Chapter 321
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 321
Kang Yeon-hu bit his lip, then sat back down with a heavy sigh.
"Seriously, why are you like this?"
"Cute, isn't it?"
I tilted my head and gave him a thin smirk. He took a few deep breaths as if trying to steady himself before changing the subject.
"…Is the comeback preparation going well?"
"Oh, of course. What about you, Senior?"
"Typical. It’s going alright."
Kang Yeon-hu paused, rubbing the space between his eyebrows. He added with a reluctant air, "This comeback is really important for us."
It’s always been important for me.
High Five was scheduled to make their comeback a month after The Dawn finished their promotions. It was a tactic to share the public's attention.
Back when I was at Daepasung, I’d often get other idols' comeback schedules wrong even after scouting and gathering intel. Now, I could easily adjust our release timing without even trying.
I’d heard that High Five still received more capital investment, but since we were getting a decent share of the leftovers anyway, it wasn't too bad.
Of course, these positive aspects would eventually hit a snag at some point.
"…You know that the race for the Grand Prize next year or the year after is going to be a bloodbath."
Just as Kang Yeon-hu said, we might end up as rival candidates for the Grand Prize at the same time. That wasn't something we could just split.
"Right, I know, I know."
I reached out and brushed some non-existent dust off Kang Yeon-hu’s shoulder, acting as if I agreed.
"But Mr. Kang Yeon-hu, why are you bringing up the Grand Prize and testing the waters when we both already know the situation?"
"No, it’s just…."
He was smart enough to know how reckless it was to speak without a clear benefit. That made it harder to figure out his intention behind being so blunt.
"……I was just… feeling anxious. Anyway, just make sure to avoid that junior."
Well, if he didn't want to confess right now, fine.
I’d find out on my own when the time came anyway.
I turned my gaze to the monitoring TV installed in the waiting room. As if it had been left on intentionally, it was playing a previous episode of the program I was guesting on today.
"I want to ask one thing. Is that guy actually talented?"
"That guy?"
Kang Yeon-hu followed my finger, his eyes narrowing as he looked at the screen.
Among the trainees busily dividing into teams, I saw the face of the brat who had grabbed my arm earlier.
"Ah, that trainee from before?"
"Yes."
"You don't need to worry about him, Seo Ho-yun. If he were actually talented, I’d think he was just acting out of desperation, but…."
"Hmm."
"Still, he’s good at image-making, so he has some recognition. This program still has a decent amount of buzz, after all."
Is that so?
Even with the heavy editing, Han Yeong-jin’s skills on the screen were mediocre at best.
As I watched him, Kim Hee-yeong’s words suddenly flashed through my mind.
She said the trainees were going to cover a song by The Dawn.
'Should I give it a try?'
As my lips curled into a grin, Kang Yeon-hu’s eyes narrowed slightly.
"Seo Ho-yun, what are you…."
"Guests, you’re up now!"
"Okay."
Now, how should I use this?
Kang Yeon-hu looked like he wanted to say something more, but he shut his mouth as the staff entered the waiting room. As I hummed a tune while putting on my microphone, I could feel his gaze glued to me.
I walked toward the backstage area with an innocent expression, acting as if I didn't have a clue.
"Please welcome The Dawn’s Seo Ho-yun and High Five’s Kang Yeon-hu!"
At the MC’s introduction, Kang Yeon-hu, who had been warily watching me, followed me onto the set a beat late.
"Whoa!! Seo Ho-yun!!"
"Waaah! It’s Kang Yeon-hu!"
"His face is so small…."
"Holy crap, it’s my first time seeing Seo Ho-yun in person… This is insane."
"He’s so handsome!"
Where did your manners go, you punks? Call me 'Senior.'
The trainees' eyes were a mix of admiration, envy, and jealousy as they cheered in unison.
"Hello, I’m Ho-yun from The Dawn."
Kindness first.
"Since I’ve experienced survival programs myself, this brings back a lot of memories. I was very nervous until the moment I arrived here. Everyone, if you have any concerns, feel free to come to me anytime. I’ll do my best to help. Good luck to all the trainees!"
"Waaaaaah!!"
"Seo Ho-yun Senior, you’re so coooool!"
After rattling off a string of empty pleasantries, I headed to the guest seats.
"…Hello, I’m Kang Yeon-hu."
Following with a brief greeting, Kang Yeon-hu sat down and began to glare at me.
It was as if he were interrogating me, asking what I was plotting.
I simply let my smile deepen.
"…—Your mission is to cover songs by famous idols, including tracks from today's guests, High Five and The Dawn!"
The program hadn't aired yet, but they had been filming for a while and had already completed several missions.
