Chapter 79
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 79
Chapter Title: Languid Night Reunion
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Days filled with endless practice had become routine, making it feel like I'd gone back to before my debut.
It felt even more so when I arrived at CBK late at night for my appearance on Park Min-ha's Languid Night.
And even this.
'Status Window.'
'Argh, this didn't have to be the same.'
I had just over six months left now.
Even after pouring all the coins I'd saved into buying more time, this was all I had.
Thinking about it again just pissed me off. Who jacks up the price tenfold out of nowhere? What country's law allows that? You thug?
I had gotten more Likes, sure...
'...but not by enough. Ten times is way too much.'
The silver lining was that as the ratings for Oh, My Cat climbed, coins were filling up faster.
Not that it was enough for more than two months and two weeks, but gaining more than I was losing was still positive.
'Wait, am I seriously supposed to be happy about this?'
Lee Do-jun, you've become the king of positivity.
Right now, I was riding high on Oh, My Cat, but who knew what would happen after it ended.
Likes might drop off again after that.
Which made the next album even more crucial. If it did well, I could buy time without worry.
'It's not like some monthly auto-subscription.'
I tried it because the first month was free, and now it was telling me to pay up starting next month.
And I couldn't even cancel—it was an unfair contract with no escape.
Well, mine wasn't even free the first month, but whatever.
If not for Oh, My Cat, I had no idea what state I'd be in. At least the drama's success gave me some breathing room to hold onto my sanity.
Lost in those thoughts, I arrived at the meeting room for Park Min-ha's Languid Night. It had been a while, so it felt awkwardly unfamiliar.
"Lee Jung-woo!"
The moment I stepped in, Nam Ha-jeong the writer greeted me warmly. I bowed deeply in response.
"Writer! Long time no see. How've you been?"
Lee Jung-woo? Had she watched the drama too?
"You actually showed up? Aren't you swamped with casting calls from everywhere these days?"
"I promised I'd come, so here I am."
"What? So you're only here out of obligation? You were supposed to go somewhere else?"
"No, this had the best offer."
She burst out laughing at my deadpan delivery.
"Hilarious. I know our offer's not that great. This star's gotten funnier since last time."
"This star?"
Embarrassed by the title, I waved my hands frantically. Sure, reactions had been good lately, but I wasn't at that level yet.
Nam Ha-jeong brushed it off casually.
"What, you don't like it? How about superstar then?"
She pulled out three crisp sheets of paper.
"What's this?"
"Sign these for me. My nieces are fans of this 'su'perstar. They went nuts when I said you'd be on the radio."
Why emphasize the 'su'?
"...Just call me a star."
I took the pen and started signing fluidly.
"Three sheets okay?"
"Yeah. Want to do more?"
"As many as you want."
I could do ten or twenty, no problem.
"Then make it a hundred. I wanna brag to everyone and hand 'em out."
...A hundred might be pushing it.
I froze mid-signature, and Nam Ha-jeong laughed so hard the room shook.
"Look at your face. That's what you get for writing checks your body can't cash. Watch your words."
Sorry. Lesson learned.
After finishing the signatures for her nieces, we talked radio details.
"Expect a ton of texts today. Don't try reading them all live—you'll miss the flow. We'll pick the best ones and cue them up."
"Got it."
"You prepped answers for the sample questions I sent?"
"Of course. I could recite them with my eyes closed."
I answered confidently. They weren't hard, and she'd given me them ahead of time—failing would be inexcusable.
Though I had skimped on sleep a bit.
Satisfied with my crisp response, she nodded.
"You did great your first time, so you'll nail it again. Guess I don't need to worry."
"Wait, you've been worried this whole time?"
I teased playfully, and she smacked my arm.
"Oho, full of confidence now, huh? First time I saw you, I thought you were a frozen statue from nerves."
"Aw, it wasn't that bad."
"If this weren't radio with no footage, you'd have gone viral for it."
Talking about my debut radio appearance made it surreal that we were chatting like this now.
Back then, after the meeting, I was too awkward to join in and just sat there blankly.
'Though I loosened up after a few more appearances.'
It hit me that I was actually progressing. I'd been running on autopilot, but here I was, changed.
