Chapter 32: The Techniques of an Idol Who Never Fails

The members, who were having a meeting and a post-activity party, started to doze off. They were all half-asleep but still gathered together.

"...The more I look at you, the more I think you guys secretly like to gather."

This thought strongly came to mind.

But perhaps they wanted to deny my words, the members slowly got up.

In the meantime, when I shook Hwang Saebek, who hadn't woken up, he opened his eyes and said urgently,

"Just a moment, I have one more thing to do."

"What is it?"

"Let's switch rooms. Jeong Hae-won is the only one using a private room."

"Oh, my private room."

I knew someone would covet it...

"I can't let you use it alone. Please, let me have a private room."

Hwang Saebek's earnest words made An Ju-won say with a pained expression,

"Did you hate sharing a room with me that much?"

"On the contrary, I've been enduring it because it's you."

Although they might not hate sharing a room with other members, a private room is still better.

Thinking I might lose my private room, I became anxious. I really wanted to win this.

The other members seemed to feel the same, as they all woke up and focused. Min Ji-ho asked,

"What should we do? Should we play rock-paper-scissors for the private room?"

Then, Shin Ji-won replied,

"Then, the winner gets the private room, and the rest can choose rooms in the order of who wins the rock-paper-scissors."

"Ah, my heart is about to burst."

Hwang Saebek said, extending his fist to play rock-paper-scissors.

Fortunately, the first winner was Hwang Saebek, who had been longing for the private room. Hwang Saebek looked happier than any moment I had seen since meeting him at the audition.

Although the room he used to share was the main room, and the new room was only half its size, the fact that it was a private room made him happy.

After that, we played rock-paper-scissors for the largest room.

The first room went to An Ju-won and Min Ji-ho. Min Ji-ho was just happy, while An Ju-won muttered,

"The quietest roommate is now the loudest."

"Hey, but honestly, isn't it good to share a room with me?"

"Hmm, it's okay."

"Bro, say it's good."

"Okay, it's okay."

He definitely won't say it's good. Well, it must be awkward for An Ju-won, who likes a quiet environment.

The second room went to Han Hyo-seok and Park Sun-jae. They were satisfied, but I wasn't. The smallest room with the tallest roommate...

I checked the small room and pointed at Shin Ji-won.

"He'll fill up the room just by himself."

"Ah, I'm not that big."

"You're 192 cm. Really?"

"No, I'm not that big."

"If you feel wronged, measure your height confidently."

"I'll never measure it."

Well, I still have a bit to go before reaching 192 cm, but I'm still growing, so I might surpass it.

We decided to move our belongings tomorrow and went into my room for now. Thinking it was the last night I could sleep in the private room, I wanted to make it memorable, but I was so tired that I fell asleep as soon as I lay down.

* * *

As the live broadcast ended, posts, photos, and videos from the mini fan meeting started to appear.

[Jeong Hae-won's bite heart is so cute, really]

[It's a bit grateful to have him as an idol with that face]

[Really, demonic talent 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 When he does the bite heart, I forget his personality for a moment]

[↳Demonic talent 222 If we keep his face and change the essence, he'd be perfect, but...]

[I saw him up close... I'm retracting my 6 rating. There's no way to prevent Jeong Hae-won from being an idol]

[↳My subjective opinion is overwhelmed by his abilities 😂😂😂fuck]

[But why did they drop the stage fright concept right away?]

[↳It's working well. Seeing fans who said 'no to national scandal' at the fan cafe, I opened up a lot]

[↳↳This is also demonic talent 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂]

[↳↳↳He's a demon 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂]

[Then, why not keep pushing that concept?]

[↳Concepts also require effort...]

[↳↳Correct 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂]

[↳↳😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂]

[↳↳😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂]

[But I was also a Mi fan. Whether it's a concept or anything else, I think Jeong Hae-won is amazing. Even though everyone can see that his fans' reactions will die when he speaks, he keeps smiling. Now, I can't welcome it, but I won't oppose it...]

* * *

The day after the final broadcast was a rare day off, so I visited my parents' house in the Seoul area.

As soon as I entered, the delicious smell of various dishes filled the air, and my parents rushed over to me. My mother pinched my arm and shouted,

"You! You're going to get into big trouble!"

"Mom, why are you saying such scary things as soon as you see me?"

Although it's a long way until the settlement, I have no expenses these days, and the advance payment for the exclusive contract, which is essentially a reward for attracting attention to the company, has just come in, so I got some pocket money. When I tried to give my mother an envelope, she pushed it away with a serious face.

"What are you, a high school graduate? Use it, you."

"No, I have a lot of money now."

"Don't be ridiculous. What do you mean you have a lot of money? Do you look like someone with a lot of money?"

"Why, my son is handsome."

"Are you saying that?"

My mother, looking bewildered, pushed me towards the dining table. My father, seeing the envelope of pocket money I gave him, only took a photo of it and returned it.

"Use it, you. Buy some clothes."

"I have a lot of clothes, why do you keep telling me to buy more?"

