The Gates Opened on the First Day of Debut Chapter 41

Seo Yijae, his eyes squeezed shut, slowly nodded his head.

 

“So, Yijae Hyung is doing the arrangement?”

 

“…I’ll do it.”

 

As the biggest problem was resolved, Kang Haesoo let out a long sigh of relief.

 

Yoo Sung and Han Theo didn’t show it, but they also seemed to have set a heavy burden down.

 

Only Seo Yijae curled inward with an anxious expression.

 

‘Why was he trying to hide it?’

 

On an idol survival audition program, the ability to compose and arrange was something that would only ever be an asset, never a liability.

 

Even if one was only moderately skilled, there would be a mountain of people praising them as a future genius producer or an indispensable talent for the group.

 

I looked over the song information for Winter Boys once again.

 

‘Lyrics, composition, and arrangement by Hwang Minwoo? This person seems to be a Winter Boys member as well… Ah, is it that guy?’

 

The only member of Winter Boys, besides Seo Yijae, who was still active in the entertainment industry.

 

He was someone who had successfully transitioned into acting, consistently appearing in projects and variety shows.

 

‘If he’s at the level where he handles lyrics, composition, and even arrangement, why doesn’t he do music activities?’

 

Suddenly curious, I checked the information for other Winter Boys songs.

 

The mini-albums, digital singles, and even the full-length album from their final promotions.

 

‘Huh? He’s not there.’

 

I checked the song info for everything from the title tracks to the B-sides, but Seo Yijae’s name could be found nowhere else.

 

‘Hwang Minwoo only participated in the lyrics for the second mini-album’s title track.’

 

Hmm….

 

I have a feeling about this.

 

Something definitely happened back when they were promoting as Winter Boys.

 

“Now that the arranger is decided, shall we set the direction for the arrangement?”

 

“Wait….”

 

Seo Yijae, who was hugging his knees with hunched shoulders, tentatively raised his hand.

 

“Could we take it a bit slow with deciding the arrangement direction?”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“I don’t want to decide in a hurry. I want to… think about it slowly.”

 

“Alright, let’s do that then. Everyone’s okay with that, right?”

 

When I asked Yoo Sung, Han Theo, and Kang Haesoo, the three of them nodded without any particular disagreement.

 

“…Thank you.” 

 

Seo Yijae muttered in a small, crawling voice.

 

“Should we decide the center first? Anyone who wants to be center?”

 

At my question, Kang Haesoo shot his hand up.

 

“Uh… am I the only one?”

 

When no one else raised their hand, a flustered Kang Haesoo looked around.

 

However, the reactions of Yoo Sung, Han Theo, and Seo Yijae were indifferent.

 

“I’ve already done it once, so I’m fine.”

 

“Me too.”

 

“I’m not… interested in being center either.”

 

Kang Haesoo snapped his head around and stared intently at me with burning eyes.

 

It was as if he was asking, ‘Chowol Hyungnim, you want to be center, don’t you?’

 

“I’m fine with the center position too.”

 

“Why?” 

 

Resting his chin on his hand, Yoo Sung asked grumpily. 

 

“You haven’t been center yet.”

 

“There’s someone who wants it more than me, so is there a need for me to do it?”

 

Yoo Sung tapped his foot discontentedly as if he didn’t like my answer.

 

‘What’s up with him again?’

 

Both during the Guild Match and even now, he acted like a man desperate to give me a part.

 

As the atmosphere between Yoo Sung and me grew strange, Kang Haesoo, who had been reading the room, carefully cut in.

 

“Actually, I’m okay with not being center either.”

 

What is wrong with this kid too?

 

“The hyungs at my agency told me so many times it made my ears bleed that I had to be center no matter what, so that’s why I volunteered.”

 

After Kang Haesoo finished speaking, an uncomfortable silence descended.

 

‘This is a new one.’

 

I’ve seen many cases where things got awkward because too many people wanted to be center, but this was the first time it happened because no one wanted it.

 

“Then let’s make recommendations. Recommendations.”

 

“Recommendations?”

 

“Everyone recommends the person they think suits the center position.”

 

The team members nodded at my suggestion.

 

It was the most fair and least controversial method.

