Chapter 6: The Techniques of an Idol Who Never Fails

I sat in the aisle seat, and a few actors heading to the same event entered the business class. They were the presenters. Among them was Song Gangwon, Park Hee-young's ex-boyfriend who she always sought out when drinking. Song Gangwon greeted Park Hee-young as he made his way to his seat.

"It's been a while, Hee-young."

Park Hee-young scolded him.

"Why are you calling me 'Hee-young'? Ugh, you're so oily."

Song Gangwon chuckled at Park Hee-young's words. When sober, they were disgustingly cool with each other.

Still, after Song Gangwon left, Park Hee-young's expression turned sour, so I said,

"Can't you arrange a drinking session with Actor Song?"

"What? Why? It feels like you're trying to get a hole in your liver."

"Just for the sake of it. Also, I want to hear how things are after you two broke up."

Actually, I wanted to build some acting connections in advance.

I remembered how Park Yuna in my dream tried to build connections by going to drinking sessions, and it didn't end well. I was willing to sacrifice my liver if necessary...

Park Hee-young, unable to hide her longing, said,

"Fine, it's all over between us..."

"Can you check if your schedule is free tomorrow evening?"

"There's no need to check. That guy won't pass up a chance to drink, even if he has to come from a far place. He'll be at the drinking session anyway, so just go."

Park Hee-young said this and unknowingly smiled. It seems that even in their 30s and 40s, dating is just as difficult.

As soon as the plane took off, Park Hee-young and the other 1st team members fell asleep, and I opened my notebook.

Thanks to my frequent study in my free time, I had completed an online composition course. Since I played classical piano until I graduated from elementary school, I could at least read sheet music. Thanks to this, the theory was easy to understand.

When I had to give up piano due to family circumstances, it felt like a waste of time, but now I was using it effectively. Indeed, anything you learn can be useful somewhere.

The problem was that the composer instructor's method of randomly creating any piece was not very helpful, and my mind was a blank slate, making it impossible to come up with anything. I couldn't think of what to create or what theme to write about. I didn't realize I lacked creative ability. I thought the problem was with learning the theory, but it turned out that the theory was easy, and the creation was difficult.

When I talked to Park Hee-young, she suggested I start with lyrics, so I was trying to write some.

But even that didn't come to mind. I've always been bad at naming things, so it was unlikely I could write lyrics...

I wracked my brain throughout the flight but couldn't come up with anything.

* * *

When we entered Suvarnabhumi International Airport, to my surprise, Thai idol fans recognized and welcomed Park Hee-young. They seemed to know her from a variety show.

We stayed at a hotel for a day and headed to the venue early the next morning.

I haven't experienced many large music events, but from what I've seen, there's no such thing as a large music event that starts perfectly prepared. For such events, not having a major accident is considered a success. It's chaotic even in Korea, and it's even more so abroad.

To make matters worse, idol singers kept coming to Park Hee-young's dressing room to greet her. Some idols looked dragged along, but most greeted her politely and returned to their dressing rooms.

I don't know how many of these groups will survive, but being here means they have some power. Most of them were groups that would last long.

Except for First Light, who had just entered the dressing room.

Six tall members filled the room.

"Hello, this is First Light."

Hwang Saebi, who is my age and was my closest friend during the National Selection, greeted me. He is the leader, a role he didn't particularly want.

"Yeah, nice to see you. Go on."

Park Hee-young, thinking that junior singers don't want to stay in a senior's dressing room for long, sent them away immediately unless they were close friends.

I haven't seen the First Light members in two years, but I don't think our relationship is particularly bad.

However, as a manager, seeing the debut members was incredibly difficult. I thought I had been through enough, but it seems I still have some pride left.

Or maybe it's not pride, but the desire to be on stage that makes it hard.

* * *

Park Hee-young's rehearsal started, and the 1st team members were watching the stage intently, exchanging opinions.

Park Hee-young was a professional, and it didn't matter whether she was in Korea or abroad. She would perform confidently anywhere, even in heaven or hell. In this 1st team, I was seeing a model of someone who, even at the top tier, remains humble and diligent.

I was also curious about how it feels to completely own the stage. Park Hee-young looked genuinely happy at such moments.

After Park Hee-young's performance, First Light started preparing on the opposite stage. TRV Entertainment, which First Light belongs to, acquired Park Jong-ryeol Entertainment, a cash cow, last year.

