Chapter 39
Chapter 39
Translator: Penny
Chapter 39
While Ryu Jaehee and Kim Dobin were passionately arguing about who was less suited for their respective roles, diligently filling the audio gap, I whispered into Gyeon Hajun's ear, "Are you okay? Your hands are burning up."
"For now?"
"How long do you think you can last? Tell me, I'll try to wrap things up as quickly as possible."
"Wouldn't it raise eyebrows if we cut it too short?"
"It'll raise even more eyebrows if you collapse mid-live."
"Maybe an hour...?"
We need to finish in under forty minutes.
Knowing Gyeon Hajun had likely pushed himself to his absolute limit, I glanced down at the script in my hand, calculating the timing accordingly.
All that remained were behind-the-scenes footage from the recording and music video shoot, and a Q&A session with the fans.
Might as well combine the two.
As soon as the music video shoot wrapped up, I sat back down in my chair, looked into the camera, and began.
"Does anyone have any questions about the recording or music video shoot?"
My manager Hyung, who was monitoring the chat, panicked at my sudden detour and frantically signaled me to stop. I glanced at Gyeon Hajun with a pointed look.
Knowing about Hajun's poor condition since before the shoot, Manager Hyung sighed and reluctantly nodded.
Ryu Jaehee, sitting at the far end, took his phone—which was running OA Live—and handed it to me.
I'm curious about what Eden Oppa was like during the recording!
As I read the question, the members began to answer one by one.
"Hmm... he's strict. And scary."
"Oh, I totally agree. When he stares at us through the glass and says 'Again,' it makes my heart pound."
"I've developed a phobia of the word 'Again' because of him."
"Yeah, he's pretty strict. But I know Eden gets really serious when it comes to music, so I try my best to meet his expectations."
After giving his lengthy answer, Gyeon Hajun coughed quietly. I handed him a water bottle.
If you weren't sick and acting up today, who else would give such a heartfelt answer?
What's the most memorable episode from filming the music video?
Ryu Jaehee was the first to eagerly speak up.
"Eden Hyung taught me how to shoot hoops. When I threw the ball the way he showed me, it went in every time."
"For me, it's Eden Hyung's dart scene. I've never seen anyone hit the bullseye on their first try."
"I practiced a few times before filming. I wanted to play Jun... Hajun's role as the model student, but I got rejected. They said it didn't fit my image."
"Honestly, it doesn't really suit you."
Seo Yehyeon chuckled.
I was about to explode with frustration, but the chat was flooded with praise for Seo Yehyeon's smiling face, which only made me angrier. Still, I forced myself to stay calm and keep the interview going.
"So, Yehyeon Hyung, who got stuck playing the 'unsuitable' popular kid, what's your most memorable episode from the filming?"
"The bread at the student cafeteria was so dry it got stuck in my throat. It would have been so much better with milk..."
"Hyung, you only took one bite and left the rest. Dobin Hyung ate it all."
Didn't Dobin even pick up and eat the cheese balls he dropped on the floor? ㅋㅋ
Seriously, is Dobin Reve's pet dog or something? ㅋㅋㅋ Why does he only eat stuff like that? ㅋㅋㅋ
Dobin! Listen to your hyungs and keep growing up healthy!~
Finally, it was Gyeon Hajun's turn. He mumbled with a troubled expression, "Hmm... I don't really have any particularly memorable episodes..."
"Jun, what about that incident during the house party filming?"
"Exactly! Hajun Hyung was the only one who didn't realize our duet on the makeshift stage at the house party was a homage to High School Musical!"
"Ah, right, that happened."
"So I showed Hajun the clip on YouTube, and he recreated the scene perfectly. Turns out we had a natural-born actor in our group."
Having successfully guided Gyeon Hajun through the final answer without pushing him too hard, I wiped the cold sweat beading on my forehead. Still, seven years of experience as a leader doesn't just vanish.
When's the music show?
"Our first performance will be in two days on W Countdown. We'll finally get to see our fans again after so long."
"See you in two days, Ilmongs!" Ryu Jaehee waved with both hands, making V signs.
After answering a few questions about schedules like fansigns and skimming through the chat to conduct a casual Q&A session, strange messages began to surface.
Is this the Rival Pick group?
Reve fans, please stop acting like you're on the same level as KICKS when you're clearly not. Your behavior is making me lose interest in the artist because of the fans.
Why did you schedule your comeback to overlap with KICKS? Do you really think this will help you win the Rookie Award? ㅋ
KICKS - Time's Up: Currently #3 on the charts!
Reve - Alright Whatever: Currently #11 on the charts!
KICKS - Time's Up: Currently #3 on the charts!
Reve - Alright Whatever: Currently #11 on the charts!
Aigo, how kind of them. I'd been avoiding checking the charts, but they insisted on shoving the results right in my face.
Reaching #11 in just one day meant the performance trend was quite promising.
KICKS' song, what was it, ranked 24th or 25th a day after release?
Even before my regression, Come to My Universe was a popular choice. Now, with its upgraded version, I was confident it could easily top the charts.
In times like these, the best strategy is to ignore such comments and stay quiet.
- Oh, the Rival Pick parrots have finally arrived. I was wondering when the idiots would show up.
- Can you guys at least distinguish between when to chant "Rival Pick" and when not to? Why are you following us to our comeback live stream just to cause trouble?
- They're the ones smearing their own artist's reputation, lololol. At least we never went to other groups' live streams to cause chaos.
