Becoming An Idol Wasn’T On My Plan [EN]: Chapter 95

95.

My studio, filled with Nesquick and all our members, felt a bit overwhelming since it was the first time so many people had gathered there.

After listening to all the songs I had been agonizing over for about a week, everyone gave the obligatory applause.

“Jun’s song is finally being released!”

Chae Ha-min shouted, blessing Seok-jun, who nodded shyly and hugged the Fruits World character doll next to him tightly.

I cleared the general atmosphere and opened my mouth. Even if Ryu Iden was the leader, I would represent our side’s opinions when it came to songwriting.

“Today is the day we all write the lyrics together.”

At my words, Nesquick nodded and added.

“The song work is roughly finished, but Dong-hwa’s basic beat is freaking awesome, so if we write the lyrics and arrange them to fit, it’ll be great.”

This Chocolate Powder guy seems to have gotten comfortable with us, as profanity now flows naturally from him.

Anyway, we’ve filmed countless strange conversations while shooting the songwriting trip, but the essence of the songwriting trip is, after all, self-composed songs.

Especially since Seok-jun and I have been the main songwriters on our side, we need to get the other members involved in this process in some way.

Therefore,

“Write the lyrics. Hyun-jae, Iden, Ha-min.”

“Dong-hwa, you don’t occasionally forget that I’m older than you, do you?”

Unfortunately, the human brain is structured to remember things more easily than to forget them.

“Ultimately, we’ll finish by creating the stage choreography. It might be a bit rushed, but I think we can do it.”

Unlike other indie teams, we’re idols, so we have to create choreography for the stage. I’m worried that this might really cause physical problems, but for now, there’s no other choice.

“So, the stage concept is still the same as we talked about last time, right?”

“Yeah.”

I put down the paper I was holding and nodded.

“Musical.”

* * *

# Songwriting Trip Documentary Edit

A black and white screen with depressing BGM playing. A white text appears on it.

[Songwriting Trip: A Shitty Life]

In it, someone sits on a sofa at home, bites off a lollipop, and blows it like a cigarette. Wearing a princess dress and sunglasses, she nods her head and mutters.

“(Bleep) life, (bleep) why can’t anything go my way? Ugh, damn, those (bleep) Songwriting Trip production crew guys, I sent them such a heartfelt email, but they didn’t even reply. (Bleep) Ha, I want to burn the whole world down.”

A natural stream of dissing the production crew, with a subtitle appearing below.

[Nesquick (24 years old) / Rapper or Chocolate Powder

Note: The production crew asked her to say whatever she wanted.]

In other words, Nesquick is currently cursing the production crew who are filming her at her own will.

This time, the screen switches, and the Bloosence members appear sprawled out in the dorm living room. The depressing music continues to play.

[Bloosence (4 months old) / Baby

Note: This is a staged scene; this team isn’t usually this quiet. It’s going to be noisy later.]

“It’s hard to live as a celebrity…….”

[This is a staged line. Viewers, calm down! If you’re going to throw stones, throw them at the production crew!]

“I know. I want to wander around freely.”

“Like a bird flying in the sky! I want to fly far away. I want to sing and dance.”

Chae Ha-min mutters firmly, looking at the sky. Anyone can tell that there’s something slightly wrong with the line, but thanks to his face, it looks somewhat normal.

The screen splits in half, with Nesquick on one side and Bloosence on the other. And in front of them, a can of soda is placed with a ‘du-dung’ sound effect. A drink with the tagline ‘Drink it, and you’ll be free.’ Of course, it’s PPL [Product Placement].

Bloosence and Nesquick look at it suspiciously, then open the can and chug it down.

The moment they finish drinking, the gray screen regains its color, and the wall between the split screens rises, while the walls of the set also fall down.

And a wide forest is revealed. Bloosence and Nesquick turn around, make eye contact, and smile.

[In a Shitty Life]

And they each get up from the sofa and run into the forest.

[Time to go on a delusion trip for a moment.]

And a new subtitle takes up a large space in the center of the screen.

[Jungmunsa Group’s ‘Delusion Trip,’ starting now.]

Next to each letter of the Jungmunsa Group, there were small letters showing what the abbreviation meant.

After that, the process of deciding the name Jungmunsa Group is briefly shown, Ji Dong-hwa smiling as he watches Seok-jun collapse while composing, then staring back at the monitor with half-dead eyes, Chae Ha-min and Ryu Iden choreographing, Lee Hyun-jae writing lyrics, and Nesquick holding a phone and making (bleep) sounds, all edited together in a series,

[Please look forward to Songwriting Trip: Bloosence and Nesquick Edition.]

That subtitle alone remains on the screen.

* * *

I rub my eyes once. I was amazed by the video unfolding before my eyes, to the point where such foolishness could flow out without any qualms. Of course, in a bad way.

I predicted it when we were filming, but I can’t help but wonder what kind of video this is.

“It’s good, right? We put our heart and soul into editing it! Songwriting trip and delusion trip, and even the song’s atmosphere! We’re so happy that it all fits together so perfectly.”

Kim So-young PD [Production Director] nods as if she’s very satisfied.

After finishing the music show schedule, we gathered late at night to film the main stage of the songwriting trip.

“So, what are your thoughts? Is this good enough?”

Kim So-young PD gathered us together and proudly showed us the video that would be used in the trailer and opening of the songwriting trip.

……Even if I put aside the cheesy nickname of ‘maverick,’ it seems like my face appears frequently in this slightly crazy video.

“Wow… it’s so… good……?”

Seeing Ryu Iden, who has excellent social skills, draw out his words like that, it seems like the video isn’t in very good condition.

