The Malicious Member is Back! - Chapter 35
“Anyway, it’s good that it turned out well….”
I sighed in relief and thudded my head against the wall.
“Now, back to dawn practice, individual interviews, and stage preparation….”
While everything seemed to be going smoothly according to plan so far, in a survival situation, you can never let your guard down.
There might be something I’ve forgotten due to my behavior as a malicious member, or some unexpected variable might suddenly appear.
I cautiously moved my fingers to the messaging app on my phone.
Not the chat with X, just the messaging app.
[Son, are you eating well? Dad is always supporting you!]
[Chunyong, mom is okay whether you debut or not. Just do your best in what you want to do. Miss you, son~]
[If you get Choi Gaon’s autograph, send it to your sister’s school by registered mail. If you forget, you’re dead.]
[Hey Chunyong; the kids in our class say that the AG trainees are really handsome, is it true?? Send me some pics.]
“Haha….”
I found myself smiling unwittingly. My parents offering their support, my siblings always saying what they want.
Yes. This is what I missed.
Things that are more precious because I once lost them.
Instead of replying to them, I opened the bathroom door, walked out, and shouted towards Gao Yan and Logan, who were lying exhausted on the bed.
“Hey, let’s go for supplementary lessons.”
To never lose those precious things again.
* * *
All the way to the practice room, Logan and Gao Yan whined in sad voices as I dragged them.
“Chunyong hyung, I’m really, really tired. I mean, I’m seriously dying. Can’t we rest just a little bit? It’s time to sleep!“
“I agree with Logan. Chunyong hyung, I came to Korea to become an idol, not to become a dancing machine!”
“Hey, that’s too much. When did I ever tell you to become dancing machines?”
At my somewhat harsh reply, Gao Yan flinched and glanced around.
“Then what is it?”
“Just… I only wish…”
You could dance so well that you could match each other’s movements even with your eyes closed….
“Logan, Chunyong hyung is weird!”
“Gosh. We really might have to run away….”
“—Run away to where!”
“What!?”
Before we knew it, Ji Hwa Sung had appeared behind us and grabbed the back of Logan’s neck, who was trying to sneak away.
“Come on, let’s go in quickly. Joo An hyung and Seo Bin hyung are already inside.”
Ji Hwa Sung urged them with sparkling eyes. Those eyes were something I knew well.
“You know we have a stage in just one week, right? So, without fail….”
That is.
“We need to master the choreography within three days.”
“And finish writing all the lyrics within a week.”
That look of obsession when one’s eyes are blinded by their goals.
I remember Ji Hwa Sung once participated in writing lyrics for our 2nd album and said this to me before I became fully notorious as a problematic member.
“Yongyong hyung, time is an opportunity.”
If the given deadline is ten days, then he’d aim for seven; if seven days, then three; if three days, then he’d want to finish everything within one day.
In some ways, he’s even more intense than I am now.
Gao Yan and Logan’s faces turned pale.
I just smiled behind them.
Survival isn’t easy, kids.
And so, three days.
For three whole days.
Ji Hwa Sung literally rolled the team members around.
“Gao Yan! You keep messing up the formation!”
“……Got it.”
“Don’t just get it! You have to do it!”
“O-okay! Doing it!”
“Logan too. You keep lazily stretching your arms, that won’t do. Make it longer!”
“Yes, sir!”
“Joo An hyung, you’re doing everything right, but you keep messing up your feet in the second verse bridge. Left first, then right.”
“…….”
“Huh? Why no reply? Still want to be the center for the dance break?”
“I heard you! I heard you!”
Joo An, prompted by Ji Hwa Sung’s pressure, hastily replied, seemingly traumatized by the time I danced right in front of him.
“Seo Bin hyung and Kim Chunyong hyung are doing well. Seo Bin hyung lacks a bit of detail. Chunyong hyung, you can help him out, right? I need to check on others too!”
“Hmm, I’ll ask Chunyong if it’s something difficult.”
“Okay.”
I nodded and looked at the clock.
It’s already 2 PM. Time to go down to the vocal room to meet with vocal mentor Min Si Young.
I had to do one recording for the six-person performance for this competition stage and another recording for all 18 members, and then get choreography feedback from Jin Dasol in two hours.
And then, more free practice followed.
“Ah, this is really… tough.”
“…Really? Do you want something to drink?”
“Yeah, thanks. Chunyong, are you holding up okay? I feel like I’m literally burning through my life right now.”
“Uh, I’m still okay for now. Thanks.”
While I was used to the idol life after nearly 8 years, it seemed like the others weren’t.
Even Seo Bin, who should be accustomed to the rigorous training, looked troubled.
The members were gasping under the tight schedule, and their state was peculiar.
“I know it’s hard. But we need to debut, debut!”
Ji Hwa Sung seemed oblivious.
I secretly clicked my tongue and pondered.
…At this rate, something’s bound to blow up, right?
