick me."

"I am truly shaken by the sense of betrayal."

Gosh.

"Hey, you guys didn't pick me either."

[I'm Junseo, and I...]

Ha Junseo's face turned red as his interview continued. He was even stuttering.

"You... did you pick me?"

"I told you I was shaking from the feeling of betrayal."

-I see that you are a pure-hearted person and your tastes are also pure-hearted ㅠㅠ

└I'm sorry, Seohan, but Junseo is mine... .

└???

└Then I will take Seohan.

└get in line

└sharing is caring.

-I can explain 31 reasons why Ha Junseo is handsome. ㅠㅠㅠ

└Having fun looking at good-looking people... Please include this grandmother too... .

└Elderly, please enter

└ all ages love pretty faces ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

└Guys he hasn't even debuted yet

-Ha Junseo is so handsome. To be honest, Ha Jun-seo's face is like welfare.

└Our white bear shines at number 1 in visual voting

└When there was a close-up of Junseo's face, I lost consciousness...

└Our genius Bear has everything from dancing, singing, visuals, and personality, but he doesn't have one thing: me.ㅠㅠ

└I don't think he needs you.

"Because I have a very objective view."

Ha Junseo had a face with black, round eyes, a naturally high nose bridge, and attractively curved corners of the mouth.

He has an appearance that makes sense why he won first place in visual voting.

If Cha Seongbin is a trendy and flashy face, Ha Junseo is a standard handsome man who will always be popular.

...I just analyzed it calmly.

"Hmm."

"Very honest... I like it."

Jin Sehyun giggled at Ha Junseo's reaction and took a breath. It was a visual vote that he did without much thought, but the fans seemed to respond well to the trainees' honest and fresh comments.

I guess what they like the most are the people involved.

"I am very satisfied with the results."

"Seohan, don't you like being second place?"

"Of course. I feel fabulous."

In the midst of such a warm atmosphere, a demonic voice struck my ear.

[This... it's difficult.]

A somewhat harsh voice disguised as tender flowed from Jin Sehyun's phone.

I instinctively turned my head and checked the screen. It was a scene where PD Lee Young-hae 'riled up' Kevin with a smile.

[It looks like there's a familiar name tied for second place? Trainee Do Seohan.]

They couldn't help themselves, could they?

I furrowed my brows unconsciously and waited for PD Lee Youngchae's to speak.

[What do you think about trainee Do Seohan's visuals?]

Really?

"Uh, they mentioned you."

"Wow, the rivalry is clear."

The two people on the same team as Kevin, briefly spoke.

Based on Kevin's face although not very noticeable on screen, it gave me a rough idea on his thoughts.

He's definitely upset.

So that's why he started an argument as soon as we made eye contact.

It seemed like producer Lee Young-chae had really baited Kevin.

[Seohan...]

Kevin paused for a moment and then smiled. Even though we've barely even exchanged words, he acted as if we were close friends.

The afterword was even more shocking.

[It's just cute.]

[More than good-looking... the kid is cute?]

[He tries hard to act cool, but fails. He's only cute. That's all.]

What the hell.

So basically, he has too much pride to acknowledge my visuals and couldn't say his actual feelings because of the camera

Kevin chuckled and continued.

[Seohan is a baby, so no matter what he does, he's cute.]

"...."

"...Wow."

What an asshole.

I barely swallowed the curses in my head and glared at the screen.

Did I hear him correctly?

"That's a bit much."

Jin Sehyun saw my somber expression and quickly put away his phone. Ha Jun-eo cleared his throat with a remorseful look on his face.

The two somewhat perceptive people seemed to have already figured out I hated the comment.

Jin Sehyun frowned and muttered softly.

"...It's a provocation."

A fucking provocation.

"You two don't have anything to do with each other, so why were you filmed?"

"Are you okay? Did something happen between you two?"

"Oh, it's fine."

The druggist's 'baby' remark caused quite a blow, but it was worth enduring. I laughed and waved my hand.

"I don't care, so there's no problem."

"...."

"It's really okay."

It might not be okay for someone like Lee Junhyuk who never has a plan, but I'm fine.

