Chapter 65

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Translated by Sylph

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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It was common for groups debuting through survival shows to film reality programs.
This was because they could carry over the characters and topicality gained from the audition program to some extent.

‘…Still, I didn’t know we would enter filming right after just one meeting.’

Even during the meeting, we didn’t hear much.
It was mostly just interviews about what the members wanted to do.

‘I guess it’s a relief that the dorm is good.’

Perhaps because they were conscious of the filming, the dorm was more magnificent than expected. It was the first time I stayed in such a large, newly built apartment with good security.
Of course, cameras were attached to every corner.

“Ah, camera!”
“Hello…?”

The guys who were taking off their shoes at the entrance and running to the living room noticed the cameras and acknowledged them. It was an action requested in advance.

‘Did they say it’s unnatural to look like you’re not conscious of the cameras at all?’

In the first place, if there are this many, it seemed harder not to be conscious of them.
In fact, when we entered the living room, several cameramen and production staff were also waiting in the blind spots of the unmanned cameras.
I heard that they would only be here briefly today for the initial filming cuts of the reality show, and then the people would withdraw, leaving only the unmanned cameras.

“First of all… congratulations to everyone for passing~”
“Wow~!”
“Our commemorative photo!”

The successful candidates sitting around the living room clapped and took a group photo together once, then began the reality show proceedings.

“Wow, being like this, it feels like a new team match has started.”
“Except for the fact that this team match lasts for 5 years, I think you’re right.”
“Oh~ Raebin took that well?”

Fortunately, everyone looked natural.

‘We’re seeing the benefit of living with cameras every day in like this.’

Furthermore, the atmosphere was amicable due to the joy of passing.
The guys, who were three times less sensitive and more generous than during the audition filming, exchanged blessings and jokes while laughing.

“Everyone really worked hard.”
“That’s right. I think I can do most things enjoyably now!”
“L-let’s get along enjoyably…!”

And at the right time, a robot vacuum cleaner suddenly popped out from the production staff in the camera blind spot.
It was the mascot and major PPL for this reality program.

“Huh?”
“He’s holding something!”

A card decorated with lots of glitter glue dangled near the vacuum cleaner’s head.
Quick-handed Cha Yujin picked up the vacuum cleaner and pulled out the card.

“Is something written on it?”
“Yes!”

While still holding the robot vacuum cleaner under his arm, Cha Yujin excitedly read the card’s content.

“Ahem, ‘You… will receive missions through cards from now on! Clear the missions so that you can become a true group!'”

“Ah.”
“M-mission.”

The atmosphere became slightly solemn. It was nothing short of a trauma response.
Ryu Chungwoo laughed as if he had attained enlightenment.

“Haha, we even made it through the audition, but the missions don’t end…”

I thought sourly.

‘…To become a true group, I thought the agency needed to get its act together first.’

I recalled Tnet, which just three days ago had repeatedly notified and then canceled that our affiliation would change about three times a day.
I had a bad feeling.

‘It seems like they’ve gotten some unnecessary wind in their sails.’

Since the program was so successful this time, it seemed like T1 wanted to run TeSTAR by creating a new directly managed agency.
However, since there were existing contracts with Tnet subsidiaries, it seemed difficult to easily take them away.
So, perhaps they were too busy having power struggles among themselves that the group was actually in a state of neglect.
I even found out about the news that our debut song would be released within a month through an article this morning. But we hadn’t even met our manager yet.

‘This is driving me crazy.’

I held back a sigh.
Then, Cha Yujin raised his hand high.

“Oh? There’s more! ‘Today’s mission is… free time’!”

“Ooh!!”

The atmosphere instantly loosened up.
I also received high-fives from the people around me for the reaction of ‘I’m very much enjoying the rest time I got today.’

‘Let’s not think about it.’

Anyway, entering T1’s new agency was now almost a confirmed state.
Rookies with no experience have no authority. We just had to accept it.

‘…Please just don’t put relatives into the planning department.’

I really wished the high-ups would take care of sales, accounting, and operations themselves and just not touch the planning. I hoped they used experienced people.

