★ The Second Life Idols Lucky Plan – Chapter 26
RPR

"No, hyung."

When everyone was hesitating, not knowing how to respond to Hwang Young-oh's request, Aiden Lee cut him off.

"...Why?"

Hwang Young-oh's face dropped as Aiden Lee spoke calmly with an unreadable expression.

"I think we should let Yoo-ha go for a more certain victory."

"... Are you saying I'm not good enough?"

Hwang Young-oh spoke in such a sharp tone he made me do a double-take at the cameras lined up around me.

Since there are about a hundred trainees gathered in one space, and this is a semi-break, the camera did not mark all the trainees.

The PDs were walking around the auditorium with their cameras, standing next to the trainees who had a lot of reactions. They weren't interested in our side.

That's why I haven't shown much emotion. The cameras will come and film the conflict.

"Do whatever you want. I'm fine."

I spoke quickly to calm the situation. Hwang Young-oh's expression brightened, but on the contrary, Aiden Lee's face hardened to the point where it was incomparable.

"No."

"...Aiden, I'm fine."

"You might be okay, but I'm not okay."

"You are self-righteous."

Aiden Lee's face cooled down as Hwang Young-oh spoke but then curved his mouth downwards and furrowed his eyebrows.

"Wait, Aiden..."

Hwang Young-oh was already heartbroken. If Aiden Lee responded with anger, the situation would have been entirely catastrophic.

With that in mind, it was time to stop Aiden Lee.

"The most self-righteous person here is Won Yoo-Ha."

"..!"

I was at a loss for words.

"You can't just think of yourself. You have to think of the team. Remember what the goal is. Choosing what to keep and what to lose is essential."

"Hey, Aiden..."

"But neither Yoo-ha nor Young-oh can do that right now. Don't you want to have a video PR ticket? Why don't you think of the whole picture? Why don't you think about the effects your actions have?"

"Wait a minute..."

To prevent the situation from escalating, Danwoo stopped Aiden, while Hwang Young-oh kept his mouth shut with a shocked face.

Aiden sighed as he looked at anwoo, who carefully grabbed his arm. Then he brushed his hair roughly and sat down.

"Anyway, my opinion is you should not go. I have no intention of losing. If I wasn't sure if I should go, I wouldn't go either."

"..."

Hwang Young-oh looked at Aiden and sat down quietly. At this point, he couldn't force himself into 'Visual Gap.'

"All participants in the 'Visual Gap' battle, please come up to the podium!"

Just in time, the words of the MC resonated throughout the auditorium. The team members, looking at each other awkwardly, cheered Aiden and me, as we reluctantly got up with forced smiles.

"You guys got this!"

"Fighting!"

"The video PR rights are ours!"

Aiden nodded lightly and moved on. I took a step behind him and climbed onto the podium.

"Wow, these visuals are crazy~ Everyone was selected after careful consideration, so they sparkle everywhere you look!"

As the MC spoke joyfully, the camera swept past the faces of the trainees on the podium. Aiden Lee returned to his innocent face as if he never was upset.

"..."

I couldn't help but feel conflicted.

- You can't just think of yourself. You have to think of the team. Remember what the goal is. Choosing what to keep and what to lose is essential.

Aiden's words were on repeat in my head.

'It is essential to choose what to keep and lose...'

I looked at the trainees standing on the podium. Although relatively mixed, I could see familiar faces that had already participated in previous rounds.

It is clear that each team made their own strategies and sent out their best.

The best moves in which someone would inevitably sacrifice for the sake of the final goal, and someone would benefit.

To achieve a better ending with a common goal.

The members of Lightning passed by in my head.

"It's really funny. If you're going to do this, go solo. Why team up? Because of you, the team gets buried more, you know?"

"..."

Lightning, who couldn't get out of the mud, shone for a very short time. I was the reason. My own fan-cam blew up.

* * *

The song in which the fancam was filmed wasn't good. It had a bottomless, strong beat, the lyrics were behind on trends, and even the smallest parts, like the coordination, were not good.

