BLGDF 75

Chapter 75

On the surface, I acted like it was nothing. Like of course I’d debut.

But inside, it wasn’t like that at all.

I was anxious. And empty.

I had to be number one.

But… could I really be number one? Truly?

Debut, I thought, was possible.

But my mission wasn’t just to debut.

[Debut in first place on the agency’s survival program, Make a New Color.]

They sure expected a lot.

But I had no choice but to obey.

From the start, I never had any choice.

Not as Baek Nokha, nor as Yoon Cheong.

So, I had to empty my head and just charge forward.

But—

I couldn’t charge forward with nothing.

I had to carry my own weapon into the fight.

Then what was my weapon?

The thing that would let me win a battle I was destined to lose.

From the very start of MenuCol, I had been thinking and thinking about that.

At first, I thought all I had to do was somehow defeat Kim Ryeoyu.

Because in the beginning, the only one M10 and Colors were desperate to debut was Kim Ryeoyu.

So if I could knock down the one who got all the storylines and screen time,

I thought I would win.

But as time passed, I realized it wasn’t just Kim Ryeoyu.

There was Kim Geum, Seo Baekyeong, Ryu Bora, Yeon Juhong, Lee Juseon… and five other trainees besides.

My allies—and at the same time, the people who could cause my mission to fail.

I couldn’t unfairly beat kids who were fighting honorably.

So the only option left was—

“Back to the basics again, huh.”

—to show everything through the stage.

“Haah.”

What a fate I’ve got.

Now, all that remained was to prove my worth as an idol.

M10 and Colors had tried to balance the scales between Kim Ryeoyu and Yoon Cheong as evenly as possible.

With the tables turned now, Cheong had the advantage, but Ryeoyu’s core fans still couldn’t be ignored.

And there were still people who hadn’t completely shaken off their misgivings about Yoon Cheong.

Logically, they knew Cheong was the victim.

They also knew the one they’d praised so highly, Kim Ryeoyu, was the perpetrator.

But the moment they admitted it, they became perpetrators themselves.

So some of the people who had sided with Ryeoyu chose to play dumb to the very end—

because they couldn’t bear to admit they were wrong.

Even those people’s votes had to be drawn in.

Even their eyes had to be turned.

And the only way to do it was—on stage.

[Next stage, Team “Ipan Sapan.” Seo Baekyeong, Yoon Cheong, Kim Geum, Ryu Bora, Lee Juseon, and Yeon Juhong. A performance where each of the six trainees’ personalities shine. Let’s watch together now!]

Do Heeyoung’s brief introduction ended, and before the stage began, Team Ipan Sapan’s practice footage rolled.

[Baekyeong: We’ve split it into six positions. Center and Sub Vocal 1. Main Vocal. Rapper 1. Sub Vocal 2, 3, and 4. Whoever thinks a role fits them, write your name down. Sub Vocals 2–4 have equal screen time. Think carefully about which part shows off your tone and charm best.]

[Bora: But shouldn’t we at least discuss the center? I mean, everyone probably wants it.]

[Baekyeong: Why? You want it?]

[Bora: No, not necessarily.]

[Geum: Then you do it.]

[Juhong: I agree! Center’s all about dominating with visuals first anyway!]

[Juseon: I’ve got no complaints either. If it’s Bora, I wouldn’t feel bad giving way.]

[Bora: …Cheong-unnie, what about you?]

[Cheong: I’m doing main vocal.]

[Bora: Shouldn’t have asked.]

And so the whiteboard positions ended up like this:

• Center + Sub Vocal 1: Ryu Bora

• Main Vocal: Yoon Cheong

• Rapper 1: Kim Geum

• Sub Vocal 2 + Main Dancer: Seo Baekyeong

• Sub Vocal 3: Lee Juseon

• Sub Vocal 4: Yeon Juhong

How did they decide the roles, and how did they settle on the concept?

[Geum: Yeon Juhong.]

[Juhong: Yes!?]

[Geum: Roll.]

[Juhong: Will you roll with me?! Then I’ll roll!]

[Geum: Not me, roll with Juseon.]

[Juseon: Stop trying to sell me out.]

That was how they practiced.

At first, their constant bickering made fans nervous—

since the earlier Team Winners never raised their voices once, everything flowed quietly.

But that had also been dry.

So it wasn’t fun to watch.

It gave the impression of just being some people thrown together temporarily.

But Team Ipan Sapan?

They were… kind of cute.

Fan comments during practice:

• “Maybe it’s cuz they’re really close IRL, but they seriously look like a team.”

• “Can they just debut like this already?”

• “Ahhh my broken heart from M10 is healing thanks to these kids T_T”

• “Damn, M-Bastards…”
   └ “Don’t forget C-Bastards too.”

