Chapter 18
Chapter 18
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: The Cheering Train
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The inside of the van heading to the Cheering Train concert was filled with the smell of boxed lunches.
“Unni, hurry up ‘n’ eat. Let’s get the smell out.”
“Nope. I’m going to eat it slowly, piece by piece.”
Unlike Seol-ah and Yi-na, who had finished their meals early, Seul-bi was savoring the last of her fried shrimp, taking small bites with her front teeth.
“The batter is crisp despite being cold, and the shrimp is thick and plump. Ahhh. I’m craving tendon.”
“Jeez… thinkin’ ‘bout what ya wanna eat while you’re already eatin’? You should’ve just opened a restaurant, not become an idol.”
I couldn’t help but nod at Yi-na’s words.
“I can’t take it anymore. Yi-na, open your window.”
As Seol-ah rolled down her window, unable to bear it any longer, Yi-na timed it perfectly and lowered the one on the opposite side.
*Fwoosh!*
A sudden gust of wind swept through the van, and something green flew out the window.
“Aack! Aaaack! My fried perilla leeeaf!”
“…”
“I was saving it for laaast! This is your fault, Unni!”
“…”
“You owe me a new one!”
How does she maintain a weight of 49kg at 165cm? Does having a ‘Food God’ trait mean you don’t gain weight no matter how much you eat?
Honestly, I’m a little jealous.
***
Although we were in the same province, the military base was a much deeper drive into Gangwon-do. We wound our way around roads that seemed carved into the mountainside, passing through a long, hilly region before finally arriving in Hwacheon.
-10km ahead of this point is North Korean territory.
“This is kind of scary.”
“If they shoot a bullet from over there, will it reach all the way here?”
Yi-na asked, her expression tense. It seemed even the members who had been to a few Cheering Train concerts before had never been this close to the front line.
“A bullet’s range isn’t that long. A few hundred meters for a rifle, at most. A sniper rifle is about a kilometer, I think?”
“Oooh. Oppa, have you already done your military service?”
“…My parents passed away, so I was exempt. If I’d gone, there would’ve been no way for me to make a living, so the country granted me an exemption.”
“Ah…”
The exemption was justified, but in South Korea, where most men serve, it had always been a source of insecurity for me. As a result, I often found myself launching into a lengthy explanation about why I was exempt, even when no one asked.
“Alright, let’s get ready.”
The Cheering Train was one of the few promotional opportunities for rookies and struggling groups.
So many girl groups debuted each year that no one here really knew who was senior or junior to whom, so people generally kept to themselves. It was a relief, honestly, not having to bother with the rounds of greetings.
“Igija!”
At that moment, a peculiar salute caught the Answer members’ attention. A red, shovel-shaped insignia was clearly emblazoned with the Hangul characters for ‘Igija.’
“Whoa! Their salute must be ‘Igija’ instead of ‘Chungseong’!”
Seul-bi said, fascinated.
This was the Igija Division, one of the most notoriously tough infantry divisions. Its unique name and salute made it famous even to those who hadn’t served in the military.
However, due to a sharp decline in population, it had been reorganized with automation and mechanization, and in my past life, it had already been disbanded. It was a sudden reminder that I was living my second life.
It was soon time for the show. Team Leader Park and Mi-ji were still pointedly ignoring my calls, which meant we were on our own for this performance too.
“…So you’re saying you’ll perform with three members?”
“No. I’ll be joining them. The choreography is for pairs, and it looks too awkward otherwise.”
“…Are you serious? You think the soldiers will just stand for that?”
“That’s why I have a favor to ask. Could I borrow a combat uniform?”
“What?”
“The idea is to make them think I’m just one of the specially chosen soldiers.”
“Oh! That’s actually a great idea!”
I put on the combat uniform and boots the performance staff found for me. The problem was my hair.
I considered just shaving my head, but thankfully, Seol-ah saved the day.
“It’s a hairnet for wearing under wigs.”
After tucking my hair into the net and pulling a cap down over it, I looked completely convincing from offstage. I even got a proper lesson in saluting from a military officer.
“I-gi-ja!”
