"Hey what do you think are those envelopes for?"
Jinyoung asked Junho as they had arrived, the top had changed only He, Jinyoung and Sungjae had retained their positions replacing the previous two were now Kyung-soo and Jung Dae-hyun.
"I don't know at this point you have to stop asking me everything Jinyoung I'm not a fortune teller."
"You're not a fortune teller but I do know you're more perceptive than me."
"Point taken so I think its about another group performance or so."
"See you even said it, well I think so too."
Jinyoung placed his hand over Junho's shoulder as he always do when he had something private to say.
"Well Junho I've heard rumors here and there."
"What?"
"You're my best friend no matter what, after that performance yesterday someone has been spreading that the only reason you were rated highly at first because of your fame and that you really don't have any skills to back it up and were only relying on your teammates."
"You know I hate disinformation the most especially if it concerns me."
"Would I be telling you this if I didn't do my research? Of course I asked people around and guess who it was."
Junho rolled his eyes and punched him in the gut, Jinyoung laughed but soon their eyes fell onto one person, it was the person who had climbed from a top 10 to being in the top three.
'Do I have martial art skills?'
[ Yes, does the host want to consume the skill? ]
Junho contemplated, violence was never an option but believed violence was instead the answer.
'Just learn it and toggle it on when it comes down to it.'
Junho didn't want to do it, after all he wanted to have a clean image and the best way to slap his face was beat him with his talent, but now he had other plans in his mind, well it was just a plan but decided to beat him with his talent instead since this wasn't a xianxia novel.
"So what is Jun-ah gonna do now?"
"Stop it."
"What do you think."
"It sucks to be him now"
"And?"
"And I took that personally."
Jinyoung laughed as he never saw Junho being this furious aside from failing to copy the dance or hit the notes he wanted it was a refreshing site to see as he missed this side of him.
"Hyung."
As Jinyoung was laughing Sungjae, Daniel and Yugyeom came over to them.
"Oh your kids are here Junho."
Junho took a deep breath, he had just finished drawing over a hundred tickets, he had told his system to filter everything he then sighed and looked at his so called kids.
"Yeah what is it?"
"It's really nothing we just wanted to seat here."
"Stop lying the three of you."
"Well"
The three of them told what had happened, they had been ostracized by their own group, they too had heard rumors that they also rode Junho's popularity and that was the reason why they were now ranked higher than before.
Yugyeom got the worst of it as he was the lowest from the three of them, he heard that the reason Junho would last is because of the popularity he would give to the show because of his face and that the show would give him face by not eliminating him just yet and that his group were also given face because of this.
"I hope everyone has finished thinking of what they want to choose!"
As they were narrating their stories Heechul had finished explaining the mechanics for next weeks performance, the contestants were given a choice between five positions which were vocal, rap, dance, all rounder and 'X' which Heechul said it was a secret only to those who would choose it.
The contestant would chose what position they want as their next task would revolve around the position they chose.
Junho got pissed and immediately stood up, he went straight towards the 'X' without thinking of anything, he walked as if was his place some felt the pressure, the girls felt he looked hot with his cold eyes but as he walking he instantly pulled out a paper reading.
'I'm not angry I'm just tired from waking up too early.'
The staff and even Minsu who had also heard the rumors were taken aback as they felt it was a good villain arc for Junho but he too had laughed as now it was impossible to make an evil edit out of this and instead it was for comical relief now.
"So that's why he told us to write things like those as well."
Jinyoung said as he and Sungjae asked why Junho had written weird quotes every night, so this was it, it looked like they found a way to dodge evil editing but the staff then raised up a board that also said.
'We no longer have any papers left'
The remaining participants hissed as the staff was too quick witted and that their phones were also in their possession.
Heechul laughed as he saw Junho stand in the 'X' alone.
"Ah let's not bother Park Junho since he's too tired, alright anyone want to choose their roles now?"
Soon everyone filled in the spots, no one wanted to come near Junho as he gave the vibe of not being in the mood as well as he looked like he was about to kill who would come near him, no one wanted 'X' as it looked scary since they don't know what task it would bring and especially their opponent would be Junho.
"Alright looks like everyone has chosen their positions, there are 27 People who have chosen vocalist, there are 20, people who have chosen rap, 16 who have chosen dance, 6 People choosing Ace and lastly Junho choosing 'X'
Heechul looked at the camera, and smiled.
"Well this was unexpected I thought many would choose 'X' but its safe to say only Junho chose it, well its time for to disclose what you guys have chose and what task you're going to do"
Heechul had explained that those that chosen Vocalist would be grouped again and would only focus on Singing performances and they would be evaluated as a group and individually it was then the same for the rest.
"For those who have chosen Ace, well you're gonna perform solo, so good luck."
Heechul then went to Junho and put his arm around his shoulder.
"As for you my friend, I believe this up your alley, People who have chosen 'X' will have to write, choreograph their own song and perform it with only six days of practice."
Junho smirked and looked straight at the camera, Heechul stealthily gave him the mic as he knew the camera was panned on Junho's face now.
"Watch out everyone, Ruler is here."
-
"Ugh"
The rest of the judges were in shock at Junho's proclamation, they too had heard the rumors as Minsu showed them footage but everyone ultimately decided to not air it as it would put the show on a bad light well at least for now.
"All in favor of not pissing him off?"
"Yes!"
JYP laughed but he was proud, he had been wanting to see Junho's eyes gain their passion, he knew he had been taking things for granted that's why those rumors came about now he wanted to see what would happen next.