Becoming An Idol Wasn’T On My Plan [EN]: Chapter 120

120.

Since the success of a drama is determined after its broadcast, I decided to focus on what I can do now.

That’s the album work.

Even if it’s not the title track this time, I want to write a song that I want to do, a song that I want to sing with the members.

In the case of ‘The Last Beginning: the First Last,’ it was a song I wanted to write, but there were problems with putting all my greed into it because it was the title track. Just like when I was working on the song I wanted to give to Mok-hwa, I want to write a song my way, just once.

Of course, it’s somewhat greedy.

I was engrossed in working again for a while, and then it was time to turn on the W app, so I proceeded with Monthly Ji Dong-hwa. It seemed like the number of viewers had increased significantly, and I wondered if it was due to the influence of the bizarre word ‘tteok-sang’ [sudden surge in popularity] that Lee Hyun-jae had mentioned.

As I fiddled with the keyboard and typed in the chat window, I saw an eye-catching comment.

― The broadcast of the Idol Star Athletics Championships is coming up soon, do you have any stories to tell????

Ah, that damn sports competition is having its main broadcast. I let out a soft laugh. I’m sorry to the staff who may have suffered because of me, but I can’t help but smile when I imagine the flustered PD [production director].

“I enjoyed the Athletics Championships quite a bit. I can’t spoil the contents of the main broadcast, but I think Luminus will also enjoy watching it.”

Reactions like ‘Oh—’ pop up in the chat window.

Is there any idol you’ve become close to, Dong-hwa?

“An idol I’ve become close to… you say?”

Um, not really. To be honest, I haven’t really approached anyone other than the people I already knew. The only thing is that I made a contract with Yaeon. He says himself that he has a good sense, but a sense is created statistically by gathering countless experiences and keen senses, so it’s worth referring to.

I was wondering if it would be rude to the person who asked the question if I said I didn’t have any, when another comment caught my eye.

— Yaeon mentioned you on his Insta live, did you see it????

“Yaeon-ssi… Um, I’m sorry, but can I ask what Insta live is first?”

The chat window goes crazy again. Well, it seems like it’s more enjoyable to chat than to work on arrangements, so I put my hands down from the keyboard for a moment and quickly read the comments one by one.

“Ah, it’s like the W app, but provided on social media. Yaeon sunbaenim [senior] mentioned me.”

I try to sort out the comments one by one. I slowly realize what Insta live is and what happened.

To put it simply, Jun-sung and Yaeon were doing a live broadcast on social media, and my story came up by chance, and they poured out positive reviews.

“Is that so. I am also very grateful to Jun-sung sunbaenim. Yaeon sunbaenim… to be honest, I haven’t known him for very long. However, he helped me when I was in trouble before.”

— Wow, Dong-hwa also meets other celebrities ㅠㅠㅠㅠ I’m relieved, really ㅜㅠㅠㅜㅡㅜ

— I didn’t think you’d be socializing ㅎㅎ

— Wow, this is the first time I’ve heard Dong-hwa talk about other celebrities ㅋㅌㅋㅌㅋㅋㅋ

I don’t know how you see me. I wonder if it’s a coincidence that I’m reminded of my mother sighing with relief when I talked about a friend I was close to when I was in kindergarten.

“I don’t know why you all treat me like a son.”

There are countless people who could be seen as sons in this group. Except for me, so it can be said that there are countless.

* * *

When I finished working and returned to the dorm, I saw two pairs of shoes that I had never seen before in the hallway. Um, is there anyone who would come to our dorm? I get a little nervous. I know all the types of shoes that people who can come into this dorm have, and they wouldn’t have bought new shoes and changed into them, would they?

I carefully peek out to check. You never know, there might be things from the past. And a strange figure inside turns his head and looks at me, then shouts.

“Composer-nim!”

What, that Yaeon.

The familiar figure next to him also turns his head at the voice.

“Dong-hwa hoobae [junior]!”

Jun-sung.

I have a small wish that both of them would disappear. What are they doing in our space?

The two who ran over grabbed my arm and led me inside.

“Welcome, we have a thank-you gift!”

“That’s right, Dong-hwa hoobae! Our Yaeon bought ice cream to thank you for mentioning him on the W app!”

I’m really sorry, but do you two have that little to do? I’m sure TOT is starting work on their comeback album this time, and I’m writing songs for them.

When I went to the table, Chae Ha-min, Lee Hyun-jae, and Seok-joon were already sitting there with spoons, taking bites.

Ryoo Yi-deun, of course, wasn’t eating due to health issues.

“Hyung [older brother/male senior], this place is so delicious.”

Chae Ha-min is already talking informally to Yaeon, grinning.

“Wow, I wanted to try this too! I was so excited as soon as I saw this on the intercom screen!”

Followed by Lee Hyun-jae. And Seok-joon closes his eyes tightly as if overcome with excessive emotion and mutters in a small voice, ‘Thank you.’

Really, it feels strange. I think I felt like this when Mok-hwa followed someone else when they said they would buy something delicious.

I took a spoon from Jun-sung. Um, I should choose one that looks a little less sweet.

“Ah, come to think of it, I heard you decided on a drama script this time?”

Yaeon suddenly asks me while I’m taking a bite.

“…Yes, that’s right.”

“Which one did you choose, Pomegranate or what was it? My Life Something Something?”

I look at his face for a moment to figure out what his intention is with such a sudden question. He has an expectant look. It gives off a nuance that he clearly knows which drama would be more beneficial to choose.