- Wow, this is bordering on delusional. Why are you guys acting like our oppas scheduling their comeback at the same time as yours is some kind of personal attack?
- "I'm losing interest" ㅋㅋ Did you even have any interest to begin with? ㅋㅋ
- Thanks to you guys, I've completely lost interest in KICKS!
[Yeah, KICKS' song ranked 24th on its second day of release~]
[Were you scared Reve's song was too good and your rankings would drop? The rivalry is intense!]
Our fans are already taking care of them.
Exactly! Who are Daydream's fans? We can't lose this battle of wills against the KICKS fans.
[Eden, don't take those comments to heart. Just ignore them. Reve will always be the best for us! ♥]
My throat suddenly tightened again for no apparent reason. I frantically scrolled through the chat, quickly pushing the supportive messages to the top.
Now, instead of questions for Reve, most of the comments were attacking the trolls who had suddenly flooded the chat.
Honestly, I was almost grateful for the timely disruption.
It was perfect timing.
Because Gyeon Hajun's condition meant we had to end the live stream early, the backlash would be directed at the KICKS fans who had suddenly invaded and started the chaos, rather than at us.
It was time to wrap things up.
"Did you enjoy your time with Reve today? We're ending the broadcast here, but we'll see you all again soon, so don't be too sad. We're so happy we got to connect with Daydream as a group of five after so long."
As soon as the closing remarks were made, a flurry of chat messages filled with disappointment flooded the screen.
There were no complaints about the early end to the live broadcast. As expected, most of the messages were insults directed at KICKS fans.
"Dream of me! Sweet dreams, Daydream!"
"Goodbye!"
"Please continue to support us! I love you!"
"See you again! Bye!"
-Live broadcast ended-
The laptop screen switched back from the live broadcast to the internet browser. I immediately stood up, stretching my stiff body from sitting in the chair for too long.
"Go to the hospital for an IV drip before your fever gets worse. And absolutely don't let Yehyeon Hyung take care of you."
As I earnestly warned Gyeon Hajun, who was still sitting in his chair, Seo Yehyeon, who had been listening with his arms crossed, raised an eyebrow.
"Why do you distrust me so much? Even if I'm not perfect, I'm still the eldest member of this team. Can't you trust me at all?"
"Okay, how do you put a cool compress on someone's forehead when they have a fever?"
"Soak it in cold water."
"And then?"
"Just put it on their forehead."
Hearing Seo Yehyeon's answer, Gyeon Hajun turned to me with a serious expression.
"If I feel sick, I'll go to the hospital right away, even today."
"Good. Hyung, don't even think about taking care of him. Just help Jun get to the hospital. Someone who can't even wring out a cool compress before putting it on someone's forehead has no business playing nurse. Hey, Jaehee, let's go."
"Yes, sir!"
"We're heading out first. Get back to the dorm safely. Jun, make sure you rest well when you get back. Go to the hospital immediately if you feel worse."
After showering Ryu Jaehee with a bucketful of worries, I dragged him to the studio I'd rented from Yongcheol Hyung.
Originally, I'd planned to bring Gyeon Hajun along to record some guide vocals and compare vocal ranges for adjustments. But with Hajun sick, I had to settle for second best.
While Ryu Jaehee's skills were technically superior, Gyeon Hajun had an uncanny knack for understanding my requests perfectly and delivering exactly what I wanted. Naturally, working with Hajun was much easier.
We hailed a taxi and arrived at the studio. Having been here once before, Ryu Jaehee plopped down on the small sofa with practiced ease.
After finishing work, Ryu Jaehee sat in the back because he was needed later.
Less than an hour later, Ryu Jaehee started whining.
"Hyung, I'm bored."
"Uh-huh, sure."
"Hyung, I'm hungry."
"Uh-huh, sure."
"There's a convenience store downstairs. Can I go get something?"
"Uh-huh, sure."
"Do you want something too, Hyung?"
"Uh-huh, sure."
"How about a mild Jin Ramen cup noodle?"
"Are you kidding me, Jaehee? You can have the mild Jin Ramen. Get me an energy drink instead."
"Did you drink all those energy drinks in the trash can, Hyung? You'll ruin your stomach if you keep that up."
"Uh-huh, sure."
After sending Ryu Jaehee to the convenience store, I slammed my head against the desk and collapsed face down.
Fuck, I'm so fucking exhausted.
How did I, who was supposed to be living a carefree life making real music, end up being worked to death like this?
As I lamented my fate, a blue Status Window flashed before my eyes:
[Surprise QUEST★]
[▶ Let's create a concept!
- Objective: Craft an image for your fans that goes beyond your true self!
Why not research what kind of image your fans desire and create a concept tailored to their expectations?
- Reward: Original Intent Score +10, Random Ticket
- Deadline: Until your next activity
※ Failure to create a suitable concept will result in a penalty!
A surprise quest out of nowhere?
But something about the content felt familiar. I racked my brain, trying to remember where I'd seen it before, when a scene flashed through my mind.
During a radio schedule for One Chance, I'd been scoffing at the members' over-the-top concepting when...
I finally realized what I'd forgotten and why the word "concept" had been nagging at me all along.
But by the time I realized it, it was too late. Damn it. I should have checked the quest window at least once.
The Status Window, now ominously crimson, flickered frantically before my eyes.
QUEST Failed due to Time Limit Exceeded!
A random penalty will be applied.
📝 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