Chapter 322
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 322
Just why did he do it?
“Yeon-hu hyung, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing. It’s nothing.”
Why on earth did Seo Ho-yun do that?
“For someone who says it’s nothing, you’re acting way too restless...”
The members’ concerns merely brushed past Kang Yeon-hu’s ears.
In the practice room where all of High Five had gathered to prepare for their comeback, Kang Yeon-hu was lost in thought.
Given the way things were flowing, it was 100% certain that Seo Ho-yun had played Han Yeong-jin.
He had manipulated him into choosing a song by The Dawn.
But no matter how much he racked his brain, he couldn't figure out the reason.
Based on what he’d experienced during Shining Star Season 2 and Want to Sing with Me?, Seo Ho-yun was not the type of person to take on extra trouble without some kind of gain.
Kang Yeon-hu felt a sudden chill and shivered.
Just what is Seo Ho-yun up to?
What kind of bait did Ho-yun dangle to entice Han Yeong-jin—who had been cautiously hesitating—into picking a song by The Dawn? Even though they were filming at the time, Yeon-hu had been so shocked that his facial muscles had twitched uncontrollably.
Sure enough, Han Yeong-jin, who had been using song selection to compensate for his lack of skill, was utterly destroyed. When the pre-release video was uploaded to Nutube, the fallout was massive.
And when the main episode aired yesterday, the performance of Group D, which included Han Yeong-jin, became the talk of the town.
In a bad way, of course.
Kang Yeon-hu ruffled his hair in frustration, then picked up his phone and accessed an online community.
The message boards were still on fire.
[Title: Did Han Yeong-jin lose his mind after getting that Super Pass?
I supported him because he was cute, but he really had to go and screw over my other picks.
You bastard, how could you pick The Dawn for a cover song!!! Don't you know that after Black Call, The Dawn is the group you should avoid at all costs??
└ Why?? Because they’re popular?
└└ The members make it look so easy that it seems simple, but if you actually try it, it’s fucking hard lol.
└└ Agreed. Their vocal range is insane.
└└ To be honest, he couldn't capture the vibe at all. Not even a little bit. He sounded like some random guy at a coin karaoke.
└ It’s like he had no idea how difficult The Dawn’s songs are. He even said it was the debut song from Second Chance.
└└ Did he just pretend Glow didn't exist? T_T]
[Title: But wasn't Han Yeong-jin usually pretty smart?
He could seem a bit sly, but he always looked out for himself without crossing the line.
Looking at the editing, it seemed like he wasn't going to push for it at first...
But I don't know what happened to our Yeong-jin-chan... suddenly he picks The Dawn’s Second Chance.
└ All the other kids were trying to stop him, but his eyes just flipped.
└└ Plus, he suddenly started looking at Seo Ho-yun with hearts in his eyes.
└└ Seriously, what was that? Lmao.]
The moment he read that, a blurry figure flashed through Kang Yeon-hu’s mind: ‘Jeong Won-ha,’ whom he had briefly encountered during Shining Star Season 2.
He was another person who had been bewitched by the crafty Seo Ho-yun and ended up ruining a precious stage. Han Yeong-jin was likely no different.
“It’s obvious...”
Ho-yun must have found a crack in his heart and slipped in some sweet bait.
However, the results of such actions wouldn't be entirely positive.
[Title: Is it just me, or is this a bit uncomfortable? T_T
No matter what, those guys are total newbies who haven't even stood on a proper stage yet... I feel like people are comparing them to The Dawn too much.
It feels like a big corporation crushing a small business.
People should be a bit nicer...
└ Yeah, I feel like this has gotten a bit overheated...
└└ Honestly, The Dawn must have prepared like crazy for their debut too... lol. Crushing trainees like this... it feels a bit petty to me.
└└ I get what the post is saying, but the comments are weird as hell. The Dawn was from a total nugu agency back then. They were self-produced idols from an agency where the ceiling leaked.
└└ Exactly. If you’re talking about debut standards, the training they received was probably worse than what these trainees get now, definitely not better. Especially Han Yeong-jin and Jeong In-hyeon, they’ve been at a big agency for years lol.
└└ Still, trainees and debuted idols are different~
└└ Most of the comparison videos being posted are from The Dawn’s early days, so what’s the difference? Even Seo Ho-yun, who was called a Ttukttak-i back then, is slaughtering those guys. The trainees deserve the criticism.
└└ Whoa, what’s with the vibe in here?]
As expected.
As The Dawn’s reputation rose through comparisons with the trainees, the gap between them became more pronounced, and an increasing number of people began to feel uncomfortable with that disparity.
[Title: WH, stop releasing the paid shills. It’s so obvious lol.
Honestly, the ass-kissing for The Dawn is getting ridiculous.
People are talking about a "re-evaluation," but who doesn't know these guys just got lucky with their timing and hit it big by "house-breaking" when no one else was promoting?
And if they weren't better than trainees, they should just quit being idols and die lol.
Anyone who’s been in K-pop for a while knows they’re being overrated just because they’ve been climbing lately...
I’ve been holding it in, but this is crossing the line, for real~
└ Why are you so mad?