However, Lee Hyun-jae, who often watches the songwriting trip, smiles brightly and giggles, as if he knew that the video would turn out like this.

“You were expecting this, Hyun-jae?”

“Yes, hyung [older brother/male friend].”

Then he quietly comes closer and whispers in my ear.

“The production crew here are a little crazy. It’s almost always like this. Only sometimes is it a touching code.”

…Yeah, that’s why they accepted the name Jungmunsa Group.

“Hoho, I’m pretty good, right? I put a little more effort into the editing direction this time. I’m so grateful that you guys filmed in such a crazy— I mean, fun direction.”

Hearing that, Nesquick smirks and mutters.

“Ah, really, it looks like my life is finally going to turn around. I hope the days of secretly getting pocket money from my mom are over. There’s a limit to how much I can stand looking at my family’s faces…….”

I unconsciously nodded. Probably, it seemed like it would end.

Personally, the problem with Nesquick was that he didn’t have any opportunities to appear on TV, but once he does, he’s a character that’s hard to forget. Where else in the world can you see someone dressed as Wizney Princess smoking a cigarette and swearing?

I just hoped that today’s filming would end safely.

* * *

I went into the dressing room for filming. Then, the stylist waved at me and shouted.

“Dong-hwa, come on in! Today, you’re the one who’s always in the protagonist’s group, cold on the outside but warm on the inside, so when the protagonist is having a hard time, you sit next to him without saying a word and comfort him, right?”

It’s not that specific! What kind of makeup is this, like setting up a character in a novel?

I was almost assigned to play a strange character.

“I prepared some fancy clothes this time because it’s a musical concept! I put in some effort!”

In the hands of the stylist, who is smiling brightly, is an embarrassing costume that I don’t want to wear.

“How does it feel to become a real prince? I made it with the intention of using it for Halloween too.”

And the moment I saw the outfit, Seok-jun and Nesquick screamed strangely and ran towards me.

“This is, this is!”

“Damn, I’m right, aren’t I, Jun-ssi [term of endearment]?”

Surprisingly, this is also being filmed.

“That’s right, Nesquick-ssi [term of endearment]! Ice Prince……!”

“He was 3rd on my list of ideal types when I was young!”

…How many people do you have on your ideal type list, Nesquick?

“I expected it to turn out like this from the beginning. In fact, Dong-hwa hyung, I secretly went to the stylists and planning team members and insisted that Dong-hwa hyung must do the Ice Prince cosplay!”

Seok-jun spits out words at an insanely fast pace. He only speaks fast at times like this, which is still a mysterious feeling even after seeing it several times.

“Jun-ssi, you did so well! How, how did you come up with such a great idea!”

The sound of their conversation spreads everywhere, and all eyes are on us. Nevertheless, Nesquick and Seok-jun seem to have forgotten their shame and are proudly showing off their ‘unlimited affection for Wizney [parody of Disney].’

In the end, that means that I’m the only normal human being here who can feel shame.

Ignoring their commotion, I accepted the white outfit based on see-through fabric.

[The outfit is revealing! There’s no reason to intervene in spacetime for a while, so I should say something useless like this.]

Shut up, Base Life. Read a book in that time…… Damn it, you probably know more than I do, so I have nothing to say.

* * *

After finishing all the makeup, we entered the waiting room. In the case of the songwriting trip, usually two teams go up to the stage sequentially. It’s difficult for the audience to settle in with just one or two indie teams in the first place. This time, it’s a special case because we’re idols, but the broadcast format doesn’t change that easily.

So, another indie singer was also in the waiting room, not us.

That person’s name is Lucid Dream. He’s dressed in a suit like a polite gentleman and greets us with a smile.

“Wow, it’s so dazzling that it’s blinding. Handsome people even in costumes…….”

Personally, I’d rather wear a suit.

Lucid Dream is a senior singer who is quite well-known in the major scene despite being an indie singer. He’s also talented enough that I referred to him when I was personally studying composition during the hiatus of my first album activities.

“It’s my first time standing on the same stage with idol group singers, nice to meet you, I am Lucid Dream.”

Of course, ‘same stage’ only means sharing the stage literally.

Ryu Iden receives the hand that Lucid Dream politely extends and bows his head almost 90 degrees.

“Hello, senior [someone with more experience]! Our Dong-hwa really likes your songs.”

…It’s a habit that I’ve developed while navigating the entertainment industry with Ryu Iden. It’s a signal to memorize and spit out related activities when meeting seniors, trusting my memory. It’s a long-standing tradition of Bloosence that has been passed down since Detection.

I nod lightly.

“I purchased and enjoyed your 4th full-length album, ‘Did the Colossus Really Smile Brightly on That Mountain?’ In particular, the piano melody from the middle to the end of the song ‘If I Ever Meet You, I Want to Smile and Shake Your Hand’ was to my taste.”

Lucid Dream smiles at my greeting, but his expression gradually turns to shock as I continue to speak. This is also a familiar occurrence. When I spit out the content that Ryu Iden told me to memorize, they usually react like that.

“Wow, really, I’m a little touched? Even my friends can’t memorize my album name. Actually, I sometimes forget it too.”

Lucid Dream soon returns to a bright expression and leaves a greeting, saying that he’s looking forward to the stage.

Um, but why was Nesquick excluded from the greeting?

Sure enough, Nesquick clenches his teeth as he watches Lucid Dream return to his seat.

“That bastard, acting so polite. Did the production crew cast him without knowing, or did they aim for this, those trashy bastards.”

“……Are you perhaps on bad terms with him?”

Ryu Iden cautiously approaches and asks, and Nesquick gives a rotten smile.

“Yes, I’m that human’s registered family mate [legally recognized relationship, often used for same-sex couples].”

……I see.