Save a Failed Idol’s Life

Chapter 43: Heading to the First Stage (1)

Chapter 43 Heading to the First Stage (1)

It was less than a week after I appeared on <School Kitchen Attack> as Kang Yugeons substitute.

[Sender: PD Pyo Juyeon]

What did this person want from me?

I wondered as I answered the phone call in the late afternoon.

I picked up the phone. This is Cheonise.

-Yeah~, long time no see, Ise. How have you been?

PD Pyo didnt call me just to ask how I was doing. Was it a casting offer? I answered with a hopeful expectation.

Yes, thanks to your concern, Ive been doing well. The broadcast is not far away either.

I only found out the scheduled air date after I finished filming. It was about two weeks after the shooting day.

In about a week, I would be able to see the reactions on the entertainment community or SNS and check whether I did well or not. It would be like getting a report card.

-Im glad youre doing well. I have a favor to ask you, if you dont mind.

A favor? What was he talking about? 

The only thing people would ask Cheonise for was a connection with his parents.

But that would be too difficult Unless it was Vice President Ahn Jung-hee.

If the purpose was to get a line to Cheon, the chairman of Cheon Soo Group who held the real power, Cheonise was a wrong choice.

Oh, what is it?

As I asked for a specific answer, PD Pyo let out a slightly awkward laugh.

-Well, theres a program PD I know who needs a male singer cast. He said it would be better if it was an idol or a group. Its not a very urgent schedule, its next Thursday.

There must have been plenty of groups to cast even if it wasnt Climax. Why did he choose Mangdol, who had low popularity like Climax? I felt a bit puzzled and asked.

Can I know what kind of program it is?

-Uh Well

He hesitated to tell me the program name confidently. It was suspicious.

Was it something like a dangerous encounter with rich ladies? It wasnt anything illegal, was it?

I sharpened my intuition and decided not to follow any wrong actions. I waited for PD Pyos answer.

-Live Todays Hometown, do you know it, Ise? You might not know it since you were young. Its the lifestyle broadcast that comes on at 6 oclock.

Cheonise might not know it, but Lim Hyun-seong couldnt forget it. 

It was the first program he appeared on as Lim Hyun-seong.

Looking for the best beef kimchi stew in Gyeonggi Province! At the next table, fresh pork belly is sizzling, and at the other table, theres a sour and savory kimchi stew thats bubbling! Where is this place? Surprisingly, its run by a young boss in his twenties!

It was the restaurant he opened after leaving the meat shop where he worked as an employee. It became a hit after being on the broadcast.

It was already famous as a local specialty. It wasnt well-known enough to attract people from all over the country, but it was good enough to have no problem getting married.

I got a promotional call and they begged me to let them film without paying any fees.

It was a good opportunity because it was a new program that had a hard time casting.

There was no money involved, and there was no harm in going out, so I agreed to film and became famous.

Not long after the broadcast, a company offered me a franchise partnership.

Thanks to that, I started my first franchise.

But it wasnt all good.

The old man who partnered with me to start the company hit me in the back of the head when I was 26.

It wasnt just a betrayal. 

He embezzled nearly 3 billion won and I had to go to the Han River and come back at the age of not even 30.

Success was never easy. 

It was a moment of painful learning. 

It was a story that left a lot of marks, but anyway, there was a separate conclusion.

Its the program that helped me, but why would I refuse it just because its not a program that young people would like.

Ah, yes, I know. Are you going there as a daily reporter or something?

-Oh, you know? Thats good. No, you just have to help the rural elders and sing a song at the village festival and come back.

I roughly saw what kind of picture he wanted. 

Yeah. That was something that only the really famous K-POP stars wouldnt do.

They would go to some rural corner and be exploited to death until they ate the fresh food.

It was a tough journey that required me to endure the hard farm work that could dislocate my joints and make the elders shoulders bounce.

Do I have to go with the other members too?

-Well, you dont need all five, but I guess it would be better if it was all of them.

Then I couldnt do this alone! 

I couldnt force them. 

I had to listen to what the other guys had to say.

I also had to talk to the manager and the agency.

Let me talk to them. Can I get back to you by tomorrow morning after consulting with the agency?

As I cautiously asked for confirmation, PD Pyo gladly answered.

-Sure, please contact me by tomorrow morning! If not, I have to look for another team right away.

Yes, I understand. Thank you for contacting me first.

-No, thank you for talking to me nicely, Ise.

Todays Hometown wasnt a program that had a hard time casting. I finished the call with a bit of curiosity.

