The Gates Opened on the First Day of Debut - Chapter 52

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Gate Burst Open on My Debut Day (52)
“Come on, say hello. Go on, greet them.”
“But I….”
“Smile for them, smile. How about a heart gesture? They’ll definitely love it.”
Kim Chowol didn’t seem to care whether Seo Ijae was older or younger, or whether he was a far-removed senior from a Failed Group.
No, he surely cared.
But he was simply pretending not to care so that Seo Ijae wouldn’t feel uncomfortable.
‘He’s really a good kid.’
The Winter Boys Fan gazed intently at the photo of Seo Ijae smiling and making a heart gesture with Kim Chowol.
Even though she looked at it every time things got tough, she never tired of it.
‘I need to vote consistently.’
The voting system for the EX-Grade K-POP Idol, Help Call, allowed voting for up to five people.
Of course, as the broadcast progressed, the number of trainees available to vote for decreased, and in the final live broadcast vote, only one person could be voted for.
In other words, until the live broadcast, at least two trainees could receive votes.
The Winter Boys Fan resolved that she would definitely vote for both Seo Ijae and Kim Chowol until the live broadcast.
‘I really hope they debut together.’
Seo Ijae relied on Kim Chowol, and Kim Chowol seemed to care about Seo Ijae in his own way….
“Thank you for your patience!”
The MC, who had climbed onto the Stage, addressed the audience.
“Thank you for attending the second audience session of EX-Grade K-POP Idol!”
The Winter Boys Fan half-listened to the MC’s words and quickly scanned her surroundings.
‘Hmm, that person… their face looks familiar.’
She focused on identifying faces, particularly those holding professional cameras, and spotted someone she recognized.
After thinking it over, she finally remembered where she’d seen that face.
‘A Failed Group Fan who was active around the same time as Winter Boys.’
She couldn’t remember the name, but that fan’s Failed Group must also be appearing on EX-Grade K-POP Idol.
The Winter Boys Fan felt a sense of kinship and turned her gaze away.
“Before we begin the performances, I’ll briefly explain the trainees’ third Main Quest.”
The MC opened his mouth with a meaningful expression.
“The third Main Quest is Request Resolution! Please check through the broadcast to see who gave the trainees what requests and how they worked together to resolve them!”
What’s a request resolution?
The Winter Boys Fan tilted her head in confusion, but the MC, having finished his explanation, descended from the Stage without hesitation.
Immediately, the first team climbed onto the Stage.
“Hello, we’re Team A! All of our team members have Type A blood….”
After scanning the trainees’ faces, the Winter Boys Fan confirmed that Seo Ijae wasn’t among them and gently lowered the camera she’d been holding.
There were people who took photos of promising trainees and sold them, but the Winter Boys Fan had no particular interest unless it was Seo Ijae.
As she watched the trainees preparing the Stage, a familiar melody flowed from the speakers.
‘Huh? Where have I heard this song before?’
Whether only the Winter Boys Fan had heard the song before, the other audience members were tilting their heads in confusion.
“What song is this?”
“I’ve never heard this song before. Is it a trainee’s original composition? The melody is so tacky.”
“It’s not even a Failed Group song.”
The audience’s mocking and grumbling voices brushed past the Winter Boys Fan’s ears.
The Winter Boys Fan’s eyes suddenly widened as something occurred to her.
‘Failed Group! That’s right, it was a Failed Group song! They definitely debuted around the same time as Winter Boys… Oh!’
The Winter Boys Fan’s head turned toward the Failed Group Fan she’d seen earlier.
Sure enough, the Failed Group Fan’s expression—which had been filled with anticipation and hope—was now painted with anguish and despair.
The song flowing from the speakers was the debut song of the idol the Failed Group Fan adored.
“This can’t be right….”
A hellish moment had begun—one she couldn’t ignore or escape from.
* * *
As the Winter Boys Fan watched the performances continue, she could roughly guess what the “third main Quest” the MC had mentioned was.
‘They’re remaking Failed Group songs.’
Most Failed Group songs had either flawed concepts or were lacking in melody and choreography by about 2%—or rather, about 30%.
If they changed the concept, tweaked the melody slightly, or adjusted the choreography a bit, filling in just 5% of that missing 30% would be considered a success.
In other words, these were songs that were perfect for trainees to remake.
‘The problem is that I’m a Winter Boys Fan.’
The Winter Boys Fan knew Seo Ijae well.
Seo Ijae had continuously avoided his past through repeated failures and disappointments.
He could barely stand to look at her face, so could he really remake Winter Boys—the debut song that was the beginning of all his tragedy?
‘No.’
Of course, the Winter Boys Fan hoped more than anyone that Seo Ijae would overcome his past and move forward.
But if you hold onto hope, you begin to expect, and when expectations aren’t met, disappointment follows.
“Alright, next team, please come up to the Stage!”
The moment the MC finished speaking, trainees rushed up from below the Stage.
The faces of Han Theo and Yoo Sung—people who were impossible not to recognize if you’d come to watch the Production Presentation—appeared first.
“Han Theo and Yoo Sung are on the same team? Wow, the balance is completely broken.”
“Who’s the center?”
“I don’t know, but whoever it is won’t seem out of place.”
