Chapter 122

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Translated by Sylph

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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Choi Wongil. He was a guy who frequently caused conflicts in every team battle in , eventually got hit by the editing beam, and plummeted.

Shall I say he was a case of failing because he wanted to act slyly but it all showed.

Since he even made Seon Ahyun huff that ‘he is a very mean kid’, in a sense, he was a consistently great guy.

‘Hmm, did he drop out while fleeing to Gold 1’s agency?’

So it wasn’t particularly surprising that the two were moving together, but it was unexpected that the location was a broadcasting station where a year-end music program was in progress.

‘They probably haven’t debuted yet.’

I checked all the rookie trends this year because of that Rookie of the Year award, but the agency of those two was not in the lineup.

In the middle of that, Gold 1 was chatting with the members while snickering.

“Wow, it’s really good to see you! No, wait a minute, should I call you sunbae-nim? Sunbae-nims are really great~”

“Oh, forget it~”

“P, please speak comfortably, hyung…!”

“Hey Ahyun-ah, you’re still a very kind kid!”

In a friendly atmosphere, I roughly checked the appearance of Gold 1 and Choi Wongil.

And I realized.

‘They came as dancers.’

A female solo artist from that agency who was an idol had very good results recently.

And it wasn’t strange since it was a situation that happened quite often to use debut group trainees as dancers for experience and media reports.

As expected, Gold 1 introduced the guys around him who were wearing the same black costumes as himself by pushing them forward.

“Right, these are the dongsaengs I’m practicing with!”

“Uh, hello!”

“Greetings!”

The eyes of the greeting guys shone with curiosity, envy, and admiration. Whether this reaction was awkward, a few of the members exchanged awkward greetings.

And suddenly a nomination came in.

“Th-there, Park Moondae sunbae-nim!”

“Yes?”

“Just one handshake…! Could I ask for one…!!”

They were horrified and suppressed from the side.

“Hey hey, don’t overdo it!”

“Oh my, this crazy kid here too, ha!”

What are they doing.

I hid my reluctance and nodded.

“…Of course.”

“…! Th-thank you!”

And a handshake exchange took place in extreme politeness, as if meeting a corporate chairman.

“Ah, I love it so much!”

The teammates of Gold 1 whispered about the happy handshake species.

“Hey, I guess a person really needs to have courage.”

“I see.”

…Anyone watching would think they met a legendary great senior in the music industry.

Looking at it, they seemed to be in a state where the team was already confirmed, and if they officially debut early next year, the difference in years of experience with Testar won’t even be one year.

‘…Well, results were everything.’

That looking-up gaze meant a psychological gap toward a ‘successful group’ purely.

And it didn’t seem like only those kids felt it.

It was in a slightly different direction, though.

“Wow, while doing pre-recording, it wasn’t even me being filmed but I was really nervous.”

“No, isn’t someone who even has a fancam with hundreds of thousands of views exaggerating too much~?”

“Hey, it’s different from that! It’s more scary to ruin sunbae-nim’s stage!”

“Hmm, it seems like a problem where it’s hard to judge which is superior.”

Behind the Teastar members and Gold 1 who were exchanging news, Choi Wongil was lowering his head while avoiding gaze.

“……”

‘He’s suppressed.’

He seemed like the type who would finish once the hierarchy was completely settled.

Since Teastar’s activities this year were so successful, he probably didn’t even dare to say anything.

In the middle of that, Gold 1 eventually finished greeting Bae Sejin too. And he threw a closing comment with a slightly regrettable expression.

“Ah~ I have many stories to tell, but you’re busy, right? I’ll buy you a meal sometime next time!”

It meant to go and do their business now.

But there was one guy who couldn’t understand empty words just in time.

Kim Raebin, that is.

“Ah, we have enough time until the next stage. If we move to the waiting room, it seems there will be no difficulty in continuing the conversation.”

Gold 1 was flustered.

“Haha, Raebin-ah, thanks for the invitation, but wouldn’t those I don’t know well be uncomfortable~.”

But those were Cha Yujin and Ryu Chungwoo.

“Not uncomfortable!”

“Ah, it’s okay. Make yourself comfortable.”

“I, is that so?”

At the clean okay, Gold 1 was flustered.

And Gold 1’s teammates, who noticed the situation, fled quickly.

