The Malicious Member is Back! - Chapter 65
I recalled the embarrassment and hostility I felt, flashing an awkward smile.
Someone in Logan’s team, not yet familiar with where the cameras are, wouldn’t have spoken so directly.
However, people can read nuances.
“Liu Wei said I wasn’t helping. And all the teammates laughed! It’s unfair!”
Well, some do speak directly after all.
I pursed my lips as I watched Gao Yan, seething. Liu Wei is quite blunt and being a foreign member, it seems the issue was passed off as a joke.
There’s truth in the content, though.
I had orchestrated the atmosphere of team members collectively choosing a song for this reason.
During practice, to prevent any single person from taking the fall when things got tough.
It can be comforting in the moment to see the cause, or the culprit, identified and quickly resolved.
But what next?
In a team where everyone was just eyeing each other and not a single clear opinion emerged, a great stage performance was unlikely.
“Why is the performance so timid?”
“We’re performing in front of an audience, and we picked such an ordinary song?”
“The dance moves don’t match.”
“The costumes are really bad. Whose idea was that? I didn’t ignore my director for this.”
At that time, I heard all sorts of comments after ruining the stage; the list could go on forever, including community reactions.
Anyway, I continued to sit there, watching my multinational roommates with their lips pouted.
Even though knowing another team was faltering was a good sign for me, a competitor, having shared the room for just a few days, had made me somewhat concerned.
Maybe it was because I made a major mistake once, when I tried building relationships.
If I could help someone, I wanted to give my best. I even offered Kim Koo An advice once.
But it’s different with these guys because they are nice, funny, and kind.
Since Ryota is on our team now… as long as I am here, there’s no need to worry about team morale. Gao Yan will be alright; he’ll wake up tomorrow, bounce back, and push his opinions as always.
The problem now is Logan.
“Ah, it’s really a good song. I’m so sad. Really sad. If only the arrangement was done well, it could really succeed.”
Despite having opened up to his roommates, it seemed he still had regrets.
Thinking about it, now or even before, during <Targeting Star>, Logan hardly ever had the chance to show his true production skills.
Most of the arrangement was done aligning with the trainees and the A&R team, and for the original songs, we just performed what was given to us.
Was that why he dropped out? Because he barely had any chance to showcase his skills?
“Hmm…”
Now that we need to discuss the arrangement of “Beyond the Waves” in more detail, choreograph the dance, and finalize the stage concept, even though it’s really none of my business…
“Logan. Do you think your teammates will be convinced if they hear your arrangement?”
“Eh? Chunyong hyung, what did you say?”
“Well, you must have thought about how you want to arrange it. Do you have it clearly in your mind?”
“…Of course! The moment I first heard the original track, I thought, this is it! If only I could play it for them…”
“Then play it for them.”
“Huh?”
It seemed a bit unfair to end things without even trying to do what he really wanted.
I nodded towards the door behind Logan, pointing with my finger.
“Didn’t you leave your guitar with the production staff?”
“Uh, yes. I thought it would take up too much space if I brought it to the dorm…”
His fluent response trailed off, uncertain.
Soon, Logan’s eyes widened, and he repeatedly glanced between my pointing finger and my face.
“―Wait. I’ll go out first.”
Before I could even respond, he dashed out of the room.
“Hey? Logan! Where are you going without washing up? You’ll stink!”
“Let him be. He probably remembered something he forgot.”
Gao Yan, puzzled by Logan’s abrupt departure but delighted that his turn for the shower had come sooner, cheerfully rushed into the bathroom.
Left alone in the room with me, Ryota looked at the door Logan had sprinted through and awkwardly started to speak.
“Chunyong aniki.”
“Huh? Ryota, what is it?”
“Before, you said the word ‘hyung’ is the same as ‘aniki,’ right?”
“I don’t think I said that. I must have taught you a different word…”
“No! I just realized it correctly. Chunyong aniki, you really are aniki.”
What’s he talking about now? Those sparkling eyes are making me uncomfortable.
“From now on, I’ll truly respect you as my aniki.”
“…Are you saying you haven’t respected me as a hyung until now? Seems like you didn’t practice enough today. I guess you haven’t been practicing much, after all.”
At my ominous tone, Ryota suddenly stood up, mumbling in an awkward acting tone.
“Oh no! I think I need to go to the bathroom.”
“Where are you running off to, Ryota. Gao Yan is in there, right? Do you want to go in and get hit with the shower head?”
“That’s too much!”
“What’s too much is you right now, Ryota.”
I grabbed Ryota by the scruff of his neck and flashed a dazzling smile, reminiscent of Jae Ha hyung or Yu Chan hyung, causing Ryota’s slender body to flinch dramatically.
It wasn’t for me to be concerned about.
I helped Logan a little bit. Now, it was time to hustle like mad for our team.
It would be embarrassing if we helped another team and then our own stage was just so-so.
That couldn’t happen.
“Aniki! Where are you dragging me to?!”
I gave Ryota, who was screaming in terror, a clear answer.
“To meet Jang Si Woo!”
