“Joo Woosung, are you seriously crazy?”
Standing on the third-floor balcony of the studio and tapping away at his phone, Joo Woosung turned around with a big grin.
“Seo Hoyun, hi.”
“I was going to be annoyed that you didn’t tell me about the lineup, but now, I’m just astonished. How did you manage to… between those two…”
I couldn’t finish my sentence, just shaking my head in disbelief.
Joo Woosung, who had dreaded even the idea of participating in an end-of-the-year stage with White Cherry’s Han Chaeri, seemed in a good mood today.
“You know, you only seem to pick up common sense in the weirdest places.”
“It’s Joo Woosung who’s missing common sense in weird places.”
Joo Woosung chuckled.
Then, leaning on the railing, he waved his hand and looked down at the crowd gathering below.
“Season 2, it’s a real mess, huh? My direct hoobae and an ex-girlfriends’ mega party…”
“…”
“And then there’s you.”
Unbelievable.
“Why am I included in this sticky mess? It’s all related to Joo Woosung.”
“Are you asking even though you know? You’re the worst of them all.”
You’re the worst, sure.
I crossed my arms and stared at him, only for Joo Woosung to just tilt his head.
“Why on earth did you choose a Lea Purple song?”
“Why?”
“What do you mean, why?”
Joo Woosung snorted as if he couldn’t believe it.
“You know what you’re doing. Everyone knows you arranged the stage lineup like that to avoid being entangled in a scandal. But why would you go out of your way to bring Lea Purple here? Don’t you know that’s just going to leave a bad impression on the fans?”
“Hearing this from Joo Woosung feels refreshing.”
“You wanna die?”
The reality was that Joo Woosung, about to go on air with not one but two ex-girlfriends by his side, still had a reason for never getting entangled in any messy scandals throughout his numerous relationships.
He never let on in front of the fans, always meeting in secret locations when necessary.
Besides, the agency couldn’t afford to lose Black Call, so they had thoroughly blocked it.
“What are you going to do if a scandal breaks out?”
As if he was overly sensitive about such matters.
“Ordinary people would think that way, right?”
“…?”
I moved next to Joo Woosung, leaned my chin on the railing, and looked down.
“Don’t worry. I have a plan.”
TEW was standing below.
We could hear our group’s name being mentioned, and everyone exchanged awkward smiles and glances.
It wasn’t a strange conversation to overhear.
Just typical workplace gossip.
“Be careful not to act rashly.”
Joo Woosung also noticed and turned to look in that direction as he spoke.
“There’s a limit to dragging others down with you. They’re being cautious enough as it is.”
“…”
“It can’t be helped, the more you roll in this industry, the more you learn to protect yourself.”
“Is that from experience?”
Joo Woosung glared at me for a moment before sighing.
Seemed like he meant to say, if you’re going to talk about serious stuff, at least listen.
“Anyway, you can’t rely on the same luck as in Season 1. You have to face it with your skills now.”
I looked at Joo Woosung.
“Isn’t it surprising?”
“What is?”
“That Joo Woosung would think like this.”
The top star smirked sarcastically at my words.
Luck?
Fair point.
To the outside world, it would seem like luck.
If Season 1 was truly a wild field, Season 2 was a mess pretending to be neat.
At least the wilderness was pure, but here, only those who survived the muck were swarming around.
Meaning, the politicking was going to be even worse.
As Joo Woosung said, the more you rolled in this industry, the more you learned to protect yourself.
So, wouldn’t that make it more interesting?
“I think differently. It all depends on the situation, doesn’t it?”
“What do you think?”
“It’s the people who have more who do more.”
I have seen such cases countless times.
“Those who have tasted know the flavor, and those who have had grown greedy. The more you have to protect, the greedier you become, and soon, you’ll bare your fangs.”
That’s why the higher you climb, the more you can do whatever you want and still be forgiven—that’s when you can truly understand a person’s character.
What if, on the contrary, someone tried to take away the rice bowl you’ve always enjoyed?
“People are mostly the same….”
They would throw a tantrum.
“Do you know who I am?” wasn’t a line that had become cliché in dramas for no reason.
Because there have been many people who said that.
It seemed everyone was being extra cautious this time, so there was a need to find a way to choose the most likely candidate to make a foolish mistake.
That’s why this song was chosen.
“I’m kind of curious who it will be.”
Indeed, who would make the most idiotic mistake?
The trap was set; now, all that was left was to wait for someone to fall into it.
I tapped my fingers on the railing, pondering.
And I hope it’s your hoobae.
Woosung would be horrified if he knew.
“Well, let’s pretend I didn’t hear that.”
“…”
“Let’s just move past it, okay?”
I had expected to at least get called a sly fox for saying it with a mischievous smile, but Woosung simply nodded in agreement.
“Be that as it may.”
“…?”
When I gave him a puzzled look, Woosung glanced at me and rubbed his neck.
“I’ll help you.”
“…What?”
With my scheming?
Woosung twitched his eyebrows at my dumbfounded expression.
“What kind of bullshit are you thinking?! I’m talking about skills, skills. I’m going to help you improve your dancing.”
“…Really??”
“Seo Hoyun, do you think I came here to be a mentor for no reason?”
Was Woosung actually…
His unexpected confession left my thoughts stuttering.
“…Excuse me.”
…No way.
Maybe it was because my brain wasn’t working properly, but Woosung’s words sounded like he voluntarily came out to mentor me.
“Let’s not make absurd claims just to show off. Where do you think you are, showing your teeth like that?”
“Didn’t you, the quick-witted guy, notice anything odd? Sure, the company suggested it, but do you think I have the time to come out here as a mentor? They’d normally assign a regular trainer or something.”
Woosung’s mockery made me even more bewildered.
