Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It feels like a long, fleeting dream. 

One pleasant dream that he hopes to remember when he wakes up and faces a harsh reality. 

It took several minutes to realize that the thin, long hand that reached out for him was real. 

Several months to know the best decision he ever made in his life is to grasp that warm hand. 

For that person,  the one who shows him many forms of happiness and kindness, he will gladly sacrifice his body and soul to see that smile again.

That’s why, just like when he anxiously touches that long and thin finger, once again reaches out the light with a heart filled with hope.

***

Loud cheering resounds around the venue when he steps up from dimly backstage to the blinding light of the stage.

In front of him, there are thousands of small lights that seem to stretch far away to the horizon

He takes a deep breath when the song intro flows out loudly, competing with endless cheer

His heart beats up, feeling the shivering excitement as he recites the first verse of songs on the bright stage

From now on, he’s standing on this stage and creating an unforgettable moment that resonates in many people's hearts

Chapter Text

A short gasp was resounding in a small room when I opened my eyes and saw an unfamiliar ceiling.

“Ugh…”

I felt a splitting headache, my hand grabbed my forehead when I got up, feeling a blanket covering my lower body. 

My nose wrinkle when smelling dust, reminding me of the small apartment I lived in before debut

“Crazy…”

I cursed as the headache subsided, slowly getting up and then walking to the bathroom. In a small mirror, a skinny young man with average looks greeted me with an astonished face. I touched my cheek with a trembling hand while recognizing the face in the mirror

“F*ck”

Another curse slipped out from my lips when I examined the familiar face in the mirror. It was the face of Ryu Gunwoo but at the same time it wasn't since it was too young

What the hell happened? I remember going to bed after the recording schedule…  

The system is already gone for good while both he and Keundal already accept their lives with each other's identities as Park Moondae and Ryu Gunwoo.

I hold back a sigh when I sit back to bed, trying my best to keep calm then examine the room with dim light from the window. Apparently, the sun is just about to rise, and from the room temperature, it’s probably around autumn or winter. There are a few boxes stacked in one corner while the room itself is filled with drawers and a small desk. It was a neat bedroom but the smell of dust told me that it hadn't been used for a long time.

"Status… window…"

My voice was shaky as I hesitantly called the status window that was supposed to not appear anymore but a bright blue hologram appear before my eyes

[Name: Ryu Gunwoo]

Level : 0

Title: None

Singing: C

Dancing: -

Physical Attractiveness: B 

Charm: -

Trait: Infinite Potential

Xfoot

My body stiffened at the sight of a familiar status window and one possibility passing on my mind

'Keundal, are you there? Can you hear me?'

I called for Keundal in my mind just like when the system bastard still exists but was greeted with silence.

'Keundal?'

I called him once more and tried hard to not panic since there was no answer. 

What is this situation? I bit my lip before sighing while attempting to get a grasp on my current situation and looking around the room once again.

I don’t know if I can touch the boxes so I picked up the desk calendar on the small desk. 

[201X October]

No wonder I look young, Ryu Gunwoo was still 20 years old this year… but the apartment I rented during my college years wasn’t this nice 

Could it be another system reality? as the possibility pass on my mind, my eyes fell on a photo at the top of the drawer

It was a family photo from a wedding. I feel another splitting headache while my eyes are blinded by a surge of memories in my head.  

This is… I barely hold myself together as my sight gradually returned, somehow I longed for a drink even though I already restrained myself from alcohol

At that moment, a bright red message popped up

[Alert!]

Status Abnormality: ‘Debut or Die’

[‘Debut or Die’]

You will die unless you debut as an idol within the set time frame.

Remaining period : D - 703

… What should I do with this X?

***

“Hyung, this is delicious”

“Then eat a lot”

I ignored the awkward feeling when looking at the young boy who sat in front of me while eating breakfast.

From the memory I received, the accident that supposedly killed both my parents in my world did happen here as well but in this world ‘Ryu Gunwoo’s father miraculously survives although the doctors have to amputate his left leg from below the knee. 

The one who helped them through hard times of recovery was a kind nurse in the hospital and, surprisingly, Park Moondae’s mother. From the information I got, Park Moondae’s birth father died when he was 6 and only lived with her mother until her remarriage 2 years ago with his father. Through this marriage, his father also adopted Moondae, changing the boy's surname to ‘Ryu’.

They’re a normal family until a week ago when both of their parents died from another accident which left him and Moondae orphaned. 

Yesterday, after briefly living in a college dorm, he moved back into this apartment they inherited from their parents to take care of his step-siblings.

I want to click my tongue over this outrageous and ridiculous setting

“Hyung? Hyung? Are you okay?”

“Ah, yes, what?”

“Are you still sleepy Hyung?” 

“I’m fine, just a bit tired”

My hand moved to pat Moondae’s silky hair, the memory showed that both of them have a good relationship even before their parent’s marriage. 

Moondae look at me hesitantly before lowering  his gaze

“About yesterday, Hyung, you don’t have to quit college… I’ll find some ways…”

Ah, I recalled the memory of yesterday when some relatives came and told Gunwoo many useless things. Gunwoo is already an adult so he’s fine without a guardian but Moondae is still 14 years old. 

Since Gunwoo can’t bear to have his brother taken away from him, he negotiated with them so they left Moondae completely in his care with one of the conditions being that he takes a leave to search for a job or quit college completely.

Their family is not that well off,  even with the inheritance and insurance money, it’s not enough to pay education tuition for two people. 

That’s why Gunwoo decided to use the money for Moondae instead and search for a job.  This child has always been sharp so he notices it.

“Don’t think something useless and finish your meal, you’ll be late”

“… Alright Hyung”

This child is still obedient and soft even here, I pat him a few more times before eating my breakfast.

***

[Mission Accomplished! <First Attempt>]

Level 0 -> 1

1 point acquired!

[Mission in Progress]

10 attempts (0/10)

100 attempts (0/100)

First experience (0/1)

10 experience (0/10)

…

This damn system worked just like before I debuted as Park Moondae. 

I sighed while rubbing my forehead, now I know the despair of someone who forcefully reset their stats on a game.

I glare at my status window while calming myself down in the karaoke room with my laptop on the desk

[Name: Ryu Gunwoo]

Level: 1

Title: None

Singing : C

Dancing: -

Physical Attractiveness : B 

Charm : -

Trait: Infinite Potential

Status Abnormality: Debut or Die

Remaining Point: 1

Objectively, the basic status of this world ‘Ryu Gunwoo’ is not bad at all.

His appearance is B maybe because he was well cared for by his family so he has a neat look and his voice is good. The tone and vocalisation were also clear although he had a different feeling with Park Moondae’s voice.

…should I go for it again?

I once became an idol in the system reality world as Ryu Gunwoo and if this world also works with the same system then I probably can come back to my world after reaching the objective.

The problem is the timing.

The survival idol programs are still unfamiliar during this time so I can’t choose the same method as before. Idol Corporation season 1 is a big hit but for female trainees and season 2 is a mess so not worth trying.

The next plan is to audition as a trainee in an agency but it’ll be difficult to get auditioned in a big agency due to my age or debut in two years if I apply to a small agency.

I look at the list of boy idol groups that I remember will debut in two years but none of these groups was successful at least on the level of TeStar…. no, there is but should I go that way? 

VTIC debuted two years from now and in terms of success, there’s no other idol group that rivalled them and stayed that way for more than 10 years.

It’ll be easier but my head hurts from the possibility of meeting that bastard, more to be debuted in a group with him.

I shake my head, the possibility is also low because Cheongryeo is a careful and ruthless guy so if he still regressed, meeting him might be dangerous.

Then the best way is to sneak on the debut group with good recognition at a middle-size agency.

“Hmm”

I have no intention of dying or staying here for long, at least until Moondae reaches adulthood, and I don’t want to follow this system's ridiculous games so why not take a different path now?

I grinned as I remembered something interesting.

Isn't there a singer that grew big from Wetube during this time?

***

“Like this Hyung?”

“Yes, just click the button again when the song is finished”

I sat on a high chair beside the music classroom window while setting up a camera for recording with Moondae.

It’s been two weeks since the first day I opened my eyes as Ryu Gunwoo in a different world and made plans for debuting once more.

Since applying and auditioning in a normal way is difficult, I just have to make them scout me instead and build a base fandom beforehand to ensure a quick debut. That’s why I  plan to upload a video of cover songs and dances on Wetube then promote it on SNS slowly.

Of course, this method is not foolproof but better than nothing. I’m also looking for public auditions from agencies and singing competitions but my time is limited so I have to choose the program wisely. 

After two weeks of practice in the karaoke room, I managed to boost up my singing stat to A- and charm to C. Since cover dance is not popular now, I plan to take a dance class starting next week while searching for a part-time job and busking to raise awareness.

Thankfully Ryu Gunwoo here also became a member of the photography club so I managed to borrow a high-quality camera from my senior but must return it this afternoon. After setting it a bit, Moondae put the camera on the tripod that had been set before and watched the recording.

I loosened my voice a bit, the song I chose to cover is a ballad song from a young singer song-writer that gradually became famous in the next two months. It’s too bad that I don’t have anyone who can compose like Kim Raebin right now.  Even though I'm doing my best to arrange the song, I have to compensate for the low quality arrangement with my singing skill. 

When Moondae gave a signal, the music started to flow through my in-ear and I began to sing earnestly.

***

[Exclusive Interview 202X : Park Moondae]

Q: What inspired you to become a singer?

P.M : I heard an Angel singing

Q: An Angel?

P.M : yes, handsome and kind Angel with a beautiful voice, when he sings, he looks so free and magical but also captivating and powerful… I wish to be singer like him 

Q: Wow, is he really an Angel? or it’s someone we knew?

P.M : (smiles mischievously) It’s a secret, he’s someone I respect the most in the world

Chapter Text

The sound of a mouse clicking resound in the dimly lit room.

After being battered and bruised for CSAT, students finally have free time for themselves until the test result is announced, including the young one who is curling under the blanket with a laptop in her bedroom, trying to find some entertainment to lose all the tension she got from the test.

‘Nothing good’

She scowled while scrolling over SNS and WeTube but nothing caught her interest so she clicked the most viewed vlog of a famous Wetuber hoping it’ll be interesting. It was a cute vlog of a family of three and a dog playing in the dog park, which is considered healing content.

‘There’s many this type of vlogs lately’

The student pursed her lips, she needed something more entertaining but before she stopped, a pleasant song caught her ears. The husband tried to sing a ballad song then his wife commented, comparing their singing comically while inserting the original song.

It’s not a new song but fairly popular and from the comment section, it seems that many people are also searching for the song after watching this vlog so the student can easily get the song name and switch to the music video. It was a love song with a soft and refreshing feeling that won’t get tired after being listened to for a long time. She put the song on her playlist and then saw another video that was recommended in her search result for the song.  

The thumbnail is a handsome young man sitting in front of the grand piano with the song title written neatly.

‘A cover of the song?’

She tilted her head in wonder since it was the next most viewed aside from the song’s music video. It’s not rare for a popular song to get covered by others but not many male singers dare to cover female singers so out of curiosity, she clicked the video.

The song started with a smooth humming sound then followed by the melody from an acoustic guitar that slowly harmonised with the singer's soft voice during the first verse. It was an acoustic cover with guitar and piano that showed a different atmosphere from the original song. If the original one makes you feel the refreshing summer love, this cover singer makes you feel a dreamy romantic love.

A clear tenor voice flows smoothly with a mellow tone that somehow makes her feel like watching the singer singing beside her and caressing her with a warm sound. As the song moved from the first verse to the chorus, the singer's voice also went higher, one note to another like stepping on stairs without missing any beat then exploded during the chorus.

‘Wow, crazy…’ 

It was a clear and beautiful high note that left a deep impression on her and, before she fully recovered from the chorus, her eyes caught the most beautiful sight when a relaxed smile bloomed on the singer’s face while the song smoothly moved to the second verse with a more refreshing tone. The song ends with a soft but clear whisper along with the singer's charming downturned eyes.

Two minutes and thirty seconds feels too short to satisfy her so the student immediately searches for another video of the cover singer Ryumun. 

"They're all crazy! Jackpot!"

She shouted excitedly after listening to all five cover videos and busking videos then jumped up from her crouched position to reach her phone that she neglected at the bedside table. When they said sharing is caring then the first step for the student to support her new favourite singer is to share the good all over the world. 

***

“I’m ho - huh?!”

ppang! pangg!  

I jumped in surprise when a party cracker exploded right before my face while the culprits greeted me with big grins on their faces.

“Congratulations on one thousand five hundred subscribers, Hyung!”

“Congratulations Gunwoo hyung!”

“Both of you… it's almost midnight”

I groaned with a deadpanned voice at two children who make a fuss at late night, Moondae ignoring my word

“Hyung, hyung, I heard it's a great achievement to reach more than one thousand subscribers and one hundred thousand views for a small channel, we need to celebrate it!”

“Yes, hyung, both of us prepare dinner and cake”

I looked at the tall and handsome older teenager beside Moondae. No matter how many times I meet him, I still can’t get used to seeing a 17-year-old Ryu Chungwoo in this world, who’s still in peak performance in archery and preparing for the Olympics 2 years from now. 

From the memory I have, Ryu Gunwoo and Ryu Chungwoo are also distant cousins here but their family's relationship is a lot closer than in my world. Chungwoo is also Gunwoo and Moondae's childhood friend. He likes to visit their house on weekends if he doesn't have archery practice and often has a sleepover like today. 

I sigh when stepping into the living room, the dinner table is full of dishes with a small apple cake placed in the middle. I noticed there were more dishes besides those I prepared for today's dinner before leaving for my part-time job. 

Feeling my confusion, Chungwoo give me a sheepish smile while scratching his cheek

“Mother asks me to deliver kimchi* and some side dishes before Moondae tells me about hyung Wetube but we buy the cake together”

“You don’t have to…”

“No, we must celebrate it, Hyung, wash your hand now so we can start to eat”

“Yes Hyung, hurry, I’m hungry”

I let Chungwoo take off my jacket then Moondae dragged me to the bathroom before we started a late dinner. 

We clicked our glasses together on Moondae's insistence, I chug my beer slowly since it was a rare occasion. 

I clicked my tongue inwardly when seeing how well these children eat, they shouldn’t wait for me if they’re famished. 

“Hyung, when will you be busking again?”

“Next Sunday, I still have to edit the last cover video”

“Can I help? I want to hear hyung singing live again”

Chungwoo asks, I take a quick look at his status window

[Name: Ryu Chungwoo]

Singing: C+ (S-)

Dancing: C (A)

Physical Attractiveness: B+ (A)

Charm: B (A)

Trait: Full Draw (S)

This guy's stats are lower than Ryu Chungwoo's in my world even when he is still a participant in Idol Inc, maybe because he is still young and untrained but his singing stat starts from C+ which is pretty good so I’m asking back to him 

“How about we sing together this time?”

“Huh?”

“With Moondae too, how about it? There’s a song I want to sing at busking but it’s a group song so singing with more people will sound better”

“Huh? Me too?”

Chungwoo and Moondae's eyes are shaking, I nodded while looking at Moondae’s status window

[Name: Ryu Moondae]

Singing: C (EX)

Dancing: D (A+)

Physical Attractiveness: C+ (S)

Charm: C (S)

Trait: ???

Status Abnormality: Lack of self-esteem

I was shocked when seeing his status window for the first time, to be exact on the trait that is full of question marks and status abnormality. 

‘Maybe because I was Park Moondae?’

In my world, Keundal helped me as a status window, maybe that’s why I can’t see his traits but for him to have a lack of self-esteem…

Ahyeon’s abnormality came from bullying at his school so I wonder if Moondae also experienced it before he met Gunwoo since nothing particularly stood out from the memory I get.

I take a big gulp of my drink, tasting the bitter alcohol on my tongue.

Anyway, his potential is also surprising. Park Moondae have the potential to become a singer even when the first time I woke up in his body, his basic stat was C on singing and appearance but the maximum stat he could achieve in this world are really great, it’s a waste to just let it be.

I hold back a sigh when Moondae fidgets in his seat before speaking

“… Are you sure, hyung? I don’t know if I can do well”

“It’ll be fine if we practice together, how about you Chungwoo?”

Chungwoo look at me and Moondae thoughtfully then nodded his head

“I’m in but hyung must teach me the song”

“That’s fine, how about your archery practice?”

“The winter vacation starts tomorrow so I can practice in the morning… Can I stay here when we practice singing?”

“Do as you like”

I said briefly, Chungwoo clenched his fist with a grin, probably liking the prospect of not having to travel far to his school for winter practice since his school is only 5 minutes from this apartment by bus. 

He usually sleeps in Moondae’s or my room when stays here but since we have extra room, I moved to the main bedroom that used to be Gunwoo’s parents' room and let Chungwoo use my bedroom so it’s fine for him to stay for few days.

“Hyung, I’m not sure…”

Moondae said with a dejected face. Now how should I approach this? I’m hesitating for a while before speaking.

“In my opinion, you have a good voice and suited the song well, that’s why I want to sing with you and Chungwoo but if you feel burdened then we can do it at other time”

“No, no, I want to try… since hyung never asked anything from me before… but I…”

“Then how about we try to sing together? if it didn’t work, both me and Chungwoo can go on a duet”

“Um, okay”

“Good, we can start tomorrow”

I nod in satisfaction then pat Moondae’s head a few times, Chungwoo hums 

“Hyung, since you use the stage name Ryumun, should I and Moondae use one too?”

“Do you want to?”

Chungwoo give a big nod but Moondae shook his head

“Chungwoo Hyung, don’t use any hyung idea, he’s bad at naming”

I frowned at the child whose expression changing rapidly and continue to complain while nibbling on kimchi*

“Hyung named the channel Gun1234 but I changed it because it’s too simple! It should be cooler than that!”

“So the channel name Fullmoon is Moondae’s idea? How about Hyung's stage name?’

“No, it’s Gunwoo hyung's idea, he said he wants to use Ryumun as a stage name but doesn't it resemble my name?”

“Don’t think too much of it… finish it quickly, it’s getting late”

I put the last slice of Pajeon* into Moondae’s mouth, stopping this conversation before it becomes more dangerous while ignoring Chungwoo's small laughter. 

To be honest, I don’t want to use that cheesy name again but I don’t have time to think of another name. Using my real name is risky for several reasons and I can’t use the name Park Moondae without raising any suspicion so I might continue to use this name until I debut later.

***

After cleaning up the table, I sent the children to their room immediately before going back to my room, then opened my laptop to monitor the Wetube channel and SNS. 

I glance at the notification that pops out when Moondae and Chungwoo congratulate me 

[The Beginning of Fame!]

1000 people have taken notice of you!

Pick your general trait [click!]

[The Beginning of Fame! (2)]

10.000 people have taken notice of you!

+1 point

To be honest I don’t know if my Wetube channel would grow this much in such a short time.

Until now there are only five videos on my channel, four cover songs and one busking performance. It can’t be helped since I’m doing the recording to video editing by myself but the subscribers, views, likes and comments are increasing. I’ve also done self-promotion using SNS which is quite effective but this is beyond my expectation.

Part of it is probably because I cover the song that will be an all-time hit in the future but relatively unknown when first released so the increasing interest attracts more people to my video as well. 

Knowing the future trend can be a cheat too, no wonder that man is thinking of doing it all over again… 

No, it's dangerous so better not to indulge in it. 

I proceeded to click the notification and saw the familiar slot machine start spinning.

[Jackpot!]

You won a hero trait!

[Trait: “Word of Persuasion ( C) obtained!]

Your words have a strong emotional impact on anyone who listens.

35% chance of being triggered.

Active at any time.

“hmm”

I frowned, this trait is the one I use to convince Ahyeon during Idol Inc’s team battle and deactivate his status abnormality. Does this system tell me to use it on Moondae too? somehow I feel repulsed by the thought

‘Just take it for now'

This trait could be useful depending on how I use it and it’s better than nothing. I checked my current stats after two and a half months here

[Name: Ryu Gunwoo]

Level: 12

Title: None

Singing: A-

Dancing: C

Physical Attractiveness: B 

Charm: B

Trait: Infinite Potential, Grabbing Ear (A), Words of Persuasion ( C)

Status Abnormality: Debut or Die 

Remaining Point: 3

After busking for the first time, I got a general trait from the first performance rewards but it was quite shocking when an A-grade trait suddenly showed up. It's a bit suspicious but I have no reason to not take it and use it to improve the song arrangement qualities. 

I reached for the stack of business cards I got when got cast on the street. Almost all of them are small agencies that I barely heard of or infamous ones and they mostly offer me to be a solo singer or actor rather than idols, especially after hearing my age. 

There’s no time to become a long-time trainee in small agencies or push my debut under unfair contracts that are borderline to human slavery so maybe I should try a more aggressive approach from now on. 

Next year, Season 1 of Idol Incorporation will be airing and gaining a lot of public attention. After that, many agencies quickly adopt the method of screening their trainees brutally while attracting more people using Wetube and OTT* channels. My head hurts thinking about participating in another survival show for debut but my life is on the line here so beggars can't choose. 

There’s also an open audition from agencies that are held not only in Korea but also overseas although none of them debuted their trainee in two years but it can be a good way to spread some awareness and get a chance for casting from good reputed middle-size agencies.

I looked into the open audition from MS Entertainment with a strange feeling

‘Will I meet him there?’

This open audition is the same one that Lee Sejin participated in and made him join his first agency, before failing to debut and then moving to another agency. 

After meeting Chungwoo who also got younger and checking a few things with him and Moondae, I conclude that I'm the only one who is thrown into this world. 

I still don't know this system's intention for throwing me here so better play their game while looking for a gap and going back to my world.

I kind of hoped another character's roulette for gaining a debut member just like the one in reality world I was thrown before but of course, this system b*stard won’t listen to my wish. 

‘Fine, It’s not like I want to debut with a group of minors’

During this time, all the TeStar members are still in their teens, even Raebin and Eugene are still in elementary school so debuting with them is practically impossible. I kind of wonder about their current situation in this world but now it’s not the right time. 

I sent my application to the MS Entertainment open audition that will be held in one month and decided what to do with young Lee Sejin after really meeting him.

***

"Good, let's finish for today"

Moondae and Chungwoo let out a long sigh, I put down my guitar with a satisfied feeling.

“This is the first time I sing outside the karaoke box, it’s unexpectedly fun”

“Me too…”

Moondae nodded at Chungwoo's words with a dazed face, I handed them two bottles of water.

“Both of you doing well”

“No, it’s because Hyung taught us well, I feel like being taught by my school music teacher”

“Yes, Hyung, it won’t be weird if you suddenly want to become a vocal trainer”

“I’m not that good”

I sigh at the exaggerated praise since I’m really not doing much. Both Moondae and Chungwoo have strong basic and pleasant voices which is a talent by itself. They are also surprisingly fast to understand my instruction even though they didn’t have basic vocal training before. Of course, it’s still the level of an amateur singer but it’s good enough if we practice more.

“How about it, Moondae? Isn’t it good for us to sing together for busking?”

“I think it’s fine…”

Moondae bit his lips, his finger fiddling with the lyric sheet. Chungwoo seems to contemplating a bit before opening his mouth

“Are you still not sure?”

“Um, Hyung, will I do a good job? I didn’t want to ruin Hyung’s performance”

Moondae looks at me with the same hesitant gaze as before so I recite my opinion from last night

“You have a good voice and suited the song well, so it’ll be great if we sing together”

then added a few things

“You don’t have to worry about the unnecessary things, just think that ‘I’m going to do this’ and enjoy singing just like today”

“Unnecessary…”

“You don’t have to feel burdened w- “

“No, Hyung, I’ll do it, I want to sing with you and Chungwoo hyung”

Moondae jump from his seat with resolved face, I was surprised when a pop-up filled my sight 

[“Words of Persuasion ( C)” activated!]

-Target: Ryu Chungwoo, Ryu Moondae

-Effect: Trait activated thanks to successful persuasion

‘Wait, Chungwoo too? And what trait?’

Suddenly a slot machine starts to spin before me before stopping on the gold plate 

[Jackpot!]

You won a hero trait!

[Trait: “Let’s Study” (B) obtained!]

Discover a new talent to learn!

Ability to learn anything +50%, concentration 30%

When activated, deactivated status abnormality ( one with the highest priority)

[Warning!]

The trait will be loaned for a limited time

-Target: Ryu Moondae

What the hell is this about? I hold back a curse from this unexpected development and hastily summon Moondae’s status window

[Name: Ryu Moondae]

Singing: C (EX)

Dancing: D (A+)

Physical Attractiveness: C+ (S)

Charm: C (S)

Trait: Let’s Study (B) (Time limit: 365 days)

Status Abnormality: Lack of self-esteem - deactivated

Xfoot

I flinched at how fast this system worked to spit out a trait and loaned it without my consent. That trait could deactivate the status abnormality that threatened me and probably can be key to getting back to my world. 

“H-Hyung? As expected, it’s not good?“

“No, Moondae, I’m glad you want to sing with me but don’t cut on people's speech, it’s a bad manner”

“Oh, sorry Hyung”

For now, I must control this situation and not let my anger show on my face. I take a deep breath and then pat Moondae's shoulder 

“It’s fine, we will practice again tomorrow, let’s have dinner”

“I’ll help Hyung”

“Both of you can tidy up and set up the table”

Chungwoo nods before moving with Moondae while I pull myself together before going to the kitchen to cook some dinner then another pop-up shows up. 

This damn system is really busy today, I gritted my teeth while reading the sudden notification

[Alert!]

[New Mission is open!]

<Fated Meeting>

As expected, we are fated to be

Found a talent and nurture them until full - bloom

[Mission Accomplished! <First Meeting ‘Talent Ryu Moondae’>]

[Mission Accomplished! <First Meeting ‘Talent Ryu Chungwoo’>]

2 points were acquired!

[Mission in Progress]

[Talent]

Ryu Moondae (1/10)

Ryu Chungwoo (1/10)

…

Current progress : (2/11)

My whole body stiffened at the sight of a sudden mission that was shoved on me. I touch the mission windows only to find a list of familiar names but what catches my attention is the reward section at the bottom

Mission Reward: Memory Shard (0/4) (can be synthesised to Key of Return)

This is driving me nuts… 

Since when does an Idol also become a trainer? and how will this mission help me to debut? This shameless system threatened someone's life and then asked to raise a few more talents, does it want to leech on them too?

I almost laugh over the mission absurdity but this could be a chance to find the rift on this world system. I also have a hunch that the memory I have about Ryu Gunwoo might be incomplete so maybe I can find a clue about this world as well.

I grinned as a few possibilities filled my mind, if this system wants to play around then why not take advantage of it? I just need to turn over the table and destroy it just like before.

Renewing my resolve and priority once more, I resume cooking dinner. Humans need food to survive and I have two famished children who need to be fed. Tomorrow I’ll add a few things for busking three days from now.

***

[TeStar Fan Meeting 202X]

Q: This is for TeStar leader, Ryu Chungwoo, which stage left a big impression on you?

R.C: All stage have their own memorable moment but there’s one stage that makes me stand here right now

Q: Oh, is it the first stage during the Idol Inc show?

R.C: No, it was a small stage that people can use for busking. A hyung I know asked me to help with his performance even though both me and Moondae were inexperienced but we enjoyed singing and dancing so much that time.

Q: With Park Moondae? I heard both of you were childhood friends but you’re closer than I thought~

P.M: Chungwoo hyung

R.C: Yes?

P.M: How about dancing POP⭐︎CON right now? you said you enjoyed it so much

R.C: … right now?

P.M: yes, I’ll cheer you with all my heart *smile*

R.C: haha *cold sweat*

Q: Great, let’s see TeStar’s leader's POP⭐︎CON dance!

Chapter Text

In a dimly light PC room, a man with a snapback hat clicked the most popular topic in SNS

============================================================

[A cute busking at Hongdae]

Yesterday I had a date with my girlfriend and found people crowded over one spot. We thought it might be a celebrity doing busking or a reality show so we decided to take a look and this is what we found

(Video three young man dancing with small children)

============================================================

Lol is it a Christmas promotion? 

L They’re not selling anything so I doubt it

L It seems they’re selling cuteness hahaha

ROFL

They’re dancing POP⭐︎CON with dog ears hahaha

L A group of cute dogs, the man in the middle look like a Siberian Husky, the one on the left is Samoyed and the youngest on the right is a corgi

  L it fits hahaha

The youngest face is really red, looks like it’ll be brust at the moment lol

L the one in the middle look really serious hahaha

   L they must be embarrassed, look at the tallest boy blush hahaha 

L they’re all cute and handsome, who are they?

   L I don’t know the other two but the one in the middle said he was a Wetuber

L Hello, the one in the middle is a Wetuber named Ryumun, He’s a singer and really talented, please look at his channel (link)

    L the tallest on the left is Chungwoo and the youngest on the right called Moondae

       L there’s a full video on the channel, please give it a lot of love!

L dancing POP⭐︎CON with that face is cheating hahahaha

    L It's a crime, they stole my heart

L The youngest face is redder than an apple hahahaha

    L The tallest one look familiar

Hahahahahahahahaha

LOL 

It’s been a while since I see someone dancing POP⭐︎CON

L It’s a banned song during CSAT after all

The children jumping around them and dancing together hahahaha

Are they rookie idols? All of them really handsome

            L The tallest one is my type

                L seconded hahaha

[...]

The man played the video in the thread, the video quality was low because it was recorded with a phone but he could recognize the song and movement of the three young men who dance using dog ears and paw gloves before being surrounded by children who follow their dance with excitement.

POP⭐︎CON was released last year and is popular even with children. The song is cute, easy listening with addictive chorus and simple choreography so it’s often used as dance covers and busking. He strokes his chin and then clicks the link in the comment to be directed to Wetube 

It was a channel with 3500 subscribers and only had 7 videos, including the busking video in Hongdae. He played the recent busking video which was just uploaded three days ago. 

The video starts with them dancing POP⭐︎CON while wearing a dog costume. The man's eyes followed their movement closely. It wasn’t a knife-sharp dance or an eye-catching acrobatic movement but their movement isn't lazy or lacklustre either. Overall, it was a dance stage that looked fun and caught a lot of attention, no wonder children flock around.

After dancing, they introduce themselves and then proceed with group singing. The fun stage turned into a pleasant one when the man in the middle started singing the first verse. It was a clear, strong voice that managed to be heard clearly despite the lack of a sound system and wind. The song selection is also filled with popular songs, including a popular drama soundtrack that makes the audience sing along. 

The comment also flooded, a few of them in foreign languages which is unusual for a small channel, and most of them are positive

• WOW Awesome
• I thought it was a funny cover but their vocals slay it hahaha
• They’re singing well, are they a vocal group?
• Oh it’s busking I’ve seen when visiting Korea, they’re really good, their voice really made for each other
• I listened to this all day, their handsome face are cheats
• That vocal!!! I love their voices, especially Ryumun, he’s rock!
• LOL, what promotion is this? Dog food? but they dance and sing well
• Their vocal is insanely good
• Look at the children flocking to them, those three having so much fun
• Thank you for the performance! My son and I enjoyed it a lot, he ask if he can see the POPCON hyung again
• LMFAO they’re dancing adorably 
• hahahaha dog costume! Saved by their handsome faces!
• Thank you for your interest! Please click like and subscribe to support Ryumun!

            Here’s the time stamp

            00.10 POP⭐︎CON dance

            02.10 Introduction

            02.15 Hold Me Tight by…

            …

• The tone is crazy, it’s comfortable to listen to and the singer singing like second nature, my children also like the songs
• Why are they not popular? They’re a thousand times better than the singer on TV
• I thought it was a dog food promotion lol but they sing really well

The man read the comments thoughtfully and then moved to another video on the channel. A smirk slowly appears on his face after another hour of watching all the music videos on this channel

‘I need more information about him’

His hand reached for the phone that vibrated for the last five minutes, he only took a glance at the caller before rejecting it and then walked out of the PC room. He’s already painted the target, so now it’s time for a manhunt.

***

“Moondae, why are you here?”

“Oh, Hyung, are you done with your class? ”

I frowned when Moondae approached me with a red nose and cheeks. The winter has come and the temperature is dropping dangerously but this kid is waiting for me outside the studio instead inside the lobby. I take off my scarf and put it on Moondae's neck, tying it comfortably around his neck.

“I’m fine Hyung, I was talking with my classmate before”

“How’s your first class?”

“It’s good, I learn many new dance moves today”

“Let’s hear it while we go, Chungwoo must be waiting”

Moondae's eyes sparkled as he told me about his days. When I asked them to dance while busking, both Moondae and Chungwoo were reluctant but I managed to make a deal that they could ask for one reward from me. 

Moondae asked to join a dance class at the same studio as me while Chungwoo asked to stay at our apartment during the winter holiday. Both of them were easy to fulfil but the last busking video had a great reaction, so much so that it’s getting scary so I decided to take them for a meal at a well-known meat restaurant as well.

Inside the restaurant, Chungwoo already sat on a reserved seat and waved at us before going back to the waiters to order the meal. 

“Hyung, have you waited long?”

“No, I just arrived as well”

I sat beside Moondae who was talking with Chungwoo while our food started to arrive 

“Hyung, which one do you want to eat first? I’ll grill it for you”

I shook my head at Chungwoo's question

“I’ll eat whatever, just take the one you like”

“Alright”

The next moment, our table filled with the sound of sizzling meat and cutlery moving from one dish to another while listening to Chungwoo's story about his archery practice and Moondae's first day in dance class. 

I take a peek at Moondae’s status windows while wrapping meat with lettuce then feed it to him

[Name: Ryu Moondae]

Singing: C+ (EX)

Dancing: D+ (A+)

Physical Attractiveness: C+ (S)

Charm: C (S)

Trait: Let’s Study (B) (Time limit: 350 days)

Status Abnormality: Lack of self-esteem - deactivated

That trait is a complete cheat. Moondae’s stat growth is unbelievably fast, he just started singing and dancing several days ago but his stat already rose by one point while back in my world, even the talented TeStars members need more time for raising their skills. 

I shudder, how much will he grow in one year? If his talent suddenly grows exponentially, he might not be able to keep up with it and end up being hurt. There’s also a chance that he falls into a slump easily or gets a star disease so I need to keep a close eye on him.

For Chungwoo, he sometimes asks to sing together at home when we have free time but his focus is still on archery. As our busking video got so popular, some recognized him and posted his photo during an archery competition.

I was contemplating if I should take down the video and SNS posts but Chungwoo refused, he said it’s not bothering him but I take a few preventive measures on SNS so it won’t blow up when he won an Olympic medal later. 

“Hyung, should we go too? I want to cheer Chungwoo hyung on the national preliminary”

“When is it?”

“It’s on Friday in the third week of January, can you come too, Hyung?”

“I’m sorry, I have a rehearsal that day”

“Huh? What rehearsal?”

Both Moondae and Chungwoo stare at me with big eyes, ah, I forgot to tell them

“Today one of the trainers asked me to become a substitute for Idol’s back dancer, their comeback is on Saturday so we have a rehearsal a day before”

I’m flipping the meat on the grill while thinking back on a conversation a few hours ago.  

“A substitute?”

“Yes, the guy who was supposed to become a back dancer for an Idol group comeback next month had an accident and broke his leg. He needs a month's rest so we need a substitute for him”

“But I’m still in Intermediate class”

“Gunwoo, you have a good stature with a tall, flexible body without bad habits and more importantly, you're a fast learner. I’ve taught many people as a trainer and choreographer so I can say that you’ll do great”

The trainer patted my shoulder with a confident face. This dancing studio is built by a famous choreographer and many dancers here were hired by agencies as back dancers so the qualities are high. I wonder if I could follow them with my C+ dancing stat which is better than amateur but not on par with professional dancers.

“We’re also giving a decent payment as well, how about it?”

I’m contemplating it a bit, this might be a good opportunity. Being a back dancer can give me experience and clear the stage-related mission while getting some money as well. The temporary part-time job I got will be over this week and thanks to Wetube, there’s still a bit of income but nobody refuses any extra cash. Also, there's one thing I need to ask as well

“How far is the choreography?”

“It’s finished, I will teach you from the beginning starting from the day after tomorrow so you can join the Idol’s practice schedule and take care of the contract as well”

“Thank you for the offer, Teacher, I’ll take it but can I ask to use one of the practice rooms for additional practice?”

"Additional practice?"

"I'm afraid my skill still quite lacking"

“You don't have to worry about that but if you need it, I will give the studio notice about it including adjustments for your class schedule, here the agency’s address and practice timetable”

“Thank you”

“I’m the one who was grateful, I’ll see you in two days”

“Yes”

“I’m sorry Chungwoo, I will make up for it”

“No, it’s fine Hyung, I just have to make sure to reach finals so you can come to watch me”

That’s some confidence he has but this guy is the gold medalist in the future, I do not doubt his skill as well. Moondae look at me with worried eyes

“Hyung, don’t you also have a part-time job? Will it be okay?

“It’s fine, the job is only temporary and this week is the last”

“Don’t overwork yourself, Hyung”

“I won’t, it’ll be fine”

I give a reassuring answer but Moondae seems not really convinced, Chungwoo cough lightly

“Don’t worry, Moondae, I'm staying until the holiday is over so we can take care hyung together and I can help you cook”

“Don’t!”

Both me and Moondae yell at Chungwoo's terrifying words, even in this world, this guy is still a menace in the kitchen and what he means by taking care of me? But before I can voice any rebuttal, Chungwoo spoke first with a pouting face but his eyes were laughing

"At least I can prepare the instant rice*"

"Last time you blew up our microwave"

I refute with deadpanned voice

"I’m still in middle school back then, I promise I'm better now"

"Still no, you're not allowed to use any kitchen appliances without my permission"

"Including the fridge? Isn't it too much, Hyung?"

Chungwoo whined playfully then I heard a soft chuckle, Moondae cover his mouth with his hand with an amused face

“Pfft… Hyung, sorry but I still need the kitchen”

“What? Are you betraying me, Moondae?”

“Since when have I become your ally?”

A burst of laughter broke out over this silly conversation. I look at both of them and then nod slightly, Moondae will be fine with Chungwoo around. We continue to eat with a pleasant atmosphere, a time like this is not bad at all.

***

“Ryu Moondae - ssi, having another night practice?”

“Ah, yes”

“It’s good to practice but don’t overwork yourself, your brother too. I will wait for you until 10 pm”

“Thank you, I will tell my brother too”

I bow to the security guard who greeted me when I stepped into the dance studio with bags from the convenience store. My body shivers when a cold wind brushes my cheeks, so I pull up my scarf to cover my lower face as I walk in the hallways. The familiar scent of fabric softener fills my nostril, a scent that always reminds me of home. I snuggle on the overly big and warm scarf then stop in front of a wooden door.

This dance studio practice room was all soundproofed but sometimes you can hear the faint sound from the thin wooden door. I silently slip into the only brightly lit practice room to see a handsome, tall young man dancing alone in the middle of the practice room.

His long arms swing widely but also gracefully while his legs stomp lightly on the floor before turning around with smooth movement, following the music’s fast beat that resounds in the room, mixing with the sound of controlled breathing and sneakers rubbers meeting floors. His eyes focused on the reflection on the mirrored wall. A slight frown formed on his face as he concentrated on the choreography.

It’s a cool and energetic dance that anyone can’t help but admire but I watched it with a question hanging in my heart

‘Why Gunwoo hyung suddenly started singing and dancing seriously?’

I was nine when I first met Gunwoo hyung at the hospital where my mother works. That time I thought he was a scary older brother due to his cold expression. We meet often in the hospital since Gunwoo hyung needs to take care of his father then we become friends, that’s when I notice that Gunwoo hyung is not the most expressive or emotional person but he’s actually kind, affectionate, dependable and smart older brother. 

Later, when Gunwoo hyung’s father and my mother were married and we became siblings, I tried to get closer to Gunwoo hyung and get to know him better as a younger brother but there was a time when I couldn't understand him, especially with his actions these days.

I know that Gunwoo hyung has a good and pleasant voice, one that won’t get tired even after listening to it many times. He also has a unique timbre that easily recognizes and can reach high notes well. Even when we are busking on an open and windy stage, hyung's voice still manages to be heard clearly by the audience and I see many people praise hyung’s vocals.

Father boasted on Gunwoo hyung’s singing performance video when he was in elementary school and middle school. I also heard that hyung also got invited to the student choir but didn't have time to join due father’s injury. Sometimes he goes to karaoke rooms with his friends or with me and Chungwoo hyung but never had any particular interest in singing, let alone dancing, but now he practice singing and takes dancing class.

It never even crossed my mind that Gunwoo hyung can dance. I was shocked by this sudden change but I admit that he has a good skill that even manages to look cool when doing embarrassing dances like POP⭐︎CON. His dancing even landed him a job as a back dancer, although it was temporary, only after around two months of taking a dancing class at this studio. The news spread fast, many of my classmates in beginner class talked about this since it was quite an achievement itself and how Gunwoo hyung worked himself to the bone with additional practice.

Then about busking and wetube videos, Gunwoo hyung is someone who has many things on his sleeve, including photography skills. He likes to take pictures with his phone but, despite his handsome face, rarely takes photos of himself except in group pictures but then he suddenly wanted to make a cover song video and upload it on Wetube. I first thought it was his photography club project but Gunwoo hyung said it wasn’t while not explaining it further. 

