"Contestant Song Mi-Hee's total score for the one-on-one battle is... 144 points. Add that to her 142 points from Round 1, and her grand total comes to 286 points! At last, Contestant Song Mi-Hee, who had always been stuck in second place, rises to first overall!"

Even planting her foot on the ground had to be painful, yet Song Mi-Hee never once let the smile leave her face while she sang. And even though top idol Yoo Se-Na had returned on the rival program to perform her own song, 'Sunny Days,' Song Mi-Hee went out and performed that same song without showing a trace of fear, singing and dancing all the way through.

She delivered a remarkable stage that seemed to hold the weight of ten full years of effort, and as a result, she claimed first place overall for the first time since joining Project I.O.A. Song Mi-Hee's week seven performance, carried through in spite of her injury and all the way to the finals, was more dramatic than any drama.

At that moment, Song Mi-Hee, who had been standing with my support, covered her mouth with one hand and suddenly burst into tears.

"Ahh... ngh..."

She cried so sorrowfully that even Sung Na-Ra, who had shared the stage with her, found it difficult to congratulate her. And I was no different.

Kim Jung-Joo, who had been hosting as the MC, carefully approached Song Mi-Hee and asked, "Contestant Song Mi-Hee. If it's because your ankle hurts, then we'll hear your thoughts later."

Song Mi-Hee barely held back her tears as she answered, "N-no. It's not that. It's just... this is my first time being in first place... that's why. Sniff."

"Huh?"

Still sniffling, Song Mi-Hee went on. "In my whole life, I've never once come in first. Especially today, with my ankle hurting and Na-Ra doing so well, I kept telling myself that I just shouldn't make any mistakes..."

Kim Jung-Joo let out an impressed exclamation. "Wow, your very first number one. This really is a meaningful moment. Congratulations, sincerely!"

Song Mi-Hee sniffled and replied, "Thank... you."

"Then could you say a few words for the viewers?"

Song Mi-Hee nodded and took the microphone. "Thank you so much to everyone in the audience and all the netizens who voted for me. And please give lots of love to the other members too, not just me! I'll keep doing my best. Thank you."

Clap, clap, clap.

In time with the applause, Song Mi-Hee bowed again and again, offering her thanks.

Kim Jung-Joo, who had been watching her with pleased eyes, took the microphone back and continued the program. "All right, with that, all of today's rankings have been announced. Team 1 is..."

Kim Jung-Joo began calling out the teams one by one, each made up of two Korean contestants, one Chinese contestant, and one Japanese contestant. And once the announcements were over, the members of the eight teams that had been eliminated began to cry.

"We'll take a short break, and then we'll show you the encore stage."

The moment filming paused, I immediately scooped up the Song Mi-Hee I had been supporting and carried her down off the stage. As soon as I got down, Do Ran-Hee came running over, pushing a wheelchair. Once I settled Song Mi-Hee into the wheelchair, Doctor Jeon Soo-Min and Doctor Kim Soo-Myung began examining her ankle as well.

A moment later, Jeon Soo-Min let out a relieved sigh. "If she gets acupuncture today and tomorrow, plus cupping therapy, she should be able to move again before the weekend. Still, treatment has to start the moment the stage is over."

"Thank you. Thank you so much."

Thankfully, Song Mi-Hee would still be able to perform on next week's stage, so the words came out on their own.

Just then, I noticed Song Mi-Hee's mother standing there with both hands clasped tightly together.

I quietly stepped aside so Song Mi-Hee's mother could come forward. "Ma'am, please come over here."

"Yes, Mr. Jung."

Song Mi-Hee's mother slowly approached and took her daughter's hand as she sat in the wheelchair.

"My baby girl... Does it hurt a lot?"

"No. It doesn't hurt at all."

When Song Mi-Hee shook her head, her mother wiped away the cold sweat on her daughter's forehead and said, "When did you grow up so much... my daughter... I haven't even done anything for you..."

"Come on, Mom, what do you mean you haven't done anything? You've raised me all this time and supported me the whole way. And you came today, so I was able to go on stage. If you hadn't, I would've given up."

"Really?"

"Yeah." Just then, Song Mi-Hee spoke in a trembling voice. "And, Mom. There's something I really want to tell you..."

