Chapter 17

17

"Bro, are you really okay?"

"Uh-huh."

"It's from overwork and gastritis, you know. They keep telling you not to overdo it..."

"I'm fine, I tell you."

The members narrowed their eyes. He pretended not to hear and picked up his phone. The car was already heading to the music video set.

[Seo Hojin: Bro, are you trying to die from overwork??]

[Seo Hojin: No reply, no reply, no reply]

[Seo Hojin: Don't come crying to me later—]

[Seo Hojin: Ha... No reply, but if you're really sick, just come out]

Seo Hojin pass.

[Lim Hyunsu: Are you crazy;;; What's this leak?]

[Lim Hyunsu: How does your company manage you?]

[Lim Hyunsu: But you guys picked a good song in the middle of this mess. I'll give you that~]

He sent a text to Lim Hyunsu with a smile.

[Me: ㅇ]

"Did you collapse from shock because of the leak?"

"No, it was from overwork."

"Indeed... You were the one who worked the hardest, Hyun."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"Really, you don't look like someone who would work so hard."

"What do you mean by 'don't look like it'?"

"You don't look like someone who struggled growing up."

"Me?"

A hollow laugh escaped him.

"Hey, back in my day."

"Uh, here we go."

Hey! I really struggled, you know. If I were to write about all the hard work I did before I was possessed, it would be published as an autobiography, become a bestseller, and even be made into a movie, making the Han River overflow with people's tears and snot!

Ding!

[No reply!]

...If you include the system window, it would be classified as a fantasy, not an autobiography, but anyway, that's how it is.

"Anyway, it's a relief you're okay now."

"Everyone was on the verge of a mental breakdown, but seeing you collapse actually helped them snap out of it."

When did they start to feel so close to me?

He ignored them and kept playing their song. He was still struggling to keep up with the slightly offbeat rhythm. The emergency room visit had cut into his practice time.

"Ah, we're here."

After a quick stop at a shop and a brief nap in the car, they arrived at the music video set in no time.

Sung Jiwan nervously smoothed down his chest. Kim Sung-hyun patted his shoulder and signaled for him to get out.

They got out of the car and immediately bowed 90 degrees to the staff.

"Hello!"

"Hello, please take care of us!"

"Oh, aren't you the ones who caught that burglar?"

"Y-Yes!"

"You were amazing. I saw the news. Good luck today!"

The staff, who had been staring with wide eyes, smiled warmly and greeted them kindly. As they entered the studio, they saw a hastily set up stage.

"Wow, this is the set?"

"Amazing!"

'Low budget...'

Actually, it's hard to tell if it's a stage or just a low-budget setup with poor lighting.

Representative, I asked you to do a proper job. While the other members were looking around with sparkling eyes, his face was turning sour.

He made eye contact with a middle-aged man standing in front of a camera.

"Hello! I'm Deo Dunn."

"Whoa, you surprised me."

He knew immediately.

This must be Director Jung, whom Lim Hyunsu mentioned. Despite the age difference, they seemed quite close.

Director Jung smiled at them.

"Newbies, but you have great energy. We'll be shooting the individual teasers and the music video in one go today. Please take care of us."

"Yes! We'll do our best."

He seemed friendlier than expected. Making eye contact with Director Jung, the man smiled and extended his hand.

"Are you Seo Hoyun? Lim Hyunsu was so angry, he was practically foaming at the mouth."

...Usually, he would have praised you, right?

He felt uneasy but his face was already set in a professional smile. He shook the man's hand and replied smoothly.

"I have no idea what he said."

"Hahaha, don't worry, I didn't get the full story either. But he did say you have a seasoned and determined spirit for a newbie. There are a lot of rumors about the leak, but... if you do well, all those controversies will disappear, you know?"

'Subtly putting pressure on me.'

But he smiled confidently.

"I'll do my best."

"Great, I'll be looking forward to it today."

He wanted to talk more with Director Jung, but the members' curious gazes made it difficult to have a more honest conversation.

I'll talk to him later and see if he's useful.

"Guys, come on! We need to try on our costumes."

A stylist, who usually worked with top actors, raised her hand and called them over. The members were a bit hesitant.

"Your costumes are really complicated."

"Sorry!"

"Huh? What are you sorry for? Actors don't usually wear such outfits, so it's rare to make something like this. It was really fun this time."

"Thank you, ma'am."

"You can call me 'sister'!"

Kang Icha spoke warmly, and the stylist agreed readily. They skillfully handed out the costumes to each member.

According to the concept pushed by the junior in the planning team, there were two different styles.

Their expressions as they received the costumes were peculiar. They were indeed complicated.

