Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Debut Countdown (2)
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The three of them stared at each other. Their faces were like rabbits stunned by the sight of a massive carrot.
They put on serious expressions and discussed something gravely, then finally spoke up.
"Lee Jae. Looks like we have to re-record that part."
Ah, a re-record.
"Got it. Any tips for when I do it again? Did I mess something up?"
CEO Oh shook his head at my question.
"No, nothing like that. It's just got a subtly different vibe from the demo recording, and this one's way better. For the track's quality, we should re-record it even if it's a hassle."
"Understood."
It was probably thanks to my vocal skills.
I recalled the message I'd seen a few days ago while practicing singing.
[Passive skill 'Vocal' has leveled up to Intermediate 1. Pitch range and intonation correction added due to skill rank increase.]
Truth be told, I still hadn't fully felt the vocal skill upgrade.
Beginner and Intermediate really do feel worlds apart.
Come to think of it, even I could tell it sounded more pleasant to the ear.
"That last take had a great feel. Let's capture that. Keep the same energy for the next part. Light, but it pulls you right in. Just like that."
Light, but it pulls you right in? What did that even mean?
I didn't fully grasp Kim Kwang-myeong's request, but I sang on anyway, sticking to the vibe from my first take.
Oh Woong-jae's face lit up like a firework.
Especially during the chorus of the first verse, where I added the doubling as requested—he slammed the red button in front of him and nodded vigorously.
"That's it! That's the one, Lee Jae. This is exactly the feel I was going for."
"Was it okay?"
"More than okay. Awesome. Your falsetto hits the accents perfectly."
"Thanks."
Just then, Hwang Ji-pyeong pointed to the end of the lyric sheet.
"Hyung Woong-jae, right here at the end. What if we just stick to the original plan for this part?"
"Yeah, that works too. Lee Jae, wanna try this part?"
"Where?"
"In the final chorus, this was originally all Eun-young's, but... I think it'd be cool if you two traded off. Second and fourth bars here. Give it a shot. Want a guide track?"
"...You sure that's okay?"
"Huh?"
"It's Eun-young's part originally."
I glanced at them uncertainly, wondering if I could really take Go Eun-young's part.
Kim Kwang-myeong shook his head.
"For the song's quality, this is the way to go. It's the title track, not some B-side. Plus, the two of you passing it back and forth could make for better visuals in the choreo. Just try it, no pressure. If it sucks, we'll revert."
Whoa... he's coming off pretty pro.
Where'd that yapping hamster go, the one who was always bickering?
Hard to get used to.
I was struck anew by Kim Kwang-myeong's real producer talent and sang as requested.
Luckily, all three seemed pretty satisfied.
My parts had suddenly expanded.
The recording continued like that, and only after wrapping the other tracks did I get the OK sign.
"OK, that's a wrap here. Good work, Lee Jae. We'll pick up the rest next time."
"Nice job, Lee Jae. Go rest. Grab some water."
"Good work."
"You too."
I gave a quick bow, took off the headset, and left the booth.
Man, I'm beat. Felt like all my energy was drained.
But...
'This means my voice is really going on the song.'
The thought made my heart pound with excitement.
Debut was creeping closer.
* * *
Back at the dorm after recording.
We had Park Su-rim's kimchi fried rice for dinner.
Well-fried kimchi, drained canned tuna, seaweed flakes, and just the right touch of sugar and butter.
Having a member who could cook was pure bliss.
After eating, we gathered in the living room to watch TV.
That's when Han Tae-hee, rolling around on the cramped floor, suddenly piped up.
"Ahh, I want ice cream."
"Me too."
"Me three."
"Rock-paper-scissors for who buys it?"
"Sounds good."
"OK. Hey, Lee Jae-oh. Kim Kwang-myeong. Ha Jae. You're all in."
Just like that?
Still, after all that salty food, something sweet sounded perfect.
Sweet-salty-sweet-salty was the golden rule.
I nodded and joined the rock-paper-scissors circle.
Kim Kwang-myeong, fiddling with his laptop in the corner, grumbled unenthusiastically.
"I don't really want any..."
"Wanna get hit, or play?"
"Neither."
"Then we'll get everything except Kim Kwang-myeong's. I was gonna cover it..."
"What? You should've said that sooner."
Talk about a quick pivot.
I chuckled at Kim Kwang-myeong thrusting his hand out in an instant.
Then Lee Jae-oh, who'd been checking his phone, stood up.
"I'll go if it's fine. I'll walk it off as exercise."
"Yeah? Cool, Jae-oh, head out then. It'll be boring alone, so let's pick one more."
So 6 vs. 1?
No way I'd draw the short straw out of six.
"No pick, you do chores. Rock-paper-scissors."
I threw scissors without thinking. And...
"What the hell."
Unbelievably, everyone else threw rock.
"Ha Jae wins. You two go."
"You rigged it."
Reasonable suspicion at this point.
They must've pre-planned to all throw rock except me.
No other explanation for it ending so fast.
But they all shook their heads at my accusation.
"I stake my LoL account we didn't."
"Truth. Ha Jae, you're just bad at rock-paper-scissors."
"Real men throw rock. Didn't you know?"
"No clue, dude."
I shot back at Kim Kwang-myeong with a sigh.
