Chapter 36
Chapter 36
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: Members, Leader
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2021.12.22.
With Yoo Hajin around, the group won't disband due to member conflicts. Unlike the mess of trainees, the debut lineup seemed to get along decently.
'Honestly, the debut team should be walking on thin ice.'
Suddenly, Yoo Hajin looked like a dove of peace.
'Looking forward to working with you, Gu-gu.'
I smiled brightly at Yoo Hajin. Gu-gu blinked in surprise at my sudden change in attitude.
"So, you're the leader, hyung?"
Please, you do it. Not that antisocial punk Kang Minje.
"No, the leader is..."
Yoo Hajin was in the middle of speaking when the door opened again. This time, a familiar face walked in.
'I was wondering when you'd show up.'
I said to the newcomer,
"I've been waiting. Come on in."
"That's some mafia greeting."
Kang Minje smirked obnoxiously as he sat in the seat right in front of me. It was so obvious that even Yoo Hajin didn't seem surprised.
At that moment, the manager spoke up.
"Kids! Can't you at least pretend to be shocked like, 'Whoa! You're a member?'"
This was Kang Minje's produced group—why would anyone be surprised he's a member?
"Want some acting?"
Yoo Hajin touched his face.
"Should I make a shocked expression?"
Kang Minje propped his chin up and said,
"Too late for that, I think?"
I nodded.
"Manager, you should've given us a heads-up."
Then I could've put on a full-hearted shocked performance.
I asked Kang Minje,
"Did you pick the members, hyung?"
"I can't get involved. That's the president's and director's territory."
"Unexpected."
"If you knew I was just a song-picking machine, Dowon, you'd pity me."
I smiled brightly, feeling nauseous.
'Why act pitiful.'
Made me want to puke.
"It's true."
"I don't buy it."
"Really. Sometimes it feels like you subtly don't trust me, Dowon."
My acting must be top-notch. Not subtly—blatantly.
Then the door opened again, and someone else walked in. I stared blankly at him.
'This one's unexpected.'
The guy who bounced in like a spring was someone I knew.
'Ki Jaeyoon.'
The one from the dance battle a few days ago. Now that I thought about it, it was a bit surprising.
'He was originally a Zenith member.'
One of the few who stayed with the company. Of course, after Zenith disbanded, he hadn't done any proper activities.
Yoo Hajin said,
"Oh, Jaeyoon."
"Hyung! You're a member too! Of course!"
Ki Jaeyoon pointed at me and said,
"Everyone except this guy!"
Look at this jerk.
I smiled brightly. Yoo Hajin glanced at me and shook his head.
"Is Dowon the most recognizable right now?"
"That recognition? I can stack it up in no time."
"Hey, quiet. People are listening."
I said to Ki Jaeyoon,
"It's true I had more opportunities."
Kang Minje blinked.
"But even if Jaeyoon hyung had those chances, what... "
I shrugged exaggeratedly.
"You would've nailed it? Perfectly? Better than me? Wow! Of course you would've!"
Kang Minje covered his mouth and laughed.
"Learned to roast indirectly, huh, our Dowon."
Yoo Hajin shook his head and said,
"We know not just anyone could do it."
"I can too!"
Ah, shut up.
'He's the landmine.'
Honestly, I didn't think Kang Minje or Yoo Hajin would cause trouble.
'Ah, why'd they pick a guy like that...'
I sighed deeply, and Kang Minje looked at Ki Jaeyoon and said,
"Jaeyoon, you can't act."
Yoo Hajin followed up.
"Not just acting. You can't sing either."
"Rap's meh too? What about your parts?"
"All you can do is dance. Dowon can do dance, vocals, acting, and he's got the looks, right?"
I smiled brightly.
"Such modest praise. But yeah, objectivity is the path to success."
Might as well take the highway.
'Let's shoot straight up.'
Yoo Hajin patted my shoulder.
"You say the most annoying things in the cringiest way."
"Sorry."
Kang Minje tapped the table and said,
"But Dowon's right. Objectivity is key. So, Jaeyoon, brace for almost no lines in the song."
"Ah, why! Give me some!"
"Hajin handles vocals well, and Dowon can train up. So the next one's gotta be a rapper."
Right then, the door opened, and someone walked in. When I saw who it was, I was genuinely shocked this time.
"Huh?"
Lee Seungjun strolled in leisurely. The bear lowered his head in a bow, then lifted it.
"I'm the last one."
Kang Minje extended his hand. Lee Seungjun shook it naturally.
'Doing business or what?'
But with their builds, it looked fitting. Lee Seungjun grinned at me.
"Now I can dream even bigger."
I blanked for a second.
What was that?
'Ah, from yesterday.'
-My life feels like it has something new. Yeah, right. I'm dreaming. A good dream. That's why. I just don't want to wake up.
Crazy guy.
I couldn't hold back a laugh. Lee Seungjun grinned and took the last seat.
Yoo Hajin looked around and said,
"That's everyone? Visuals are solid. Heights? Dowon, you grown a bit?"
When was the last time he checked?
"Mid-170s, I guess."
Ki Jaeyoon shouted,
"I'm 177!"
Kang Minje scanned Ki Jaeyoon up and down and said,
"177's not bad. Dowon'll grow more. With these heights, we can do more variety. Plus..."
Kang Minje turned to Lee Seungjun right away.
"Nice build, you."
Lee Seungjun straightened his shoulders and smiled faintly.
"I've heard your rap. Hmm, this..."
Kang Minje smirked with one cheek.
'This guy's serious.'
He smirks like that when he's being honest—and it's annoying.
"Nice. So five total?"
Yoo Hajin looked around and said,
"Yeah. Minje, fewer members than expected."
