NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 36
The advertisement quickly ended, and the broadcast began again.
And my screen time was definitely more than other participants.
[Remaining 1st place seat and 99th place seat.]
[Where will the Brotherhood Planning’s Ha Ye-rin sit?]
[A tense moment]
Along with such captions, the broadcast showed a scene of me contemplating.
In reality, my worry about where to sit lasted just a few seconds.
But perhaps the production team edited the footage, stretching those few seconds to ramp up the tension to the max.
Thanks to that, it was no surprise the comment section was on fire.
– No, why aren’t you going to the 1st place seat?
– If you don’t go to the 1st place seat, who will?
– Going to the 99th place is a scam, for real, lol.
– No way, our Yoo Seol will get the 1st place seat.
Thud.
[Kim I-seo (Rahiti): I thought, “Oh, so that person is sitting in the 1st place seat.”]
Thud.
[Park Yoo-jung (Levi): Honestly, is there anyone fit for the 1st place seat better than Ye-rin?]
Thud.
Then the camera zoomed in again in slow motion, showing which direction my feet were moving…
– Off to the 1st place seat, let’s go!
– Snickers.
– I think she’s gonna go to the 1st place seat.
– Honestly, if she goes, it’s understandable.
The atmosphere in the comments was almost sure I would sit in the 1st place seat.
Thud.
– …!
– …Huh?
There I was, sitting in the 99th place seat.
Instantly, the comment section froze for a moment, and my personal interview started.
[Q: Why did you sit in the 99th place seat instead of the 1st?]
[Ha Ye-rin (Brotherhood Planning): …I thought my skills aren’t enough to sit there yet.]
[Ha Ye-rin (Brotherhood Planning): I believe there are others who deserve that seat more than I do.]
– Wow.
– Laughs a scammer.
– Idiot, for real. There’s no one else fit for that spot but you.
– They’re more humble than they look.
– Usually, those who look cold have warm hearts.
– She might honestly just lack the skills.
– For real, is she just pretty with no skills?
– What nonsense. She was the center in the theme song. Her dance was good too.
– Looks like she’s just being humble.
“Ye-rin, the comments are looking good for you!”
“…Yeah, it seems like that.”
Sitting in the 99th place seemed like a really good choice.
I was just worried viewers would judge me for my appearance and think I had a bad personality.
But with this choice, I ended up also portraying a humble image.
[Ha Ye-rin (Brotherhood Planning): I hope to do well from now on…?]
[Lee Ye-jin (Nadan): Ah…! Yes! We hope to get along as well…!]
After that, I spent a few seconds greeting the nearby participants.
My total screen time was several times more than the others, easily outpacing Lee Hye-jeong, who was ignored by the production team.
It was truly overwhelming buzz in the early stages, and the comment section was mainly talking about me, except for sporadic discussions about Seo Yoo-jin and Na Han-na.
– Seriously, the more I look at Ye-rin, the prettier she gets.
– No joke, I think she’s the prettiest idol I’ve seen lately, even among current ones.
– I’d acknowledge it even if you’re tone-deaf. Just debut already.
Just as my footing was settling in through the comments…
– Ah, lol, so the next person has no choice but to sit in that 1st place seat?
– Let’s see how amazing the person is who even our Ye-rin can’t sit there.
– What’s everyone talking about?
Click clack.
Another silhouette of someone entering appeared…
– “They” haven’t come out yet.
Thud.
[JJ Entertainment]
The name of another big agency appeared on the screen.
[……!!!]
[Did someone from the three big agencies come out again?]
[Nervous atmosphere]
When JJ appeared on the screen, the participants’ shocked expressions were captured.
And…
[…….].
My own face, staring blankly at the entrance where someone was emerging, was filmed too.
Naturally, the comment section exploded.
– Ah, lol, finally showing up!
– I’ve been waiting!
– Get lost, small-time agency, the original JJ is coming out!
