Chapter 164
Chapter 164
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 164
Chapter Title: I Must Be Starting to Look Like You
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How beautiful that must be.
I clicked my tongue and let out a sigh. Regardless of what I did, Kang Minje's eyes sparkled brightly.
“How’s the drama?”
“The script got changed.”
“Is it favorable? Or unfavorable?”
Why ask something so obvious?
“Of course it’s favorable.”
Kang Minje grinned.
“To what extent?”
“If I do well, I’ll devour it. You can see the protagonist’s screentime has been reduced.”
“Jeremy’s gonna be sad, huh?”
“Well, he’ll throw a little tantrum.”
Imagining that scene made me chuckle involuntarily. Jeremy would think it was fine because he was the top star, but this production team was different. Especially the writers—I could practically see them grinding their teeth.
“How much will he screw himself over?”
“If that happens, I’m worried he’ll pull some shady moves.”
“Well, no way he’d do that, right? I’ve pretty much shown all my hidden cards already.”
Kang Minje tightened his arm around my shoulder and whispered.
“Hit-and-runs are okay now?”
I was a little startled for a moment.
‘Sharp bastard.’
Of course you’d know. You’re Kang Minje, after all.
“Yeah.”
“You say it so confidently?”
“I planted one Jeon Seogo.”
Our Kao’s doing well these days. Hopefully he doesn’t get caught.
‘Well, it doesn’t seem like he’ll get found out easily. He’s been playing the sycophant right by his side for a while.’
Fighting, scholar. I’m counting on your farts of flattery.
Kang Minje stared at me intently. His gaze felt off, so I looked up at the sky and said.
“Don’t worry. It won’t harm Zenith.”
“That’s not what I was worried about…….”
Then what were you worried about, Kang Minje?
“And harm—hmm. Harm is fine.”
“Huh?”
What’s this supposed to mean? Did the fox eat something bad?
“For Zenith, maybe not. Hmm, but at least for me, it’s okay if you cause harm.”
“Hyung, did you eat something bad?”
“That’s what a team is, right?”
Wow.
‘Kang Minje’s lost it.’
Wasn’t he the guy who used to get stressed out over the members before regression? When did he develop such boundless team spirit?
“Honestly, I didn’t know at first. I just thought I’d become leader and lead Zenith.”
Perhaps embarrassed, Kang Minje’s face flushed slightly.
“But after going through all sorts of things, I realized it. I felt it again. Leader suits Hajin naturally.”
“Y-yeah, that’s true.”
“You need at least one person to hold things back. Communication with the company is necessary too.”
Well, I was worried he might become a sucker because he’s too nice.
“I’m not that meticulous. More than anything, I saw it with Jaeyoon.”
Kang Minje muttered into the air.
“Hajin’s amazing. Really, how does he manage to rein us in every single day for a whole year?”
Oh dear.
‘Ki Jaeyoon, you were quite the guy.’
He taught Kang Minje the bitter taste of the world.
‘But Ki Jaeyoon was the only one who stayed in Zenith even before regression.’
And the only one who didn’t leave Friends, right?
I shook my head. Whatever it was, pre-regression Zenith seemed impressive too.
‘Come to think of it, what happened to those guys?’
Friends stopped thinking about other boy groups after making Zenith successful.
‘They probably all left individually.’
This industry does go around in circles.
‘Even our senior Heo Suyong hasn’t left yet…….’
Isn’t he getting to a dangerous age? Well, not my problem anyway.
Kang Minje let out a long breath and whispered.
“So it’s okay if you cause me harm.”
Damn it.
“I won’t.”
“So firm?”
“Well, you never know with people, so I can’t be absolutely sure, but why would I do something that hurts Zenith?”
I could barely bring in positives as it is.
“Of course, some things are unavoidable. Like my press conference.”
“Yeah, true.”
“It nearly got pushed back to Chunhyang’s release date.”
Just thinking of that Sa-hyuk bastard still made my teeth grind.