“Hyung, enjoy comfortably. We’ll be at the dorm!”

“Bring a Melona when you come!”

“Idol Inc. news talk, ah, fighting~”

“These crazy guys!”

The guys in black clothes ran through the hallway and disappeared in a crowd.

However, Choi Wongil, who didn’t catch the timing, remained in his place.

“……”

It seemed like he wasn’t fitting in well because he had just joined this team, or they left him there saying he’s from the same Idol Inc.

‘The situation is ambiguous.’

Fortunately, Gold 1 took care of Choi Wongil.

“Ah Wongil-ah, it’s our first time visiting these friends’ waiting room, so shall we buy something to drink?”

“I’ll go buy it.”

“Uh?”

And Choi Wongil ran away before Gold 1 could say anything more.

‘It seems he won’t come back at this rate.’

Gold 1 sighed.

“Sorry, it was a bit uncomfortable, right?”

“I-it’s okay!”

“How can it be okay……. But Wongil, he has improved a lot. I’m a bit worried about him looking up internet reactions too much…. Well, these days not much is said anyway.”

Gold 1 let out a deep sigh. He seemed to have suffered quite a bit of heartache.

Big Sejin smiled and peeked at the place where Choi Wongil disappeared.

“He’s also in the debut group, right?”

“Yeah. Actually, well, he sings well… he’s young. He also has recognition.”

Well, he didn’t debut through Idol Inc., and since it’s ultimately a problem of broadcast image, he can roughly crush it as evil editing and move on.

There is no big problem in including one in a group.

‘Well, it’s none of my business.’

If they exceed 300,000 copies in initial sales next year, let’s analyze then.

“Uh, Moondae, where are you going?”

“Bathroom.”

I peeked out of the procession moving to the waiting room and walked down the hallway.

‘The floor below here didn’t have people.’

Since time was plenty, I was thinking of going in a direction where I could avoid meeting people.

And I encountered Choi Wongil before even arriving at the bathroom.

Surprisingly, instead of a convenience store, he was sitting in a corner of the emergency stairs chewing on solitude.

“……”

“……”

Let’s just go to the bathroom.

I just tilted my head slightly and passed Choi Wongil and went down the stairs.

Then, suddenly Choi Wongil shouted.

“Must be nice for you, hyung.”

“?? ”

“Everything turned out well……. Everyone likes you.”

Why does a line like a daily drama suddenly pop out?

I don’t know. More than something like fluster… it’s very solemn and embarrassing.

‘Since it’s an emergency staircase, the sound all echoes.’

So my hands and feet shriveled even more.

I wish there was no one above or below this remote staircase.

Because I want no one to know that the party listening to this line is me.

“What does it feel like to live like that? The whole world turning as you want it to.”

And I never dreamed there would be a b*stard who would say such words in reality.

Even Choi Wongil is now sobbing.

‘What on earth happened to his sensitivity.’

I’m feeling the sense of disparity I occasionally feel from idol aspirants once again.

‘Should I just go.’

I slightly moved my steps, but I discovered a moving human figure way down the railing.

‘…! ‘

Can they hear?

The distance was quite far. But although it could be unclear because the sound echoed, it seemed to have been heard sporadically.

If I let this guy keep talking, wouldn’t some strange rumor arise?

‘…Should I clean up and leave?’

I checked Choi Wongil.

“Everyone originally lived like that! As if it’s only me… although everyone fought over parts and cursed, while it was like that.”

“……”

Now he is talking all by himself. It seems self-restraint is not working once it burst.

‘But why are you doing this to me.’

“Hy-hyung also did my part. Al-also… Sejin-hyung also got annoyed, but only I came out as if I acted more meanly. I also apologized to Heeseung but it didn’t come out.”

Choi Wongil continued to mutter while ruminating on the screen time he received in the middle and late stages of Idol Inc.

‘His head hasn’t escaped from Idol Inc. yet.’

Well, it could be.

Since a young guy with strong self-consciousness was cursed with raw words for several months by an unspecified majority.

Teastar, who experienced various crazy things in the past half year, quickly shook off the feeling at the time of Idol Inc. But this guy who only practiced would be a bit different.

Probably the reason he is doing this to me is also because the competitive spirit and jealousy since the Idol Inc. grade evaluation still remain.