• “Honestly, compared to the last team… lol”
   └ “For real, last team gave us nothing but ‘we know you’re watching’ vibes.”

• “You can see how much they like each other, it warms my heart…”

• “Cheong–Hong stock rising again today ^_^ Two kittens combo, please debut them!”

• “Geumja stock steady ↑ Tiger + Deer chemistry sooo tasty.”
   └ “Wait who’s Geumja??”
   └└ “Kim Geum x Ryu Bora, cuz her name has the hanja ja (紫, purple).”
   └└└ “Shut up, Geum–Joo is the real deal.”

• “But this team is tricky. We can only vote for five.”

• “Yeah, who do we leave out? I want to vote all six T_T”

• “Maybe I’ll skip Kim Geum since he’ll debut anyway T_T”
   └ “NO, never! No one is safe in audition shows, have you learned nothing?”

• “F***ing M10 is cruel as hell. Show us six kids with this chemistry and then only let us pick five? Do you want me to d.i.e, human?? Change the rules immediately!”

• “I knew this six-member path was a death march… and yet here I am, walking it again…”

• “@: Why’s that guy acting like that??”

• “@@: Leave him. It’s MenuCol Six-member Syndrome.”

• “My Baek–Cheong–Geum–Ja–Hong–Joo ship is going down in flames.”

Unwittingly, the six had given fans a huge dilemma.

People who came in determined to only vote for one bias found themselves slowly wanting to debut all six together.

Because what moved them wasn’t some forced “broadcast chemistry,” but the real bonds forged by living and struggling together.

Still, if the performance itself flopped, all of that would evaporate.

Colors fans, after all, had high standards.

Their seniors’ baseline skills were high, so unless the minimum standard was met, everything else was meaningless.

In the midst of those demanding expectations—

♪ Dive to our blue wave ♪

♪ If you’re ready to be swept away… ♪

The performance began, with center Ryu Bora’s opening.

But something felt different.

Earlier, Team Winners had all worn coordinated matching outfits.

But Team Ipan Sapan each wore different colors.

Outfits that matched their names.

Yet it wasn’t completely incoherent.

Despite being different, there was a strange sense of unity—and visual fun.

Their individuality shone, but it was clear they were one team.

Ryu Bora wore a light lavender dress, airy and simple.

♪ Cold is the blue water ♪
♪ Your gaze chills me again ♪
♪ Eyes half-shut, I dive in… ♪

Lee Juseon’s pre-chorus followed, brightening the mood.

♪ You come crashing into me ♪
♪ Hoo, I’m a stupid mermaid ♪
♪ Feels like I might drown ♪

Then Yeon Juhong carried the brightness forward, in a trendy coral-colored, kitschy retro outfit.

♪ Wave, wave, wave today again ♪
♪ Watch out, watch out, it’s strange ♪
♪ I’m being swept away again ♪
♪ Wave, wave, wave today again ♪
♪ Your blue mischief tosses me around ♪
♪ Save my stormy heart ♪
♪ Big blue wave, wave, wave ♪

When the chorus came, the trainees’ voices blended—

but Yoon Cheong’s main vocal led.

Her voice anchored the team, stable and clear.

If the earlier members had shown their own small ripples,

Cheong was the great wave crashing over everything.

And she didn’t stop there—she added a playful expression fitting the song as she stepped into center.

♪ Again, again, like a tidal wave you crash in ♪
♪ I’m, I’m a mermaid who can’t swim ♪

Next was Seo Baekyeong’s part.

Short but impactful, his unique accent gave the line texture.

Then came Kim Geum’s rap.

He had written it himself, so it stood out even more in his voice.

The sight of Geum standing like a tidal wave, while the other five acted like they were swept away, refreshed the stage’s atmosphere.

After another chorus from Yoon Cheong, the first verse closed.

Fan comments during the stage:

• “Team Ipan Sapan is so cute I could explode (me rn).”

• “I finally remember all their faces, thank god. Face recognition success!”

• “They didn’t rearrange much? Sounds same as before?”

The first verse drew modest reactions.

But the real game began in the second verse—

The part Kim Geum had arranged, with Yeon Juhong chiming in to “help,” Ryu Bora acknowledging, Seo Baekyeong permitting, Lee Juseon laughing, and Yoon Cheong’s eyes flashing.

The moment the second verse started—

• “Holy sh*t this is good.”

• “They’re geniuses. Six geniuses.”

• “It’s midnight and I’m screaming with joy.”

• “Cheong’s high note—what is this, the third one? It’s so clean my whole house feels vacuumed.”

• “I knew she could sing, but this is next-level.”

• “Honestly… she’s top 3 among current idols, no question.”

Little by little, the stage began catching fire.