Chapter 12
Chapter 12
In the music video for 'AWAKE,' the 43 trainees each received about two seconds of individual screen time.
Among them, my assigned shot was a scene where I caught a paper plane thrown by someone from a rooftop and checked the memo written inside.
The memo read:
[We're connected]
It was a part of AWAKE's lyrics. A section that zipped by so fast it was practically in parentheses in the lyric sheet, but since it was part of the D Bridge, I figured I could still land a solid impact.
Hmm, maybe the music video easing off the collusion influence a little since it was outsourced.
For reference, the song playing now was the guide version. I'd finished recording yesterday evening, but they said the mixing wasn't done yet.
The recording also wasn't shown on the broadcast, so it wouldn't be related to any collusion. Thanks to that, I probably managed to snag a spot.
"Cut!"
The shoot wrapped in one take. I bowed to the director, and by the time I lifted my head, he was already hurrying off somewhere.
I trudged over and joined the endlessly long waiting line.
"Fucking jealous."
"When the hell are we filming? Ugh, so annoying."
I'd let that much grumbling slide.
A making-of camera was rolling, but it didn't seem like they'd spare a glance at these guys either.
'They could just shoot them first and let them go home. What a nasty attitude.'
The trainees whose ranks had dropped. That is, the ones labeled dropouts by the production team. They ended up being able to appear in the music video after all.
The problem was that in the 72-member group dance scene, they only appeared as indistinguishable background figures where you couldn't make out a single face.
And on top of that, the group dance scene shoot was the very last in the schedule.
So what did they do during that long wait?
Wasn't it obvious? They were just supposed to sit around doing nothing and stew in their defeat.
"That guy's lucky. A real come-from-behind story."
I agreed. I'd been thinking that I'd definitely repay the ones who picked me someday.
But regardless of shared opinions, the mood didn't look good, so I decided to move elsewhere.
"Huh?"
After stepping behind the school's main building, I spotted someone standing vacantly, leaning against a wall.
In a place swarming with hundreds of people, finding someone alone by chance was rare, so it seemed like he'd deliberately sought out this spot.
Normally, I'd have respected his inclination and slipped away quietly, but... this time was an exception.
"Neuti hyung?"
"Huh?"
Because he was the man the System had chosen.
I'd exchanged a few words with this guy, Han Neuti, during meals, but we hadn't talked much since those were the only times we'd run into each other.
So thinking this was my chance to approach him without hesitation, I moved closer, but...
'.......'
I stopped dead in my tracks.
"Did you smoke?"
"What?"
Because a foul odor was wafting around him.
The acrid smoke mixed with a faint artificial grape scent. The cigarette smell drilled into my brain, making me forget what I'd originally planned to say, and I let out a few dry coughs.
'Thought he looked like a thug, but he's actually a thug?'
It might be laughable for a full-grown adult to be called a thug just for smoking, but that's exactly the kind of job being an idol is.
If it were me, I'd just quit rather than getting caught with a cigarette pack in a behind-the-scenes clip and getting mocked all over the internet. Not that it's a good thing.
And on top of that, this was a filming set. Smoking at a perfectly operational school? Was he out of his mind?
When I raised my arm to cover my nose and mouth, Han Neuti, who had been blinking in confusion, took off his school uniform jacket.
And he sniffed at it, going sniff-sniff.
"Uh, uh? Ugh! Crazy!"
"......."
"Hey, don't misunderstand. This isn't my smell, seriously!"
"Then whose?"
"It's from the bird—... no, the person I was just with. I really don't smoke. I'd rather fucking inhale car exhaust than that shit, why would I..."
Han Neuti, who had been babbling, suddenly clamped his mouth shut.
"Did I just swear?"
"Yeah."
"Hah..."
Having upgraded from a smoking thug to a swearing thug, Han Neuti slid down against the wall, squatting down and ruffling his own hair.
"Agh, damn. I've lived like this for years, trying to change suddenly is so freaking, crazy hard."
'...That was seriously the filtered result?'
Stunned by his shocking language, I glanced up at the empty air.
Right, I was naive to trust the System's taste. This was the same judgment that picked Sorasum as an agency, after all.
Even if the entertainment industry these days has become lenient toward cursing controversies after so many incidents, no matter what, isn't it too much to ask me to debut with a guy who can't even control his own mouth?
"Hyung, why did you join the show?"
Maybe because his image didn't match my expectations, a clipped version of my words popped out before I knew it.
The omitted part was this.
'You're just going to cause a scandal and drag others down, so why bother?'
Despite my unfriendly tone, he answered as if nothing was wrong (he just seemed oblivious), looking up at the sky with vacant eyes.
"Ah, I kind of decided on a whim. It was impulsive. Thinking back, I guess I was crazy."
"Then just drop out..."
[Beep—]
"...I mean, you should try harder with that mindset. That way, the other trainees who couldn't participate because of you might feel a little less wronged, right?"
Wow, I was so shocked I didn't even know what I was saying anymore.
My head went cold from the warning sound after so long.
'So this was what the hint meant?'
I thought it was a recommendation, but it was a forced sale?
As I spat out with my eyes the feelings I couldn't put into words, Han Neuti, perhaps affected by my words, wiped his face with his hand and mumbled in a troubled tone.
