Chapter 38
Chapter 38
Translator: Penny
Chapter 38
Gyeon Hajun's voice was even more subdued than before. I handed him a bottle of water and pressed the back of my hand to his forehead.
He'd had a slight fever that morning, and his forehead still felt warm.
"Are you okay?" I asked, handing him a thick jacket. Gyeon Hajun draped it over the blanket and nodded.
"Yeah, I think I'll be fine if I take some medicine and rest all day. We don't have any schedules tomorrow anyway, since the OA Live broadcast is over."
"As for nursing him... sigh, there's no one I trust to do it properly. I'll probably have to stay in the studio all day tomorrow too."
I scanned the faces around me, none of them particularly reliable, and sighed.
I remembered how, before the regression, Seo Yehyeon had worsened Kim Dobin's cold by placing a completely unwrung wet towel on his forehead. I definitely didn't want to entrust Gyeon Hajun's care to him.
With only two days left until their first music show performance after their comeback, the pressure was even greater.
He doubted whether the other two guys had any experience with nursing, making him even more uneasy.
Should I postpone working on the song and stay by Gyeon Hajun's side until the music show the day after tomorrow? he wondered.
Gyeon Hajun shook his head. "Don't worry. I don't need nursing."
"I'm just saying, we don't know how you'll feel tomorrow. At least take your medicine and vitamins. As for the tonic... hmm. My mom said she had it specially formulated for my constitution, so I'm not sure if it's safe for you to take, Jun. I'll call her after the live stream tonight and ask."
"...No, you take the tonic. I'm really fine."
Before the regression, Gyeon Hajun's illness had never caused the disastrous scenario of performing their first music show with only four members. But now, the date had been abruptly moved forward by a month and a half, and both the music and choreography had changed.
Therefore, I couldn't afford to relax just because it hadn't happened in the past.
"He doesn't look too sick even up close, so don't worry too much. Besides, Ryu Jaehee and Kim Dobin will handle most of the vocals anyway, so don't push yourself too hard."
The fact that his character was supposed to be quiet was a small blessing in this unfortunate situation.
Wait, why do I keep feeling like I'm missing something...?
Was it the lack of sleep? I couldn't shake the nagging feeling that the word "concept" was bothering me for some reason.
As Gyeon Hajun received his final makeup touches, I opened the Weekly Quest window to check my progress.
The damn System, as if doing me a favor, had reduced the required number of quest completions from four to three after I nearly died from preparing for our comeback and writing and composing that cursed Christmas commemorative song.
I'd even protested, demanding they lower it to two before I worked myself to death, but it was like talking to a brick wall.
"Guys, five minutes until the live broadcast! Let's get ready!"
I took our album and placed it at my feet, then reviewed the script I'd received.
Rather than dialogue, it was a list of segments for today's comeback celebration and album unboxing live broadcast:
Brief song introductions Album unboxing Music video reaction Behind-the-scenes footage from recording and filming the music video* Fan interaction (Q&A)
We hadn't watched the music video yet, deliberately saving it for a genuine reaction.
[On Air] Comeback Celebration & Album Unboxing!
I watched Manager Hyung type the title from behind, offering unsolicited advice.
"Ugh, isn't that title too predictable?"
"Then come up with something better. This is the best my stiff brain can manage."
"Add 'Reve's' before 'Comeback Celebration' and 'Featuring Daydream'."
[On Air] Reve's Comeback Celebration & Album Unboxing! Featuring Daydream!
Hmm, much better. Before returning to my seat, I stood in front of the seated members and scanned them with a stern look.
"Remember, live broadcasts can't be edited. Watch what you say, everyone. If you're not sure if something's appropriate, just don't say it."
Seo Yehyeon gave me a very peculiar look.
"What? What is it now?"
"No, I just wondered if you had something to say."
If I could project CG effects into reality, there would definitely be a hundred skull icons floating around me right now.
Another major argument here could lead to rumors of discord if we went straight into the live broadcast afterward. For the sake of the team's future, I forced myself to stay calm and turned to Ryu Jaehee.
"Jaehee, I know it's tough, but can you cover Jun's part too? Got it?"
"Roger that! Just leave it to me!"
The youngest member's cheerful salute and grin put me at ease, and I finally sat down.
The seating arrangement was Kim Dobin, Seo Yehyeon, me, Gyeon Hajun, and Ryu Jaehee.
"Live broadcast starting now!" Manager Hyung announced, pressing the start button.
Our reflections appeared on the laptop beside the camera.
I stared into the lens, waiting for the chat window to start filling up before speaking.
"One, two, Dream of me! Hello, we're Reve!"
At my signal, they all shouted the greeting in unison and bowed deeply.
"Long time no see, our Ilmongs! We've missed you all so much!" Ryu Jaehee waved cheerfully. Kim Dobin suddenly cut in.
"I missed our Daydream members even more than Yuje!"
"No way, I missed them more!"
"I missed them this much!"
"Well, I missed them this much!"
I told you to fill the audio, not to have a childish fight in front of the camera!
Ryu Jaehee's personality was always like that, so I could let it slide.
