Chapter 396
Chapter 396
Subduing the VTIC guy who insisted on quitting took quite a long time.
Perhaps misunderstanding his outburst as him buckling under the pressure and wanting to leave the show, the production crew almost came running with their cameras, but fortunately, we managed to calm him down before that happened.
‘That almost ruined everything.’
The ones deployed to suppress him were Cha Yu-jin, Ryu Cheong-woo, and… Cheong-ryeo.
Right. Regardless of how uncomfortable it felt, if you had a brain, those were the people you’d call for this kind of emergency.
“…….”
“…….”
Inside the cramped vocal practice room, a deathly silence hung over the five grown men packed inside.
‘Damn it….’
It was absurd to see even Ryu Cheong-woo, who should have been busy strategizing how to secure votes, standing there with a strained smile.
‘From now on, if the mid-term reward is a random package, I’m ignoring it.’
You damn system, acting like some cheap mass-produced mobile game.
I pressed my temples and spoke up.
“So… Sunbae-nim, we’re all in a similar situation right now.”
I spoke calmly to Ju-dan, who was now staring into space with a look of pure distress.
Stripping everything else away, I got straight to the point.
—We were dragged into a strange parallel world and are currently trying to escape.
I wondered if anyone would believe such a thing without detailed context, but I had no choice.
Think about it. If I started from the very beginning with someone who knew nothing—saying, "Actually, I'm not Park Moon-dae..."—I’d sound like a complete lunatic.
‘I’ll explain things slowly as he brings up counterarguments.’
There was no other way.
While I was stuck performing a one-man show because Cheong-ryeo chose to just stand there smiling instead of helping, Ju-dan finally spoke.
“Wait a moment.”
Ju-dan raised his hand.
“I have one question.”
“Yes.”
“What is 32 times 6?”
“……It’s 192.”
“Correct.”
Then, he went around the room, giving everyone a math problem. Since it was just simple multiplication, everyone thought for a moment and gave their answers.
‘What the hell is he doing?’
Once the round finished with Cheong-ryeo giving his answer, the guy nodded.
“It’s not a dream, then. Hmm.”
“…….”
“I have a general idea of the situation now.”
“…??”
“It’s a trope common in subcultures. I never thought I’d experience it firsthand.”
He muttered that with a blank expression and rubbed his chin.
“No, there’s still a possibility it’s a dream… anyway, I’m going to go wash my face. I need to check if cold water actually feels like cold water.”
With that, he stood up abruptly and headed for the restroom.
Rattle— Clack.
The door opened and closed.
This happened barely ten seconds after Ju-dan had started talking to himself.
“…….”
[What… What did he understand?]
I answered with difficulty. I finally had a hunch.
‘…The numbers.’
[???]
‘Logic tends to fail in dreams, so it’s usually hard to calculate things quickly and accurately.’
[Ah….]
But usually, people just pinch themselves; they don’t use a method like that.
This guy… was he always like this?
“He was always the type to be interested in unique concepts, and that hasn’t changed. To think he’s already trying to adapt to this situation.”
Conscious of the cameras likely being set up around the corner outside the door, Cheong-ryeo lowered his voice to a whisper.
“Why are you talking like he’s from someone else’s group? He’s your member.”
“Well, it’s been a while since I’ve used that tone.”
The guy chuckled. Then, he lowered his voice even further, so only I could hear.
“He seems obedient, but he’s the type to be quietly uncooperative at times… It was always a hassle because I had to calculate an extra step when handling him.”
What a fantastic choice of words.
“Anyway, he’s not impossible to manage, so he won’t turn into a major variable.”
“…….”
He reached that conclusion so casually that it felt even weirder.
‘Is this guy really unfazed?’
I thought he’d either try to kill me or show some kind of reaction now that a member of his own group had regained his memories, but he was being remarkably strategic.
Tapping his chin with a finger, he immediately raised his voice to move to the next step.
“I’ll need to coordinate more closely with Ju-dan, but, well, before that, we should send those two back.”
“…!”
Cheong-ryeo turned his head with a smile. He was implicitly referring to Cha Yu-jin and Ryu Cheong-woo, and they must have realized it too. However, Cha Yu-jin didn’t even blink.
“I’m staying where I want to be.”
“Then we can just leave. Let’s go to the practice room next door.”
“Wait.”
These guys are like this every time they talk.
But before I could mediate, Ryu Cheong-woo stepped in with a troubled smile.
“Yu-jin. Let’s head out for now. They’re in the same group, so they probably want to talk privately.”
Cha Yu-jin didn’t protest that explanation and simply shrugged.
“OK. You two Sunbaes talk.”
However, he added one more thing.
“Moon-dae hyung, come with us!”