– She looked super pretty on YouTube; I wonder what she’s like in person.
Click clack, click clack.
Among the Na Ah Ah participants, the one with the most outstanding stats… the one from JJ Entertainment.
Yoo Seol.
She slowly revealed herself with about the same, if not slightly more, screen time as mine.
[Yoo Seol (JJ): …Uh, hello….]
[……!!]
As Yoo Seol appeared, the opposite BG music played compared to when I arrived…
[Go Mi-hyun (Tai Hai): I was shocked when I saw her! A fairy just walked in.]
The participants’ personal interviews erupted with cheerful reactions.
‘Unlike me, they edited it like I was a final weapon or something…’
The reactions in the comment section mirrored the participants’ reactions.
– Wow, super cute www.
– Damn, she’s pretty for real.
– Look at her being shy with all these people; I’m dying.
– She’s seriously too cute, like a hamster.
[Yoo Seol (JJ): Um… could someone point out where my seat is…?]
When Yoo Seol asked, someone pointed to the 1st place seat…
[Yoo Seol (JJ): Uh… how could I…?]
Yoo Seol fidgeted, looking anxious as soon as she saw the 1st place seat.
Knowing her true personality, I couldn’t help but be impressed by her acting skills.
Of course, those who didn’t know this didn’t quite get the humor…
– Wow, wow.
– I want to hug her right now.
– Look at her; she’s fidgeting, I’m dying.
– Truly the best.
– You can feel her pure heart even from her gaze.
Her cuteness was truly overwhelming.
Is this the “Nade Nade” effect? The comments were filled with reactions wishing they could pet Yoo Seol.
[Yoo Seol (JJ): Well then… I’ll be shameless and…].
Thud, Thud.
With no other option for the one position, Yoo Seol climbed the stairs and…
Thud.
Sat down in the seat.
– Wow.
– Wow.
– Wow.
– Wow.
The comment section cheered loudly.
Even having seen it once before, I couldn’t help but admire her sitting in the 1st place seat.
Her graceful steps and humble demeanor settling into that dazzling spot were nothing short of picturesque.
The production team seemed to want to emphasize this by capturing the astonished faces of the participants looking up at Yoo Seol.
[…….].
[…….].
Seo Yoo-jin, Na Han-na, and other participants, even Lee Hye-jeong got a brief shot then.
[Seo Yoo-jin (SAV): She truly suited the 1st place seat.]
[Na Han-na (Solrn): Watching her sit there… woke me up a bit.]
[Lee Hye-jeong (Kidship): It was just… wow.]
And there I was too.
[Q: What did you think seeing Yoo Seol sitting in the 1st place seat?]
[Ha Ye-rin (Brotherhood Planning): Well…].
At that moment, how did I respond?
I don’t remember exactly, but I think I answered moderately.
[Ha Ye-rin (Brotherhood Planning): It truly seemed like the 1st place seat found its rightful owner.]
Ah, so that’s what I said.
I took a sip of my iced Americano absentmindedly while watching the screen.
And then…
[Ha Ye-rin (Brotherhood Planning): I hope to sit there next time.]
[Ha Ye-rin (Brotherhood Planning): I’ll show you in the ranking evaluation!]
“Pfft-!!”
I spit out my drink right then.
“Cough, cough…!!”
“Hey, are you okay? Do you need a napkin…?”
“Ah, that’s not the problem but I didn’t answer like that!”
At that moment, I squeezed my head trying to recall how that answer popped out.
The original question was…
[Q: Is there a seat you desire?]
[Originally, I wanted the middle seat, number 75. Next time, I want to sit there.]
[Q: What stage are you preparing for the upcoming ranking evaluation?]
[Ah…! That’s a spoiler, so I can’t tell you; I’ll just show you during the evaluation.]
Right, this was the original question and answer, but those rotten Na Ah Ah production team cleverly edited it.
Looking at those interview details alone makes it seem like I was challenging Yoo Seol!
