The Idol Who Returned from Hell Chapter 191

Seong-hwi’s expression distorted in real-time.

It wasn’t just me who felt something strange.

{Master, Seong-hwi friend seems a bit shaken? There’s a slightly fishy scent coming from his usual smell.}

‘Right after Baek Joo-won suggested changing to that choreography?’

{Yeah. There really wasn’t anything wrong until earlier.}

I quickly gathered the things I could piece together up to now.

Baek Joo-won’s provocation that he’d pressure Seong-hwi somehow.

Seong-hwi’s atmosphere that changed as soon as he saw the new choreography.

Even now his head suddenly dropped down. Toward his ankle area.

Toward his ankle……?

‘Ah.’

I felt like I’d been hit in the head with a hammer.

Right. He was giving hints completely blatantly.

And in a very malicious way.

‘That crazy bastard.’

I don’t think I can hold back from saying harsh words.

When I first had a heart-to-heart conversation with Seong-hwi in 〈Idol Stove League Season 2〉.

Seong-hwi had told me about what he experienced during his debut team days at X2 Entertainment and explained why he became so obsessed with winning.

Back then, before the debut team evaluation, he had experienced an accident where he severely injured his ankle trying to forcibly handle choreography that was far too difficult.

And now the choreography that Baek Joo-won is suggesting as the revision would be exactly the same choreography that Seong-hwi had tried to do back then and got injured.

“This seems like really difficult choreography…… Will we be able to do it?”

“Of course, I didn’t think everyone would be able to do this in a short time either. So I think at the point where the second dance break starts, it would be good if the three best dancers come forward and perform it almost like a solo dance.”

“Ah.”

When the Lunatic member nodded, Baek Joo-won responded with confident eyes.

“The part itself is only about 10 seconds, so it’s not that long. And after this part passes, the remaining 3 people come forward to handle the chorus area choreography, so the part distribution would be fair too. Is everyone okay with this?”

“Looks good to me?”

“Me too!”

“Same here!”

With Seok Jae-han and the Lunatic members unanimously agreeing, there was no choice.

But Baek Joo-won moved on to the next topic without even listening to my answer.

“Then for personnel distribution, I have someone I’d personally like to recommend.”

His sharp gaze turned blatantly toward Seong-hwi.

“I’ve been working with Hwi since the old days, so I know. I think Hwi could really bring this dance part to life, what do you think. Would that be okay?”

Cerberus on my shoulder ground his teeth and spat out curses.

{Look, look at that red pepper paste head flapping his mouth! Master, I really want to throw him into hellfire and burn him without a trace. Is this normal?}

‘Extremely normal.’

{What are you going to do, Master! We can’t just sit here and watch!}

‘Don’t worry.’

Baek Joo-won is a lump of ego.

He acts knowing he’ll be in a superior position to Seong-hwi no matter what he does.

It’s not just from experiences after debut, but also influenced by memories from when he was with Seong-hwi at X2.

From the beginning, it was routine for him to oppress and torment Seong-hwi using the simple device of being a senior.

What method could there be to deal damage to someone who moves with that kind of narcissism alone?

If you think about it just briefly, the answer comes out quite simply.

You just need to brand into their mind that their self-esteem is something only they believe in, and to others it’s just an empty shell.

‘The stage has been set up appropriately too.’

Based on what I heard from Joo Han-ul, this 2nd competition format probably came from Baek Joo-won’s idea.

Since there was talk about him doing advance work with the PDs.

He stimulates Seong-hwi’s trauma, who seems to be enjoying great happiness as a CENTIX member.

Then he guides him to crumble on his own after putting him on stage where everyone’s attention is focused.

After that, he probably wants to drive home the message that nothing has changed.

That means.

If Seong-hwi can avoid being swept up in trauma and instead surpass Baek Joo-won, the subject that crumbles can be reversed.

“……”

“Hwi, are you okay? Why aren’t you saying anything?”

Baek Joo-won, who had started gradually scratching at Seong-hwi’s nerves, wore a fishy smile.

And then. I raised my hand and spoke slowly.

“Senior, I’d also like to participate in the dance break.”

“……What?”

“Actually, when practicing dance with the members, we did 〈OBEY〉 a lot. Each time, I’d think it would be fun to create this dance break choreography anew. I wanted to use this opportunity to show a good stage with the choreography that Senior created. Would that be okay?”

Looking at Baek Joo-won’s blank expression made me laugh a little.

He probably didn’t expect me to volunteer for the dance break here.

He wouldn’t have anticipated that I, who had primarily focused on vocals, would come to this position.

Unlike Baek Joo-won, Seok Jae-han, who had just been smiling as if he found this situation purely enjoyable, nodded vigorously and even gave a thumbs up.

“If you want to do it, you should! I didn’t know Si-hwan had this much passion for dance.”

“Haha, I’ve been practicing dance a lot since the old days. It was just hard to confirm how much my skills had improved.”

“I think it’s great!”

“Ah, and there’s one more thing I’d like to suggest.”

I smiled leisurely at Baek Joo-won.

