CH 35

“Thanks for your effort!”

After the reading, the chairs made a loud noise as they were being dragged.

Ian approached Director Choi who was talking to the assistant director.

“That… Director Choi.”

“Yes, Ian ssi.”

Director Choi responded with a smile.

“This scene. Can I also watch the filming?”

Ian unfolded the script and presented it to the director. Director Choi raised his eyebrows as if it was unexpected.

“I heard you’re busy these days, is that okay?”

“Even though I’m busy, I think I have to watch this scene myself.”

It will be a lot of learning just by seeing the acting scene of a middle-aged actor with proven acting skills and a child actor who will be given the genius modifier.

Director Choi nodded in satisfaction.

“All right then. I can contact you through the manager, right?”

Director Choi cast a glance at the assistant director and replied. The assistant director also nodded.

“Thank you.”

“What’s the thanks for. You can go back now.”

Ian bowed his back and left the reading place.

‘Ah. I don’t wanna go.’

Ian crumpled his face. As soon as he went back, there would be a dance practice and even a recording at dawn.

Ian was waiting for Park Dong Soo when he suddenly looked for an inconspicuous place.

[What’re you doing?]

‘Somehow I felt a bad hunch.’

He suddenly felt an indescribable feeling and an alarm went off somewhere in his mind.

Ian thought he had to hide now.

“Uh, Unnie~”

When Ian hid behind a pillar in the parking lot, Lee Seo Hyun came out while talking to someone on the phone.

“I’ve been looking for him, but I can’t find him. I guess he’s gone already.”

Lee Seo Hyun gestured to the manager who took out the car.

“Do you like him that much? Well, he’s handsome. Everything around him seems to sparkle.”

She opened the door of the car that stopped in front of her and got in.

Ian stuck his head out and watched the car drive out of the parking lot.

‘Why looking for me?’

Ian urged Jin to answer.

[Whose introduction do you think connects Kim Seung-hoon and Lee Hee-jin to date each other?]

‘…Ah, perhaps.’

Kim Seung Hoon and Lee Hee Jin were the protagonists of this year’s Factfix.

‘Then, is she something like a matchmaker1ttu-jaeng-i), matchmaker. A Korean term that refers to a person who enjoys setting up others on blind dates or matchmaking. The term comes from the Korean word “뚜껑” (ttu-kong), which means “lid,” and refers to the way a matchmaker often lifts the lid on a potential romantic connection between two people. or Madame Ttu2?’

Some people enjoy setting people up together. Just as there are people famous for this in the sports industry, they also exist in the entertainment industry.

[There are a few more beside her.]

‘They got nothing better to do. So, what do they get?’

[Just get a few meals out of it and feel vicarious satisfaction from seeing others swooning over romance?]

Hah. Ian let out a dejected laugh and got into the car.

[Especially, when new idols start dating as a result of being introduced by them and get caught, they become the primary cause for fans to unstan and leave the fandom.]

‘It’s the fault of those who fall for it and accept the offer.’

[Anyway, fans who know that don’t want to get involved with them.]

Like in Kim Yong Min’s case, people only come to their senses when they go downhill after being played with false hope.

Ian shook his head.

[The picture of Kim Seung Hun and Lee Hee Jin is also taken by a sasaeng who turned away, you know.]

‘What? Not taken by reporters?’

[No. The sasaeng went crazy when she heard that ‘oppa’ is in a relationship, so she staked out for a month to take that.]

‘Darn scary.’

[At the beginning of his debut, Kim Seung Hoon spread out pseudo-romance3 and was also nice to the sasaeng. From the sasaeng perspective, it felt like she was being treated specially by oppa, but how dare he have a girlfriend? That’s how it happened.]

As expected, a feeding ban 4 is the answer to sasaeng from the beginning.

Ian thought he should tell the other members about it firmly.

[She put the picture up for bid to the agency first, but do you know how much MI Enter quoted? 5 million won.]

‘It’s MI Enter, and that’s all they could offer? Their big agency pride is dead.’

[Exactly. So she took it to Factfix, sold it for 50 million won, and unstanned them.]

‘Crazy.’

[And it’s ironic that when she got stuck with another singer, it was Pluto.]

Pluto is a junior group directly under Lure that Kim Seung Hoon belongs to.

[Perhaps, around this time? Members of Pluto and Pinky Lady are dating each other.]

