“Screw it all. Main, lead, or sub, we don’t need any of them. Make everyone as vocalist, simple.”
“You’re a vocalist, you’re a vocalist, and hyung, you’re also a vocalist. Okay? Everybody knows the three of you can sing well, so stop crazily arguing and just be vocalists. Why even bother ranking yourselves?”
With my declaration, our group’s position distribution was finalized very simply.
[Woo Kangwon: Dance]
[Baek Kiryang: Vocal]
[Nicholas Hwayoung Lee: Vocal]
[Han Seungbeom: Dance, Leader]
[Do Yuda: Vocal]
[Nagi Zen: Vocal]
[Lee Danbi: Dance, Rap]
“It does look a bit empty on the surface.”
I remembered the indifferent tone Lee Danbi used when he saw the list of positions. The members slowly nodded as if they agreed with his words, then started sneaking glances at me. However, I ignored their gazes without even blinking.
This utterly pathetic position might make fans or the public a bit puzzled, but there was no other choice. What could I do when everyone was so good? People used to say that having multiple main vocalists with different styles in one group was a blessing from the K-POP gods, but I never imagined it would lead to this kind of problem.
“Who cares about titles? As long as you do well, that’s all that matters. I’m confident. On the contrary, we could even use it as an opportunity to highlight how all of our members are so talented that there’s no need to rank ourselves.”
“Hyuuung … if you say it like that, there’s nothing we can say.”
“I said it so you wouldn’t have anything to say.”
It was a bit embarrassing for me to say that, considering I already carry all kinds of titles like leader, center, and main dancer. But it seemed like the members were more greedy about the ‘
main vocalist’
position than I expected.
‘I’ve never had this problem in Prism.’
Unparalleled skill sometimes could play the role of completely extinguishing the seeds of competition.
In Prism, where Seo Yuseong, Lee Chise, and Seo Yutae firmly held their positions with universal recognition, such position-based competition never occurred in the first place. However, the absence of internal rivalry came with a fatal downside: outsiders would constantly compare the members’ abilities.
‘Compared to that, this is just child’s play.’
Wasn’t this just a problem that arose because children with outstanding abilities gathered in one place? Issues like this would only happen in the beginning, and it would naturally resolve themselves. Since it was internal competition, not attacks from an unspecified number of people, I could steer it in a direction that benefits everyone.
‘The main vocalist can be roughly settled like that….’
If there was anything else I had to point out, it was Nagi Zen and Lee Danbi.
Zen was a member who could perform the role of an all-rounder without any particular shortcomings in vocals or dance, so I had a hard time deciding what position to put him in.
After careful consideration, I decided to place him in the vocal line. I took into account his tendency to sometimes show glimpses of his old clumsy self, his limited involvement in dance breaks, and the likelihood of him taking the killing parts.
“I’ll do whatever I’m told. Brace yourselves. Vocalist Nagi Zen, Crazy battle mode, ON.”
Zen seemed completely indifferent to whatever position he was assigned to. If all the members were as simple as Zen, it would be so much easier. Sadly, life wasn’t that easy.
‘…The problem is Lee Danbi.’
While the vocal position was engaged in a petty quarrel, Lee Danbi was lost in deep thought with a calm and composed expression. He knew it herself, that the real challenges would begin from now on.
The reason Lee Danbi was able to rap so skillfully in the fourth round was largely thanks to Lee Chise. The public would be waiting for that rap style, which had been shaped by Lee Chise’s hands from start to finish, but whether Lee Danbi could replicate it perfectly on his own was a completely different matter.
If he failed at that, it wouldn’t be possible to rely on Lee Chise’s help again.
On the day of the last coaching session, Lee Chise said this to Lee Danbi.
“This is both the first and the last time. Got it? From now on, let’s meet on equal ground.”
Although he was putting on a cheerful front, he was setting a boundary, making it clear that he couldn’t expect any more generosity from him.
