[ Cho Seungmin's POV ]
My entire body was aching. I stared straight at the stage and tried to wipe away all thoughts of it.
The night the second episode was aired, my group was ambushed by some people who wanted revenge. They were people that my Father took down a year ago. With their year-long preparation of gathering others who held enough courage and hostility against us, they found one of our hideouts and waited two weeks for us to finally go inside.
We have tens of hidden hideouts all throughout Korea. I wasn't expecting them to find one while we were in it.
So I was hit on my back without any defense.
Luckily, with D's quick use of a broken soju bottle, he was able to thwart an assailant before I was hit again. If I was struck any higher on the back of my neck, I would have passed out.
While I was down on the ground, stunned by the strong hit on my back, I was able to take out the daggers in my pants pockets and ran forward.
I broke apart the attackers' formation, which made it easier for us to fight back: fighting in groups of 1 vs 7 was easier than my team fighting 3 vs 25.
B, who hid as soon as it went dark, thankfully called for backup. So after a while of gritting through the ambush, we were able to demobilize most of them with the help of others who were close by.
My work life became significantly busier after this. I could only get some hasty treatment for my bruised ribs and broken fingers from the doctor working for my Father before I was sent off to hunt the runaways down.
Turns out that the Japanese yakuza turf wars had extended out to here now that Mother's Father died and the position was currently vacant. The struggle for power in the drug trade was strong, and with my Father's new port, more people were banding together to take him down.
My team was busy working with my Mother's yakuza group to snip off the buds before they fully bloomed.
As a result, I barely managed to buy a new phone and make it to the set today.
"Rank 5 goes to contestant Park Moondae!"
I blinked out of my thoughts and clapped.
Moondae hyung was called up right after me, and he ended up sitting beside me. He had blonde hair now. He also looked healthier compared to when I first saw him.
The cameras were pointed in our direction, so I couldn't bring up the thing I needed to. I saw that he messaged me when I logged into my ID, but I didn't have the chance to reply. I wanted to apologize.
Instead, I congratulated him for his ranking.
Suddenly, Moondae hyung's arm reached for me. His hand gently pat my head twice and went back down to his lap.
The tense pressure on my muscles relaxed.
"You too, Seungmin," he smiled. "Congratulations."
That's right, I'm Cho Seungmin now. I'm not J. I'm an aspiring idol. I'm someone who can get close to Moondae hyung and dance all I want.
I nodded my head and went back to watching the ranking results with an easier piece of mind.
After Moondae hyung, Kim Raebin was announced 4th. B told me his character wasn't portrayed nicely and to avoid him in case of any controversies, even if he was most likely to debut.
Ahyun hyung placed in 3rd. He began crying while saying thanks to the viewers and his team.
When he came up to our row of seats, Moondae hyung congratulated him with some nice words.
"Hyung, congratulations," I also said, raising my hand for a high-five.
Ahyun hyung deserved rank 3 with his singing and dancing. And he's nice and harmless.
"..."
As I sat back down and the MC talked about the next rank, I stared again at the spotlight.
Chungwoo hyungnim placed 2nd.
I waved to him with a good smile when he sat down.
Cha Eugene naturally went to his first-place chair. Somehow, he made eye contact with me and grinned. He gave a thumbs-up. I gave one back.
"B also told me to avoid or be good to him. His fans don't like me," I noted.
The MCs words began to blur as I stared at the stage. The ranking evaluations were done, so we would move back into the dorms and prepare for the next team performance.
There was a tap on my shoulder.
"M-min, let's go!" Ahyun hyung said excitedly, motioning to the stage where people were gathering. Behind him, Moondae hyung nodded his head.
I followed them down the stairs and to Sejin hyung, who was already talking to other people.
"Oh, there's my dongsaeng!" he loudly laughed as he made it through the crowd toward us. He put an arm around my shoulder.
I tried not to show that he was putting weight on a large bruise.
"Ow..."
"...Seungmin, come here," Moondae hyung said, looking at Sejin hyung and then at me. He had a sponsored water in his hand. A camera was following him.
I slipped out of Sejin hyung's arms gratefully and drank the water he gave me. Meanwhile, Ahyun hyung began crying again when Sejin hyung congratulated him. But they were happy tears.
When the camera went away, I turned to all three of them.
"Hyungs, I broke my phone and couldn't get a new one until today. I couldn't see your messages, I'm sorry," I explained neatly.
Moondae hyung's hazel eyes relaxed.
"Oh, no wonder!" Sejin hyung gasped. "Don't worry about it~"
"Y-yeah! And w-we can...talk more in the d-dorm every day!" Ahyun hyung said between sniffles.
I wasn't sure if I'd ever gotten close enough to anyone for someone to say they wanted to talk to me every day. But Ahyun hyung is kind. Even if I build a wall between us, I don't think he would understand.
I nodded my head.
Our conversation ended when the production team announced that we would move into the dorms soon. We were to first choose our teams to live together.
Everyone changed into new uniforms and transferred to the main hall. The MC had also changed into a new suit, and he stood at the front with his microphone ready.
"Welcome to the second team match! This time, the teams will be chosen by drawing lots."
Cheers erupted.
"The 7 participants I pick out of the 49 remaining will become the leaders, and they will take a quiz to select team members! The first to answer successfully will be able to recruit anyone for their team first."
I glanced apathetically at the colorful Idol Inc backdrop on the wall.
Kim Raebin, Choi Wongil, and five others were chosen as leaders.
"First question," the MC began, "list five names that are palindromes!"
Kim Raebin's hand shot up.
"Kim Raebin! Bob, Anna, Hannah, Ava, Elle," he answered quickly.
The MC whistled as if impressed. "Wow, that was a fast response from contestant Kim Raebin! Please choose your first teammate."
"I choose Park Moondae."
Next to me, Moondae hyung stiffened. I don't think he anticipated being chosen by him.
He walked up hesitantly and shook hands with the purple-haired boy.
One by one, the other leaders chose their first teammate.
In the next round of questions, Kim Raebin was the first to answer again. Then he chose Cha Eugene.
And then, he chose me.
"Contestant Kim Raebin chooses contestant Cho Seungmin as his third teammate!"
I shuffled to the group and greeted the others.
"B told me to avoid him, but now I can't..."
I glanced at Moondae hyung, who I would be working with now. Content, I stood by him.
Cha Eugene stepped closer to us.
"We're finally on the same team!" he grinned.
"Ah, yes we are," Moondae hyung responded. I nodded my head in agreement.
"You're good at singing," the red-haired boy said. Then he looked at me and said, "and you're good at dancing. We're a great team!"
"Thanks," I smiled. "You're a good performer too."
"Let's work hard together," Moondae hyung added.
Next, Chungwoo hyungnim was chosen by Kim Raebin.
"Seungmin, let's work hard together again," he smiled as he greeted me. I bowed with a smile.
After that, Kim Yoojoon, who ranked 15th, and Lee Sejin A were recruited.
The team was formed.