└└ (This comment has been deleted)
└└ Whoa... ;; Hey, you should go to a hospital.
└ But I kind of agree~ Everyone keeps calling them "talented," but honestly, I don't see it.
└ Is that just a small agency thing? They love that "self-made" narrative so much. In reality, they aren't even self-made. "Self-produced" my ass. Are the Daepasung employees just sitting around sucking their thumbs? The fans who think an idol just pops out of nowhere as long as they have The Dawn have the IQ of a chimpanzee.]
“...I knew this would happen.”
Kang Yeon-hu, who had been scrolling down the screen with his finger, let out a deep sigh. He turned off his phone and approached the High Five members who had begun warming up.
After spending half a day focused on practice, he was heading to the underground parking lot with his members to return to the dorm.
On Nutube, "The Dawn Mistake Compilations" were being uploaded. Minor errors that weren't even noticeable were being edited together to make them look like huge blunders.
At the same time, mockery and criticism of The Dawn were beginning to spread.
By this point, Kang Yeon-hu felt genuinely frustrated.
He didn't particularly want to go out of his way to see Seo Ho-yun, but he felt like he needed to talk to him, even if just for a moment. Yeon-hu sent the members ahead and turned back toward the elevators.
Just then,
“Oh, Yeon-hu!”
Chae Jeong-woo called out to him from the end of the hallway.
Perhaps because it was the off-season, Chae Jeong-woo’s hair was a bit messy, but his skin looked radiant and healthier than ever.
Kang Yeon-hu immediately approached him with a faint smile.
“It’s been a while. Where are you going?”
“Ah, the 11th floor.”
“That’s perfect. I was heading there too. Let’s go together.”
The senior was as gentle as ever and seemed to be looking out for him.
“Senior, how have you been lately?”
“Oh, man, being on break is the life. I feel bad for the fans, though.”
Chae Jeong-woo gave a slightly embarrassed laugh.
“My throat is doing better, too. At this rate, I think I’ll be fully recovered soon.”
“Ah, that’s a relief.”
They exchanged small talk as they boarded the elevator. When they got off on the 11th floor, Kang Yeon-hu said goodbye and turned to walk away, but their paths kept overlapping.
“...Oh? Do you have business this way?”
“Yeah. I’m looking for a member who has nothing to do.”
“A member with nothing to do?”
“Here, look.”
Saying that, Chae Jeong-woo grabbed the knob of The Dawn’s practice room and opened it carefully.
“Hey!!!”
The first thing that hit his ears was a loud shout.
Startled, Kang Yeon-hu peeked through the gap in the door to look inside.
“You, seriously, huh? Do you have any sense at all? If you’re going to dance like this, just postpone the comeback!”
There stood Ju Woo-seong, running a hand through his hair in irritation.
“Yeah, yeah, I get it.”
And in front of him stood Seo Ho-yun, scowling and standing with his weight on one leg.
“If it’s because you’re hurting, then quit even more! I told you before. Gritting your teeth and pushing through when your body is falling apart is the stupidest thing in the world.”
“I said I’m not hurting.”
“Are you being bullied by the Planning Team? Or the Management Team? Just go and throw a fit. Like the way you threw a fit at me when we first met.”
“I said I’m not! Seriously, stop nagging!”
The other members of The Dawn seemed used to this situation, as they were calmly focused on their own practice.
Kang Yeon-hu watched the scene with a dazed expression.
“Ugh, you nuisance...”
Ju Woo-seong thumped his chest with his fist and glared at Seo Ho-yun.
“I feel like I’m going to get a stress-induced illness just talking to you. I need to drink something cold.”
“I don't like the company cafe.”
“Look at you, being picky. I’ll buy you something delicious outside, so follow me.”
There’s no way Seo Ho-yun will go, right?
He’s a person who weighs the pros and cons of everything.
However, surprisingly, although Seo Ho-yun grumbled, he obediently trudged along behind Ju Woo-seong.
Ju Woo-seong, reaching the door first, raised an eyebrow when he saw Chae Jeong-woo and Kang Yeon-hu.
“Chae Jeong-woo, what are you doing here?”
“You said you had to buy a gift for your sister today.”
“Ah, right. Wait a second. Let me just take care of this guy first.”
“Hello, seniors.”
“Yeah, whatever. Go ahead.”
As soon as Chae Jeong-woo finished speaking, Ju Woo-seong quickly brushed past them. Seo Ho-yun bowed once more and followed after him.
Kang Yeon-hu just stared blankly at the two of them.
Wait, weren't they fighting?
“It’s going to take a while longer. I can't wait. Yeon-hu, I’ll be going first.”
Ultimately, Chae Jeong-woo, looking troubled as he scratched his head, patted Kang Yeon-hu on the arm and left.
Kang Yeon-hu, who had wanted to speak to Seo Ho-yun, also had no reason to stay.
Just as he was about to return to the dorm, his eyes met Kim Seong-hyeon’s, who gave him a 90-degree bow.
“Senior, Ju Woo-seong sunbae-nim and Ho-yun will probably be back in a bit. Why don't you wait and see them before you go?”
