The number one playboy on the Peninsula!

Chapter 301 A Boring Debut Night
"Tzuyu, this hair color suits you very well..."

"Unnie's hair color is really pretty too~"

On the last day of August, the members of TWICE gathered in the makeup and styling room, chatting animatedly. Behind them, their stylist was designing new makeup, hair colors, and styles for them, signifying that their group activities were about to begin again...

In September, they will be performing the opening act at the Tokyo Girls Collection AUTUMN/WINTER, and are expected to release their first group Japanese studio album, "BDZ," at the end of the month.

Compared to Tarot's ability to attract young fans worldwide, TWICE's core fanbase in Asia is more accurately described as being in Japan than their home country. Even with more members pursuing individual activities recently, the group still needs to maintain its popularity.

After all, it is not easy for nine people to transform. Even though Nayeon, Sana Minatozaki, Mina Mina, and Tzuyu Zhou have already taken the lead in securing high-end resources within the group, these are just embellishments. They need sufficient strength and popularity to maintain themselves.

Just like Tarot, who is a high-end luxury brand with four top luxury brands, even though his endorsement fees broke industry records and became a new milestone, he still strictly controls his endorsements, focusing wholeheartedly on his singing career and the battleground war with his girlfriends.

"Tzuyu, you look so good today..."

The makeup artist's door was pushed open, and Gong Cheng's tall figure appeared. He casually sat down on an empty chair, glancing sideways at Zhou Ziyu, who had just changed her look. Her straight legs were clad in denim shorts, a clean white T-shirt with lettering, and her new raspberry-colored hair made her increasingly fair face look beautiful and perfect.

"Really?"

Chou Tzu-yu smiled, revealing dimples, her eyes showing a hint of surprise.

In the past, my brother always treated himself like a little kid, and it was rare to hear him praise a pretty girl. It was considered good if he didn't subtly refer to himself as a "little black fish" (a derogatory term for a woman who is considered unattractive)...

"Um……"

Gong Cheng looked around at the members in the styling room. Since moving into the new building, the company has specially converted this floor into the artists' makeup and styling room. In addition to the styling, there is also a dressing room used to store or prepare stage costumes for the artists' music shows.

The environment inside the styling studio is much larger and better than some beauty salons in Jiangnan. Some stylists were specially recruited by the company, so they no longer have to get up early every day to queue up at the beauty salon for makeup and styling as they did a couple of years ago.

However, he's hardly ever gone to the beauty salon early in the morning, because being handsome is all about one word...

"Is only Tzuyu pretty?"

Yu Dingyan asked, as if stirring up trouble.

"There are eight really good-looking people, they all make my heart flutter, but there's only one... tsk tsk, he's just so-so..."

Gong Cheng stared at Yu Dingyan standing beside him in the mirror and teased her. His bright eyes secretly observed the expressions of the other women who heard this. He thought, "I'm just making a half-joking joke. They shouldn't be jealous, right?"

"Who?"

Yu Dingyan asked curiously, then added, "You're interested in all eight? Come on, tell us, who's so unlucky?"

Sana Minatozaki, Nayeon Lim, and Mina Mōi gave her strange looks...

Kim Da-hyun hugged May and pursed her lips speechlessly.

Even though I know that the commander was joking, could that be considered bad luck? It was lucky!

“Yu Dingyan…”

Gong Cheng chuckled, a rather cheeky laugh, but seeing Hagiyan's annoyed expression, he quickly added smugly, "You're more handsome, aren't you? You're the second most handsome in TWICE after me, isn't that a prestigious title?"

"shameless……"

"Stupid fart."

"Hehehe..."

x9
After making a small joke, Gong Cheng took a serious look at the members' new makeup and styling, and asked with some doubt, "Did the Third Headquarters change its personnel?"

"The looks this time are really quite outstanding..."

He sincerely said that as for the comeback designs and stage makeup of the previous three main divisions, including the comeback marketing, Miyamoto was too lazy to comment. If he had to say, they were very average.

The Third Headquarters is one of the three departments under JYP that are in charge of artists. The other two are the First Headquarters and the Second Headquarters, which are responsible for different artists and projects respectively.

The first division primarily manages the groups 2PM and STRAY KIDS; the second division is responsible for artists such as GOT7 and Wonder Girls, as well as solo artist Park Jin-young and most other solo artists; and the third division is responsible for TWICE, Studio J label, etc.

As for Miyako, he belongs to the Second Department, but he doesn't actually have much to do with the Second Department.

After all, his comeback plan, as well as the album's promotion, design, and plans, were all his personal creations, with his department responsible for execution. Currently, the second division no longer has the right to interfere with his decisions, and most of his comeback activities are handled by his two managers, Kim Dae-woo and Cha Gun-ho.

The two of them have risen in status, and the management team centered around them, including some of Gong Cheng's assistants, is like a new small department in the company, specifically responsible for Tarot's activities.

Park Jin-young and the company's top executives tacitly approved of this, mainly because his debut album was entirely handled by the second division, which resulted in a flop. Subsequently, Gong Cheng's personal achievements gradually gave him more influence within the company.

As for the leather pants that were mentioned some time ago, Park Jin-young, a solo singer from the second division, is a beneficiary of leather pants. He wore them with great style, generating a lot of trending topics and memes. On the other hand, STRAY KIDS, the new boy group from the first division this year, are the victims. Even this senior artist couldn't bear to watch their comeback performances.

"Ha ha……"

Sana Minato glared at Makoto Miyamoto, signaling him to watch his words. Compared to their male boss's status in the company, TWICE's influence was much smaller, so they dared not discuss such matters in front of these stylist unnies.

"Are we going to the debut night of PRODUCE 48 tonight?"

Mina cleverly changed the subject and asked in a low voice.

"Yes, we'll be there soon..."

"The live broadcast tonight might take three or four hours?"

