Chapter 71
Debut or Die
The new teaser video started with a cheerful voice.
â High five~
Against the backdrop of the blue sky and the ground that appeared to be a school playground, Cha Eugene waved his hands and shouted.
Behind Cha Eugene, the members could be seen in a choreography formation.
All of them were wearing striped baseball uniforms that fit perfectly. The members, who were warming up, danced the choreography in line with the chorus that suddenly started.
â This shot
Tang Tang Tang
It will fit correctly
â Yes heart
Pang Pang Pang
Like a fanfare!
â Just burst out!
It was an exciting choreography with big movements and finely divided beats.
When the chorus part was over, the screen froze with a final dance pose. It was the pose of stretching their feet toward the screen and turning around.
And after a while
[â¦Cut!]
[Ugh!]
At the directorâs words, white captions appeared above the members sitting on the ground.
[âHi-fiveâ music video]
[Revealed for the first time in episode 2 of ]
It was a humorous and dynamic teaser that contrasted with the first teaser of âMagical Boyâ.
Of course, the number of comments increased in an instant.
â Crazy, two songs?
â Is this a pre-release? What should I do, I like this too
â No, you really picked funky beats for schoolã ã
â Which of the two youâre going to like?ã ã ã By the way, I like both. Itâs great, Testar.
âã ã ã You too? I am the same!
â I only heard the chorus, but Iâm already getting the hang of it, I think the second music will win
âNo, the Magical Boy choreography hasnât even been released yet. Give them a fair chance!ã ã ã
â When the drumrolls came out, I thought they were hitting my heart as well; Ah, Testar is the human defibrillator!
The Internet was burning as people were getting excited, enough to overturn the gloomy incident just before.
Still, I was a little perplexed.
It worked so much better than I thought.
â No, did you go through training at your agency while cutting off the real news? You picked two songs, but both ended up being good?
â Even the concept is perfectly contrasted, but I guess itâs connected a bit;; Do you remember the glove and baseball in the Magical Boy teaser?
âHeol
âItâs amazing, reallyâ¦
â Looking at the trailer for the 2nd episode of the reality show, it seems the kids took the initiative in participating, but Iâm already looking forward to it.
â Letâs go for 500,000 albums for their debut album!
And this reaction exploded once more the moment the second episode of the reality show came out.
[Related image references and arrangement plans.]
Because the members preparing the presentation materials within a day were broadcasted.
Since the broadcast was well-connected to the people at the front and the back, any mention of the directorâs irrationality and the simultaneous release with VTIC were all cut off.
Instead, the image of Testar passionately pursuing the title track was reflected well.
â No, why are the kids so good at their work;;
â I couldnât even imagine. Did you choose all the songs by yourself and come up with a concept?
â Besides, no one is fighting and theyâre on good terms! They have different opinions, but theyâre trying to persuade each other!
-Testarâs blissful group project comes trueâ¦
Of course, doubtful people also came out.
â A rookie did this?ã ã Itâs all directing. Donât be fooled~
â Everythingâs already been decided. The portion was picked out as if it was the idols who publicize it. Donât trust the script!
âI guess your favorite idol canât do anything by themselves, what should we doã ã
âI know, right⦠Cheer up!
However, fans whose deal meter had exploded ignored them all, leaving only one or two words. They didnât even care much.
(TL notes: deal meter = a program that sums up the number of damages inflicted on enemies in games.)
It was because the feeling that things would go well had already prevailed.
-This will definitely succeed.
â The popularity index is already skycrocketingã ã ã Even if itâs a teaser scam, I think it will be fine
â Will the music video appear at the end of the broadcast?
The second episode of the reality show was more like a production journal. However, the scene with the claw machine was added at the end for a bit of entertainment.
It was a cut that had been omitted to bring the scene of the horror movie into one episode.
It mainly captured the image of the members who failed to pick dolls and won mentally in a cute way.
[Heâs right. The machine is weird.]
â ã ã ã ã ã
â Ah Keun Sejin is so funny!
The second episode ended with Lee Sejin picking out a puppy doll from the claw machine.
And when the music video preview subtitles appeared, the atmosphere heated up again with tension.
â Itâs starting.
â The music video is coming out!
The moment the commercial break ended.
The screen turned into a sunny classroom window.
* * *
âThe music video is coming out.â
âW-Wait a minute.â
Seon Ahyeon slipped into the living room. And at the same time, the commercial break ended.
âGood timing.â
I focused my eyes on the screen.
In the first scene, Park Moondae⦠So, it started with a cut of me looking out the window. It was a bright blue sky.
And a notice paper was shoved to Park Moondaeâs face.