"Eh, whatever. It's good."
I smiled brightly and said,
"More members means splitting the money more ways."
The other four exchanged glances—excluding me. Why are they looking at each other?
Kang Minje muttered,
"Dowon, you're thorough about money."
"Money's one thing you gotta be very thorough about."
Yoo Hajin shook his head.
"Still, a kid shouldn't be so uptight."
"Wow, Hajin hyung saying that!"
Yoo Hajin patted my shoulder and gazed into the distance.
"Yeah. I have no right to say that."
I quietly looked at the manager. A silent gesture to stop filming now that it was over—but he was still holding the camera.
Kang Minje whispered,
"So, my workload just spiked?"
He eyed each member like a hawk spotting prey.
'There's his true nature.'
Usually fox-like, but snake at heart.
"Not bad."
Meaning he likes it.
I turned to the manager and asked,
"So, what are we doing?"
"Oh, pick a leader."
Leader, huh.
I quietly glanced at Yoo Hajin. Despite everything, the nice guy scratched his head and said,
"Why not Minje?"
Ah, damn.
'Absolutely not.'
That guy would pulverize the team.
Kang Minje tapped the table leisurely.
"I'm fine either way."
I sighed and said,
"I care."
All eyes turned to me. I smiled brightly.
"Minje hyung's producing, right? Lyrics, composing, maybe even choreography tweaks if it goes well."
Yoo Hajin nodded.
"Too much on your plate. Can't ask a busy hyung to clean up after Jaeyoon's messes."
Ki Jaeyoon yelled immediately,
"Hey! Why me!"
Kang Minje propped his chin, lost in thought.
"Ah, right. Never thought about it. Members could cause trouble."
High chance it's Ki Jaeyoon. The others don't seem the type.
Yoo Hajin said,
"I'll do it."
I nearly clapped.
"Minje, you're swamped. You know the debut kids—they take turns messing up. You're good at scolding but not handling them."
Dove of peace indeed. Yoo Hajin gets it better than expected.
Kang Minje nodded readily.
"Yeah. You do it, Hajin. But..."
He looked at me.
"Dowon, you feeling left out?"
"Huh?"
"Not making you leader just 'cause I'm busy?"
Sly snake-fox. Overly sensitive for no reason.
"Stop hogging everything, hyung. Lyrics, composing, producing—and leader too? If there wasn't a good fit, maybe, but we have Hajin hyung."
"You don't trust me."
I nodded quickly.
"Of course not."
"Hey! That hurts!"
Jerk. As if.
"People have limits. Learn to delegate, Mr. Lyrics, Composing, Producer."
No matter how much of a music industry genius you are, you can't do it all.
Yoo Hajin shook his head.
"Wow."
Why's the dove-slash-prospective-leader reacting like that?
Ki Jaeyoon chimed in,
"We all thought it about the debut kids but never said it to Minje hyung's face!"
Kang Minje glared at me. Hit a nerve?
"You really don't trust me."
"Is my trust the priority now?"
"It is for me."
Damn. What?
Best to cut to the chase and decide fast. I looked at Yoo Hajin.
"You'll be leader, right?"
"Huh?"
"Anyone else want to?"
Lee Seungjun and Ki Jaeyoon shook their heads immediately.
"Then Hajin hyung it is! Hajin hyung, looking forward to it! Keep Jaeyoon from screwing up!"
"Why me again!"
"Uh? Uh. Yeah. I'll do it."
Lee Seungjun tilted his head.
"Is this okay?"
"You want to be leader?"
"Of course not, but Minje hyung's glaring?"
I ignored him quietly.
Petty jerk.
Kang Minje stared me down and said,
"Fine by me either way."
Damn. Stop glaring.
"Hajin, take care of us."
Heat dripped from his words. I sighed softly.
"Yeah, whatever. Looking forward to it. Leader-style: Manager hyung, what else to decide?"
The manager said,
"Group name?"
I turned to Kang Minje this time.
"What sounds good, Minje hyung?"
"Huh? Why me now? Leader's opinion matters most, right?"
Petty.
"A bit. Put personal feelings aside for productive progress, Mr. Lyrics, Composing, Producer."
I ignored his stare.
"You prepared some names, right?"
"Pick from climax, zenith, depth."
"All mean the same thing."
Kang Minje nodded.
"Our Dowon studied English?"
Ki Jaeyoon asked Lee Seungjun,
"They all mean the same?"
Oh boy.
'He doesn't even know foreign languages.'
Is dance really all he can do?
The dove Yoo Hajin said,
"Name should be simple, short, memorable."
Lee Seungjun added,
"I like Zenith. Shortest, and we've heard it a lot."
Kang Minje nodded.
"Zenith it is. You good, Dowon?"
"Yeah. But one question: why all 'climax' meanings?"
Kang Minje's expression blanked, and he fell silent in thought.
Awkward silence fell.
'Why's he doing that?'
Ruining the vibe?
"Surface reason: to show peak stages. Real reason..."
The fox-snake grinned and whispered,
"Not telling."
"Minje hyung!"
"Anyway, Zenith it is. Manager hyung, next?"
The camera was still rolling.
"Uh, that's it."
Ki Jaeyoon shot up.
"It's over! Yes! Gotta call Mom about debuting!"
He bolted like the wind. Kid, huh? Yeah, he is one. I let out a long breath and grabbed Kang Minje's sleeve.
"Why 'climax'?"
"Secret."
Fine, whatever. Don't tell if you don't want.
"Yeah. Secret it is."
"Wait, that's not it."
I turned and said,
"Seungjun. Tteokbokki, making it now."
"Thanks."
The bear was staring after Ki Jaeyoon.
'What's with him?'
I kinda got it, though.
'No one to tell.'