Prince From Another Dimension Becomes An Idol [EN]: Chapter 21

Having returned to the room he shared with Gyu-sung, Do-jae sat on the bed and reviewed the article he had seen earlier.

「IV Investment Decides to Invest in Kingdom Entertainment, Agency of Trending Idol Group Big Boyz」

The article stated that the company had received a significant investment due to Big Boyz’s popularity.

‘So, this is what Team Leader Jung was referring to when she mentioned an important investment meeting.’

Do-jae recalled the education he had received in the Imperial Palace.

Those born into the Imperial Family, even if they were not heirs, were required to complete successor training from the ages of fifteen to seventeen.

This was in preparation for any unforeseen vacancies.

The content of the training mostly concerned the operation of the Imperial Palace.

Since the establishment of the Korean Empire, the operating expenses of the Imperial Palace had largely come from the taxes of the Empire’s citizens.

However, they could not solely rely on taxes, and the Imperial Palace augmented its income by receiving investments from companies.

Thanks to this, the classes Do-jae received as a prince were quite similar to business management classes, and Do-jae was able to grasp the company’s general financial situation through the investment article.

‘I don’t know all the businesses the company is involved in, so it’s not entirely accurate, but…….’

Do-jae carefully examined the last line of the article.

「…Kingdom Entertainment, having succeeded in attracting investment, plans to accelerate preparations for the next group to debut in the second half of this year.」

It was clear that the company’s financial situation had improved through the investment, and that finances for the next group had been secured.

It was there that Do-jae saw hope.

***

Monday, practice began again.

As they left the dorm and headed to the practice room, the members were still pondering which song would be best for their title track.

Ki-jun stopped the members, who were humming the two songs alternately as they headed to the practice room.

Ki-jun, having checked a message from Team Leader Kim Seok-cheol, said,

“We need to go to the conference room instead of the practice room.”

“Conference room? Why?”

“I don’t know. They said today’s morning practice is canceled and to come to the conference room.”

“What? Even practice is canceled? What’s going on…….”

Heung-min frowned and muttered.

If something had happened, they would have been notified in advance, but this was too sudden.

“Right. It’s rare for all of the morning practice to be canceled.”

Moreover, the person who summoned the members was Kim Seok-cheol, the manager, not Team Leader Jung Hee-young.

If practice was canceled (which rarely happened), they might get an earful about their dorm life or practice attitude.

Unlike Ki-jun and Heung-min, who were worried about what was going on, Louis and Woo-cheol were busy exchanging excited glances.

They were literally experiencing hell with the increasing amount of practice as their debut approached.

They didn’t know why they were being called, but they were happy that they didn’t have to practice in the morning.

“Huh? The conference room lights are off?”

Even Woo-cheol, who was usually oblivious, tilted his head as he reached the 8th floor where the conference room was located.

“What’s going on? Haven’t they arrived yet?”

“That’s weird. Team Leader Seok-cheol said he’d be in the conference room.”

The members approached the conference room, puzzled.

The conference room lights were definitely off.

It seemed like no one was there.

“Let’s go in first.”

It was when Heung-min, at the front, opened the conference room door.

‘Something…….’

Do-jae, standing at the back, furrowed his brow at the dim light shining inside the conference room.

It was when Do-jae hesitated.

Heung-min opened the door and turned on the lights.

Suddenly, the dark conference room lit up.

“Guys!”

“Eek―!”

Louis, startled by Team Leader Jung Hee-young’s energetic voice, stepped back and screamed.

Pop.

A moment later, colorful confetti exploded.

The conference room, which they thought was empty, was filled with Planning Team 2 employees, Team Leader Kim Seok-cheol, and even Yang-mal, the morning practice trainer.

The members were momentarily stunned as they looked around at the cake and drinks on the table, and the banner filling the conference room wall.

“Were you surprised? Seeing your reactions, it was worth throwing a surprise party.”

Team Leader Jung Hee-young said teasingly, and the other employees, including Deputy Lee Jung-yeon, chuckled.

Even Team Leader Kim Seok-cheol, who was usually stoic, had a smile on his face.

“The party was surprising, but…. Louis was even more surprising.”

Woo-cheol said, looking at Louis.

Louis, who had almost stepped on Woo-cheol’s foot while stepping back, laughed even louder.

“MOST…….”

Amidst the commotion, Do-jae focused on the banner.

Team Leader Jung Hee-young, noticing this, quickly explained.

“We didn’t officially celebrate after your debut group was confirmed. We wanted to celebrate now that the group name has been decided.”

“So, our team name is officially decided as MOST?”

There were several candidates, and they had held several meetings, but the team name had not been decided yet.

They wondered when the team name would be decided, but it seemed it had finally been decided.

“Yes.”

“Oh. Awesome. I like it.”

“You like it?”

“Yes!”

At Woo-cheol’s answer, the faces of the Planning Team 2 employees, who had been struggling to choose a team name for a while, brightened.

“Ki-jun, do you like it too?”

Deputy Lee Jung-yeon subtly asked Ki-jun, the team leader and the most meticulous member.

Everyone seemed to like the team name MOST, but Ki-jun’s expression was so stern that it was hard to know what he was thinking.

“Yes. It’s much better than that…. team name the president mentioned last time.”

Ki-jun nodded, thinking of one of the candidates before Do-jae and Louis joined.

