I Became An Idol To Pay Off My Debt

After the stage ended, it was a continuous huge wait.

Waking up in the middle of the night and finishing the stage at dawn had us in a truly dazed state.

Since there wasn’t much of a schedule in between, we spent most of the time sleeping in the assigned waiting room.

And the moment we woke up was just in time for the 5 PM broadcast start.

“Oh, it’s starting.”

We watched the broadcast on the screen from the waiting room.

In the meantime, the broadcast was filled with other so-called 2nd and 3rd tier idols, which we rarely saw living as regular people…

And then it was our Rookies’ turn…

[Now, who’s coming up next? They’re causing quite the sensation lately?! It’s Rookies’ [Secret Girl]! Let’s meet them right now!]

“Oh? Already our turn….”

It was earlier than expected.

In music shows, the more significant groups usually come out later.

Right now, there was no group capturing the public’s attention like Rookies… so it wouldn’t be strange if we were closing the show, but our stage was sooner than anticipated.

As I tilted my head in confusion, Lee Hye-jeong, sitting next to me, spoke up.

“It seems like… territoriality.”

“Territoriality?”

“Yeah. We’re from a cable idol audition show. It might look uncomfortable for the public broadcast PDs.”

“Oh….”

So this is the psychological warfare between public and cable…

“I see… But how do you know this so well?”

“I debuted from another audition show before joining Rookies. The show I was on, [K-Star], was also a cable program. I faced some territoriality when I came to perform in music shows back then.”

“Oh….”

Lee Hye-jeong went on [K-Star] when she was 17…

Did she face territoriality even at such a young age?

Feeling sympathy, I patted her shoulder and said,

“That must’ve been tough, unnie.”

“It’s fine now. But I’m worried… If they keep showing territoriality at the broadcasting station, it could disrupt our Rookies activities…”

“Yeah, that’s a concern.”

As Lee Hye-jeong and I held hands in worry, Yoo Seol, who was sitting next to us, interjected in a reassuring voice.

“You don’t need to worry about that.”

“What?”

“Why, Seol-ah? Isn’t it a problem if they keep showing territoriality at the broadcasting station?”

“Territoriality has its limits. The proud old-timers from public broadcast might act out once to show their pride, but Rookies isn’t the kind of group to be bothered by that kind of territoriality.”

Yoo Seol showed us her phone screen.

It was the comment section of the music show’s live stream.

– Why is Rookies coming out already? It’s annoying.

Is this even possible? ㅡㅡ

– Why are our kids out already?

– Seriously, can’t they get it together?

– Why isn’t Rookies the closing stage?

The comment section was filled with somewhat angry fans of Rookies attacking the broadcasting station.

“If they keep showing territoriality, I bet our fans will start protesting even more. Public broadcasts tend to care a lot about public opinion… By next week, the territoriality might disappear and we’ll find our place.”

“Ooo….”

So right now, the broadcasting station can’t mess with us because of the power of Rookies?

Indeed… there wasn’t another group receiving as much attention as Rookies in the idol scene right now.

This was also true when our Rookies segment ended and the next idol groups came up.

On the girl group side, the top tier almost vanished, and on the boy group side…

[Next up! They’re back after a long time! It’s Black Night with [Our Black Love]….]

Although there was the popular YW group Black Night, they were at the tail end of their activity, so their impact was limited.

Until now, Rookies had monopolized the music show.

As we focused on the broadcast, Yoo Seol muttered beside me.

“Maybe…”

I could guess what she was about to say next.

Although Rookies hadn’t openly voiced it, we had secretly thought it…

Could Rookies potentially take first place in music shows during the first week?

Yoo Seol was definitely weighing the possibility of Rookies getting first place.

One of the most critical factors for taking first on a music show is music chart rankings and album sales.

Rookies had achieved great results on music charts in a short time, and I heard the pre-order sales for our albums were in the hundreds of thousands.

Debut first-week music show number one.

…It didn’t seem impossible.

“……”

“……”

It wasn’t just Yoo Seol and me thinking like this, as the conversation among the members watching the broadcast became quieter.

Everyone was looking forward to it.

To take first in a music show…!

As the anticipation intensified as the broadcast neared its end.

And then…

Our excitement peaked just before the closing stage.

[What a pity~ Now we’re left with just the last stage! These are the ones that just debuted this week! The stage that will surely hook you all! It’s Python with [Poison Heart]! Let’s go meet them now!]

“Hmm…? Python?”

“Oh….”

With the name Python, the members, including myself, flinched.

‘Come to think of it, they released their single too.’

From the teaser, considering the dates, they must’ve released it at the same time as Rookies’ [Secret Girl].

Initially, we were quite concerned as they were our rival group, but we got so caught up in Rookies that we hadn’t paid attention to Python until now.

“Has anyone heard their song?”

“Looks like no one has. We should have been busier.”

“Still, I checked the Top 10 ranking on the music site daily, and I don’t think they were on it.”

At Park Yoo-jung’s words, I took out my phone and looked up Python’s music rankings.