"...Right. Yeah. This spot right now is an opportunity thousands desperately wanted. Fuck, I need to get my shit together."
"Thousands probably didn't apply, though. And you just swore again."
"I did? Wh-when?"
What do you mean, when?
Just how much had he lived with swearing...?
"Found you!"
Ah, you scared me.
I turned my head toward the abrupt voice and saw a figure now familiar to the point of being tiresome standing there.
"Making film recording in progress! I'm your one-day VJ, Ahn Jiwon!"
"How did you know we were here..."
"Now, a question for you! Trainee Han Neuti, whose rank dropped this time! Weren't you disappointed at all?"
Ahn Jiwon shoved the camera right up to Han Neuti's nose and asked brightly, even though it wasn't exactly a bright topic.
Han Neuti glanced at me, sending a silent signal.
It was clearly a look asking for help, but I just crossed my arms, leaned my shoulder against the wall, and waited for his answer.
When my attitude remained firm, Han Neuti bit his lip for a moment, trembled, and began to speak.
"I should have... done better... I'm sorry... for showing you a lacking performance..."
"But I know our Neuti hyung is super good! All you KES out there, please look forward to more and keep watching!"
"Th-thank you!"
'...I hate to admit it.'
The way he rolled his eyes, all hunched up, and his speech turned frustratingly slow.
To someone unaware that he was just overly cautious because of his dirty mouth, there might be a chance—maybe even a small probability—that it could look cute.
And it seemed like it created a gap moe with his sharp appearance.
'I think I've got a rough idea of the System's taste.'
It likes things a little lacking. Whether it's agencies or people.
While I was analyzing his charm with a sour taste, Ahn Jiwon finished the interview and spoke, reverting to her off-camera tone.
"I already interviewed Cha-gyeom hyung earlier. I'll go interview the other trainees now."
"Bye."
"And don't smoke!"
"It's not mine."
"I-it's not mine either...!"
"Okay, I'm off."
With that, Ahn Jiwon swiftly disappeared.
Watching Ahn Jiwon's coolly receding back, Han Neuti marveled.
"Wow, who is she? I've never seen her before, but her friendliness is insane."
"......."
"...Why?"
'Seriously, if he just kept his mouth shut, he'd be fine.'
I just lifted the corners of my mouth in a smile and secretly sighed inwardly.
Just how do I modify this damn System's taste?
* * *
[Sora Seom Manager: Filming done? On my way to pick u up ^^]
"......."
I shoved my phone into my pocket and looked around.
The parking lot was packed with agency cars picking up trainees, plus trainees heading to public transportation alone without any care.
For Sorasum to score a win in trainee welfare... Just how many agencies in Korea couldn't even get the basics right?
Well, good is good. While waiting comfortably.
"Hyung."
"Huh?"
"How are you getting home?"
Might as well use this chance to make some progress on that damn hint.
I'd already learned the hard way on Christmas that resistance was useless. If he never fixed his potty mouth, I could just put a mask on him and give him a mysterious concept.
...Whatever, I'll think about later when it comes.
Before that, let's earn some favor with convenient transportation. It'd be great if we could have some really deep talks on the way.
However, Han Neuti, scratching his cheek, answered nonchalantly.
"I have a car, though?"
"......."
"...Why? Did I just swear?"
This plan was scrapped.
Let's see. What else would an independent trainee need?
"Where do you practice? If you don't have a practice room, our..."
"I already have a rented practice room."
"Wow, you've got everything."
Han Neuti, blankly scratching the back of his head, said he'd go first and walked away.
Watching his receding back desolately, I gave up.
'There's plenty of time, after all.'
Let's be satisfied with just opening a conversation today. If I push too fast, it'll only raise his guard, nothing good.
Though he didn't seem like the type who even knew what guard was.
"Cha-gyeom!"
Before long, a sedan pulled in.
The manager stuck his head out the open window and waved frantically. Seeing his innocent, sunny expression, my feet hurried on their own.
As I got into the passenger seat and buckled up, the manager, about to grab the wheel, paused and asked me.
"Why is that student all alone? No one picking him up?"
"Who?"
I turned my head in the direction he was staring. It was the opposite window, so even leaning over I couldn't see well—
"Student!"
Huh?
"Student, no one picking you up? Want a ride?"
Wait, who was it?
The manager advanced the car right up to the student and delivered the number one line that kidnappers always used, the one students should avoid.
I saw the hem of someone's clothes near the window, then they slowly bent down to look inside the car.
The tips of ears reddened from the cold came into view first, and then that neat face revealed...
"Wait!"
Recognizing him, I hurriedly opened the door and got out.
At the same time, the Youth trainee, who was awkwardly smiling at the manager, and my own presumably flustered eyes met head-on in the air.
'No, I got out in a fluster, but...'
Come to think of it, Youth was a company with dozens of celebrity vans lying around.
He was probably just running a little late. There was no way that Youth would leave a trainee hanging like this.
"Uh, Youth... I mean, hyung? It's okay to say no."
I meant, there was no need for me to make a fuss; he'd refuse on his own.
Or so I thought.
"I'd be grateful if you could give me a ride."
"Sure, hop in! Cha-gyeom, you get in the back seat with him."
...What?