Becoming An Idol Wasn’T On My Plan [EN]: Chapter 68

68.

Blossom’s first fan appreciation event received high praise for the quality of the performances and the visual aesthetics of the videos shown in between. As a result, even before the official edited version was uploaded to the official account, fan-taken videos from the show were already gaining popularity.

Among all the highlights, Ji Dong-hwa’s answer about his dream three years from now naturally garnered the most attention.

[Idol jumping at another member on stage.gif]

Is Blossom. First, here’s the GIF.

(GIF of Chae Ha-min running towards Ji Dong-hwa, who falls backward but safely lands using a breakfall technique)

Without context, it might seem like a dangerous stunt (and it is a dangerous stunt, even if you know the context).

But with context, it’s incredibly touching ㅠㅠ

The guy falling backward was asked what his dream was for three years from now, and after ‘seriously contemplating’ (a very important point), he answered that he just wanted to be with the members ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

The guy who usually has a cold and decisive image in the team said that, so the fans were touched, and the other member was so moved that he ran at him.

If you have time, please watch Blossom’s fan appreciation event video. Aside from the great performances, it’s subtly funny and touching…

Comments:

―LOLOLOLOLOL Dong-hwa falls so calmly LOLOLOLOLOL It’s like he’s falling onto a bed.

―Blossom is a surprisingly comedic group… Still rewatching their self-produced content from last time LOLOLOLOL

―No LOLOLOL You could just say Ji Dong-hwa, and people would know who you’re talking about, even without mentioning the member LOLOLOL

└True, he’s the most recognizable idol in idol communities, number one among rookies.

It was Ji Dong-hwa’s statement at the first fan appreciation event. Because of his image of always thinking seriously and reviewing his words dozens of times, fans were convinced that Ji Dong-hwa’s words were not just a script.

Also, some people who were just ‘dipping their toes’ into Blossom ended up diving into the Luminous fandom because of this statement.

Besides this, Chae Ha-min and Seok Jun’s tears, and Lee Hyun-jae and Ji Dong-hwa’s pair parts were also known as essential Luminous content.

And among that content, the one that was closely mentioned along with Ji Dong-hwa’s dream for three years was Ryu Iden changing the lyrics of his song and Ji Dong-hwa’s reaction.

[Idol member noticing that the lyrics of a song he wrote were changed on stage]

(GIF of Ji Dong-hwa looking at Ryu Iden with what appears to be a gentle smile)

It’s the ‘If we’re together’ that’s often posted on communities these days ㅇㅇ

He noticed that the last line of the song he gifted to the member was changed and looked at him.

But why does he look so gentle!

It’s after the currently trending ‘If we’re together,’ and the member singing the song changed ‘rising now’ to ‘rising together’… Isn’t that so touching?

Comments:

―Touching or whatever, what’s that person’s name? I’m a bit smitten by his smile?

└His stage name is Dong-hwa! His real name is Ji Dong-hwa! He’s Blossom’s composer and lead vocalist!

└Dong-hwa… seriously… that smile… it’s creating crazy memory distortions… It’s like I saw him in high school…

└He’s my philosophy tutor?

└…?? Blossom’s culture seems to have a lot to study even though they’re still rookies…

Lee Hyun-jae, who was watching all of this, said in amazement.

“…Hyung [older brother/male friend], there’s a GIF of you saying ‘Stop’ going around?”

Ji Dong-hwa nodded as he watched himself saying ‘Stop!’ with a firm expression, trapped in a square frame.

“…It’s too late to turn back now.”

Upon hearing that answer, Lee Hyun-jae simply turned his gaze back to the tablet and replied.

“…I agree.”

* * *

In the car returning to the dorm after the fan appreciation event, a mechanical notification rings.

Ding―!

[Sub-Quest ‘My Own Little Concert!’ Completed!

You have successfully put on a stage filled with gratitude for your fans. As a result, you have not exactly created 1,000 fans, but you have increased the possibility of creating them, so the following reward was scheduled to be provided.

Reward: A trivial piece of the future]

…Was scheduled?

Of course, I didn’t do it for the reward, but it’s strange not to receive the promised item.

[The method of giving the piece of possibility needs to be changed!]

Hmm… The fact that the need has arisen means that there are external factors preventing the quest method from being used as before. Is it something like the side effects of the spacetime rift I mentioned before?

[Similar, but those damn bastards keep bothering me, so I’ve decided to adopt a more secretive method!]

…Well, everyone has their own problems, so let’s move on.

By the way, since when has personal conversation been allowed? Is it okay?

[I can handle this level of rift with my abilities.]

…I see.

A notification appears before my eyes, announcing a new reward.

[The reward has been changed. See you in your dreams tonight.]

…I can roughly guess what’s going on. I’ve heard that some people, like Seok Jun, see other possibilities in their dreams, so that’s what they’re aiming for.

But can such a shallow trick work? Seeing as they called them damn bastards, they must be members of some group, but if it’s a group of omnipotent beings, this level of deception is…

[They’re surprisingly stupid. You’re probably smarter than them.]

Why did you have to include the word ‘probably,’ Gizisaeng?

I know I’m not smart, but it’s rude to point it out to my face.

[First-person perspective is forced in dreams. Please keep this in mind.]

Hmm, ignoring me. I nodded for now.

“Dong-hwa, why are you suddenly nodding?”

Chae Ha-min, who was watching me, asked blankly…

“…Just feeling the rhythm.”

I naturally utter a lie.

* * *

After arriving at the dorm, I washed my tired body and immediately lay down on the bed.

With today’s fan appreciation event, Blossom’s official hiatus begins. There was a feeling of hiatus even before the fan appreciation event, but it was only about three weeks.

This time, only W app lives are scheduled until the next album is prepared.

