Becoming An Idol Wasn’T On My Plan [EN]: Chapter 26

26.

Two weeks prior to the next stage, Team Leader Jang Hae-jin was looking at the final debut member prediction chart and sighing.

“…So, three are pretty much confirmed, but the other two are hard to predict, is that it?”

“Yes, that’s right, Team Leader. Ji Dong-hwa, Chae Ha-min, and Ryu Iden—these three seem almost 90% likely to debut, but the rest are neck and neck.”

*If this happens, the debut response will be slightly delayed. At least four members need to be confirmed to finalize the team’s color. And the bigger problem is….*

“Seok-joon is the only rapper left, right?”

She said, leaning back in her chair. *The main vocal is fine; Ji Dong-hwa can be pushed to do it, but the difference in skill is too great unless it’s someone who’s been rapping. What should I do? When receiving the debut song, the rap line….*

“But Team Leader, do you need to worry?”

“What?”

“In this flow, isn’t it advantageous to establish the debut song with Ji Dong-hwa’s self-composed song anyway?”

Of course, the statement itself is correct. Thanks to Ji Dong-hwa continuously building an image as an idol who composes, continuing that image at debut can be an attractive option. But….

“…That’s too much of a gamble.”

“Um, then how about this?”

Jang Hae-jin nodded, signaling her to speak.

“How about turning one of the last missions into a self-production challenge?”

“…Test Ji Dong-hwa’s abilities there?”

“That’s right.”

And so began the planning team’s attempt to test Ji Dong-hwa, and from Ji Dong-hwa’s perspective, it felt like overwork.

* * *

‘Damn agency bastards.’

I’m messing around with songs in the studio, eating the coffee Lee Hyun-jae bought and the bread Chae Ha-min bought. The mission Jang Hae-jin presented was to compose a song that could bring out the charms of the team members. The A&R [Artists and Repertoire] team will help with the arrangement, so I just need to do a good job with the composition.

But there’s a problem that these damn agency bastards haven’t considered. They tell me to write a song that brings out the charms of the team members, but how am I supposed to know who those ‘team members’ are?

According to what Team Leader Jang Hae-jin told me separately, I, Chae Ha-min, and Ryu Iden are almost certain to advance to the 5th competition.

Then three more out of the remaining five will advance to the 5th competition, but how am I supposed to know who they are?

There are six people on stage, and they’re telling me to write a song knowing who only three of them are. Does that make sense?

If Lee Hyun-jae is there, I can widen the vocal range further; if Seok-joon is there, I have to prepare a separate beat for the rap line; if Kim Hyun-jin is there, I have to put more strength into the dance break part. But the damn agency bastards just spit it out easily as if words are everything.

Of course, to be honest, it’s not like I can’t write it. I can just write it so that anyone can handle it and touch it up with the arrangement. And the planning team probably expected this and gave me this kind of mission.

But wouldn’t it be nice to create a stage where all the members receive songs that fit them perfectly and shine brilliantly?

‘…Then, for now, should I try slightly different versions of the song for each possible case?’

Hmm, a total of 10.

* * *

While Ji Dong-hwa was spending almost all night for 4 days in a row, composing a total of 10 versions of the song based on basic sampling, time passed, and it became the day of the elimination announcement.

I supported Chae Ha-min, who was so nervous that he couldn’t even walk properly from the morning, and went to get makeup.

*If that’s the case, he should be smaller than me, but he’s so big that his movements are very uncomfortable.*

‘Come to think of it… I’ve gotten used to applying makeup.’

It’s really strange considering that I had never even applied lotion or skin toner in my previous life.

“Dong-hwa, don’t abandon me even if I get eliminated!”

“…How many times do I have to answer?”

*And Jang Hae-jin says, you won’t be eliminated.*

I sat the anxiously staring Chae Ha-min down for a moment and turned my gaze to the other side.

Lee Hyun-jae and Kim Hyun-jin are holding hands and taking deep breaths. …It looks like some kind of religious ritual. Kim Hyun-jin must have whined for him to hold her hand.

I carefully approached them and poured a cup of tea that I had brought in advance and handed it to them. It’s helpful that I knew about tea that was good for relieving tension when the child was ten years old and going to a competition.

“What is this, hyung [older brother or male friend]?”

“…I thought you were nervous.”

Seeing them receive the cups, I poured a cup for Chae Ha-min and handed it to him. As soon as Chae Ha-min received it, he looked at me with an impressed expression and immediately took a sip. And then….

“Puh―!”

…Sound, all three of them spat out some of what they were drinking.

I was dumbfounded and checked the faces of the three, and they were showing that it didn’t taste good. Then Ryu Iden came next to me and asked as if he was interrogating.

