Chapter 38

If I can't debut, I'll get a disease that will kill me 038th Chapter

“I want to do ‘I Like Waiting’ first.”

“……!!”

Sun Ah-hyun visibly wavered.

She clearly hadn’t expected me to agree with her song choice even a little bit.

“R-really?”

“Yeah.”

‘I Like Waiting’ is a good song, and it gets extra points for being a five-year-old hit.

The song Kim Raebin suggested, ‘Hon,’ was from the year before last.

‘I thought the same thing during the first team battle; VTIC’s latest songs are a bit daunting.’

Kim Raebin seemed confident, but there was no need to take unnecessary risks.

However, I couldn’t completely ignore Kim Raebin’s opinion, who would lead the arrangement.

To utilize his characteristic, ‘Maestro,’ I needed to give him a keyword that matched his taste.

Coincidentally, while Sun Ah-hyun looked overjoyed, Kim Raebin had a slightly gloomy expression, probably expecting his opinion to be rejected.

“But since ‘self-produced’ is the theme of this team battle, it’s hard to use the original song as is.”

“Ah……”

“So, I think a more radical arrangement would be good. Personally, I liked the ‘Eastern style’ idea you suggested earlier.”

“That’s...”

Kim Raebin, who had been lost in thought, immediately brightened up.

“Indeed, the lyrics aren’t awkward... If we choose the right instruments, we can create a very interesting arrangement. If we modify the choreography to match the arrangement, we can also create a very impressive stage scene.”

“Good to hear.”

With that, Kim Raebin was on board.

So, the remaining members were Daesejin and Gold 1.

I turned to look at them.

As soon as our eyes met, Daesejin smiled calmly.

“Then, what about a sexy Eastern style arrangement?”

“…!”

“Anyway, if we’re going with an Eastern style, we need to decide what kind of atmosphere to create. Let’s go for a sexy and impactful one, right?”

He wasn’t wrong.

‘He probably planned this from the start...’

None of the suggestions so far would have prevented a ‘sexy concept,’ so he likely intended to tie it all together no matter what I said.

‘He’s good at saying things in a way that’s hard to refuse and makes you laugh.’

Sure enough, Gold 1 sighed playfully.

“You’re really something, aren’t you...”

It was a clear sign that he agreed. The other two also seemed to be on board from their expressions.

“Ha, I’ll give it a shot?”

Daesejin shrugged. With this, the opinions of four team members were reflected in the song choice.

‘Since it’s come to this, let’s include the last one too.’

Few viewers would dislike a warm and democratic team atmosphere. I calmly spoke again.

“Then, what about a rabbit?”

“Huh?”

Gold 1 waved his hand.

“Ah, I was just saying? It’s fine. I was just throwing it out there.”

“No, I think it would fit well.”

“...A rabbit?”

“Yes. There’s a rabbit in an old Korean story.”

The other team members seemed to recall their own versions of the story.

“The... ‘Tale of the Rabbit and the Turtle’?”

“That’s an Aesop’s fable.”

Daesejin alone smiled, being the quick one.

“A moon rabbit?”

“A moon rabbit. That’s right.”

The rabbit from the old story that makes rice cakes on the moon, also known as the Jade Rabbit.

It’s also famous in a children’s song about a rabbit under a cinnamon tree.

“...How do you make a moon rabbit sexy?”

Gold 1 muttered in dismay, probably imagining some Playboy-style rabbit.

However, Kim Raebin, who seemed to like this keyword, already corrected him with bright eyes. It was honestly a relief not to have to speak.

“I think we can use the motif of the moon rabbit and restructure it. If we can effectively portray the image of a mythical animal, it can be a very attractive concept.”

“Hmm, can we do that? Of course, I’d prefer if my opinion is considered.”

Gold 1 nodded hesitantly. Daesejin quickly summarized the situation.

“Hmm~ I like it too! Then, let’s decide by a show of hands?”

Some of the other teams were already informing the production team of their song choices.

Given the time, it was about right for our team to finalize our song choice and move on to the details.

“Those who agree to reinterpret this stage with ‘I Like Waiting’ in a sexy Eastern style with a moon rabbit, please raise your hands!”

Everyone’s hands immediately went up. As soon as he finished speaking, Daesejin raised his hand and laughed.

“Wow, it was really democratic~ Our opinions are all reflected. Let’s do our best!”

“Yep!”

“Yeah-”

The discussion ended with the same warm applause as it started.

At that moment.

“No, I don’t want to!”

Someone from the team next to us shouted and stood up.

I caught a glimpse of his face. It was Lee Sejin.

“What’s going on?”

“Uh...”

“Are they fighting?”

The participants around us whispered quietly.

But everyone was cautious, knowing that unnecessary talk could make them the target of editing.

Meanwhile, Lee Sejin was glaring at the participants across from him.

I saw the determined face of Choi Won-gil and the dejected face of Cha Yoo-jin.

However, the confrontation didn’t last long.

Lee Sejin, gritting his teeth, turned and ran out of the filming site.

“...!!”

“Wow. Those guys...”

Fortunately, Ryu Cheong-woo quickly regained his composure and followed Lee Sejin.

“Wait a moment. ...Sejin? Lee Sejin!”

A camera hurriedly followed Ryu Cheong-woo.

“...”

And over there, it really... blew up.

The fact that even the clear-headed Cha Yoo-jin was involved indicated the atmosphere.

“Wow...”