I said it was okay because it was really okay, but it seems like they don't buy it. Ha Jun-seo stared at me with worried eyes.

"... Seohan is so soft it's a problem."

Soft?

Right now, I'm wondering when I should pull the lever and ruin his career.

"That's not it..."

Ah, I really don't want to say that though.

I chuckled and accepted Ha Junseo's concerns.

Because future twenty-six-year-old Do Seohan is... so handsome.

"Because it's a lottery ticket I haven't scratched yet."

I'm confident.

* * *

A practice room where we gathered for a concept meeting. There were two people who did not shut up even during the short break.

"I heard you started a strict diet?"

"Why all of a sudden?"

"...I want to find my previous glory?"

"What are you even talking about?"

Kang Siwoo and Seo Haim, who were chatting in the corner of the practice room, stared at me. Since yesterday, I have made the so-called 'diet declaration' and have been pushing forward with the project of eating only one meal a day.

I guess it's nice to have a younger face thanks to my rejuvenated age...

'Seohan is a baby, so he's cute no matter what he does.'

But, wow. That remark was harsh.

"This is why malicious comments are so scary..."

Are you saying I care?

I shook my head and composed myself.

I do not care.

The moment the song selection was confirmed to be 'Touch', the direction our team should take was almost decided, but we planned to give it a little variation.

For the sake of the concept I had planned, I planned to maintain the diet at least until the third competition.

"I just want to lose about 3 kilos."

Kang Siwoo frowned and took out a chocolate bar from his pocket.

"Stop talking nonsense and eat."

Although his speech is clearly crude, there is a hint of regret in his eyes. I wonder where I saw that expression...

I remember.

The expression of watering a cactus.

"I'm not a cactus."

"...!"

"Why are you taking about a cactus here? Have you ate a cactus before?"

"Well, something like that."

Kang Siwoo's eyes turned bloodthirsty. I guess I got used to it in a short period of time, I'm not scared anymore.

Seo Haim, unable to interpret the code-like conversation between the two, asked an unfamiliar question with his eyes wide open.

"Are they delicious? A cactus?"

"No."

Kang Siwoo hurriedly changed the topic, avoiding Seo Haim's bright gaze.

"So, what was the concept you had in mind?"

"Ah, are we about to start the concept meeting?"

Cha Seongbin and Seo Ian, who heard the conversation like ghosts from afar, sat down and succeeded in changing the topic. I chuckled and fixed my gaze on Kang Siwoo.

"Okay, shall we start the concept meeting?"

"Let's start!"

"Yay!"

At the first meeting, each position decision and part distribution were completed to some extent.

Seo Ian takes on the main vocal role, main rapper Cha Seongbin, and leader Kang Siwoo. Lastly, me, the center.

It was decided by vote, and there was no arguments in the process. I thought it was a pretty random group of people, but in reality there was no friction.

Thanks to this, the outline of the team was quickly established, but I put the brakes on the concept issue.

"But what concept do you want to do?"

Unlike previous contests, I am not in a position to choose a song. From the moment I heard Geoncheo's demo sound, the concept was practically set. That was the reason why Kang Si-woo expressed doubt.

"A cute composition."

"We were all planning to push in that direction."

It's a cute concept to touch upon.

I would like to nod to that opinion, but I was in a position that knows the outcome.

I finished in second place in the third contest. In some ways, it was because of the limitation of the cute concept, and one of the reasons was that Betters' stage was so spectacular.

In the first place, the concept itself had never aimed for first place, so all team members were satisfied with the positive reviews it received at the time.

But now my thoughts have changed.

We must come in first place.

To be precise, we need to perform like first-place performers.

Betters broke out and moved up to first place, and we had to put on an overwhelming performance that would dominate them. I have to advance to the finals with that first place.

A stage worthy of number one.

I glanced back at Seo Yian and smiled.

"I have an idea."

We can't throw away the cute concept from the big picture, but...

While maintaining that framework, we add a spoonful of mood that will captivate fans.

Excitement.

"What about the young boy concept?"

I have to come in first place.