The Idol Who Returned from Hell Chapter 103

“……”

“Why is everyone staying so quiet.”

“I, I’m not sure how to react to this.”

“I’m so dumbfounded I can’t even speak.”

“Ahaha, Si-hyeok, you’re speaking just fine.”

“I asked you not to nitpick every little thing like that.”

CENTIX was now getting used to the harsh level of practice volume.

At times like this, you could really see the clear effects of the short-term intensive tutoring they received on 〈Idol Stove League Season 2〉.

The murderous activity level of daily 〈Chronic〉 choreography practice.

If it had been any other male idol group, they would have come into the dorm and been throwing up in toilets left and right.

But we were in perfectly fine condition, gathered in the living room staring at my phone.

What was displayed on the screen was the GrapeFruit chart from the largest music site in South Korea.

I had heard many stories related to this music chart in my previous life too, and it seemed to be the same even with the worldline changed.

According to prior research, the GrapeFruit chart had undergone reorganization three times in two years to prevent what’s commonly called ‘idol fandom ranking competitions.’

After abolishing the real-time chart that tallied new rankings every hour, they launched 24Hits with a 24-hour aggregate time unit.

This could prevent idol fandoms’ mass streaming, but it brought about chart concretization and faced tremendous backlash.

So they separately created the ‘New Face Chart.’ It was literally a chart where only new songs released within one month would appear, but it was buried in a corner far from the main page and disappeared into dust without receiving any attention.

Eventually, to meet all problems at a middle point, GrapeFruit chart proceeded with its final integrated reorganization.

The ‘Daily Top 100 Chart’ created by appropriately mixing the algorithms of 24Hits and the real-time chart.

It felt like a declaration to catch both rabbits – general users and idol fandoms pouring tremendous money.

Since it was a format that couldn’t satisfy everyone, it was still getting criticized, but this GrapeFruit chart ranking served as proof of that artist’s fame.

‘Looking at it, the top-ranking songs are still concretized, so breaking into the very top ranks should be considered impossible. We should just be thankful if we can get within the top 50.’

That was the mindset I had while waiting for the tally.

But right now, CENTIX’s title track 〈Chronic〉’s performance was enough to steal away all the members’ voices.

[NEW! 34th: Chronic / CENTIX]

We had broken into the top 30 even before our first music show appearance.

And that was after surpassing the so-called walls of despair.

“Haha, is this for real?”

I could hear Kang Seon-woo’s quiet laughter beside me.

Normally he would have excitedly slapped my back.

Even someone with sharp eyes and ears for the market like him thought our first performance was an unbelievable number.

“Did we really beat those people called gatekeepers and climb to 34th place?”

“Well…… charts don’t lie. I’m a bit stunned too, right now.”

The gatekeepers Yu Ha-woon mentioned are walls you must necessarily overcome before reaching the top ranking tier.

Not songs that rose in ranking due to fans’ unity after first release, but songs maintaining popularity without mass streaming.

Due to the influence of the 24Hits chart, you had to surpass gatekeepers who maintained high rankings even after 1 or 2 years to truly receive public recognition.

“Everyone smile, smile. This is good news, right? Isn’t this the best result we could have gotten?”

“That is true, but……”

“But why so serious. The fans worked hard streaming for us, and regular people also indirectly showed they liked our song by listening to it. If we keep doing music shows like this and make CENTIX’s name more known, even 1st place is possible.”

Seong-hwi laughed brightly while firmly patting Chae Ha-ru and Ma Si-hyeok’s backs.

Those two were still staring blankly at my phone with dazed expressions, not grasping the situation.

It was exciting enough results, but I put away my phone and clapped once.

“What comes next is more important, so let’s not worry too much about this. This is just short-term, and meaningful results will come from initial sales or music show rankings like I mentioned earlier.”

“Yes!”

“Let’s focus on tomorrow, everyone!”

Tomorrow is Thursday.

The day CENTIX’s first music show debut stage is scheduled.

When we received the schedule notice in advance, tomorrow was 10 AM pre-recording.

‘I’m sure my first pre-recording in life was at dawn.’

I wondered if there was some discrimination here.

CENTIX’s debut music show was naturally at KNet. Maybe that’s why, despite being rookies, we were assigned quite a late pre-recording time.

Is this why having an affiliated broadcasting station is good?

Of course, we wouldn’t have minded dawn recording, but above all I felt good thinking the fans would suffer less.

Still, waking up early was essential.

“Everyone go to bed early today without doing weird stuff. Okay?”

“Brother, if sharing private messages with MILLENNIUM is also considered weird stuff—”

“Private messages for 30 minutes only, then sleep quickly.”

“Yes!”

Seong-hwi was already humming while logging into Milky Way.

I shook my head and plopped down in front of Cerberus, who had been watching over us in the comfortable house.

‘Tomorrow we finally start music shows too.’

{Master, you’ll finally completely achieve your wish. You always talked to me about idols in hell.}

‘It’s amazing that you remember all those stories.’

{Ahem, of course! Who do you think I am!}

Cerberus smugly nudged my arm with his head.

Then, as if something came to mind, he wagged his tail excitedly.

{Oh, oh! And! When Master was busy with schedules, I discovered a new ability.}

‘A new ability?’

I lifted Cerberus with anticipation filling my heart.

