“Today’s number one is… Today! Congratulations!”
He clapped mechanically. MC Joo Woosung handed over the trophy with a beaming smile. Today’s gaze briefly met his, but he pretended not to notice.
“Thank you!”
“We really didn’t expect this.”
With Today, whether they ranked first or not, they were busy looking and waving only at their fans and showed no interest in others.
They were so funny, and it’s like they really followed their own way, not caring about anyone else.
As they were about to leave the stage, Today’s Yu Hyeok sent a deep, sarcastic gaze toward us.
It was a face that seemed to say, ‘You guys can’t get this, can you?’
That kind of disdainful face.
The kids were used to that kind of contempt, but surprisingly, Kim Seonghyeon took the bait. Seong Jiwon quickly grabbed and pulled him away as he made an angry face.
“Seonghyeon.”
“…”
“Let it go.”
Kim Seonghyeon sighed and turned his head after looking at Seong Jiwon.
That’s right. That’s what they should do.
Even if it’s petty and dirty, they couldn’t let it show while the cameras are rolling.
“Today, Today!”
The cheers of Today’s fans could be heard, and a passing idol group grumbled.
“Why do they like those guys? Their personalities are terrible….”
“When the cameras are rolling, they pretend to be nice, so who knows?”
“Their fans are really pitiful. They have such a bad reputation….”
I suddenly looked up and met their eyes. The gossiping idols quickly shut their mouths and moved away.
What was that group’s name again? While I made a mental note of the overheard conversation, I also nodded to the people around them with a face that pretended not to hear anything and got into the cramped van.
“Guys, good job. Let’s go to the dorm.”
“Yes.”
The atmosphere was strangely subdued.
I texted the CEO about what I heard from Joo Woosung and put my phone away.
What should I do? I pondered while plugging in my earphones and listening to our song.
Insiders…
I continued to worry about how to plan my strategy. When we arrived at the dorm, the manager carefully observed us before leaving. Then, Kang Ichae called out to me.
“Hyung.”
“…”
“Hoyun-hyung!”
“Huh?”
I looked at Kang Ichae with a bewildered gaze while absentmindedly tapping the dining table with my index finger. The other members’ eyes were all gathered on me.
“What’s wrong?”
“What is it?”
“Are you that upset about not getting first place? Or did someone pick a fight?”
“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
“Why do you look so fierce? It feels like a cold wind is blowing from you. Is this the Arctic?”
Was I like that? No, I wasn’t really angry, but…
It seemed like I couldn’t pay attention to others while concentrating.
“No, it’s not that. I just had something to think about for a moment.”
“Really?”
“What did Joo Woosung say?”
Why did they suddenly bring him up?
When I frowned at Kim Seonghyeon’s question, everyone sighed in relief.
“I guess not. That’s good. We thought you were scolded because Joo Woosung called you.”
“Why, if it was true, would you scold him?”
“… It’s scary, but should we try?”
Surprisingly, Seong Jiwon gave a quick response. I dismissed it as a joke and moved on.
“So, what’s going on? The manager was also carefully watching your reactions earlier.”
“The manager is sensitive; that’s the issue.”
“Did you ever think you might be too tough?”
“I haven’t thought about it…?”
I, for one, was emotionally sensitive enough. Everyone looked concerned, even though I didn’t know what my expression was.
“Is that for real?”
“It’s scary even if it’s an act and even scarier if it’s true.”
Kim Seonghyeon scolded Jeong Dajun and Kang Ichae for whispering in front of the person in question. Then, he turned his gaze to me.
“So, what is it? Did something happen?”
“Well, that’s…”
I recently warned the members about three things to be cautious of.
I never expected the last words, ‘trust me,’ to be used so soon.
“We can’t win first place even if we compete.”
“What? Who said that?”
“It’s because the winner is already predetermined.”
“What?!”
Jeong Dajun kicked the table and stood up, appalled.
“Ah, these people are sly…!”
“Are we just a screen?”
“How did you find out about that? Wait, who exactly are they?”
“Huh.”
I tapped the table again.
“Today.”
A chilling silence followed. All the members’ faces hardened, and then they started cursing.
“Those guys don’t have talent, so they resort to anything.”
Kang Ichae muttered coldly.
“I already thought they were too lucky compared to their abilities. I thought their popularity rose because they were pushed into entertainment shows, but…”
“I never expected them to be this blatant.”
Kim Seonghyeon’s face twisted and seemed even more annoyed, perhaps because he had been pushed around by Yu Hyeok earlier. As everyone complained, Jeong Dajun asked a question.
“Hyung, why are you so calm?! Aren’t you angry?”
“Hmm. I’m not really angry.”
“Are you a pushover, hyung?!”
“…?”
Who was calling whom a pushover now?
