A New Career Singer Who Can Read The Future [EN]: Chapter 52

I needed to steel my resolve. With that thought, Do-hyun returned to the dorm that very day.

Normally, he would have stayed overnight at his place. But with a nagging feeling, he decided to return to the dorm.

Do-hyun was bothered by his awkward relationship with Hyo-seop in the dorm. He headed to the practice room to prepare for the next mission, whatever it might be. He hadn’t submitted his phone yet.

He was browsing the portal site on his phone when, what’s this?

Do-hyun and Hyo-seop’s names were plastered across the main page of the entertainment section.

[Exclusive] ‘Be Your First Singer’ Contestant #33, Hyo-seop, Raises Concerns; It Actually Happened

Do-hyun clicked on the article and read it.

The media outlet reported that ‘Be Your First Singer,’ the most popular program these days, was trying to make Do-hyun the winner to generate more buzz.

It speculated that the dramatic situation of a 1-decibel difference was fabricated. Though unconfirmed, the article included testimony from a staff member who allegedly participated in the manipulation.

“Sigh, Hyo-seop, how far are you going to go?”

Reading further, Do-hyun found HY Entertainment’s statement. HY Entertainment kept it brief, stating, “Please direct inquiries to the broadcasting station.”

Starting with the exclusive report, numerous articles were pouring out.

Do-hyun didn’t want to, but he even looked at the real-time chat, where Hyo-seop’s fans were slandering and belittling him.

It was one thing to have a falling out with Hyo-seop. It was an individual survival show, and it was inevitable that everyone would become more sensitive towards the end.

However, with something difficult happening in every competition, Do-hyun’s heart grew weak.

‘Should I give up? I don’t want to debut for the fourth time with this kind of false accusation and disgrace.’

The thought of giving up came first.

It felt like his heart, which had been festering from the back-and-forth rankings and other contestants’ slanders, had finally burst.

Do-hyun lay down on the sofa in the practice room and tried to sleep.

At first, he couldn’t concentrate at all, and he couldn’t fall asleep.

Then, he finally dozed off.

* * *

“Grandfather?”

In his mind, he knew his grandfather had passed away a long time ago, but seeing him in front of him made it seem like he was still alive.

“Weakling! You said you wanted to be a singer so badly, and now you’re going to be weak! Born as the grandson of a Manshin [Korean shaman], if you weren’t going to become a shaman, if you weren’t going to receive the initiation ritual, shouldn’t you achieve what you wanted so badly?!”

His grandfather scolded Do-hyun.

“Grandfather, that’s not it… If you were watching, you’d know how difficult my situation is right now. I’m so frustrated, and I don’t know if I should keep going like this…”

“You rascal! That’s why I tried to stop you! I could see how treacherous the path would be if you chose to be a singer! You didn’t listen to your grandfather! Now that you’ve chased your dream, you’re being weak and thinking of quitting?”

Just then,

A man in a black suit appeared.

He had a sharp and distinctive look.

No, was he even human?

“Hehe… Manshin, your time is up. You’re being too hard on your grandson. You even named him that way to avoid me. You shouldn’t scold him like that.”

“I’ll just say one more thing. Mu-myeong [Do-hyun’s given name, meaning ‘no name’], you are my precious grandson, and I know you’re feeling wronged. I asked this grim reaper to bring you to your dream because I want to support your future, so please don’t give up.”

“Let’s go, Manshin. Your grandson will see my face after a very long time, so let’s meet then!”

The man, known as the ‘Grim Reaper,’ disappeared with his grandfather.

“Grandfather!”

At that moment, Do-hyun’s eyes snapped open.

Tears streamed down his face as thoughts of his grandfather and his difficult situation overwhelmed him.

“Grandfather, I’m sorry for being so weak. I shouldn’t be this weak…”

After crying for a while, tormented by the thoughts that wouldn’t leave his mind, Do-hyun decided to look at the tarot cards.

He shuffled the tarot cards he had placed in the corner of the practice room and did a spread. Two cards caught his eye. He planned to save one card for the final mission.

[Temperance]

[Death]

The Temperance card, which advises patience, moderation, and balance, and the Death card, which signifies the end of the troubles that have been plaguing him and a new beginning, appeared together.

“Right, even the cards are telling me that if I endure and persevere through this moment, a new beginning will come. Grandfather, I’ll really try to endure it. I’ll get through it.”

Do-hyun left the practice room and headed to the production team.

The production team gave Do-hyun subtle looks, but he didn’t pay attention.

“I’m here to submit my phone.”

“Ah, right! I almost forgot.”

“No, it’s okay. When will the final mission be revealed?”

“Everyone else has been asking the same question… It’s scheduled to be revealed tomorrow.”

“Okay! I understand!”

As Do-hyun turned around with a strong voice, the production team sighed.

“If I were tormented to that extent, I would have given up on my dream of becoming a singer… He shows such a good attitude with unwavering resolve. I really need to learn from that kind of mentality.”