Then I went to the living room and called the members who were doing their own things at the dorm.

We got a program offer.

All five of us?

Seon-woo, who was munching on a cucumber he had sliced in advance to ease his hunger, peeked his head out and asked.

Thanks to losing almost 6kg in two weeks, his jawline was visible even without taping.

This is also a human victory.

I swallowed the words that broke the mood and continued to explain.

Yeah, he said hed prefer if all five of us appeared. But theres a problem.

The shadow fell over their eyes that were filled with anticipation.

The program is Live Todays Hometown.

They all looked at me with puzzled expressions on their faces.

Isnt that the program that grandmas and grandpas watch? What are we supposed to do there?

Yejoon asked, sounding more like a statement than a question.

We have to help the rural elders with their chores and perform at the village festival at the end. I think hell tell us more details if we agree.

Seon-woo and Kyunghwas faces turned sour as they had hoped for something flashy and glamorous.

Well, we cant help it. Isnt it better to go anyway? It might help our popularity since the elders watch it too

Kyunghwa sighed and looked at Seongwon. Then Yejoons eyes lit up.

I think itll be fun. Weve never done anything like that before, so why not take the opportunity?

Seon-woo nodded a little, persuaded by Yejoons positive reaction.

Im not confident, but its better than having no schedule.

We didnt have any choreography yet, and we had nothing else to do except practice our parts if we didnt have any individual offers.

It didnt clash with the jacket shooting that was coming up soon.

What do you think, Seongwon hyung?

Seon-woo looked at Seongwon with his eyes sparkling.

Seongwon, who seemed like he would say why should I go there, backed away.

Why are you asking me?

Because it seems like the other members are all in favor except for you.

He couldnt say he would drop out here. Seongwon turned his head away instead of answering.

Just do whatever you want.

Wow!!

Seon-woo clapped his hands and smiled brightly as he got the permission that wasnt really a permission.

Then we have to prepare for the stage in advance, right?

Thats right, were going to perform in front of the elders anyway.

I finally started to feel the reality of the problem ahead.

I had learned the choreography of the previous songs as the main dancer. The problem was

I didnt pay any attention to the vocals!

I was so distracted by the new song that I had to record that I didnt even think about the old singles.

Anyone have a schedule this afternoon?

Seon-woo had come back from PT in the morning and it was the perfect timing when we were all gathered with nothing to do.

Then lets rent a practice room and match it up. We have to check the changes in the line-up and the movements, and we might have forgotten some things since we havent danced for a long time.

Kyunghwa decided and proceeded with the preparation step by step. Matching up meant choreography first, right?

I tried not to be nervous and stood up with my shoulders straight.

Ill talk to the manager hyung right away.

I pointed at my phone and slipped into the room. And I immediately looked for the system.

System!

The system appeared as if it had been waiting for me.

[What can I help you with?]

Hehe, Pposil licked his tongue and wagged his tail as he looked up at me.

Give me the vocal training quest,

Give me, do you have it? Pposil tilted his head curiously as if he didnt understand the imperative. Dont pretend you dont know.

[Tutorial 2 > Sub Quest Vocal Grade Improvement Training Expand Your Songs Do you want to start?]

[Yes/No]

Of course it was YES. I pressed the yes button hard. The status window disappeared as soon as it lit up and Kyunghwa knocked on the door.

Can I come in?

Huh? Yeah.

Kyunghwa wouldnt see the status window, but I felt guilty and spoke with a force on my face.

Come in.

Kyunghwa turned the doorknob and came in.

Lets talk to the manager hyung together. I think it would be better if we talked to him as a pair.

Well. I didnt think it was necessary, but. It wouldnt hurt to share the responsibility.

Okay. Lets do that.

I searched for the managers number in the phone book and pressed the call button. 

The cheerful ringing sounded and the manager soon answered.

-Hey, whats up?

There was no need to beat around the bush. I went straight to the point.

Hyung, we got a lifestyle program offer from PD Pyo Juyeon. Its not his program, though. He said he knows the person in charge.

-Huh? A lifestyle program?

The manager seemed to be surprised as well and racked his brain.

-What are you guys going to do there?

We have to help the rural elders with their village work and then perform at a simple village festival or something. I think hell tell us more details if we agree.

-Where is the location?

I havent asked him yet. We cant just say well appear, so Im contacting you first.

It would have been better if he gave us a quick permission. I waited for him to say okay.

But unfortunately, not everything in the world went the way I wanted.

-Thats a bit tricky

Kyunghwa and I looked at each other. His eyes were shaking with tension.