Chapter 28
Chapter 28
Translator: Penny
Chapter 28
"I thought filming the party scene would be easy, just having fun. Turns out, it was the hardest part."
"Exactly! As soon as the camera was on me, I got self-conscious and stiffened up. I think I had the most NGs."
"No, Hyung. The NGs were... well..."
After filming wrapped, Ryu Jaehee, who had been excitedly chatting with Kim Dobin about the shoot, glanced at Seo Yehyeon and trailed off awkwardly.
Fortunately, Seo Yehyeon didn't notice.
With the house party scene at the villa finally filmed, we gathered to review the final footage.
One member, whose face already stood out the most, looked a bit stiff, but it wasn't too distracting.
The music video turned out surprisingly well—so good, in fact, that comparing it to the "Come to My Universe" video felt like a sin.
With some editing, it'll probably look even more natural.
Now all that's left is the dance practice video and recording one more song.
On the way back to the dorm, I mentally tallied the remaining tasks before our comeback.
The dance practice video should be quick to shoot, as long as Seo Yehyeon doesn't mess up too much. We just need to rent a dance studio for a short session.
The song recording shouldn't take long either, as long as Seo Yehyeon stays focused.
Fuck, it's all Seo Yehyeon's fault, isn't it?
Whenever Seo Yehyeon felt like the team's hopeless weak link, and I got so frustrated I wanted to pick a fight with him for no reason, I'd developed a coping mechanism.
All I had to do was search for "Reve stan."
This would bring up photos of Seo Yehyeon along with posts from people who had become Reve stans.
Reading these posts made it clear that this Hyung was also making a significant contribution to Reve, which calmed my mind.
It was a win-win-win...: maintaining my Original Intent Score, preserving my mental health, preventing team conflicts, and completing the Weekly Quest search.
Today, after regaining my composure using this method, I slumped back against the sofa in the dorm living room and closed my eyes.
"Eden, go wash up and go to bed."
"I'm not sleepy yet..."
I mumbled in response to Gyeon Hajun's words, when a loud shout suddenly jolted me awake.
"Holy shit, it's out!"
As expected of the main vocalist, his voice was ridiculously loud.
Before I could even frown and tell Ryu Jaehee to lower his voice, he beat me to it, shouting at the top of his lungs, "Seo Raon's 10th-anniversary new song is out!"
Ah, so today's the day.
Blinking my dry eyes, I checked the music charts and confirmed the number one spot:
#1-new 'Seo Raon - What Kind of Ending (Feat. Yoon Eden of Reve)' ♥71,234
"Wow, how did it hit number one right after release? I'm so jealous!"
"Heh, that's the power of Seo. Ra. On."
Seo Yehyeon's scolding rained down on the youngest member, who was strutting around with his nose in the air.
"Is this even our song? Why are you so proud?"
"Because I'm a Joyful, of course!"
For reference, Joyful is the name of Seo Raon's fan club.
"And the hyungs should be proud too. Our group's name is plastered all over the number one song the moment it was released."
"It's not even a group project. Yoon Eden just did a feature. What's there to be proud of?"
"He shares the Seo surname with you, Hyung."
"Same Seo surname? What a load of crap. Don't you even know that Joyful's real name is On Seora, not Seo Raon?"
"I know, I was just messing around..."
Patting the crestfallen youngest member on the head, Seo Yehyeon retorted nonchalantly, "Look, it's true I was the only one featured, and our beloved members didn't contribute directly. But our group's name is right there, you idiot. Why do you always see the world so cynically?"
"Can't you just drop that damn 'loving' crap? Can't you see I'm getting goosebumps?"
"Nope, can't do that. And honestly, I'm not exactly dying to see your goosebumps, Hyung."
"You bastard."
By now, this kind of banter was considered perfectly friendly and harmonious—not even enough to lower our Original Intent Score.
Gyeon Hajun had emphasized countless times that even if we spoke sweetly on broadcasts, if our usual conversations like this ever leaked, Reve would be instantly embroiled in discord rumors. He'd urged us to speak more kindly to each other even in private. Unfortunately, this was the best we could manage.
Any sweeter and we'd probably start gagging mid-conversation.
Ryu Jaehee played the song without headphones, filling the room with the familiar melody.
Before my regression, and during the recording of the featuring part, I had listened to Seo Raon's smooth vocals countless times. And now...
One secret I couldn't tell you,
I confess it now, in this place without you.
For the first time, I heard my own voice in this song.
For some reason, it didn't feel real. I checked the song title and the group name again.
My heart fluttered at seeing my name at the very top. This was another triumph achieved through the butterfly effect, following the unexpected success of One Chance.
As soon as my featuring part ended, Ryu Jaehee stammered out broken exclamations of awe.
"Wow, Hyung, wow... The featuring is perfect. Amazing, just... wow..."
"Speak like a human being for once," I chided, but a pleased smile remained fixed on my face.
"Your vocals blended seamlessly. The featured part doesn't sound awkward at all—it's perfectly clean."
"Oh, that's exactly what I wanted to hear."
Hearing Gyeon Hajun deliver the exact feedback I'd been craving, I grinned and leaned back comfortably against the sofa.
He really knows me too well.
"Don't you usually prefer genuine, heartfelt praise over cold, analytical critiques?"
"No, not at all."
"Hyung, you're a T in MBTI, right?"
"Maybe."
I replied casually, took a screenshot of the chart-topping screen, and sent a message to Lee Jiwon:
[Image]
Thank you! It's the first time my name's ever been at the top of the charts.