“Yeah. You could call it a steel mentality. Of course, there must be difficult moments, but I really hope things work out for him this time… Ah, is the content to be posted on the website tomorrow confirmed?”

The assistant director nodded.

The evidence to quell the controversy. It was scheduled to be uploaded to the official website on Monday. Once it’s uploaded, the controversy that had been raging all weekend would subside.

* * *

The next day, 9 AM.

At exactly 9 AM, the decibel levels measured directly by KBC’s ‘Be Your First Singer’ were released as a video on the official website.

The media had been waiting for this moment and immediately turned it into an article.

The media outlets that had been driving Do-hyun as the mastermind of manipulation were now saying that Hyo-seop’s questions were simply the result of a contestant becoming sensitive during the competition, and that the media was not at fault.

Of course, Do-hyun was unaware of this fact.

The ‘Be Your First Singer’ production team was dumbfounded by the sudden shift in public opinion.

It was a tiresome sight to see the reporters swarm in, tormenting one person, and then running away as soon as counter-evidence was revealed.

The assistant director frowned as he read the article and muttered.

“I really don’t know what the reporters are doing these days without proper coverage. And who is that staff member who appeared in the article? Saying we manipulated it. Knowing that we’re more sensitive to that kind of thing as a public broadcasting station.”

“It’s just a false report to add to the evidence. I feel like I’ll lose all my hair if I take on this program twice.”

The main director in charge of the program opened his mouth.

The production team was busy complaining.

* * *

Does Hyo-seop have fans? Do you have a conscience?

└Even though we said to stay in standby mode until all the evidence comes out, you were all busy bashing Na Do-hyun, and now you’re cheering for the chemistry between Na Do-hyun and Hyo-seop. LOL

└Na Do-hyun is so pitiful. He’s tormented every week. Is it a problem even if he does well?

└Honestly, I became a core fan after watching Na Do-hyun get bashed. There are so many mentally unstable people. Is it because he’s in first place? LOL Na Do-hyun wasn’t always in first place from the beginning, and why do you have to do this when he’s about to make his fourth debut?

└I’m a Hyo-seop fan… I’m sorry, I’m sorry.

└└If you’re sorry, don’t write sarcastic comments and write them properly ^^.

└└└’I’m sorry, I’m sorry’? Is that how a sorry person talks? You’re probably making fun of Do-hyun somewhere in a bashing thread. That’s your characteristic, being sneaky. Honestly, I wasn’t going to say anything because Do-hyun is good to the people around him, but is it the first or second time your idol has been overshadowed by my member? And honestly, the camera wouldn’t have shown him that much if it wasn’t for my member, right? He has zero sense of entertainment, doesn’t he?

└Hyo-seop will still be number one~~~~~~

└└Is your head a flower garden [Korean slang for being clueless]? The real-time voting gap has already widened, the truth has been revealed, and this narrative will make Na Do-hyun the final number one. What kind of flower garden are you talking about?

* * *

Do-hyun was tipped off by the youngest staff member and confirmed that he had rightfully taken the first-place position.

Only then did Do-hyun feel relieved. As the cards had said, after enduring a little longer, the door to a new beginning had opened.

With his mind much more stable, Do-hyun was now waiting to see what the final mission would be.

Guerrilla concerts (busking), music shows, mini-concerts, duet stages with mentors… He had performed a variety of stages that he could showcase as a singer.

While Do-hyun was waiting for the staff to call him to the auditorium, Hyo-seop awkwardly approached him.

“Um… Contestant #33, can I talk to you for a moment?”

Hyo-seop was even more awkward because of the camera.

“Yes. Let’s talk.”

“Could you please not film for a moment?”

Hyo-seop asked, but the staff clearly stated their refusal.

“Then I’ll go somewhere with fewer people and talk.”

Do-hyun went with Hyo-seop to the path leading to the practice room. Since the mission had not yet been given, there was no one on this path.

“What do you want to say, Contestant #33?”

“Contestant #23, I’m really, really sorry… I think I acted too immaturely because I wanted to win… There were a lot of articles over the weekend, and I thought about how hard it must have been for you… You’ve taken care of me a lot, and I’m really sorry.”

Hyo-seop was sincerely apologizing.

However, Do-hyun had no intention of accepting the apology.

He had practiced and laughed together with him so much, but he was dumbfounded that he had suddenly branded Do-hyun as a fraud.

“I’m sorry, Contestant #33.”

At those words, Hyo-seop’s eyes widened.

“…Pardon?”

“I have no intention of accepting Contestant #33’s apology. I’ll accept the apology later when my emotions have calmed down more. And I personally don’t want to receive greetings like this in front of the camera. I think you understand what I mean.”

“Yes, hyung [older brother/male friend], I mean, Contestant #23.”

Just as Do-hyun was about to turn around and go inside!

[Finally! The final mission will be revealed! All participants, please gather in the auditorium! The given time is 30 minutes. Please gather in the auditorium within 30 minutes!]

Ha Yeon-ho’s cheerful voice echoed throughout the dorm.

Do-hyun moved his steps to the auditorium.

What will the new mission be?