I was contemplating giving the last gift that our parents left for hyung, an DSLR Camera, early when he was borrowing a camera for shooting video but in the end, I gave it on his birthday just as our parents intended. I smile bitterly when I remember hyung's tears that day, it was the first time I ever saw Gunwoo hyung look really flustered.

I was drowned in my thoughts that I didn’t realise someone was approaching and calling my name 

“Moondae, why are you standing over there? Aren’t you cold?’’

I look up at Gunwoo hyung who fixes my scarf carefully. His face might not show it but his eyes are shaking with concern, probably because I stay silent. When you look at him this close, he’s really a handsome guy… have a tall and lean body, white smooth skin, gleaming eyes, and slightly sharp features that give you a vibe of cold beauty, moreover, he has an affectionate and charming personality although a bit mysterious.

“Hyung, please treat my sister-in-law well in the future”

I blurted out without thinking, only to see an absurd, dead-eye expression on Gunwoo hyung’s face.

“Pfft… I’m serious hyung, I might be jealous in the future since she has all your attention”

“Don’t talk nonsense”

I burst out laughing, Gunwoo hyung sigh then take the bag in my hand

“Let’s take a break and then finish early, I heard there’ll be a snowstorm tonight ” 

The next moment, we gathered our belongings and moved to a small pantry that is usually used by the studio’s employees and crew. I heard that many of the studio's dance crew were busy with year-end performances while dance class was over in the afternoon so we’re the only ones left here. Gunwoo hyung heating the sandwiches and some triangle kimbap* on the microwave then passing milkis* can to me.

“Shouldn’t you get milk instead?”

“This one containing milk”

I pouted, Gunwoo hyung smirked at my answer. I know that I can still grow taller but if I want to be as taller as Chungwoo hyung, or at least Gunwoo hyung, I should start to drink milk daily. 

As usual, when the food was ready, Gunwoo hyung always passed my portion first before his and put my favourite foods. Mother always said half-jokingly that Father and Gunwoo hyung like to dote on her and me and that we might grow spoiled.

“Thank you, hyung, how’s your practice?”

“I think it might be cancelled, the weather forecast said the storm will continue until tomorrow, Chungwoo also said that his archery practice also got cancelled”

“No, I mean, uhm, Hyung, do you enjoy singing and dancing?”

Gunwoo hyung stare at me for a moment before moving his gaze and nodded

“Yes, I like it”

It was a short and firm answer but I can feel the sincerity and longing in it. Suddenly Gunwoo hyung felt distant, as if he would disappear at any moment now and it filled me with dread, unconsciously, my hand grabbed on Gunwoo hyung’s sleeve and pulled him hard.

It takes a few seconds for me to realise what I’d done, I lowered my head in shame

“I-Is that so? Um, then, I will root for you hyung and I’m sorry, I just…”

I barely manage to spit out a stuttering answer and then gritted my teeth over my foolishness, I was cursing inside while releasing my hand but another, bigger hand warped around my hand carefully

“Thank you, I will also be there for you”

“… yes… I’m sorry hyung”

Gunwoo hyung patted my head with his other hand and gave a comforting stroke, I choked on tears over his warm and gentle hand. We stay silent for some moment then Gunwoo hyung speaks slowly

“Now eat first or we will be late for the last bus”

I nod then realise that Gunwoo hyung dropped his triangle kimbap when I pull him, my eyes widen in panic

“I-I’m sorry, hyung”

“It’s fine, the warping is still intact, now eat yours before it got cold”

I nodded vigorously then take a bite of an egg and mayonnaise sandwich in a hurry, Gunwoo hyung chuckled

“Eat slowly, we still have time, oh, right, I will participate in an audition by the end of this month, since the location is not far from your school, how about going together in the morning?”

I almost choked on my sandwich

“What? What kind of audition?”

“Idol’s agency audition”

“Why?”

“I’m thinking of becoming an idol”

My eyes shaking, an Idol all of sudden? Why Idol? Maybe because Mother sometimes joked that Gunwoo hyung was handsome enough to become an Idol? Hyung doesn't take that seriously, right?

Suddenly I want to stop understanding the way of thinking of the man in front of me, it doesn’t matter if we’re family or not, he is just too hard. I quickly swallow the last bite of my sandwich as deciding the next course of action

“Yes, let’s go together, Hyung, I will cheer for you even if I should skip school that day!”

“Don’t skip it, nobody can’t enter the venue except the participant and agency officials so you don’t have to”

“Then I will become Hyung's first fan! No matter what the audition result is, I will be your first fan!”

If you do not understand why, then let’s just watch and cheer for him with all my heart. I clenched my fist over this new determination, ignoring my brother's exasperated sigh.

***

[TeStar live -Truth or Dare- (0105202X) (Lee Sejin, Seon Ahyeon, Park Moondae)]

L.S : Truth! Moondaemoondae, tell me what perfume do you use?

P.M : I’m not using one

L.S : Really? But I always smell a nice scent from your scarf

S.A : M-me too, it’s a really nice scent

P.M : oh, it’s a scent from fabric softeners, I always use the same one since childhood

L.S : I see, is the habit of giving your scarf to others also from childhood?

P.M : That’s - hey, one question for one session!

L.S : Aw~ Sejin get caught ~

P.M : Loveviewer, look how he tried to cheat

L.S : what? Aren’t you curious too, Loveviewer?

S.A : L-let’s spin the bottle again

P.M : Yes, this is the last spin, ready, go!

Chapter Text

A round of applause with loud cheers filled the practice room after finishing the last round of practice that day. 

“Thank you for your efforts, see you at rehearsal tomorrow”

“Thank you for your hard work!”

The idol group members and dancers start to disperse at the choreographer's words, I sigh when pull down the black mask that covers my face. 

It’s the middle of winter but the practice room is hot enough with many people moving and dancing together. There are ten dancers, including me, the choreographer and other five dancers who came from my studio while three others were agency trainees who were included by the agency for stage experience and with five idol group members named Biglows, there are fifteen people in the closed practice room.

Biglows is one of the idol groups that rivalled T-Holic in popularity before VTIC debuted next year. Later, all members of this group filed a lawsuit due to an unfair contract and the agency went bankrupt, which is the reason for Kim Raebin and Cha Eugene's smooth transfer to T1 when TeStar debuted. 

I glance at five colourful dyed hair young men who're flocking together in one corner with exhausted faces. They’re a skilled group that boosted more on visuals and dance, which average on B stat but don’t have impressive vocals, even the main vocalist only has a C+ stat for his singing but they’re able to synchronise well. 

As I’m gathering my belonging, the choreographer and trainer who recruited me before, Kim Taerang, lightly tapped my shoulder 

“Thank you for your hard work, Gunwoo”

“Thank you for your effort too, teacher”

I nod politely, Kim Taerang chuckle

“Oh, I’m cringing, just call me hyung, do you have time to drink with us today?”

I can feel the eyes of five other people on me so he’s probably already asking them. Today practice finished early and building a good relationship with one of the famous choreographers in the future is also advantageous so I decided to accept his offer

“Yes, please take care of me”

“Hey, I like polite students but you don’t have to be that stiff, just relax, okay?”

Kim Taerang patted my shoulder a few times with a friendly smile but I can see he gauge my reaction, in a way he was like Lee Sejin in my world. I nodded while wondering if good dancers mostly have this kind of personality. 

We move in a group of seven to the nearby restaurant and have a merry dinner. I don’t particularly close with anyone so I responded lightly in conversation until one of them mentioned Moondae

“Ryu Gunwoo - ssi, you’re Ryu Moondae's older brother, right? I heard that he was promoted to third level last week after our monthly evaluation. Didn't he just join last month? That’s some talent…”

“Wow, what do both of you eat to grow that much? I’m envious”

I tried hard to not frown on those snooty bastards, their tone is light but I can feel they tried to show their seniority over me, lifting their ego while dragging Moondae over. This kind of people is common on this floor as well so I’m not surprised but still unpleasant, I prepared to retaliate when Kim Taerang cut in on our conversation 

“Hey, hey, our studio always has eyes to screen a good talent, you know? How about the two of you? Have you prepared for your next evaluation?”

He swiftly changed the topic with a slightly slurred tone, I honestly surprise by this development but choose to follow along

“Of course, hyung, I’m prepared”

“Oh, yes, me too, I bet Ryu Gunwoo - ssi also prepared something special, I heard that he practices until late at night at the studio”

This persistent bastard… I swallowed a sigh before answering

“Nothing much, I’m asking Taerang hyung if I can have additional practice due to my lacking skill, I’m grateful for his help”

“If you’re grateful then drink more! You too! It’s on me tonight!”

Kim Taerang shoving more drinks while laughing, clearly drunk while both me and the other guy can’t refuse his offers. I drank two more glasses of beer before someone decided to go to second place but Kim Taerang was too drunk to join them, one of his colleagues helped him to go home, so I have no reason to stay longer and excuse myself. 

I stepped out of the restaurant, feeling the cold air on my skin and cleared my mind. This is the first time I drink more than one can of beer since I was thrown into this world, probably because the time when Bae Sejin restricted my alcohol intake was still intact in my mind.

In this world, Ryu Gunwoo more or less has the same alcohol tolerance as me so I decided to buy some hangover drink at a nearby convenience store and focus on the rehearsal tomorrow. I was looking at a row of drinks on refrigerators when I heard a familiar, albeit a bit young, voice then move to look at the source.

…Why are you here?

My whole body stiffens then a pop up shown in front of my eyes

[Mission Accomplished! <First Meeting ‘Talent Kim Raebin’>]

1 point was acquired!

What the hell? Is one-sided recognition counted as a meeting? Why has this bastard system become more sketchy lately? I cursed inwardly then remembered something.

Kim Raebin said he entered his old agency when he was in middle school and this year he was 13 years old, an age to enter the first year of middle school so it’s technically correct. Eugene will be scouted later when he goes to Korea at 16 so I don’t expect to meet him but I never thought to meet Kim Raebin this fast.

Kim Raebin seems to feel my gaze on him and jolted but rather than escape, he was approaching me and bowed almost ninety degree

“Hello, sunbae-nim”

“Huh?”

“I’m sorry for not recognizing you first, my name is Kim Raebin, a new trainee so please excuse my unrefined manners. I promise I will remember and greet sunbae - nim when we’re meeting again”

I was stunned, what kind of military discipline do they use for this child saying this to him? Neither Kim Raebin nor Cha Eugene ever told us much about their trainee years and they seem to have cordial relationships with other ex-trainee from their old agency so no one asks about their trainee years more than necessary. 

I slowly kneel, because Raebin’s height now only reached my chest, then speak carefully

“Hello, my name is Ryu Gunwoo, please raise your head”

Kim Raebin raised his head hesitantly, his eyes glancing around from the floor to my face, reminding me of the time he was troubled with his teammates during Idol Inc but, maybe because he’s young, his face looked more pitiful. 

Now how am I supposed to approach this?

“First, I want you to know that I’m not your senior trainee so you don’t have to greet me like this”

“Huh? But I see you at Biglows sunbae - nim practice room”

“I’m their back dancer for the next comeback, it’s temporary”

Hearing my explanation, Kim Raebin’s face turned red as if it would burst at any moment then he bowed once more and shout in panic, I’m relieved that this store is empty because his voice is loud

“I’m sorry! I thought you were one of the senior trainees but now I think about it’s strange that I have never seen at another training schedule but you have a handsome - “

“It’s fine, Kim Raebin, did your senior trainee ask you to greet them like this?”

“Ah, no, they just said I must behave properly since I was the youngest… Oh, I’m supposed to buy them a drink and snacks now, please excuse me”

“Wait, Kim Raebin, let me help you”

“I’m fine, hyung -nim, I can’t trouble you any further”

“No, you’re not troubling me, what kind of drink do you need?”

Kim Raebin fidgeted a bit then showed me a small notepad filled with the list of drinks and snacks that other trainees requested of him. It was quite a long list that made me wonder if trainees can eat that much and what the hell happened to them to send a young child buying all of this by himself.

“Did they give you the money?”

“I was told to buy it first then they will pay me later”

I hold back a curse over this cheap scam, somehow I’m glad I found him now rather than later. I think I should start social training for Kim Raebin before those bastards do so much worse to this young child. I take the basket from Kim Raebin hand 

“It’s getting late, I will help you so we can finish it faster, how is it?”

“Okay, thank you, hyung - nim”

Kim Raebin nodded obediently. I don’t know if it’s from alcohol but the small Raebin face somehow overlapped with TeStar Kim Raebin, which made me feel a pang of nostalgia. I shook my head, right now I have a problem to focus on and the faster I finish this, the faster I can go back to my own world. Renewing my resolve, I started the first lesson for small Kim Raebin.

***

The sky was slowly brightening as dawn approached but in front of the broadcasting station already full of activities, many people were hanging around wearing many layers of clothes, including the college student who was gripping the heating pad like her life depended on it.

‘It’s freaking cold’

She blew her breath which turned into white smoke in an instant. In her backpack was a small portable lens while her thick and long down jacket covered a camera that her friend lent to her for this occasion. 

'I hope I don't get caught, ck, I should ask for more payment for this'

The young woman thought bitterly, she was in desperate need of cash since the cafe where she works as a part-time barista closed down due to bad business. That's why when her hospitalised friend offered a job as a substitute photographer, she jumped right away

'But whoever thought she’s an Idol’s homma*'

She clicked her tongue, this is probably why her friend offered a big down payment and even lent her own camera. As a student of Journalistic major, she knows about manipulating cameras but she’s completely oblivious to idols. Of course, she sometimes follows the news about popular artists or idols but never delves deeper into it.

'Ha… whatever, since I'm already here, let's do a good job'

The college student sighs and then glances at her watch. She was quite nervous if someone knew her friend, who’s quite well-known in the circle of fans and called her out, that's why she moved briskly when it was time to register and enter the broadcasting studio.

'Let's see… The group name is Biglows, right? And her bias is Han Hamin? Han Hajun? I think they're the only ones who are doing a comeback at this program'

The college student manages to take a spot on the standing pit while scrolling on her phone to brief herself on the job. She got the information jot down and then carefully prepared her camera. Her homma friends already told her that the slot she got included the pre-recording one and emphasised a few times that she mustn't get discovered by any means. She already feels like an idiot for doing this but her apartment rent is at stake so she has no choice but to keep it up and move more cautiously.

A piercing scream from fans erupted when five pretty young men entered the stage and engaged in a short conversation before the pre-recording stage. The college student found her friend's bias and then moved to find a good angle but accidentally bumped into someone, she quickly hide her camera before muttering an apology to the other person.

"I'm sorry…"

"It's fine"

She quickly looked up when heard a deep masculine voice and then gasped. The one who bumped into her is a tall young man that is handsome enough to produce an A-cut photo. He's using a snapback hat and high-collar down jacket but due to her small stature, she manages to get a glimpse of that man's face

'Wow, he's handsome-wait, is he a fanboy of Biglows? Is being a fanboy also a thing these days? He's not the staff, isn't he?'

The college student, who's flustered, jumped when loud music filled the studio. She once again remembered her mission and quickly moved away from the man while glancing between the young man and stages, making sure she was far enough in case he was really a security staff.

Her attention is back on the stage, eyes following her friend's bias while listening to the song. It’s an easy-listening song with modern beats mixed with EDM which synchronises well with the idol's members' voice and dance, which she thought was pretty nice but her focus now is to take pictures when other people's eyes are glued to the stage. 

The college student set her camera to focus on the bright yellow-haired members but then strange things happened. Every time she pressed the shutter, the lens also caught their back dancer, particularly the one who wore a white hoodie with a cool, handsome face. After the pre-recording stage is over, she goes to the nearest cafe to fill her stomach while checking the harvest before attending the music show live broadcast.

Her jaw almost dropped on the result, while she manages to take plenty of great cuts of her friend's bias, the photo of the back dancer was also plentiful.

‘Well, I admit he has a handsome face, quite my type too but how did I get this much shot of him? If he’s one of the members, I can sell it well but he’s not’

She licked her lips in regret while sending the best picture to her friend, wondering what she should do with the back dancer’s photos. In the end, she decided to keep it and then go in line again to attend the live broadcast but this time without a camera and more leisure spots in the seated section. 

When she secured her seat, her eyes caught a familiar snapback hat and high-collar down jacket right beside her, it was the young man that bumped into her this morning.

‘Huh? So he’s really a fan after all! Wait, he didn’t catch me with a camera, right?’

She didn’t expect to meet the handsome man twice and even sit beside him, that’s why she looked at him nervously but the young man didn’t seem to notice her gaze or even recognize her presence. Noticing this, she chooses to also ignore him and then turns her attention to the stage.

The college student feels a bit awkward to be surrounded by artist's fans but admits watching a music show is a fun experience too. She sang along when recognizing the song and a few artists performed live even the pre-recorded footage was also shown to the audience. There are a few times she regrets putting the camera behind but the risk of taking a picture now is too high even with her phone so she chooses to just record with her memory.

“It’s almost time…”

She flinched when heard a deep murmuring voice beside her, completely forgetting the young man's presence. Her eyes glanced around between the stage and the young man when the MC, a pair of female and male idols, announced the Biglows' turn.

Even though they have pre-recorded their stage, Biglows also doing a live stage and this time the college student watched attentively. A song that she heard for the second time today resounded in the studio while five young men were singing and dancing on stage but the cool-looking back dancer caught her eyes once more.

The stage concept is hip hop so the idol members wear colourful clothes that consist of a jacket, loose shirt and hoodie while all back dancers wear similar white hoodie and blue jeans without any accessories but he still manages to stand out.

As back dancers were mainly acting as a supporter of the idol group, he didn’t show his dancing skill much but the way he moves make it look easy and flawless. He has a few-second small group dance with one of the idol members which instantly garner a loud reaction from fans from how he and one other dancer accentuated the said member's dangerous charm but also showed his visuals fully to others.

The college student let out a small breath that she didn’t know she held as the stage ended with a loud cheer. Her eyes locked to the stage when she felt an unfamiliar thrill creeping on her. Her mind is instantly busy with several ways to look at the back dancer's identity and search for another stage that he might have, it doesn’t matter even if it's an underground stage or busking stage. That’s why she didn’t hear a chuckle followed with a deep mumbling voice

“Ryumun, I’ll take him…”

Another loud cheer followed the music show winner announcement and encore stage but it didn't matter for the college student nor the young man as they were drowned with each other's thoughts, unknowingly thinking about the same person.

***

[Moondae : Good luck with your audition, hyung! I’ll be cheering on you from school TT]

[Chungwoo : Break a leg, hyung!]

I looked into the message notification from Moondae and Chungwoo while waiting in the MS Entertainment lobby for the audition. I still remember the dumbfounded face of Chungwoo when I told him about this audition and my intention to become an idol but, just like Moondae, he’s barely asking any questions and then saying that he will support me.

I feel grateful that they are not asking me for further explanation but also a bit guilty for their absolute trust in me, even cheering me like this which feels quite different when I participate in Idol Inc.

My phone vibrates when other messages are shown on the notification bar

[Kim Raebin : Good Morning, hyung - nim, are you doing well? This is Kim Raebin]

[Kim Raebin : I want to inform hyung that the recording studio I mentioned before has an available slot on Thursday]

[Kim Raebin : I was wondering if hyung would like to go together with me]

I chuckle over the familiar polite tone of the messages. After meeting him at a convenience store, Kim Raebin approached me first since he felt indebted over the money I used for buying all the snacks and drinks that night. He tried to pay all the money back but I’m not a lowly gangster who takes money from a child and I need a reason to keep contact with him so I asked if he knew a good recording studio for paying me back.

Kim Raebin was scouted over for his talent for composing music so his agency gives him an additional music lesson and later has a wide range of contacts of composers. To be honest, I don’t think he found one this early but apparently, one of his music teachers was quite fond of him and told him about a good record studio.

[Me : yes, I can, would you like to meet first?]

[Kim Raebin : yes! Would you like to meet me at the convenience store we went to last time? Probably at 5 pm?]

[Me : Yes, I’ll be in touch]

[Kim Raebin : Alright, hyung, I look forward to it]

[Kim Raebin : When you smile, fortune will come ^^.png]

I shook my head over the colourful picture. Kim Raebin sent me this kind of picture from time to time while saying hello even in here. I closed the messenger application and then put my phone back in my pocket when one of the staff announced the audition participant to gather.

The participants of this open audition reached 120 people with an age range from 12 to 25 because MS Entertainment was also looking for actors and solo singers. I recognize a few people that I met in my world as actors, trot singers, and even one of the Zyrop members. Some of them also debuted in other agencies as models and musical actors.

Since the application includes photos from certain angles and thorough form, the audition does not have a camera test and a short interview will be done after passing today's audition.

“Participant Lee Sejin, you’re number 70, please use this tag on your clothes”

I looked around when I heard a familiar name. A young Lee Sejin stood not far from me while receiving a tag with a number and name from the staff. He’s still 15 years old, the same age as Moondae, but could be mistaken as an older boy with his height and broad stature.

He still has a youthful face just like the other TeStar members I met so far here but his voice already cracked through adolescence, unlike Kim Raebin that still has a children's tone. I keep an eye on him until my turn to receive my tag, which is number 76.

All participants were gathered in one hall resembling a school gym with small stages on one side. A long table for the examiners was set in front of the stage while behind it there was a row of chairs for participants. There’s even a camera installed, probably for documentation since it’s the first open audition for this agency but I can see a few people look surprised and nervous with the camera.

The staff arrange the seats in rows of five so Lee Sejin sits right in front of me and I can estimate he was as tall as me or even taller by one to two centimetres. I remember that he said he reached 180 centimetres tall before entering high school but now his hulking stature is shrunk a bit due to the tense atmosphere.

It was a new sight to see him like this since the Lee Sejin I know is a confident, sociable and quick-witted guy that likes to build a connection even in survival shows like Idol Inc.

‘So he has a moment like this too’

I checked on his status window

[Name: Lee Sejin]

Singing: E- (B+)

Dancing: C+ (S)

Physical Attractiveness: C+ (A+)

Charm: C (A+)

Trait: Be Quiet (C+)

… Lee Sejin, just how much did you grow during your trainee years? 

The stat, as expected, is lower than the one he has during Idol Inc but this is the lowest stat I saw for singing, even Bae Sejin had a D stat when he participated in Idol Inc. He probably still is not used to his changing voice or he never trained his singing. Either way, his stat raises tremendously in the future and it takes a huge effort. I think that’s why he likes to challenge himself.

While I pondered on Lee Sejin’s stat, the audition started with the first group. Ten young men stood in line and showed their talent one by one. Most participants choose one they are confident of whether it's dancing, singing or acting but some also do both singing and dancing. The examiners didn’t give much feedback, unlike the judges in Idol inc, but you can feel if you’re doing well or not from their gestures and expression. 

I move my attention to the stage. The quality of the participants is quite high, most who’s singing have C or B stat on singing and whose dancing had at least C while acting participants boosted C or more on appearance or charm. All of them have the same resemblance

‘They all look young…’

It hit me that, even in this world of Ryu Gunwoo’s young body, I already went through life as late as twenty twice so mentally I was supposed to reach middle-aged and now auditioning to become an idol with these children makes me feel quite ridiculous.

‘Let’s debut and end it with five years contract while figuring out this damned system’

As I grumble, an incident happens on the stage. One of the young participants, probably around twelve, tried to sing and dance to an upbeat idol song but got too excited and accidentally threw the microphone at another participant behind him.

Luckily no one was injured but the staff decided to have a ten-minute break while leading the young participant, who was crying with a red face, out of the audition hall. I let out a sigh over this mess and then heard a metallic sound repeatedly hitting the floor.

Lee Sejin was trembling nervously in his seat, his shoulder shaking and he was on the verge of bowing down. The incident on the stage seems affected him, I hold back myself to call his name then carefully tap on his shoulder

“Are you okay?”

“Ah, yes! I’m fine…”

Lee Sejin flinched, then turned his body to look at me with a surprised face, probably not expecting anyone would talk to him. I kept myself from clicking my tongue over his pitiful face and shaky voice then pulled out a small chocolate bar from my pocket.

“Do you want some?”

“… I’m sorry but I shouldn’t accept food from strangers”

I smirked, this guy is still the careful man I know, his parents taught him well. 

“My name is Ryu Gunwoo, what’s your name?”

“It’s Lee Sejin…”

“Are you still a student?”

“Yes, is hyung also a student?”

“Yes, I’m a college student, what are you gonna show for the audition?”

“I… I want to sing and dance but - “

“Are you not confident?”

“No, it’s just… what if I make a mistake?”

He glanced at the stage with a fidgeting hand on his lap, looking like this he's an unexpectedly timid boy, probably because he’s still young and not used to the pressuring atmosphere. 

“Then you can tell yourself to not make one”

Lee Sejin look at me with a bewildered face, as if not expecting the blunt answer while I continue my word

“Don’t think too much of it and tell yourself that you can do this. If this time it’s not work, you can improve yourself then try again, human bounds to make mistakes after all”

“Next chance… will there be a next chance?”

“Of course, looking for chance and opportunity is also a skill”

“I see…”

Lee Sejin seems to weigh up my words and then regains his composure, after all, he’s the guy who has a strong mentality among the TeStar members so seeing him flustered like this is actually rare. He then looked back at me with a smile, not a foxy smile that I used to see but a youthful and bright smile that matched his current age.

“Thank you hyung, I will do my best”

“Yes, I’ll be looking forward to it”

“Oh, but can I have the chocolate? I think I’ll do better if I eat that”

“Who’s saying that he can't accept food from strangers?”

“What strangers? Hyung and I already know each other names”

This cheeky brat, it seems his infuriating side is also his true personality. I roll my eyes then put the chocolate bar on his hand with the addition of lemon candy.

“You should eat it before the audition start again”

“Wow, thank you hyung”

Lee Sejin happily accepts the sweets and then finishes them in no time. I take a mental note to buy more of that chocolate bar and give it to other kids later.

***

“Hyung, can I have your number?”

“Why?”

“Why not? We already know each other and I want to keep in contact with a famous singer~”

“What?”

“Hyung, if you didn’t pass and debut, this agency is over”

Lee Sejin said with a deadpan voice, I tilt my head in confusion. 

I know that the examiners have positive reactions over my stage during the audition but MS Entertainment is famous for having a preference for a neat, bright visual artist which is quite the opposite of Ryu Gunwoo. Besides, I have no intention to pass this time since MS Entertainment debuted a new idol group, Zyrop, four years from now and it was too long for me.

“I could say the same to you, the examiners respond positively to your dancing”

“Hmm… I don't know about my result but in hyung case isn’t it almost certain? You’re really good at singing and dancing, even I wonder why they did not accept you right away and other participants must also think the same thing”

“Don’t jump to conclusion”

“Uh, okay, huh, hyung, you said you have a small Wetube channel? ”

“Yes”

“How are ten thousand subscribers small? Gunwoo hyung, you’re really famous”

“I’m not, it's a small channel”

Lee Sejin looked at me with disbelieving eyes but it’s really a small channel. Famous cover singers these days have at least a hundred thousand subscribers and another hundred thousand views so for my channel to have ten thousand with ten videos is considered small.

“Alright, you got one more subscriber, hyung~ I ask my friends to subscribe to your channel too later, so your number, hyung?”

“Ha…”

I let out a sigh, this kid is exhausting in a different sense, I took out my phone to exchange numbers with Lee Sejin. The boy looked elated when he sent me a bear waving emoji on chat, to which I replied with a short hello but then he pouted at me. I raise my eyebrow, what does he expect me to respond to?

I heard someone calling Lee Sejin from afar, it seems that his mother and younger sisters picked him up. Lee Sejin wave to them before looking back at me

“Hyung, I don’t know if I will pass or not but if I don’t, I will take another chance just like you said”

“Alright ”

“Then even if I don't pass, please meet me again! I want to talk with hyung more, although it’ll be great if we can be a trainee together, if not, please keep in contact with me”

“Yes, yes, I’ll see you later”

“Okay, promise me, Gunwoo hyung!”

Lee Sejin shouted his farewell with an exaggerated wave. Seeing the young and immature version of Lee Sejin like this makes me wonder what happened to him during his trainee years. 

After Lee Sejin was gone, my attention shifted to the notification that popped up in the middle of the audition

[Mission Accomplished! <First Meeting ‘Talent Lee Sejin’>]

1 point was acquired!

Unlike with Kim Raebin, the notification shows up when both of us finish introducing each other so the system probably recognizes it as the first meeting when the two involved parties recognize each other. 

‘With this, I already meet with a half member of TeStar’

Except for the members who are currently living abroad such as Seon Ahyeon and Cha Eugene, the remaining one I haven't met is Bae Sejin, or child actor Lee Sejin during this time. He is supposedly still on hiatus from acting, I wonder how to meet him without raising any suspicion.

‘Should I try to audition as an actor? I remember Sejin hyung agency actively recruiting new talent but the chance to meet him was still small’

Then I remember, Bae Sejin once gave me a short-acting direction during the MV shooting on another reality when I became LeTi’s actor Ryumun. He probably took a similar job during this time as well so maybe I should look for a small acting job rather than go to the agency.

‘The paycheck from a back dancer job is only enough for two months, three if we’re cutting a bit, I need to search for another part-time job too’

I clicked my tongue, at times like this I want to smoke and clear my mind but I need to take care of my lungs. I step out of the MS Entertainment building when I heard someone calling my name

“Singer Ryumun, no, Ryu Gunwoo-ssi?”

I turn my body around over a familiar voice but unlike the previous meeting, I don’t want to hear that bastard voice even in this world.

“Hello, my name is Shin Jaehyun, can we talk for a moment?”

[Mission Accomplished! <First Meeting ‘Talent Shin Jaehyun’>]

1 point was acquired!

… Why the hell is this bastard here?

***

[TeStar Visible Radio Q&A Section 202X]

Q     : Next question, Kim Raebin, what’s the most memorable moment during your trainee years?

K.R  : Oh, when I was a trainee I met a kind and cool hyung, he’s my role model, I respect him so much!

Q     : Is he your senior trainee?

K.R  : No, I met him at a convenience store near my previous agency and mistook him for a senior trainee but he wasn’t. I was so embarrassed but instead of scolding me, he helped me bring snacks and drinks that other trainees asked me to practice room

C.E  : What? But Raebin always stop me to eat in the practice room

K.R  : Of course, it was prohibited, you fool, that time I was still new myself so I believe the senior trainees said it was fine but it was the last time I ever brought food to the practice room because, after that, one of the trainee managers found out and scolded us, especially senior trainees. Hyung also gave me a small purse and told me that I should use it for collecting money before buying anything for other people.

C.E  : Oh, that rabbit pocket! Raebin always has it in his bag!

K.R  : Well it’s worn out now so I never use it much lately but I still keep it.

Q    : Wow, It’s a wholesome story, I also think Kim Raebin’s hyung is really kind. Now, we move to the next session, let’s hear TeStar's hit debut song, Magic Boys.

Chapter Text

“Here two cups of hot americano”

“Thank you”

The man with glasses in front of me politely thanked the cafe server with a straight, almost expressionless face. 

After taking care of a problematic trainee who was almost dragging LeTi into the mud, and also considering my long years of training, I was given the authority to choose group members for debut from the agency. It was a desirable result and I’ve been looking for them not only from fellow trainees in the same agency but also from other places.

Among them, the one who caught my eye was this man, Ryumun, a Wetuber cover singer who’s gaining a lot of attention lately due to his visuals, vocals, and dance.

Right now he’s the most searched young man in the SNS portal and turned his fans upside down with his appearance on Biglow's comeback stage. It was not unusual for a back dancer also gaining attention along with idols but Ryumun is known as a singer so his dancing skill shocked his fans and later, a fancam of him also appeared with a high number of views. 

There’s no way a big agency such as MS Entertainment wouldn't know about this and probably already have an eye on him too, that’s why when I learned of his participation in the open audition, I decided to wait in front of the MS Entertainment building to approach him. 

I plastered my best business smile that was ingrained during the countless times of regressing and becoming an idol in the harsh entertainment world when he shifted his attention to me.

“Let me introduce myself once more, my name is Shin Jaehyun, I’m a trainee at the agency called LeTi and I’m here to offer Ryu Gunwoo - ssi to join our agency”

“Does your agency now use trainees to recruit people?”

“No, Ryu Gunwoo - ssi case is special, I watched your busking then looked into your channel since your singing and dancing are catching my eyes”

Ryu Gunwoo - ssi looks at me with suspicious eyes, which is understandable. I will look the same way if someone scouted me like this but I need to catch his attention first.

“My agency plans to debut an idol boy group by the end of this year and they’re giving me the authority to choose the member who will be debuting with me so when I saw your busking stage, I want to have Ryu Gunwoo - ssi as the member of my group, that’s why I’m giving this offer”

I noticed the shift in his gestures that were still guarded but showing interest by listening calmly, trying to digest my words one by one and that raised my interest in him. It won’t be weird if the other person calls it a scam, degrades my word as a joke or shows a scornful face and leaves but this man isn’t.

Among the candidates I look for debut members with me in this life, this man is the most intriguing. His mother died when he was a teenager and his father became disabled because of the accident that took his mother's life. During high school, his father remarried and became a family of four with the addition of a stepmother and stepbrother then recently, both of his father and stepmother died in a car accident, leaving him with his stepbrother. 

It’s such a heartrending and difficult life that inflicts pity on other people but the one that catches my attention is he barely has any exposure to stage or music, which creates a discrepancy with his persona as Ryumun the singer. 

I can tell that he has high vocal skills from the cover video on his channel and live busking. His visuals and dance were also passable when I saw his dance at Biglows stage but the most important thing, this man has an adequate stage presence and is comfortable on stage, which is something that inexperienced talent won’t have.

This man was a wild card, someone that I never encountered in my previous life but he has the vocal boost that I needed to reach perfection. It's not like I always debuted with the same members after all within my regression so this is a familiar risk, a needed change and a stepping stone to success. 

“I also can offer more leniency for schedule, so Ryu Gunwoo-ssi can continue his wetube activities even after debuting and negotiating for a share of it with the agency”

I push further

“You can also have an annual leave if needed, after all, Ryu Gunwoo-ssi needed to take care of a family as well”

And when I mentioned family, his face hardened and stared at me viciously. It was the moment I noticed that the man in front of me wasn’t an ordinary man, but a fierce wolf that would bite me if I stroked the wrong fur. 

***

<Fated Meeting>

As expected, we are fated to be

Found a talent and nurtured them until full - bloom

[Mission in Progress]

[Talent]

Ryu Moondae (2/10)

Ryu Chungwoo (2/10)

Lee Sejin (1/10)

Lee (Bae) Sejin (0/10)

Seon Ahyeon (0/10)

Cha Eugene (0/10)

Kim Raebin (2/10)

Shin Jaehyun (1/10)

Jin Chaeyul (0/10)

Oh Yoonshin (0/10)

Jung Woodan (0/10)

Sub - quest <First Meeting>

Current progress : (5/11)

…

When I saw the name list, I wondered if the list of talent is the people who more or less know about the existence of the system in my world and have experience with it to some degree but what makes it suspicious that the list didn’t include one of the lastest holders of the system.

‘It didn’t include Gold 2’

Kwon Heesung, a member of Spacer and another regressor, is not on the list of talent. It could be that he’s become a sort of server just like the last time or has a different role altogether. That’s why I made this mission a priority and started to search for Kwon Heesung since it could be a flaw, a clue that I was looking for but of all people, I got to meet the most dangerous and troublesome bastard who’s giving me an outrageous offer.

“I see that you’ve been checking on me”

This guy is still a careful and thorough man even here. He might have the basic information about Ryu Gunwoo and look at his situation beyond my Wetube and busking activity before approaching me like this, probably looking for any weakness to threaten me if things go south.

Shin Jaehyun was still looking at me with his familiar business smile but I noticed something weird. A guy, who’s outwardly still a teen at 19 years old, flinched from my words. He’s a dangerous guy who’s doing so many things for his obsession with a flawless and perfect idol career, including jumping behind the crime line without remorse and keeping his composure but now he’s squirming at my annoyed jab.

I’m quickly looking at his status windows

[Name: Shin Jaehyun]

Singing: C (B+)

Dancing: A+ (S+)

Physical Attractiveness: B+ (S-)

Charm: C+ (A+)

Trait: Emotion (A)

Status Abnormality: Correction

Let’s try again!

In case of failure, you will go back to the beginning

[Number of returns: 9]

Then suddenly another window popped out above Shin Jaehyun's head

[Alert!]

[This Talent is currently on a mission!]

[‘Prize or Death!’]

You will die if you do not receive the Rookie Award at the most prestigious domestic award ceremony during the specified period.

Remaining period : D - 812 days

Xfoot

What should I do with this X-like situation? 

Previously, when one user successfully cleared the mission, it would target other people just like when Kwon Heesung got entangled but here, two systems are running simultaneously? This damned situation drives me nuts, moreover that bastard's status abnormality on the active state and now he’s on the 10th round.

‘That means he might be in a state of desperation and unstable mind’

An atrocious and shitty situation to have but no wonder he’s acting a bit weird. In my world, Shin Jaehyun or Cheongryeo already reached the end with countless times of regression but the one in front of me hasn’t. Not only did I feel a sense of incongruity, but this also raised questions that were buried in my mind

‘Just at what point did this bastard start over? And if this world is the one he abandoned, what happened to others when he did?’

It’s not a pleasant topic to talk about and that person chooses to move on so no point in reopening an old wound. Shin Jaehyun himself said that his memories might not be complete but now I kind of regret it.

I tried my best to hold back the series of curses and keep myself calm but Shin Jaehyun seemed to notice my restlessness.

“Calm down Ryu Gunwoo-ssi, it’s not my intention to pry on your private life, All I heard was that you currently live alone with a younger brother who’s dancing at the same studio”

“Did you search for my dancing studio?”

“LeTi hired dancers from there as well and some of them even a fellow trainee”

My head is throbbing by seeing through the bullshit he said but it’s also true that both me and Moondae have gained a lot of attention from people at the studio. Even though I could hide some crucial data like our family registration and address, I couldn’t stop people’s mouths. I sigh while clenching my fist

“Are LeTi lacking trainees?”

“Not really, it’s just Ryu Gunwoo-ssi that catches my interest more and our intention matches. I must say, even though it's not as big as MS Entertainment, LeTi is not a bad company for an artist in terms of promotion and artist management”

It seems my luck has dried up for handling two infuriating people in different senses in one day but objectively, his offer isn’t bad.

I can’t deny that I need to debut as soon as I can and waiting for love calls from other agencies might take some time. LeTi is one of the middle-sized agencies that have a fairly good reputation now and in the future will expand its influence along with VITC success so it’s not a bad place to debut but I should think about this more carefully.

“Give me some time to think about it”

“This is my contact number, agency address and contact, I hope you contact me soon”

Shin Jaehyun, noticing there’s nothing more to say, gives me a paper with a neatly written number and address from his pocket then leaves after bowing politely. 

I let out a deep sigh at the horrendous situation. If things change like this, I need to rethink my plan. No, in the first place, why am I thrown here and having my life threatened by supernatural phenomena again? 

Anger boiled from the deepest pit of my soul but now isn’t a time to mull over it so I grit my teeth and then take a deep breath while sorting the information I get so far in my mind. 

‘If this damned system also latches on Shin Jaehyun, it’ll be more efficient and faster to stay near him for more information but it’s VTIC’

As TeStar’s Park Moondae, VTIC has always been a close rival group although it has a different atmosphere and musicality to TeStar. It might be awkward to put my own colour there and the members… will it be the same members? The members I see during Shin Jaehyun’s 101 turn are different from VTIC in my world so there is a high chance it’ll be different too this time. 

I looked at the cold cup of coffee that was left untouched by him.

‘How much have you prepared for this turn?’

That bastard is not the only one who can check things up so after taking a sip on the bitter coffee, I texted Moondae to go home first then move to the nearest PC room. It will be another long night.

***

Click-

I let out a small sigh when greeted with almost complete darkness as I opened the front door. I let the door open for a while for a bit of light from the hallway so I could take off my shoes and put off my sling bag. 

“Moondae, are you home?”

My voice resounded without answer, I pursed my lips in dissatisfaction then boldly stridden to the living room. There I found a lump of blanket facing the laptop on a low table, the blanket thin enough to form a blurry silhouette of someone holding a phone. 

It’s a sight that is worth being included in horror movies and scaring people but after seeing it a few times, I just got used to it and then switched on the light to announce my presence. 

“Huh? Oh, Chungwoo hyung, you’ve scarred me”

“I’ve told you to stop using your laptop and phone in darkness, it’ll ruin your eyesight”

“I can just use glasses like Gunwoo hyung”

“Hyung will scold you before it happens, anyway, have you eaten?”

“Uh, I haven’t?”

A loud growling sound followed that statement, Moondae held his stomach with an embarrassed face, and I let out a small laugh 

“Do you have anything for dinner in the kitchen?”

“Hyung send me money to eat at the usual baekban*…”

“But you completely forgot?”

“I’m sorry…”

Moondae avoided my eyes, I shook my head over this bothersome but cute younger brother. When Gunwoo hyung messages on the chat room that he will be home late, I have a hunch that it’ll become like this.

After Gunwoo hyung said he wanted to become an idol, Moondae has been searching for information about idols in his spare time and when he focused on something, he often lost track of time. 

Today, Moondae doesn't have additional classes at his school and no dancing class either so there is a high chance that he’s at home but he didn’t answer my messages since evening and now almost past dinner time.

