Chapter 66

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Translated by Sylph

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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I had a bad feeling from the first time I met and talked to the agency official.

He was someone who had been working in the planning and marketing team of another T1 subsidiary and was appointed as the general manager this time.

In short, this person was the head of the agency’s business division, and he had zero experience in the entertainment business.

‘Damn it.’

Fortunately, the people in the content production team under him seemed to be experienced, but this guy was saying strange things, wondering if he had some great vision.

“A worldview?”

“Most idols targeting the global fandom these days all have a worldview. Right? Young friends all like that… things like cartoons.”

“…….”

He was completely full of hot air.

A worldview? Fine.

But if you’re going to release a new song within a month, should you start by talking about a worldview? Even if it’s a single, you should start talking about the song right away.

And TeSTAR didn’t need a worldview urgently.

‘They’ve already built characters and stories through the audition, so what kind of freezing nonsense is this…….’

From what I knew, a worldview was to give fans content to immerse themselves in and play with, and itself was already digesting such content.

Moreover, the members had already gained public recognition and finished positioning through the debut process.

It meant the agency only needed to provide songs with good public appeal, sophisticated choreography, and costumes.

The worldview could be built slowly while preparing for the next album after roughly setting the frame.

‘Did he go and watch some lecture?’

Lately, as agencies have been appealing their own unique capabilities due to stock issues, they have been mentioning worldview as if it were some huge hundred-year plan, so it seemed this guy was also tempted.

‘It’s his career, that’s what it is.’

What’s even more maddening is that he worked hard without knowing much.

“…Us?”

“Yeah! I saw the broadcast and you were good.”

The general manager said he ‘binge-watched’ diligently, praised each member, and then dropped a bombshell.

“Um, I’ll tell you right now. We’re going to do two active songs.”

“…?!”

“But, the company will take full charge of only one song. Our talented TeSTAR will take charge of the other song and set it up, okay?”

Of course, he said he would do the confirmation and modification.

“It would be great if we do it like this, according to our worldview, wouldn’t it? Self-producing!”

Self-produced idols are the trend, blah blah blah….

He meant he wanted to do everything others say is good.

It seemed he coveted the image of an ‘autonomous and hip’ emerging agency.

Naturally, the members were flustered, but as expected of those who safely finished the intrigue-ridden , it didn’t show much.

“Ah, I’m really grateful, but…… wouldn’t it be difficult with only our capabilities?”

“Mmm~ Of course, the employees will do it together. You guys freely! Uh, demonstrate the creativity and inspiration of the artist well, that’s what I mean.”

“Yes…….”

Since a high-ranking person more than twenty years older was firm, Ryu Chungwoo, who was trying to fix it, swallowed his words with a bitter smile.

Kim Raebin’s expression was already blank.

‘He’s out of it.’

It seemed he was out of it because of the work volume that was far short for the period while trying to think of what to do.

“Now, now, we have a lot to do, so we should get up, right?”

“Yes, yes.”

The general manager left after talking as much as he wanted. It was visible that he was pleased with himself for taking time to ‘take care’ of TeSTAR personally.

‘…Was the CEO also the T1 owner’s nephew?’

The future was already drawn.

‘……If we can’t get 1st place with the opening buff this time, it’ll be difficult.’

Looking back, I should have guessed it from the time T1 suddenly made a new agency saying they would intercept the debut group.

‘Since it’s a situation of fighting and taking it away… naturally, they wouldn’t have been able to even inherit the debut album preparation that was carried out at the originally scheduled agency.’

Thanks to that, we were in a situation where we had to make a new album right away.

Moreover, since a person who didn’t know the industry situation well was sitting above the working-level staff, nonsense was rampant and the deadline was incredibly short.

‘Um, I really want to resign.’

…Once again, I vowed not to have much expectation for this company.

In the subsequent meetings with several people from the content production team and the A&R team under the producing office, the situation was the same.

These people hadn’t produced any results yet either.

…Actually, it made sense. Since it’s been less than two weeks since this agency was launched.

“Um… for now, our worldview will go with a ‘school’ motif.”

“Ah… yes.”

“You can think about it centered on that. Um…….”

Other than the word that the worldview is related to school, there was no particular benefit.

