Genius Idol’s Strategy to Conquer the Entertainment Industry

Chapter 23

While some trainees were fiddling with their phones as we waited, I found the recording process more interesting.

I got a cup of warm water and sipped it while sitting on an empty sofa, watching the recording process.

“Let’s try singing this part with a bit more flair, like you’re throwing the words forward. Heart a-ttae-ttae-tack! Like this.”

“Yes!”

It was when I was listening to Jeong Haneul instructing the 16th trainee that a system window popped up, giving me a clue on how to sing that part.

[Song: Heart Attack – has been added to the song list.]

Indeed, Heart Attack was now newly added to the song list.

Honestly, I had already grasped the general meaning of the song without the system’s help.

It might seem a bit late to acknowledge it now, but even if I feel a little regret that I didn’t succeed sooner, it’s not a bad thing overall, so I decided to think of it as a positive.

* * *

We waited in that state for about three hours.

During the wait, I also had a sandwich bought by Jeong Haneul. It was delicious.

After another hour or so, it was finally my turn.

“On Raon, please come in.”

“Yes!”

“Just relax and do your best.”

“Yes.”

As soon as I put on the headset, music started playing.

Being alone in the quiet space made my heart race a bit, but since it wasn’t a high-pitched highlight, there was nothing particularly difficult about singing it, so I sang quite comfortably.

Once I finished singing, Jeong Haneul had a peculiar expression on his face, neither pleased nor displeased.

“Okay. It’s good, but…”

Good, but…?

Don’t end on such an uncertain note; please go on with the next sentence.

“Would you like to try singing the main part?”

“The main part?”

I blinked in surprise and asked back.

Jeong Haneul lightly nodded and added,

“When I watched the evaluation video, I thought On Raon’s vibe suited this song, but I felt your presence was a bit weak to give you the main part. But hearing it today, I think it really comes alive, so I’d like to hear it once. Is that okay?”

“Yes!”

I hadn’t practiced other parts, but so what. Let’s give it a try.

I reminded myself once again that in games, you have to give it your all.

How should I sing this?

Since the composer specifically asked me to try this, I felt I should put more effort into it than before.

I listened intently to the music playing.

I recalled the lyrics anew.

Let’s sing it as the title “Heart Attack” suggests.

With a crimson voice, passionately, with intense breath.

I am the one attacking your heart with all my might, because if I don’t, I will be forgotten, not chosen.

[Jeong Haneul is captivated by your voice that uniquely hits his taste. Jeong Haneul’s favorability +2, Current favorability +2]

To capture that earnestness in my voice, I sang with thoughts like “Give me back my face” or “Send me home,” which seemed to be the right choice.

“Ah, good. Let’s try the next part too?”

“I’ll do it!”

[Jeong Haneul is increasingly… increasingly captivated by your voice… Jeong Haneul’s favorability +4, Current favorability +6]

“Let’s do the line ‘I won’t let you regret it, your choice will be perfect, so hold my hand before it’s too late’ up to the next line.”

“I won’t let you regret it. Your choice will be perfect, so hold my hand before it’s too late.”

[Jeong Haneul wants to hold your hand. Jeong Haneul’s favorability +8, Current favorability +14]

“How do you know my feelings so well? Did you say you were from True? Have you recorded before?”

“Thank you. I haven’t done it much.”

I answered while sneaking a glance at Oh Hyun-jin from True Entertainment, who was sitting outside with his arms crossed.

“Well, you must have done it at least once if you managed to last three years at a major company. Or maybe not.”

Fortunately, Jeong Haneul didn’t press for details, possibly remembering the tight schedule, and wrapped up the situation by saying good job.

Even though the recording could be discarded during the mixing process, I left the recording booth, feeling I had achieved something meaningful.

Nagase Ritsu, who was two turns after me, smiled and showed me his phone screen.

[Raon is a huge success (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧]

I couldn’t help but laugh at the awkward sentence that seemed like it was run through a translator, complete with typical Japanese cute emoticons.

“Ritsu, do well too. Uh… Fighting.”

“Yeah. Fighting.”

It wasn’t until the sun was about to set that the recording for all 37 trainees was completed.

Jeong Haneul, looking more exhausted than anyone, gave some concluding remarks to the trainees.

“Thank you all for your hard work over such a long time today. Let’s do our best for the stage recording as well. I’m looking forward to it.”

“Thank you!”

The mostly quiet studio became bustling with activity as everyone started gathering their belongings.

They could have let the trainees who finished recording leave first, but it was typical of Pick Heart’s production team not to do so.

I grabbed only the padding coat I had hung on the coat rack when I arrived and was about to leave when someone grabbed my arm.

It was Oh Hyun-jin.

You could just call me; why grab me?

I almost dropped my phone due to the inconsiderate action but managed to catch it just in time, feeling a sense of unease.

“Why?”

“Eun-kyu hyung and Do-kyung said they’re coming. Meet them before you go.”

Why was he speaking informally? Was it because we were outside of work?

I stared at Oh Hyun-jin, who was showing a friendly attitude despite his low favorability, and nodded.

“Sure.”

Only then did Oh Hyun-jin let go of my arm that he had been holding tightly.

