Chapter 237
Chapter 237
The call to Cheong-ryeo connected after a few rings.
However, a standard greeting like "Hello" didn't follow.
—You’re alive.
I knew he’d say that.
"It just turned out that way."
—Ah, I didn't mean I wanted you to die.
"I didn't get the impression you particularly wanted me to live, either."
Unless he thought it was a total win because one of his rivals for the Grand Prize would be out of the running.
But the voice over the phone didn't laugh.
—You said you can't restart.
"..."
—Then you have to stay alive. What a strange thing to say.
Look at him.
Being lectured on common sense by this lunatic is what’s truly strange.
Still, I won't deny there was something slightly pleasant about it. To think the madman I saw in my coma was talking about the sanctity of life—I guess time really is the best medicine.
Though, of course, it’s probably just because his reset button was taken away.
"Well, thanks for the concern. Anyway, I'm fine."
—Right. So, why did you call?
"I have something to ask."
After finishing my mental calculations, I spoke immediately.
"Are you free the day after tomorrow, or the morning after that?"
—The reason for asking?
It was simple.
"I'm available for hospital visits."
Since I can't leave given the circumstances, I have to call this guy over.
Only then did I hear a chuckle from the other end of the line.
After some haggling and coordination, Cheong-ryeo agreed to visit three days later, on a weekend morning.
It was a plan made possible because the other members—who had been visiting almost every day in rotation to discuss future activity plans—were all heading back to their family homes for the weekend.
Well, except for one.
"When can we eat the melon?"
"When the hospital allows it."
"I'm gonna go ask!"
"Stay put."
Cha Yu-jin was practically living in the hospital room, pitying himself for being stuck in the dorm over the weekend. I heard his parents had flown into the country when they heard he was injured, but it seemed they went back last week.
Then again, it's hard for a working professional to stay in a foreign country for more than two weeks. Even in the US, getting more vacation time would be difficult.
Instead of the melon, I tossed him a few large, premium tangerines. Seon A-hyun had bought them.
He probably bought fruit that would keep well so I could eat it as soon as my dietary restrictions were lifted... but I doubt they'll last that long.
"Eat those."
"Are they super sweet?"
Did you learn that from Keun Se-jin?
"Yeah."
"Whoa!"
I watched Cha Yu-jin peel and eat the tangerines.
Actually, this was a kind of bribe.
"...Someone's coming in about thirty minutes. Don't bother telling the other members."
"A guest for you, Hyung?"
"Something like that."
"Who is it?"
"VTIC's Cheong-ryeo."
"Oh."
Cha Yu-jin gulped down a segment of tangerine and shrugged.
"Okay~"
Good.
He was straightforward about things like this, which made it easy. His individualistic streak, where he didn't nitpick, really shone here.
"But why is he coming?"
Except for the part where he's curious.
"I have things to ask him regarding our next activities."
"Ask me!"
"...It's something I need to ask someone who's been active in the industry for a long time."
"Aww."
Fortunately, the barrage of questions ended there, though it was obvious the same situation would repeat once Cheong-ryeo arrived.
And thirty minutes later.
"I want to listen too!"
As expected.
"Go buy yourself some snacks."
"Boo..."
Still, thanks to dealing with him beforehand, a firm command worked.
Cha Yu-jin grumbled as he left. He didn't forget to give Cheong-ryeo a proper Korean-style polite greeting, though.
"Hello, Sunbae-nim!"
Bam!
After a deep bow, he exited and shut the hospital room door with gusto.
Cheong-ryeo stared at the departing figure and smiled.
"He seems like a difficult type, but your team atmosphere must be good. You can actually control him."
"..."
"I once tried to handle someone similar... he blew off a schedule after sixteen months. Hmm, was that the sixth time? Haha."
He really has a talent for making the atmosphere awkward.
Anyway, I crossed my arms and got straight to the point.
"The reason I invited you today is, obviously, because of an emergency."
"Yes."
"I think I'm going to fail the mission."
"..."
