Debuting by Riding the Returnee’s Bus – Chapter 6

Author: LyraDhani

“Ah… in what sense exactly…?”

“I’m not sure. I just got that feeling. From the way he kept staring into the camera, to the performance where he twirled his finger at the judges, the writers, and the producers. He even did it to the camera. No one else did a performance like that besides Unha.”

“That’s true. Are you saying the other trainees’ performances were a bit… predictable?”

‘Don’t answer that, Wooyoung hyung. You’re going to get evil editing.’

“Yes. It felt like they were just doing exactly what they practiced… it felt mediocre. Including myself.”

“When you put it that way, Mr. Unha’s performance really did seem special. So you’re saying he looked like he was genuinely enjoying himself on stage?”

“Yes. Unha… I think he was special.”

It certainly felt like she was squeezing a narrative out of him, but Writer Kim Jaehee seemed convinced. Not only that, she looked like she believed she could definitely use this interview for the show.

Of course, it was true that my stage was a bit different. I’d been acting as Vitamin Lee Unha from the very beginning, so naturally I’d looked different from everyone else, who had simply gone on stage and performed exactly what they’d practiced under immense pressure.

Honestly, it would be ridiculous to be nervous on a stage like this after rolling around under a mad dark mage for seven years, facing death every day. Perhaps the inexplicable composure I’d developed had combined with the Succubus Eye to create what people perceived as a special performance, but personally, I saw that as my limit.

Being overvalued now would likely just make me a laughingstock later.

‘A growth narrative is fine and all.*

The only noble who recognized the invisible, unremarkable slave. Everyone questioned it at first, but as the slave gradually grew stronger, he eventually proved that Joo Wooyoung’s judgment had been right all along… or something like that.

But that kind of growth narrative only worked if my skills actually improved. While I was happy Joo Wooyoung evaluated me as some kind of genius with a mysterious aura, this wasn’t medicine—it was poison. No, it was a lethal dose of hemlock.

Naturally, I scrambled to speak.

“You’re overestimating me.”

But Writer Kim Jaehee’s eyes were already sparkling; she was hooked on this narrative.

“No, I really do think there’s something special about you. I haven’t been in the industry for that long, but I’ve worked on enough broadcasts to know. There’s definitely something about you, Mr. Lee Unha.”

‘That’s just the Succubus Eyes, noona.’

“Then, Mr. Unha, how did you see Mr. Wooyoung?”

Joo Wooyoung stared at me intently. It was a bit embarrassing to answer, but I spoke anyway.

“The world’s best K-pop idol.”

“Ah.”

“I thought he was someone like the sun.”

“……”

“Ah! Ah… Oh? Ah! Yes! Yes… Yes! That’s… that’s great!”

“Yes. Thank you, Writer-nim.”

“T-t-thank you for the i-i-interview.”

For some reason, Writer Kim Jaehee scurried away. She looked flustered, yet oddly exhilarated at the same time.

“She’s a good person, isn’t she?”

“Yes. But hyung.”

“Yeah?”

“I’m sorry if this sounds like I’m trying to lecture you…”

“Huh?”

“You have to be careful during interviews. Everyone here is nice, but you never know how they’ll use what you said. For example, the writer just asked if the other trainees’ performances were predictable, and you said it felt like they were just showing what they practiced.”

“Uh… yeah.”

“That could be edited to make it look like you’re belittling the other trainees. You usually have a serious, unsmiling expression—if they overlay that audio over your face, what do you think will happen?”

“Ah.”

“You’d end up looking like some arrogant trainee who’s full of himself just because he’s talented and handsome. You understand, right? Of course, Writer Kim Jaehee seems like a nice person, but she’s just a junior writer. The editing is done by the PDs and the freelance VJs. Looking at the atmosphere here, everyone is thirsty for ratings and willing to sacrifice a few people to get them…”

“……”

“If the public ends up hating you because of that, everything goes down the drain.”

Joo Wooyoung probably knew this better than I did, even if I didn’t say it. His life as a Hero wasn’t always smooth sailing. He had actually been pelted with stones and cursed at by the citizens of the kingdom. I heard that when the human alliance was being pushed back, he faced a barrage of malice, with people saying his head should be sent to the Demon King or that he should be used as a sacrifice.

And this idiot Demon Slayer apparently responded to them by saying:

It might not be any different this time. Joo Wooyoung finally spoke.

“It’s okay. Surely they wouldn’t go that far? And even if they do, I’m sure there’s a reason for it.”

