Chapter 58
Chapter 58
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 58
Chapter Title: Aftermath
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Old memories resurfaced. Before my regression, I’d seen an article about it. [Lee Jinah Suffocates from Toxic Gas During Our Idol Filming].
I recalled the girl I’d seen earlier. She looked so similar it couldn’t be just a coincidence with the same name.
Things were unfolding in a really bizarre way.
‘Before regression, Our Idol got canceled because Lee Jinah died.’
So, does that mean the kid is alive now? What’s going to happen?
I shook my head to clear the thoughts.
‘Whatever, none of my business.’
Good is good. Even tumbling through a field of shit, this world is better than the next—better to live than die.
There was still tons of practice left, and no more time to dwell on it. I quietly turned back to the mirror. Fortunately, my body felt light.
***
“Sa, I got the autograph!”
Lee Jinah bounced around outside the practice room. The trainees who had become her friends watched her and said,
“Yeah, you’re a successful stan!”
“Wow, smart move joining Friends. Autograph and all! I even did physical comedy at auditions just to see Dowon oppa—definitely the right choice!”
Lee Jinah recalled all the embarrassing things she’d done to pass the audition and shuddered.
She’d desperately wanted to join Friends, but not to that extent. Yet the moment she stanned Cha Dowon, all her pride melted away like snow.
What wouldn’t she do to see him up close?
She covered her mouth and whispered,
“Ultimate visuals, Cha Dowon. I’ll protect you, Cha Dowon!”
It was the slogan pushing hard on fan sites lately.
Her friends watching her shook their heads.
“You’re gonna end up dating him or something?”
“Crazy! With my oppa? As if! Me? No way! Never crossed my mind, not even 1%! I’m just a stan. A successful one who gets to see him up close.”
“Yeah, right.”
Her friends glanced at each other and whispered,
“Stalker odds higher than girlfriend.”
“No! I’m absolutely not a sasaeng!”
“Yeah, yeah. If it happens, we’ll hold you back. Hey, practice time. Let’s go!”
Her friends dragged the girl away. Lee Jinah clutched her signed CD and turned back happily.
‘Wonder what oppa’s schedule’s like.’
Probably on the fan site.
Lee Jinah skipped off beaming. She felt like she could fly.
***
[Our Idol, Canceled.]
-Production Team Sacked, Pay Cut.
[Hush Apologizes on Fan Cafe]
-Controversial Member on Hiatus.
-Jenice Unaffected.
Things were going exactly as planned. While doing crunches, I grinned. Maybe because the scandal had blown up—my recognition was soaring, and fans were multiplying fast.
Grow big, my little sprouts of fans.
‘Public appeal’s up, so time to start managing core fans.’
What’s the best way? Keep the fun coming?
I was mulling it over while waiting in the music show green room when,
“Big trouble!”
The manager burst in. I paused my crunches and looked up.
“Immortal Songs! We gotta change everything! What do we do? At least we haven’t recorded yet!”
What the hell.
Kang Minje’s brows twitched as he got his hair done. He’s pissed. I let out a small sigh and said,
“Manager, slow down and explain.”
“Ah, uh! Immortal Songs Kim Sangseok special—some team flaked.”
Damn.
“Replacement’s Hush.”
I shook my head. They had to know we booked it first—some guts on them.
‘No self-awareness amid the shitstorm?’
Putting one member on hiatus with zero image control?
“The real kicker is their concept overlaps ours.”
Kang Minje scowled. Little fox is fuming.
“We switch?”
“Yeah, it’s the norm.”
Immortal Songs, being a three-year show, had its conventions. Like song pick priority by seniority—that was one.
Ki Jaeyoon yelled,
“W-we gotta redo practice?”
Yoo Hajin let out a soft sigh.
“It’s not the choreography.”
I propped my chin and looked at Kang Minje as I said,
“We redo the arrangement.”
Does this guy even have time?
‘Mid-promo, our schedule’s packed.’
Only free during these waits.
Kang Minje ground his teeth.
“Redo the arrangement.”
He shot up, opened his laptop, and headed to the table. Stylist Noona, who’d been chilling, jumped right up from her kit.
‘Hope he’s okay.’
Not my problem, but Immortal Songs mattered to us.
‘Great for appealing to older generations.’
I recalled Kang Minje’s arrangement—had turned an old track fresh and sleek.
‘Hold on.’
Did Hush snag that concept?
I smirked.
‘Total morons.’
No clue about right time, right place. Those idiots.
“We’ll crush Hush.”
The manager groaned and turned.
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“They’re complete idiots. Hush and their agency both.”
Kang Minje pulled off his headset and turned to me.
‘He gets what I’m saying.’
I got up from the floor and walked over to Kang Minje.
“What concept we going with, Minje hyung?”
The fox narrowed his eyes.
“Don’t know yet.”
“Can I suggest one?”
Every eye in the green room landed on me.
“Go for it.”
I sat next to him and crossed my legs.
“What kind of show is Immortal Songs?”
Ki Jaeyoon answered,
“Remaking past hits for the stage.”
