"Thank you for your effort!"
The evening after Jin Dasol's choreography lesson and the vocal recording were finished.
"Hey, Chunyong hyung. Where are you going?"
"I don't feel well!"
I quickly threw myself into the bathroom located in the dorm room.
Why? Because…
Poof! Poof! Poof! Plink!
At some point, this terrible sound started ringing out incessantly.
"What was that sound..."
"Whose notification sound is this? Chu- Chunyong-i?"
The moment that piercing sound started, everyone's gazes fixed on me heavily. No matter how much I tried to explain that it wasn't mine, it didn't work.
Their gazes were practically screaming, 'So that's your taste...'
"No, really... what the hell is Ppororong?"
A flood of messages from X poured out on my phone screen after turning it on.
- X: Hey hey, how was the skill effect?
- X: I also don't know the effects well because it's my first time seeing
- X: Do you feel the difference? Are you having trouble feeling it because your stats have gone up?
- X: Earlier, Joo-an or In-joo's face turned red ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Ah, so funny, the name is worth it ㄷㄷ
I quickly typed my replies, fueled with both my anger towards X and my fatigue from practice.
- Kim Chunyong: Is the skill effect really important right now?
- Kim Chunyong: I told you nine times.
- Kim Chunyong: Please change the message notification sound ;;
- Kim Chunyong: When are you gonna change it? I'm so fed up with this that I wanna die.
As always, the only things I got back from X, who hadn't replied for a while, were sentences that irritated my insides.
- X: I don't work part-time because I don't like it (Melong) (Melong)
"Damn…."
I grabbed my hair and groaned, but still had to accept that there was no use getting angry at X, who technically wasn't even physical, and took a deep breath.
Yeah. The only way I can break up with him is to quickly rise to the top of K-pop.
And now there was something more important than deciding whether to kill X or let him live.
"Surely, if my feeling is correct..."
With a pounding heart, I clicked on the 'Status Window' in the app's menu tab.
My current status window was a mess.
The dancing, singing, rapping, and even the looks and charm were shabbier than before.
But while I was doing the dance break in front of Kim Joo-an, I felt something had changed.
It feels like I was rising from the very bottom.
[Status window
Name: Kim Chun-yong (survival program trainee)
Vocals: 52 (55) (Idol Trainee)
Rap: 50 (63) (Idol Trainee)
Dance: 70 (84) (Idol Sub Dancer)
Appearance: 71 (80) (Handsome Idol)
Attractiveness: 55 (75) (Idol Trainee)
Skill: Idol's Aura (F)
Overwhelm Opponent with Dance (C)
6th Rank Will (F)]
"And..."
Of course, they weren't as good as my previous life's, but there were noticeable improvements.
Especially the dance part.
[Dance: 70 (84) (Idol Sub Dancer)]
When I was practicing alone in the practice room, it was difficult to even raise it by 1. But now I even have the title of Idol Sub Dancer.
If it continues to grow like this, I might be able to perform with my original abilities during the final stage of
Well, even my previous abilities were at their peak, but anyway.
I brushed my finger over the part that said,
If it weren't for this, I wouldn't have been able to do the dance break in one go.
No matter how hard I practiced the same choreography from 7 years ago, it still felt a bit hazy.
But the moment Kim Joo-an started arguing with me about wanting to be the center, for some reason, the choreography naturally came to mind.
I was angry at X, but in the end, it was true that the skills I had gained were helpful.
As someone aiming to be the main dancer, the dance break center was crucial. Kim Joo-an's unconventional provocations were annoying, but with my hands tied right now, I had absolutely no intention of simply handing over the position.
"Anyway, what's good is good...."
I let out a deep sigh of relief and banged my head against the wall.
"Now, back to early morning practice, personal interviews, and stage preparation..."
Up until now, everything seemed to be going according to plan, but in a survival situation, I absolutely cannot let my guard down.
