The One Who Reaches for the Sun (4)

—Kang Hajin, you moving?

—Yessir. On my way.

At the memory bubbling up on its own, my hunched back straightened by reflex. Watching the too-familiar Kwon-Ko Combo — 'PD Kwon and Writer Ko clock all four seasons at the office,' as they'd been nicknamed in my past life — this insane first shoot started making sense.

'They always did love weird stuff, those two.'

Trying to piece together how the hell this had happened, I dug back and remembered — I'd listed them dead last on the recommended-production-companies rundown. Probably did it soaked in late-night sentimentality, romanticizing the past.

Didn't actually think those two would show up, though!

"We'll cover the specific survival rules during the opening recording. For now — total of eight episodes, first air slot in May. It'll go out simultaneously on iTube and the Ntv channel."

Ntv was a cable channel mostly running idol reality shows and music survivals. It'd been on good terms with Miro for a few years — not a bad placement at all.

'Honestly, for a first survival, that's landing in the majors.'

Nodding at the scale — they'd clearly dropped serious money on this — I quietly ducked behind Lee Doha's bulk.

"You think that bulk of yours hides just cause you want it to?"

"Quiet, brat."

Kim Wonho caught on instantly and hit me with a "with your build, seriously?" face, but I skipped it. No way those two remembered me anyway — but I didn't need to be noticed either.

"Alright — quick break and then we head into recording. See you soon~."

"Yes!"

Announcements apparently done, the Kwon-Ko combo waved with a smile. At the words "broadcast PD," every trainee snapped to attention, stood, and bowed, and I blended in with them.

"……?"

But why was he looking my way?

"Ah, the wall-running trio."

"……"

"Nicely done. You cleared those walls smooth, huh?"

"…Ha ha. Thank you."

The second PD Kwon slapped that verdict on with a thumbs-up, I gave up on trying to shrink myself and straightened up.

Already on the radar. Ha ha.

---

After a quick break, we were led back up to the top floor. The maze that had run people ragged just hours ago had vanished without a trace — one green door with 〈WELCOME TO MIRO MAZE〉 in neon letters greeted us instead.

"Man, if I'd known we were shooting I'd have worn something else."

"Yeah, I was in glasses earlier. Lucky I had contacts on me."

While we waited, I heard a few guys grumbling. Fair enough — even I'd thrown on comfortable clothes thinking it was just another day going in.

'They could've at least said something about looking the part for a first shoot.'

The survivors here were Lee Doha, dressed like a P.E. major as usual, and Jung Siwoo, who always dressed neatly.

'And… those three — who I'd have bought as pre-shoot styling if someone told me.'

I scanned Seo Taehyun, Ju Eunchan, and Dan Haru, who'd been silently taking the room in beside me. They were known for having sharp street-clothes taste, sure, but for guys back from a three-day break, they were dressed way too well.

'Especially Ju Eunchan in contacts instead of glasses — dead giveaway.'

"…what, hyung?"

"Nothing."

I shook my head at Ju Eunchan glancing back at me (obscenely handsome today, of all days) and clapped his shoulder. He'd come with sharp-read Seo Taehyun, so Taehyun must've dropped him a hint. Either way — credit to him for not wasting that face on the first shoot day.

"Alright, we'll enter in the same order you cleared the maze earlier!"

With the AD's cue, the 'real' first shoot finally began.

"Everyone remember? The setup is — you just escaped the maze and you're walking in here. Nice natural reactions~."

'Natural, huh.'

Like that was happening with kids who hadn't even debuted yet.

Anyway, Ju Eunchan, Dan Haru, and Seo Taehyun — first out — walked through the gate with zero tension in their steps. There were sounds from inside that seemed to be reaction shots being captured, and soon enough my name, Lee Doha's, and Kim Wonho's got called.

"We're second?"

"After all that wall-running, coming in last would've been embarrassing."

I collected a properly startled Kim Wonho and stepped through the gate — and a set unfolded that you'd never have guessed was the same place as that earlier maze. A fantasy space that looked lifted straight out of an illustration from Alice in Wonderland.

"…whoa, what is this."

"Now I'm suddenly nervous."

"You get nervous too?"

"…what's that supposed to mean?"

"You didn't look the type."

Was that a compliment? Lee Doha's inscrutable line closed things out, and we took the seats labeled with our names. After that the remaining trainees filed in, each with his own variety of "wow," until everyone was seated.

Soon after, from among the painted trees set up at the front, Seo Taeil — in an outfit clearly styled on the Cheshire Cat — stepped out.

"You who would touch the sun — fly high."

"……"

"To all of you gathered here to become Miro's Icarus — welcome. I'm the mentor who'll walk this journey with you, and the host of Miro Maze — Upia's Seo Taeil."

At the smooth flow of his opening address, everyone clapped and cheered like they were under a spell. Once the reactions had settled, Seo Taeil moved into a brief program intro and then straight into the actual hosting.

"From here on, you'll be entering fierce competition to debut as Miro's next male idol group. And of the eighteen trainees gathered here, only seven can claim those spots."

"……"

"Your futures are on the line — so give this survival everything you've got and show us the best you have."

"Yes!"

Only seven. Only seven of them got to debut.

And I not only had to be in those seven — I had to debut 'successfully' enough that this cursed regression didn't repeat.

'Man. A lot to keep track of.'

Selreg kid — small twinge of guilt for all the times I'd called him a glass-hearted crybaby.

"Alright, then. Before we unveil your first mission, let me introduce a few of Miro Maze's ground rules."

The moment Seo Taeil finished, letters floated up on the LED beside him.

〜〚WELCOME TO MIRO MAZE〛〜

All trainees are divided into two classes: Wings and Feather.