Gold 1 sighed.

Kim Raebin’s face darkened, possibly due to the trauma from the previous team battle.

However, no one was clueless enough to approach the team and offer comfort or ask questions.

After a few weeks of filming, no participant was still unaware of the situation.

‘Meddling is just fodder for the show.’

So, this ‘Rabbit Class’ quickly finished reporting their song choice to the production team and moved to the practice room.

It was a wise decision.

* * *

The ‘Rabbit Class’ returned to their accommodation well past midnight.

Everyone looked like wilted bean sprouts.

“The bed is so good...”

Daesejin groaned and fell onto the bed.

He looked like he had been knocked out by the insane schedule of the past ten days, which involved arranging the song, modifying the choreography, and conceptualizing the stage.

“S-shower...”

Sun Ah-hyun said this and didn’t get up from the bed.

“...”

She had been in a state of extreme tension while continuously recreating the choreography to match the arrangement, and her mental strength finally gave out.

Gold 1, saying he needed to eat something, wobbled to another room. He probably planned to eat Gold 2’s cup noodles, but he would manage on his own.

“...Can I use the shower first...?”

“Sure.”

Kim Raebin called Sun Ah-hyun a few times, but when there was no response, he asked for my permission and went to the bathroom.

So, I was the only one left in my right mind in this room.

Why am I relatively fine, you ask?

Of course, it’s thanks to the status window. I recalled the new characteristic that appeared at the bottom of the status window.

[Characteristic: Bacchus500 (B)]

-Clear mind and healthy body!

: All fatigue accumulation speed -50%

This characteristic was chosen as the next stage reward after the previous team battle was broadcast, following the ‘Fame Achievement.’

[The ripening of fame!]

500,000 people remember your existence!

: Draw a hero characteristic ☜ Click!

To be honest, it’s a hard number to grasp.

500,000 people?

How popular must the program be for over 500,000 people to remember a mere participant? Even for a top-tier participant, it’s an astonishing number.

The speed at which it’s growing is even a bit scary, as it seems like it will soon break 1 million.

‘1 million people will... no, ‘Park Moon-dae’ will remember me.’

In such times, it’s somewhat fortunate that this isn’t my own body.

Anyway, drawing a characteristic for 500,000 fame was a huge success. It was the most useful in the survival environment among what I’ve obtained so far.

While it didn’t immediately increase my lung capacity or strength, it made busy and physically demanding days much easier.

‘I can still have the leisure to organize my thoughts despite such intense work.’

I got up and stretched briefly. I was still tired and sluggish.

‘I need to shower and sleep as soon as Raebin comes out.’

At that moment, there was a knock on the door.

Knock knock.

“...?”

Is it Gold 1? But if it were him, he wouldn’t bother knocking and just walk in.

‘If it were a staff member, they would have already introduced themselves.’

I had no idea who it could be.

Knock knock knock!

But the knocking continued. However, all the team members inside were in a state of total exhaustion.

‘...This is going to be a hassle.’

I sighed and got up to open the door.

“...!”

Cha Yoo-jin was standing outside.

While it was a bit unexpected, it was understandable. She might have come to see Kim Raebin, who is from the same agency.

The problem was that she had dragged herself here.

Cha Yoo-jin was sobbing with tears and snot streaming down her face.

“...”

‘Why is she crying here?’

It’s very perplexing.

There are fixed cameras installed in the hallway and inside the rooms. So, her crying and coming here would have been captured, and it’s hard to predict how it will be edited for the show.

Moreover, why did she crawl here instead of talking to Ryu Cheong-woo?

‘Wouldn’t it be more sensible to consult with Ryu Cheong-woo?’

Given his personality, he would have already calmed her down. Why create a disturbance by coming to another team?

‘Well, she doesn’t seem like the type to think things through...’

I had a thousand thoughts in the brief moment of silence, but eventually, I spoke.

“...Did you come to see Raebin?”

“Huh, to meet Hyung and Kim Raebin.”

Cha Yoo-jin answered with unclear speech.

‘Why me?’

We didn’t seem to have much of a relationship... but maybe the previous team battle left a strong impression on her.

Anyway, the results were good, and the process was (from Cha Yoo-jin’s perspective) probably fun without much thought.

‘After experiencing the hell of this team battle, she must be nostalgic for it.’

If I send her away, it won’t be edited positively, no matter how it’s portrayed.

I sighed and answered.

“Come in. Raebin is showering.”

“Okay...”

Cha Yoo-jin continued to sniffle as she entered the room.

The other team members were sleeping soundly on the beds. I was confident that this level of noise wouldn’t wake them, so I didn’t lower my voice.

I sat her down at a nearby table.

‘Should I give her something to hold?’

I looked at Cha Yoo-jin’s disheveled state and, after some hesitation, took a few chocolate bars from my bag and gave them to her.

A little sugar might help.

“Thank you...”

Cha Yoo-jin, with her muffled speech, took the chocolate bars and put them in her mouth.

“...”

The sound of her chewing chocolate echoed in the room. I felt uneasy.

‘Should I... ask her something?’

If I ask and get involved in another team’s affairs, it could be a terrible situation.

But if I stay silent, leaving Kim Raebin to talk, it could also be a problem.

‘Kim Raebin isn’t the most socially adept person.’

I didn’t know what could happen in this situation, and I didn’t want to be blamed if things went wrong.

In the end, I opened my mouth, feeling like I was defusing a mine.