“Let’s look at the rooms! Let’s grab rooms!”

The successful candidates stood up holding the ‘Free Time’ card and began to tour the house.
Three rooms and three bathrooms. It was a good configuration that could be shared generously.
And placards with numbers written on them were attached in front of each bedroom.

“TeSTAR’s first~ mini-game! The topic is room assignment!”

“It’s the same.”
“R-really.”

Kim Raebin, who volunteered to imitate the MC, was so similar that it stimulated PTSD rather than being funny, so it became solemn again. Still, the game proceeded without problems.
Through several board games with strong random elements, we drew notes from a box in the decided order.

“This also has a strange sense of déjà vu…”
“Right…”

The kids became pensive whenever overlapped.
Anyway, I drew a note second, following Cha Yujin.
It was number 1.

‘I avoided number 3.’

Bedroom 3, which was the master bedroom, was a structure where three people shared. It was natural that two people were much better than three.

‘I wished I could share with a quiet guy.’

First, I avoided Cha Yujin.

‘I just needed to avoid Big Sejin.’

Just as I thought that, Lee Sejin, who was next in order, drew note number 1.

“…”

Just before a gap opened, Big Sejin and Ryu Chungwoo stepped in.

“Oh~ Moondae and Sejin-hyung are in the same room~”
“Both are the straightforward type, so I think they’ll get along well.”
“Right?”

I was glad there were quick-witted guys.

“Please take good care of me.”

I quickly reached out my hand, and Lee Sejin slowly reached out his and accepted the handshake.

‘I’m a bit worried about the filming for this.’

From the look of it, I liked the fact that it seemed like it would be quiet.
But the camera would be rolling for 2-3 weeks, and the key was whether this guy would even pretend to be warm during that time.

‘The production team will take care of it.’

It was a reality show, not an audition, so I thought the editing would surely be done well.
This was because there would be nothing good for the production team if a controversy broke out.

“Let’s hurry up and draw too~”

The remaining room assignments ended in extremes.
Kim Raebin and Seon Ahyun were in one room.

“P-please take care of me.”
“I also look forward to your kind cooperation in the future.”

Watching the two not-so-close guys having a greeting battle, I thought that side would be uncomfortable in its own way.
Of course, their situation was much better than mine. At least both of them didn’t have a personality like Lee Sejin.

“Oh~ our room is going to be really fun, isn’t it?”
“I like the big room!”
“Yeah! Let’s get along well.”

And room 3, which 3 people used… Big Sejin, Cha Yujin, and Ryu Chungwoo ended up using it together.
It was already noisy. But Ryu Chungwoo had a face that was reasonably satisfied.

‘Come to think of it, Ryu Chungwoo’s position is a bit afloat.’

Ryu Chungwoo didn’t have anyone he met privately among the successful candidates, except for Cha Yujin.
It would be better to enter a room with many people and grasp the situation quickly. Since there was Big Sejin, who had a good personality and was polite to elders, it would be the icing on the cake.

Following the production team’s signal, we moved to the bedroom immediately for the cut of unpacking and resting.

“Which side of the bed do you want to use?”
“Anything is fine.”
“Really?”

If you say so.
I immediately went to the left bed and unpacked my things. It was a position where the noise echoing through the wall seemed likely to be less since it was on the opposite side of the living room.
For reference, Lee Sejin was also looking at this bed. Thanks to that, it became silent again.

“…”

It wasn’t a survival show, so why would I read his mood and match it?
I intended to do as I pleased within the line of not getting caught.
Lee Sejin looked at this side without a word, then went to the other side and unpacked.
I began to organize my things with a peaceful mind. Honestly, I didn’t have much, so there wasn’t much to organize anyway.
Ah, I bought some clothes because I had so few. It was the prize money I earned because my team won by a narrow margin in the finals.
I heard that there was some bashing because they announced the time allocation problem of the final round on the internet after the program ended, but well, they gave me the money, so it was fine.
For reference, the kimchi refrigerator… I still hadn’t received it. They were nothing short of scammers.

‘This is a bit irritating.’