“If the team falls apart, I crumble too. That’s how idol groups work.”
Kang Minje smiled faintly.
“Hearing you, the one going strongest solo, Cha Dowon, say that is reassuring.”
“Cha Dowon succeeding is because of Zenith too. If we’re splitting hairs, aren’t you the one with the least to worry about personally, hyung?”
Not expecting me to say that, the fox blinked.
“Why do you think that?”
“Lyric-writing, composing, producing. You do it all.”
Kang Minje shook his head immediately.
“Even if I do lyrics, composing, and producing, everyone has their own color that suits them.”
What did that mean?
“As Kang Minje, there are limits.”
“You, hyung?”
“Zenith’s Kang Minje is way more valuable than solo singer Kang Minje, don’t you think?”
That was unexpected. Wasn’t he the type who’d succeed anywhere even if dropped naked on barren land?
“It took time to admit it, but it’s true. Zenith’s value is much greater than mine right now.”
“No way.”
“I’m actually surprised by you, Dowon. You could go into acting right now, no problem, right?”
I shook my head right away.
“I’m going to the top as an idol.”
“Not a waste of your acting talent?”
“What I want to stand on is still the stage. Could you give it up, hyung? The stage itself, with the lights coming down and the music starting.”
Screens and TVs were great too. But right now, what I wanted to stand on was the stage filled with cheers.
“You really are unexpected.”
“I don’t get what’s so unexpected.”
“If Zenith’s maknae stays with us, Zenith wins big. You’re that powerful.”
My brows furrowed involuntarily.
“Our contract has a long way to go still, you know?”
The fox chuckled softly.
“Is that so? Is it too far off?”
“Shouldn’t we talk about it after hitting top in Korea first?”
“We’ll hit it soon, won’t we?”
Wow.
‘I didn’t know Kang Minje was this positive?’
Wasn’t he always the gloomy type, scraping at cold porridge with depressed eyes?
‘What’s changed?’
I scanned him up and down. It felt absurd now.
Kang Minje burst out laughing at my gaze.
“Hahaha. I must be starting to look like you.”
Don’t say such horrifying things.
“You must be confident in this solo album?”
“Yeah.”
Kang Minje readjusted his arm around my shoulder.
“Because you’re here.”
What nonsense is this?
“I’m planning to use our maknae a bit. You’re Korea’s trendsetter, so it’ll be powerful.”
“Hyung’s album is the Kang Minje solo album.”
Kang Minje just smiled brightly without answering. I let out a deep sigh.
“Well, use me and hit the top. We have to win first.”
“Right? Oh, the company!”
I turned direction immediately. His arm slipped off as a result.
“Where you going?”
“The convenience store. Gonna grab some snacks.”
“Hungry?”
“Not for me.”
I opened the convenience store door and strode in. It was nothing much, but it bugged me.
‘Why’s he so confident?’
Did he hide something?
I sighed and shook my head. I couldn’t get a read on it.
***
“Hello.”
“Oh, you’re here?”
“You’re working late. Thanks for your hard work.”
The recording studio wasn’t just me and Kang Minje. I handed snack bags to the staff working late into the night.
“Have some.”
“Wow! Thanks! I was getting hungry anyway! As expected from Korea’s trendsetter—your sense is on another level.”
I smiled brightly. Scoring points with little things like this wasn’t bad.
“It’s nothing.”
“The thought counts. You’re so sweet. Great! Anyway, thanks for the food.”
The staff laughed as they opened the bags. Watching them, Kang Minje said.
“Maybe I should learn from the maknae on stuff like this.”
“Yeah, copy him a bit. He’s got great sense. So thoughtful. Minje.”
“Yeah.”
Were they that hungry for snacks? They seemed thrilled. I shrugged and said.
“Minje hyung. I was wondering what song to sing while they eat. All guides done?”
“Oh, you haven’t gotten them yet.”
“Yeah.”
“But we haven’t done guides.”
What’s that supposed to mean?
“No guides needed.”