I know it’s a bit overprotective of me but I can’t help to check on him so I tell my mother that I will have a sleepover at Gunwoo hyung’s place after late practice today.

“I just finished my practice too, let’s go eat together”

“I… okay…”

Moondae nodded but he didn’t make any effort to move from his place. I looked at him for a few seconds then sat on the sofa beside him, my knee almost touching Moondae’s hunched shoulder. 

On the laptop screen, I see a picture of Gunwoo hyung that was taken during his stage as a back dancer. I heard from my classmates and archery club members that his performance became a hot topic on SNS. Lately I’m also listening to Gunwoo hyung’s cover songs while proudly looking at the increasing subscribers and views on Wetube, after all, it’s a sign that my older brother has stepped further to reach his dream.

Moondae glances at me, he seems to notice that I won't be going away unless with him, then sighs before opening his mouth

“I heard from my dance classmate that the studio wants to take Gunwoo hyung as their fixed dance crew”

“Isn’t it great?”

“Yes but the atmosphere around us is getting weird lately… and I saw some posts that trash-talking hyung… There are even mean comments on his Wetube channels… won’t it get worse when Gunwoo hyung debuts later?”

Moondae buried his face on his knee with a shaking voice, his hand gripping his phone tightly. I frown, although I didn’t use SNS much, I’ve seen the post and comments Moondae’s mentioned 

“Don’t mind them, they’re just jealous of Gunwoo hyung. There are people like that in my archery club too but in the end, people who have no skill don’t have a place in the club”

“Yes… But it still hurts to see it… Gunwoo hyung never doing anything bad to them”

“Did Gunwoo hyung know?”

“… Hyung said to ignore it, but I can’t do that… It’s unfair and I want to do something about it… what do they know? Cursing someone to that extent…”

I pat on the sulking boy, feeling the silky hair through my finger. My lips turned up into a gentle smile when I felt a slight tilt as he reciprocated my gesture. Moondae might not notice but he has a habit of leaning on the hand who’s patting him, like a puppy seeking warmth. 

When I first met Moondae, I thought he was a timid child but after some time, I was drawn by his innocence, warmth and kindness, just like Gunwoo hyung did. I always thought of him as my younger brother even before he was adopted as Gunwoo hyung's younger brother. He is also a smart, observant and sensitive child, that’s why I understand his exasperation over this situation. 

Honestly, I think Gunwoo hyung is right for telling Moondae to ignore them but I also feel it's unfair. I’ve seen how hard Gunwoo hyung works when he’s making the cover video and practising hard on his dancing while taking care of Moondae after their parents pass away. I also know Moondae’s feelings about helping his only brother even just a little, that's why I suggest this idea to him

“Then how about making a fan site to promote Gunwoo hyung? You can make a post on SNS that show Gunwoo hyung charm and connect people who also support him so it can bury those negative post”

“Huh? Like a Homma*?”

“Yes, we’ve seen many of them on SNS right? We can also keep it secret from hyung, supporting him from behind”

“Will it work?”

Moondae suddenly turned his body, his slightly teary eyes staring at me with a glint of hope.

“Of course, I helped as much as I could”

“Okay, I’ll give it a try”

Moondae nods, I smile in relief to see him cheering up in no time. I like this adorable side of him then stroke his hair again before hearing another growling sound, this time both of our stomachs protest from being empty. We both look at each other and then laugh 

“I’m too hungry to go out now, how about we make ramyeon* instead?”

“Is it okay, hyung? Don’t you need to manage your diet?”

“It’s fine once in a while, I help you cook it”

Moondae's face suddenly turns stiff and wary

“No, let me, Gunwoo hyung said the only thing he allows hyung to cook is cup ramyeon* and we don’t have any stock of that now”

Somehow I feel being treated unjustly. I can cook ramyeon* at the convenience stores just fine but I’m too famished to argue so I decided to back down

“At least I can help plating the kimchi* and danmuji*?”

“… Alright, hyung, just stay away from anything sharp, microwave and stove”

I nodded while sighing inwardly. That night, while slurping a pot of ramyeon*, both of us researching homma activities and our secret fan account was born.

***

“Gunwoo hyung - nim, I heard you refused my agency offer”

I looked up from my phone when I heard Raebin speak. He starring at me with curious and slightly sad eyes 

“Where did you hear about it?”

“Uh, someone from the recruiting department called me yesterday and asked if I still have contact with hyung, but I didn’t give hyung personal information so don’t worry, then I was asked to tell hyung that you can take the same class as me if you joined to our agency”

Raebin told me in a hurry as if he was rapping while his eyes were shaking. My eyebrow twitched, what did those people say to a child? 

After I finished my job as a back dancer last week, one of Biglow's agency staff approached me and offered to join their agency but I refused. Actually, their offer was not bad but it’s an agency that goes bankrupt after being sued in the future, I don’t think that I can’t look forward to their care as an artist if I’m debuting there. 

I slip off my earphones and then pat Raebin’s head just like I did to Moondae, he looks surprised but does not move away from my touch

“I’m sorry but I’m not in a position to able receive their offer”

“Oh, no, it's fine hyung - nim, please don’t be burdened by my words and I’m satisfied with our relationship now”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, I enjoy talking about music with you. Oh, Gunwoo hyung-nim, how about the songs? I made them with Gunwoo hyung-nim voices in mind”

I smile at Raebin enthusiasm. When he watched me recording a cover song last time and discovered my Wetube channel, he wanted to help me arrange my cover songs but I refused since it would be burdensome, he didn't back down and asked my permission to make a song for me... that's why today we meet at a cafe near his agency and he waiting for my response for two song sample he shows me

“Raebin, is your agency allowed to publish songs on a music site like Scloud?”

“No, but my senior who’s learning to compose with me said it’s good to make one secretly so I plan to make it”

“I see, then make it with a fake name or stage name. I do think it’s beneficial to get feedback for your music but it’s hard to claim a song that was published there in case of plagiarism”

“Oh, my senior said the same thing”

“I don’t mind singing these songs but you can’t share them unless you get permission from me”

"Oh yes, of course, hyung - nim"

Raebin nodded then took notes on the notebook before raising his head again, eyes as big as a saucer

“Hyung - nim, so you will sing my song?"

“Yes, there’s some part that needs to be refined but both songs are great"

Raebin face lit up with a bright smile then a pop-up filled my sight

[Mission Accomplished! <Music Muse ‘ Talent Kim Raebin’>]

special trait upgrade!

Maestro (D -> D+)

I finished another mission although I only gave him advice just like I did as a TeStar's Park Moondae. This system seems to have a loose standard but knowing what it could do in my world and throw me here unannounced, I shouldn’t take it lightly.

I take a quick look at Raebin’s status windows

[Name: Kim Raebin]

Singing: D (C+)

(Rap : D (S+))

Dancing: D (A+)

Physical Attractiveness: C (A+)

Charm: D+ (S)

Trait: Maestro (D+)

As expected, his status is still low just like the other TeStar members I met in this world but these children are still young, They have time to develop their talent before participating in Idol Inc. in the future so I think I can just keep an eye on them from time to time. 

My attention went back to Kim Raebin when he asked about my impression and the part to be refined. His eyes glinted from excitement and genuine interest, a gaze that he often showed when composing so I gave him my honest thought. We talked for about an hour until Kim Raebin’s phone rang, noting that our time was up and he needed to go back to the practice room.

Maybe because he’s still young, Kim Raebin can’t hide his disappointment, I can see imaginary rabbit ears folded down from his expression

"Hyung - nim, I’ll contact you again when I finish with the final version and do a recording… oh, for the lyrics, how about we make them together?”

“Sounds good, There are two songs so we can make one for each first then discuss it together”

“Yes, then I’ll see you later hyung - nim”

Kim Raebin gathered his belongings with the speed of light and then jumped out of his seat. I barely held a laugh when Raebin still managed to bow politely before running out from the cafe.

There’s still some time before my next appointment so I decided to walk slowly rather than using a bus. Winter is almost over but it’s still quite cold on the street, thin smoke forms from my breath and a cold wind grazes my cheek. 

I looked at my phone once more to check the cafe’s address before entering, my eyes immediately caught a familiar but also unfamiliar figure on one table.

“It’s good to see you again, Ryu Gunwoo - ssi”

“It’s been a while, Shin Jaehyun - ssi”

Shin Jaehyun greets me with a polite smile, maybe because he knows Ryu Gunwoo is older than him and our relationship now is different but I can’t help to hold back a frown on Shin Jaehyun’s attitude.  

“I decided to accept your offer but with few conditions”

“As long it’s within my and agency’s capacity, I will try to fulfil it”

I look at the unwavering business smile on Shin Jaehyun’s face, if he becomes like this after ten times regression, no wonder he’s become more sensitive and cold during my time as help on his 101 regression. I put aside my thoughts then pulled out two copies of agreements that I drafted beforehand from my bag and started recording on the phone in my pocket.

Shin Jaehyun looked at the papers I gave him as I speak

“Before we proceed, I assume that I will debut with you in a group right?”

“That’s right, Ryu Gunwoo - ssi is one of the members I aim to debut with”

“Then my first condition is privacy, aside from the information I choose to share, I wish you and the agency to protect me and my family when my private information got leaked”

“That’s acceptable, there’s privacy protection on the agency contract as well so Ryu Gunwoo - ssi can rest assured”

“Even so, I wish for your support and discuss how to handle it with me”

“Of course, we will debut as a team after all”

Shin Jaehyun nods, I give his word a benefit of doubt but do not push further

“Second, we must debut within six months or a year at the latest, if this condition is not met I will cancel my trainee contract”

I have around a year while Shin Jaehyun has around two years before we fail on our respective mission. If we debut late then it’ll be meaningless, either I get killed first or he will be forced to start over. Reaching targets of rookie awards within a year or year and a half is hard and needs focused effort, less than that is almost impossible.

From the information I gathered about LeTi, the agency is now in a stable position with Marshmallow’s current popularity which, as far as I know, won’t dim around a year until their contract renewal so the possibility of debuting here is higher than others reputed agencies. I also looked at Shin Jaehyun in this world but there isn't much information about him besides he’s the longest trainee in LeTi and recently graduated from art high school.

“Debut date is completely on agency decision”

“They give you authority to decide the members, it’s still negotiable”

“Do you have any plans in mind?”

“I do but without knowing the other members it won’t work”

“Ryu Gunwoo - ssi is surprisingly bold”

Shin Jaehyun smirked but I could feel his scrutinising gaze, I asked out of curiosity

“How many members do you have in mind?”

“Lately there are many groups with large numbers of people so I’m thinking of seven to thirteen”

Shin Jaehyun's smile turned dark for a moment then I remembered this guy's skill. It's possible that he tried to combine the group formation from his previous regression while adding new talent to see if it would work out. Big groups have their advantages and disadvantages on stage, same for small groups. 

“Ryu Gunwoo - ssi can see them in person later after passing our agency audition today”

“Very well, then my third condition is about my Wetube channel and SNS, let me do it until a month before debut and I asked for permission to have part-time jobs”

“You’ll close your channel and SNS account?”

“Yes, unless the agency gives permission, I won’t open any personal SNS but I need them to make a living for a while”

“Alright, I’ll inform and negotiate with the agency, they might put some restrictions on you regarding this”

“That’s fine, It’s a small channel and my SNS account is not really active but it might become a problem later on if not managed properly”

Shin Jaehyun raised half of his eyebrow and then nodded, agreeing with my reason. LeTi is one of the agencies that is famous for not allowing solo activities for their talents and it’s probably reflected on trainees as well so I must fight this condition by any means. There are more detailed points on the paper I give to Shin Jaehyun but those three conditions are the most important. 

“How about your back dancer activities?”

“I quit when accepted as a trainee”

I already refused Kim Taerang’s offer to join the dance studio fixed crew because I won’t have time after becoming a trainee and having a part-time job as a waiter or tutor might be my limit. Moondae pouted when I told him but he said he would continue to attend the dance class, I’m glad he found dancing enjoyable.

Shin Jaehyun tap his finger on the agreement paper

“I agree with all of your conditions and will bring it up when discussing the trainee contract with the agency later"

"You don't have any questions?"

He looks at me with strange eyes for a few moments

“Ryu Gunwoo - ssi, have you ever been involved in the entertainment industry before?”

“No”

I answer immediately with a flat face. It's technically not a lie because Ryu Gunwoo in this world is an ordinary student. His face did not show any reaction to my answer but he seemed to not completely believe me either

"Very well, Ryu Gunwoo - ssi, have you received a call from MS Entertainment?”

“Not yet, The announcement is the day after tomorrow”

“They're more foolish than I thought… Good then, I’ve contacted the recruitment team, they're already preparing for the audition, I hope you also prepared yourself”

I nod while catching the small mumble from Shin Jaehyun, I never confirmed it but I think Shin Jaehyun is quite attached to LeTi for some reason. When I come back from here, maybe I would ask if he ever changed agencies during his regressions but now I should focus on the audition. 

I took a deep breath as we walked to the LeTi agency building located not far from the cafe. I have a feeling that after I step inside, there’s no turning back for me.

***

“Here's your hot chocolate, Woodan”

“Thank you, hyung”

I gratefully received a cup of sweet hot chocolate from Yoonshin hyung, heating my cold finger on its warm surface. It's almost spring but the air is still freezing in the corridors so I changed my order from chocolate frappe to hot chocolate at a drop of hat.

“What do you think about the result of last month's evaluation? Jaehyun hyung stayed on top as expected but Choi Taejun held the second rank, is he that good?”

“I’m not in the same group as him on the last evaluation but I heard his vocal was impressive”

Yoonshin hyung shows a distasteful face, which can’t be helped since Choi Taejun and he have opposite personalities. 

Lately, Choi Taejun has become a topic among trainees for his sudden rank jump on the last evaluation. It’s possible that because he teamed up with Jaehyun hyung but after training for a few years with him, I learned that Jaehyun hyung is not someone who picks his evaluation group without much thought and Yoonshin hyung noticed this too. I think Jaehyung hyung shows interest in Choi Taejun because there are not many trainees who are good at singing in LeTi.

I slurped my hot chocolate carefully while walking back to the practice room from the cafe when I saw a commotion in one of the practice rooms. I remember the agency staff told me to not use that room because they were preparing for an audition but it never gathered this much attention. I glance at Yoonshin hyung who is also as curious as I am.

With the silent agreement, we approached the crowd. It was mainly the agency staff but there were a few trainees as well, I even saw Chaeyool hyung and Jaehyun hyung in front, and then I heard music being played. The practice rooms are designed to be sound-proofed but the door is open so we can hear the voices from inside.

My interest was piqued when I recognized the prelude to a hit song of a famous solo singer that sounds easy but quite tricky to sing it correctly. It’s a bold choice of song for an audition so I moved closer to the door to hear more clearly. Inside, I saw a young man with glasses standing in the middle of the room facing three agency staff who were sitting on folded chairs, serving as examiners 

From his slightly dishevelled clothes and hair, he probably already has a dance evaluation and in my opinion, his face is handsome enough, perfectly matching the agency style that prefers the forlorn and sexy image.

‘Oh, he’s good'

The song begins with flat notes and is slightly offbeat so it’s hard to catch but he begins on the right timing, flawlessly singing the first verse in a clear, slightly husky voice. It was an upbeat song that was famous for its refreshing melody with notes that go higher on the chorus but he sang without difficulty and matched the rhythm of the song. 

‘His vocalisation is also incredible’

As a fellow vocalist, I can tell that man is talented, a rare A-class to S-class singer. The way his low tone resounded was almost three-dimensional. He also managed to jump into high notes during the chorus easily and then move to a mellow tone at the bridge without being breathless. His voice didn’t fail even once as he followed the more complicated rhythm toward the end of the song and when he hit the high notes, it sent chills down my spine.

I almost forgot that he’s singing in a practice room with a low-quality speaker since his voice amplifies the lack of instrumentation and is comfortable to listen to. As soon as the instrumental ended, he bowed and then thanked the dazed examiners who jolted and then started to clap with great enthusiasm followed by the people who were watching outside the room. 

The man in glasses seemed to be surprised by the unexpected spectators but his attention moved back to the examiners when they started to speak

“Ryu Gunwoo - ssi, your vocals are absolutely stunning!”

“I thought I was watching a stage earlier, it’s really impressive!”

“Your tone is clear and comfortable, your voice would also suit many song genres, do you have any vocal training before?”

“No, not yet”

“Is that so? Your visuals are neat and you are also good at dancing, I think you’re making the right choice of coming here, and we will try to provide the training that matches your talent”

“Thank you…”

“Then let’s end this audition and people over there! The show is over, go back to your place!”

One of the examiners, head of the recruitment department if I’m not wrong, shouted to us while clapping his hand and the audience started to scatter. Chaeyool hyung and Yunshin hyung both pats on my shoulder, I follow them without a word until Chaeyool hyung speaking 

"Wow, what a show"

"Who is he?"

“They said he’s a wetuber”

“Is he famous?”

“Maybe, I don’t recognize him, his dancing is pretty good and he’s handsome too but when he started to sing, I totally thought we were watching him on stage, not our dingy practice room”

“Me too, somehow he reminds me of Jaehyun hyung too… How about you, Woodan?”

Yushin hyung turns to me, I give him my honest thought

“He’s a mystery box, it can be a pandora box or treasure box”

“So it can be good or bad?”

“Something like that…”

Yoonshin hyung and Chaeyool hyung nod, they’re kind of used with my metaphor

“Well, since he will be a trainee here, we can talk to him later"

"You're right, I hope he's more agreeable than Choi Taejun…"

Yoonshin hyung grumbled with a low voice while Chaeyool hyung smiled meaningfully. I sipped my already cold chocolate drink, feeling the sweetness spread into my mouth while trying to sort out my complicated mind. 

There’s a rumour that Jaehyun hyung is the one who will pick debut members. Even though I want to ignore it, I should keep on guard and I can feel that the new trainee will be a good teammate but also a tough competitor. I take the last sip and then crush the paper cup on my hand

‘On the next evaluation, I must play my card right’

I glance at the back of two older brothers who've been training in this agency almost as long as me then start to think of a few routes to take for making the new trainee join our side. I smile at the possibilities and strategies I can use, after all, I have a debut as my end goal.

***

[TeStar live - Behind Stage- (0707202X)]

L.S : Hi Loveviewer, we have a bit of time before the stage so I want to say hello~

C.E : Oh, live! Hi Loveviewer!

K.R : Shh… lower your voice! Hyung is sleeping!

L.S : Oh, Moondaemoondae is sleeping, it’s rare for him to sleep in the waiting room

S.A : M-Moondae must be tired…

R.C : Next to makeup are Moondae and Bae Sejin, Hm? Is he sleeping?

B.S : Park Moondae, wake up, it’s our turn to make up

P.M : Hngh… (lean and snuggling to Bae Sejin)

B.S : Huh? Park Moondae?!

L.S : Oh, What’s this? What’s this? Moondaemoondae?!

R.C : Ah, he often likes this when he’s really sleepy, Raebin, Eugene do you mind getting make-up first?

K.R : Oh, oh, I’m fine but Moondae hyung - nim…

R.C : Haha, he’s fine, he probably feels Sejin’s warmth and leans on it… If we pat him like this… (patting Moondae’s head)

P.M : Hmm… (turns to lean on Ryu Chungwoo)

C.E : Oh! I want to pat Moondae hyung too!

K.R : No, we should get our makeup done, come!

Chapter Text

[Mission Accomplished! <First Meeting ‘Talent Jin Chaeyool’>]

1 point was acquired!

[Mission Accomplished! <First Meeting ‘Talent Oh Yoonshin’>]

1 point was acquired!

[Mission Accomplished! <First Meeting ‘Talent Jung Woodan’>]

1 point was acquired!

I stare at three notifications that are immediately shown when I am introduced to LeTi trainees after passing the audition and negotiating the contract yesterday. I’m honestly surprised when I receive a little resistance over my condition even with Shin Jaehyun’s help. I don’t know if the trainee development manager is clumsy or too enthusiastic but for me, it’s good enough that the contract is in my favour.

“Hyung, how about this?”

My attention shifted to Moondae who scooted closer to me while showing a photo he took using my DSLR camera. Last night after having another small dinner party for me, Moondae asked if I could teach him photography and today we’re having a picnic while taking photos at a park near our apartment.

Seeing this world Moondae who’s interested and eager to learn new things makes me feel a slight regret that I can’t do much to Keundal back in my own world. There must be a time when he's showing curiosity about the world and wants to spread his wings but is unable to do much since he needs to survive then getting lost in the process.

I know their faces are different but sometimes when I see Moondae, his image overlaps with Keundal and can’t help to find some similarities, especially their smile. I chase away my thoughts and then examine the picture on a small camera screen

“Try to lower the shutter speed so you can capture it more clearly”

“Like this?”

“Yes, adjust the lens too, be careful with the light overexposure”

“I understand, Oh, the cat ran away!”

My eyes caught the afterimage of the cat figure that Moondae pointed out, probably searching for another place to rest. Moondae looked at the empty street regretfully then I heard a loud growl

“Should we have lunch now?”

“... yes”

I’m holding back a laugh while patting Moondae whose face is reddened with embarrassment. The park isn’t full so we choose to spread a mat under tree shade and have lunch there. I watched Moondae’s cheeks bulge when he munched rolled gimbab* I packed from home and then looked at his familiar skinny figure.

From Gunwoo's memories, Moondae was always skinny even as a child to the point his mother was satisfied as long as his son was eating well and not picky with food. Come to think of it, as Park Moondae, I never really reach a point where I need to watch my weight too much. There’s still weight management and we are going through a diet so we don’t look bloated on camera but Park Moondae is always on the skinny side. I silently put a small pack of chocolate in his hand for dessert, this kid needs to eat more.

Moondae looked at the chocolate then his gaze moved at me hesitantly. I noticed that he wanted to say something to me since I told him about passing the LeTi audition last night. I decided to wait for him to speak but didn't expect he would apologise

“Hyung, I'm sorry… ”

“What?”

“I heard most trainees live in dorms even after they debuted… hyung's agency is also quite far but you're commuted from home because of me… so, um, I'm fine so you don't have to be concerned about me “

I sigh then pick a rice that somehow sticking on Moondae’s chin

“You can’t even eat neatly”

“Huh? Hyung, you could tell me - “

“I will live in the dorm after debuting but for now, there are several things that I need to do at home and the agency is only thirty minutes from home by bus so don’t think too much of it”

“What kind of things?”

“I need to make a video for Wetube and take a part-time job”

‘And there’s this damned system and missions’

Anyway, my situation right now isn’t suitable for dorm life.

I know that living in a dorm is necessary for idol groups after debuting but later it’s common for group members to become independent and move out from the dorm after a few years. VITC is one of those groups in my world so if things don't change much, I’ll be living in a dorm for four or five years before going back home or having my own place.

Moondae looked at me with a distressed face, he bit his lips before staring at me while grasping my hand

“Hyung… that’s… I know it’s really shameless to ask this when you’re working hard to take care of me and I can’t help much but please… promise me that you’re not pushing yourself too hard… ”

“Um…”

“Is it too much to ask?”

“No, I promise”

Tears pooled in Moondae’s honey brown eyes but he kept eye contact with me for a few moments before looking away while muttering something under his breath. I run my thumb at the corner of his eyes to erase the tears with my other hand then sweep his long bangs. He's a crybaby just like Keundal but his feelings toward his brother are genuine, I ignore the sting I feel on my chest.

“Oh, Isn’t that Gunwoo hyung? Gunwoo hyung!!”

I recognize the voice immediately then a familiar but unfamiliar figure approaching while waving his hand, trying to catch my attention

“It’s been a while, Lee Sejin”

“Yes, long time no see hyung, I’m so lucky to meet you like this! Oh, are you with someone?”

“This is my younger brother, Ryu Moondae”

“Nice to meet you”

Moondae bowed politely when I introduced him to Lee Sejin, who smiled brightly while kneeling and thrust his hand to shake with Moondae

“I’m Lee Sejin, nice to meet you too, how old are you?”

“I’m 15 this year”

“Wow, we're the same age! Please speak comfortably with me”

“Yes…”

Moondae smiled awkwardly, not used by Lee Sejin's friendly attitude so I intervene 

“What are you doing here, Lee Sejin?”

“Some of my friends invited me to play basketball nearby”

Lee Sejin glanced behind his shoulder, I followed his gaze to see five children standing not far from us, one of them holding a basketball. Even here this kid has many friends

“How about you come along too, hyung? After that maybe we can see the announcement together?”

It reminded me that the announcement of the MS Entertainment audition result is today. Somehow it slipped from my mind since I had already been accepted into LeTi and started my training yesterday. I wanted to refuse his offer but then my eyes fell on the camera beside Moondae. Suddenly I have an idea for the next round of photography sessions.

***

“Pass it here!”

“Don’t let him shoot”

Click - 

The sound of the camera shutter can be heard despite the loud noise from the basketball court. I was standing at the side of the court watching Moondae walking around with a camera to take some pictures of Lee Sejin and his friends playing basketball.

At first, it was a bit awkward for them since Sejin’s friends were aware of the camera following them but it didn’t take long for Lee Sejin to lead his friend to focus on their game. I give Moondae another lesson on photography before letting him explore for a good shot from a safe distance. 

“Nice shot, Sejin!”

“Wow, nice!”

Lee Sejin smiles as his friends do a high-five for scoring another point. It’s almost ridiculous how tall that kid is when he is surrounded by his peers, he is even taller than me and still growing. 

Among the TeStar members I have met so far in this world, Lee Sejin is the most similar to the older one back in my world. Both of them are tall, friendly and sociable but the younger one in this world still has youthful confidence while older Lee Sejin of TeStar is more level-headed and observant. I guess that’s how he’s growing up and learning to become an adult. 

I look at his status window

[Name: Lee Sejin]

Singing: D- (B+)

Dancing: C+ (S)

Physical Attractiveness: C+ (A+)

Charm: C (A+)

Trait: Be Quiet (C+)

This kid, is he practising singing by himself now? His singing stat jumped one point from E to D- in a short time, no wonder MS Entertainment put him on their debut team later. I wonder if I help him to increase his talent, will he proceed to debut with Zyrop here? I’m thinking of several options for Lee Sejin when I notice Moondae sweeping off the sweat on his chin.

Today the air is still cold but the spring sun is warm enough to make you sweat while moving around so I decided to buy some drinks for the kids at the convenience store across the street. I picked some sports drink and Moondae’s favourite milk when heard someone calling my name

“It’s a coincidence to meet you here, Ryu Gunwoo - ssi”

“Shin Jaehyun - ssi, what are you doing here?”

I’m surprised to see another unexpected face today, Shin Jaehyun showing a bag of low-fat and low-sodium snacks in his hand.

“I’m running out of snacks, how about Ryu Gunwoo - ssi?”

“Buying some drinks”

“For yourself?”

He looked at the cans and bottles on my hands with a curious face, I shook my head

“Not really, as far as I know, this store is far from the LeTi trainee dorm”

“I’m going back to my parent's house today, it’s nearby”

“I see”

I nod then go to the cash registers with Shin Jaehyun tailing behind, he even follows me after paying his own purchase.

“Do you need something?”

“Is there any reason for me not to use this street?”

“The residential area is on the other side”

“I never said that I’m going straight home and since we already met, I want to talk with Ryu Gunwoo - ssi more”

I raise my eyebrow in suspicion while Shin Jaehyun keeps his infuriating business smile. Why is he acting like this? Is this guy tailing me now? I tried hard to not shudder from the possibility

“What to talk about?”

“Well - “

Shin Jaehyun's words were drowned out by a loud shout from the baseball court but it didn’t sound like a victory cry but rather a concerning one. I immediately run to the baseball court and find Moondae sitting on the side of the court while other children crowd over him. 

“Are you okay?!”

“Are you hurt?!”

“Blood! You’re bleeding!”

"What happened?"

The children stiffened when hearing my voice, Moondae looked at me with teary eyes while holding his lower face with a blood-stained sleeve while the other hand holding a camera as if to protect it then speaking in a weak, stifled voice

“Ib sowy hyub (I’m sorry, hyung)”

"It was an accident!"

"Yes, he throws the ball too hard and bounces out” 

“B-but he also stands too close…"

“Hey, what are you saying?! I'm sorry, Gunwoo hyung, the ball flew out and accidentally hit him, we’re at fault”

“But - “

“Be quiet”

The children including Moondae flinched at my word, and I knelt to assess Moondae's condition. The ball most likely hit him on the face since his face is red and he has a nosebleed. Slowly, I peel Moondae's hand then my finger carefully pinches his nose while wiping the blood with my sleeve.

“Breath from your mouth slowly”

“Ung…”

“Gunwoo hyung, use this to wipe the blood”

“Thank you”

I took a face towel from Lee Sejin and examined Moondae's body from head to toe then noticed his left ankle was slightly swollen.

“It seems you also sprained your ankle”

“Ump -“

Moondae flinched, eyes tearing up from pain when I lightly touched his ankle. I clicked my tongue inwardly then looked at Lee Sejin and his friends, grasping the situation before speaking

“Accidents can happen so I hope all of you, including Moondae, will be more careful in the future and I apologise in his stead”

"Oh, yes, we’ll be careful next time, aren’t we guys?"

Lee Sejin responded to my words and then encouraged his friends who were fretting to nod along and apologise. Moondae gaped to say something but I silenced him with one look and then turned back to them

"He needs further treatment, I’ll take him home, all of you should go home too"

I loosen my finger on Moondae’s nose, it seems that the bleeding has stopped but this child is unable to stand on his own so I lift and carry him in my arm. Moondae threw his arm around my shoulder in shock

“Wha - Hyung!”

“Don’t move and stop talking, we need to check your wound at the hospital”

“There’s a small clinic nearby, I can take you there”

I turn to the new voice and frown at the bastard who is actually following me this time. Shin Jaehyun's eyes moved from me to Moondae for a moment then gave me a subtle smile while ignoring other children's gaze on him. I don’t know what this guy's intention but a beggar can’t choose, I glance at the child in my arm and turn back to Shin Jaehyun

“How far is it?”

“Around ten minutes by foot”

“Then let me help, Gunwoo hyung, I can carry him to the clinic”

Lee Sejin jumps into the conversation to offer his help, he probably feels more guilty because he’s the one who asked me and Moondae to join him.

“I’m fine - ugh…”

Moondae tried to shake his head in refusal but got dizzy and then leaned his head on my shoulder, I adjusted my hold on him

“Have you been there?”

“Of course, the doctor is also competent”

“Then show me the way, we’ll go after tidying up our belongings, you too Lee Sejin and this, share it among yourself“

I move from Shin Jaehyun to Lee Sejin, then hand him a bag filled with drinks I bought previously. Lee Sejin looked at the bag and tried to refuse but I didn’t stop to hear his words. Shin Jaehyun trailed behind me as I put Moondae on a bench beside the basketball court where I put a picnic bag. 

“Hyung, I’m really sorry…”

“Don’t cry, it’s fine”

“Um… the camera…there’s blood…”

“It can be cleaned later, put this on your face”

I hand him a cold bottle of water to use as a compress, he still looks dejected but obediently follows my instructions. I take off Moondae’s shoes and socks to examine his ankle closely. From how big it swells, he might not be able to walk properly for a few days and need further treatment. 

“This might sting a bit”

Moondae flinched when I put another bottle of cold sports drink on his swollen ankle to compress it, Shin Jaehyun looked at us with interest

“You’re quite proficient with first aid”

“This much is basic, I still need to bring him to a doctor for a check-up”

“You’re a man of many talents, Ryu Gunwoo-ssi“

“Um… hyung, both of you are friends?”

Moondae ask timidly, I hold back a sigh when Shin Jaehyun nod as he politely introduces himself

“My name is Shin Jaehyun, both me and Ryu Gunwoo - ssi were trainees from the same agency”

“I see, I’m Ryu Moondae - ouch”

“Do you hurt anywhere else?”

I jumped immediately to examine Moondae face, he stuttered in response

“I-I’m fine, I think I hit some bruise”

“Keep the compress”

“Let’s talk more later, Ryu Moondae - ssi, we will have many opportunities in the future”

I shrug off this bastard absurd statement as Lee Sejin approaches us after seeing his friends off. With his big and tall stature, Lee Sejin doesn't have any trouble carrying Moondae on his back to the clinic and even offers to carry him home which I let him since his house is apparently not far from ours.

Shin Jaehyun did not say much when guided us then parted away after we reached the clinic. I don’t have a chance to ask why he was here or even his intention with me but I let it slide this time and focus on the children first. 

Lee Sejin put down Moondae on the sofa in the living room while I made a beeline to the kitchen and overheard their conversation

“It’s a relief that your wound is not that serious”

“Yes, thank you Lee Sejin - ssi and I’m sorry for the trouble”

“No, no, we’re at fault too so let’s call it even, alright? And you don’t have to be that stiff, aren’t we the same age?”

“Alri - okay”

“Is your mother not home?”

“Um, both of our parents passed away, we’re living alone now”

“Ah, I’m sorry”

“It’s fine, oh, Sejin, how did you know hyung?”

“I met him in an audition - ah! I forgot, the announcement”

I walk into the living room with a tray of drink when Lee Sejin scream in joy while holding his phone and shove it to my face

“Gunwoo hyung, look, both of us passed!”

“Congratulations but I won’t take it”

“Huh? Why?”

“Huh? The audition you passed is not the same as Sejin’s?”

I sigh while looking at two confused children then gesture at Lee Sejin to take a seat and then explain the situation. Lee Sejin looked surprised then stared at me with a face like a racoon that lost its cotton candy 

“So we won’t be training in the same agency?”

“Yes”

“Aww… I’m looking forward to practising and debuting with Gunwoo hyung, I even practice my vocal…”

Moondae glanced at me then back to low-spirited Sejin

“If you don’t mind, Sejin, want to practice with me? Gunwoo hyung occasionally teaches me and our cousin to sing, is it okay, hyung?”

“It’s fine but I’m not teaching professionally”

“I’m in! Let’s exchange numbers too, Moondae, Gunwoo hyung is really bad at responding to chat”

This brat, what to respond about if you just send stickers for greetings and your friends' reaction over my channel. I roll my eyes and then let two children of the same age chat with each other. Now that I think about it, Keundal is also quite close with Lee Sejin and Seon Ahyeon, since they are technically the same age and comfortable with each other.

I shook my head to stop the absurd twinge of nostalgia when I looked at them, reminding myself again that this is a different world and I should think about how to survive first, finding a way out while beating that damn system. That day I sent Lee Sejin home after dinner and an appointment to practice together.

***

It’s been six months since I became a trainee at LeTi and now I’m staring at the announcement for the debut members audition. Unlike when I was thrown into another reality where I debuted as Whisze, in this world LeTi didn’t follow the trend of having a survival for choosing debut members and I already met all the candidates

“Gunwoo hyung!”

“Chaeyool, you’re too loud, hello hyung”

“Hello Gunwoo hyung”

Jin Chaeyool approached me while waving his both arms with Oh Yoonshin and Jung Woodan following behind. When I was first introduced as a new trainee, it was three of them who approached me first and engaged in conversation. Since then, I’ve been hanging out with them during training.

Just like TeStar members, three of them are also younger in this world. Jin Chaeyool and Oh Yoonshin are both 18 while Jung Woodan is 17, the same age as Chungwoo. It’s kind of a bizarre sight to see the senior in the entertainment industry now become a fellow trainee in the same agency and subject of talent that I am supposed to train.

“Hyung, what are you looking at? Oh the audition”

“It’s next week… I hope I’m preparing enough”

“You’re fine, Yoonshin hyung, we’re already well equipped”

Oh Yoonshin smiles at Jung Woodan's encouragement, seeing them like this makes me wonder who’s actually younger but I agree with him since for this audition, I will be doing a group project with three of them. Nine people participated in the audition from a total of fifteen male trainees and as Shin Jaehyun hinted, all of them were actually debut members so this audition was more about deciding the position than members but honestly, I don’t know much about the other three besides Choi Taejun.

Speaking of Choi Taejun, that brat has been acting impudent toward me from the start. Among LeTi trainees, there are not many that have a high singing stat, so it’s not weird for him, who had the highest singing stat among trainees until six months ago was keep his eyes on me but it’s getting annoying since he is always flaunting while throwing underlying sarcasm at me. He also has a weird confidence that people acknowledge and revere him more than me by ignoring my lack of response, making a funny situation where he plays the drums and the janggu* by himself.

I also found out that he used a fake account to reel aggro and antis on my Wetube channel once but stopped after I used him to raise the topic and promote my cover dance with Lee Sejin. Of course, it was creating some noise and I received a slight warning from the agency but the video was properly acknowledged and had a high view for a short time.

I have no doubt Shin Jaehyun knows about this as well but he doesn’t show any sign of changing the formation so he probably still thinks Choi Taejun still can be handled. Honestly, knowing what that guy does in my world, it’s better to nip the bud before it blooms and spreads a nasty smell, that’s why I have gathered the information about him and the other three members on my own as well.

Chaeyool suddenly pull my sleeve to gain my attention

“Hyung, do you have a part-time job today?”

“I have moved my shift to tomorrow, we can practice for another few hours”

“No, I was about to ask to buy some tteokbokki* together…”

“We’re just finished eating dinner, Chaeyool hyung”

“I have a different stomach for snacks”

“Isn't it supposed to be sweet?”

“We can have tteokbokki* later, now let's move to the practice room”

“”Yes…””

I dissuaded their usual banter and then led them back to the practice room. These kids are still as obedient as ever and somehow remind me when we’re in a group together as Wishze although, naturally, their skill is far below VTIC in my world. I glance at their status windows

“Woodan, should I dye my hair again?”

[Name: Jin Chaeyool]

Singing: D (B+)

Dancing: C (A)

Physical Attractiveness: B (A+)

Charm: A- (S+)

Trait: Circus (B)

Because acrobatics should be fun. Stage adaptability +150%

“Will it be okay? You just dyed it brown last month, hyung”

[Name: Jung Woodan]

Singing: B (S+)

Dancing: C (A)

Physical Attractiveness: B (A)

Charm: C+ (A+)

Trait: Hero Time (A)

Even an NPC can be a hero!. Performance effects +150%

“We probably dye our hair when debut, ah, I’m really nervous”

[Name: Oh Yoonshin]

Singing: D- (B+)

(Rap: B+ (S))

Dancing: B (A+)

Physical Attractiveness: B (S+)

Charm: B (A+)

Trait: Silent Hill (B)

Full focus. Concentration 110%

Their stat and traits are impressive although Shin Jaehyun hinted that only Jin Chaeyool was his first pick while Oh Yoonshin and Jung Woodan were an ambiguous recruit. It’s understandable since Choi Taejun has a singing stat of A- and other trainees named Kim Heeun have a better rapping stat of A but working in a group needs more than talent.

‘At least, I still manage to debut together with them’

I shrugged my shoulder then suddenly heard a loud sound, I reflexly jumped and raised my arm as a sign to stop to three kids behind me when the door of the practice room slammed open

“Crazy b*st*rd!! Don’t you dare to touch her, you son of b*tch!”

Kim Heeun cursed whoever was inside the practice room before running out with bloodshot eyes then another trainee, I believe his name is Lee Junseo, showed up while holding his red and swelling face with an unsteady gait. He glared at us while hissing in pain and disappearing to a nearby toilet. 

Oh Yoonshin grabbed my sleeve while whispering as if he wanted to reveal the most secretive information

“I think Heeun hyung now knows that his girlfriend has been cheating with Junseo hyung”

“Miyeong noona isn’t it? It’s been an open secret that she has a relationship with Heeun hyung but I never thought she also dating Junseo hyung”

I let out an exasperated sigh and then turned to face them

“Yoonshin, Chaeyool, be careful of your words and don’t get involved. Sometimes it only takes one bad rumour to ruin yourself so keep this on your mind ”

“Oh, uh, yes, I’m sorry hyung”

“I’m sorry Gunwoo hyung”

Both Jin Chaeyool and Oh Yoonshin were startled by my words and then bowed their head in embarrassment, I looked at Jung Woodan who silently observing the situation

“Woodan, this for you as well”

“Yes, thank you for your kind word, Gunwoo hyung”

I’m not particularly concerned about Jung Woodan since he’s a calm and sensible person, besides his huge interest in subculture, but there’s nothing wrong with telling him as well. 

“What are you doing out here?”

All of us turned to Shin Jaehyun who appeared suddenly, Jin Chaeyool glanced at the practice room nervously while Oh Yoonshin and Jung Woodan stayed silent with me. Shin Jaehyun looked at the empty practice room with a frown then turned to me

“Gunwoo hyung, can I speak with you for a moment?”

I tried hard to not frown the first time but six months is quite a long time to get used to this guy calling me hyung. We stare at each other for a moment, his gaze seems serious so I nod then Shin Jaehyun turn to three children behind me

“Three of you can practice first, if Heeun and Junseo hyung are back, tell them to practice by themselves today”

“”Yes…””

Shin Jaehyun gestured to me to follow him to a small empty meeting room. My butt barely touch the chair when Shin Jaehyun deliver his news

“We’ll debut with seven members”

“Do you have the agency's approval?”

“Rather than approval, we don’t have a choice to debut with the remaining members”

“What happened?”

