When they first filmed Coming Up Next, Choi Jaesung was like a small hexagon vocalist.
No major weaknesses, but also no striking strengths.
Of course, that’s by Sedalbaekil’s standards.
In any ordinary idol group, he would’ve been considered a large hexagon member.
But through steady effort, Choi Jaesung began expanding his hexagon, and eventually joined Stage Number Zero.
Survival programs are designed to throw numerous unexpected situations and variables.
On top of that, Choi Jaesung was a known celebrity while the other contestants were unknowns.
If he didn’t yield to his competitors, he could come off as selfish.
Naturally, Choi Jaesung had to give way on everything, competing in the areas where his opponent felt strongest.
He was constantly forced into disadvantageous situations.
Yet—
“Participant Choi Jaesung?”
“Yes?”
“What are you? Were you always this good?”
“I was just lucky.”
Choi Jaesung didn’t feel challenged.
That’s when he understood Han Sion’s words.
Small hexagon vocalists get called “overall decent,” but large hexagon vocalists get called “flawless.”
Now, Choi Jaesung was the latter.
Arriving at Stage Number 25, Choi Jaesung finally sang a song of his choosing.
A track composed by their acquaintance Chris Edwards, performed by Billboard pop star Rudewalk: Be to Love.
He started the intro like Goo Taehwan, hit the notes with Iion’s precision, delivered the high notes like Onsaemiro.
And he worked hard to replicate Han Sion’s deeply expressive delivery.
As a result—
“This is unreal. Really.”
“This was the best live I’ve seen this year. It felt like a concert, not a competition.”
“I felt like I should’ve paid to watch.”
The judges couldn’t hide their admiration.
Though it hadn’t aired yet, everyone was convinced this would become Stage Number Zero’s most legendary stage.
After filming ended, while waiting for his manager’s pickup, Choi Jaesung ran into NT’s CEO.
The NT CEO didn’t talk for long.
“Have you ever considered being the protagonist?”
Given NT’s status and the CEO’s age, it was a very polite offer.
The offer was simple.
A contract with NT.
Not asking him to leave Sedalbaekil.
Just saying, if he wanted a more individual-centered career, NT was willing to support him.
“If Sedalbaekil is truly a crew, right?”
Legally, this wasn’t even a problem.
After receiving their settlement, Sedalbaekil members had signed contracts that only covered profit sharing, not exclusive agency contracts.
In other words, their affiliations were open — they could leave Sedalbaekil or pursue other work if they wished.
Choi Jaesung felt his heart waver.
Everyone has a desire to be the protagonist.
And for Choi Jaesung, that desire was strong.
He entered the idol world to prove to his parents that he too could be loved.
His parents had always doted on his older brother, who was two years his senior.
The one with exceptional talent.
But truthfully, Sedalbaekil wasn’t much different from home.
Just like his parents always looked at his brother, Sedalbaekil fans mostly looked at the others.
Especially at Sion hyung.
Choi Jaesung had the fewest personal fans and was considered the least significant member.
In terms of singing lines, Iion technically had fewer, but from an outside perspective, Choi Jaesung seemed less important.
So he wavered.
Especially because the contract terms NT’s CEO laid out were excellent — clearly valuing him highly.
“Please decide quickly. If you do, you might even win Stage Number Zero.”
Conflicted, Choi Jaesung returned to Sedalbaekil’s dorm.
“Oh, you’re back?”
“How’d it go?”
The hyungs were as kind as ever, making his shaken heart feel traitorous.
But he didn’t show it.
“Did great. Feels like I might win this thing.”
Still, someone noticed his change.
It wasn’t quick-witted Goo Taehwan, nor watchful Iion, nor emotionally sensitive Onsaemiro.
It was Han Sion — who seemed indifferent to everything except music.
“Choi Jaesung.”
“Yes?”
“Something wrong?”
“Why?”
“You look like someone in a trial.”
“……”
Sion hyung was sometimes remarkable.
He seemed indifferent to the world but never missed the core.
He knew how to satisfy both eyes and ears without fearing people’s reactions.
Could he also know how to satisfy his own insecurities and desires?
On impulse, Choi Jaesung spoke.
“Hyung.”
“Yeah?”
“I want to be the protagonist too.”
“The protagonist? That’ll be tough. No—maybe impossible.”
Sion hyung never sugarcoats anything.
“Because of us? Or because of me?”
“It’s not that.”
“Then what?”
“When’s your next Stage Number Zero shoot?”
“Wednesday.”
“What are you planning to sing?”
“The PD gave me a list. I have to pick one from it.”
“Show me.”
After seeing the list on Choi Jaesung’s phone, Han Sion stroked his chin and nodded.
