Episode 128: Summer (2)
Unlike when I arrived at Music On Net, on the way back home, I gained some company.
While I was standing in front of the lobby, clenching my teeth and steeling myself, a van pulled up and stopped.
“You didn’t have to wait for me, but thank you.”
“It wasn’t that long, and the kids don’t have anything urgent to do once they get back anyway. Since we’re going in the same direction, there’s no need to tire yourself out in this heat for no reason.”
Waiting for me with the door open, just like a scene from an anime that no man could resist, were none other than the members of E-GIS and the staff taking care of them.
The E-GIS manager—who had reminded me during our previous encounter that I was also a candidate for the Rookie Award—answered so casually, as if it were nothing.
‘Who hasn’t shot a V Lunch before?’
I know.
I know those words are a lie.
The schedule E-GIS had today at Music On Net was the same program I had done in the past under the name Polaris before my regression.
The program ‘V Lunch,’ which bills itself as “Lunch with Idols,” is short—only about thirty minutes of broadcast time—fitting its purpose of being “something nice to watch while eating.” The actual filming time is also short, with a maximum of around three hours.
Considering that filming was already in full swing by the time I arrived at Music On Net, even if they hit the maximum shooting time, they would have had to wait at least an hour or more.
‘And… saying there’s nothing they need to do once they get back is also a lie.’
It’s customary for idols scheduled for V Lunch not to book any other activities on the same day.
Because,
‘There’s always something that absolutely has to be done.’
V Lunch is literally an eating show—a program centered on eating food.
The participants have an obligation to eat deliciously, and being an idol is no exception to that rule.
‘After eating that much, they’d have to move, right?’
Well, I don’t know exactly how much the E-GIS members ate.
Still, I clearly remember that the calorie count of the food served to participants on V Lunch far exceeds the “average daily intake of an idol.”
Which means the moment the E-GIS members return to the dorm, they’re probably going straight onto the treadmill.
‘From the kids’ perspective, waiting for me was probably a welcome break.’
In any case, the claim that there was nothing they needed to do once they got back was definitely a lie.
Of course, I’m not tactless enough to call them out on it.
“That’s exactly why I’m even more grateful. When I saw you earlier, you looked like you were really about to collapse. I kind of regret turning down the offer to ride with you back then, you know?”
Just by gratefully accepting his kindness, the inside of the van instantly bloomed with laughter.
You inevitably get used to the fact that the truth isn’t always the right thing—once you’ve lived in society for a while.
After a round of laughter passed like that.
Just as I was about to sink into thought while gazing at the scenery flashing by outside the window,
“Sunbae-nim.”
Lee Ha-on, who was sitting next to me, cautiously spoke up.
“Could I ask you for just one favor?”
My voice, about to answer his careful question, was cut off by a tackle that came from the front passenger seat first.
“No way. Lee Ha-on. Don’t even think about it.”
“Aigoo, hyung! I haven’t even said anything yet!”
The tackle carried the strong vibe of preventing a pet dog or cat from causing trouble, and Lee Ha-on’s indignant protest that followed made laughter bloom inside the van once again.
Of course, the manager paid no attention and shot back.
“Do you think I’ve only known you for a day or two? It’s obvious you’re about to ask for something weird again. Sunbae-nim is busy—don’t bother him.”
“Yeah, Ha-on-ah. Talk to me later separately.”
Following the manager’s rebuttal, even the leader Hwang Woo-ju—
No, not just Hwang Woo-ju, but the other members too were nodding along, so Lee Ha-on had no choice but to close his mouth with a strange deflating sound.
Honestly, a part of me was actually a little glad for the manager and Hwang Woo-ju’s consideration.
My head is a bit complicated right now, it’s true.
And the reason, of course, is the things Ryu Je-hoon told me.
That the filming for Project Trinity is scheduled to begin soon.
Or that because Project Trinity was briefly mentioned during the filming of INDEX on AZ, the higher-ups at Music On Net changed their stance toward me.