There was no need to hide it. When you're desperate enough to borrow a cat's paw, a dud who can't even reset anymore can still be utilized in the right place.
"This mission?"
"Mobilizing 400,000 audience members."
"..."
Cheong-ryeo fell silent, seemingly lost in thought.
Then, he tilted his head.
"That's incredibly specific."
"..."
"How can you be so sure... Interesting."
I knew it.
‘I’ve triggered something.’
I should delay talking about the status window as long as possible, even in an emergency.
However, I had no choice but to proceed with the discussion while knowing the specific conditions.
‘I need a more precise prediction, even if only by a little.’
Since the tour was canceled, the probability of sudden death was skyrocketing.
He might think the difference between him—who had to figure things out blindly—and me was unfair, but I had to keep him from dwelling on that.
‘Change the subject.’
I shrugged.
"Well, knowing the specifics isn't a bad thing. Besides, mission or not, I almost saw the gates of hell because of that car accident."
"...This profession does tend to have a lot of variables."
"Right. Thanks to that, I've almost died twice in just two years of activity."
"Twice?"
"Yeah. The first was you."
He burst into laughter, but soon nodded with a slightly apologetic smile. It seemed his mind was back in the game.
The gamble I took by sending him twenty dog photos seemed to have paid off.
‘As expected, there’s a bit of guilt... and a sense of camaraderie remaining.’
It meant he had enough goodwill to send dog photos when he heard I’d woken up.
Still, this bastard isn't normal, so let's move on before he starts thinking about something else.
"Anyway, thanks to that, the tour is canceled and I'm stuck in the hospital. But I still need to meet 300,000 more audience members."
"Hmm, it'll be hard to book a new dome tour at the end of the year."
"I know."
The year-end and New Year period is peak season. Most venues large enough for TeSTAR to perform in have already been booked for weekends.
Moreover, though I couldn't tell him, if a lawsuit starts, forget a tour—all entertainment activities for the year are out the window.
Then, Cheong-ryeo brought up the most logical and likely alternative.
"What about an untact concert?"
"...That's the problem."
I pressed my thumb against the bridge of my nose.
"The counting criteria are vague."
"..."
The fan meeting I did right before the accident.
That performance was broadcast online simultaneously, but neither the real-time paid viewers nor the illegal viewers were counted.
Only the on-site audience was counted as the 'audience.'
Looking at it that way, untact seems useless, right?
But then, some performances that were planned entirely as untact events were partially counted.
‘A few of the comeback show lives done through paid real-time W Lives were counted.’
Those were structured so that the viewers' messages and feedback appeared on the electronic displays.
And considering all these trends, one very ambiguous criterion emerged.
"It seems like... they only count them as 'audience' when I recognize them within the performance."
I have to perceive the audience. Not as a number, but as they are.
Their passion and energy.
"Ah."
Cheong-ryeo narrowed his eyes.
"So it's 'audience' in the theatrical sense."
"Theatrical?"
"The idea that the existence of a reaction is part of the performance. Hmm, it's a bit... old-fashioned."
"..."
He must have lived a few lives as an intellectual. He knew how to explain the concept quickly.
Cheong-ryeo stroked his chin.
"Anyway... then it's going to be tricky."
"Exactly."
I clicked my tongue.
"I have to gather about 300,000 people who can communicate in real-time all at once. It's hard."
It's not just about VOD purchases; I have to keep 300,000 people in front of their computers at the same time.
‘...Even if I increase the number of shows, there's a limit.’
Even if I kept changing the setlist, the moment I exceeded two shows, the real-time viewership numbers would likely drop.
According to the laws of diminishing marginal utility and scarcity.
Because busy modern people would pay first and put off watching until later.
And through a self-issued indulgence of 'I paid for one, so it's okay to watch the rest for free.'
Cheong-ryeo saw my distress and gave a thin smile.
"Well, if you're that desperate, do you want to be a guest on the VTIC tour? If you work hard for a month or two..."
"Are you insane?"
"Haha!"
He asked shamelessly, knowing full well it was a ridiculous suggestion.
Appearing as a guest at a VTIC concert?
