Chapter 122: Challenge Hell and New Year’s Gambles

Kingdom Entertainment.

“Boss, our inbox is exploding.”

“This is the power of fans, huh.”

“It’s nothing like the hospital incident last time, right?”

The staff were already mentally drained from the piled-up emails and nonstop phone calls since morning.

“So many confirmation calls…….!!”

“What should we do? Should we confirm it’s true?”

Minhee, the marketing staff, asked Hyungkyu.

“No, just say it’s one of the projects under review and nothing’s finalized yet.”

“Huh? Really?”

Minhee didn’t understand why Hyungkyu was denying it when the contract was already signed and stamped, making the appearance confirmed.

Even if it’s not a confirmation article, they usually hint at positive consideration…….

It wasn’t a situation to test the waters, so she wondered why he was doing this.

“No need to get cursed out this early. And…… no need to feed the guys itching to sabotage us first.”

“You mean someone deliberately spread the rumor?”

“Probably.”

He wasn’t sure if it was DreamN like last time or someone trying to check Incheol, but he was convinced someone was behind it.

“For now, just release articles saying it’s under review to calm the fans down a bit.”

“Yes, got it!”

Minhee quickly drafted a statement and distributed it to the reporters, and as soon as the company’s position was posted, the fans’ anger seemed to subside a little.

“But that director doesn’t seem like it, but he must have quite the influence. For it to blow up like this.”

“You guys wouldn’t know. Back in the day, everything he touched was a hit.”

It was distant past that someone in their 20s like Minhee might not know. 

But Hyungkyu knew for sure, having lived through that era.

It’s all or nothing.

He’d either flop hard, losing his touch as expected, or reclaim his old glory with a massive hit. Hyungkyu had placed his bet on this gamble.

“Tell Hyunjae to take good care of the fans at the music show. Gotta soothe them.”

“Ah! Boss, Hyunjae got a golden-handed fan!”

“Golden-handed fan?”

“This is a fan YouTuber account, and it’s pretty popular.”

Minhee introduced Hyungkyu to the fan YouTuber account called ‘Hyunjae’s Records.’

“These days, idol promotions are done like this too.”

“What’s this, why’s the quality so good?”

Most commute videos were shot on phones, so the quality wasn’t great, but these were at 4K level.

“Is it shot by a reporter?”

“No. It’s a Hyunjae fan account that uploads self-shot photos too, and they’re no joke.”

The skills rivaled idol hommas, with editing prowess on top, and above all, each photo was filled with affection. 

Seeing affection in photos was no easy feat.

“They do take good ones.”

“The shorts this fan uploads get pretty good views too.”

“Nice. Keep an eye on that account.”

Fans with high loyalty and activity like this were worth more than a hundred others.

***

Music Day recording day.

“Today’s outfit is cute too, so look forward to it!”

“Do well today~”

“Fighting!”

After light chats with the fans, I clocked in for the second time.

“Hello~”

“Hyunjae-ssi, welcome~”

Still, being the second time, it felt much more natural than the first.

“Huh?”

Today, my name and Blue Iron’s name were written together in front of the waiting room.

“It’s year-end special, so with so many performers, waiting rooms are short—decided to share this one.”

“Ah~”

I wasn’t expecting a solo waiting room anyway, so no issue.

“Blue Iron’s probably at rehearsal and then off to another schedule briefly. Use the empty spot.”

“Yes.”

The writer finished explaining and headed back to the set, and I diligently memorized today’s script in the empty waiting room.

“Ballad, dance, R&B—all perfect, right? In one word, you could say…….”

“Hello~”

While I was deep into reading the script, a group of guys around my age flooded into the waiting room.

“Oh! Hello~”

“Wow~ I’m a real fan. Loved the drama.”

It was Blue Iron, sharing the waiting room with me. About six of them. 

They approached friendly right away upon seeing me.

“I’m a fan too~ I listen to your songs a lot!”

“Wow~ Really? Awesome!”

“We’ve been waiting for you to come.”

“You were waiting for me?”

No connection at all, so I was puzzled why they’d wait for me.

“Haha, why me……?”

“We were hoping you’d do a challenge with us!”

“Cha, challenge?”

I’d done cute meme challenges for drama promo, but an idol song challenge was a first.

I haven’t even done Taewoon hyung’s…… Me, dancing?

“Da, dancing—I’ve never done a challenge before.”

“No worries!”

How could I not worry? Dance wasn’t in my life at all.

“We’ll teach you kindly~!”

“We even divided it into easy, medium, hard—so nothing too tough.”

They were eager, even offering to adjust the difficulty in case I said no.

“I’m not confident, but…… uh, how do we do it?”

With such earnest requests, refusing seemed rude, so I agreed, and they showed videos while teaching me enthusiastically.

“Li, like this?”

“Yes! Here, arms right, left, right, left—yes!”

Out of nowhere, a choreography lesson started in the waiting room, and the one who seemed like the main dancer took charge of teaching me diligently.

“Oh~ You’re really good!”

“Re, really?”

I couldn’t see myself, so I didn’t know if I was good, but I mimicked their moves as best as I could, like practicing action scenes.

“Of course! Super good!”

“We could film right now?”

“Hyung, we can film now, right?”

