Chapter 12

If we don't debut, we'll get a deadly disease - Episode 012

"Wow~ We're all so great, right? There are so many talented people and so many good-looking people!"

Gold-rated Lee Sejin said with a grin. Everyone nodded, blushing but agreeing with him.

It was a time when everyone should pretend to be as harmonious as possible, so it was natural. At least everyone seemed to have some sense, which was fortunate.

"By the way, ah, Actor Sejin. Since our names are the same... How can we differentiate ourselves?"

"Huh?"

"Oh, that's a good idea!"

"Right? Since you're an actor, how about 'Bae Sejin'?"

The first Gold-rated participant to join chimed in with a smirk.

"Hey, then you're big, so how about 'Big Sejin'?"

"Big Sejin? Hey, that's good, call it! What do you think, Sejin hyung?"

"......"

Child actor Lee Sejin bit his lip as if holding back something, then spoke.

"I just think my name is good."

"......"

"Ah... I see."

The atmosphere instantly cooled down. Gold-rated Lee Sejin quickly spoke up.

"Oh, that's fine. Then, hyung, dongsaengs, please call me Big Sejin from now on~"

"Sure thing~"

"Great nickname!"

Clapping, the atmosphere was settled. As they were about to introduce themselves one by one, the MC picked up the microphone again.

"Participants, have you all greeted each other?"

"Please, let us choose the songs freely."

One of the team members muttered desperately. But that was impossible.

"Then... let's start the song draw!"

"Wow..."

"The songs are random too..."

Everyone muttered with tired expressions.

The MC waved his hand playfully and said,

"Hey, everyone! These are hit songs from the representative idols of the agencies you chose! Don't be disappointed!"

Perhaps thinking it was doable, the atmosphere improved somewhat.

"Alright, the representative songs will rotate on the sign in front. When you want to stop, just press the switch! Then, the first participant to join, please come forward!"

The team members quickly changed their stance.

"Hyung, I trust you!"

"Only god songs can save us!"

"Sigh, do I have to show my skills again?"

The first participant strutted to the sign with cheers.

"Alright, get ready... Go!"

"Whoa!"

The team member made a strange sound and immediately pressed the switch. Big Sejin (since he suggested it, I'll call him that from now on) muttered,

"Hey, at least look before pressing..."

The sign slowly rotated, showing a few song titles.

[San Gun / VTIC]

[LIFE / VTIC]

[An Eternal Song / VTIC]

VTIC. The current best-selling male idol group.

"All are good... please."

From the back, Choi Won-gil muttered desperately. I silently waited for the screen to stop.

The screen slowly stopped.

[A New World / Malrangdalcom]

"...?"

"......??"

"......!?"

A heavy silence fell.

All the team members, except me, stared at the sign with wide eyes.

"Oh, Oh Runga?"

The team member who touched the sign muttered in a dazed voice. But there was no signal from the production team.

It was real.

"Does it include female idols too?"

"Are there girl group songs too?"

Similar comments were heard from all over, though not as strongly as ours.

The team members muttered as if they had lost their minds.

"Um... so, was it the fairy of flowers?"

"Um... yeah, the debut song, yeah."

Indeed, 'A New World' was a pure and dreamy song that claimed to be the fairy of flowers.

Moreover, it was a debut song. A song released before Malrangdalcom's crazy cute concept took off, which never topped the charts.

"Ah! Thank you!"

"Jackpot!!"

Cheers filled the air around us, as if they had drawn a good song. It was natural, given the abundance of great songs. The climax was yet to come.

"Ahhh!!"

"Hyung! Hyung!!"

The next team drew 'San Gun' by VTIC.

For reference, that song was the title track of the album that won the grand prize at the largest domestic music site awards two months ago.

The hottest song among the available choices.

No wonder everyone was hugging and going wild. The team member, who had been suffering due to his low rank, was already acting as if they had won.

"......"

And our side fell silent. Everyone seemed to be in shock.

What about me?

'I dodged that.'

I was heaving a sigh of relief, realizing I had chosen the agency sign too casually.

'VTIC's 'San Gun'?

Not doing it would be better.

Lucky to have dodged it.

In that sense, the current draw is perfect.

'Everyone hasn't realized it yet, though.'

Looking at the depressed team members, I thought it was for the best.

They'll be more cooperative when they feel the crisis.

* * *

"The key doesn't match."

Did I think they would be cooperative? I should correct that to excessive expectation.

Some were already acting like they had given up.

"Won-gil, at least try one more time..."

"I've tried a few times, but it doesn't seem like it will work..."

