Holy Idol [EN]: Chapter 21

21. Gaining Seniority’s Favor

As I approached the elevators, I saw Seon Woo-shil and her cameraman.

“Hello.”

As Rembrary greeted them amiably, Seon Woo-shil’s eyebrows twitched.

But, conscious of the camera, she forced a friendly smile and said,

“You’re here?”

“Come this way.”

Guided by Seon Woo-shil, the four of us went up to the fifth floor.

Entering a room on the fifth floor, I found a room with a piano.

The room was uniquely structured, featuring a piano and microphone inside a large booth, with one side of the room made of glass.

Jong-woo went out to buy drinks and snacks, leaving only Seon Woo-shil, Rembrary, and the two cameramen in the room.

Still aware of the camera, Seon Woo-shil gestured for Rembrary to sit on the sofa, and she sat a little apart, asking,

“Have you thought about what song you want to do?”

“I’ve been thinking about it, but… I’m not sure.”

“Not sure? You don’t have a song you want to do?”

“I’ve never done a duet before.”

At Rembrary’s words, Seon Woo-shil smiled and nodded, glancing at the camera.

It seemed like the kind of moment where she would swear if the camera wasn’t there.

But thanks to the camera, Seon Woo-shil stood up instead of swearing and said,

“I have a song in mind.”

Seon Woo-shil went somewhere and came back with a head-shaped model that was hard to tell if it was a panda or a dog.

As I was wondering what it was, Seon Woo-shil said,

“Listen to this.”

She pressed one of the model’s ears.

Then, surprisingly, a song started playing from the head’s mouth.

‘Is she suggesting we do this song?’

Rembrary listened to the song.

At first, a woman spoke in a whisper, then in the middle, the tone rose.

It was a ticklish [endearing or playfully teasing] voice, so I thought it was nice to listen to.

Suddenly, another woman shouted in a husky yet powerful voice, and the entire chorus soared into a high note.

It wasn’t just a high note that kept dragging on one note, but a way of singing all the lyrics in a high note.

As the voice faded away as if it were breaking near the end of the chorus, the whispering voice opened the second verse again.

Rembrary applauded involuntarily when the song ended.

“Good.”

It was such an impressive song that my original tone came out without realizing it.

But it was also a song that seemed very difficult.

The low notes were very low, and the high notes were very high.

At the same time, it seemed difficult to maintain clear pronunciation.

“Are you suggesting we do this song?”

At Rembrary’s question, Seon Woo-shil smiled and replied.

“Yeah. It’s a song called ‘Let Out,’ how is it? Not bad, right?”

“It’s very cool.”

“Boy-girl teams will obviously do love song duets. Boy-boy or girl-girl teams will probably go for bromance [close, non-sexual relationship between men] or womance [close, non-sexual relationship between women]. If it’s all the same love and friendship, it’s obvious. Don’t you think?”

What are bromance and womance?

But Rembrary nodded, understanding the love and friendship song part.

If I had to express this song, it was closer to conflict and debate than love and friendship.

The two women in the song were clearly not fighting, but if you listened to the lyrics in detail, they were speaking different opinions as if they were giving speeches.

“Call? With this?”

“Yes.”

As Rembrary readily agreed, Seon Woo-shil smiled with satisfaction, as if it was a song she really wanted to do.

“Then let’s do this song…”

“Yes.”

“We’ll have to divide the low and high parts. What do you want to do?”

Seon Woo-shil looked at Rembrary, tapping the ear of the head that I didn’t know whether it was a dog or a panda.

High note? Low note? She was asking with her eyes.

“Both are difficult. Choose what you’re confident in.”

As Rembrary pondered silently, Seon Woo-shil repeatedly urged.

Rembrary smiled and said casually.

“I’ll take the part that you’re not confident in, Senior.”

Seon Woo-shil said, very quietly, ‘You little-‘, but like a pro, she swallowed the swear word and said,

“Then I’ll do the high notes.”

* * *

For almost five hours after that, the two practiced relentlessly.

Rembrary was able to understand the purpose of the piano in the room.

Surprisingly, Seon Woo-shil added accompaniment with that piano, and even though she was simply tapping the keys, the sound was quite impressive.

Besides, Seon Woo-shil’s approach to the song was very serious.

“No, in that part, be more like you’re scolding.”

“Don’t whisper?”

“Whisper, but you know how there’s a whisper that threatens while grabbing your ear? Let’s do it like that.”

“······”

“I want to do it more like a fierce fight. I’m going to scream like a whale in the high-pitched part, but if you’re whispering quietly, how can it be a fight? So let’s go with a quiet but threatening look.”

Rembrary’s voice has a subtle sacred quality, so the tone sounds very good.

In other words, it was not easy to sing bad and rough songs.

Seon Woo-shil admired Rembrary’s voice but also pointed out this point and pushed him to bring out the right atmosphere.

“I was wondering why you did a choir arrangement. That was the best, that’s why.”

“Does it still not sound like a threat?”

“Have you never threatened anyone? Even among friends, when you were young.”

“I haven’t.”

“Really? Even jokingly?”

“I haven’t.”

“…Ah, of course, neither have I.”

After almost five hours of singing.

Rembrary was completely exhausted and drank bottled water like he was pouring it down.

However, Rembrary was not the only one who was surprised by the other person’s attitude.

Seon Woo-shil was also surprised that Rembrary followed her strict nagging without complaining.

Occasionally, at the request of a vocal trainer or the president, she would mentor rookies or trainees.