“So, like I said before. I’m going to get cursed from all sides. For coming out as a mentor because of my direct hoobae, I’ll get criticized, and then for not looking after my hoobae but hanging around weird fucks, I’ll get cursed again.”
“What?
“…Hmm, guess I’ll live a long life then?”
Seeing the guy mutter awkwardly, I opened my mouth slightly.
That’s some nonsense…
Well, even if we give him the benefit of the doubt and this was true….
“…Joo Woosung.”
“What?”
“Do you by any chance have a DNA sequence composed entirely of fools? Or are you just crazy?”
That was way over the line.
“Fuck, yeah, I’m a food, you bastard.”
“…At least you’re aware, which is good.”
“You’re brutally harsh.”
Woosung, who was begrudgingly looking at me as if caring for me was a hassle, sighed deeply and took out his phone.
“Haah, it’s thankless. Like Seonghyeon, you’re not cute in the slightest… No manners, no skills, and your dancing is clumsy. What’s there to like? I must be crazy.”
“Stop talking behind people’s backs.”
“Seo Hoyun, do you really, really, really not understand why me and Cheongbeom-noona act like a fool in front of you?”
I didn’t know.
Maybe you guys were just fools?
Though I couldn’t see my own expression, Woosung lifted one corner of his mouth upon seeing my face.
“That’s why you’re an unknown, you lunatic.”
“…”
No, but this guy was really picking a fight.
***
After selecting the competition song, the schedule for Shining Star Season 2 progressed quickly.
“Haah…”
“Why are you sighing so much?”
“Oh, it’s nothing!”
The decision to increase the density of the broadcast meant more frequent shooting than the previous season, and naturally, more preparation was required.
Thanks to that, not only the cast but also the production team faced a tight schedule.
In fact, they were so short on staff members for the participants’ interviews that they had to deploy personnel from the culture department.
And that was exactly why the youngest AD at the broadcasting station was endlessly sighing right now.
“Ugh….”
As he followed Kim Heeyeon around and set up the camera at the designated spot, he recalled his whiny younger cousin.
I have to get a High Five’s autograph…
As a big fan of High Five, he had pestered him via text, KakaoTalk, and calls until he accepted.
He wanted to get it over with quickly, but unfortunately, the first shoot was with The Dawn.
Ah, so annoying.
PD Kim Heeyeon had strictly told him not to show his fanboy side during the shooting, but getting an autograph should be fine, right?
He pouted, wishing to quickly finish The Dawn’s shoot and maybe bump into High Five.
“Hello?”
“Hello, please take care of me!”
However, all those thoughts flew out the window the moment The Dawn stepped in.
Wow, are they even human?
Having seen many celebrities working at the broadcasting station, the idols he encountered up close seemed so unreal, it was hard to believe they were of the same species.
He had heard they were popular these days.
Seeing their long limbs and faces that could put actors to shame, he understood why.
Idol life isn’t for just anyone…
However, as an AD who frequently heard stories about the tyranny within the entertainment industry, he tried his best to stay alert to avoid causing trouble.
Despite merely sitting still with expressionless faces, Seo Hoyun, Kim Seonghyeon, and Kang Ichae looked intimidating.
After greeting the staff, the members gathered in the middle of the practice room and started their discussion.
“Let’s listen to Lea Purple-sunbae’s song first before we start.”
“Alright.”
“I get this Feeling, you may see me as a frivolous person,
But you’re already attracted to me.”
Lea Purple had become famous for climbing back up the charts recently and was actively participating on variety shows, but as someone with no knowledge of idol songs, the AD couldn’t recall ever hearing this song.
It meant that it was likely a song unknown to the public as well.
Is it somewhat sexy, cutesy?
Yet, it was strange.
Why did they put a female idol song in the first place?
Of course, it could have been put in for another idol to pick.
However, if the person ended up picking it by mistake, it would be a total mess.
In the end, The Dawn ended up choosing the note they had inserted themselves.
Then, wouldn’t it have been better to just pick something safe, like a male idol song, say, from Black Call’s “Kings”?
…Why on earth this then?
It was a dangerously sexy, cutesy concept that pulled at the soul.
“You can mistake me for an easy girl,
We have plenty of time, touch me slowly,
Easy tempo one and two.”
The lyrics were such that they made one wonder if its obscurity was due to its infeasibility in today’s context, purporting an intent to look pretty for you, feigning innocence, acting coy, but in any case, suggesting you would end up coming to me.
It wasn’t just the youngest AD who thought this way.
The eyes of the staff who had been in the industry for a long time also wavered.
“Don’t rush, easy tempo one and two,
Don’t come hurriedly without certainty.”
This? In Shining Star? By a male idol? In the first round?
Skirting around scandals only to do a Lea Purple song?
Thinking about Lea Purple’s outfit at the time made it even more daunting.
They had worn tight-fitting black leather skinny jeans.
“Sounds good. Shall we go with this?”
“Yes~!”
“…!!”
However, the actual members of The Dawn were utterly calm.
Suddenly, the practice room door burst open, and someone came in.
“The awesome sunbae is here~!”
…Why him again???
It was Joo Woosung, who was notoriously hard to meet.
Contrary to his approachable and sorrowful image on TV, he was well-known for being prickly and standoffish.
Thus, the network had only thrown the mentor role at Woosung as a formality, recognizing him more as a face that occasionally appeared on screen to boost ratings.
Everyone seemed puzzled by the unexpected guest’s arrival, but Seo Hoyun reacted nonchalantly.
“Did you bring something to drink?”
“Do you think your sunbae is like a shuttle?”
“If you didn’t bring any drinks, just turn around and leave.”
“Seo Hoyun, you know what?”
“What?”
“I’m not even mad anymore.”
“…”
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