‘They’re already dating?’

Ian sighed. It’s absolutely not because he can’t date himself. Anyway, that’s it.

Ian arrived at the agency and got out of the car.

He randomly chose drinks from the vending machine in the hallway before opening the door to the practice room.

“Wow, look at the man’s scent wafting around.”

Some people are enjoying a fresh and exciting relationship, but here the air was stuffy with the heat of intense practice.

“Look at you, what a sight. How are you all going to get women’s numbers like this?”

“Why are you suddenly attacking us?”

“I bought some drinks.”

“Thank you.”

Ian tapped Jo Tae Woong with his foot. Other members also got up and chose their drinks.

Kim Ju Young picked up a green can and checked it, then threw it away.

“Ah, pine needle tea. You taste-illiterate5mat-al-mot). A slang term used to describe someone who is not good at distinguishing tastes or has a poor sense of taste. jerk.”

“That’s mine, tho?”

“Wow. Such a disaster really, I can’t respect your taste.”

The six members distanced themselves from Ian in disgust. Ian grabbed the rolling can.

“Why? It’s tasty.”

As Ian opened the can and drank it, Jin next to him muttered a word.

[I really can’t hang out with you.]

“Those of you who don’t know the tastiness of this are pitiful.”

“You’re joking!”

Ignoring the members’ jeers, Ian finished his drink.

* * *

After staying busy preparing for the comeback, drama, and competition, Ian finally arrived at the recording day of ‘With the Legend’.

“Isn’t this completely a special treatment?”

Kim Hee Sang and Awy were scheduled to appear as wild cards, so the rehearsal was also prepared separately the day before. They used a separate waiting room and it was the largest room.

“As expected, riding on Kim Hee Sang’s coattails is scary.”

“Will the day come when we also get to use this?”

“When will Seonsaengnim come?”

The members sat down on the soft sofa. They were planning to surprise everyone by suddenly appearing.

“I heard MyKit won first place yesterday.”

“Real?”

“Uh, I heard it from Dong Soo Hyung earlier.”

Everyone’s faces looked envious as they heard Lee Joo Hyuk’s words.

“Wow, they’re going to get their phone. Jealous.”

“But aren’t we used to not having a phone now?”

Kim Hyun said while changing into the prepared stage costume.

“Can we win first place too?”

“Well… Probably not?”

Ian replied sternly.

“We overlap with Mydea.”

“Really? Where did you hear that? Your pad was taken away.”

The camera floating beside me told me. Ian smiled dejectedly.

This year was the time when Mydea, who had already climbed to the top, would kick the roof once more.

They have already taken over the Oricon charts, and will also top the Billboard chart.

“We’re screwed.”

Therefore, they easily surpassed a million units from the initial sales. Awy, who has not sold 100,000 units of initial sales yet, could not beat them. Everyone laughed as if they had given up.

Awy was dressed in leather and wore a durumagi over it. It was a different outfit from Kim Hee Sang’s suit, as they had to perform an intense dance.

“I think we’re kind of cool.”

At Park Jin Hyuk’s words, everyone took all kinds of cool poses in front of the mirror.

Perhaps because they were wearing clothes they hadn’t tried before, it looked even fresher.

“You guys got here first, huh.”

At that time, Kim Hee Sang opened the door of the waiting room.

“Hello, Seonsaengnim.”

“You’re absolutely cool today, sir.”

Awy was embarrassed and coughed for nothing.

They guided Kim Hee Sang to a seat they had left empty in advance.

“It’s starting soon, right?”

Lee Joo Hyuk looked at the clock on the wall and said.

Just in time, a staff member who came in with Kim Hee Sang turned on the pre-installed monitor.

In the studio, the hosts of ‘With The Legend’ were introducing the cast.

(These guys are really popular these days!)

(They are the people who set a record of winning first place as soon as they debuted. Pluto!)

Pluto walked into the studio. They were a six-member boy group from MI Entertainment.

(And now, the legend joining these guys! Park Sung Soo Seonsaengnim!)

“Oh.”

Kim Hee Sang let out a small exclamation.

Park Sung Soo was a singer who was active in the same era as Kim Hee Sang. He sat between the members of Pluto with a soft smile on his face.

(What kind of stage did you prepare for today?)

(Today, we prepared a performance in a refreshing concept with these friends.)

