Episode 30

 

“…What? So when you said I’ve been acting strange, you meant it like that?” 

 

Wow, this guy’s sharper than he looks. 

 

Suddenly, Junwoo’s remarks about Haeun being strange and how the movie’s plot involved a monster pretending to be human felt eerily significant. Was he actually hinting at something deeper? 

 

Normally, a comparison like that would sound ridiculous, but in Haeun’s case, it hit closer to reality than anyone could imagine. It wasn’t that a monster had taken over a body, but Haeun had taken control of this character’s body, which wasn’t far off.

 

While Haeun was still figuring out how to respond, Junwoo continued speaking as if nothing was amiss.

 

“Come on, what are you talking about? People don’t switch bodies in real life.”

 

Haeun stayed silent.

 

“I just meant that recently, you’ve been acting strange enough to remind me of that kind of movie.”

 

“…I didn’t think I was acting strange at all.”

 

Junwoo tilted his head slightly, as if to say, “Sure, if you say so.” That smug gesture stoked a fire in Haeun’s chest, but showing more uncharacteristic behavior would only make Junwoo more suspicious.

 

“But just now,” Junwoo added, his voice softer, “I realized maybe it’s not that weird after all.”

 

Was he saying that seeing Haeun so terrified during the movie had reassured him? As frustrating as it was to have lost face in that moment, perhaps it had actually been for the best. It might’ve prevented Junwoo from digging deeper into anything truly odd.

 

“Maybe you’re not so strange after all,” Junwoo said thoughtfully. “Or maybe it’s more like… I didn’t know you as well as I thought I did.”

 

Haeun paused, unsure how to respond. Junwoo’s words felt strangely personal, like he was reevaluating everything he thought he knew. And for Haeun, someone with a secret that literally involved body-swapping, that was a little too close for comfort.

 

Junwoo shrugged, leaving it unclear whether he found the unfamiliar side of Haeun more irritating or more tolerable than he’d originally thought. Haeun didn’t feel like pressing the issue further either. Instead, Junwoo switched topics.

 

“Do you know what today is?”

 

“No idea. Why? Is it your birthday too?”

 

Considering that two other members of their group had birthdays close together, it’d be exhausting to keep up with all the celebrations. But instead of answering, Junwoo just scoffed.

 

“My birthday? Nowhere near it.”

 

“Then what is it?”

 

“It’s the day ‘God of Life’ airs.”

 

Urghhh. 

 

A groan escaped Haeun’s lips as the realization hit him. He’d completely forgotten, but with their promotional period over, it made sense that the show Junwoo had mentioned earlier would air around this time.

 

Junwoo asked, almost casually, “You want to watch it live?”

 

Haeun hesitated. Did he really want to? The idea of watching himself fumble through a variety show didn’t sound appealing. It wasn’t like he expected it to turn out well, anyway. Haeun wasn’t particularly fond of variety shows, let alone one where he’d likely made a fool of himself.

 

“Not really. I don’t think it’s something I need to see.”

 

Junwoo seemed unsurprised by the response, smiling knowingly.

 

“I figured as much. I don’t feel like watching it live either. Let’s just ask Ilhyun or Seongjae how it went later.”

 

Haeun nodded quietly, feeling a rare sense of agreement with Junwoo. It was a little strange, really, how aligned their thoughts were for once. 

 

It wasn’t often that they were on the same page like this.

 

About a week after the promotion period ended, the members of Stone Cherry were suddenly called to the CEO’s office. Inside were the CEO, Director Kim Miji, and the four members of Stone Cherry. 

 

Though they’d been called in a few times before, it was the first time all the members had been summoned together. The CEO started the conversation with a customary greeting.

 

“First of all, great job on the recent promotions.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

Ilhyun responded on behalf of the group. While they’d already received praise during their activities, and it had been a week since then, it was clear that wasn’t the main reason for today’s meeting. The CEO didn’t waste time on unnecessary pleasantries and quickly got to the point.

 

“I’ve got some good news for you all.”

 

The CEO wasn’t exactly known for having a strong sense of the idol industry, and he’d already presented some questionable opportunities under the guise of “good news” before. However, this time, he spoke with such confidence that it was hard to ignore.

 

“There’s going to be a big program airing next quarter on Amnet ^[1] To those who knows, yes, it’s Mnet but a censored version. Cue that meme: “We have Mnet at home. Mnet at home: Amnet.”  . It’s a competition show for boy groups, and I think this is a huge opportunity.”

 

If a major cable network like Amnet was hosting the project, then it really could be a great opportunity. In fact, in the game world, participating in this show could drastically boost a group’s recognition. It was, without a doubt, a chance for a major breakthrough. However, hearing it come from the CEO somehow made it seem less credible.

 

The other members seemed to share the same sentiment, as no one responded with much enthusiasm. Sensing the lack of excitement, the CEO, looking a bit disappointed, cleared his throat and added another comment.

 

“Director Kim Miji agrees with me on this.”

 

Director Kim, who had been sitting on the couch next to them, nodded. Suddenly, the offer felt much more trustworthy. Even Seongjae, who had been quiet, spoke up to ask for more details.

 

“What exactly is the show about?”

 

It was quite remarkable that Seongjae’s sarcastic tone applied not only to the other members but also to the CEO. 

 

It suddenly struck Ilhyun that being a celebrity suited Seongjae very well; if he had chosen another profession, he probably would have had a hard time at work due to his tendency to rub superiors the wrong way.

 

“The show is called ‘Tomorrow’s Superstar,’ and about ten boy groups will participate. Teams like Candy Shushu and Lions, who debuted around the same time as you, are also in the running, and it’s possible that more established teams might send in units as well. Anyway, the format is straightforward. Each week, there will be missions to showcase the contestants’ skills, and one or two teams will be eliminated weekly. By the final week, only two teams will remain to compete for the championship. It’s expected to run for nearly two months.”

