Chapter 3

### Chapter 3 of the Idol Guide for the Ending

...Not going back, but completed?

I stood still, staring at the notification window.

Even when I looked again, it wasn't a dream.

Just a few hours ago, I was convinced that the new beginning and everything else would just be another scenario dragging me back to the bottom.

But what is this?

Maintaining good relationships with colleagues is an idol's virtue!

Participate with your colleagues.

Reward: 2 Coins

The next scenario dropped without giving me a chance to think.

"…This isn't right."

A second quest that was different from my memory.

It wasn't the terrible quest where, as a result of ignoring the injury of one of the trainees I joined Ground Entertainment with after a deal with the CEO, they ended up in the hospital.

Suddenly, the window I saw before being hit by the truck came to mind.

"Was… that really a different scenario?"

"What?"

What is this?

I rubbed my head, looking at the help message that flashed in a different color from the notification window.

"Calm down, Do Yunjae."

I took a deep breath again.

Now that I've returned to the past, there's no reason to be surprised by anything that happens.

The fact that there are no best clear conditions means…

"Can I clear it however I want?"

Autonomy and convenience.

A hollow laugh escaped me.

This is too generous.

There's no way such a lucky thing would happen to me.

Unwarranted generosity is as suspicious as anything.

What I've learned from rolling in this game is that you always have to be suspicious and cautious to avoid being devoured.

This scenario could turn on me and push me into a corner at any moment.

"Then…"

There's only one thing I can be sure of now.

This time, I can do it the way I want.

Not the forced, terrible way, but the way I want.

If I do it this way, I can reach the end.

So, what I need to do right now is clear.

"Choi Hyun!"

"Hey, Yunjae. About that earlier…"

I declared to Choi Hyun, who was hesitating.

"Let's go out together for Dolpe."

* * *

Dolpe, for short.

The subtitle is 'Dear Your Joy.'

It's literally a festival for your joy, hosted by idols.

The idol debut survival program, which is based on the concept of preparing for a festival, is a program that any trainee might consider participating in at least once.

In Season 4, it was a program with a thick fan base, as even trainees who didn't make it into the debut group managed to gain quite a name.

The biggest feature of the program is that it calls the audience 'clients.'

The trainees become the planners of the festival themselves.

From small props to the entire stage set, everything is planned by the trainees, and the concept is to beg the clients to use themselves as items for the festival.

The trainees try to fit themselves into the framework of the festival to debut somehow.

Their efforts to please the audience.

How desperate and well-selling a product they are.

For a trainee without connections or money, there's no better gateway.

Although I joined Ground Entertainment right after leaving Platform Entertainment, so it's a program I have no connection with, I still remember the rumors about some famous trainees well.

The problem is that I have to participate in it now.

"Ah, thank you."

As soon as the vibration bell rang, Choi Hyun jumped up and walked to the counter.

His naturally polished smile, honed by long training, was directed at the café staff.

"Yunjae, if you eat like that, you'll get diabetes later."

"It's not that bad."

Choi Hyun mumbled, looking at my cup that was about to overflow with whipped cream.

A frappe with extra chocolate chips and caramel drizzle.

I hadn't had it in a long time due to diet management.

Choi Hyun watched me stir the whipped cream and took a sip of his Americano.

What does a guy who drinks a death sentence with five extra shots know about diabetes?

"But, are you okay, Yunjae?"

"Me?"

"Since earlier, you've been… even in the CEO's office…"

"No, I'm not really like that."

"Really? How did you know about that? S…"

Choi Hyun suddenly clamped his mouth shut, startled.

Then he spoke cautiously.

"Suddenly suggesting we go to Dolpe is strange. Yunjae, you know the application deadline is today, right?"

Choi Hyun still held the death sentence, looking shocked.

Well, if I could explain it step by step, it would be better.

But would he believe me if I told him I know everything because I've returned to four years ago?

However, I need Choi Hyun to clear the scenario.

Right now, I can't do it without Choi Hyun.

At this stage, I really have no one else to ask except Choi Hyun.

The agency didn't have many trainees to begin with, and the ones I shared a room with had already left.

Now that I'm out of the company, it's too late to persuade other trainees.

The members I debuted with before… I don't even want to consider them as options.

The only choice is Choi Hyun, with his solid vocals and top-tier visuals, which isn't bad.

Most importantly, Choi Hyun has a desperate heart that says he must be an idol.

It might sound naively fortunate, but I know best that it's important, having rolled in the world of idols.

"It's a shame to give up now."

"Yunjae, you… have a really strong mental fortitude."

"Will you not go to Dolpe with me?"

"Yunjae, is now the time to talk about this?"

"We need to do it now. Our contract ended today, and I'll be 21 soon."

"…You looked so tired yesterday."

"That was just because I was feeling down. Sometimes you have days like that."

Considering how I pushed the CEO this morning, it's natural that Choi Hyun is having trouble adapting to the current situation.

I don't remember it well because it's been a long time, but… I seem to have looked quite depressed when I heard about the contract termination around this time.

"Shouldn't you take a break?"

Choi Hyun looked at me with worried eyes.

It seems to be because of the sponsor talk.

I shouldn't keep bringing it up.