The groups, already divided, began to huddle and whisper.
"Which song should we pick?"
"Wouldn't it be a great opportunity to pick a song by The Dawn or High Five?"
"…That’s a good point, but since this is a competition, let’s weigh our options and decide calmly."
I wandered around to offer 'advice' and smirked when I confirmed that The Dawn was being mentioned in Han Yeong-jin’s group.
Just then, a staff member shouted that they were taking a short break.
The red lights on the cameras flickered off one by one.
It was a conversation that wouldn't cause trouble even if I were caught, but I took off my mic and approached Han Yeong-jin anyway.
"Mr. Han Yeong-jin."
"Ah! Seo Ho-yun Senior."
He seemed surprised that I, who had been cold before, was the first to speak. Moreover, as the eyes of those around us gathered on him, his shoulders seemed to puff up a bit.
"I have something to tell you for a moment."
"…Something to tell me?"
I crinkled the corners of my eyes even more, leaned toward his ear, and whispered softly.
At first, Han Yeong-jin looked wary, his eyes darting around, but as I continued, his expression gradually turned determined, as if he had made a grand resolution.
"…Yes. I think you’re right. Thank you!"
Seeing Han Yeong-jin respond so solemnly, I suppressed the urge to burst out laughing and gave his shoulder a supportive pat.
"Good luck!"
When I returned to the guest seats, Kang Yeon-hu scanned me up and down.
"What did you do?"
"Senior, the audio."
"……."
I shook my microphone at him and put it back on, silencing him. However, he didn't stop staring.
I controlled my lips, which kept trying to curl upward in amusement, and looked forward.
"First up, Team D!"
A moment later, the cameras turned back on, and the MC’s voice rang through the set.
Han Yeong-jin, who had been exchanging words with his teammates, finally nodded.
"Trainee Han Yeong-jin, who holds the Super Pass, please step forward."
"Yes!"
He hopped over to the MC, took the microphone, and spoke with an air of gravity.
"I was certain that no other song could represent us better than this one."
"……."
"I choose The Dawn Seniors' debut song, Second Chance!!"
The moment Han Yeong-jin answered, Kang Yeon-hu’s head whipped toward me.
"Gasp!! I was going to do that one!"
"Ah, what a shame…."
The trainees of Team D all looked pleased. They seemed to believe that since they had secured a highly recognized song, they would have the advantage in this mission.
"Seniors! We’ll work hard!"
I gave a soft smile and clapped for them as they bowed deeply toward me.
Kang Yeon-hu, seemingly unable to manage his facial expression, awkwardly covered his face with his hand.
He had said Han Yeong-jin wasn't talented and that I didn't need to worry.
"Good luck!!"
But when you find such a good card that's so easy to use, isn't it a waste not to play it?
* * *
[Seo Ho-yun is a legendary filial son on Pop-Pop...]
[Why has he become so, so, so sweet lately? ㅠㅠ 'Sweet Ho-yun' is the perfect nickname for him now.]
[LOL, the stories from Noeuls saying they thought they were being cheated on when they saw the Pop-Pop notifications are too funny ㅠㅠ ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
Seo Ho-yun’s "act"—where he seemingly transformed into Seong Ji-won whenever he used Pop-Pop or did a live stream—was famous even among fans of other idols.
— I missed you so much.
— Was today really hard for you?
— Me? I’m fine, of course.
Seeing Seo Ho-yun try his best to appear in the best light, the Noeuls were wrapped around his finger so tightly they couldn't escape, as if they had fallen into a deep quagmire.
[The more Seo Ho-yun puts on an act, the more we enjoy it...
└ I heard a rumor he was sick.
└└ Yeah, but it seems like he doesn't want to talk about it... Seeing how he jumps around on variety shows, he looks perfectly healthy, but rumors of him collapsing go around way too often ㅠ]
[WH security must be tight lol. People said he didn't show up for a few days because he was meeting a girl at a club lol.
└ Yeah, okay, whatever, loser~
└ Don't feed the trolls.]
[Did you see the pre-order results this time?? They’re insane ㄷㄷ]
[Even considering the inflation in boy group first-week sales, hitting a career high every single time is incredible ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[I love how close the kids seem lately....]
Meanwhile, talk about Seo Ho-yun’s image was also circulating secretly among fans.
[Ho-yun seems to have become strangely... calmer lately. What is it?
└ Omg, you too? I can't quite put my finger on it, but he feels strangely like an actor..... He’s always had a mature vibe, but lately, that atmosphere is just oozing out of him.
└└ I love it so much ㅠ I’m drooling.
└└ Hey, try to hide it a little.]
[He was always soft-spoken, but lately, he has this mix of sweetness and coldness lol.