After struggling for a while, they finally put on the costumes and stood in front of the mirror. Under hair that was almost navy blue, a deep blue uniform was draped, with a shoulder strap running from the right shoulder to the left side.

He wasn't sure if it looked good, so he just stared blankly.

"Wow, Seo Hoyun, you look amazing!"

"...Is it okay?"

"It's more than okay! You have a cool tone, so it looks like you were born to wear this."

"Thank you."

"Perfect, perfect!"

The stylist and the hair stylist looked on with satisfaction. As the other members came out, Sung Jiwan suddenly held up a camera.

"Wow, Hoyun! It really suits you!"

"What are you taking?"

"Our behind-the-scenes footage, the manager said."

He got the idea. Sung Jiwan was wearing a similar uniform but with a slightly different hat. His brown hair, which shone in the light, suited him well.

At the same time, Kim Sung-hyun, Jung Daejun, and Kang Icha burst out. Their outfits were closer to military uniforms. They wore boots and rolled up their sleeves, while the stylists busily adjusted their hair and clothes.

"Kids these days are really tall."

"Exactly, their limbs are so long, it's fun to dress them."

"Hehe..."

Jung Daejun laughed shyly. Kang Icha had already snatched the camera from Sung Jiwan and was running around like a puppy.

"Say hello to the camera!"

"Uh? Can the staff say hello too?"

"Of course!"

"Sorry. Kang Icha, come here."

"No way!"

"This brat..."

But because she was being too familiar with the staff, Kim Sung-hyun approached and gave her a light tap, bringing her back.

Just then.

As they were about to start, the quiet set was filled with the sound of their song.

"Uh..."

It was their song.

The low beat and humming sound, which Lim Hyunsu had made the members suffer through by insisting on re-recording, and which might have turned out even better than the White Cherry song, was now playing here.

It was so natural to play the artist's song at a music video set that the staff quickly resumed their work, but he and the other members couldn't move.

"...It's our song."

Sung Jiwan smiled quietly. Jung Daejun, who had been chattering non-stop a moment ago, closed his mouth tightly.

'Oh dear.'

He had already heard and practiced this song countless times, so how could he be moved like this again?

The stylists and hair stylists, finding the members' expressions cute, added their comments with smiles.

"Your song really fits you!"

"It's catchy. It's going to be a hit when it comes out."

"T-Thank you."

Jung Daejun sniffled slightly and bowed his head.

He glanced at him, and a playful urge suddenly came over him. He pressed down on Jung Daejun's neck, making him stagger.

"Ah, bro, what's this?"

"Let's do our best today."

***

"A little more wistfully! Don't look awkward at the camera, Jiwan, look wistfully, okay?"

"Got it!"

Director Jung was stricter than expected. He was a gentle tiger in front and a fierce one behind.

According to Lim Hyunsu, he was usually more laid-back, so why was he working so hard for them?

"Wow, he's so meticulous."

"He seems to know all the details."

I should really buy him some expensive sake later.

"Amazing, the energy."

"Indeed..."

Sung Jiwan looked troubled. He seemed a bit nervous.

He was already looking wistful, but Director Jung kept retaking the shot as if Sung Jiwan could do even better.

"Not like that! Look further away!"

"Ah, got it!"

Kang Icha was enthusiastically filming the behind-the-scenes footage, and Jung Daejun, frustrated by Sung Jiwan's inability to get into character, was fidgeting.

"Bro! Think about the chick you raised in front of the school when you were in elementary school! You cried then, right?"

"Hey, hey!"

Sung Jiwan's face turned red as he shouted at Jung Daejun.

The staff in the studio burst into laughter, but Director Jung remained serious.

"Is that better? Try to feel more nostalgic about that chick."

'...What?'

"Imagine what that chick would look like if it had grown into a chicken."

What is he talking about?

'Is this what art is?'

Does it work like this, or not?

He crossed his arms and watched. But the most unbelievable thing was that Sung Jiwan, who had been blushing and embarrassed, immediately put on a wistful face the moment the red light on the camera came on.

'...Or is it just his face?'

He was so confused that he rubbed his chin. Director Jung, excited, kept bringing up the chick.

"Right, that's it! That's the face! What was the chick's name?"

"Ch... Chicken."

"Good, think about Chicken!"

"Chicken...?"

"Supporting Jiwan, bro...?"

Jung Daejun and Kang Icha muttered to each other. They were a perfect pair.

"Can you act like that after receiving such an order?"

"I can't."

As he muttered, Kim Sung-hyun nodded silently.

"Doesn't the experience as a trainee count for anything?"

Kang Icha, with the spirit of a professional, held the camera without laughing, even though she was trying hard to suppress her laughter. She needed to see how it would be edited later.

