“……”
As soon as he tumbled into the passenger seat, the car left its spot. The navigation route was the opposite of the way we came. The way back to my house.
“…Hyung…”
“Why? Want to get out again? Should I pull over?”
“I can go out to the first floor from hyung’s apartment parking lot.”
“Yeah, yeah, go ahead. But what can we do? The place you stayed at feels so empty that I’ll have to delete your pictures from my phone album to heal the wounds in my heart a bit.”
“……? Ah…!”
All the certification photos in front of the billboard were with me. With people crowding around, he probably couldn’t even take proper selfies with his own phone.
But would Go Won go there twice? Then he’d be illegally occupying that place and holding a fan signing, basically.
“Th-this is harassment!”
Go Won, who eventually returned to the morning living room, clenched both fists tightly and got angry for once.
Go Won
Current Status: Really■ This is too much! ■■ Must protest■!
So transparent inside.
“Really…? That’s too bad. I thought you’d find it fun.”
“Wh-what… how is it fun?”
“Sorry. I guess I learned variety shows too long ago. Leaving people behind, playing tricks on them, that kind of thing.”
“……”
“I was joking. I’ll send you the pictures later. Rest a bit and go when you want to go out.”
I entered the bedroom, pressing down on my tired head.
And I lay on the bed, blinked a few times, then opened my mouth.
“Go Won-ah.”
Even though I called softly, the door opened immediately as if he was nearby.
“…Why? I mean, uh, did you call me?”
“Yeah.”
“……”
Meeting his gaze staring at me wondering what I would say, I opened my mouth solemnly.
“Turn off the light.”
At that moment, I couldn’t help but laugh seeing Go Won’s expression.
“Puhuk, kuk, keuhuk…”
“Ha…”
Go Won hit the switch hard enough to make a pak! sound and turned off the light. His steps going back out stomped heavily as if making the protest he couldn’t finish earlier. I called Go Won while laughing like I was sobbing.
– …What?
“Go Won, an article about me came out…”
– What… article? News? …Ah, wait. Come to think of it, isn’t it more problematic if hyung appears at a subway station or somewhere than me? They would have recognized yACE’s Henzel way more.
“No. Not that…”
– Then what…?
“‘yACE’s Henzel sued for causing severe noise between floors… Fans ‘disappointed.’ What should I do? I’m totally ruined and about to sell my house.”
– Ah, really.
“Ah, ‘really’ is informal speech.”
– …yo.
“‘Ah really-yo’ is forbidden words for idols.”
– Ha…
The sigh that sounded like he’d die of frustration was oh so sweet.
I’m in a position where I have to run your nurturing simulation again, so shouldn’t I at least have this much fun?
* * *
The final goal of this stage is to achieve Top 10 in the CPCE Public Reputation Index.
CPCE was an abbreviation for the Center for Popular Culture Evaluation, an organization that evaluated data on those who influence the public—celebrities, athletes, influencers—and ranked them.
Currently, the #1 in the public reputation index was Lee Jinso, DearRune’s center and a syndrome in the advertising world.
And #2 was yACE’s Kim Yeban, the protagonist of a recently popular drama that ended.
From 3rd to 10th place varied—national MCs, comedians who rose through YouTube, idols, actors, etc.
The factors reflected in the rankings were complex. Portal site search volume and SNS mention volume, advertisement model preference, drama and variety show appearance frequency, trending topics, etc.
‘I have to do all this to break into the top 10…’
Certainly, the quest window gave a series of tasks according to the order in which a rookie idol gradually grows.
Let’s look at the order of quests performed so far for the main theme <Achieve Top 10 in CPCE Reputation Index>.
- Appear on music shows as much as possible to increase the number of stages, and achieve 1st place to produce musical results.
- Raise stats like vocals and dance to develop individual capabilities.
- Appear on variety shows to seize the opportunity to be active even for one cut with the abilities honed so far.
Like this, it would continue throwing new quests until the main theme was achieved.
Now, to cut off this annoying process, what should I start with?
“Should I just send him to a deserted island survival variety show or something…?”