Around the time I was folding the last of my clothes while holding back a sigh, the quiet room filled with people’s voices.

“Tada!”
“As expected, room 1 is good. Is it because the 1st place is staying?”

It was the guys from room 3.
Saying that the organization finished in an instant because Ryu Chungwoo, being a former national athlete, taught them the tips for unpacking, Cha Yujin and Big Sejin seemed to be roaming around the room joyfully.

“Is there anything you want to eat for dinner?”

Ryu Chungwoo sat on the bed with a smile.

“Galbi!”
“Jokbal!”

Setting Cha Yujin aside, that Big Sejin guy seemed to be acting like that more on purpose to get some screen time.
…I suddenly had an ominous feeling that I wouldn’t be able to escape the cycle of this noisiness while the reality show was in progress.

* * *

For dinner, we had to cook and eat together. Thanks to that, I cooked for more than 2 people for the first time in a while.

‘Cooking was better than going grocery shopping.’

First of all, I had to talk more if I went out. Because the number of people was fewer.
Furthermore, entering a large mart with three cameras required quite a bit of courage.
Anyway, the cooking was quite successful. Unexpectedly, the assistance came in well.
Except for Seon Ahyun.

“I-I’m s-sorry…”
“Nothing to be sorry about.”

I thought he should be a bit sorry to his own hands rather than me.
I kicked Seon Ahyun out of the kitchen after he almost cut his hand for the third time.
When I gave Seon Ahyun, who was feeling anxious, the job of setting the table instead, he finally felt relieved.

‘…An auntie used to come to his studio apartment.’

I wondered why they attached a person to work for someone who was good at housework. It was because he was catastrophically bad at cooking.
Anyway, the jjimdak was completed well. It was the pick of Ryu Chungwoo, who won at rock-paper-scissors.

‘I tried it on my birthday because I thought eating out was a waste of money, and now I’m using it like this.’

I shrugged my shoulders, recalling the birthday of the first year I earned money by selling data.

“It looks delicious.”
“Right.”
“…”

Lee Sejin didn’t give any special response to Kim Raebin’s words, but unexpectedly, he was cooperative in cooking.

‘Is it because he held a knife?’

I organized the kitchen knife I was still holding. Meanwhile, the jjimdak was carried by the grocery shopping group to the dining table.

“Oh~ the jjimdak is really delicious!”
“The soy sauce seasoning is well soaked and it’s tender.”

The meal was successful.

“Maybe I should learn to cook too.”
“I’m good at cooking.”
“Huh? Then do the cooking!”
“But I like grocery shopping more.”

With Cha Yujin’s bright statement, the introduction to the reality show was completed.

“You worked hard~”

The filming team left after installing a claw machine in the living room.
All the dolls inside were placed with the back of their heads facing up.

‘It might be a bit eerie to see at night.’

Anyway, they said to be surprised after seeing it in the living room tomorrow and then pick one of those dolls.
‘Content drawing’.
Tomorrow I’ll meet the manager and finally start the album meeting with the agency too, so if I have to do that as well, a quick sleep has gone down the drain.
I went into the room quickly with the determination to sleep a lot today.
Lee Sejin was already in bed looking at his smartphone.

“Good night.”
“…You too.”

Maybe it’s because he ate well. He seemed a bit more softened than this morning.
I immediately put on earplugs and began my sleep. In the last view I saw, the camera in the corner was rolling by itself.

‘I hoped the officials I met tomorrow wouldn’t just say nonsense.’

And this wish was fulfilled exactly half.

* * *

The manager was a decent person.

“Tell me if you need anything!”

He seemed sociable and had a high threshold. From a glance, he seemed to be the type who wouldn’t lay a hand on kids.

‘Well, they’ve already become too famous to be treated like rookies.’

“When album activities start in earnest, another manager will come besides me, so don’t worry!”

“Yes!”

Since there’s a high probability that it’ll follow the atmosphere set by the person who came first, I decided not to worry about that for now.
And the meeting with the agency.
This is…

“Shall we have our capable TeSTAR take charge of organizing the songs?”

“…? Yes?”

To sum it up in one word, we were screwed.