Chapter 40 (Minor Revision) Idol Sports Meet (Part 2)...
For idols, the rankings they achieve in competitions are still somewhat useful.
Even if you don't win a prize, being interesting can still get you some attention.
At this point, even if the TV station shows some bias towards popular idols, it won't be very obvious.
Besides their favorite idol, it's common for most fans to have multiple other idols they fandoms.
This idol's performance today was outstanding; I really liked it.
This band's song is really good tomorrow, I'll like it.
This atmosphere has also given many groups from small companies the opportunity to be seen.
Therefore, it is only natural for idols to put in effort in competitions.
However, the effort put into the competition and the sincerity in interacting with fans do not conflict with the act of exchanging notes in the corner.
The presence of fans in the stands does not affect the private actions of idols who have such thoughts.
This is actually similar to the snack ban that existed during class time in school.
Students who want to eat will always find a way to get something to eat.
There's always a way to talk things out.
Why are you so bound by the limitations of the occasion?
...
The competition items were chosen by each member individually.
Because of the members' different schedules, the three members of ETE are seeing each other less often.
It's different now than when the members were together all day long in the early days of their debut.
The practice room is where the three of them meet most often.
As for the dormitory, although they lived in the same house, each of the three had their own room.
On the contrary, we don't see each other often.
Han Shangxi signed up for the archery event.
She had tried this sport a few times with her friends during her high school years.
During the short training period, Han Sang-hee's archery skills were also recognized by her instructors.
Archery tests concentration and stability the most.
Han Shangxi happens to be good at both.
"Ten rings!"
Sanghee from ETE achieved a score of ten in the end!
They won the championship!
Let's congratulate her!
The competition after reaching the finals was more intense than she had imagined.
But she still managed to do it, didn't she?
After the last arrow was shot, Han Sang-hee winked at the camera after hearing the commentator's words.
Elegant, confident, and carefree—this is the Sanghee of the twenties.
...
After finishing her own project, Han Shangxi walked towards the spectator area, where her two teammates were waiting for her.
When passing by the ETE fan area stands, interacting with fans is naturally an essential part of the experience.
He responds to fans' requests and performs actions accordingly...
Away from the competition arena and stage, Han Sang-hee's performances become more authentic when interacting with fans.
While receiving the love from her fans, she also expressed how much she cared about them.
—Once you've met Sanghee in person, you'll never be able to shake her off in your dreams.
An anonymous forum user once strongly condemned Sanghee's pandering behavior towards her fans, and said the following.
Staying in the spectator area, Han Shangxi interacted with her two teammates very naturally, just like in the early days of her debut.
These two friends are still her friends.
There was nothing unpleasant about their relationship.
At least for now, they are still a group.
Maintaining a positive image for ETE is also part of Han Sang-hee's job responsibilities.
This made Lee Min-jin feel even more awkward.
Lee Min-jin preferred to spend time with her when Sang-hee expressed her dissatisfaction.
She couldn't quite understand Shang Xi, nor did she understand why Shang Xi had shown no dissatisfaction with the company's arrangements during this period.
He treated them with the same care as before.
He continued to urge them to practice as usual.
Han Shangxi is the one who cares the most about team activities.
Was it a performance? The thought had barely crossed Li Minzhen's mind when she extinguished it.
Lee Min-jin, despite her awkward status, is the only child raised outside the main family since childhood because her birth mother died early.
The biggest setback she has encountered in recent years was the suppression she faced for insisting on being an idol.
She couldn't understand Han Sang-hee's consistently submissive behavior since his debut.
When Mingming first met this friend, she remembered that he was a very strong-willed person.
This rare feeling of inner turmoil was suppressed by Li Minzhen.
For Han Sang-hee, Lee Min-jin, and Sung Ji-hye, their current feelings are more about complete trust in each other.
Having the other person around gives me a sense of security.
Both of them developed a certain degree of dependence on Han Sang-hee, their team leader.
The complexities of one's heart are one thing, but the unconscious display of intimacy is another.
This performance, as observed by fans, prompted the emergence of CP fans within the ETE team.
—Who says we ETEs are all just colleagues? It's clearly a complex and profound feeling of unrequited love.
—Even we older unnies on the line feel inferior when faced with a bright and poised child.
...
The production team certainly wouldn't force idols and fans to spend all their time on set.
They set up separate rest areas for idols and rest areas for fans.
However, the location...
The two rest areas are located in the southeast and northwest corners of the venue, respectively, facing each other across the competition area in the center of the venue.
Is it to prevent extreme fans, or to prevent idols from going too far?
Clearly, there are both reasons.
After taking out the milk he had bought from the vending machine, Han Shangxi originally intended to turn around and leave, but was unexpectedly blocked from view by an unknown male idol.
The handing out of a note with a phone number doesn't necessarily stem from goodwill; it could also be out of a desire to try investing in a potential stock.
Being able to connect with famous idols can be a way out for idols who aren't very popular.
He took it, left, and then went to a corner to destroy the evidence of the note.
Han Shangxi was already very familiar with this process.
She had long been labeled "Iron Woman" in the industry.
However, precisely because of this, some busybodies have emerged who want to take on more challenging tasks.
Han Sang-hee knew this because a colleague she met while filming a show told her privately.
The way that unnie spoke was very much to Han Sang-hee's liking.
They ended up communicating more privately.
I don't know why these people have so much energy in this area.