Shin jaehyun's frown grew deeper, his finger tapping on the table

“A video of both Choi Taejun and Han Yechan drinking and smoking were exposed on SNS”

“Ah…”

I found the video while searching for information about Choi Taejun. The quality was not good enough for people to recognize him immediately and, unlike Shin Jaehyun, he’s not really a popular trainee but somehow it blew up by itself. Shin Jaehyun glanced at me before continuing his words in a grim voice

“They also got caught while driving under the influence and without a licence last night so the agency decided to cut them off today”

"Consider five or six members, Kim Heeun and Lee Junseo had a fight a few minutes ago"

“Kang Miyeong”

Shin Jaehyun sneers and his finger continues tapping the table. 

“I was informed that the audition will still be held but now they want to audition all trainees… they can't delay the date, fortunately"

"Are you displeased?"

"Those guys were chosen for reasons"

"I guess the audition format will also change"

"They want to make it like survival shows the time is too tight so it'll be like the usual monthly evaluation"

"They discuss these things with you?"

"I have my way, oh, I still have the final say for the members"

I look away from his subtle cocky smile then continue the conversation

"What's your plan?"

"Re-evaluate other trainees or debut with the remaining people"

"You still have a week"

"Gunwoo hyung, if we can pick talent like you on the street easily, our rookie development hairs would still be intact"

I choose to feign ignorance, the reason why LeTi easily agrees with my conditions and overlooks my age is because they're lacking high-potential trainees. So far, Shin Jaehyun has the highest dancing stat among other trainees and the people he picks mostly have high stat too but I admit they're a bit challenging to work with.

It's not like they're uncooperative but I can feel the difference in their sincerity, maybe my experiences in Idol Inc where each trainee is thrown into a desperate situation influencing my judgement. Anyway, I’m relieved that I have less work to do because both troublemakers are walking out of their own

“Gunwoo hyung, is there anyone you have eyes on these days?”

“No one in particular”

“The boy who danced with you in the last video has potential, he’s tall too”

“He’s out of limit”

“How about your younger brother?”

“No”

Shin Jaehyun looked at me with an amused face then backed away while raising both his hand

“Fine, at the very least we can debut with five or four members, the agency is fine as long it’s not narrowed to two”

“That works”

“Let’s get back to practice, they will announce the audition format change tomorrow”

I nod and then stand from my seat but Shin Jaehyun not moving, his fingers tapping the desk again

“Gunwoo hyung, things… won’t change right? Even after we debuted?”

I stare at the guy who speaks uncharacteristically nervous. This guy… I overlook the fact that this guy is someone who experienced regression over a failed mission. Unlike the senior in my world who passed that stage and somehow regressed on his own will, this one might only have suffered failure enough to disrupt his mind. I don’t know what makes him say this kind of word to me but I can’t have him regressed, I straighten my body and then quote the word that once said to me

“Shin Jaehyun”

“Yes?”

“Changes are inevitable, even so, doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing”

“Is that so?”

“It’s impossible to know and control everything but it can serve as an opportunity so don’t lose hope and talk so we can find a way”

Of course, it’s better to be able to control everything, especially when failure isn't an option like now but I can’t have this guy rushing things and regressing. Shin Jaehyun seems deep in his thoughts then his eyes meet mine with a hard and serious gaze

“That opportunity, if we got it with some sacrifice, will you take it?”

“What to sacrifice?”

“For example, someone's life”

Xfoot

This bastard, he’s already out of mind

“I don’t think it’s an opportunity”

“Why is that?”

“Heyday is a heyday, maybe we can reach it with that but by the time we don't, will that sacrifice be worth it?”

“Hyung think it won’t be worth it?”

“It depends but I rather find another way while minimising the risk since I have a goal to achieve and people to protect, including you”

“Huh?”

“We’re gonna work together for several years, at least we should protect and support each other as a group, don’t you think?”

Shin Jaehyun's eyes shook and his face turned expressionless. I don’t know what happened with his group in his previous regression but I’m sincere with my words. To keep alive and reach my goal to overthrow this damn system, at the very least I should have an amiable business relationship with my group. The entertainment world is also harsh and full of intrigue with many sorts of backdealing, not to mention as public figures, idols have to deal with many faces of society so I need to look after our reputation as well.

“Gunwoo hyung”

“Yes?”

“Can you go back to the practice room first? I’ll follow you later”

I stare at his still expressionless face, I can’t figure out what this bastard is thinking but I know he won’t kick me out of the debut lineup suddenly so I nod and leave him be. 

Three days later, another announcement was posted that the auditions were cancelled and listed 5 names as debut members which are Shin Jaehyun, Ryu Gunwoo, Jin Chaeyool, Oh Yoonshin and Jung Woodan. I don’t know what kind of string Shin Jaehyun pulled this time but both Kim Heeun and Lee Junseo resigned under the pretext of poor health although it was rumoured it was because they got caught dating in public.

Now I’m standing in front of an apartment that serves as a dorm with two travel bags on my hands then glancing at my status windows.

[Name: Ryu Gunwoo]

Level: 13

Title: None

Singing: A

Dancing: C+

Physical Attractiveness: B+

Charm: B

Trait: Infinite Potential, Grabbing Ear (A), Bacchus (B)

[‘Debut or Die’]

You will die unless you debut as an idol within the set time frame.

Remaining period : D - 403

Starting today, the next three months will be filled with preparation for the debut showcase and follow-up schedule. It'll be extremely busy days that make one unaware if the sun is up or not. I take a deep breath as I step inside the dorm, where I’ll be living with four other young men for the next seven years. 

***

[Exclusive Interview 202X : VTIC]

Q                       :  How did you decide on a room arrangement at the dorm?

J.C (Chaeyool)    : Games! Last time it was paintball, the winner can decided their roommate

R.G (Gunwoo)     : But it’s not always like that, usually we decided with rock paper scissors

S.J (Cheongryeo) : Somehow Gunwoo hyung losses every matches on rock paper scissors with everyone

O.Y (Shinoh)      : Yes, Gunwoo hyung lose strike is really something, he even lose when we decided on chore, meal and hotel roommates

J.W (Judan)        : That's why we usually decide who becomes Gunwoo hyung's roommate, it’s an all-out-war…

J.C (Chaeyool)    : Next time, I’ll take my right to become Gunwoo hyung’s roommates again

O.Y (Shinoh)       : Shouldn’t it be me next? I never became roommates even once!

J.W (Judan)        : You should fight with all your might Yoonshin hyung, of course I won’t lose either

S.J (Cheongryeo) : Oh, is that a challenge I heard? Just you know, I don't have any intention to lose my right ^^

R.G (Gunwoo)     : all of you *sigh*  Can we move to the next question?

Chapter Text

A thumping sound of forehead meets the table resounds in a small dorm room. After passing the CSAT with enough score to enter a good university, a young student who discovered Ryumun and became his fan is now a freshman. As she got swept up by a storm of activities in a new environment, she survived by listening to Ryumun’s voice, admiring him on Wetube and SNS but now it's no longer the case.

She sluggishly looked at Wetube on her phone with a pout. A month ago, Ryumun posted a farewell video with a simple explanation that he's been recruited by an agency and wants to focus on his training. Stunned, she could only stare at her phone in a daze then got slapped with reality when all video turned into private and virtually closed the channel. Not only that, all of Ryumun’s SNS accounts also disappear, much for her demise.

While gathering all the will she had left, and the time she could spare, she started to search for all the information about Ryumun but it was more challenging than she thought. Even though Ryumun has over fifty thousand subscribers, he's not a well-known public figure who would show up on entertainment news or become an SNS topic frequently. It’s not helped that Ryumun is secretive about his personal life, keeping the mysterious persona of a singer. 

She clicked her tongue on the latest topic post on the SNS Forum about Ryumun is filled with fans lamenting his sudden discontinuation of activities while attention-seeking jerks spouting out underlying ridicule. There’s also a post on topics that speculates where Ryumun has been recruited including a rumour that Ryumun participated in the MS Entertainment open audition. That particular post became a hot topic for a while but nothing was confirmed and some deny it because, timeline-wise, it’s not matched.

A deep sigh of defeat filled the room with a gloomy atmosphere then she played one of the cover videos that she managed to save but that was not enough, so she habitually refreshed Ryumun's channel, hoping for a surprise update. It was then a chat notification popping up.

[Gyeol          : are you alive?]

[Me              : somewhat, what?]

[Gyeol          : this would raise you from death (link)]

[Gyeol          : zombie out from ground.gif ]

She frowned on her best friend's chat, gave her the benefit of the doubt and clicked the link.

============================================================

[New Boy Group from LeTi finally revealed! ]

Agency of Marshmallow, who’s popular with their latest song POP⭐︎CON, will be debuting their first boy groups! 

Rumour about LeTi preparing a new group this year has been circulated, especially for Marshmallow fans. Many expected they'd debut another girl group since Marshmallow's contract was about to end but, much to fans' surprise, LeTi now tried to reach a new venture with a boy group project. 

Last night, LeTi released an article and SNS account that revealed the group name along with a short profile of the members. They are expected to debut in autumn or winter this year and I must say all of them are lookers!

From the article that was released, it was confirmed the group name will be VTIC with 5 member group, not 9 members of a girl group as rumoured since last year (lol) and including their popular trainee, Shin Jaehyun who’s taking the stage name as Cheongryeo.

You can refer to the article here (link)

I can’t help myself so I also posted their profile and concept pics here 

(Gunwoo Concept and Profile Picture.jpg)

(Cheongryeo Concept and Profile Picture.jpg)

(Shinoh Concept and Profile Picture.jpg)

(Chaeyool Concept and Profile Picture.jpg)

(Judan Concept and Profile Picture.jpg)

From the picture, it seems the concept will be youth, typical for rookie debut and all Korean, without foreign members. LeTi has also released many great songs so I’m looking forward to their debut :)

============================================================

LeTi newcomer?

L Yes lol, they post those girls but boys come out instead

   L LeTi use those girls as a diversion lmao

   L Fans have been spoiled that it’s a boy group, not a girl group since forever lol

they're using unusual names, Are they stage names?

L Most likely

Wow, LeTi’s face restaurant*

L Using a uniform with those faces, aren’t they gangster? It seems they already have my wallet as hostage lmao

   L I go to handsome Delinquent lol

       L Isn’t mafia more fitting haha

Is this the staff of LeTi? They sure know a lot

L What does it have to do with it?

L Lol, I even know Sohyun’s smell with training clothes

   L Disgusting, I’m reporting this

[...]

The young student blinked once and then twice on the short SNS post, particularly on the profile picture that was attached to the post. Dazed, she clicked on the link on the post to open the article.

============================================================

[ LeTi’s new Boy Group VTIC revealed! + Members profile]

LeTi has unveiled their newest project, a boy group of five members under the name VTIC after five years debuting their current leading girl group, Marshmallow.

The debut date is still tentative but it was confirmed around september - december this year. LeTi opened an InHeart account for the group that shared the profile and concept photos of the members. 

Meet the five members : 

(Gunwoo Concept and Profile Picture.jpg)

Name             : Gunwoo

Birth Name   : Ryu Gunwoo

Position         : Main Vocal

Birthday        : 8.12

Age                : 21

Height           : 178 cm

Weight          : -

Blood Type  : B

Hobby          : Singing

(Cheongryeo Concept and Profile Picture.jpg)

Name             : Cheongryeo

Birth Name   : Shin Jaehyun

Position        : Main Dancer, Leader

Birthday        : 27.11

Age                : 19

Height           : 180 cm

Weight          : 60 kg

Blood Type   : A

Hobby           : Listen to music

(Shinoh Concept and Profile Picture.jpg)

Name           : Shinoh

Birth Name  : Oh Yoonshin

Position        : Rapper

Birthday        : 15.6

Age                : 18

Height           : 185 cm

Weight           : 66 kg

Blood Type    : AB

Hobby             : Exercise at gym

(Chaeyool Concept and Profile Picture.jpg)

Name            : Chaeyool

Birth Name   : Jin Chaeyool

Position         : Center, Lead Dancer

Birthday         : 6.4

Age                 : 18

Height            : 175 cm

Weight            : -

Blood Type     : O

Hobby              : Tasting new snack

(Judan Concept and Profile Picture.jpg)

Name            : Judan

Birth Name   : Jung Woodan

Position        : Lead Vocal, Maknae*

Birthday        : 15.12

Age                : 17

Height           : 176 cm

Weight          : 60 kg

Blood Type   : O

Hobby           : Reading books

Check out their InHeart post and LeTi’s official SNS too!

[...]

============================================================

“Are you crazy?! No, this is crazy!! Idol?!”

She slaps her hand on her mouth when her neighbour knocks on the thin wall and shouts to lower her voice but she can’t help it, her favourite singer, Ryumun, will debut as an Idol! With a trembling hand, she read the post thoroughly, afraid of leaving any detail.

As a fan who follows all of Ryumun’s activities, including all his SNS, she has the confidence to recognize her favourite by his face feature, so Gunwoo is definitely Ryumun. In the concept photo, Gunwoo is wearing a shirt with a v-neck sweater, striped tie and navy blazer without glasses while in his profile photo, he wears a white T-shirt and jeans with glasses. 

Ryumun always posts high-quality pictures on SNS but mostly scenery or food, he rarely posts any selfies besides a promotional picture of his cover video so she enjoys the chance to admire a clear, handsome picture of her favourite.

“Although it’s too bad it’s not solo…”

She muttered while scrolling down to other photos of Idol group members who were debuting with her Ryumun, no, Gunwoo. She had never stan an idol group before so she doesn't know what to do and if she was honest, the other members' visuals are not bad either, especially the one named Cheongryeo.

“Anyway, follow, follow… I have to thank Gyeol for this and ask her a few things…”

Straightening her posture, she started to follow all VTIC official accounts and had long night conversations with her best friend who’s a veteran on stanning Idol.

***

[Mission Accomplished! <First Meeting ‘Talent Lee (Bae) Sejin’>]

1 point was acquired!

[Mission Accomplished! <You are my aspiration! ‘Talent Lee (Bae) Sejin’>]

Talent Lee (Bae) Sejin's singing stat registered! 

Singing (F)

[Name: Lee (Bae) Sejin ]

Singing: F (B+)

Dancing: - (B)

Physical Attractiveness: B+ (S)

Charm: B+ (S-)

Trait: Concentrate (C)

Two floating status windows are hanging in front of my eyes as I receive a small flower bouquet from actor Lee Sejin, who’s changed his family name in my world to Bae Sejin and just like other TeStar members, he’s a young boy in his late teens.

“Congratulations on your debut”

“Thank you Lee Sejin sunbae - nim*”

“I’ve seen all your MV*, you’re doing a good job”

“It’s thanks for your acting guidance during the shoot that we manage to do well, thank you”

“I am just giving some pointers”

“You're a big help, sunbae-nim and I know it’s a bit shameless of me but can I have your sign?”

I handed him a sketchbook and pen while glancing at his manager who stood not far from us with a bored face. Lee Sejin's eyes rounded with surprise before rummaging through his bag and then back to me with a sheepish smile

“I’m sorry, I should be more prepared”

“No, I’m the one who is suddenly asking, is it too much?”

“No, it’s not like that, ahem, then can I ask for yours too?”

“Of course, it’s an honour to give my sign to you”

I nod easily then we exchange signing papers. I admire him who acts happy when receives a barely known rookie singer sign, no wonder he’s still a popular actor even during his hiatus starting a year later. He then cleared his throat and scribbled something on other pages on my sketchbook

“If you have any trouble, you can contact me although I might rarely respond because of my schedule”

“Thank you, sunbae-nim”

“Good luck on your stage later and, uh, I'll be watching…”

“I hope you enjoy our performance, oh, I have to go”

“So, see you later?”

“Yes, I'll keep contact, sunbae -nim, see you later”

I bow slightly and then approach the staff who called me to get ready for the debut showcase that was attended by reporters and guests, including our family, VIP guests and fans who managed to get invitations.

Honestly, I’m not planning to meet with Bae Sejin in this world this soon as I keep my focus on debut preparation but somehow the chance presented itself.

It started when I gave the idea of creating a conceptual worldview with a filmesque teaser promotion. Both Cheongryeo and A&R* divisions are accepted since they have similar ideas but with different concepts. A&R division wanted an elegant royal concept that has begun to popular these days while Cheongryeo prefers mystery with youth concept, added to Judan idea of an otherworld concept, we managed to have a concept that resembled the VTIC debut concept in my world but the consequences are we need some degree of acting skill. 

During this period, LeTi is still an all-singers agency so none of us have taken acting classes and our schedules are too packed for additional acting training. That’s why the agency hired an actor to give us an acting direction for our music video shooting but that actor suddenly got caught in a scandal so I took my chance by recommending actor Lee Sejin and got approved.

When I met with the young actor Lee Sejin or Bae Sejin in this world, I was not surprised to see him look tired and a bit prickly, just like the one I met in another virtual world as a new actor instructor. It didn’t take too much brain to figure out how overworked this child and the agency's lack of care but, despite that, he manages to give basic lessons and instruction on a shooting site, even getting close with Shinoh who shows some interest in the acting world. 

Since the mission requires me to train and keep contact with the listing talent, I was thinking about how to stay connected with actor Lee Sejin when caught on guard by him starting the conversation first with me

“You… are you the Wetuber Ryumun?”

“Yes?”

“So you’re really recruited by an agency… I'm, ehem, I’m a fan of yours”

I was lost for words while actor Lee Sejin, not paying attention to my silence, continued to speak with his eyes looking everywhere but my face 

“I’m not really sure at our first meeting but I’ve watched your video that covered the soundtrack of my movie and have followed your channel since then”

“Thank you, sunbae - nim”

The young actor opened and closed his mouth as if he wanted to say something before swallowing his word again while his eyes moved to his manager, the staff and other VTIC members before finally speaking with a low voice

“I'm saying this as a fan and senior, don't trust the agency too much”

“Lee Sejin sunbae - nim”

“I know being an idol is different from being an actor but even if you manage to debut, this job might not be as great as it seems so don't hope too much”

Lee Sejin looked down, trying to hide his darkened face, for a moment his small figure overlapped with the older one back in my world when I met him during Idol Inc. I thrust my hand to young actor Lee Sejin with a friendly gesture

“Thank you for your advice, sunbae-nim, I’m also your fan”

“Huh?!”

“I’ve watched the movie and decided to cover the soundtrack because I love it, especially during the climax when the children confront their kidnappers”

“I, ah, thank you”

Actor Lee Sejin reached out my hand with an awkward embarrassed face, definitely not expecting my reaction

“Lee Sejin sunbae-nim, if you don't mind, please come to the showcase and watch our stage”

“Uh, I don't know…”

“And can we exchange contact with each other? I’m sure there’s a lot to talk about since we’re each other's fans ”

Actor Lee Sejin gaped and then glanced at his manager nervously, it seemed the agency had a tight hold on him than I thought but before he turned down my offer, I added my word

“I’m glad that I can meet you, please take care of me in the future sunbae-nim”

I gently tightened my grip on his much smaller hand. Aside from two other TeStars members who live overseas, Bae Sejin, or actor Lee Sejin now, is the hardest one to meet since I barely know his activities and whereabouts during the hiatus period. Of course, I could pry for some information but I would rather not. 

The young teen's eyes move to my face before pulls out his hand with a red face

“Yes! Please take care of me in the future as well, uh, if you excuse me!”

In the end, I failed to get his number because he ran away after that so I sent the showcase ticket for him through our agencies for another chance. Of course, there’s a possibility that he won’t come today and there won't be many activities where an actor and idol can meet so I plan to visit him at his agency before his hiatus but turns out it won’t be necessary.

I stroked the sketchbook in my hand, satisfied that I managed to take one step forward on a mission to find a way to get back to my world. I wonder if actor Lee Sejin in this world also have problems with his father but that’s a worry for another time, for now I need to deal with the literal death threat that hanging above my head 

[‘Debut or Die’]

You will die unless you debut as an idol within the set time frame.

Remaining period : D - 306

“Oh, Gunwoo - ssi, you got another flower bouquet”

“Wow, that’s a cute bouquet, hyung, do you have a girlfriend?”

“Hey, dating is not allowed, Chaeyool”

“I’m joking, you’re too serious Yoo - eh, Shinoh”

“Chaeyool, you should familiarise yourself with our stage name, don’t make a mistake”

“Yes, Cheongryeo hyung”

I shifted my attention from the status window to the manager, handed the flower bouquet and sketchbook to him then put on my ear-in while listening to other members bickering. I noticed that Chaeyool tried to ease Shinoh’s tension with a light joke while Cheongryeo warned him for a slight slip of tongue. Behind them, Judan fiddles with his microphone, his eyes glued on the stage so I approach him

“Nervous?”

“There’s lots of people…”

Judan nodded easily without moving his gaze, I pat his shoulder and then followed his line of sight. Even backstage, I can hear the noise from the audience seat where a total of a hundred and fifty people are attending, not to mention there’s a camera that also live streams our stage on LeTi's official WeTube account. 

This promotion strategy is relatively new during this time so in a way it’s a gamble for a group that is barely known by the public but I should pull out all the stops if I want to reach the target of the rookie award within less than two years. I glance at Cheongryeo who adjusts his ear-in and mic beside me. This guy easily agreed when I told him my plan then gathered other members to support me as I presented these promoting ideas to the company. I don’t know if it is planned or not but it doesn’t matter right now.

“VTIC, get ready in three minutes!”

I take a deep breath as the staff gives the cue then walk forward to the bright lighted stage.

***

“It’s about time…”

A middle-aged reporter hid a yawn while checking her watch, her other hand nursing a warm americano cup beside her laptop. Lately, she’s been working overtime because a well-known actor is involved in an extortion scandal and barely has time to eat or sleep.

‘But I can’t ignore this showcase invitation either’

She clenched her fist, LeTi is a fairly reputed middle-sized singer agency that was established by Kim Taein, one of the members of a popular singer group in the 90's. After debuting several singer-songwriters and girl group Marshmallow, now they’re expanding their wings by debuting a boy group. That alone has already become a topic, moreover, they’re also doing a unique pre-debut promotion that would be unthinkable for a rookie group. 

LeTi poured a great amount of money into making a mini-series of music videos and holding busking which raises the public's attention more. Pictures and videos of the rookie group busking performance were circulating on SNS for some time, especially the member named Gunwoo, who was a Wetuber singer with the pseudonym Ryumun and Chaeyool, a former child model.

She glanced at the camera behind the audience seat and then at the countdown of the livestream on WeTube while watching the number of viewers increasing every second before shifting to the one section that was filled with guests and fans. Honestly, she doesn't expect much from a showcase but her instinct tells her that this one might be different. She looks at the material from the agency including the photos of the members and their profile.

‘As expected, they’re all handsome so the rest is about the skill huh’

As an entertainment reporter who has met with many good-looking people for years, a group of youthful and handsome young boys isn’t enough to impress her as she’s often required to pry more behind their beautiful smiles and find anything worth for her articles. 

Right on time, an MC showed up on stage and started his greeting to the reporters. The debut showcase will start with the group's stage and introduction of their debut song then continue with a Q & A* section, the standard of a rookie debut showcase but what is unusual is how the light dimmed after the MC got off the stage. 

‘Are they using VCR*?’

It’s not unusual for idols showing a video during a concert but it’s rarely used on a debut showcase. The stage suddenly filled with dry ice smoke then a bed appeared out of nowhere, lit up with a single stage light. All eyes go to the bed when the blanket moves and reveals a young man with blond hair tossing and turning as if he’s dancing on a bed before rolling over, followed by another dark stage then the sound of someone whispering echoes

-Have a good night, sweety and good dream

The lights were up again and five members of rookie idol group VITC were standing on the stage in formation then the one in the middle started to sing

-The night when everyone is already asleep

Should I sleep too?

-If you don’t like this,

Just leave it to me

You can leave it to me 

‘Crazy! They’re singing a capella*?’

The middle-aged reporter gasped as the clear voice of the youngest member was accompanied by others humming sounds as a background, creating a mysterious atmosphere while showing off their skill. The humming is not out of place when the MR* start playing, if anything it builds the whole atmosphere on stage. LeTi is known for its selection of good and high-quality songs for their artists but this one is especially good, it matched the singer's voice and was easy to listen to. The beat is catchy but not one that will get tired of listening for a long time, fitting for a debut song.

-Good night

Good night sweety

But it’s okay if you don’t sleep

-Let’s do whatever you want 

Come with me

Her heart skips a beat when the main vocalist sings the last verse of the chorus alone with a slightly lower tone as if really asking her to come with him in a dream world. She couldn't take her eyes off the stage for the whole three and a half minutes then jolted when the song was over and one of the audience started to clap. A wave of claps and cheers resound loudly while the reporters watch the stage with shining eyes

‘Jackpot! This group definitely hit!’

Her instinct as a reporter that honed for years told her that this rookie group would soar high. Not only do they have a good visual and well-chosen song, but they also have talent and know how to make a stage. This showcase also showed how great an investment LeTi has in them too, as the costumes and props are well made. For once, she clicks her laptop with newfound spirit just like she writes her first hit article and later, the article becomes a sacred one among the fans. 

***

“Gunwoo hyung!”

“Moondae, don’t run! It’s been a while Gunwoo hyung”

Moondae ran to me with a camera hanging on his neck while Chungwoo chased after him. After the showcase, we’re allowed to meet with our family and VIP guests. Actor Lee Sejin met me first because he has a schedule and the agency made an exception since his presence is also good for publication.

Since the other VTIC members are meeting with their respective families and the staff are busy tidying up the stage or meeting with VIP guests, there are only three of us in this waiting room.

“Yes, Where’s Jageun Appa* and Jageun Eomma*?”

“They’re greeting the CEO and manager with Oh Yoonshin’s parents, we sit on the same row and Eomma* got along with them”

I nod, after my debut confirmation, I visit Chungwoo’s family home to meet his parents. From this world Ryu Gunwoo’s memory, Chungwoo’s parents are the closest relative to him, who helped him and his family through many difficult situations. I was reluctant to owe more than Ryu Gunwoo had to them but I can’t ask help for caring for Moondae to other people and it’s more dangerous to leave a child alone without a guardian.

It wasn’t a surprise that Chungwoo’s parents were not impressed with my decision to pursue a career as an Idol but they agreed, no, insist on acting not only as Moondae’s guardian but also mine despite I’m not required to have one. Of course, there are a few arrangements but they helped me a lot so I plan to visit them during Chuseok* and bring presents from now on.

“Aeri still sulking that she can’t come and ask for a picture”

“It can’t be helped that she has a school trip, which one should we send her?”

Both me and Chungwoo move to see the camera's small screen while Moondae shows the photo he took to send to Chungwoo’s sister. I can see that his skill is improving and most of the pictures are almost good to sell. Keundal said that he’s not good at taking pictures but maybe he just needs proper guidance. I should take him on a trip to take pictures together when I get back.

I glance at the notification that popped up as soon as I finished the debut stage 

[A Successful Debut!]

You debuted successfully on the well-reputed Agency!

Time cap : Satisfactory (Perfect)

Status Abnormality : “Debut or Die” removed!

: Reveal Truth <- Click!

Just like in TeStar Park Moondae’s situation once, the status abnormality was removed from my status window while this notification continued to hang in front of my eyes. I don’t know what kind of truth this world system will show me and if there’s any clue on it for me to get back to my own world so I plan to handle it when we get back to the dorm.

“The photos look good, how do we move it to the phone?”

“Oh, um, I usually use a laptop but I left it at home…”

“We can transfer it using the memory card, Moondae, give me the camera”

Moondae watches me as I skillfully manipulate the camera then shows him how to put the memory on his phone and transfer the data. I used to do this to pass the security check or send the data to my customer during my data pal years. Suddenly another notification popped out 

[Mission Accomplished! < Beginner Camera Technician ‘Talent Ryu Moondae’>]

Pick your general trait [click!]

[Congratulations!]

[Mission <Fated Meeting> accomplishment]

current progress : 25%

acquire memory fragment +1

Synthesizing memory fragments is now available!

Current fragment : 2

[Warning!]

The unsynthesized fragment will disappear

Synthesize now? <- [click!] (5)

Xfoot

I held back a curse by the sheer power of will over the downpour of notification and gritted my teeth

‘This crazy bastard, X-foot system!! What the hell is this all about?! Why suddenly a countdown?!’

Slightly panicked, I clicked on it without really thinking it through then I heard a loud thudding sound beside me. For the first time since I was stranded in this world, I was so furious over that damned system and swore to make them pay.

***

In the backseat of a car, a middle-aged woman tilted her head when heard a familiar song playing on the radio

“I heard this song often lately”

“Ah yes, Moondae said Gunwoo sang it well when they went to noraebang* last time and like to play it at home”

The man beside him nodded with a soft smile while adjusting his crutch, the movement showed the scar-burned hand that slightly shocked the taxi driver but the woman smiled lovingly at that man while responding to his word

“We should ask Gunwoo to sing at his birthday party”

“Well, if his mother asks, he will sing any song, Gunwoo never turn down your and Moondae’s request”

“You too, sometimes I wonder what to do if Gunwoo and Moondae grow up to be spoiled”

“What can I do? Both of my sons are adorable and good children and you’re too lovely”

The man shrugged his shoulders with a teasing smile while the woman rolled her eyes at her husband's sappiness before jumping on her seat when heard a loud horn. She barely comprehends what happened when she felt a familiar arm embracing her body then her sight was spinning as she heard a loud crash and scream before her world turned into darkness. 

The next moment, loud sirens resounded on the street, dark smoke soaring to the grey sky while people with uniforms moved around on the traffic accident site. The firefighter swiftly moved the heavy truck body out while scouring around to search for any survivors with the paramedic but at the end of the day, they only found cold, dead bodies including a couple who embraced each other before the scenery changed abruptly. 

The blaring sirens changed to a beeping sound from the machine in a white-walled hospital room along with a soft sobbing sound from a thin young man who sits beside the bed with his head buried inside his arm. One of his hands is connected to the hand of the patient who is lying on the bed and the upper body is covered with a curtain.

“I… always wished for your happiness…”

Another sobbing followed the soft wistful word and then he rose from his position, revealing his face and the one who lay motionless on a bed before the whole scene was broken and distorted.

***

Prak-

It took a few moments for Moondae to register that he dropped his treasured phone, a gift from Gunwoo, as his distorted sight slowly came back.

‘What… Did I just see?’

He clutched his chest as his heart let out a thunderous beat, deafening his ears while confusion clouded his mind. 

‘Why, why does it have to be them?! That's, that's - ’

His whole body turned cold as the scene of his parents' accident passed on his head, overwhelming him with fear, sorrow and sadness. Moondae grip tightens while his whole body trembles then a bigger, warmer hand touches his slouched shoulder gently and the voice that he longs to hear calling his name.

“Moondae”

“Gunwoo… hyung…”

Moondae raises his head and sees Gunwoo's concerned face then calls him with a shrill, quivered voice before his breath hitches. Gunwoo guides his younger brother to take a slow and deep breath while stroking his shoulder gently, tears pour down Moondae face when he calls for his brother once more with a wistful voice

“Gunwoo hyung…“

“Yes, Moondae, I’m here”

Moondae let out another gasp, closer to a sob when Gunwoo spoke to him with a calm, reassuring voice. He starts to ramble, pouring everything on his mind with a soft voice

“Hyung… I… saw E-eomma... a-and Appa*...”

“Hm…”

“Eomma… want to… hear hyung s-singing… they… they’re… embracing e-each other…”

“I see”

“Hyung… don't… go…”

“I won’t, I’m here”

“don’t… leave…”

“Moondae!”

Suddenly, like a doll when the strings were cut, Moondae's body lost its strength and slumped down. Gunwoo grabbed his brother's arm but failed to support the boy's weight, then another arm moved to catch Moondae.

Chungwoo, who’s standing quietly with a worried face, reflexly grabs Moondae on the waist then positions him to lean on his shoulder while Moondae lets out a small yelp, his hand managing to grip Gunwoo’s sleeve in an attempt to keep himself steady then look beside him

“Chungwoo… hyung…”

“It's okay, I caught you”

“Sorry…”

“Moondae, it's alright”

Chungwoo speaks with a soft voice to console the crying Moondae. Gunwoo let out a sigh slowly released his hand then removed Moondae’s hand from his clothes. Chungwoo noticed that Moondae tried to grab Gunwoo once more but his attention shifted when Gunwoo called him

“Chungwoo, please take Moondae to the sofa”

“Yes, hyung…”

Chungwoo picked up Moondae then put him on the sofa while Gunwoo took Moondae's phone on the ground then faced VITC members, who entered the waiting room at some point

“Hyung, what happened? Is he alright?”

Gunwoo look at Cheongryeo first before answering Shinoh’s question

“My brother is not feeling well, I will take him home and back to the dorm before the next schedule”

“But hyung, our next schedule starts at dawn…”

Chaeyool chips in hesitantly, glancing at Moondae who’s still sobbing while Chungwoo pats the boy’s back gently

“It's fine, I'll make sure to catch the first bus”

“Before 4 am? Will there be any bus service at that time?”

Shinoh follows with a doubtful frown. Moondae, noticing the awkward atmosphere, pulled Gunwoo’s sleeve to catch his brother's attention and then shook his head 

“N-no, I-I’m okay…”

“You’re not”

“B-but-”

“Then Gunwoo hyung, how about taking your brothers to our dorm tonight?”

All eyes go to Cheongryeo, who look at Moondae and Gunwoo in turns with contemplative face then continue his word

“If it’s only one night, I think our manager will allow it and we still have an extra bed in Shinoh and Chaeyool’s room, right? It's enough for two more people and we can move it to yours and Judan’s room”

“It's not necessary”

“We need hyung in optimal condition”

Gunwoo stared at Cheongryeo suspiciously, he took Moondae’s hand in his and then moved to cover both Moondae and Chungwoo from Cheongryeo’s sight with his body. He’s already irritated with the system for hurting Moondae so he doesn’t have room to be patient over Cheongryeo's scheme

“What’s your intention?”

“As I’ve said, we need our main vocal in optimal condition, late night trip can be harmful”

“I can take care of myself”

“Of course but just in case, I prefer to cut off any possibility since our body is our asset”

“I rather not leave them in an unfamiliar place, we have a full schedule tomorrow”

“No, they will come with us. Tomorrow's schedule is a festival stage and since Marshmallow also participates, they can pass as our agency trainee who comes to observe”

Cheongryeo tilted his body to peek at Moondae and Chungwoo with a friendly smile. Gunwoo's frown goes deeper because he knows that smile is entirely a sham but as a professional Idol, he admits that Cheongryeo's words are not entirely wrong and his plan is plausible. He looks at two boys behind him when Cheongryeo continue his word

“How about it? I think both of you can pass as a trainee without a problem, of course, I also welcome if both of you want to be one”

“Uh, I - I… “

Moondae grips Gunwoo’s hand more tightly as he speaks and completely falls into devil temptation. That night, the VITC minivan had additional people on board back to their dorm.

***

A footsteps echo on dimly lit corridors, followed by a small click. As the door slowly opened, the light from corridors seeped into a dark bedroom and showed three bumps of blanket inside.

“I know you're awake, let's talk”

One blanket twitched then rustled when a young man crawled out from bed carefully to not wake up the other two while approaching the figure standing at the door, creating a shadow inside.

“Yes, let's talk”

It's a dead-night conversation that is forever shrouded by darkness.

***

[Exclusive Interview : ‘What’s in your bag?’ (TeStar Ryu Chungwoo & Bae Sejin) 2104202X]

R.C : I used to bring a bigger bag for archery equipment but lately I use this sling bag for daily use, it’s a birthday present from Ahyeon.

B.S : Ahyeon has a good taste for choosing it, oh, mine is the bag I have used for a long time, it’s convenient since it has so many pockets.

R.C : Let’s open it! In mine there's my phone, planner, ballpoint, deodorant, earphones, wallet, hand towel and change clothes… oh, there’s also chocolate, candy and a small snack

B.S : Ah, I also put some, this is my favorite candy from my hometown, it’s also Eugene’s and Moondae’s favorite then several snacks, I think all TeStar members always have snacks in their bag

R.C : Ahahaha it become a habit to bring some

B.S : Yes, also in my bag there's my phone, e-book reader, a book that I currently read, deodorant, handkerchief, earphones, wallet, mask… I think there's something on the smaller pocket

R.C : Hm? Sejin, you drop something, huh? VTIC first con-

B.S : Ah! (Snatch the ticket from Chungwoo) It's, It's, uh, the ticket is really pretty so I use it as a bookmark…

R.C : ah, of course, our sunbae concert ticket is always neat, oh, I don't think I opened this pocket

B.S : … Isn't it the pocket you usually use to put your car key?

R.C : Yes but I didn't put any key today, oh, it's sunscreen Keunsejin gave me yesterday

B.S : I also got one from him, is he giving it to everyone?

R.C : I think so since he also gave it to Raebin, Keunsejin is probably concerned for our skin since we have many outdoor schedules lately

B.S : Oh right, then let's see what's in this side pocket…

Chapter Text

[Chungwoo hyung : How are you? Have you eaten yet?]

[Me : Yes, I feel much better, oh, hyung, there are fans giving lunch boxes to VTIC and they're a lot! I was reluctant when Gunwoo hyung said we should share a lunchbox but before I could refuse, the other hyungs also gave me some of their food. They're so delicious and now my stomach feels like will burst any moment T.T]

[Chungwoo hyung : Is that so? I'm glad you enjoyed your meal :), are you home now?]

[Me : No, I was at the festival with Lee Sejin and will go home with him after the event finished]

[Chungwoo hyung : Lee Sejin? Is he the friend you mentioned before?]

[Me : Yes, his house is not far from ours so we will go home together using the train]

[Chungwoo hyung : Alright, be careful and beware of strangers, call me if anything happens and when you arrive, I'll pick you up at the station after finish my training]

“Aish, hyung, I'm already in my third year of middle school, you know?”

I rolled my eyes at Chungwoo hyung's words, he already called me this morning to ask about my condition and said almost the same thing then I heard a small snort beside me

“Moondaemoondae need to grow more~”

“Agh, stop it, Lee Sejin!”

I shout when Sejin messes with my hair, he's the same age as me but almost as tall as Chungwoo hyung. Sejin let out a small laugh while I tidied up my hair roughly with a pout then replied to Chungwoo hyung messages.

[Me : Hyung, you know that I'm 15, right?]

[Chungwoo hyung : Haha, let's eat Gukbap* later with your friends too, my treat, okay? :)]

[Me : Okay, I ask Lee Sejin first]

[Chungwoo hyung : Okay]

“Sejin, my sachon* asked if you want to have dinner with us, he said he'll treat us Gukbap*”

“Oh, the one who moved into your house?”

“Yes, I can introduce him to you”

“I'm sorry but I have to pass today, it's been a while since I came home so Eomma asked me to have dinner with the family”

“I see, how's your dorm life?”

“Not bad, I can focus on my training there but the monthly evaluation is quite strict, oh, its started”

My eyes move to the stage when two MCs go up and start the show followed by audience cheers then I look around.

There are many cameras with broadcasting station logos. I heard that today's festival is to commemorate the 100th episode of a weekend Music Show and I recognize many well-known singers also performing live on stage this evening.

My seat and Sejin are a bit far away but have a good view on stage without being distracted by the standing audience and, from the hand banners and lightsticks on people around us, we are surrounded by Marshmallow’s and VTIC's fans. The difference between the fans of both groups is clear because VTIC still doesn't have an official lightstick yet but maybe because both groups are from the same agency, the atmosphere is quite friendly so I understand why Kang Jinho-ssi, VTIC manager led us to sit here.

I slowly pull out my DSLR camera from my bag and get ready to take a picture of the VTIC stage. As a rookie group, VTIC has an early turn so I have to be prepared.

“Need help?”

“I'm fine”

“By the way, do you know about LunarWolf? That account posting many Gunwoo hyung's photos, including the one from yesterday's debut, they must be hyung real fans”

“Is that so…”

“Their photos are also great, I wonder who’s the account master is~”

I give Sejin a deadpan side-eye, his face filled with an infuriating smirk as he enjoys his moment of teasing me while he already knows that I’m the owner of that account. He barked a laugh at me

“Hehe, both of you are really similar when having that expression”

“Of course, we’re brothers”

I shrug off his words and continue to prepare my camera as the first singer starts their performance then glances at Lee Sejin who’s erasing his playful expression at the drop of a hat and has all his attention on the stage with a serious face. Now it was my turn to smile at Sejin. After hanging out with him for several months and watching stage performances together, I can see Sejin’s aspirations as clear as day.

Another cheer marked the changing stage from the first singer to the second one then blinked when I recognized the group. 

Last summer, Gunwoo hyung took me and Sejin to the Waterbomb festival on summer vacation and he recorded one of the members doing acrobatics in the rain while smiling. The recordings were uploaded on Gunwoo hyung’s private accounts and blown up, making the girl group name SaintU recognized widely while it struck me once again on how powerful SNS is.

“Oh, are they performing a new song? it’s not bad”

“People might grow tired if they perform acrobatics every time”

“But Youngrin is really cool on that video, wonder if the one who takes it is her fans”

I overheard the conversation of fans who sit not far from me. I also asked the same thing when seeing the final edit but Gunwoo hyung denies it with expression, according to Lee Sejin, resembling a Tibetan Fox. I take a few pictures of the SaintU stage then lower my camera when the MC comes again and announces VTIC turns. 