“Senior Joo-won created the choreography. Since Hwi and I have relatively less experience than Senior, it would be good to have someone who can really anchor us. I wanted to ask if Senior Joo-won, Hwi, and I could do the dance break together as three people. I have a feeling it would create a really good picture.”

The Lunatic members hearing my words gave appropriate reactions.

“Having Senior Joo-won there would definitely increase the stability!”

“We two are slower at learning choreography than everyone here…… We thought it would be perfect if we did the chorus with Brother Jae-han.”

These infinitely positive beings really come through at times like this.

Realizing that refusing here would create a really strange picture, Baek Joo-won managed his expression and smiled.

“Okay, okay. I have no problem with it either. So now that we’ve divided parts, let’s practice once and then match up together in group practice later.”

“We’re not actually sleeping here anyway. Since the next competition is in a week, it would be perfect if we practice hard individually during that time and meet in the middle for final checks.”

“Sounds good, seniors!”

“We’ll be counting on you!”

〈All Star〉 naturally doesn’t do actual boarding like 〈Idol Stove League〉.

Content like today is just material used as interim videos to show the practice process.

The actual practice is standard to do after returning to each of our dorms.

Since there was still some filming time left, I took Seong-hwi and went to one corner of the practice room.

His complexion still wasn’t good.

“Hwi.”

“……What.”

“Snap out of it.”

“Ahaha. Brother has sharp senses, so you figured it out right away?”

When I briefly nodded, Seong-hwi laughed.

“Ah, really. I should have known from the moment I encountered that human here. I never imagined he’d bring out that choreography again here.”

“That’s just because Baek Joo-won is a crazy bastard.”

“Oh, this is the first time I’ve seen Brother say such harsh words so openly.”

“Seeing you make jokes like this, it seems you’ve come to your senses.”

“My mental state didn’t completely collapse. It’s just…… instinctively, old memories came flooding back.”

Unlike his smiling face, his left foot trembled unsteadily.

“To be honest, I know the psychological factor is big. But when that popped up unexpectedly from a place I never anticipated, it’s a bit confusing.”

It would be stranger if he wasn’t confused.

It’s his deepest trauma, so it wouldn’t make sense for it to naturally disappear just because a few years have passed.

“But I didn’t expect Brother to volunteer for the dance break either. You coming to this position from the start was strange. What are you thinking?”

“I told you. I don’t trust that human. Looking at the current situation, wasn’t I right?”

“That’s true, but……”

“And I don’t suck at dancing.”

“I wasn’t criticizing Brother’s skills…… Sigh. What should I do.”

Seong-hwi was still in a state where he’d lost his usual confidence.

I slowly chose my words in my head before speaking.

“You said this is largely psychological.”

“Yeah.”

“Let’s think about it the opposite way. What were you like back then?”

“Back then?”

“When you first had to perform this choreography. What situation was Seong-hwi in when he was in the X2 debut team?”

Seong-hwi blinked several times hearing my words.

As if recalling his past again.

“I was trapped by the pressure that I absolutely had to debut…… And I knew this was a song where I’d have to cover other kids’ parts too, so I was trying to overdo it.”

“Right. So what situation are you in now?”

“……”

“What situation is Seong-hwi in, who has to perform this song and this choreography now?”

My quiet words permeated the air.

“……I’ve already debuted.”

“And.”

“It’s not a situation where I have to sacrifice myself for someone else either.”

“And.”

“……Haha.”

Seong-hwi, who had been staring blankly, started laughing again.

But it wasn’t the hollow, meaningless laugh of despair.

It was the laughter tinged with the madness I knew well from the usual Seong-hwi.

“Baek Joo-won has to dance with us too. Thanks to Brother putting it that way.”

“Right. So let’s think about it again. Baek Joo-won probably did this on purpose to stimulate your trauma and make you mess up the stage again.”

“Even a three-year-old passing by could tell.”

“But what if, on the contrary, you and I perform even better than Baek Joo-won?”

I smiled faintly as I posed the hypothetical.

Then gradually, a mad light began to revive in Seong-hwi’s eyes.

“He’d end up digging his own grave.”

“Right.”

“And in a very embarrassing way, in front of everyone. At a time when all kinds of articles are treating us like trash and making fun of us. On such a feast table where Zefa is being promoted as the undisputed number one.”

I lightly clenched my fist and held it forward.

“I’m confident. Confident enough to burn my body to erase Baek Joo-won completely, enough that you won’t have to overdo it. So don’t worry about reading the room either.”

“……Yeah.”

“Do what you wanted to do. Go wild as much as you want.”

While maintaining transparency so Seong-hwi absolutely couldn’t see.

Cerberus, who had been quietly listening to my words, was also wagging his tail vigorously while radiating eyes full of anticipation.

“You want to see that annoying human’s flustered expression, don’t you.”

Seong-hwi’s right hand also slowly clenched into a fist.

And he lightly tapped my outstretched hand.

“Would I only want to see him flustered?”

“Then what?”

Right, this is how you should grin to be like the usual Seong-hwi I know.

“I need to see him get his soul completely wrung out by someone he looked down on, until he has that completely insane expression.”