When I tried to shout the salute loudly, my diction came out strangely garbled.
“Don’t just be loud, be sharp! You can say the first part, ‘Igi,’ softly, but put all your power into the final ‘ja,’ and it’ll sound fine.”
“Igija!”
“Ooh!”
“Oppa, you look like a real soldier.”
Seeing myself in uniform felt strangely poignant. Having been assigned to wartime labor service, I was exempt from even basic training and went straight to civil defense, so I’d never even seen a military uniform up close before.
“Yi-na.”
“Hm? What is it, Oppa?”
“…Could you take a picture of me?”
It was hard just to ask for a photo. I had her take a picture of me saluting, with the unit’s insignia visible in the background. It felt like a small part of my long-held insecurity was finally being resolved.
The rehearsal began, and I watched the other groups’ stages. A bitter taste filled my mouth as I saw girl groups I’d never even heard of rehearsing their hearts out.
*They probably won’t be able to pay off their debts either, will they?*
Decent agencies would forgive any remaining debt when a group disbanded, but for those that didn’t, you ended up like me in my previous life. I tried to push the depressing thoughts away.
Finally, our turn came.
Many people watched our rehearsal with curiosity. They were probably wondering what a soldier was doing mixed in with a girl group.
Darkness fell, and fireworks signaled the start of the Cheering Train concert.
“Let’s go turn that stage upside down. Answer, fighting!”
“Fighting!”
My words ignited a fierce determination in all the members.
-Answer, please head to the stage.
The show began. The members’ faces were radiant with happiness, energized by the massive wave of energy coming from hundreds of soldiers.
The Cheering Train is the one place where unknown girl groups can feel like stars, showered with fervent cheers.
“Pwahahaha!”
“You go, man!”
The soldiers, mistaking me for one of their own getting his big break, roared with laughter, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle. It was as if they were feeling a vicarious thrill, imagining themselves dancing with a girl group.
But with the division commander sitting front and center, none of the soldiers dared to get up from their seats. I felt a surge of resentment toward the clueless commander, wanting to mess with him.
*Should I give him a little trouble?*
“Time for some fan service. Let’s go down to the center!”
I led the members off the stage and into the crowd. These were soldiers stuck in the mountains who hadn’t seen a civilian, let alone a woman, in months.
Faced with the members of Answer, who possessed top-tier visuals even among girl groups, the soldiers’ last wall of self-restraint crumbled in an instant.
“Wooooah!”
The military officers who had been positioned in a circle around the division commander like bodyguards were swept away as if by a tidal wave of soldiers rushing toward the stage. I saw the division commander’s panicked face as he was pushed right up to the front.
These were soldiers who would risk their lives for the rigid chain of command, but at that moment, getting to hold a member’s hand seemed far more important than the commander’s safety. The sight of his reddened face was immensely satisfying.
And so, our performance ended with the loudest cheers of the entire Cheering Train concert.
“We’d be so, so heartbroken if these soldiers got in trouble because of what happened today. Commander-nim! You’ll forgive our little mistake today, won’t you?”
The division commander nodded with a wry smile.
“We truly respect you, Commander-nim, and all the soldiers who work so hard to protect our country!”
“We respect you!”
“Waaaah!”
The members, just as I’d instructed, were smoothing over the commander’s ruffled feathers. Otherwise, it was obvious the soldiers would face a storm of repercussions later.
“Commander-nim and all you soldiers, we love you!”
“We love you!”
“Wooooah!”
The stage area erupted once more as the members made hearts above their heads.
And then, for the finale I had prepared.
“Everyone, attention!”
At my command, the members wiped the smiles from their faces and stood perfectly still. The audience of soldiers fell silent along with them.
“To the Division Commander—Salute! Igija!”
“Igija!”
The tremendous sound of the salute echoed through the surrounding mountains.
“…Hic… what is this, why am I crying again?”
“I know. I keep crying over the weirdest things today.”
The members’ eyes grew moist. The division commander, who seemed completely caught off guard, also looked misty-eyed as he stood up with sharp precision.
“Igija!”
