Chapter 12
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 12
I frowned. It always felt like the special rewards were a bit late.
'What's this new system?'
[You can receive points by completing quests.
Collect these points to purchase items necessary for scenario progression in the Item Shop.]
"Heh, look at this guy..."
Well, since it’s a tycoon game, it was bound to have a management feel eventually. I recalled buying items when necessary in those types of games.
But... shouldn't this have been available from the start?
[You should be glad it’s even being added now!]
"Open it."
At that moment, the system window expanded. I was actually a bit impressed by the game-like UI.
No matter how many times I saw it, it felt surreal. I secretly hoped there might be an item that could instantly boost my dancing stats.
[There’s no way such an item exists! You have to climb up through blood, sweat, and tears!]
'What did I even expect...'
I scanned the items. Except for a few, the shop was empty. Most slots were plastered with [Updating], so honestly, I didn't have high expectations.
The only thing that caught my eye was one particular item.
[Cheongsimhwan
Completely relieves tension and anxiety.
Points: 300p]
It wouldn't be a bad idea to buy it just in case. Not that I’d be the one using it.
After contemplating for a moment, I closed the item window. I didn't have any points anyway.
"So, the quests that give points start from now?"
[Yup!]
Okay. That was good enough.
I burned the list of items into my memory and slowly headed toward the practice room. I could only pray for the day they’d actually be useful.
* * *
"Tan, tatan, tatatan!"
"Hah, hah..."
"It’s not 'tan' there, it’s 'tatan,' Ho-yun!"
"Tatan... what even is that?"
"How do you even do it?"
Seong Ji-won was more of a "tiger teacher" than I expected. He wasn't the same guy who was talking about giving up when we first met.
We had been practicing for six hours straight since the meeting with the planning team ended. It was nearly eleven at night, yet these guys showed no intention of leaving.
"It’s weird, Hyung... I’ve definitely memorized the moves, so why am I so bad at it?"
"Hyung, do you want to take a break?"
Jeong Da-jun asked, but I shook my head. As if responding to Seong Ji-won’s harsh coaching, the system window kept popping up.
[Dancing +1]
[Dancing +1]
[Dancing +0.5]
[Dancing +0.4]
[Dancing +0.2]
[Dancing +0.01]
I didn't know why the increments were getting smaller, but damn it, I was improving. Somehow.
As I stood up, panting heavily, Kim Seong-hyeon lightly tossed a water bottle at me. I caught it clumsily as he flopped down onto the practice room floor.
"Let's rest for a bit."
"Why? I think I can do more."
"We’ve been doing nothing but dancing for six hours straight, Seong Ji-won."
At Kim Seong-hyeon’s words, Seong Ji-won suddenly checked the clock. He scratched his head sheepishly.
"Oh, you're right. Did I push too hard?"
"Let's take a break."
"I'm fine."
"No, Hyung! You want to do more?! Absolutely not!"
Jeong Da-jun looked horrified as he tried to stop me.
I mean, still... we have to do it.
Da-jun, who had been pulling at me to stop, soon seemed to run out of energy and melted onto the floor. He looked like a puddle of ice cream.
The manager had already gone home, so we were the only ones left in the practice room.
Kim Seong-hyeon watched the members and shook his head.
"No. Resting is also part of practice."
"Wow, how profound."
"'Resting is also part of practice...' I'll have that engraved on my tombstone if I die practicing."
As Kang Yi-chae and Jeong Da-jun started acting up, Kim Seong-hyeon looked annoyed and threw a water bottle at them. Seeing even Seong Ji-won snickering, Kim Seong-hyeon let out a small sigh, shrugged, and stood up.
"I'm going to the convenience store. We're out of water."
"Get me a Melona on your way back."
"Don't you ever get tired of those?"
"Please buy one~!"
"Ah, I'll go with you."
I jumped up. If we weren't going to practice more, I might as well get some fresh air on the way to the store. I could see Kim Seong-hyeon still felt a bit awkward around me, but I didn't care.
"We'll be back, guys!"
"Da-jun, let's try that part again. I think your right hand needs to be a bit faster..."
"Ugh, stop it already..."
It seemed Seong Ji-won had developed a taste for nagging the younger ones, as he didn't give up on the choreography lesson.
As the practice room door closed, the noise faded, leaving only silence between me and Kim Seong-hyeon. It wasn't particularly uncomfortable, so I just walked silently, dragging my trembling legs.
"......"
Kim Seong-hyeon was truly quiet. I had no intention of starting a conversation either, so there was nothing but silence between us.
He didn't seem particularly sociable; I wondered how he ended up as the leader. Since they were the same age, Seong Ji-won, who had a longer trainee period, might have been more suited for the role.
"Welcome~."
We arrived at the convenience store and headed to the sports drink section.
"What should I get?"
