Chapter 196
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 196
A moment later, the recording studio door burst open.
"Hello, I'm Yi-chae."
It was Kang Yi-chae, finally looking like a normal person.
Brushing back his hair, which had been flattened into a mess by his hat, Kang Yi-chae curled his lips into a smirk.
"Haha, this is our very own Kang Yi-chae from The Dawn."
"What happened to the pineapple from earlier?"
"He’s an earthbound spirit that haunts this recording studio."
"Hey, Hyung. Not a spirit—a beautiful fairy."
I swatted away Kang Yi-chae’s hand as he playfully poked my cheek and turned around.
"Yeon-hu Hyung, come on in. You can sit on that sofa over there."
"……?"
Kang Yi-chae’s eyes widened at my tone. He scanned Kang Yeon-hu, the staff, and the cameras.
"Aha."
Being the quick-witted brat he was, he seemed to grasp the situation immediately.
His eyes narrowed into a mischievous crescent shape as he leaned toward me. He spoke in a low voice, yet loud enough for the audio to pick up every word.
"Was I not enough for you?"
"Yi-chae, why must you say such hurtful things?"
Ding!
[My eyes! My eyes!]
[You two legendary idiots, please just stop!!]
Honestly, Kang Yi-chae should have been the one writing the romance scripts for this program.
While we were snickering at the impact of our words, one of the camera crew panned down to the discarded pineapple hat on the floor and slowly zoomed in.
"How wonderful would it be~ if you just loved me for who I am~?"
In the midst of this, Kang Yi-chae sat cross-legged on his chair, spinning around busily as he tapped out beats and layered melodies.
I was used to seeing this, so I didn't think much of it, but Kang Yeon-hu seemed unable to focus.
Left with no choice, I let him be for a moment and struck up some small talk with Kang Yi-chae.
"By the way, didn't you say Bangbang-i was coming today too?"
"He said he’s going to the practice room with Seong-hyeon Hyung. Guess he changed his mind~."
"Bangbang-i?"
"It’s our youngest’s nickname."
At Kang Yeon-hu’s murmur, Kang Yi-chae glanced over and answered.
"Should I call you 'Hoo-hoo' too, Senior?"
"……."
When I followed up with a bright smile, Kang Yeon-'hu' flinched and retreated to the very edge of the sofa.
As I chuckled at his reaction, Kang Yi-chae played a beat and started humming.
"It’s not like you’re ramen that needs to be blown on, hoo-hoo~ what kind of nickname is that~?"
"……."
"Where did your sense of naming~ go missing~?"
His provocation was completely baseless.
Only after I finally smacked him on the back did Kang Yi-chae get serious about work.
"Alright, pick one, pick one! Ho-yun Hyung told me last time that he wanted something that fits the season, so I’ve pulled up some beats perfect for summer~."
Melodies began to flow one after another.
Kang Yeon-hu, who had been listening silently until the end, cautiously pulled a notebook from his bag and held it out.
"These are just some lyrics I’ve scribbled down over time... I thought they might be helpful..."
"…Oh?"
Kang Yi-chae had been acting restless, clearly not thrilled about the situation—having to make a song for a unit that included a member from another group just because I asked. But now, his eyes went round.
"Senior, you’re quite well-prepared, aren't you?"
It seemed he quite liked what he saw.
"I like the analog feel, too. Is it okay if I tweak these a bit?"
"Of course."
Finding some composure, Kang Yeon-hu smiled for the first time since arriving.
Kang Yi-chae scanned the lyrics, tapping the table with a ballpoint pen as if keeping time. Soon, he was crossing out lines and changing the melody with the pen clenched between his teeth.
"Hmm, a teen concept is good, but considering the members, should we lean more into a 'bad boy' vibe?"
"Why are you looking at me when you say that?"
"Should I look at Yeon-hu Senior instead, then?"
Once the work began in earnest, the smile vanished from Kang Yi-chae’s face. However, a hint of satisfaction gleamed in his sharp eyes.
After that, they revised the lyrics several more times and shifted the melody and beat around.
When things finally felt settled, Kang Yi-chae curled his lip into a grin and jerked his chin toward the booth.
"Let's record."
"Okay."
"……Just like that? Right now?"
"Yep, we do things fast."