 

“I recommend Kim Chowol.”

 

As soon as the topic of recommendations came up, Yoo Sung spoke immediately, as if he had been waiting for the chance.

 

“What about everyone else?”

 

“Well…. Chowol for me too?”

 

Han Theo, curling the corners of his mouth playfully, said while tilting his head to the side.

 

‘What is up with him, too?’

 

That was already the third ‘What’s up with him’ today.

 

I swallowed a sigh that threatened to burst out and asked Kang Haesoo and Seo Yijae.

 

“What about Haesoo and Yijae Hyung?”

 

“I think… Yijae Hyung-nim?”

 

Seo Yijae, apparently never expecting to be recommended himself, whipped his head toward Kang Haesoo in surprise.

 

Kang Haesoo added an explanation nonchalantly.

 

“Yijae Hyung-nim has the experience of promoting in Winter Boys, so wouldn’t he be the one to bring the song to life the best?”

 

“No, I….”

 

“I think Yijae Hyung good too.”

 

Seo Yijae whipped his head toward me with an expression like he’d been betrayed by someone he trusted.

 

“The fact that I was in Winter Boys doesn’t matter right now.”

 

“How does it not matter? We’re performing a Winter Boys song.”

 

“…In the first place, I wasn’t even the center in the group.”

 

“That isn’t what’s important.”

 

Seo Yijae tried to persuade Kang Haesoo and me.

 

However, while I didn’t know about Kang Haesoo, I had no intention of backing down easily.

 

If it were another issue, I might have compromised, but the center of “Winter Boys” absolutely had to be Seo Yijae.

 

“I also want you to be center, Chowol.”

 

Seo Yijae continued while glancing at Yoo Sung and Han Theo.

 

“In that case, it’s 3 to 2…. By majority vote, you’re the center, right?”

 

“No, wait, just listen to me for a second.”

 

“Why are you going this far?”

 

Seo Yijae hugged his knees again and continued.

 

“Is there even a reason I have to be the center?”

 

“Yes.”

 

The team members were startled by my firm answer.

 

The reason Seo Yijae had to be the center?

 

Of course there was.

 

“Because I want to see it.”

 

“See what?”

 

“The sight of Yijae Hyung as the center of the new Winter Boys.”

 

The answer came quickly when I considered Jang Hyuksoo’s intention behind assigning Seo Yijae to the Winter Boys team.

 

They were barely in their mid-to-late twenties.

 

There were plenty of peers who hadn’t even started their professional lives, yet a label they could never shed for the rest of their lives was already attached to their names.

 

Failed idols. Nugu idols.

 

Everyone pointed fingers at them.

 

‘It’s because the concept was tacky, their skills and visuals are just “failed idol” level, that’s just how it is with small agencies.’

 

Just what did we do so wrong?

 

All we did was sin by chasing our dreams so hard.

 

The price of failure was too high, and the wounds remained like scars, constantly gouging at our hearts.

 

But they didn’t give up.

 

Despite knowing how hard it was to chase a dream and how painful it was when you failed.

 

They chose to chase that dream again.

 

‘Just once more, if you give me just one more chance to start over….’

 

An idol who failed once corrects the failure of the past with a more grown image.

 

What a moving and beautiful story that is.

 

“It will be fun, definitely.”

 

I gave a wide grin to Seo Yijae with a face full of conviction.

 

*    *    *

 

In the end, Seo Yijae was decided as the center.

 

It was because Yoo Sung changed his opinion after seeing my confident attitude.

 

‘Kim Chowol must have some kind of idea.’

 

Although he made it very obvious that he didn’t like it, Yoo Sung probably knew too.

 

The fact that Seo Yijae suited the center better than I did.

 

The parts were divided more or less equally, except for Seo Yijae, who was the center.

 

Unlike other teams that usually fought because they wanted more parts, my team members followed my opinion without a word of complaint.

 

“Is the leader Chowol Hyung-nim?” 

 

Kang Haesoo asked after the part distribution was finished.

 

“Yijae Hyung, is it okay if you aren’t the leader?”

 

I asked Seo Yijae, the eldest.

 

It felt like it would be too much of a burden if I handed him the arrangement, the center position, and then the leadership on top of it.

