Idol Revive: If I Don't Debut, I'll Disappear
Chapter 177: Strawberry Mochi

Chapter 177: Strawberry Mochi

"This is the new rule. The cut-off line."

"Cut-off line?" The participants from the other teams asked out loud.

Rayen was wondering about the same thing. Did Yeon Miwol mean that literally?

’Cut-off... Culling...’

"Those who fall in this line had been determined to have slim chances to accumulate enough points to debut. And unfortunately... will have to go."

The entire studio went silent.

’Have to go? Does that mean they’re already eliminated? Couldn’t they just get another support from their sponsors?’

As Rayen was wondering about it, Yeon Miwol explained, "The rule says the sponsors will have no choice but to let go of them."

Rayen stared at the red line again, his hand as cold as ice. He didn’t pay much attention to where this line fell earlier.

’No way, right?’

A second later, he sighed in relief. His name wasn’t under the red line. His points passed by its marking point.

[Cut-off line: 600,000]

However, not a minute later, he felt guilty for feeling relieved. Gazing at the scoreboard, a total of five people fell under that line.

Including Binh and Minho.

Rayen and Yeo Haru stared at the backs of these two. As if sensing their gaze, Binh glanced back and met their eyes.

Binh smiled bitterly, then patted Minho beside him. As their seats were quite far away from Rayen and his team, they couldn’t hear what Binh told Minho. But then, Minho glanced back at them and also smiled.

They then looked around and found Renjiro among the safe crowd. Binh mouthed at Renjiro.

"Do well."

Renjiro’s eyes were turning red. The atmosphere in the studio turned solemn.

Yeon Miwol turned to the staff members. "Please escort them out of the studio. Thank you."

Before anyone could react, the five people were escorted out of the place. The participants were dazed, they didn’t know what happened.

But then, Rayen realized.

’They did not disappear immediately?’

Rayen thought the same thing would happen just like the second round.

Yeon Miwol shifted her attention back toward the remaining participants. "Although it’s a bit unfortunate, we still have to keep going."

The others also realized the same.

"Now, let’s reveal the result of today’s round!" Yeon Miwol announced, instantly changing her demeanor as though nothing had happened.

...

Binh walked down the corridor out of the studio, led by one staff member. As they walked, he patted Minho on his back.

"What do you think will happen to us?" Minho asked all of a sudden.

He was calm. Unlike the past few days when he acted like a lunatic.

It was the same for Binh. Despite their impending disappearance, there was no slightest trace of panic in him as though his entire emotions were numb.

It must have been the calming magic.

Binh shrugged. "I don’t know."

Minho pursed his lips. They entered the elevator door.

Minho spoke again. "Bro, can I ask you something?"

"What?" Binh glanced at him.

Feeling like it was inappropriate for the others to hear his question, he hesitated for a brief moment. However, he really was curious.

Finally, he voiced it in a low voice. "How did you die?"

"What’s with that question?" Binh laughed.

Yet, his eyes gazed into the distance.

"I died quite embarrassingly..." he answered.

"How?"

"I told you, it’s quite embarrassing. You punk, stop asking."

"But... I’m curious. We’re gonna disappear anyway. You won’t be embarrassed for too long," Minho reasoned.

Binh wanted to smack this person’s head. In the end, he opened his mouth and answered in a low voice.

"I choked."

"Huh?"

"I told you, I choked."

"Choked... in what?"

Binh jabbed his side, annoyed. "I choked while doing a mukbang. Are you satisfied now?"

Minho laughed. He laughed so hard he felt like his stomach was aching. Having not laughed like that in a long time, he made sure he would feel it despite the numbing sensation he was feeling.

Meanwhile, Binh was reminiscing about his dark days. He had been a content creator before he died.

Fighting for the fish to eat in a wide virtual world was hard. There were so many others who did the same as him. He tried everything to make himself shine — even creating that meme.

’Talk about persistence.’

Binh laughed at himself.

The others in the elevator glanced back at him, their gazes blank. They looked like zombies who didn’t have any expression.

’So scary,’ Binh thought, but his face remained blank of expression just like them.

"Won’t you ask me how I died?" Minho asked.

He didn’t lower his voice, so the others beside Binh heard it. Perhaps the numbing magic was the reason he felt indifferent about it now.

"How?" Binh asked.

"I died alone. Hahaha." Minho laughed hard again. "Alone. I died of a heart attack in my room. I don’t think my body’s been found yet. I didn’t see any articles. Well, maybe no one just cared. I’m just a minor model, afterall."

"Is that so?"

Minho nodded in response.

"Well, now... You won’t die alone, I guess," Binh said.

Minho remained silent.

Suddenly, Binh asked. "How do you think Renjiro died?"

Minho just shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe he was dazed while crossing the street and got ran over?"

Binh nodded. "That’s possible."

The two went silent.

After a minute, Binh spoke again. "I sure hope he doesn’t get eliminated this time."

"Hmm..." Minho agreed and went silent again.

Finally, the elevator opened. They were led to the cafeteria, at that same table where the first participants who failed the audition dined.

"Oh, we’re lucky. We get to experience this. The second round participants didn’t," Binh remarked before sitting down.

The other participants also went ahead and sat in their own positions. They grabbed at the plates and utensils, taking different portions of the meal readied for them.

Binh noticed a particular food on the table and stopped his hand.

"What’s wrong? You ain’t eating?"

Binh didn’t respond for a second.

Just then, he chuckled and reached out for it. "Nothing. I just finally got to eat this."

...

That day...

"I’ll leave this for the last."

Binh said as he set aside the strawberry mochi. After setting up the camera, he started eating. However, he didn’t know he wouldn’t be able to eat that mochi, after all.

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.