Becoming An Idol Wasn’T On My Plan [EN]: Chapter 32

32.

I got up from the mattress on the floor, smoothing out the cotton blanket that had been rumpled as I tossed and turned in my sleep.

‘How new, how strange, smoothing out Mok-hwa’s blanket.’

Right, in my previous life, I lived a life of constantly running away alone.

A coward burdened with foolish guilt, afraid of standing before my kind younger sister as a pathetic older brother, that’s how I must have lived.

Instead of blaming Ryu Iden, I should be banging my own head against the wall to come to my senses.

But, in this world, it’s different. I’m not alone now, and I’ve reconciled with my sister.

In that case… is Mok-hwa, whom I saw earlier, still like that now?

I spoke softly so as not to wake my sister.

“…GIS, use question right.”

[Ask your question.]

‘…Is this a different world, disconnected from the previous one?’

[You have used a question right!

Answer: Parallel worlds refer to the possibilities inherent in reality as potential states. And humans realize one of these possibilities through choice. In other words, the reality of the world can be compared to a polyhedron, and the moment humans live corresponds to one surface of that polyhedron.]

“Hmm, I somewhat expected it from the name ‘fragment of possibility’……”

In other words, all possibilities exist in a superimposed state, but they are fixed as one possibility at the moment humans live.

…It’s like a humanities-based misunderstanding of quantum mechanics.

Ding―!

[You have finally overcome your innate distrust and learned the truth about the space-time transition!]

Ha, okay. I understand.

No matter how much I think about it, it’s hard to accept that there’s a possibility in my life that I’d be months behind on rent, but I’m grateful.

Anyway, it gave me the chance to realize the possibility of reconciling with Mok-hwa in my life.

But being grateful is one thing, and you shouldn’t be scamming me.

‘Even if it’s the truth, it’s still not explained why I, of all people, was given the chance to live a new possibility. I still don’t know who you are.’

[Warning! This is a top-secret matter and cannot be disclosed.]

…Saying it like that makes me even more curious about GIS’s identity.

I lay down, feeling the gratefulness I had for GIS being replaced by intellectual curiosity.

…I should try to get a clue when I get another question right later.

Ding―!

[The ‘Debut’ quest has been completed, and the ‘Glorious Year’ quest has been generated.

You have finally succeeded in debuting. But idols shouldn’t stop there. Win the Rookie Award to acquire the following rewards.

Reward: Fragmentary information about GIS, fragment of possibility]

…Hmm, that damn GIS, it seems like it’s caught a new bait.

* * *

GIS watched Ji Dong-hwa fall asleep and ended all the videos being broadcast on the monitor floating in the air.

‘…Since we finally reconciled, the original goal has been achieved.’

Then I just need to cut off the interest and do my job well.

However, even though I know rationally that that’s the right thing to do, why don’t I want to stop this deviation?

Unable to answer the question it posed to itself, GIS eventually brings up a new hologram screen.

“…Shall we take a look at what happens?”

GIS begins to simulate the situation, with the current situation, various surrounding environmental factors, and the personalities of each individual as variables.

[Simulation results derived: A list of all short-term possibilities regarding ‘the entertainment activities of 5 people including Ji Dong-hwa.’]

And GIS sighs as it slowly reads down the list.

‘…Oh dear, the first album is failing with a pretty high probability.’

Ha, right, even if I additionally help the five people including Ji Dong-hwa now, nothing will change.

It’s already more of a petty act to manipulate Ji Dong-hwa’s rent information just a little to induce him to participate in the survival show than to cheer him on with quests.

Still, since those damn guys begged him to work with them, it’s right to understand this much abuse of power.

‘There should be at least one opportunity to grab onto…….’

GIS begins to carefully examine the list of possibilities, pondering which quest could provide a helping hand without offending Ji Dong-hwa.

* * *

“Now, let’s begin the 1st Roommate Selection Competition.”

The four trainees are sitting on the living room floor, and only Ryu Iden is standing and shouting as if he were an MC [Master of Ceremonies, host].

We clapped and responded out of courtesy.

To know why we’re doing this ridiculous thing in the dorm, in front of a camera, you have to go back to yesterday.

The day after spending two days with Mok-hwa for the first time in a long time,

We gathered according to Team Leader Jang Hae-jin’s summons.

“Everyone! First of all, congratulations on your debut confirmation.”

And Jang Hae-jin starts explaining, handing out papers to each person.

“We’ve set a plan to debut in early June, which is two and a half months from now.”

It’s new to me, but I really have to live as an idol. As expected, it feels new when it’s right in front of me.

Then Ryu Iden carefully raises his hand.

