Chapter 497
Chapter 497
“You okay?”
I’ll kill him… No, I don’t even have the strength to kill him.
‘You son of a bitch.’
I was sprawled out in VTIC’s dedicated practice room at LeTi.
Seven hours.
That was how long I’d been practicing choreography with Cheong-ryeo.
‘Is he insane?’
He shouldn’t even have time to spare with his comeback right around the corner, yet he cleared a seven-hour block for a single guest performance?
The best part was that it didn't look like it would end today.
The way he skillfully pushed me to my absolute limit and then gave me just enough room to breathe—like some kind of extreme PT session—was practically an art form.
‘This guy would’ve made a fortune as an instructor.’
Wait, saying that to someone who’s already made a fortune is meaningless.
‘Is my brain not working…?’
I caught my breath.
TeSTAR wasn't a group that lacked in practice volume either. We often poured massive amounts of time into our rehearsals.
But cramming a completely unfamiliar style of choreography into such a short period was a different story.
I couldn't help but think back to Idol Inc., when I was learning how to dance properly for the first time at my age.
I stared at the ceiling, lying spread-eagled in silence.
Unfamiliar fluorescent lights were shining down.
‘Huh?’
I spoke without thinking.
“Did you remodel the lighting?”
“Hmm?”
Cheong-ryeo, who was resetting the track, answered with a puzzled look.
“I did. Three years ago, though.”
“Ah.”
Then I realized.
The LeTi practice room in my memory—the one where I’d practiced for nearly a year—wasn't this one.
‘That wasn't reality.’
It was the ceiling I’d seen when I was trying to win the Grand Prize with ‘Wishes,’ that hybrid group of VTIC and TeSTAR members.
It was the experience of debuting with the VTIC guys in Ryu Gun-woo’s body within the virtual world created by the system.
‘I let that slip without thinking.’
And it seemed Cheong-ryeo had caught on to that part.
“Is it similar to when we debuted together, Junior? I suppose it could be. I fixed that one, too.”
He followed up with a ridiculous explanation: “When you create something multiple times, you tend to develop a standard and things become stylized.”
I let out a dry laugh.
“Is there such a thing as efficiency for a practice room?”
“Of course.”
If he’d figured even that out, there was no telling how much of a veteran player he really was.
It went without saying, but in terms of experience and information, it would be hard for anyone to measure up to him.
Well, as expected.
‘I thought VTIC would decline a bit after their military hiatus.’
I needed to prepare even harder.
From the rookies who benchmarked us and debuted with massive capital to VTIC, whose form hadn't dropped an inch—TeSTAR was caught right in the middle.
‘I can’t afford to get complacent just because we won the Grand Prize.’
I drank some water and quickly organized my thoughts for the next album.
That was when Cheong-ryeo sat down next to me.
“Junior, your ability to pick up choreography is quite good.”
I should hope so.
“If I didn't have that at this point in my career, I should just quit.”
“Haha.”
It didn't sound like he was laughing because it was funny. He probably had experience using members who lacked that ability even after years in the industry.
‘He must have been driven mad with dissatisfaction.’
I could tell just by looking at his status window.
He was someone who had already ground his talent to the absolute limit—to his maximum stats. He must have total confidence in his own routine.
So, he probably didn't even treat people like human beings if they couldn't keep up with the practice volume he assigned.
‘…Hmm.’
But wait.
A sudden question occurred to me, and I called out to a certain someone.
He was the only one I could have this kind of conversation with.
‘Keun-dal.’
[Yes?]
“…….”
He popped up instantly.
I thought he might be late to respond since he was working, but he answered right away.
Anyway, after chatting with him briefly about how he was doing, I broached the subject.
‘…About the potential stats that show up in the status window.’
[…?? Oh, your Infinite Potential trait? That’s not something the system gave you; it’s something you originally had…….]
No, not that.
[Pardon?]
‘I mean what shows up in other people’s status windows.’
