Genius Idol’s Strategy to Conquer the Entertainment Industry

Chapter 230

The highlight of an idol’s activities is a solo concert.

Though Kang Ji-woo always said that, after attending Chronicle’s 20th-anniversary concert last time, I agreed with that statement myself.

In the first place, the reason I composed “Again” was because I wanted to create a song that could be exciting to sing at a concert.

Preferably, in a larger venue, in front of more people.

Anyway, since it’s already July, it’s difficult to have the first solo concert within this year, but I think it will definitely happen around next year.

That leaves us with about half a year to a year.

That time should be enough for the members, including myself, to establish at least a minimal foothold.

In fact, the fact that I personally composed the title track was both a big deal and not a big deal.

Right now, interest in me is burning hot, so when it’s revealed that I composed the title track for the first comeback album after the True incident, there’s a high chance people will react with exaggerated excitement, saying, “Wow, he went through all that and now he’s even composing!”

But if I reveal it about a year later, everyone will have lost interest by then and would likely respond with a mere, “Oh, really? But so what?”

Timing is crucial in the entertainment industry, as it is everywhere.

However, I believed that Aeri, who would recognize my efforts and achievements better than anyone, would still pay enough attention to me even if I revealed the composition fact about a year later.

And I concluded alone that it would be appropriate to reveal it during the first meaningful concert.

I wasn’t sure how the other members would take it.

While I was slightly gauging the reactions of the members.

“Great job!”

I didn’t know why the praise suddenly came out.

Kang Ji-woo spoke cheerfully as if he had read my thoughts.

“I know. Hyung knows everything.”

He was drunk.

“Still, I think it would be better to reveal it now. The song is good. Let’s do it while we can……. But Gyeol hyung is asleep.”

Seo Moon-gyeol, who had thrown the first question, was fast asleep before I knew it.

Not only Seo Moon-gyeol but the other members were also not in a normal state.

Talking about serious matters to drunk people made me laugh out of exasperation, wondering what I was doing.

* * *

Saying the alcohol didn’t suit him today, Kang Ji-woo went to bed first, leaving only Gyun Seong-ha and Ban Yo-han.

“I also thought it might be you.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I did. When I heard it was Haze, I thought it wasn’t you….”

Gyun Seong-ha, who had trailed off, began to sob sadly again.

“Why did you hide it all this time if you were going to tell me this? Don’t you trust me? Do I seem that insignificant? It’s not like that, you know? But why do you always treat me like a younger brother? You never call me hyung. Gyeon Ha-ram calls me oppa, you know? He’s the same age as you. So shouldn’t you also call me oppa since you can’t drink yet?”

“Hey, my clothes are stretching….”

Just like Larry’s prophecy, no one could stop this guy who had turned into a dog.

Next to him, Ban Yo-han was laughing like a madman, watching us.

I wondered if there would be complaints about the noise at night.

“Why won’t you say it? Am I that easy? Is it because I always cry like an idiot? Do you think I’m stupid? Are you handsome and that’s it? You’re so weak… you can only do 0.15 of the work…! Do you know that? Do you? Why don’t you know! Why aren’t you saying anything?”

“Because you’re not giving me a chance to speak….”

“I just did!”

This guy is strangely logical.

After calming down Gyun Seong-ha, who had become a crying question mark murderer, and putting him in his room, only Ban Yo-han was left standing.

“How did you figure it out, hyung?”

At my question, Ban Yo-han grinned and answered.

“By looking at your expression.”

“My expression?”

Ban Yo-han shamelessly continued.

“When the staff praised your song, the corners of your mouth went up by about 4 degrees, and when the title track was announced, it was even more obvious. If you want to hide it next time, wear a mask and sunglasses.”

“You’re talking nonsense because you’re drunk.”

Though I naturally dismissed it, I wasn’t sure if he was just saying random things to tease me because he was drunk or if he was being sincere.

This guy had a knack for making everything he said sound like nonsense.

Ban Yo-han, who was laughing drunkenly, said.

“Just kidding. I noticed from aunt’s expression.”

“The CEO?”

“Yeah. When it was ‘Again’s turn, she kept glancing at you more often. So I thought maybe you had told her beforehand. It wasn’t exactly the case, but anyway. Once I realized that, your expression also seemed a bit awkward.”

If it was exposed like that, there was nothing I could do about it.

I marveled at his thoroughness.

Not only was he watching me, but he was also observing those around me.

Sometimes I wondered if a quick-witted and alert guy like him doing idol work wasn’t a national waste of talent.

“So why is it Hae-jae?”

He kept asking tirelessly.