Even while hearing those things, one issue kept filling my head completely.
‘Starlight is joining Project Trinity…’
It can’t help but be a shock.
“Well… I don’t really see the merit in it, so is there any need to force our kids to go on it? Why, do you want to go? Stop having wild thoughts and just focus on what’s right in front of you.”
I still clearly remember the evaluation Lee Hee-kyung gave about Project Trinity.
Back then, just as Lee Hee-kyung had said, it was an issue I didn’t think too deeply about because I was too busy dealing with the things right in front of me.
But looking back now,
‘She probably already knew.’
At that time, Lee Hee-kyung must have clearly sensed the risks of Project Trinity.
Not just the question of whether the program “Project Trinity” would succeed or fail, but the risks that the group “Trinity” itself had shown.
Because back then, Starlight didn’t have a “producer” with the sense to control those risks and turn them into advantages—the way I do now.
Lee Hee-kyung herself was a woman with not even a speck of talent in music, so she couldn’t step up as a producer either.
In the end, the winner became Laira (though the first button was fastened a bit crookedly), so even if I hate to admit it, skipping Project Trinity was definitely the right call.
Yet now, that same Lee Hee-kyung has changed her mind.
“Especially that kid Kim Soo-jin is a total jackpot. Probably among the trainees outside the three major agencies, the only ones who can be called first-tier are your Seol Nari and that Kim Soo-jin.”
The fact that she sent out Kim Soo-jin—the leader of Laira, who went by the stage name Airi—means Lee Hee-kyung is being 100% serious.
If I think the reason she changed her mind is because of me, would that be too much self-consciousness?
The only clear difference between the previous Project Trinity before my regression and the current one is MyWay’s participation, with me at the center.
Honestly, there’s no solid evidence to call that the reason, but the fact that this thought feels close to certainty is undeniable.
‘What if the team I lead ends up losing to someone?’
And what if Airi is part of that someone?
Wouldn’t that cast a dark shadow over MyWay’s golden era—the half-year stretch that started with me, went through Hylliy, Orion and E-GIS, then Lee Ahjeong, and came back to me?
In Lee Hee-kyung’s eyes, the current MyWay probably looks like nothing but an obstacle that throws tackles at everything she tries to do.
Of course, there could be other reasons.
For example,
‘External investors who have come into Starlight right now.’
If an investor who didn’t exist in the previous timeline is showing interest in Project Trinity, depending on the amount, it’s entirely possible that Lee Hee-kyung would change her mind.
‘Or maybe Polaris’s string of commercial failures.’
If I don’t limit the scope of thought to just Project Trinity, the directions of possibility are overflowing.
But for some reason, I can’t shake this self-centered hypothesis out of my head.
‘It just feels so strongly like Lee Hee-kyung’s pride has been seriously hurt.’
The problem is that I now know Lee Hee-kyung isn’t the type of person who only plays fair in competitions.
Deciding to do Project Trinity has brought an unexpected risk into the picture, so it’s no wonder my head is complicated.
“Don’t worry about it too much, sunbae-nim.”
At that moment, the voice coming from behind me pulled my drifting mind back from the passing scenery outside the window.
It was the voice of Go Min-gi, E-GIS’s main dancer.
“You shouldn’t fall for Ha-on acting like that. He’s just throwing a tantrum right now.”
When I turned my gaze toward Lee Ha-on at Go Min-gi’s words, I saw his lips pouting out sulkily.
It seemed he thought the reason for my brooding was that expression.
‘I’m way too familiar with that.’
How could I not know that look—the one E-GIS fans call “duck mode”?
Of course there’s no way I’d fall for it, but perhaps because they mistook my silence for being caused by that pout, the atmosphere inside the van sank a little.
This doesn’t sit right with me.
They’re already giving me a ride in their van, and these kids are going to have to run until they feel like throwing up once they get back.
‘Should I at least lift the mood a bit?’