The limit stats written in parentheses next to the current stats.
The indicator that told you a person’s ceiling.
For example:
[Dance: C- (B)]
In this case, the ‘B’ in parentheses was the limit.
It was the biggest reason why only those who were "meant to be" could make a living in the arts. The wall of talent.
And this was what I was curious about.
‘Does that mean it’s impossible to overcome that, no matter what you do?’
Is it impossible for a person to grow beyond those limit stats?
“…….”
After a brief silence, a timid pop-up appeared.
[Probably…?]
Then came an explanation: [Actually, I just converted the system’s judgment so that you could see it, Hyung…….]
In the end, it meant it was a value calculated by the system.
‘Hmm.’
I furrowed my brows.
It was at that moment.
[Survey Available!]
“…!”
Next to Keun-dal’s chat pop-up, a status window pop-up suddenly jumped out.
‘What now?’
[Help: You can customize the functions of <Status Window> through feedback from the survey.]
“…….”
So… it popped out to pitch itself because its name came up? It was saying it could tell me if it was possible?
I stared at the status window pop-up.
It was flashing like an ad banner, practically begging me to click it.
But here’s the thing.
‘Do you think I’d do it?’
Who would fall for that?
I dismissed the pop-up without hesitation.
‘You’re headed for the trash the moment I collect the system fragments from that guy.’
That was the only right answer.
And just as I was nodding inwardly…
“You’ve rested enough, right? Get up.”
“…….”
For the record, I’d been lying down for exactly five minutes.
‘Whew.’
I suppressed a string of curses and pushed myself up.
Right, limit stats or whatever… my current dance stat was still B+.
Fine, whatever. I couldn't exactly whine about not being able to do it at this stage of my career.
‘Let’s see how far I can grind.’
Let’s do this.
*
That night.
The door to TeSTAR’s new dorm opened weakly.
Beep-beep-beep—click.
Then, a muffled voice was heard.
“…I’m home.”
It was Park Moon-dae, with his hood pulled over his head.
“Oh, Moon-dae……??”
“…….”
Why does he look like that?
Lee Se-jin, who was about to greet him warmly while taking a face mask out of the fridge, was taken aback.
But Park Moon-dae only replied with:
“I was practicing.”
What kind of practice could turn the Park Moon-dae into this?
This was the friend who would stubbornly keep up even during all-night practices and monitor their performances without sleeping.
Seeing Park Moon-dae drooping like soaked laundry was unfamiliar—it was almost solemn…….
‘Wait a minute.’
Lee Se-jin suddenly remembered what Park Moon-dae had been doing.
“It’s the practice for Cheong-ryeo’s featuring, right?”
“Yeah.”
Who the hell asks for a featuring and then works the person like their own company’s trainee?
‘Does he not know where to draw the line?’
Although his opinion of Cheong-ryeo had softened slightly due to recent events, he was still a member of another group and a rival to be wary of. Because of that, Lee Se-jin was even more displeased.
‘Maybe I should have been more active in opposing it.’
So, he deliberately put his arm around Park Moon-dae’s shoulder and shouted cheerfully.
“Moon-dae, Moon-dae~ Aren't you doing too much for someone else’s benefit? Why are you working yourself to death for him!”
It was then.
“…I agree.”
“…!”
Bae Se-jin, who had been enjoying his time in his own room, slunk out into the living room to back him up.
Lee Se-jin was actually a bit surprised.
What’s gotten into him?
“You’re doing him a favor you don't even have to do.”
Bae Se-jin continued firmly.
That was right.
He found VTIC’s Cheong-ryeo uncomfortable.
The shocking fact that he had suddenly attacked Park Moon-dae early in their debut was a decisive factor, but it wasn't just that.
‘…It was strange.’
It was the specific atmosphere Cheong-ryeo carried.
In truth, they had rarely spoken directly. But even just by observing him, he could feel it.
There were moments when he felt like a person without emotional context—someone without empathy.
