Chapter 56: The Fleeting Affection of an Arrogant Man
[Will I finally see Foby’s names side by side on the official ranking this time? Please!!!]
[Between Luther and Joshua, I seriously can’t tell who’ll take the second spot.]
[Joshua’s rise has been so fast, but he deserves it.]
[I smell gunpowder—war is coming, folks.]
[Alright, no matter who ranks where, they’re all my beloved babies. My kids’ debut is guaranteed!]
[Meanwhile, my poor child is at risk of being eliminated...]
[Oh no, that’s so sad. My condolences, girl.]
As the live broadcast waiting room opened, countless fans chatted nonstop—some arguing fiercely, while others vibed calmly.
At the same time, a tense atmosphere spread among the trainees.
It was completely different from the first day Joshua arrived here.
Leonard pulled Joshua along—this time, they were seated together. Joshua couldn’t help glancing at him; Leonard acted as if he’d already known this would happen.
Noticing Joshua’s gaze, Leonard shot him a side-eye and frowned. "What?"
Joshua said nothing. He could sense Leonard was like a lit fuse today—best not to provoke him.
Leonard clicked his tongue as he looked at Joshua’s dark hair, feeling even more irritated for no reason. Joshua didn’t understand a thing—what an unfeeling idiot!
Or maybe Joshua didn’t care about him. That thought only made Leonard more annoyed.
He had already given Joshua flowers—what more was he supposed to do? If he confessed now, would Joshua even accept it?
Joshua... does he even like guys?
Thinking that, Leonard suddenly leaned in, squinting slightly as he studied Joshua’s face—and the camera caught that exact moment perfectly!
[AAAAA Foby sisters, our patience has paid off! The stream just started, and we have already seen this intimate, affectionate scene. Who can handle this?!]
[Oh my god, Leonard, can you not look at Joshua like that? My heart’s aching—I swear I’m about to turn into a rooster crowing all night!]
[Hold on, I’m bringing the wedding hall right now!]
[Hurry up, sisters, I’m ready for the wedding!]
[They’re just looking at each other, and everyone’s losing their minds.]
[Please, if you don’t ship them, you just don’t get it, okay?]
Joshua glanced at Leonard suspiciously. "Is there something on my face?"
Leonard frowned, then suddenly raised his hand. Thinking there really was something there, Joshua stayed still.
Leonard could feel Joshua’s focused gaze on him—Joshua wasn’t avoiding his closeness anymore. Could that be a sign he actually had a chance?
Leonard’s thumb brushed lightly across Joshua’s soft skin. Then, out of nowhere, he said, "I’m eighteen."
Joshua truly had no idea what Leonard was trying to do. He grabbed Leonard’s hand, which was still hovering near his face, and pulled it down, nodding. Before he could say anything, Leonard continued, "I’m 1.82 meters tall."
"And I’ve never had a first love," Leonard added, pretending to sound casual.
But there was nothing casual about it.
Joshua stared at him silently. Leonard’s eyes widened, thinking Joshua might finally understand—until Joshua tilted his head thoughtfully and asked, "Wait, is there a camera? Are you trying to record my reaction? Is this for one of those online challenges or something...?"
Leonard was so exasperated he could practically explode, but before he could say anything more, the cheerful voice of the MC suddenly rang out.
"Hello, dear National Producers and our wonderful trainees! The long-awaited day has finally come—announcing the second round’s ranking! Only the top 30 contestants will stay!"
[They’re eliminating half of them already...]
[That’s how these shows always go... I don’t want to see my babies cry, boo-hoo-hoo!]
[I swear I voted so much already!]
[Come on, your votes alone aren’t gonna change anything.]
"However, there’s a special surprise this time! Leaders, each of you may now choose one member from your team—right now, before the ranking results are revealed! Of course, even if your chosen member is already in the top 30 after the rankings are announced, you won’t be allowed to choose again! You all understand the rules. Then let’s use your special privilege!"
[Ooh, that sounds fun—didn’t expect them to add a new twist like this!]
[Who will the leaders choose to save?]
[Oh my god, please, someone save my baby!]
[Do you really have that little faith in your kid?]
At that moment, the lights flickered with a click before brightening again—this time, a spotlight shone straight down on Leonard.
Simultaneously, the MC’s cheerful voice rang out: "First, let’s invite Aoen’s leader, Leonard, to choose the member he wants to save!"
Leonard stood up, took the mic from a staff member, lifted his gaze, and smiled—a friendly smile.
[No matter how I look at it, that’s the face of someone about to stir up trouble.]
[A sly little fox.]
[Still not wearing the team uniform—seriously, he always acts like he’s different. Did he come here to play around or what?]
[Exactly, hahaha. Don’t be jealous.]
The members of Aoen looked at Leonard expectantly.
Leonard raised his eyes, speaking lazily, "If I had to save someone, I’d pick myself. After all, I’m a bit worried—I’m not ready to get eliminated yet."
With that, he handed the mic back to the staff and, under everyone’s stunned gazes, sat down and crossed his legs.
[Is he serious right now? Worried about being eliminated—him? What, eliminated from first place to second?]
[The MC said he could pick anyone, right? Leonard picking himself makes perfect sense.]
[I can’t believe a fan said that with a straight face.]
[Could it be there’s tension within their group? But I saw their stage performance—they looked perfectly fine together...]
[This is hilarious. Some people can’t accept they’re not good enough. Tell your pick to go practice instead of blaming my boy!]
[Still, he could’ve chosen someone else...]
[He didn’t want to. Simple as that. Stop whining.]
[Oh, I have the right to choose, but I’m supposed to use it your way?]
The argument was already heating up online—mostly with Leonard’s fans effortlessly crushing everyone else.
Nine clicked his tongue. [Tsk tsk tsk, idols and their fans—equally terrifying.]
Hearing that, Joshua couldn’t help glancing at Leonard. The latter was smirking proudly; when he noticed Joshua looking, he lifted his chin and said, "That’s for the others. If you were about to get eliminated, I’d definitely save you. Of course, you’d have to repay me somehow—"
Before he could finish, Joshua calmly said, "That won’t happen."
Leonard raised an eyebrow, staring at him.
Joshua met his gaze, smiling lightly, saying, "I want the spot you’ve always had. I want to be number one—but I don’t need you to give it up."
Leonard narrowed his eyes, a mocking smile tugging at his lips. "You won’t make it."
Joshua nodded, saying nothing more.
For some reason, that made Leonard even more uneasy. Joshua’s smile was beautiful, yet his words were downright infuriating. That little brat actually dared to challenge him?
Leonard looked at Joshua’s fair, soft cheek and thought, " Yeah, I definitely don’t like cute things. Those earlier feelings must’ve been an illusion.