Gong Cheng thought for a moment and said, "PRODUCE 48's debut night will be recorded live. It probably won't be over for three or four hours." Then he raised his eyelids and looked at himself in the mirror, his hair just styled.

"..."

Afterwards, Gong Cheng took the Dior haute couture suit handed to him by Jin Dayu and went into the dressing room to change into it.

A luxurious black suit, fitted with a wide-shouldered, narrow-waisted hanger, emerged from the dressing room.

Gong Cheng hung his hands, buttoning the black shirt under his shirt, and complained, "Luckily it's gotten colder these past two days, otherwise I'd be dying of heat wearing a suit..." As he spoke, he looked up at the mirror, stomped his foot, and the straight crease of his suit trousers swept past his ankles, making his legs look even longer.

Mina blinked, gazing at the back of the figure standing in front of the mirror. The cinched waist and luxurious black fabric toned down Makoto's youthful air, giving him an aloof and arrogant aura...

"Tie, or bow tie?"

Kim Dae-woo handed over boxes of ties.

"...Let's just forget about it. It's too formal and unnecessary. It's just a TV show recording."

Gong Cheng turned around and glanced at the tie box on the plate. He raised his chin, unbuttoned the collar of his shirt, and felt a bit tight and uncomfortable.

"pink!"

Standing next to Kim Daewoo, Chou Tzuyu blinked expectantly, picked out a pink tie, and smiled, "Oppa, want to try it on?"

"Pink? A black shirt, a black jacket, and a pink tie?"

Gong Cheng looked at Hao Meimei suspiciously. Did she think he was a Barbie doll in a dress-up game that girls like to play?
"That's not appropriate..."

He waved his hand, but seeing the slight disappointment in Zhou Ziyu's eyes, Gong Cheng speechlessly picked up the tie box, opened it, took out the pink tie, and muttered under his breath, "You've corrupted Ziyu..."

"They've all learned to act and deceive people..."

"I learned it from my older brother."

Seeing this, Chou Tzu-yu clapped her hands in satisfaction, shook her head, and pouted.

"..."

Gong Cheng laid the tie flat in his palm, lowered his head, and lifted the collar of his shirt. Jin Dayu, with his keen eye, leaned over, took the tie, and, with his round, watermelon-shaped belly sticking out, diligently fulfilled the duties of a top manager, using his short, chubby hands to tie the tie for him...

"I'll do it myself, bro..."

"Kenchana, you don't trust the tie I made?" Kim Daewoo asked with a beaming smile. As the number one "oddball" in the agent circle, while others wear casual clothes, this guy wears suits all day without feeling hot, so of course he's an expert at tying ties.

"Cough cough..."

Lim Nayeon grinned, showing her rabbit teeth, and coughed lightly, looking a little jealous.

Guys, isn't this position a bit too weird?
It's simply unbearable to look at...

She desperately wanted to rush over and stand on tiptoe to tie her boyfriend's tie, but with so many other family members around, it was too inappropriate.

"..." Gong Cheng stared at the members and his female relatives with a strange look in his eyes.

He quickly declined, "Aigoo, bro, I can do it myself!"

Chou Tzu-yu took a step forward, gently nudged Kim Dae-woo's shoulder, and said with a smile, "Dae-woo Oppa, let me help you tie it..."

The TWICE members' brows furrowed instantly, staring intently at the maknae's back and Gong Cheng's evasive, mocking gaze.

"..."

Gong Cheng turned around hastily and hastily tied a bow tie, then turned back around, put down the flamboyant pink bow tie, and said with a grin, "Okay, I've got it done myself. It's not that serious, it's just a bow tie..."

Seeing his cowardly attitude, Chou Tzu-yu sulked and picked up her phone, handing it to Kim Dae-woo, who had ruined her plans. "Dae-woo oppa, can we take a picture together?"

"No, I'm not afraid~" Kim Dae-woo...

"..."

After a brief group photo, Gong Cheng untied his tie and tossed it into a plate. "It doesn't suit me," he thought, "better not to wear it." He then greeted the members in front of him with a smile, "Let's go, time to work..."

……

As soon as Gong Cheng entered the company's underground parking garage, he ran into Park Jin-young, who had just driven back.

"I'm off to Incheon, Jin-young-ge."

He greeted him with a smile, and seeing the guy's flamboyant appearance, with a toilet paper book in his hand titled "From JYP to Park Jin-young," he guessed that the guy was probably tinkering with selling his autobiography again.

"Go ahead..."

Park Jin-young nodded and smiled, but after taking only a couple of steps, he seemed to suddenly remember something, paused, turned back, and called out to Gong Cheng, who was about to get into the Maybach, "Wait, Cheng..."

"I want to talk to you about something."

Gong Cheng glanced down at the time on his watch and withdrew his hand from the car door. "What's wrong, Zhenying?"

"To make a long story short, you know about TWICE's data disclosure, so I won't go into details..." Park Jin-young carefully chose his words, his figure leaning against the car door, deep in thought. Then, he looked up...

"Currently, the popularity of the TWICE members is uneven. After Nayeon, Sana, Tzuyu, and Mina secured high-end resources, their popularity lags significantly behind the remaining members..."

"We still need to strike a proper balance."

"That's right, but what does it have to do with me?" Gong Cheng listened attentively, nodded, and then looked puzzled. "Brother, I do hold some company stock, but I'm not at the level of a shareholder. Shouldn't the third headquarters be the one to find a solution?"

Generally speaking, in every group, there are top-ranked members and then there are those who need to be protected from overheating, and so on, like supporting characters. This is especially true for a large group like TWICE with nine members...

Park Jin-young sighed, looking at Gong Cheng and saying, "This really does have something to do with you..."

"The idiots at the Third Headquarters have provided a very idiotic, but not completely idiotic, solution. We need your cooperation..."

"Tell me? Featured in a song? Or appear in a music video?" Gong Cheng asked curiously, while also pondering the distribution of TWICE's popularity.

Park Jin-young stroked his chin and said bluntly, "The company wants you and the TWICE members to sell yourselves..."

