Holy Idol [EN]: Chapter 66

< 66. See You in Two Weeks >

“Huh?”

I had a toothbrush in my mouth and was pouring sparkling water into a glass, still a little out of it. I turned my head at the surprised voice from behind.

Jung Seo was similarly holding a toothbrush in one hand and looking at his phone with the other.

“What is it?” I asked, taking the toothbrush out of my mouth. Jung Seo said, “Reverse climb.”

“Reverse climb? What’s that?”

“When a song’s ranking goes up unexpectedly.”

Jung Seo chuckled in amazement and approached, showing me his phone screen.

“See?”

There was an upward arrow next to the title, and the number 66.

“Your 7th competition song. The one that got trashed for being ASMR [Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, a relaxing, tingling sensation], it’s reverse climbing right now.”

I went to the bathroom, spat out the foam in my mouth, and quickly rinsed with water. Then, I seriously checked the phone Jung Seo handed me.

My competition song, which had the lowest ranking among the 7th competition songs, was really shooting up.

Real-time ranking 5th.

I stared blankly at the screen.

In the meantime, Jung Seo, who had gone into the bathroom to rinse his mouth, checked the album review section and muttered.

“Someone said they keep thinking about your rap when they lie down to sleep.”

“My rap?”

“Yeah. Someone called it auditory drugs?”

Jongwoo, who came to pick up the members, didn’t seem to know about the reverse climb yet.

He had a half-troubled, half-joyful expression, but when he heard about the reverse climb from Jung Seo, his eyes widened like grapes and he jumped up and down.

“Really?”

Jongwoo quickly checked his phone and chuckled with satisfaction.

“That’s right! This is it!”

Jongwoo kept grinning all the way to the agency.

It was inevitable. My ASMR rap was just a 7th competition task in the short term, but in the long term, it was also connected to the new solo song. The concept of my solo song was ‘Devil’s Whisper’.

Of course, I wasn’t rapping in the new song, but the concept of singing in a whispering tone was similar, so listeners might think of the 7th competition song when they heard the solo song.

And the 7th competition song was working for people? It was as good as saying that the solo song was more likely to appeal to people as well.

“Let’s really do well.”

Jongwoo muttered quietly.

“Understood.” I didn’t rejoice as much as Jongwoo, but I accepted it, thinking it was a good thing.

Anyway, the faster I become famous, the sooner I can peek into Maengwoo Shin’s cult.

“Ah, and the results of your song review are out. And the date for the new song showcase.”

The members, who were yawning and dozing off, simultaneously widened their eyes and looked at Jongwoo.

“When is it?”

“Next Thursday. It seems like quite a few reporters are coming this time, so you really need to practice hard.”

The car was instantly filled with tension.

This album was the most anticipated album since Wild Animal’s debut. Even if this album failed, my popularity wouldn’t disappear, but people might see it as ‘Wild Animal couldn’t succeed because they lacked star power’.

If they couldn’t shake off the ‘underwater’ image [referring to being unpopular or unnoticed] even with this opportunity, it might be difficult to rise no matter how good a song they brought out.

In that case, my personal fans would feel that the group Wild Animal was holding me back, and cracks might form among the already small number of fans. Jongwoo rubbed his knees with his palms, feeling nervous for no reason.

Only I was calmly looking out the window, lost in thought.

“Yeonwoo-ya?”

“What is it?”

“What are you thinking about?”

“Do I have to tell you?”

“Yeah. It’s scary when you’re lost in thought.”

“Just. I was thinking about horseback riding.”

“You talked about it when we were talking about ideal types before, but can you even ride a horse?”

“I ride well. Very well. Everyone will cheer when they see me riding a horse.”

Jongwoo tilted his head at my nonchalant answer. He wondered if I had ever had the chance to ride a horse.

But he soon brushed it off. I must have ridden it when I was young. Saying I ride well must be a bit of a bluff.

Finally, the car stopped in front of the agency.