“Hyung, you know my game nickname is Hae-jae. It’s just a nickname I’ve been using for a long time. There’s no grand meaning to it.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

Ban Yo-han, who had been staring at me silently for a long time, finally closed his eyes and smiled.

“You act well.”

“…If you’re drunk, go to sleep quickly.”

* * *

After pushing Ban Yo-han, who still seemed to have enough strength to walk on his own despite drinking so much, into the master bedroom.

I somehow managed to roll the sleeping Seo Moon-gyeol onto the blanket spread out on the living room floor and did a rough cleanup as the one responsible for giving them alcohol.

Thus, the last person to go to bed was me, but I was also the first to wake up.

Everyone woke up much later than usual due to the aftermath of last night.

Ban Yo-han, who had stayed awake the latest, woke up once to the alarm but turned it off and went back to sleep, and Kang Ji-woo and Gyun Seong-ha were in similar conditions.

Especially Seo Moon-gyeol, who normally woke up at 6:30 sharp even if he practiced until three or four in the morning the night before, showed no signs of moving, making me wonder if what I had given him was actually poison, not alcohol.

Who knew that a spoonful of alcohol could be this powerful?

In the end, I, who woke up early, was watching the rerun of a music variety show where Kang Ji-woo was a panelist while solving the Chinese worksheets that had piled up for about three weeks due to various incidents.

The master bedroom door opened, and Kang Ji-woo stumbled out.

“Ah, I feel like I’m going to throw up.”

Mumbling to himself, Kang Ji-woo saw me and looked at me with reproachful eyes.

Surely, he didn’t completely forget that he drank more on his own besides what I gave him, right?

I wondered if he remembered what I told him yesterday since he drank so much, but after washing his face in the bathroom, Kang Ji-woo, looking much more awake, called me as he staggered towards the kitchen.

“Hey, I forgot to say this because I was drunk yesterday.”

“Hm?”

“Congratulations on the title track. The song is really good.”

At Kang Ji-woo’s words, spoken in a slightly hoarse voice, I widened my eyes.

“…Thanks.”

“No, I’m the one who should thank you.”

“No, I am.”

“You can’t beat me in this kind of thing.”

True. I knew I couldn’t beat Kang Ji-woo when it came to corny remarks, so I quickly surrendered.

Seeing my surrender signal, Kang Ji-woo smiled kindly and took a pot from the shelf.

“If you’re not busy, can you wake the others?”

“Got it.”

I woke up the members who were still sound asleep one by one and made them eat the clear bean sprout soup that Kang Ji-woo had cooked.

When we were clearing up the breakfast that doubled as lunch, Gwak Sang-hyun, who arrived at the dorm filled with the smell of alcohol, covered his nose as soon as he entered the front door.

“I gave you permission to go out and have fun, not to come back and drink at the dorm. Raon probably didn’t even drink, aren’t you ashamed in front of the youngest?”

“Hyung, don’t scold them.”

“Raon, you shouldn’t defend these guys.”

“I made them drink.”

“What?”

“And hyung, take this.”

Gwak Sang-hyun, who had momentarily glared, softened his expression when he saw the shopping bag I handed him.

“What is this?”

“I bought it to celebrate our earnings. Together with the members.”

When I handed him the high-end brand sneakers that Gyun Seong-ha had painstakingly picked out yesterday at the department store, Gwak Sang-hyun, who had been deciding whether to scold me, couldn’t help but smile.

“Do you think I’ll be swayed by something like this?”

He looked like he was about to be swayed.

“Try them on to see if they fit.”

After trying on the perfectly fitting shoes, Gwak Sang-hyun cleared his throat and said he would let it slide for today.

* * *

From this Saturday, I returned to my existing schedule, including being an MC on MusicPangPang.

Since it was my first external schedule after the incident, as soon as I entered the broadcasting station, I received a lot of attention, both good and bad.

“Are you feeling okay? Shouldn’t you rest more?”

“Yes. I’m fine. I’m sorry for causing trouble. I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

I lost count of how many times I said I was fine and sorry to everyone I met.

Gyeon Ha-ram and Lee Se-jun, who had been hosting the show without me, also welcomed my return.

Apparently, Gyeon Ha-ram found Lee Se-jun uncomfortable, and Lee Se-jun probably wasn’t very comfortable with Gyeon Ha-ram either, so they must have missed the buffering role I played between them quite a bit.

A lot of things happened in July.

Lee Young-min, Orca’s manager, who recovered quickly enough to be discharged to the surprise of the medical staff, took a leave of absence to rest in his hometown for a while.

Gwak Sang-hyun predicted that he wouldn’t return, but I didn’t know whether Larry would come back undercover as our manager again.

There was also good news. Just before our third album activities, our official light stick was finally being produced.