"Now then, our ten trainees who have dramatically returned to Design Your Idol must have a lot on their minds. We can't skip hearing how they feel! First up… trainee Kang Hyunjin!"
"…Yes."
At the MC's call, Kang Hyunjin lifted the mic and calmly looked at him. The MC continued smoothly without mentioning Hyunjin's noticeably gaunter face.
"As the center of 'See' and a trainee who never once lost first place—solidly within the debut zone—your elimination in the previous battle came as a huge shock to everyone. I've heard that returning to Design Your Idol has renewed your determination."
"Yes. First, I was able to recognize my shortcomings up to this point… and because of that, I now feel motivated to repay the Idol Makers who gave me another chance by showing them a new and more diligent side of myself."
"Oh? Then can we expect another new side of you in the next performance?"
"…I'll do my best so that as many Idol Makers as possible can support me."
Hyunjin, sounding stiff from nerves, lowered the mic. His answer was plain, but his expression was completely different from before.
He'd never been the talkative or excitable type to begin with—
but right now, Kang Hyunjin's eyes were…
'They look… kind of dead.'
It was the look of someone who'd been pushed right to the edge of a cliff.
"Hahaha, we'll be looking forward to another twist from you then."
The MC wrapped it up neatly and moved the mic to the next trainee.
"Next, trainee Joo Dan Woo."
The mic was passed to Joo Dan Woo next. As soon as he took it, the MC cast a brief glance toward the rows of seated trainees.
Somehow I felt like he was looking right at me, and the uneasy feeling was proven right as the MC immediately brought it up.
"During your elimination last time, trainee Joo Dan Woo mentioned trainee Won Yuha, which caused quite the stir."
"Ah, yes…"
Dan Woo gave a shy, modest nod. Cameras and trainees' gazes shifted toward me, and I had to keep my expression as composed as possible.
"Even though you were competitors, the warm friendship you two showed moved many Idol Makers. Under that beautiful spirit of fair competition, the two of you have even been nicknamed 'Healingz,' correct?"
At those words, I remembered the announcement ceremony of the second battle—
the one I missed because I was hospitalized and had to watch on broadcast.
Among the eliminated trainees, the one who received the mic from the MC was Joo Dan Woo.
When the MC asked for his final thoughts, Dan Woo hesitated briefly before answering in a restrained voice:
—There are many people I'm grateful to, but most of all… I want to thank Yuha. Because he supported me, I was able to be brave… I think I won't regret anything now because of him. I'm sorry for being eliminated like this… and that we won't be able to debut together… Ah, I'm sorry…
As he continued, slowly and earnestly, he ultimately couldn't hold back his emotions and began to cry. That set off all the eliminated trainees as well, and the entire hall became a sea of tears.
It wasn't just the trainees who were affected by Dan Woo's sudden tears—
the seemingly unshakeable boy who always kept a calm face.
—It was such a painful vote. How am I supposed to choose between Healingz… but I guess the results are out now… My heart is shattered.
—How do you eliminate Joo Dan Woo LMAO I'm quitting this filthy show. I lit incense praying for Healingz to debut together ffs.
—Yuha and Dan Woo were so close, imagine how painful it must've been for them to battle each other… and they still supported each other… how do you let him go…
—I'm from the future. Dan Woo comes back through revival. Healingz debut together. I'm telling you the truth pls listen.
—I'm that woman crying on the subway watching an idol survival show. I approve of this friendship and AINET is the villain here KEEP HEALINGZ ALIVE.
Even the Idol Makers who supported him reacted explosively.
After the episode aired, "Healingz" even reached real-time trends on Whisper, showing just how far the impact of Dan Woo's farewell message had spread.
"I think the love I received was truly overwhelming… I really want to repay that love somehow…"
Then Dan Woo turned his gaze toward me. Hesitant, but resolute.
"…This time, I want to debut together."
"What a heartwarming statement. We'll continue looking forward to the friendship Healingz will show us."
The MC smiled and nodded as he wrapped up Dan Woo's message. I clapped for Dan Woo along with the other trainees.
Afterward, Dan Woo and the other revived trainees joined the group waiting for the ranking announcements.
"Hyung! Is this why you couldn't contact us?"
Aiden Lee was the first to rush to Dan Woo—no surprise, since he had been lamenting Dan Woo's elimination nonstop. Dan Woo scratched his cheek in embarrassment and nodded.
"Yeah. I heard the results, but they told us it had to stay confidential until the ranking ceremony…"
"You could've given us a hint at least! I thought something happened to you!"
Dan Woo only smiled silently at Aiden's mock-resentful tone. I said to him:
"Let's keep doing well from here on, hyung."
"Yeah, I'm counting on you too… Are you feeling okay?"
When I gave a vague "I'm fine,"—
"You're not fine. Yuha, you overwork your body way too much."
A disgruntled voice cut in before I could finish. I stared at him, taken aback, only for Cheon Serim to swoop in as well—sliding an arm over my shoulders with dramatic flair.
"Exactly. Among all the
"Your multivitamins?"
"Royal jelly, zinc, milk thistle—are you taking those? You're drinking cabbage juice too, right?"
"Enough! I'm taking everything."
I shoved the two of them away as they clung to me even harder on purpose, whining in exaggerated concern. They backed off only to cackle together like idiots.
I really shouldn't have given them my address.
Watching them, I experienced a surge of regret—but it was far too late. Unless I moved immediately, there was no escaping these pests.
—Hyung, what's your address?
—…Why?
Right after the Snatch incident had settled, Cheon Serim suddenly asked for my home address.