“Right. So older viewers tune in more—for nostalgia, to judge the changes. Plus, the original creators judge live. What’s that say?”
The manager gulped.
“Vicarious thrill. Juniors bow in respect on stage, legends up top drop blessings like elders at Chuseok. Probably why it’s huge with seniors.”
Now the deep stuff.
“So, what do we do?”
Yoo Hajin replied,
“Put up a solid stage with heart?”
“That too. But key points—what hooks middle-aged viewers more?”
Eyes converged harder. I flashed a bright smile.
“Our arrangement was fresh, right?”
Kang Minje nodded.
“Yeah.”
“Not bad. We’re rookies—staff probably wanted a newbie’s cute take to appeal to that demo.”
Every casting has a reason.
“But debut-six-years-in Hush took it?”
Fast track to flop. Expect cute from a sixth-year group? Fans might, but I could say for sure.
‘No.’
They’d just look desperate.
“Plus, doubt Hush has a top arranger.”
Lee Seungjun nodded. Music production costs cash. Hush wasn’t huge, no deep music or stage talent.
“Fresh fits rookies only. So, robbed of cute—what now?”
Kang Minje eyed me. I propped my chin and smiled again.
“A solemn stage honoring the original—thoughts?”
“Arrange as close to original as possible?”
“No. Arrange however you want, hyung. But keep that serious respect for the original. Picture it: baby rookie group gushing how a hit from before they were born was such a masterpiece, so tough to tackle.”
To elders, pure generational respect.
“They’d eat it up.”
“Nail the performance, and young folks buzz too on polish.”
Probably what Hush’s seniority demanded: attitude and execution.
‘Not my circus.’
About-to-tank group, no need to care.
Then Yoo Hajin said,
“Let’s go with respect as concept.”
Leader decided fast. Kang Minje nodded.
“I’ll rearrange that way.”
Pretending concern, I whispered,
“You good? Can pull it off now?”
Kang Minje smiled faintly.
“Yeah. I got it. Thanks, Dowon.”
Shit.
I forced a smile.
“Glad it helped.”
“Huge help. Like plugging in a car nav. Wasn’t clicking what concept to run.”
Figure it out? Then nail it, you bastard.
I hopped off the sofa and resumed crunches. Eyes scattered.
“Hey, Manager hyung.”
Ki Jaeyoon tugged the plump manager’s clothes.
“What’d he say? Am I the only one lost?”
My brows furrowed for a sec.
“Yeah, explained it simple.”
“B-but I don’t get it!”
Damn.
“How’s anyone get that complex stuff first go? Just do good, right?”
Not worth responding. I kept crunches going.
“Hahaha. Jaeyoon, thirsty? I’ll grab water.”
Manager bolted from the green room. I panted and shook my head.
‘Knew it, but...’
Ki Jaeyoon clutched his head, whining why only him.
‘Monkey bastard’s hopeless dumb.’
What if his idiocy causes accidents? Feels like he’ll be the troublemaker.
‘Gotta manage him tight.’
I kept up the crunches. Getting used to it—no quick fatigue.
***
The journey for a legendary Immortal Songs performance restarted. That night, Kang Minje whipped up a whole new track like magic.
‘Say what you want, the guy’s a freak talent.’
I watched Kang Minje’s back. Fiddling with the sound gear, he said again,
“Redo.”
Damn.
Yoo Hajin sang the track again in the booth. Already the thirtieth take.
Kang Minje rubbed his dry face and sighed.
“Driving me nuts. At least no one but Hajin could hit this part.”
I alternated glances between the score and Yoo Hajin.
‘Overall range is high.’
Only Kang Minje toyed freely in this register.
“Hajin, come out. Short break.”
Yoo Hajin sighed and exited the booth. Kang Minje stood and looked at me.
“Dowon, your range was a tad higher, it’d be perfect.”
I chuckled.
‘Never crossed my mind.’
Zenith had five members, two couldn’t sing. Parts split among Kang Minje, Yoo Hajin, and me.
‘Raise range now... doable.’
I pulled out my smartphone.
[cheat mode 1/3]
[Cha Dowon Vocal Range Increase]
[Changed]
[Side effect: Coughing for 5 minutes starting in 1 minute.]
[cheat mode 2/3]
‘Huh, it worked?’
And side effect mild too.
‘These usually hit hard—why so light?’
Whatever, good’s good. I quietly covered my mouth. Soon, unstoppable coughing hit.
As I hacked away, Lee Seungjun asked,
“Dowon, you okay?”
“F-fine.”
Yoo Hajin handed water. I drank, pretending to calm. But the cough lasted exactly five minutes.
Ki Jaeyoon from the side:
“Whoa, you got pneumonia or what?”
“Nah.”
I wiped my mouth and smirked.
“Minje hyung, lemme try Hajin hyung’s part.”
The guy who’d stood from his chair tilted his head.
“Your range won’t cut it?”
“I’ll give it a shot.”
I sang the part Yoo Hajin had bombed nearly thirty times.
-If you weren’t in this world~
Even I was shocked hearing my own voice.