[Sports competition]
[School baseball game]
The person who handed out the notice was Lee Sejin.
His usual unfriendly appearance was nowhere to be found and he looked like a nervous model student.
As soon as Park Moondae looked into the notice and snooped around, the prelude began.
Swish!
The song started with a cheerful whistling melody.
A modified disco that eliminated the clutter of the upbeat drum and used a rock sound with an electric guitar⦠Honestly, I didnât know, but it was exciting.
It was a relief that once I went as Kim Raebin recommended, the existing cheap atmosphere completely disappeared.
However⦠Due to time issues, I couldnât change the lyrics.
-OH While thinking and thinking
I made up my mind Um~
Today I will throw
You will throw me away
Yes, heart~ Shot Shot!
â¦It was enough said.
âThe choreography fits well.â
âEugene is flying around?â
âHehe.â
As soon as the group choreography cut came out, the members threw out one word at a time.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
Perhaps they were conscious of the reality show camera installed to select the music video reaction content.
âIn the first place, Iâve seen the storyboard, so thereâs nothing particular to be surprised about.â
On the screen, the story was developing with choreography cuts in between.
To summarize, it was about model student Lee Sejin gathering kids from his class to participate in a baseball game to fill in the school record.
As he gathered those who didnât participate in the sports competition, he ended up gathering all kinds of weirdos and unique characters⦠Well, that was the story.
âMoondae is in the book club!â
âI-It suits you.â
I was given a role where I mostly read books or e-books.
â You have to give it a mysterious feeling. You know it, right?
The director emphasized that, but honestly, I didnât know about being mysterious⦠It just came out looking like they didnât know what I was thinking.
Next up was Seon Ahyeon. As you might have guessed⦠he was in the dance club.
âYouâre really good.â
âYou have the skill befitting of a dance major.â
âT-Thank youâ¦â¦.â
Seon Ahyeon, who worked hard on modern dance on the screen, was definitely impressive. It was clear that he couldnât immediately refuse and was suddenly taken away to play baseball.
Next up was Ryu Chungwoo.
âAs expected of the national team!â
âEveryone! He actually shot that and got it right!â
âHaha, my posture got better after practicing.â
There was a scene where he was cast playing archery, but of course, it wasnât awkward at all. Because he was not an amateur.
And next⦠Cha Eugene and Kim Raebin appeared together.
A little skit was inserted.
First of all, Lee Sejin vigorously opened the door to the sports warehouse.
Screech!
Then, he saw Kim Raebin and Cha Eugene, who were hanging out in the warehouse.
The two men, who looked like gangsters to anyone watching, stared at Lee Sejin who opened the door.
[â¦]
[â¦]
[â¦Iâm sorry!]
Screech!
The door that had been opened was quickly closed again.
âHahaha!â
âSniff, it came out well.â
The guys watching the music video burst into laughter.
Honestly, it was funny to me, too.
âIt must be funnier because those roles were given to the youngest two.â
By the way, they decided on the characters they played on their own.
âI want to experience life at the top of peer relationships hierarchy in my work⦠He said that.â
When I thought of Kim Raebinâs elaborate remarks, Cha Eugeneâs bright remark also came to mind.
â Itâs fun!
In any case, neither of them gave a good impression, but they did a frighteningly good job.
At last⦠Keun Sejin, who was in the election for the student council president, was recruited on the condition of running a campaign.
âExperienced people are different.â
âAh, I would have been elected in that world~â
Keun Sejin said slyly and smiled.
âYou chose it on purpose.â
It seemed he chose that character from the music video and cover that side of the story because of the topic of the student council election that came up during the rumors of school bullying
Anyway, the music video ended with a humorous ending in which the ragtag team somehow managed to beat other schools in the sports competition.
For your information, Lee Sejinâs purposeâthe school recordâentered like a post-credit scene at the end and saved a slight twist.
âWow!â
âIt was fun until the end!â
There were no interruptions that made it hard to understand, and the story didnât come out enough to be boring, so it gave just perfect fun. The arrangement with the group choreography cut seemed appropriate.
âThank you for your hard work hard!
âGood job!â
First of all, words of relief poured out here and there with the joy that one music video was safely released.
And Ryu Chungwoo hinted, as if on purpose.
âEspecially⦠Sejin, thank you.â
ââ¦!â
âThatâs right. Thanks to Sejin hyung-nim, even we, the amateurs, came out naturally.â
âGasp, Raebin-ssi. These hyungs looked like amateursâ¦â
âN-No, itâs not like thatâ¦â
Letâs skip the fact that Kim Raebin is being caught by Keun Sejinâs words again.