Guess it was just coincidence. Nothing to do about it.
Going to the corner store wasn't a big deal.
"Convenience store's pricey—get it from the mart."
Ugh, that's farther.
"Here, card. My treat, hyung."
"Got it."
Han Tae-hee was paying, so no complaints.
I ducked into my room, changed into casual outing clothes, and came back out.
Lee Jae-oh was already geared up in tracksuit and mask, waiting.
"Have a nice romantic trip, you two."
"Lee Jae, get me bunggeoppang flavor!"
"Mine mochi."
Ignoring their orders, I headed out with Lee Jae-oh.
Maybe 'cause it was late spring, the night air felt chilly.
Or maybe the chill wasn't the air...
"...Pretty cold out."
"Yeah, it is."
Maybe it was between me and Lee Jae-oh.
I felt like I'd warmed up to the others enough for banter, but not him yet.
Neither of us were big talkers, and we didn't share a room, so not many chances to bond.
Which is why the walk to the mart was awkwardly silent, the kind where dying on the spot wouldn't be weird.
The silence dragged on.
As I debated breaking it, Lee Jae-oh spoke first.
"Haven't gone out just the two of us in forever, Lee Jae."
"Yeah."
"Think it's the first time since your accident."
"We went out a lot before?"
"Nope."
We'd both been swamped with practice. He mumbled.
Yeah. Ha Jae suffering under Hong Jae-pil, Lee Jae-oh juggling practice and rehab.
Both crazy busy.
"How's your condition lately?"
"Good. You can see it yourself—I'm fine."
"I know. But you got hit in the head, not the body. Just checking."
His whisper-soft voice was incredibly gentle.
Lee Jae-oh's voice had this power to soothe anyone.
Even though when he belts it out, it's booming.
I nodded with a relaxed smile.
"Don't worry. I'm good."
"Anything come back?"
"That thing with Manager Hong. Nothing else yet."
"I see..."
We'd reached the discount mart before I knew it.
Heading down the stairs, Lee Jae-oh added,
"They say memory's like rehab too. Hit me up anytime you need help."
Rehab ain't easy.
He looked up at me with a faint smile.
That deer-like pure face beaming like sunshine—no defense against it.
'Idol's his true calling.'
Though he'd been talented enough for national fencing team at record young age.
Come to think of it, this guy's a total cheat character.
I stared at Lee Jae-oh pulling out the ice creams they'd requested.
A sudden curiosity hit me.
'But how'd he end up deciding on idol?'
Usually, if an accident ends an athlete's career, they pivot to coach or something.
Or at least stay in sports.
I wondered why he'd chosen idol.
On the way back after checkout, I rummaged through the ice cream bag and casually asked.
"But hyung, got a question."
"Shoot."
"How'd you end up going for idol? ...Uh, skip if it's uncomfortable."
He stared into space with melancholic eyes the second I finished—I quickly added the disclaimer.
Lee Jae-oh paused, then spoke slowly.
"You know I did fencing, right, Lee Jae."
"Yeah. National team, even."
"Yep. But then I couldn't anymore. Because of this."
He patted his left thigh.
"Was so bad I could barely do daily stuff. Rehab helped—a lot better now."
"I see..."
Still looked sturdy as ever, but apparently injured enough to nix pro career.
He danced full-out now, so rehab must've worked wonders.
"Doing more fencing risked permanent disability... So I quit. No choice."
"..."
"Turned into a total shut-in after. Hard to accept I couldn't fence anymore. Then... CEO Oh showed up at my place."
"...CEO Oh?"
Sudden house call?
Why? The three visits thing?
I pulled out a shareable chocolate ice cream bar and tilted my head.
"Actually, I'd gotten street-cast before. Kept in touch through Mom after. She brushed it off at first, but with me in that state... Figured entertainment might not be bad."
"..."
"And CEO Oh kept at it—do trainee life while rehabbing, he'd back me. That snapped me out of it."
Can't stay like this forever—might as well try. Yellow streetlight layered over his face as he added that. Felt like a movie scene.
"So I started as a trainee. Turned out I liked it. Dance was fun, guys were cool. Next thing I know, debut's right around the corner."
"Makes sense..."
Lee Jae-oh definitely had idol talent too.
Never learned dance or vocals before sports, but his practice looked pro-level—no rookie vibes.
Anyway, hearing his story made me want to say something nice.
Nothing grand, but a warm word can mean the world.
Gazing at the dorm building in the distance, I carefully spoke.
"Still, I'm glad you're in our group, hyung."
"...Why?"
"Just... We'll be together long-term, and having you around feels reassuring. Like, at least I won't get beat up traveling with you."
"As if there's reason to hit you."
"Anyway, glad to work with you. And please take care of me going forward."
With that, I snapped off half the ice cream and handed it over.
Lee Jae-oh's face melted softly. Like the ice cream.
"Yeah. You too."
The instant he took his half, fireworks burst with a yellow notification.
[New! Title Acquired!
『The Start of Friendship』
You're starting to become a true member of EverPlanet.
Title Reward: Intimacy with members +10%]
An unexpected bonus.
Not the flashiest reward compared to others.
But somehow, more than those...
"Let's head in, Lee Jae."
"Yeah, hyung."
Yeah. It felt good.
Weirdly so.