Chapter 36: Survival Entertainment Show - Unit (4)

Ji-Hyuk finally broke his contemplation with a question. "Was it like this with the Cha-Cha concept? Did you manage to sway everyone's opinion even when they were initially against it and then receive a positive reaction?"

"Back then, it was Joo-Han hyung and I who insisted on it. We believed in the concept's potential and even strategized for the aftermath."

Hearing this, Ji-Hyuk sank into silence once more. It was during this pause that Woo-Jeong contributed his perspective. "Well, considering Jin-Wook brought up the horror concept and how much Chronos’s concept has been loved by audiences so far, I think it's worth taking a chance on."

Ha-Yoon nodded in agreement. "I thought zombies were so random at first. But then, horror specials on variety shows often get a good response. If it was well-made, it could turn out great."

A manageable fear that anyone could overcome was a brilliant idea. Just like those horror specials on variety shows, turning fear into entertainment allowed even those who were easily scared to enjoy them.

However, it still had to be intense enough to leave a deep impression. That was what made this concept a jackpot.

Finally, Ji-Hyuk made a decision. "Alright. If two teams renowned for their concept think it’s a good idea, I will trust in your opinions and give it a go."

‘What a relief.’

I was worried there would only be opposition to the concept I strongly wanted to try. The duo from Street Center then exchanged glances before nodding.

"Well, we are known for being unique every time, so we will think of the concept and give it our best."

Aligning the performance with the chosen concept would be quite a challenge. We had to make sure it was a fun kind of scary to watch, and there was some doubt about whether the vocalist-centric Air Senior’s member, Kim Jin-Wook, could keep up with the intense choreography. However, this concept did have a part that could make the most of his talents.

"If I may add one more thing, Jin-Wook hyung’s voice is pretty low and rough."

"Yeah, that's true."

"Jin-Wook hyung, have you ever thought about rapping?"

"What?" Kim Jin-Wook’s reaction was swift and sharp, marked by sheer astonishment rather than annoyance.

"Hyung, I'm just curious if you've thought about rapping. Your singing skill is invaluable to us, but your voice seems like it would fit perfectly with a darker theme. That’s all I want to ask."

I phrased the suggestion casually, implying that it was no big deal should he decline, and we seamlessly transitioned back to discussing roles with the others. In a turn of events, Kim Jin-Wook was displaying a rare openness to this idea.

Before we knew it, the ramen was all gone. We had been discussing ways to highlight everyone’s strengths, such as On-Sae’s exceptional dance skills and Street Center’s charisma.

It was then...

"I will do it." Kim Jin-Wook’s answer came out of nowhere.

"You mean you will do the rap?"

His response was so unexpected that if I hadn’t been paying attention to Kim Jin-Wook, I might not have understood what he was agreeing to.

"Yeah." His confirmation was succinct.

I smiled and nodded. "Thank you."

‘

Nice!’

Although I thanked him in a fairly businesslike tone, I couldn’t help but cheer inside. Kim Jin-Wook’s rough rap would really add to this eerie concept. In fact, I had known that he would agree as he would later become known as Cold E Chill, and he often talked about wanting to be a rapper since his trainee days.

A tough guy like him had been stuck singing ballads in Air Senior, so it was only natural for him to jump at the chance to rap.

"Okay. Let's plan to go in this direction. I was worried that the horror theme might be too much, but Hyun-Woo is a genius, so we will only know how it turns out after we actually practice!"

“...”

Ji-Hyuk then brought the ramen meeting to a close. In contrast to previous occasions, where we had a packed schedule from the first day of practice, this time, they didn't assign us any specific tasks after the meal.

We were stuck in a house nestled in the mountains, cut off from our usual haunts and without phones. Left to our own devices, we had no choice but to savor the leisurely moments. Our days were filled with simple pleasures: cocooned in our room, engrossed in video games, engaging in conversations while watching TV, or frolicking in the water at the nearby valley. The unspoken rule was to document these warm moments on camera.

