I was in no position to be picky about cold or hot water.
“We’re still rookies.”
Speaking candidly, everyone’s shoulders slumped. It was great to be on the charts, but we had to continue this momentum.
“To break free from the rookie title, we need to firmly establish our reputation, even if it means wearing out our image a bit.”
“Hmm…”
“Let’s join this program.”
“…”
Everyone wore a contemplative expression. Amidst this, Kang Ichae casually answered while chewing on a dried squid.
“I’m up for it.”
This was easy.
“I like it too. I want to treat it as our last chance.”
Seong Jiwon gave a push to the momentum. The determination in his eyes was blazing.
Kim Seonghyeon and Jeong Dajun glanced at the other members and nodded.
“Let’s do it.”
“I’ll follow you guys.”
“Okay.”
The atmosphere was gradually coming together. As the situation neared its conclusion, I slowly found the right time to speak.
“Listen to this. There are three crucial rules to make it big, including through a competition program.”
“What are they?”
Although they debuted a year ago, it was evident they were still naïve rookies who didn’t know the broadcasting ecosystem.
I raised a finger.
“First.”
“Yes.”
“Don’t trust everyone at the broadcasting station.”
“… Excuse me?”
“They’re all cunning foxes, harboring snakes inside.”
“Are you introducing yourself?”
I ignored that.
“Don’t give them any reason to hold something against you. Be suspicious of everyone, no matter how friendly they seem. Especially with idols, actors, related personnel, and staff who might get involved in a scandal – don’t even let your fingertips touch them. Okay?”
Everyone chuckled awkwardly.
“Did you set the mood just to say that?”
“Our company doesn’t prohibit dating, right?”
“If you want to date, don’t be an idol.”
“…Wow, okay.”
Everyone seemed a bit taken aback. But I wasn’t joking. For idols, a dating scandal could be fatal.
It was even more critical for rising groups to be careful. I didn’t threaten Joo Woosung with his dating history for no reason.
“If you receive a note with a phone number, hand it to the manager. Don’t even unfold it.”
“Hand over the note?”
“The only thing you guys can open is fan letters.”
“We can’t even open them…?”
I sighed.
“Jeong Dajun, I quit smoking to become an idol.”
“…”
“Can’t you quit dating?”
After siping the red ginseng juice Seong Jiwon handed me, I grabbed Jeong Dajun’s arms and shook him.
“What does dating have to do with the harmfulness of smoking…?”
A hard-hitting remark….
“Both quitting smoking and abstaining from dating involves self-control.”
Everyone had a ‘what do you want us to do?’ expression, but I was serious. Non-smokers wouldn’t understand this pain.
That’s when Kang Ichae spoke to me.
“Hyung… Do you know this?”
“What?”
“I entered the entertainment industry with the mindset of already being a monk.”
“Excellent. Everyone should follow Kang Ichae’s example.”
“Haha, I’d like to dedicate this honor to my hamster at home.”
“You don’t have a hamster.”
“It’s my imaginary friend.”
As I clapped for Kang Ichae, he scratched his head shyly. The expressions of the other members soured, though.
“We got the first rule. Anyway, no one in our group is dating right now….”
“Yes. It’s fine.”
Jeong Dajun nodded his head.
Good, it seemed everyone understood well.
“Since you all seem to understand, let’s move on to the second rule. Be careful with your words. Always keep your mouth zipped, both in general and especially at the broadcasting station. Regardless of whether the camera is rolling or not.”
“Hmm… isn’t that a bit extreme?”
Seong Jiwon still didn’t know much about broadcasting stations.
“Broadcasting stations aren’t just filled with staff, but also part-time workers who are ordinary people. And among the staff, there’s no one you can trust. So be careful with your words around anyone who isn’t part of our group. Especially gossip. If it gets recorded and leaked, there’s no coming back from that. Remember the male idol who trash-talked his senior and had his conversation leaked a couple of years ago?”
Everyone’s faces turned pale, so they must have known the story.
Good, this should be okay as well.
“Now, lastly…”
This was the most important one.
“No matter what happens, trust me.”
In fact, the first two rules were meant as a setup to say this.
Everyone laughed at that, thinking it was a joke.
“Of course, we trust Hoyun.”
“Absolutely, you’re a genius idol, after all.”
But I didn’t laugh. The other members jokingly patted each other’s shoulders and moved on.
It seemed a bit early to bring this up. Regardless, it didn’t matter.
Eventually, when something happens later, everyone will understand.
***
“Hello! We are The Dawn!”
“Oh, right. Hi.”
The male idol in his third year since debut casually greeted us while looking at his phone. We kept our smiles as we handed out our promotional albums.
Ah, that guy…
I remembered him. He was infamous for being extremely arrogant, and the guy next to him used to cling to me, calling me “PD-nim, PD-nim.”
“The Dawn? What’s that?”
“That’s our group name.”
“You mean like deodeok?”[1]
It was infuriating to introduce ourselves as rookies to guys like them. Especially when they tried to act cool and belittled us with their words.
Nevertheless, everyone bravely greeted them. Kang Ichae, in particular, seemed unfazed.
“Ah, I see. Haha… Well, good luck with that.”
Although their words seemed like encouragement, the mockery within them was apparent. Everyone responded calmly, perhaps used to being treated this way.
“Yes, thank you.”
As we continued to greet people, a few notes were exchanged, as expected. Some were openly flirting within the broadcasting station, which was definitely not a wise move.
The highlight of all these situations was when a group of 5-year debut veterans passed by.
“Hello!”
For some reason, one of them seemed to be looking too much at Kim Seonghyeon and then, with a smile, casually handed him a note. The manager narrowed his eyes at this.
Although they tried not to show it, I also received a note in my pocket. When I looked up, the person winked at me.
