Debuting by Riding the Returnee’s Bus Chapter 56

PD Ahn

 

“PD Ahn! PD Ahn!”

 

“Oh. Yeah?”

 

“Did you see the reactions to yesterday’s broadcast?”

 

“Yeah. Of course.”

 

“I was worried we might have focused too much on Lee Unha, but there wasn’t as much backlash as I expected. Honestly, rather than people complaining about ‘Lee Unha favoritism,’ I think the issues with Han Jungmin, Kim Haejun, and Jung Taehee were just so massive that it overshadowed everything else….”

 

“True.”

 

“Um… just in case… will this matter… get better over time?”

 

“It won’t die down that easily. It might cool off a little with time… but that incident will follow Kim Haejun like a label for as long as the show lasts—no, for as long as he remains active in the industry. The TOP9 fandom has really sunk their teeth into this. It’s a perfectly legitimate opportunity for them to go after someone they see as a traitor. Do you think they’ll just let something like that disappear?”

 

“D-do you think so? But if you really look at it, it was all Han Jungmin’s fault.”

 

“Do you think that matters?”

 

“No.”

 

“And Lee Unha’s group even picked a TOP9 song. If the performance turns out great, it’s a problem. If it turns out poorly, it’s also a problem. The [TOP9] fandom is much bigger and more passionate than their rankings alone would suggest. They’ll probably be watching Kim Haejun like hawks.”

 

“That’s really unfortunate… He’s only eighteen…. I read a few comments today myself, and honestly, they were hard to look at with a clear mind.”

 

‘He’s probably having a much harder time than anyone.’

 

Of course, in Kim Haejun’s case, since he’d already had a similar experience once, he might be somewhat immune. But….

 

‘He’s still only eighteen.’

 

Even if he was pretending to be fine, he was probably falling apart inside. He seemed mentally strong, but if anything, Jung Taehee looked like he had the stronger will. I couldn’t help but think Kim Haejun was silently swallowing his pain.

 

Especially now that I’d even heard rumors that the arrangement work he had confidently said he’d handle wasn’t going smoothly.

 

‘Is the situation really that bad? I wonder if Unha’s okay.’

 

I found myself reflexively checking Lee Unha’s SNS, where a photo of Kim Haejun, Jung Taehee, and Lee Unha together caught my eye. Since it was posted shortly after the incident, the intention behind the post was obvious.

 

*We’ve made up. We’re on good terms. So please stop fueling the fire.

 

That was the message the photo seemed to be sending. It was the most effective response, but it wasn’t enough to put out the fire for those who were already determined to burn him.

 

Of course, Lee Unha, who had already formed a sufficient fandom, was in a better position. Kim Haejun’s SNS, on the other hand… was a total mess.

 

Kim Haejun had posted an apology last night, but the post only made things worse. By admitting his fault, he had essentially provided them with more ammunition to tear him apart. But then, he couldn’t have just not posted an apology either….

 

‘He just doesn’t know what he’s supposed to do….’

 

He didn’t know what a proper response looked like. He had no agency, and no one by his side to give him advice. He was lost, unable to find the right answer.

 

To make matters worse, the program itself wasn’t doing anything either. Sure, they made Trainee No. 54 Han Jungmin leave, but they had zero intention of handling the aftermath.

 

‘It’s crazy. Truly crazy.’

 

If anything, I imagined the executives were celebrating. The Kim Haejun controversy was the perfect seasoning to make the show even more provocative. I felt a sense of self-loathing knowing I was one of the people creating this, but that loathing was overshadowed by the reality….

 

“The ratings are great. I don’t know if I should be happy or not.”

 

The results were undeniable. It was an indicator that the show was receiving nationwide attention. Idol Classism was a massive success, comparable to—or even greater than—the peak of the idol survival show craze years ago.

 

Today’s broadcast would likely break the record for peak viewership once again.

 

“We’ll probably break the record today. Episode 2 was basically just the buildup for Episode 3. Will you be monitoring the broadcast with us today, PD Ahn?”

 

“No, no. I have something urgent at home today.”