“Of course, I don’t mean you should make the song yourself from scratch. As soon as our final confirmation is out, we’ll send you the candidate songs, so please take a look.”

“Yes!”

“What will the period be?”

“Ah, um… it’ll go within two days.”

A fortunate thing was that these people basically had a favorable impression of the TeSTAR members.

‘So this is how we benefit from the audition that was popular nationwide.’

Since basic profit was guaranteed for the group, and personal favor was added, the treatment was much more humane.

“They ask for our opinion a lot.”

Keun Sejin said this while coming out of the meeting.

“O-Originally, is it, i-is it not?”

“Yes!”

“Yeah!”

Unexpectedly, intense reactions burst out from Cha Yujin and Kim Raebin’s side. Seon Ahyun was startled.

“They don’t listen!”

“They don’t give the right to speak at all. The atmosphere that just working hard as instructed is a virtue is too solid!”

“Y-Yes…….”

Cha Yujin and Kim Raebin seemed to have a lot accumulated because they were those whose debut songs were even recorded at their previous agencies before being overturned.

‘That agency was doing well for a while. Probably… did it go bankrupt because the billboard idol sued for an unfair contract and left?’

It seemed those two also got involved in that process and left the agency to come out to the audition program.

“There are worrying parts, but it’s a good environment to try hard. Let’s do well.”

“Yes!”

“Yeah!”

Ryu Chungwoo smiled, checked the number of members, and got into the car.

There was no particular talk, but the atmosphere was almost certain that Ryu Chungwoo was the leader.

First of all, Lee Sejin, the eldest of the same age, wasn’t someone to be the leader, and the agency preferred the eldest to be the leader if possible.

They would go through a plausible process through reality… but well, it was almost confirmed.

I had no complaints.

“The house is good~ …Oh?”

“Why?”

“A claw machine!”

Cha Yujin ran to see the claw machine while entering the living room first.

It seemed he forgot that thing was there because the general manager called us at dawn and we went out while half-asleep.

‘Thanks to that, the reaction is real.’

I also went nearby and checked. Cameras were installed both inside and outside the machine and were running.

The robot vacuum cleaner reappeared and handed over a card. It roughly meant to pick a doll and perform the mission inside.

“Mmm, ‘Each doll has an anonymous mission of a TeSTAR member attached’… Oh, I’m curious.”

“Let’s pick!”

Most of the members were excited and stuck to the machine. First of all, Cha Yujin, who took the controls first, operated it.

“Hah!”

The result was a disastrous failure.

“…The machine is strange.”

“Please leave it to me~”

Keun Sejin took the joystick from the dejected Cha Yujin and moved it excitedly.

And he failed as well.

“You’re right. The machine is strange.”

A feast of countless failures followed afterward.

While the petty excuses of people who couldn’t accept the result continued, I politely declined the next turn.

‘It’s annoying.’

If we keep going, someone will pick one.

And the one who took the joystick was Lee Sejin.

“…What should I pick?”

“Rabbit!”

“D-Dog…….”

And Lee Sejin succeeded in picking in one go.

“…!”

The moment the back of the head of the fluffy brown rabbit fell with a thud into the exit, people accepted the result.

“Wow, waaa!!”

“Brother, your handiwork is amazing.”

“I didn’t know this could be picked in one go.”

“Can we pick other things too?”

However, the claw machine was already in a stopped state.

It seemed to be a household machine designed to automatically stop once one was picked.

Behind Kim Raebin, who was muttering that he would surely pick one tomorrow, the members flocked to the rabbit doll.

When the doll was flipped over, a card was attached to the belly part.

“Now, then who said what…….”

[Watching a horror movie together~*^^*]

“…….”

“…Is it you?”

“Hey, no way.”

Keun Sejin waved his hand. He was full of confidence that he wrote more usable content.

And Ryu Chungwoo answered gently.

“Ah, it’s me.”

“…Wow! It’ll be fun. A horror movie!”

“I-I’m looking forward to it…!”

The self-confession of the elder, who wasn’t very close, urgently created a gentle atmosphere.

In the end, we spent time watching a horror movie that evening. I focused on the popcorn and roughly let the movie pass. Screams rang in my head.

It was a waste of time, but my body was comfortable.

And the next day, at the crack of dawn, the debut title song candidate demos arrived.

It was time for the body to suffer.