With that thought, I deliberately spoke up.
“Still… should I hear what it is once?”
“Huh? Aigoo. You really don’t have to, I’m telling you.”
The manager immediately waved his hand to stop it,
“But if I listen and it doesn’t feel right, I can just refuse then.”
My unchanging response brought a slight tinge of guilt to the others’ expressions.
‘Aigoo, this Ha-on kid. He should’ve caused trouble in moderation.’
I know Lee Ha-on just as well as they do—probably hasn’t changed much from before my regression to now.
Still, the reason I can’t dislike him is,
‘Ha-on isn’t just some thoughtless kid, you know.’
There’s no malice in his actions.
Any “trouble” he causes is just harmless happenings you can laugh off.
And any request he makes probably won’t be too unreasonable.
“Go ahead and tell me. What’s the favor?”
Once I—the person directly involved—said that, the gallery quieted down,
“Um… well…”
Seeing me give in, Lee Ha-on made a show of trying to hide his brightening mood under a layer of sulkiness as he hesitantly continued.
“There’s this one song I’ve really wanted to try covering once things quiet down with my activities…”
“A cover?”
“Yes. That… I was wondering if sunbae-nim could maybe take a look at it for me…”
“Ah…”
A sigh from Hwang Woo-ju followed, heavy with the feeling of ‘He finally brought it up after all.’
It seemed Hwang Woo-ju had already known about this too.
But,
“What? That’s not even that big of a request. What song is it?”
I asked, brushing past the sigh.
If a singer wants to sing a song, and I have the ability to help, of course I should.
“This one!”
Now with no trace of sulkiness left to hide, Lee Ha-on started humming.
Since he didn’t have his phone out separately, he was going to sing it live instead of playing the track.
Fortunately, it was a song I knew.
“Isn’t this J-POP?”
“Oh! You know it?”
Of course I do.
It was a song by a fairly well-known Japanese mixed-gender band in Korea too.
It was probably the year before last when that song—with a title no idol could easily ignore—sparked countless challenges.
Their concert in Korea that year sold out in three minutes, forcing them to add extra dates, so among J-POP acts, they reached the so-called “insider pick” level in my memory.
Especially the song Lee Ha-on was humming right now—it was one Hikaru loved so much that he even performed it once at a fan meeting.
There’s no need to ask who arranged that version.
“OK. I’ll take a look. But both you and I have our own schedules, so I won’t be able to sit down and overhaul it with you step by step… Just record a full run-through once and send it to me on KakaoTalk. I’ll give you feedback. That should be enough, right?”
“Yes! Thank you so much, sunbae-nim!”
“But there’s one condition.”
“A condition? What kind…?”
“Later, when I tell you, come and take a look at the kids’ dancing. Out of the three, one is decent, one is kind of iffy, and the last one needs to start from the basics. Donate some of your talent there. Probably around next month? That should be when you enter your rest period, right?”
“I’ll do it! I’ll do as much as you want!”
Spending five minutes a day—ten at most—isn’t that hard.
If that small investment lets me use an active idol as a dance coach, it’s a hugely profitable deal.
In the end, it’s a conclusion that makes me, Lee Ha-on, the other E-GIS members, the manager, plus So-young and Chae-kyung all happy.
There was just one thing I hadn’t anticipated.
“Um… sunbae-nim. I dance better than Ha-on, so maybe I could also…”
Starting with Go Min-gi, hands volunteering to help as coaches began to go up one by one.
At this unexpected boon, I let out a small laugh.
The more manpower I can grind through, the better—and thanks to that truth, the worries caused by Starlight’s issue faded just a little.
***************
TL Note:
Want to read ahead?
Chapters 127–152 are available on My Patreon (Premium Tier) together with 5 other novels.
Link: https://www.patreon.com/cw/Vritratls
[This series is in the “Regressed Idol” collection]
If you joined mainly for this novel, a quick message would really help me decide whether to continue translating it.
**************