Chapter 37
Chapter 37
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Planning is Money
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I let out a deep sigh and patted Lee Seungjun's back.
"Tteokbokki spicy, salty, or sweet?"
"I'm not a fan of super spicy."
"Got it."
"But add cheese."
That was when Kang Minje spoke up from behind me.
"Dowon, you're making tteokbokki today?"
"Yeah."
"Just you two?"
Damn. What a buzzkill.
"Want some, Minje hyung? Oh, Hajin hyung. You cool with tteokbokki today?"
Yoo Hajin smiled awkwardly and nodded.
'Well, he doesn't have anyone to talk to either.'
His family ties were cut off. Though with Yoo Hajin's personality, he probably had a lot of friends.
Kang Minje slung an arm around my shoulders and said,
"I like it spicy, but don't make it too hot."
"Why not?"
"It'll irritate your throat. We've got to start using our voices now, so no spicy stuff."
I hadn't realized that.
I nodded and headed outside.
'These guys are gonna eat a ton, so I need to make a lot.'
Gonna cost a pretty penny in ingredients.
I shook my head. It felt like I was running a losing business here.
***
Executive Director Joo quietly stared at the screen. The footage they'd shot to edit Zenith's origin story rawly revealed the members' true personalities.
The president quietly handed Executive Director Joo an iced Americano. Executive Director Joo gulped it down like it was nothing and said,
"It's so raw."
"The kids don't know broadcast-friendly images yet."
"Is Minje always that stingy? I had no idea."
"He only acts like that around Dowon, I think? You know Minje's personality. He's sharp."
Executive Director Joo fast-forwarded roughly. When the leader selection part came up, she couldn't help but laugh.
"I thought Minje would be leader."
"Minje's ambitious."
"But ambitious Cha Dowon was right. Can't have it all!"
"True. But Dowon... he's getting more interesting by the day."
The leader was decided on Yoo Hajin in one go. Executive Director Joo shook her head as she watched the tall, friendly-looking Yoo Hajin.
"Hajin's fine."
"He takes good care of everyone. But he's the type who won't step up without the title."
"Dowon reads people well."
"You know, sister-in-law."
The president blinked her button-like eyes and said,
"You know Dowon's the maknae, right?"
"Yeah."
"But watch closely."
Executive Director Joo crossed her arms.
"Doesn't our ambitious Cha Dowon seem like the real leader?"
"You felt it too, sister-in-law?"
"Bluntly put, yeah. The maknae acting like leader is hilarious."
The one actually calling the shots was the smallest guy.
"Minje needs to let go a bit."
"Yeah. But I thought Minje would blow up, and he accepted it surprisingly quick?"
"Dowon's influence again?"
The two stared at the screen simultaneously. The boy on the monitor was truly something else.
"Like an old soul in a kid's body."
"Weird, right?"
"Hey, brother-in-law. This smells huge. It's a hit."
The balance was perfect. They'd assign character roles, but this alone was plenty entertaining.
"The kids are funny together by nature, but they need someone aggressive."
"There's no shortage of ones who take it."
"Let's go with Dowon roasting Minje. That'll land well."
The two nodded at the same time.
"We need to plan this."
"Put in stuff that'll pop."
"Vita tanked, so we've got manpower."
"Those Vita punks. Ugh."
Executive Director Joo shook her head. Good thing it ended at just writing songs; if they'd shot jackets too, the losses would've been massive.
"At least the CF was saved by Dowon."
"Good reactions. Honestly, he did better than Vita's Keep—it was no pay, too."
The president patted his belly and said,
"Never selling like that again."
"Obviously."
The boy on the screen turned his head indifferently. The president grinned and said,
"Sister-in-law, let's plan this. All-nighter if we have to."
Executive Director Joo nodded. Her heart was strangely racing. She didn't know the outcome, but it felt like the universe was on their side.
'Not bad.'
Her sharper-than-most instincts told her: this was definitely a smash hit.
***
Kang Minje said,
"Idol planning is money."
I rested my chin on my hand and nodded. Who here didn't know that?
"Everything costs money. Training trainees, making songs, mixing effects, jackets, outfits, MVs, stages. All of it."
Yoo Hajin, washing dishes behind us, said,
"How much?"
"Check the settlement sheet later. But if everything's money, what do you think planners think?"
This time, I answered.
"They try not to lose it."
"Correct!"
Kang Minje sipped his espresso.
"That means if results suck, you're touring every venue."
"Local gigs?"
"If you don't want to crazy-tour all eight provinces, nail the first button."
Even the great Kang Minje didn't want to suffer.
Yoo Hajin went further.
"The worst is when no one even shows up."
Oof.
"Or get bundled with seniors."
Ah, that's pathetic.
Then Lee Seungjun said,
"But you can't skimp on planning money."
"Right. Looks cheap, looks cheap. Debut to the public all shabby? That kills 'idol' value. Idols are icons. No shabby icons."
