Becoming An Idol Wasn’T On My Plan [EN]: Chapter 56

56.

Let’s break down how things escalated this far. The beginning of all learning lies in organizing what came before.

1. The Beginning: Biting the Bait from the Planning Team

It was when Ryu Iden returned from sharing his thoughts with the planning team. Ryu Iden, pretending to be the cheerful Chae Ha-min, shouted,

“Guys! We’ve got our own content.”

So, he went to ask for a bit of time before deciding on the program appearance, and came back with our own content.

“…How did that happen?”

“Well, when I mentioned it to the planning team, they said since we’re doing it anyway, we should make it into content, even if it’s just one episode. They said they’d support us with research and everything.”

2. Development: My Foolishness

“Dong-hwa hyung [older brother or male friend], wouldn’t it be good to make this a little easier to understand?”

Lee Hyun-jae carefully asked after skimming through the script we all wrote together. Well, it was more like a college major’s notes.

“Hmm… How so?”

“It might be good to add a story, like telling a tale.”

“…Like a fantasy novel?”

“Wow, that would be fun. Like saving the world with philosophy!”

At the end of Lee Hyun-jae’s innocent laughter, I jokingly structured the first episode’s story like a fantasy novel and showed it to Ryu Iden. Ryu Iden immediately ran to the planning team that day and spread the story I wrote as a joke far and wide, like a Good Samaritan.

And as a result, the earth-shattering news came that ‘because the idea is good, we’ve decided to work with the planning team to expand the project in earnest.’

3. Crisis: Collective Madness

“Dong-hwa, I don’t understand this part. So what is ‘eidos’ supposed to be?”

“…Essence.”

“So, Dong-hwa’s eidos is high IQ, something like that?”

“…No.”

Chae Ha-min reading the Aristotle character setting.

“Hyung-nim [term of respect for an older male], Th-then, d-do I believe th-that everything changes? Is there not-nothing that doesn’t change?”

“…Yeah.”

“But our-team-will not change.”

“…Okay.”

Seok-joon reading the Heraclitus character setting.

“Wow! So I can tease Dong-hwa the whole time during filming? And even his ideology is simpler than I thought.”

“…Dog.”

Ryu Iden, who chose Diogenes, fitting his appearance, and.

“Hyung, I can tease Dong-hwa hyung too. Man is the measure of all things.”

“…Ha.”

Lee Hyun-jae, who chose Protagoras, the most annoying character, and also the quickest to learn.

Everyone was doing their best to understand the characters in the bizarre story of saving the world through philosophy.

…After going through such a past, the climax.

Those who had learned philosophy superficially but licked it with all their might, finally possessing the minimum necessary intellect, gathered to film a video.

Lee Hyun-jae rubs his palms next to Seok-joon and nods like crazy, and then Chae Ha-min glares as if it’s an eyesore……

“So, there is not-nothing that doesn’t change, it’s just that we put a name-on it. To use proper philosophy-you have to know this much.”

“Huh? There goes the guy who ‘names’ things, Hera!”

“Hmph-is there such a thing as an unchanging essence? Stupid, really!”

Then Chae Ha-min’s face contorts.

…I wrote it.

…I, wrote that kind of thing, damn it.

And after a while, when all the filming is finished, loud applause echoes through the set.

“Wow, our Blossom’s acting isn’t bad. Shouldn’t we look into cameo appearances?”

Of course, I don’t know anything about acting theory, so I kept quiet.

“Especially, Hyun-jae and Ha-min! You guys acted well.”

Lee Hyun-jae bows his head with an awkward face, and Chae Ha-min smiles brightly and bends his body 90 degrees.

“Dong-hwa also seems to be doing well in his own way! No, in fact, everyone is doing okay in their own way! A group cameo would be good too.”

“…Thank you.”

…Ha, they said the editing would take about four days.

I guess I’ll just have to wait and enjoy the shame that rises from within when I see the final product.

* * *

Just before the end of the semester, Ji Dong-hwa’s fan was finding peace of mind by looking at high-definition photos taken with her DSLR camera.

“Damn… assignments… not even letting me do my fan activities properly……”

About four cans of energy drink with a red bull drawn on them were piled up next to her.

Late at night, thick caffeine flowing in her blood, but a strong will that she didn’t want to do it anymore.

With the harmony of all these things, she finally reached for her phone.

‘…Come to think of it, I haven’t checked it all day.’

