Chapter 88
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 88
“What do you think you’re doing?”
Disgusted, I quickly ushered the minors and non-smokers out before stepping back inside to fling the windows wide. Harsh sunlight poured in, but Im Hyeon-su didn't seem to care. She remained slumped in her chair, legs propped up on the desk, idly swinging her feet.
Her personality had always felt similar to Kang Yi-chae’s, but lately, even her mannerisms were becoming identical. It seemed that while they were busy playing teacher and student, they had managed to absorb each other's worst traits at record speed.
“With all this smoke, it’s a miracle the alarm hasn't gone off.”
“I specifically picked a spot with a broken alarm… so I could smoke indoors…”
“Are you insane?”
“It’s my building, it’s fine. Besides, we’re on the first floor. If there’s a fire, I’ll just jump out the window.”
“Get it fixed. Now.”
What is wrong with her?
Im Hyeon-su’s condition seemed a bit off. I’d always thought she was a bit of an airhead, but she was acting even stranger than usual today.
Once the windows were open and the smoke cleared out, the air became breathable again. Still, it felt too early to let the other members back in, so I stood there with my arms crossed, staring her down.
Im Hyeon-su, who had been puffing away with stubborn persistence, didn't give me her usual sly smirk. Instead, she lowered her legs from the desk and slowly averted her gaze.
...What now?
I looked at the ashtray beside her and felt a wave of revulsion. Cigarette butts were piled up like a mountain, and several empty packs were scattered around it.
“I don’t care if you’re the landlord; is this really okay? Indoors?”
“Look who’s talking. Didn't you smoke here too?”
“Tsk, I don't recall.”
“Is this a congressional hearing?”
I had smoked while threatening her before. Im Hyeon-su grumbled, “This is why you can’t trust people who quit smoking; they get way too high and mighty,” before sighing deeply and fiddling with a cigarette pack.
“I don’t know… I think I’ll just smoke a pack a day—no, two—and die young. I’m gonna live like a total badass artist and then kick the bucket early.”
“Excuse me?”
“In this industry, people tend to overvalue the talent of those who die young. I’m going to shine bright until the very end and then drop dead. What do you think? Pretty cool, right?”
Pathetic…
Did she lose her sense of style along with her sanity?
I stared at her in disbelief before taking a seat on the folding chair next to her. Then, I grabbed the armrest of her chair, which she was spinning around in a dizzying circle.
I didn't know what was bothering her, but...
Maybe it’s time for a little ‘encouragement.’
“You can’t. Don’t die.”
“...!”
“To me, Composer-nim…”
Im Hyeon-su, forced to stop her spinning, looked at me with a momentarily touched expression.
“I want to use you until the very, very, very end.”
“You little shit…”
When I smiled sweetly and told her I wanted to milk her for all she was worth for as long as humanly possible, Im Hyeon-su slapped my hand off her chair and rolled away.
Since we’d traded enough jokes and the air had cleared, I called the members waiting outside.
“Does it smell?”
“It’s fine!”
They didn't say it didn't smell.
The members—including Jeong Da-jun, who was too kind to ever successfully tell a white lie—bowed to Im Hyeon-su, who was still slumped over like a half-melted jelly, and carefully took their seats on the sofa.
“So, why are you here?”
“It’s a fan song. We’d like you to take a look.”
“Sigh…”
Im Hyeon-su let out a long breath and leaned back so far she was practically lying in her chair. Normally, she would have cursed them out while secretly getting excited to hear Kang Yi-chae’s work… but today, she was strangely listless.
The quick-witted Kang Yi-chae noticed it too, pausing as he pulled out his laptop.
After a moment, Im Hyeon-su rubbed her eyes and abruptly sat upright.
“Fine. Play it.”
“...Yes, ma’am.”
As expected, Kang Yi-chae was a very good listener when it came to Im Hyeon-su. The song he had churned out in such a short time sounded beautiful, even to my untrained ears.
The track, which evoked the vibe of a 1980s American high school, consisted of a powerful up-beat and a refreshing melody.
Kang Yi-chae really is something else.
After that incident, he had seemed a bit depressed, but then he’d suddenly locked himself in his room and started obsessively watching classic movies. After binge-watching 80s American films with Jeong Da-jun, he’d started shouting things like, “I am an American high teen!” “I’m Kang Yi-chae-busters!” and “I’m going back to the past in a flaming car!” while producing this beat.
Honestly, as long as he produced a killer track, I was willing to tolerate whatever nonsense came out of his mouth.
[♫♪♫♪]
Leaving the focused members behind him, Kang Yi-chae watched Im Hyeon-su nervously. Even after the song ended, she remained silent for a long time.
