Becoming An Idol Wasn’T On My Plan [EN]: Chapter 59

We’re standing to the left of the MC on the ending stage of HBR’s music program, ‘Music Inside.’

On the opposite side, Blue Jack stands casually, led by a man with the bizarre stage name of Lukachi.

“We’re down to the announcement of the number one song on Music Inside today! Will it be Blue Jack’s ‘Time’ or Blossom’s ‘Cloudy Blue’ that takes the top spot?”

Those words are as useless as a ‘mo’ [a space completely devoid of pieces] on a Yut board [traditional Korean board game]. Who doesn’t know Blue Jack is going to be number one?

“After adding up all the scores, today’s number one is! Congratulations, Blue Jack!”

All of our members smiled and applauded, and we were about to turn around after shaking hands with Blue Jack.

“Dong-hwa! Idea!”

If only Lukachi, or rather, Cheol-su, hadn’t grabbed my hand and done that.

“Oh, where do you get those ideas, seriously?”

“…Unfortunately, they come from inside my head.”

Surely, I won’t be followed by ‘Idea’ for the rest of my life because of just this one video, right?

* * *

Blossom’s second place on the music show became more of a hot topic than Blue Jack’s first place.

Unlike Blue Jack, who got what they were expected to get, we started in the top 10 and steadily climbed to second place.

Because of this, there were occasional trolls who tried to criticize us, questioning how we could even get to second place.

However, thanks to Blossom’s recent bizarre activities, fans who were happily stanning [supporting] us easily dealt with it without any mental damage.

[What’s so good about Blossom compared to other active singers?]

(Ji Dong-hwa Idea meme)

??? : This is the light of essence that washes away antis [anti-fans].

Comments:

―LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL are you crazy, roomnut [someone who is online too much] LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL I’m a fan of another group but this is hilarious LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

―Ah seriously, these days are the happiest… They said there won’t be a follow-up song, so what am I supposed to live for now…

[Does Blossom’s second place on the music show even make sense?]

(Blossom’s Philosophy Academy Episode 1 video)

(Chae Ha-min’s Ithica preaching meme)

Haters! Watch this and purify yourselves!

Comments:

―LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL Ah seriously, the haters came rushing in but shut their mouths after getting hit by Hamin’s Ithica LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

And then, an analysis of this reality emerged.

[The Struggles of Hating on Blossom]

1. They’re not lacking in skill, so you look like an idiot if you hate on them.

2. Due to Nietzsche Entertainment’s characteristics, their scores are extremely transparent, so it’s hard to raise suspicions. If you do, you’ll just end up getting refuted.

3. So, it’s hard to hate on them for the sole reason that ‘I don’t like them.’

If they keep promoting steadily without any scandals, it’s natural to see them overwhelming the other rookies, so you want to hate on them but you don’t know what to hate on, so you’re frustrated.

Comments:

―It’s like the Nutcracker, but the nut is too hard to crack~

―Ah, please don’t mention overwhelming the rookies like that ㅠㅠㅠ It’ll attract too much attention ㅠㅠㅠㅠ

└But even Bluetooth can clearly see that they’re overwhelming them, roomnut ㅎㅎ

Luminous [Blossom’s fan name] were filled with a sense of satisfaction towards their idols, intoxicated by the fact that they got second place, which was practically the same as first place since it’s hard for anyone to beat Blue Jack anyway.

However, other fandoms, recognizing that they had ‘lost’ the public’s attention in proportion to that, were quietly holding onto the single thought that ‘I hate seeing them,’ even though public sentiment was too good right now to do anything.

* * *

In the car on the way back to the dorm, I quietly called Gijisaeng.

‘Gijisaeng, give me the fragment of Seok-jun’s possibility.’

I need to at least confirm what Yoon Seong-ho looked like in Seok-jun’s possibility.

Asking Seok-jun directly would bring up negative memories for him, so I don’t want to make him recall them, and I’m not wise enough to figure out the possibilities that are like the other side of the world myself, so I don’t want to rely on him, but I have no choice but to ask Gijisaeng for help.

