Chapter 38

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Translated by Sylph

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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“First of all… I want to do .”
“……!!”
Seon Ahyun was noticeably shaken.
It was an attitude that he hadn’t expected in the slightest that I would agree with his choice.
“R-R-Really?”
“Yeah.”
It was true that was a good song, and extra points were given for the fact that it was a song from five years ago.
The song that Kim Raebin mentioned was from the year before last.
‘I thought about this during the first team match too, but VTIC’s latest songs are burdensome.’
Kim Raebin himself seemed confident, but there was no need to take a risk unnecessarily.
However, I couldn’t completely ignore the opinion of Kim Raebin, who would lead the arrangement.
To utilize his characteristic, , I had to throw some keyword that suited his taste.
Coincidentally, contrary to Seon Ahyun’s expression of dying from joy, Kim Raebin had a somewhat gloomy expression. He must have expected that his opinion would not be accepted.
“But since ‘self-production’ is the theme of this team match, it’ll be hard to use the original song as it is.”
“Ah…”
“So I want a somewhat unconventional arrangement. Personally, among the opinions Raebin gave earlier, ‘Oriental style’ looks good.”
“That is,”
Kim Raebin became dazed as if lost in thought, then immediately brightened up.
“Certainly, the lyrics are not awkward either… If we choose the instruments well, I think a very interesting arrangement could come out. If we modify the choreography according to the arrangement, a very impressive stage scene will be possible.”
“That’s a relief.”
First, Kim Raebin was handled with this.
Then, are Lee Sejin and Gold 1 left?
I turned my head and scanned the two.
As soon as he met my eyes, Lee Sejin smiled with a nonchalant face.
“Then how about arranging it in a sexy Oriental style?”
“…!”
“Anyway, even if we go with an Oriental style, we have to decide what kind of atmosphere to use within it. Let’s use sexy to make an impact, is what I’m saying!”
There was nothing wrong with what he said.
‘He must have intended this from the beginning…’
Among the opinions that had come out so far, there was no opinion that a ‘sexy concept’ couldn’t be used, so he probably intended to link it like this no matter what I answered.
‘He speaks well enough to be moderately funny and hard to refuse.’
Sure enough, Gold 1 sighed playfully.
“You are really an amazing guy, really…”
In effect, it meant let’s do that. Seeing the expressions of the other two, they had already been persuaded.
“Haha, am I a bit?”
Lee Sejin shrugged his shoulders. With this, the opinions of the four teammates were reflected in the song selection.
‘Since it’s come to this, let’s take care of the last guy too.’
There were few viewers who would dislike a warm and democratic team atmosphere. I opened my mouth again calmly.
“Then should we also use the rabbit?”
“Eh?”
Gold 1 waved his hand.
“Ah, what I said? It’s okay. I just said it.”
“No. I think it’ll suit well.”
“…A rabbit?”
“Yes. You know the rabbit that appears in our country’s old stories.”
The other teammates seemed to recall stories in their own ways.
“B-Byeol-ju-bu-jeon?”
“Is… the one where the rabbit and turtle are racing our country’s story?”
“That’s Aesop’s Fables.”
Among the whispering teammates, only Lee Sejin chuckled. The quick-witted guy.
“Moon rabbit?”
“Moon rabbit. That’s right.”
It was the rabbit in the old story that made rice cakes with a pestle on the moon. Also known as the Jade Rabbit.
It was also famous as a nursery rhyme with lyrics saying it was under a cinnamon tree.
“…How on earth do you make that sexy?”
Gold 1 muttered absurdly, asking if it wasn’t the destruction of childhood innocence. Apparently, he had thought of some kind of Playboy magazine-style rabbit.
However, Kim Raebin must have liked this keyword, as he was already correcting him with his eyes wide open. Honestly, it was comfortable since I didn’t need to open my mouth.
“I think it’ll be fine if we don’t use it as it is but just take motifs and reconstruct it. If we can make good use of the image of a phantom animal, it’s an attractive concept.”
“Uh, is that so? Of course, I’d like it if my opinion was used.”
Gold 1 nodded his head half-heartedly. Lee Sejin immediately settled the situation.
“Hmm~ I also like it! Then shall we decide by a show of hands for now?”
A few teams around us had already decided on their songs and were informing the production team.
In terms of time, it was about time for our team to conclude the song selection and move on to the details.
“For this stage, those who agree with the opinion to reinterpret into a sexy Oriental concept with a moon rabbit, please raise your hands!”
Immediately, everyone’s hands went up. As soon as he finished speaking, Lee Sejin, who also raised his own hand, laughed.
“Keu, it was really democratic~ All of our opinions have been reflected. Let’s work hard!”
“Yes!”
“Yay~”
In that way, the discussion ended with the sound of warm applause, just as it had started.
That was when it happened.
“I said I hate it!”
Someone from another team next to us stood up shouting.
Coincidentally, their face caught my sight. It was Lee Sejin.
“What is it?”
“Uh…”
“Are they fighting?”
The participants around whispered softly.
But everyone was in a mood to save their words. Because talking unnecessarily was no different from signaling that they wanted to be a victim of editing.
In the meantime, Lee Sejin was glaring at the participants opposite him.
I could see the stiff-faced Choi Wongil and the dejected-faced Cha Yujin.
But the confrontation did not last long.
Lee Sejin, who had stood up, turned around and ran out of the filming site while gritting his teeth.
“…!!”
“Heol. Those guys…”
Fortunately, Ryu Chungwoo immediately regained his composure and followed Lee Sejin out.
“You guys, wait for a moment. …Sejin-a? Lee Sejin!”
A camera hurriedly followed Ryu Chungwoo.
“…….”
Wow, that place is really… done for.
If even the clear-brained Cha Yujin was involved, the atmosphere was predictable.