I reflected on the end of the official first album activities and apologized to Chae Ha-min.

“…Sorry.”

Chae Ha-min, who was sitting on the bed humming and fiddling with his phone, stopped abruptly at the sudden apology and raised his head.

“Why? Did you do something wrong?”

“…For seeming like I didn’t trust you. It’s my fault. But I’ve never thought that way.”

It’s not that I didn’t trust him, but that I trusted myself too much. The habits from Mok-hwa haven’t changed easily, and that became arrogance.

“…No, Dong-hwa, that’s, um, all in the past!”

Chae Ha-min mumbled in response, but I ignored him and closed my eyes.

“…I’m going to sleep first.”

It’s time to see the gift prepared by Gizisaeng.

* * *

I open my eyes. A strange space where I don’t know where I am.

It feels like I’m floating in the middle of the Antarctic sky with the aurora spreading out.

…Mysterious.

“Ah, welcome, Mr. Dong-hwa.”

I turn my head at the unfamiliar voice. There, three monitors were combined, each responsible for the eyes and mouth, forming an expression. An expression similar to ‘―_―’.

“First of all, if I appeared in my true form, those damn bastards would freak out, so I changed my appearance a bit. Isn’t it cute?”

…Ha, definitely not normal.

“…Gizisaeng?”

“Of course. I’m not a living being right now because I’m just a mass of inanimate objects, but please understand it as a literary allegory.”

“…Certainly bizarre and intellectual.”

A wire attached to one side of the monitor slowly rises and is placed in front of the monitor. And the monitor tilts. It seems to be recreating the greeting of a European gentleman.

“First of all, let me formally introduce myself. I am the administrator of the spacetime you live in, (―――――). My name was probably muted just now, but there’s no helping it. The spacetime would collapse the moment I say it.”

And a wire pops out from the other side, followed by a screen appearing behind Gizisaeng.

“First, congratulations on your mental maturity. You have awakened to a future of being with others, which you did not achieve in the original possibility.”

…That means, although I could have guessed.

“…In the previous possibility, I was a lonely old man.”

“Exactly. I can definitely guarantee that. I watched it vividly.”

“…Mok-hwa?”

“The Mok-hwa you have in front of you is that Mok-hwa, so why are you still worrying? I was once human, but it was quite a while ago, so it’s hard for me to empathize. However, I can tell you that the wish you had at the last moment made possible the kind of miracle that is unfolding before you now.”

Yes, I know. That the current Mok-hwa is the Mok-hwa from the previous possibility. However, even facts that I already know sometimes feel unfamiliar.

“…So, what’s the reason for your direct visit?”

“Hmm… Where should I start? I should start with the situation I’m in.”

The situation Gizisaeng was in was simple.

By granting my requests, he was in a difficult situation. So, he needed to grant the requests in a different way. So, he’s explaining that and trying to give the reward for this quest.

I slowly look at Gizisaeng. How is that monitor working? And what is the reason for the existence of the ‘Siun-gwan’ [likely a reference to a celestial observation office] that Gizisaeng is talking about?

With various questions in mind, I carefully watch and listen to Gizisaeng’s movements and utterances, everything, in order to obtain even one more piece of information.

Gizisaeng, who was watching me, displays ‘ㅗ ^_^ ㅗ’ on his face.

“Ah! Please stop trying to analyze me for a moment. I think you might be able to do it. That would be a really big problem. Then I won’t be able to stop that crazy (―――――).”

“…It’s human instinct.”

“Well, it’s closer to your instinct. Sometimes that instinct becomes a problem. Don’t you know about Arnold Gehlen?”

A scholar who argued that humans promoted their survival by suppressing their instincts. Suppress your desires if you want to live; at that subtle threat, I nodded.

“Anyway… Instead of giving you a piece of possibility as a reward for the quest, I’ll give you a dream. They all fell for the piece of possibility in the past, but my supervisor is too quick-witted. And the possibility I’ll show you in the dream will be the future possibility that Ji Dong-hwa really wants to see.”

…In that case, it must be related to Yoon Sung-ho.

And Gizisaeng changes the screen behind him. The phrase ‘Things to keep in mind in the dream’ is written on it.

“A few things to be careful about are that, due to the nature of the dream, it’s in the first person, so you have to acquire information directly, and since it’s a dream, you have to interpret the dream’s symbolism well.”

I nod.

“Then let’s start the dream, ‘Yoon Sung-ho is afraid of monsters’.”

…What?

At that moment, Gizisaeng disappears, and the space changes, informing me that I’m standing in another place.

There, Yoon Sung-ho was trapped in a square cage. Inside, Yoon Sung-ho was dressed in very shabby clothes.

The chains tied to the cage stretched out and tied to my ankles.

‘…A representation of my guilt.’

I can interpret this level of symbolism.

And the man who seemed to have put Yoon Sung-ho in the cage, a man with a sphere containing the sky on his face and holding Lee Ji-hyun in that sky, was standing there.

He had horns on his head, which seemed to be the symbol of a monster.

And around his neck, he wore a necklace with a pendant modeled after a human face holding ice in its mouth.

…Ha, Gizisaeng. You didn’t say a word about this kind of event happening.

The monster looked at me, smiled strangely, and asked.

“Did you come to save this child!”

“…Shut up and close that disgusting mouth.”

I ignored the man and moved my feet, analyzing the dream’s symbolism one by one. I approach the cage to see Yoon Sung-ho in more detail.

And there was one more person inside the cage. Since there was no chain connected to him on my feet, it must not be my sin. Perhaps he’s a member like Yoon Sung-ho.

I analyze each and every symbol that unfolds and reach one conclusion.

“…Ha, Lee Ji-hyun’s father being a drug dealer is too big of an event, isn’t it, Gizisaeng.”

I muttered quietly.