Chapter 156. Final, 3 Days Before
**Kang Hadi @kang_HD**
K-pop is really funny.
Kids debut, but
why is it that, starting a week ago,
I stop eating and end up with gastritis?
Their full-time employment has no impact on my life, yet…
Shares 3,093 | Quotes 1,004 | Hearts 4,832
The live broadcast for the final was just around the corner.
The voting system, which previously involved picking two contestants, had now changed to a single pick. Announcements regarding the final’s audience and related news articles were released.
Episodes 8 and 9, the second elimination goodbye stage, and various other official content were uploaded as if they were clearing out hard drives.
**[Looking for companions]**
Looking for people to tour the Hongdae Entrance Station Kyungikim’s support ad + cafe tomorrow!
Planning to start from 10 AM….
If you’re an adult, that’s even better!
**Cherry Blossom @ch_blossom**
We’ve posted the notice about the Taehyun support exhibition and
the distribution of goods on the day of the final, which I prepared
with Taeriday (@tae_day) and Foxxy (@foxxy1)!
This time, we really want to see our Taehyun debut.
Let’s all put in just a little more effort!
Fans also went all out to secure voting rights.
In addition to support ads, cafes, and goods distribution, there were various voting certification events and hashtag campaigns.
**- Oh, the credit for the new song just dropped.**
For this final, not a cover song but an original Miro Maze song was set to be revealed.
Regardless of anything else, since Miro was known for producing amazing songs, there was a lot of anticipation for this new track.
**[Look at the lineup for Tumi’s new song]**
I expected Utopia’s Seo Taeil and Enderway’s Park Woong since they’re from the same agency, but Sarin, Yoon Heejae in lyrics, and Ronday in producing, wow…
***
**- ? Is this possibly the debut song?**
└ **No, just for the final.**
└ **Is it true that if Han Sewon fails this time, the company will go bankrupt?**
**- The lineup is insane.**
**- Wow, haha, you can trust the song for sure. The Tumi kids are good singers too.**
**- As someone familiar with Idea-in, this combination feels too familiar, didn’t hit me much, but I guess it’s impressive.**
└ **Haha, I thought it was just me. Haha, yeah, maybe our Taeil just made some calls…**
└ **Those guys are all from Seo Taeil’s neighborhood group…**
**- Has it been announced who will perform which song?**
└ **No, seems like they’ll reveal it live. Makes it even more nerve-wracking.**
Everyone was eagerly waiting for the final day, hoping that their favorite trainee would debut.
At that time, unexpected sightings of the trainees were reported from surprising places.
**[Guys, I came to take some four-cut photos…]**
(Miro Maze trainees’ four-cut photos)
**What is this, my hands are trembling**
***
**- ?**
**- ????**
**- ??????????????**
Starting with the group photo of the trainees displayed in a four-cut photo booth supporting Miro Maze trainees, traces of the trainees began to be spotted everywhere.
**Jerry @MrJerry**
OMG
Guys, I came to Haji’s event restaurant
and they have a childhood Kang Hajin photocard here.
He came and gave them out before the opening.
Oh my God, this is insane.
(Photocard of Hajin’s childhood photo)
**Milky Road @milkywayboy**
At the Seojudan support ad at Hongdae Entrance,
there were Eunchan’s post-its, too ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ
There’s also Taehyun and Haru’s!!!
It seems like they all came together ㅠㅠㅠㅠ
**[I’m so thankful to them…]**
They must be so exhausted, unable to sleep properly
because of the final preparations,
when did they even plan such an event ㅠㅠ
***
**- Comment 1: As if they did it themselves, the company must have done it haha**
└ **Comment 2: How could the company take four-cut photos, idiot? In disguise?**
└ **Comment 3: It’s honestly just pitiful seeing people so twisted like this… How unloved must they have been growing up**
└ **Comment 1: I’m just stating the truth, why?? Haha, and by the way, I was loved a lot, okay?**
└ **Comment 3: Okay… I understand… Must feel good to get attention this way, huh…**
**- Comment 4: The comment above is seriously pathetic, is this community on the verge of collapse?**
Destinies were purely delighted by the unexpected event.