"Hm? What is it?"

With a tearful smile, Song Mi-Hee said, "I got first place! I've wanted to say this to you ever since I was little, but I was stupid and it took me way too long. I'm sorry."

Her mother smiled warmly and pulled her into a tight embrace. "No. Ever since the day you were born, you've always been number one to me. The prettiest in the world, the kindest in the world, and the most lovable daughter in the world."

"M-Mom..."

"And even if you're not number one, it doesn't matter. To me, you're the daughter I'm most proud of in the whole world."

At that moment, Song Mi-Hee wrapped her trembling arms around her mother as well. "I feel the same. You're the best, Mom!"

Song Mi-Hee's father had gone in and out of prison for violence, even interfering with her debut. Meanwhile, her mother had taken her all across Seoul, running away while working tirelessly to support her daughter's dream of becoming an idol.

Song Mi-Hee, too, had pushed herself to the brink to live up to her mother's expectations. After enduring all those difficult years, she was now rising as a representative member of Project I.O.A. Like the protagonist of a perfectly written drama, she stood surrounded by cheers and bright lights.

'Congratulations, Mi-Hee.'

***

For the final encore stage, the trainees lined up beneath the stage one by one.

I turned to Do Ran-Hee and spoke. "Ran-Hee, tell Mr. Ji that she'll be going up in a wheelchair."

"Yes, Mr. Jung."

At that moment, Song Mi-Hee gave me a deep bow. "Mr. Jung, thank you for today. I was being unreasonable... If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been able to pull it off properly."

"I should be the one thanking you. You held on well."

Song Mi-Hee flashed a grin, showing all her teeth, then accepted help as she made her way up onto the stage. In that gap, I checked the app to gauge the reactions. Because of the delayed live broadcast, the footage Song Mi-Hee had just shown was only now airing.

[PROJECT : I.O.A]

(Live Chat)

-Is Song Mi-Hee's leg actually injured? She's dancing 'Sunny Days' without any instability.

-Seeing her collapse after the stage, she must really be hurt.

-The birth of a second Yoo Se-Na.

-Damn, this is what you get from a 10-year trainee.

-She was sweating cold sweat and still smiling during the second verse.

-Even during her speech, she was taking care of the other members. She's basically a leader.

-If it's Leader Song, she'll take care of the team until the very end.

...

Just as expected, praise for Song Mi-Hee was pouring in. However, even though Yoo Se-Na was currently performing her signature song 'Sunny Days,' the atmosphere on the rival program airing on KNET mobile was completely different.

[KNET Once Again, Idol! (LIVE)]

Round 5: Yoo Se-Na 'Sunny Days' performance begins.

(Live Chat)

-It's Yoo Se-Na live for the first time in 5 years!

-Maybe it's because it's a studio, but it doesn't hit as hard as before? 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

-The performance isn't as strong as I expected. Was my memory just romanticizing it?

-I think she's doing great, so what's the problem?

-Not at all. It's lower quality than Song Mi-Hee's performance on Project I.O.A just now. Compare them yourself.

-Ah, is this the difference between idol generations?

-Idols these days seem way better than they used to be.

-Damn, I should've just watched I.O.A. Why was I waiting around for this?

-The ones manipulating the comments up there are I.O.A fans.

-From what I can see, Yoo Se-Na is no different from when she was active!

-What is the board admin doing? Shouldn't they be blocking the IDs that are deliberately trashing Se-Na?

-Protect Se-Na!

-Every last one of the people insulting Yoo Se-Na can go fuck themselves.

Just as I had thought, Yoo Se-Na's performance wasn't live. It was a recording. Yet even with all the editing stitched together, there was none of that overwhelming presence the Yoo Se-Na of the past used to command onstage. As a result, a fight had broken out between ordinary viewers and Yoo Se-Na's old fans.

Then, right at that moment, someone dropped a news link into the chat. When I clicked it, I saw a freshly uploaded article by Reporter Jang Moon-Ki.

[(Exclusive) Was Yoo Se-Na's 'Sunny Days' stage prerecorded instead of live?]

(Comments)

-Agreed. They're calling this live right now, but that's a total lie. No matter how I look at it, it's prerecorded footage.