“What is it… that they’re doing that?”

“…Ginseng tea.”

Hearing that, Kim Hyun-jin ran over and lightly poked me.

Then Lee Hyun-jae also ran over and carefully returned the cup to me.

“Ugh, no wonder it tasted so terrible!”

“…Dong-hwa hyung, I, I’m sorry.”

It’s a fuss even if I take care of them, damn guys. It’s useless to show kindness after a long time.

I glared at the two guys as if I was fed up and turned my gaze to Chae Ha-min.

Chae Ha-min, who received my gaze, closed his eyes tightly and drank the rest of the cup at once. Then he swallowed again and put his tongue on his front teeth and scraped it a few times, then he calmed down and looked at me and smiled brightly.

“Dong-hwa, it was delicious!”

“…Should I give you another cup?”

Then Chae Ha-min immediately lowered his gaze.

…Is it that bad?

I thought so and poured the ginseng tea from Lee Hyun-jae’s cup into my mouth.

And with a relaxed expression, I swallowed it all and said to Ryu Iden, who was watching the situation from the side.

“…Ryu Iden, do you want to drink this?”

In the end, the ginseng tea for relieving tension that I brought was used to moisten the tongue of that dog who can’t get enough of health.

“Wow, I feel healthier just by drinking one sip, Dong-hwa hyung.”

…Next time, I should add honey.

* * *

I entered the filming set and was about to spit out a curse at the stepped structure that was still in place, but stopped myself.

*No matter who gets eliminated, I want to break that staircase together. What crazy person came up with the idea of ​​discouraging kids with something like that?*

With Lee Dong-seok’s skillful progress, Chae Ha-min was called first, Ryu Iden was called second, and I was called third in order.

Thanks to Jang Hae-jin, I didn’t have any tension, Ryu Iden was impressed that his ranking rose to 2nd place, and Chae Ha-min was almost fainting.

I heard that I fell to 3rd place because they could cast two votes this time, but I honestly don’t know the details. I just accept it as the logic of this world.

If possible, I hope to debut in 5th place with this momentum. The problem is who survives now.

“Trainee Ji Dong-hwa, how do you feel about your ranking dropping?”

…The broadcasting station writers, what a great script. What should I answer to this?

“…3 was used as a number symbolizing completeness from the three-legged cauldron of ancient China to the Samduiljog-eung [a traditional Korean divination method] of the Korean Peninsula.”

Then Lee Dong-seok was flustered and asked.

“…What does that mean?”

“…I am satisfied with my ranking.”

Then, from two steps above, Chae Ha-min, who was about to faint, whispered to Ryu Iden.

“Sometimes Dong-hwa has some strange aspects, right, hyung?”

Then Ryu Iden pondered and nodded in response.

“Um, there’s also a saying that a highly intelligent human cannot be distinguished from a madman.”

I neatly ignored it and continued thinking. The remaining people are Seok-joon, Lee Hyun-jae, Kim Hyun-jin, Park Woo-jin, and Yoon Seong-ho.

Honestly, I don’t know the last two people well because of my poor social skills, but I’m sure they’re just as desperate for their dreams. I wanted to help those friends too, but it’s a shame.

Still, there’s a custom-made song that I made in preparation for when those friends are left, so, well.

* * *

And unfortunately, that song was never used. Surprisingly, Lee Hyun-jae, who was in the lower ranks last time, landed in 6th place with wings on this stage, and finally survived.

Lee Dong-seok was surprised as he read the next question while having a warm conversation with the eliminated friends as written in the script.

“Trainee Lee Hyun-jae, surprisingly, after this 4th competition stage, his score rose by a large margin, and he advanced to the 5th competition.”

Then Lee Hyun-jae nodded as if he knew it himself.

“I will repay this favor to Dong-hwa hyung for the rest of my life.”

…He’s also crazy.

What is he doing in front of the eliminated kids? It’s like I eliminated them.

“Our fans are also in a mood of praising Dong-hwa hyung. They say I’ll survive thanks to Dong-hwa hyung.”

…It’s just that you’re good, ha, let’s not talk about it.

What can I expect from a guy who doesn’t even know the obvious fact that even the best clothes need to meet the right owner.

* * *

Park Woo-jin and Yoon Seong-ho’s farewell party was held briefly. Gathering in the living room of the dorm and sharing chicken, which Ryu Iden would never eat, together.

“Ah, even if I was eliminated, I wanted to perform on stage with Dong-hwa once and be eliminated! How come that didn’t work out until the end, right?”

Yoon Seong-ho was smiling even though he was eliminated, and Seok-joon was crying and hugging Yoon Seong-ho next to him. Even in that situation, chewing and swallowing chicken is like watching a comedy. Tearful chicken.