“……”

‘But Wooyoung hyung, the world doesn’t work that beautifully.’

I wasn’t trying to ignore his firm convictions, but I could guarantee that the interview-that-wasn’t-an-interview we just did would definitely be used in some way, regardless of Writer Kim Jaehee’s intentions.

And sure enough…

In the pre-release videos of the 150 contestants released to draw aggro…

Joo Wooyoung appeared on screen, speaking his inner thoughts while wearing an expression that looked like he was looking down on the other trainees.

[It felt like they were just doing exactly what they practiced…]

“……”

[It felt mediocre.]

“Sigh…”

[Yes. It was mediocre.]

“I knew this would happen.”

To make it worse, the Joo Wooyoung on my phone screen wasn’t even watching the others’ performances. Well, he really hadn’t been watching them in the first place, so technically that part hadn’t even been edited, but their intention to make people hate him was painfully obvious.

The captions even openly blared: [An Arrogant Genius Trainee?!]

It felt like they had already decided this was going to be his character, and it left a bad taste in my mouth. If there was one saving grace…

“He looks… even more insane on screen…”

He truly looked like a genius. He looked like he possessed an arrogance that matched his skills. In the short 30-second clip, Joo Wooyoung’s dancing and singing were beyond perfect. The judges’ shocked faces were edited in at the right moments, making his performance look even more dramatic.

And… the end.

[I think Unha was special.]

‘Huh?’

The clip ended with a shot of Joo Wooyoung quietly looking in my direction.

‘Wait. Why are my name and face appearing in Joo Wooyoung’s pre-release video? Is this even allowed? What kind of editing is this…?

And immediately following it, the pre-release video for Trainee No. 112, Lee Unha, began. It started with very upbeat music.

[Charming. Charming. Charming. Charming. Charming.]

I appeared on the small phone screen, suddenly twirling my finger.

[Charming. Charming. Charming. Charming. Charming.]

A close-up on the finger, then a close-up on the eyes.

[Charming. Charming. Charming. Charming. Charming.]

The sight of me constantly twirling my finger while shouting ‘Charming!’ over and over looked pathetic. And then…

[I am 17-year-old Lee Unha, who has descended from the Idol Planet to become your vitamin! ♥]

There was the boy on screen, trying his absolute hardest to look cute while shouting his introduction.

‘Will I look cute? Or will I just look creepy?’

Since I was actually twenty-four years old inside, I couldn’t help doubting it. It was impossible for me to judge that pitiful performance objectively.

“I should at least not look unlikable. Wait, I look cute, right? Even the mad dark mage thought so.”

The primary reason that mad black mage kept me alive the longest was because he liked my appearance, so at the very least, I wouldn’t come across as unlikable.

Hair that looked even blacker than normal black hair, and large pupils that looked even darker than normal eyes. To me, they looked fine, but in a way, there was something subtly unsettling about them. The dark mage had occasionally told me I had unpleasant eyes, so that was likely true.

He had even once threatened to gouge them out. If I hadn’t obtained the Succubus Eyes, I would have certainly been blinded; that was how much the black mage hated my eyes.

Then there was the pale skin that looked like it had never seen sunlight. If viewed the wrong way, I could easily come across as a sickly, lifeless boy desperately trying to act cute.

It was a bit sad to say this about myself, but…

“Don’t I look too much like a hospital patient?”

The only thing that made it bearable was that addictive [Charming. Charming. Charming. Charming. Charming.] sound. I never thought my vocal tone was particularly good, but even though I wasn’t using the Siren’s Voice, it sounded pleasant. Was there some residual influence?

‘I’ll have to check on that.’

The editing was so perfect it made me wonder if the editors had sold their souls. It transitioned from eyes to finger, finger to arm, and arm to my whole body. Most importantly, the fact that the Succubus Eyes were captured clearly on camera was the clincher.

The captions weren’t bad either:

[The Addictive Vitamin, Lee Unha! Catch him once and you’re hooked!]

‘Wait, is it okay to use the word addictive like this? And why is mine 50 seconds long?’

[Vitamin! Vitamin! Vitamin!]

What kind of lunatic edited this while high?

[Vitamin! Vitamin! Vitamin!]

‘Seriously.’

[I’m 17-year-old Vitamin Lee Unha!]

The ending was even more absurd. After a sequence that felt like a fever dream, the music suddenly turned calm.

[Ah. Wooyoung hyung?]

“……”

[I thought he was someone like the sun.]