└ Yeah, he feels like someone who’s used to spending time alone without the members ㅋㅋㅋ Why does he have that 'reunited with an ex-boyfriend from study abroad' vibe? So melancholic...
└ Isn't Kang Yi-chae like that lately too?
└└ It’s so annoying. Because of that, Kang Yi-chae is being used in all sorts of black-and-white thumbnails for non-fans' Nutube playlists.
'Try struggling more, it’s fun'—stuff like that...
└└ Holy shit ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
While a subtle peace continued like the calm before a storm, Seo Ho-yun appeared in the teaser for the trainee survival program Idol Jungle.
[What kind of survival show name is Idol Jungle ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ so funny.
But my favorite rookie is on it.
Stop laughing.]
[Ah, Ho-yun is appearing as a guest!!!!]
[It’s hilarious how they plastered Seo Ho-yun’s face the largest in the teaser, holy shit ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
The Noeuls, who had lost interest in survival programs as they poured out with similar formats, began to buzz.
【[Pre-release] ‘The Cuties’ Rebellion!’ We won’t D-ie like this – Second Chance!】
And in that instant, as if they knew exactly when people’s attention would be focused, the pre-release video was dropped on Nutube with perfect timing.
[Ohhh, looks like they covered The Dawn.]
[I figured at least one team would lol.]
The view count rose as fast as the soaring interest.
【This sensation ringing in my head
In other words, I’m back
I clench my hands tight
I can never let this chance go】
[Oh my god.]
However, once the video actually started, everyone was left speechless, their mouths hanging open.
【Stand up with the target, I have confidence
I won’t let go of this cold sensation
Your face that I see even when I close my eyes】
[Crazy.....]
【No, there’s no need to wander
Because I’ll find the way
This time, in this life, I definitely will】
[Wow..........]
It wasn't a look of positive surprise.
[The Second Chance from Hell has arrived.]
They were truly terrible.
[This is hilarious ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ their arms and legs are just flailing everywhere ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[Fuck, people are starting to call them 'The Lost Children.' The lyrics say there's no need to wander, but these guys look like they're completely lost ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[Look at the judges' faces. They should’ve just picked an Ocean Trend song; they could’ve at least pulled that off decently ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
Those who recovered from the shock soon began to laugh hysterically.
[Someone made a comparison video of Kim Seong-hyeon and the trainees dancing. Isn't this too cruel?]
[The Dawn really were different from the start. I thought they had some immature parts in the beginning, but looking at them now, they were just shining.....
└ They caused a total scene when they debuted. They were sniper-level for the otakus.]
[Seo Ho-yun was definitely a klutz back then... but still, he completely captured the stage whenever he appeared. I can see why they said he was center material. This kind of thing really is a matter of celebrity talent...]
In the end, people couldn't finish watching the performance and went looking for The Dawn’s original stages to "cleanse their eyes."
[Da-jun, stop changing the lyrics when you sing.
└ ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└└ Seriously hilarious ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[There’s really no one who can beat Seong Ji-won and Seo Ho-yun’s vocal chemistry lately.
Especially Seong Ji-won, he just crushes everything ㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[Kang Yi-chae not being in the underground scene is a waste, but it’s also so hip-hop.
Lately, whenever anything happens, people say Kang Yi-chae would be better or to bring him into hip-hop, so underground rappers try to bait him by dissing him, but the fact that he doesn't care at all is SO funny.]
[Ho-yun Hyung... I feel myself falling in love with you again.]
Attention on The Dawn rose even higher, and the program also received the spotlight, but Team D, the trainees who covered Second Chance, failed to leave a good impression on the public.
That, of course, applied to Han Yeong-jin as well.
.
.
.
"Pwahahaha."
Meanwhile, Seo Ho-yun, who was alone in the dorm, burst into a hearty laugh while watching the pre-release video.
"Tsk, tsk. Unfortunately, the kids weren't properly prepared."
Contrary to his "unfortunate" comment, Seo Ho-yun chuckled as he scrolled through the comments. The system window slid up beside him.
[Are you satisfied now?]
"Yeah, it’s pretty fun."
[How on earth did you talk him into it?]
"I didn't really do much."
Seo Ho-yun lay back on the sofa, stretching his legs out.
[No matter how careful you are, what if something happens... You might have been annoyed that he talked behind your back, but you should refrain from acting rashly….]
"Hey, do I look like the kind of person who does useless things?"
[……No.]
"Right?"
He was a person who drew lines based on his own standards to distinguish between inside and outside, and for those on the outside, he moved strictly based on profit.
"I’ve set the bait, so now I just have to wait."
Seo Ho-yun gave a graceful, eye-crinkling smile.