"???"

“CP…” Park Jin-young said, referring to the proposal submitted by his department, “Just like your CP fans with Im Yoon-ah and Kim Tae-yeon, intentionally or unintentionally spreading sweetness and interacting with each other. The company has compiled a list, and the number of your various CP fans is enormous…”

"Could you occasionally post a group photo with a member who's less popular, just to interact a bit? But don't cross any lines, keep it similar to the photos you and Tzuyu usually post. The company's marketing department will handle the rest..."

Aren't you afraid of causing a crisis of trust among your fans?

"I've thought about this, so we have to be careful not to go overboard. It can't be too deliberate. It should be similar to before. In short, it's all fake, just marketing. Fans will defend it. Some people will ship them, and some people will defend them. Letting the girls gain some CP fans will be beneficial for their future personal development."

"Furthermore, this is currently the fastest and most effective solution, and since the main CP partner is you, there won't be any trust issues..."

Park Jin-young said with a smile, "Your scandals and on-screen couples are everywhere in the industry. We're just giving some of these couples a bit more exposure..."

This is something that major entertainment agencies often do. For example, within TWICE, they would also have the members promote their own romantic pairings.

Am I really that bad?

Gong Cheng pursed his lips speechlessly, but secretly he couldn't help but feel overjoyed...

Is there such a good thing?

The Third Department is full of real talent!

“…” Park Jin-young glanced at his junior brother in silence, then said, “I’ll send you the plans later. For example, Jeongyeon, you two can develop a sibling-like relationship, or become best friends. As for Chaeyoung…”

"Her personal style is quite strong. Now that she's more open about her individuality, she doesn't need to adjust her makeup and styling like she did when she first debuted. Instead, it matches her street style from when she first debuted quite well..."

"As for Dahyun, there's a kissing scene between you two in 'Parasite,' right? When it's released, the company will do a promotional campaign for it..."

"What Hirai Momo said..."

"As for Jihyo, let's just forget about it..." Gong Cheng interrupted Park Jin-young at the right moment. He still couldn't figure out what "Qingcheng Yixiao" was.

Park Jin-young nodded and sighed, "As for her, forget it. The company will arrange some variety shows for her soon. Although the company bought the material about her and Kang Daniel a while ago, you never know..."

"But, won't this damage my reputation?"

Gong Cheng bit his lip and, somewhat reluctantly, began to put on his acting skills.

"Aigoo, a couple of years ago, I told you to go to Jiangnan less often, but you didn't listen. You drank with Suzy and Taeyeon until three or four in the morning every day. Whose fault is that?"

Park Jin-young said, somewhat speechlessly, that his junior's acting skills had somewhat declined.

"Alright, you handle the arrangements, bro. I'm off to Incheon..."

Gong Cheng heard his phone vibrate in his pocket, glanced at the call from Li Huanzhi, shrugged, and got into the back seat of the Maybach.

The call connected. "I'm on my way, bro, don't worry..."

He then turned off his phone, reflecting on what Park Jin-young had just said—it wasn't bad after all…

It's quite good. The so-called "selling a couple" doesn't necessarily mean selling intimate photos together. Rather, as Park Jin-young said, it's about guiding the audience with a specific purpose.

For example, if the little tiger were dressed as a monster, with a more rebellious outfit and a mischievous style, combined with Gong Cheng's free-spirited and unrestrained personality, even just a single photo of them together, once released, would allow the company to guide public opinion...

This creates an atmosphere and feeling among fans that the two are a good match, attracting CP (couple) fans who are obsessed with shipping them. Then, without the company's guidance, these fans will dig up all sorts of details. Even if Gong Cheng and Son Chaeyoung accidentally glance at each other in a future event, it will be interpreted by fans as something they fantasize about...

That's called selling.

As for the crisis of trust?

There's no solid evidence, just one or two photos. At most, fans will discover that the company deliberately orchestrated things behind the scenes, and then "the gorilla" will take the blame and get scolded. In the end, it's all just baseless speculation...

……

The final episode of PRODUCE 48 was recorded at the Namdong Gymnasium in Incheon and broadcast live.

In addition, the program invited some members of IOI and all members of WANNA ONE to appear. These two limited-time groups are products of PD101, the predecessor of PD48.

"..."

Gong Cheng sat in the back seat, staring at the documents in his hands. Of the original 99 trainees, only 20 remained from the initial recording. Tonight, trainees ranked 13th to 20 would be eliminated, and the remaining 12 would debut as the new audition group [IZ*ONE]...

The contract is set for 2 years and 6 months, longer than the previous IOI (1 year) and Wanna One (1 year and 6 months). This is because the project is a collaboration between Japan and the Korean Peninsula, hence the longer contract period.

"..."

The addition of "Tarot" and the collaboration between Japan and the Peninsula have made "PRODUCE 48" far surpass the previous two seasons in both ratings and popularity.

At 4 PM, although the live broadcast hadn't started yet, countless fans and media gathered in front of the Namdong Gymnasium in Incheon. When a sleek Maybach pulled up in front of the stadium...

Before the car door was opened, the glaring headlights crackled and popped under the slightly gloomy sky.

For this country, the license plate number "Tarot" is more memorable than that of the Grand Unison Championships. After all, in Europe and America, people may not know the Grand Unison Championships, but they will recognize "Tarot".

“TTTTTTTTTTarot!”

"Saranghae~ Oppa~"

"..."

The fans who were originally holding up signs supporting the talent show suddenly switched sides and started shouting loudly the moment they saw the Maybach doors open.

"Kacha kacha~"

Gong Cheng pushed open the car door, placed his hands on the waist buttons of his suit jacket, and fastened them. His straight figure stood tall under the spotlight...

His sharp, handsome features became even more defined under the flashing lights, and his calm eyes were like the surface of a frozen lake. He faced the overwhelming barrage of "death flashes" with an expressionless face. Before stepping into the venue, he chuckled and waved to the fans in the audience...