It was very occasional, but anyway.

Every time, Seon Woo-shil would say, ‘These days, kids are really something.’

If you say these words, people will say you’re a *kkondae* [Korean slang for an older person who is condescending or stuck in their ways], but she couldn’t help but say it.

Some trainees cry when you point something out, and some trainees can’t stand their temper and get angry when you point something out.

Some trainees listen to the criticism quietly, but nothing changes.

Some trainees work hard at first, but then slack off when it gets hard.

But Rembrary was surprisingly unchanged from beginning to end.

Imperturbability.

I don’t know what’s on his mind, but on the outside, that’s exactly what it looked like.

Even now, he’s drinking water because he’s tired, but isn’t his expression calm?

Eventually, Seon Woo-shil thought for a moment and went out to the hallway to ask Jong-woo.

“Jong-woo. If it’s okay, can I have a drink with Yeon-woo today?”

“Drink?”

Jong-woo was surprised and asked back.

“Yes. He’s following me well. I want to treat him because I’m impressed.”

Jong-woo was bewildered.

He couldn’t see inside the practice room, so he couldn’t know what had happened.

No, Jong-woo was busy reporting malicious comments about Yeon-woo from Oh Jeong-shin’s fans, going around community sites, fan club sites, celebrity photo sites, and major portal site news.

I don’t know why there’s a report malicious comment button, but even if you report most swear words, they are not deleted.

He spent five hours in such a difficult battle.

Seon Woo-shil, who hated Yeon-woo, suddenly came out like that, so he was dumbfounded.

But this was a good opportunity.

“Oh, of course.”

Even if he gets caught drinking with a heterosexual idol, the other person was a senior of the same gender who was highly trusted in the music industry.

Yeon-woo is an adult.

Even if a photo is taken while drinking, if a post saying, ‘Oh? Woo Yeon-woo and Seon Woo-shil are getting along well?’ is posted, it would be helpful and not bad.

Even if a photo is not taken, it would be good just to get along better with Seon Woo-shil.

“I’ll take him to the front of the dorm so he’s not too late.”

Seon Woo-shil, who had received Jong-woo’s permission, said this as if she knew the idol scene well, and then went to Rembrary and suggested.

“Let’s have a drink with *hyung* [Korean term for older brother or male senior] and go in.”

“I can’t go out without permission…”

“I just got permission. He said it’s okay?”

Rembrary didn’t like alcohol, but he nodded at Jong-woo’s words that he had given permission.

He thought he had a reason for allowing it.

Besides, Rembrary also needed connections other than the members.

He was always hanging out with the members because all his actions were controlled by his manager, Jong-woo.

Rembrary, who didn’t know about this place, was curious about ‘reality’ other than the internet.

Beyond curiosity, he needed friendships with other people even after he quit being an idol.

“Okay. I’ll get dressed and wait.”

Seon Woo-shil told Jong-woo to go first, and then sent the two cameramen back this time.

Jong-woo went back believing that Seon Woo-shil had never caused a scandal in the music industry.

When they were completely alone, Seon Woo-shil handed Rembrary the sheet music with the items she had checked today and took him to the parking lot.

And about 20 minutes later.

Rembrary came to a bar for the first time since coming to this world.

It was also the first time he had eaten something with someone other than a member or family member.

As Seon Woo-shil ordered simple alcohol and snacks, the employee glanced at Rembrary and Seon Woo-shil but quietly closed the door and left.

This bar was structured so that customers could go into the room and eat, so some celebrities, including Seon Woo-shil, quietly came and went.

Seon Woo-shil clicked her tongue as she was left alone with Rembrary.

“You know, you little punk. Why did you talk like that at first when you were going to do it so sincerely?”

‘Like that?’

It was a reproachful tone.

Rembrary was puzzled and asked back.

“What did I say?”

It seems like she’s talking about the reason why she fought with Woo Yeon-woo.

Of course, Rembrary didn’t remember.

Seon Woo-shil glared and flared up.

“What, you little punk, you made me angry and you don’t even remember?”

As Rembrary shook his head, Seon Woo-shil said in disbelief.

“You and that guy named Hye-gyeol. The two of you were saying things like ‘Idols are a stepping stone for acting.’ Don’t you remember?”

Rembrary’s eyes widened.

Woo Yeon-woo said that?

Then was Woo Yeon-woo’s goal not to be an idol?

This is another new fact.

Rembrary decided to remember it well in his head and write it down later when he went to the dorm.

These trivial pieces of information might be helpful in finding Woo Yeon-woo’s blackmailer in the future.

As Rembrary smiled awkwardly, Seon Woo-shil asked again.

“Are you still thinking that way?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Really?”

Seon Woo-shil nodded as if she liked Rembrary’s answer and said.

“Then are you going to switch to a solo singer when you’re done being an idol?”

“Pardon?”

“In my opinion, you’re better suited for solo than a group. You might be more popular than when you’re in a group. If you want, I can talk to the president for you when your group contract ends later.”

Seon Woo-shil suggested seriously.

She wasn’t just saying it, she really liked Rembrary’s tone that she had been listening to throughout the five hours of practice.

Even the attitude of following well when taught something.

Rembrary was flustered and replied.

“Thank you. But I’m thinking of going a different path when my idol activities are over.”

“What as?”

Model? Seon Woo-shil asked sarcastically as she poured water into her mouth.

“A monk.”

The water spewed out at Rembrary’s answer.

Seon Woo-shil looked at Rembrary, coughing because she was choking.

“What?”