The cheers are loud but not as much as previous performers. It’s understandable since VTIC just debuted yesterday and is still unknown. I heard it’s actually quite unusual for a newly debuted group to be able to perform on a festival live stage but LeTi managed to negotiate the spot because VTIC had a considerable amount of fans even before holding a fan meeting. I clench my fist, this is just the beginning, I have to work harder so Gunwoo hyung’s and others' hard work won’t go in vain.

Today VTIC performed their debut title song <Good Night, Sweety> with their MV costume. Gunwoo hyung was wearing a shirt with a knitted vest and knee-length khaki trousers, his navy blazer left unbuttoned and flapping along with his moves. I aimed my camera at him and tried to follow his moves across the stages behind the lenses but, just like during the debut stage yesterday, after three to four shoots I involuntarily lowered my camera. 

The sky gets darker faster in Autumn but the stage is bright and illuminated VTIC as they’re showing their skill, the results of months of training. When I see Gunwoo hyung like this, I still can’t believe that he’s the same brother who patted me to sleep and shared a lunchbox a few hours ago. I held an impulse to thrust my hand to reach him, who seemed to be going to the place I couldn’t reach. 

I want to scream, telling him to stay and live with me as a family again, which is ridiculous since we are a family and Gunwoo hyung won’t be going anywhere. I shove away the unexplainable fear and sadness in my heart then focus back on stage.

During a live stage, especially on an outdoor stage like this, it’s not rare for the MR to overpower the singer's voice or the echos to make the song hard to listen but somehow I managed to listen to all VTIC member's voices, including the low, almost whispering part of Gunwoo hyung on the chorus. I might not be a professional singer but I can tell that <Good night, Sweety> is a tricky song to sing. It’s not a song with many high notes or repetitive chorus but the melody is catchy and easy listening while keeping the mysterious atmosphere and highlighting the members' charms.

The performance is also not as easy as it seems. I don’t know how many times I was left breathless over Cheongryeo hyung dance moves and their intense group dance break. I move my camera once again to capture Shinoh hyung doing rap, Judan hyung singing the smooth bridge to the chorus and Chaeyool hyung posing the ending fairy* which followed with another roaring cheer. 

“Crazy…”

I could hear Sejin mumbling beside me and agreeing to his words. VTIC just debuted yesterday but they managed to gain so many fans and grab the audience's attention that even other group fans are also cheering them but this is getting too much for me. If the previous cheers are already booming, this time almost makes my ears split. I gritted my teeth to calm my nerves, I couldn’t make people around me worried again then I felt a hand touching my shoulder

“Are you okay, Moondae?”

“Huh?”

“You look pale, should we go out - “

“No, I’m fine”

“Gunwoo hyung stage is over, let’s take a break”

I flinch again when another loud cheering overwhelms me and nod at Sejin’s offers. We left our seats to search for a quiet place while I was staring at Sejin’s back. I wonder if Gunwoo hyung told him something because normally he wouldn’t take his eyes off the stage until the end of the program. I want to ask but I should apologise first

“Sorry…”

I’m lowering my head when we manage to find an empty bench not far from the festival location and Sejin handed me a hot chocolate he bought from a small stall. He sat beside me while waving one of his hands and sipping cold americano from the other hand, looking unbothered.

“I came to watch Gunwoo hyung’s stage so mission clear, but really, your brother is cheating”

“What?”

“The first time I met Gunwoo hyung, he just singing then I knew he could dance because he asked me to do dance covers together for his channel but he never showed us how great he is doing them together”

“But you already know that he’s good at both?”

“It’s different! Do you know how hard it is to sing while dancing? You need to be careful with your breath so your voice won’t be cracked! Do you see how intense their dance break* was before? It’s so cool and they manage to continue singing flawlessly after that! VTIC's main dancer is also something else, is he only eating and dancing every day?! The chorus is still lingering in my head and the rapping is also so smooth that it’s not out of place at all! Not to mention their centre who manages to grab the audience's attention from the beginning even though he’s on the stage by himself! Their stage it’s the greatest!”

I blinked at Sejin's rapid and fiery words and couldn't help but laugh.

“Pfft… hahahaha, I agree but hehe, you really love their stage, don't you?”

“Hey, don’t laugh! well, I admit that I’m a bit biased because of Gunwoo hyung but a great stage is still great”

“Gunwoo hyung will be happy hearing that”

I smile at Sejin who scratches his cheek with a difficult face

“Uhm, yeah, if you said so”

“Why?”

“Well, I think Gunwoo hyung might appreciate critics more than praise, he doesn’t seem like someone who believes in praises that much”

“Ah… he might seem like that but trust me, he believes in praises as well, especially the one that is filled with genuine feelings like yours, Sejin”

“Yeah…”

Sejin's cheek slightly reddened, probably feeling shy then leaning on the bench backrest with eyes looking up at the purplish evening sky. I sipped on the sweet chocolate as we both fell into a comfortable silence then Sejin started talking without moving his head

“You know, I mean every word I said but I’m feeling jealous too… It was the kind of stage that I dreamt of, a cool stage that could live in people’s hearts just like the one I saw as child”

“Oh…”

I look at Sejin, who is still staring at the sky but his eyes burning with passion then, for a split second, his image overlaps with another figure that feels familiar and yet unfamiliar. My heart beats up strangely as Sejin continue his words

“I know I’m still lacking but I wish I could stand there too… Agh, what am I saying? Moondaemoondae, forget it! Delete that from your memory”

Sejin flailed his arm with an embarrassed face then I spoke without so much thought

“I heard they’re practising for a long time for this stage, we should do our best and practice hard to deliver that level of performance too, even if it takes more time”

“Huh? Do you want to go up on stage too, Moondaemoondae?”

“Huh? Ah, I - ”

‘Why… am I saying that?’

My mind whirls in confusion because the words come naturally from my mouth as if I've been saying it to Sejin for a long time. Furthermore, I genuinely enjoy watching the VTIC’s stage but do I want to stand there? I’m not sure but there’s a gnawing, complicated feeling that I can’t even point out. My hand moves to stroke the camera on my lap while choosing my words to answer Sejin

“I don’t know but it does pass in my mind that it would be great if we sing together, maybe because we have vocal lessons from time to time”

“Then how about being an Idol?”

“What?”

“I know you have a great voice and you can dance too so I think you can become a trainee and debut as an Idol, oh, while at it, why not become a trainee with me? It’ll be great if we can debut together”

“Don’t joke around”

“Are you doubting me? It hurts~”

“Sejin…”

I roll my eyes before sighing then continue speaking

“Anyway, for now, I’m satisfied by taking Idol’s picture and sharing it with others, of course, when you’re finally debuting and going up on the stage, I also want to take a picture of you, Sejin”

“... this guy, why are you always good with words…”

“Hm? Do you say something?”

“No, nothing, anyway I’m counting on you to have a great picture of me later”

“Of course”

I nod easily as Sejin goes back to his usual smiling self but somehow I can feel he’s a bit disheartened on something. After that, Sejin got a call from his family and we decided to go home early. We spent our time on the way back on the train looking at the photos I took before parting at the station after Chungwoo hyung called me saying that he was on the way to pick me up. 

As soon as I was left alone, I took a deep breath to sort out my complicated mind. I couldn’t figure out why I suddenly had a realistic sight of our parents' death and couldn’t help to feel a sense of incongruity.

‘Is it a dream? illusion? imagination?’

It feels too real and eerily similar to the police report that Gunwoo hyung received about our parents' accidents, the one I unintentionally found when tidying up his room.

‘Is it because I read them? But the last one - ‘

My body shivered as I felt something cold creeping on my backbones, I quickly grabbed myself before getting another panic attack.

‘No, It’ll be fine…’

I took another deep breath to calm myself then straightened my shoulder when I saw Chungwoo hyung approaching me. Last night, I tried my best to tell Gunwoo hyung what I was seeing in the dressing room. He listened to me even when my speech became more absurd and unclear as I couldn’t hold back my tears. In the end, I cried myself to sleep and never figured out the cause of the sight but in the morning, Gunwoo hyung made a promise between us.

I slap my cheek to get myself together, for now, I should keep my promise to Gunwoo hyung that both of us should keep in touch and move on step by step. That’s the only way I could repay my parents who raised me until their death.

***

[‘Get First Place or Die!’]

You will die unless you reach first place in the music show’s weekly rankings. 

Remaining period : D - 363

[Mission <Fated Meeting>]

current progress: 25%

[Mission in progress]

[Talent]

Ryu Moondae (7/100)

Ryu Chungwoo (4/100)

Lee Sejin (5/100)

Lee (Bae) Sejin (1/100)

…

[Stage I Sub-quest]

Sub - quest <First Meeting>

Current progress : (9/11)

…

[Stage II Sub-quest]

…

I glare at the outrageous update of the status windows that threatened my life more than once then dismiss it with a sharp wave of hand with a chopping gesture. Not only did the mission increase and become much harder, just like back in my world when I managed to overcome the status abnormality, but those system bastards also showed fragments of the past that they deemed as ‘truth’. But instead of showing it to me as a system holder, this bastard targeted Moondae instead.

The absurdity of this world system is infuriating but also confusing. I can’t comprehend the point of showing a 15-year-old boy about the incident of his parent's death and me lying in a comatose state in hospital. From Ryu Gunwoo’s memories, he never steps inside the hospital as a patient, let alone in a comatose state. Of course, it’s not like I don’t have any guesses and because I’m now living as Ryu Gunwoo with a consciousness of TeStar’s Park Moondae.

‘It can be me… during the time before me and Keundal change bodies’

Have the memories of Keundal also affected Moondae in this world too? what if Keundal somehow got involved with the system again, became a status window and affected his counterpart in this world? Could the additional mission be to help Keundal gain more authority over this world system as well? There's a possibility although this is a pure hypothesis with no concrete evidence.

That’s why last night while putting Moondae to sleep in the dorm, I called Keundal several times but there’s still no answer. I also can’t find any reason why I get thrown into this world, nevertheless, this mission is still the key to uncovering the situation so I need to reach some point before finding a way to break this damned system. 

I renewed my determination while swaying my legs to follow the music tempo, moving according to the choreography that was instilled in my body in the last three months before stopping almost abruptly when I heard a sharp clap.

“Stop! Woodan, you’re half-beat late and Gunwoo hyung… let’s have ten minutes break”

The three youngest members fell to their knees as soon as Cheongryeo announced the break while I carefully slid down against the wall to catch my breath. I’ve experienced it once during stage collaboration with Cheongryeo in my world and during my trainee days at LeTi but I still can’t get used to his ferocious training. 

“I’m hungry…”

“Uh, what time do we have our lunch today?”

“... do we have them?”

I sigh when hearing the usual pitiful conversation from the three youngest kids, then raise my voice while looking at my phone

“Let’s finish practice for today, we have to prepare for shooting tomorrow”

I glance at a short script on my bag. Following the series MV and street promotion, I also proposed self-produced content* to be aired on the agency Wetube. When the first time I presented the idea, the Planning team was hesitant because this strategy is more often used by a group from survival shows which have a more solid fanbase and popularity could capitalise but after the serial MV successfully gained a lot of attention and increasing number of fans, the agency is not wasting any time to form a team for filming a self-production content. The first content will be a short reality show that matches our worldview while also introducing VITC to fans

“Ah, I forgot it’s tomorrow, will they put a camera in our bedroom too?”

Shinoh roll his eyes at Judan, who’s lying on his stomach beside him

“The concept is sleepover so they might put some? Anyway, be careful when you change clothes, hyung and don’t walk around without a top…”

“Yes, yes… Ah… now I’m nervous…”

Shinoh buried his face with both of his hands and then let out a deep sigh while Cheongryeo looked at them then shrugged his shoulders

“We already filmed our behind the scene MV and album recording before, it’ll be no different”

“It’s different, hyung… now I’m craving something sweet because I’m nervous”

Cheongryeo chuckled over Chaeyool's silly statement but unexpectedly, he didn’t rebuke the younger man, instead pulling out a card from his bag.

“We ran out of sports drinks at the dorm, why don't the three of you buy some? you can have some ice cream while at it”

“Huh? Really?”

“What? We can?”

“... did I practice too much?”

Both Chaeyool and Shinoh jumped up while Judan rose from the floor slowly. I’m eyeing Cheongryeo suspiciously as he nods and then puts the card in Chaeyool’s hand.

“We’ve been on diets since entering the dorm so it’s fine for once in a while, Gunwoo hyung, do you have any flavour you want?”

“... Chal Oksusu*”

“Okay, I have that too”

“Roger that, come on, Woodan! we should go before both hyungs change their mind”

“... can it just be both of you?”

“Oh, come on, let’s go”

Both Chaeyool and Shinoh pull Judan up and drag him with them despite the younger man's protest. I watch three of them walking out of the practice room then feel another person slide down on the wall beside me.

“You’ve been distracted”

“My apologise”

“How’s your brother?”

“He’s fine”

Cheongryeo hummed then tapped on the metal thermos cup he was holding

“Hyung, should we aim for next year’s target?”

“... you’ve aimed it”

“Hyung too, right?”

I nodded then glanced at Cheongryeo’s status window, to be exact a red warning window which was floating above his head.

[This Talent is currently on a mission!]

[‘Prize or Death!’]

You will die if you do not receive the Rookie Award at the most prestigious domestic award ceremony during the specified period.

Remaining period : D - 508 days

I gulped water from my own bottle to hide my gnashing teeth over the ridiculous time limit. An Idol is considered a rookie in their first three years so unless they already have a big buzz from nationwide programs like TeStar or debuting on big agencies, it’s difficult to get a Rookie Award in more or less one and half years but it’s not impossible.

“We manage to rob an empty house* for our debut and establish our ground to grow so we need to maintain it while reaching further… Shin Jaehyun, what do you think of appearing individually on shows?”

I ask carefully, VTIC debuted during the void of activities from a big group such as T-Holic but we can’t avoid them forever, the schedule is bound to overlap especially during the award counting period. We need to raise public awareness and maintain the topicality, one of them is by appearing on TV programs.

Cheongryeo's tilt his head to face me. I know this guy's priority is group activities so I need to convince him before the company, since his opinion as group leader has more influence on other members.

“What do you have in mind?”

“I'm planning to participate in ‘The Singer I Made’ while you participated in ‘Dance Up’”

I participated in ‘The Singer I Made’ twice, one as TeStar Park Moondae while the other as Wishze Ryu Gunwoo so I know how much impact the show while ‘Dance Up’ is still a relatively new dance variety show during this time but it’ll be one of well know and long-running show that was said the dancing counterpart of ‘The Singer I Made’. 

Cheongryeo frowns, his face turning into contemplation as he sips water from his cup

“Both programs are quite popular, it won’t be easy”

“I know, it’ll depend on the next comeback*”

“Then what about the others?”

“It'll be good if Yoonshin can participate in rappers survival while Chaeyool and Woodan become a guest member on the entertainment variety program”

“Rapper survival is fine, Yoonshin pretty good but I wonder if we can show Woodan’s vocal more. Chaeyool is one thing but Woodan seems not used with the camera yet”

“I consider him to participate on ‘Secret Voice’ but not many singers have the same voice as him”

‘Secret Voice’ is a variety show where the audience guesses the star singer among the other singers that have similar voices. Judan has a distinguished voice that is easily recognizable that not all soloists, at least the famous ones, have. Cheongreyo nodded

“Hyung too has the same problem… then he can become a masked singer after hyung, on last season there was a group who sent another member after sending their main vocal”

“That works, these shows could be a good experience for us too, we need to get used to this kind of schedule quickly”

TeStar was formed as the result of a survival show so the members were used to acting in front of the camera for almost 24 hours but VTIC, especially in this world, doesn’t have that experience and has the unique awkwardness of a rookie. There are fans who like this kind of attitude and atmosphere but it’ll be dangerous if they get caught in ridiculous rumours or scandals.

“Gunwoo hyung, you said you majored in management at university right?”

“Yes”

“Have you ever been involved in the entertainment industry when you were studying at university?”

“No, there’s no such thing”

Cheongryeo look at me with a flat expression but I have no intention of explaining my situation so I steer back the conversation to the plan

“So how about it?”

“It’s worth trying, I wonder if there’s any program that we can participate in as a group”

“It’ll be difficult but the opportunity will follow if we do well”

“Right…”

Cheongryeo nods slowly, seeming to be in deep thought but before long, three younger members are back with wide smiles and ice cream on their hands. I pat Cheongryeo's shoulder 

“We can discuss and plan this later together”

“Ah, right, about planning, please refrain from putting energy bars on our meal. We need to manage our weight too”

“... It’s low calories”

“Yes, I’m grateful to hyung who plans and cooks low-calorie meals for us but can we just take out the sweets portion?”

“Only if you increase your own portion, you lose too much weight”

Due to good public response, our activity was extended to two weeks which made us barely get proper meals and rest but this guy, I couldn't help to frown when feeling the sharp bones on his shoulder

“My BMI* still in normal range”

“Then it's fine to gain a few grams as well, all of you still growing”

“But can we change it to a healthier option, like fruits?”

“Increase portion for you and I have a say about the type of fruits then I'll decrease the energy bar intake to once a week”

“Make it twice a month”

“Fine, for now just enjoy your ice cream”

I sigh as we reach an agreement. This kind of conversation is getting more frequent lately, after all, he has the biggest controlling nature out of all of us. I need to plan the meal with the manager again after this but now I should enjoy the sweet cold treat after so long.

***

“Chaeyool, do you want more kimchi?”

“Yes, hyung, Woodan, would you like some too?”

“Please, thank you hyung”

“Yoonshin, your tie is crooked, stay still”

“Oh, thank you, Jaehyun hyung”

I straightened Shinoh’s tie and then patted his shoulder to sweep up any dust from his school uniform. It’s the usual morning in the VTIC dorm when we are having breakfast together while preparing three younger members for school, except now there’s a camera installed for filming our self-made content.

The concept is simple, it started by showing our daily life in the dorm, and then the staff brought us to a small villa where we had a ‘sleepover’ together before visiting an amusement park the next day. I almost laugh at how tense Shinoh is, he can’t help to get conscious of the camera around us and tries hard to act natural. Chaeyool and Judan also look nervous but they seem to have adapted to some degree while Gunwoo hyung… I sneak a glance at the man who sits across from me while nibbling on my breakfast.

After ‘cleaning up’ a drug circle that rotted on LeTi while cutting the ‘bad seed’ which caused me troubles a few regressions before, I managed to negotiate my way to the debut spot and choose the group members in this life. I was confident in my skill to see other people's talent and objectively speaking, LeTi has many skilled trainers. It wasn't until I looked at them in depth that I realised that LeTi, despite being an all-singer agency, ironically lacked good vocal talent.

This happens naturally because LeTi once more focused on debuting solo singers than groups in the past and left with less skilled new faces. Of course, it's not like all of them were bad singers and having a group of decent vocalists also has its own advantage but this field is a harsh battleground. That's why I need an impact, a vocal that not only harmonises well but also mesmerises the audience, something that I bitterly realise can't be achieved alone, that's why I venture out to recruit people from outside the agency.

My first recruit for the vocal line, Choi Taejun, wasn't the easiest person to handle but he had the skills I needed until I found this man. When I first saw Ryu Gunwoo in Hongdae*, my first impression was that he had a handsome and neat face but as soon as he started singing, I couldn't help but get entranced.

I want him.

I need him.

But contrary to my desire, I still needed to proceed carefully and did a background check on him. Aside from his family circumstances, his past is clean without any incident, including his SNS track. The songs he covers on Wetube are wide-ranged but also carefully selected and arranged. His talent for dancing was also passable and controlled the stage quite well, which raised my interest more. It’s a bit difficult to track his activities because Ryu Gunwoo is quite secretive but when I heard he was appearing on MS Entertainment's open audition, I decided to hasten my plan and recruit him on the spot.

Honestly, it’s a split-second decision which is a bit uncharacteristic of me but Ryu Gunwoo is surprisingly cooperative and the next moment, I’m watching him practising in the familiar practice room. As a trainee, he’s a tough competitor with a solid, all-rounded skill but his personality is the one that attracted me more. The most noticeable trait is that he has a similar business and sly nature to me along with a clever mind. A type that I found annoying as an ally but scarier as an enemy. 

I rolled my eyes when Choi Taejun tried to pick a fight with Ryu Gunwoo and fell pitifully while other trainees I was projecting to become debut members also dropped out one by one, leaving me with the current debut members. 

I’ve jolted back from my line of memories when the table is suddenly swept up by a flurry of activities as it’s already time for three younger members to go to school while Kang Jinho, our manager, is standing at the front door.

“Come on, we’ll be late”

“Wait, Yoonshin, don’t forget your lunch boxes. Jinho hyung, this is yours”

“O-oh, thank you, Gunwoo, your delicious food is the highlight of my day”

“You’re exaggerating, Jinho hyung”

“Gunwoo hyung, Jaehyun hyung, I’m off!”

“Hey, Yoonshin, you forgot your bag! We’re off hyungs!”

“See you later hyungs”

Three younger members went around like a whirlwind and left in the blink of an eye, leaving me and Gunwoo hyung alone to finish our breakfast.

“Jaehyun, Jinho hyung will be back in twenty minutes, we should get ready”

“Ah, yes, let me finish this first”

I'm belatedly responding to Gunwoo hyung's words then gulped the remaining kongnamul-guk* to hide my face as I'm still not used to Gunwoo hyung's ‘amiable’ tone and speech.

Ryu Gunwoo didn't have the friendliest personality, if anything he was close to cold and blunt, not to mention his handsome face did not show much expression most of the time but it changed when he went up on stage and stood in front of the camera like now. Of course, on this floor, you'll find a lot of celebrities who have different personalities than their public images but it's still amusing to see, especially when Ryu Gunwoo is actually a kind and sincere person.

If I make a comparison, he's like a scary and uptight teacher who actually cares for their students? Or maybe like a cold-hearted manager who loves only his people and family? It was interesting to see him acting differently toward his family and our younger members even though he sometimes reasoned that he was just doing what was expected as the older brother and member. 

It didn’t take long to clean up and get dressed. Since all our activities were filmed today, our clothes were arranged by the LeTi stylist the day before and I must admire their choice of Gunwoo hyung’s clothes. He’s wearing a high-collared navy shirt with khaki pants and a black coat while a navy knitted scarf draped on his neck. Gunwoo hyung opted to wear glasses rather than lenses so this kind of style that shows his mature appearance suits him well while I was given a white shirt, a light green sweater with jeans and a check-patterned scarf, it seems they aim to show my youthful appearance.

The agency is located not far from our dorm so we arrive in no time. Today's schedule will be vocal practice and filming a short video for a fan meeting. It was my idea to put a countdown video on the fansite showing bits of fan meeting preparation by all members and today is mine and Gunwoo hyung’s turn. We’re making a handwritten greeting card for fans, which was Chaeyool’s idea, and found an unexpected weakness in our eldest.

“Gunwoo hyung, what is that?”

“A puppy”

“... It’s not an amoeba?”

“It’s a puppy”

I bark a laugh at Gunwoo hyung's serious face then give him a bit of advice, which I know is not all helping since his drawing is beyond salvage.

“Hyung, tried to draw fruit, how about apples? You like apples”

“... I’ll try”

“Should I put some drawings too? What do you think, Gunwoo hyung? What should I draw?”

“How about a snake?”

“What? Why a snake?

“It suits you, you move flexibly like one”

“Am I? Wow, Hyung was the first one who told me that”

I laugh again, it’s really the first time I ever heard I resemble a snake although I admit that I don’t have the purest personality. After finishing writing the cards, both of us will pick up our younger members from school before being ‘kidnapped’ by the staff and having a sleepover in a villa.

The agency seemed to pour out some money since they managed to rent a spacious and nice villa but before I could admire the room, the production staff dropped a bomb on us.

“Is this… animal pyjamas?”

“What is this? I often see stylist noona* put this hair clip but what is this roll thing?”

“Bathrobe? Does this count as sleeping wear?”

“Oh, this eye mask is really cute, look at these cupcake motifs”

On the living room desk, there are several boxes of costumes lined up with a small board written ‘Sleepwear’ in the middle and then the TV behind us suddenly lights up. 

“Welcome to Dreamland. Before beginning your adventure, you need appropriate equipment to protect yourself. Behind you there's a lineup of equipment that will be available after answering these quizzes, the equipment will be decided based on the score you get”

I read the instructions shown on the TV then the screen changed to the notes of the range score and equipment list, it seems the production team arranged this to make the content more interesting. 

“The highest score equipment is printed pyjamas while the lowest one is… frilly dress??”

“Is it the one with the pink roll?”

“The second lowest is a bathrobe, in the middle is a neon jumpsuit and above it is animal pyjamas… Hyungs, let's do our best”

Shinoh eyes shake back and forth between the screen and boxes while Chaeyool looks at the pink roll with curious eyes. Judan, who loves games, clenched his fist with a determined face while Gunwoo hyung examined the boxes with a straight face.

The quiz rule is simple. There are four categories with two levels of difficulty each, easy and advanced where the most difficult level has the biggest score. Each member can choose categories and difficulties and then get a score when answered correctly in thirty seconds. If one member fails to answer, there will be no penalty for easy but for advance, there will be a score deduction. The quiz will be done in two rounds and the final score will decide our equipment for the night.

“Who wants to go first?”

“How about the leader first? Jaehyun hyung, please go first”

“You see me as a leader only in this kind of situation”

“What are you saying, Jaehyun hyung? We always follow you well”

“Yes, please lead us to victory, leader hyung!”

I let out an exaggerated sigh at two same-age members who are always together when it comes to mischief while our eldest and youngest 

“Jaehyun hyung, pick music categories, the probability of you answering this correctly is bigger than others”

“Our Jaehyun is smart, let’s pick the hardest level”

These kids, why am I picking them in the first place, again? I’m holding an urge to click my tongue and step up first then choose music categories with advanced levels. 

Q : Who’s the singer of the 90’s hit song “Sleepless Night”?

A. Kim Dongso

B. Kim Taein

C. Lee Jinho

D. Lee Yeongmin

…. What kind of x quiz is this? My smile almost slipped from the blatant PPL*.

“Of course it’s our beloved CEO, Kim Taein”

[Correct!]

VITC score +50

“Wo, whoa, good job Jaehyun hyung!”

“Our leader is the best!”

Both Shinoh and Chaeyool cheered with awkward faces, I think I need to have a word with the production team later but now, let’s give a good show to our fans.

***

I pull up the hood of my animal pyjamas, showing the raccoon's face to the camera while looking at other members. Gunwoo hyung patted a pillow on his wolf pyjamas, although he insisted it was a Siberian husky, while Chaeyool played with the ears of his fox pyjamas.

“Why am I the only herbivore in a group of carnivores?”

Shinoh grumbles as he pulls down the hood of his panda pyjamas, which look good on him because of his height. Judan shrugs beside him as he twirls the long tail of his cat pyjamas.

“Hyung, please don’t step on my tail when we sleep later”

“That’s impossible, Woodan, we sleep on the same mattress”

“Then I want to sleep beside Gunwoo hyung, Yoonshin hyung is too rowdy”

“Hey, I’m not!”

“I also want to sleep next to Gunwoo hyung, Yoonshin is moving too much!”

Chaeyool jumps the bandwagon with a grin then takes his pillow to move beside Gunwoo hyung, who finds his side of the bed suddenly crowded with two children.

“Careful, the mattress - “

“Hey, I’m not that bad, come back here both of you!”

“No way! I want to sleep with hyung”

“I’m originally hyung’s roommate so I just moved to my place”

Clap-

“Stop! Enough three of you, don’t bother Gunwoo hyung and finish setting up our mattress”

““Yes…””

I let out a small sigh at boisterous younger members who were moving dutifully after being scolded. 

After our bed is set, the production team comes in with a big wheel and coloured plastic glasses filled with rolled papers. I gave them a slight earful about the quiz PPL when the camera focused on dinner preparation so when my eyes fell on the rolled paper, the youngest staff gave me a thumbs up, indicating that this time there will be no more PPL. They set up the props swiftly then the TV lit up once more, I read the word that had shown up out loud

“Hello again, VTIC, do you have a good dinner today?”

““Yes!””

Actually, there’s not a day we don't have a good meal since Gunwoo hyung and our manager, Jinho hyung always manage to make something delicious without sacrificing our weight. Today Sundubu-jjigae* is really delicious, it’s a shame we can't have more rice since we are still in the active period and makes me wonder if Gunwoo hyung is aiming to become a chef rather than an Idol. He also made some for the PD and staff, which is why my complaints over PPL were listened to by them.

“A sleepover in dreamland is not complete without fun games and heart-to-heart conversation, so this time let us hear more about VITC… another game? ”

“Sounds fun! Do we have to turn that giant wheel?”

Chaeyool eyes sparkled with curiosity about the giant wheel, I stroked my chin while pretending to think 

“I think so, oh there’s more”

“It seems the wheel's name is Wheel of Fate. One of you needs to turn it while other members shoot a special arrow to the wheel then the shooter should take one rolled paper from the glass with the same colour as the places where their arrow landed and do as the paper instructed, either answering a question or doing a small challenge… So basically it’s a dart game?”

Gunwoo hyung read the instructions out loud and then tilted his head, making the ear on his hoodie move around. I don’t know which one to pay attention to first, the cringe name of the wheel or the unexpected adorable sight of our eldest.

“I guess so, oh, I found the arrows”

Judan looked around the wheel and found five coloured magnetic arrows behind it so we helped ourselves by taking the arrow and doing rock paper scissors to decide the first shooter and turner. Gunwoo hyung became the first turner while Judan became the first shooter, followed by me, Chaeyool then Shinoh.

“Go for it, our maknae”

“Hit the bullseye, Woodan!”

“What are you saying…”

I smile over Judan's exasperation at the same-age duo's unnecessary cheers. Gunwoo hyung turned the wheel after being given the cue by the staff and then Judan shot the arrow lightly.

“Oh, it’s yellow, let’s see… tell us your first impression of each other, huh?”

“Ah, it’s not individual but group assignment?”

“I think so”

Chaeyool hummed then looked at Shinoh

“If it's a first impression, well, the first time I met Yoonshin, I think he’s a cool older brother and a bit cold at first. I was shocked when found out we’re the same age”

“I’m not cool right now?”

“Hmm… still cool but if you keep quiet”

“Hey!”

Chaeyool smirks playfully then Judan intervene 

“I agree with Chaeyool hyung, I also think Yoonshin hyung is a cool person while my first impression of Chaeyool hyung isn’t much different from now”

“What? Am I not changing much?”

“Yes, hyung is still the friendly and cheerful person I first met”

“But that's four years ago, haven't I become more mature lately?”

“It’ll be difficult, Chaeyool hyung, my standard of mature is someone like Jaehyun hyung and Gunwoo hyung”

Shinoh snorted at our youngest firm statement then I joined the conversation 

“Do I look mature?”

“Yes, actually my first impression of Jaehyun hyung is someone who is difficult to approach”

“Ah, me too! I think it’s closer to the impression of meeting a mountain spirit?”

“Have you met a mountain spirit before?”

“No, but that’s what I feel… anyway, my impression of Jaehyun hyung is greater now because you’re our dependable leader!”

I let out a laugh over Chaeyool adorable expression while Shinoh and Judan nodded in agreement beside him before they moved to Gunwoo hyung

“Even so, the one who left the most deep impression on me is definitely Gunwoo hyung”

“Huh?”

“Hyung, do you know that your audition has become a legendary casting of all time in LeTi? You’re so amazing that I wonder if you’re a senior in disguise rather than an aspiring trainee”

“Yes, I wish I had recorded hyung’s performance, the song hyung sang that day is still the best version I ever heard”

“Gunwoo hyung dance is also amazing, every move looks like a piece of art”

“Yes, Gunwoo hyung is really talented”

I nod along with the younger members, yes, Ryu Gunwoo is the biggest achievement I ever reached in recruiting debut members. I should be grateful to have a member like him but I can’t ignore the growing suspicion in my mind. There are many talented people in this world, people who are called geniuses and I believe Ryu Gunwoo is also one of them but I know that there’s more about him. 

At first, I chose to ignore it since there was nothing good to come if my and Ryu Gunwoo's relationship deteriorated but it’s getting harder because his presence is getting stronger and became more important with all the ideas and plans which I, the one who regressed few times, know it will lead VTIC into success. That’s why I’m seeing a glimmer of hope this time and getting greedier over my long desire for success. 

I rein my focus back to the current situation when Chaeyool asks Gunwoo hyung

“How about Gunwoo hyung? What's your first impression of us?”

“It’s not much different now and then… Chaeyool is a bright younger brother, Yoonshin is unexpectedly sociable, Woodan is calm and sensible and Jaehyun… is upright and clever. All of you are kind people, that’s why I can adapt faster as a trainee” 

Gunwoo hyung stroked his neck while looking away, the tip of his ears was red with embarrassment, which I also found adorable. Three younger members seemed satisfied with Gunwoo hyung's answer then we moved to the next shooter, which was me.

“It's red, let's see… Challenge yourself! Sing the highest notes of your debut song and keep it for 30 seconds”

“Whoa…”

“The highest, isn't it Gunwoo hyung's part?”

“It's another level of challenge”

The three younger members flocked around while looking at me with worried faces, I looked at Gunwoo hyung who tried to not frown and asked the staff

“Is there any penalty if we drop it?”

“No, I'll do it”

“Don't force yourself”

I smirked at Gunwoo hyung while waving the paper

“Then Gunwoo hyung, if I manage to reach the note, buy me my first drink”

“Huh? But aren't you already 19*?”

“I don't have anyone to drink with before, so how about it hyung?”

Gunwoo hyung looked at me with sharp, scrutinised eyes, as if he tried to pry my head open and discover my deepest secret. I also found it a bit strange that Gunwoo hyung seems to be putting up a guard against me. First, I thought he was wary of me because I mistakenly mentioned his past at our first meeting but even after a few months of being a trainee and debuting together, Gunwoo hyung never lowered his vigilance over me.

There's one thing, speculation at best, passing on my mind that might explain Gunwoo hyung's odd behaviour but I need perfect timing and opportunity to prove it or I will lose everything.

“I promise that I won't ask for the most expensive soju* in store”

“Alright, only if you manage to reach it”

“Of course, I'll do my best”

I smile widely at the approval. They said a few sips of alcohol can loosen someone's tongue so it's perfect to get close to someone while beating around the bush a bit. I lick my lips then cough lightly to loosen my throat

“Now, let's start”

Little did I know that this moment would be the beginning of VITC's Cheongryeo black history.

***

[VTIC live -Spicy Mukbang* Challenge- (2707202X) (Judan)]

J.W (Judan)     : Hello, It’s Judan, today I want to try this super spicy Ramyeon. I heard it’s really popular lately and I want to try it out… 

J.C (Chaeyool)   : I’m home! Huh, I smell something delicious, is Gunwoo hyung already back? Oh, Woodan, what are you making? Wait, are you doing live now? Hello Tika!

J.W (Judan)        : Yes, I’m making this… 

J.C (Chaeyool)   : Hey, will you be okay? You’re not good with spicy food

J.W (Judan)       : It’ll be fine, maybe… Hyung, would you like to try too? You said you were also curious with the taste

J.C (Chaeyool)  : our youngest is getting cheekier lately, okay but keep it a secret, especially to Gunwoo hyung and our leader, Tika, let's keep it between us too, okay?

J.W (Judan)      : Now we can add egg and wait for a few minutes, hm? If you ask who’s good with spicy food it's definitely Chaeyool hyung while Shinoh hyung likes sweets

J.C (Chaeyool) : The amount of sweets Shinoh can eat is incredible… Hmm… Gunwoo hyung and Cheongryeo hyung don’t have a particular preference for taste, both of them eat well

J.W (Judan)       : Oh, it’s done… should we try, hyung?

J.C (Chaeyool)  : Thank you for the meal, hmm… whoa, this is a bit…

J.W (Judan)       : ….. 

J.C (Chaeyool)  : Whoa, it’s so spicy, hm? Woodan, are you okay? Are you crying?? Wait, let me get some milk, we have some right?!

J.W (Judan)       : Ung, no…

J.C (Chaeyool)   : What? Eh, they said it’s on the second cabinet, wait, why they - ah, I think we've been found out… No, Woodan first! Ahh, I think we’ll be scolded!

J.W (Judan)       : …. it hurts…

J.C (Chaeyool)   : Ah! Woodan! I’m sorry, Tika, see you next time

Chapter Text

============================================================

[Who is he?]

<Cheongryeo with yelling duck mouth edit.jpg>

I found a funny meme* going around but who’s the one in the pics? I used it a lot but never knew who

============================================================

Hahahahaha it’s VTIC Cheongryeo 

L Not this again ahahahahaha 

L Legend attempt ahahahaha

   L What happened?

      L Cheongryeo tried to mimic one of the members' high notes but became a duck instead, here’s the clip <link>

He’s Cheongryeo, leader of an idol group named VTIC <Cheongryeo on stage pics.jpg>

L Wow handsome

L Is he a rookie?

It’s Cheongryeo from VTIC, he’s the leader and main dancer <Cheongryeo waving pics.jpg>

L But why has he become a duck?

   L He tried to mimic a high note but turned out to resemble a duck, it’s from their Jakon*

      L Where can I watch it?

         L It’s on their agency channel, here’s the link <link>

            L thanks 1000x

ROFL

  L LOL Leader best moment

  L Lol Isn’t it more of a dolphin than a duck?

     L Dolphin cries for mates, I’m one of them <3

He’s a baby duck <Cheongryeo following Gunwoo.gif>

L ROFL

L Ahahahaha he’s a duckling

L He’s the leader but a duckling to the oldest

I found the dolphin version ahahahaha <Cheongryeo with dolphin mouth.jpg>

L not the duck vs dolphin again ahahahaha

  L I’m on dolphin camp

    L Duck more fitting, look how adorable this duckling <Cheongryeo with finger heart.jpg>

[...]

“Damn… I should have recognized him back then…”

A creaking sound of a cheap PC chair followed the small grumble from the occupant. The college student who discovers Ryumun, or Gunwoo, through her escapades on Biglows’s stage and then become his homma* along with Cheongryeo’s is still bitter with her late realisation.

“Should I snap a pic of all the handsome men I meet now? No, that would be overboard but, Agh, I should have known!”

She held her head in regret for not recognising Cheongryeo, or Shin Jaehyun back then, when she bumped into him on music shows years ago. Her friend, who once paid her to become a substitute photographer, looked away from her phone and then clicked her tongue

“Do that and you’ll be jailed as a pervert, just let it go, whoever knows that he would become an idol?”

“I just realised that I’m bumping on my Cha-ae* years ago, you know?! Before his debut! Aghhh, just let me be… “

“Don’t forget that you met both of you Choi-ae* and Cha - ae* because of my kids and be grateful that I taught you a way of being a homma”

“Yes, yes…”

The college student let out a sigh then her eyes back to the old SNS posts she collected out of habit as an aspiring journalist, although she now re-evaluated her life choice and all the things she must get through to become one… she slapped her cheek to back on focus then click to another old post

============================================================

[This show turns out to be good?]

I love watching variety shows so my Wetube algorithms recommended this to me and I enjoyed it a lot!

This show is called ‘VICTion’ which shows five handsome men playing games and challenges. It has the feel of a B-rated entertainment at first but turns out to be a great and entertaining show which is a shame it has only two episodes.

The cast is also eye-candy, where did you get all those handsome men? Especially the chef, every time they cook, I’m also drooling and the next moment I order the same dish but sadly it doesn't look as delicious as the one he cooked…

I recommend this if you’re not on a diet, please enjoy the show with me! I put the link below

<link>

================================================================

Wow

Web variety show? That's new

L Not really, but this one is pretty good

   L It does have a B-rated feeling but is quite fun ahahahah

It is filled with handsome men! Highly recommended!

L Of course, it’s a Kpop Idol show

  L B-rated Idol? Ahahaha

L Idol? Is this post from fans then?

  L If it’s fans then it’s not worth it, they’re crazy hahaha

    L Crazy fans hahaha

Face restaurant* and a real restaurant! Now I’m craving Sundubu-jjigae haha

L Me too! Recommend me the delicious one!

   L Hello, if you’re interested you can visit our restaurant! It’s located on -

        [Read more]

What with these hidden gems! Is this a cooking variety? But the cast is also funny

  L It’s a web show from a talented Kpop Idol, VTIC, please give them a lot of love

      <VTIC group pics.jpg>

[...]

The college student frowned, her face distorted as if seeing something dirty. She noticed the upcoming trend of Korean drama and variety shows becoming more popular overseas while the short, free shows and content are also rising in popularity among Idol fans due to Idol survival shows. That’s why she applauds LeTi's great sense of reading the flow and not only making a short self-content of VTIC such as backstage or behind the scenes, they also go all the way to make a short entertainment show. This way, VTIC could grab the attention of not only local but also international viewers. 

Of course, as a fan, she loves to have her biases getting more popular but it’s not all good. This post is most likely from a complete muggle* or a malicious fan since it’s kind of ambiguous but every time VTIC releases new content, this kind of post always comes up and becomes more malicious. She decided to skip that kind of SNS post and go to bookmarked content about VTIC's first fan - meeting and announcement of the fandom name.

============================================================

[VTIC First Fan Meeting Review]

After buying ten albums and winning the lottery, I finally have a chance to meet with my kids!

The event is at a small event hall but it’s quite spacious. Upon entering, we were given sticky notes for writing a question for the members, then we went to our seats which were numbered according to our lottery. 