 

For Haeun, who was already aware of the program’s content, it was natural to get lost in thought. 

 

The boy group competition show ‘Tomorrow’s Superstar’ was the second major event following their first comeback story. More importantly, it was a crucial opportunity. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that whether they succeeded in “ TS ^[2] TS is the short form of “Tomorrow’s Superstar”. The literal translation would be “NaeShuSu (내슈스)” and it wouldn’t make sense so I will use TS from now on. ” would determine the game’s outcome.

 

If they performed well in ‘TS,’ they would gain public recognition and popularity far beyond what they had now. Conversely, failing would mean that Haeun would have to prepare for failure even before reaching the true ending.

 

‘But…’

 

To be honest, he wasn’t feeling overly anxious. Over the past month, Haeun had built quite a bit of confidence. He trusted his stats, honed through past plays, and the skills of his fellow members. Unlike the personal events with the other members, he had experienced this storyline every time he played. It didn’t seem like a challenge to successfully navigate through it.

 

Unlike Haeun, the other members appeared to be quite nervous about the future. Ilhyun’s face was slightly tense, and Seongjae didn’t even bother hiding his anxious expression. The calmest of the group was Junwoo, yet even he didn’t seem as composed as usual.

 

“There’s no need to win. While aiming for victory is good, just not getting eliminated will be beneficial. A single broadcast like this can turn a group’s fate upside down. Keep that in mind and give it your all.”

 

The CEO’s earnest advice continued. It didn’t matter; there was no one among them who would take it lightly anyway, so it wasn’t a pointless statement.

 

“I’ll do my best.”

 

“Good. In about a month, we’ll start filming, so make sure you all prepare something before then. The synergy within the team will be crucial.”

 

“Yes!”

 

Haeun mechanically repeated his response to the nagging. Since there didn’t seem to be anything else to say, he figured they should return to discussing what concept they would go with for ‘TS.’ 

 

Just as he had come to that conclusion, the CEO spoke again. At first, he thought he was going to start nagging once more, so he intended to ignore him, but his next words took him by surprise. 

 

“And Park Ha, you stay behind for a moment.”

 

Being singled out again made him nervous, but Haeun replied as calmly as he could, “Yes?”

 

“Have you considered acting?”

 

“Acting?” 

 

The question left him momentarily speechless. It was a direction he hadn’t even imagined. 

 

“Yes. A script has come in from the company, but… due to some complicated circumstances, it’s difficult for our actors to audition for it. However, it’s a shame to completely pass on such a good project.”

 

“But I have no acting experience at all. Even if it’s a script from the company, I don’t think I’d be suitable for it.” 

 

Haeun responded in a daze. He couldn’t see anyone wanting to cast an idol member with no acting experience and little popularity in a drama. For someone who needed to succeed quickly, time felt wasted on such a possibility. He didn’t remember raising his acting stats when he reached the last ending in the game.

 

The CEO nodded, acknowledging his valid point. 

 

“That’s not to say we’re offering you a confirmed role, but rather an audition opportunity. Normally, there wouldn’t be a chance at all, so I wouldn’t have thrown you into the audition if there wasn’t a good reason for it…”

 

“Because there are no actors available from the company?” 

 

“Well, it’s not that there aren’t any at all if you look for them.” 

 

“Then…?”

 

“The original author of the drama is viewing you positively. They think you’d fit the role well.”

 

Despite that, Haeun still seemed unenthusiastic, prompting Director Kim Miji to step in with persuasion. 

 

“Park Ha, you’ve had acting training with Ilhyun, so I think you could practice a bit more and go for the audition. It’s definitely doable.”

 

“Of course, it’s not mandatory. It might be better to focus all your efforts on practicing for ‘TS’ rather than spending time on an audition with slim chances. Ultimately, it’s your choice.”

 

“Honestly, I don’t feel confident at all about acting…”

 

Haeun wasn’t sure whether he had talent or not. However, since he hadn’t received any updates after taking acting classes, it seemed like he probably didn’t have much skill in that area. That’s why acting wasn’t even included in his practice options in the game. If his acting stat was at 0, trying to audition would probably backfire on him. 

 

Yeah, it would be better to just say he wasn’t going to do it. Just as he was about to make that decision, he heard the CEO continue speaking.

 

“Ha… Well, no matter how much of a guarantee for success there is, if the male lead is Kim Gyowon, that would be an issue. Park Ha, you’re an idol, so even if by some chance you pass the audition…”

 

“Excuse me?” 

 

He quickly shut his mouth and changed his mind when he heard the name that had slipped from the CEO’s lips. 

 

“Who did you say is in the cast?”

 

“Huh? I was saying that the male lead has been confirmed as Kim Gyowon. Why?”

 

Kim Gyowon. It was almost the first time he had heard that name since their encounter in the emergency staircase. 

 

“Oh dear, the reason we can’t send other actors out is mostly because of that. The fact that he took the male lead role has really upset Song Gyu, and he’s been cracking down on all the juniors.”

 

“Right, Park Ha, if you’re not interested, then just let the audition proceed as it is—”

 

“No. I’ll do it.”

 

Kim Gyowon’s favorability was still stuck at -2. It was clear that there was a special event prepared to raise it.

• 1. To those who knows, yes, it’s Mnet but a censored version. Cue that meme: “We have Mnet at home. Mnet at home: Amnet.” 
• 2. TS is the short form of “Tomorrow’s Superstar”. The literal translation would be “NaeShuSu (내슈스)” and it wouldn’t make sense so I will use TS from now on.