"..."

Upon entering the recording venue, starting from the first-floor corridor, one sees rows of camera equipment and staff busily moving about inside the stadium.

"Here you are, junior brother..."

Director Li Huanzhi came up with a smile and greeted him.

"Hey, I'm not late, am I, senior?"

As Gong Cheng walked, he unbuttoned his suit jacket. Li Huanzhi's voice reached his ears, "Oh, it's still early. The live stream won't start until later..." He glanced curiously at the doors of several lounges, where some middle-aged men and women were standing.

Seeing this, Li Huanzhi smiled and explained, "They are all parents of trainees who came to cheer on their children."

As Gong Cheng's tall figure appeared, the parents of the trainees who had gathered not far away couldn't help but ask their children, "Oh my, is that Tarot?"

"He's even more handsome in person than in the video!"

"..."

"teacher……"

In the crowd, the most innocent-looking girl chuckled and called out, but compared to the other trainees, Jiang Huiyuan didn't have any parents with her, probably because they weren't there...

"..."

Gong Cheng looked over and saw Jiang Huiyuan chewing her lips, perhaps eating some weird-flavored candy again.

His eyes were strange. Why was this guy still here?

Could she really debut tonight? The show "First Class Innocent" has consistently had high ratings since its premiere. It seems that in the first two elimination rounds, this girl was even planning a two-day trip to Tokyo with the Japanese trainees after their eliminations…

As a result, it stubbornly survived to this day...

"Annyeonghaseyo..." With so many parents here, Gong Cheng smiled and waved to greet them, but his figure walked in the opposite direction. He had to greet the other mentors first, and also take a look at the script and talk about the recording of the show.

After all, as a representative, he was involved in hosting tonight's segment.

"Look at other people?"

"Why didn't you say hello, Yuan Ying?!"

Zhang Duoya, who had maintained a cool and aloof demeanor in front of others, first glanced at trainee Jiang Huiyuan standing not far away, then couldn't help but tug at her younger sister's wrist, feeling rather disappointed in her. "My photocards and albums are all ready..."

As she spoke, she pointed to the miscellaneous items in her handbag.

"...Oppa, I'm quite busy..."

Zhang Yuanying blushed and frowned as she glanced at her unnie.

Did she not want to shout?

So many trainees wanted to ask, but who dared... Only Hye-won unnie was foolish enough to dare...

Zhang Duoya ignored her sister's explanations, her gaze fixed on the tall figure in the corridor not far away. Observing him so closely, she could feel his superiority even more directly than when she was sitting in the concert seats...

Before the parents and trainees present could even react, some members of IOI and members of WANNA ONE walked into the hall, surrounded by a group of managers.

Even with their parents present, the trainees still bowed respectfully and greeted them, "Senior..."

"What a big star, with so many agents..."

Zhang Duoya stood in the corridor and muttered to herself, "IOI is alright. There are six or seven people present, along with three or four managers. After all, they have disbanded, and the artists are now with different companies, so their managers are naturally different."

WANNA ONE, on the other hand, had a large entourage of bodyguards, assistants, and managers.

She couldn't help but think of Tarot oppa who had just pushed open the door to the conference room at the end of the corridor. All she could see were two managers with him, and the difference was immediately apparent!
Moreover, in terms of status, probably everyone present combined couldn't compare to him...

"Stop talking, unnie. Wanna One is really popular too, okay? They're a top boy group..."

After bowing, Zhang Yuanying tugged at her unnie's wrist and said helplessly in a low voice.

Since their debut in a talent show last year, WANNA ONE has been doing very well in the Korean Peninsula and is considered by fans to be on par with EXO. They are currently enjoying great popularity, provided they don't encounter any "hot" groups. Within the group category, they are considered one of the most popular groups right now.

Under the guidance of the staff, the members of IOI and WANNA ONE exchanged a few words of concern and encouragement with the trainees. Some of the artists who belonged to the same agency as the trainees said a few more words.

However, the celebrities' warm greetings and the managers' indifferent expressions constantly remind everyone that it's all just an act...

“Somi…”

A soft laugh came from not far away. Gong Cheng walked out of the conference room, accompanied by Jin Dayu and Che Qianhao. "Long time no see..."

"Oppa, I thought you hadn't arrived yet..." Jeon Somi turned around and glanced at Gong Cheng, who was slowly walking towards her. She quickly smiled and waved. The other members beside her also hurriedly and awkwardly greeted her, "..."

"Tarot-senpai..."

"senior……"

x11
The members of WANNA ONE quickly bowed respectfully to greet them, and their managers also put on smiles.

"You too, Kang Daniel, it's been a long time..."

Gong Cheng approached the group, greeted them with a smile, and gave Jiang Daniel a strange look. Was this his brother-in-law? But he couldn't be bothered to acknowledge him; they weren't familiar...

After greeting this senior who was about their age but far more popular and arrogant, the 11 members of WANNA ONE wisely refrained from speaking to him. Apart from their leader, Kang Daniel, they had absolutely no connection with this guy...

The group glanced at Tarot, who was nearly 1.9 meters tall, with a gentle smile but also a cold and aloof air. They felt guilty and shifted their position slightly to avoid being overshadowed by him.

It's not a level or layer at all...

"represent……"

"teacher……"

"Oppa..."

The trainees greeted each other with different names, and Gong Chengcan waved his hand with a smile, "Ani-oh, you're debuting tonight, what are you doing here instead of preparing properly? Chat with your family, remember to relax..."

"I promised you, I'm here for debut night, so do your best!"

Gong Cheng smiled and encouraged the trainees, while his two managers, one fat and one thin, stood beside him. One was stern and stiff, while the other held Gong Cheng's suit jacket and water bottle, his beady eyes squinting as he looked at the other artists' managers.

"Thank you, representative..."

The trainees responded excitedly, and even Jang Won-young nodded repeatedly, biting her lip.