(Refreshing concept? That makes me want to see it right away.)

(Please check out the details on stage.)

‘I admit, Park Sung Soo’s refreshing concept is really surprising.’

Park Sung Soo was a singer who captured women’s hearts with a concept that showed off his powerful masculinity in his heyday.

The hosts exchanged a few words with them and introduced the next singer.

(Next, seven jewels! It’s Pinky Lady!)

Ian flinched for no reason and looked at Jin.

He had heard that three Pluto members and three Pinky Lady members were dating each other.

(Hello! Your vitamins! We are Pinky Lady!)

When Pinky Lady appeared, several members of Pluto were clapping shyly with their heads down.

‘Haigoo, such a good time.’

[Obvious, so obvious. This is why they’re called rookies, tch.]

(And the legend who formed a team with these people! Lee Chun Ja Sonsaeng nim!)

Lee Chun Ja was a trot singer who still actively continued her music activities.

(We prepared a sexy concept today.)

‘This side is also shocking, right?’

[As expected. This is the taste of competition.]

Ian glanced around the members. They were also touching their hands for no reason as if they were nervous.

Since the waiting room situation was also being captured on camera, Ian talked to Kim Hee Sang.

“Everyone looks impressive.”

“That’s right. Especially Park Sung Soo, I can’t imagine that friend doing a fresh concept.”

“We won’t be pushed back, right?”

“Us?”

Kim Hee Sang scoffed. He was brimming with confidence.

It’s natural for him to be like that because he had perfectly copied the dance that Awy had prepared.

Awy was also quite surprised by his dancing skills and speed of learning.

“Don’t worry, I trust you guys.”

Awy turned their heads and looked at Kim Hee Sang.

“Don’t worry about other people and just think about how to perform our performance perfectly.”

“…Seonsaengnim!”

Taking a deep breath, Jo Tae Woong leaned on Kim Hee Sang.

Kim Hee Sang guffawed and patted him on the back.

Kim Hee Sang treated Awy like grandchildren, appreciating their passionate appearance and value for music while working together. They were polite and serious young men who didn’t behave like young people nowadays.

(Yes! The next is a powerful 13-member boy group! It’s M.O.M!)

As M.O.M. flooded in, the studio felt full.

(And the legend who will be together with M.O.M! Lee Seong Ho Sonsaeng nim!)

Lee Seong Ho was a singer who competed closely with Park Sung Soo under the concept of soft masculinity.

[Isn’t everyone strong?]

Looking at it now, Park Sung Soo and Lee Seong Ho were fandom-type singers, while Kim Hee Sang was a popular-type singer focused on music sources.

(And, a three-member ballad group! Triple Man!)

“This side must be focused on singing ability”

Following Lee Joo Hyuk’s words, the legend was introduced on the monitor.

(And the king of singers! Kim Jung Soon Sonsaeng nim!)

“Wow…”

“This is no joke.”

“How did PD Kim cast these people?”

Kim Jung Soon, also famous for her CD-chewing singing ability6, still continues to demonstrate her talent by singing OSTs for various dramas and movies.

“Please go to the front of the studio soon.”

Everyone stood up at the words of the staff.

Awy and Kim Hee Sang were planning to barge in when all performers thought that those four teams were over and were talking about each other’s news or stages.

“Wow, I’m nervous.”

Kim Hee Sang was okay because they had time together, but their hands trembled slightly at the thought of standing in front of other legends.

Awy and Kim Hee Sang stood in front of a blackout curtain next to the studio.

“Actually, these people here are not the end!”

“We’re not the end?”

As the curtain behind the host was pulled back, the camera zoomed up to where Awy and Kim Hee Sang would sit.

“We have another team to be together. First of all, they are trending these days. A 7-member boy group, Awy!”

Led by Lee Joo Hyuk, Awy rushed into the studio. All the cast greeted with applause, but their expressions were full of surprise.

“Hello! Always by your side! We are Awy!”

The sound of Awy’s greeting resonated loudly, even louder than the 13-member M.O.M.

As Awy took their seat after being guided by a host, both hosts said with reminiscent faces.

“The following is the legend who will be joining us with Awy!”

“When it comes to legends, we can’t leave out this person!”

“The long-awaited comeback is finally! Being shown on our program first!”

The cast was buzzing at the hosts’ fuss.

“The legend! Kim Hee Sang Sonsaengnim!”