“That’s right! Come on in!”
“Ah... okay.”
As he gave an awkward reply and entered the practice room, Seong Ji-won approached him warmly.
“Have you been well?”
He mentioned how it was hard to see him even though they were in the same company, and how he was curious about how he’d been.
While responding sincerely that they had also been busy preparing for their album, Kang Yeon-hu felt out of place.
“And I heard from Ho-yun that you helped us a lot during Shining Star.”
“...I did?”
What on earth did I...
Seeing his puzzled expression, Seong Ji-won gave a wide smile, the mole on the bridge of his nose crinkling slightly.
“Yes. Thank you so much. Actually, there are many things I personally want to learn from you, so I wanted to talk to you like this.”
“Ah...”
Even though he was saying nothing but pleasant things in a soft voice, it didn't feel artificial at all.
Feeling unnecessarily bashful, Kang Yeon-hu looked away and rubbed the tip of his nose with his index finger.
“I’m the one who’s grateful that you’d say that.”
Seong Ji-won gave him a warm look.
He felt like he finally understood why Seo Ho-yun, with his personality, protected his members so fiercely.
Kang Yeon-hu cleared his throat softly to change the subject.
“Ahem, the comeback... is it going okay?”
“Pardon?”
“There have been a lot of rumors going around lately.”
Having said that much, Kang Yeon-hu quickly shook his head and tried to fix it. He realized it wasn't something he should easily comment on.
“Ah, never mind. I was talking nonsense.”
While he was mentally kicking himself for speaking out of turn, Kang Yi-chae suddenly spoke up.
“Are you talking about the posts saying it’s shameless to compare us to trainees?”
A startled Kang Yeon-hu quickly waved his hands, but Seong Ji-won, who was beside him, responded calmly.
“Ah... right. There were reactions like that.”
“I couldn't forget that stage.”
“Haha, honestly, their preparation did seem a bit lacking.”
Kang Yi-chae and Seong Ji-won were excessively nonchalant. Even Kim Seong-hyeon didn't seem particularly bothered.
Listening to their conversation, Kang Yeon-hu stole a glance toward the corner.
“...Hmm.”
It was where Jeong Da-jun was sitting, half-lounging.
In his memory, Jeong Da-jun was someone who was easily swayed by his surroundings and seemed unstable. That was why he had made mistakes.
Perhaps because he was concerned, even though he’d told himself not to speak, he ended up asking anyway.
“Da-jun, are you okay?”
“Huh?”
Startled by the sudden call, Jeong Da-jun stopped moving as he straightened his posture. Then, his lips twitched.
“Of course, I’m fine!”
“...Don't you feel it’s unfair?”
Jeong Da-jun tilted his head slightly as if he’d heard a completely unexpected question.
“Is there anything to feel unfair about?”
“What?”
“We just have to show them with our skills.”
Wow. The youngest of The Dawn has really grown a lot.
Just as Kang Yeon-hu was about to be impressed, the members of The Dawn, seizing the opportunity to tease, curled their lips and quickly surrounded Jeong Da-jun.
“Ooooh, ‘we just have to show them with our skillllls’~”
“Wow~ Our Da-junie, your confidence is so coooool~.”
“Man, Jeong Da-jun, you’re a true top idol.”
“Wha-what?”
Jeong Da-jun gritted his teeth as he watched his hyungs circle him, each adding a comment.
“Show! Them! Your! Skills! Show! Them!”
“Show! Them! Your! Dance! Break! Show! Them!”
They even clapped their hands in rhythm as they teased him.
“I’m leaving!!”
His skin turning bright red, Jeong Da-jun let out a shout, jumped up, and ran out of the practice room.
They’re raising him tough.
Kang Yeon-hu could feel a very strong scent of Seo Ho-yun lingering over The Dawn.
*
Because he had returned with exactly five drinks, Kang Yeon-hu ended up taking Seo Ho-yun’s drink instead. It was so sweet that he couldn't even take a proper sip, and after lingering awkwardly, he had to leave the practice room.
Afterward, he tried to dig for information about The Dawn’s comeback preparations through his manager, but the only response he got was that, per WH Entertainment policy, the progress of other teams could not be shared.
In the end, he only found out about The Dawn’s new album on the day the teaser was released.
【The Dawn - Yeondeunghoe (Lotus Lantern Festival) Teaser】
From the very first note, the clear sound of a gayageum rang out. Lotus lanterns that had been floating in the black night sky suddenly plummeted toward the ground as if reversing time.
In the center of it all, Seong Ji-won, dressed in a jade-colored durumagi with elaborate embroidery, stepped forward without any restraint.
【I send my heart upon a flower
Like a rainbow floating high】
Amidst the refreshing yet grand and classical tone, the sounds of electric guitar, bass, synthesizer, and drums harmonized, blending in a city-pop melody.
【In the time that is not far off
Because we will meet again】
The video, lasting about 30 seconds, ended in an instant.
Kang Yeon-hu let out a small sigh and rubbed the space between his eyebrows.
“This is crazy.”
Jeong Da-jun’s talk about skills wasn't just personal emotional growth.
He had said it naturally because he was truly confident.