"Trainees, settle down and gather backstage. We are starting in 5 minutes!" a crew member yelled.
Everything was set for the elimination episode filming, yet June was still not seen.
"Is he really not coming?" C-Jay asked.
"I'm here," June said, appearing behind their backs.
Jangmoon and Jisung jumped in surprise. Jisung enthusiastically turned around and greeted June while the others merely gave him awkward smiles and greetings.
June shook his head. It seemed like Xin was right to some extent. His friends were uncomfortable with his presence.
The other trainees who noticed his arrival also started whispering among themselves.
"Damn, he's really brave for coming here."
"Do you think he paid for his rank this time too?"
"Most probably."
The trainees started going to their seats team by team. Yena and Yejin conversed among themselves while they were busy filming the opening.
"What are we going to do about this?" Yena asked.
"I honestly don't know," Yejin explained. "We've already hired a third-party vote counter this year, and we're trying hard to gain the public's trust after what happened last year. Now I'm afraid that everything's going to go down the drain."
Yena sighed deeply. "What should we do with his footage? He's one of the trainees who garner the most screen time and the highest ratings."
"Let's lessen them for now," Yejin said. "I think it's best if we show that we don't have any preferential treatment toward him. I'll inform Cindy about the decision."
***
After the mentors settled down, the special mentor of the week peeked through the stage and saw the trainees nervously talking with each other. Then, his eye strayed toward one of the trainees.
Choi Joon-ho.
Robby, ranked 4th during the third season of 'Rising Stars,' clicked his tongue as soon as he saw him. It was because of trainees like June that their debut didn't push through. They were supposed to become the next big thing, but all his efforts were wasted after those imbeciles paid their way into the group. It was fortunate that he was given a career to become a soloist, but he still felt a pang in his heart every time he saw idol groups performing on stage before him.
As he continued gazing at June, he felt a sense of hatred in his heart.
Someone like him doesn't deserve to be here.
"Hey, are you alright?" Jihyun asked, patting Robby's shoulder.
Robby quickly snapped out of his thoughts and smiled at the beautiful mentor. "Of course, Mentor."
Jihyun chuckled. "You don't have to call me that anymore, you know? We're colleagues now."
"You're still forever a mentor for me," Robby cheekily said.
"Well, you were one of my favorite students in the entirety of Rising Stars," she smiled. "I'm glad you still got to work in the industry."
"Then, am I your most favorite?" Robby asked, buttering up to Jihyun.
Jihyun merely chuckled before glancing at the trainees. "Let's say you were my favorite during the third season."
Robby chuckled softly, but he felt a bit of resentment in his heart when he saw Jihyun's gaze travel to June. Jihyun had a concerned look on her face, and it didn't take a genius to see that she was worried about the rich trainee.
Robby clicked his tongue, causing Jihyun to snap out of her thoughts.
Honestly, she had been worried about June ever since the article came out. When she first read the post, she also thought that it was very believable, but in the end, she decided to trust June. Nothing has been confirmed yet, and Jihyun knew how hard June worked to get to where he is right now.
"We're starting in 3...2...1...," a crew member gave a signal to the hosts of the night.
Robby offered his hand, and Jihyun quietly took it. Then, they walked out of large LED screen and onto the stage.
"Robby? The guy from Rising Stars?"
"Damn, he got more handsome than when he was on the show."
"It's sad that their debut fell through, though."
"Yeah, now he's still successful, but I bet he would have become more successful if he was in an idol group."
Robby felt his eye twitch as he heard the trainees' gossip fill the room, and it made his heart swell with even more bitterness than before.
"Good day, trainees!" Jihyun exclaimed through the mic, her cheerful voice a sharp contrast against the nervous energy in the room. "Due to some unfortunate circumstances during the live eliminations, starting this week, we'll be pre-filming the elimination episode! Don't worry, of course. The last episode will still be broadcasted live with an audience!"
"You heard that right, trainees. With your numbers getting smaller, we are nearing the end of your journey as trainees. And today, marks yet another start for the 25 trainees who are going to make it," Robby enthusiastically said.
"As of the moment, the votes are still coming in, but with the end of this countdown, the voting shall come to a halt," Jihyun announced, and a timer for one minute was shown on screen.
June stared at the screen and leaned against his knees.
The article would have definitely made an impact on his rank. Most likely, a lot of his supporters are disappointed with the thought of him being sponsored by the Chois.
However, as the article came out on Monday, there was still adequate time for the public to vote for June after the 'Tie Me Up' performance.
June wasn't sure if that was enough to make him retain his current rank, but he believed that it would still keep him in the competition.
"3...2...1...! All the votes are in, and we are now ready to announce the trainees who made it into the top 25!" Robby exclaimed.
"Starting with the 24th rank," Jihyun said, and the number 24 was shown on screen.
C-Jay played with his fingers, already feeling a sense of defeat in his heart. He glanced at June by his side and saw him still with a nonchalant expression.
Is that why he never felt nervous during eliminations?
Is it because he already knew that he was going to make it?
C-Jay shook his head and looked down at his lap with a bitter smile. It must be nice.
Truly, C-Jay didn't want to become suspicious of June. He even believed him during the bullying incident, but with the number of trainees getting smaller and smaller with his rank still staying in the same spot, he couldn't help but feel anxious.
As he lifted his head, his eyes met with a trainee who mirrored his expression.
Jangmoon.
They both had smiles on their faces, but they didn't feel genuine at all, and beneath their hopeful expressions was a look of acceptance.
They probably wouldn't make it, huh?
Jangmoon smiled from the other side of the room as if comforting C-Jay and telling him that it was going to be okay.
"This trainee had surprised the starlights and the mentors last week, piercing through the hearts of many with his hard work and professionalism."
The two couldn't even hear what Jihyun was currently saying. In their minds, they were already trying to accept the bitter truth.
"Congratulations, trainee Jangmoon. You have jumped 26 places and are now ranked 24th!"
