Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: My Group's Concept
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Safely joining the debut lineup, this was the first morning I faced.
Starting today, I'd be practicing with these guys as part of the debut team.
I got up with excitement bubbling inside and stepped out of my room.
Having slept soundly, my stamina and passion were fully restored.
Condition at its peak.
But...
"Jae-oh, where's the roller brush?"
"Isn't it there?"
"Where's 'there'?"
"It's right there."
"So where exactly is 'there'?"
The dorm's morning was this chaotic.
When prepping for evaluations, we'd staggered our schedules to avoid overlapping, so I hadn't expected this level of frenzy.
Rubbing my sleepy eyes, I stared at Park Su-rim, who was hunting for the roller brush, and spoke up.
"Hyung, roller brush is on that shelf."
"Lee Jae, sleep well? Oh, there it is. Thanks."
Having found the roller brush, Park Su-rim headed to the master bedroom for blow-drying.
Just then, someone pounded on the door. It was Han Tae-hee.
"Ah, Kim Kwang-myeong! Hurry up!"
"I'm done, it'll be quick!"
"You said exactly that three minutes ago. I'm turning off the light."
"Ah, Han Tae-hee, seriously!"
"Oh? Not calling me hyung?"
"Hyung! Turn the light back on, please!"
Looks like Kim Kwang-myeong was refusing to leave the bathroom, and they were bickering.
Bathroom issues are the toughest part of communal living anyway.
With only one bathroom in the dorm, chaos was inevitable.
Go Eun-young, towel around his neck, passed by and chimed in.
"That's why I just wash my face here and shower at the practice room showers, hyung."
"No way. Can't give up my morning shower. The refreshment level is different."
"Ugh."
Go Eun-young shook his head like it was hopeless. Spotting me, he smiled and approached.
"Ha Jaehyung, you're up? You were sleeping so soundly, we didn't wake you. Su-rim hyung said to let you sleep more."
"Yeah. Must've been tired. Slept like a rock."
"Bathroom's tied up with those two right now, so wash your face at the sink first."
"...At the sink?"
"No choice in the mornings. It's rush hour. Everyone does it. See?"
I followed Go Eun-young's finger and turned my head.
Sure enough, Teddy was diligently washing his face at the sink.
Finishing up, Teddy casually reached for the cabinet.
Where dishes or ingredients should be, neatly folded towels sat instead.
Clearly, sink face-washes were routine here.
Drying his face with a towel, Teddy came over to me.
"Oh, Lee Jae! Good morning."
"Yeah. But your accent... it's British?"
"Right! I'm from York. Lee Jae, sharp."
"When it's that, it's 'sharp,' not 'pointy,' Teddy hyung."
"Ah-ha. Eun-young so smart."
Teddy spoke with that British accent, r's barely rolling off his tongue.
I knew he was foreign, but British was a surprise.
He looked like he'd grown up photosynthesizing with grapes in California.
Anyway, York—Yorkshire Terrier homeland? Explains why he's so yappy.
Lost in such thoughts, I washed my face at the sink and helped meal-duty Teddy prep breakfast.
Might as well, while waiting for the shower queue.
But the water sounds showed no sign of stopping.
"Lee Jae, you're next."
"...Yeah, Jae-oh hyung."
I finally got my turn after finishing breakfast.
Showering in a five-minute time attack, I thought:
Seven guys living in a 24-pyeong villa equals pure chaos.
* * *
After all the hurdles, we finally left the dorm, fully prepped.
The debut team's practice room was separate, near the company—bigger than the basement ones.
They must've put some extra care into it for the debut lineup.
I entered with the guys.
But an unexpected figure awaited us in the practice room.
"Hey, kids. You made it?"
None other than CEO Oh.
What? Why's he here?
Spotting him, I blinked in confusion repeatedly.
Even for a debut team, it's rare for the CEO to personally coach practice.
The members bowed 90 degrees at the sight of CEO Oh.
"Hello, sir!"
"Yeah, yeah. Come on in. Eaten breakfast?"
"Yes. I was on duty!"
"Good, but if Teddy was on duty, probably tasted awful."
"I cook well, sir."
"Only cooking you do well?"
"That's true. Sir sharp."
CEO Oh's joke lightened the mood instantly.
The others didn't seem overly intimidated by him either.
Makes sense—he seems personable.
CEO Oh fiddled with the laptop at the front, then pointed to the floor.
"Alright. Before we dive into practice, I have something to explain, kids. Sit down."
"Something to explain?"
"Ha Jaedoesn't remember, so gotta tell him again, right?"
"...Sir, you don't mean."
Park Su-rim's voice grew grave as he asked.
CEO Oh nodded matter-of-factly.
"Yeah, that."
"Ah. Brainwashing session again."
"Brainwashing?"
"Yeah, there's this thing. You'll get it when you hear."
I tilted my head at grumbling Han Tae-hee.
What brainwashing for the debut team? No dating rule?
That'd just take a week of Kim Kwang-myeong nagging me.
Pushing aside my questions, CEO Oh fired up the beam projector.
Soon, a PPT slide appeared. Centered in huge serif font: the title.