And just like a person keeping silent, only time passes.

Then…

Ding―!

[Quest ‘Greedy Bastard!’ has been generated!

Considering your usual hard work and the huge negative impact that would occur if you weren’t given this, this quest was ‘specially’ created. Complete the following conditions and receive the reward!

Completion Condition: Chant ‘I am a greedy bastard’ three times

Reward: Fragment of Seok-jun’s possibility]

…Ha, yeah, I know that my heart is similar to that of a robber.

I say out loud that I am a greedy bastard a total of three times.

Lee Hyun-jae, who was the only one awake, heard the bizarre monologue, confirmed that it was me who made the sound, and nodded as if it was possible.

…Please explain to me what that expression is supposed to mean, Hyun-jae.

What kind of image do you have of me in your head?

[Quest ‘Greedy Bastard!’ completed!

You have admitted that you are a greedy bastard! It may be difficult to connect for a very short time after today.

Reward: Fragment of Seok-jun’s possibility]

It’ll be difficult to connect for a while… What price did Gijisaeng pay for this?

I put that question aside for now and spoke to Gijisaeng.

‘Gijisaeng, can I use the fragment of possibility now?’

[If you pretend to be asleep, I will use it for you now.]

I close my eyes and stay still, and after a while, the familiar sensation of losing consciousness crawls up my body.

* * *

When I open my eyes, I see a house that looks considerably worse than the current dorm.

‘…Hmm?’

Why did this change occur?

Economically speaking, the dorm is an investment, so it seems that in the previously realized possibility, the investment value of the survival debut group was judged to be lower.

While I was taking in the changed dorm, Park Woo-jin and Seok-jun, who used to be trainees, opened the front door and came in.

Seok-jun’s expression was surprisingly dark compared to now.

“Now, let’s listen to me, Jun-ah.”

“…Yes―”

“Again, look at you dragging out your words. I told you to fix that.”

‘…Ha, what a hopeless human being.’

Looking down on someone else’s way of speaking.

Seok-jun went straight into the room, and I followed him in.

When Seok-jun took off his clothes, bruises were visible in places that weren’t usually seen.

I couldn’t think for a moment, so I stared blankly at the sight and then let out a deep sigh.

…Ha, I wonder if there’s any way to deal with him directly.

Even though this possibility hasn’t been realized, and even though I know it’s illogical and irrational, I still want to mess with him somehow.

I quietly observe them for a while.

‘…The team name has been decided as Caterpillar, and the leader is that Park guy. Kim Hyun-jin is… not in this possibility either. He’s talented, so why?’

Park Woo-jin was somewhere between a unilateral dictator and a ringleader of bullying in his daily life.

Aside from Park Woo-jin, no one else was directly violent towards Seok-jun, but perhaps, given Seok-jun’s personality, that indifference felt even sharper.

‘…I roughly understand the structure.’

The violence that takes place within these caterpillars has a subtle structure.

The violence inflicted on Seok-jun by Park Woo-jin is disguised as a joke and happens on a daily basis, and the other bystanders who watch it seem to believe in that flimsy disguise of a joke and ignore it.

It’s similar to a scapegoat.

There was a shared atmosphere that if only Seok-jun sacrificed himself, they could have a quiet time. They internally justified the sacrifice of one human being for the comfort of the group. It’s a phenomenon that can often be observed in society as well.

However, only Yoon Seong-ho was different in that.

In the room that seemed to be used by Seok-jun and Yoon Seong-ho, he was crying but doing his best not to tremble his voice as he applied medicine to Seok-jun’s wounds.

Yoon Seong-ho looked at Seok-jun with a frustrated expression and began to speak one word at a time.

“I went to the company to tell them, but Team Leader Jang left after the first album project failed, so there’s no one who’s actively trying to solve the problem. When Team Leader Jang was here, it didn’t escalate to this extent. These days, they completely ignore whatever I say and bully him behind my back.”

Seok-jun just nodded and listened to those words.