That would be the arrival of literal hell.
The moment I recovered from my injury only to guest at someone else's concert, both the TeSTAR and VTIC fandoms would be set ablaze like the fires of the underworld.
But Cheong-ryeo remained nonchalant.
"It seems better than dying. Think about it. It might be your last chance."
"..."
Of course, VTIC would have more excuses than TeSTAR, so they might endure it.
‘But a loss is still a loss.’
And this guy, who is obsessively fixated on being a flawless top-tier idol, is making such a crazy proposal?
It reminded me of the offer to join VTIC as their main vocal that I received while in the coma. I replied distastefully.
"I don't know why you're trying to take a loss."
"Well, because I feel bad?"
"..."
I checked his expression to see if he was joking, but he didn't seem to be mocking me or acting crazy.
Instead, he was quite calm.
"I've... severely interfered once or twice, so let's call it paying back a debt. What do you think?"
"...Hmm."
It seemed that seeing me almost kick the bucket in this accident made even this guy look back on his past actions.
‘I guess raising a dog really does help one's mental state.’
However, I had no intention of investing in such a poor plan. I reviewed the discussion so far.
‘The resources I can use...’
My stats, connections, time, money...
‘...Money?’
"......!"
My eyes nearly bulged out.
I found it.
"No, I'm not using that method."
"Then?"
"...I'm going to do an untact concert."
I finished firmly.
"Completely free of charge."
"......!"
I didn't know about other limitations, but I could cover the barrier to entry created by money.
‘I can afford the cost of putting on a concert.’
I had quite a bit of money just sitting around. I didn't need anyone else's support.
"Ah, using your settlement money?"
So even a proposal like this...
I let out a short laugh.
"No. I want to receive something else."
The biggest obstacle to a free concert isn't money.
It's existing contracts.
‘TeSTAR has a three-year exclusive contract with W App.’
And W App does not support free concerts.
However, since TeSTAR's online concert broadcasts must go through W App, I needed a detour.
"Let us borrow your platform."
Specifically, the exhibition and performance platform LeTi created in partnership with an overseas funding company.
‘The contract didn't specify solo activities for members, only TeSTAR as a group.’
As for business ethics or public opinion, those could be managed by adjusting the performance format, and doing it with this guy involved would make it much smoother and faster. He was the face of the company, after all.
‘Right now, this seems like the most winning combination.’
Sure enough, Cheong-ryeo smiled and nodded.
"That's a good idea."
Certainly better than your suggestion. I suppressed the urge to click my tongue and answered calmly.
"It's obviously better than following the VTIC tour around."
"Pardon? Haha. Of course it is. Did you think I'd actually do something so ridiculous?"
"..."
"I just meant I was willing to go that far, but I guess it sounded plausible."
That son of a bitch was mocking me.
The version of him I met in the coma definitely wouldn't have let me join as VTIC's main vocal; he would've just sucked me dry and tossed me aside. Bastard.
Park Moon-dae was momentarily enraged, but he soon regained his composure and quickly finished agreeing on the details with Cheong-ryeo.
He immediately contacted the company and spoke in depth about 'contacting a new platform.'
‘This is easy.’
Calculating that they could quiet the restless atmosphere by shifting focus, the company—despite being in a state of total devastation—gave the okay relatively quickly.
The approval came through on Monday morning, right after the weekend.
"Yes, thank you."
Of course, it was a complete misjudgment on their part, but Park Moon-dae happily allowed them their mistake.
‘I hope things continue to go smoothly like this.’
Thinking that he only needed to persuade the members now, Park Moon-dae coordinated the members' visiting hours on Monday afternoon so they would overlap.
‘It’s better to discuss it all at once.’
And so, a few days later.
Park Moon-dae found himself breaking into a cold sweat as he was sternly forced into a period of 'self-reflection and atonement' by the members.
"Park Moon-dae, sit down and listen."
For some reason, the members had already heard all the relevant news.
Because Cha Yu-jin hadn't held back.
"I asked the company!"
‘This brat.’
Of course, it was his own karma.