Ranked 21st on the Top 100 chart.

Considering it was their debut week, that was quite an impressive record, but… since Rookies had already achieved 1st place on the chart, 21st didn’t seem too impressive.

To be honest, it seemed a bit easy for Rookies.

With their music ranking, it wouldn’t be a significant obstacle to our music show ranking.

“After this, it will be the ranking announcement, right?”

“Oh, I hope it ends quickly.”

Other members didn’t show much interest in Python’s stage either.

Honestly, even though Rookies debuted this week, there was still a significant difference from other rookie girl groups.

We had endured all sorts of trials and tribulations as trainees at Na Ah Ah before debuting.

No matter how impressive a stage was, it didn’t evoke that much emotion.

In fact, while watching the broadcast so far, the stages of other groups hadn’t caught my eye much at all.

I was just hoping the stage would finish quickly so we could get to the ranking announcement.

But then…

♪♬♬♩-!

An ear-catching intro played…

Boom!

As the lights of the stage turned on and revealed the hidden Python members…

“……Wow.”

I gasped slightly in amazement.

Meanwhile, it wasn’t just the Rookies members who were eagerly awaiting our first-week music show win.

– Seekey Seekey Seekey

– Ah haha when will the 1st place announcement be?

– Please make it quick……!!

Fans who had cheered for Rookies since Na Ah Ah were watching the live broadcast, wishing for Rookies to take first place.

Considering the music charts and album sales… they already knew Rookies had a strong chance of a great result this time.

First-week music show number one.

It was a feat that no girl group had achieved in the vast history of K-Pop, where countless legends had passed through.

Perhaps the Rookies fans buzzing around the internet and community looking for excitement and virality made a difference?

– What’s going on?

– I came because I heard something big was happening.

– First place in the debut week? Are they that successful?

The broadcast was breaking viewership records for the past few months, attracting a wave of viewers to tune in.

As the mountain of viewers waited for the announcement of the first place, it happened.

[What a pity~ We’re now left with just the last stage! These are the ones that just debuted this week! The stage that will surely hook you all! It’s Python with [Poison Heart]! Let’s go meet them now!]

As Python was introduced for the closing stage right before the announcement, people’s reactions split in two.

First, there were those who didn’t know much about Python and were only interested in Rookies’ rise to first place.

– Who’s this random group?

– Just skip and show us Rookies getting number one, lol.

– Wait, YW debuted a girl group? I didn’t even know they debuted because they didn’t promote.

And then…

– What? You guys haven’t seen this?

– Ah haha you idiots are missing out.

– Just listen and be surprised.

Those who had already seen Python’s [Poison Heart] single and music video were excited.

The stage began…

♪♬♬♩-!

The intro wasn’t anything special.

It was a neutral, girl crush-style hip-hop dance song that everyone would consider normal.

But as soon as the stage lights came on, the crowd was in awe.

Boom!

– Wow

– Wow

– Wow

– What the heck they’re so pretty.

All four members of Python had exceptional visuals.

Among them, the most stunning was the leader of Python at the center.

– What’s her name?

– Why is she so pretty?

– Almost on Ha Ye-rin level.

While someone mentioned a level similar to Ha Ye-rin, Python’s leader was quite the opposite in appearance.

If you had to compare, the Python leader gave off a kind vibe similar to Yoo Seol.

However, while Yoo Seol had a smaller and cuter appearance, Python’s leader was taller, giving a more pure vibe.

Although she looked innocent, her heavy makeup fit the girl crush concept perfectly.

People were enraptured first by their looks and then…

-You’ve already captured me
-toxic love and poison heart

Next, they started to fall for her vocals.

Whoosh, thwack!

With the eye-catching powerful dance that seized the audience’s attention.

The combination of looks, singing, and dancing formed a perfect Trinity.

In an instant, people were so entranced that they forgot to comment…

It was truly the rise of a supernova.

“Wow….”

“Impressive….”

Members were left speechless by Python’s skills, surpassing our expectations.

But among them, the most shocked was me.

“……”

Python’s leader.

Both singing and dancing were outstanding.

It felt as if…

I was witnessing Yoo Seol for the first time back in Na Ah Ah.

But there was a difference…

While Yoo Seol surprised me purely with her skills, this person gave me a discomfort.

Swish-swish.

Crackle.

It felt like a giant snake was wrapping around me, showing its poisonous fangs in a dizzying display.

If I were an ordinary person, I would see how immersive Python’s performance was, but…

That wasn’t the case for me.

‘…Skill.’

Yeah, skill.

It was like how I used Sky Demon Martial Arts…

This too was a skill.

In that moment, a possibility flickered in my mind.

The possibility that there are other regressors in this world besides me… the possibility that there are others with a status window!

The moment those possibilities crossed my mind, there was a prioritization in my head that surpassed Rookies’ music show victory.

“…The status window.”

I needed to meet that Python leader who gives me discomfort.

And…

“I need to open… the status window.”

I had to find out what she was hiding behind that status window.

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