Jongwoo herded the members into the practice room, stamped his attendance, took a picture of his face, and then went to his seat, turned on the computer, and went to the LLL Entertainment website.

It was to let people know when the showcase schedule was set on the Wild Animal calendar.

“You should take a good look too. You might have to do it later.”

Sagamjae watched Jongwoo register the schedule from beside him.

“Other idol groups have fan clubs, but doesn’t Yeonwoo have one?”

“Not yet, no, but Gamjae-ya. Aren’t you taking care of only Yeonwoo too much?”

“No, I’m not.”

“Then be careful with your word choice. Even if it doesn’t seem like much, the other kids would have felt bad if you said that in front of them just now.”

“Yes.”

But just as Jongwoo was tapping away at the keyboard,

A song by a female idol from a rival agency rang from Jongwoo’s pocket. Jongwoo hurriedly answered the phone and wedged it between his shoulder and ear.

“Yes, this is Wild Animal’s manager Lee Jongwoo. Hello?”

Sagamjae stood blankly next to Jongwoo, staring at the Wild Animal schedule calendar, which still had many empty slots.

“Yes. Yes, yes, that’s right. Yes, Yeonwoo. Yes. Yes?

But the call lasted longer than expected. Moreover, Jongwoo’s expression repeatedly turned bright, then embarrassed, then dark, then bright again, as if he was talking about something.

Only after a long time did Jongwoo hang up the phone and mutter, “This is a disaster.”

“What is it?”

“That’s… Ah, I think I should ask the CEO about this first.”

* * *

“Lee, you son of a…”

Oh Jungshin lay sprawled on the sofa in the dorm, constantly whining while checking the news on his tablet.

“Woo Yeonwoo, you son of a bitch, really.”

Sometimes even swearing.

Oh Jungshin’s member clicked his tongue and tossed a small ball that Woo Yeonwoo had been driving around with two days ago at Oh Jungshin.

“You idiot, why did you do something you couldn’t handle? Isn’t your personality all revealed now?”

“Ah, shut up! What about my personality!”

“Why did the dog come out, anyway? You could have just used slave contracts like everyone else.”

“It looks like I’m copying!”

“Copying would have been safe.”

Oh Jungshin glared at the member, but the member was already taking out juice from the refrigerator.

Oh Jungshin threw the ball he had thrown back at the member’s back, then glared at the tablet again.

His Black History 2 was being created inside the tablet.

What was even more annoying was that even his fans were making meme images of him and Woo Yeonwoo fighting, as if it was fun.

“Ah… I’m stressed. My captains [term of endearment for fans], why do you keep making images of me and that son of a bitch Woo Yeonwoo together, even though you say he’s a son of a bitch…? Please be consistent with your words and actions…”

The member stared at Oh Jungshin, who was shouting the fan club name and poking Woo Yeonwoo in the tablet with his finger, as if he was crazy.

At that moment, Oh Jungshin’s manager appeared with both hands full of cooked food.

The member put down the juice and quickly took the bags the manager brought and took them out on the table.

In the meantime, the manager approached Oh Jungshin and clicked his tongue.

“You should have stopped when I told you to.”

“Hyung [older brother or male friend], don’t stress me out. I’m about to have a mental breakdown because of that crazy bastard anyway.”

Oh Jungshin rubbed his forehead and gnashed his teeth.

“I’m really going to change my last name if I get involved with that crazy bastard again.”

The manager looked at Oh Jungshin with pity and said.

“You’re going to have to change your last name.”

“What?”

Oh Jungshin quickly lowered his hand.

“What are you talking about? Don’t tell me I’m going to get involved with that crazy bastard again?”

“You two have been offered a cosmetic CF [commercial film].”

“What the fuck?”

Oh Jungshin jumped up in shock.

“You want me to stand face to face with that crazy bastard and smile under the lights?”

“What are you talking about?”

“That’s what all cosmetic CFs are like when two people film them!”

“That’s not it. But it’s a bit difficult because it’s not that.”

The manager sighed.

“They like your rival chemistry, so they want to film it with that concept.”