[ Even if it's just a feature. ] 7:01 PM
G1 Hyungnim: You get royalties for the feature too, right?
[ G1 Hyungnim: You can be happy and say it's your song. ] 7:03 PM
[ G1 Hyungnim: Just don't go around actually claiming it's your song. ] 7:04 PM
[ I know my place, Hyungnim... ] 7:04 PM
[ G1 Hyungnim: I'm just joking, haha. You're not the type to do that anyway. ] 7:05 PM
When did this Hyung get such a clear read on me?
Well, it wasn't a bad impression to give.
G1 Hyungnim: Oh, Seora Noona said she really liked your feature.
[ G1 Hyungnim: She also said Seo Yehyeon from your group is the most handsome. ] 7:07 PM
[ What about me? ] 7:08 PM
G1 Hyungnim: I saw your group photo too, but I can't bring myself to say you're the most handsome.
[ G1 Hyungnim - I'll give you second place, tops. ] 7:10 PM
[ Honestly, I'm the second-best-looking in the group, right? ] 7:11 PM
[ G1 Hyungnim - What a clown! ㅋㅋ ] 7:12 PM
It stung that my most sincere remark had been taken as a joke, but I dutifully relayed the message.
"Hyung, Seo Raon Sunbaenim asked me to tell you she thinks you're the most handsome in our group."
"Eden Hyung, what about me? Did Seo Raon say anything about me? Like, that I'm the best singer, or cute, or... I wouldn't even expect that much! Or even that I'm the shortest!"
I looked down at Ryu Jaehee, who was desperately clinging to me, with pitying eyes before saying, "No, you idiot."
Since you're so pathetic, this Hyung will definitely get you an autograph.
- I thought the featured artist on "What Kind of Ending" was a rapper, but it's an idol?! ㄷㄷ
- Why is the featured part so good? It's the perfect supporting role.
- Ah, that's One Chance! I almost didn't recognize him with his new rap style.
- The song is great! The featured part doesn't feel out of place at all; it fits perfectly.
"The public's reaction isn't bad."
Just the fact that the negative reactions to the feature weren't the majority was enough to make me breathe a sigh of relief.
Of course, a feature-removed version had been uploaded to YouTube, but we should respect niche preferences too.
This generosity was only possible because the views and likes on that cursed video were significantly lower.
Naturally, the public was far more interested in Seo Raon's vocals than the 25-second feature by a rookie idol rapper.
- Eden appeared in the "What Kind of Ending" music video, but I rewatched it 20 times just in case I missed him. Turns out he wasn't even in it ㅠ
- I really hope he performs on music shows with Seo Raon ㅠㅠㅠ
- My favorite singer's song + featuring by my other favorite singer = heavenly combination
- It's not just because he's my bias—objectively, his rap part is freaking amazing. Even my friend who's a Seo Raon fan agrees.
- Seeing our Yoon Leader finally getting recognized for her talent makes me so proud. I hope Reve becomes so famous that everyone knows their name just from hearing it!
- Fucking idols, they always get underestimated ㅋㅋㅋ I won't acknowledge them until they break free from the idol label. Fuck your recognition—our Eden is already the top rapper in Korean hip-hop! ㅗㅗㅗ
The fans seemed to have mixed feelings rather than pure excitement, but overall, they were happy that something had finally been released.
"Thanks to Eden Hyung, our song is climbing the charts again. We're in the top 100 now—98th place, to be exact."
"Considering how long it's been since our promotions ended, 98th place is still pretty good," Gyeon Hajun said with a wry smile.
But it's only been a month since our comeback ended, right? Some groups stay in the top 30 even after holding the number one spot for three weeks.
"Manager Hyung, are we getting any variety show offers? I'd even be willing to go on some third-rate show just to experience it. Tsk."
Kim Dobin's childish remark earned an irritated tsk from me.
He's talking like he's got it made. Does he even realize how humiliating it is for a flop idol group to be ignored and edited out on some third-rate variety show?
Now that the CEO is doing well enough not to need to appear on third-rate variety shows, he'll just cut those segments, and you guys will probably never know what it was like.
But before my regression, when we were a flop idol group, we had no choice but to go on those shows. We were ignored, humiliated, and forced to bite our lips and swallow our tears.
Of course, this was now just a memory I alone carried—a past that would soon vanish into a future that would never be.
"Guys, we're here," Manager Hyung announced.
We unbuckled our seatbelts, stumbled out of the car, and opened the doors.
Ah, fuck...
I gazed up at the disgustingly clear sky and let out a deep sigh.
The air was crisp, a reminder that winter was approaching.
As I ruffled my temporarily black-sprayed hair, the stylist following behind scolded me, "Don't mess up the hairstyle I just set!"
Since bangs grow back anyway, I trimmed them to a reasonable length and styled them into a permed two-block hairstyle.
Today's schedule was a last-minute replacement for a canceled performance by a regional idol group. Unlike the obscure flop idol festivals Reve had to grind through before my regression, this event actually had a decent lineup.
"Whoa, Adora's here!"
I sighed again, watching Kim Dobin clutch his mouth in feigned surprise, as if he hadn't spent all day yesterday hyping up Adora's appearance at this replacement gig.
"Dobin, if you even think about trying to get their numbers, you're dead, and I'm dead too. And where's the 'Sunbaenim' for Seo Raon? Want to get dragged into another 'attitude controversy'?"
📝 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