Despite this, there was almost no interaction between the two companies. However, when they appeared together at events, their performances were often scheduled back-to-back.

First Light's individual members were skilled, but after seeing Park Hee-young dominate the stage just moments ago, it was hard to focus.

Moreover, their concept and music were not impressive. The oldest member, Hwang Saebi, is only twenty, but they looked even older. Wearing wedding suits and singing a proposal song made them look incredibly strange, like high school delinquents pretending to be adults.

I was about to stop watching the rehearsal and leave when I noticed a lift installed behind the stage.

Seeing it, I suddenly remembered what important event I needed to remember from this trip.

How could I only remember this now?

In my premonition, there were a few impactful scenes, and this was one of them. The event that shocked the nation.

As soon as I remembered, I ran frantically into the restricted area.

I found actress Kang Hae-yeon, who was about to ride the lift after First Light's performance.

Kang Hae-yeon, a rising star at twenty-three, was set to fall from the stage during the rehearsal due to a communication error with the local hospital, leading to paralysis in her lower body and her disappearance from the media.

The local and Korean staff tried to stop me as I rushed in. I immediately told Kang Hae-yeon,

"Actress Kang! I often have premonitions. I had a dream that an accident would happen on this lift. It's true."

Kang Hae-yeon looked at me with an unreadable expression. I almost forgot how urgent the situation was. Calling someone beautiful like a doll seems wrong. Can anyone make such a beautiful doll?

I regained my composure, shook off the people holding me, and said,

"Isn't it bad luck to hear such things? Maybe you should consider a different way to enter the stage!"

"Hey! Get her out of here! Is she crazy or what?"

The Korean staff, already tense about the chaotic proceedings, tried to push me out when I mentioned a bad omen.

Desperate, I shouted to Kang Hae-yeon,

"If you don't ride it, they won't force you! At least grab the handrail tightly!"

I sounded like a drunk troublemaker. I acted rashly out of urgency and was afraid they might call the police after I was pushed out. At least in Korea, I could communicate, but here, I couldn't.

After being pushed out, I returned to the backstage. Park Hee-young hit my back and said,

"You should stay where you can be seen! I'm already nervous being abroad."

"Ouch, that really hurts."

I don't understand why I need to be visible. Feeling wronged, I rubbed my back and gave her a pep talk as usual. It didn't hurt, but faking it made Park Hee-young feel better, and it worked today too.

As First Light's rehearsal neared its end, the lift Kang Hae-yeon was on stopped at a certain height.

If it followed the news I saw in my dream, one side of the lift's floor would fall, and Kang Hae-yeon would slip and fall. A metal plate would then fall on her legs.

After First Light's performance, when the camera focused on Kang Hae-yeon, all the staff in the venue murmured. Kang Hae-yeon's face on the large screen was truly fantastic. Unlike singers, she couldn't immediately find the camera, but looking elsewhere made her look poised.

Kang Hae-yeon held a script in one hand and a microphone in the other. Park Hee-young and the staff briefly watched the large screen.

Perhaps my words were on her mind, as she tried to stay close to the wall where she could hold onto something. The PD then instructed her to move to the center.

I thought I needed to rush to the stage to prevent the accident, even if it meant ruining the broadcast. In my mind, I was determined.

But the thought of going on stage made it hard to breathe. I couldn't stand in front of a camera anymore.

Since seeing the hate comments, I felt this way every time I had to film the remaining National Selection scenes. It felt like countless people were standing behind the camera, ready to stab me. The fear of being torn apart was overwhelming.

I couldn't go on the stage with the lift and couldn't even face it, so I turned around.

At that moment, the staff screamed simultaneously.

The accident had happened.

I planned to follow Kang Hae-yeon to the hospital if she fell, thinking it might prevent a medical accident.

But on the large screen, Kang Hae-yeon was seen tightly gripping the lift's handrail with both hands, hanging on. Almost immediately, the other side of the lift's floor gave way, and the metal plate fell to the stage.

Smileman Jung Gi-hoon, who rarely swore, muttered,

"Damn, this is crazy..."

Then, due to her weak grip, Kang Hae-yeon started to slip.

No time to think.

Before I could think, my body was already running to the lift with the First Light members and other staff.