"Hyung, is it really okay for us to just lay back like this? It seems much more relaxed compared to our previous schedules," one of us voiced our shared concern.

Ji-Hyuk answered with easy nonchalance, "Eh, it's fine. They probably teamed us up early to catch these candid scenes on camera, so..."

Under typical circumstances, the competition's theme would likely not be revealed so soon.

"Don't worry and rest while you can. We are going to practice hard from tomorrow."

"Okay..."

Ji-Hyuk smiled softly and went off to play pranks on On-Sae and Ha-Yoon. I wondered if other groups practiced in this kind of atmosphere as well. It was totally different from my time in Chronos, where we practiced relentlessly without sleep. Once we settled on a concept, even being told to rest left me feeling uneasy.

However, as I got used to taking it easy, my mind became peaceful too as time went by.

'Ah, let's just go for a walk.'

Although I was anxious, I was enjoying this rare holiday-like vibe. The inside of the house was a bit stifling. Since we were already in a place with good air, water, and scenery, why not enjoy it?

As soon as I stepped outside, the damp smell of grass hit me. I took a deep breath and walked around the yard as if I was jogging. It felt so good. It was the fresh air that I couldn't find in Seoul. When else would I come to a place like this if not now?

However, my irritation slipped out before I could contain it. Just as I was beginning to enjoy the serenity, the smell of cigarettes invaded my space.

‘It's like he's a chain smoker.’

I was on the verge of turning back when I felt compelled to address the issue. With an upcoming performance that required us to share a stage, it was important to voice concerns that could impact our show.

Caught in my thoughts, I found myself drawn toward the source of the smoke. Before I realized it, I was already standing before Kim Jin-Wook, who assessed me with a guarded look. "What?"

"Could you please stop smoking? The smell is terrible."

If it weren’t for the cameras nearby, I honestly thought he would hit me in the face.

"What does it have to do with you?"

"I won't care after the competition ends, but I’m worried because you smell heavily of cigarettes, and it might affect your throat during the performance."

Kim Jin-Wook laughed in disbelief and threw away his cigarette, his action looking very rebellious.

I asked, "Why do you hate me?"

"When did I ever say I hated you?"

"You have been glaring at me since the first day. Don’t act like you don’t know."

"Just looking at you is enough to get on your nerves?"

It wasn’t just a glance. His eyebrows were always so furrowed when looking at me that it couldn’t be mistaken for anything else.

"Why aren’t you participating in the meetings? Is it because you are on the same team as me?" I asked.

If that wasn’t the reason, there was no way someone who willingly joined the competition would show such a lack of enthusiasm. Hearing this, Kim Jin-Wook cursed and then let out a deep sigh.

"Recently, your behavior has been quite rude, but you are not important enough to influence my motivation, asshole," he replied.

"Ah, that's a relief then."

As I responded curtly, Kim Jin-Wook frowned and crushed the pack of cigarettes in his pocket. "Happy now? I won’t smoke anymore."

"Then why are you so unmotivated?"

"Ah, seriously!"

Despite his irritation, I didn't blink an eye. Even if I had to adopt an annoying and obnoxious demeanor, I needed to know the cause of his apathy.

Kim Jin-Wook didn't answer for a moment and then pushed past me. "Just look at how our company operates. How can I find any motivation?"

"Ah."

Okay, message received. The image of their CEO shouting without any regard for others flashed in my mind.

Moreover, the quality of their costumes always seemed cheap, and the designs were similar regardless of the concept, as if they were just reusing the same outfits. Their company didn't invest in its top-tier talent, even when this was their special opportunity to appear on a survival show. Like this, their small agency only embarrassed their trainees, failing to conduct proper research or analysis to help them gain popularity.

Putting aside whether to glare or to persuade him, I considered that the drop in his motivation would likely have happened midway, as he had initially brought in surprisingly good song arrangements. Anyway, in his current state, he definitely wouldn’t be able to keep up with hardcore dance lessons.

