Chapter 193
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 193
[Jeong Da-jun: Hee-hee~ ^^]
As a result of a maddening cycle of eating, sleeping, and practicing in the studio, interspersed only by schedules—
[Jeong Da-jun: I’ve put the trophies on display~~~~~~!!!!!!]
[Kang Yi-chae: Clap~ clap~ clap~!!]
We achieved five wins.
I scrolled past a selfie in the group chat showing Jeong Da-jun and Kang Yi-chae grinning widely and flashing V-signs in front of the five trophies lined up in the company lobby.
[Kang Yi-chae: Da-jun, why don't you use this emoticon ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ anymore ㅠ??]
[Jeong Da-jun: I’ve matured.]
[Kim Seong-hyeon: Sure...]
As if.
[Quest Complete!
Achieve 3 wins on music shows!
Congratulations! You have surpassed 3 wins and achieved 5 wins.
Reward: 3,000 points.]
I smiled with satisfaction as I looked at the quest window and Da-jun’s messages, which practically radiated hyperactive energy even through text.
Five wins in our second year—or rather, our third year if counting from the kids' debut.
‘Everything is going exactly according to plan.’
I snapped my fingers, prompting the system window to display Kim Seong-hyeon’s stats.
[Accessing Kim Seong-hyeon’s stats.]
[Kim Seong-hyeon
The light of this era, our hero!
A member so, so, so good that he’s wasted on Seo Ho-yun...]
Are you kidding me?
[Singing: B0
Dance: S0
Variety: C0
Acting: D0
??: ???
Charm: A-]
Kim Seong-hyeon’s dance stat had reached S0.
‘As expected, it gets harder to level up the higher you go.’
It was a bit bitter that my own dance stat hadn't budged yet, but since Seong-hyeon’s had improved and we had visible results to show for it, I was fairly satisfied.
“Ah~ we really pulled it off.”
“Hmm?”
As I sprawled out on the bed and held up my phone, Seong Ji-won, who was beside me, let out a soft chuckle.
“Because of the five wins?”
“That, and other things.”
I smirked and checked The Dawn’s official SNS.
[Releasing B-cuts because it’s a waste to keep them to ourselves!]
They were B-cuts from Seong Ji-won’s pictorial that had graced the cover of a famous fashion magazine.
Lee Ji-hyeon had released them after contacting the magazine for permission, framing it as a reward for the fans whose support had made the five wins possible.
The reactions were pouring in, not just in Korean but in all sorts of languages: How is this a B-cut? Seong Ji-won, you are my spring. I want to lick the mole on the bridge of his nose.
‘The management is doing a good job this time.’
The title track? A hit.
The B-sides? Rated incredibly high.
While the rest of us were buried in dance practice, Seong Ji-won had spent his time glued to Chae Jeong-woo, and the depth he brought to his singing grew more profound by the day.
This promotion was the first time we had performed a B-side on stage. While Kang Yi-chae firmly set the atmosphere at the start, Seong Ji-won’s heavenly vocals really hammered it home.
It proved that The Dawn’s popularity wasn't a fluke and that, among groups of their seniority, no one could touch them in terms of skill.
Every time we took first place, Yun Hee-eon would glare at us, unable to even manage his facial expression.
I felt a strange sensation when I witnessed Seong Ji-won—who had been standing quietly while Kim Seong-hyeon gave the acceptance speech—flash a bright smile the moment his eyes met Yun Hee-eon’s.
‘Right, he’s an adult too.’
I turned my head to look at Seong Ji-won.
As he flipped through a book, he caught my eye and reflexively gave me a gentle smile.
“What is it?”
‘How could anyone hate a guy like this?’
I looked back and forth between the B-cuts filling my phone screen and the innocent face of the man before me.
“...Well, it’s just.”
I’d heard that when Seong Ji-won first joined Daepasung, he was a mess. To the point that even Kim Seong-hyeon was intimidated by him.
In other words, he must have had a very hard time at his previous agency.
Honestly, I wanted to grill him about what exactly happened back then and how it related to me, but—
I decided to take a different approach.