Kang Yeon-hu, coming from a giant agency, was experiencing the "home-grown, cottage-industry" style of a small-agency idol for the first time. Looking dazed by the breakneck pace, he finished the recording in a blur.
"I think we’ve got enough footage for the recording segment, so we’ll see you next time!"
"Yes, thank you for your hard work."
The staff, thrilled that they had secured enough content faster than expected and finished early, packed their gear and cleared out in a flash.
Once I saw them off and returned to the studio, I reverted to my usual self. Kang Yi-chae cackled at my side.
"Wait, let me do one more take."
Saying he wanted to polish it just a bit more, Kang Yi-chae listened to the recorded files and made repeated adjustments. After reciting his rap verses a few times, he stepped back into the booth to re-record.
Watching him, Kang Yeon-hu muttered.
"It’s amazing."
"What is?"
"You have good luck with your members, but I also think they follow you incredibly well."
Kang Yeon-hu, who had been staring intently at Kang Yi-chae as he spat his rap, turned his head toward me.
"How did you do it? I doubt you were particularly kind to them."
"What a hurtful thing to say."
Kang Yeon-hu let out a breath, looking incredulous.
"Seo Ho-yun-ssi, you make it hard to tell if you’re a good person or a bad person."
"Is it confusing?"
Knowing the answer wouldn't change anything.
I let out a chuckle and flipped through Kang Yi-chae’s tattered lyric notebook, which was filled with rap verses.
"Yeon-hu-ssi, I’m human too. Like anyone else, I occasionally feel like doing a good deed."
"……."
"……Oh dear."
He’s not buying it.
Kang Yeon-hu had an expression that asked how I could say such nonsense with such a straight face.
"Why does no one believe me?"
"You should have acted in a way that’s believable."
[Good Deeds Travel Fast~!]
[You can leak your own good deeds to the outside world as if someone else spread the word.]
[Seo Ho-yun-ssi, let’s do something kind and create a positive image together!]
[※ The target of the good deed must be a third party unrelated to the player, and the standard for 'good' follows general common sense.]
[※ The designated good deed will be automatically exposed to a random number of people in various formats.]
[※ You have not yet met the conditions for a 'Good Deed.']
I closed the notebook and glanced briefly at the system window flickering in the corner of my vision before looking back at Kang Yeon-hu.
"Yeon-hu-ssi. It’s a shame you’re so guarded."
Well, it didn't matter.
[Processing….]
[Processing….]
[Processing….]
[…Conditions have been met.]
[Lia Purple’s 'Yeon-ri' feels relieved after monitoring the footage and seeing no romantic atmosphere.]
[Lia Purple’s 'Yeon-ri' is moved by your good deed of taking over the romantic lines for her.]
Because the insurance was working perfectly.
[You can now spread your good deed related to Lia Purple’s 'Yeon-ri' to the outside world.]
"Someone out there believes in me, though."
Seeing me smile so brightly, Kang Yeon-hu moved further away from me again.
*
The first episode of Sing with Me? aired that Saturday at 5 PM.
[Title: I didn't expect much from the 'Sing with Me' broadcast]
Why is this so funny?
I turned it on without thinking and ended up sitting through the whole thing without even going to the bathroom.
When I saw the Yeon-ri & Gu Chan combo, I got a bad feeling like 'Is this gonna be a romance?' and felt a chill... lolololol
Yeon-ri: Jja... Jjajangmyeon!
Gu Chan: If it’s a bit thicker, it’s Jjajangmyeon...
Yeon-ri is seriously 4D...
She was so restless but then she’s a total pro at her job, it’s just so cute lol. And Gu Chan’s random word party too...
└ They don't seem to talk about anything personal... just work.
└ It’s more likely that there’s romance between me and my boss than between those two.
└└ ....ugh, that gave me goosebumps, damn it.
└└ Lmao, that’s hilarious lolololol
[Title: What is wrong with Seo Ho-yun?]
I felt he was unusual in their self-produced content too.
But what is he doing to Kang Yeon-hu?
Did you see Kang Yeon-hu’s pupils shaking?
└ Looking at how the units were pre-arranged, the production team probably aimed for the Yeon-ri & Gu Chan Best Couple Award, but Seo Ho-yun stole the whole show.
