Chapter 16
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 16
“How do I do it?”
“You just… do it?”
I was trying my best to get some useful feedback, but this guy, Ju Woo-seong… he was one of those naturally gifted types, which made things difficult.
There is no feedback more annoying to an ordinary person than a genius saying, ‘I just do it, why can’t you?’
“Why isn’t it working? Ooh, Pick a Card, and then you just hit it. Like that.”
“Whoa, incredible.”
When Ju Woo-seong sang the line, the other members burst into applause.
Just how much talent does this guy have…?
I suppose everything was easy for him because he had that kind of talent… which is probably why he had the spare time to go around dating….
He was fundamentally different from me. The gap was so wide that it was hard to even attempt to mimic him.
Emotion? What even is that? How do you ‘do’ it?
“Hmm….”
Ju Woo-seong stroked his chin and then gestured to his manager. He was telling him to turn off the camera for a moment.
As the manager hesitated before clicking the camera off, Ju Woo-seong leaned in and whispered quietly to me.
“Seo Ho-yun. You’re a good actor. You were great at pretending to be friendly in front of that sasaeng the other day… Ah! Right.”
“What?”
“Do it like you did when you blackmailed me.”
Well, that’s a very specific direction.
“You were damn shady back then. Like you’d swallowed five old snakes whole.”
“…You certainly know how to hold a grudge.”
“Woo-seongie doesn’t do things like that~”
Was this bastard also a character where I had to pick random dialogue options?
I quietly sifted through my memories of that moment. When I dealt with Im Hyeon-su, I had been certain of myself, and I was just as confident that I could make Ju Woo-seong dance to my tune.
See? Isn’t he right here in front of me, providing his talents for free?
“Do it, hurry up.”
“Fine.”
I opened my mouth, recalled the mood of ‘that time,’ and obediently began to sing.
【Ooh, Pick a card, a future seen more clearly
You’re anxious at the low odds, but there’s no need
It’s okay, because I will lead you】
“Oh, that’s it!”
“What? How did that robot suddenly get so emotional?”
“You did it, Ho-yun! You sound like a total psychopath whose thoughts are impossible to read! I love it!”
“You sound like you’d be amazing at charming people into a scam!”
Everyone around me clapped. They probably didn’t know what Ju Woo-seong had just said to me, so they were just reacting to the performance, but all those ‘compliments’ were currently being showered on my behavior.
I glared at them. Ju Woo-seong nodded with a look of pride.
“Man, the planning team really saw right through you. Giving you the ‘shady bastard’ position. It’s a perfect fit!”
“Hyung, why are you acting out?”
“…….”
I whispered quietly so only Ju Woo-seong could hear. He shut his mouth and quickly changed the subject.
“Shall we try it one more time?”
“Yes, sir!”
Everyone was suddenly full of discipline as they began to practice. It wasn’t that the kids lacked talent; they just didn’t have a proper trainer. Even the small tips Ju Woo-seong gave them once were absorbed like sponges and immediately made their own.
“Stretch your hand out all the way there!”
“Belt it out more! Keep the ending note clean as you go up!”
Seong Ji-won’s learning speed, in particular, was staggering.
The members followed Ju Woo-seong’s directions as one body and finished the song.
He’s good, that guy….
While I was evaluating Ju Woo-seong, he was also evaluating The Dawn.
“This team is actually decent. Why did your debut do so poorly?”
“Thank you!”
Just then—
Ding!
[The Status Effect is worsening!]
“…….”
I momentarily grit my teeth. My face turned deathly pale. Ju Woo-seong was about to push for more practice, but he caught sight of me and furrowed his brows.
“…I think we only need a few more runs, but let’s take a short break first.”
“Yes! Thank you!”
Good timing.
The members bowed to Ju Woo-seong and collapsed onto the floor one by one, but I stumbled to my feet and headed for the restroom.
My head throbbed so hard with every movement that my vision was turning yellow. I rushed into a stall, grabbed the toilet, and threw up everything I had eaten.
“Ugh….”