“Um, Team Leader, wasn’t the debut originally in a month?”

“That’s right. It’s unconditionally better to debut as soon as possible after the survival show ends.”

And Jang Hae-jin lets out a long sigh that is filled with the sorrows of a working person.

“Actually, there was a plan we were originally preparing…….”

Jang Hae-jin paused as if hesitating to say something, then opened her mouth again.

“The group image we expected is a little different from the current group image.”

As she said that, Jang Hae-jin looks at Ji Dong-hwa.

“Ji Dong-hwa trainee, no, it seems right for Ji Dong-hwa to write a song, so we changed the plan a little. Of course, that doesn’t mean we’ll unconditionally put it on the album if you write it. And in other words… it could be the title track.”

Jang Hae-jin looks at me with determined eyes as if she has made a very important declaration.

But…….

…What is the title track?

I’m momentarily stunned by the unfamiliar use of the suddenly appearing familiar word. It’s not in my songwriting term dictionary, that word.

‘If it’s Title… as a noun, it has 6 meanings: title, book, title of nobility, championship, position, ownership.’

I quickly recalled the image of the dictionary I had memorized, but nothing matched. It doesn’t make sense for my song to get a title of nobility.

“…I’m sorry, but what is the title?”

Then, the air in the room suddenly turns cold. An unspoken pressure that asks how I can not know such a thing weighs down on me.

It’s an experience I haven’t had many times in my life, but it’s new.

…Damn GIS, if you’re going to synchronize knowledge, you should synchronize idol industry terms too.

“…The main song that you will perform on stage is called the title track.”

Okay, it means it’s important.

“Anyway… in that regard, Ji Dong-hwa, you can listen to the detailed schedule at the producing meeting in two days. Everyone will participate in the producing meeting, but Dong-hwa, please pay special attention.”

When I nodded, Jang Hae-jin looked around at the others and said.

“But then your fans will get tired, right? If there’s no news for two and a half months.”

Then she turns over another piece of paper.

“So, we have to film a reality show! It will be broadcast in two weeks.”

…By the way, what exactly is a reality show? I turn over another piece of paper, following Jang Hae-jin for now.

[Reality ‘We’re the Next Nietzche!’ Plan]

Hmm, Nietzsche is misspelled.

I can’t say it now given the atmosphere, so I should write it down on paper later.

* * *

Through this process, we are currently doing something ridiculous like a ‘roommate selection competition’ in a dorm surrounded by cameras.

I still don’t know exactly what a reality show is, but considering the goal of showing every process up to the debut in detail, it seems like something similar to a documentary.

“What― is our― roommate selection method―?”

“Good question! It’s an auction.”

…As far as I know, that roommate selection game is something that Ryu Iden has planned on his own. It’s bizarre.

Everyone is blinking, probably thinking the same thing as me.

“The game method is simple! If you look here, there’s a list of chores.”

The panel that Ryu Iden made had scores assigned to each chore, such as ‘Bathroom cleaning―5 points.’

“If you want to sleep in the room you want, you have to do a lot more chores.”

The explanation that followed from Ryu Iden is as follows.

1. First, decide which room you want for each room, consisting of room A where 2 people sleep, room B where 2 people use the same, and room C where 1 person uses.

2. If there are overlaps or the number of people exceeds, you can earn points by purchasing chores and kick out the person with the lower score.

…Mysterious.

“Then, when Dong-hwa hyung [older brother/male friend] and I both want to use room C, if I say I’ll clean the bathroom, I’ll kick Dong-hwa hyung out to another room?”

“That’s right, currently! Of course, if Dong-hwa says he’ll do not only bathroom cleaning but also other things, you’ll be kicked out.”

I raised my hand while listening quietly.

“…Then who does the chores that are not allocated here?”

“That will be divided equally.”

…Okay, let’s try it for now.

Everyone wrote down the room they wanted and revealed it at the same time.

I wrote down room C, which I would use alone, very naturally, and Lee Hyun-jae and Ryu Iden wrote down room C, and Chae Ha-min and Seok-joon wrote down room A and B, respectively.

…Doesn’t that Chae Ha-min know that room A has severe floor noise?

“Wow, it’s fierce. Then starting with me. I’ll bid for room C with bathroom cleaning once a week.”

…Damn it, the points are high. I carefully raised my hand.

“…I bid with dishwashing twice a week and preparing breakfast 4 days a week.”

I gather small chores and go ahead by 1 point.

“Hey, Dong-hwa hyung, you’re getting a room to yourself too easily. I’ll do bathroom cleaning for 2 weeks a month.”

…That damn puppy.

