A New Career Singer Who Can Read The Future [EN]: Chapter 8

Reading the Future – Experienced Rookie Singer – Episode 8 (8/225)

“Do you guys know Na Do-hyun? I heard he went to HU Entertainment?”

“I know him because my friend is a huge fan of Na Do-hyun.”

“Na Do-hyun’s fan service is amazing, lol. I heard he hugs fans who come to the company, buys them drinks, and makes a fuss. Is this the fan service of an unknown artist? ㅠㅠ”

“┗I heard Na Do-hyun went to HU Entertainment. There’s a rumor he’s going to be on that audition program on KBC?”

“┗Na Do-hyun, it’s been so long since I’ve heard that name, lol. He’s really too unknown.”

“┗Na Do-hyun, my ex-oppa ㅠㅠ He’s really talented and handsome, but he became the most unknown of the unknown and was buried, which was so sad. If he comes out on the audition, I hope he wins.”

“┗Honestly, isn’t it too much to hope for a win after 10 years since his debut? ㅋㅋㅋㅋ It’s funny that he can’t give up, though.”

“┗What bad things did Na Do-hyun do to deserve this kind of disregard? As a current Na Do-hyun fan, I feel terrible.”

“┗Yeah, yeah, your oppa [term for older brother or male friend used by females] is a nameless singer.”

* * *

Creak.

The practice room door opened.

“Sunbae-nim [term for senior or more experienced colleague].”

Do-hyun knew who it was without looking. It had to be that Yoon Hyun-seung guy. He didn’t even turn around, figuring as much.

After acting cocky on the first day and getting his ego crushed, he hadn’t even spoken to Do-hyun. Do-hyun preferred it when he acted like he didn’t exist.

“Sunbae-nim!”

Do-hyun turned around.

Yoon Hyun-seung was crying.

“Why did you call me?”

‘I hate comforting crying kids,’ Do-hyun thought.

Waiting to hear what Yoon Hyun-seung had to say, Do-hyun remained silent.

“You’re the one who stabbed me in the back, aren’t you?”

“Huh? What did I stab you with?”

“Don’t you know the internet is going crazy right now?”

“I’ve been practicing singing and don’t know anything. If you suddenly ask me if I stabbed you in the back, what am I supposed to say?”

“Then go check it out now!”

Do-hyun picked up his phone and searched Yoon Hyun-seung’s name on a portal site.

[HU Entertainment Trainee Scheduled to Appear on ‘Your First Time,’ Accused of School Violence + Private Life Exposed!]

Do-hyun slowly read the article.

“Even if I don’t know about the other stuff… you’re the one who told the YouTuber about me being cocky, aren’t you?”

Yoon Hyun-seung said through gritted teeth.

In Do-hyun’s mind, [THE TOWER] card and [JUSTICE] card flashed by. Sudden change and judgment cards. The cards matched.

“Listen, Yoon Hyun-seung, or should I say hoobae-nim [term for junior or less experienced colleague]. I’m busy with my singing; do you think I have time to stab you in the back with that kind of thing? How long do you think I’ve been in this business that I can’t even keep my mouth shut?”

“Everyone else didn’t care! It’s all because of you that I ended up like this! You leaked the story to your connections, didn’t you? Didn’t you?”

Yoon Hyun-seung desperately denied reality and bombarded him with questions.

Do-hyun was just dumbfounded listening to this.

“Do you happen to be good at writing novels, hoobae-nim? I said no. This is my last chance. A chance to debut as a solo singer and succeed. I’m too busy trying to seize that opportunity; would I have nothing better to do than talk about you?”

“But, how, who….”

“Don’t you know better than anyone else what your behavior was usually like? Think about your attitude the first day we met. Ah, you’re going to be kicked out of the trainee program, so the title of hoobae-nim is too good for you. Hyun-seung, think back on your attitude. Starting with the cockiness of mocking someone you just met.”

“You son of a bitch!”

Yoon Hyun-seung clenched his fist and lunged as if to vent his anger.

But Do-hyun nimbly stepped aside. As a result, Yoon Hyun-seung lost his balance and fell.

Yoon Hyun-seung’s face, as he raised his head again, was streaming with a nosebleed.

It was a pathetic sight. He wanted to ignore it, but Do-hyun handed Yoon Hyun-seung several tissues.

“Wipe your face. Someone will think I hit you.”

Yoon Hyun-seung stopped wiping his nosebleed and started crying like a child. He said that articles about school violence and exposure of his private life had been posted on the community site a few days ago.

Agency officials called Yoon Hyun-seung to confirm the facts, and Yoon Hyun-seung denied it, but the victim existed.

HU Entertainment couldn’t keep a trainee with school violence and exposure of his private life. HU Entertainment was more sensitive to such issues than other agencies. Even if he was in the final debut group, if there was a problem, they could kick him out.

“How, how did I get in here!”

“Hoobae-nim, it’s all karma. HU Entertainment is strict, but there are many other agencies, right?”

“How can I debut if it’s not one of the big three agencies! I’ll end up like sunbae-nim, living as an unknown and then failing.”

‘Look at this sass,’ Do-hyun thought.

