Becoming An Idol Wasn’T On My Plan [EN]: Chapter 108

108.

Blossom’s fan community was buzzing. As the year-end approached, excitement was reaching fever pitch. Momoji [likely a portmanteau of ‘Momo’ and ‘Emoji’, referring to cute or trendy items], the songwriting trip, year-end stage performances – the hype just wouldn’t stop.

[Blossom’s Year-End Review.jpg]

Roomnuts [fans of Room Service, another band]… Can you feel it? The day when our Blossom… dominates K-pop…?

(Image summarizing activities that became popular at the end of the year, such as Momoji, songwriting trip, and year-end stage)

Comments

— Blossom is truly legendary. From the moment Ji Dong-hwa and Nesquik had that conversation in the first episode of the songwriting trip ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ ㅅㅂ I thought, this is super fun content that everyone in the world needs to see.

— The arrangements for each year-end stage are legendary… I wonder if Ji Dong-hwa exchanged his lifespan for them…

└ That’s right… Dong-hwa… please get some sleep… When you rest, go outside too!!!!! Why are you always cooped up at home!!! Get some sunlight and synthesize some vitamin D!!!!

— So, does anyone still not know what Ji Dong-hwa’s 40-minute absence during BMW [likely referring to a performance or event] was about?

└ It seems the consensus is that it was nothing serious. The performance was good anyway.

— Ha-min… ㅅㅂ such a pretty smile… Ha-min… please keep smiling….

└ (Selfie of Chae Ha-min taken with the snake ‘Start’) Ji Dong-hwa: The world’s first rabbit who is the father of reptiles.

— The kids’ outfits are legendary. If the stylists’ official locations are released, I’ll bow in that direction every morning.

— Ryu Iden ㅅㅂ Is that a bare-bodied jacket in this cold weather for real… Thank you so much, stylists. Our kid is healthy, so can you undo just one more button?

└ Iden, I’m willing to dedicate my soul to your biceps.

— When I watched the songwriting trip ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ I thought Jun was crazy ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅌㅌㅌㅋㅌㅌㅌㅋ

└ Ji Dong-hwa officially certified, Blossom’s madness: Seok. Jun.

[Those flower boys… their acceptance speeches are really…]

Every time they receive an award, they prepare their acceptance speeches so diligently and try so hard to impress us…

It makes me think I really did a good job stanning [supporting/being a fan of] them… and I suddenly become a woman shedding tears while watching TV alone…

Comments

— I still remember being so shocked when they said they were 고민 [agonizing/worrying] about whether to say the names of the people they love the most at the beginning or the end.

— Did you guys see the behind-the-scenes content where the staff secretly filmed Hyun-jae and Dong-hwa leading everyone to gather in the studio and write one word and one sentence on paper…? It really touched my heart…

└ It’s so amazing how Hyun-jae and Dong-hwa’s codes match so well when they do that. Is it because they tutored each other?

└ The fantastic chemistry of the tutoring duo that no one can stop.

— I’m just so happy these days… They even received the Rookie Award at the music awards… ㅅㅂ I’m just crazy happy….

However, amidst that happiness, one piece of news dropped.

[Blossom Confirmed to Appear in Idol Olympics]

It’s official.

Comments

— Ah, can’t that damn athletic competition just fail? Such a shitty thing.

— Please, can’t they do a project where if the fandoms hold an Olympics and win, my idol won’t have to participate? I’m willing to exercise for Dong-hwa’s weak body.

└ Are you a genius? ㅋㅋㅌㅋㅋㅌㅋㅌㅋㅌㅌㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

— Just don’t get injured, just don’t get injured, just don’t get injured.

— I don’t care about anything else, but what about Dong-hwa ㅅㅂ Our Dong-hwa who has never exercised ㅠㅠㅜㅠㅜㅠ The other kids are at least somewhat sturdy, so I’m less worried, but Dong-hwa is… I think he’ll get hurt even while running…

The news of their appearance on the ‘Idol Star Athletics Championships,’ the living nightmare of idol fandoms, spread widely.

The risk of injury is high, and the treatment during filming is terrible. They don’t even provide proper meals, you have to eat separately, and they even reach their physical limits due to filming that lasts over 10 hours. The treatment of fans is just as bad, but what’s important to idol fandoms is the treatment of their idols rather than their own treatment.

In other words, a program that can only be seen as a tyrannical act by the broadcasting station. That was the current perception of the ‘Idol Star Athletics Championships.’

* * *

Archery practice range. Why am I even here?

I stood there with an archery bow in my hand, wearing auxiliary gear on my arm that I didn’t even know the name of.

“Wow, do you know what this is, Dong-hwa?”

I couldn’t answer Chae Ha-min’s question. Because I don’t know. I’ve never read a book about the names of archery equipment in my life. Even if I searched the library in my head, the only thing I’ve read about archery is about how the sport of archery originated.

“…I know that archery is a sport created to suppress hunting desires.”

So my answer is extremely poor.

“TOT [another idol group in the same company] hyungs [older brothers/male seniors] and I have to participate in archery as a team, so they’re going to pick about 5 people. It’s really hard to draw the bow, this thing.”

Ryu Iden delivers the information and mutters while fiddling with the bow.

Hard to draw?

Curious, I drew the bow. Hmm, damn it. The tension is this powerful. No matter how I think about it, Ryu Iden, who is drawing the bow like stretching a rubber band, is amazing. No, it’s unreasonable to compare me to a non-human being. That’s a machine.

While our members were curiously fiddling with the archery bows, the door on one side of the practice room opened, and 6 TOT members, led by Jun-sung, entered. Recognizing us from afar, they ran over to us energetically.

