Chapter 18

18

"Hahaha! It's funny, it's funny."

Director Jeong didn't answer but just laughed and walked away. I felt a bit wronged but let it go.

The individual teasers and jacket photoshoots were completed in the morning, and the music video shooting proceeded smoothly.

I swear, we must have danced at least twenty times. Especially, ten of those times were in water laid on the floor, making it even more exhausting.

I asked why the water was laid and if there was any special meaning behind it, and Director Jeong raised his thumb and explained with a bright smile.

"Low-budget shooting makes it hard to add CG, so adding water makes the suffering look beautiful!"

"Oh!"

The broke rookie closed his mouth and continued to match formations with the members.

[Dance +1]

[Dance +2]

[Dance +2]

[Dance +1]

'Why is the system being generous today?'

['Practice makes perfect!' Dancing in real situations adds tension, so you get double the experience!]

How considerate of you to explain.

Since the last incident, my distrust of the system window has only grown.

"I'll take a break and then get back to it!"

"Sure!"

Jeong Dajun came out of the set and squeezed himself into a corner, wrapping his hot pack around his ankles, which had turned red from the cold water.

…This will make him look pitifully good, won’t it?

"Kang Ichae."

"Yes!"

When I gestured to Kang Ichae, he pointed the camera at Jeong Dajun.

"Are you cold, Dajun?"

"Ah, no, I'm fine!"

Jeong Dajun, looking pitifully not cold, jumped up in surprise. Seo Jiwon handed him the blanket she was using.

"Use this. There's still some time before the next shoot."

"I'm fine!"

Seeing Jeong Dajun forcefully answer with a brave tone made me uncomfortable.

For almost a week, he hasn't been able to eat or sleep well, and here he is doing heavy labor.

I wouldn't have treated the participants in the competition show I used to do this way. Especially since Jeong Dajun is the youngest, I sometimes think of Seo Hojin...

No, what am I saying.

'Why am I showing affection?'

While Kang Ichae was interviewing Seo Jiwon, Jeong Dajun asked me.

"Is Ho Yun-ssi okay?"

"Why?"

"You only came back from the emergency room a few hours ago. Are you going to collapse again?"

Ah, what am I supposed to say. Since the status issue is resolved, I'm fine.

I absentmindedly patted Jeong Dajun's head.

"Take care of yourself, Jeong Dajun."

"...What, what? Is this a drama?"

Jeong Dajun grumbled and came out of the corner. Kang Ichae, who had already moved on, headed towards Kim Sung-hyun, who was monitoring with Director Jeong.

Jeong Dajun, staring at him, said.

"Still, it's really touching. Being able to reshoot like this…."

"Say that when the camera is on."

"I'm saying it in front of you. How can I say it when it's embarrassing?"

No, you could get sympathy points. I thought about giving advice, but it seemed risky for a new idol to get too much sympathy.

Jeong Dajun sighed and said.

"Every day, I wanted to give up, but after Ho Yun-ssi came back, everything seems to be going well."

"Is that so."

We'll see when the results come out. Of course, I've laid all the groundwork I can.

I've also tried to avoid any questionable practices (hard to believe, but true) because the risk is too high if they're discovered. I've done the best I can. The rest is up to the public.

"I used to be signed with a bad entertainment company."

"Really?"

"Now, I'm only grateful to my current agency…."

My current agency isn't that great… As an actor, maybe, but as an idol, it's not even in the tier.

I closed my mouth and stared, and Jeong Dajun shivered.

"Yes. If I had signed with that agency, what would have happened? It's scary to think about. If it weren't for the person who talked me out of it…."

"Talked you out of it?"

"Yes. A few years ago, someone told me not to go there and to get my act together. They were from a broadcasting company… Strangely, I can't remember their name or face."

…Huh?

Jeong Dajun, in the middle of speaking, snapped his fingers.

"Come to think of it, Ho Yun-ssi feels a bit similar. Very similar. The way he talks, or the atmosphere…."

…Huh?

I felt a sense of unease. My head throbbed. Just as I was about to grab Jeong Dajun and ask, Kim Sung-hyun called us.

"Let's reshoot!"

"Yes, I'll go!"

"……."

"You've been talking nonsense. Let's go and work hard, Hyung!"

"Uh… Yeah."

I rolled my eyes and answered. Since Jeong Dajun was running hard, I couldn't help but follow.

No way, no way…. No, that can't be. I shook my head and looked at the set.

Now is the time to focus.