└└ lolololol ah lolololol]
Most people watched with a laugh until the middle of the first episode.
Up until the unit announcements, Seo Ho-yun didn't have much screen time and didn't speak much.
But at some point, it started to feel like he was strangely hitting on Kang Yeon-hu, and the final scene was the climax.
【Ho-yun: My heart is fluttering, though.】
Originally, the production team intended to pair the main vocal of Mars and the youngest of Lia Purple. However, as time went on, instead of youthful tension, all that remained between them was a grim sense of camaraderie—a shared determination to survive the shoot and get out.
Instead, the jackpot hit in an unexpected place.
The cast members were setting the stage themselves, and it was actually entertaining; there was no reason for the production team to refuse.
That was why the scene where Seo Ho-yun dropped that "guilty" line to Kang Yeon-hu decorated the very end. It was even edited like a drama ending, complete with sweet background music.
[My heart is fluttering, though]
[Rewind, play... My heart is fluttering... Rewind, play...]
[This is so confusing, Ho-yun-ah...........]
[Even when trolls come at you, you usually just ignore them or laugh them off. Why on earth are you doing this with another group? It’s so confusing..... but.... fine, do whatever you want.]
[Seo Ho-gyong is so good at dropping guilty lines that the Noeuls are just blinded right now.]
Immediately, a flood of videos titled "Collection of Seo Ho-yun’s Guilty Remarks" poured onto Nutube.
Most were clips from self-produced content or B-Lives where he’d drop casual comments to The Dawn members, or quiet whispers with Noeuls at fan signings.
There were even edited videos of "Seo Ho-yun being nice to Kang Yeon-hu" from the single aired episode of Sing with Me?.
[What is wrong with this guy???]
It wasn't just the words; his actions were markedly different.
Pouring water first, holding the door open, looking at him with eyes dripping with honey, and so on….
【Yeon-hu: Ha…….】
Kang Yeon-hu’s expression, which had been awkwardly smiling in those moments, gradually stiffened until it finally turned cold. Conversely, Seo Ho-yun’s smile only grew more radiant.
The contrast was so stark that SNS and various communities were set ablaze.
[Man, Kang Yeon-hu is just becoming more and more filled with distrust as it goes on.]
[Is Seo Ho-yun just teasing Kang Yeon-hu? lolololol Why is this combo so cute lolol]
└ You can't even complain because he’s actually being really nice to him lolol]
[Kang Yeon-hu finally drops the 'Why are you doing this to me?' line….]
[It feels like Ho-yun is sucking the life force out of Yeon-hu right now.]
An unexpected chemistry emerged between groups that had been rivals for first place in Shining Star Season 2.
[Title: It’s not that Yeon-hu is trying to shed his 'no-fun' image this time]
He looks genuinely pissed off at Seo Ho-yun.
lolololol It’s so cute seeing him lose his pace to a younger guy lolololol
└ I’m used to seeing him always being the composed one in his team. ㅠㅠㅠ Ah, so cute ㅠㅠ
└└ But honestly, if Seo Ho-yun did that to me with that face, I’d be stuttering and losing my pace too. It’s only natural.]
As a result, the relationship between the two fandoms, which had been as tense as a stretched rubber band about to snap, softened just a little.
The Noeuls were somewhat used to Seo Ho-yun’s eccentric behavior in variety shows and laughed it off, while the High Five fandom was fired up by this new side of Kang Yeon-hu.
[Yeon-hu-ya, I think this is the first time since debut I’ve seen you so flustered. My heart is burning to a crisp......]
└ Haa.... Well, if it’s WH Entertainment, they need at least one legendary klutz like Ju Woo-seong... Seriously cute...
└└ Ah~~!! I seriously hated Seo How-how during Shas, but now I’m bowing in all four directions. You brat, but thank you.]
Amidst such positive reactions, the second episode aired.
After the first episode, the MC panels, realizing that the chemistry between Seo Ho-yun and Kang Yeon-hu was more popular than the Mars-Lia Purple pair, weren't about to let such good bait go.
【MC Ji: You two have such great chemistry lately… do you keep in touch privately?】
Kang Yeon-hu hesitated for a moment before answering.