Ding!
[You are suffering from a Status Effect.]
[Would you like to open the Quest Window?]
“Stop being so clingy, it’s not attractive.”
I muttered to the air and shoved my fingers down my throat. After retching until there was nothing left, I stepped out and turned on the faucet.
Splash. I rinsed my mouth with the pouring water and looked up, only to see someone scowling at me in the mirror.
“…….”
It was Ju Woo-seong.
“You have better endurance than I thought.”
Ju Woo-seong sneered, his arms crossed. I ignored him and pulled out a paper towel to dry my hands.
“But continuing when you’re sick isn’t ‘grit,’ it’s just being ignorant.”
“Is that a tip?”
“Sure, let’s call it that.”
Ju Woo-seong shrugged.
“What’s wrong with you?”
“Gastritis. And the flu.”
“You’ve got it bad. Have you been to the hospital?”
“It won’t get better even if I go.”
“What… are you scared of hospitals? At your age?”
Good grief. The nonsense was exasperating.
I had already tried taking medicine. But perhaps because of the system window, it had no effect. There was no way a hospital visit would fix this.
“So what if I am?”
“Are you dropping the honorifics now?”
When I gave a half-hearted answer out of sheer exhaustion, Ju Woo-seong let out a hollow laugh.
“Go back. We have to practice.”
“Why are you working so hard?”
“Pardon?”
“I thought you’d just half-ass it today. But you didn’t.”
“…….”
“Do you know you’re a bit strange? You don’t seem to have any passion for being an idol, yet you’re incredibly obsessed with practice and making the group successful.”
His assessment is spot on.
Ju Woo-seong might be distracted by his love life, but I guess his years as an idol gave him some sharp intuition.
“Hey, hey.”
I tried to ignore him and walk past, but Ju Woo-seong blocked the bathroom door and wouldn’t budge. It seemed he wouldn’t move until I gave him an answer.
If I were in better condition, I would have shoved him aside, but right now, I didn’t have an ounce of strength in my body. I let out a deep sigh.
What a nuisance….
“I want to make it big.”
“Why?”
“I’ve had bad luck. But I’m going to take responsibility.”
My luck was bad for getting caught by the system window.
Apparently, my answer wasn’t enough for Ju Woo-seong. He looked even more confused, but I left him behind and headed back to the practice room. Ju Woo-seong hurried after me.
“Are you speaking in riddles or something?”
“Be quiet, my head is ringing….”
“So damn rude….”
Ju Woo-seong grumbled as he swung the practice room door open. But the moment it opened, everyone inside jumped and looked at us with startled eyes.
“…….”
“What’s with the atmosphere?”
As Ju Woo-seong muttered, the manager checked the room and turned off the camera. The mood was as somber as a funeral.
I had a feeling.
Ding!
[Please check the Quest.]
“Ho, Ho-yun.”
Seong Ji-won looked at me, his face pale.
“What is it?”
“Did… did you see this?”
With trembling hands, Seong Ji-won held out his phone. On the screen was a Nutube video with a black thumbnail.
‘Second Chance – The Dawn.’
It was only 35 seconds long, but it was unmistakably our song.
“Our… our comeback song was leaked.”
“What?”
Ju Woo-seong frowned on my behalf. But I, the person actually involved, remained stoic.
No, rather, the moment I had been waiting and waiting for had finally arrived.
“Gu-guys, it’ll be okay once we talk to the CEO.”
“Who… who leaked it?”
“We’ll find that out later. For now, let’s stay calm.”
I watched the buzzing members and the manager, then my eyes met Ju Woo-seong’s. His gaze was pinned on me.
“Why are you….”
“……?”
“Why are you smiling?”
I touched the corner of my mouth; my lips were indeed curled upward.
Ju Woo-seong’s eyes wavered. At the same time, a quest failure notification popped up.
Ding!
[Quest Failed!
‘Prevent the comeback song leak!’
Someone is attempting to leak your song.
Prevent the leak to minimize damage.