That’s a bit…
“…It’s better for the person who started the explanation to finish it.”
“Moon-dae hyung, are you a VTIC fan?”
Do you think that’s why I’m doing this?
“I’m going to charge an explanation fee.”
“Oh!”
Just go already.
I let Ryu Cheong-woo lead Cha Yu-jin out. But as he was leaving, Ryu Cheong-woo turned back.
“Ah. Moon-dae.”
“Yes.”
“Don’t worry too much about my votes. If I’m at a level where I’d get eliminated here, it means I’m of no help to the team anyway.”
“…!”
“And I have no intention of receiving that kind of evaluation.”
He finished with a soft but firm tone.
“I’ll take care of the votes myself.”
“…….”
Since he went out of his way to call me 'Moon-dae,' he was speaking as the group leader.
If that was the case…
“Yes.”
I nodded obediently. Ryu Cheong-woo gave a single smile and led a bored-looking Cha Yu-jin out of the vocal practice room.
Rattle— Clack.
“…….”
“You’re charging an explanation fee?”
“Do you think I actually would?”
“Haha.”
I suppressed the urge to punch my own face.
Fortunately, Ju-dan returned before I could bolt from the room.
Water was dripping from his hair.
“It feels like reality.”
“…….”
The guy muttered.
“I thought I was either crazy, dreaming… or in the worst-case scenario, caught in some urban legend phenomenon, but it turns out the last one was closest to the truth.”
Wait.
“Is that why you tried to quit?”
“Yes. People should always act while assuming the worst-case scenario, shouldn’t they?”
“……Ah, yes.”
This guy is… no, never mind. Anyway, since he’s accepted that this is reality, it’ll be easier to move on.
I got straight to the point.
“We are doing our best to return to reality, and I’d like you to cooperate with us, Sunbae-nim.”
This was the hurdle.
If this guy thought of this situation as another opportunity, it would be a massive headache….
“Of course.”
“…?”
The answer came instantly.
“I dreamed of experiencing a fantasy-like development when I was a kid, but now I’ve grown into a hopeless adult who just wants to go back as soon as possible.”
He continued with a blank expression.
“I can’t give up the life of a 10-year veteran Daesang-winning idol who has buildings, a bank account, and honor.”
“…….”
I barely managed to speak.
“Sunbae-nim, you’re going to the military, though.”
“I’d have to go here, too.”
That’s… true.
“But having to start the hellish struggle from debut all over again without money or status? It’s an insult to even compare the two.”
He tilted his head.
“Adults saying they want to go back to the past must be lying. Once you’ve built a foundation, there’s no way you’d want to do that grueling work again. It’s all just a convenient fantasy.”
I almost turned to look at Cheong-ryeo.
“Anyway, this is a sort of game format, and Moon-dae hoobae-nim is the key player.”
“That seems to be the case for now.”
“I see. You’re working hard.”
He gave a stoic nod.
“Then I… must be a supporting character who appears in the latter half and doesn’t have much screen time but provides fairly useful assistance.”
What is this crazy guy talking about?
“I suppose I should be glad I’m not the antagonist… Ah, sorry. I’ve been watching a lot of videos and reading novels lately because I had nothing else to do.”
That sounded like an excuse.
But given the situation, I played along for the sake of his stability.
“It’s a hobby an idol can enjoy without much burden.”
“Yes.”
He nodded with a hint of satisfaction and pursed his lips as if he wanted to say more, but soon returned to a business-like tone.
“Then for now, I just need to give my votes to Ryu Cheong-woo hoobae-nim—no, I should call him Ryu Cheong-woo hyung now. Anyway, if I just give him the votes, I won’t have anything else to do, right?”
Just as I was about to say yes, another voice cut in like a blade.
It was soft and cold.
“That’s not quite right.”
“…!”
Ju-dan flinched, and a hint of politeness colored his voice.
“Hyung.”
“Your skills probably aren’t what they used to be. Right?”
The VTIC member seemed to read Cheong-ryeo’s mood and quietly nodded.
“Yes.”
“Then you need to recover your skills first. No matter how good a plan we make, it’s impossible if the quality of the stage is lacking.”
With a faint smile, Cheong-ryeo continued to stare at Ju-dan.
“Even if your memories and ego as a 10-year veteran idol have returned, if your actual performance doesn’t reflect that, you can’t claim those things as yours.”
“……!”
“I hope you show a performance that makes the people who willingly gave you wealth and honor feel like it wasn’t a waste. Got it?”
“……Yes.”
The guy who had been saying shamelessly bizarre things was now standing perfectly at attention. He didn’t even seem to consider rebelling or talking back.
‘It looks like he’s been broken into shape after being rolled around so much.’
He was playing him like a fiddle—tightening the grip, then loosening it just a bit.