-You can totally tell where they spliced it.

-The angle at 15 seconds and 30 seconds is the same, but one prop in the back is different.

-Did anyone else notice the angle of the background lighting changing while Yoo Se-Na was dancing in the studio?

-I found three differences too.

-This is like a spot-the-difference puzzle. I found four.

-These days Jang Moon-Ki, king of incitement and distortion, is turning into someone who drops hard facts.

...

The sharp eyes of the internet sleuths were backing up Jang Moon-Ki's article. The viewership ratings for the two broadcasts hadn't come out yet, but at this point, I didn't even need to see them to know the result.

'Looks like today will end as a complete victory for us.'

***

"That concludes week seven of Project I.O.A! We'll see you next week!"

As soon as Kim Jung-Joo signed off, the members of Project I.O.A standing onstage all bowed at once. "Thank you."

But then something felt off. Instead of responding with applause, the staff kept their ears fixed on their intercoms.

Because of the delayed live format, the ratings for Project I.O.A and its rival program, KNET's Once Again, Idol!, still hadn't come in. In the meantime, the only thing filling the studio was the sound of audience members getting up from their seats.

With the staff showing no reaction at all, the girls onstage, the staff below the stage, the judges and talent agents, and even the contestants' parents all started watching each other nervously.

A moment later, the staff across the set all clenched their fists and shouted at once.

"I knew it!"

"Yes!"

"Great work!"

"Thank you for your hard work!"

"Everyone worked so hard on today's shoot!"

The staff started shaking hands, finally reacting. At that, the contestants and their parents began chiming in too, relieved.

Just then, one of the junior staffers at the scene approached and told me the viewership ratings. "Mr. Jung, our Project I.O.A got 13.5%! KNET's Once Again, Idol! dropped all the way to 8.1%."

"A five-point gap?" I asked.

"Yes! We completely crushed KNET. And we were up two whole points from last week too!"

At the start, we had been behind in the viewership ratings. However, in the final ten minutes, we had pulled off a miraculous reversal. While Yoo Se-Na's stage falling short of expectations was a factor, the biggest contribution came from Song Mi-Hee delivering a performance that far exceeded anyone's expectations.

Only then did the talent agents and the girls on stage finally grab each other's hands and burst into cheers.

At that moment, my eyes caught sight of the eliminated contestants on stage. Yoon Ah-Rin had already been taken to the hospital, so only three eliminated contestants remained standing there. They were Ban Hyun-Mi, Li Ming, and Nagano Mei. The three of them couldn't blend into the celebratory atmosphere and instead stood apart, breaking down in tears.

Just as I was thinking I should go comfort them, the studio doors opened.

Click.

SBC's President Kim Gab-Soo, Director Lee Jae-Ryong, and Project I.O.A's CP Kang Dae-Woong appeared. Behind them, Wang Long, Sasuke, and Lee Ha-Yoon walked in as well.

The staff and contestants all bowed at once. "Hello, sir."

Kim Gab-Soo raised his hand and let out a hearty laugh. "Everyone worked hard today."

After greeting the contestants, their parents, and the staff, he came straight toward me. "Chief Jung, I heard you worked especially hard today."

"It was nothing," I answered.

"How are the girls with injured legs doing?"

"The one who went to the hospital is receiving treatment, and Mi-Hee, who's still on stage, will likely need to rest until mid-next week."

"Oh dear. That's unfortunate. Still, we'll take full responsibility for both of their treatments, so don't worry."

"Understood. But what brings you here?"

At that, Kim Gab-Soo cleared his throat and looked at me. "I wanted to commend everyone for their hard work—and give a special gift to you. You went through the most today, Chief Jung."

"A gift... for me?"

"That's right. You crushed KNET, who had been bragging about being the original audition program. So go ahead, ask for anything. If it's within my power, I'll grant it."

An unexpected stroke of luck had just fallen into my lap.

'What should I ask for? Should I ask for more promotion for I.O.A? Or maybe request a separate variety show just for I.O.A?'

Just then, the faces of the eliminated contestants—who wanted nothing more than to get off the stage and run into their parents' arms—came back into view. At that moment, I knew exactly what I should ask for.