Because I might have forgotten something while I was being a malicious member, or unexpected variables might suddenly appear.
I carefully moved my finger to my phone's inbox.
Just a message box, not a chat window with X.
[Son, are you eating well? Dad will keep cheering you on!]
[Chunyong-ah. I'm okay with you debuting, just do whatever you want to do, and come back. I miss you, son~]
[If you get Choi Ga-on's autograph, send it to your noona's school by registered mail. If you forget, you'll die.]
[Hey Chun-yong; My classmates say that the AG trainees are really handsome. Is that true?;; Send me some pictures.]
"Haha…"
I couldn't help but smile. My parents cheered me on, my sisters only said what they wanted to say.
Yeah, I missed that kind of thing.
Things that are more precious because I've lost them once.
Instead of replying to them, I opened the bathroom door and shouted at Gao Yan and Logan, who were lying exhausted on their beds in our dorm.
"Hey, let's go to the supplementary lesson."
So that we never lose precious things again.
* * *
All the way to the practice room, dragged by my hands, Logan and Gao Yan cried desperately.
"Chunyong hyung, I'm really, really tired... I mean, I'm dying. Can't you just rest for a bit? It's time to sleep!"
"I agree with Logan, Chunyong hyung. I came to Korea to become an idol, not a dancing machine!"
"Hey, that's harsh. When did I ever tell you to become dancing machines?"
Gao Yan flinched sharply at my strange answer and looked around.
"Well, then what is it?"
"I just.."
I just wish you could dance to the point where you could keep up with the rhythm even with your eyes closed.
"Logan, Chunyong hyung is acting strange!"
"Gosh. I really have to run away..."
"—Running away to where!?"
"What!?"
Ji Hwa-seong, who suddenly appeared behind me, grabbed Logan by the collar and led him away.
"Come on, let's go in quickly. Joo-an hyung and Seo Bin hyung are already inside."
Ji Hwa-seong urged them on, his hands eyes sparkling. I know that look.
"You know we're only going to be on stage next week, right? So, no matter what..."
Therefore...
"You have to learn the choreography within three days."
"I'll have to write all the lyrics within a week."
The look in his eyes when he was blinded by his goal.
Ji Hwa-seong had previously participated in writing lyrics for our second album, and I remember him saying that to me before I became known as a completely malicious member.
"Yongyong hyung, time is an opportunity."
If the given deadline is ten days, he'll finish all the tasks within a week, if it's a week, he'll finish within three days, and if it's three days, he'll finish within a single day.
In some ways, he's even more venomous than I am right now.
Gao Yan and Logan's faces turned pale, while I just smiled behind them.
Since when was survival easy, guys?
And three days passed like that.
All three days.
Ji Hwa-seong literally rolled his team members around.
"Gao Yan! You keep taking the wrong steps!"
"...I get it."
"Okay, I know! But you'll have to do it!"
"I get it, I get it!"
"Logan too. You're just stretching your arms out, but you'll have to fix that too!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Joo-an hyung, everything is correct, but you keep making mistakes in the bridge of the second verse. First the left, then the right."
"..."
"Huh? Why aren't you answering? Do you still want to be a dance break center?"
"I heard you! I heard yoy!"
Kim Joo-an responded with a startled expression to Ji Hwa-seong's urging. It seemed like he had some degree of trauma after I danced in front of him.
"Seo Bin hyung and Kim Chunyong hyung are good right now. Seo Bin hyung is a bit lacking in some parts, can Chun-yong hyung help him with it? I have to take care of other people too!"
"Yeah, I'll ask Chunyong about the difficult stuff."
"Uh-huh."
I nodded and looked at my watch.
It was already 2 p.m., the time to head down to the vocal room to meet our vocal mentor, senior Min Si-young.
We recorded once for the 6 people to be used on the stage for this competition, and then recorded again for all 18 people, and after 2 hours, we received choreography feedback from Jin Dasol.
And after that, it's free practice again.