‘I’ll leave it be.’
Just as Seong Ji-won had done for me.
“What are you curious about?”
However, Seong Ji-won had already sensed something. He asked with a slight curve to his eyes.
“...What did you say to Yun Hee-eon when you met him?”
“Hmm?”
“He looked absolutely terrified.”
Actually, it was more of a filler question than genuine curiosity. I asked because I remembered Yun Hee-eon’s comment about Ji-won having ‘blades in his tongue.’
“Ah... that.”
Seong Ji-won chose his words for a long moment before offering a smile that felt like a wall.
“Is there any need for you to hear it, Ho-yun?”
Suddenly, I remembered the music video shoot for Ocean Train. Some staff members had been caught badmouthing me by Seong Ji-won.
And then Seong Ji-won had been caught by me and Kang Yi-chae.
He had worn that exact same smile back then.
I twitched an eyebrow and turned my gaze back to my phone.
“No, I guess not.”
“Right.”
Thud! The sound of Seong Ji-won closing his book reached my ears.
“There are so many strange and mean people in this world.”
Wait. Is he talking about me?
I lifted only my eyes to look at him again.
“People who can’t stand to see others succeed and enjoy seeing them miserable.”
Damn it, he’s definitely talking about me, isn't he?
I kept my mouth shut, sensing that I’d be screwed if I said the wrong thing next to someone so virtuous.
“There’s no need to give people like Yun Hee-eon any attention. The more you listen to them, the more you lose. People don't really change, anyway.”
Seong Ji-won got up from the bed and continued speaking as he tucked his book into the shelf.
“There’s already not enough time to spend with the people I like and cherish.”
He felt a bit unfamiliar in that moment. I had expected him to say that even bad people could change if they tried hard enough.
“...”
“And right now, that’s what I’m doing with the members.”
Seong Ji-won turned around and looked at me.
I pointlessly avoided his gaze.
“What if the person you thought was good turns out to be a total bastard?”
“Hmm?”
“Then it’s a waste of effort. According to what you just said.”
“Ahaha, me?”
Seong Ji-won chuckled softly and tilted his head. For some reason, he seemed to find the situation amusing.
“It’s a purely subjective standard, so it’s fine.”
He let out a long stretch, tapped my shoulder, and began tidying the bed.
I watched him until I received a text from the manager telling me to come down for my individual schedule. I blew at my long bangs and sluggishly dragged myself up.
At that moment, Seong Ji-won suddenly turned back with a serious expression.
“But Ho-yun, I have a concern lately too.”
“What is it?”
“I’m starting to get ambitious about comedy.”
“Just stick to rapping.”
Seong Ji-won glared at me with eyes full of betrayal.
Instead of comforting him, I pulled a ball cap low over my head, left the dorm, and hopped into the waiting van.
‘Well, is it my turn now?’
Regardless of how it started, Kim Seong-hyeon’s stats had gone up and we’d secured five wins. Now it was time to fulfill Chae Jeong-woo’s request.
To be honest, it was unexpected. I didn't know Chae Jeong-woo cared this much about his juniors.
High Five was a group that had been labeled 'second-tier' even before appearing on Shining Star Season 2.
Although they failed to take first place as WH Entertainment expected (because of me), they could have naturally reached the first-tier if the agency had pushed them and solidified their domestic popularity a bit more.
However, WH Entertainment chose to have High Five debut in the US rather than focus on domestic activities.
Recently, a hot girl group had gained organic overseas traction through Nutube and successfully entered the US market, raking in massive amounts of foreign currency.
While no one knew the reality behind the scenes, opinions were divided that their agency had gotten greedy and rushed High Five out there.
Well, the result wasn't a massive success, but it wasn't a total disaster either. They earned a decent amount of foreign currency.
However, their domestic recognition was slowly fading, and their reputation seemed to be taking a hit.
The schedule I was heading to now was likely intended as an image-cleansing move for Kang Yeon-hu and High Five.
It was the variety show they had prepared by pouring money into it:
《Singing Variety Show》
The concept was to select a few members from currently popular idol groups—even if they weren't top-tier—and have them create a music festival together.