 

‘Usually, the oldest person takes the role of leader.’

 

Sure enough, Seo Yijae shook his head, his face turning pale.

 

“A-Ah, no…. I really don’t think I can handle being the leader too.”

 

“Then I’ll be the leader. You focus on the arrangement, Hyung.”

 

“Yeah, thanks.”

 

Only then did a relieved Seo Yijae let out a breath.

 

Is it really that burdensome….

 

I glanced at Yoo Sung and Han Theo, who were staring blankly at me.

 

‘Well, looking at those two’s faces, I do feel a bit intimidated myself.’

 

But wouldn’t it be better than the Guild Match?

 

At least Joo Gilhyung, who constantly caused problems by clashing with Yoo Sung whenever they were in the same space, wasn’t here.

 

We just had to prepare the stage well. Just the stage.

 

“Since it’s late, let’s eat dinner, practice just a little bit, and then go to bed. Yijae Hyung, think about the arrangement direction and let us know tomorrow.”

 

“Okay.”

 

After organizing the tasks for today, we headed to the cafeteria to eat.

 

The dinner menu was spicy stir-fried pork.

 

My teammates and I took generous portions of rice and side dishes and went to sit at an empty table.

 

“Let’s eat.”

 

I put a piece of sweet and spicy stir-fried pork on top of a spoonful of steaming rice and put it in my mouth.

 

‘Huh? Wait. Isn’t this a bit strange?’

 

Once I’d filled my stomach to a certain extent, the surrounding scenery began to come into view.

 

The teammates, whom I naturally assumed would eat separately, were naturally sitting around me with me at the center.

 

It wasn’t like they sat together for some specific purpose.

 

If there was a purpose, they would have said something. There was no way they would just eat in silence like this.

 

‘Well, I guess it doesn’t matter.’

 

It wasn’t strange for teammates to eat together.

 

I tilted my head slightly and scanned the cafeteria.

 

Unfortunately, the person I was looking for was not to be seen.

 

‘Hiro must be doing well.’

 

Okada Hiro had been placed in a different team.

 

Okada Hiro’s expression when checking the team assignment results was so pitiful.

 

Even the mighty Yoo Sung was worried.

 

“I’ll head out first.”

 

Seo Yijae, who finished his meal first, stood up from his seat.

 

“Yes, you’re going to the practice room, right?”

 

“Uh… I have something to take care of for a moment. I’ll go straight there after I’m done.”

 

“Okay.”

 

Something to take care of? What could it be?

 

If Seo Yijae was being that vague about it, it probably wasn’t a normal matter.

 

Five minutes after Seo Yijae left the cafeteria.

 

I was so preoccupied with Seo Yijae that I couldn’t get any more food down.

 

“I’ll head out first too. See you in the practice room.”

 

I quickly cleared my tray and left the cafeteria.

 

But once I stepped outside, I faced a major problem.

 

‘I have to find Yijae Hyung… but where should I go?’

 

Hmm….

 

After thinking for a moment, I just started walking aimlessly.

 

Since he’d left almost immediately before me, he couldn’t have gone far.

 

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

 

After wandering aimlessly through the building, I finally spotted Seo Yijae and immediately hid myself.

 

It was because Seo Yijae was on the phone with someone.

 

‘A cell phone? Did he ask the production team to let him have it back for a moment?’

 

Seo Yijae paced around in circles anxiously.

 

“No, sorry…. I wasn’t criticizing you, Hyung. I was just so flustered. Me? I’ve been doing well. How about you, Hyung? Are you still working at the dance academy?”

 

Having finally calmed down, Seo Yijae continued the conversation with the person on the other end of the line in a composed manner.

 

‘Who is it?’

 

Just who could it be that Seo Yijae would ask the production team for an urgent phone call?

 

“I’m glad to hear you’re doing well. Anyway, I know Hanul Hyung did that because he was thinking of me. But….”

 

Hanul Hyung.

 

The face of the man with the many piercing marks came to mind.

 

Was he the main dancer of Winter Boys?

 

“Why did it have to be Winter Boys? Winter Boys is… a song Minwoo Hyung ruined.”

 

What?