Yoo Hajin shook off a dish and turned around.
"But wrinkly idols are popular too?"
"Hajin, friendly and shabby are different. Seungjun, what's the most important thing for an idol?"
The bear said,
"Hmm. Diligence? Skill?"
"Nice to have, but not all. What's the real top thing?"
Yoo Hajin finished dishes and sat at the table.
I quietly waited for Lee Seungjun's answer.
"No idea."
Honest, at least.
"Then, Dowon, you?"
I propped my chin on the empty table and said,
"Being hot stuff."
Icons are like that.
"You can like struggling celebs personally. But idols? Popularity begets popularity."
Kang Minje grinned. Not a pretty sight; kinda nauseating.
"Skill, diligence—they're foundations to popularity. Even without it now, fans cheer hoping it comes someday."
"I'm really shocked by you, Dowon."
"You ain't seen nothing yet, Minje hyung."
I smiled brightly and said,
"I've got plenty left."
"You're seriously fun. So, Dowon. How to get popular?"
Easy answer.
"Exposure first."
"Correct. Fans, antis—exposure first. A thousand-mile journey starts with one step, so everyone, new SNS from today. Totally different from old email addresses."
All that speech for this? After eating my homemade tteokbokki, too. Yoo Hajin rolled his shoulders and said,
"Feels like a meeting without Jaeyoon. I'll pass it on."
"Oh, sorry. Thanks, Hajin."
Yoo Hajin smiled good-naturedly.
"Well, I'm leader. I handle the annoying stuff."
Not questioning why you're saying that when you're leader? Peak Hajin.
'I read him right.'
Funny, but Zenith needed consideration. Someone had to yield.
Kang Minje stood and said,
"Dowon, come with me a sec. Just a sec."
Damn. What's his deal now.
'Together's tough enough; now alone?'
I sighed long and stood.
'Busy guy won't call without reason.'
Kang Minje smirked slyly ahead. I furrowed my brow and followed.
***
"Dowon, I know you."
I flinched.
'What does he know?'
Cheat use? Past life return?
Too many hits; couldn't pick. Kang Minje sat and whispered low,
"You've got killer instincts."
Ah, damn. That's all.
"Yeah, I do."
"Your mom was amazing."
I nodded. Top dog in Seongnam, Gyeonggi.
"Still is. Lines in rental apartment hallways, party lines be damned, during elections."
Popularity exploded then.
"You sang and danced in front, thanking her for coming."
"Don't remember."
"Got fat pocket money for snacks."
"Forget that stuff."
"How? Piled like mountains and shared."
Thinking now, why share blood-sweat snacks with scum like you?
"Anyway, Dowon. I desperately need your instincts now."
I tilted my head.
"Instincts are just instincts, right?"
"Yeah."
"Still?"
"Yep."
"Sounds desperate for success."
Kang Minje gripped my arm tight.
"I'm desperate, Dowon. We gotta rise fast."
We? Not I?
'This guy's anxious sometimes too.'
Weird.
Kang Minje handed me headphones.
"Five tracks total. I wrote 'em all as title contenders."
"Grinding hard, hyung."
"Gotta talk to Executive Director Joo, but she'll hear me out first."
Bastard's highly regarded.
"I did guides myself. Playing."
I nodded. First track came: bright, upbeat.
-I want to swim to you.
I knew it. Yanked off headphones.
"Hyung, no way!"
Kang Minje tilted his head.
"I thought this was title material?"
"Hyung, absolutely not. Debut's summer, right?"
"Yeah. Summer fit."
Yeah. Zenith debuted with this, swapped quick, debut flopped.
"Typhoon coming."
Kang Minje's pupils shook.
"Our country's got typhoons now. 'Swim to you'? Lyrics disaster!"
He nodded right away.
"No good."
"Not title. We'd flop hard."
"Whew, close call."
"And bright, fresh image fit us?"
Kang Minje propped his chin, thinking.
"Debuts usually go bright?"
"Five years ago style."
Vita did that.
"World changed, tastes shifted. Old ways won't cut it. Play to strengths?"
"Our strengths?"
Duh, asking the obvious. He clueless?
"Faces."
Kang Minje's pupils shook again.
"Honestly, minus Jaeyoon, all handsome."
"Yeah, but..."
"Bodies too. Minus Jaeyoon."
Proportions solid. Even Lee Seungjun's broad shoulders, small face. Yoo Hajin super handsome.
"Jaeyoon's face a bit big."
"I get you wanna go skill route, hyung."
I scanned Kang Minje's nauseating face.
"Faces are our top edge now."
The prim face sighed softly.
"Got it."
"Go faces. Next track."
Second track. Knew this too. Swapped to this after weather flop.
'Not bad.'
Bland, but safe.
"Bit boring."
Kang Minje's face hardened.
"Yeah?"
"Debut needs punch. My opinion, though—hyung the pro knows best. Next."
Another track played. Listening, my eyes widened.