Success Reward: Dance +10
Failure Penalty: Status Effect
The Status Effect worsens as the quest deadline approaches.]
“Hey, Seo Ho-yun!”
Suddenly, I stumbled as my vision blurred. The quest window flickered, and my body toppled forward.
Everyone rushed toward me in a panic.
“Seo Ho-yun, wake up!”
[Quest failed.]
The world blinked. My legs gave out, and just like an old TV screen snapping shut, my consciousness flickered out.
It was the first quest failure of my life.
* * *
‘I woke up to an unfamiliar ceiling.’
Ah, I’ve always wanted to say that.
I clutched my head, which felt much better, and looked around. The quest window was floating nearby, glowing with a blue light.
[The Quest Failure Penalty period has ended.]
It seems some time has passed.
As I struggled to sit up, I saw an IV drip in my arm. The long scar on my arm was also visible for the first time in a while.
It looked like I was in the emergency room. I looked for my phone to check the time and saw Seo Ho-jin sleeping below.
“Seo Ho….”
I tried to call him, but my voice wouldn't come out properly.
Ah, how do I wake this guy up?
Feeling lazy, I picked up my phone from the small nightstand and dropped it onto his torso. Seo Ho-jin jumped, his body twitching as he woke up.
“H-Hyung.”
“Hey. Give me some water….”
“Hyung, you’re awake!”
Seo Ho-jin rushed toward me, making a huge fuss. I just wanted some water, but this kid was clearly not in his right mind.
“I really thought something… something happened to you….”
Looking closely, his eyes were swollen. Dumbfounded, I asked in a raspy voice.
“Were you crying?”
“No, I wasn't.”
Ah, I think I know what this is. Seo Ho-jin is clinging to me because I’m the only family he has left in this world.
Our relatives were all trash, so we cut ties long ago, and our parents passed away. What else does he have but me?
If I die, he really is left all alone. That fact was pitiful, yet it made my shoulders feel heavy all over again.
“Just give me some water.”
Seo Ho-jin let out a long sigh as if his worries had finally evaporated. He seemed pouted, but I was too tired to comfort him.
“Ah, damn it….”
Knowing his overreaction was embarrassing, he muttered a curse and grabbed water from the fridge. After quenching my thirst, I checked my phone; about half a day had passed since I fainted.
“I’ll go get the doctor. To tell him you’re awake.”
“Sure….”
Seo Ho-jin shuffled out.
2:00 AM. Ah, I can still make it in time for the music video shoot.
I lay back down and checked the notifications on my phone.
[24 Missed Calls]
[278 Messages]
…What is all this?
I checked them, feeling a bit dazed.
First, the missed calls. Seo Ho-jin, Seo Ho-jin, Manager, Manager, Im Hyeon-su, Ju Woo-seong, Im Hyeon-su, Im Hyeon-su, Kim Seong-hyeon…. And the members had called me multiple times.
I ignored them for now and moved to the messages. It looked like they had created a group chat at some point.
[Kang Yi-chae: Hyung, you okay???]
[Seong Ji-won: I think he pushed himself too hard..]
[Jeong Da-jun: Ho-yun hyung ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ why aren't you waking up yet ㅜㅜ]
[Kim Seong-hyeon: The manager called us, so we’re heading out for a bit. Call us if anything happens.]
Oh…….
A strange feeling washed over me.
…What a bunch of softies.
It had been a long time since anyone other than Seo Ho-jin had worried about me like this. Just as I was about to reply that I was fine, a call came in.
[Sucker 2]
Why is this guy calling?
I answered.
“Yes, this is Seo Ho-yun.”
[…Oh, hey. You okay?]
Ju Woo-seong’s awkward voice came through the line. I leaned against the pillow and gave a half-hearted reply.
“I’m alive.”
[Your personality is really something….]
“Business.”
[You’re such a prick….]
I ignored him. I was about to tell him to hang up if he had nothing to say, but Ju Woo-seong spoke up urgently.
[I was worried that you collapsed because I pushed you too hard. It’s been on my mind.]