The official Miro Maze account announced a final live broadcast and voting certification event, where the trainees’ four-cut photos would be sent out as a random draw.
It was a last-minute push to encourage voting.
And at the same time.
Amid the hectic days spent preparing for the final, the ten trainees who had successfully completed the surprise event for their Destinies were now…
“…….”
“…….”
“…….”
“……Bang.”
“Ahhh!”
“…Aargh!”
“Oh! Jaiden hyung got caught!”
…All gathered in the practice room, engrossed in an intense game of 007.
“It’s so unfair. I’m a foreigner. Cut me some slack.”
“007 is originally American, you know.”
“That hyung only claims his American nationality when it’s advantageous.”
“Alright then, Jaiden hyung gets a penalty point~”
The trainees, all sitting in a circle, had laughter blooming on their faces for the first time in a while.
Jaiden, uttering strange Konglish like “I’m very unfair, man. I was so close. We must play one more round,” was being watched by Eunchan, who was quietly observing him before he spoke to Hajin sitting beside him.
“By the way… Is it really okay for us to play like this?”
As Jaiden was making a fuss about playing one more round, Jaeyoung sternly warned him, telling him to stop pretending he couldn’t speak Korean well, knowing full well that he could. Watching them bicker with a faint smile, Hajin shrugged in response to Eunchan’s question.
“Well, what can we do? Team Leader told us not to practice today.”
Three days before the final.
Ji Suho had granted the trainees a day off.
Although they had practiced until late last night and had a mountain of preparations like rehearsals starting early tomorrow morning, making it hardly a full day off….
Still, Suho’s instruction was to forget about practice and the final for now and just focus on having a good time during this period.
“Thanks to that, we got to check out the ads and cafes today, wasn’t it nice?”
“It was, but… It feels a bit off. Like, is this really okay?”
“There’s a saying that before the college entrance exam, you should just focus on your condition and not study. Think of it like that. Besides, we had fun, didn’t we? If we have fun and enjoy ourselves, then the people watching us will enjoy it too.”
At Hajin’s relaxed words, Eunchan nodded, seemingly a bit more convinced.
Indeed, they had done a lot today.
From the morning, they toured numerous cafes and ads supporting them, and then they all grilled meat together at the company cafeteria.
After eating to their heart’s content, they played a soccer game at a nearby field, supposedly to burn calories.
Although they quickly had to retreat because of Doha’s overwhelming play and Hajin’s trolling.
They installed a karaoke app on the practice room monitor and had a grand Miro Maze singing contest for an hour, and now they were going through various games led by Siwoo, who had conquered university drinking games, and Hajin, who had a wild past.
For the trainees who had spent anywhere from one to over three years in this underground practice room at Miro, focusing solely on debut, it was definitely a refreshing day.
Eunchan slowly reviewed the events of the day in his mind and nodded slightly.
“…It was fun.”
“Then that’s enough.”
Satisfied with Eunchan’s answer, Hajin turned around and got up to stop the escalating brawl between Jaiden and Jaeyoung.
Watching Hajin pull the two apart with a tickle attack, Eunchan suddenly thought to himself.
‘So, this is possible too.’
There was a time when just stepping into this practice room was painful for Eunchan.
The gazes that looked at him, the murmuring voices.
To Eunchan back then, this practice room was not a welcoming or pleasing space at all, yet it was a place he could not escape from, nor should he.
But within just a few months, Eunchan had forgotten that he ever feared this place.
“Eunchan. Did you hear?”
“Ah, no. I didn’t.”
“They’re dividing us into teams by dorm, and later we’re going to play a game for grocery shopping and dishwashing. We’re deciding on the game right now.”
Eunchan nodded at Taehyun’s explanation, who had approached him without him noticing.
In front, Hajin, who had supposedly been stopping Jaiden and Jaeyoung, was now the one being pinned down and retaliated against.
“Why is Hajin hyung like that?”