But Kim Dobin, who was usually so timid around me, transformed into a natural-born entertainer the moment he faced the camera.
To make matters worse, they were positioned at opposite ends, making it impossible for me to intervene immediately from my spot in the center.
I subtly ground my teeth at Ryu Jaehee and Kim Dobin, who were boasting about their powerful vocals, before signaling to both of them with a glance.
"Yes, it seems our youngest members really missed our fans. Ah, of course, I missed you all too."
Satisfied with how I'd managed to quiet them down, I smiled warmly at the fans and greeted them.
Beside me, Gyeon Hajun and Seo Yehyeon waved as well.
Picking up the album placed at my feet, I delivered the actual opening remarks.
"Yes, after our debut album, the 1st Mini Album Come to My Universe, we've made our comeback with the 2nd Mini Album just three and a half months later."
"Wait, is it pronounced 'High Teen'? I've been saying 'Hi-Tien' this whole time."
Seo Yehyeon's wide-eyed question momentarily left me speechless. Kim Dobin, sitting next to him, quickly chimed in, "We've been saying 'High Teen' in all the meetings, Hyung..."
"Whoa, I thought you were talking about our concept, not the album title."
Seo Yehyeon scratched his head awkwardly.
Why is he so indifferent, yet hangs on every word I say? Is this selective indifference?
I swallowed the sigh threatening to escape and pointed to the "HI-TN" on the album cover.
"Yes, it's High Teen, but you can also pronounce it Hi-Tien like Yehyeon Hyung does. We wanted a double meaning: the literal 'High Teen' and the abbreviation for 'Hi Tonight.'"
"Why 'Hi Tonight'?"
"Because the title track is 'All Right or Night'... to match the song's theme? Ah, don't ask me these things."
"The fans are curious, not me. Right, Daydream?"
"To be honest, I just made it up to match the High Teen pronunciation, without any real meaning..."
I finally confessed, my conscience getting the better of me.
Unlike previous live streams, I couldn't monitor the chat in real-time to gauge reactions, which made me a little nervous.
Still, seeing that my Original Intent Score hadn't dropped, it seemed my answer hadn't been problematic.
Relieved, I began introducing the song.
"Our title track, 'One Chance,' is an electro-synth-pop dance track that showcases both Reve's powerful image and a refreshing, High Teen vibe—a sound uniquely our own. To keep the melody from becoming monotonous, we added a fast drum beat for a lively feel. The title, 'All Right or All Night,' means 'either agree or party all night.' In other words, acceptance is the only option—rejection isn't tolerated..."
A tap on my thigh signaled it was time to wrap up the song introduction.
"...That's it."
"Wow, our main rapper! How do you keep the words flowing so smoothly without a single pause?" Ryu Jaehee clapped and teased, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
"And track 2, 'One Chance,' is a slow ballad with a lyrical melody. Unlike the title track, 'Come to My Universe,' it features guitar sounds without any electronic elements..."
I kept the explanation of the B-side tracks brief before transitioning to the album unboxing.
The album cover featured a sky-blue background with the title emblazoned in yellow lettering.
To capture a kitschy vibe, the album cover was printed with small hearts and stars, and each corner featured a bent line resembling a camera icon.
They really nailed the album cover design.
The album itself was also quite striking, featuring a mysterious night sky scattered with twinkling stars.
The problem was that One Chance was the only worthwhile track on the album.
"Alright, time to reveal the album's contents!"
I opened the album in sync with Kim Dobin's exaggerated enthusiasm.
In contrast to the sky-blue cover with yellow lettering, the CD itself had a yellow background with sky-blue text.
When I opened the photobook, it contained the pre-released concept photos, unreleased shots, and a few behind-the-scenes photos from the music video shoot.
The photocard sandwiched between the pages slipped out with a thud.
"Oh, it's me!"
He picked up the photocard, held it close to his face, and flashed a V-sign with one hand.
"Ah, by the way, the photocards contain random individual shots of the members and group photos."
Next up was the music video reaction.
They huddled on the floor, watching the music video on a tablet placed in the center.
"Wow, we had so many bloopers during that shoot!"
"Ah, I remember! The basketball team's ace couldn't sink a single basket. Total casting fail."
"Eden Hyung, did you actually sing during that stage performance scene?"
"Yeah. I can't rap, you know."
"What song did you sing?"
"A rock version of the national anthem."
"Yehyeon Hyung, were you really that popular in high school?"
"No, I was a very quiet and reserved student. I didn't have many friends."
"With that face...? Wow, if I had that face, I could be a mega-popular influencer with millions of followers."
"Oh, that cheese ball! Dobin picked it up off the floor and ate it, saying it was a waste to throw it away. Eden scolded him, asking if he was some stray dog eating anything he found on the street."
"Watching the full version now, it's clear Hajun Hyung was the main character of the music video."
"Ah, am I the main character?"
"If you end up with the female lead, you're the male lead!"
As we huddled around the tablet, Gyeon Hajun's hand brushed against mine.
The back of his hand felt surprisingly warm against my palm.
I started to worry about whether OA Live could finish before Gyeon Hajun collapsed.
📝 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