The teaser came out in a hurry before a few days had passed.

It was a move in response to the leak of the comeback song.

***

"Ha, I'll destroy the company…."

A working woman, who had been disillusioned with K-pop for almost two years due to various K-pop personality controversies, arrived home, exhausted from work.

She had cleaned up the K-pop SNS accounts she used to follow but left the casual chat groups because she still had friends she had been interacting with for years. Lying on her bed, she was scrolling through her timeline, retweeting cute cat videos, when she suddenly saw her timeline flooded with '???'

"What?"

The person who flooded it was a casual chat group friend who lightly liked Joo Woo-sung and had only left the casual chat groups. Thinking it was nothing, she was about to scroll past, but then she saw a video retweeted.

It was the music video of The Dawn, an idol group she had lightly cursed for having a terrible name.

'They're doing a lot of noise marketing here…'

Of course, they were also known for helping an old lady. However, they first caught attention through Joo Woo-sung's star status and consistently appeared in communities with small controversies, including the leak of their comeback song.

'Well, they are good-looking.'

When a friend cried over the individual teasers a while ago, she didn't pay much attention. After all, there were too many idols flooding the Korean market.

Like, are a third of the people in Korea idols?

She, who had been disillusioned with K-pop after the personality controversies of an idol she used to follow, no longer had a good impression of K-pop. Of course, she still listened to some songs.

[The tears stream down, this is the taste of spicy K-pop... Yes, they are the new future.]

[Guide for the total attack on The Dawn's streaming.]

[It's been so long since I've seen a music video with such a story. Apocalyptic SF + school uniforms + techwear + if it's a song by Cheongbeom, you just have to listen, right??? It's like forcing it into your mouth.]

[Guys, I'm in a hurry, what's the name of the brown-haired one?????? So pure???? Just now, my heart skipped a beat.]

[Me: Black hair;;;;; Who is it??? K-pop grandma is in a hurry.]

[Love starts with... What the hell?]

But the timeline was full of positive reviews, which piqued her interest. These people were all K-pop veterans, so they wouldn't be interested in just any idol.

Moreover, 'Cheongbeom' was a nickname for the composer Blue Tiger.

'Oh… I like all of Cheongbeom's songs.'

She clicked on the YouTube link. She thought she could watch for about five minutes. After all, she usually skipped most of the video and only watched the beginning.

She opened the comment section to check the members' names, memorizing the names that appeared at different times. There were five members, so it was easy to remember.

'Let's see.'

Static, like an old video, played.

On a black background, three figures appeared.

Static...

Seo Jiwon, with dark-colored school uniform and brown hair, held a gun, aiming at two men lying on the ground, both wearing techwear. The two on the ground were Kim Sung-hyun and Jeong Dajun.

Seo Jiwon moved his lips.

-Sorry.

The gun seemed to aim at Kim Sung-hyun, but he pulled it back and aimed it at his own head. As Kim Sung-hyun's eyes widened.

Bang!

The screen turned black.

"What?"

Did he commit suicide?

She couldn't help but cover her mouth and couldn't take her eyes off the video.

A few seconds later, the black screen slowly brightened.

Boom, boom.

The sound of drums and Blue Tiger's characteristic beat filled the air, sending shivers down her spine.

'As expected, Cheongbeom…!'

The song was better than when a large company poured in capital.

At the same time, under a blinding white light, Seo Jiwon slowly opened his eyes, stared at the screen, and started singing.

[Give me, Give me, Give me Second Chance The buzzing in my head, say it again, I'm back]

"Wow, a time loop?"

She, a K-pop and web novel addict, immediately recognized the setting. In the first scene, Seo Jiwon committed suicide and reset his life.

Seo Jiwon staggered to his feet and stared at the old bathroom mirror.

[Clasping my hands, I can't let this opportunity slip]

'The song is good, isn't it?'

No… This is worth it?

While seriously evaluating the song, a scene of the group performing a synchronized dance in the dark was inserted.

The camera focused on a character named Kang Ichae, who then pretended to turn the camera, and the scene changed.

[Ooh, Pick a card, a clearer future]

It was Seo Hojin. He sat in a chair, casually tapping his foot and skillfully shuffling cards. He then picked five cards from the face-down deck.

As he flipped them one by one, the spade, queen, ace, and joker appeared. Even when the joker appeared, Seo Hojin remained calm.

