Chapter 25
Chapter 25
Translator: Penny
Chapter 25
"How about a 'sensitive genius producer' concept?"
"Guaranteed to generate 100,000 antis and haters."
"Then what about the 'silent and reliable leader' role?"
"Impossible now that you've earned the title 'Hierarchy Breaker'."
"Ugh, should I just go with the 'baby kitten' thing?"
"Let's be honest with ourselves, Hyung. Does that concept really suit you?"
[Forbidden phrase 'Ugh, seriously' detected.]
[Original Intent Score -1]
Damn it.
Every suggestion I made was met with a wall of opposition, and doubt began to creep in: would I even be able to complete the quest before our next comeback?
I couldn't afford to give up, not knowing what kind of penalty I'd face. One Chance. What if I start coughing up blood again?
"What kind of image should I project? What do people see when they look at me? Is it okay if there's a gap between my public persona and reality? What's the meaning of my existence?"
Lost in self-reflection, I didn't notice Ryu Jaehee waving his hand in front of my face until he offered his advice.
"Hyung, you've already said the answer yourself! Just show the fans what they want to see, not what you want to do. You'll figure it out by monitoring the reactions."
"Right, little kitten."
"Don't chase niche tastes and lose the mainstream appeal."
With "major" etched in my mind, I dove back into monitoring the reactions.
-Ha, so Yoon Eden is out there saying "May your health be well" with that face? The gap moe is off the charts!
- Expressionless vs. Eye-Smile? Eye-Smile wins hands down! But the contrast between your usual stoic face and your smiling one is what makes it so good, so only smile occasionally, Eden-ah.
- Guys like Eden have a 90% chance of liking cute things and being scared of horror movies.
└ What's that called? "Daytime Dom, Nighttime Sub"?
└ "Tough on the outside, soft on the inside" ㅋㅋ Why is "Daytime Dom, Nighttime Sub" even coming up? ㅋㅋ
When I searched my name, the most frequently mentioned topic was the "gap."
Expressionless vs. Smiling face, fans' expectations of my preferences, and so on.
The last two weren't really accurate, but should I at least pretend to like cute things and be scared of horror movies?
As I pondered this and continued scrolling, an incoming call screen popped up on my phone.
Debating whether to answer or ignore the unfamiliar, unsaved number, I eventually decided to pick up.
"Hello?"
"Hey, you bastard! If you change your number, you're supposed to contact people right away! Don't start ignoring people just because you've made it big, got it?"
Before I could even finish my greeting or introduce myself, he was already spitting out a torrent of words, completely ignoring my attempts to speak. I raised an eyebrow.
The number was unfamiliar, but the voice, for some reason, grated on my nerves. And the way he was unfairly labeling me as trash made me cut straight to the point.
"Who is this?"
"What? 'Who is this?' Wh-o-i...? You can't even recognize your own hyung's voice, you punk? It's Junbeom Hyung, you idiot!"
Ah, Kim Junbeom. The name jogged my memory.
He was one of the connections I'd made during my underground days.
A guy who took pride in flaunting his connections—not someone I particularly liked.
He looked down on people based on their success, ranked them accordingly, and then debuted and changed his number, cutting ties with everyone in the process.
I belatedly remembered that before my regression, I hadn't heard from him for about three years.
Someone who looked down on people for not making it shouldn't be talking like that.
Seeing Ryu Jaehee trying to act nonchalant while glancing at me, I rose from the sofa and strolled out of the dorm, casually replying, "Yeah, Hyung. Long time no see. How have you been?"
"I've been great. Except for the hell I went through tracking down your new number, you little brat. You can't live like that, you know? After all I did for you in the Underground, you just wipe your mouth clean like that?"
After rambling on for ages about pointless nonsense (80% of which was a scolding for making him ask Yongcheol Hyung for my number), Kim Junbeom finally got to the point.
"Are you interested in doing a feature?"
I was about to politely decline, saying I had no intention of collaborating with anyone, whether underground or mainstream. But Kim Junbeom continued talking before I could even answer.
"You know Seo Raon, right? Seo Raon. She's making a comeback next month, and her title track feature fell through."
Seo Raon was a top female solo artist celebrating her 10th anniversary this year.
Next month would be October. If it's a song commemorating her 10th anniversary...
Holy shit, I have to grab this no matter what!
[ What Kind of Ending ]. A smash hit that held the top spot on the charts for three consecutive weeks.
Even after its initial run, it remained a beloved classic, a steady seller that continued to be played frequently.
I remember the feature being done by an idol rapper. While his rap was considered underwhelming compared to the song's overall quality, it did help raise the profile of his group and his own name.
The occasional joint performances on music shows further boosted their visibility.
It seems the featured artist backed out at the last minute, claiming he couldn't appear on broadcast.
So, just like before my regression, they're scrambling to find another idol rapper.
"Hey, the producer there is a close hyung of mine, you know? He needed a last-minute replacement, so I recommended you. I played him your group's song—what was it called again? [ One Chance ]?—and some of your underground tracks. He gave the green light immediately. You owe me big time, kid. This kind of opportunity doesn't come around often."
Yeah, you little punk. I'll admit it—I'm a good old-timer.
Since Come to My Universe finally took off, I've managed to shed some of my flop idol status, which is probably why this opportunity came my way.
Even though it's just a backup role, remembering that Yoon Eden from my flop idol days would never have received such an offer filled me with pride and a touch of bitterness.
"Ah, I'm thrilled! So grateful! Thanks to you, Hyung, I even get to feature on Seo Raon's track!"
I showered him with enthusiastic flattery, and a lighthearted laugh echoed through the receiver.
Still laughing so carelessly, huh?