“…I’ll do it 3 times a month, everyone get out of my sweet home.”

…That fox.

“…Bid. Bathroom cleaning 3 times, dishwashing 3 times a week, breakfast preparation 4 times a week.”

When I declared that, Chae Ha-min was startled and covered his mouth.

“Do, Dong-hwa, why… why so much…….”

And Lee Hyun-jae immediately raised his hand.

“Bid. Bathroom cleaning 4 times, dishwashing 4 times a week.”

…I lost. If I did more, it would be no different from declaring that I would become the housekeeper of this house.

“…I’ll give up room C.”

“Dong-hwa hyung gave up and I gave up too, so room C was won by Hyun-jae! I’ll go straight into room B.”

…That damn it! I can’t go into room A because of the floor noise.

“…Room B, I bid with breakfast preparation 3 times.”

Seok-joon, who was about to be kicked out while staying still, was surprised and raised his hand.

“I’ll― do the dishes― twice a week, and clean the living room― 4 times a week.”

…Now please get out to room A, Ryu Iden!

As if reading my mind, Ryu Iden smiles and says. It’s like the smile that a devil shows just before taking a person’s soul at the end.

“I’ll do breakfast preparation 7 times, dishwashing once, and living room cleaning 3 times a week, Dong-hwa hyung.”

…Have I ever seen such a crazy person? He made it impossible to beat Seok-joon even if I gathered the remaining chores. He’s subtly smart, this guy.

“…I’ll give up room B.”

At that moment, Chae Ha-min clapped repeatedly and smiled brightly, putting both hands on my shoulder.

“Dong-hwa! I became a roommate without doing almost any chores! It’s so good!”

…Go away, rabbit.

“…I guess.”

“You’re happy to be roommates with me too, right, Dong-hwa?”

You’re smiling brightly now, but you’ll realize the problem around tonight.

“…Yeah, great.”

* * *

After the roommate selection that only left pain, we unpacked our luggage in each room and gathered in the living room again.

Actually, I was going to lie down and read a book, but I was caught by Chae Ha-min and came out.

…Everyone isn’t saying anything, but it seems like they’re burning with a sense of duty to do something that will be on the broadcast.

After sitting still like that for 10 minutes. I was wondering why we gathered in the first place…….

“…Who will be our leader?”

Lee Hyun-jae threw out the topic.

Then Chae Ha-min made an oh sound and said.

“I think it would be good for Dong-hwa or Iden hyung to do it.”

“Ha-min, why do you think so?”

“Well, first of all, Iden hyung has good leadership. It seems like he continued to lead the trainees even before I joined the company. I think he’ll be a leader who leads the team from the front.”

“Well, I’m embarrassed to hear it directly.”

Ryu Iden laughs as if he’s embarrassed.

“On the other hand, Dong-hwa is warm.”

…Huh? Ha-min, did you have a mental problem?

“Dong-hwa seems like he’ll take care of each of the kids meticulously and support them from behind. It’s different, but it’s a good leader.”

What’s with the warmth, and what’s with the meticulous care…….

What’s even more surprising is that the rest of the members are nodding. …Is this the mass hysteria I’ve only heard about?

“Well, Dong-hwa hyung is definitely like that.”

“But I have a question, Iden hyung. Why do you call Dong-hwa hyung?”

When Lee Hyun-jae asks, everyone suddenly looks back and forth between me and Ryu Iden with a ‘Oh, that’s right?’ expression.

I knew this would happen, you puppy.

I looked at Ryu Iden with eyes that said I had given up, so explain it yourself.

Then Ryu Iden scratched his head awkwardly and smiled.

“Dong-hwa hyung decided to be my hyung first.”

“…Don’t lie.”

As if he didn’t hear me, Ryu Iden continues to talk.

“I… had a hard time during the survival show. I even thought about quitting the survival show. At that time, Dong-hwa listened to my concerns and said he would be my hyung, so I should tell him my concerns?”

And I remembered that the camera was filming all of this.

I feel heat rushing to my ears to the point where I can feel it.

“…Iden hyung.”

“Why, Dong-hwa hyung?”

In the bizarre conversation of calling each other hyung, the rest of the members are holding back their laughter and watching. Looking at them all looking at me, it seems like they think it’s funny that I’m embarrassed.

“…I’m going to kill my hyung, please allow me.”

Ryu Iden, who playfully stroked his sturdy body, shudders, saying it’s creepy.

I let out a sigh and change the subject.

“…So who’s going to be the leader? Personally, I recommend Ryu Iden or Chae Ha-min.”

Anyway, I just don’t want to be the leader. I’ll refuse even if you give me the hat.