It seems it burst out when he met me as an individual, not as one of Teastar.

‘…If it’s that much, wouldn’t it be better to even get a consultation once?’

Of course, there is no need or desire to say such things. Let’s just organize the situation well so that rumors don’t arise and leave quickly.

I suppressed a sigh and opened my mouth.

“You’re envious of me? Why?”

“…Because everything turned out well for you, hyung.”

“It’s not.”

I stared at Choi Wongil intently.

“If I tell you to change with me, will you do it?”

“……I can’t change…!”

“It means you have a heart that wants to change. Hmm……”

I massaged the back of my neck.

“But honestly, you wouldn’t want to change families, right.”

“…! ”

Choi Wongil flinched while curled up. Naturally, this guy also seems to know Park Moondae’s family history.

I spoke slowly on purpose.

“The thing you’re envious of is just… my current professional state. And this, I don’t know how it will change again in a few years.”

“……”

“Are you getting along well with your parents?”

“…Yes.”

“Right. I hope it’ll be like that in the future too.”

“……”

Choi Wongil bowed his head deeply.

‘Finished.’

The unblockable move went in well.

‘He must have thrown away useless inferiority complex a bit now.’

So I use the fact that my family history is famous like this too.

‘Let’s roughly talk in a way that tells him to cheer up and finish.’

But before I could even open my mouth again, an amazing thing happened.

“…I’m sorry.”

“…! ”

An apology came out from Choi Wongil’s mouth.

“At first… I said you were just lucky, so I’m sorry.”

Hmm… was it like that?

It seems to be one of the words Choi Wongil threw sarcastically during the grade evaluation practice.

‘Isn’t it the national rule that the guy who spat it out doesn’t remember and only the guy who heard it remembers.’

I didn’t know only that guy would remember until now.

Anyway, it was a good conversation to wrap up the situation. It was even better if someone was listening.

I nodded.

“Right. I’ll accept your apology well. You also prepare well for your debut.”

“……”

Choi Wongil nodded his head slightly.

Actually, Choi Wongil was a bit of a mean guy, but he didn’t commit any great crime. His head was also not ripe enough so he couldn’t even be crafty.

‘Shall I say he had no ability itself to make someone ruined by playing politics.’

Even Gold 2, whom he blatantly ignored, didn’t turn out better than himself?

Comprehensive, he was just an annoying troller.

‘I hope I won’t have to see him in the future.’

I walked back down the stairs.

I sneakily rechecked below the railing just in case, but the human figure I saw earlier had already disappeared.

* * *

“Happy New Year!!”

“Happy New Year~”

Teastar welcomed the new year by even taking care of the countdown at MBS.

But naturally there was no leisure to enjoy the new year’s sensitivity relaxedly.

Because a new awards ceremony was waiting just 5 days later.

Because it was one of the quite famous and old awards ceremonies, it was also included in the ‘most prestigious awards ceremony’ candidates that Park Moondae had set arbitrarily.

It was proceeded over two days by dividing into Digital Song and Album categories, but still there was only one Rookie of the Year category.

And the Rookie of the Year ceremony part was included in the cue sheet of the Album category awards ceremony date that Teastar attended.

Everyone thought inwardly.

‘Honestly, it’s a situation where it’s more strange if Teastar doesn’t receive it.’

And as everyone expected, Teastar won the Rookie of the Year award early on before their stage turn approached.

“Congratulations! Teastar!”

It wasn’t a surprising result.

But whether it was because there were so many obstacles, a sense of euphoria overflowed to both fans and Teastar!

“Waaaaaaa!!”

Recalling what happened on the internet for the past two months, the fans vigorously waved their lightsticks and shouted cheers.

“Thank you!”

Teastar came up on stage while bowing and greeting.

But as they received the bouquet and the trophy, they suddenly exchanged glances with a smirk that had a scheme.

And they passed the microphone straight to Seon Ahyun.

“?? ”

A moment of slightly flustered atmosphere passed the audience seats.

Because anyone who had seen even one episode of could not help but know Seon Ahyun’s stuttering symptom.

Passing the microphone to Seon Ahyun first was something that had never happened. He even had a time when he flusteredly pulled back.

But Seon Ahyun had a slightly nervous face, but immediately accepted the microphone.

“…Thank you so much for giving us, …such an undeserved award.”

“!! ”