Chapter 235 You Have To Debut
With less than a minute left, June ran through the doors and walked to the box that contained the names of the eliminated. June dropped the envelope inside the box, his heart heavy yet decided.
Jangmoon looked heartbroken when he suggested to be the one to eliminate. But June knew this was the best choice.
He watched as the production crew carried the box away, preparing to inform the eliminated trainees of their fate.
Then, the sound of the intercom was heard through the dorms.
"Trainees, please come to the training center. I repeat, trainees, please come to the training in ten minutes."
June sighed as he walked heavily in the direction of the training center. The other trainees, too, seemed to be in a dampened mood.
With heavy feet, they all entered the training center. June was the last one to enter, and his team was already there waiting for him. He was expecting them to look sad or disappointed, but he was surprised to see them smiling while calling him over.
"Make it fast!" Jangmoon exclaimed like he had gone back to his previous mood.
June shook his head and stood next to them.
Minho once again made his way to the stage with the envelopes containing the names of the eliminated ones.
The remaining trainees felt dread fill their hearts as they prayed for their names not to be called.
Minho took the mic and sighed deeply, setting the tone for the awaited announcement. Just then, some sad music played in the background—the slow, instrumental version of their signal song.
It was a song they dreaded during the first episodes, but now, it took them back when times were simpler.
The trainees started getting emotional even before Minho spoke, and it hit them that this was it—the names that would be called would be eliminated, while the remaining trainees would be a part of the finale and, quite possibly, the debut group.
"I guess this is it," Minho said, the background music turning softer. "The individual winners of each group had come to a decision. Unfortunately, that means five of you will be leaving tonight."
"But do not fret," Minho quickly added. "This is only the end of your journey on Rising Stars. I hope to see you again in the future."
"I really don't want to do this," he sighed, going through the enveloples.
June's members gave him reassuring smiles as if telling him that whatever his decision was, it was going to be okay.
"For Lin Zhi's team," Minho started off. "Steel, unfortunately, this is your last day with us."
The other trainees turned to their team with wide eyes, in disbelief, that Steel, the trainee who undoubtedly did his best to create the choreography and lead the team's dance, was now eliminated.
As Steel glanced at Lin Zhi, the latter quickly looked away.
Lin Zhi admitted that it was a spur-of-the-moment type of decision. He didn't like how Steel mentioned that June's team deserved to win. However, Lin Zhi doesn't regret his decision.
Steel also has a great chance to debut, and eliminating him from the competition meant eliminating another competitor.
Steel, who still appeared wide-eyed, made his way to the front, curiosity seen on his face.
Minho pursed his lips as he said another name. "For Zeth's Team…Yuri, you have been chosen. Please come to the front."
Once again, the trainees were shocked. However, some already expected the result. Zeth's team was filled with powerhouses—trainees who were all likely to debut.
After the second mission, Yuri had fallen off the ranks along with Leo, and the team also knew that Yuri had a share of unfair comments to the team. So, in the end, Yuri quietly walked to the front with pursed lips, not daring to meet anyone's eyes.
"Next...for Jisung's team," Minho said. "Gyeorae, you have been eliminated from the show. Please join us right now."
Gyeorae sighed and nodded in defeat. Deep inside his heart, he already expected the outcome. Compared to the other trainees here, he didn't work as hard, nor was he a natural during performances. So, he wasn't too hurt when his name was called.
"For Sehun's team," Minho continued. "Hansol, please come to the front. Your journey ends here."
Leo looked at Sehun with wide eyes. He was fully expecting his name to be written since he lacked in many aspects as their leader. However, Sehun merely smiled and nodded, making Leo smile too.
"And lastly," Minho said, the mood now even more dampened. He opened the envelope and felt a tug in his heartstrings. He had never been close to this particular trainee, but watching him on the show was always a delight.
He was a mood-maker of some sort. And with him gone, Minho was sure he'd be missing his side comments from time to time.
"Jangmoon," Minho softly said his name.
June looked down at the ground as the trainees whispered among themselves. It was a well-known fact that June and Jangmoon were friends, so hearing his decision was the most shocking of all.
However, Jisung, C-Jay, and Akira were surprisingly calm about June's decision. It felt as if Jangmoon had already told them his goodbyes.
C-Jay pursed his lips and looked up at the ceiling, trying to stop the tears in his eyes from falling.
The room turned silent as the sound of the sad piano music engulfed the studio. The five eliminated trainees now felt that their elimination was official.
"Trainees," Minho said, also getting emotional. "Can you say your last words before leaving the show?"
"Oh, come on, Mentor," Jangmoon joked despite the heavy mood. "What do you mean by last words? We aren't dying."
June shook his head and chuckled. The atmosphere became lighter as Jangmoon cracked a joke.
"Well, since these four are already bawling, why don't I go first?" Jangmoon said, getting the microphone from Minho.
He cleared his throat and smiled, looking at every friend he made along the way. Jangmoon never expected to have made it this far, so he was thankful to all the people he had met.
They were the ones who made his time memorable in this place.
"Umm," Jangmoon started off, finding the right words to say. Despite putting on a brave face, it couldn't be denied that Jangmoon sounded emotional.
"I just want to take this time to say thank you, I guess," he chuckled to keep his emotions at bay.
"I want to thank my fans. Little you guys may be, but you're the best," Jangmoon smiled. "You made me feel loved. You made me feel that pursuing the idol life is worthwhile."
He let out a deep breath.
"Now, I'd like to take a moment to thank some very special people who have made this journey all the more incredible. Jisung, thank you for being a friend who has been a constant source of support. You have a heart of gold, bro," he smiled, and Jisung smiled in return.
"Akira, you've been my ego-slayer, but I still want to thank you. You always kept me grounded when I start floating too high," Jangmoon chuckled along with Akira.
"And I guess I'll mention Jaeyong too," he said in a reluctant tone, causing the others to laugh. "But in all seriousness, you've been a great addition to the team. I thought you were an asshole at first, but now, you're a soft asshole," Jangmoon teased, causing Jaeyong to shake his head.
"And C-Jay," he continued with a wide smile. "My partner in crime, my compadre in chaos—you're the person I love to hate the most in this show."
"I hate you, too!" C-Jay called out, but everyone could tell the sadness in his voice.
Jangmoon chuckled sadly. "I'll miss you, ugly. Get eliminated quickly so we can meet each other again."
"And lastly, June, my big bro," he said, turning to the trainee he wanted to thank the most.
"Or shall I say, little bro? I've always thought you were older than me in wisdom, but now, I want to take this time to say something to you as an older brother."
June listened intently.
"Remember, I'm watching you from the sidelines, and I've got high expectations. You better debut, and don't you dare feel bad about my elimination."
June smiled softly and nodded.
As Jangmoon let out a deep, shaky breath, he said his last words. "Some dreams aren't meant to be fulfilled, but they'll always have a special place in our memories. So, it's not the end of the road for us," he gestured to the eliminated contestants. "We just have a different path. I wish all of you the best of luck. Thank you for the laughter, tears, and unforgettable moments we've shared."
"Goodbye, for now, but not forever. Until we meet again on different stages and in different dreams."
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