Chae Jeong-woo’s request was for me to look after Kang Yeon-hu, as it was his first time appearing on a major network variety show alone.
‘I can see why.’
It was a bit too difficult—no, way too difficult—to just brush off as a 'first experience.'
First of all, there was a specific issue.
I pulled out my phone and accessed SNS. I searched for the name of the variety show.
[LOL Hahahaha, what is this 'Singing Variety Show'?]
This project.
It had been leaked.
“Haha.”
A laugh escaped me involuntarily.
A leak—one of the most useful and favorite types of controversy for me.
The fans' anger must have exploded, as posts and retweets were flooding in even from public accounts.
[Singing Variety Show?
More like 'Do You Want to Die?']
[Ah, damn, this lineup makes zero sense LOL]
[Wait, LOL, why are they appearing in this combination? It hasn't even been that long since Shas ended. Is WH Entertainment brainless???]
This time, the High Five fans seemed even angrier at WH Entertainment than The Dawn’s fandom, Noeul.
It wasn't that Noeul had no complaints, but since we had taken first place on the survival show, starred in a solo reality show for a week, finished a successful concert, and even secured five wins with our mini-album title track, Daepasung had earned a bit of a 'get out of jail free' card, keeping things relatively quiet.
[Can I just kill WH Entertainment?]
The fans had raised them with such care, only for the agency to stick them in a program that didn't match their level. In the end, while their overseas recognition rose, they were left with ambiguous results and were pushed into the US market as if being driven off a cliff.
At a time when the team needed to consolidate, they were sending Kang Yeon-hu out on a solo variety show.
From the fans' perspective, the management must look like a total train wreck.
[Just give them a domestic comeback, you bastards.]
[Damn... seriously... and with a member from another Shas group? LOL my blood pressure is rising.]
Noeul, having already gone through several similar experiences, simply blocked the offenders quietly.
Because the two groups had taken completely opposite paths and were currently in very different positions, it was difficult for the fandoms to get along.
[Title: About that leaked variety show.
Why? Why shouldn't they do it?
Answer: It’s like if the Korea-China-Japan Asian Games were happening, and they suddenly picked one representative from each team and told them to form a new team.
Selected Answer: Ah... I get it now. Thanks.]
There was a second issue as well, but I’d deal with that later.
As I organized the situation in my head, I arrived at the filming site. I bowed to the staff and moved to the waiting room.
[Jeong Da-jun: Mr. Seong Ji-won... you are my "Spling" and my "Lomance."]
[Kang Yi-chae: Your English is great.]
[Kim Seong-hyeon: You spelled them wrong.]
They were just overflowing with intellectual charm.
I was idly watching The Dawn’s group chat, where they were churning out nonsense over Seong Ji-won’s B-cuts, when Kang Yeon-hu opened the door and walked in.
“Have you been well?”
His face was pristine even though his insides must be rotting. I curled my lips into a smile.
“Since we both know what’s going on, let’s get straight to the point.”
“Let’s just look out for each other and get through this.”
“Pfft.”
Straight to the point indeed.
I quite liked this side of Kang Yeon-hu.
“Do you have anything in mind?”
A way to solidify my image while boosting the individual charms of The Dawn members, silencing the controversy, and—oh, as a bonus—taking care of Kang Yeon-hu’s recognition.
“It’s tricky. I’m not sure what to do. Do you have a plan, Seo Ho-yun?”
I did have a plan in mind.
I gave Kang Yeon-hu, who was looking at me with his arms crossed, my long-lost 'Enchanting Cast-Seducing Smile.'
At the same time, I brushed a non-existent speck of dust off his shoulder and whispered softly.
“My, my, Mr. Kang Yeon-hu.”
“...”
“Of course I do. Who do you think you’re talking to?”
Of course, most of the people I’d worked with usually came back to me a day after the broadcast for various reasons, swearing at me and shouting, 'You bastard, I was possessed by you back then!'
But what can you do?
“Just trust me and follow my lead.”
It’s the fault of the person who trusted me.