Zhang Duoya and many other parents leaned against the wall. As soon as Tarot appeared, the oppressive atmosphere vanished, and they couldn't help but look at Gong Cheng, who was surrounded by his own children, with surprise.

No wonder, despite his great influence, he has no airs at all.

"There's nothing to thank me for. Attending your debut night is just part of my job."

Gong Cheng smiled, his eyebrows curving upwards. He then glanced at Jiang Huiyuan, who had handed him a piece of candy, and teased her playfully, "Since we've reached the final stage, let's do our best to debut tonight..." With that, he left the group of trainees and started chatting with Quan Mizhao, who was standing next to him. "Are you getting used to being away from the company?"

Out of concern for his friend, Gong Cheng inquired about it. A week ago, on the 20th of this month, Somi officially terminated her contract with the company.

"It's alright, I'm preparing to sign with YG's label." Jeon Mi-so smiled. Leaving the company, she has new career plans. She's preparing to sign with YG's independent music label, THE BLACK LABEL, and she can't wait for the company's new girl group, [ITZY]...

"fine……"

"Good luck to you."

Gong Cheng smiled nonchalantly, then stopped catching up with the others and turned to walk towards the studio.

"Tsk tsk, Wanna One and Tarot are really not on the same level, okay?"

"Who in their group lied about being 1.8 meters tall? How come they're so much shorter than Tarot oppa?"

As the celebrities dispersed, Zhang Duoya muttered under her breath, "My god, those platform shoes, aren't they afraid of twisting their ankles... I don't even dare to wear heels that high..."

……

At 6 PM, the live broadcast of the final episode of "PRODUCE 48" officially began.

The meticulously arranged stage resembles a finely cut diamond. The main stage unfolds in a fan shape, extending three silver-white walkways, like arms reaching out to the audience. Some audience members who are closer can view the stage more directly and up close, although they are in standing seats. Behind the stage, the LED screen that lights up from time to time flashes the purple-pink logo of "PRODUCE 48".

Dozens of live streaming cameras were already set up. The audience and fans of the talent show who arrived at the scene numbered several thousand, from the area below the stage to the seats that resembled a three-sided grandstand. Some of the guest seats were occupied by the mentors of "PRODUCE 48", as well as some members of IOI, a group formed from the first two seasons of PD101, and all members of WANNA ONE.

Many of the trainees' parents and trainees who had already been eliminated also came here.

Amidst the cheers of thousands of spectators, the LED screen at the back of the stage slowly opened like a door, revealing a tall and imposing figure...

Gong Cheng stood where light and shadow met, wearing a Dior black suit with sharp, razor-sharp shoulders and a perfectly tailored waist. Beneath his tousled black hair, his gentle, smiling eyes appeared in the live broadcast camera. He held a microphone in one hand and a script card in the other.
"An Ning Haseyo..."

He greeted the audience at the scene and the viewers in the live broadcast room.

"TTTTTTTTTTTTarot!!!"

"..."

The overwhelming cheers swept across the cameras and the venue like a tidal wave.

The mentors sitting in the guest seats chuckled as they looked at the camera and covered their ears with their hands.

"..."

After introducing the voting rules, Gong Cheng then introduced IOI and WANNA ONE, who had come to the scene that evening. The live broadcast director then gave them a few shots.

"Annyeonghaseyo~ We are, I LOVE YOU IOI~"

“…WANNA ONE…”

A lengthy introduction and prelude...

……

In the SM trainee dormitory, Ning Yizhuo became close with Yoo Jimin and Kim Minjun after going to New York.

Still, at the invitation of President Liu and Vice President Jin, I moved into their dormitory. Of course, it took a lot of effort to communicate with the teacher in charge of the trainee department, but the goal was achieved.

"They don't look very good. Can they really debut like this?"

Liu Zhimin sat on the sofa, munching on potato chips, watching the live broadcast on the TV screen in front of her. Her group, [Kpop Tarot Club], was preparing to witness the girl group that emerged from the "PRODUCE 48" audition tonight, and to recruit them into the club in the future.

But that doesn't stop her from still feeling that none of these trainees are as good as herself.

"I think Zhang Yuanying is quite pretty?" Ning Yizhuo took a sip of mineral water, pointed at the trainees on the screen, and hesitated before glancing at Liu Zhimin's expression. This woman's narcissism was truly...

"And that Miyawaki Sakura, she's really pretty too..."

The live stream in front of me is showing snippets of the trainees' months-long experience in the talent show...

"Don't you think those two people you mentioned seem rather scheming?"

Liu Zhimin suddenly turned around and looked at Ning Yizhuo, then handed over the potato chips in her hand, indicating that everyone should eat together.

"Exactly!" Kim Minjung nodded in agreement, staring intently at the screen on the television.

Moreover, why did she feel that Zhang Yuanying and An Youzhen looked somewhat familiar?
Have you seen this somewhere?

"If the three of us participated in this show, we would definitely debut! I'd debut in first place (center), Minjung in second, and Ningning in third..." Yoo Jimin wiped the potato chip crumbs from the corner of her mouth, shrugged, and said with a hint of regret.
"But we're a big company, and the company won't let us participate in these kinds of talent shows..."

“…” Ning Yizhu shut down her microphone.

"It was you~ From that day on, I had a dream~"

During the live stream, there was a flash of Miyawaki Sakura singing into a microphone in a recording studio. It was the last episode before her debut, and it featured a lot of snippets of the trainees' daily lives.

For some reason, Ning Yizhuo and Liu Zhimin, along with the others, felt a sense of empathy for each other.

The scene flashes by, showing Sakura Miyawaki, dressed in a pink trainee uniform, sitting in the post-interview room, smiling as she says, "When I first came here, all I felt was a desire to cry and a sense of exhaustion..."

As her monologue continues, the scenes are interspersed once again.

It was still a room that looked like a post-interview room. Miyawaki Sakura was squatting in the corner, her face buried in the back of her knees with her arms wrapped around her, and she was sobbing occasionally. Her shoulders were shaking. She looked very desperate.

