A New Career Singer Who Can Read The Future [EN]: Chapter 9

I didn’t receive an ‘okay’ from PD [Production Director] Lee Jun-hyuk, even after all the practice. He simply said I’d worked hard.

On the way home, my head was filled with tarot cards and thoughts about ‘I Want to Be Your First Singer’ tomorrow.

I hadn’t expected the tarot cards to reflect reality again. It seemed I really did have some spiritual power, just like my shaman grandfather said.

At first, I was skeptical, but now I was sure the tarot cards didn’t lie and showed me the variables of the near future.

Could they also predict the outcome of ‘I Want to Be Your First Singer’?

But I decided to trust myself. Unless unforeseen circumstances arose, I was confident I could make it to the televised finals.

Hue Entertainment, one of the big three agencies, was backing me, and I’d been practicing diligently. My slightly old-fashioned singing style had become more refined, and I knew my skills had improved from listening to my recordings, even without praise from PD Lee.

If I didn’t win this time, I would give up on my dream of being a singer and pursue a different path.

Oh, of course, I’d still have to work as a singer during my exclusive contract with Hue Entertainment, though.

I must win.

* * *

‘I Want to Be Your First Singer’ D-Day.

There was a long line in front of the 88 Gymnasium, where the audition was being held.

Some people were standing in line with earphones in, singing, while others were looking at printed lyrics, probably because they hadn’t memorized them completely.

Among them were trainees and ordinary citizens who were taking on the challenge because they’d been told they had exceptional singing talent.

Everyone seemed nervous.

“Who do you think will win this time?”

“I heard the Hue Entertainment kid got cut because of the controversy. Now that he’s out, who knows who will win?”

“I heard Hue Entertainment is sending someone else?”

“What? Is there an article about it?”

Dohyun perked up his ears and listened. Until now, Dohyun had been Hue Entertainment’s secret weapon.

“I saw an exclusive article earlier. Do you know Na Dohyun? He’s a former idol who’s debuting for the fourth time if he wins this time.”

“No, I don’t really know him. Is he unknown?”

“You don’t know him? He’s handsome and talented, but he met the wrong company. He was in the debut group on a previous audition program, but he was forgotten as soon as his one-year contract ended. You could say he’s a tragic figure who’s had a particularly long period of obscurity.”

Dohyun was annoyed, even though what they were saying was true. The truth hurts more.

Dohyun pulled his hat down so that no one who knew him would recognize him.

“Anyway, what did the exclusive article say?”

“It said that he recently signed a formal contract with Hue Entertainment and that he’s participating in this audition. Honestly, we have almost no audition experience. Even if we’re nervous, someone like Na Dohyun should win easily, right?”

“Hey, if he’s debuted three times, isn’t it because he doesn’t have the skills?”

‘No! My skills were fine! The team was a mess, and the agency was a mess!’

Dohyun knew it wasn’t good to pay attention to the chatter around him right before the audition, so he put in his earphones, listened to “Empty House,” and hummed along.

After humming several times, he naturally started singing the song.

“Wow, the person in front of me seems to be good at singing.”

The person standing behind him whispered.

The person next to him tilted his head and continued.

“I think the Na Dohyun I mentioned is that person.”

“Hey, no way. How do you know it’s Na Dohyun when you can’t even see his face properly? And he signed a formal contract with Hue Entertainment. If that’s the case, wouldn’t the broadcasting station have already interviewed him?”

“Well, I guess so. There’s no way an agency like Hue Entertainment wouldn’t use that kind of power when sending out its singers.”

Dohyun’s number was 139.

There was a long line behind Dohyun. At least a thousand people seemed to have come to audition.

The first preliminary round would select 500 people. The second round would select 250, and the third round would select 125. The finals would select only 50 people. And only 10 people would go on to the live broadcast. Dohyun had to be in the top 10.

‘That shouldn’t be too difficult. It’s not like I’ve only done one or two auditions. I’ve had countless hours since my trainee days.’

Dohyun was trying to encourage himself. He didn’t want to be called ‘unknown’ anymore.

He could have used tarot cards to tell his fortune, but he didn’t. He wanted to prove that he could be in the top 10 with his own abilities.

‘Grandfather, I’m going to succeed this time.’

Dohyun looked up at the sky and made a firm resolution.

* * *

It was already 4 p.m.

It was finally Dohyun’s turn.

Dohyun, feeling like he had waited an eternity, put his earphones away and entered the room where the judges were.

And what he faced was…

“Hey, Dohyun. I heard you went to Hue Entertainment? Long time no see?”

Kim Namhyun, nicknamed ‘Pigeon’ [referring to someone who abandons a commitment]. He had signed a contract with another company and ran away when they were in the beast-idol group, their first debut.

The group was already from a small, powerless agency, but because the most popular guy did a ‘pigeon’ act, they lost momentum and failed.

The memories of that time came back to him, but Dohyun was aware that the cameras were rolling. He had to maintain a good image. He had to be someone who could greet even a ‘pigeon-like’ person and ask how they were doing.

“Mr. Kim Namhyun, hello. Please take care of me.”

Dohyun bowed politely.

Then Kim Namhyun laughed heartily and waved his hand.

“Hey, it’s not like we haven’t eaten together before. Well, no. It was only for a short time when we were in the same agency. Anyway, I heard you’re challenging your fourth debut, so good luck, Dohyun.”

‘You son of a bitch! If it weren’t for you!’

Thinking about that time made his abs, which he had made by eating chicken breasts, feel like they were bulging, but Dohyun held back.