“Ah! Ah! Our composer is here!”

One of them, a member named Yaeon in my memory, bowed 90 degrees in front of me. Subsequently, all the other members also bowed 90 degrees to me. It was a series of actions that were difficult for me to understand. Hmm, is this what you call collective madness?

“Oh, our kids are polite. Composer, it’s been a while.”

The weirdest guy greets me with a sly smile.

“…Sunbaenim [senior/older colleague], um, what should I do?”

“Oh! Sunbae [shortened version of sunbaenim]! A person as attractive as you are with your brain! Composer, you just need to receive our respect!”

…The embarrassing history I spat out when I was sick.

“When you wrote Jun-sung hyung’s solo song, I vowed to become close with you this time, Composer!”

Starting with Yaeon shouting, all the members politely approached me and asked for a handshake. On the other hand, our members were flustered by the fact that their senior colleagues from the same agency were acting like this, and were wondering what to do.

“Oh, hyung?”

When Ryu Iden cautiously approached Jun-sung and asked, Jun-sung burst into laughter and apologized.

“No, sorry, I was bragging that I was close to Dong-hwa, so the kids are like this. Our Blossom! It’s been a while!”

Rather, I have a small wish that you would get these people out of my sight, Sunbaenim.

“Composer! If you have time later, can you give me one of your leftover songs at a discount?!”

Yaeon smiles next to me, rubbing his hands with a good-natured face. It’s my first time meeting him, but wow, he’s amazing.

“If there are any leftover songs, they’re so bad that I’d be ashamed to let you hear them, Sunbaenim.”

“Oh my, oh my, our composer even has a craftsman’s spirit!”

What an active and easygoing person, that’s what I thought at first sight.

“That’s a lie, hyung.”

Then, Lee Hyun-jae suddenly approached Yaeon and said,

“I clearly heard that the leftover songs are good too. Based on Dong-hwa hyung’s standards, there are hardly any good songs among the ones he wrote.”

“Wow, our Hyun-jae is helping again! Good job!”

Yaeon got up from his seat, hugged Lee Hyun-jae tightly, and ruffled his hair wildly. …Wait, Hyun-jae, you’re betraying me now. That damn fox.

I smiled and vowed. The next book we read together will be one that’s hard to understand.

* * *

Learning archery from the archery instructor was an excessively cumbersome process. Since only 5 out of 12 people will be selected anyway, there’s no reason for me to be good at it.

“The bows you’ll be using are made with much weaker tension than the ones for athletes, so you shouldn’t have any trouble drawing them!”

In other words, I’m screwed. There was definitely trouble drawing it. It’s best to just prepare well for the quiz competition.

Thus began the individual lessons, but since they have to take care of 12 people, it won’t be a long time.

Following the instructor’s words, I stand on the line and carefully draw the bowstring. In the same posture as I learned.

“…Oh, your posture is good. Keep it that way, maintain your direction, and release.”

I focus on the target over there. And release.

The arrow flew far away and naturally stuck in the very center of the target. The target in the line next to me.

…Is this even possible?

The moment I released, my forearm, unable to withstand the tension, bent slightly, causing the arrow to be shot diagonally.

“Oh… this…”

The instructor’s flustered voice. It was the look in the eyes of someone who had witnessed a situation that had never happened before.

“In my life… such a thing can happen.”

After that, the admiration and laughter of the other members began to mix and flow.

“Wow, will this be recognized as 10 points?”

Ryu Iden, who was in the line next to me, asked while barely holding back his laughter.

“…Um, it’s the first time this has happened, so discussions will proceed, but it probably won’t be recognized, right?”

There’s no need to tell me something that anyone can know, Instructor.

I carefully lowered the bow. Not having talent is such a frustrating thing.

“…Is there any hope, Instructor?”

To my question, the instructor began to ponder deeply, just like when he received a question from Ryu Iden earlier.

“…If you exercise for about 3 months and increase your muscle mass, you’ll be able to do it sufficiently…”

That means I’m screwed. I nodded and went back to sit on the sofa. Yaeon, who was also excluded due to lack of muscle mass like me, spoke to me in a friendly manner.

“Composer, you just need to have the strength to do MIDI [Musical Instrument Digital Interface]!”

I nodded at that. Yes, a human can’t be good at everything.

In the meantime, a scene of Ryu Iden easily drawing the bowstring and shooting the arrow comes into view. 7 points. Compliments follow that it’s not bad for the first time.

“Iden, you’re quite good. Your body is also well-balanced. You would have done well even if you had exercised.”

“Thank you!”

Yaeon, who was quietly watching Ryu Iden smiling, muttered.

“Oh, our Iden, his face is just full of life. The last time I saw him, he looked like he was about to die.”

I listened silently without saying a word.

“I knew it right away? I thought he would collapse to the point of giving up on life if he was eliminated from this survival show, so I’m really glad, really glad.”

I was startled and turned to the side. Because it was literally the truth.

Yaeon’s talkative muttering continued. Like he was saying all the thoughts in his head. He couldn’t talk about Chae Ha-min because he was from another company, but he brought out one by one the appearances of the members he used to know.

As if telling me to listen.

“I can tell just by looking? Dong-hwa is taking care of the kids.”

I was silent again.

“Thank you for taking good care of the kids, Composer. They’re my precious younger siblings, but I couldn’t take care of them because I was busy with my own activities.”

Then, Yaeon tapped me on the shoulder and added one more word.

“And… when I look closely, it’s so nice to see Dong-hwa relying on the other members too!”

To be honest, I was a little creeped out. How can you grasp the dynamics between people in just two hours?

“Hey, don’t be wary!”

I wonder if he knows that the more he says that, the more wary I become.