I was so nervous because I was separated from my friends but when the kids showed up, it was blown away… I didn’t realize it because I used to watch them on the screen but all of them have an ethereal beauty and are quite tall, especially Shinoh. It’s also come to me that Judan is a real maknae*, he has a youthful face when you meet him in person. 

During the fans' signing session, I can see that the members are also as nervous as we are. The seating is arranged from the leader to the oldest then ends with the youngest so I met Cheongryeo first and my mind stopped working when my eyes met his beautiful ones. I tried to recall our conversation but my enchanted brain only remembered his fluttering eyelashes and heart-throbbing smile. As expected of my bias, his charm is unparalleled! 

Next is Gunwoo, I remember him greeting me with a warm smile which is in contrast with his cold appearance and he’s really great at leading conversations. I feel like meeting with a handsome and kind senior in school rather than a fan meeting although none of my seniors have a smooth, beautiful voice like him. I also understand why other members nominated him as one of the leading visuals on VTIC, he’s incredibly handsome!!

After that I met with Chaeyool, he has a different vibe than the mature older line but is not less adorable! He seems nervous at first but when we talk, he gradually becomes more comfortable and even wears the fox headband I gifted to him! His face is the top visual, totally handsome, charming and adorable and he’s always a total bias wrecker* for me.

Meeting Shinoh, he’s even more nervous than Chaeyool! It was awkward at first because he almost bowed to me when I was at same age as him and his cheek blushed red <3 I could hear several gasps and shutter noises behind me but my mind focused on his cute face. He was talking so fast but I still could catch what he was saying, what a great articulation, as expected of the main rapper of VTIC!

Last is Judan, he’s greeting me first and calling me Noona! He looks cool and collected at first as we share a small conversation until I realize his sign is reversed. He went into a panic and apologise to me then asked the staff if they had a spare album but I decided to keep the reversed one as a payment to see adorable dongsaeng* who tried his best for his Noona :) since then, he’s been my second bias wrecker hehe

<Signed Albums pics with Judan’s reversed sign special.jpg>

After that is a Q&A session and fandom name announcement. A lot happened during the Q & A session, from stories about their trainee years, Shinoh’s short cover singing, Gunwoo and Cheongryeo's random dance, and much more! We’re having fun! Then lastly is the announcement of voting results for fandom names that have been open for the last two weeks and voted by fans via fan cafes*, and the result is our name is Tica! From now on, I will call myself Kim Tica!

All the session ended in the evening and when we left the venue, we were given a paper bag by the staff and inside was a thank you gift from the members, including the letters! I got Chaeyool’s letter and will keep it as my family heirloom! The event is really fun and wholesome, I’ll try my best to attend the next one!

<Letter pics.jpg>

<Paper bag and thank you gift.jpg>

================================================================

Wow, thank you for the review! I hope I can attend the next fan sign <3

 L Just wait kids, this Noona will work harder!

    L I will throw away my wallet for the next fan sign!

  [...]

Chaeyool handwriting!! So lucky!!

 L He has a grade-schooler level of writing lol

    L I think it’s cute!

They’re so cute! Gunwoo and Cheongryeo dancing to a Marshmallow song!

<Hyung line dancing together.mp4>

L Visual attack!

L Gunwoo is legit talented, he can dance well, sing well, and even have SS+ visual, certified by other members

[...]

The one who asked Shinoh to sing is a genius!

<Short clip of Shinoh singing.mp4>

L Why did he become a rapper again? He’s an all-rounder*!

  L doesn’t it mean he’s good at rapping too?

L I always have a thing for rappers who are also good at singing <3

[...]

Someone asked Gunwoo where he learned to cook, he said it was from both of his parents, so his father is a chef?

L Gunwoo never said his father is a chef, maybe home cooking? There’s a man who likes cooking at home too

  L His food is too beautiful for home cooking, look at their Jackon*

L The members also said that they couldn’t live without Gunwoo’s cooking ahahaha

  L Chaeyool looked so serious when said it and Gunwoo's face went -_-

  L They’re spoiled by their hyung’s cooking ahahahaha

[...]

Tringg~

“Huh? It’s almost time already?”

“Oh, hurry, change to Wetube!”

The college student jumped and then snatched her ringing phone to turn off the alarm while her friends moved to her side. Today VTIC will release the last teaser for their first comeback which is scheduled for next week. Just like their debut, VTIC also released a cinematic teaser with higher quality, so much so that it is praised as almost comparable to blockbuster movies and becoming a topic among movie lovers. She can see that LeTi stops at nothing and drains all the money for this comeback.

“Today is the last one right?”

“Yes, the first one is linked to their previous MV where Judan actually did not wake up from a coma but his soul still wandering on the land between life and death. When he was about to get on a boat to the other side, he found a pendant and was transported to a snow field where he saw Chaeyool, who was listening to the radio, giving a hint of monster invasion while getting ready for hunting, the transition between scene really smooth that I even feel Judan confusion”

The college student takes a deep breath as he remembers the first trailer, even though it was released a month ago, it was too memorable for her to forget. Her friends nodded and then joined the line of memories

“Chaeyool is the one who wears a fur coat right? I heard he’s the most popular member? Well, the one that gets my attention is the second one, a young man with a heavy coat and solemn face walking around the broken, abandoned house. When he's passing, it shows a glimpse of the past then meets with the other two, that man acting really builds up the atmosphere of tension and solemnity that is unique to a dystopian* world”

“Yes, yes! Shinoh is really blessed with acting skills! Today will be the third one and showing both of my favorites! I can’t wait to watch it”

“Ah~ I wish Biglows also got this kind of promotion…”

“Try to request it from their agency then, oh, it’s here!”

She stopped for a moment when she saw the video thumbnail which is a silhouette of a man back on a dim alley, showing a mysterious atmosphere. Both she and her friends gulped and then clicked the play button with high expectations and that day, the college student was sure that VTIC was once again victorious.

***

“1,2, smile”

Click-

I click on the camera shutter while looking at three kids holding a small bouquet, smiling and posing closely behind lenses.

“Gunwoo hyung, let me see the result, wow…”

“Hyung, can I keep this one too? It looks great, come see Moondae!”

Shinoh and Chaeyool approached me while Moondae followed them behind

“Yes, um, Yoonshin hyung, Chaeyool hyung, once again, congratulations on your graduation”

“Congratulations to you too, Moondae! I can’t believe our graduation date overlapped, I want to attend the ceremony too”

Chaeyool jumped and hugged Moondae with a regretful voice while Moondae bewildered by the sudden gesture

“Th-thank you…”

“Chaeyool hyung, you’re suffocating him, let go”

Judan grabs Moondae's shoulders and then peels him off from Chaeyool. When Moondae has a sleepover in the VTIC dorm last time, the members start to befriend him and exchange contact, including Cheongryeo. Nowadays they’re close enough to speak more casually*.

“I’m sorry, are you okay, Moondae?”

“Ah, yes, I’m fine”

“Hey, Chaeyool, you should mind your own grip, Moondae is weaker than you”

“What, hey, you also hug him hard when he and Gunwoo hyung come, what’s the difference?”

I sigh then step closer to stop the bickering or it will last long.

“Enough you two, congratulation on your graduation, Yoonshin, Chaeyool and Moondae”

“Congratulations on your graduation”

“Thank you, Oh, where’s Jaehyun hyung? I saw him before”

“There, he’s get caught by the teachers”

“Ah, well, he’s an alumnus after all”

Shinoh glanced at Cheongryeo who was talking with two middle-aged men wearing suits a bit far from us then nodded while I was still kind of dumbfounded on how four of them go to the same school. When I asked why, they said this school was recommended by LeTi and their parents agreed since it’s one of the most noteworthy art high schools in the country.

In the future, sometimes big agencies recommend their trainees for transfer to the art school which includes their schedule as special attendance but it’s not a common practice during this time and it’s not unheard of for Idol who didn’t finish their education so I wonder if this is Cheongryeo recommendation or is the CEO own initiative.

“Woodan, Moondae, let’s take another picture!”

“Again? Why me too?”

“We still don’t have a group picture, we should take one now and then another with Jaehyun hyung too”

Chaeyool suggested with a bright face while I looked around. 

Since this is a prestigious art school, I see a few faces who worked in the same industries now and in the future then I frowned when spotted some reporters and possibly sasaeng* sneaking around in the crowd. I was careless, this school is famous as a celebrity school, and most of the students are also celebrities or come with prestigious backgrounds so I thought the security would be more tight but some rats still managed to slip onto the school grounds. 

I clicked my tongue and then put my hat on Moondae’s head, he yelped in surprise

“The wind is getting stronger, where’s your scarf?”

“I forgot, I think I left it on Jageun Appa*’s car”

“You should take care of yourself”

I also put my scarf on him, making it so that his face was slightly hidden but Chaeyool protested

“Hyung, how can we take a picture if he is bundled up like that?”

“It’s fine like this, we can also take another at the dorm later”

“No, that face is a waste to take only one picture”

“I agree, showing that face a bit won’t hurt, you know?”

I roll my eyes as I recognize Cheongryeo’s voice who’s finished talking with the teacher and suddenly joining the conversation then patting Moondae’s shoulder.

“Congratulations on your graduation, Moondae”

“Thank you, Jaehyun hyung”

“Have you decided on a high school?”

“Yes, I’ve decided to go to Cheongsol High School along with a friend”

I look at Moondae who answers Cheongryeo with a polite smile then reminiscing about the conversation we had a few months ago before I debuted.

“Gunwoo hyung, you have another shift tomorrow?”

“Yes, there's an event at the cafe, the owner needs an extra hand”

“But last week you also took extra shifts…”

“The cafe is getting more popular lately so there are many events, the owner compensates us well for those extra shifts”

“Hmm… hyung, I was told that the monthly fee is increasing in advance dance class”

“Alright, how much?”

“No, I wish to quit hyung and can I not enter high school?”

“.... Why?”

“I heard that people at my age can get a decent paying job if they apply for a special permit from the government, moreover it’s easier if they have some… circumstances… so maybe I could apply and start job hunting after graduation…”

“No”

“Huh?”

“Moondae, is the money I give you not enough? Do you need anything?”

“That’s not it - “

“Or do you have any trouble at school?”

“No, it’s just, isn't school expensive?”

“It’s fine, you don’t have to think about the expense”

“Then, can I take a part-time job during high school?”

“I rather you not, just focus on your studies and tell me if you need any help, don’t overwork yourself” 

“... Idiot hyung, stupid…”

“What?”

“No, I don’t need any help from idiot hyung, anyway, I'll quit both dance and school, good night”

I discreetly let out a small sigh, Moondae rarely gets upset and I never have an experience handling a ‘sibling’ fight so it's an awkward situation. 

Thinking back at that time, I understood why that child wanted to take such a precarious way. He just lost his mother, his only blood-related family, and was left alone with a brother who is only related on paper which, in a way, is no different from a stranger. Moreover, that brother also just became an adult and doesn't have any job or stable income so it’s understandable that he got anxious and wanted to stand on his own as soon as possible but I can’t let this child go through the same thorny path as his other world counterpart.

It took a while to persuade Moondae to consider his decision that even Chungwoo somehow got involved while saying that our fight was ‘cuter’ than what he had with his sister. In the end, I agreed to let him quit the studio and have a part-time job.

“Both of you enrolled together?”

“Yes, I got the admission letter yesterday”

“Too bad, I want to recommend this school and become our hoobae* so Woodan won’t be so lonely”

Cheongryeo laughed teasingly while Judan let out a huff.

“Who’s lonely? I’m glad that my sunbaes* now all graduated”

“Oh, is someone already missing us right now?”

“Our Woodan should be more honest~”

Both Shinoh and Chaeyool join up to tease our maknae*, who still denies that he was lonely with a pouting face. I could feel that people were starting to look at us and some were even taking pictures discreetly. VTIC is still a rookie but our popularity is gradually increasing so that even the general public starts to recognize us. It's a good thing for us as an idol but it's not without risk and I rather spare this child from many troublesome things.

I shifted my body to cover Moondae and then glanced at Jinho hyung, who seemed to have finished talking with Chaeyool’s and Shinoh’s parents while Cheongryeo, who’s always oddly sharp, stopped our younger member with a clap.

“Let’s have a group picture for an Inheart post before we get back, can you take one for us?”

“Yes, of course”

Moondae nodded eagerly when Cheongryeo handed his phone to him but I shook my head and handed him the camera instead as Jinho hyung approached us and we went back to the dorm together after taking a picture. 

I took out my phone in the car to continue monitoring the reaction of the VITC comeback trailer that was released yesterday. After the successful debut trailer, both the planning and A&R teams decided to make a series with the concept of ‘Parallel Worlds’ or ‘Other Worlds’. I almost roll my eyes when the planning team manager explains the concept to us. I admit it's a good concept and quite versatile as well until he proceeds to say that our next comeback concept will be a ‘dystopian world’. 

Our comeback was scheduled in early spring, a time when many singers released ballads or spring-themed songs to match the season. As a rookie, VTIC might have expected to follow suit but LeTi chose another way instead. Thankfully, the song that the A & R team gave us, a dance song with strong beats and catchy melodies, is a good song with a grade S on it when I use ‘Grabbing Ear’ to evaluate it and we can’t delay our schedule further so we decided to give it a try.

My finger moved to the Idol community section but stopped and clicked on the most popular topic in SNS instead, which I’m not surprised about, is the sudden hiatus announcement of actor Lee Sejin. When we met last month for extended acting class as VTIC mentor, Lee Sejin had become more reserved and despondent while his manager neglected him to the point that even Jinho hyung did not ask anything when I asked for a few ‘extra’ things for Lee Sejin needs. I tried to keep in contact with him after that but to no avail.

My connection with actor Lee Sejin in this world is looser and my priority right now is to avoid death threats so I decided to keep things low for the time being while gathering the evidence of actor Lee Sejin's father's illegal activities for future use. I clicked on another popular topic which is the result of the first Idol Incorporation that ended last week and a list of the participants that will debut as a group. A picture of Lee Goyoon smiling brightly wearing a school uniform became the headline while other members' pictures were listed below her and their estimated debut month was also announced.

Unlike TeStar which is managed by T1 Stars as a subsidiary of T1 Corporation, this group is managed by another middle-small agency that is owned by one of the coaches and has short time activities before disbanding almost the same time as the second season’s scandal revealed. Even so, the group's popularity and influence are quite enormous so I make a mental note to remember their promotion date so it won't overlap so much.

“Gunwoo hyung, you look serious, is something happening?”

Moondae called with a curious voice then Shinoh joined in 

“Doesn't Gunwoo hyung always have a serious face?”

“Really? Hyung, you should relax a bit, the frown will make you get old faster”

Moondae half joked as he pulled my sleeve so I lowered my phone and changed the topic

“Nothing much, what do you want to eat tonight?”

“Jjajangmyeon*!”

“I want Fried chicken*”

“Ramyeon* please”

“Both is a noodle dish, pick one”

I told Chaeyool and Judan, and they started doing rock paper scissors then I glanced at Cheongryeo who sat in the front seat, he seemed to notice my gaze

“I’ll eat anything that hyung makes but please include salad, how about Moondae?”

“Me too, I eat everything Gunwoo hyung makes”

“Hyung, I win! Jjajangmyeon* please!”

“Okay, we will have Ramyeon next, Woodan”

“Okay… but I want Gamja-jeon* too, can we?”

“Yes”

I nodded while watching Judan's solemn face turn bright, then heard Jinho hyung laugh from the driver seat as our car entered the dorm basement parking lot.

“Have fun tonight but don’t get overboard, you have an important comeback next week. I’ll pick you up tomorrow at the usual time for practice”

“You can join us hyung”

Jinho hyung smiled ruefully at Cheongryeo’s offers

“I need to sort out gifts from your fans, all of you are getting more and more popular”

His words remind me of mountains of gifts and bouquets that Chaeyool and Shinoh get from their fans and friends. I should discuss what to do with all the gifts with members and agencies because it’ll become a burden later when the scale of gifts increases.

“Isn’t it a good thing?”

“Of course it is, oh, here we are ~ Moondae - ssi, I’ll take you home tomorrow so enjoy your time”

“Yes, thank you, manager - nim”

“You can call me Jinho hyung like your brother”

“Ah, yes…thank you, Jinho hyung”

“You’re so polite, Ah, Cheongryeo, Gunwoo, can I talk to you a bit?”

Both I and Cheongryeo nodded while Chaeyool seemed to take a hint as he led others to say goodbye and then take them to our dorm room. Jinho hyung pulled out his phone and then looked at us alternately.

“We get an offer to appear on a variety show with another rookie group next week, I've sent you the material so please tell me if you need anything else”

“Yes, hyung”

“Also there’s an offer for both of you, do you know ‘One Week Meal’?”

“Isn't it a culinary variety show?”

“Yes, they asked you both as a guest for their Lunar New Year's special episode”

Both me and Cheongryeo looked at each other and then nodded, this would be the start of our race to reach the target and save both of our lives.

***

Ppaang!! Ppaang!!

“Congratulations to VTIC!”

[First Place Reached!]

You reached first place on the public TV music show, SCore Music!

Time cap : Satisfied (Perfect)

Status Abnormality : ‘Get First Place or Die!’ removed!

: Reveal the Truth <- [click!]

[Additional Reward acquired!]

Memory Fragment +1

I blinked, looking at the electronic board which was covered by the pop-up of status windows in disbelief while the MC exclamation and congratulation rang in my ears.

‘Is it that easy?’

VTIC's first comeback managed to be listed on Chart 24Hits ranking at 30th and reached 12th daily entry, a complete jump from their debut song that ranked 70th on 24Hits and 36th on daily entry. Not only the chart, but their album sales also jumped. The second mini album's first-week sales reached 260,000 copies, almost doubling the debut mini album which sold about 150,000 copies. 

Considering VTIC didn't have an early popularity exposure before its debut, it was a great result that made the agency jump in joy but frankly, it shouldn’t be enough to win first place on music shows, moreover the public station show. My eyes never strayed from the leaderboard until Chaeyool suddenly jumped and hugged me, I threw my arm on him to keep our balance.

“Hyung, we won! we won! Heuk-”

This kid, is he crying? I reflexly patted his head then heard another sob and before I knew it, I was surrounded by the younger members. Shinoh is leaning on my right shoulder, clearly overwhelmed with emotion while Judan pulls my sleeve with a straight face but his eyes are clearly red. Cheongryeo glanced at me with an amused expression but his slightly cracked voice during the acceptance speech and red eyes gave away that he was also surprised and moved by this unexpected win.

We safely sang the encore and received our trophy while my mind evaluated our unexpected achievement. It seems that our scores are boosted by the fans' voting, which notes VTIC fandom growth. I barely recall that the dystopian concept became a hit during this time because of popular blockbuster movies. The VTIC short movie trailer also got a lot of attention because of that, especially from outside Korea and LeTi is considering expanding our activities globally but both me and Cheongryeo managed to persuade them that it’s too early. Marshmallow also has several global fans but LeTi failed to manage their activities outside and, although not causing any notable scandal, the group is starting to slump globally. That’s why VTIC needs to tread carefully as well since we’re not just losing any popularity but also mine and Cheongryeo lives.

“Jinho hyung, can we do a short Vlive now? I want to say thanks to our fans”

“Ah, we should do it at the dorm later, for now, let's take a picture, congratulation once again, you guys”

“Oh, thank you hyung”

Cheongryeo seemed to want to ask more but he nodded after seeing Jinho hyung look around while setting the group phone on an extended phone stand in our waiting room. Although it was named the waiting room, it's actually a big room that is divided by a plastic partition wall and joined by several artists. It’s pretty awkward and uncomfortable with so many people going in and out, there’s also the possibility that our neighbours are speaking too loud, which is why Jinho hyung refrains from permitting us to do Vlive now. I guide Chaeyool, who still clings to me even on our way to the waiting room, to sit on one chair beside Cheongryeo who is holding the trophy then take several pictures for the Inheart post.

“I still can’t believe we won…”

“We should say thanks properly with Ticas later”

Chaeyool speaks with a dazed voice while Shinoh nods in agreement, their eyes glancing back and forth to the trophy while changing clothes. I also released the chest harness that strapped on my body and then changed into more comfortable clothes. I let out a small sigh, rubbing my eyes a bit before putting on my glasses. 

Today's music shows are the last activities for our comeback promotion and we will have two days off starting tomorrow before preparing for the full album that will be released in summer. During that period, Shinoh will also participate in rapper survival while we receive an offer for a festival stage next month. We also shoot another Jackon* next week and celebrate Chaeyool’s birthday, which happens a few days after the shooting. Looking at our schedule gradually got packed, Jinho hyung asked for another manager to work with him but I noticed that Cheongryeo had an odd reaction when hearing the news, maybe I should also be treading this issue carefully.

“Hyung, are you tired?”

“Are contact lenses uncomfortable?”

“No, I’m fine, what time should we have a Vlive?”

I shrug off Chaeyool and Jinho hyung words then look at Cheongryeo, who stares at me for a second and then looks at his phone.

“How about at dinner time? We should have a bit of shut eyes, I’ll order some food too”

I frowned, why suddenly order food? All VTIC members typically eat well, they are not all picky with foods but they still have preferences. Chaeyool loves spicy food, Shinoh prefers sweeter food, Judan likes savoury food but can’t handle anything too spicy while Cheongryeo typically avoids anything greasy and food with a lot of spice. That’s why sometimes we have a long time to decide what food to order and end with me visiting the kitchen to make something simple.

“I can cook just fine”

“I know but I want to try this new brand of fried chicken, it’s getting popular lately and we promised Judan a ramyeon* day”

“Uh? Um, yes, can I have it tonight?”

Judan, who is playing a game on his phone, looks surprised by the sudden call but then turns hopeful at the same time. I sigh and then pat on Judan who sits near me.

“Fine but I think we run out ramyeon* at the dorm”

“Leave it to me, hyung! Jinho hyung, can we go to the convenience store after this?”

“Okay, okay, I’ll take you there”

“Ah, let me join you, Woodan”

“Me too, I want to go, Jaehyun hyung, can we have snacks too? Since we won first place, this is our reward!”

“Right, can we, hyung?”

Cheongryeo laughs at the sight of excited younger members who cheekily use their first win to ask for some snacks that are normally forbidden. He seems to also get caught in the festive mood since he hummed, pretending to think about it before nodding

“Just this time, don’t buy too much and be careful”

““Yes””

Three younger members chat excitingly about what snack and ramyeon* flavour they should pick while we are going out to our car. When I saw them like this, three of them looked no different from normal teenagers who hang out together and have a good time, then suddenly I felt their image overlapped with something. 

Did the lack of sleep catch on me? I slipped off my glasses and rubbed my eyes once more, this time nothing wrong but I decided to go back to my room first when Jinho hyung dropped me and Cheongryeo to the dorm before going to a convenience store with younger members. I laid my tired body on the bed and then looked up to the ceiling.

“Status Window”

[Name: Ryu Gunwoo]

Level: 15

Title: None

Singing: A

Dancing: B-

Physical Attractiveness: B+

Charm: B

Trait: Infinite Potential, Grabbing Ear (A), Bacchus (B)

“Show pop-up”

[First Place Reached!]

You reached first place on the public TV music show, SCore Music!

Time cap : Satisfied (Perfect)

Status Abnormality : ‘Get First Place or Die!’ removed!

: Reveal the Truth <- [click!]

I stare at the pop-up windows for a while then take my phone from the bedside.

[Moondae : Yes? I’m at home with Chungwoo hyung]

[Moondae : I saw the show, congratulation on your win, hyung ]

[Moondae : jumping dog sticker.gif]

My phone buzzed when another chat showed up

[Chungwoo : I’m watching TV with Moondae at home, we plan to eat out after this]

[Chungwoo : Moondae said this is your first win, congratulations, Gunwoo hyung]

[Chungwoo : trumpet emoji.gif]

‘At least he’s not alone’

I let out a sigh that I unconsciously held. With this system acting unpredictably, I need to be prepared for every possibility then I glare back at the pop-up window.

‘Let’s f*cking do this’

Unlike the last time, I have no intention to delay the inevitable and uncover this damned system ploy as soon as I can. With my back leaning on the bed headboard, I slowly lifted my hand and touched the button to reveal the truth then everything faded into black.

***

I was standing on a rooftop, a chilly wind blowing. A man was standing nearby and smoking on the roof, the cigarette smoke scattered by the cold winter breeze then the man coughed before laughing bitterly.

“Hyung would be mad if he found out”

He muttered while gazing at the softly glowing night scenery. An electronic billboard was playing an ad on the opposite building, showing four men posing on the brand that he and his group represented once. The man throws his cigarette to the ground and then holds on to his unmoving left arm without taking his eyes away from the advertisement.

‘Is this my karma? For starting over and disregarding them without thinking?’

His eyes flutter as he closes them and grips his arm tightly, once again recalling that he is unable to feel anything there, then opens his eyes again with shakier breath.

‘Emotion… I thought I’d lost them after the first time'

His first failure has taught him that people are contrary creatures who always wanted what they didn’t have. He has long acknowledged that as he is facing many people with excuses, tackling their scheme while putting all his ‘emotion’ into a cheap business tool… but this… 

“What should I do with this…”

He laughed again, this time louder and hysterically before letting out a long sigh, his crazed gaze moving back to the colourful billboard.

“I’ll find you… all of you… without exception” 

The man steps up to the railing, climbing into it with his only working arm. The railing rattled under his foot as he launched himself into the sea of darkness.

***

A soft, steady breath sound filled the cold dark room.

It started with a small buzz, a zip that can be heard when an electronic device turned on then a small light flickered in the middle of darkness.

With a rustle, the duvet uncovered the man sleeping soundly under it, clearly not aware when the small light created a spark that grew bigger above him. 

With a buzzing sound, the sparks twisted and warped a few times before turning into a distorted blue rectangle above him.

The blue rectangle multiplied, surrounding the sleeping man before turning red then a big black letter showed up with a soft ping.

FOUND YOU!

***

[TeStar live -Look what we found!- (1010202X)]

C.E                : Hi Loveviewer! Isn’t he cute?!

K.R                : Hey Eugene, you covered the camera! And put down that poor cat, don’t you want to give him a meal?

C.E                : Oh right, here kitty, have a tasty food

K.R                : It seems he is really hungry. Are Bae Sejin hyung and Chungwoo hyung back yet? It’s about time for them to back from their walk with Munge and Kkami.

P.M               : Both of you, what are you doing - oh, are you feeding a cat?

K.R               : Yes, this cat is always sleeping in front of the building lately so we decided to give him some food.

P.M                :Don’t forget to wash your hands and use a lint roller, Sejin hyung is allergic to cat fur.

C.E                : Yes, oh, is he full? Come here kitty! Huh?

P.M                : Huh? Why does he come to me?

K.R               : Wow, the cat rubbed himself on Moondae hyung… huh? Is that Munge?

B.S               : Park Moondae! Catch her!

P.M              : Huh?? Ouff! *catching the jumping puppy*

B.S               : Hah… Hah… why does she always like this with you? Wait, is that a cat?

P.M              : Ah, Sejin hyung, you better not get closer - Ugh, Munge…

R.C              : Kkami, hold on - is Moondae there? Oh, I’m right *laugh*

P.M              : Chungwoo hyung… Hey, Munge, stop! Don’t lick on my face!

O.Y (Shinoh) : Hm? Isn’t that TeStar hoobae*- Wait, Kong!

P.M              : Ack! Hello Kong, wait, stop butting my leg! Hyung, Kkami and the cat are fighting, help! Ugh, Munge, please stop licking my face!

R.C              : Kkami! Stop that!

C.E              : Wow, I’m so jealous, they’re all surrounding Moondae hyung…

K.R              : Moondae hyung, do you have a treat in your pocket?

P.M             : I’m not! Kong, don’t pull my jacket! Yoonshin hyung, help!

O.Y (Shinoh) :.... What a sight of early morning, Kong, stop! Aish, should I call Jaehyun hyung?

R.C               : Kkami! Agh, she’s chasing that cat, come back here Kkami!

K.R               : Wait, Chungwoo hyung - *plip*

<Live has ended>

Chapter Text

“I deeply apologize, Gunwoo Hyung-nim”

…!

I was surprised when Kim Raebin suddenly lowered his head almost 90 degrees as soon as he met me at a cafe near his agency. I could feel some people were stealthily staring at us.

“Kim Raebin, please lift your head and take a sit first, you can explain it slowly”

“Oh, um, excuse me then”

Kim Raebin took a seat across from me and then explained that he couldn’t release the song he made for me due to changing management at his agency. The senior who encourages him to make an S-cloud is being found out and kicked out while his new music teacher is stricter than the previous one so his hands are tied. He lowered his head once more to me after finishing the explanation

“I can’t keep my word to you, I apologize”

“I see…”

Now I understand why there’s no trace of Kim Raebin’s arrangement and song before he debuted but this development actually helped. The song itself is good but still rough, not to mention VTIC's popularity can make him exposed to criticism and unable to raise his talent so I need to change direction.

“It’s fine, Raebin, it’ll be a bit difficult for me to record too due to our schedule so we can postpone the project”

“Is it really okay?”

“Yes, in exchange, I have a favour to ask”

“Tell me hyung, I’ll do what I can”

Kim Raebin said with a determined face, although I said a few times that he has to be more careful but he still trusts people too much.

“Raebin, you should ask what the favour is first before saying that”

“Oh, my apologize, hyung-nim”

“It’s fine but keep it in mind for the future. I want you to help me to choose and arrange songs”

“Huh?”

“One of LeTi’s directors will have a wedding in two weeks and VTIC decided to perform a song, there’s a group song but I was asked to sing a solo song too, our time is limited so I’m hoping you could help and of course, you can work it during your free time”

Kim Raebin seems to hesitate as he fidgets in his seat

“Gunwoo hyung-nim, you can arrange a song”

“My skill isn’t that good that’s why I need help”

Kim Raebin blinked as if surprised but I’m being truthful since I barely arranged the songs and mostly relied on my vocal skill. My cover videos were criticised for having a karaoke-like quality that other cover singers but I didn’t have much choice.

“But they’re good… oh, that’s not the point, Hyung - nim, I doubt my agency will let me”

“Are they also restricting your access to your laptop and phone?”

“No, they’re not, I can still learn”

“Then it’s fine since it’s for a private occasion, there’ll be no recording needed, although I also can’t announce your name as the arrangers, it’s that fine for you?”

“If it’s private… yes, of course, let me get my laptop first, I have a few lists of songs that I thought might suited for the wedding”

Kim Raebin was finally convinced and started to work. He rummaged through his bag, put a laptop on the table and offered me an earphone that was connected to it. I put the earphone on my ears while feeling a bit guilty, although the situation is real, actually, VTIC didn’t need to perform a special song but I suggested it with an excuse as a ‘special present’ since I needed to do a certain mission to satisfy a damned abnormal condition.

[‘Prize or Death!’]

You will die if you do not receive the Rookie Award at the most prestigious domestic award ceremony during the specified period.

Remaining period : D - 623 days

[Additional Condition]

[Mission <Fated Meeting>] progress reach 40%

*The conditions need to be reached to complete the mission

[Mission <Fated Meeting>]

current progress : 30%

 …

I was flipped out when I saw this after watching another scene of Cheongryeo’s past suicide. Judging from the situation, he probably has a grudge against the people shown in ads on his previous regression, but how’s that linked with my current situation? He’s a guy who even voiced his intention to get rid of someone for opportunity so if Cheongryeo really does hunt them out of revenge, VTIC might be in trouble… 

‘But their face on the advertisement is blurred… this f*cked system should give me more hint’

Even so, that guy is smart, he might not leave any trace if he did, so I can only watch him closely for now. Another reasonable conclusion I get from the last ‘truth’ is that the system here mimics my world’s system, including the progress and, possibly, the past it shows. It might explain its connection with Moondae but there’s still a loophole that I need more hints about. 

Also, I’ve reached a limit for the mission I can do with VTIC for the time being so to reach the condition quota, I called Kim Raebin here to finish this mission.

[Stage II Sub-quest]

[Mission <It’s Time to Fly!>]

Perform the music arranged by Talent Kim Raebin on stage.

Reward : Talent Trait Rank Up.

Fortunately, the wedding is a big one so there’ll be a small stage. If this doesn't work, I’ll ask to do some busking with Kim Raebin’s arrangement or switch to another mission since the additional missions don’t have a time limit.

“Gunwoo hyung-nim, how is it?”

My attention back to the song that flows into my ears and my thoughts about it

“The song is good but lowering the note for a male voice will be tricky since it’s for a female singer”

“Right, then how about this one?”

Kim Raebin played the second song, it’s a hit ballad song that was popular in the 2000s.

“Good, we can put this on the list to pick”

“Alright, this one is also recommended”

I frown a bit, the song almost has the same melody but with cheery tones, I notice a pattern here.

“All this song, do they have high notes parts and mellow melody?”

“As expected of Gunwoo hyung-nim, I was listening to VTIC songs then thinking about what kind of song suited you and associated with the wedding but don’t get me wrong, it doesn’t mean that you’re not good with other types of songs -”

“I understand, you can play the next one”

‘He grows a lot’

I stop Kim Raebin from rambling and then look at his status windows after almost a half year.

[Name: Kim Raebin]

Singing: D (C+)

(Rap : C (S+))

Dancing: C+ (A+)

Physical Attractiveness: B (A+)

Charm: C+ (S)

Trait: Maestro (C)

This kid slowly but surely grew into a talented idol just like his counterpart in another world and he’s not alone. Lee Sejin also grew steadfastly every time I met him. It feels a bit strange to see that he and Moondae became close friends and schoolmates. Both of them are also going to the same class and hanging out together, sometimes I see both of them at music shows or festivals.

While there are talents showing growth, some of them are still stagnant. Moondae already lost the “Let’s Study” trait and his status abnormality showed again which lowered his stat by two points. He quit dance class from the studio, focusing on his studies and part-time work as a barista while taking pictures of VTIC stages.

It’s the same case with Ryu Chungwoo. Last week, I got the news that Ryu Chungwoo won a national archery competition and is now practising for Olympic team selection while still living with Moondae in my apartment. I recall from Ryu Gunwoo’s memories that Ryu Chungwoo in this world also got in a traffic accident that injured his shoulder but unlike the one in my world, Ryu Gunwoo’s father survived although he suffers from heavy burn scars and lost his leg. 

“Hyung-nim, how about this one?”

I switch my focus back to the song with Kim Raebin’s words. It takes an hour to narrow down the list into two songs, I nod appreciatively while giving back the earphone.

“I will try to arrange this in a week and send it to you, is that alright?”

“Yes, I will choose the most suitable one after that. Thank you for following my selfishness”

“No, no, Gunwoo hyung-nim has helped me a lot so it’s natural for me to return the favour”

Kim Raebin shook his head with a flustered face but he might feel a bit troubled later on so I need to make sure to make quick work of it. After having a meal and sending Kim Raebin back to his dorm, I was waiting for a taxi to get back to the practice room when received a message on chatting app

[Jung Woodan : Gunwoo hyung, where are you?! It’s urgent, Jaehyun hyung and Yoonshin hyung had a fight!]

It was a distressed message from our youngest

***

[“Whoa, delicious!”

 “Gunwoo - ssi, this is so delicious! Ah, I wish to eat this every day…”

“It’s spicy but I can’t stop eating it”

“Thank you for your compliment”

“We have the same budget right? how do you manage to get all this seafood with that budget?”

“About that…”

Backwards to early morning

5.30 am

…. ]

I switched my gaze from my phone to the TV when I heard Gunwoo hyung’s voice. ‘One Week Meal’ is a well-known culinary variety show where they invite two groups of guests to make a meal with a certain budget. In the Lunar Year episode, the production team set up a cooking competition in which both I and Gunwoo hyung participated. That time, we somehow created a weird tension when a well-known sharp-tongue food critic only gave a short impression of Gunwoo hyung’s cooking while lashing out at the other group. 

It was an ambiguous response so I was surprised when we got cast again after that and today I’m monitoring the reaction to our appearance on the regular episode. Honestly, it’s not a bad appearance since this show is still well-loved even after it stopped airing two years later but the reaction is lukewarm at best.

I clicked a post that was obviously from our fans

============================================================

[Delish Jjampong*!]

On the latest episode of ‘One Week Meal’, Gunwoo of VTIC shows us an incredible talent in the kitchen. Is he a certified chef?

I once worked as a waiter at a Chinese restaurant and Jjampong* isn’t the easiest dish to make but he made it look so simple that I wonder if I could make one at home!

Please share the recipe, Gunwoo!

================================================================

- He should apply for one, his cooking looks delish

  L Seconded, my hand goes to the delivery app in the second

  LWhere can I order jjampong* like that?

- An idol is cooking? Is it that good?

  L The judge's reaction seems to be real

  L I wish I could taste it too lol

- Handsome + good cook = husband material

  L He’s my sexy (future) husband

- What kind of selling article is this? lmaoo

  L Fans working hard ahahaha

     L But the dish look so good, I’m on the way to my fave jjampong* restaurant

[...]

[“Ahjussi*, how much is this?”

“It’ll be xxx won for 500 grams”

“They’re light, Gunwoo hyung, how much do we need?”

“Around 250 gram”

“Then please give us 250 grams on xxx won”

!!! ]

I pursed my lips on the editing but it worked. I scrolled my phone to find more reactions as people started to get excited on the show of my haggling technique.

- That’s some crazy calculation

- Even someone as handsome as Cheongryeo haggling like my mother ahahaha

    L lmao he weight it with his hand

- Ahahaha crazy

    L The seller ahjussi* cursing him with his eyes

- Ahahaha should I haggle like that next time my mom asks me to buy groceries?

    L You need a face buff to work

      L He’s using his face to the fullest ahahaha

Knock,knock - 

“Shin Jaehyun”

I didn’t answer, kept my focus on TV then discreetly clicked my tongue when I heard the door click open. Maybe I was too presumptuous to assume that other members wouldn’t disturb me since they never really hid their fear of me, except for one member.

“I heard you had a fight with Yoonshin”

“It’s just a simple argument, nothing more”

“Yoonshin seems to think differently”

“That program dragging too long and our album preparation is slightly behind schedule”

I heard a soft sigh behind me, somehow I felt like a scolded child

“Yoonshin said he will continue preparing for the final”

“We don’t need any distraction”

“Is it him or you who gets distracted?”

I move to face Gunwoo hyung to retort but he beats me to it.

“Shin Jaehyun, stop seeing us as a chess piece”

Part of me wanted to snort at the incomprehensible statement but when our eyes locked, the straight and clear gaze on those blue eyes left me speechless and Gunwoo hyung took that opportunity to keep going.

“I don’t know what kind of future you want to draw or your personal goal, but I know you’ve been laying a playground for a while”

Gunwoo hyung moves closer, he has his usual expressionless face while his voice is steady and clear, as he states all of it with matter-of-fact manners but I still could feel his annoyance.

“You can try to lay it as much as you like but we’re not a fool, don’t think that we can move any way you want without question because now, this is no longer a game you can play alone”

…!

“... I’ll be in my room, get some dinner later”

As soon as he said his piece, Gunwoo hyung moved back and then left while I was still frozen in my seat. I let out a small, breathy laugh as my mind back to the sight of Shinoh, who was shaking and frightened but facing me with a determined face… his cry ringing in my mind

“I know what I’m doing, Jaehyun hyung, but do you know what you are doing now? Stop being a jerk and tell me directly!”

“I’ve been caught…”

My laugh got louder out of absurdity since rather than feeling mad or bitter about being defeated, I felt amused. It’s not like there are people who didn’t realize my conniving nature but no one ever said this to me before, let alone confronted me directly on my face.

‘This is getting fun’

I barely recall the last time I ever felt like this and the fact that I didn’t hate this situation is intriguing me more.

‘If they want to get involved, fine, I let them have it’

And if this time doesn't work, I can start all over again like before with different formations… I shrug off a weird tug on my chest and then click the latest entertainment news on the news portal.

============================================================

[Entertaiment #10] 

[T-Holic returns! Summer comeback date confirmed]

============================================================

The time has come to meet them.

***

Loud cheers resounded in the broadcast studio when Shinoh, Chaeyool and Cheongryeo finished their performance on stage. Chaeyool smiled brightly, waving both his arms when looking at me and Judan who was sitting in the audience seat.

“Chaeyool hyung… you’re embarrassing…”

Judan grumbled beside me but still waving his hand while smiling when the camera moved to us then I looked at a man who standing behind the cameramen from the corner of my eyes as I recalled the information I heard from Cheongryeo a few days ago when he and Shinoh reconcile with each others

“The PD is rumoured of receiving bribery and giving preferential treatment to one of the participants, of course, the winner is already set”

“.... I’ve realised… but I still want to keep going”

“I know, Yoonshin, you said you managed to get one of the judges' attention, right?”

“Oh, um, yes, he said he wants to have a chance to work with me in the future and gave his card to our manager”

“He’s a rapper but actually known better as a composer and has many hit songs”

“Huh? He is??”

“Anyway, we managed to get the attention of a good composer and since the result is already out, why don’t we have a bit of fun?”

I move my gaze to Shinoh, who’s having a short interview with the MC

“Wow, Shinoh - ssi, what’s the meaning of this? Are you really desperate to win?”

“I want to show my sincerity in this final stage”

“Are you sure it’s just that?”

“I also thought it’d be great if everyone could enjoy our stage”

He cleverly dodges the question while having a quick glance to Cheongryeo who is smiling beside him. 

