Chapter 162
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 162
"Yeon-hu hyung, have a good practice with the vocal unit!"
"Whoa! You're working with Seong Ji-won? I'm so jealous! Tell him I'm a huge fan!"
"Ahaha, I will."
Within High Five, Kang Yeon-hu was always the calm, reliable leader. He was respected by his members and excelled at taking the lead in negotiations with the company.
It was only natural for someone like him to become the group's leader.
However, he hadn't always been that way.
Yeon-hu’s composed demeanor was something forged and refined through years of life as a trainee at a major agency.
Those were tough times...
Even at WH Entertainment, a company that supposedly prioritized character above all else, the trainees who survived the cutthroat competition were rarely just "nice."
After recklessly moving up from the countryside to become a singer, he had witnessed all walks of life. It was only after shedding his naive innocence that he learned how to survive.
Skill was the baseline; political maneuvering was a necessary evil.
"Let's practice one more time~."
"Wow, the WH practice rooms are seriously nice..."
Because of his background, Yeon-hu was very adept at reading people.
Seong Ji-won... what a shame.
"This is insane, seriously."
"How does he sing like that?"
He had heard Ji-won was originally from a major agency.
If Ji-won had been in a group like his own, he could have risen to fame much faster and shone even brighter.
But after a moment's thought, Yeon-hu shook his head.
No, he's probably better off with that guy.
He thought of the person in Seong Ji-won's group who was somewhat similar to himself—no, an even bigger nutcase.
"Cough, cough!"
It was Seo Ho-yun of The Dawn.
Since only one member per team could participate in the unit matches, High Five's main vocal had been placed on the opposing team.
Taking advantage of the situation, everyone had gathered at the practice rooms of WH Entertainment—one of the "Big Three" agencies—under the pretext of wanting to tour the facilities while preparing for the competition.
Since they were assigned to different rooms with excellent soundproofing, they didn't know what the other units were practicing.
However, since the rooms were across from each other, they occasionally crossed paths in the hallway.
"...Oh, wait a second."
During a short break, the main vocal of Verci opened the practice room door. Catching a glimpse of someone passing by, Seong Ji-won stopped mid-drink and ran out.
"Ho-yun, are you okay?"
Sitting on a sofa on one side of the hallway was a man with a pale complexion, his head bowed as he rubbed the back of his neck.
Though he looked unwell, his striking features stood out even within WH Entertainment, a place teeming with idols and trainees.
He was bound to get famous.
Seo Ho-yun carried many titles.
The best friend of Black Call's Ju Woo-seong, the winner who received overwhelming support in Shining Star Season 1, the acting idol who delivered a stunning performance in a drama, and so on.
That group is basically a miracle from a small agency.
It wasn't just Seong Ji-won, who was making a name for himself as a vocalist. There was also Kim Seong-hyeon, who was spotlighted for his dancing, and Kang Yi-chae, who was receiving love calls from agencies for his songwriting and composing.
They were all in one group.
Seong Ji-won sat down carefully next to Ho-yun.
"You were fine a moment ago. Why are you suddenly sick? Do you want to go to the hospital?"
"No, I'm fine."
"Mmm, you don't look fine at all."
Ho-yun let out a heavy breath, as if swallowing a sigh, and wiped his face with his hands.
"Cough... don't tell Kang Yi-chae."
"Huh? Why?"
"...He seems to worry too much."
"Alright. But even if I don't say anything, do you think Yi-chae won't notice?"
"He's cooped up at the company working on the final composition lately, so it's fine."
As Ho-yun coughed and rubbed his sweat-beaded forehead, TEW's main vocal, Jeong Won-ha, poked his head out from the practice room across the hall.
"Hyung, are you really sick?"
From Yeon-hu's perspective, TEW's main vocal clearly hadn't had good feelings toward The Dawn before the 1st Competition—especially considering how he had treated Jeong Da-jun during the 2nd Competition.
But now, they seemed close enough to be sworn brothers.
...How on earth did he win this guy over?
"My condition just isn't great today... Cough."
"Do you want to rest for a bit if you're hurting??"
Yeon-hu couldn't help but feel suspicious of this strange relationship.
......What is this?
Even though Ho-yun was acting perfectly normal.
"No, I'm alright."
The more amicable Ho-yun and Won-ha acted, the more uneasy Yeon-hu felt.
Does he really not know?
That Won-ha was the primary culprit behind his own group's maknae having a mental breakdown.
However, Yeon-hu still vividly remembered Ho-yun pressing the close button on the elevator with a beaming smile. His head knew that couldn't be the case, but a tiny grain of doubt continued to prick at him.
"Good work today!"
"You too~!"
As practice ended for the day and everyone was heading home, Yeon-hu spotted Ho-yun crouching in the hallway. Seong Ji-won was nowhere to be seen.
There was no one else around, they were inside WH Entertainment—his own home turf—and Ho-yun was alone.
Sigh, fine.
Yeon-hu hesitated for a moment before approaching him.
I can at least tell him this much.
"Seo Ho-yun."