Naturally, while looking at the SNS [Social Networking Service] feed, she noticed the hotter-than-usual activity and straightened her posture.

‘…Damn it, is it because our own content is out?’

If I had known this would happen, I would have abandoned the assignment and watched our content first.

She quickly turned on YouTube and went in.

And the title that instantly caught her eye.

[Blossom and Philosophy Academy: EP 01. Aristotle, Transferred School.]

“No… Shibal [Korean slang, similar to ‘damn it’], What is this.”

She pressed the play button as if possessed.

* * *

Under the warm sunlight, another energetic day at the academy. A song that sounds like a rabbit running across a meadow plays in the background.

In the meantime, Chae Ha-min is walking down what appears to be a hallway, following someone.

And Chae Ha-min’s narration is heard.

―I am Aristotle. Today, I transferred to Ph. D Academy, the most prestigious school in Greece.

Chae Ha-min stands in front of a classroom and takes a deep breath, as if nervous.

―I lived in the palace when I was growing up under my father, who was a court physician, but now they are all gone.

Chae Ha-min slaps his cheeks with both hands and says to himself.

“Yes, Aristotle. You can do it. You have to succeed. I have to fulfill my mother’s last wish.”

―Come in, transfer student.

He carefully opens the door and enters. Gazes pouring out from among the students.

Among them, a group with strange smiles catches his eye.

“Now, introduce yourself.”

Ryu Iden, who plays multiple roles, now has a beard like Socrates and says with a cheerful smile.

“Hello! I’m Aristotle, who transferred here this time. Nice to meet you!”

“He is a child who has come to explore the truth of the world anew… Well, Plato, why don’t you guide this child.”

Then, Ji Dong-hwa, who was writing, raises his head and says as if he is annoyed.

“…Do you mean me, a nobleman?”

“You must remember that there is no class distinction in this academy. You both have similar philosophies in your own way, so you will be able to get along.”

Then Ji Dong-hwa flinches and makes eye contact.

* * *

The scene changes to a quiet classroom, where a group centered around Seok-joon is staring at Chae Ha-min from among numerous extras.

Feeling burdened by the gaze, Chae Ha-min speaks to Ji Dong-hwa, who is still focused on the paper next to him.

“Plato, they keep glaring at us.”

Glancing over, Seok-joon is sitting arrogantly with his legs crossed and looking at them. Ji Dong-hwa sighs once and replies.

“…Ignore them. They are bugs who don’t even believe in essence.”

“What? Then how do you fight the Agnosia (ἀγνωσία, ignorance)?”

This world is being invaded by ‘Agnosia’, and philosophy is the only means to fight against them. How can you construct logic and implement it as philosophy without believing in essence? Chae Ha-min was shocked.

And at that moment, a languid laugh is heard from the side.

“If-you’re curious, I’ll-show you myself.”

Seok-joon gets up from his seat, spreads his right hand in front of him, and chants.

“Panta Rhei (Πάντα ῥεῖ, everything flows).”

Instantly, a clock whose shape is constantly distorted is created, and it is fired at Chae Ha-min according to Seok-joon’s gesture.

A powerful philosophy that contains the power of change, making the time of everything it touches ‘flow’. If it touches the defenseless Chae Ha-min, his whole body may rot.

Ji Dong-hwa opens his eyes wide and immediately pulls the flustered Chae Ha-min behind him and aims his hand at the clock.

“Idea (ἰδέα).”

The moment philosophy is preached from his mouth, a pure white sphere of light that seems to burn above Ji Dong-hwa’s head pours out intense light. The essence of everything that exists in nature, the light of the Idea that is free from everything, shatters Seok-joon’s clock.

A heavy silence settles in the classroom. Ji Dong-hwa straightens his body and asks in a colder voice than before.

“…Heraclitus, it’s rude to preach philosophy to a transfer student right away.”

“Oh-I didn’t-intend to attack. But, because you were-curious. I was trying to teach-you that believing in change-is a more rational philosophy-than believing in essence.”

Ji Dong-hwa glances at Seok-joon with a look of contempt and grabs Chae Ha-min’s wrist and leaves the classroom.

And Seok-joon, who is left in the classroom, hits the desk with a resentful expression.

“That essentialist bastard……”

“Hera, don’t be too angry. What would those stupid things know.”

Lee Hyun-jae puts his hand on Seok-joon’s head and chants.

“…Chairo (χαίρω, rejoice).”

