Chapter 270 Center
The balance of the world has been disrupted. You know that iconic moment in Miss Universe when the host mixed up the names of the contestants and accidentally announced the wrong winner? Yeah, June was still hoping for something like that to happen. June sat at the first seat, on the very apex of the triangle. Meanwhile, Casper and Zeth sat below him—the two unstoppable forces during the entire show. June sat there, still wide-eyed from the announcement. He could still hear Minho's voice lingering in his mind from a while ago. "The center of the debut group is….June!" Minho announced, and for the second time of the night, the crowd was silenced. However, the screams became deafening when it hit them that June had taken the first place. June stood there, not believing his ears. Then, he felt someone's strong arms wrap around him. Zeth patted his back and whispered in his ear, "Congratulations. You deserve it." June's eyes widened, and his mind was in shambles. Deserved it? June definitely didn't deserve it! - Holy crap. I think June girlbossed way too hard to the sun because how the hell did he become the center? - HAHAHA oh my goodness, I am crying. Are you guys seeing his face? - Why does he look constipated? - He's so lucky and unlucky at the same time. Why do I feel like he - Why does he look constipated? - He's so lucky and unlucky at the same time. Why do I feel like he doesn't want to take the first place? - Well, if he doesn't want it, then Zeth could just become the center. I don't even know how June managed to debut as the center. Jia and her friends rejoiced, screaming in their seats like it was the end of the world. Meanwhile, Jihyun stood up from her seat, covering her mouth in shock. She felt tears brimming in her eyes. However, when she realized her husband was watching from the side, she quickly wiped her tears and clapped with a joyous smile. "Wooh! Go, June," she cheered like a mentor would for her student. Jordan also couldn't keep still in his seat. In his mind, Zeth was the eternal center of this season of Rising Stars. He has been the frontrunner for all of the missions! Then, suddenly, this June trainee came and surpassed him with godly speed. Minjun and Grandma, too, looked at each other with wide, surprised eyes. They had been engaging in rituals for the past few days—one that would make June debut. They didn't think these rituals would actually make him take the first place! "That's my big bro!" Jangmoon screamed, jumping in his seat. Casper, too, smiled widely as June's name was called to be the center. He was still pretty bitter that he ended up in third place, but knowing that Zeth was also beaten made him feel that it was fair. The venue was filled with joy. However, the center himself couldn't help but think how unfortunate he truly was. June's eye twitched as Zeth delivered his speech. He couldn't hear anything but the sound of his responsibilities. Being the center meant being in the spotlight. Unlike Lin Zhi, June wasn't a fiend for attention. Right now, performing already brought immense joy to his heart. However, from what he recalled, the center position entailed more than just performing. Of course, being in an idol group meant he'd have to engage in other work. However, it was way worse for the center! 'Gosh, this is bad,' June said in his mind. However, he had no time to dwell on his thoughts since his name was called by Minho. It was only then that June realized Zeth was no longer beside him and had taken his seat next to Casper. "And would our lovely center please say a speech to all our starlights?" Minho smiled, feeling proud of June. June was, in fact, the very first trainee without a company to debut as a center in Rising Stars. June wasn't in the right mind to say anything. However, as he thought of the people who had supported him until now, he decided to at least give a decent speech. So, he momentarily swallowed his pride and spoke from the heart. "As I reflect on this journey, one thing is clear," he started off, causing the audience to listen intently. "I didn't anticipate any of this when I first walked into the world of idol survival." Yeah, because he was merely expecting to debut—not to become the center! June cleared his throat. "I wasn't sure how to become an idol, nor did I have any grand aspirations. My initial goal was simply to complete the missions and make it through. I still remember my pink cat mask, my trusty companion, which helped me hide the facial expressions that would have probably gotten me kicked out early in the competition." The crowd and the trainees chuckled. "But I guess something happened as the days turned into weeks. I found support among the trainees. I began to help and seek help from one others, forming bonds I never would have thought would be possible. It wasn't just about surviving anymore…but thriving together." "Oh gosh," Jaeyong whispered to himself. "I'm not going to cry." "In the process," June continued. "I found satisfaction in creating stages that resonated with the viewers' hearts. The joy of performing, the connection with the audience, and the shared dreams we carried are only a few things I will cherish deeply." That was supposed to be the end of his speech. It was something June had carefully written last night, even if he wasn't sure if he would debut. However, he continued to speak his mind before he could stop himself. June wanted to say something to someone…someone who was probably not listening. He wanted to say these words to himself, or in this case, to Choi Joon-ho. The current June wanted to respond to the words Choi Joon-ho had said to his future self. "To my past self, I didn't give up. We grew, we learned, and we met friends in the process. I hope I've made you proud." "We made it…against all odds," he smiled, looking up at the translucent ceiling of the dome. From his view, he saw the stars and one of them twinkled brightly more than the others. "And as I stand here today, I want you to know that your hard work wasn't for nothing. Thank you, my past self, for never giving up. This is our victory," June said. "We made it, Joon-ho," he whispered. Then, he snapped out of his emotional state, looking a bit disgusted with the words he had just said. With that, June bowed deeply before bolting to the very top seat. He was met with roaring applause, and as he looked at his teammates from his view on the apex, it hit him. This was it. June finally debuted. "It's not over yet, folks," Minho said, taking his attention away from his current teammates. "Because we still have one member to add to the group!" Right, it still wasn't over. He looked at the remaining trainees on the circular stage, his gaze hardening. The eighth place.
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