TDOCD Chapter 91

Maomai
Aug 17
6 min read

Updated: Sep 5

CHAPTER 91

"How did you all find out?"

Although it was a public casting, it still happened in the waiting room.

Seo Ra-eun might have heard since she was on the same team, but how did the other members know?

The members looked at me as if I was saying something strange.

"Why wouldn't we know?"

"Even 5th May Rookie knows about it."

"Huh?"

"The rumor spread everywhere."

"They say Director Kim Ja-in personally cast you."

I stared at the members with a dumbfounded expression.

Is this really something that should spread as a rumor?

Is Kim Ja-in really that impressive?

'I don't even know who she is...'

Of course, I'm practically a regular person who rarely sets foot in broadcasting stations, unlike most celebrities.

I just thought she was a capable high-ranking person, but I didn't know she was famous enough for even trainees to know about her.

Han Da-min spoke up.

"She's famous as the former manager of senior Rena. She personally discovered and raised her to become a top star."

"I heard she's called 'God's eyes' and 'God's hands' in the industry? They say she's good at finding and nurturing potential stars."

Min Ha-young said. But how does Min Ha-young know this?

Han Da-min knowing makes sense since she debuted, but Min Ha-young should be a pure civilian who hasn't even joined an agency yet.

Noticing my gaze, Min Ha-young shrugged.

"Just, my teammates were talking about it?"

"The Crescendo members?"

"Yeah, when I heard that Flora's Ryu Ji-ye was cast by Director Kim Ja-in, I asked who that was, and they told me. They said even trainees all know about her."

She must really be an impressive person.

To be cast by someone like that….

Of course, thinking back to the conversation and tone at that time, there's still something unsettling about it.

"But it's a bit surprising. There's still some time left until the competition ends, yet you're already getting casting offers. And directly from Director Kim Ja-in at that."

"Well, the individual trainees participating in Start Plan are guaranteed to have skills, right? I bet even the first-year members who were eliminated first have already received offers from somewhere."

Hmm, that could be true.

The first-year members also passed through fierce competition to participate, so their skills are guaranteed, and they're young too.

'I hope they joined good companies, not sketchy ones.'

Thinking this, I raised my ade, but Choi Song-yi blocked my cup with her hand and asked.

"So, unnie, are you going to MN?"

"Huh?"

"You received a casting offer, right? Are you going there?"

"Um..."

I put the ade back down.

"I'll think about it. If we can't debut together."

"Eh? You don't look particularly happy? Aren't you excited about getting cast by MN? I thought you wanted to go to MN."

I nodded to that statement.

After experiencing MN's level of support during this round, I honestly really wanted to go there.

I even mentioned it casually to Min Ha-young when she came to visit briefly.

But their wording was ambiguous as to whether they wanted to bring me to MN Entertainment or if a trade was their goal from the start.

If we progress further in the competition, even better offers might come in.

MN would be good. But I don't want a trade.

It would be fortunate if they sent me to a company of similar level, but I still don't like it.

Every trainee has an agency that matches what they're pursuing.

So I decided to just take their business card for now.

I spoke lightly, as if making a joke, while poking at my salad.

"Well. We might win and debut together, you know."

The members burst into laughter.

"That's right! We got first place today, so we might win too!"

Min Ha-young said energetically, leaning heavily on my shoulder. Elated by the first-place win, she swayed as if drunk.

"I really wish that could happen!"

"...But we can't win."

Choi Song-yi, who had already informed the members once about the predetermined winning team, mumbled timidly, but all the members ignored her and kept laughing.

Then Han Da-min stroked my back and said.

"Still, Director Kim Ja-in is really trustworthy, so give her a call. MN is truly a great place. If you have dreams of debuting."

"...Okay."

We all actually know.

Even though we're laughing happily, there's a bittersweet feeling in a corner of our hearts, and that's probably why.

As Choi Song-yi said, it's difficult for us to win.

No matter what we do.

Even if we borrow Hong-jin's power, it's hard to change the deeply rooted collusion between SU and U-net and the results that are already predetermined with debut shows being prepared.

'I really don't want to rely on family power either.'

And our Flora is a temporary group that will disband if we don't win.

Even if we were to win, we'd just become a project group with a set end date.

So we need to prepare for what comes after Start Plan ends.

Han Da-min's words were advice for this.

Don't stake your future on a small chance of hope based on affection.

That's why I had to nod.

If I were still Hong Yeo-eun, her words would undoubtedly be right.

But.

'I absolutely won't let that happen.'

I am Ryu Ji-ye now.

I absolutely won't let the members who are moving forward believing in their dreams end up in an unfair situation.

Thinking this way made me feel a bit calmer.

Can you truly grow into a better person by overcoming trials 'like a protagonist'?

Mission completion condition: Resolve the controversy surrounding 'Ryu Ji-ye'

'Don't worry.'

I steeled my resolve, ruminating over the mission window's phrase with a settled heart.

***

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

Has anyone seen Episode 2 of Start Plan?

How was Episode 2? I'm a survival show addict, but I backstepped after seeing Episode 1 because of JH...

(Read comments)

⌎ If it's because of JH, you can watch it! He doesn't appear in Episode 2!

⌎ Really?? Thank you... I really hated seeing him... I don't understand why they insist on putting such a controversial person in the judge's seat...

⌎ For real... But apart from that, all the trainees are fine and the editing is okay!

⌎ I'll go watch Episode 2...

⌎ ? The editing was, okay? I don't understand, it was a mess.

⌎ ?? It wasn't that bad, was it?

Review of Start Plan Episode 2... Not as bad as expected

Maybe it's because they're still establishing each group's image, but the editing isn't as evil as I thought. U-net's approach is so unlike them that it's surprising... What's wrong with them? It feels awkward;

(Read comments)

⌎ Hey, don't let your guard down again??? The true value of U-net's editing shows after the first ranking reveal...

⌎ Damn, I forgot about that

⌎ Yeah, they paid a lot of attention to individual trainees. I liked how they tried to establish characters for each one from Episode 1. The mentoring system too... It's not really necessary for trainees with agencies

⌎ Ryu Ji-ye's classical music bit was hilarious lolololol

⌎ Classical music lmao hahahahahahahaha

⌎ Her character is way more unique than I imagined from her profile and group song, I'm dying laughing hahahahaha

⌎ Yeah, the character-establishing edits weren't bad. There wasn't much content, but they made each trainee interesting, so I enjoyed watching

What kind of character is Start Plan individual trainee Ryu Ji-ye lololol

Why do they keep playing classical music for her lololol I can't lololol

Wasn't she standing in line with half-sleepy eyes during the audition too??

(Read comments)

⌎ Hahaha U&I and Ryu Ji-ye are my Start Plan laugh bells lolol

⌎ Hahaha They played classical music for the most serious person lololol

⌎ Wait, she had sleepy eyes during the audition??? Was that shown? Why didn't I see that???

⌎ (ryu_jiye_final_audition_sleepy_eyes.jpg) She was in the corner of the screen, people were dying laughing when Episode 1 was airing live