"Seong Ji-won and Jeong Da-jun like Pocari, and Kang Yi-chae likes 2%. Let's take those."
Kim Seong-hyeon picked out the drinks with practiced ease. Then he stepped aside slightly, signaling for me to choose.
I reached for something random, but Kim Seong-hyeon stared intently at the drink in my hand.
"...Are you really going to drink that?"
"Yeah."
What I held was a Sol-ui-nun. It was a pine bud extract drink that people either loved or hated, but I personally enjoyed the pine scent and the tart flavor.
Kim Seong-hyeon looked skeptical.
"Fine. I'll buy that for you next time then."
‘Hmm.’
Kim Seong-hyeon replied and then picked up some bandages and pain relief patches. He must have noticed Jeong Da-jun whining about being sore from the long practice.
‘Ah... I see.’
I think I understood why Kim Seong-hyeon became the leader. He looked blunt, but the guy was surprisingly observant.
"Yes, I'll ring those up for you."
"And a pack of Marlbo—"
"Pardon?"
I almost ordered cigarettes out of habit before stopping myself. Kim Seong-hyeon was glaring at me, and a system window had popped up.
Vrrr!
[Warning]
[Cigarettes are harmful to an idol's health!]
Cigarettes are harmful to everyone's health.
Then again, I had a recording tomorrow, and... and I really should quit...
Every rational thought told me to quit, but my instincts rebelled.
"Marlbo—"
Vrrr!
[Warning]
[You have a recording tomorrow! Get it together, Seo Ho-yun!]
"Just ring these up, please."
"......Whew."
Kim Seong-hyeon quickly cut me off. I stepped back, dejected.
Smoking while editing used to be the ultimate bliss... To think I can't even do that anymore...
Honestly, the shock was comparable to when I first transmigrated into this failing game. The convenience store clerk processed the payment with a bewildered expression.
Feeling depressed, I added two ice creams on top of the items being scanned.
"Add these too, please."
It was the chestnut-flavored ice cream—the kind fathers supposedly buy for their kids only to be rejected. Kim Seong-hyeon clicked his tongue, but I stood my ground. The only consolation was that I was getting it for free.
I tore open the wrapper immediately and walked out of the store, munching on the ice cream.
"Damn, life is hard... Can't even smoke anymore."
"Don't smoke."
"Why not?"
"...The fans won't like it."
Kim Seong-hyeon lectured. He was right, so I couldn't argue, but it was still annoying.
Kim Seong-hyeon also pulled an ice cream out of the bag. It was the one he’d bought for Jeong Da-jun after the kid mentioned it earlier.
When I glanced at him, Kim Seong-hyeon said, "Destroying the evidence."
"Ah, right."
Fair enough. Idols have to diet, after all. Once the recording and planning were finalized, we’d have to do jacket shoots and music video filming. There was a lot to do.
For a while, the conversation died out again, leaving only the sound of us eating ice cream. Then, Kim Seong-hyeon suddenly asked, "What did you talk about in the CEO's office?"
‘Mmm.’
If I mentioned the settlement or the contract termination fee, our trust would surely plummet.
"I told him we’re scrapping the current plan."
"Really?"
"Yeah. That's why I coordinated with the planning team."
"It did seem to go better than expected. Though I don't know if it'll be finalized by tomorrow."
"I think it will. The youngest on that team was overflowing with passion."
I didn't know what the final result would be, but I figured they’d at least get the basic research done by the deadline.
We’d keep what we liked and cut what we didn't; that would be enough to form a skeleton.
"Tomorrow, I’ll take the plan to Im Hyeon-su... I mean, Blue Tiger, and ask her to revise the lyrics."
"You're working fast."
"I have to. We need to make a comeback in almost three weeks."
If we didn't work fast, forget quality—we might have to delay the comeback itself. Delaying meant more money, and the CEO wouldn't want to invest any more in The Dawn, whose future was uncertain.
We had no choice but to make do with the current budget and do everything ourselves.
"You've changed a bit," Kim Seong-hyeon muttered.
"What has?"
"You seem like a different person compared to a year ago."
I felt a pang of guilt. I wasn't a different person, but since I’d been rejuvenated and was playing the role of an idol I never asked for, it was true that I was different.
I quickly changed the subject.
"I just have to set my mind to it."
"Right, well..."
He’s surprisingly sharp. Through the dance practice, I was able to grasp the characteristics of the members I’d be living with from now on. Overall, they were all quite quick-witted.
Except for Jeong Da-jun, of course. I felt like everyone else had absorbed his share of wit while growing up.
"Thanks, anyway."
"......?"
"It felt like all the members had given up, but the atmosphere has changed a lot now. So, thanks."
Kim Seong-hyeon tried to act nonchalant, but he seemed embarrassed after saying it. I shrugged and replied with my honest feelings.
"If you're thankful, just let me have one puff—"
"Are you joking?"