‘That bastard surely having fun’

The final stage for Shinoh’s rapper survival theme is self-produced. Of course, it's not necessary for an idol to know how to compose songs so this theme is actually a disadvantage for Shinoh but he has a good sense and creating the stage also counted as ‘self-produce’ so in a way this a good experience for him. 

The problem is the lyrics… Cheongryeo idea is to input words that implicate the current situation, using words that show dissatisfaction, despair and displeasure then tweak it into justified anger to an unchanging situation. All of it was packed in a song with a hip-hop base with modern synthesis, which is one of our album songs.

Of course, when the album track teaser is out, fans notice it immediately

-Huh???

- Crazy, isn't it ‘Handicap’???

- VTIC releasing a double title and one of them is ‘Handicap’?

- lol is this a recycle bin? Is LeTi finally broke that they can afford more songs?

As the bewilderment subsides, the opinion goes to another direction

- The first solo is given to Shinoh?

- What is the meaning of position if the rapper got solo first? Shouldn't be meinbo* or leader first?

- Finally, my kid talent brought to light

- Deserve lol

Some akgae* tried to steer the topic to any indication of the solo song which ruffled other fans' feathers and caused some tension.

- Are you crazy???

- Ahahaha crazy akgae*

- Lol, is that counted as a solo? There's a lot of rap but he's not on stage alone

   L What the hell?? Are Chaeyool and Cheongryeo invisible to them??

- Are you deaf? Chaeyool and Cheongryeo are also singing. Aren't they supposed to be a unit?

- Unit!! let’s hope for a unit, will it be a Dance Unit and a Vocal Unit??

   L Vocal unit of Gunwoo and Judan would be overkill

-Is any unit confirmed?

   LNothing confirmed yet, let's hope for the unit

- A unit in a rookie group? Isn’t it too much?

While Tikas engaged in heated discussions, the public was shocked by sudden news just three days after the final episode was aired on TV.

==============================================================

[Breaking News!]

The ‘Backstreet Battle'’s winner Rapper ‘Mint Lee’ was caught drunk driving.

================================================================

===============================================================

[TOP #1] 

Suspicion of rigged voting and manipulation, ‘Backstreet Battle’’s PD were arrested

================================================================

-What the hell???

- Mint Lee???

- Crazy, it's a double kill

- It seems Mint Lee's confidence is not on stage but behind the wheel ahahaha

- Wow… amazing… How much money did you get?

- It's already suspicious when he wins after that half-assed stage

  L What half-assed? It’s totally ruined with most of his words filled with beep sounds

- Real rappers don't dance but you're dancing and driving while drinking ahahaha

- What comes around turns around, he insults others so this time people insult him

- I knew something was amiss when he was winning, his stage was f*cking boring

- this is put nail of the coffin to their career for once and all

Public interest was growing even more as the program was quite popular then some shifted their attention to Shinoh's final stage, or more precisely, the song.

- I watched the show and must say I’m really upset with the result. While other participants created a stage that showed their sincerity and skill, all Mint Lee did was have rap battles and throw bad words here and there that my ears almost bleed from the censorship.

  L It's called diss rap* and it’s popular in America

    L this is Korea lol

    L So what, it’s still shitty

  LAt least Mint Lee stayed true to his style

    L What is his style? Dissing people and driving around while drunk? Ahahaha

    L Truly a stylish way to live lmao

- Ahahaha the jury also shamelessly said it’s a ‘true rap’, no wonder Shinoh of VTIC threw that song on their face

   L Crazy ahahahah what true rap? So other participants are not doing a rap? 

       Mint Lee just throwing some bullshit

   L those bastard eyes shined by money, like true rappers ahahaha

   L when rappers said they don’t have money, they spit out bullshit

- Shinoh’s song really fits the current situation, is he a prophet?

  L What prophet? He is just a frustrated idol

- I wonder how blatantly they did it that even Shinoh express his frustration

  L They wake up the sleeping tiger

    L One of the sexy tiger

- The more I listen to Shinoh songs, the more they stay with me

- Oh the song is pretty good, will they release it on another platform?

- I think Shinoh’s song is the best one out there

  L (2) It’s good to listen and exciting

  LThat song is not even a rap song

  LTika’s detected

Amid growing interest, VTIC released their first part of second comeback trailers with Shinoh squatting down on some rubbles, face marred with dirt and an expression of despair on his face. VTIC’s last sprint will start from now.

***

Click-

“Moondae, I’ve told you to not use your laptop in the dark or your eyes could get worse”

I blinked on the sudden light in the living room then turned back when I heard a light scolding from behind.

“Agh, don’t turn on the light suddenly… When did you get back, Chungwoo hyung?”

“Just now, have you eaten yet?”

“Uh, I’ve eaten a snack?”

“Moondae…”

Chungwoo hyung sighs when I point at Pepero* box on the table, honestly, I just take one stick before drowning with my current work so I have nothing to say.

“Maybe it's really a good idea for you to stay with my family when I am away for training camp…”

“Hyung, I’m a high school student just like you now, don’t treat me like a child”

“Is that so? Then you should eat on time, how about we eat together now?”

“... Alright”

Chungwoo hyung moves closer to pat my head then I feel my glasses slip a bit, I push the glasses with my finger and then feel Chungwoo hyung stare at me.

“Are you wearing glasses at school and work too?”

“Ah, yes, since I have a slight nearsightedness and astigmatism, it’s easier for me to wear it when going outside or when I work with my laptop… Do I look strange?”

“It’s a bit strange… maybe we should cut your hair a bit? You look tired, do you still have headaches?”

“I’m fine hyung, I’ll cut my hair later”

“Okay, huh? This is - “

“Ah, my teacher said I should think and discuss my choice with my family”

I pick up the future plan sheets from school with a complicated face. If I were asked what I want to do in the future, I would say that I aim for a good university and a decent job so I can stand on my own. Gunwoo hyung took me in and cared for me when he didn't have to, so at least I shouldn’t burden him further while finding a way to repay what he did for me. I still remember Lee Sejin's unimpressed face when I told that to him, maybe because he's the type of person who gives all of his effort to reach his dream. I was a bit anxious if he was disappointed with me but we’re still good friends.

We hang out together sometimes and I also helped him with his studies but Lee Sejin is a popular guy so sometimes we hang out with a group of people. I don’t mind but the girls sometimes ask Lee Sejin’s preference at me, which becomes a bit annoying and I know that Lee Sejin doesn't have any intention to date anyone since he wants to become an idol. Lately, he said that his training has increased because there’ll be an audition for debut members so I haven’t seen him much these days.

Chungwoo hyung’s question put my mind back to the present

“Are you only aiming for Yonsei University*?”

“It’s Gunwoo hyung’s school so if possible, I want to go there too but my teacher said I should consider other choices since it’s quite a high target… how about you, Chungwoo hyung?”

“Hmm I’ve been thinking of taking an athlete scholarship from Yonsei too but nothing is set in stone now. Well, you are still in your first year so you can consider other paths or you can ask Gunwoo hyung’s opinion too… If you like photography, why not choose an academy for photographers? You’re also good with language, learning them more can also be an option”

“I see, I put that in mind, thank you Chungwoo hyung”

I thanked Chungwoo hyung but somehow the options didn’t feel appealing to me… as for asking Gunwoo hyung, I don’t want to burden him with this petty matter when he has an important comeback in two weeks so I will put Chungwoo hyung’s recommendation for now. 

“You can ask me anytime, oh, is that VTIC?”

“Yes, today they releasing their teaser for an upcoming comeback, I share the video on every fan SNS I own”

“Ah, you’re still running that fan account… It’s been a while since I followed Gunwoo hyung activities but I like their latest song, the one that won on music show”

“Isn’t it? That song is really great but the stage performance is the greatest”

“I see, I’m glad my effort to wake you up at dawn are paid off”

“I’m really grateful, hyung… I’m counting on you to wake me up during the summer holiday too, I want to see VTIC’s newest comeback stage”

“Okay, okay, in return, we should have a morning jog together”

“... can I just make your favourite food for dinner? I can cook tonight”

“Okay, I’m helping too, let me put my things in my room first”

Chungwoo hyung pats my head once more then leaves for Gunwoo hyung’s room which becomes his temporary room when he lives here. I slip out my glasses and then look back at the laptop screen. Below the promotion post about the newest trailer is a photo of Gunwoo hyung during the university festival stage that other homma* take.

When I started this fan page* and took pictures of VTIC, I learned that being a fan is not only time-consuming but also needs a significant amount of funds. It’s not like I don’t have any money, I gratefully receive an allowance that Gunwoo hyung gives to me every month along with the household funds but I still want to earn my own funds to support VTIC, that’s why I am also doing a part-time job. 

Not only that but when I started to upload those photos, I was often befuddled with the people's reaction to it. Some are grateful, sending a thank you and gushing on the VTIC members' visuals, some underlyingly a good word laced with envy, some throwing their ‘fantasies’ around while some blatantly throwing sexual comments that I screenshot and report when it’s become too much.

I notice that not all fans have good intentions with their idols or only like one member while hating the others. These kinds of fans also sometimes attack each other and I wasn't spared by their attack at times. I was lucky that there’s no sasaeng* showing up on our doors but I think it’s only a matter of time so I was considering closing the fan site once and keeping the photos private but decided to continue every time I’m watching VTIC stages. I realize that no matter how talented VTIC are, so many singers and artists also fight for a chance to stand on stage and gain popularity.

Even as a fan, I can see how fierce the competition VTIC is facing. Being an idol is a job akin to walking on a tightrope. If you step on the wrong side, you could fail and vanish but even if you manage to keep on balanced, it doesn't mean the rope will lead you to success. 

I’ve heard from Judan hyung that when they are on active periods, they often only sleep only three hours a day. There are even times when they only close their eyes to have a short rest in the car or small waiting room. Even with all those efforts and hard work, they must face the harsh truth that their achievement is measured by how much they can sell, either its song, merch or album. How many songs should they sing to reach thousands of streams? How many albums do they manage to sell this comeback? How many fans are willing to pay a ticket to watch your stage? 

The more that I dig, the more I am concerned. That’s why each time I watch them behind my lens, I want to capture them at their best, their efforts and energy while doing my best to promote them.

‘At least I’m doing something to support them, especially Gunwoo hyung’

I know there’s not much a student like me can do and I’m not that confident with my skill but it’s better than nothing. Also, even though I have the advantage as Gunwoo hyung’s brother, I’m not uploading any private pictures, only the pictures on the official schedule since Gunwoo hyung is quite particular about sharing our private life. 

I casually pick up my phone when the chat notification rings, then frown at the content, beside the cringe contact name that Lee Sejin put on my phone

[✨Coolest Sejin✨ : Moondaemoondae, is this true?!]

[✨Coolest Sejin✨ : shocked bear sticker.gif]

============================================================

[ Trending #3] 

A stage full of sentiment, VTIC’s Gunwoo's past romantic life is revealed?

=============================================================

What kind of XXX rumours is this?

***

On Wetube, there’s a video that has become a trending topic with thousands of views but it’s not from a popular Wetuber or celebrities, if anything it’s a low-quality video which recorded a moment of a wedding ceremony but what garners people's interest is the unexpected performance from a rising rookie idol group.

Five young men walk up to the small stages in suits and then one of them gives a short speech and congratulations to the newlyweds before starting singing. The sound isn’t the best, with many echoes, slight noises from speakers and other sounds but their songs can still be heard and enjoyed. It’s a popular pop love song that has become a top pick for weddings which are arranged to be sung by five people. 

As the song ended, the guests and newlyweds gave applause but then one of them, the one who was wearing glasses, stepped out and started to sing another song. The beginning of the song is covered by the recorder's surprise cry but the camera never strays from the stage, giving the viewer a full view of the performance. 

The glasses man, despite the low-quality sound system, voice’s can be heard clearly. The song was also one of the popular ballad songs that is often sung at a wedding but not many singers could sing its trademark bridge correctly, that’s why when this young man managed to sing it flawlessly, the guest's excitement rose up that even the newlywed clapped and sang together then followed with a loud round applause while the videos filled with many comments

- Who are they? Are they professional wedding group singers?

- What a dreamy and fun wedding…

   L How much does it cost to hire an idol?

     L They’re idols????

- I would like to invite them to my wedding, they’re such great singers!

- They’re an idol group named VTIC, still a rookie group but they are already a pro

- Their vocal is so awesome... if I don’t know better, I thought it was a concert

- I’m not a fan but they’re so handsome

- Timestamp of the videos

  00.10 - 04.30 Wedding vows

  04.30 - 07.20 The groom and bride's family congratulation speech

  [...]

- What wonderful songs! The title, please

- Wow those boys really make this wedding special, who are they?

  L Thank you for your interest, they’re an idol group called VTIC!

    L An Idol? How much budget do they have to hire an Idol for a wedding?

      L They’re rookies so I imagine it's cheap lol

- VTIC usually sings a song with strong beats, it’s really game-changing to hear them singing a love song like this

- Gunwoo singing like a love confession… what a passion he has…

- My kids look so cool in suits and their voices sound heavenly

It was such a captivating performance that guests started sharing their stories and praises along with certification photos on SNS, recognising the group as rookie idol group VITC while completely disregarding the word ‘private wedding’ then one of those posts became popular overnight

================================================================

[Does the bride and VTIC’s Gunwoo know each other?]

I’m a huge fan of Lee Youngsoo, the original singer of ‘Love of My Life’ which VTIC’s Gunwoo sang at the wedding and can’t help to think that maybe he and the bride know each other?

This song is popular for weddings because the lyrics tell the story of the strength of love and the meaning of each other's happiness but this song is sometimes also sung by people who break up with their lovers because some lyrics also have a double meaning of letting go of someone for their significant other's happiness. 

Seeing how passionately Gunwoo sings this song, is he singing to the bride? I heard both of them are going to Yonsei University* so maybe they had a relationship in the past?

================================================================

It’s a wild guess but aimed right. When Ryu Gunwoo still uses the name Ryumun as a wetuber, he barely shares his private life but some people like to gain some attention so there are some witness posts on SNS and, unknowingly to Gunwoo, he’s quite popular at his university so his alma maters become public knowledge. Also, there is a saying that romance stories will never die. It doesn’t matter if it's true or fiction, people flock to romantic tales like a moth gathering around on lights. Moreover, humans are always curious creatures, so it doesn't take long for VTIC’s eldest member's love life to become a hot topic.

-What kind of post is this??

-?????

-Dating???

L it said they’re exes??

  L Crazy, so Ryu Gunwoo singing at his ex's wedding?

- Is there any proof? I won’t believe it without any proof

- There are no proof photos, this is a complete sham

- Someone has a creative mind here lmao

- The article mentions they’re going to the same university

  L Ryu Gunwoo goes to Yonsei is common knowledge lol

- I’m from Yonsei but this is news to me lmao

- I heard the bride is from chaebol* family, if this is true, isn’t it better if they continue their relationship instead?

  L Ahahaha who are you saying this?

  L Ryu Gunwoo miss his chance for inheritance lmao

As if trying to strike iron while hot, an article about Ryu Gunwoo's romantic life was released by well-known entertainment news and gained attention.

===============================================================

[VTIC’s Ryu Gunwoo love affair?]

Last week, a daughter of XX company held a wedding at XX hotel and it was rumoured that a rookie group of VTIC attended the wedding and gave a performance.

One day before the wedding, one of the members of VTIC, Ryu Gunwoo (22) was spotted walking around and entering the same hotel with a woman. 

Mr. Kim (36) a hotel employee said that they witnessed them going back and forth to this hotel several times.

[blurred photo of Ryu Gunwoo wearing glasses with hotel background.jpg]

[blurred photo of a woman wearing hats with hotel background .jpg]

There’s no confirmation from the agencies about the woman's identity or Ryu Gunwoo's current love affairs but another witness also spotted the idol walking around with a woman in Garosu-gil* the other day. 

[Blurred photos of Ryu Gunwoo from back with short-haired woman.png]

[Blurred photos of Ryu Gunwoo from the side with short-haired woman.png]

==================================================================

The article is short and filled with blurred pictures of a man who is assumed as Ryu Gunwoo walking on the streets with a woman who’s slightly hidden by his body while another picture is him walking out from a well-known hotel then followed by a woman picture walking out from the same hotel. It's a poorly put-together article but manages to garner reactions from the public, especially the fans and antis*.

- Wow…crazy…

- an affair with a married woman? He’s done for lol

  L she’s not married yet at this point but yeah

- he seems to prefer older women lol

  L who’s this anyway?

    La rookie idol named VTIC, this guy 

       [picture]

      L I don’t see any resemblance lol

         L I can recognize it from his shoulder

            LCrazy pervert

- the picture is too blurred, is this the quality of Korean photography?

  L It’s not, it's just their camera is wonky

- his passion aside from singing is apparently married women ahahaha

- their face is too pixelated, my eyes hurt

- You can recognize any face from this? I’m amazed~

While the antis* turn the article into their playground, many people notice the bad quality of the photos and find the attempt ridiculous, especially Tika who reacts strongly

- Ahahaha what romance? You call yourself a giregi*?

- lol it’s just a series of blurred photos that claimed to be Ryu Gunwoo's

  L This is blasphemy of my handsome oppa*! How do you recognize this as him???

    L that’s more blurry than my future lmao

  L I think we can see his face if using a filter lmaoo

- The kids walk around at Garosu-gil*

[Picture of Chaeyool with long hair.png]

[Picture of Shinoh and Gunwoo walking with coffee in their hand.png]

[Picture of Cheongryo and Judan standing below the tree with a shopping bag.png]

  LHuh???

    LWhat the hell??

  L When is this?

     L It was posted yesterday but from the caption it was a week ago, there’s an event at XX store last week and I recognized the bag, it’s event-limited!

      L They’re going to that event too? I should take pictures!!!

      L I remember someone said they met some celebrities at the event! So VTIC attend too?

         L Yeah, it’s a famous brand you know, ah I should have gone last week…

  L So he’s really going to Garosu-gil*

    LLMAO I think we found who Gunwoo is dating, look at their clothes

       [edited picture of Chaeyool.png] [edited picture of Gunwoo.png]

      L This is gold! So Gunwoo is dating his own members? Ahahahaha

      L Rather than dating, someone mistakes Chaeyool for a woman lol

         L He does have an angelic face… he is even more beautiful than my sister…

            L I hope she doesn’t read this

            L RIP… I hope you’re buried properly by your sister lol

  [...]

- I also found this lmao. It's from Kang Shinhyuk’s and Jung Iseul’s latest promotion post about their new summer drama. 

[link] 

[Picture of drama shooting scene.jpg]

Now where are those eyewitnesses? The hotel employee needed eye surgery for mistaking my handsome Gunwoo with Kang Shinhyuk

   L They kind of look alike…

      [Profile picture of Kang Shinhyuk.jpg] [Profile picture of Ryu Gunwoo.jpg]

  L Honestly, Gunwoo should be proud of being mistaken for Kang Shinhyuk, his face is a national treasure.

   L Our Gunwoo face is also a national treasure, look at this

      [ Picture of Ryu Gunwoo waving at fan meeting.jpg]

  [...]

- what the hell with the flimsy proof and bad photos? It’s barely recognizable

- this is the wildest dating rumours I ever seen lol

- This is ridiculous…

As the public opinion got heated, a clarification about the wedding videos was also posted on the SNS and people's interest shifted

===============================================================

[Clarification letter about the wedding videos]

[Photo of two young women with dress.jpg]

[Screenshot of account ownership.png]

Hello, I’m the uploader and owner of the Wetube account of the wedding that became popular lately and also the little sister of the bride. 

My intention of uploading the video is for my sister's wedding documentation while sharing it with our close family and friends who are unable to attend due to various circumstances but neither I nor my sister along with my brother in law would imagine that this video will be so popular that even lead to some weird rumours going around in the internet.

So I want to clarify some of them, starting with the VTIC appearance and performance at the wedding. While it’s true that they attended the wedding and gave a performance but we didn't hire them. It was a gift from VTIC to my brother-in-law since he’s one of the directors of their agency, LeTi and has a close relationship with the members. VTIC performance that day left a deep impression on me and of course, to the newlywed couple that we and our family were grateful for the gift. 

Of course, the wildest rumours of all will be my sister and VTIC’s Ryu Gunwoo-ssi's love affair which is completely false. My sister is an alma mater of Yonsei University* but she graduated 5 years ago. I heard Ryu Gunwoo-ssi attending Yonsei University* last year. Furthermore, both of them don’t have any contact with each other or learn each other's names until the day of the wedding, when my brother-in-law introduces them as a group rather than individuals.

I deeply apologise to my sister and brother-in-law, who are now happily married and having their honeymoon in Paris and also to VTIC, especially to Ryu Gunwoo-ssi, as my thoughtless act of uploading the videos leading to baseless rumours and giving them all sorts of trouble.

With this post, I also want to ask you to stop spreading all the rumours or our family will take a legal approach to this slander if it still continues.

==================================================================

The post became popular while the mentioned videos already turned private but there are a few people still posting edited or short videos of it.

- They deleted the videos lol

- What’s the point of clarification if there’s no context?

- [link]

  L Hey it’s a private videos

    L Reported

- For the context [link]

  L whoa, thanks, I fell in love with this cover of ‘Until the End of time’, who are they?

      L it’s VTIC

      L It’s a rookie idol group called VTIC, you can see their other performance here [link]

          [VTIC group photos.jpg]

- I’ve heard this song a lot

- Isn’t it a wedding song? I think I saw the kids who sing it somewhere

  LYou probably seeing it here [link]

In a short time, the original song started to resurface on the chart once more while public interest in VTIC was soaring. Of course, LeTi does not stay still and starts promoting their artist while avoiding the landmine.

============================================================

[Entertaiment #2] 

[‘Handicap’ and ‘Eclipse’, VTIC comeback with double title!]

============================================================

============================================================

[TOP #1] 

[Mysterious horror concept in summer, VTIC releasing their first full album]

============================================================

“Hyung, that’s enough monitoring for today, do you want some apples?”

Cheongryeo covers Ryu Gunwoo’s phone screen with his hand then offers a plate full of apple slices before looking out to the corridors due to noisy hurried steps.

“Moondae said he’s already at the train station, Jinho hyung is also waiting us downstairs”

“Okay, we can pick some groceries while we're at it, what do we need to buy for making porridge? Should we get samgyetang* too?”

“Let’s ask Moondae later”

“Yoonshin hyung, please buy some apples too, Gunwoo hyung likes apples”

Judan handed a grocery bag to Chaeyool and Shinoh as they took a peek inside Gunwoo and Judan’s room from opened doors then Chaeyool nodded with a serious face.

“Good idea, then Gunwoo hyung, Jaehyun hyung, Woodan, we’re off!”

“Yes, be careful, don’t forget your hat and mask. Gunwoo hyung, your phone?”

“Gunwoo hyung, please lay down and get some sleep, your fever is broken but the doctor said you still need rest”

Cheongryeo smiles as he takes the phone from Gunwoo’s hand while Judan pushes his older brother back to bed. Ryu Gunwoo let out a long sigh.

‘Shit, why now?’

Two weeks before the comeback, VTIC found themselves out of the practice room, nursing their overworked oldest brother who succumbed from exhaustion. 

***

[Exclusive Interview 202X : Seon Ahyeon]

Q : What activities does Seon Ahyeon-ssi enjoy nowadays?

S.A : Lately, I like to knit dolls. Knitting has been my hobby since I was little and Moondae sometimes joins me in making them.

Q : With Park Moondae-ssi?

S.A : Yes, when we knit together, Moondae sometimes hums a song… his voice always sounds so soothing and captivating.

Q : It sounds so lovely but have you ever felt tired hearing it? After all, TeStar have been together so long.

S.A : No, if anything I wish to hear it more, other members also enjoy it and listen when he does, especially Raebin because he often gets inspiration from Moondae’s humm

Q : Is that so? It makes me want to listen to it too. Next question, on what aspect does Seon Ahyeon-ssi want to improve?

S.A : I wish to improve my vocals so I can sing better for our fans. Lately, both I and Sejin (Lee) tried hard to practice our vocals with Moondae, he’s a good teacher.

Q : Seon Ahyeon-ssi seems to be really close to Park Moondae-ssi.

S.A : We're all good friends with each other. I’m really grateful for meeting and working together with TeStar members.

Chapter Text

“This concludes the set list, now for the stage concept for the end of the year - ”

The sound of rustling papers filled the meeting room as I tried hard to hold back a yawn. I looked around to keep myself awake then my eyes fell on the eldest member of our group who sat beside me and discussed something with our leader in a low voice.

‘Ah, Gunwoo hyung’s eyebrows furrowed again’

That means this meeting will be a long one. I rubbed my eyes to chase the drowsiness away then focused back to the presentation screen. Three days ago we finished comeback promotions for our first full albums and got a two-day rest before follow-up promotion next week while preparing for end-of-year stages. It's hard work but rewarding since our song ranked higher on the chart than our last comeback although I was anxious if we could do well as I recalled that time.

Click-

“I’m home…”

I muttered under my breath, not expecting any answer since I know today is a rare day where all members are out for individual schedules but then I heard strange noises from the living room. 

It's almost a year since VTIC debuted, a span that is still considered a rookie, but our fame has grown significantly that sometimes we have a group of people following us around and a few even camping around our dorm. I also heard stories from people in the same field during our activities, some people have loose mouths and the waiting room has thin walls, about a group of people who break and enter dorms and then take some idol’s possessions to be sold.

I decided to move stealthily to the living room, only using the ball of my feet so I could move quietly like an assassin* or ninja*, to confirm the situation first and have my phone ready to call our manager and other older members, just like Jaehyun hyung told us when this kind of thing happens. Well, he told me to run and call him or Gunwoo hyung first but having eyewitnesses can be advantageous in case we need to call the police.

Our dorm isn’t big so I reach the living room in no time and my eyes are already adjusted to the dimly lit dorm, as the only light source is sunlight from windows that are covered with light-coloured curtains but it’s enough to see a suspicious movement in the living room. I looked around carefully and saw nothing amiss but I still heard that weird sound so I moved slowly and then peek at the source of the sound, the living room sofa, only to find a familiar figure lying on the sofa with a slightly dishevelled shirt. 

“Gunwoo hyung?”

I blinked in surprise then realised the sound was actually a muffled cough, probably because Gunwoo hyung covered his face with his arm. 

“Hyung, are you okay?”

I thrust my hand to touch his shoulder, only to frown when feeling a feverish heat from his skin under the slightly damp shirt.

“Hyung, wake up, how long have you been sleeping here? You’re burning”

“Ugh… oh Woodan, you're home…guh…”

Gunwoo hyung pulls himself up to sit while cradling his head with a pained frown.

“Hyung, you don't look well…”

“I'm just a bit tired, what time is it?”

“It's almost dinner time, I think other hyungs will come home - huh? Gunwoo Hyung!!”

My body moved to catch Gunwoo hyung when he tried to stand groggily, then suddenly I saw something on hyung’s face and threw myself into panic.

“B-Blood! Hyung, you’re bleeding!”

“Huh? Oh…”

“You need tissue and medicine, no, hospital! I’ll call Jinho hyung - wait, he might be driving, uh, who’s with him today? Oh, Jaehyun hyung! I need to call him”

“Calm down, Woodan -cough-  I don’t need to go to hospital, it’s just a nosebleed…”

“But hyung - Oh, Jaehyun hyung! It's an emergency!”

I buried my face in my arm. At that time Gunwoo hyung looked so weak and pale… When Jinho hyung and Jaehyun hyung arrive, they take Gunwoo hyung to the hospital immediately. Fortunately, it’s just flu and heavy fatigue so after three days of rest, Gunwoo hyung has completely recovered but this event made me realize a few things.

Gunwoo hyung is a competent person but he’s clumsy when it comes to his well-being and, despite training and debuted with him for almost two years, I know almost nothing about him… and other hyungs too… scary Jaehyun hyung aside, there’s not much I know about Chaeyool hyung and Yoonshin hyung either.

I know that being in a group together doesn’t mean you have to be friendly with each other, I heard some idol groups can cooperate even when they’re almost pulling each other's collar behind the camera but somehow this is irking me. Maybe that’s why I started to ask those questions when Moondae came over to help us.

Well, it started with the realisation that besides Gunwoo hyung, our group members' cooking level only reached warming an instant meal* and making simple Ramyeon* or salad. We're ready to order delivery food when Chaeyool hyung gives an idea to ask Moondae for help as he remembers Gunwoo hyung told him that Moondae also can cook. When we called him, Moondae was concerned and panicked at first but then he agreed to help.

I was helping him to prepare our late dinner when my damned mouth moved by itself and asked inconsiderate questions to him, which he answered lightheartedly.

“It’s fine, our parents passed away not long ago and I’ve already informed my cousin who lived with me that I will be staying here for a while”

“Oh, Oh… I’m sorry…”

I turn my face away awkwardly. Actually, I have an inkling after the commotion during our debut but somehow, I just need to confirm it… my eyes fell on other members who finished setting the table and listening to our conversation. Chaeyool hyung and Yoonshin hyung eyes widen in surprise while Jaehyun hyung has a straight, unreadable face. Moondae seems to not realize or be bothered as he speaks with light tone

“It’s really fine, Judan hyung, it’s not a secret either but I assume that Gunwoo hyung never mentioned anything about this?”

“... yes”

“Ah… I apologize then, sometimes Gunwoo hyung can be tactless, more so if it involves himself. I also apologize for the current situation as well…”

“No, Gunwoo hyung always helped us a lot and we're a team, so it’s natural for us to take care of him… but does this happen often?”

“Not often but Gunwoo hyung likes to keep everything to himself sometimes… I still remember how panicked our parents were when Gunwoo hyung was caught with a bad cold during our childhood because his fever was so high. He always tells me to speak if I have trouble but he never follows his own advice, troublesome right? Oh, it’s ready”

I gulped as a delicious smell wafted from the pot when Moondae took off its lid and my stomach let out a loud grumble. I’m blushing when Moondae chuckles, it can’t be helped since today is a long day for me. 

“Here Woodan hyung, it’s not as delicious as Gunwoo hyung’s cooking but I hope you enjoy it”

“Don’t worry, the smell is already delicious, they said hunger is the best seasoning too”

Moondae laughed at my words as he passed me a pot of samgyetang* carefully- 

I buried my face in my arm further as I remembered the delicious samgyetang* that day and it made me hungry then I felt a familiar hand patting my head.

“Judan, are you tired? Should we rest a bit?”

I never really think about it but after debut, a gesture like patting head or shoulder, linking arms and leaning our head on other members' shoulders naturally increases and I’m, who’s not a big fan of physical affections, surprised to find how comfortable it is. I let out a small hum then shamelessly leaned on Gunwoo hyung’s hand for an answer, feeling his warm hand on my scalp then I heard Jaehyun hyung speaking

“It’s almost lunchtime as well, since we already finalised the setlist and stage concept, it should be alright to have a lunch break early, right?”

Sounds of agreement echoed in the meeting room, so much so that even the head manager, who is famous for his punctuality, announced an early lunch break. I knew this for a while but seeing how much power Jaehyun hyung has over the agency is kind of scary. Even so, at some point, we fully rely on our highly capable older brothers and I found that I don’t mind at all. It’s easier like this and as long as Jaehyun hyung doesn’t turn into a complete tyrant, it works well for me… well, that’s what I thought until recently

‘The thing is if we put all our cards in one place when both of them are out of commission, our group would go into disarray completely’

It’s been on my mind for a while after seeing Gunwoo hyung collapse the other day but I still haven’t found any good solution… I took a peek at Chaeyool hyung and Yoonshin hyung who were tidying up their things for lunch.

“What should we eat today? Should we go to a restaurant around here?”

“Sure, delivery would take a while after all… Hey, Judan, are you awake?”

Yoonshin hyung shook my shoulder roughly, I let out an annoyed groan as I lifted my head slowly

“So you’re awake, what do you want to eat for lunch?”

“Uh, samgyetang*?”

I rub my eyes while answering, Chaeyool hyung nods

“Good idea, Chobok* has passed but today is quite hot… How about we go to the restaurant behind our agency building? Their samgyetang* is delicious”

“Alright then we should move now, that restaurant is quite popular”

“Here’s your hat, Judan. Chaeyool, Shinoh, don’t forget yours”

I nodded and then took the cap hat from Gunwoo hyung. Sometimes, I saw some fans comment that VTIC is spoiling me as their youngest more than other idol groups. I don’t know how much it's true since I have little contact with other groups but I know that they’ve never treated me badly and listened to my words despite being the youngest, just like today.

“Jinho hyung, you know the place right? We’ll be back before the meeting starts - Jinho hyung?”

“Hmm… Cheongryeo-ssi, no, all of you, I think you should take a look at this''

Jinho hyung tapped his chin, a habit of his when he was agitated, then showed his laptop screen to us and played the current top trending music on Wetube.

1# T-Holic - ‘Outbreak’ Official MV

It was a music video that made me feel a chill on my spine from how familiar the song is and realize the similarity of the concept with our last title song, Handicap. My eyes moved to Jaehyun hyung and Gunwoo hyung immediately then got another chill from their gaze and smile. I instinctively knew that our follow-up comeback next week wouldn’t be a peaceful one.

***

==================================================================

[Entertaiment #7] 

[T-Holic ‘Outbreak’ breaking the 24-hour streaming record!]

==================================================================

==================================================================

[TOP #3] 

[Comeback as a ‘Futuristic Spy’, T - Holic reaching 200,000 album sales in the first week!]

==================================================================

A young university student, who was a Ryumun fan before becoming a Tika, clicked her tongue as she scrolled the entertainment news and community on her phone while taking a huge bite of her ice cream. It’s in the middle of summer when the temperature and humidity go up even at night but she also needs to hold back from using AC since her electricity bill also creeps up along with the temperature.

‘It can’t be helped, well, at least tomorrow I can see Gunwoo in person on stage’

She opened her email for the third time that day, and still can’t believe her luck. After several failed attempts, she finally managed to snatch a spot to watch the VTIC stage on music shows including the pre-recorded session. She jumps with joy when got the notification before being overwhelmed by her friends, a veteran stan of Marshmallow, advice and lending her many things that she insists are something that she’ll find grateful for later.

She takes the last bite of her ice cream then, after making sure her alarm for VTIC's latest MV update is on, she looks around again to search for any update before stumble on the recent popular post on the community 

================================================================

[From VTIC to T-Holic, is this an era of dystopian concepts?]

Lately, I’ve been listening to K-pop and noticed that many of them have a similar concept and musicality, especially the popular songs that were released recently. 

A few days ago, one of the popular Idol groups from Wonder Hall, T-Holic released a new song with a dark and rough vibe with a Sci-fi* touch while the girl group from LeTi, Marshmallow, the latest song ‘Dear’ also had a touch of rock metal with a dark elegant concept that breaks the parade of cutesy, girly songs that becomes a trademark of girl groups.

All these recent songs have similar themes that are booming among the contemporary media, Dystopia. Marshmallow’s ‘Dear’ lyrics are about a girl who searches for her dearest one in an oppressive society where people must follow a certain rule. Biglows’s latest released music video also tells of a group of young men who tried to escape from a futuristic labyrinth while T-Holic music videos show a similar concept but with a Sci-fi* touch where they become a psychic agent who’s questioning the AI rule over humans.

Interestingly, there’s one group that consistently uses this concept and has become popular, an idol group named VTIC. This group debuted in the autumn of last year and since then, they have made a series of songs and music videos with dystopian concepts that can be interconnected and create a picturesque story. I’ve found several interpretations of their songs and music videos but generally, they all have a dark, solemn and tense atmosphere with futuristic Sci-fi* settings. Their music is also unique and intense with a combination of pop and EDM* but not restricted since they sometimes include rock, metal, hip-hop, trap, dance, and even orchestra to their songs. 

Looking at this, although the dystopia concept isn’t new, I concluded that VTIC became a trendsetter in the K-pop industry and spread widely due to how successful it is. This concept has its own charm, but all back to how idols and their agency manage to make their ideas appealing to the audience as well and my opinion is VTIC doing well in that area. I will be waiting for their next comeback and update this post about it.

================================================================

“So someone out there has sense and taste…”

The young student muttered while biting the ice cream sticks. She knows she’s a bit biased as a fan but she more or less agrees with the post-writer. Dystopian concepts are really on rage, there are even a few groups and singers following VTIC by making a series of videos to make a continuous short movie as a promotion. Of course, it’s a good thing for VTIC to be known as a trendsetter but she knew, just like other trends, this concept was slowly missing its charm due to overexposure and many people, including herself, starting to get tired of it. 

‘I also want to see them with other concepts too…’

Last time, when the video of VTIC’s wedding mini concert was going around, she felt like being reminded why she became their fan in the first place, especially when she heard Gunwoo singing solo… She enjoyed all VTIC songs but those videos made her wish for them to sing ballads.

‘But, will it be possible with LeTi? They seem to be attached to this gloomy concept with intense music… ’ 

Well, in her book, LeTi has been messed up lately… From giving Marshmallow a similar concept to VTIC on their last comeback to the lack of response to Gunwoo’s dating rumours. She clicked her tongue again when remembering the wars after wars she witnessed these last months… from friction with Marshmallow’s fans, Gunwoo’s ridiculous dating scandal and this…

For this comeback, VTIC announced that they will release a digital album aside from the physical full album. Digital albums have become more popular lately since it’s convenient and cheaper but this is usually used by singers to release a single or mini album instead of a full album because the sales of digital albums are still not counted just like the physical ones. This move garnered a variety of reactions from fans, some praising this move because they can buy albums without wasting space while still having some benefits like photocards and special remix songs but some accuse LeTi of doing this to dry the fans' wallets because the physical album have different benefits, and overworking VTIC for this.

With a tired huff, she glanced at her desk calendar that was marked with the album sales date and renewed her resolve as the memory of her bitter defeat to get the first and second fan sign ticket came back to her. This time, she was determined to buy the albums until she got a ticket for the third fan sign and met with Gunwoo in person. 

Her mind focussed back when her phone alarm rang.

“Oh, it’s time!”

The young student immediately turns off the alarm and then opens Wetube. The video thumbnail shows VTIC members lying down in a circle on an asphalt street. They’re wearing more simple, casual clothes than the previous MV and the atmosphere looks more relaxed. She held her breath and then clicked the play button. 

The scene begins with a screen showing letters with large, bold fonts.

MISSION: ECLIPSE

COMPLETE! 

The screen blinked and filled with noise like an old television screen when the camera zoomed out and showed a man who was sitting in front of the laptop. The camera moves to show Cheongryeo shutting his signature laptop as the electronic buzz slowly changes into a piano intro. He stands up from his seat and then opens the curtain dramatically, making the room suddenly bathed with soft light.

-I’ve said my last goodbye countless time

For endless days, I cried and laugh

-This moment, it’s so beautiful and painful

It’s the moment I truly feel alive

I’m on my way to you now, my love

-Because the eclipse has end

A light shines through to your world

Cheongryeo sings accompanied by a mellow piano melody as the camera shoots his figure who looks at the sky with a streak of shooting stars then the scene changes to Shinoh who sings a melodic, low-voiced rap. He was seated behind the wheel, dressed up quite messily with his signature long coat lying on the dashboard then the camera rotated and zoomed on his face that showed a pained, resigned expression.

-Time has passed and become a memory

Days without you and your love is pain

You don’t know how much I regretted

-Even at this moment, I’m losing so much

I’m missing you, my love

-But it’s time, like the end of an eclipse

A light shines through to your world

The camera moved up to show another sky with other shooting stars then the scene changed again, this time showing Gunwoo walking through a messy, broken street filled with people celebrating left and right. Unlike Shinoh, Gunwoo’s face shows a relief expression as the song turns more upbeat with rich guitars and percussion.

-To you, whenever and whoever you are

Please tell the wind to pass this joyous sound

I want to share the moment and love with you

-To the sky and earth where the light shines through

Sometimes I feel like there’s a missing piece

I wish that I was there with you

-But it’s okay, just like a light greeted the world after the eclipse

I greeted you with all my heart

Gunwoo sings with a steady step and rich tone, hitting the high notes flawlessly along the way then he puts down his walkie-talkie that always hanging on his belt at the concrete stairs before running while the camera shoots up the sky where another falling star appears before goes down to show Chaeyool put a bouquet of flowers in front a tall monument.

-Today will become yesterday, new memories

Starting over again is so hard

-Because things will come to an end again

But we grow from failures

-My love, just like a light greeted the world after the eclipse

I greeted you with all my heart

Chaeyool sings with a refreshing face, as if a big burden has been lifted from him then puts down the batteries he’s been carrying around beside the bouquet before picking up a dandelion and blowing its seeds. The camera follows the dandelion’s seeds up to the sky, shows another falling star and follows it to show a young man standing on a cliff then the camera rotates to show Judan who’s gazing far on the horizon with a pendant in his hand.

-As the time passed

The moment you and I become more precious

-If I can leave one memories

It’ll be this moment, as the eclipse comes to an end 

A light shines through to your world, Ohh, Shining Wish…

As the song note goes higher, Judan's voices follow and end the part with a refreshing high note that leads to the chorus where all members gather on a deserted beach and do fun activities together. They light up a sparkler, gather in a circle while singing together around an old radio and enjoy themselves while the song reaches the chorus. 