Choi Won-gil lowered his head gloomily and said,

"Um, it's originally a girl's song, and it doesn't fit well with a male key. I can probably do the high parts..."

He looked at me as he said this.

'He's asking for my part.'

I had already been designated as the main vocalist with the enthusiastic support of the three Gold-rated members.

Choi Won-gil, being of a lower rank, had just watched me put on the badge without a word.

Now that he saw an opening, he was taking it.

I chuckled.

"Really?"

"......!"

Big Sejin hit my thigh. This is really...

"Hey, don't mess with the kid. You should help him adapt to his part! What are you doing?"

He naturally defused the situation with a joke. He's done this more than once.

'So, he's not just a smooth talker, it seems.'

Hiding my doubts, I continued firmly.

"No, really, it's fine to change. If you're going to do it, do it early, before learning the choreography."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

I said calmly. Choi Won-gil, looking very suspicious, quickly nodded, afraid I might change my mind.

"Then, I want to do the first verse chorus..."

"Sure. I'll take the bridge part."

"Huh?"

"You suggested changing parts. You said you can't do that part."

Choi Won-gil reluctantly nodded. He seemed reluctant to give up the part he couldn't do.

He must have wanted to take the chorus but didn't want to give up his part.

He usually wouldn't have been so indecisive, but maybe being demoted to Silver was the trigger. He seemed a bit off.

Big Sejin looked at me and Choi Won-gil alternately, then let out a small sigh.

'In his plan, I was supposed to do the first verse chorus, I guess.'

Then, he pretended to be enthusiastic.

"Alright, let's keep the parts as they are."

There was one main position left. The Gold-rated participants pretended not to be nervous.

"Now we just need to choose the main dancer."

Before Big Sejin could say more, I raised my hand.

"Ah, I have an opinion."

"Huh?"

"If everyone's okay, I want to decide the arrangement direction before choosing the main dancer."

"......?"

Arrangement.

The most important topic, yet one everyone had unconsciously avoided.

'A New World' is a pure girl group song.

And 'pure' is... a very difficult concept to pull off.

Many people mistakenly think it's easy if you're just pretty, but that's a misconception.

It's a concept that's hard to make impactful.

To stand out with such a song on a survival stage, you need to be incredibly skilled or have outstanding charisma.

Perhaps everyone had thought that far, so the arrangement discussion started like this.

"How about changing the lyrics to make it more intense?"

"Add a stronger beat?"

"Yeah. Change 'A New World' to something more ambitious."

The first Gold... calling him that is tiring. Let's just call him Gold 1.

This was Gold 1's suggestion. A thoughtful survival participant would think of this.

Make it more intense.

The problem is that it's hard to make this song feel 'ambitious' just by changing the lyrics.

The lyrics of 'A New World' are:

- I realized at some point

Wandering in an imperfect time

This endless maze of time

Save me from the trapped me

Gradually withering

In this small space (little Flower~)

Waiting for the day the flowers bloom again

Come and find me

This is the first verse.

To make it more ambitious, the lyrics need to be more speaker-centered, which would mess up the story from the pre-chorus.

The chorus is about asking someone to come closer.

- One step, two steps

The sound of you coming

Echoes in my ears

Don't hesitate, reach out your hand

Now I'm going to a new world~

Come to me

Come to me

Blinding Paradise by your side

Come to me

Come to me

Melody of love for you (continues)

"Then, should we change the next line, 'Come to me'?"

"Um, 'come to you'...?"

Gold 1 scratched his head, realizing the problem wasn't just that.

"Then, we need to change 'Save me' and everything after, right?"

"Um."

Exactly. The chorus focuses so much on the listener's actions that changing it to 'I'll come to you' would mess up the nuance of the next line.

"We'll have to change everything."

"Yes, but if we change too much, it might be unfair."

Whether the opposing team and the production team would accept such extensive changes was also a problem.

"......"

Feeling the seriousness, the team members fell silent.

Big Sejin quickly changed the topic.

"How about we discuss the arrangement with the teachers? It might be better to start with the choreography to get feedback! Moon Dae, is that okay?"

"Sure, that's fine. Let's do that."

I readily agreed. I had brought up the arrangement to create a shock.

The more desperate the atmosphere, the less likely they would argue when I suggest the arrangement.

Of course, they would probably understand the situation just by watching the choreography video.

"Okay, let's start with the choreography!"

Under Big Sejin's lead, everyone leaned in to watch the choreography video on the tablet.

It seemed no one remembered the choreography in detail, even if they recognized the chorus.

But as expected, within 15 seconds of the video starting, everyone let out a groan.

"Oh..."