Isn't it better to just focus on your work?
Han Shangxi sighed once again.
As Han Shangxi turned to leave, she bumped into a familiar figure at the corner.
When Park Hyung-sik saw Sanghee, his expression was somewhat panicked.
He instinctively wanted to explain that he hadn't followed her on purpose.
"...
It was just a coincidence.
In the end, Park Hyung-ji realized that his actions seemed to have only made things worse.
Sanghee simply nodded to indicate that she understood and was about to leave when he called her back.
Perhaps today is the best time, or perhaps not.
He just didn't want to struggle with this feeling of liking someone all by himself anymore.
Every time I face Sanghee, my heart beats faster because of her every move.
Even after they finished working together, Park Hyung-sik's feelings for her did not fade with time.
When he saw her again today, he still heard the voice of affection in his heart urging him to get closer to her.
If he gets rejected, maybe he can stop bothering her.
After pouring out his heart, Park Hyung-ji waited for Sanghee's reply, and he had never felt time pass so slowly.
This was the first time Han Sang-hee had heard someone else explain clearly and completely how liking someone comes about.
He found her witty remarks around the corner endearing, felt sorry for her situation, and couldn't control his racing heart when working with her...
When Park Hyung-ji was telling these stories, he didn't dare to look Han Sang-hee in the eye.
This gave Han Sang-hee the opportunity to calmly observe the other person's expression.
Park Hyung-shik presented her with his overflowing sincerity, but she was unable to respond.
"I accidentally lost that pendant while rushing to my schedule."
I think it's probably because I'm not meant to have it.
Han Shangxi's refusal was expressed in a very tactful way.
However, Park Hyung-ji clearly heard the refusal in his words.
"It seems it really has no connection with Sanghee."
He responded with a smile.
At that moment, he looked like a dejected puppy trying to muster his spirits.
"Cheer up!"
Not knowing what to say, Han Shangxi thought for a moment and then said something that could be considered a word of comfort.
This person looks like they're really about to cry.
When Sanghee politely rejected him, Park Hyung-sik felt that everything was finally settled and he wasn't sad.
But when he heard that, Park Hyung-sik thought he should have responded to Sanghee with a smile.
As she smiled, tears welled up in her eyes without her realizing it.
"I remember you seemed to really like this candy, Sanghee. I only brought one this time, so consider it compensation for bothering you."
To conceal his unusual behavior, Park Hyung-shik politely said goodbye and then turned and left.
Oh my god, why do I feel like crying?
In this situation, tears seem more like feigning helplessness.
He didn't want to leave Sanghee with the impression of playing the victim at the end.
After staring at Park Hyung-shi's back for a moment, Han Sang-hee lowered her head, casually tore open the candy she had just received from him, and put it in her mouth.
Her sense of taste was wrong; this brand of candy is clearly more sour.
Only after rejecting the other person did Han Sang-hee belatedly realize that she "liked" him.
This affection appeared at a somewhat inopportune time.
However, when it comes to liking someone, there's no room for so much objectivity and rationality.
If you like something, you like it.
Han Shangxi suddenly understood what it felt like to like someone.
That lime-flavored hard glass candy.
Many years later, this was Shangxi's most profound memory of that tender bud called "love".
The unspoken affection between them appeared briefly and then disappeared into their respective hearts.
Life is about stumbling and falling as you move forward.
Sometimes it's more interesting to hit a wall yourself.
Paying for feelings that shouldn't have arisen and actively distancing herself from the other person are things she needs to do.
Han Shangxi quickly composed herself, turned and left, waving to Li Minzhen, who was already waiting in another corner, to follow her.
...
"Director-nim doesn't forbid dating." Lee Min-jin, chewing on a lollipop, made no attempt to hide her thoughts about what she had just witnessed.
“Unrequited love inspires more,” Han Sang-hee joked as he took another lollipop from Min-jin’s pocket.
"She's a real workaholic." Li Minzhen didn't say those words out loud.
She certainly didn't want to receive extra training from Sang-hee during practice later. Even though Sang-hee rarely "settled personal scores," Lee Min-jin still seldom teased her now. Perhaps it was because Sang-hee was the team leader.
The glass contained bits of sugar, and the aftertaste was a slightly sour and astringent flavor.
After finishing his schedule for the day, Han Sang-hee leaned against the wall of the practice room and turned to look at himself in the mirror.
Han Shangxi didn't quite feel sad, but rather a sense of loss.
She didn't waver; she just didn't know how to deal with these emotions for a moment.
After a brief moment of thought, Han Shangxi decided to give up and pull himself up from the ground.
After quickly tidying up in her dorm room, she headed to the recording studio.
Han Shangxi's daily map remains as small as ever.
Life is simple but fulfilling.
The answer I gave to Li Minzhen turned out to be true.
Han Sang-hee has tried many times to incorporate his daily life into his songs.
Of course, this time was no exception.
The melody swirling in her mind urged her to move.
The audio track that appeared before her so naturally made her feel somewhat unfamiliar.
Is being controlled by music a good thing or a bad thing?
For the first time, she fell into a long, aimless daze.
"What are you thinking about?"
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Author's Note: There's a chance that the timelines for the variety shows and events in the upcoming storyline might contain some personal interpretations. Please treat it as a parallel universe. [cat paw emoji]
Thank you so much, my lovely angels, for reading, commenting, and even throwing virtual gifts! [cheering emoji] [flower emoji]
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