"Oh, this is really... difficult."
"...Really? Would you like a drink?"
"Ugh, thank you. Chunyong, are you feeling okay? I really feel like I'm running out of life right now."
"Well, I'm fine for now. Thank you."
Having been an idol for nearly eight years, this was all a piece of cake to me, but it didn't seem to be the case for others. Even Seo Bin, who was already accustomed to the training grind, seemed perplexed.
The members seemed to be gasping for breath due to their tight schedule.
"I know it's hard. But we have to debut, debut!"
But Ji Hwa-seong didn't seem to notice yet.
I rolled my eyes and stuck out my tongue secretly.
...If this continues, something will happen, right?
* * *
In Ji Hwa-seong's opinion, everything was perfect now.
"Our team hasn't finished dividing up the parts yet. Liu Wei's team is the same."
"Really?"
"Yeah, really. Your team is doing the best right now, isn't it? Hey, Ji Hwa-seong. Won't you get first place this time?"
A team better organized than Son Jae-ha's team, his role model!
When Son Jae-ha said that Ji Hwa-seong's team would take first place, Ji Hwa-seong whined that there was no way that could happen and that they would have to wait and see, but his heart was already pounding a hundred, a thousand times more.
He'd planned it, but really first place? His team, made up of only pickled vegetables, is first?
Thanks to him?
'...Isn't this even more amazing than I thought? I'm doing it all by myself right now!'
Ji Hwa-seong couldn't hide his smile even when he entered the recording studio.
If we keep doing this, we'll be first place. I'll take the lead, I'll carry, and I'll make it to first place.
As expected of an AG pureblood trainee.
As expected from a promising debut member!
"Wait a minute. This part is a little off."
"...yes?"
While the excited Ji Hwa-seong was diligently recording, Min Si-young cut him off and rolled her eyes intently.
She stared at Ji Hwa-seong for a long time, then opened her mouth.
"Your tone doesn't quite match this part. Shouldn't we lower it a bit here? Or, maybe practice a bit more."
"Oh..."
The one saying it was Min Si-young, whom he often encountered in company practice rooms many times, so it was clear. She was saying something was wrong.
'Was I too excited? Oh, man...'
Ji Hwa-seong was embarrassed by her words, but he answered brightly, trying not to be caught on camera.
"I'm sorry. I'll try harder! I'll go just one more time!"
It was strange.
And that feeling continued during Jin Dasol's choreography lessons.
"Now, the people in the left column."
"Yes!"
"None of it fits. The movements are correct, but they're... just as they should be. Only trainee Kim Chunyong fits."
"Ah. I see. I'll fix it!"
"I don't think it'll work if we fix it now... Let's get used to the movements and try again first."
"Ah, is that so?"
With Jin Daol's voice dropping, it was time to start practicing basic choreography again.
Ji Hwa-seong felt cold sweat running down his spine.
Something was wrong.
"Well... I enjoyed it. I'll finish watching it tomorrow."
Jin Dasol left with a slightly disappointed expression, and Ji Hwa-seong felt impatient and encouraged the people even more.
"Should we eat dinner early, practice the group choreography one more time, and then start individual practice? I don't think we can do that right now because of our basics."
"...Hwa-seong. We haven't even had 30 minutes of rest in 6 hours."
"But, nothing is aligned right now. We have to get this together."
"..."
However, the expressions of the team members looking at Ji Hwa-seong were not ordinary.
Everyone was holding back because of the camera, but their expressions were saying something.
Ji Hwa-seong, who became slightly anxious due to the evaluations that had taken place today, began to feel irritated.
"No. You're the ones who got carried away by me, so why are you complaining so much? Can you still make that face after hearing all the feedback just now?"
But no one bothered to show it because there was nothing to gain from it.
"...Then let's meet at 9 o'clock. You don't mind this either, do you?"
And…
The incident occurred at 2 a.m. that morning.
It was also an incident that Kim Chunyong had anticipated.