‘Can you finally read people’s thoughts?’

{Master really likes that! Hmm, that’s not it. Look closely!}

Unfortunately, the new ability Cerberus acquired wasn’t mind reading.

Instead, my Yorkshire Terrier closed his eyes and concentrated for a moment.

Then a very blurry silhouette separated from Cerberus’s main body.

{Ta-da! Now I can leave my body at the dorm and have my spirit follow Master around!}

‘……Is this the astral projection I’ve only heard about?’

{It’s similar to when I followed you around invisibly during 〈ISL 2〉 filming! Back then humans didn’t know I existed, but now I get caught on those camera things. So I thought I couldn’t move around easily, but at some point I could separate my spirit like this.}

‘Interesting. Do such abilities manifest one by one even after coming to the real world?’

{Ahem, this is me after all!}

I don’t know the exact principle.

But Cerberus’s new ability was something I welcomed wholeheartedly.

Once we start full-scale broadcasting activities, we’ll encounter far more people than expected.

Especially if that stage is a broadcasting station.

In the entertainment industry where it’s difficult to easily determine who’s an ally and who’s an enemy, having Cerberus there to provide some direction would be helpful.

I grinned and scratched Cerberus’s ears.

‘Good boy.’

{If anything, call me bad boy, Master!}

‘Don’t show off weird preferences.’

* * *

Fortunately, unlike in reality episode 1, there were no members drunk on oversleeping.

I slept very soundly and thought the younger ones had also woken up refreshed.

“I, I was so nervous I couldn’t sleep a wink.”

“Oh, Brother Ha-ru’s pupils are dying again!”

“I might really die today.”

Chae Ha-ru says his heart was pounding so much he stayed up all night with his eyes wide open.

He seemed to have dark circles that don’t usually show, which was worrying, but Yu Ha-woon found Chae Ha-ru’s default expression amusing and giggled.

The ride to KNet headquarters would take some time, so he could have gotten some sleep during that.

Chae Ha-ru groaned in a desperate tone, seemingly unable to fall asleep at all.

“I’m screwed, brother. I can’t fall asleep.”

“Ha-ru, should I lend you my sleep mask?”

“I have earplugs too.”

To help him, Kang Seon-woo and Ma Si-hyeok even offered to lend their treasured items.

While Chae Ha-ru was being semi-forced to seek sleep in the seat next to me, I glanced out the window.

Looking at the sky where the sun hadn’t completely risen yet, my stomach suddenly churned.

A similar scene.

The presence of members felt in front and behind, and the sound of the manager brother pressing the accelerator.

Everything around me momentarily rushed over me like a wave.

‘No, Ryu Si-hwan. This is a completely different situation from back then. You’ve ridden this van dozens of times already. So why are you getting shaken up now?’

It was the CENTIX and Rave Entertainment van that had become familiar to me.

But today, not CENTIX’s Ryu Si-hwan but Black Shot’s Ryu Si-hwan was overlapping too intensely.

It felt like something would come honking down that highway any moment.

It felt like acrid smoke would flow into my lungs.

“……Urgh.”

I forcibly covered my mouth against the nausea rising from my stomach.

I squeezed my eyes shut and repeated in my head.

Such accidents won’t happen anymore.

No one will die.

But the nausea didn’t disappear.

I even felt dizzy.

Then.

{Master, snap out of it. Like Master said, that’s all in the past now.}

‘……Ker.’

{In this world, Master is living perfectly fine and is with people this Cerberus has acknowledged. So don’t recall those past memories!}

The Yorkshire Terrier’s faint face kept rubbing against my cheek.

Even though Cerberus’s body was definitely staying at the dorm, I could feel his fluffy fur.

“Whew.”

I took slow, deep breaths.

My rapidly beating heart slowly regained stability.

The feeling of wanting to vomit also disappeared.

I moved my gaze from the window to the side.

“Snore……”

Thanks to Kang Seon-woo’s sleep mask and Ma Si-hyeok’s earplugs, Chae Ha-ru was sleeping deeply.

Seong-hwi sitting in the back seat was also taking a nap.

Yu Ha-woon was humming with earphones plugged in.

My eyes met Kang Seon-woo’s as he was eating chocolate in the very back.

“Si-hwan’s not sleeping? Want some chocolate too? On nervous days you need to replenish energy with sweet stuff.”

“Give me one.”

“Whoa, what’s gotten into Ryu Si-hwan to accept my kindness!”

“When you keep watching, am I some kind of evil dictator?”

“Hehe, just joking. Here, take it.”

I caught the heart-shaped chocolate Kang Seon-woo threw.

As sweetness spread in my mouth, I felt my heart calm down a bit.

“How is it, man. Sweet stuff is the best, right?”

“Yeah, definitely.”

“Leave CENTIX’s sugar supplementation to me from now on.”

Seeing Kang Seon-woo’s wink made me laugh naturally.

Right, I’m no longer Black Shot’s Ryu Si-hwan.

I’m not that idol who died unfairly on the day he achieved his debut dream.

Now I’m just Ryu Si-hwan who debuted as CENTIX after sharing hardships and joys with these pretty decent guys.

After shaking off the remnants of the past like that.

The van carrying us arrived at the KNet headquarters, where I had once spent the most time.