Chapter 98
Chapter 98
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 98
Chapter Title: Episode 33: Her Debut (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
After wrapping up the three-day shoot for Jungle Survival Guide, Kang Han-do finally arrived at a place he could call a 'city' for the first time in ages.
'The asphalt underfoot can feel this nostalgic? That's pretty rare.'
Kang Han-do gave a wry smile.
The filming was all done. They had a wrap-up dinner tonight, with departure scheduled for tomorrow.
A company dinner in an unfamiliar city, an unfamiliar country.
No more need for them to grill and eat the fish they'd caught themselves.
Pork and beef after so long.
Kang Han-do savored the taste of meat.
Eun-young, seated right next to him, expressed her感動.
"I had no idea meat could taste this good."
Being on Jungle Survival Guide made even the little things feel like blessings.
Kang Han-do felt just like he had back when he enlisted.
'Even back then, I started appreciating the small stuff. Same here.'
If anyone asked for his post-Jungle Survival Guide recap, Kang Han-do would say this:
It's like the army.
As the mood warmed up, Kim Young-man naturally joined Kang Han-do's table.
"Han-do. Remember what I said?"
"You've said so much to me, hyung. Get some wood, catch some fish, fetch some rocks... what else was it?"
"Hahaha! Not that stuff."
Kim Young-man denied it.
"I asked if you had any thoughts about joining as a regular."
"Oh, that. Right."
"I talked to Oh Yang-cheol just now. If you're up for it, he said they'd slot you in anytime."
Kim Young-man had already wrapped up the discussion with PD Oh Yang-cheol.
He must really like Kang Han-do.
Kang Han-do just smiled.
"I'll think it over carefully."
"Sure. Take your time. I wasn't expecting an answer right now anyway."
Truth be told, he'd already made up his mind.
On the way here after leaving the jungle, Kang Han-do had chatted briefly with Nemid.
Should he join Jungle Survival Guide as a regular or not?
As a variety show enthusiast, Nemid gave him this take.
'Jungle Survival Guide is already Kim Young-man's signature show. Kim Young-man means Jungle Survival Guide, and vice versa. Even if you join as a regular now, I don't think it'd make much of a difference.'
Nemid's assessment rang true, point by point.
Kim Young-man had become the symbol of Jungle Survival Guide. No room for Kang Han-do to shine.
He planned to politely decline the regular spot.
But saying 'Nah, I'm good' less than a day after the offer would seem insincere.
He needed to at least pretend to mull it over. Make it look like after deep consideration, he regretfully had no choice but to pass.
That's why Kang Han-do asked for time.
'Coming back as a guest a few more times later would be plenty.'
That alone would satisfy him fully.
* * *
Kang Han-do stepped onto Korean soil after so long.
The weather back home was still clear and blue.
Returning from jungle greenery to a forest of buildings, Kang Han-do swallowed a wry smile.
'The proportion of green I see every day has dropped so much. Kinda feels disappointing.'
After brief goodbyes with the Jungle Survival Guide crew, Kang Han-do headed straight home.
The moment he got back, he dove straight into bed.
"Whew, I'm beat."
Even for Kang Han-do, jungle life had been intense.
He planned to do nothing but rest for a while.
...Or so he thought, but his schedule was packed.
"Star House shoot in three days, huh."
Then Pobokjeoldo after that.
With at least two fixed programs a week, Kang Han-do couldn't just lounge around freely.
"Still, busy is better."
Having work beats having none.
Knowing the pain of obscurity all too well, Kang Han-do cherished every gig.
Having been away so long, the place was a mess.
Kang Han-do sat up.
"Guess I should clean."
He'd moved into a nice place—might as well keep it tidy.
As he vacuumed the living room floor.
His smartphone rang.
A call from Choi Ye-hee.
"Ye-hee-ssi calls? Gotta pick up."
He hit accept.
Noisy chatter poured through.
"Hello?"
-Hello? Han-do-ssi? You're back in Korea, right?
"Yeah, that's right. Got in this morning."
-Oh... good. I was worried you might still be abroad. After I called, I suddenly remembered you were in the jungle. Thought about hanging up midway, but perfect timing.
Kang Han-do had told Choi Ye-hee in advance he'd be out of the country for a bit due to Jungle Survival Guide.
The racket continued through the phone.
Not outdoors.
"Practice room?"
-Yeah. With the members.
"I see. Sounds like something to celebrate. Everyone's voices sound all excited."
-Wow... Han-do-ssi, your instincts are sharp. How'd you know?
MC training had honed Kang Han-do's ear for others' words.
He could even pick up on the emotions seeping through their tones.
Choi Ye-hee's voice was buzzing with thrill.