Lee Chise wasn’t as kind-hearted as people believed. His generosity was limited to a small number of people, and those spots were probably already filled by the members of Prism.
Lee Chise coaching him was for the sake of receiving my song, not because he had any special affection for Lee Danbi. It might be hard to believe, but when it came down to it, it was Cha Woon who would soften when someone clung to him until the end, while Lee Chise was the type to stick to his
no
.
In the end, the first obstacle Lee Danbi had to overcome wasn’t the members, but himself from the fourth mission.
‘Huh, nothing ever goes easily.’
Just as I was sighing heavily at that thought, Do Yuda came up to me.
“Hyung, why are you wearing proper pajamas for once? Ahaha, you must be setting up a concept because the cameras are about to come in! You really are quite cute in some ways, hyung.”
It seemed like he was saying that because I was wearing the clothes that Choi Jeokhyeon had prepared for me.
Meanwhile, he was wearing fluffy pajamas and a hairband with animal ears.
It pissed me off that he was laughing so hard without being aware of his own appearance.
“…It’s a gift. I got it because I never wear pajamas properly.”
“Hehe, I’ll make sure to get you one of those. I know you’re too shy to ask!”
“…….”
‘This brat is ignoring me more and more as time goes on.’
Seeing my eyebrows twitch slightly, Do Yuda quickly started speaking with a face drained of color.
“Uh, I don’t know what brand those clothes are, but Seungbeom-hyung, your looks really did wonders. If it goes on the air, it’ll probably be sold out instantly. There’s so many people who buy whatever you wear, hyung. I heard the clothes you wore at the mini sports day were all sold out too? Wow, as expected of you, hyung! Whoa! You’ve turned the fashion world upside down!”
“…….”
“…I was wrong.”
I’ll show you mercy.
.
.
.
“Please make it natural. Like there’s no camera! And make sure it doesn’t get too awkwardly quiet.”
As Do Yuda had said, it wasn’t long before the production team of the reality show arrived at our dorm, and cameras were set up all around the place.
“There are so many cameras! A few camera directors came in as well, and I saw a lot of staff members waiting outside the dorm. Is this what filming is usually like?”
Viewers probably didn’t realize it, but the
naturalness
of a TV program was usually staged. Most of the time, it was like this, with cameras everywhere, and staff members flooding in. Even when going out, you have to bring along enough staff to almost take over an entire street.
“…T-Then shall we start with the room assignments?”
Glancing at the camera, Woo Kangwon raised his eyes sideways and nervously stumbled over his words as he read the script the production team had asked for. Watching him, I couldn’t help but think that Woo Kangwon should probably be a singer for the rest of his life.
“Alright. We have four rooms, so let’s pair up and use the three bigger rooms, and the smallest room can be used as a single room for one person.”
When the sensible Lee Danbi smoothly took over the conversation, Woo Kangwon looked at him with teary eyes, as if he was moved. In response, Lee Danbi turned his head and winked with the eye that was hidden from the camera.
“Wow, that’s cool.”
“That’s amazing.”
As I watched that, I heard Nagi Zen and Do Yuda muttering, clutching their chests while making an
‘ooooh
‘ sound. I made a vow to myself not to join in on such stupid reactions and opened my mouth.
“First, let’s separate the people who are difficult to live with. For example, people with bad sleep habits.”
“…….”
As soon as I brought up sleeping habits, Do Yuda and Nagi Zen quickly shut their mouths. They knew perfectly well that I was referring to them.
A guy who crawled into other people’s beds and kicked around while sleeping, and another guy who slept with his eyes open like in a horror movie and even talked nonsense. Rather than sharing a room with these kinds of people, I’d rather just sleep in the living room.
I glanced at the two troublemakers and said, “Just stay together, you two. You’re the same age and get along well.”
“Ahhh!”
“Coexist with Yu-chan.”