“I’m also disappointed.”

I don’t have much contact with Yoon Seong-ho, so it’s an awkward relationship, but according to rumors—specifically, according to Ryu Iden’s evaluation—he’s a true person with the right personality. Especially when Seok-joon is sticking to him like that, you can easily think that he’s a really kind person.

In Park Woo-jin’s case, he’s frowning while looking at Yoon Seong-ho and Seok-joon. Um, why is he doing that? If I were to guess, I could calculate it based on various grounds, but he’s an eliminated person, so he’ll probably be fine.

“Just wait! I’ll debut and chase after you guys closely. Maybe? Maybe I’ll debut sooner?”

Yoon Seong-ho says so and wipes away Seok-joon’s tears with a tissue. Even in the midst of that, he’s chewing on chicken diligently, which is really amazing.

* * *

After briefly holding a farewell party for the two, the remaining 6 people are sitting around in the dorm and listening to my briefing.

“…So the composition was finished a long time ago, and the arrangement is about 80% finished?”

Ryu Iden says as if he’s dumbfounded….

“Iden hyung, look at this.”

Chae Ha-min is making a fuss and turning my laptop screen towards the others….

“…You have different versions for each member?”

Lee Hyun-jae quickly grasped the situation and muttered.

“Seok-joon was eliminated, so there shouldn’t be a rap line.”

“There’s no need to make 10 songs……”

“The timbre and vocal range are all different.”

Lee Hyun-jae shook his head as if he was tired of my attitude of speaking as if it was natural.

“Dong-hwa, then you’ve been sleeping in the studio for 4 days straight….”

It’s expected. I turned on the song, telling them to focus because it’s done.

When the song’s prelude ended, the part I recorded as a guideline came out… wait, guideline?

‘Vienerschnitzel― Viener, Vin, Viener, Schni, Tzel!’

“Wait!”

I hurriedly turned off the song, but everyone had already heard it, and they were failing to hold back their laughter, and saliva was spraying out of their mouths.

Damn it, did I not sleep too much? How could I not remember this. I only thought about doing it properly later… Oh my god.

“…Please don’t misunderstand. It’s a guideline recording, and I just spat out any words that came to my mind because I didn’t want to use my head, and it doesn’t mean anything special. So please allow me to bring a brick and hit you on the head one by one so that you can all forget the memory from earlier.”

The people who were listening to my words while holding back their laughter had a brief expression on their faces at the last words and looked at me seriously.

“…Are you serious?”

“…Do you remember it, Ha-min?”

Then Chae Ha-min shook his head hard from side to side and shouted with a bright smile.

“Not at all, I don’t remember anything!”

I smiled satisfactorily and continued with what I had to say.

“First of all, I think it’s right for me, Hyun-jae, and Seok-joon to be in charge of writing the lyrics, and the remaining three to be in charge of the choreography. And trainee Seok-joon can also compose, so I deliberately left a few parts of the arrangement empty. I hope it will be a song that everyone makes together.”

I spit out words without stopping, and then I shouted, “That’s it,” and got up from my seat. From behind, I could hear Kim Hyun-jin and Ryu Iden playing with my ears.

I carefully grabbed my ears and thought to myself.

…I still need a brick.

* * *

While Ji Dong-hwa’s era of suffering began, and he began to practice one self-produced song and one original song provided by the company,

The Next Ni aired several small episodes, including Ji Dong-hwa’s quiz show, as an episode to take a break for a week, and then showed the moment when the final 5th competition advancing members were confirmed.

And in the idol community, in the cheers of the fans of the surviving trainees and the despair spewed out by the fans of the trainees who couldn’t, a real mess was unfolding.

In the meantime, what was becoming a minor topic was the story about Ji Dong-hwa’s family affairs. Various stories began to circulate about Ji Dong-hwa, who said in the broadcast with a subtle expression that there was no one to call.

[I think Ji Dong-hwa fought with his parents]

They say a Korea University student is becoming an idol, would you guys just let him? If it were me, I would break his ankles and make him go to college, so he couldn’t make a phone call ㅇㅇ [a Korean internet slang indicating agreement]

Comments

―That’s right ㄹㅇ [real] ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

―Being a Korea University student is real ㅋㅋㅌㅌㅋ [laughter] He’s a character that will never exist again in the idol world

(Omitted)

While these kinds of speculative posts were being uploaded, one post, a small spark that would become a big fire in the community, was dropped.

[Asked Ji Dong-hwa’s high school classmate]

Our Dong-hwa’s parents passed away when he was young and are not here… I heard and I keep crying… How hard it must have been for him…

(KakaoTalk conversation photo)

(Ji Dong-hwa’s high school graduation photo album)

(Ji Dong-hwa photo)