Ho-yun had his head buried in his arms as if dizzy, but he slightly lifted his eyes at the sound of his name.
Though his hair was damp with cold sweat and sticking to his forehead, his gaze remained sharp.
"Where's Seong Ji-won?"
"...The convenience store."
"Ah, I see."
Yeon-hu crossed his arms and looked down at him. It was good timing.
"Can we talk for a—"
But Yeon-hu couldn't finish his question.
"Ugh."
Ho-yun suddenly started dry heaving.
He had seemed to be holding it in well until now, but the fact that he started doing this the moment they made eye contact made it hard to tell if he was truly sick or if he was picking a fight by implying, 'Looking at you makes me feel worse.'
"Wow, I almost actually puked."
"...I-I'm not that bad to look at, am I??"
In reality, Ho-yun had timed his insult perfectly.
Feeling slighted, Yeon-hu considered just turning around and leaving, but he settled for a sigh instead.
"...I have something to say."
"Go ahead."
"Are you close with TEW's main vocal?"
Ho-yun gave him a look that said, 'Why are you asking that?' before turning his gaze away and pulling out his phone.
"What if I am?"
Having already decided to deliver the warning, Yeon-hu brushed his hair back and continued despite Ho-yun's wall-like response.
"I saw that main vocal picking on your maknae last time. He was intentionally getting under his skin."
"......"
"I doubt Jeong Da-jun's mistake in the 2nd Competition was an accident..."
He tapped his heel against the floor and muttered.
"So, acting all friendly like that is a bit—"
"I know."
...You know?
As Yeon-hu stared blankly, taking a moment to process the answer, Ho-yun frowned and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
Was he saying it was fine that the TEW guy had bullied their maknae into a mental breakdown?
"...You know?"
"Yeah."
"Then why?"
"That's none of your business."
Yeon-hu fell silent. If a member of the same group already knew, interfering further would be overstepping.
"Did you come out here just to say that? You're kinder than I thought."
"......Was I being nosy?"
"A little. Is that a trait of your agency?"
Just as Yeon-hu was about to leave to get his "unpleasant face" out of Ho-yun's sight, Ho-yun spoke up.
"Kang Yeon-hu."
"Yes?"
"Why did you come on this program?"
This time, it was Ho-yun throwing the question.
"I've been thinking about it. I've been wondering why High Five would swallow their pride to appear on this show... It's been puzzling me."
"Did you think I'd answer if you asked?"
"I had a feeling you would."
Yeon-hu rolled his eyes. Well, it wasn't exactly a secret.
"We need new fans. Shining Star Season 1 already proved it. Not just The Dawn, but the awareness of every group that appeared skyrocketed."
"High Five is already successful enough."
"Hey, we need to go higher."
"......"
Yeon-hu tried to leave it at that, but Ho-yun stared at him intently.
Hmm...
It was a gaze that seemed to pierce right through him.
In truth, it wasn't just about gaining new fans.
As one of the "Big Three," WH Entertainment dreamed of success in America every time they launched a new group.
The greed to conquer a larger market—the so-called "America fever"—was constantly pushing Yeon-hu's group to the edge.
Even if they debuted in America and failed, it didn't mean they couldn't promote anymore. However, the labels that would follow terrified Yeon-hu.
He could already see the mockery: from questioning their "American Dream" to calling them a group that didn't know their own limits, attempting something even Black Call hadn't done.
He had expressed his concerns countless times, but to the company, he was just one person among many idol groups.
In the end, Yeon-hu had resigned himself to simply adapting.
Of course, he wasn't fully prepared yet.
However, since he had no reason or energy to explain all of this to Ho-yun in detail, Yeon-hu chose to smile instead of answering.
"Well, anyway, that's why the company pushed Ju Woo-seong sunbae-nim. To help us gain even a little more recognition. Ju Woo-seong sunbae-nim is incredibly popular, after all."
"...I see."
Ho-yun seemed unimpressed by Yeon-hu's vague answer, remaining indifferent even at the mention of Ju Woo-seong.
Suddenly, Yeon-hu remembered the first time he met and greeted Ju Woo-seong.
Yeon-hu, who had actually joined the company before Ju Woo-seong, remembered that moment clearly.
It was because he had realized the truth the moment he saw him.
He realized that the thousands of hours he had poured into grueling practice, self-management, and charm... none of it mattered.
That fresh shock was something beyond words.
"Hello."
From the very beginning, Ju Woo-seong shone.
So this is the kind of person who becomes a celebrity, he had thought.
"Honestly, it would be weirder if he wasn't popular."
"......"
"With that face, that talent, and that personality. He even has luck on his side."
That was when the reality check hit him. He had felt a sense of emptiness regarding the effort he had put in.
He had always been desperate.
During his long years as a trainee, he had lost count of how many times his debut had been cancelled.
When he failed to make the cut for Black Call's debut team, he had wanted to give up on everything.
Back then, I wasn't even living; I was just existing.
He had seen dozens of friends he'd trained with pack their bags and leave.
His title as the "longest-serving trainee" was not a badge of honor.
Many had mocked him behind his back.