A song like that exists? Something feels off.
“What is it?”
“I need your humming.”
My brows furrowed automatically.
“Just the whispering part.”
“What kind of song?”
“A drowsy lullaby?”
What are you putting in a song, Kang Minje?
“Experimental track?”
“A bit? Well, it’s the last one.”
The staff munched on bread and said.
“But it’s not bad. It’s so languid and flowing—fans will love it.”
What.
“Weird?”
“A little. But well…… it’s you, hyung.”
What can’t a genius do.
“I tried humming it myself, but it was too ticklish.”
“Yeah, your falsetto gave me chills.”
“So I needed a clean voice. Good tone, a bit low but boyish.”
“That’s perfect for Dowon.”
Kang Minje nodded.
“It’ll stir up some buzz too.”
“Then you’re not singing this track, hyung?”
“I’ll rap.”
This guy raps too?
‘Well, no law against it.’
Vocalists usually rap well anyway.
“I see.”
“Improvised humming works best. So you need to soak in the emotion from now on. Can you do it?”
Like I can just do it on command.
“Well, what’s the vibe?”
“Just looking out a rainy window?”
“From what kind of house?”
I crossed my arms and asked.
“Emotions differ. Looking at rain from a nice second-floor place with a view versus a semi-basement—it’ll come out differently.”
The bread-munching staff nodded.
“True.”
“Hmm, not semi-basement, but a rundown place?”
“Yeah. Then you’d feel worn out. High places mean more uphill roads.”
Kang Minje whispered softly.
“You talk like you’ve experienced it.”
I smiled bitterly. Of course I had experience.
‘I was fine as a guy, but noona struggled.’
Lots of weird people, so I’d pick her up from the hospital plenty.
‘How badly she wanted to escape…….’
I shook my head to clear the thoughts.
“You don’t have to experience it to know. There’s such a thing as empathy.”
Seemed like a good answer—they all nodded.
“True. Here, listen to the music.”
I put on the headset. Bass sounds came in, faint strings, but the drums thumped steadily like a heartbeat.
‘This genius bastard.’
I didn’t know much about music, but even I could tell the subtle rain effects.
‘Humming on this track?’
I smiled bitterly. Messing this up would be bad.
“How is it?”
“Good. Now I’m tense because of it.”
“You, Dowon? Why?”
“It’s a good song. I don’t know much, but once you hear it, you’ll want to keep listening.”
Might be polarizing though.
Kang Minje smiled with crinkled eyes.
“You’re saying such nice things.”
“I’m just being honest, hyung.”
“I see.”
Kang Minje rolled his shoulders and said.
“Gets my nerves on edge. You’ve got such great instincts, Dowon. This album’s definitely gonna succeed.”
“You said it would succeed, obviously?”
Kang Minje let out a long sigh.
“Even if I believe that, showing new songs leaves you vulnerable. Even if I like it, no one knows if the public will.”
Well, creators can’t escape that.
‘But I’ve got cheats.’
I quietly pulled out my smartphone.
“Hyung, mind if I check a text real quick?”
“Yeah.”
I switched right back to cheat mode.
[cheat mode 1/3]
[Kang Minje’s First Solo Album Sentiment]
[5558%]
[cheat mode 2/3]
Monster bastard. He made it insanely good.
I shook my head. So fox-like.
Kang Minje said to the staff.
“See? Good call asking Dowon.”
“Look at him checking sentiment. So thorough. Now I get why Zenith blew up.”
“Our Dowon’s not a trendsetter for nothing.”
“Why are you bragging like it’s your achievement?”
“Can’t I be proud?”
Don’t.
Suddenly, a hypothesis flashed in my mind.
‘No way…….’
It wasn’t midnight yet. I quickly activated cheat.
[cheat mode 2/3]
[Kang Minje’s First Solo Last Track Sentiment After Cha Dowon Joined]
[8888%]
[cheat mode 3/3]
I shook my head. Talent-wise, he was disgustingly genius whether it was true or not.