Chapter 402: Red Rouge (21)

“Oh! Eden has promised to reveal his identity if he wins! Is this okay, everyone?" Seo Han exclaimed, excitement evident in his voice.

“Oh, well...”

“This has been one of the biggest mysteries on

Introduce My Singer.

Eden’s identity!"

In truth, I planned to reveal my identity regardless of winning, but this condition added a dramatic flair. Reina had suggested it, but this was like a gamble of me putting my pride on the line. If I won, I could reveal my identity in a grand fashion. if I lost, I would have to do it awkwardly.

I obviously preferred the grand reveal, so I gave my all in today’s performance.

“Oh, Eden! That’s not fair!"

“Right! Now viewers will vote for Eden just to see who he really is!"

The panelists were in an uproar over my pledge. Seo Han subtly encouraged other contestants to make similar pledges, resulting in Oh Yoo-Wol and others making competitive promises.

“For the first time on

Introduce My Singer,

we have an overflow of pledges! Eden will reveal his identity, Oh Yoo-Wol will produce a music video with all the contestants on his

UTube

channel, and Hyang-Yee will upload a dance video of her new song!"

Seo Han seemed thrilled, probably thinking all the contestants would start making pledges from now on.

After finishing my interview with Seo Han, I moved to the panel area. Though there was still some time left before the recording ended, just finishing my performance lifted a huge weight off my shoulders.

“Great job. You did really well." Reina patted my back. Even though my mask obscured my view, Reina's expression suggested she was confident I would win.

More performances followed. I had grown accustomed to wearing the mask, reacting to performances, and stopping by the waiting room to touch up my makeup. As time passed, all the performances ended, leaving only the final winner announcement.

All the contestants, including myself, went back on stage one more time.

“Finally, all the performances by the Picked Singers have ended. Today was a fierce competition. I wonder who the winner will be!" Seo Han looked very excited and pointed at me, Oh Yoo-Wol, and the other contestants while reiterating our pledges.

Among these pledges, the most enticing ones were mine and Oh Yoo-Wol’s, since revealing my identity and Oh Yoo-Wol’s promise of a music video with the contestants would appeal greatly to the fans.

This meant that the originally expected contenders for the win were still standing as rivals. To put it a bit arrogantly, it really just came down to a battle of singing skills.

Seo Han held the cue card at an angle and shouted toward the camera, “Let’s reveal the winner of

Introduce My Singer!"

The studio darkened, and colorful lights began to swirl around. The large screen started displaying a graph according to the vote count behind me.

Would today’s winner be Oh Yoo-Wol again, or another unexpected contestant? Since this was my last show, I really hoped to win this time.

I tightly closed my eyes. Though the mask covered my face, it felt better to close my eyes when anxious. A long moment passed before the grand background music stopped, followed by loud cheers from the audience. This meant the spotlight had already fallen on the winner.

It was then...

“Congratulations.” I heard Oh Yoo-Wol’s calm voice next to my ear when I felt his hand on my shoulder. Opening my eyes, I was momentarily blinded by the lights, then slowly saw the audience's light sticks. I slowly looked up and saw the spotlight was on me.

I was the winner.

“Congratulations! Eden has finally gotten his first victory against these fierce contestants!”

Boom!

Fireworks exploded on both sides of the stage with loud noise.

“Whoa!” I was about to reflexively shrink back because I was startled by the sound, but a large bouquet was thrust into my arms.

“Congratulations!”

I must have looked pretty dazed to any third party watching. Still, I was incredibly relieved to have won. I finally felt the burden lift off my shoulders.

“Eden! I know you are overwhelmed, but come over here.” Seo Han approached and led me to his spot before signaling me to bring the microphone to my mouth. “This is your first win! We have to hear your thoughts, right?”

“Ah, I am truly grateful... Today is actually my last day on the show.”

“Yes, everyone. Today is Eden’s final appearance.”

“I really wanted to win at least once, so I gave it my all. I am so happy that wish came true.”

“You gave an amazing performance today. Congratulations! And now, let’s hear from the other contestants.” Seo Han turned to Oh Yoo-Wol, who had finished second. “Oh Yoo-Wol.”

Oh Yoo-Wol picked up the microphone with a somewhat disappointed look. “Yes.”

“Unfortunately, you placed second today.”

“Yes, it seems so. Eden was so good today that I honestly doubted if I could win again. It might sound arrogant, but I felt a bit uneasy. But as it turns out, Eden’s final performance means I won’t get a chance to reverse this, so it’s a bit sad. But I will work hard to win next time.”

Despite his disappointment, Oh Yoo-Wol managed to share his thoughts cheerfully and coolly, true to his nature. Seo Han continued to hear from the third-place contestant before returning to me.

Everyone on set was celebrating, but they soon calmed down. I felt that my hands had become sweaty. The time had come to fulfill my pledge.

𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

“Now, Eden. We have one important task left.”

“Ha, that’s right.”

Seo Han laughed heartily and helped lift the microphone to my mouth. “You’ve been answering well, but please speak into the microphone. It seems like I was the only one who could hear you.”

“Ah, yes. I’m sorry.”

Was I an idiot? Not even holding the microphone while talking, despite being in my second year since debut, was stupid. I tried to calm my nerves by flapping my arms and gripping the microphone with both hands.

“It's time for Eden to fulfill his pledge," Seo Han announced while pointing to his own face. “You promised to reveal your identity. Are you really okay with this?"

“Yes, I came prepared."

“We are so pumped to finally see your true self, but we also know Eden has this mysterious, faceless singer image. Aren't you worried about losing that?" Seo Han looked over at Reina, who was sitting on the panel.

She shrugged and took the microphone from the staff. “After teasing him all this time, what's the point of asking this now? It's time for Eden to show his face. I’m all for it."

“In that case, we will just enjoy the moment. Let's do it!"

Seo Han spread his hands toward me, looking like a circus ringmaster ready to unveil the main act. “Eden, please reveal your face!"

The lights on the set dimmed again, and the grand background music that played during my entrance started up. The spotlight fell on me. It was a nerve-wracking moment to take off my mask under such dramatic circumstances. Even someone with thick skin might feel like running away when put on the spot like this.

To reduce the embarrassment, I turned my back and removed the mask that covered my entire face. As my face was revealed, my hair was a mess from the mask and sweat, but thanks to the makeup retouches in the waiting room, my face was still in good shape. I quickly ran my hand through my hair, then lifted my head.

Seo Han was the first to see my face. He looked delighted and surprised, breaking into a wide smile. “Wow! Oh my gosh!"

Even though he had suspected my identity, seeing me with his own eyes must have been a different experience. When I met his gaze, I smiled awkwardly and then turned to face the audience.

The audience erupted in cheers. Some looked shocked while others acted like they had known all along. The panelists were buzzing with excitement. I held the mask in my hand and bowed deeply to them.

“Hello."

“Yes! Eden is Suh Hyun-Woo of Chronos!"

“I knew it!"

“Didn't everyone already know? Why is everyone so surprised?"

“Suh Hyun-Woo!!!"

Eden had become Suh Hyun-Woo at that moment.

I ran my hand through my hair once more and lifted the microphone. "Hello, I am Suh Hyun-Woo from Chronos, also known as Eden."

The voices of surprise and excitement filled the room. Being the center of such a buzz was far more enjoyable and thrilling than I had imagined.