Oh Jungshin spat out a curse for a moment at the word ‘chemistry’.

The manager ignored it appropriately and spoke again when Oh Jungshin calmed down.

“Modlen is releasing a men’s BB cream and sunscreen this time, and they want you and Woo Yeonwoo to each take charge of one and compete with each other. They want to create a concept where the ‘Flawless Perfect Skin’ black BB cream, and the ‘Natural and Practical Skin Correction. Let’s End It With One’ All-in-One White Sunscreen compete with each other.”

Oh Jungshin frowned.

“It’s annoying, but there’s nothing difficult about it, is there?”

“That’s not the end of it.”

“Then?”

“They’re going to do a trial sale, and if the sales of the cosmetics on one side aren’t enough, they’re going to discontinue them.”

“Are they crazy?”

Oh Jungshin shouted in absurdity.

“Are you kidding me?”

“They say it’s real. So the model for the discontinued side will be finished with this contract, and the model for the opposite side will extend the contract and continue to be used. This is all part of the concept. It’s a concept that will be revealed to viewers as well.”

The member, who was rummaging through the food the manager had packed, clicked his tongue from behind.

“They’re going to openly pit our fans against Woo Yeonwoo’s fans. The person who planned this is really mean.”

Oh Jungshin also opened and closed his mouth. This was like openly setting a counterfire.

It was a plan that didn’t even consider the images of Oh Jungshin or Woo Yeonwoo, who would die in the middle, and only took care of their own interests.

At least Oh Jungshin’s fans would hate to lose to Woo Yeonwoo, so they would buy the product while cursing the company.

Woo Yeonwoo’s fans, though small in number, would also try their best.

The manager asked.

“Are you going to do it? You originally wanted to do a cosmetic CF.”

He wanted to try it. But he didn’t want to film such a competitive CF.

Oh Jungshin closed his mouth and became depressed. He didn’t think he would lose to Woo Yeonwoo. Modlen wouldn’t have made a plan thinking that Woo Yeonwoo’s fans would beat Oh Jungshin.

What they really wanted was Oh Jungshin’s fans’ animosity towards Woo Yeonwoo.

However, once they were hired as models for the same company’s same product, it meant that they would have to film the CF together, go to product events together, and maybe even do photo shoots together.

In other words, he would have to see that crazy bastard Woo Yeonwoo often.

Oh Jungshin hated that so much. He sincerely didn’t want to get involved with a crazy bastard like Woo Yeonwoo. Not because he was scared, but because he was disgusted.

“Do I have to do it?”

But no matter how successful Oh Jungshin was as an idol, he didn’t have the right to choose advertisers.

“Yeah. The CEO said you have to do it. He’s also very angry about you mentioning dogs this time.”

“…”

“The amount is quite large. Besides, once you do a cosmetic CF, you’ll get a more handsome image.”

“Ah, but Woo Yeonwoo is a bit…”

“The CEO said he’ll give you a trial entertainment show in two weeks, so get along well and then watch the situation and tell the story of this incident in a fun way. Be sure to say that it wasn’t that you suddenly made him play the role of a dog, but that it was a setting. It’s been discussed with the writers there. They’ll package it well for you. It’s a temple stay experience, so act calm and composed and come back.”

Oh Jungshin sighed and nodded.

“Okay.”

* * *

And two hours later, I heard a similar but slightly different story from Jongwoo.

“One is a cosmetic CF and the other is a trial entertainment show? The CF is fine, but what is a trial entertainment show?”

“It’s about trying out various things. The trial in two weeks is a temple stay, and they want to take you as a guest at that time. They said they proposed it because it would be fun to take you because your image is the opposite of a temple. Isn’t that a good thing? You said you wanted to become a monk.”

“Is a temple a temple? [referring to a place of spiritual practice and reflection]”

My face brightened.

“Then that’s good. That’s really good.”

“Ah, there’s one more guest coming besides you, but they didn’t tell me who it is.”

< 66. See You in Two Weeks > End