-Oh Shining wish (Oh, Oh)

Just like a light greeted the world after the eclipse

I want to cherish this moment

-Ahh… we shine bright like sunshine…

(Oh, Oh) Shining wish…

The members' voices melded together with Gunwoo giving high notes in the background with great harmony then the song beat slowed as it reached the end. The camera showed a sky filled with shooting stars before moving back to the cliff where Judan was standing alone and singing the last verse with piano accompaniment. 

-Just like a light greeted the world after eclipse

I want to keep these eternal memories

Oh… shining wish…

After singing with a solemn face, Judan throws his pendant to the sea where the camera follows it before turning black then another scene suddenly shows up with the sound of water flowing. The camera moves to show a boat beside the river that is surrounded by red spider lilies then shoots at Judan who lies down inside with his eyes closed while holding something in his hand before the screen goes blank again, this time ending for good.

The first thought that is passed on to the young student's mind is

‘Is my wish conveyed to my idols through telepaties?’

but then she blinked as she gathered her thoughts and let out a breathy, silent scream to not bother her neighbour again. 

“Ahhh… Crazy! Crazy! They’re f*ck*ng crazy!!!!”

The young student kicked her legs around in excitement and disbelief because even though this new song, Eclipse, has a completely different genre from other VTIC’s released songs, it was a great song that managed to catch her heart after listening to it for the first time. This song also caught her completely on guard because the teaser didn’t show any pop or mellow notes, only the bright chorus. She immediately played the song again and the more she listened to it, the more she was captivated by it.

‘The addictive melodies… Shinoh’s low voice raps… refreshing high notes and more importantly, the lyrics and whole hopeful atmosphere! And how dare they even put a spoiler in the end! so f*ck*ng great and whole other level!’

The young student immediately logged into SNS to share the songs when she got chat notifications from her best friends.

[Gyeol   : Hey]

[Me       : what? I’m preparing what you told me this morning]

[Gyeol   : Good, thank me later but not that]

[Gyeol   : want to go together?]

[Gyeol   : hopeful emoticon face.jpg]

She tilted her head and then clicked on the link her friend sent, only to let out another silent scream

==================================================================

[Entertaiment TOP #1] 

[201X SBC music award dates and nominees are confirmed! From T-Holic to VTIC]

==================================================================

==================================================================

[TOP #2] 

[Golden Disc Award 201X nominee is revealed!]

==================================================================

It was a list of nominees for the prestigious year-end award ceremonies with VTIC as one on the list.

***

[Mission Accomplished! <First Meeting ‘Talent Seon Ahyeon’>]

1 point was acquired!

“T-Thank you and I-I’m s-s-sorry for trouble you… R-Ryu Gunwoo-ssi…”

I took another look at the young boy who bowed his head deeply and then raised his head timidly when I was standing still, looking at the status windows that were popping up above the boy’s head while still processing the string of events that led me to meet him.

Just this morning, I set foot in the airport after almost 12 hours of flight time from Korea to Los Angeles.

“Ugh… my whole body feels stiff…”

“Chaeyool hyung, don’t sleep, which one is your suitcase?”

“Ungh… the yellow one…”

Judan shook Chaeyool’s shoulder to wake him up while we were sorting and waiting for our luggage at the airport. I silently slip a snack, a small chocolate bar, to each of them after Cheongryeo nods slightly for a little reward after a long and stressful flight.

Tomorrow, VTIC is scheduled to appear in a K-pop joint concert along with Marshmallow as the group's first overseas activities. If my memories do not fail me, this concert will also be the last overseas activity for Marshmallow before they focus on domestic activities. Next year, they’ll release their last album after their contract renewal with LeTi before focusing on individual activities.

Three younger members eat snacks calmly, almost the exact opposite from when they were first told about the overseas schedule, especially Chaeyool. The kid never went abroad before so it’s understandable for him to show some excitement but all of it drowned when three of them were shocked by fans waiting at the airport. As if the commotion at the airport was not enough, there were even a few sasaengs* who managed to get the same flight with us, scared them with a sudden shutter sound and called us once during the long flight. Jinho hyung managed to tell them off and escort the sasaeng* away while Cheongryeo and I adjusted their seat to the furthest seat from them for the rest of the flight. 

After our luggage was checked and claimed, Jinho hyung led us through the busy airports and drove us swiftly to the hotel, where we could have a rest before tomorrow's concert. I put my bag on one of the beds, sitting on the soft comforter while my roommate, Cheongryeo, moved around to put his belongings in silence. As TeStar Moondae, I had several experiences like this as well and as exhausting as it is, it was best to ignore that kind of people as much as possible. 

I must say it’s the risk of this job since VTIC has been confirmed as a nominee for the Rookie Award on three music awards, which means public recognition of us is also high. Unlike TeStar, who have an advantage from survival shows broadcasting and back up from big corporations, it takes enormous efforts, timing and luck for VTIC to be able to soar like this early.

It’s quite unexpected for the Dystopian concept to become a rage but the plan I suggest to reach out the public such as making short entertainment shows and continuing worldview is going quite well. Cheongryeo’s plan to adjust our title song to be broadcast on Rapper Survival also managed to raise some recognition while cleverly avoiding the landmine. VTIC has released songs with the same theme so when the PD and rapper’s agency tried to shift the public attention to our songs, people just became more interested and came back to ridicule the attempt, which made the PD and the rapper’s name get more dirty while LeTi also didn’t stay still with releasing a statement that will take a legal approach on any attempt of defamation.

We also managed to dodge the broadcasting station’s attention for the most part but, as expected of big corporations, they made ‘small adjustments and consideration’ by decreasing LeTi’s slots, including the music shows and entertainments while not antagonising us blatantly. In an entertainment world where artists fight for a few more seconds of screen time, of course, it’ll have an impact but it’s not everything, that’s why I ‘encourage’ the manager to share the wedding video. 

I managed to hit two birds with one stone with that wedding small concert as it not only showed Kim Raebin’s arrangements but also raised people's interest in VTIC as singers. After debut, VTIC members' vocal stats are rising fast and good enough to show a stable, harmonious vocal that created the image of a group of skilled singers although the result is with unexpected noises. The plan worked and solidified our position in the domestic market but I never thought that VTIC would jump into joint overseas concerts in their first year. 

In my world, VTIC managed to build a quite solid fandom early on but if I remember correctly, their activities were noticeably expanded outside the country border around their third or fourth year. The speed of this world VTIC’s popularity growth is concerning but I can’t stop now as the time is tight, especially for that guy. I turned my head to glance at him and heard a heavy fall noise on the bed beside me, turns out Cheongryeo has already reached his limit, throws himself to bed then goes to dreamland as soon as his back touches the comforter without changing his clothes. 

Speaking of this guy, lately, he's been acting strange… He’s still an efficient, cold and calculative bastard but after fighting with Shinoh, he starts to consider other members' ideas and gives feedback on it. He also actively joins the conversation when all members have a meal or do group activities like watching TV together more often. It’s not like he didn’t before but I notice he tried to lessen the distance although somehow he still maintained the impression of a firm and untouchable leader.

I don’t know what he’s aiming for doing this but other members seem to like it as they respond well to him so I leave him alone and respond as necessary when he does with me. Being a group doesn’t mean you have to be friends with them, as long as it’s harmonious enough to not get any rumours about discord, it’s all good. 

I sneak peek at his status windows.

[Name: Shin Jaehyun]

Singing: C+ (B+)

Dancing: A+ (S+)

Physical Attractiveness: A- (S-)

Charm: B- (A+)

Trait: Emotion (A)

[Alert!]

[This Talent is currently on a mission!]

[‘Prize or Death!’]

You will die if you do not receive the Rookie Award at the most prestigious domestic award ceremony during the specified period.

Remaining period : D -  265

I held back a sigh and knocked the back of my head on the bed headboard. Among the three music awards that VTIC was nominated for, only one could complete that mission so I have more reason to keep going and not let him regress this time. I dragged myself to put my belongings in when I heard a phone ring. It’s Cheongryeo’s, my guess is it was our manager who called him because a few minutes later, my phone rang.  

[Kang Jinho : Gunwoo, is Cheongryeo there? he’s not answering my call]

[Me : Yes, he’s sleeping, it seems the flight also exhausted him]

[Kang Jinho : Huh? A person who practises almost 12 hours straight - Uh, well, then, I’m sorry Gunwoo but can you leave a message for him when he wakes up? The Head Manager asked the group to come down to the hotel restaurant and greet the organizer and sponsors. It’ll be good if you all can come down but I don’t think it’s possible so the leader will do…]

[Me : I see, what time should he go?]

[Kang Jinho : At 6 PM local time, it’s one hour from now, you can also have dinner at hotel buffet afterwards while other kids can go down slowly later to eat too]

[Me : I understand, I will pass it to other members]

[Kang Jinho : Thank you, Gunwoo, oh, please tell them that the restaurant closes at 10 PM.  If they miss out and want to eat outside the hotel, they must tell me first]

[Me : Yes, see you later hyung]

Jinho hyung gave his gratitude once more before cutting the call but now I’m facing unexpected trouble… No matter how much I shook and yelled at this guy to wake him up, he didn’t budge and in the end, I told Jinho hyung that I’d take his place for greeting. The three younger kids are also out of commission with Shinoh who is barely awake while Chaeyool and Judan are already off to dreamland without even opening their suitcases. 

I’m tidying up quickly and meeting with Jinho hyung and the Head Manager with apologetic faces. It was a relief that it was only a quick greeting, the Head Manager took over after that and Jinho hyung led me to have dinner with other staff. I’m excusing myself to the bathroom when I notice a commotion in front of the nearest bathroom in the hotel lobby.

“How awful… is the police here yet?”

“The hotel staff told me that cops are on the way”

“What happened?”

“A guy was found dead on the toilet so this place is off limit”

“Is it homicide or suicide?”

“Who knows, they said the victim is a teenage Asian boy so - oh cops are here”

The conversation I accidentally heard in English didn’t sound good so I decided to ask the hotel staff for another toilet location and go to the farthest one. The hallway was getting deserted as I went since people flocked to the commotion in the lobby and that's why I was so shocked when I heard someone shouting and sobbing inside the toilet.

“P-Please l-let, let me out… ung, sobs, i-i-is any, anyone there?”

“Are you okay?”

“I-I was lock-locked… please help…”

It took a few seconds for me to approach the source of the voice and realise that one of the cubicles was cleverly latched with a pole from outside, which made the person inside unable to open the key slot and open the door. I also notice the wet floor in front of the cubicle and an empty bucket lying near the wash basin. All of this doesn’t look good and anyone who is locked inside might be a victim of an old-fashioned prank. I hold back a sigh and move the pole so he can open the door. I was shocked twice when I recognized the victim.

“T-Thank you…”

A young, 16-year-old Seon Ahyeon walks out timidly with shaky steps. He’s soaked from head to toe, his youthful and beautiful face showing a relieved expression while tears still streamed from his reddened, slightly swollen eyes. I notice that he’s wearing unusual clothes, a vest that is decorated with fancy embroidery with lace and a long sleeve that is a bit transparent because it's wet along with white tights with some dark blotch, probably because the water is dirty and smells as he moves closer to me. In his hand is another set of clothes but also looks wet, it seems that the one who locked him also threw quite a lot of water on him.

“You’re welcome, you can wear this for the time being, are you a guest of this hotel? Can I ask for your room number?”

“N-No, I-I was a participant of B-Ballet Co-Competition…”

“Are you here with your parents? friends? Can you contact them?”

“Y-yes, I'm w-with my parents but I-I left my p-phone…”

I listened as Seon Ahyeon explained the situation while his hand clutched on the coat I lent to him to cover his body, tears emerged again as he spoke with a mixture of sobbing and stuttering. As expected, there’s a ballet competition that was held at this hotel which Seon Ahyeon participated in and when he’s looking for the empty bathroom to change his clothes, someone locks him up and throws dirty water at him from above. I want to find the perpetrator and grab their collar but right now I’m just a stranger to him so I’m doing what most people do in this kind of situation. 

“I see, let’s find your parents first, do you remember the way to the competition site? I’ll take you there”

“Huh? Y-Yes… Thank you… “

He raises his head in surprise, and stares at my face for a moment before looking back on the floor again and nodding. After what happened, it’s only natural for him to feel wary of others so I let him walk slightly behind me while feeling him glancing back and forth to my back and floors, which kind of reminded me of Seon Ahyeon I met during early Idol Inc. The hall that Seon Ahyeon told me is already empty and locked so I suggest we go to the lobby and ask the hotel receptionist if they saw his parents, the boy following me without a word. I heard more commotion when we reached the lobby and recognized Seon Ahyeon’s parents, albeit looking younger, talking to a troubled hotel staff.

“M-Mother! FF-Father!”

“Aheyon!”

Seon Ahyeon runs to his parents who immediately hug him and scold him quite a bit for worrying them before their attention shifts to me when Seon Ahyeon explains his current situation, then the father approaches me while examining my face.

“Excuse me, thank you for helping our son and may I ask, are you Korean?”

“Ah, yes, I am and it’s not a big deal”

“No, let us thank you for your help, we’ve already thought the worst happened…”

He glanced at the bathroom that was closed with a police line while police officers and hotel staff came in and out. Apparently, they've been looking for Seon Ahyeon for some time and heard about someone who found a deceased young man in the hotel bathroom, so they asked for the victim's identity from the hotel staff but they couldn’t disclose it. After some introduction out of courtesy, I suggest that Seon Ahyeon take a shower in my room while his parents are going to shop for some clothes since they didn’t bring any spare and need to catch a flight back to France.

“I-Is it really okay?”

“Yes, I already told your mother my room number so you can have a shower until they arrive”

“B-but your roommate…”

“It’s fine, he probably won’t wake up until dawn”

I glance at Cheongryeo, who is still sleeping in the same position as I left him this evening, then gesture to Seon Ahyeon to go to the bathroom in our room to take a shower. He seems to feel a bit burdened as he timidly enters the bathroom with his bag. I make sure to hear the shower sound before telling Jinho hyung that I suddenly feel tired and back to my room to rest. As a good manager, he inquired about my condition before telling me to get a good rest.

It didn’t take a long time for Seon Ahyeon to finish showering and his parents came back with a set of new clothes. Now he’s bowing his head deeply outside my room in gratitude while holding my coat in his arm and his parents who are also standing not far in the hallway. 

“A-about the coat, uh, I - I will g-give it back to you… can, uh, can we e-exchange n-number?”

“Sure, here’s my number and you can eat this on the plane”

I handed him a note of my number and the same snack chocolate bar I gave to the younger member at the airport before, it’s also Moondae’s favourite so I always have some in my bag. Seon Ahyeon looked at me and the chocolate bar alternatively before tearing up again, which made me a bit bewildered.

“I-I already receive tt-too much…”

“It’s fine, it’s my younger brother's favourite so I happen to have them”

“I-I see, I will s-savour this one… sobs, t-thank you…”

Seon Ahyeon takes the chocolate and notes then tuck it carefully as if it were a precious item before saying goodbye and leaving. I close the door before taking a deep breath and call the status windows in silence. 

[‘Prize or Death!’]

You will die if you do not receive the Rookie Award at the most prestigious domestic award ceremony during the specified period.

Remaining period : D - 579 days

[Additional Condition]

[Mission <Fated Meeting>] progress reach 40%

[Mission <Fated Meeting>]

current progress: 35%

…

[Stage I Sub-quest]

Sub -  quest <First Meeting>

Current progress : (10/11)

Mission Reward: Memory Fragments +1

…

[Stage II Sub-quest]

…

Mission Reward: Memory Shard (1/4) (can be synthesised to Key of Return)

‘Last one is him…’

I knock my back on the door, feeling the wood on the back of my head, noticing that this system is pretty much a scam. I get one memory fragment every time I manage to finish the abnormal status but this particular mission, the first sub-quest that opened, has a reward of memory fragments which equal the status abnormality mission. This not only creates a discrepancy but also makes me question the system's purpose.

‘Why do you want me to get involved with them?’

All the <Fated Meeting> missions required me to keep contact with the TeStar and VTIC members in this world and build a sort of connection with them in the guise of ‘training’. At first, I thought it was because I have a consciousness of TeStar’s Park Moondae and the system recognizes my relationship to them but I don’t think that’s all it has. 

‘Will it get discovered after I get the second shard?’

Most likely.

I’m really not hoping much but to move forward, I need to look at this system's purpose and why it brings me here. Suddenly I feel more tired and it seems jet lag* has caught up on me. I decided to put this later when I managed to meet with the last member, Cha Eugene, and look up to this damned system more closely, although I never even imagined that that time is approaching soon enough.

***

“Wow,  it’s like a festival here”

“It’s really crowded, I think we’ll become an international lost child if not careful”

“Yes, the food… uh, can we?”

Shinoh glances at me and Cheongryeo, who’s standing slightly behind the three younger members while carefully still getting caught by a small camera on Chaeyool’s hand. VTIC is only scheduled to appear on the first-day stage of the joint concert while Marshmallow on the second day, so we are scheduled to make a short self-content of this concert and attend the Marshmallow stage in the evening. 

Cheongryeo looked at the stall that caught Shinoh’s sight, which was selling a variety of fried food like corn dogs* and fries*. His gaze lingers on the tub full of dark hot oil which is a cue for Shinoh to change his target.

“Hyung, it’s a bit hot today so how about a cold drink? There’s a stall that sells lemonade* there”

“Oh, next to it seems to sell some gimbab*... with avocado? How does it taste?”

“I’ve tried sushi* with avocado, it’s good”

Chaeyool follows Shino’s direction and then is shocked when sees other stalls while Judan gives a small commentary that makes Chaeyool look at him in disbelief. After a few times of making self-content, three of them are quite used to it and act less awkward in front of the camera nowadays.

“I heard tacos* are a must-try when you’re in Los Angeles, should we try? There’s a stand of it across the drink stall”

“Yes, let’s have it, the fries* and drink too if you want”

I immediately looked at Cheongryeo when I heard an unfamiliar word coming from his mouth. A guy who I doubt has ‘Fries’* in his food vocabulary suddenly permitted his members to eat high-calorie and salted food during our active period. Not only me, but other members also look so surprised and stare at their leader, who quickly notices the odds.

“It’s fine for once a while, since we’re here why not try it”

“Is it really okay, hyung?”

Chaeyool asks hesitantly

“Of course, we must hurry, lunchtime is approaching so the seats are getting full”

“Oh, uh yes, of course”

“Uh, should we get sandwiches* too? It seems healthier…”

“There’s a variety of skewer* too over there, how about it?”

The three people then look around while discussing the food with still astonished and awkward faces while I turn off the small mic then speak with a low voice.

“What are you thinking?”

“Enjoying the atmosphere?”

“Can you eat?”

“To some extent”

“Just… I’ll tell Jinho hyung to prepare some food later if it's not enough”

I let out a sigh then noticed three younger members glancing at us before approaching, with Chaeyool in front.

“Hyung, how about we share the food and make mukbang* content of it?”

“Huh?”

“You see, I saw people getting them and the portion is big enough for sharing… also, I don’t think we can eat too much…”

Chaeyool looks at me and Cheongryeo while shrugging his shoulders, Cheongryeo folds his arm with an amused smile.

“Sure, what do you want to get?”

“Well, for the start…”

Chaeyool grins, which he shares with Shinoh and Judan then before we know it, we are seated with various foods and drinks on our table while setting the camera for mukbang*. Chaeyool's eyes gleamed at the sight and excitedly tried every food he could grab while sharing it with other members.

“Wow, this is good and not spicy despite being red, here Judan, try these fries*”

“Shinoh, this meat has a slight sweetness on it, I think you’ll like it”

“Gunwoo hyung, what do you think of this taco*? This is the first time I ever tasted it”

“Cheongryeo hyung, this grilled corn is easy to eat, please have some”

I hold back a laugh when Cheongryeo takes a quarter of grilled corn from Chaeyool and then eats it slowly, his face relaxes as it matches his taste. It’s not bad to have time like this once in a while and eat a bunch of different foods. I took a sip of a lemonade*, which is more sweet and tart than I used to make at home, then handed a piece of waffle* to Chaeyool.

“You can eat more slowly, the food won’t go anywhere”

“I know but uh…  it’s not like they’re not delicious but hmm… I think Gunwoo hyung’s food is better…”

I tilt my head in confusion then Judan follows up the conversation while stirring a cup of spaghetti bolognese.*

“Yes, they’re good and authentic but I also prefer the ones Gunwoo hyung’s made… The sauce hyung’s made for pasta always has a certain depth on it”

“Judan, don’t play with your food and finish it. Oh, this vegetable soup kind of reminds me of the minestrone* Gunwoo hyung was made before… Hyung, can I ask you to make it again sometime?”

“Hmm… this makes me want a bulgogi*... Gunwoo hyung, can I request a bulgogi* when we get back home? I want to have a bowl of it!”

Cheongryeo slipped out a request after reprimanding the youngest while Shinoh added another as he twirled the last grilled chicken skewer. I frowned a bit, lately we’ve been busy and I haven’t cooked much except for simple dishes to complement ordered food so maybe they’re craving the taste of home cooking so I nodded. 

“Yes, I understand, I’ll make them later”

“Then, hyung, hyung, can you make a taco* as well?”

“I don’t think the taste will be the same”

I remember Cha Eugene once requested to make an American-style pizza but the taste was not quite the same and I’m not some seasoned chef who can replicate the dish after tasting it once.

“It’s fine! Everything Gunwoo hyung made is tasty!”

“I’m glad my cooking matches your taste,  I’ll try to make it sometime later”

“Yes! I’ll be waiting!”

Chaeyool clenches his fist while doing a small victory pose which kind of resembles Cha Eugene in my world. 

After finishing our meal, we found a corner where fans and back dancers holding dance covers and random dances. This event was made by the organizer for fan interaction and public attraction to get more audience. Cover dance is getting more popular with the widespread use of the internet and Wetube so many dancers are using it to do the choreography of popular songs, including K-pop that is now also spreading worldwide. The events start with a group of dancers doing a full cover of one song first and after that, the organizer will play random songs that the audience can also participate in if they recognize the songs and dances. 

It was a good publication move but our plan to just watch and have a few shots dashed when Chaeyool suddenly jumped out and danced. VTIC has a good size of fandom overseas, but our faces are still not recognizable widely in the public of foreign countries where a group of big agencies like T-Holic is more prominent. Not to mention, Chaeyool’s dancing skills have been improving lately and his skill is no joke, which makes an interesting picture for our content too, that’s why Cheongryeo only stops him half-heartedly.

I was filming Chaeyool on the side when I saw a familiar face who danced beside him. I can’t believe my eyes when seeing a young, 14-year-old Cha Eugene here. He still has brown hair and his movement is a tad awkward, as if he tried to do a choreography he sees for the first time but he smiles confidently. It’s a short, around 60-second dance but they manage to draw people's eyes on them and increase the audience's excitement. I can’t let this opportunity slip so when they finish dancing, I’m ready to approach him but in the end, I don’t have to because of Chaeyool's amiable personality.

“Hello, I’m Eugene, are you from Korea like Chaeyool?”

“Yes, we are, I’m Ryu Gunwoo”

“I’m Shinoh, the ones behind me are Cheongryeo and Judan”

“Ohhh nice to meet you, can you do a cool dance too? Chaeyool said all his friends are great dancers”

“They are all great dancers and singers, do you know VTIC?”

“VTIC? Oh, I think I saw a group dancing to their song earlier, it was so cool”

“Really? Which part do you like?”

Even though LeTi is not really good at managing fandom overseas, they’re quite good with their trainee training which includes the language lesson, that’s why all VTIC members are quite skilled in English and Japanese but the conversation that happened before my eyes is still a bizarre sight to see.

Suddenly my eyes was covered by a torrent of pop-ups

[Mission Accomplished! <First Meeting ‘Talent Cha Eugene’>]

1 point was acquired!

[Mission Accomplished! < First Meeting>]

acquire memory fragment +1

[Congratulations!]

[Mission <Fated Meeting> accomplishment]

current progress: 48%

[Additional Conditions reached!]

acquire memory fragment +1

It seems that the first meeting mission really had a significant impact. I glance at Cha Eugene who’s dancing together with Chaeyool and Shinoh while Judan and Cheongryeo are filming them. I never really believe in coincidence or fates but meeting with Cha Eugene like this won’t happen twice but when I’m thinking of how to keep contact with him without raising any suspicion, notifications show up.

Synthesizing memory fragments is now available!

Current fragment : 3 / 2

[Warning!]

The unsynthesized fragment will disappear

Synthesize now? <- [click!] (5)

‘F*ck, this Xfoot bastard!’

This crazy bastard had done it.

I took a deep breath and clicked it right before it reached (1) and the next moment, I was standing on the road filled with sirens from fire trucks, ambulances and police cars, surrounding three crushed vans that still let out a dark smoke. I looked around to see a figure of a young man sitting on the road with torn clothes, blood smeared on his back and brightly coloured hair but before I could take a good look, the scene changed into a familiar but unfamiliar hospital room before I heard a voice that I thought I had forgotten once.

“Gunwoo, are you tired? Do you want to rest a bit?”

It was the voice of Ryu Gunwoo’s late father.

***

Bzzzt- Plip-

A soft buzz followed by a small zip sound filled the room that slowly brightened from dawn light.

With a small spark, a blue transparent rectangle pop-up window showed up while the young man under the duvet groaned, the fabric rustling as he curled up in pain.

“No… please…”

As if responding to the young man, the pop-up windows multiplied, filled with many numbers and codes then one pop-up appeared with a soft ping.

[Alert!]

[New Mission is open!]

<Fervent Wish>

Between the past and future, there’s hope for the present.

Proof of your determination!

[Target] 

Ryu Gunwoo 57%

Ryu Moondae 30%

Shin Jaehyun 40%

Mission Reward: Memory Synchronization (0/4)

Then suddenly there was a soft crackle sound and the next moment, the pop up shattered one by one, leaving only the mission window left then with a slightly twisted window appeared.

[Congratulations!]

[Mission <Fervent Wish> first condition reached!]

current progress: 25%

[Warning!]

First Memory Synchronization

Loading… 30%

A green bar slowly moved, ignoring the groaning and sobbing under the duvet which got louder along with the moving bar then the room suddenly turned silent as the bar reached the end with words typed below it.

[First Memory Synchronization complete!]

Enjoy your trip to the memory line!

***

[VTIC Jarkon* -Victory Time! Interview- (2509202X)]

Q                : Judan-ssi, it seems that you always write something before sleeping, are you keeping a diary?

J.W (Judan)  : It's my hyungs observational journal.

Q                : Huh? Are you keeping a journal of your older brother?

J.W (Judan) : *nod* I’m on my third book right now

Q                : Could you share it with us a bit then?

J.W (Judan) : Chaeyool hyung is a heavy sleeper, he won’t wake up unless someone pulls his blanket off or shakes him up hard, there’s one time he even manages to sleep so soundly behind the loud festival stage.

Q               : *laugh* Chaeyool-ssi seems to love sleeping, anything else?

J.W (Judan) : Shinoh hyung likes to sing during showers, especially trot songs and he likes to chew on ice when we’re having a cold drink.

Q                : Wow, it seems the journal is really detailed… How about the leader?

J.W (Judan) : Cheongryeo hyung is actually clingy and likes doing skinship like hugging, patting or holding hands, especially with Gunwoo hyung… I don’t mind doing it during summer but hate it in winter because Cheongryeo hyung’s have low-temperature skins.

Q                : Now that I think about it, there’s a lot of footage of Cheongryeo-ssi doing that but other members don’t mind right?

J.W (Judan) : We grumble sometimes, especially during winter, but I like it when he pats me. Oh Gunwoo hyung also likes to pat us but not so often.

Q               : So both oldest and second oldest members like doing skinship, that’s unexpected.

J.W (Judan) : Gunwoo hyung can’t stand caffeine, he will stay awake until late if he drinks any coffee or energy drink in the evening and brings snacks everywhere but rarely eats them by himself, he gives it to us or our staff.

Q               : Whoa Gunwoo-ssi is really kind, oh, how about their drinking habit? Does Judan-ssi write about it too? 

J.W (Judan) : … unspeakable

Q              : Yes?

J.W (Judan) : I'm under oath-, uh, I promise to not speak anything about that so I won't say a word.

Chapter Text

‘This is Ryu Gunwoo’s of this world's past’

I look up to the familiar mausoleum* glass case, where’s a picture of a woman with blueish eyes who smiles softly toward the camera then to the small urn* beside it then glance at the man who’s sitting on the wheelchair with bandages all over his body, one of his legs is missing from the knee below. There’s a visible burn mark and scars that marred his body and face but there’s no way I failed to recognize my own father. I’ve always been told that my face resembles my father but I have my mother’s eyes and smile.

“Appa*, it’s quite hot today, do you want something to drink?”

“That would be good, you should have some too, Gunwoo” 

“I think we still have a bottle of water in the car, I will get it with Jageun Appa*”

“Okay, I’ll be waiting here with your Eomma*”

After barely surviving and going through a long treatment in hospital, today fat- Ryu Gunwoo’s father has permission to leave and the first place he wants to visit is his wife’s grave. In that fire accident, Ryu Gunwoo’s mother lost her life while his father suffered from various degrees of burns that ended with losing one of his legs. He must go through several surgeries and physiotherapy to recover, making him stay in the hospital often.

‘F*ck, this Xfoot system’

I’ve seen the documents and photos when I first woke up with this younger body but this is just showing the difference between this world Ryu Gunwoo and me. 

‘... there’s no point to think about it’

I want to clench my fist but now I am just a mere spectator since all of this already happened in the past. 

On the mausoleum* glass case, I can see Ryu Gunwoo who’s reflected on it. He’s barely a teen during this time, around 14 years old and seems reluctant to leave as he steps away but then glances back at his father. The slim and sagged back of the man who was always hugging and patting him, teaching him many things and supporting him with a bright and fond smile left a deep impression on Ryu Gunwoo because when he looked away, the scene abruptly changed.

A sight of the white plastered wall of the hospital room greeted me as I saw Ryu Gunwoo open the room door then his eyes darted around from a small, young boy who was sleeping soundly on his father's bed to his father who put a finger on his lips, gesturing him to keep quiet.

“Let him sleep more”

“Appa*… Nurse Park said you shouldn’t…”

“But he barely slept last night, let him have a nap”

“I brought some food for lunch”

Gunwoo let out a resigned sigh and then handed over the paper bag he brought to his father. At the same time, his eyes trace the bandage plastered around his father's body and face, which is noticeably more than the previous memory, then to the young boy who curled on the bed under a thin blanket.

‘Moondae?’

Even though he was young and small, half of his body was also covered in a blanket, I definitely recognized him. 

‘Come to think of it, I never really know how Ryu Gunwoo and Moondae met’

It’s a bit awkward to ask and for me, the information that Moondae is Ryu Gunwoo’s step-sibling is enough so I never dig more into it… I noticed that the hospital room is meant for four patients but there's only two beds are occupied and, despite Gunwoo questioning why the child is placed there instead of the children's wing, his father definitely growing fond of his temporary roommate because, on Gunwoo’s slip on memory, this is the third time Gunwoo found the child sleep on his father bed. 

“Oh, Miyeok-guk* and cake? Huh, who’s birthday - “

“Appa*, have you forgotten today's date?”

“Today - oh… it seems I failed to remember again this year”

Gunwoo shook his head as his father let out an embarrassed laugh. I tried to ignore a soft tug in my heart. 

‘They’re still the same person…’

Ryu Gunwoo’s father, and my father as well, never failed to remember important dates of his family members including all birthdays and anniversaries but he always forgot his own birthday. He always said that he’s too busy to pay attention but he always manages to get something special for his wife and son’s special days, making his reasoning become more absurd.

“Do you make this Miyeok-guk*? It looks so delicious, this Gyeran-mari* too”

“I tried to follow Eomma’s* recipe”

“Really? Our Gunwoo now is a great cook now, sit here, let’s eat together”

“Yes, let me set the table”

Gunwoo moved a small table beside the bed and set the food, including a tray of hospital food, on it before sitting on the chair nearby. They eat while occasionally having small talk, although it was just father praising the dish while Gunwoo reacts with a short noise of acknowledgement then their attention shifts when they hear a soft rustle from the bed.

“Ngh… Ahjussi*?”

“Oh, are we waking you up? There, be careful with the needles”

The young boy flinched when his small and thin hand was being touched, with a small recognition of the tube that connected with an IV drip, before pulling himself up and then sitting with an embarrassed face.

“I-I’m sorry, I overslept again…”

“It’s fine, a child's job is to sleep, eat and play so how about having lunch now? Gunwoo, can you get his food tray here?”

I could feel Gunwoo’s reluctance as he held back a sigh when put his spoon down but the young boy shook his head frantically before scooting away to the edge, trying to jump down from bed.

“No, I… I will eat on my bed… Eomma* said I shouldn’t bother Ahjussi*-”

“But today is my birthday, you know?”

“Huh? Is it?”

The young boy stopped reaching for his IV drip bag, his eyes widened in surprise while his small mouth turned into an O shape. Father seemed to be amused with the boy's antique as he nodded with a playful smile then his hand showing off the small table with exaggerated gestures.

“Yes, see, my son just brought me a delicious meal and cake but it’s lonely to eat only two of us, won’t Moondae join us as well?”

“Can I?”

“Of course, let’s get your tray here, okay? Can you help him, Gunwoo?”

“Sure”

Gunwoo answered simply then brought a tray along with a portable small table to his father's bed, crowding the already small spaces while the child bowed his head politely.

“Thank you, Hyung…”

“That reminds me, this is the first time you two actually meet each other right? Moondae, this is my son, Ryu Gunwoo”

“Hello, my name is Park Moondae”

“Ryu Gunwoo, how old are you?”

“I’m 9 years old this year…”

Gunwoo tried to hide his surprise with a polite nod while I watched in aghast. This young Park Moondae is small, people would have thought he was no older than 6 years old, and scrawny. He has big eyes and an innocent face I am familiar with but he looks pale, there’s a slight gaunt on his cheeks and I can see the boy’s shoulder blade sticking out behind the oversized hospital gown, making me wonder what kind of illness this pitiful child had.

‘This bastard system, why don’t you show me this earlier?!’

No… this is the past, Moondae must have already recovered because right now he’s a picture of health but there’s nothing wrong with checking later… my attention went back to them when Father spoke.

“My son is 15 so you can call him Hyung, wow, that kongnamul-gukbap* look tasty, now let’s eat”

“... Yes, let’s eat”

Park Moondae took the spoon then hesitantly and slowly brought a spoonful of soup to his mouth while father watched the young boy like a hawk. After eating three spoons, Park Moondae put down his spoon with a pale face but before his father said anything, Gunwoo blurted out first.

“Does it taste bad?”

“Um, no, it’s… fine…”

Park Moondae answers with a nervous voice while Ryu Gunwoo nods in understanding and then rummages through the paper bag he brought before.

“Then how about we add a secret spice?”

“Secret spice?”

“Yes, if you add this, it will be really delicious, do you want to try it?”

“Um, is it real?”

“Of course, how about it? but you must promise me to keep it a secret to try it”

“Um… Yes, alright, I promise”

“Good, now pick one”

Ryu Gunwoo pulls out three small colourful packets of Furikake* with different flavours from paper bags. 

‘This kid can be petty too’

I know that hospital food mostly lacks flavour and there’s the memory of his father sometimes having a low appetite and fussy with food so Ryu Gunwoo learned to prepare some extra ‘seasoning’ in his pocket to persuade his father to eat more. Park Moondae looked at the packet with doubtful eyes. He seemed to recognize one of the packages and wondered if Ryu Gunwoo tried to trick him but flinched when looking at Ryu Gunwoo’s face then father, who tried hard not to laugh, butting in. 

“I recommend the blue one, it’s my favourite”

“Uh, alright, then the blue one”

“Alright, do you want me to pour it into your bowl?”

“No… I can do it myself”

Gunwoo handed the blue packet, which Moondae opened and poured before carefully eating a spoonful, then his face lit up with the change in taste.

“It’s tasty…”

“Isn’t it? Now you should eat more”

Moondae took another spoonful then another until he finished the whole bowl. He looked surprised and proud when praised by my father, having a wide happy smile that matches with his youthful face. Father offered some of his cake after that, in which Park Moondae ate one small spoonful with another smile and when the boy ended up sleeping again on his father's bed, Ryu Gunwoo heard the story of the child from his father.

“I heard this poor child was beaten and locked up by some scoundrel in a small warehouse for almost two days and nearly died. Well, I don’t know the details but the doctor said the incident traumatizes him that he can barely eat, today was the first time he’s able to eat something without throwing up”

“I see, how about his parents?”

“You’ve met her”

“Huh?”

“He’s Nurse Park’s son, she said her husband already passed away”

“Ah…”

Then someone knocked on the door and Nurse Park entered the room with a wheeled tray. Ryu Gunwoo's eyes look back and forth from the kind nurse to the child who is curled up on the bed, trying to find some resemblance between them.

I’ve seen the photo of Park Moondae’s parents in my world and, just like my parents, they’re also Park Moondae’s parents in this world but they’re not die in an airplane accident, instead his father passed away first from illness while his mother remarried with my father.

‘There are also some circumstances… it’s better to look into it later

I remember when looking at the documents about the adoption and guardianship, Moondae changed his surname twice. It’s odd since not necessary for a child to change into their mother's surname after their father passes away, especially for a son* so maybe there are more things I’m not aware of.

“I’m really sorry for troubling you”

“No, there’s no trouble at all, he’s a good child”

“You’re too kind…”

My, or precisely Ryu Gunwoo's, attention now focused on Nurse Park who bowed deeply to him and his father with an embarrassed face then carefully took Moondae in her arms. Her face looks weary with a dark circle in her eyes but her expression is one of mothers, soft and full of affection. That expression seems to have caught Ryu Gunwoo’s interest as he stared at her for some time even after she put Moondae back to his own bed and pulled a curtain then the whole scene faded to black. 

The next thing I knew, I was back standing in the crowd and nursing the sudden headache from another surge of memories while another status window appeared.

[Congratulations!]

[Mission <Fated Meeting>]

[Stage I Sub-quest Complete!]

Pick your special trait [click!]

I move my finger to click without much thought then a familiar slot machine starts spinning

[Jackpot!]

You won a hero trait!

[Trait : Bacchus 1000 (A)]

Clear mind and strong body!

All fatigue accumulation speed -50%

All fatigue recovery speed +100%

I switch the B tier one with this then straighten up my body while holding back a sigh.

… Now what should I do with these f*cking memories?

***

A thin smoke filled my sight when a cold wind passed my cheek while a small, tidy garden that you often see in front of high-end buildings slowly appeared. 

‘This is not Los Angeles…’

My last memory was filming self-content with other VTIC members before watching the second-day stage of the Joint K-pop Concert in Los Angeles. It was around the end of summer but the temperature couldn't drop this extreme. But before I could gather my thoughts, a car pulled over in front of me.

“Hey, I've told you to wait inside”

“You're punctual as usual, Gunwoo hyung”

Words flow out from my mouth as I move to open the door of the passenger seats and sit beside Gunwoo hyung, who's sitting behind the steering wheel.

“Leader or not, you need to take care of yourself more…”

Gunwoo hyung grumbled as he took off his scarf then handed it to me along with a thermos, which I received naturally, before he went back to driving while I realised something. 

‘It seems I'm in what people call a Lucid dream*....’

I can still perceive what happened around me but am unable to control my actions and words… I heard if I tried enough, I could control it then suddenly the scene changed and now I'm seeing both myself and Gunwoo hyung from the rear-mirror point of view.

‘Interesting…’

They said Lucid dreams* are a reflection of one's memory so I took this opportunity to look at them more closely and found that both me and Gunwoo hyung look older than I remember, especially Gunwoo hyung. He’s just two years older than me but his face looks much older, as if he’s ageing 10 years in advance and exhausted, although he is still handsome.

‘Am I imagining what we will look like in the future or… is it a precognition* dream?’

If one could turn back time several times, this kind of dream could exist too, right?

‘Although I never imagine to ever experiencing it’

I decided to give this dream a benefit of doubt and see what happens…

“We’re nothing without you, hyung”

“Don't say something ridiculous, people will misunderstand if you and other members say words like that around”

“I never lie, hyung” 

“Now that's a lie”

I saw myself let out a small chuckle, more like a snort, over Gunwoo hyung's words but with one look in my eyes, it's definitely not an empty word.

Gunwoo hyung is the precious main vocal of VTIC, the one I've painstakingly searched for after a devastating realization of my own limitations. He's also an indispensable member, if VTIC is one body, he holds the role of heart that keeps the group going and losing him is equal to losing VTIC but it seems Gunwoo hyung didn't feel the same.

“It’s true, can you think about it again?”

“It’s already been decided”

“Is it? I wonder if they know about your relationship with your dongsaengs*… one scandal is enough to turn things around, Hyung”

Gunwoo hyung frowned but kept his eyes on the road while answering with a tired voice.

“I suppose so… well, that kind of connection aren’t that rare to find on this floor either”

“Wouldn’t it be bad for your dongsaengs* as well?”

“It can’t be helped, whether I’m with them or not, it’ll come out eventually. The company already know and chooses to act accordingly when the time comes”

“It’s still negotiable, hyung”

This time it was Gunwoo hyung who snorted

“Hey, once you’ve said that this is only business, the company, fans, idols, it’s all about making the best deal for bigger profits. All this decision is also a business, why are you like this now?”

“... I don’t know you’re such a petty person, hyung, well, they're rivals after all”