"So, should I tell them you've agreed?"
"Actually, I don't have the final say. Please don't say I've agreed yet. Instead, could you ask them to contact my agency directly? I'd really appreciate it."
"Alright. If it goes well, it's all thanks to me, so you're buying the first round. Got it? Don't pretend you don't know later, or this Hyung will be pissed."
"Yes, please get home safely!"
I bowed 90 degrees into the air, only to awkwardly bump into Seo Yehyeon, who had just opened the dorm entrance door.
"...What are you doing?"
At his curt question, I slowly straightened up, tucked my phone (which had just disconnected) into my hoodie pocket, and hummed.
"Now I'm the Young Breadwinner, Reve. Me, me."
"What's wrong with him?"
"I'm the bus driver too, me, me."
"Until the day Reve is known as Yoon Eden's Group, fighting, me!"
Like a true breadwinner, I generously brushed off Seo Yehyeon's half-hearted provocation and reentered the dorm.
Two hours later, I was summoned to the CEO's office.
"YDC Entertainment has offered Eden a feature on Seo Raon's title track, which is scheduled for release in a month. I've put it on hold pending your decision."
The CEO's voice was so utterly calm that it made me uneasy.
Given his personality, if he were interested in this offer, he would have already been making a huge fuss about Seo Raon's feature request.
And as expected, my anxiety proved justified.
"Do we really have to do this? I mean, we're already swamped preparing for Reve's comeback. Do we even have time to feature on another artist's track?"
Wow, is he really about to throw away this opportunity? I knew he lacked business sense, but I never imagined he'd kick away a golden pumpkin that had rolled right into our lap.
"CEO, please avoid investing in stocks as much as possible, and absolutely never touch gambling."
"Why the sudden advice?"
The CEO asked, his eyes bewildered by my heartfelt warning.
It's clear he's survived this long by maxing out his luck stat.
"Look, we're already swamped with comeback preparations. We need to see some potential before adding your name to the project. Have you even heard the title track?"
I nodded without hesitation.
Seo Raon hadn't shared anything with us, but hearing the finished version with someone else's vocals featured before my regression counted as having heard it, right?
"Do you really think this song will be a hit?"
"99.9% certain. Don't you trust my judgment? I'm the one who pushed for One Chance's follow-up track."
The 0.1% was originally reserved for the variable of me replacing the featured artist.
My confident answer and the subtle mention of past events plunged the CEO into deep thought.
To ease his worries, I added, "It's not a collaboration anyway, and featuring won't take up much time. This is a perfect opportunity to get Reve and my name out there. The song title will say 'Feat. Yoon Eden of Reve,' right?"
"Alright, then give it a shot."
Finally, his approval came. Yet the CEO still wore a troubled expression as he added, "Just don't push yourself too hard and end up in the hospital again."
I scratched the back of my head awkwardly. That wasn't from overworking, but because of the Penalty...
"The initial choreography draft is here," I announced, waving the tablet I'd received from the manager as I entered the practice room. The members, who had been sprawled on the floor, slowly rose and shuffled over.
We gathered in a circle around the tablet, ready to play the video, when Kim Dobin suddenly took a deep breath.
"Ah, wait a minute. I need to mentally prepare myself."
"You didn't bring back something like the My Universe choreography again, did you...?"
"I don't care about anything else, as long as it's at a level where I can immediately follow along."
"At that level, wouldn't it be more like rhythmic exercises than actual dancing?"
Did I say something wrong? I avoided Seo Yehyeon's piercing glare and pressed play.
The overall vibe of the choreography was powerful yet lively, perfectly matching the fast-paced beat of the dance genre.
The verse sections felt more free-spirited than synchronized, while the hook featured unified choreography.
Even compared to the choreography of the junior group that had promoted this song before my regression, our version held its own.
I thought you'd learned your lesson after wasting 3.5 million won on that trash song. What's with the sudden change of heart?
"It's good," I commented.
"Agreed. With a few minor tweaks, it could flow even more naturally."
Kim Dobin's face brightened as he replayed the video, offering his feedback.
As the primary architect of the complete overhaul of the disastrous "Come to My Universe" choreography, his reaction was understandable.
"Oh, by the way, they said they couldn't hire a performance director this time because they were busy securing a famous music video director. So they're asking me to tell you they're entrusting the choreography direction to you, Dobin."
The members had previously demonstrated their ability to choreograph and learn dances independently, so the performance aspect seemed relatively reassuring.
A small agency entrusting choreography direction to an 18-year-old? Even though it's my own agency, this is truly hopeless.
"Ugh! I'm so disgusted, I'm going to make it big just to get out of here!" Kim Dobin tore at his hair and rolled around on the practice room floor.
Gyeon Hajun, who had rolled a bottle of ice water over to Dobin to help him cool down, muttered with a surprised expression, "The CEO who used to skimp on music video budgets, saying we should focus on the song instead... What's gotten into him?"
"Someone probably sent him an anonymous threatening letter, saying they'd storm his office with a baseball bat if he made another cheap music video," I replied nonchalantly, secretly wearing a smug smile.
Phew, it was worth printing out all those scathing reviews of the "Come to My Universe" music video and anonymously sending them to the CEO's office!
📝 Translator’s Note:
You may notice that certain lines or phrases in this novel appear both in their original Korean (or Hanja) form and in English translation.
This is intentional — these phrases are classical idioms, divine titles, or poetic expressions that carry layered meanings.
To preserve their original tone and authenticity, the raw text has been kept for reference, while the English interpretation is provided right before or after it. This helps convey both the literal and cultural nuance of the original work.
but if you guys dont want tha raw for future chapters or my future other novels u can just text me on discord and say so discord name Mr.Penny