I descended the elevator with a few other trainees, lost in thought.

‘Eun-kyu hyung’ and ‘Do-kyung’ are likely trainees On Raon knew during his time in True.

If he’s asking me to meet them specifically, we must have been quite close. Or is this just a common courtesy among people who worked in the same company?

I couldn’t figure out how to respond to this kind of situation since most of my interpersonal relationships had ended a long time ago due to my seclusion.

We exited the elevator when the door opened with a clear ringing sound.

“Follow me.”

Checking his phone, Oh Hyun-jin spoke and walked ahead.

After a short walk, I saw two boys whose names I had heard earlier floating above their heads. They also noticed me.

“You look better since leaving the company.”

“Long time no see.”

I silently read the names floating above their heads.

Lee Eun-kyu, Han Do-kyung.

They weren’t incredibly handsome but didn’t look like ordinary people either.

Should I speak casually or formally? After some internal debate, I decided to speak casually. If they went out of their way to see me, it shouldn’t be a big problem.

“Long time no see. Have you been well?”

I just exchanged typical greetings, but Lee Eun-kyu and Han Do-kyung’s expressions noticeably wavered.

Maybe they hadn’t been well?

After a brief moment, Lee Eun-kyu, with a smiling face, responded.

“Ah, of course, we’ve been well.”

“Other guys also miss you a lot.”

“Really? Tell them I miss them too.”

In a dating sim, this kind of comment would only increase favorability, not decrease it.

However.

[Han Do-kyung suspects you might have been drinking. Han Do-kyung’s favorability -4, Current favorability -41]

[Lee Eun-kyu suspects you might have injured your head. Lee Eun-kyu’s favorability -4, Current favorability -42]

What?

Their favorability was even worse than with Oh Hyun-jin.

Why did they ask to meet me if they disliked me so much?

People are complicated.

Unless On Raon had been acting like a thug and got expelled? Is that why their favorability is so bad? Did I bully you guys?

After just two sentences, Han Do-kyung and Lee Eun-kyu seemed clearly flustered.

Standing silently beside them, Oh Hyun-jin seemed to have something to say but didn’t intervene.

Just then, the streetlights started to flicker on one by one with a clinking sound.

Seeing the shadows of the four of us stretching long like giant monsters, I suddenly thought,

‘I shouldn’t talk to them any further.’

It wasn’t a rational decision, just a gut feeling.

Discriminating against people this way isn’t a good thing, but after being badly burned by those agency people, my instincts have become pretty sharp in this area.

As if to acknowledge my judgment, a system window popped up.

[You have made the right decision with your keen intuition. Intuition +1]

A new intuition stat appeared in my info window.

If used well, it could be an excellent stat, but having more stats to raise isn’t necessarily a good thing.

If I’m not careful, I could end up being a jack-of-all-trades but master of none.

At that moment, Han Do-kyung, who had been silent for a while, smiled cheerfully and put his arm around my shoulder.

“We’re going out for dinner now; you should

join us.”

Where does he get the nerve to act friendly with a favorability of -41?

I naturally pulled away and shook my head.

“No. Someone’s waiting for me. I have to go.”

“Oh, okay. See you later then.”

Despite calling me out specifically, they let me go easily.

Except for the fact that their favorability dropped again with a message of suspicion.

I had no idea what the original owner of this body had done to make people dislike him so much.

I hadn’t done anything, but my favorability was already so low.

‘Let’s just leave it as it is.’

Since it’s still early in the game, it’s likely the stage where they throw in bait to make the player uneasy, and it’ll be resolved as the main story progresses.

Leaving behind a puzzling encounter that only added an intuition stat, I retraced my steps.

Of course, the person waiting was the old man Go Soo-jong.

– If you have nowhere else to go, you can come back.

Can I really go back just because of that one line?

‘What if he kicks me out for taking it literally?’

Honestly, I left my luggage behind with the intention of coming back anyway.

After accepting that, with the night growing deeper and having no other options, I had no choice but to crawl back.

‘What if he asks why I came back…?’

I was sitting on the bus stop bench, watching three buses pass by, when I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. It was Go Soo-jong.

[Buy tissues when you come… 3-ply ones…]

Tissues! Important!

As soon as I read the message, I jumped up and ran towards the bus that was just about to close its doors, shouting,

“Mister! I’m getting on!”

Thanks to the heater running at full blast, the warmth spread through my body, which had been chilled.

* * *

“Is he really insane?”

“I told you he was weird.”

At Han Do-kyung’s words, Oh Hyun-jin answered in a low voice.

Lee Eun-kyu, gulping down a cola, recalled On Raon’s behavior and said,

“His Korean has improved a lot. Did he go to a Korean language school or something?”

“Not just speaking well, it’s like he’s a completely different person. How can he be so indifferent?”

Unknowingly making an accurate guess, Lee Eun-kyu shook his head and turned his eyes to Oh Hyun-jin, who was silently eating his hamburger.

Despite his somewhat handsome face, malice gleamed in his eyes.

“Anyway, Oh Hyun-jin, keep a close eye on him. See if he causes any trouble.”

“Got it.”

“Can I trust you?”

“Yeah.”