“...?”
Just as we were starting to exchange uneasy glances, her hand reached for the cigarette pack, then stopped. Her eyelashes fluttered once before she spoke.
“...It’s good.”
“Oh!”
“Whoa!”
The members, who didn't know Im Hyeon-su that well yet, cheered simply because they’d been praised by a famous composer. I, however, found myself momentarily speechless as I looked at her.
Kang Yi-chae seemed to feel the same, but he lowered his gaze for a second before flashing a grin.
“It’s all because I learned from our genius composer~.”
“Of course. Where else would you have learned it?”
Im Hyeon-su countered with a light joke and began giving feedback, pointing at the program on the screen. Every time Kang Yi-chae adjusted the computer, hanging on her every word as if he didn't want to miss a single syllable, the song became richer and more polished.
I leaned back against the sofa, watching them for a moment before looking away.
Min Ji-heon…
I had tried contacting him afterward, of course, but I received no reply—perhaps the rumor that he’d gone to China was true. I hadn't seen him at the company at all. I considered trying to reach him through his manager or the agency, but I knew I wouldn't be able to have a proper conversation that way.
I toyed with my lip, untangling the knot of thoughts in my head one by one.
Min Ji-heon… definitely knows something.
Let’s start from the beginning.
When we met in Jeju and at the company, he’d said something vague: “You look like you’re in a hurry.”
He’d later retracted it, saying he’d misspoken, but…
What exactly am I in a hurry for?
It was true that I was working my tail off in this godforsaken game, doing things I’d never planned to do, but there was definitely no time limit on clearing this scenario. The instruction was simply the vague goal of becoming a first-tier idol.
Quests occasionally had time limits, but I’d always assumed they were just part of the situation and never questioned the underlying reason.
...Wait.
Is there something I missed?
I’d always thought the quest rewards, failures, and the system itself were arbitrary and poorly balanced—but what if they weren't?
What if there’s a reason the system window hasn't told me, and Min Ji-heon noticed it… and that’s why he said I was in a hurry?
What if he has a limit, too?
“...Hey.”
Even if that were the case, many mysteries remained. How did Min Ji-heon, who supposedly knew nothing, show me that car accident? Why did the system window error out? And—
Just as I was about to fall down another rabbit hole of thoughts, someone tapped my shoulder.
“Hey, Seo Ho-yun.”
“...Ah.”
It was Im Hyeon-su, standing in front of me with her hands in her pockets and a crooked posture. Except for me, who had been spacing out, the members were already standing and saying their goodbyes.
“What were you thinking about so hard that you couldn't hear me?”
“I was thinking of ways to insult you, Composer-nim.”
“You little brat, seriously…”
I shrugged and was about to leave when Im Hyeon-su caught me.
“Wait a second. I have something to say.”
“Me? Um, okay.”
“Cheong-beom Composer-nim! Thank you again for today!”
“Thank you!”
“Yeah, yeah, get going.”
Leaving me behind in her grasp, the rest of the members quickly bowed and scrambled out. Watching their retreating backs, I hoped they had the sense to buy me something sweet to recharge my energy while they waited.
I sat back down on the sofa. As if she’d been waiting for the others to leave, Im Hyeon-su plopped into her chair and pulled out another cigarette.
“Are you seriously a chain smoker? You couldn't even wait a minute?”
“Fuck, give me a break… Life is too annoying, I have to smoke.”
“…….”
I stared at her. Im Hyeon-su set down her lighter, exhaled a cloud of smoke, and tilted her head back toward the ceiling.
“Kang Yi-chae is really…”
“…….”
“I’m really, really, really jealous of him.”
It was almost a mutter to herself. Like words that had slipped out despite her trying to hold them back.
Just as I was about to knit my brows, Im Hyeon-su flicked her ash and turned her gaze toward me.
“—Anyway, that’s not what I wanted to talk about. I just wanted to chat.”
“Why?”
“...You look a bit on edge.”
“...Me?”
No, I was actually… feeling like I’d regained my composure a bit. When I arched an eyebrow, Im Hyeon-su narrowed her eyes at me.
“You always look sensitive, but today, it’s even more… yeah.”
“…….”
“Did something happen?”
She’s surprisingly soft-hearted.
I let out a sigh and slid down the sofa until I was practically lying on it. What was I supposed to say?
That there’s a senior at my agency who’s lost his marbles and showed me my own trauma?
...Instead of saying that, I scanned Im Hyeon-su from head to toe. I saw her flinch.
“I…”
“…….”
“I quit smoking, remember?”
“Ah, shit. I totally get it. Okay.”