"EverPlanet, The Concept?"
"It's the group concept we'll promote with from now on, Lee Jae. We've all memorized it. Even rap it now."
"For real, Teddy? Then next album, a track based on our concept..."
"No, don't think so. Sorry."
Whoa. First time seeing Teddy serious.
Checking the others at his reaction, their faces were grim.
Park Su-rim forced a smile for the CEO. Lee Jae-oh's mouth corners drooped five degrees more than usual. Kim Kwang-myeong pretended not to listen blatantly, Go Eun-young stared blankly into space like soulless...
What the hell is this concept?
Now I was curious. Animal costumes like some beast group? Nah, not his style...
Then CEO Oh grabbed the mic and advanced the slide.
"First, EverPlanet—the group name. This 'Ever' means..."
I focused on his presentation.
Felt like a first-period lecture; no energy for it.
So... summarizing roughly:
EverPlanet combines "Ever" (eternal) and "Planet" (planet).
Meaning: eternal planet.
Our sun is the fans, so we're idols like planets orbiting fans forever.
Okay. Not bad. Actually good. Meaningful ring to it.
But the problem came next.
"...So, the seven of us are incarnations of the planets guarding the solar system. Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune—skip Earth, that's seven. Perfect fit, right?"
"..."
"In this world, you're destined beings fighting external enemies trying to devour the solar system and Earth. You have powers from each planet's force, can transform into animals too. This album's MV goes with that concept. And we'll build storytelling on this for future albums. What era is it now? Soon the Fourth Industrial Revolution..."
Hmm. Concept is... solid. Didn't know from just hearing the song.
Destined guardians of Earth? Not Sailor Moon.
As CEO Oh rambled, my eyes glazed over like the others'.
Yeah, some idols stick with maniacal concepts for years.
Didn't expect to be one...
I'd only listened to the song a few times, never dug into the deep lore.
Meanwhile, CEO Oh beamed with pride explaining the concept.
"How's that? Cool, right, Lee Jae?"
"Yeah, well..."
Sure. As long as you're happy, sir...
No point complaining it'd change anything.
So I accepted it. Emptied my mind.
These concepts fizzle out after debut anyway.
Just... grit teeth for two years. Probably.
"So, assigned planets matching your traits and personalities. Su-rim as leader gets..."
CEO Oh showed planet pics, explaining each member's symbol.
Park Su-rim: Jupiter. Han Tae-hee: Neptune. Lee Jae-oh: Uranus. Teddy: Mars. Kim Kwang-myeong: Venus. Go Eun-young: Mercury.
That leaves...
"Lee Jae, you're Saturn."
"...Got it."
So that's it. I'm Saturn.
I'm Saturn... Saturn...
I repeated it like self-hypnosis, as if I were Saturn's king.
Saturn's great. Big. Pretty rings. Like Saturday. Love Saturdays.
One question though. I raised my hand.
"But why me for Saturn...?"
"Good question. Saturn's super cold and icy. Fits your cool impression best. Plus your birthday's Saturday. Destiny, huh?"
"Hearing it, yeah."
Felt shoehorned, but whatever works.
"Right. And your symbol, Lee Jae..."
CEO Oh excitedly flipped slides onward.
As Saturn's incarnation, my unique power: earth and soil control. Animal: lion.
Sure. Whatever. No objections; I'd accept.
But if I'm lion, what's theirs?
"So what about the others?"
"I'm tiger, Lee Jae. Rawr."
"I'm dolphin. Do I look dolphin-ish?"
"I'm deer."
"I'm snake, hyung. Kinda snakey, right?"
"I'm eagle. Zeus's symbol animal is eagle."
"I'm... swan."
"Swan?"
Whoa. Kim Kwang-myeong as swan... doesn't fit at all?
I side-eyed him.
"Don't look at me like that. I know it doesn't suit."
"Fair. Can't be hamster..."
"..."
The others stifled laughs at my words; Kim Kwang-myeong glared, my right cheek tingling.
Did I say wrong? Everyone's tiger, snake, eagle—you as hamster's off.
Explanation done, CEO Oh smiled, turned off the projector, and asked me.
"Alright, concept briefing over. Questions?"
"Nope."
Even if, didn't wanna know more.
I couldn't handle beyond this.
I shook my head; CEO Oh approached, patted shoulders, encouraging.
"Good. Lee Jae, memorize the concept well. I'll head out now—practice hard today. I believe in you guys. Got it?"
"Yes!"
"Alright. See you later."
"Take care."
CEO Oh left after greetings; sighs escaped the others.
Those six sighs held so many emotions.
Then, ding! System alert popped.
[Acquired the concept that will define your idol life. Artistry +1]
System... will this really define my idol life?
Won't we be the ones living it?
Another alert.
[Perceived the essence of your owned concept. Intelligence +1]
...Got stats, but no joy.
I sighed inwardly.
Far future flashed: me rocking this concept hilariously.
I am the king of Saturn. I control earth. Lion here.
...Yeah. I'll get used to it eventually.
Better than swan Kim Kwang-myeong, anyway.
Had to console myself like that.
A mental victory, sort of.