‘……’

Let’s infer.

Inference 1. In this possibility, ‘The Next Nietzsche’ did not produce proper results compared to the investment. And the first album seems to have flopped as well.

Inference 2. Jang Hae-jin seems to have left the company as a result of that responsibility. Perhaps, given his personality, the company pressured him to give up his position, so he left. He was someone who would have tried to fulfill his responsibilities as much as possible, so he wouldn’t have thought of quitting the company on his own.

Inference 3. As a result of that, or for other reasons, the company became a mess. It’s something that’s severely different from the current company. Or, the idol industry is originally like that, and Jang Hae-jin and his team members were unique people.

After listening to all those words, Seok-jun carefully opened his mouth.

“Hyung―nim [older brother/male friend], I’m― afraid― that you’ll― get hurt― too―”

“That’s nonsense, really. I’m acting like this to get hurt together. I don’t have the strength to beat Park Woo-jin, but I can get hit with you.”

‘…He’s as kind as Chae Ha-min.’

And soon the scene changed, and this time it switched to a news article.

[Caterpillar, excessive violence… revealed by the confession of a fellow member]

And Seok-jun, who was looking at that, was visiting Yoon Seong-ho, who was lying in a cast next to him, and was clumsily peeling an apple.

Seok-jun had a depressed expression, and Yoon Seong-ho was smiling brightly.

“Jun, I’m okay.”

“…Hyung―nim, you protected― me, Hyung―nim―”

“Hey, it’s enough that you reported it! They say my leg will heal quickly. There’s no big problem. But… will you be okay? Looking at the atmosphere, it seems like we’re going to disband. That’s what you were trying to avoid.”

Seok-jun, who was listening to that, shed tears one by one, but held Yoon Seong-ho’s arm tightly and smiled with difficulty.

“…Hyung―nim, what nonsense― are you saying. Isn’t it good― that we’ll be unemployed― together―?”

With that scene as the last, my consciousness began to fade.

* * *

I open my eyes with a jolt.

‘…What is the probability that Yoon Seong-ho, who joined God’s A team, will experience the same thing as Chae Ha-min?’

First of all, what needs to be considered is that Yoon Seong-ho is as kind as Chae Ha-min, and from what he does, he’s even more reckless than Chae Ha-min.

A flower garden in his head, a strong spirit, and a willingness to sacrifice himself for others, he is even more extreme in some aspects compared to Chae Ha-min.

If it were me, I would have secretly released an article by bribing a few reporters in advance before deciding to persuade him to change.

If it’s these two, there’s a high probability that they’ll shout ‘Drugs are bad!’ in front of the God’s A members who are addicted to drugs, and then try to persuade them to fix it somehow, and when it doesn’t work, they’ll choose the path of reporting it.

[That’s a chilling level of reasoning!]

…Moreover, Gijisaeng, who knows how to calculate future possibilities, even certified it.

So, to summarize, there is a probability approaching 100 percent that Yoon Seong-ho will be assaulted by Lee Ji-hyun.

I have another question I want to ask, so I called Gijisaeng in my mind.

‘…Gijisaeng, how long will you be away?’

[Since I left after just completing the certification, I am currently absent.]

Ha, damn it.

‘…In that possibility, at least Yoon Seong-ho’s leg injury was at a treatable level, and in Chae Ha-min’s possibility, his leg was at an irreparable level.’

Perhaps the current possibility of Chae Ha-min is about to be realized in Yoon Seong-ho due to my intervention. In other words, this time Yoon Seong-ho may face a result where he cannot continue his life as a singer.

It’s good that I saved Chae Ha-min. It’s enough to see that stupid rabbit crying only in the fragments of possibility.

However, it’s not right for Yoon Seong-ho to experience something like that instead, and when you think about it, my actions have eventually led Yoon Seong-ho to join that team through a long and winding causal process.

If a butterfly’s wings become a storm, I’m not sure if that butterfly is responsible for the storm, but at least I am now.

I feel terribly guilty, damn it.