Wings-class trainees hold priority in every situation throughout the survival.

Based on mission results, the top three of the Wings class receive a 'Defense Right,' and the top three of the Feather class receive a 'Challenge Right.'

3-1. A trainee holding a Challenge Right may challenge a higher-ranked trainee. If they win, they earn benefit points.

3-2. If a challenged Wings-class trainee successfully defends, they receive a benefit tied to the mission.

Not a single element of the survival built for convenience — classic PD Kwon and Writer Ko. Back in my rookie AD days I'd admired that side of them, sure, but now that I was the contestant, it wasn't quite as fun.

And on top of that.

'Why are there only seven Wings badges?'

In front of Seo Taeil sat exactly seven wing-shaped brooches. Weren't the announcements originally through the top ten? An uneasy chill was crawling up the back of my neck when—

"For reference — in the previous month-end evaluation, we announced that the top ten would be selected for the Wings class."

"……"

"Since that evaluation, the number of trainees participating in the survival has been reduced, which means a small change to that plan as well."

Come to think of it, there'd been a few faces I hadn't spotted all day. I'd figured they had scheduling issues or something — turns out there'd been restructuring during those three break days that we hadn't been told about.

'…Yoon Taehee's not here either.'

Whether Miro had cut him or he'd bailed on his own I couldn't say, but not seeing faces I'd only just gotten used to over a few days left a bitter taste anyway.

But Seo Taeil's next line rolled on before I could really sit with the bitterness.

"So — the bottom three of the original top ten. The trainees who would have been Wings under the old plan. Eighth: Yuki. Ninth: Kim Wonho. Tenth: Kang Hajin."

"……"

"These three trainees are automatically granted Miro Maze's very first 'Challenge Right.'"

"…what?"

"The top three from the month-end evaluation are also granted a Defense Right — but since winning the battle comes with a separate benefit, it's up to each trainee whether they use their Defense Right or not."

"……"

"Now — will the three trainees please name the Wings-class trainee they'll each face in their class battle."

Holy moly.

Before I could properly process the shock, the LED rippled and familiar trainee profiles scrolled up one after another.

〜〚WINGS OF MIRO MAZE〛〜

Jung Siwoo Han Seongwoo Lee Doha

Seo Taehyun Lee Yugeon Ju Eunchan Dan Haru

"For reference — the order of the names doesn't reflect their rankings."

"Pick now? Like, right now?"

"Wait, we're battling right now?"

"Whoa, insane."

At the reactions bursting out in real time, I could all but see the PDs' grins reaching their ears. In the middle of all those churning feelings, I quietly raised my hand and looked at Seo Taeil.

"Yes, trainee Kang Hajin."

"If we name a trainee, is the winner decided by the first mission's result?"

"…that's right. It'd make for a much more exciting survival if we could see the battles play out here and now, but this round's outcomes will be decided by the first mission's results."

"Can we hear the mission first before naming an opponent?"

"No. You'll name your opponent first — and once all names are called, we'll reveal the first mission."

"……"

"I'll give you a moment to think it over."

Don't calculate off the mission — just lock in who you're planning to take down. This alone would probably eat a solid ten seconds of the Episode 1 preview.

'Not that there are many worth picking anyway.'

Giving up on deeper analysis, I slowly scanned the seven on the LED.

'Seo Taehyun's out — I need to debut with him. Lee Doha's out too — companion recruit candidate.'

After a good while of weighing this and that objectively, I turned to Kim Wonho beside me — his face just as serious as mine, deep in his own meltdown.

"You decided?"

"…hyung, ninth is legit the highest ranking I've ever pulled. Like, who am I supposed to beat…."

"If you can't decide, just follow my lead."

"……?"

"Alright, everyone. It's time to choose."

I whispered the name of a trainee Kim Wonho — half-checked-out mentally — had a decent shot at beating, and right on cue, Seo Taeil clapped and called time.

"Starting with Yuki, ranked eighth — please pick the trainee you'll face in your class battle."

"I'll… name trainee Seo Taehyun…."

"Trainee Seo Taehyun placed in the top three of the recent month-end evaluation, so he holds a Defense Right. Trainee Seo Taehyun. Will you accept the battle?"

"No, I'll use my Defense Right."

'Oof, you shouldn't have touched that one.'

Yuki had probably picked Seo Taehyun for the buzz factor, and watching his Challenge Right go up in smoke for nothing, I let out a small sound of pity. Not that a battle would've gone any differently — Seo Taehyun would've won that one anyway.

"Next — ninth, trainee Kim Wonho."

At his name Kim Wonho got up, hesitant. Still not committed, sneaking glances my way — I nodded 'do what feels right,' and soon he took the mic in trembling hands and opened his mouth.

"The trainee — the trainee I'll name is…."

"……"

"Trainee Lee Yugeon."

Whoa. Wild.

Is he crazy?

Nah, could be worth a shot, actually.

Right on cue with Kim Wonho's declaration, the expected exclamations rolled in from all sides. Across the room, Lee Yugeon — freshly called out — stared back at Kim Wonho, half surprised, half bewildered.

"The first battle is confirmed — trainee Lee Yugeon, ranked sixth, versus trainee Kim Wonho, ranked ninth."

"……"

"Alright — and last, trainee Kang Hajin."

And finally, my turn.

"Please name the trainee you'll battle."

"The trainee I'll name is…."

I felt every gaze and every camera swing my way. No further thinking needed — I looked straight at the opponent I'd had picked out from the very start.

"The trainee I'll name is—"

"……"

"Trainee Han Seongwoo."

Han Seongwoo. General-class rep — and of the seven up there, the one I liked least.