Chapter 7: The Techniques of an Idol Who Never Fails

Kang Hayeon was incredibly light.

Several men standing below the lift quickly positioned themselves and safely caught Kang Hayeon as she fell. After setting her down, everyone's gaze turned to the steel plate that had fallen to the ground. The thought that it could have fallen on top of Kang Hayeon sent shivers down my spine even in the sweltering heat of Bangkok.

Kang Hayeon's manager rushed over in a panic to check for injuries, especially on her face, which was the most important. Fortunately, there didn't seem to be any visible injuries.

Kang Hayeon stared at me, as if she wanted to say something, but gave up when the words wouldn't come and was carried away by the staff.

After that, I could feel everyone's eyes on me. The event staff looked at me suspiciously, wondering if I had been right about the lift being faulty, while the First Light members stared at me in disbelief, wondering why I had reappeared after two years to manage them.

I already have severe stage fright, and with over twenty pairs of eyes on me, I was even more nervous. I pulled my cap down low and hurried over to Park Hee-young. In situations like this, Park Hee-young's influence is the best shield.

The 1st team members immediately started commenting when they saw me.

"Junior, your arm!"

"I'm completely fine."

"Bro, my heart is racing."

"Why did you go there, it's dangerous. We have a security team."

The nagging poured in. But I'm not a child, and I'm the tallest in our team...

Immediately after the accident, the concert hall was filled with a tense atmosphere, but it quickly returned to normal as the next rehearsal began. We had a live broadcast the next day, so we couldn't afford to be in shock.

* * *

It was a night that required alcohol. There were reasons to drink, after all.

I joined the drinking session with Song Kang-won, Park Hee-young's ex-boyfriend, at the hotel bar.

The table was filled with various staff members and Song Kang-won. I sat down and started drinking, and when I was somewhat tipsy, I asked a question out of a sense of duty, though I wasn't really curious.

"Brother, can I ask you something?"

"…About Hee-young?"

"Yes. I can't ask her directly."

Actually, there was no need to ask. Park Hee-young, when drunk, would tell me everything about her ex-boyfriend, Song Kang-won, from A to Z. I knew why they got together and why they broke up.

The only thing I didn't know was how Song Kang-won felt about Park Hee-young. The routine was that everyone would stop Park Hee-young from calling him, so they had never been connected.

On the surface, Song Kang-won maintained an American-style coolness, but inside, he wasn't. This made me a bit curious. Was Song Kang-won really American-style?

I hadn't even asked the question when Song Kang-won's eyes suddenly welled up with tears. Thinking he might be crazy, he slammed the table with his large hand and said,

"In my life, there's only Park Hee-young, and even if I were reborn, it would be the same! To me!"

"…Ah."

The American-style coolness was an illusion. Even Americans would say it was nonsense.

I realized they were just clinging to each other out of lingering feelings and were acting like a pair of stubborn fools. I wanted to end the conversation, but it was too late.

"Even if I were reborn!"

"You just said that."

"To me? Park Hee-young is the only woman! To me?"

He must have a bad drinking habit.

After all, I heard they had a public relationship but broke up because Park Hee-young's overly busy schedule prevented them from getting married. Their feelings hadn't cooled.

However, it seemed that exes who had a public relationship and then broke up found it difficult to get back together.

I was reporting the situation to Park Hee-young via KakaoTalk, and when Song Kang-won, who had been sobbing with his head on the table, suddenly lifted his head, he said,

"I need to call Hee-young."

"Ah, brother! No way!"

Song Kang-won's manager, who was familiar with the situation, quickly snatched his phone. The manager knew his own mind, and I, seeing the large Song Kang-won causing a scene while drunk, also intervened.

Just as Song Kang-won, who had been causing a scene, suddenly quieted down, Park Hee-young appeared at the bar entrance, wearing a small, shiny clutch, a baseball cap, leggings, and a hoodie, and grabbed Song Kang-won by the collar.

"Hi, Hee-young?"

"Shut up, troublemaker."

Song Kang-won, who had ignored his manager, was now led away by Park Hee-young, whose waist was as thin as his arm. Song Kang-won's manager, seeing this, slumped into his seat.

"I should stop them, but I don't have the energy, Manager Cheol…"

"My real name isn't Cheol-sun, you know?"

"Really?"

Now I have to explain my real name too.

Anyway, no matter how close and how much I like my singer, I felt relieved that my job was done. I continued the drinking session with Song Kang-won's manager, sharing our grievances.

Before heading back to my room, I went to the convenience store in front of the hotel to buy cigarettes and saw Hwang Saebi wearing a wide-brimmed hat.

"Huh?"

"Hey."

Despite trying to hide, the bleached hair sticking out from under the wide-brimmed hat clearly showed she was an idol.