“Hmm.”

I needed to find a brilliant way to encourage him with Ji-Hyuk.

***

“Oh, that isn’t such a big deal after all. I was genuinely considering whether to kick him out or not, you know?"

“...You were thinking of kicking him out?”

𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

I was taken aback by the unexpected ruthlessness in Ji-Hyuk’s tone. He shrugged off my surprise with ease.

“A leader has to be realistic and rational. Besides, he isn’t from my group, High Tension. If he were, I might have jolted him into action myself.”

I was startled. Ji-Hyuk had always come across as affable and full of jokes, yet clearly, that wasn't all there was to him.

Without cameras, the bathroom became our clandestine meeting spot. We huddled in the cramped, humid room—one perched on the edge of the bathtub, while the other on the toilet—strategizing on how to address the issue with Kim Jin-Wook.

It was then I realized what Ji-Hyuk meant by him having a similar vibe to Joo-Han. “Then let me talk to him. Bring him to the bathroom.”

“To the bathroom?”

“Yes, we can't talk about this in front of the camera, can we?"

His playful tone now carried an edge. Ji-Hyuk seemed to wield his words like knives, all while maintaining a smile. After that, I dutifully conveyed his instructions, persuading a reluctant Kim Jin-Wook into the bathroom for a discussion.

In the thick of the silence, unsure of who would break it first, Ji-Hyuk said casually, “Jin-Wook, how’s life treating you? With all that smoking, it's hard to believe you’re taking this seriously.”

“...What are you trying to say?”

Ji-Hyuk’s voice had shed its playfulness and carried a sharper tone, mirroring Kim Jin-Wook’s tone. Ji-Hyuk then inquired, “You're fed up with your agency, aren’t you?"

Kim Jin-Wook shot me a glare, knowing that I had told his secret to Ji-Hyuk.

'Yes, I ratted him out.'

Guilt nudged me to avert my gaze, and he let out a deep sigh, sounding heavy with resignation.

“So what?”

“...You really have the nerve to talk like that. If you work hard in this competition, depending on your performance, I will open a path for you to our agency. How about that?” asked Ji-Hyuk.

“...What?"

“I know about your singing skills. So, if your past is clean and you promise to listen to us from now on, I will give you another chance to audition based on your performance."

Ji-Hyuk’s expression was incredibly arrogant. Honestly, the offer to join a major agency was tempting, but his slightly irritating tone made me unsure. It seemed like it would make Kim Jin-Wook uncomfortable too...

“Hyung, just relax your face and talk-”

“Is that for real? You are not just saying that to get through the performance smoothly, are you?" inquired Jin-Wook.

‘Wow, he really took the bait.’

I thought Kim Jin-Wook, with his rebellious nature, would refuse. However, he softened his stern expression and asked in a curious tone.

Ji-Hyuk grinned, “No, it’s true that I want to finish the performance smoothly, but I will keep my promise. Honestly, you think your group won’t last until the end, right?"

Hearing Ji-Hyuk’s words, Kim Jin-Wook hesitated before nodding. “We will probably disband after the competition. We are not doing well, and we are not popular, so we have nowhere to go. Our group is pretty much dead already, so what’s the point of trying hard?"

“Right? That’s why I’m giving you this chance. Have you ever gotten into trouble in the past?"

“No, I haven’t."

“Did you smoke when you were underage? Be honest. I need to tell the CEO about you."

“I didn’t. I only started smoking after joining the company, following the older members."

“That company is a mess, from the company itself to the artists."

Ji-Hyuk thought for a moment. After that, he nodded and stood up. “Then, it’s settled. Work hard on your dance practice and your rap too. This is your last chance. Starting tomorrow, if you frown, mess around, talk back, smoke, or act like a punk, I will make a big fuss and have you expelled, okay?"

“...Okay,” Kim Jin-Wook answered obediently.

‘Wow. Wow...’

Kim Jin-Wook looked like a child who had just finished a character-building boot camp.