For now, I smiled and bowed my head, but as they moved away, I turned to the manager and handed over the note.
“Manager, here you go.”
“Ah, me too.”
Surprisingly, Kim Seonghyeon obediently handed over the note first. It was a relief that he was sincere about being an idol. The manager looked flustered but took the papers diligently.
“Hey, why have you guys become so popular?”
“I guess we look good because of a brief moment of fame.”
“I don’t think that’s the only reason….”
We also made it onto the charts. However, we hadn’t really skyrocketed to fame yet. If we were truly famous, the broadcasting station staff would have gone to great lengths to talk to us for even a minute or a second.
“Wow… that senior just now! I really like them!”
“Do you want to quit being an idol?”
“Huh?? That’s not what I meant… Yes, sorry!”
As the members murmured, I cut them off with a single comment. Honestly, I had no interest in their preferences, nor my own. When young men and women, especially those known for their looks, gathered, it was natural for relationships to form, and dating wasn’t a crime.
However, for idols, it was.
I’m sorry, but I want to be successful.
For idols, especially rookies, dating was fatal, and if caught, it would turn into poison. Established groups could somehow form a support shield, but rookies would just sink to the bottom.
If caught… it’s really the end.
Kim Seonghyeon didn’t seem particularly bothered and simply shrugged his shoulders.
However, as we walked, I felt an uncomfortable gaze from behind. A male idol who ignored us earlier glared intensely at Kim Seonghyeon.
…Why was that guy acting like that?
I subtly turned my body, shielding Kim Seonghyeon from view, and decided to check on the situation later. We entered the waiting room where other groups gathered and took pictures.
“… Hey, when are we going on?”
As you know…
“We still have three hours left?”
“We’ve been waiting for two hours already…”
Waiting.
“… Let’s practice.”
Waiting.
“…Should we practice more?”
“Might as well.”
Waiting.
“I’m hungry…”
I heard that there tended to be a lot of waiting when recording an idol music program, but since I wasn’t an expert in this field, I hadn’t fully grasped the extent of it.
At least there was plenty of time for practice. I glanced at my quest window.
[Complete a week of music programs!
The Dawn is finally stepping out of the music scene just a bit.
Increase your popularity by appearing on music programs!
If you successfully appear on 5 music programs: Charm +30, Dance +20, Singing +10, 1,000 points]
Well, this wasn’t too bad.
The system seemed to be taking it easy this time. I discarded the ominous thought that it was the calm before the storm.
As I watched Kim Seonghyeon teach the dance steps thoroughly, a staff member opened the door and shouted at us.
“The Dawn, please get ready to perform.”
“Yes, got it!”
Their faces were just as tired as ours. It seemed they only planned to do a quick check for the first rehearsal.
“Let’s do well today.”
“Of course.”
“Fighting!”
“Ah, hyung! What’s up?”
Jeong Dajun replied energetically with a lively face. Unlike his initial sullen and downcast expression, his face was now full of confidence.
“Hello!”
“Nice to meet you!”
We greeted everyone we encountered on stage, and as we climbed onto the stage, we could see fans coming in for the pre-recording.
Counting the number of fans, there were about twenty-five. That’s more people than I expected.
After checking the nametag on my uniform, I tidied up my microphone cord. Jeong Dajun waved at the fans, bouncing around cheerfully.
“Hello, we are The Dawn. Nice to meet you.”
Kim Seonghyeon bowed slightly to the fans while greeting the staff. I hesitated and then gave a slight wave, which was met with a response.
“Hoyun! You look handsome today too!”
Honestly, I felt a bit… guilty. We had been sitting in a cramped waiting room, but those fans had likely been standing the whole time.
“…”
I was afraid to say something that could be taken the wrong way and tried to step down without saying much, but somehow, a comment slipped out.
“… Um, did you all eat?”
That was my first remark. I could have come up with something better. I slightly regretted it, but the fans quickly responded.
“Is food important right now?! I got picked for the audience!!”
“Pffft.”
A sly grin escaped my lips.
“Still, make sure to eat well. It’s all about staying alive, after all.”
“So caring… unfamiliar… I smell the scent of a stranger…”
“Did Hoyun just flip his personality?”
As Jeong Dajun and Kang Ichae looked startled, laughter erupted among the fans. Seong Jiwon laughed in agreement.
“As Hoyun said, please take good care of yourselves and eat well. We’ll do the same.”
With the rehearsal preparations done, the staff signaled for us to get ready, and Kim Seonghyeon bowed again toward the fans.
We couldn’t slack off during the rehearsal for the fans who had been suffering since dawn.
“Don’t be afraid of this strange feeling.”
Holding our composure, we gave it our all as if it were the real performance. I couldn’t even tell how I looked at the camera or if I danced properly. After the rehearsal, we heard we had to prepare for the pre-recording next.
The fans had gone through so much for this short rehearsal, but seeing their faces strangely made it all okay.
Would I see them again?
Kim Seonghyeon quietly said something to me as we bowed and stepped down.
“You’re a natural.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Well, I was a bit worried, but there was no need.”
What did he mean?
I wish Kim Seonghyeon would be clearer with his meaning when speaking. He just smiled and walked away.
We were about to return to prepare for the next pre-recording.
“Hey, Seong Jiwon.”
It was a new voice. The guy who had been glaring at Kim Seonghyeon earlier.
Approaching with his blond-dyed hair, he smiled brightly at Seong Jiwon.
“Feeling relieved? Now that you’ve gained some popularity, you don’t even greet your seniors?”
“…”
Seong Jiwon’s previously gentle expression hardened.
[1] It’s another play on words. “The Dawn” (더 돈) sounds similar to “deodeok” (더덕).
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