[You're anxious about the low probability, but you don't need to be]

Seo Hojin, in a school uniform, checked the last card and smiled, tucking it into his chest. He then walked to the side, looking at the camera, and sang lazily.

[It's okay, I'll guide you]

"What… What…."

His dark blue hair and mysterious look perfectly matched her taste.

"What… No, not yet."

Did I just get hit by the fandom bug?

No, not yet. Definitely not yet.

While she was confused, the music video continued.

Seo Hojin and Seo Jiwon wore dark blue school uniforms, while Jeong Dajun, Kim Sung-hyun, and Kang Ichae wore techwear. The contrast suggested a concept of government forces and revolutionaries.

[Come to me, Come to me, Don't be Afraid, come to me I have my second chance]

In the first scene, Jeong Dajun, who was lying next to Kim Sung-hyun, frowned under the bright white light. The synchronized dance scenes were intercut.

Techwear and Cheongbeom's song beats, isn't that cheating?

As Jeong Dajun and Seo Jiwon grabbed each other's arms, Kim Sung-hyun appeared and sang.

[Let's say it again, it's the beginning for us]

At the same time, Kim Sung-hyun, the leader of the revolutionaries, was seen holding a submachine gun and running somewhere.

[I will come back every time This strange déjà vu, you don't need to be afraid No, you don't need to worry, I'll guide you]

At that moment, Jeong Dajun bent down, and Kang Ichae stepped on his back, performing a mid-air spin. It was a stunning move.

[Hold the target and stand up, I have confidence

I won't let go of this cold sensation]

In the scene of the "cold sensation," Kang Ichae held a sniper rifle, and Jeong Dajun was the target.

Wait, weren't they on the same team? Why is he shooting?

Before she could resolve her confusion, Kang Ichae winked with a playful look, and she forgot what she was thinking.

'So good-looking…'

[Even with my eyes closed, I can see your face I ain't gonna miss this time]

Kang Ichae, with a jolt, pulled back one arm as if shooting a gun, and Seo Jiwon and Seo Hojin started singing again.

[Let's say it again, it's the beginning for us I will come back every time]

Amid the brilliant high notes and solid harmonies, the music video was heading towards its highlight.

In a scene with rain, Seo Jiwon approached the fallen Jeong Dajun. Kim Sung-hyun glared at Seo Jiwon with resentment. Seo Jiwon trembled with fear.

[This strange déjà vu, you don't need to be afraid]

"Ah, this…"

This is the same as the beginning.

At that moment, the high note rose, and Seo Jiwon, like in the first scene, aimed the gun at his own head.

-Bang!

The gunshot rang out again. However, it was Seo Jiwon's gun that fell.

In the distance, Kang Ichae, in techwear, was using a radio to contact someone. Seo Jiwon, lying on the ground, tried to pick up the gun, but someone kicked it away with their foot.

[No, you don't need to wander, I'll find the way]

And the scene gradually zoomed in.

The face of Seo Hojin, in the same school uniform as Seo Jiwon, was revealed. Seo Jiwon's eyes wavered.

[This time, in this life, I will definitely I will save you (Save you)]

'So he didn't die at the beginning!'

She got goosebumps.

The chaotic scene of all the members of The Dawn was captured, and the screen transitioned to a synchronized dance. The water on the floor splashed in perfect sync with the sharp, precise choreography, creating a surreal scene.

[Give me, Give me, Give me Second Chance]

The final chorus echoed, and the scene returned to the card shot of Seo Hojin at the beginning.

The last card Seo Hojin checked was revealed, overlapping with Seo Jiwon.

Heart King.

[Give you, Give you, Give you Second Chance]

Seo Hojin smiled slightly. At the same time, the drum sound echoed, matching the rhythm of her heart.

The music video slowly turned black, and the title appeared.

[The Dawn ? Second Chance]

"……."

She had no idea where her resolve to watch only one minute had gone.

She calmed her racing heart and, with trembling hands, went to her SNS.

[The Dawn… What is it???]

[What did I just see????]

[Damn, why didn't Seo Hojin let Seo Jiwon die? Explain, please]

[Did Seo Jiwon get betrayed?]

[Did I get hit by the fandom bug?]

[Did I get hit by Seo Hojin? Such a handsome guy. No, I… I'm fine, I didn't get hit]

[No, I think I did]

[Please, friends, give me an interpretation (begging └hahaha Ah, you too… (interpretation link)]

Fandom bugs always hit the hardest when you deny them.

While she denied it and looked for The Dawn's promotional articles, a related article