He thought about giving him a flick on the forehead, but he just left him alone because he didn’t feel good about the fact that a kid who was being pushed by the company before his debut was being kicked out.

“Well, there are plenty of good agencies. Even if you avoid the infamous ones and the startups, there are a few decent companies, right? Acknowledge it coolly this time, apologize, and end it. It seems like the company is trying to do that too.”

“How can I do that! Shit! I’m screwed, really. It’s something that happened years ago, but as soon as the rumor spread that I was in the debut group, they posted it, so that nasty bastard.”

“That’s why you’re not succeeding. Hyun-seung, let’s properly acknowledge your mistakes and move on. Unless you want to just reminisce about being a former member of HU Entertainment’s final debut group without even debuting.”

His mindset was still the same, so Do-hyun gave him words of advice, but he didn’t seem to understand.

He’s seen a few of those kids. Cases where their past catches up to them despite having enough talent and skill. People who are kicked out of the group or released from the company during their trainee days.

Do-hyun had lived cleanly and been easygoing since before he decided to become a singer, so there wasn’t much to say, but he remembered a case where there was a member in the same group who was a perpetrator of school violence and another whose private life was exposed.

‘That was after the beastly idols debuted. That failing company failed even more because of those two bastards.’

“Anyway, stop crying and get out. I have to practice.”

“Ha, X-ibal [Korean swear word]. Unknown sunbae-nim, you’ll do well.”

“Suddenly giving me good words?”

“I don’t know, X-ibal. My life is already ruined, because I’m completely screwed, so I hope even sunbae-nim does well. Escape the life of being the most unknown of the unknown. I hope you do well. I’m going to pack my bags and leave.”

“Well, Hyun-seung, you do well too. Even a guy who did drugs comes out on TV proudly, and a guy who had a messy private life is also proud on TV, so if you reflect on your past and come out, there will be people who pretend not to see it and like you.”

“Are you cursing me right now?”

He was trying to comfort him, but it came across with a sarcastic nuance.

Do-hyun explained that he didn’t mean it that way and hurriedly sent Yoon Hyun-seung out.

“Hoo, it’s time for the meeting with PD [Production Director] Lee.”

He was comforting a young kid, so he was about to meet PD Lee Joon-hyuk without practicing enough.

As strict as PD Lee Joon-hyuk was, he didn’t expect to hear praise that he had made great progress over the past few days, but he would have nothing to ask for if he just passed.

He pressed the bell of PD Lee’s studio on another floor. The door opened, and PD Lee Joon-hyuk was intently staring at the monitor.

“Hello, PD-nim!”

“Na Do-hyun-ssi [honorific title], let’s talk for a moment.”

PD Lee Joon-hyuk turned his chair. He told Do-hyun to sit on the sofa.

“What are we talking about….”

“Well, I think you already know. HU Entertainment had two cards. One was Yoon Hyun-seung, and the other was Na Do-hyun-ssi. But Yoon Hyun-seung was kicked out today, the day before the audition.”

“So, the remaining card is me, you’re saying.”

“To summarize, that simple story is correct. It’s correct, but one person was going to drop out anyway and be released as a group, so it’s not a problem. The problem is that HU Entertainment’s prospects are now at stake under Na Do-hyun-ssi’s name.”

Since they had to throw away one of the two cards, they naturally had no choice but to expect HU Entertainment’s future from Na Do-hyun.

If that happens, all responsibility could fall on PD Lee Joon-hyuk, who has been strictly in charge of Do-hyun’s directing and vocal lessons.

“Today, I’m going to make you practice harder than ever. Na Do-hyun-ssi’s goal is not a mediocre ranking. HU Entertainment’s pride is at stake. Absolutely number one. Otherwise, you won’t be able to restore HU Entertainment’s pride.”

“Still, it’s an audition program, so everyone seems to have tremendous competitiveness.”

“So, I’m saying survive in that jungle. Survive, take first place, and bring back the trophy. That’s all I have to say. Go into the recording studio, there’s no time.”

Do-hyun stretched his tense body and entered the recording studio.

PD Lee Joon-hyuk, who was always full of cold energy, looked even colder after one card, Yoon Hyun-seung, was kicked out. Sensitivity and fatigue were written all over his face.

‘I must pass today! I can do it, Na Do-hyun! I can pass PD Lee’s direction, which is stricter than the program judges! I’ve been practicing all this time!’

Do-hyun encouraged himself and started singing along to the MR [music recorded without vocals].

“Again.”

He was cut off before he could even finish the first verse.

“Do-hyun-ssi, I told you to lower the pitch in that part. It’s too high. Do you really have perfect pitch? It’s not the feeling I want.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry to me, but approach it with a sorry heart to the judges and viewers who will be listening to this. I’m just a PD.”

“Yes, I understand!”

‘My concentration seems a little scattered. Let’s get our act together, Na Do-hyun! It’s the last chance to escape the life of anonymity!’

Do-hyun sang and sang again. He sang the first verse ten times, and he sang the chorus part with ad-libs fifteen times.

However, the word ‘pass’ did not come out of PD Lee’s mouth. He thought he was a stingy person with praise.

So, he became more stubborn.

Do-hyun sang, paying attention to each and every direction with his quick mind. So that it doesn’t sound artificial, but natural.