So firm... With a heavy heart, I let the thought of a cigarette drift far away.
"How's the practice going?"
"Seong Ji-won is scary."
"He scares me too."
Before we entered the practice room, Kim Seong-hyeon seemed to have relaxed a bit as he spoke to me more easily. He gave me several tips, like how it’s easier to make certain movements larger or where it’s most comfortable to catch your breath in the choreography. They were useful tips, so I listened carefully.
As we stepped inside, the members welcomed us.
"Hyung, ice cream!"
"Just drink this."
Seeing them like that gave me a strange feeling. It was a sensation I could never have felt as a PD or a third party.
Unable to pinpoint exactly what it was, I pushed it to the back of my mind and spoke with a nonchalant face.
"Hey, let's pull an all-nighter today."
"Agreed."
"Agreed."
"No! Absolutely not!"
* * *
"Well, well, if it isn't the one and only insolent Seo Ho-yun."
"Did you already have a drink?"
"Thanks to someone, I can't survive life without a drink, you know?"
Im Hyeon-su greeted me with sarcasm. I brushed it off and entered the recording studio, while the members behind me looked back and forth between us, their eyes darting in panic.
I glanced at the quest window floating above.
['First Recording!'
Let's successfully complete the first recording.
Continues until Im Hyeon-su is satisfied.
Success: 300p
Failure: Im Hyeon-su's Likability decreases]
After practicing the song according to the guide lyrics during every break in dance practice, it was 7 AM. Of course, since I was a "Ttukttak-i" at dancing, I hadn't had a single moment to practice singing.
Because we’d headed straight to Im Hyeon-su’s studio after only a few hours of napping in the lounge, the members looked like a mess.
"Hello! We look forward to working with you."
"It's an honor to work with you, Composer-nim!"
"Yeah, yeah, sure."
I left the members, who were bowing stiffly, and sat familiarly on the sofa. Im Hyeon-su didn't seem to care about my attitude anymore; she just put a cigarette in her mouth and flicked her lighter with a nonchalant expression.
"You want one too?"
"......"
I glanced at the members. Then, I snatched the cigarette from Im Hyeon-su’s mouth. She looked bewildered.
"No."
"What? Why? You smoked just fine last time."
"There's a minor here."
Jeong Da-jun was a minor. Im Hyeon-su gave me a look that said, 'Like you ever cared about that, bullshit,' but she surprisingly put the cigarette away. Of course, she grumbled.
"So you're quitting for good?"
"I'm planning to."
Actually, that was part of the reason I snatched it the moment she was about to light up. If I saw her smoking, I’d want to smoke too much. But I couldn't do that before a recording...
Im Hyeon-su’s eyes widened, and then she shook her head.
"That resolution won't last three days, Ho-yun."
"Yes, thank you for that self-introduction."
"...You bratty little shit. Just show me what you've prepared."
Im Hyeon-su tapped her foot and held out her hand for the plan. When I handed her the printouts from the planning team, she nodded.
"Oh... hmm. So this is the concept."
"......"
"Mhm."
Every time Im Hyeon-su nodded, I could feel the members getting even more tense. It felt like they’d faint if she so much as frowned once.
She’s just Im Hyeon-su, guys. Don't be so scared.
After reading through the printouts, Im Hyeon-su nodded.
"It's not bad."
"Phew, thank goodness..."
"The overall planning is solid. This kind of concept definitely works well with this type of song. You’ve tucked in trendy settings here and there... You just need to convey the meaning well in the lyrics."
"Right. We’ve also done the part distribution, so I think you can keep that in mind while finalizing the lyrics."
"Hey, that's a given. I'm Im Hyeon-su."
"Of course, our dear Blue Tiger-nim."
"This guy, really..."
Im Hyeon-su seemed to like the plan much more than expected, as she continued to help us willingly despite her constant swearing.
I gestured to the members who were hovering nearby. We had to pour out all the ideas we’d thought of beforehand.
"I want this part to be more of a flashback to the past..."
"Ah, I want to emphasize the phrase 'sharp target.'"
"Instead of being vague here, I think it's better to say 'I definitely remember you'..."
Once they started talking, the members forgot their nervousness and incessantly shared their thoughts and comments on their respective parts. Im Hyeon-su responded to them earnestly.
"That's tacky."
"Ah, the word 'target' is okay."
"No, that's lame. It feels like it’s escalating too suddenly."
After about thirty minutes, Im Hyeon-su was actually more excited than the members. This was exactly why I liked her.
As I watched with my arms crossed, Im Hyeon-su, who had finished organizing the lyrics, looked around at the members.
"Alright, the lyrics are good enough for now... They might be revised again anyway, so just think of this as a guide and try singing it once."
"Yes! Understood!"
"First... right, the main vocal should go in first."
"Yes!"
Seong Ji-won nodded.
...He looks a bit nervous.