I grumbled and sat down at the table to eat the meal my parents had made for me. It seemed they had made almost every dish they could.

While eating, my parents kept staring at me from across the table. Ah, it's so uncomfortable...

Although they might have forgotten that I'm a grown man, given the situation, I understand their excessive worry. I said,

"I can do a concert."

"Really?"

"Yeah, if I do, come and see it."

"Of course I will. Su-yeon and her husband will come too."

"Okay."

My brother-in-law, Anthony McGinnis, is called 'An's husband' in our family. I think if they insist on calling him that, it should be 'Mc's husband,' but since my parents call him that, I guess it's their preference.

Anyway, feeling uncomfortable with all the staring, I called my sister to share the attention. She answered the call right away.

-You're at home? What's up?

"I came today because it's my day off. Are you busy?"

-There's time to call.

While my sister and parents were nagging at each other, my brother-in-law suddenly appeared on the screen, holding something.

"Why is my brother-in-law holding that?"

A 30-something white man shaking a First Light light stick looked a bit strange, but he seemed very satisfied. My brother-in-law, shaking the light stick, said in broken Korean,

-Brother-in-law! The stage is so cool!

"…Sister, teach him Korean properly."

-That's what he asked, so I told him.

As soon as I said that, my mother started nagging.

"You always call your husband 'that guy'?"

-Oh, whatever. Just call him something.

While my mother and sister bickered, my brother-in-law kept shaking the light stick with a happy face. My father, watching him closely, quietly asked me,

"…Where did he get that?"

"Why buy it? I'll send it to him."

"Really? Then send three, two for now and one extra."

"Okay."

It seemed my brother-in-law was secretly envious of having a light stick. Hehe, adults' tastes are unpredictable...

Anyway, talking with my parents and my sister's family while eating made me feel like it was a holiday. And honestly, it was incredibly healing.

I should come home more often.

* * *

As soon as I returned to Seoul, I headed to Yang Yi-hyung's studio instead of the dorm.

Three months until the regular album, four months until the concert. It was an incredibly tight schedule.

A considerable number of members had contracts with TRV for team activities and with their previous agencies for solo activities. Except for An Ju-won, who was originally with TRV, and Min Ji-ho, who left his previous agency due to complicated circumstances, the others had their personal schedules packed due to external factors rather than their own choices.

As the A&R team said, First Light is a team that finds it difficult to immerse themselves unless they actively participate in discussions and the creation of songs and stages. Although I thought they were incredibly picky, I had to admit that I was the same.

While the members were busy with their personal activities, I planned to work on the songs for the regular album, the concert setlist, and the arrangements.

Yang Yi-hyung was listening to the songs I had made during my free time while cursing intermittently, and I kept checking my phone, which kept ringing.

It was Park Hee-taek, the CEO. When he calls, it usually means there's a problem.

I glanced at the entertainment news and immediately saw the reason for the call.

'VMC Awards: First Light's first joint performance since Kuk Seon-a... Is it possible?'

Since First Light has been getting some attention lately, VMC, which hasn't seen much success with the members since Kuk Seon-a, would naturally want to capitalize on it.

Especially since the VMC Awards have been somewhat less popular in recent years, and there are many connections to the new survival show starting next week.

The fact that First Light is a group made by removing the manipulated members is true, but it's not a widely known fact. While outsiders might suspect that the members debuted through manipulation, it hasn't been officially confirmed. Given the ecosystem of the entertainment industry, it's unlikely to be confirmed in the future.

One of those members is active as a solo artist, and the other is preparing to debut in a new group. Both companies are connected to VMC, so TRV is essentially under pressure alone.

It won't be easy to refuse.

* * *

Park Hee-taek, the CEO, called Jeong Hae-won again while checking the data sent by the support team.

As soon as the activity ended, all First Light members visited a counseling center. Surprisingly, all the other members needed ongoing counseling. Meanwhile, Jeong Hae-won, who had made all the members visit the counseling center, was joking around, making the counseling sessions ineffective.

Just as the company was trying to pay extra attention to Jeong Hae-won's mental health, this article appeared.

The members, including Jeong Hae-won, must also be thinking that if First Light's popularity rises, VMC might want to share in it.

While Park Hee-taek was thinking, Jeong Hae-won answered the call.

"Hey, did you see the article?"

-Yes.

"The company will try to refuse it, don't worry."

-Okay. But if we keep resisting and it doesn't work, what then?

"Uh, what?"

-Can I do the arrangement?

"…What?"

-If only six members are on stage, it will be chaotic. But if I do the arrangement and my name appears on the subtitles, it will look like we're one team. Anyway, since it's being done for the buzz, if the song is good, VMC won't refuse, right?

"Wow, you're confident."

-Yes.

Jeong Hae-won continued calmly.

-I'll also include a spoiler for the next First Light album.

To make this stage a continuation of First Light's activities, not an extension of Kuk Seon-a.

Hearing this, Park Hee-taek couldn't help but laugh.

"VMC will be pissed."

-Yeah? A lot of people say that.

Damn.

The more I look at him, the more I realize he's strangely fearless.