"Sir, it's a bit of a troublesome request, but could you grant it?"

Kim Gab-Soo thumped his chest confidently. "Didn't I say? If it's possible, I'll make it happen."

Without hesitation, I pointed to the stage. "Then please give all 31 contestants here, and the one currently at the hospital—a total of 32—one opportunity to stand on an SBC music program stage for their debut, no questions asked."

"A guaranteed debut stage?"

"Yes, sir."

Out of all the contestants on that stage, only two teams of eight people would actually make it. That meant the remaining twenty-four, including Yoon Ah-Rin, would be eliminated and either have to find a different path or become trainees under various companies.

However, even becoming a trainee didn't guarantee a debut. Nine out of ten would give up before ever making it. So I wanted to give everyone who helped drive the viewership ratings of Project I.O.A today a single gift. A golden ticket to debut, no matter what.

"A single stage, huh..."

"I'm not suggesting we just throw them on stage unprepared. Once they sign with agencies, we'll make sure they're properly trained for their debut stage. And they already each have their own fanbases, so it should generate buzz as well."

"Hmm. If that's the case, it's not impossible. Still, why make a request like that? You could've asked for another variety show for the I.O.A winners."

I pointed at the girls standing on stage. "Because every one of them is my kid."

At that, Kim Gab-Soo burst into laughter. "Hahaha. I can't believe someone like you still exists these days, Chief Jung."

"Sorry. I tend to meddle a bit too much."

Kim Gab-Soo waved his hand dismissively. "Is that really meddling? I'd rather call it compassion."

With a gentle smile, he called over Lee Jae-Ryong beside him. "Director Lee, take responsibility for this. Compile the list of those 32 and hand it over to the CP. No matter how many years pass, any group that includes these kids gets a debut stage, no questions asked."

"All of them, sir...?"

"Yes. We're SBC. If we put our minds to it, we can at least do that much, can't we?"

"Understood."

At that moment, I bent deeply at the waist in gratitude. "Thank you, sir!"

Just then, the girls on stage, the talent agents from Hoop Entertainment, and the contestants' parents all bowed together, shouting in unison.

"Thank you!!"

For trainees holding a golden ticket like that, their agencies would undoubtedly try to place them into debut lineups. Perhaps that was why, as they held their parents' hands and jumped in place on stage, genuine smiles—ones I hadn't seen before—finally bloomed across their faces.

And then, the studio doors flew open once more. PD Ji Yung-Sik came running in, out of breath.

Bang.

"You're here." Kim Gab-Soo grinned and gave a thumbs-up. "Looks like PD Ji has become the best audition PD in the country, hasn't he?"

However, Ji Yung-Sik's reply was something else entirely. "It was only possible because the best talent agent in Korea helped me."

"Oh? So that's why we won by such a huge margin. Because we had Chief Jung?"

"Yes! And from here on out, with even more help from Chief Jung, we'll completely dominate the audition scene."

Just like he used to say back in the Angel Ji era, now he was talking about conquering the entire audition world.

'Seriously, how is he able to say things like that without even having a drink? And why is the embarrassment mine to bear?'

***

When I woke up in the morning the next day, every entertainment headline was plastered with yesterday's broadcast.

[Project I.O.A reaches 13.5% viewership ratings in week 7, breaking its own record again.]

[Song Mi-Hee, long-time runner-up of Project I.O.A, rises to #1 with a passionate performance that moved the live audience to tears.]

[More intense! More dazzling! Song Mi-Hee's fiery performance overshadows Yoo Se-Na's comeback stage.]

[Song Mi-Hee's injury-defying spirit—an emotional encore at #1, performed from a wheelchair.]

Song Mi-Hee's electrifying performance had completely overwhelmed Director Hong Ah-Yoon of HK Entertainment and the hastily assembled audition program from KNET. As a result, Hong Ah-Yoon, PD Choi Go-Bong, and even Son Hyung-Tae, the president of CK Entertainment who had indirectly supported them, all ended up thoroughly humiliated.

Nevertheless, I couldn't be satisfied with just this. Yesterday alone, I had to go through all kinds of trouble to protect Project I.O.A. So today, I planned to make those three pay dearly for daring to mess with a regressor.

'Now it's my turn.'