As I looked incredulous, Jeong Dajun stepped back nervously.
There was actually one reason why I wasn’t angry. Sensing it, Seong Jiwon asked me.
“You have something up your sleeve.”
“I do.”
Right now, there’s an astonishing scenario unfolding as the members are agitated. Seong Jiwon smiled bitterly.
“What is it, by any chance? Are you giving up? Saying it’s okay not to be number one?”
“Of course not.”
“So, what’s the plan?”
Well, I’ve finished thinking. I weighed a few factors and understood their cons. I spoke with confidence.
“We have to get first place.”
“…”
The living room fell into an even more profound silence than when Today had been mentioned as an insider earlier.
“Hyung, did you not hear the conversation until now? What are you talking about when you were the one who told us about the inside information?”
“Hoyun, even the agency is involved right now, and it’s difficult. This isn’t something we can handle with our abilities. This kind of thing happens all the time in the entertainment industry.”
I know. I was aware. It wasn’t the first time a schedule was pushed back because of that. There was even an instance when another PD snatched away a project I had worked on for a year. At that time, I drank at least five bottles of soju out of frustration.
But could it be because I’ve experienced many delays like that?
“We can make it to the top.”
I was not very familiar with that world.
Upon hearing my words, the members’ faces brightened again. It seemed my image was established here.
Crazy. That wasn’t bad, either.
“But there’s a condition.”
“What is it?”
“Do you remember what I said before? I mentioned three precautions.”
Kang Ichae’s eyes sparkled. Everyone had a ‘you can’t be serious’ look.
“You’re not going to bring up dating here, are you? Trust us, okay?”
“Yes. No matter what happens, you must trust us. Even if we commit a crime, trust us. If we say the sun is the moon, still trust us.”
“Are you joking right now?”
“I’m not joking.”
“…”
“A lot will happen in the future. At that time, no matter what I do, you must trust me. Don’t trust what others say.”
It was a statement that warranted comments like ‘what nonsense is this?’ and ‘did he eat something wrong?’
Yet, everyone didn’t outright dismiss it due to my track record so far.
To make it big, I would boldly make any deal.
Everyone might be trembling with fear, but still.
Kim Seonghyeon cautiously asked.
“What’s the reason for saying that?”
“……”
“Isn’t it because you have something in mind that you’re saying that?”
It was an utterly different attitude from when I first met him, and he said not to ruin the atmosphere and leave. I slowly looked around at the members.
“I won’t choose the means and methods.”
They were people who were once thought to be hopeless. But look at them now. They’ve become quite capable. Star quality can be created.
“I’ll do whatever it takes to make us successful.”
“…”
“There might be times when your feelings get hurt… but you need to trust me anyway, even if it hurts.”
I spoke honestly. If I don’t gain the members’ trust now, the foundation of all my planned schemes will collapse. I waited calmly for the outcome.
“What are you talking about?”
Of course, they only imagined situations that could be dismissed with a simple laugh.
Suddenly, Jeong Dajun got up and, with a fumbling motion, took a red ginseng drink from Seong Jiwon’s carrier and drank it.
“…What is it?”
“I just felt a sudden lack of energy… It’s hard to deal with Hoyun always acting crazy like that. I just don’t want to think about it.”
“Yeah, me too. Me too.”
Kang Ichae chuckled. When I raised one eyebrow, Seong Jiwon cautiously spoke.
“Hoyun, I don’t know about the others, but I’ve trusted you for quite a while now. I knew you had a bad personality from the beginning….”
“That’s right, I’ve already had quite a few heartfelt moments with you. Especially when you first mentioned your parents, I thought, ‘Is there really someone like this?'”
“Honestly… Seo Hoyun has a really disgusting personality.”
… These guys?
Kang Ichae chimed in with the ongoing conversation.
“Let’s see how it goes. To be honest, I enjoy working with you. We head in completely unexpected directions sometimes.”
Kang Ichae never said he trusted me until the end. But this was enough. The rest could be filled in slowly over time. Kang Ichae grinned.
“Let’s do it, us. Trusting Hoyun, let’s oust the designated successor and take first place.”
It’s decided.
***
Time flew by quickly, and it was already time for the plan.
Despite knowing the rigged set-up, the CEO laughed heartily and said, “Be satisfied with second place.” Even the gentle manager seemed to grind his teeth angrily at the thoughtless remark, but I remained calm.
Because—
“There! Your position is wrong right now!”
“Ah! Seriously, this is a matter of centimeters!”
“Adjust it again!”
Seong Jiwon’s switch turned on again.
Following Seong Jiwon was damn hard, and I didn’t even think about the annoying words from the CEO or Yu Hyeok.
As I collapsed in the corner, Kang Ichae sat down with a thud.
“In my opinion, Jiwon is insane.”