“…Pomegranate will bloom again, so I chose it.”

“I see. It was subtly helpful, wasn’t it?”

I quickly rack my brain. …It seems like there’s someone in that drama among the celebrities on that list. However, I chose it without knowing who would be in the drama yet, so it wasn’t really helpful.

Jun-sung, who has excellent multitasking skills, even while talking to the other members, flinches, looks at Yaeon for a moment, and then focuses on the conversation again. Oh dear, was it a trade secret?

“…Um, it will be very helpful.”

“Ooh, what’s this. Not this time? I’m going to be a little sad.”

He cleverly twisted the words to naturally move on, but he deliberately points out the part I was hiding.

“…I’m sorry, but I don’t like acting cute.”

“Oh, Yaeon is just cute?”

…Seriously, only Mok-hwa can say something like that and make it somewhat understandable. I quietly put down the spoon and look at Yaeon for a moment.

“Why, because I’m cute?”

…Jun-sung, I don’t think there should be another person like you.

When even the other members who were listening to Yaeon’s absurd remarks were looking at us, our excellent senior Jun-sung opened his mouth.

“Well, Dong-hwa hoobae finds me a little cute too.”

…Ha, the root of the emotion of cuteness is said to be connected to the instinct to preserve the species when looking at a baby, but aren’t you some beings that shouldn’t be preserved later on?

I thought carefully.

* * *

In Jun-sung’s car heading home after stopping by Blossoms’ dorm. Jun-sung speaks first.

“Did you tell Dong-hwa hoobae?”

“What?”

“What your name is worth.”

I don’t know the principle, but Jun-sung knew. That Yaeon’s eye for people is incredibly accurate. At first, Jun-sung himself didn’t really believe what Yaeon said for some reason, but he learned it through experience.

“Hey, what does it matter. You know that people don’t really believe my stories anyway, right?”

“No, it seems like Dong-hwa hoobae believes you.”

“That’s… a little strange. Do you remember him? Leo.”

“Ah, his recent actions have been a bit strange. He’s the one you put on the watch list before, right?”

Like this, another one of Yaeon’s predictions comes true.

“Yeah, so I told Dong-hwa-ssi to watch out for him at the Athletics Championships, and wow, he believed it right away?”

Even Jun-sung himself hesitated for a long time when he first received the watch list, wondering if he should believe it. Even though he thought it would be right this time based on experience, even though he clearly judged it so rationally, he somehow couldn’t really believe Yaeon’s words.

“Well, then it’s okay. I was worried that Dong-hwa hoobae would treat you like our old members did.”

A person who is inherently bad at gaining trust from others. Jun-sung thinks he can describe Yaeon that way. Now he has become someone who gives Yaeon trust, and so he is coordinating between the members and Yaeon, but in the beginning, there were frequent fights and conflicts.

“…It’s okay, I understand everything.”

“Even if you understand, the past doesn’t change. Just watching the members fight with you in the past, when I think about it now, it’s maddening.”

Yaeon quietly laughs at those words.

“I’m just grateful that hyung listens to me now.”

“I’ve told you so many times that you shouldn’t take that for granted, Yaeon-ah.”

Jun-sung’s expression hardens as he focuses on driving.

“Anyway, next time, if you see people and think you know what kind of people they are, be sure to tell me.”

Yaeon laughs again at the leader’s words that he will somehow believe the unbelievable words. The trust that a being who cannot be trusted sends to himself is truly a strange taste.

A being who cannot be believed by fate, how on earth.

“If I hadn’t met hyung, my life would have been terribly rough.”

Jun-sung frowns again at Yaeon’s words.

“You too… If you take such things for granted…”

Jun-sung stopped talking because he knew it was always a repeated nagging. Therefore, he will never say that his predictions are wrong these days. That the predictions that Lee Hyun-jae and Ryoo Yi-deun would not be able to debut were wrong, and that the group composition of Blossoms itself has changed because of that.

Absolutely, he will not say it.

* * *

After finishing the drama filming and OST work, we were literally taking a break for a while.

“Hyung, please check my homework.”

Lee Hyun-jae is taking his studies much more seriously than expected, so he is doing his best to lay the foundation before 본격적으로 [in earnest] comeback preparations begin. These days, the only time I see him is for tutoring.

I take the math workbook that Lee Hyun-jae hands me, mark the answers, and then analyze the types of mistakes one by one. …No matter how I look at it, he just seems smart. Rather than his grades improving, it’s more like he’s using his head properly. If he hadn’t debuted as a celebrity, he would have followed his parents’ words and not achieved great academic achievements.

[That is correct!]

What, you surprised me. What are you suddenly doing?

And then Giji-saeng is silent again. What on earth is he doing? He’s not talking, but he’s constantly monitoring himself. As if he’s not a social misfit, he has the same creepy tendencies as a stalker.

“Hyung, what are you thinking about?”

“…That you’re good at studying.”

First, I should explain mainly the parts that Lee Hyun-jae needs to improve.

I was doing study coaching for Lee Hyun-jae when it happened. Ryoo Yi-deun came back from working out at the newly opened fitness club in the company with a refreshed expression and looked at us with a friendly expression.

Then, as if he suddenly remembered, Ryoo Yi-deun threw a big piece of news after a short exclamation.

“Guys, we got a variety show.”

…Ha, I was enjoying the break in my own way.

“It’s an observation variety show that’s so popular these days.”

…What is that? Is it talking about the creepy things that Giji-saeng is currently doing?

[That is correct!]

Ha, get lost.