Episode 25: Soar
“What? Seriously?”
Zia’s hands, pulling out takeout containers, freeze.
Her near-shocked expression draws a natural laugh from me as I help unwrap the package she’s holding.
Inside is fresh raw fish she brought back from Sokcho.
“For real? Only 16 are going to Round 3?”
“Yup.”
“Why? Isn’t the rule 20 advance, half move on, and one from the losers gets revived?”
That’s my memory too.
Blind Singer was popular even before my regression.
I didn’t catch every episode of Seasons 3, 4, or 5, but I’d have heard about a major change like this.
Yet it happened.
All 23 eliminated contestants unmasked and showed their faces.
‘If I know Hong PD, he wouldn’t revive anyone in this situation.’
On Round 3’s air date, how would the eliminated feel seeing someone who fell with them back on stage, still masked?
‘They’d lose it.’
In a situation where the core fairness of an audition crumbles, who cares about NDAs?
Sure, lawsuits might follow, but that aside, Blind Singer’s future would be grim.
With anticipation soaring a week before airing, Hong Hyunwook isn’t the type to stir trouble needlessly.
‘If he’d wanted that, he’d have hinted at using all four X-Passes.’
That no judge used a single X-Pass means Hong Hyunwook had this scenario in mind.
‘He wouldn’t have set up a fail-heavy system without a plan.’
He’s likely got a solution ready.
I figure it’s one of two things.
“Maybe they’ll increase the revival spots to three for a top 11. Or make a top nine and cut the final eliminee to one.”
“Would that work?”
“Of course.”
“Now that you say it, I’m kinda excited. My lips are itching—how do I keep this quiet?”
Nothing in the contract says only one gets revived in Round 3, nor is the final 11 set in stone.
A drastic shift from past seasons could be packaged as a new hook for ratings.
‘Hong PD’s got a knack for this.’
As we finish unwrapping, revealing fresh fish with vibrant red streaks, we grab chopsticks and feed each other a piece.
“I ate a ton already. You eat, Yujin.”
Unlike me, who reflexively gulps down the fish, Zia shakes her head.
But as my chopstick lingers, she reluctantly opens her mouth, chewing deliberately to signal she’ll eat slowly.
I chuckle, take a sip of soju, and think back to our earlier talk.
‘This one’s hard to predict.’
In my mind, Season 3’s hype hinges on the original top five plus Taeoh and me—two wildcards—making seven.
But the other nine aren’t lesser talents.
They cleared Round 2’s high bar to reach Round 3.
I don’t know them well, but there could be another wildcard like Taeoh among them.
‘Even Jiyoon and Seunghee-noona were lower-ranked in Round 2.’
Since this Season 3 is already so different from the one I knew, nothing would surprise me now.
‘Let Hong PD and Song handle the worrying.’
Whatever happens, my goal doesn’t change.
Win with the stage I’ve prepared.
That’s all I need to do.
“The matchups shoot tomorrow, so I’ll tell you about it after.”
I shift the topic lightly.
“So, how was Sokcho?”
“Sokcho? Oh, the sea was gorgeous.”
“Really?”
“I’ve got pics. Wanna see?”
“You should’ve led with that! Hurry up!”
I scoot around the low table to sit right beside Zia.
She smirks at my playful jab and pulls out her phone.
“Where’s this?”
“Sokcho lodging. Awesome, right? The sea’s practically at the door.”
“And here?”
“Gangneung. Jeongdongjin. The boss insisted we visit.”
Zia’s excited explanations contrast with her awkward pose in the photos.
Watching her, my heart aches a little.
Our dates were always at home.
We never left Seoul.
Money and time were the reasons.
“I like staying home. If we go out, let’s just walk by the stream nearby.”
I recall Zia saying that once, but now I know it wasn’t her true feelings.
Her excitement now and the brightening smiles in her photos make it clear.
‘Zia… you love traveling.’
Once again, I’m ashamed of past me.
Her heart’s so open now—surely she hinted at wanting to travel before, but I ignored it.
‘No wonder I let her slip away that day.’
At the same time, I’m grateful for the gift of regression.
Now, I can see Zia’s heart clearly.