The heavy smoker Im Hyeon-su nodded vigorously. Seeing her puffing away right in front of someone who was supposedly struggling with quitting made me burst out laughing. When I covered my mouth and my eyes crinkled, Im Hyeon-su clicked her tongue and shook her head.
“Don't smile like that. I might actually start liking you.”
“I guess we have grown close.”
“No, would anyone like you? I wish you’d just get lost already.”
Why? I want to see you for a long, long time.
Im Hyeon-su took another drag, crushed the cigarette out in the ashtray, and was about to reach for a new one when her phone vibrated.
“Huh?”
I figured we were done, so I was about to say goodbye and escape this raccoon den, but Im Hyeon-su muttered as she looked at the caller ID.
“It’s Hee-yeong.”
“...???”
Hee-yeong??
“What’s up with Hee-yeong? She actually sent a text.”
What kind of nonsense was this?
Without even looking at me, Im Hyeon-su put a fresh cigarette in her mouth and tilted her head as she typed a reply.
“...PD Kim Hee-yeong?”
“Yeah. We’re close these days. We met at a gathering a while back. She’s a heavy drinker…”
When I fell silent, Im Hyeon-su, who had been smirking while replying, must have sensed something suspicious. She looked at me with a face full of questions.
“...Why are you pissed?”
“I’m not pissed.”
What reason would I have to be pissed?
However, Im Hyeon-su narrowed her eyes, studied me, and then came to her own conclusion, snapping her fingers.
“What, you think we’re talking shit about you??”
“…….”
“Wow, you’re like a psychic. You’re right, you brat. All we do when we meet is talk trash about you.”
I felt a sudden wave of dizziness and pressed a hand to my forehead.
I really, really wanted to stop hearing about that side of things, but since I was currently a ‘nobody,’ I couldn't even block their numbers…
Naturally, Im Hyeon-su, unaware of my plight, kept babbling.
“Sorry, but you’re not invited~. Hee-yeong and I are totally besties now. Have you heard of it? Best Friends?! B.F.F.! It’s a circle a nobody like you can’t easily join… I saw Ju Woo-seong the other day, and it’s 100% clear you’re blackmailing him too. Maybe we’ll make it a trio.”
“Fuck…”
“If there’s anyone else you’re blackmailing, let me know. We’re accepting new members.”
Im Hyeon-su cackled and shooed me away. I was planning on leaving anyway!
I stood up abruptly, glared at her, and walked out. Even as the door closed, I could hear her giggling at her phone. She was so incredibly annoying.
“Hyung!! Over here, over here!”
“Ah, you came out just as I bought this. Drink up!”
As I strode out, Jeong Da-jun waved a hand while struggling to hold an armful of snacks. Beside him, Seong Ji-won held out a Java Chip Frappuccino.
“Java chips with caramel drizzle, mocha syrup, and espresso whipped cream. I thought you might want something sweet today.”
Thank god my members have some sense.
“Thanks.”
I took the drink and took a long pull through the straw. As the sugar hit my system, my irritation subsided, and I regained my cool. Seong Ji-won blinked and asked tentatively.
“...But Ho-yun.”
“What.”
“Why were you annoyed?”
“I wasn't annoyed!”
* * *
While Seo Ho-yun was busy being pissed off about connections that had already been ruined (by his own doing) beyond repair… he still worked incredibly hard. Thanks to that, a video was quickly uploaded to The Dawn’s Nutube channel.
[The Dawn – Will you go to prom with me? (Teaser)]
Without a single hint or even a mention on B-Live, the teaser was suddenly posted. As Starlights clicked on the video with wide eyes, a 20-second teaser unfolded.
[♫♪♫♪]
The video begins with Jeong Da-jun picking up a letter in front of a locker.
It cuts to Kim Seong-hyeon shooting a basketball into a hoop, then Seong Ji-won picking out a rose in front of a flower shop, followed by Kang Yi-chae leaning against an old-fashioned motorcycle, chewing gum.
The simple, refreshing beat shifts at a certain point into the characteristic up-tempo music of the 1980s. Kang Yi-chae, who maintained a sophisticated beat that blended modern trends with a retro feel, truly possessed a talent that even Im Hyeon-su could be jealous of.
Finally, under purple lights and backed by a band consisting of drums, bass, guitar, and piano, Seo Ho-yun appears, gripping a stand mic with a smirk.
[Yes, I’m asking you]
The purple light reflected off his fine, voluminous hair, making it shine brilliantly, and his slightly upturned eyes crinkled playfully.
As if he were a bit shy, and perhaps a little afraid, toward his fresh, youthful love.
[Will You Go To Prom With Me?]
A short highlight played, and the song title appeared on a black screen.
It was a fan song.