It reminded him of the psychopaths he had portrayed in his acting days.
Being naturally sensitive and keen to the attitudes of others, he felt it even more strongly.
It was an impression that didn't easily fade, even with the objective facts that they had received help from him in the system’s virtual world or during the building collapse.
Unless he knew that it was a gap caused by an extremely long period of repeated resets, there was nothing he could do about it.
‘Hmm.’
Anyway, Lee Se-jin looked at the now-serious Bae Se-jin and tried to change the mood again.
‘Geez, Moon-dae just gets more stubborn if you get all serious like that.’
Keep it light.
“Exactly. Save your strength for our album, Moon-dae~”
“I should.”
That’s it!
Lee Se-jin rejoiced as he saw Park Moon-dae nod readily.
But Park Moon-dae wasn't finished.
“But I have to do what I’ve started properly.”
“…….”
‘Hey, then how are you any different from Kim Rae-bin, who stays up all night working?’
The words telling him to look at himself before nagging his roommate, Kim Rae-bin, rose to the back of his throat.
Fortunately, Bae Se-jin was there to get angry in his stead.
“That’s why I’m saying, do it within reason!”
“Yes. Well… I practiced within the limits of not affecting my health.”
Park Moon-dae answered calmly.
Then he muttered softly.
“Though that’s what makes it even more annoying.”
“……?”
“It’s nothing.”
Park Moon-dae fell silent as he reflected on his exquisitely overworked physical condition.
But he soon shrugged.
“And it is helpful. It’s my first time doing choreography in this genre. Plus… there’s something I need to get out of it when it’s over.”
“Get?”
“Yeah. There’s something I need to obtain.”
Park Moon-dae nodded with a smirk.
It was a smile that looked surprisingly satisfied.
“I think our self-produced content turned out fun this time, but it might be a bit less mainstream than before.”
“Hmm?”
Ryu Seo-rin would balance it to be provocatively exciting, but Park Moon-dae had concluded that it was for the hardcore fans.
‘Mystery requires using your brain, so it’s hard to watch casually.’
However, to connect it with the hints for the next album, it had to be symbolic and even meaningful to some extent, which moved it further away from a "light" feel.
‘At least we balanced the mainstream appeal by emphasizing the horror elements.’
That was only possible because it was late summer/early autumn.
So, what I mean is…
“We need to properly secure mainstream appeal for the next album, too.”
I’ll take both national pride and mainstream appeal!
Park Moon-dae smirked.
“I’m going to get something that will help with that.”
A big picture was being drawn in his head.
Though it ended with his namesake scolding him to ‘just go rest already’ as he crawled into his bedroom… anyway.
A few days passed like that.
And finally, after TeSTAR’s self-produced content, Invitation to the Haunted House, was spectacularly revealed.
The day of the first filming for Cheong-ryeo’s stage competition, which Park Moon-dae featured in, arrived.
*
VTIC’s fan community, especially Cheong-ryeo’s, was incredibly vibrant during his solo album promotion period.
In particular, since Cheong-ryeo had scheduled quite a few broadcast appearances to promote this album, there were plenty of crumbs for the fans.
In this atmosphere, the news of Cheong-ryeo’s appearance on the program Nice to Meet You was initially just one of many promotional activities.
There were even some cold assessments, like ‘He’s too big for that show, he doesn't really need to go on it.’
Still, most were happy about the schedule itself and loved that they’d have more time to see Cheong-ryeo’s performance.
They also enjoyed the news that the audience applications for Nice to Meet You had hit an all-time high.
And naturally, there were winners among the community users.
But that afternoon.
The people who had promised to post reviews started leaving only short, one-word exclamations in real-time.
The fans who were hanging around the community at that time to see the reviews were all confused.
‘Jae-hyun??’
A few minutes later.
A review finally appeared that used proper sentences.
And.
It didn't take long for Cheong-ryeo’s fansite to be filled with screams and chaos.