And I’ve gained the ability to take her on trips like this.
‘Perfect timing. My next song…’
The song I plan for Round 3 feels like great motivation.
“How about a trip? Not now, but after Round 3?”
“Huh? Out of nowhere?”
“Not really. We’ve been together seven years. Never once took a trip just the two of us—does that even make sense? There’s about a month between Round 3 and the live finale, so it should work.”
“Well, yeah, but…”
Realizing she got too excited, Zia hesitates to say she prefers staying home.
Then—
“Wait, we did take a trip!”
She exclaims as if recalling something.
I’m sure we never did, so what’s she talking about?
“When you were up there. That counts as a trip, right?”
“Huh? Oh! Zia, come on, that’s not a trip!”
Realizing she means when she visited me during my military service, I can’t help but yell, though inside, I bite my lip.
The fact that even that shabby, overpriced motel room is a cherished memory for Zia stings my heart.
“Alright, I’ll handle the planning. Zia, get your passport ready. We’re going right after Blind Singer.”
“Hey, Han Yujin, that’s my glass—! Wait, passport? Where are we going that needs a passport?!”
I grab the glass in front of me and down the soju.
Unlike mine, the soju in Zia’s glass tastes bitterly sharp.
***
The next day.
“Hello.”
Song Jaeryung greets the now-shrunk group of contestants with hollow eyes.
She must’ve been wrestling with some heavy decisions.
“You all worked hard yesterday. But we’ve got a long road ahead, so let’s handle what needs doing.”
Without waiting for our response, Song Jaeryung continues.
The word “handle” feels like it betrays her inner turmoil—not my imagination.
Something beyond my predictions might be coming.
“If you’ve seen past seasons, you know Round 3 is a 1:1 death match. Contestants are paired to compete for passes. The one with more passes advances to the live finale; the other goes to the revival round for the final shot at the finale. No ties. If it’s a tie, the judges decide the winner.”
As she finishes, the screen lights up, displaying letters A to H with eight VS logos.
“The revival round hasn’t changed from past seasons. Only one contestant from it advances to the live finale.”
Her lowered tone and hollow eyes make sense now.
‘That’s the path they chose.’
This opens the possibility that, at worst, two from the pre-regression top five—or one plus Taeoh—could fall here.
‘They’re all talented enough to succeed if they don’t give up.’
But it’s hard not to feel for those who’ll take the longer road, especially Taeoh, who knows that path.
‘What can I do, though?’
There’s nothing I can do here.
At best, for someone like Taeoh or Park Juan, who lack agency backing, I could nudge Seo Yoonje.
“Now, let’s set the matchups and continue. The draw order is based on total passes from Rounds 1 and 2. If tied, Round 2 passes take priority. If still tied, Round 2 performance order decides.”
With her words, 16 numbers appear below the matchups.
[80] [37] [1] [2] [···] [···] [19] [36] [···] [···] [···] [···] [···] [66] [···] [···]
Kim In, with back-to-back all-passes, leads, followed by Eom Dongkyu, me, and Taeoh.
As the top four, others probably hope we’d face each other.
But my mind’s elsewhere.
‘The rest of the story? What else is there?’
Knowing Song Jaeryung’s nature, I’m certain this “rest” isn’t trivial.
As I ponder what it could be—
“Whoa!”
“Crazy…”
“What are the odds? Is this for real?”
The commotion around me snaps me back.
C [80] vs [37]
One of the worst possible matchups is already on the screen.
“Just two draws, and a matchup’s set. Next, Number 1?”
“Yes.”
My turn comes fast. I step forward, reach into the black box, and grab a ball without much thought.
My mind’s too caught up in the “rest of the story.”
Hong Hyunwook and Song Jaeryung—ratings-obsessed demons—wouldn’t just let seven people drop without filling the top 11.
‘They’ve got to have some insurance.’
As my thoughts reach that point—
“Wow!!”
“This is insane!”
“Isn’t this rigged? It’s too perfect…”
“Not rigged. You drew it yourselves.”
Another wave of gasps pulls me back. I turn to see the screen, and my thoughts freeze.
H [1] VS [2]
Hold up—is this actually rigged?!