Sung Jiwan, though embarrassed, didn't seem nervous. He had been so nervous in the recording studio last time.

'What's his problem?'

He tilted his head. Last time, he was so scared.

"Next, Kim Sung-hyun!"

"Got it!"

Kim Sung-hyun answered confidently and walked out.

The red light came on. He took a deep breath, adjusted his expression, and sat in the designated spot surrounded by cameras.

"Look coldly, Sung-hyun!"

Following Director Jung's order, Sung-hyun tilted his head slightly and looked forward. It matched the image of a cold and thorough character.

But when he looked at Director Jung, he seemed a bit dissatisfied, and his lips pouted slightly.

'No way.'

He quickly signaled to Kang Icha. She nodded and asked a staff member to get a sketchbook she had prepared in advance. She quickly wrote something and held it up.

"Bro, look at this!"

Kim Sung-hyun, startled, looked over, and saw the quiz written in Kang Icha's flowing handwriting.

Kim Sung-hyun frowned as he read it. A few staff members followed his gaze.

"What is this? A quiz?"

He took the sketchbook and flipped to the next page, holding it up. Kang Icha shouted.

"The answer is...!"

"...Shin Saimdang?"

The atmosphere in the studio turned cold. Especially around Kim Sung-hyun, it felt like the temperature had dropped to Arctic levels.

Of course, Director Jung was thrilled.

"Shin Saimdang! Your expression is perfect! Exactly the cold image we want!"

"..."

"Coldly! As if you're looking down on the other person!"

It worked.

'Good.'

'Yes.'

He gave Kang Icha a thumbs up. She nodded and wrote the second question.

A few staff members with unique tastes watched the situation with great interest.

"What does a dragon say when it ascends to the sky?"

"What? Ascend?"

"The answer is... revealed by Jiwan!"

Sung Jiwan, overwhelmed by the momentum, held up the sketchbook. Kim Sung-hyun, clearly in distress, had no choice but to read the answer. Sung Jiwan, blushing, shouted.

"The answer is... I, I'm ascending...!"

"..."

"Is the air conditioning on?"

He asked Jung Daejun. Jung Daejun shook his head, looking unsure. The temperature seemed to have dropped by at least 10 degrees.

Sung Jiwan, truly embarrassed, bowed his head deeply, and Director Jung, who had been enthusiastically directing and taking photos, finished Kim Sung-hyun's shoot in five minutes.

"Perfect, there's nothing more to do."

Director Jung smiled in satisfaction and dismissed Kim Sung-hyun. Kim Sung-hyun, looking exhausted, shuffled out of the camera's view and gave Kang Icha a light tap.

"Next, Seo Hoyun, please come in!"

Ah, finally my turn.

Kang Icha shouted encouragement. He stood in front of the dazzling lights and reflectors.

He never imagined standing here would feel like this. He was always the one behind the camera.

"Seo Hoyun, don't be nervous, just do what you usually do. Subtly, with a hint of mystery."

'...Sigh.'

For some reason, Director Jung seems to know something from the incident with Lim Hyunsu.

He frowned, looking at the rapidly changing lights. He was a bit nervous.

"Why, are you nervous?"

"Haha... I guess so."

Director Jung smiled slyly, subtly gauging him. He forced a smile, recalling the advice given by Lim Hyunsu and Joo Sung.

"Please take care of me."

He took a deep breath and slowly opened his eyes to the camera. Director Jung's eyes, which had been twinkling, instantly turned serious.

"Your eyes are perfect right now, —Okay."

Director Jung gave the thumbs up from the start and went for a close-up. He slowly stroked his fingers and looked forward.

"A little more, lower your gaze and smile."

Fortunately, the character concept for this project matched him. If he had to keep up a cute and lively pineapple concept, he wouldn't have been able to get into character and shoot so easily.

"Good, like that... Hmm, I like it."

Director Jung nodded and gestured. As he slowly walked out, the members' gazes followed him.

"You take the camera well, Hoyun. It's worth the wait."

"Thank you."

"Come over and take a look."

He went over to Director Jung and looked at the screen. It felt a bit strange.

The moving image of Seo Hoyun, the Seo Hoyun standing with furrowed brows under the blue light, everything felt alien.

'Amazing.'

...It doesn't feel like me.

"How do you like it?"

At the same time, a choice appeared.

[Choice 1. Am I... an angel?

2. My heart is pounding.

3. I look so handsome.]

'Shit.'

He quickly chose.

"I look so handsome."

"What? Hahaha!"

It was the best choice. The most reasonable one. Saying it confidently, Director Jung burst out laughing and patted his back.

"You have a good sense of humor, Seo Hoyun."

"..."

Does that mean I don't look handsome?