The commander, who just moments ago had looked like a stooped-shouldered middle-aged man, returned the salute with an incredible display of military discipline.
[Achievement Unlocked: ‘Conductor on the Stage’]
You have deeply moved the hearts of many.
Reward: Trait ‘Military Spirit (C)’
Permanently gain the fervent energy of soldier audiences. Physical abilities are greatly enhanced during normal times.
Every one of my muscle fibers tightened and burned hot. When the brief moment of pain passed, my body felt overflowing with strength. So, a trait that’s all about physical endurance is called ‘Military Spirit,’ huh?
It was somehow both funny and sad.
[The members of Answer are overjoyed.]
[The members’ affection and trust in you have increased.]
[Name: Chae Seol-ah (Age 21)]
Affection 60/99 +1
Trust 63/99 +2
[Seul-bi]
Affection 70/99 +1
Trust 76/99 +1
[Yi-na]
Affection 73/99 +1
Trust 80/99 +1
***
As we were about to leave after finishing the Cheering Train schedule, I experienced a sense of déjà vu from the Provincial Sports Festival.
A soldier with a major’s insignia on his uniform told us the division commander wanted to see us. Soon, the commander approached, accompanied by several adjutants.
“What’s that little stick?”
“And what’s with the leather gloves? It’s just the start of fall.”
The sight of the commander holding a small baton and wearing black leather gloves was enough to make the members chuckle.
“In my thirty years in the army, I have never been as angry as I was today, nor have I ever been as moved.”
The division commander said, tapping his thigh with the baton out of habit.
“Morale has been at an all-time low with the division about to be disbanded… but thanks to you, I believe our soldiers’ spirits have been greatly lifted.”
The commander’s eyes grew moist as he spoke of the disbandment. He held out an envelope. It seemed he wasn’t such a bad guy after all.
It made me feel a bit sorry.
“I know the performance fee for the Cheering Train is barely enough to cover transportation. It’s not much, but please have some pork belly on your way back.”
“Thank you.”
“Well then, Answer, keep up the hard work! I’ll be cheering for you.”
The last division commander of the unit cut a rather lonely figure.
And just like that, we received a bonus envelope for the second time in one day.
“…It’s nice to get another envelope, but… what did he mean by ‘keep up the hard work’? Does he want us to keep struggling?”
Seul-bi asked with a disgruntled look once the commander was out of earshot.
“It’s not like that. I think I heard that in the military, they say ‘gosaenghada’ (to endure hardship) instead of ‘sugohada’ (to work hard) because the latter can sound condescending to a superior.”
“Ah… that’s the first I’ve heard of that.”
On the way back, I asked if they often received bonus envelopes, but the members were ecstatic, saying it was the first time in the six months since their debut. I mentally patted myself on the back for flawlessly handling two events that could have been complete disasters.
***
We arrived at the dorm after finishing our schedule. The members, who had been sleeping in exhaustion, groggily woke up. I led the way up the dorm stairs without a word.
First floor, second floor, third floor. The same everyday noises as last time. And then, the silent fourth floor.
The six-digit passcode was entered, and the door opened. After taking off their shoes, the members began opening every door, one by one.
*Wait, what’s that musty smell?*
A strange, musty odor was faintly mixed in with the scent of cosmetics.
*Ah, it’s the smell of feet…*
After checking every room, the members gathered back at the door.
“Everything’s clear, right?”
“Yes.”
“You all worked hard today, artists.”
“You worked hard too!”
“You too, Manager Min.”
“Oh! And.”
I took the money out of the envelope.
“Ah… you can distribute that later.”
The members’ postures were stiff. They seemed self-conscious about the smell of their feet.
I counted the money and handed each of them 600,000 won.
“Why 600,000 won and not 500,000? You should take some too, Manager.”
“You probably haven’t been paid properly yet, so use this as pocket money for now. 200,000 won is plenty for me. And don’t forget to pack the outfits tomorrow morning. We have to return them.”
“…Then I won’t refuse. Thank you.”
“I’m heading out.”
The members’ faces were filled with joy at handling cash for the first time in a long while, and seeing them made me feel a sense of fulfillment.