“Yes, thank you for your support.”

“Okay, Na Dohyun. Or are you participating under your real name? Na Moomyung [Na ‘No Name’]?”

“I’m participating under the stage name Na Dohyun. The song I’m going to sing today is ‘Empty House.'”

“Ah, I know that song. The song is good, but it flopped completely. Was that Dohyun’s third debut?”

The staff who were filming Na Dohyun and Kim Namhyun closely said.

“Namhyun, you can’t be too competitive! It might be unairable.”

“Why? He’s challenging his fourth debut, so if I stir up some drama, it’s good for him and good for me, right? I’ll play the villain.”

The staff had a troubled expression. Eventually, Dohyun, unable to bear it, decided to help.

“You’re not just stirring up drama right now; you’re just spitting out malicious comments.”

“Oh? Dohyun, you’ve grown a lot. You couldn’t even say that in the past.”

The staff asked Kim Namhyun once again to refrain from saying such things, pointing out that the level of the broadcast was too excessive.

When the staff was about to cry, Kim Namhyun pretended to hold back.

“Well, let’s just stop here. Me becoming the villain. Dohyun, or rather, Mr. Dohyun, let’s hear you sing.”

Dohyun was a little annoyed that he was being evaluated by Kim Namhyun, who only had a pretty face and no skills, but the time he had practiced was too precious to waste.

He would be very upset if he was eliminated because of Kim Namhyun’s choice.

“I’ll sing.”

“You know it’s acapella, right?”

The staff reminded him once again. Dohyun nodded. He had been singing with MR [Music Recorded], but Dohyun, who had perfect pitch, sang each note accurately, showcasing his soulful yet powerful charm with “Empty House.”

A moment of admiration flashed across Kim Namhyun’s face.

Dohyun made eye contact with him and sang the song perfectly, without a single note out of tune.

“Wow, your skills are still alive?”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

“Hey, what happens if I drop you?”

Kim Namhyun asked mischievously. The staff’s expression hardened.

Because they were junior staff, there was nothing they could do on their own, and because Kim Namhyun was being particularly arrogant today.

Dohyun opened his mouth when he heard the staff’s long sigh.

“If you drop me, there’s nothing wrong with it if you made a fair evaluation.”

“Haha, you seem a little nervous?”

It was a misjudgment. Dohyun wasn’t nervous. Rather, he suppressed his anger and followed the emotional line of the song.

Seeing Kim Namhyun’s hopeless attitude, Dohyun thought about looking at that guy’s tarot cards and stopping him.

The moment he got home, he would predict Kim Namhyun’s near future as his first priority, no, his zero priority.

“I’m not nervous, but thank you for listening.”

“So, you have to answer the question. What are you going to do if I drop you?”

“This video will not be broadcast, and there will be rumors that a member who was once in the same group maliciously dropped another member. Kim Namhyun, not me.”

Kim Namhyun looked slightly embarrassed at Dohyun’s confident attitude.

“You’ve become quite bold? Is this the power of a long period of obscurity?”

“A person who has been obscure for a long time will become like this. I didn’t come here to be eliminated.”

“Yeah, well. Your skills are still good. Pass.”

The staff was happy that Kim Namhyun’s rude behavior was finally over and quickly gave Dohyun the pass necklace.

“You have to wear this necklace in the second preliminary round. If you forget, you absolutely can’t participate in the second preliminary round, so remember!”

“Thank you! Mr. Kim Namhyun, and the staff too.”

“Good luck. I don’t know if you’ll be able to make your fourth debut.”

Dohyun bowed and made a finger heart toward the camera before leaving.

As Dohyun walked out with the pass necklace around his neck, the eyes of the people waiting outside were on him.

Some of them recognized Dohyun.

But Dohyun gave a slight nod and passed by.

‘First preliminary round passed. And what I’m looking forward to is the near future of that Kim Namhyun bastard.’

Dohyun hurriedly grabbed a taxi in front of the 88 Gymnasium.

It took quite a while to get home from the 88 Gymnasium in Gangseo-gu.

It took about 50 minutes to finally arrive in front of his house. As Dohyun pressed the door lock and entered, Dohyun’s mother raised her voice and asked.

“Our son, how did the audition go?”

Instead of answering, Dohyun showed her the pass necklace around his neck.

“Oh my! Your grandfather said that you weren’t meant to be a singer, but I guess you are.”

“I’ve only passed the first preliminary round. It’s still a long way to go before I pass all the preliminaries and go on TV.”

“Still. I’m touched that your grandfather in heaven is helping his grandson do well.”

“Mom, I’m going to be number one, no matter what.”

Dohyun responded to his mother’s warm encouragement with a smile and went into his room.

Predicting the near future of ‘Pigeon’ Kim Namhyun, who was a judge today. He hadn’t forgotten.

Dohyun hung the necklace in a visible place and sat on the bed, immediately starting to shuffle the tarot cards.

“It’s a shame to waste this opportunity because of a guy like that. But I still have to see it.”

Dohyun spread the cards and flipped over the card that felt the strongest.

[DEATH]

“The symbol of death? Of course, it also has a good meaning of being reborn, but a big change in fortune is coming. Will I be affected too?”

It was a rhetorical question with no answer, but Dohyun was amazed by the appearance of this card and stared at it for a long time. A skeleton soldier moving forward and the dead being resurrected in the rising sun.

What will happen to Kim Namhyun? Will it be negative or positive?

It was a moment of anticipation.