Normally, he would have brushed it off by saying they contact each other occasionally, but for some reason, seeing Seo Ho-yun smiling slyly next to him made his blood boil.
【Yeon-hu: When we go back….】
【MC Ji: Yes!】
【Yeon-hu: Seo Ho-yun-ssi doesn't reply to my texts.】
Kang Yeon-hu had made a big decision to try and screw Seo Ho-yun over with that comment.
However, the studio erupted at his remark.
【MC Park: Oh, Seo Ho-yun-ssi, that’s wrong of you~!】
The atmosphere was practically, "Oh, was our Yeon-hu very upset with Ho-yun~?"
【Yeon-hu: Wait a minute, I’m serious! Ho-yun-ssi is only nice to me when the cameras are rolling!】
【MCs: Ahahaha lolololol】
With a very flustered face, Kang Yeon-hu launched into a passionate speech based on 200% truth: "He plays with people’s hearts," "I have no idea what he’s thinking," "Actually, he doesn't have a single bit of interest in me." But the more he talked, the more the panels just nodded, looking at him with affectionate eyes.
In the end, a pissed-off Kang Yeon-hu shut his mouth, but the scene was later captioned: '25-year-old Kang Yeon-hu, currently starving for love and attention.'
【MC Ji: At this point, we have to hear Ho-yun-ssi’s side! How did you feel hearing Yeon-hu-ssi’s story?】
Seo Ho-yun, who had been consistently looking only at Kang Yeon-hu and listening to his story, slightly lowered the corners of his eyebrows.
【Ho-yun: Our story… I’d prefer it if we didn't tell other people about it, if possible.】
【MC Park: Why not?】
【Yeon-hu: Huh??】
In the moment when everyone’s attention was focused, Seo Ho-yun paused before speaking slowly.
【Ho-yun: Because I want to keep it just between the two of us.】
【Yeon-hu: ……!】
Simultaneously, two skull icons were slammed next to Kang Yeon-hu’s head.
[Seo Ho-yun, you crazy bastard lolololololololololololololololol]
With a pink caption saying 'A world for just the two of them…', the scene transitioned to the Mars main vocal and the Lia Purple youngest.
【Yeon-ri: (Boom-chick boom-chick) Senior. I. Am. Really. Looking. Forward. To. The. Stage.】
【Gu Chan: (Boom-chick bap-chick) Let’s. Do. A. Good. Job. Together.】
[What is going on here? It’s so random it’s making my head hurt from laughing.]
[Ah ㅠㅠㅠㅠ lol ㅠㅠㅠㅠ what are those two doing ㅠㅠ lolololol]
The two were doing their best within their capabilities, but talking in awkward tones while adding beatboxing while standing far apart was just plain hilarious.
At this point, one might wonder if there was any point in following the script, but the gap between the scripted lines and the awkwardness was actually inducing laughter, so it wasn't bad for a variety show.
Of course, there weren't only positive opinions.
[It’s funny, but... am I the only one feeling a bit uneasy? ㅠ]
[Seo Ho-yun and Kang Yeon-hu were distant during Shining Star.]
[If they were going to be friends, wouldn't it have been better to do it during Shas?? Ho-yun isn't so clueless that he wouldn't know this, so why is he doing this??]
└ But you really can't tell what this guy is thinking... it’s hard to guess.. Just when you think you’ve figured out his character, he does something bizarre..]
While the respective fandoms were buzzing, a single photo was posted on a community site in the early hours before sunrise.
[Heol]
Everyone was left speechless upon seeing it.
[Title: 'Sing with Me?' Script Leak]
[Holy sh*t;;;;;;;]
[What is this lol you crazy bastards lolololol]
.
.
.
A few minutes prior, Seo Ho-yun, who was leisurely drinking coffee at the dorm while ignoring all the texts from WH Entertainment celebrities (a certain Mr. Ju, a certain Mr. Kang, a certain Mr. Chae), put down his phone with satisfaction as he watched the post spread.
[Item activated.]
[The player’s good deed is being spread to the outside world.]
The system window flickered above his gaze.
[Processing….]
[Processing….]
[Processing….]
[Processing….]
[Processing….]
[……Processing complete.]
And then, another window popped up.
[To announce the player’s good deed, a portion of the 'Sing with Me?' script is being leaked.]