NOVEL NEXT Chapter 77
Five days before episode 7 aired.
There’s nothing to do.
Under normal circumstances, I would have gone to the company to practice with my older sisters, but the Team Leader insisted that resting was important, so I had no choice but to stay holed up at home.
As a result, my daily routine during this vacation became similar to that of before I became a trainee.
Stretching, piano, exercise, singing.
Finally, either teaching Do-ah or just rolling around in bed.
But even after doing all that, time still dragged on, and I found myself unable to resist picking up my phone.
“Ha-ah… I guess I’ll just look.”
Searching for my name brought up various posts from different communities.
[“Concept) ‘Jo-Dol 3’ trending number one for 4 weeks, 8 participants in the top 10”]
[“Cute sighting of Jo-Dol 3 participant Do-hee Leeㅋㅋㅋㅋ”]
[“Insane specs of Jo-Dol 3 participant ㄷㄷ”]
[“Do-hee’s second-place remarks were so cuteㅋㅋ”]
[“How can you not vote for this adorable little bunny
?”]
…
…
…
[“Do-hee is too cute ㅠㅠㅠ”]
[“Do-hee’s gif made with love.gif”]
[“(Nyeon-Chu) Behind the scenes Do-hee gif”]
The cycle of exhilarating and then depressing posts continued.
It’s not sweet and salty, but more like a rollercoaster of emotions.
I think I understand now why people struggle with mood swings.
Still, aside from a few embarrassing moments and a handful of posts that bashed me for unclear reasons, most of the comments brought a smile to my face.
But I can’t help but be drawn to the few hateful posts, I guess that’s just who I am.
– “Why is that young child acting like that? Making sultry expressions is really harmful for kids.”
– “Clearly plastic surgery ㅋㅋ The agency is impressive for letting a kid that age get surgery ㅋㅋ What about the parents? Don’t they feel guilty? Using their child as a money-maker ㅋㅋ”
– “Trying too hard to be cute ㅋㅋ It shows, seriously.”
But hey, the last comment is right.
I don’t want to act cute either, you jerk.
And I also found out this time that there’s another community focused on me.
[“Do-hee Lee Gallery”]
At first, it was shocking, but seeing everyone mention me without a single hateful comment lightened my mood a bit after reading the insults.
However, being that kind of community, many posts were about minority topics that hadn’t been searched on the internet.
Photos taken of me during the production announcement, fan art, gifs of me from broadcasts so far, articles, and more.
Among them, a few posts caught my eye.
[“Do-hee studying in class”]
(Photo)
“If she studies this hard, how can she not do well in school! Our kid is such a genius ㅠㅠ”
– “ㅋㅋㅋ She’s also trying hard in her studies ㅋㅋ So cute!”
Wait, haha, so cute!
– Totally a baby, so adorable!
– Isn’t it just so cute?
– This was a year ago, and they’re still such a baby, lol!
[Do-hee’s Elementary School 6th Grade Field Trip Talent Show, lol]
(YouTube Video)
Haha, the host keeps forcing it!
– Even forced dancing looks different, haha!
– For real, they’re not even dancing hard, but they match the rhythm without any flashy moves. Go, Kida!
– Thanks to the host, we’ve got a good video, lol. Looks like Do-hee didn’t want to do it, haha!
– But despite the poor sound quality, they sing really well. Whoa… their tone is amazing!
└ Their tone is such an exaggeration, for real.
[Do-hee Reading in the Book Club]
(Photo)
└ A perfect balance of literature and martial arts, lol!
└ Just reading makes a pictorial moment, haha, so cute!
└ Whoa, can a middle schooler be this pretty?
Looks like some unknown classmates are already spreading my videos and photos…
But I can definitely tell who posted the last photo of me reading.
I immediately called So-hee.
[Oh! It’s Do-hee! Do-hee~ I missed you!~]
“Anyway, did you post my photo?”
[Whoa.]
Whoa, what the heck.
Look at how shameless she’s become.
*
The airing date of Episode 7.
Hana Unni suggested that the team gathers to watch Episode 7 together.
Fortunately, I could escape by using the excuse that I’m 15 and the airing time is 11 PM.
[Hana Unni: Okay, but next time we team up, practice will double.]
I received a message that sounded like a threat, but it’s probably Hana Unni’s idea of humor.
I’ll think of it that way…
Anyway, it’s a chance to lie down on the sofa at home and watch comfortably.
“Let go of this!”
Thanks to that, I could hug and play with Do-ah.
Do-ah whined that it was uncomfortable, but the scent from the top of her head is my drug.
“Oh my, why is our daughter not watching in her room?”
Mom teased while peeling a melon for me.
“I told you, this episode will be really cool.”