“Let’s go! Let’s go!”

Led by their hands, we went to the stairs where challenges are usually filmed.

“Alright~ We’ll start with the song.”

Blue Iron’s manager even brought a Bluetooth speaker for challenges, saying that.

Totally professional?

Not handheld camera—they filmed with the phone mounted on some gadget.

“Ooh~ Good.”

“Monitor once?”

We all huddled in a circle, heads together, watching the footage.

“You’re so good?”

“Turned out great!”

“Doesn’t seem like your first time dancing.”

It wasn’t unbearable, but dancing with idols made my awkwardness and stiffness obvious. 

But redoing it wouldn’t improve me quickly, so I okayed it.

“Is this okay?”

“Of course!”

“Thanks for filming~”

“It’ll probably go up around evening after the music show ends.”

Having achieved their goal, they thanked me and headed back to the waiting room.

“Hyung, I wasn’t weird, right?”

“Uh…… well, your effort showed.”

Seeing Hayoon say that, I guess I wasn’t great.

“Sigh, dance is so hard. Is it because I’m not flexible?”

It wasn’t creaky, but something felt off and clumsy, unavoidable.

“But it was your first time. You did well for that. Just practice steadily from now on.”

“Steadily?”

“You’re doing ‘Today’s Fruit Shop’ overseas fan meeting. They said you’ll have to do either dance or song.”

Doomed. I have zero talent there.

“How much time left? If I focus on one from now, maybe it’ll improve?”

“There’s still some time lef…….”

“Hello!”

While talking with Hayoon, a unfamiliar voice suddenly appeared.

“Yes? Ah, hello.”

“I’m Yoo Jinho’s manager. Could we ask for our challenge too?”

Here, I recalled what Taewoon had said.

‘Music shows these days are challenge hell…… Feels like I’m gonna die.’

And that hell came to me too. Once it started, proposals came one after another.

“Hahaha. Hyung, right now, like fifty songs are spinning in my head.”

Rolled through so many challenges I lost count, barely made it back to the waiting room. 

Challenges like gestures, intense choreo, acting ones—such variety.

“Good work.”

“Sigh— Script…… Gotta look at the script.

“MC rehearsal starting~”

Just sat down to check the script, and rehearsal time approached.

“Already? Ack! I’ll be back.”

“Do well~”

Heading to the MC seat for rehearsal, Aina was already prepared.

“Hello.”

“Hello.”

We greeted awkwardly and just stared ahead, while staff buzzed around for the broadcast.

“Are you feeling okay?”

Standing awkwardly seemed weirder, so I cautiously spoke to her.

“Ah, I’m fine. Thank you so much for last time.”

“No, what did I even do…… But are you sure you don’t need rest?”

“It’s not that bad.”

Looks pretty bad to me.

Better than last week, but still seemed unstable.

It might be meddling, but you have to take care of your health yourself. 

Being young doesn’t mean everything’s fine……

“No.”

It might sound like adult nagging to young ones, but I wanted to say it.

“Physical health…… mental health too. Make sure to ask for help from people around you.”

……

Aina lowered her head at my words and said nothing.

Did I cross a line?

Worried I’d acted too familiar after just two meetings and upset her, I gauged her reaction.

“Sorry. I was just worried…….”

“Thank you.”

“Huh?”

“Thank you for caring like this.”

Aina lifted her head with thanks, her eyes red. 

Good thing no audience for year-end special.

“No. I just wanted to help as a fellow colleague…….”

Panicking at her near-tears look, I said that, but she swallowed her tears and returned to normal.

“I’m touched because someone cares about me as a person.”

So there are non-human cares? 

What kind of environment is she working in?

“What’s this~ When did you two get so close?”

The writer came to signal rehearsal start, smiling.

“I was thanking him for helping last time!”

“Hyunjae was kinda cool then.”

“Writer~ If you hype me like that, it’s embarrassing.”

As if coordinated, we both laughed brightly and chatted.

“Why be embarrassed—brag about stuff like this~ Everyone here? Okay! Alright, MC rehearsal starting!”

***

With the cue sign, the year-end special ‘Music Day’ rehearsal began, and the live broadcast ended safely too.

“Everyone, wrap up the year well and receive lots of new year blessings~”

“Receive lots of new year blessings!”

And so, the new year dawned.

Finally, Jiwon opened his office and invited me, so I bought another money tree like the one for Incheol and visited.

“So~ How’s it look, decent?”

“Is this an office or a playroom…….”

Office means a proper desk with stacked documents, clean vibe. 

But Jiwon’s office had a huge TV, massage chair, even a game console.

“Spent a lot. The sofa fully reclines too?”

“Yeah, looks like a lot spent. Must be nice.”

What to do with this immature guy.

“But this is totally cool, right?”

The nameplate saying ‘CEO Park Jiwon’ was the only sign this was an office.

“Didn’t forget that, huh. Here, get rich…… or don’t blow the money.”

“Don’t worry. See that?”

Where Jiwon pointed, scripts were stacked up to my height.

“That’s just part. Everyone’s sending since I’m investing?”

“When will you read all that.”

“How could I read all that.”

“Then?”

No other staff, so who reads them?

“I’ll show you the power of an investor.”

Power of an investor?