“Oh, he was rebelling, no, opposing
, saying that dividing by dorms was too unbalanced….”
The tickling punishment was slowly turning into wrestling, which Siwoo wisely interrupted at the right moment.
‘It’s frustrating to get injured while practicing, but if you get hurt playing around and can’t do the final properly, who will you blame for the rest of your life?’ was a sharp, yet factual comment he added.
Eunchan embraced the lively atmosphere in the practice room with a pleasant feeling.
Unlike when they had arrived, Hajin was now walking back toward them, his hair and clothes disheveled. Taehyun, seeing Hajin in that state, laughed and made a joke.
“Oh dear, Grandpa. You must be exhausted from playing with the kids.”
“I’m not as spry as I used to be….”
“What were you like back then?”
“I used to get commendations in the army, stay up for three nights straight, and still have energy to play with the kids.”
“Yeah, yeah. That’s impressive.”
“You don’t believe me?”
“Oh, of course I do. Our grandpa is the best.”
Taehyun, having no way of knowing that Hajin’s words were true, brushed them off as familiar nonsense. Hajin, a bit hurt, questioned Taehyun again, but since there was no way to prove it, he just closed his mouth and sat down next to Taehyun.
‘Wait a minute. But the military service and youth camp volunteering were after this, so should I call it the past or the future?’
Considering whether his 29-year-old self was younger than his 20-year-old self was, Hajin once again realized how challenging the life of a regressor was. He glanced at Haru, who was absorbed in choosing a game with Siwoo, before quickly looking away.
Lying naturally on Taehyun’s lap, Hajin looked up at him and casually asked.
“How’s the new song preparation going?”
“Are you suddenly trying to check on me?”
“It’s not checking, it’s concern. Worry and anticipation for a younger sibling taking on a new challenge.”
“You really are something, hyung… Even if you fell into the Han River, your mouth would still float.”
“Yup. Actually, this isn’t a mouth, it’s a life raft. Very suitable for surviving in a world with rising sea levels due to global warming….”
“The song prep is going well, so don’t worry, Grandpa.”
“Mm. That’s good. Proud of you.”
Taehyun had now learned the skill of cutting off Hajin’s nonsense at the right time, so Hajin closed his lips, as if they were glued shut.
But Eunchan understood better than anyone why Hajin had asked such a question. After all, he was also someone who was surprised when Taehyun chose this song over the other one.
“Taehyun hyung is good. He’s the ace of our team.”
Hajin and Taehyun both looked at Eunchan, a bit surprised at his added remark.
Feeling awkward and embarrassed under their gazes, Eunchan quickly avoided eye contact and covered his face with his hands.
“Ah, why are you both staring at me like that?”
“Taehyun… Our Eunchan has grown up….”
“It feels really nice to be praised by Eunchan.”
“Chana, what about me? Don’t you think I’m doing well too?”
“You’re not on our team, hyung!”
“Oh my, it must be hard for those who aren’t on Team A.”
“Ah, Grandpa, go away. We’re the beloved maknaes of the precious center.”
“Agh! Don’t tease me!”
In the face of the overwhelming attention (disguised as teasing), Eunchan’s ears turned bright red, and he got up to flee. He ran towards Doha, who would never tease him. Watching Eunchan retreat, Hajin smiled and got up.
“Ah, if we don’t make it to the final, I won’t get to tease Eunchan anymore.”
“…Why are you raising such a flag, hyung?”
“What do you mean? It’s just a determination not to fail in the final.”
Hajin backed away in horror, making Taehyun burst into laughter.
Right, there was no way they could fail.
It wasn’t just Hajin; Taehyun felt the same way.
“…We have to do well. We can’t miss this chance.”
Taehyun whispered to himself, clenching his fist.
He couldn’t let another golden opportunity slip away due to the same mistakes.
Seeing Taehyun’s serious expression, Hajin quietly fell into thought without adding any more words.
In three days, what kind of result will we face?
As that heavy question lingered, the trainees’ cheerful laughter piled up like sand.