Deputy Lee Jung-yeon said, “Ah, that one was a bit….” and trailed off.

“What was it?”

When Louis asked, Ki-jun closed his mouth as if he didn’t want to say, and Heung-min shrugged and answered instead.

“D&T.”

“D&T? It’s not that weird…. What does it mean?”

“Dragon and Tiger.”

“Wow…….”

It was a naming sense that left them speechless.

Team Leader Jung Hee-young shook her head as if she was reminded of what happened back then.

“Dragon Boys, Tiger Boys. The idea was to debut them separately. I was the one who stopped it.”

“You did a great job, Team Leader.”

Team Leader Kim Seok-cheol, who had been silent, chimed in.

He clearly didn’t want to be the manager of the Dragon and Tiger either.

Do-jae chuckled and repeated the team name MOST.

Maximum, Optimum, Superlative, Top.

It was a word that created the highest grade no matter what it was attached to.

“I hope you become a group that becomes the most wonderful modifier in itself. You are capable enough to do so.”

At Team Leader Jung Hee-young’s words, everyone nodded without exception.

May MOST be attached to all the good words in the world.

Everyone in the conference room at this moment earnestly wished for it.

“There’s still a lot to do before debut…. So let’s do better from now on.”

“Yes. Team Leader.”

Ki-jun answered immediately.

Team Leader Jung Hee-young smiled and took care of the members.

Taking care of the members was part of the job, but Team Leader Jung Hee-young cherished and cared for the members more than just as a job.

Thanks to this, the members now trusted and followed her like an older sister.

“Everyone, eat! You’ve been having a hard time practicing lately, right?”

“Lately? It’s not just lately.”

When Woo-cheol muttered, Heung-min told him not to complain.

“You’re always complaining that you’re tired too. If you’re not tired, don’t ask me to put a patch on you. I won’t put it on.”

“This punk, really.”

While the two were bickering as usual, Gyu-sung cut the cake with a knife.

A lot of chocolate cake and various snacks were piled up on the table.

They couldn’t even eat snacks in the dorm because of weight management, so everyone was excited about the fact that they could officially have snacks.

“A team name…. It’s becoming more and more real.”

Gyu-sung, who liked sweets more than anyone else, said, taking a big bite of chocolate cake.

“Right? Ah…. Heung-min also needs to decide on a stage name. For now, the president is thinking about it, so…….”

“Not the vice president, the president?”

Heung-min, who had been stuffing potato chips into his mouth with Woo-cheol, flinched.

Heung-min had the same name as Son Heung-min, a world-renowned soccer player, so it was impossible to debut under his real name.

That’s why Heung-min had thought that he would debut under a stage name since he was a trainee.

But he never thought that the president of Kingdom, who had recommended the team name ‘Children of the Dragon’, would give him his name.

“Uh…. Didn’t you say the president wasn’t working anymore?”

At Heung-min’s cautious question, Team Leader Jung Hee-young answered as if she felt sorry for him.

“He handed over all the practical work to the vice president, but he likes naming things.”

“Haa…….”

Woo-cheol chuckled and patted Heung-min on the back.

Heung-min glared at Woo-cheol for no reason.

“The president will also come to the meeting to decide on the title track, so you should think about it in advance. If that’s the best one, the president will go with that. Because it’s your name.”

At Team Leader Jung Hee-young’s tip, Heung-min quickly nodded.

For the time being, Heung-min’s concern seemed to be deciding on his stage name, not and .

Do-jae thought that he would finally meet the president, who had stepped down from practical work, at the meeting, and opened his mouth.

“But I have something to say.”

At Do-jae’s cautious change of subject, those who were chatting lightly turned around.

“It’s about the title track. I wanted to get the consent of all the members and staff before expressing my opinion at the meeting.”

“Hmm?”

Team Leader Jung Hee-young blinked as if asking what it was.

“Title track. Does it have to be one of or ?”

“Uh? For now…. right? Unless a better song comes out. Did you want to do a song other than those two?”

At Team Leader Jung Hee-young’s question, Do-jae shook his head.

“No. Because both are good songs. I want to do both.”

“That’s right. Of course, we all…. Huh?”

As she spoke, Team Leader Jung Hee-young looked at Do-jae intently as if she had realized something.

She realized that Do-jae wasn’t just saying that he liked both and couldn’t choose one.

“Could it be.”

“Are you saying we should use both songs as debut songs?”

Ki-jun, who quickly caught on to Do-jae’s words, asked.

“Yes. That’s right.”

Gyu-sung’s eyes widened as he chewed on the cake.

“What do you mean, hyungs [older brothers/male friends]? Is it possible to have two title tracks?”

Woo-cheol asked as if he really didn’t know, and in fact, Do-jae wanted to ask everyone that.

Whether it would be possible.

Usually, there was only one title track.

They put all their effort into that one.

But Do-jae’s words meant releasing and promoting two songs at the same time.

Twice the investment. Twice the effort.

Everything was needed twice as much.

The risk of failure also doubled.

‘But if we succeed, the result will be doubled.’

It started with the question of whether they really had to choose one when it was difficult to determine the superiority of both songs.

As he came across the investment article, he saw hope that Kingdom, a small agency, might have the resources to produce both songs as title tracks.

Do-jae thought it was worth a try.

***