As we bantered idly, the meeting room door flew open.
"Live in 15 minutes! But Min-ha still isn't..."
The junior writer looked anxious.
"She hasn't arrived?"
I'd been so caught up, I'd forgotten too.
Come to think of it, she really wasn't here. Something up?
"She's on her way. Says she's close."
"Should be fine then."
Her calm vibe despite the tight schedule eased my nerves too.
I had to help with Part 1 today, and without Park Min-ha, I'd have been sweating bullets.
I headed to the booth first and greeted the staff. Familiar faces made for warm welcomes.
'Yeah, this is how it should feel.'
After constant discomfort around Lee Jun-hyung on set, this place felt like paradise.
Plus, no script to memorize. Like a vacation spot.
Thud!
"Sorry! My fault for being late?"
The booth door burst open, and Park Min-ha rushed in, panting hard.
She must've sprinted from the parking lot—her face was flushed red. Nam Ha-jeong beamed like it was adorable.
"There you are, sweetie. I know you're swamped with shoots. Still ten minutes left."
"I should've come earlier to prep. Got a guest today."
She turned to me.
"Junior, been a while since the shoot."
"Has it?"
It'd been just over ten days since the dinner.
"Seeing each other three, four times a week? Yeah, that's forever. Or were you thinking it was too frequent?"
"What? No way. Do I seem like that guy?"
"Who knows?"
She grinned mischievously and sat, fanning her forehead. The flush lingered stubbornly.
Even with blasting AC, running in this weather would heat anyone up.
"Alright! Let's get ready!"
Five minutes to air.
"Lately..."
As I reached for my headset, her voice turned my head. Face cooled, she looked at me seriously.
"Jun-hyung's been weirdly quiet. Since the dinner."
She seemed genuinely puzzled. I nearly laughed.
I feigned total ignorance.
"Really?"
"Yeah, like his soul left his body. I was worried he was sick."
She quickly added,
"Not that I like the guy."
My lips twitched despite myself. Suppressing a grin was hard work.
Easy now.
"Something must be up with Lee Jun-hyung."
"Guess so. Or maybe 'cause you're gone?"
She laughed at her own words.
"What if he secretly likes you so much it drove him nuts?"
It was about me, just not that way. Too bad I couldn't spill the truth—it'd be fun to chat about.
Instead, I chuckled softly.
"Definitely not."
In the executive director's office at Pida Entertainment, an intense meeting wrapped up with B.O.Y's comeback date finalized.
"We'll schedule the comeback to avoid overlapping with Oh, My Cat's follow-up promotions, as discussed."
The drama's ratings kept rising, fueling hot buzz.
The plan was to boost Do-jun's fame further and hop on the hype before it cooled.
Prep time was short, but better than losing momentum from a long hiatus.
Kim Han-soo called Do-jun first thing after leaving the room.
"Do-jun, you in the practice room?"
- Yeah, what's up?
"Title track's decided."
- Really? Which one?
Do-jun's voice mixed shock and joy in a cheer. Other members' excited chatter leaked through— they'd heard.
"We'll talk details when I come down."
Even as he hung up, the members' whoops echoed.
Kim Han-soo smirked and headed to the cafe out front, not the practice room.
He'd grab coffee and snacks for the exhausted crew.
With the title set, strict diets loomed—this was their last indulgence.
He returned with coffee and treats.
"Team leader! Is the title re— Whoa!"
Kim Ha-woon lunged as the door opened, spotting the snacks.
"I'll take those!"
He snatched them eagerly. Park Tae-hoo clicked his tongue.
"That's your priority right now?"
"Chocolate muffins?"
"Fair."
The B.O.Y members munched snacks while hearing the comeback briefing.
Sweat-soaked from practice, they gazed up at Kim Han-soo with sparkling eyes.
If—just if—this album flopped, B.O.Y might boil down to Do-jun alone.
Groups where one member shines usually follow the same path to disbandment.
Kim Han-soo's mind raced with responsibility.
Yet Kim Ha-woon and Park Tae-hoo bickered as always.
"Do good, don't get in my way!"
"Ugh! You focus, hyung!"
Watching their bond, Kim Han-soo resolved to keep it going strong.