In those moments, Yeon-hu had grit his teeth.
He vowed that one day, he would sing his own songs under those shining lights, bathed in the cheers of the crowd.
Phew.
When Ju Woo-seong suddenly said he wanted to go to America to learn more about dance, no one in the company had opposed him.
The position to speak so definitively, the confidence that it was okay to take a long break... I was jealous of everything, to the point of death.
"I have one thing I want to ask as well."
"......"
"I wonder if Seo Ho-yun knows why Ju Woo-seong sunbae-nim is helping you."
He wasn't a member of Black Call, nor was he from a famous group. No matter how much Yeon-hu racked his brain, he couldn't figure out how Ho-yun had managed to get involved with Ju Woo-seong.
So, he had intended to see it for himself on Shining Star.
Meeting him in person, Seo Ho-yun was a strategist.
But that alone shouldn't have been enough to catch Ju Woo-seong's eye.
Yeon-hu tilted his head.
"Is it because Seo Ho-yun is kinder than expected? More affectionate? ...That definitely doesn't seem to be it."
"......"
"Aside from the fact that you clearly don't look the part, if that were the case, Ju Woo-seong sunbae-nim would have liked us a long time ago."
Ho-yun's expression soured, but he said nothing.
"Do you know for yourself what was different?"
Seo Ho-yun was a strange guy.
He had thought Ho-yun was just a kid with a good head on his shoulders, but from his bold moves in Shining Star Season 1 to his reckless words in the elevator, and now getting along with the TEW main vocal who had bullied his maknae...
He was a hard type to pin down.
Hmm.
However, as Yeon-hu got to know the human named Seo Ho-yun, he began to feel a faint inkling.
That through all of this, Ho-yun was sprinting headlong toward a specific goal.
The entertainment industry was a kind of swamp.
The further you tried to walk forward, the deeper you sank into the mire.
A life where cameras followed you constantly, where you were judged by the second, and where you were cursed at for the most trivial things.
How many people could stay sane when those who loved you moments ago turned their backs coldly, and those who protected you changed overnight?
Only the very few who endured it all could make a lotus flower bloom in that swamp.
But that's not the end.
Even then, it was common for them to wither prematurely or rot from disease.
I think Ju Woo-seong was almost like that, too.
Following that train of thought, Yeon-hu met Ho-yun's eyes.
"—If I were you, I'd be curious."
Seo Ho-yun wasn't the type to care about how the world saw him.
He was a person who only looked at the results he desired.
Perhaps that was why Ju Woo-seong was drawn to him.
To Ju Woo-seong, who was wandering after losing his dreams and purpose, Seo Ho-yun might have looked like a guide.
"Haa... cough, cough..."
Ho-yun, who had been sighing at Yeon-hu's question, coughed for a long time.
"Kang Yeon-hu."
Then, he slowly opened his lips.
"I'm not curious."
"......"
The 'problem child' Seo Ho-yun had just pulled the "didn't ask, don't care" card.
"Seriously, what do you want me to do about it..."
Yeon-hu was left speechless by the blunt response.
Ho-yun looked at Yeon-hu with pathetic eyes, his own eyes bloodshot from the rising fever.
"You're really dragging out this nonsense while holding up a sick person?"
"......So the rudeness isn't just an image, it's your actual personality?"
"Shouldn't you have realized that in the elevator?"
When Ho-yun added a jab about him being too slow, Yeon-hu scratched his head awkwardly.
"You really are a peculiar person..."
"Yeah, yeah."
"Anyway, good luck. Though I suspect our vocal unit will take first place."
"Sure, sure, whatever you say."
"......"
Yeon-hu let out a sigh and walked away.
Still crouching, Ho-yun let out the coughs he had been holding back and rubbed his brow.
"Acting like he knows everything, seriously..."
In truth, while listening to Yeon-hu's interference, Ho-yun had suppressed the urge to correct him. He wanted to say that Ju Woo-seong was human too, and none of it could have been easy for him. But he decided against it.
"...Good grief."
Whether it was him or Yeon-hu, they were both just strangers to Ju Woo-seong anyway.
Wiping the cold sweat trickling down his temple, Ho-yun stood up and glanced at the flickering system window in the corner of his vision.
[Vocal Suppression Item!
Temporarily lowers vocal ability by two tiers.
Duration: One week.
However, stats increase 1.5 times faster than usual.
※ Caution: Use causes status effects such as vomiting, gastritis, and body aches.]
[Congratulations! You have reached Vocal A+!
Since the Vocal Suppression Item is equipped, the ability limit remains. Status effects persist.]
[Seo Ho-yun
What explanation is needed?
A stubborn bastard who never listens.
Singing: B- (A+)
Dancing: B+
Variety: A-
Acting: B+
???: ???
Charm: A0]
He looked at it with satisfaction for a brief moment.
Then, Ho-yun's phone buzzed.
[Kang Yi-chae: lol]
Seeing that, Ho-yun paused.
[Kang Yi-chae: Get out here.]
"......"
A few days later.
The performance and vocal unit stages began.