I drew out my social skills, honed during my time at Likers, and spoke calmly.

"After hearing about the contract termination and thinking it over, I realized it. There's no sign of a debut group here, and time just keeps passing. The CEO wasn't a good person either. We've got a new opportunity. So…"

I suddenly ran out of words.

Thinking from Choi Hyun's perspective, it might seem absurd for someone who isn't that close to suddenly act like this.

But my conclusion remains the same.

"I have to go with you."

"…"

…Did I say something wrong?

Is this too awkward?

I frowned at the notification window that popped up like a chat message.

Wasn't it just supposed to give an explanation?

"Yunjae, I appreciate it, but…"

The notification window suddenly giving a subjective opinion, Choi Hyun's awkward expression, and my awkward words.

It's a perfect storm.

With the sun shining so well, anyone would think it's a heartwarming youth drama.

It was the worst.

After a moment of thought, Choi Hyun put down his coffee cup and nodded.

"I… can't go."

"What? Why?"

"…For various reasons."

Choi Hyun awkwardly avoided my gaze.

Is my memory wrong?

It can't be.

Choi Hyun was definitely the type who seemed like he had to be an idol.

But he's saying he can't go, not that he won't go?

"Are you lying?"

"What do you mean… I thought about it carefully today. After three years, it's time to give up. I don't have the talent…"

"What are you saying, Choi Hyun? Is it because of what I said to the CEO that you're hesitant to go with me?"

"No, it's not that. I've thought about it enough. I need to prepare for college and think about my future. We're almost 21, Yunjae."

Choi Hyun, with his unnecessarily wistful smile, seemed to have really made up his mind in just three hours.

There must have been another reason for his sudden disappearance after the contract termination.

There's definitely something going on.

But my situation isn't easy either.

I can't just grab someone and make them my friend and expect them to participate.

I need you, and only you.

"Still, I'll support you, Yunjae."

"No, listen."

I grabbed Choi Hyun's arm as he was getting up and made him sit down.

I gathered the information about Choi Hyun buried in my memory and took a deep breath.

It was time to sell the pitch.

"You came to Seoul alone to audition for idols, didn't you?"

"Yunjae, calm down…"

With Choi Hyun half-standing in front of me, I continued.

"Think about your vocals. It's a voice too precious to just go to college. It's too early to give up at just 20. And we didn't debut because we didn't have the agency's backing, but we could be center faces anywhere."

"Y, Yunjae. I appreciate it, but it's embarrassing. Can we talk about it next time…?"

Choi Hyun's face was turning red from the sudden compliments.

He's always been weak for compliments, so this must have shaken him a bit.

I decided to drive the final nail in.

"Put everything aside and think about one thing."

"What?"

"Can you live without singing?"

"…"

Choi Hyun tightly closed his mouth as I stared at him intently.

I can't believe I'm saying this, and live… but if it can help me keep Choi Hyun, it's worth it.

If I can't persuade Choi Hyun here, I'll lose the only opportunity I have.

Choi Hyun thought for a long time and mumbled.

"…No."

Alright.

"Think of it as your last chance and go with me. It's better to have someone you know, right?"

"Ah…"

Choi Hyun, who was half-convinced, asked with a dubious look.

"But we don't have an agency anymore. And what just happened… if it gets out, I don't think the application will go well…"

I can't say for sure that we can participate because of the scenario.

I knew Choi Hyun was quite meticulous.

He's the type who always points out things that others might overlook.

This type needs to be persuaded with reason rather than emotion.

I controlled my mind, put on a serious face, and spoke.

"Do you know our face combination?"

"Huh? Yeah."

"Do we look like the type who would be rejected?"

"…"

It's a ridiculous reason, but in the entertainment industry, ridiculous things can become topics.

I know this best, having rolled in the industry for years.

And in debut survival programs, they look at your face before your skills.

Objectively, Choi Hyun and I are not faces that would be rejected anywhere.

I was in charge of visuals during my time in Likers, and Choi Hyun has a great face even by my standards.

Moreover, we've heard a lot about our face combination since our trainee days.

The combination of the so-called 'first impression face' and 'rascal face.'

When placed separately, they don't match at all, but when put together, the images neutralize each other, creating a new feeling, which the CEO liked.

Maybe because I'm the one usually repulsed by face combination talk, Choi Hyun looked dazed.

If I can persuade you this sincerely, just pretend to be convinced once.

"Let's just apply. We can worry about it later. It's not a long process, and there's still time before the deadline."

"…"

"If we get rejected, we can think about what to do then. It's not too late."

"Yunjae, did you always talk this well…?"

When you're desperate, you can do anything.

I patted Choi Hyun's shoulder a few times.

Choi Hyun nodded, as if in a trance.

I finally exhaled, which had been tense, and asked again.

"So, will you go with me?"

* * *

The application deadline for the program is today.

With no time to waste, we rented a practice room to shoot the performance video for the application.

Just as I thought everything was going smoothly toward my goal.

"Yunjae…"

I faced a really big problem.

"You…"

Choi Hyun looked at me with a shocked face.

His hand, which had been covering his mouth, slowly dropped, and a sense of shame rose.

"Why do you dance like that…?"