 

“Ahhh. R-really?”

 

“Yeah. I should get ready to head out.”

 

“Ah. Okay. U-um, PD Ahn!”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Um… I-if you have time….”

 

“Huh?”

 

“I-I’d like to… treat you to a meal… no, I mean….”

 

“Sure. I’ll suggest we have a team dinner sometime. I’m heading out now.”

 

“……Yes… yes… yes… L-let’s do that….”

 

‘It’s Saturday, Seungmin. I’m already pissed I had to come in on a Saturday… why would I monitor the show with you? And why are you trying to set up a team dinner?’

 

He was a dangerous guy. Even more dangerous than the senior everyone talked about who loved company dinners. Worried I might get caught in something, I hurried out of the office. I heard him calling my name from behind, but I pretended not to hear and quickened my pace.

 

‘Because it’s an important day.’

 

Yes. It was an important day. It was the day Lee Unha’s [PUNCH] stage would finally air. I had personally touched up some parts of the editing, but I still wanted to see it. It wasn’t because I wanted to see the finished product that I’d contributed to. I just wanted to see Lee Unha living and breathing on the screen.

 

However, after finishing the grueling commute and entering my house, the first thing that greeted me was my sibling.

 

“Oh. Noona, you had work today?”

 

He was so oblivious that he hadn’t even noticed whether I’d been home or not. Why was I so annoyed? How could he make me so angry just by existing?

 

“You….”

 

“Yeah? What?”

 

“Ugh… forget it… Just hurry up and order some chicken, Ahn Kyeongnam.”

 

“Oh!!! We’re having chicken today too? To eat while watching Idol Classism?”

 

“What? You’re going to watch it too? Again today?”

 

“Well, it’s actually pretty fun. Everyone at school is talking about it… about how Kim Haejun and Jung Taehee got into a fight.”

 

‘Even he knows about it?’

 

“But, it did kind of look like Kim Haejun was in the wrong…. Jung Taehee got beaten up trying to protect Lee Unha, and Kim Haejun… well, his personality seems kind of trashy, doesn’t it? Is he not getting kicked off?”

 

“Kicked off? What are you talking about? That was all because of Han Jungmin… No, forget it.”

 

“Everyone says he’s going to be dropped.”

 

“He’s not being dropped.”

 

“And Lee Unha is….”

 

“Ah, just shut up and watch!”

 

*‘Next time, I should watch this somewhere quiet.’*

 

To be honest, it wasn’t completely without its benefits. There was the advantage of being able to observe the reaction of a regular person right next to me, rather than just hardcore fans who spend all day in online communities. It was the easiest way to see how actual public opinion was shifting, not just internet opinion, so watching with my brother wasn’t all bad.

 

‘The problem is that this brat talks too much.’

 

He just couldn’t keep his mouth shut, even while eating. Sure enough, as soon as the broadcast started, he began yapping.

 

“Ah! What! Why are they suddenly showing the Commons class?! Weren’t they going to show Lee Unha’s team’s stage right away?”

 

‘Well, because that’s how these shows work.’

 

It was a basic tactic—holding Lee Unha’s stage hostage to make people watch the first 40 minutes. Most people would likely be unable to hide their disappointment like Ahn Kyeongnam yet they would remain glued to the channel.

 

Honestly, the story of the Commons class wasn’t boring, either. Kim Haejun was there, after all.

 

“Look at Kim Haejun’s expression. It’s scary.”

 

‘He’s just expressionless. It only looks like that because they’re playing ominous background music.’

 

“He’s good, though. But what’s the point of having talent if your personality is trash?”

 

“I said shut up and watch! His personality isn’t trash! If you don’t know, look it up!”

 

“A-Alright, fine.”

 

Sure enough, I saw him start to get absorbed. Although the editing didn’t center solely on Kim Haejun, his face appeared frequently, perhaps conscious of the recent controversy.

 

Of course, the intention wasn’t to redeem or recover Kim Haejun’s image. It looked like they were using him as aggro to keep viewers hooked until Lee Unha’s stage appeared, and the strategy worked brilliantly. They succeeded in holding the muggle viewers until Lee Unha’s team came on.