“Heigu…”
Gold 1 let out a short sigh.
Kim Raebin’s face darkened, perhaps because the trauma of the last team match was recurring.
However, no one was tactless enough to go to that team and offer comfort or ask questions.
It had been several weeks of filming, so there was no participant who still couldn’t grasp the situation.
‘Meddling is a sacrifice for broadcast.’
So this quickly finished reporting the song selection to the production team and moved to the practice room.
It was a wise decision.
* * *
The time the returned to the dormitory was well past midnight.
Everyone looked like withered bean sprouts.
“The bedroom is nice…”
Lee Sejin let out a dying sound and collapsed onto the bed.
He looked like he had been knocked out, unable to endure the crazy schedule of taking care of the arrangement, modifying the choreography, and even the stage concept within ten days.
“I-I-I’ll go wash…”
Seon Ahyun couldn’t get up from the bed after saying those words.
“…….”
He had been in a state of extreme tension the whole time he was recreating the choreography according to the progress of the arrangement, and it seemed his mental strength eventually couldn’t hold out.
Gold 1 said he had to eat something and went to another room in a limp manner. He seemed to be thinking of getting some cup ramen from Gold 2, but well, he’d take care of it.
“…Is it okay if I use the shower first…”
“Sure.”
Kim Raebin called Seon Ahyun a few times, and when there was no answer, he asked for my understanding and entered the bathroom.
So, I was the only one left in this room who was sane.
Ah, why am I relatively okay?
Naturally, it’s thanks to the Status Window. I thought of a new characteristic that would be floating at the bottom of the Status Window.
[Characteristic: Bacchus 500 (B)]
– Clear mind and healthy body!
: All fatigue accumulation speed -50%
It was a characteristic I drew as a reward for the next stage of ‘Fame Achievement’ after the previous team match stage was broadcast.
[Ripening of Fame!]
500,000 people remembered your existence!
: Draw Hero Characteristic ☜ Click!
Honestly, it was a figure that didn’t feel real.
500,000 people?
Just how much did the program blow up for more than 500,000 people to remember a single participant? Even for a top-ranked participant, it was a surprising number.
Looking at the speed, the fact that it seemed like it would soon break 1 million was even a bit chilling.
‘1 million people will… no, will they remember ‘Park Moondae’?’
At times like this, I thought it was rather fortunate that it was someone else’s body.
Anyway, the Fame Achievement draw at the level of 500,000 people hit the jackpot. It was the most useful in a survival environment among those I had obtained so far.
It didn’t immediately increase my lung capacity or build muscle, but busy days with high physical exhaustion certainly became easier.
‘Since I still have the luxury to organize my thoughts even after running so hard.’
I stood up and did a short stretch. Anyway, I was tired and lethargic.
‘I should wash and sleep as soon as Kim Raebin comes out.’
At that moment, a sound came from the door.
Knock knock.
“…?”
Is it Gold 1? But if it were him, there was no way he would knock before entering.
‘If it were a staff member, they would have already said who they were.’
I had no idea at all.
Knock knock knock knock!
But the sound of knocking on the door continued. However, the teammates inside the room were all out of it.
‘…This has become annoying.’
I sighed, stood up, and opened the door.
“…!”
Cha Yujin was standing outside.
Up to this point, it was a bit surprising but understandable. He might have come to meet Kim Raebin, who was from the same agency.
The problem was that he was blubbering.
Cha Yujin was sobbing, with tears and snot running down.
“…….”
‘…Why did he come here to cry?’
I was very perplexed.
Fixed cams are also installed in the dormitory hallway and inside the rooms. If so, the scene of this guy coming here crying must have all been captured, and I had no idea how it would come out on broadcast.
No, more than that, why did he crawl in here of all places?
‘Isn’t it common sense to consult with Ryu Chungwoo?’
With Ryu Chungwoo’s personality, he would have comforted him well by now. Why come to another team and create a source of potential trouble?
‘Then again, he doesn’t seem like the type whose head works in that direction…’
I thought about all sorts of things during the brief moment of silence, and eventually opened my mouth.
“…Did you come to see Raebin?”
“Kheung, I came to meet hyung and Kim Raebin,”
Cha Yujin answered with unclear pronunciation.
‘Me? Why?’
It’s not like we had built up much of a friendship… well, he must have liked the last team match quite a lot.
Anyway, the result was good and the process (from Cha Yujin’s perspective) must have been fun without much worry.
‘After tasting the hell of this team match, he must have missed it anew.’
Anyway, if I sent him back now, it didn’t seem like they would edit him positively no matter what kind of scene it became on broadcast.
I held back a sigh and answered.
“Come in. Raebin is washing.”
“Yes…”
Cha Yujin continued to sob as he entered the room.
On the bed, the other teammates were sleeping as if they were dead. Since I was sure they would never wake up with this level of noise, I didn’t particularly lower my voice.
First, I made him sit in front of a nearby table.
‘Should I give him something?’
I looked at Cha Yujin’s miserable appearance with a troubled mind, then took out a few chocolate bars from my bag and handed them to him.
If some sugar went in, it would probably be a bit better.
“Thank you…”
Cha Yujin took the chocolate bar with completely crushed pronunciation and put it in his mouth.
“…….”
Only the sound of munching on chocolate echoed in the room. I became troubled.
‘Should I… damn, ask him something?’
If I asked unnecessarily and had to get involved in another team’s affairs, there was no situation more terrible than that.
However, it was also a problem if I just kept my mouth shut and let him chat with Kim Raebin.
‘Kim Raebin is also not the type with outstanding social skills.’
I didn’t know what kind of situation this might escalate into. It would be troublesome if the arrows turned toward me, who was in the middle.
Eventually, I opened my mouth again with the feeling of removing a landmine.