Falling for the Omega Idol Chapter 101: FIRST ELIMINATION ROUND (II)

HANEUL let out a shaky breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding. His body, tense from the endless seconds of waiting, sank slightly into his seat as his na was called. Relief surged through him, but it didn’t co gently—it was overwhelming, almost dizzying, like a flood breaking through a dam. His heart still raced, but now it was for an entirely different reason. His hands trembled as he pressed them into his knees, grounding himself as a faint, uncontrollable smile tugged at his lips.

He had made it through.

Robin’s face broke into a wide grin as he suddenly threw his arms around Haneul, pulling him into an enthusiastic hug before he could react. "You made it!"

The other’s voice brimming with excitent, as if he was the one who had just been called. The sheer joy and spontaneity of the gesture caught Haneul off guard. Even the glasses he’s wearing skewed a bit because of Robin’s sudden action. But since he knew this was just Robin’s way of showing how happy he was with him passing this round, a helpless smile tugged at the corner of his lips and he also gave the other a quick hug.

Of course, he didn’t forget to say, "I’m sure Robin hyung will soon be called as well."

After one last congratulations, Haneul made his way to the stage. As he walked, his eyes instinctively drifted toward where Taeyang was sitting. To his surprise, Taeyang was already looking his way. For what felt like the nth ti, their gazes t. Haneul thought he saw the other mouth the word ’congratulations’, though he couldn’t be sure if it was real or just his imagination. Either way, he chose to acknowledge it, giving Taeyang a small nod and a faint smile.

He stood on the stage besides the contestant ranked 24th, not forgetting to smile at the other.

With his spot for the next round secured, Haneul finally had a mont to reflect on what’s happening on this elimination round. Surprisingly, his thoughts didn’t dwell on why Robin or Taeyang hadn’t been called yet. He wasn’t worried—they were both too skilled to be ranked low. Especially Taeyang. After witnessing his incredible performance of the the song, Haneul was certain the ntors would give him a high rank. What puzzled him more was that, aside from Seojun, the other four who had made it into the final debut group in his previous world still hadn’t been announced.

Standing on the elevated stage, Haneul had a clear view of the contestants below. He figured he might as well scan the crowd for the other four who hadn’t been called yet. However, before he could start searching, the na of the contestant ranked 22nd was announced.

Lee Haru.

Hearing the na, Haneul imdiately turned to the teenager who stood up. Lee Haru had dyed red hair that made him stand out in the crowd. His black eyes held a spark of energy, and his prominent tiger teeth showed as he grinned, giving him a mischievous charm. He had an average height and a lean build, with simple earrings on his right ear glinting under the stage lights as he made his way forward.

Haneul’s eyes widened slightly when he recognized him. Lee Haru was one of the mbers of the final debut group. He was half-Korean, half-Japanese and also the group’s official maknae. He wasn’t one of the three involved in scandals, but the one who had retired from the entertainnt industry after the group disbanded.

He was renowned for his exceptional dance skills, with many fans of the group calling him a ’dance prodigy’. However, unlike his dancing, his singing often beca a target for criticism from haters, who argued that his lack of singing ability was the reason he only focused on rapping.

But that’s besides the point right now. Finally, after Seojun, another mber of the final debut group had appeared. So, where were those three problematic mbers?

Haneul turned his attention back to the contestants sitting below, carefully scanning them one by one. However, even as the announcent reached the 21st rank, he still couldn’t spot the other three. When Yoon Jihoon asked the ten contestants on the stage to give a short remark, Haneul quickly stopped his search. The last thing he wanted was to miss his cue and appear distracted—or worse, give viewers the impression that he was disinterested.

When it was his turn, Haneul took the mic that was passed to him and said, "Thank you to the ntors and everyone who believed in . I’ll work even harder to prove that I deserve this spot. Please continue to support ."

He turned to Lee Haru with a small, encouraging smile and handed him the mic. The other also smiled and said a short thank you.

"Thank you to the ntors and everyone who’s supported so far. I’ll keep working hard, so don’t blink or you might miss my growth spurt! Because yes, I will definitely get taller by the end of this program." He ended with a confident smirk, earning a few chuckles from the crowd as he passed the mic to the next contestant.

Haneul subtly raised his brows at Lee Haru’s words, probably because he did rember that the other had indeed experienced an insane growth spurt. By the end of the program, he had grown an astonishing 10 centiters taller, leaving everyone shocked.

After the ten contestants finished their short remarks, a staff mber guided them toward the exit near the stage, just like the contestants before them. Before stepping off, Haneul glanced over to where Robin was sitting. Catching his gaze, he gave a quick, encouraging ’fighting’ gesture, pumping his right arm with his fist clenched and a determined smile on his face.

He had considered doing the sa for Taeyang but decided against it at the last mont. Though he didn’t want to admit it, he was still annoyed by how the other had suddenly started giving him the cold shoulder. It was probably petty of him to feel this way—after all, Taeyang wasn’t obligated to be nice to him. Still, a little pettiness now and then couldn’t hurt, right?

What he didn’t know was that a certain soone who’s already dissastified saw his little cheering gesture and felt even more dissatisfied.