“Insane, Kim Chowol is here too! Who seriously put this team together?”
If Han Theo and Yoo Sung were unrivaled in skill and visuals, then Kim Chowol was sweeping SNS and Community Sites with overwhelming buzz.
“Wow, what did the trainees on the same team as those three do to deserve this?”
One audience member clicked their tongue in disgust.
The Winter Boys Fan nodded quietly in agreement.
“Who’s that tall trainee?”
“You don’t know Kang Hae-soo? He dances pretty well and sings decently. He’s got quite a few fans.”
“I’ve never seen him before, but he’s tall and not bad-looking.”
“But who’s next to Kang Hae-soo?”
The audience members began whispering as they looked at the trainee standing beside Kang Hae-soo.
“I don’t know, I’ve never seen them before.”
“Oh, I think I know who they are. What was the group name again… Winter Boys? Isn’t he one of their members?”
“Winter Boys? Never heard of them. Anyway, being on the same team as those four guys… that’s rough.”
Winter Boys Fan couldn’t bring herself to look directly at Seo Ijae’s face as he stood beside Kang Hae-soo.
‘Our Lee Jae on the same team as Han Theo, Yoo Sung, Kim Chowol, and Kang Hae-soo? This is totally unfair!’
Some might argue that being on the same team as famous trainees was a good thing, that he’d get broadcast time, but that was far too naive a perspective.
‘His skills and relevance will definitely be overshadowed by the other trainees.’
Obviously, one of Han Theo, Yoo Sung, or Kim Chowol would take the center position.
Kang Hae-soo at least stood out thanks to his height and build, but aside from the fact that Seo Ijae had been a Winter Boys member, he had nothing else to showcase.
“Hello, we are Make one’s way.”
Kim Chowol, holding the microphone, began a brief self-introduction.
“The name carries the meaning of forging our own path without giving up, no matter how difficult or exhausting things become.”
“What a meaningful name! May I ask who came up with it?”
“Lee Jae hyung did.”
Kim Chowol smiled and glanced toward Seo Ijae.
Seo Ijae, who had been hesitantly looking around nervously, carefully raised his hand and nodded.
“…Yes, I created it.”
When Kim Chowol spoke my name, I felt my heart drop.
Winter Boys Fan gripped the camera so tightly she thought it might break, silently praying.
‘Please, since it’s come to this, let them put on a really good performance….’
Kim Chowol’s introduction ended and the lights went out.
In the darkness, I could faintly see the Make one’s way trainees synchronizing their positions.
‘Who will be the new Winter Boys center? Han Theo? Yoo Sung? Or Kim Chowol? It could surprisingly be Kang Hae-soo.’
I didn’t harbor even a shred of hope that Seo Ijae would be the center.
Because Seo Ijae wasn’t the type of member who craved parts.
With so many other trainees better suited for the center position, there was no way he would have stepped forward to claim it first.
―Pop!
The lights came up, and the Make one’s way trainees gleamed brilliantly.
Winter Boys Fan instinctively squinted, quickly scanning the trainees’ costumes.
‘There are cubic crystals on the outfits.’
Cubic crystals adorned the pure white stage costumes, which resembled wedding dresses.
The light reflected off the crystals, creating an optical illusion as if diamond dust had been scattered across the Stage.
“In the cold air, small lights drifting.”
A familiar voice pierced through Winter Boys Fan’s ears.
Seo Ijae was singing beneath the shimmering stage lights.
‘It’s Lee Jae, our Lee Jae.’
The first verse Seo Ijae sang felt like the first words exhaled with warm breath on the morning after heavy snow.
Another light came on, illuminating the other scattered trainees.
“Do you see it there, the constellation we created.”
Yoo Sung’s clean and captivating tone resonated through the air.
While Yoo Sung’s singing was certainly skilled, the emotion conveyed in each word was far deeper when it came from Seo Ijae.
Even the audience members who had initially ignored them couldn’t tear their eyes away from Seo Ijae.
“Walking alone on a cold night, when I suddenly lift my head.”
“Countless shards of ice fill the sky.”
Another spotlight illuminated, casting its glow across the scattered trainees in turn.
The Stage costumes sparkled so brilliantly that it seemed like jewels were singing rather than people.
“Where are you all going, in this vast darkness? But those lights don’t know the way either, just drifting aimlessly.”
The trainees scattered around Kim Chowol began to converge.
Homma suddenly recalled an important fact.
‘Is this really Winter Boys…?’
The only similarity was the melody; the song and dance were completely different.
But Homma couldn’t complain.
“You say I’m small, but I know your light.”
Seo Ijae, whom Homma adored, was singing with genuine joy.
Her eyes burned with warmth.
Tears threatened to spill over at any moment, but with trembling hands, she raised her camera.
‘Is he looking at me…?’
Seo Ijae’s and Homma’s eyes met.
Unlike at the Production Presentation, Seo Ijae didn’t turn away from Homma.
“We’re not alone—we reflect each other’s light.”
On a cold winter’s day.
Water vapor crystallized into ice wandered through the dark night.
At last, morning arrived.
The ice crystals caught the rising sunlight and began to sparkle brilliantly.
Like shining diamonds, Seo Ijae smiled beautifully toward Homma.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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