The production team took it further and got Yoo Seol’s personal interview too.
[Q: The Brotherhood Planning’s Ha Ye-rin trainee mentioned wanting to sit in the 1st place seat someday; what are your thoughts?]
[Yoo Seol (JJ): Ah, her? Um… I haven’t seen her stage yet, but I think she has the capability to sit there for sure.]
[Yoo Seol (JJ): But I won’t be sitting idle either! Even if I didn’t aim for this seat, I’ll still work hard to keep it! (Clenching her fist)]
[Bang]
[Who will ultimately become the owner of the 1st place seat between the two participants?]
[The rivalry between the two girls continues in the ranking evaluation!]
[To be continued in 1 minute.]
As the production team wrapped up creating an open rivalry structure between me and Yoo Seol, another advertisement interrupted.
[What? A web novel for 100 won? I’m reading on Noblesse, paying 9900 won for unlimited access?]
[Since meeting Noblesse♪♪ I found a lot of companies searching for me♬ My life has changed♩♪]
The moment the advertisement aired, I immediately looked at the comment section.
– No, lol, a small agency is trying to cling to JJ, lol.
– Honestly, Ha Ye-rin is the pretty one.
– You should know your place; just stay crammed in the 99th place seat.
– Honestly, Ye-rin deserves to sit in the 1st place seat.
– Nowadays, just being pretty gets you to be an idol? If her skills were good, she would’ve gone to one of the three big agencies long ago.
– Lol, aren’t there a lot of controversies about idols from JJ being tone-deaf? Ye-rin dances well though.
– Honestly, I prefer Yoo Seol over Ha Ye-rin; Ha Ye-rin seems too tall for my liking.
– Criticizing tall people with good proportions; what idiots, lol.
– Don’t puff up just because you’re from JJ; give the 1st place seat back to Ye-rin!
– Yowser!
“……”
Is this the reaction the production team hoped for?
The comment section burned with the rivalry between Yoo Seol and me.
The fan bases formed around us were already engaged in a tug of war, bashing the opposing side while boosting their own.
Seeing this comment section, Lee Ji-woo finally spoke up.
“Wow, Ye-rin, you’ve got a full-on rivalry story with Yoo Seol going on!”
“Looks like it….”
It was still early in the broadcast.
There would be many moments to intertwine between me and Yoo Seol. As the show progressed, our rivalry would deepen.
Yet the production team kept fanning the flames of our nascent rivalry.
This meant the production team made our story a main plot of the program.
Noticing this, Lee Ji-woo patted my shoulder.
“Looks like it’s not a bad thing? I feel like the Na Ah Ah production team picked you as a key character in the show. If the production team chose you, it should make it easier to make the debut team.”
“That certainly seems the case.”
“Is Yoo Seol good at skills? How about singing? Dancing? Ah, wait…”
Lee Ji-woo suddenly turned her head as if recalling something.
“Teacher Soo-hyun!”
“…….”
“By the way, I heard one of Teacher Soo-hyun’s trainees is on Na Ah Ah! So Yoo Seol is one of Teacher Soo-hyun’s trainees?”
“…Huh?!”
My reaction came first at Lee Ji-woo’s words.
Yoo Seol was a JJ trainee, and Kang Soo-hyun was a former JJ vocal trainer.
I had thought there was a chance the two might know each other, but Yoo Seol was Kang Soo-hyun’s trainee?
As I stared at Kang Soo-hyun with shocked eyes…
“…Yes, that’s correct.”
She nodded slowly.
Yoo Seol often set up walls between herself and the other Na Ah Ah participants. So I had many curiosities about her that I couldn’t ask, but now that Kang Soo-hyun was her mentor…
However…
“…I trained her for 6 years.”
The somber atmosphere surrounding Kang Soo-hyun made it seem like she could tear up at any moment.
“6 years… sigh.”
I couldn’t easily ask her about Yoo Seol.