And she had good reason to be this pumped.
-We got our debut stage confirmed!
"Oh, really?"
Finally.
After so long, Choi Ye-hee was on the cusp of her lifelong dream: debuting as a singer.
"When?"
-End of this month. 29th, at Music Festa.
Debuting at Music Festa.
A solid, standard path.
But the timeline was tight.
"Not much prep time."
-We’ve been practicing hard all this time, so it'll be fine. Oh, right! We're throwing a party at the dorm. Wanna come, Han-do-ssi?
"Me?"
-Yeah. Members are inviting close contacts for a party. Manager unnie gave the okay.
A guy heading into a girls' dorm. Was that okay?
Kang Han-do pondered deeply.
'They said members are bringing their own guests too. Probably not just me as the lone guy.'
With that, Kang Han-do decided to accept.
"Got it. I'll come."
-Thanks, Han-do-ssi! I'll text the dorm address later, plus date and time!
"Haha, sure."
He'd never heard Choi Ye-hee this giddy.
Her joy was his joy.
"You deserve it. Really."
* * *
Kang Han-do headed to the address from Choi Ye-hee.
7 PM. Time to have dinner at the dorm with Choi Ye-hee and her soon-to-debut girl group members.
The final lineup: five members.
Choi Ye-hee as leader.
Because she was the oldest? No. Age-wise, she was second oldest.
It was because, through practice, she'd been the mental pillar for the team.
'Ye-hee-ssi always had strong resolve.'
Even amid bad breaks, she'd refused to give up on her singing dreams.
He respected that.
Kang Han-do parked, then hit the intercom in the apartment lobby.
Choi Ye-hee and the members lived in 704.
-Yes, who is it?
Not Choi Ye-hee's voice—another woman's.
"This is Kang Han-do."
-Oh my gosh! Come on up!
The women lost it the moment they heard his name.
From what Kang Han-do knew, they were all rookies like Choi Ye-hee, no industry experience.
Meeting an active entertainer like him in person must be thrilling.
Kang Han-do tensed up.
Visiting a girl group's dorm.
He'd been to VSLine's once before—but that was for a show, so less pressure.
This was no broadcast.
This was real.
At 704's door, Kang Han-do rang the bell.
Ding-dong!
The front door unlocked instantly.
A familiar face welcomed him.
"Thanks for coming, Han-do-ssi."
Choi Ye-hee greeted him with a radiant smile.
Just seeing it made Kang Han-do's heart flutter.
"Can I come in?"
"Of course! You're the last to arrive, Han-do-ssi. We were just waiting to start the party once you got here."
Even though it was well before the agreed time, all the other invitees were already there.
Kang Han-do hadn't expected to be the very last.
"Oh no. Sorry about that. Should've come earlier."
"Hoho, it's fine. Come on in."
"Then... excuse me."
Kang Han-do entered the dorm, nerves on edge.
The women erupted in cheers at his arrival.
"Welcome, sunbae-nim!"
"Nice to meet you!"
He looked around here.
Glanced over there.
'It's all girls everywhere?!'
Kang Han-do panicked for a second.
He'd assumed, since they mentioned inviting contacts, there'd be other guys besides him.
But it was all women.
"Um... Ye-hee-ssi?"
"Yes?"
"No one else coming besides these folks?"
"Didn't I say? You're the last to join, Han-do-ssi."
"......"
A thought flashed through Kang Han-do's mind.
'I'm screwed.'
Too late for regrets.
* * *
Nine young women.
Kang Han-do, the sole guy among them, secretly swallowed tension instead of drinks nonstop.
Still, it was worth coming.
Before their official debut announcement, he got the scoop on their group.
Final name: Lian Rose.
Members: Mi-ha, Bay, Ju-ri, Cherry, and Ye-hee. Five total.
"Ye-hee-ssi, going with your real name, huh."
"Yeah. Just dropping the family name—Ye-hee."
"Got it. Oh, by the way, how'd things go with your parents?"
Kang Han-do had been curious about this.
Choi Ye-hee's folks had fiercely opposed her singing dreams from the start.
How'd that shake out?
Suddenly, he had to know.
Choi Ye-hee flashed a meaningful smile.
"Old sayings never miss the mark, huh."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
Her odd reply puzzled Kang Han-do. He tilted his head.
Choi Ye-hee explained why she'd said that.
"There's that saying: no parent ever beats their child."
"Ah."
Even from that alone, he could guess how her family issue resolved.
'Well, yeah. Even before I returned to the past, Ye-hee-ssi debuted as a singer.'
If the opposition had been insurmountable, she wouldn't have made it.
In moments like this, Choi Ye-hee proved she got things done when it counted.