 

And then….

 

[Trainee No. 112 Lee Unha: On three. Fighting.]

 

[Trainee No. 112 Lee Unha: One, two, three!]

 

[Lee Unha Team: Fighting!!!]

 

[Lee Unha Team: Fighting!!!!]

 

[Lee Unha Team: Fighting!!!!!]

 

[Trainee No. 141 Park Deokoh: Let’s go!]

 

[Trainee No. 89 Min Chulgi: Let’s go!!! Let’s go!!! Let’s go!!!]

 

[Trainee No. 123 Jung Taehee: Lee Unha Team! Let’s go!!!!]

 

[Lee Unha Team: Lee Unha Team!! Let’s go!!!!]

 

The story after yesterday’s cliffhanger began to unfold. Lee Unha and his teammates shouted with energy. The faces of the members heading up to the stage were shown one by one.

 

‘Th… this is insane.’

 

It felt as vivid as watching a concert up close. You could tell they had put a lot of effort into this scene, knowing it was important. The breathing of the teammates was palpable. Their nervousness felt like it was pressing against my skin.

 

The editing didn’t make it feel like you were watching from the judges’ seats; it was edited in a way that didn’t cut away, giving the feeling of going up on stage with them. They even edited out the self-introductions on stage. The stage lights dimmed immediately, and it transitioned to Lee Unha’s team taking their positions.

 

Boom! Boom! Boom! The sound hit my heart.

 

And then….

 

“Th… this is crazy!!”

 

The lights turned on simultaneously as the camera angles shifted. Now, we were in the position of the audience watching the stage.

 

[Trainee No. 141 Park Deokoh: I stare blankly, then turn my steps away.]

 

Boom!

 

[Trainee No. 141 Park Deokoh: I don’t even dare to try, I reflexively lower my head again.]

 

Boom! Boom!

 

[Trainee No. 141 Park Deokoh: It looks impossible. So I sit down.]

 

Boom! Boom! Boom!

 

[Trainee No. 123 Jung Taehee: BABY, it’s blocking my view. HEAVY, it looks too heavy to lift. I KNOW, I knew it would be a hard road. But it looks even higher than I thought. It feels like I can never cross it.]

 

Boom! Boom! Boom!

 

[Trainee No. 123 Jung Taehee: But there is definitely another way. Even if I can’t see it, even if I might not be able to lift it, even if it looks like I can’t cross it, Lee Unha’s team always finds a way.]

 

Boom! Boom!

 

[Lee Unha Team: Clench your fists and throw them, FUNCH. PUN. FUN. PUNCH!!]

 

Boom! Boom! Boom!

 

It was rough. There was definitely something unpolished about it. Although they polished it up with editing, the clumsiness still came through clearly. It was only natural. After all, the stage was put together by Slave class trainees, and they didn’t have much time to practice.

 

But—but I couldn’t look away.

 

This team had a charm that pulled people in. No… Lee Unha had a magical power that clearly drew people to him.

 

I saw Lee Unha meet Jung Taehee’s eyes, nod, then change formation and move to the center.

 

‘It’s Unha’s part.’

 

He ran through the human tunnel formed by his teammates, throwing playful punches left and right.

 

‘Oh… oh my god. He’s too, too cute.’

 

The way he interacted with the teammates’ fists and palms was so adorable.

 

[Trainee No. 112 Lee Unha: BABY, one step forward. HEAVY, throw your fists heavily. I KNOW, it’s easy now. Yeah, it looks even weaker than I thought. It feels like I can easily break it apart.]

 

‘His voice is so good… That vocal tone is seriously….’

 

It was different. It was clearly a type of vocal that hadn’t appeared before. His range was low, but it was so pleasant to the ear that it made up for it.

 

After passing through the tunnel, he twirled his finger ahead. The camera focused intently on Lee Unha. For some reason, I couldn’t look away. It felt like I was under a spell.

 

“Aaaaaaaaahhhhh!! Unha!!!”

 

“Jeez! You scared me, noona!”