Then, they jumped up, high-fived, and hugged, expressing all sorts of joy. Even though they were always bickering, it seemed like they actually got along really well. I watched the two of them with a somewhat pleased look, then opened my mouth.
“Sit down.”
After those guys quietly sat back down at my words, I once again scanned through the members’ names, lost in thought.
‘First, I should separate Lee Danbi and Lee Hwayoung for the time being.’
There was no use putting them together in the hope that they would
get along
, especially when they were always fighting whenever they made eye contact.
And if Baek Kiryang and Lee Hwayoung shared a room, it seemed like Baek Kiryang wouldn’t be able to breathe and would struggle to survive.
‘… He’s not even five years old anymore, but I keep getting stuck with Lee Hwayoung.’
While I was debating how to deal with Lee Hwayoung, Woo Kangwon cautiously raised his hand and spoke.
“I go out to exercise at dawn, so someone with sensitive ears might have a hard time living with me.”
Unfortunately, the remaining people were all sensitive to noise and light sleepers. Lee Hwayoung was picky, Baek Kiryang was easily scared, and I was easily irritated. To make matters worse, Lee Danbi said his younger siblings kept causing troubles whenever he closed his eyes, so he’d gotten used to waking up at the slightest noise.
“Then there’s no helping it. Hyung, you’ll have to use the single room.”
Somehow, the oldest ended up with the single room.
And now, the remaining ones were Baek Kiryang, Lee Hwayoung, Lee Danbi, and me. In other words, the four people with the worst social skills in our group had to be split into pairs.
“…….”
I kept my mouth shut and stayed still, but I could feel the heated stare.
‘I know. I know. In the first place, I was the only one who could share a room with you.’
“Han Seungbeom.”
It was Lee Hwayoung, glaring at me with piercing blue eyes.
As I stubbornly ignored that gaze with all my might, I could feel Lee Danbi and Baek Kiryang clinging to each other like a lifeline, staring at me with tearful eyes.
“Haaa…..”
……So this is how it ends up, huh.
***
After finishing the room assignments, dinner, and interview filming, one of the production staff, dressed quite fancily, approached me to collect the microphone. Then, after looking around for a bit, she covered her mouth with her hand and spoke to me.
“Seungbeom-ssi, is that Dicoon?”
“….Yes?”
‘Dicoon?’
Dicoon was a renowned fashion house, famous for its high-end prices among luxury brands. As I tilted my head in confusion at the sudden mention of the brand name, the production staff, with sparkling eyes, continued to feed me information I didn’t need.
“The pajamas Seungbeom-ssi is wearing right now. They’re from Dicoon, and they’re really hard to get. As expected of Seungbeom-ssi! I heard you’re really into fashion, and it seems like it’s true. I’m so envious. I couldn’t get my hands on one.”
Where’s the fashion in pajamas? Pajamas are just pajamas.
My style was just picking up whatever’s available and wearing it, so there’s no way I’d be interested in branded pajamas.
The words of the production staff and the economic sensibilities of the person who gave the gift crossed in my mind, making me dizzy. Wasn’t that person someone who would go to great lengths just to play silly pranks on me? I forced myself to stay calm and replied.
“I’m not sure. It was a gift, so I don’t really know.”
“Ah, is that so? I’m still envious nonetheless. Thank you for your hard work on the filming today.”
“Thank you for your hard work.”
As soon as the production staff, who had satisfied her curiosity, left, I searched for “
Dicoon pajamas
” on my phone. And as soon as I saw the search results, I froze up completely.
[4,890,000 won]
.
‘Fuuuu*k, Choi Jeokhyeon, you crazy, crazy, crazy bastard. Who in their right mind would pay 5 million won for pajamas!’
…..Can’t I just throw away all the footage I filmed?
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Translator’s Corner:
I’m not going to google how much that is in my currency for my peace of mind. I’m just going to ponder should I eat spicy noodle or sweet noodle for dinner tonight (I cant eat spicy foods) (but they’re delicious)