“Yeah, he’s definitely possessed. In my opinion, a dead trainee has possessed him in the practice room.”
“He wasn’t like this for the past year… It’s true that he’s famous for being a practice bug.”
Everyone secretly gathered and gossiped about Seong Jiwon. Even Kim Seonghyeon joined in.
“Was Seong Jiwon famous?”
“Yeah, didn’t you know? He used to be a big rookie and part of a debut group, so he had some recognition. Most of our small group of fans were here because of Jiwon.”
“That’s where Today is, right?”
“Yeah. D.go is the agency.”
Kim Seonghyeon quietly answered.
“He must have had a lot of pressure. He slipped from the debut group there, unfortunately.”
“Aha.”
“He used to practice half-heartedly, like a dead person. But after he joined us, his eyes flipped. He brought oil barrels to the burning house, not just fanning the flames.”
Kang Ichae emptied a bottle of water and as he said that to them.
Did Seong Jiwon hesitate with Yu Hyeok of Today for that reason?
No, why did he fail in the first place?
It went without saying that Seong Jiwon was the most skilled and well-balanced guy in The Dawn.
“Well, it turned out well, anyway.”
At Seong Jiwon’s reply, Kang Ichae seemed surprised. It appeared he had heard our conversation. He walked over and fanned himself.
“I didn’t want to debut with the Today members, either.”
“Even after winning first place now? Doesn’t your stomach hurt?”
“I’d rather have a stomachache here than suffocate and die there.”
Seong Jiwon answered firmly. There must have been a serious issue, which I’ll have to ask about later.
“Jiwon!”
“Yeah, yeah?”
Jeong Dajun, who I thought had fainted, suddenly stood up.
“Are you saying loyalty is more important than popularity?”
“Huh? Does that mean that?”
“Please make sure to include that in your autobiography later.”
“Do idols usually write autobiographies?”
Seong Jiwon was confused and got caught up in Jeong Dajun’s nonsense.
In the meantime, my cell phone rang. When I checked it, Kang Ichae suddenly lifted his head.
“Is it the composer, hyung?”
“No, it’s not.”
“Darn, too bad.”
Kang Ichae clicked his tongue. Lately, he’s been acting strangely. Like an outsider, he looked disinterested in everything but would flip out whenever Lim Hyeonsu was mentioned.
“You can’t possibly be….”
“Huh?”
“…Well, no.”
Surely… Surely, he did like Lim Hyeonsu?
As I glanced at him, Kang Ichae let out a hollow laugh.
“Hyung, what kind of filthy thoughts are you having?”
“Ah, sorry.”
“I never thought that, but your thinking is really narrow-minded….”
“I said I’m sorry.”
Kang Ichae went on about how the composer was in a different realm and almost like a religion to him. I half-listened and checked the message.
– Joo Woosung: Hey
It was Joo Woosung.
– Joo Woosung: I checked what we talked about last time. I even know what the first mission is, lol
– Joo Woosung: Curious? Huh? If you say Joo Woosung-sunbae is the best, I respect and thank him, I’ll tell you
“Wow.”
I carefully typed a message.
– Me: Best.
Best.
– Me: R.s.
Respect.
– Me: T.y.
Thank you.[1]
– Joo Woosung: I’m really ^^
– Joo Woosung: Sometimes I think, am I a fool for treating you well even after being treated like this ^^
Not a fool, but a real fool.
Joo Woosung told me, grumbling. I slowly checked the detailed mission he had written.
Lately, I’ve been receiving a lot of help from Joo Woosung.
– Joo Woosung: And I checked the producer too.
– Me: Who is it?
– Joo Woosung: It seems that many PDs have been replaced as D.go started to interfere… The final PD seems to be this person.
I knew most of the broadcasting station PDs. I imagined the names that flashed through my mind. If it’s a person in charge of such a competition program, it wouldn’t be far from expectations.
As I casually read the message, my heart dropped.
– Joo Woosung: It’s PD Kim Heeyeon.
“…”
“Hyung?”
I lost my words for a moment. Kang Ichae, who was still talking about Lim Hyeonsu’s great points, tilted his head.
“Hyung, what’s wrong?”
“Ha…”
I pressed my eyes hard and then collapsed on the floor.
“Ichae.”
“…What?”
“Life isn’t easy.”
Kim Heeyeon — cool, smart, famous as the “crazy woman of this area” at the cable broadcasting station, and also–
“It’s not easy….”
My ex-girlfriend.
[1] Joo Woosung wanted Seo Hoyun to use three words: “best” (최고), “respect” (존경), and “감사” (thank you). Seo Hoyun replied with “ㅊㄱ,” “ㅈㄱ,” and “ㄱㅅ.” They’re the first initial consonants of the three words in Korean, like a shorthand.
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