“Our daughter is always cool~”
Dad said with a tone like he was looking at a baby, but I won’t really be coming out as cute today.
Finally, the episode 7 begins with the logo and tonight’s broadcast preview.
[Today unfolds with various charms of the girl on stage!]
The stages to be aired today, including ours, flashed by one scene at a time.
“Sis!”
For just a moment, my face passed by.
My face.
Such a breathtaking appearance.
Looking at the screen, the makeup, hair, and styling are insane.
Wow… seriously pretty.
“How is it? Cool, right?”
“Yeah!”
Since it’s Do-ah, who never lies, I could trust her words.
[Who will take the first-place reward, which is crucial for survival?]
Meanwhile, on the screen, the MC continued speaking about the second round of competition following last week.
[Next stage. Whenever I hear this song, I always return to that moment. It’s a ballad expressed like a poem!]
“When will you go on stage, unni?”
Even with glasses making her eyes look smaller, Do-ah still gazed up at me with her enormous eyes.
“Not sure, probably the last.”
As expected, it’s our team’s performance that feels jammed in after quite a while.
[Ah, this song! The popular boy group with wild masculinity, 2Q’s ‘FATAL’. Let’s meet the members covering this song. Please come up to the stage!]
As we’ve been mentioned since last week as a super team, most of the viewers’ attention was on our team.
That’s why the PD placed us towards the end of episode 7 to maintain the ratings.
[Hello, we are Pam! Me! Pa! Tal!~]
Today’s introduction is still awkward as ever.
At least I’m glad I look cool in a suit on screen.
“You’re amazing, my daughter~”
Yet, my dad’s tone sounded adorably supportive.
I get that it’s because he’s my dad, but it still feels a bit annoying.
After the team introduction and the MC’s interview.
[What was the rehearsal process for the [FATAL] team?]
Finally, the in-depth rehearsal process was revealed.
There was absolutely no crisis or problem in the cheerful team atmosphere.
I wonder how they’ll edit this.
It was the scene for deciding the positions.
While casually picking positions without anything remarkable…
[How about we first set the arrangement concept before splitting our vocal parts? Since Ha-rang unni’s rap part is small, I think we should pick another part to add.]
In that moment, my eyes met with Hana unni’s, exchanging a peculiar expression within the edited frame.
This sudden suggestion might give off a bold impression of the youngest, but later scenes will likely transform it into a display rooted in genuine confidence.
[Let’s listen to the original song again, and even if it’s just a simple idea, feel free to share anything that comes to mind.]
“Hey, even if it’s just a simple idea, let’s throw anything that comes to mind out there.”
And then came my first idea, followed by a stream of ideas.
“What do you think about doing this in R&B style?”
“Then how about a concept with a gentle, subtle temptation vibe?”
“I’d like to add some sounds like heels to create an approaching feeling.”
“How about wearing a suit with those heels?”
“Standing in front of a stand mic and singing, that’s the plan…”
[Active Flow of Ideas]
Since it’s a secondary competition composed of 12 teams, each team has around 15 minutes including the stage.
We could have just lumped all the ideas together as subtitles, but the show included all our conversations.
Definitely, besides being a super team, there’s no team story, so the broadcast focused heavily on the production process.
Thanks to that, our image was amplified, showcasing us as geniuses beyond just a super team.
Because of this, my impromptu piano performance shone even brighter.
“Wait, how are you playing that without sheet music? Have you played it before?”
“Nope, I’m playing it for the first time today.”
“Whoa, so you just heard it once and can play it right away?”
“Wow… Jackpot. You’re a genius.”
[Absolute Pitch?!]
I felt a bit embarrassed by the awkward subtitles but couldn’t help but feel a bit smug.
Mom and Dad were over on the side, getting all excited and loving it.
After that, the segments featuring the production and practice seemed to show us having a smooth journey, as if the production staff was blatantly cheering us on.
Praises from the music director and arranger, beaming smiles.
Continuous compliments raining down from the trainers during mid-evaluations.
Even after turning off the lights in our dorm and lying on the bed, we were still trying to harmonize, showcasing that we’re diligent geniuses.
The following stages were also enhanced, as the details from the production and arrangement process were intuitively understandable to the viewers, highlighting the performances.
The broadcast was made up of feel-good moments only.
Suddenly, I got worried.
After all, this is a competition program.
When haters thrive, anti-fans are bound to be created.
The reason that scares me might just be that in this life, I’ve only received love.
“Ah, Unni! Stop snagging on me!”
While smelling the top of Do-ah’s head, I decided to find my calm.
But hey, if the hate comes, I’ll be the one taking it all.
Hana, Ha-rang, and Sara Unni will gladly share the load.
Thinking that way eases my mind.