But then came the sound of footsteps, louder than sobs, and the camera panned to the doorway. A tall figure walked down the corridor, disappearing from view in less than a second before returning, revealing Gong Cheng's handsome face in the frame.

He glanced calmly at Miyawaki Sakura, who was crouching in the corner. "What's wrong?"

"...The pressure was too much..." the VJ's voice came through the camera, "For three days, I only slept a few hours at most, I was just practicing..."

Upon hearing Makoto Miyawaki's voice, Sakura Miyawaki raised her tear-filled face, her long, brownish-red hair glistening with tears. When she saw Makoto's gaze sweep over her, she leaned against the wall, wiped away her tears with her delicate white hands, and buried her face in her knees, looking quite aggrieved.

"Did you find the criticism just now unbearable?"

Gong Cheng walked into the interview room and pulled up a chair to sit down.

"No... I'm just complaining that I didn't do well enough. Trainees who practiced for less time than me did better than me..."

Miyawaki Sakura looked up, her eyes brimming with tears, and sobbed, "..."

Immediately afterwards, the scene sped up, showing Miyawaki Sakura sitting in the interview room, smiling gently yet firmly.

"But looking back now, it seems like I laughed more..."

"Tarot really gave me a lot of encouragement. He told me that since I came here to pursue my dream, I should shed tears of joy. So even on days when Tarot wasn't recording, whenever I felt relaxed or wanted to cry, I would remember his encouraging words..."

"We've only gotten this far..."

Interspersed throughout the documentary are scenes of Miyawaki Sakura standing in the practice room, on stage, or huddled in a forgotten corner, struggling to hold back her tears, ever since that interview day...

"Waaaaah~ Oppa is so sweet!"

"Who on earth said my oppa was cold-hearted and too harsh? I'm telling you, this little Sakura will definitely debut tonight! And that F-rank first-class pure one..."

"Exactly! Those who say Oppa is too strict completely fail to see how much he helps the trainees! In previous episodes, Oppa had just returned from Europe and immediately came to teach the trainees. It was so heartbreaking~"

The floating comments were filled with Akana's...

"..."

The live stream continued, and on the large screen behind the stage, snippets of the other trainees' daily lives appeared one by one.

Kang Hye-won sat in front of the camera with a heavy heart, and as she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes with a smile. "Coming here, the thing I fear most is rapping..."

"Then I rapped... and I also felt really bad for Tarot's guidance, he always had high hopes for me... I don't know if I can debut, but I don't want to embarrass Tarot..."

"Because I was in Class F when I first started practicing, which disappointed the teacher..." Jiang Huiyuan pouted and wiped away her tears.

"Don't you think Tarot is being a bit morbid? Every time after the elimination rounds, when he sees you still here, he asks you, 'First-class innocence, what are you still doing here?'" The photographer's voice rang out with a laugh.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Huiyuan burst into laughter, "Pfft~"

"Ani, the teacher is a very nice person. Actually, he said that to tell me not to be nervous, because during the first video assessment, the students in Class F all improved to some extent, and it would be really hard to be still in Class F..."

"They all didn't have faith in me, and I just couldn't live up to their expectations..."

"But the representative told me..." Jiang Huiyuan said, her eyes reddening, sniffling, and suddenly blurted out, much to everyone's surprise, "Do you have any tissues, unnie? I've been crying..."

"..."

"Damn it~ Don't you need to manage your image?"

Liu Zhimin was somewhat speechless as she snapped out of her empathy...

"..."

On the television screen, Jiang Huiyuan wiped her nose and tears, then looked both crying and laughing, "The representative told me that you've already tried your best to be a first-class innocent, and that wherever you go is up to you, innocence is the most important thing!"

"I just burst into tears right then and there, being criticized for not knowing how to cry, but being recognized by the representative, really..."

"Pure and innocent is the most important thing?!" The photographer laughed out loud, then asked, "So, trainee Jiang Huiyuan, tomorrow is your final debut night. Do you think being the most innocent and innocent is enough for you to debut?"

Jiang Huiyuan sniffed and looked seriously at the camera. "Representative! Innocence is number one!" she said, raising her fist forcefully. "This time, I will definitely make you proud!"

"..."

During the recording of "PRODUCE 48", Gong Cheng held a microphone, stood to the side of the stage, turned around and tilted his head to look at the camera on the big screen showing Jiang Huiyuan. He couldn't help but chuckle.

Do people really believe the lies that Pabong told them?

The atmosphere at the scene was high-spirited. After the trainees finished their stage performances, it was time for the voting. The current VCR was probably the production team's way of evoking emotions. Just wait a little longer, and the debut lineup will be announced.

Watching the trainees thank their mentors, representatives, and national producers on camera...

In the blink of an eye, a pure and youthful face flashed across the video. Jang Won-young sat upright in front of the camera, confidently clenching her fist, her dimples revealing pink blush. "Yes, I really like Tarot oppa..."

"I'm his fan. I've been to two of his fan meetings. Besides meeting so many good friends on this show, what surprised me the most was that he recognized me..."

As she spoke, Zhang Yuanying smiled sweetly, "Back then, he told me you'd grown taller..."

Then, she lowered her eyes, a little shy, and said, "The first time I went to Oppa's fan meeting, I was only 12 years old and I was with my unnie, so I really didn't expect him to remember me..."

In the subsequent video clip, the program team showed a lot of the trainees' extracurricular activities during their breaks from practice.

For example, when the more than ninety trainees arrived, they all wrote "Tarot" in the Ideal World Cup. Then there was the look of surprise on "Tarot's" face when they first met...

"Ahhhh!"

Many of the fans at the audition were moved to tears, showing great empathy for their favorite contestant and their strong desire for the girl they supported to debut.

Gong Cheng shook his neck and glanced at the trainees sitting on the side of the stands, all of whom were nervously waiting for the voting results.

