Chapter 24
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: Radio Triumph and Debut Nerves
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‘Ho, Not Bad. Use.’
Do-jun let out a low breath.
The gifts he’d received ended there. Sure, it felt a bit wasteful, but considering the coins he’d earned from the radio appearance, he figured it was fine to spend this much.
Besides, Visible Radio could be replayed multiple times through the app, and the performance video would end up on the station’s YouTube channel too.
‘Gotta nail this so even more people come check me out.’
With that in mind, Do-jun slowly drew up his emotions and began to play.
Ting-ling.
The guitar’s clear, smooth tones harmonized perfectly with Do-jun’s voice.
Whoa, is the playing live too? You’re not just pretending to strum, right?
That voice is insane... No wonder it’s got that raw, genuine vibe.
For real! Absolute fire!
For real! Absolute fire!
The comments, which had been filled with praise for his looks just moments ago, now overflowed with awe at his singing.
‘Whoa...’
Park Min-ha, hearing it live right in front of her, felt utterly entranced.
It had been great when he’d just sung, but playing the guitar himself made it indescribable. His voice and the guitar blended as one.
The radio staff were just as spellbound. The junior writer unwittingly blurted out her thoughts.
“Holy crap...”
At that moment, the PD had a gut feeling. They wouldn’t have to worry about listener ratings from above for a while.
As everyone quietly savored his song, a long comment suddenly appeared, lingering on the monitor as if begging someone to read it aloud.
On this happy Friday night when everyone else is out having fun, being home alone felt a bit lonely... but somehow, this comforts me. For the first time, I realized loneliness isn’t always just sad. Thank you. I’ll definitely check out your debut album.
❤
‘Park Min-ha’s Sultry Nights’ Dominates Listener Ratings at #1!
Actress Park Min-ha expressed her gratitude for ‘Park Min-ha’s Sultry Nights’ topping the listener ratings.
Park Min-ha posted on the show’s official SNS: “I think listeners tuning in casually before bed led to this great result,” giving credit to the audience.
On the high buzz score in particular, she humbly said, “It’s all thanks to our guest, Do-jun.”
The released photo captures Park Min-ha and Lee Do-jun from their recent Visible Radio appearance. Their stunning visuals, neither outshining the other, steal the show.
Meanwhile, CBK Radio’s ‘Park Min-ha’s Sultry Nights’ airs daily from midnight to 2 a.m.
Why is this radio...? Let us watch on TV!
Let’s walk the flower path with unnie ㅠㅠㅠ Seeing her occasionally isn’t enough
#1! #1! #1!
He sings so well, is he really an idol? Looks like an actor though
From Pida, he could probably act too?
“Hyung!”
He’d just woken up and was reading the article when the door burst open and the members piled in.
What the heck?
“Check this out!”
Kim Ha-woon thrust his phone forward with sparkling eyes. It was so close he couldn’t even make out what was on the screen.
No, back it up a bit.
He pushed away the screen that was practically touching his face. There, the real-time search rankings were displayed.
What’s the big deal...
“...Huh?”
I blinked in disbelief.
What? Is this photoshopped?
[Real-Time Search Rankings]
...
4. Park Min-ha
5. Park Min-ha’s Sultry Nights Visible Radio
6. Lee Do-jun Busking Video
...
9. Pida B.O.Y
“Hyung and us are on the real-time trends!”
Kim Ha-woon shook the screen excitedly. Even as it whipped back and forth, Do-jun couldn’t tear his eyes away.
He snapped out of it and glanced around. The members were all beaming. Even Lee Jae-ha, who usually showed little expression, looked genuinely pleased.
Park Tae-hoo said with flushed cheeks,
“It’s getting better and better! Starting strong means it’ll only get better from here.”
...That’s not what that idiom means.
“Do-jun!”
Right on cue, Kim Han-soo rushed in holding his phone.
Obvious why he was in such a hurry. Do-jun smiled and beat him to it.
“The trends?”
“You already saw?”
Kim Han-soo gave an awkward smile and patted his shoulder.
“Well done. Really well done! Hitting trends before debut isn’t easy. It’s all thanks to you. Places are already requesting interviews.”
“For real?”
Kim Ha-woon jumped for joy at the good news.
“Yeah. We’ll need to push up the teaser shoot schedule. From now on, be mindful of your outings. Casual, but not sloppy. Got it?”
The joy was short-lived. Kim Han-soo launched into a worried lecture about being extra careful now, like he’d been waiting for this moment.
“Ughhh! Nag nag nag!”
“Hahaha!”
Kim Ha-woon finally plugged his ears and bolted, but the mood stayed upbeat.
Thanks to Visible Radio and the articles? Coins were piling up enough that he wasn’t worried anymore.
Of course, if the influx stopped now, that’d be a problem.
‘No way that’ll happen though.’
Get Recognized as Leader by Group Members!
📍 Progress: 1/3
⏰ Reward: 80 Coins
The 80-coin quest to be recognized as leader by group members hadn’t progressed, but it wasn’t urgent anymore.
Debut, the real priority, was now in plain sight.
❤
Debut day drew nearer with each passing moment. Every day was practice, practice, practice.