ââ¦â
Lee Sejin bit his lips but soon nodded.
And he added a little.
ââ¦No, everyone did a great job. And⦠Iâm sorry if I had a terrible attitude at that time.â
âN-Noâ¦â
âFrom now on⦠I wonât avoid it like this. Iâll get my act together.â
Lee Sejin clenched both of his hands tightly.
âI guess youâve come to your senses after turning off the urgent fire.â
It seemed he had looked back on the situation over the past few days.
âI-Itâs all right! H-H-Hyung, thank you for your hard workâ¦â
âYouâre debuting now. Itâs natural to go through trial and error.â
âCheer up!â
ââ¦Thank you.â
The atmosphere was warm again thanks to accepting the low hurdles.
After Lee Sejinâs affair broke out, the slightly awkward atmosphere that had been going on for several days seemed to have disappeared thanks to the music video.
That didnât mean that we suddenly became closer and friendlier than regular co-workers.
âFighting~â
For example, Keun Sejin who was smiling over there still didnât seem fond of Lee Sejin, but⦠It was strange for seven strangers that stayed together to like everyone.
As long as we didnât fight, it was fine.
âThis atmosphere will come out well in the reality show.â
The apology would be edited on its own.
I stretched, turning my shoulders. At that moment, Ryu Chungwoo spoke softly.
âThen, letâs go back to the practice room.â
ââ¦â
ââ¦Yes!â
Even that Cha Eugene answered late.
Everyone was already tired of practicing because of the forced march, but they knew that they couldnât sleep like this.
Because there were only three days left until the debut showcaseâ¦
âLetâs cheer up, thereâs not much time left.â
âOf courseâ¦â
âF-Fighting!â
After a few meaningless chants, it was confirmed that we would practice almost all night that day.
ââ¦â
I hope there would be more fans coming to the showcase, not the reporters⦠I thought that would be comforting at least.
âHey.â
âYes?â
Lee Sejin talked to me while I was pressing my eyelids. When I turned my head out of courtesy, I heard a small murmur.
âThank you for putting up with me.â
ââ¦?â
Is it about the room?
I was so tired that I couldnât think straight for a while.
I immediately thought of a recent example that might fit better than that.
âAh, the handwritten letter?â
ââ¦Right!â
Lee Sejin shouted out loud, then took a deep breath and calmed himself down.
ââ¦Thanks to you, it ended well. Iâll pay you back.â
âYes⦠Well, you donât have to worry too much about it.â
In fact, it was just a quick summary of what anyone would pick out if they woke up and wrote them down. We hadnât had time.
So the favor was over, all he had to was to stop the drug scandal.
Well⦠In fact, the drug scandal also seemed to be a problem related to the former agency.
ââ¦Thatâs how it is, but donât tell me something else will come out.â
Itâs not like I got hit in the back of my head just once or twice, so letâs continue to be careful just in case.
âIâll pay you back! ⦠Anyway, thank you.â
Lee Sejin shouted again, and soon he took care of himself and quickly left the dorm.
I would see him again in less than 30 seconds.
ââ¦You and I have to go to the practice room anyway.â
It was clear that he also couldnât sleep and his brain wasnât working. I shook my head and moved my feet.
* * *
Testarâs Hi-five music video satisfied fans.
It was a sentence that might sound like nothing, but it actually meant a lot.
Because it meant âs debut group had met the soaring expectations that were high enough to pierce the ceiling.
â Honestly, when I saw the teaser and heard that it was a double title, I was a little worried that the firepower would be dispersed⦠But it was a useless worryã ã ã
â Ah, did you watch the music video~ This is how the capital of large corporations tastes!
â Ah, what should I do, my heart flutters so muchã ã The Magical Boy music video will come out too, right?
â Itâs a crazy masterpiece. Quickly release the song, guys. Take my money
In addition, the tears of the people who couldnât get tickets for the showcase overflowed.
â Idol Inc crazy bastards sold everything as a stock package, so they said there was no ticketingã ã I heard the showcase was already sold out before the final episode!
â Does this make sense, Tnet! Among the people who bought it, there are fans of the eliminated participants and they resell the tickets at a high priceã ã
âI am glad it ended with ticket reselling. What if someone had a bad intention and booed at them at the showcase⦠Sighâ¦
While fans who couldnât get tickets were worried and upset.
In fact, some of the fans of the eliminated participants didnât resell their showcase tickets.
âLetâs see how good you are.â
Whether there would actually be boos or commotion, it was certainly a risk factor that Tnet inadvertently overlooked.
And on June 18, when the music video for âMagical Boyâ was released.
The showcase started at 8 PM that evening.