Even while being serious, his personality of getting stubborn once in a while might surprisingly pull out scenes that could build character. His survival skills seem pretty good, so he’d probably go and live well.
“Hmm.”
While I was mulling it over, I got a call from an unexpected person.
– Hanje-ssi, I’m hurt. How could you do this to me?
“What?”
Before I could even say hello, a flustered matter poured out.
“Um… this is PD Oh Jeongwon’s number, right? The voice is right too.”
– I’m a little less hurt that you remembered my voice, but I’m still somewhat hurt.
“Why? <Under the Same Sky> seems to be filming well.”
PD Oh was a PD at VBS’s variety department. He used to do reality variety shows, then hit it big with a new program a few years ago, renewing his career high.
That was <Under the Same Sky>.
The program format compared the lives of two completely different people living at the same time in the same building.
The ratings explosion started from the episode where an actor and an idol who were friends from the same agency each recorded their lives and understood each other saying, “Dude, you really live a hard life…”
And I appeared on that program about three times.
– I really like you, Hanje-ssi, and I heard you have something fun going on these days. You have someone living with you?
“Aha…”
– Someone is living under the same sky with you?!
Now, a week has passed since the emergency quest and the problematic incident.
Go Won still hasn’t escaped from my house.
Of course I let him go for lessons and exercise, but if he tried to escape from the company building, he’d immediately get caught by me and escorted back to the house.
Go Won
Current Status: Today I have to hurry and go to the dorm.
Not a chance, hoobae.
The fact that ‘Current Status,’ which had always been hidden, only shows nakedly at times like this meant that even the quest window judged it better to keep Go Won confined to my house.
After repeated escorts, Go Won finally gave up trying to escape. One way or another, the cohabitation continued, and it seems that story reached PD Oh as well.
– We were just talking about how the broadcast was getting stale these days, but cohabitation—why didn’t I think of that?
“Um… so you want to film Go Won and me together.”
– Yeah. I’ll really make it pretty for you.
“I see…”
While pretending to hesitate about appearing, inside I was surprised that an opportunity had come first unexpectedly.
– Why are you hesitating? Hanje-ssi, your words go crazy when you’re with people close to you. If it’s a hoobae you allowed to live with you, I’m already excited about what it’ll be like.
“Haha. Come on, what did I do. That’s because we’ve seen each other for a long time.”
It’s not a bad opportunity. Even more so when only thinking of Go Won’s situation.
But the problem is, is that kid really suitable talent for a vlog-format variety show without a script?
…No matter how much I think about it, the only answer that comes out is ‘no.’
Wouldn’t he just go out and only get called boring and have all variety show appearances cut off… wait a minute.
“Ah, I should appear.”
Because it’s in vlog format recording a day, even more so.
Because Go Won will go to the practice room.
And his practicing appearance had once changed even my view of him when I looked at him crookedly before.
– Huh? Yeah yeah, you should appear!
“Yes. Please film and air it as soon as possible.”
– Mmm. Can I give Go Won-ssi a heads up in advance?
“If I tell him to do it, he has to do it. Why would you even ask him?”
The kid who has to do it when told has been staring wide-eyed in front of me since earlier.
– Right, this is the kind of brilliant eloquence I wanted…
Huh? What do you mean?
“There’ll definitely be fun. He’s funny when you watch him.”
“…Hyung, you’re talking about me, right?”
– Got it, thanks!
“Yes, take care.”
The call ended. When I put down my phone, Go Won asked with more volume than his faint whisper earlier.
“You were… talking about me, right?”
Instead of answering, I plucked a guitar string. When the sound didn’t immediately follow, I raised my eyebrow.
“Why aren’t you doing it? Finish your vocal practice.”
“What on earth was the content of that call?”
“You already heard the spoiler that you have to do it when told, so it’s the same whether I explain annoyingly or just do it, so I won’t tell you.”
“……”
Go Won
Current Status: The fact that I’m not even angry at such words anymore makes me angry…
Excellent.
Even when he was making a frustrated expression, the box was completely erased as if in protest.