Jiang Huiyuan met his gaze, then raised her fist...

Speechless...

Gong Cheng looked at the big screen again with a helpless expression...

"..."

……

As the live stream was about to end.

Gong Cheng stood in front of the numerous cameras and began to announce the members who would be debuting. To create suspense, the production team announced the members starting from the eleventh debut spot and counting backwards. This not only heightened the suspense for the center position but also kept the last debut spot a secret.

"Eleventh place, xxxxx votes, trainee Kim Minju..."

"..."

Cheers and applause erupted from the audience. Kim Minju walked up, raised his hand, and held the microphone to express his gratitude.

"..."

Gong Cheng stared at the voting data in his hand. When he saw one of the debut members, his eyes widened in surprise, but deep down he wasn't entirely surprised. He chuckled and looked up at the group of nervous trainees. "Eighth place, xxxxx votes. The trainee who has secured a debut spot is..."

"First-class purity, Jiang Huiyuan!"

He smiled and looked at Jiang Huiyuan, who was wearing a pink and white uniform with a red and white striped bow tie at the collar. Her hair was tied up and her makeup for the day... she really looked quite innocent.

With a gleam in her eyes, Jiang Huiyuan held the microphone and began to express her gratitude to the camera.

She's no longer as clueless as she was at the beginning of the recording. After all, she's come this far, and she's looking forward to and preparing for her debut. "Thank you for voting for me..."

After rambling on for a while, she finally reached Gong Cheng's side, only to hear his slightly speechless voice, "Alright, trainee Jiang Huiyuan, now that you've secured a debut spot, please return to your seat..."

Behind the stage, there are twelve debut spots, and the members who debut will sit in the corresponding positions based on their popularity.

"Yes, Representative!" Jiang Huiyuan put down the microphone, walked up to Gong Cheng, and clenched her fist tightly, as if to say, "Representative, I really debuted~"

As she brushed past Gong Cheng's tall figure, her pure and innocent appearance made her unable to resist turning back to say, "Thank you, Representative!"

"..."

If it weren't for the live broadcast, Gong Cheng would have really been able to say, "You're crazy!"
They all say how much they respect and thank themselves, but didn't they see that the representative has been standing here for three hours?

Hurry up and finish this so people can go home!
Seeing the trainees' joy at debuting, he felt somewhat gratified, but nothing particularly special; he just felt tired, having to host and introduce them all...

"..."

"The fifth person to secure a debut spot is..."

"..."

After another half hour of rambling, Gong Cheng stood on the stage, his mouth dry, and announced, "The second place winner for the debut spot is Miyawaki Sakura, with xxxxx votes..."

Among the trainees not far away, when Miyawaki Sakura heard that she was among the debut members, she couldn't help but burst into tears. Her cheeks, framed by her reddish-brown hair, tilted up slightly in a defiant manner, but tears still streamed down her face...

She gripped the microphone and said, "Thank you..."

At the end, Miyawaki Sakura glanced sideways, blinked her hazy eyes, and stubbornly asked with her tender red lips below her nose, "President, can I cry now?"

"Sakura~"

"Congratulations on your debut..."

Gong Cheng watched as Miyawaki Sakura, who was crying her eyes out, picked up the microphone and offered his congratulations in a low voice. Although he remembered the little Sakura in front of him as a trainee who loved to wipe away tears for no reason, it didn't mean that she didn't have ambition.

Is this her moment of harvest?
"..."

"First place, xxxxx votes, Zhang Yuanying..."

Zhang Yuanying, who was waiting anxiously, pursed her lips, but when she heard Gong Cheng's voice calling her name, she immediately raised her small hand to cover her mouth, her face filled with disbelief. Then she picked up the microphone again, her face beaming with an uncontrollable smile, and her eyes glistening with tears.
"Actually, today is my birthday..."

"I will become an even more hardworking Zhang Yuanying..."

Gong Cheng listened to her words with surprise, not expecting it to be Zhang Yuanying's birthday today. When the little fan approached, he smiled and raised the microphone, "Happy birthday~"

"Thank you, Oppa~" Zhang Yuanying said gratefully upon hearing this, her expression full of surprise.

She never expected that her oppa would actually wish her a happy birthday, and now that she's debuted as the center of attention, it's unbelievable...

"..."

"..."

After announcing the 12 debut members, Gong Cheng breathed a sigh of relief and glanced at the 12 trainees sitting behind him. From now on, they will become IZ*ONE and officially form a group.

And following the pattern of previous seasons, they will officially debut and start activities within two or three months.

He didn't seem to care much about it, holding the script and saying some closing remarks for the show, while the 12 trainees on stage bowed to the audience in front of the screen.

"Bang bang bang~!!"

The celebratory cannons prepared by the production team went off, and colorful ribbons fluttered down from the stage.

Gong Cheng put down the microphone, no longer paying attention to the trainees celebrating wildly behind him, and went backstage alone. He took a sip of water from the water Jin Dayu handed him, and said, "It's finally over..."

……

"Ahhhh!"

Listening to the cheers on TV, Liu Zhimin and the other two looked on with envy as the group debuted, the fluttering ribbons looking quite beautiful.

But just when they thought the live stream and this season's PRODUCE 48 would end amidst a shower of confetti, another ending video slowly began on the screen.

In the sped-up video, the opening scene of the first episode appears, showing 96 trainees wearing pink and white practice short-sleeved shirts and pink pleated skirts, walking one by one into a room with white walls all around and only a white and black background. They all stand on tiptoe and write down their declarations of dreams.

After a 34-second shot, the trainee girls disappeared, and their dream declarations, written in black marker on the whiteboard, formed the diamond-shaped logo of PRODUCE 48.

As the camera panned, Gong Cheng appeared in front of the whiteboard. Wearing a black shirt and crisp trousers, he looked both clean and unapproachable. He picked up a marker and, beneath the handwriting of the girls dreaming of debuting, carefully wrote two words.
"Stay strong!"