However, at that time, I still hadn't given up my expectations for Lightning. I believed that if I persevered in my activities, I might see the light someday, and as the leader, I had to take good care of the members.

I believed that one day, these guys would come to their senses. That video was a representation of me in those days.

Heavy rain poured from the sky while we performed for a local event. The members, who had been dancing weakly from the start, kept slipping on the stage.

All I did was fix, support, and lead the stage somehow. I was the only one who laughed and never stopped smiling among the frowning faces.

And that fan-cam video caught people's attention for a short time, I was known as the 'common male idol leader's ability to deal with accidents.'

-I hope you're happy.

-Why do you need a team? If this is how it's gonna be, why not debut as a soloist?

The members couldn't stand it.

'... I should have known they were just insecure.'

When I went on stage, fans of other groups occasionally came to the audience and recognized me. The members openly showed that they were uncomfortable. This developed into an attitude.

As dissatisfaction was added to the lack of enthusiasm from the beginning, the stage's atmosphere, which fluttered from the start, fell even further. Even amid that, the members watched me with the hope that somehow I would make a mistake on stage.

So that the popularity gained from that fancam can fade away, so that none of the members stand out and keep each other in check.

What more could I have done?

The attention I received for a very short time quietly faded without receiving any more firepower while Lightning stayed irrelevant.

I gave up on Lightning.

'At that time, I thought that was the best.'

Being the leader of Lightning was really difficult.

The members wanted none of us to succeed, wanted to escape, lacked the will to practice, and, most of all, has no affection for the team or the stage.

So it was really unavoidable that our performances turned out like that.

The lack of practice was also a problem, but Lightning's biggest problem was the lack of passion.

'...We didn't engage with the audience at all.'

A dance without motivation, a song without emotion, a stage where you only do what you have to do.

Stages where each person did not put in their best effort. Each performance was treated as a punishment. They did not give or intend to give surprises.

There was no way fans would give their heart to such a stage.

'I don't know if Lightning was ruined because of that.'

Acting separately is a problem, but who could have liked idols who put on stages that were neither fun nor impressive to watch?

It was a group of people who shouldn't have been on stage in the first place.

"..."

'If so, am I doing the same thing as the Lightning members?'

No thoughts about passing my limits, just repeating what was decided because it was my responsibility.

I did not give up anything for the team or try to be greedy and built a barrier.

Just like the me in the past...

'...Right.'

I felt like I now knew what Aiden Lee wanted from me. What mentors told me to do more and what to do less.

"For idols, visuals are an indispensable point of attraction. Then, when is the moment when this visual is maximized on stage? That's right..."

"Ending fairy!!"

The trainees below the podium cheered. The MC nodded in satisfaction and displayed a video on the screen.

The video sent was the 'Look' stage video, and Kang Hyunjin, the center of 'Look', was breathing heavily and looking at the camera with a serious face.

"Exhibitors on the podium can show the ending that lasts for 10 seconds along with the final choreography of 'Look'. As this is the moment to show each person's charm to the fullest, wit and concentration are important."

Soon, the lights shot up over the podium. The first person the spotlight was placed on was Kang Hyunjin, who came out as a 'Visual Gap' contestant in Group 1.

"Now, who will be the best visual and ending fairy in <Design Your Idol>? Coincidentally, trainee Kang Hyunjin, the original center of 'Look,' is present. Trainee Hyunjin, what would you like to say to your fellow contestants?"

Kang Hyunjin received the microphone from the MC and looked at the trainees before meeting eyes with me again. His gaze seemed to linger for a moment, but he naturally looked away and declared confidently with a bone-like tone.

"Everyone has their own charm, but... There must be a reason why the idol makers chose me as the center. I don't think I'll lose."

"As expected, the confidence of a center! Starting with trainee Hyunjin, the ending fairy evaluation begins! All the trainees below the podium, excluding the contestants from each group, please vote for the contestant with the perfect visuals!"

Soon, the loud music of 'Look' rang in the auditorium. The eyes of all the trainees in the hall turned to Kang Hyunjin.

I muttered quietly while Kang Hyunjin performed the final choreography of 'Look' first.

"...Status window."