“Good. I feel reassured having you here, though. You know that, right?”
“…Yes, thank you.”
Ju-dan was only able to leave the vocal practice room after receiving a training schedule disguised as advice on a practice routine from Cheong-ryeo.
“…….”
‘He really is something else.’
He seemed to be an expert at handling people.
I looked at Cheong-ryeo, who was smiling with his arms crossed.
“I tried going in a direction that prioritizes efficiency. It’s not bad.”
“I think being a bit more comforting would have been better for his mental state.”
“It’s fine. He’s the type who only moves when pressured. If you let him off easy, he starts slacking off.”
He answered nonchalantly.
“If you poke him right, he occasionally brings in good ideas for albums. He’ll be a decent member.”
“…Sure.”
The guy who’s known him longer would know better. I didn’t bother arguing.
Cheong-ryeo tilted his head.
“I’ll have to revise the post-debut plans a bit more. Well, there’s never a dull moment.”
Wait.
“What about the vote to get rid of that guy?”
I hoped he hadn’t forgotten that was the priority.
But the guy just tilted his head to the side.
“Hm? That’s already taken care of. He’ll be eliminated in the finals.”
What?
“Oh dear, has our hoobae-nim not even started yet? Or are you going to trust yourself and let it slide, like you said earlier?”
“I’ll handle it.”
“Haha.”
He didn’t needle me further. I uncrossed my arms and spoke.
There was something I had originally intended to say.
About the situation with Ju-dan regaining his memories.
“…This was an unexpected situation.”
“Yes.”
What?
“But if we keep looking for colleagues as we get more famous as idols, we might be able to return the memories of the other VTIC members too.”
“Hmm.”
Cheong-ryeo narrowed his eyes.
“Let’s wait and see about that. It feels like we’ve gained more cards, but we can’t be certain they’re all good ones.”
“Right.”
If that’s how he felt.
I decided not to ask further.
It was then.
“Still, it is a first.”
“…!”
He lowered his gaze and murmured. His voice was flat.
“So this is what it was like.”
“…….”
I asked.
“Are you in a bad mood?”
“Not particularly… but it’s been a long time since I’ve even thought about a situation like this. It feels unfamiliar.”
His eyes lost focus, looking expressionless. It was as if he was faintly recalling a time when he had hoped for or imagined ‘this kind of situation.’
‘…I see.’
I guess he wasn’t entirely unmoved.
I didn’t pry into his state of mind and just sat on the floor for a while.
Only after hearing a staff member’s voice announcing the start of filming did I slowly stand up and leave the practice room.
The guy never brought up that topic again, but I decided to put my conclusion—that I would never click on a game package again—on hold for now.
And more time passed.
As if Ju-dan’s outburst had never happened, the filming set remained in its usual state of subtle tension. The cameras were already rolling.
‘I’ll wait.’
I waited until all the filming for the day was over and it was past midnight, when the batteries would be dead and a gap in surveillance would occur.
And among the guys who were still absorbed in practice late into the night since the finals were approaching, I found the one who was debating whether to go to the bedroom.
“Sunbae-nim.”
Ju-dan straightened up from the practice room floor and whispered quietly.
“Let’s avoid actions that might arouse suspicion. Let’s act naturally, like before.”
Well, if that’s what he wanted.
I leaned in and asked.
“Woo-dan. Who are you close to among the participants?”
“…Well, I’m not particularly close to anyone. The trainees I used to hang out with couldn’t participate.”
I see.
Then let me rephrase the question.
“You have a general idea of who’s close to whom, or who dislikes whom.”
“I know as much as anyone else does.”
That was enough.
I needed the information a pre-existing trainee would have.
And to naturally start the conversation—
“Can I get some help?”
The guy didn’t answer for a moment, seemingly lost in thought, then suddenly replied.
“I’m not very good at persuading others.”
He must have thought I was asking him to help with Ryu Cheong-woo’s campaign.
I let out a short laugh and sat down comfortably.
“That’s not what I’m asking for.”
“Then?”
“I just need you to talk to me. In front of others.”
The number of votes Ryu Cheong-woo could get was limited.
In a survival show, if people had to choose anonymously between a trainee they were already friends with and a powerful new rival, they would naturally choose the former.
Unless there was a significant incentive, they wouldn’t go out of their way to vote for Ryu Cheong-woo.
So, what should be done?
‘I just need to split the votes.’
I would influence who they voted for among the participants other than Ryu Cheong-woo.
“It’s not bad-mouthing; I’m going to give out some compliments.”
As Ryu Cheong-woo said, I would respect him enough to let him handle his own votes.
I wasn’t trying to make them vote for Ryu Cheong-woo; I was just trying to make them not vote for the other guy.