I quickly bought what I needed and left, but Hwang Saebi followed me without buying anything.

"Hey, you know."

I was a bit worried she might start talking about some nostalgic feelings or emotions, as she seemed a bit down after a drink.

Fortunately, Hwang Saebi was blunt.

"How was our stage?"

"What do you mean?"

"Be honest."

"Honestly? It was bad."

Hwang Saebi grumbled when I spoke honestly.

"You still talk recklessly even as an adult."

"You told me to be honest."

"What was bad about it?"

"Everything. High school boys in suits proposing and getting married—do you think girls will buy into that?"

"Really?"

"Four of your members have older sisters. Did you ask them?"

"No, I'm not close to my sister."

"What does that matter? Go ask some women around you if they find it thrilling."

After two years of not talking, it felt like nothing had changed. We matched each other's sense of humor, and we kept giggling without saying much.

Even during the National Selection, where the broadcast system was a continuous team effort, we fought a lot, but strangely, we both felt we were more at fault, so we made up quickly.

Back at the hotel, I gestured for her to go to bed while I smoked.

"Go to bed."

"Bed? I have a live broadcast tomorrow. I need to keep practicing."

"Where are you practicing?"

"In the room I share with An Ju-won. Our room has a full-length mirror, so we practice there."

They were incredibly diligent. It was a mystery why such diligent people had failed.

While I lit my cigarette, Hwang Saebi continued talking.

"To be honest, something feels off. I can't put my finger on what, but it feels wrong."

"What do you mean?"

"I just have this feeling."

"Ah, what kind of feeling?"

I had to cancel the idea that we matched. We didn't. Hwang Saebi, frustrated that she couldn't explain, said irritably,

"Stop smoking so much, you're still a kid."

"Saebi, I swear, I've driven more than most 30-year-olds since I became an adult."

It was true. Since becoming an adult, I had only driven and drank. Was this life okay?

Hwang Saebi squatted next to me and said,

"We've released two mini albums, and both have had no response. Not just no response, but the interest is decreasing, and YouTube views are dropping."

Hwang Saebi, either from a drink or the recent accident, was unusually honest. She continued,

"I don't even know what I'm doing right now."

"Park Hee-young said she felt like she was just being dragged along by the schedule when she was a rookie. You're rookies too, so it'll get better with experience."

"But it doesn't feel like I'll gain experience."

I couldn't answer Hwang Saebi's words.

Anyone who has been a trainee knows the feeling of walking through a tunnel with no end. You're heading towards the exit of debut, but you know it might not be there for you.

At my age, around twenty, it's too late to keep going, but it's too far to turn back.

I thought I had reached the end of that bleak life with debut, but after a forced disbandment and two mini albums with decreasing responses, Hwang Saebi was incredibly exhausted.

As I replayed First Light's performance in my mind, I said without thinking,

"Come to think of it… it would be better if you showed more passion."

"Passion?"

"Yeah, you know, that rookie spirit of taking over the music industry."

As I was saying this, a status window appeared in front of me.

[The first chapter as a producer begins]

[First Light Digital Single]

[Keyword 'Passion' registered]

What? Who decided this?

Whether I was surprised or not, the status window disappeared without further explanation.

I continued, feeling very uneasy,

"And fans love that kind of thing, showing strong team spirit. One team, one goal, that kind of stuff."

[First Light Digital Single]

[Keyword 'One team, one goal' registered]

What? Does everything I say get registered?

I looked at the status window in disbelief and then asked Hwang Saebi,

"Is your next release a digital single?"

"How did you know?"

"Guess. Is the song ready?"

"The A&R team is still in meetings. This album is really important. They've received many songs, but they haven't found the right one yet."

...Really?

Despite my brief social life, I had become quite bold, so I said half-jokingly,

"I'm preparing to compose these days."

It's about using good connections. That's what they're for.

"You compose? Do you have anything?"

In the 1st team, I was only known for driving, but I had learned a bit. When I told Park Hee-young I was studying composition, she said this:

"Cheol, I've seen people composing without any connections or skills. The most successful among them are the bold ones."

"The bold ones?"

"Yeah, the ones who knock on doors even though they have nothing. They send their low-quality songs everywhere and boast about bringing in good songs soon. Their salesperson side is stronger than their composer side."

"..."

"But strangely, they survive more than the talented ones."

"Of course."

I boasted, and Hwang Saebi replied,

"Really? Send it to our company's A&R team."

"Why the A&R team? Just send it to me."

"Um..."

"You'll use it in your team, so you can judge first."

Considering my current skills, if I sent it to the A&R team, it would definitely be rejected in a blind review. My work was at rock bottom.

So, I decided to be bold and try.

And then the status window appeared again.