“Can I rearrange it?”
“The program usually handles arrangements. Leaving it to contestants involves risk.”
“If I say I’ll do it, won’t they allow it?”
“They will.”
Considering Sedalbaekil’s current popularity, no one would refuse if Han Sion offered to arrange the song.
“Contact the PD. I’ll start arranging.”
“Have you chosen the song?”
“Even If I’m Submerged in Waves. I’ll go with this one.”
Even If I’m Submerged in Waves was a 2000s-style R&B ballad.
When Choi Jaesung returned after calling the PD, unbelievably, Sion hyung had already made a guide track.
Only 25 minutes had passed.
Did he rush it? Listening to it…
It was astonishing.
The soulful early 2000s ballad had transformed into an electronic-infused alternative R&B.
The electronic guitar hook led the melody, branching across the entire track…
‘How can anyone do this so quickly?’
It was hard to believe.
“Sing this.”
“Is this your way of letting me be the protagonist, at least on Stage Number Zero?”
“No. You’ll see when you sing it.”
Han Sion didn’t explain further.
Time passed, and Wednesday arrived.
The production team behind Stage Number Zero was ecstatic.
The program was doing extremely well.
All thanks to Choi Jaesung and Sedalbaekil.
They used Sedalbaekil’s name for early hype and secured viewers, with Choi Jaesung’s highlight stage carrying episode one.
Even when episode one aired, Sedalbaekil’s Onsaemiro was making headlines on Masked Singer.
The shared keyword of “Sedalbaekil” brought all that buzz to Stage Number Zero.
But what pleased them most was…
‘Choi Daeho lost.’
Sedalbaekil had beaten Choi Daeho.
More networks now wanted Sedalbaekil, and many had already booked them.
In other words, they no longer feared retaliation from Choi Daeho.
Even with all these good things happening, the main PD of Stage Number Zero had one regret.
‘Couldn’t we have kept Choi Jaesung longer?’
Specifically, his exit from the show.
They had already agreed that Choi Jaesung wouldn’t enter the Top 10.
A simple capitalist logic.
From Top 10 onward, networks focus more on profitability than show quality.
Sponsors take ownership of Top 10 contestants, sign music revenue deals, and the networks leverage “we’re promoting your artist” logic.
In such a setup, having Choi Jaesung in the Top 10 was unrealistic.
Such a waste.
The PD hadn’t known much about Choi Jaesung before.
Like most, he only knew Sedalbaekil = Han Sion, and recognized the famously handsome Iion.
But once the show began, Choi Jaesung demonstrated another level.
No matter how hard others tried, they crumbled against him.
There had been a contestant named Joo Sechan, long considered a strong contender.
Joo Sechan had never faced Choi Jaesung directly — not in team missions, duets, or side challenges.
They were always on opposite sides of the bracket: Jaesung was the ace on one side, Sechan on the other.
Agencies were already fiercely competing to recruit Joo Sechan.
If Choi Jaesung exited, Joo Sechan seemed poised to take first.
Then they finally faced off in the last duet round.
‘He got utterly crushed.’
Crude words, but nothing described the situation better.
Joo Sechan practically became a backup singer while performing together.
NT, who had been negotiating with Joo Sechan, requested a re-shoot—placing him in a separate bracket from Jaesung.
And NT made up their minds.
Seeing the man they wanted get destroyed, they shifted their sights to Choi Jaesung.
The PD knew NT had approached Jaesung during the last shoot.
The atmosphere was 50-50.
Not positive, but not negative either.
So the PD prayed.
Please let Choi Jaesung join NT.
If that happened, NT would invest, and Jaesung could easily take first.
In fact, he wouldn’t even need help. Just showing his real ability would suffice.
While the PD was lost in these thoughts, the contestants entered the filming location.
Today was the Stage Number 15 round, with seven eliminations.
Eight would advance, and two eliminated contestants would be revived through a loser’s bracket, forming the final Stage Number Ten.
“Starting shoot!”
The FD’s call prompted the main PD to spring into action.
Seven long hours passed…
“Hello.”
It was Choi Jaesung’s turn.
On stage, Choi Jaesung took a breath.
The version of Even If I’m Submerged in Waves that Sion hyung arranged wasn’t originally a difficult song.
It was your typical early-2000s ballad, relying on emotional belting — nothing Jaesung couldn’t handle.
He had worked hard to overcome his past weaknesses in soul music, as pointed out during Coming Up Next.
But this rearranged version was strangely challenging.
Everyone said he sang well, but he couldn’t be sure.
Still, regardless of his feelings, it was time to sing.
The song began with an electronic guitar hook played directly by Han Sion.
Little Pink Starfish 
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