They recorded the title track and album cuts, changed outfits countless times for the jacket shoot.
To eliminate any mistakes on stage, they repeated the same choreography dozens, hundreds of times a day. Exhausting, but that much fun.
And finally, the music video shoot day.
“Hyung, you okay? What’s wrong?”
Lee Jae-ha approached Do-jun, who’d frozen in front of the elaborately set stage.
“Huh? Yeah... I’m fine.”
The memory of falling off stage was long gone, yet unease crept up unbidden.
Is this what they call muscle memory?
“Hoo...”
Only after stomping around the stage edges a few times could he relax.
Didn’t see this coming.
Lee Jae-ha and Kim Han-soo, knowing the backstory, checked on him worriedly between takes.
Maybe because of that, the MV shoot wrapped without a hitch, unlike before.
“Whoaaa! Hyungs, look at this! Our MV!”
Kim Ha-woon shouted in awe during monitoring. On screen, they looked every bit the idols they’d dreamed of becoming.
Park Tae-hoo chuckled.
“You’re not a kid, why the fuss? Oh right, our Ha-woon’s still a baby?”
“Hey! I’m not!”
And just like that, they were bickering again. Even Lee Jae-ha, who’d usually scold them for being noisy, just smirked.
“Now it finally feels real.”
He’d thought going through it again would make him jaded, but no. Chasing dreams always swelled the heart, no matter how many times.
Do-jun looked at each member gathered around.
“Let’s do our best from here on out.”
“You bet!”
“Yep.”
“Looking forward to it, hyung.”
They stacked hands for a group cheer. Only then did the tension ease a bit.
‘Don’t get nervous. It’ll be fine.’
Flame made it, right?
First up, nail the showcase two weeks away.
❤
‘...I’m really debuting.’
The MV shoot felt like yesterday, yet the showcase was just hours away.
Even getting makeup done in the waiting room with the members, it still didn’t sink in.
‘At first, I wasn’t even sure I’d debut.’
Forget debuting—even surviving the next month had been a worry. Somehow, he’d endured and made it here.
The more he thought, the luckier the radio gig seemed. He hadn’t been bluffing about succeeding and returning the favor.
Na Night kept him alive long enough to debut; anyone would pay that back.
Then the door flew open as Kim Han-soo entered. His face showed showcase prep fatigue, but his expression was bright.
“Everyone prepped okay?”
In each hand, plastic bags bulged like they’d burst. Crisp convenience store logos caught the eye.
“Snacks!”
Kim Ha-woon spotted them in the mirror and cheered first.
“Hold on! Don’t move now!”
The stylist wrapping his hair yelped in horror. The guy froze at the near-scream.
But his eyes were glued to the table in the mirror—more precisely, the snacks atop it.
His butt twitched like he’d bolt any second.
“I’m eating first?”
Park Tae-hoo, makeup done, plopped down at the table triumphantly.
Ha-woon, dying to dig in, held still without a peep.
“This one?”
Tae-hoo’s hand hovered over Ha-woon’s favorite grape jelly.
His eyes flickered, but no big reaction. Tae-hoo set it down and grabbed something else.
“Or this?”
Hot bar with cheongyang peppers. Eyes shook harder.
Not satisfied, Tae-hoo picked up hazelnut chocolate.
“This for sure?”
“Ah! Not that one!”
Tae-hoo grinned wide at the outburst.
“Why not? First come, first served.”
Riiip.
He tore the packaging without hesitation. Ha-woon griped that hyung was a demon, no one acts like that, but Tae-hoo ignored him.
Lee Jae-ha sighed watching them. No tension before showcase irked him a bit.
“Nothing’s changed from usual.”
“Better than constant anxiety, right?”
“True, but...”
Jae-ha shook his head and met Do-jun’s eyes. He hesitated, then spoke.
“Think it’ll go well?”
“It will.”
Do-jun’s reply shot out without doubt. Jae-ha smiled faintly—maybe pleased, or amused at the speed.
This isn’t funny. If it flops, I’m dead.
“For real. Not just ‘cause they’re our members—everyone’s legit good.”
“Even compared to Flame?”
“Yeah. Even to Flame.”
“So firm it’s suspicious now.”
“Want me to say we suck instead?”
Jae-ha’s smile deepened. “Nah,” he said, pulling out his phone to check choreography.
Somehow fitting. Do-jun chuckled and peered over.
The over-rehearsed moves felt strangely new, like seeing them for the first time.
Jae-ha focused on the phone’s dance video; Tae-hoo and Ha-woon still squabbled over snacks.
Like practice room vibes, yet not. A subtle tension hung in the air.
Then—
Ding!
The familiar alert brought up the system window.
Of course. Wouldn’t stay quiet at a time like this.
Congratulations on the user’s debut!
Any conscience at all, and you’d celebrate. He’d nearly died before debuting thanks to this psycho system’s “no likes, you die” curse.
As an official debut, a new feature unlocks.
New feature? Guess it had a shred of conscience.
However!
...Not even a second later.
Rewards will be tiered based on first real-time music chart position after showcase.
‘...What?’
What nonsense is this now?