Lee Hyun-jae, Protagoras, deeply explored the influence of belief on reality perception, so even human feelings could be changed slightly through his philosophy.

Seok-joon, who has calmed down a bit, takes a shallow breath and says.

“…That unlucky bastard, I’ll get him back someday.”

Heraclitus, the blood of the old royal family and the eldest son of the current aristocrat, muttered like that.

* * *

Ji Dong-hwa sat Chae Ha-min on a bench in the school’s sports field, the Agora [public open space used for assemblies and markets].

“…This is the Agora, where philosophy contests are held. Practical classes to resist Agnosia are also held here.”

“…By the way, Plato, that philosophy from before.”

Ji Dong-hwa smiles proudly and sits next to him.

“Are you talking about the Idea? You won’t have seen it because it’s a philosophy I created myself.”

“It was so cool! I’m curious about what logic it’s composed of.”

“Commoner, you have an eye for things. I plan to open a new faction with this philosophy. A new philosophy that is different from any existing philosophical system.”

Then Chae Ha-min’s eyes, which were already big, get even bigger and he says.

“I haven’t even preached all of the existing philosophies yet.”

Then Ji Dong-hwa slowly scans Chae Ha-min and says.

“If you believe in essence, that doesn’t matter. If you do, I might accept you into my school.”

Chae Ha-min thought he was arrogant, but he couldn’t help but nod as he recalled the radiance of the light that the previous philosophy had shown and the march of fierce logic contained within it.

“Then… what about those guys from before?”

“It’s okay to ignore those guys because they’re serious bugs… but you should know.”

And the explanation continues, with images and subtitles appropriately added to capture the emphasis.

* * *

This world is a world where the darkness of Agnosia has fallen.

Agnosia look like humans, but they are beings that live by devouring human reason.

The humans who were being massacred by them invented philosophy using the Logos (λόγος) [divine reason or creative order] inherent in humans, and through this, they were able to defeat Agnosia.

The first philosopher, Thales, is said to have dropped lightning on Agnosia by constructing an understanding of nature into logic and preaching the most basic form of philosophy.

And as time passed, philosophy developed, and humanity finally gained the power to fight Agnosia on an equal footing, and as society stabilized, academies that taught philosophy were established everywhere.

Among them, Ph. D Academy is the most prestigious of the prestigious, most new philosophies are created by the geniuses here, and the development of existing philosophies is also centered here.

However, all development has negative consequences.

Regarding the direction in which highly developed philosophy should go, the professors and students of Ph.D are divided into two major schools and are debating.

The division between absolutism, which believes in essence and constructs it into logic to preach philosophy, and relativism, which does not believe so and constructs logic around change to preach philosophy.

The internal strife has intensified to the point where some philosophers focus more on attacking philosophers from other schools than on dealing with Agnosia.

* * *

Ji Dong-hwa reappears on the screen after the explanation.

“…Unfortunately, Heraclitus seems to be more focused on defeating the absolutist school than on dealing with Agnosia. He has forgotten the duty of a philosopher who loves knowledge.”

“I see… I didn’t know. My mother always told me not to forget the essence.”

Ji Dong-hwa quietly asks.

“You have a wonderful mother. May I ask for your mother’s name, commoner.”

“Ah, of course! It’s Paistis… I don’t think she’s a famous philosopher.”

Ji Dong-hwa pauses for a moment and asks.

“Is she perhaps from Chalkis?”

“Huh? How did you know?”

Then Ji Dong-hwa smiles faintly and says.

“So you are the son of someone who hid their identity.”

“…Huh?”

“So, how is she doing?”

Then tears well up slightly in Chae Ha-min’s eyes, and he says in a gloomy voice.

“…She passed away this year. Because of Agnosia.”

“…That can’t be. There’s no way she could be defeated by Agnosia.”

“…What?”

Then Ji Dong-hwa says softly.

“…Did she even hide her identity from her child?”

Chae Ha-min felt as if his brain had stopped for a moment. There’s no way that my most beloved mother has a secret that I don’t know.

“…Commoner, no, Aristotle. Your mother is……”

And then, a loud laughter is heard from afar, and someone runs from the middle of the Agora.

“Plato! You’re still just talking! A new school is bullshit. You’re just a greedy aristocrat.”

Chae Ha-min carefully turns his head, and there, Ryu Iden, wearing a worn-out school uniform and holding a gourd in one hand, was smiling and shouting.

“…Tch, that damn Diogenes.”