I didn't want to tell him, not knowing what he wanted, but Serim said:
—Hyung, do you really think I can't find your address even if you hide it?
…It left me speechless.
Because honestly… he really might find it.
Serim was extremely well-connected, incredibly proactive, and ridiculously resourceful. Even if I hid it, he probably would find out somehow.
So I figured it was better to tell him myself.
But then boxes of supplements and tonics started showing up at my door.
—Yuha, do you like eel?
Moreover, whatever he heard from Cheon Serim, even Aiden Lee joined in and sent me—via quick delivery—some bizarre eel jelly that he claimed to have made himself at home, and I had to struggle to choke that down.
I wondered why they were suddenly acting like this, but it seemed that Cheon Serim and Aiden Lee had been genuinely appalled that, the moment I woke up in the hospital last time, I tried to grasp the situation before even checking my own body. In their eyes, I was really neglecting my health.
—We're all doing this to survive, you know. You have to take care of your body first. I've never seen anyone barrel forward in a bad way as much as you do, hyung.
—Yuha, you only have one body. You know that, right?
When I checked the package delivery and called them back, they scolded me so thoroughly that I even considered blocking the two of them for a moment.
"Please take your seats! Resuming recording!"
Anyway, surrounded by two people dead set on teasing me and Joo Dan Woo watching me with worried eyes after being told what happened, the three of them had closed in around me.
Just as their teasing giggles started mixing with Joo Dan Woo's incoming worry-bomb, a staff member shouted, and we had no choice but to stop talking and sit down.
…Ha…
Honestly, I've never been this happy to hear the cue to resume recording. I ignored all three of them and sat down at once.
Once the atmosphere among the trainees, who had been greeting each other after reunions, settled, the MC picked up his mic again. Then, looking at all 40 filled seats and the trainees sitting in them, he began explaining the upcoming ranking announcement ceremony.
"With ten trainees having returned, we now have a total of forty trainees seated here. But as many have returned… another farewell must inevitably follow."
This time, ten people would be eliminated. Exactly the number that had come back.
If the previous battle had allowed eliminations regardless of ranking, the ranking announcement cut strictly by vote count.
Meaning, the ten who returned today could very well be eliminated again—right now.
So the ones who survived the last battle thanks to team victory could fall now, even if their individual ranking is low…
As the atmosphere in the hall began to ripple with tension, the announcement of rankings from 29th began.
"28th place is… Park Wonhyo from Playson Music Entertainment!"
"21st place is… Zixuan from Hui Entertainment!"
Familiar names passed by.
"19th place is… Hwang Young-oh from Yeohoon Entertainment!"
"17th place is… Yoo Min-seong from VOT Entertainment!"
Then the numbers of the teammates from the previous mission's team were called.
"The next trainee showed a unique presence on stage with diverse talents in this mission. 8th place goes to… Joo Dan Woo from Sheez Label!"
Hearing the familiar name, I clapped again from my seat.
Joo Dan Woo, who had simply been sitting and listening, sprang up with a stunned expression. He stood there blankly for a moment, unable to process what was happening, before hurrying up to the MC at almost a run.
"Ah…"
Receiving the mic, Joo Dan Woo couldn't speak for a moment. His eyes were already turning red again.
"…I'm truly grateful to the idol makers who gave me their love. I never expected… I couldn't have expected this rank. I'll continue to do my best as a trainee who never regrets any moment. Thank you."
But this time, he managed to keep his emotions steady and delivered his speech clearly. After bowing neatly, he went up to his seat.
13th to 8th. Despite going through an elimination, it was a dramatic rise—earning cheers from the trainees, somewhere between envy and joy. Still awkward, Joo Dan Woo sat down amid their applause.
"Next is the trainee ranked 6th."
As the mood eased slightly, the MC immediately moved on. And soon enough, I heard another familiar name.
"Next is… the trainee who shone as the overwhelmingly charismatic center in this mission. 6th place goes to… Cheon Serim from Garam Entertainment!"
"…!"
It was because Cheon Serim—who had been the most tense ever since the top 10 announcement began—had finally been called.
He jumped up immediately and headed straight to the MC. Yet, surprisingly unlike himself, he looked confused, probably because he hadn't expected his rank to rise.
"Um… I really didn't expect this rank…"
Receiving the mic, Cheon Serim said that and took a moment to steady his expression. His eyes were slightly red, but he managed to gather his voice and speak.
"…Thank you for giving me such a valuable rank. I'll become someone who never disappoints you—someone who returns your love and trust through sincerity. Thank you."
His speech was short, but the emotions inside weren't. Compressing everything from the events of the past month to all the feelings tied to them, Cheon Serim spoke as if nothing was wrong, bowed deeply, and went up to sit in the chair marked "6."
A three-rank rise within the top ten. That's remarkable.
Watching Cheon Serim exhale deeply in his seat, I thought to myself.
This rise likely came from the high buzz of the "Your Mind's Key" team's performance, plus the ongoing mentions of Cheon Serim due to the Snatch incident.
Although his past escape from a debut lineup was a sensitive point, it also became an opportunity to draw new votes.
More people were paying attention to him, and as time passed, public sentiment shifted to understanding him—and supporting him.
And whether temporary sympathy votes or genuine ones, Cheon Serim likely wouldn't fall out of the top 10 from here on. He had enough talent and charm to sustain it.
So Cheon Serim's rise wasn't surprising.
"The next trainee consistently receives overwhelming love from idol makers for his high buzz, flawless visuals, and dance lines. 5th place goes to… Kang Hyunjin!"
The truly surprising part happened next.
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