“It wasn’t because of that.”
[……Right.]
“Is that all? I’m hanging up.”
[Ah, no. Wait.]
What is wrong with this guy?
[I called because there’s something I want to ask.]
“What is it?”
[The leak… did you know about it?]
I remembered Ju Woo-seong’s gaze piercing through me before I collapsed.
I was silent for a moment before speaking. Since it wasn't a member but Ju Woo-seong—someone I held leverage over—it didn't matter if he knew the truth.
“I knew.”
[Why did you let it happen? You could have easily stopped it.]
“Why do you think?”
[…Watch your tone.]
“I did it to create a buzz.”
I sighed as I spoke.
“I wanted to strike while the iron was hot. We got a song from Blue Tiger, and I planned to use the leak for noise marketing.”
[…….]
“Do you know what the reaction is like right now?”
[Yeah, people are saying the song is good. There are a decent number of articles out. Blue Tiger has high recognition to begin with. Your fan base is growing bit by bit….]
Ju Woo-seong replied, sounding somewhat dejected.
It was perfect. The current situation wasn't bad, though I didn't have the energy to pick up my phone and check the reactions myself. I was glad Ju Woo-seong gave me an objective summary.
“That’s good then.”
The conditions were mostly met.
A good song, the right amount of buzz, and members who had the basics down. This is how you manufacture star quality.
All that was left was the showcase and producing the right content.
I busily crunched the numbers in my head.
“Thanks for telling me.”
[Yeah. Um, Seo Ho-yun.]
“Yes?”
[I… I cursed you out a lot in my head, so I’m sorry.]
What is he talking about now? Ju Woo-seong let out a sigh over the receiver.
[I really thought you were… a scammer with no passion or talent who just lived to screw people over. …That’s a bit harsh, sorry.]
“It’s fine. I saved your number as ‘Sucker.’”
[Do you really want to die?]
There were many things I could have nitpicked, but for now, I stayed quiet and listened as Ju Woo-seong wanted.
[Anyway, I was wrong. You work hard. You’re really giving it your all, using every means possible to climb up.]
Ju Woo-seong was in his fourth or fifth year now, wasn't he? I suppose it was about time for him to get a bit complacent as an idol.
Then again, it’s the stage where everything starts to feel dull. No matter how popular you are, a celebrity’s life can feel empty once you look closely.
Thinking about it, Ju Woo-seong seemed to be that kind of case.
[Your members are working hard too… seeing them made me think, ‘What am I doing with my life?’ and all that.]
“Mr. Ju Woo-seong.”
[Yeah?]
“Is this… a cathedral? Why are you suddenly giving me a confession?”
[You rude little brat….]
When I said that out of annoyance, Ju Woo-seong grumbled but let out a laugh. I hadn't said it to make him laugh.
I glanced toward the door and saw Seo Ho-jin returning with the doctor. Ju Woo-seong’s laughter slowly faded as he spoke to me.
[Just… good luck.]
“…….”
[Take care of yourself.]
“…Yeah.”
I hung up with a strange feeling. Whether it was because I had tormented him for the sake of my programs back when I cast him as a PD, or because he sensed something with his sharp intuition—like his incredible talent—he had hated me. Yet here we were, having formed an unexpectedly friendly relationship.
……Maybe I should change his name in my contacts.
I tapped on my phone. Just as I was about to speak to Seo Ho-jin and the doctor, a loud clattering sound erupted from the entrance. It was the members.
“Ho-yun hyung!”
A teary-eyed Jeong Da-jun and the other members, who were hurriedly trying to restrain him, were approaching.
“Hey, hey! This is the emergency room! Be quiet!”
“Hyung, you’re alive!”
“Keep it down, guys! Ho-yun, I’m sorry!”
Even Seong Ji-won, who was trying to stop them, was getting louder. The doctor, staring blankly at them, asked me.
“Are they your friends?”
“No, I don’t know them.”
Embarrassed, I covered my face and pretended not to know them. …The excuse didn't work very well.