Then, the screen slowly went black, officially ending the third season of PRODUCE 48...

"It's over. I wonder when they'll officially debut?"

Ning Yizhuo sat up straight, rubbed his back, and casually said something.

"I feel that Kang Hye-won, Choi Ye-na, Lee Chae-yeon, and Kim Min-ju could be recruited into our [Kpop Tarot Club]."

Liu Zhimin gave a serious analysis, clearly not focusing her energy on their upcoming debut.

“Nei ne…” Kim Minjung frowned and nodded, “Jang Wonyoung and Miyawaki Sakura are too scheming, we can’t let them join the group…”

As they spoke, the two of them turned their gazes to Ning Yizhuo. "What do you think, Vice President Ning?"

“…Uh, I’ll listen to your Chairman Liu and Vice Chairman Jin…”

"Shuan Q, I really will thank you~" Ning Yizhu replied meekly. "Can't you send another wildcard trainee to save me?"

Help me~ Help me~
……

Live stream ended...

In the backstage dressing room, Gong Cheng changed out of his suit and put on a cool short-sleeved shirt and denim jacket.

The temperature has dropped recently, and the weather is getting cooler. Right now, it's raining lightly outside the venue.

After declining director Li Huanzhi's invitation to dinner, Gong Cheng slung his shoulder bag over his shoulder and stretched in the corridor. In the lounge not far away, trainees and various parents were still lingering.

After the recording ended, they didn't need to go back to Gyeonggi Province, unless they were picking up their luggage or the Japanese trainees were going back tonight. Otherwise, the local trainees had already prepared to go home with their families.

"Oppa~"

As Kim Daewoo and Cha Qianhao finished packing and were about to leave, a familiar voice came from behind Gong Cheng. He turned around and saw Zhang Yuanying nervously clutching the hem of her clothes, looking at him. "What's wrong?"

He stopped and asked.

"Oppa, today..."

"It's my birthday today. Can you take a picture with me and my unnie?" Zhang Yuanying walked up quickly, lifted her newly tied low ponytail, and asked nervously, afraid that Gong Cheng in front of her would refuse.

After all, even spending time together on a TV show didn't bring her closer to him; instead, she felt an increasing distance between them. It's hard to describe this feeling, just like after the show gained huge exposure…

Many of her fans call her a "born idol," but this title seems insignificant to the oppa in front of her, and it doesn't attract his attention at all...

"Okay, let's hurry up..."

Gong Cheng smiled and nodded, glancing at another girl standing not far behind her. She looked somewhat like Zhang Yuanying, but her aloof face made eye contact with him, and she seemed quite nervous.
"Unnie, come here quickly~"

Zhang Yuanying waved to Zhang Duoya, and the two sisters quickly stood next to Gong Cheng. Jin Dayu took Zhang Yuanying's phone, took a group photo of the three of them, and then returned it.

"Can I get an autograph, Oppa?"

Zhang Duoya quickly took out the album and photocards from her bag, politely asked a question, and looked very reserved.

"Can……"

Gong Cheng took the pen, lowered his head and wrote his name, "Tarot~". As he wrote, he raised his eyelids and looked at Zhang Yuanying standing in front of him, her cheeks rosy. Her delicate nose on her pure face was twitching incessantly, as if she was trying to smell something.
"By the way, Yuanying, happy birthday..."

"Work hard, and congratulations on your debut."

"The future belongs to you..."

He returned the pen to Zhang Duoya, chuckled softly, then waved and turned to leave.

"Goodbye, Oppa..."

"We..." Zhang Yuanying blinked, her face flushed, watching the departing figure. Had she been caught secretly smelling Oppa's scent? She mustered her courage, hesitated for a few seconds, and then spoke.
"See you at the next event, Oppa?"

Next time we meet, I'll be a celebrity, oppa...

Gong Cheng didn't say anything when he heard this. He looked back at her expectant eyes, smiled and nodded. Without saying anything, he walked into the rain under the umbrella that Che Qianhao had held up.

"..."

From Zhang Yuanying and Zhang Duoya's perspective, as the tall figure under the umbrella stepped out of the recording studio, the dark night outside, shrouded in rain, was instantly transformed into a blinding barrage of flashing lights, as bright as day. "Tarot, excuse me..." "Tarot..." Countless cheers from reporters and fans erupted in the rain...

"Wonyoung, when will you be able to do what Oppa does?"

Zhang Duoya stared in shock at the exaggerated barrage of flashing lights in her line of sight, which almost turned the night into day...

……

Sitting in the Maybach, Gong Cheng lay back in the back seat, feeling quite tired. "I'm exhausted..."

He grumbled under his breath, then took off his coat, preparing to close his eyes and rest for a while. It would be quite a long drive to get back to Seoul from Incheon.

But when he looked out the window, he suddenly spotted a familiar figure holding an umbrella, walking along the roadside, splashing through the puddles.

Gong Cheng rolled down the car window, signaling Che Qianhao to slow down. As the car passed the girl, he called out in a moderate voice, "Hey, first-class innocence?!"

"what?!"

Jiang Huiyuan, who was holding an umbrella and carrying a bag, was startled and looked around in surprise. She saw a brand-new Maybach, washed clean by the rain, stop and a familiar face appear in the back window.

"Oh, representative, what are you doing here?"

Jiang Huiyuan asked in surprise.

"Back to Seoul..." Gong Cheng looked at her with suspicion and asked, "Are you a local from Incheon Metropolitan Area?"

"No..." Jiang Huiyuan shook her head.

"Isn't your agency coming to pick you up?" Gong Cheng asked, puzzled. Why was he still walking?

Jiang Huiyuan pursed her lips awkwardly, her pitiful smile making Gong Cheng's lips twitch...

"I……"

"Our agency didn't expect me to debut, so they didn't send anyone to pick me up..."

"..."

The three people in the Maybach were speechless, speechless, and helpless...
(End of this chapter)