Chapter 1088: I am New Black, Class of ’18 (12)

The story that they would be going head-to-head with DNS Media's trainees immediately sparked curiosity.

"How did that even come together?"

"Ah, DNS Media is launching a new boy group this time, and they're filming an idol reality show. I heard they're planning to show the debut team battling trainees from Lemon Entertainment's headquarters as a way to evaluate their skills."

Ji Hyuk explained everything clearly.

I rubbed my chin.

"This situation feels awfully familiar."

It reminded me of 2013, before we debuted.

Back then, during the year-end evaluation, Street Boys and our team had faced off against each other.

I also remembered how envious the guys had been because Street Boys had been filming an idol debut reality show with KNet at the time.

Smiling, I said to Ji Hyuk,

"Ji Hyuk. We'd better prepare hard for this."

"I'm going to give it everything I've got."

"You understand what this means, right? You're going to be on TV."

"Yes."

As a former survival-show winner, he probably understood exactly what I was getting at.

DNS Media Debut Team VS Lemon Entertainment Trainees

I could guess what the staff members had been thinking when they put this together.

A win-win project for everyone.

KNet could boost ratings with a "First Ever Look Inside Lemon Entertainment Headquarters!" angle.

DNS Media could capitalize on the buzz of facing Lemon Entertainment while drawing attention to their new idol group.

And Lemon Entertainment could help improve the performance of its subsidiary DNS Media while also exposing our trainees to the public.

Which was why Hongju and Ji Hyuk were such important cards in all of this.

[Idol Reality] Winner and Runner-Up of 'Next Mission'... Reunited as Trainees This Time

The winner and runner-up from the show that had gathered young rappers together would now meet again as idol trainees and compete against one another.

I could already picture the KNet production team grinning from ear to ear.

"When's it happening?"

"I'm not sure of the exact date, but I think it's next month. I heard their debut is scheduled for early November."

"Really?"

I turned to my laptop and searched.

Articles that had clearly just been released through a press package immediately appeared.

[Official] 'Street Boys Junior Group' X BUSTER to Debut in Early November

The logo was there too.

For some reason, it reminded me of hackers.

A ragdoll rabbit with red X marks stitched where its eyes should have been instead of buttons.

[X_BUSTER]

After skimming the article, I laughed.

"Wow. Time really flies. It feels like just yesterday that we debuted alongside Street Boys, and now they already have a junior group..."

As I said that, I noticed Ji Hyuk staring at the rookie idol logo on the monitor.

There was envy in his eyes.

His fingers fidgeted slightly.

I understood exactly how he felt, and it made me smile.

"Jealous?"

"No. Not at all."

"It's perfectly normal to be jealous. {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} When I was a trainee, I was insanely jealous whenever the older trainees debuted before me."

"Even so, I don't think it's right to be too jealous."

Ji Hyuk smiled awkwardly.

"I don't think it's right to envy someone else when I'm not even skilled enough to debut yet."

"Really? I'm jealous."

"..."

"I was born a small-minded man overflowing with greed."

"No way! You're famous for being incredibly generous, Sunbae!"

Ji Hyuk waved both hands frantically.

I laughed at the sight of a Souffle who was absolutely convinced his interpretation of my character couldn't possibly be wrong.

Wasn't his username Sunny Peanut?

"Are you still practicing dance?"

"Yes. Instructor Yeyeong said that if I keep this up for another three months or so, I might finally look debut-ready."

"That's impressive."

He was a trainee who had already received passing marks from everyone in the company thanks to his rap skills, composing ability, and decent visuals.

The only thing he had been lacking was dance.

Hearing that he'd improved that much already was genuinely impressive.

Our debut team would probably launch around mid-2019, so there were still about nine months left.

More than enough time.

The problem was...

"Waiting is really hard."

"..."

"Every day feels like your insides are burning. Your friends debut, gain fans, perform on stage, while you're just grabbing your bag from a practice room locker and trudging back to the dorm under streetlights."

You wake up at one in the morning wondering whether you'll ever debut at all.

Ji Hyuk looked deeply moved as I comforted him.

"But when you debut, you'll realize something."

"Is it because it's emotional?"

"No. You'll realize... Ah, so my trainee days were actually the happy times... The outside world is the wilderness... It was a complete jungle..."

"..."

Watching the trainee blink blankly, I chuckled and lightly smacked his shoulder.

"I'm kidding. That probably won't happen to you guys. You're not just any group. You're debuting as NewBlack's juniors."

A rookie group's success depended heavily on its initial exposure.

And if they carried the title of NewBlack's junior group, that alone would already put them halfway ahead.

After all, we had benefited from being known as Scarlet's junior group when we debuted.

"And you've got your own name value too."

While Ji Hyuk smiled shyly, something suddenly caught my eye.

His school uniform.

A blue blazer and a red necktie.

"Right. Didn't you say you went to Gimpo High School before? Your uniform changed. Isn't this the school Jiho and Ri Hyuk attended?"

"Huh? You remembered?!"

The Souffle looked genuinely touched that I'd remembered.

After staring at me with sparkling eyes, he answered.

"I transferred to an arts high school after joining the company. It was hard to balance trainee life and regular school, and honestly... if I stayed at my old school, I might've disrupted the academic atmosphere."

"That's true."

Apparently that had been a major reason behind the transfer.

As we chatted, I asked how he was adjusting to trainee life.

Each answer came in the tone of a model student.

I couldn't help smiling when I imagined teachers doting on him and him winning a class president election by a landslide during the first semester.

He was the type of kid people liked wherever he went.

And sure enough...

It seemed he had already become the unofficial leader among the trainees.

"Temporary leader?"

"Yes."

Ji Hyuk smiled sheepishly.

"The others told me to do it."

"Well, there wasn't really a central figure before."

Our trainees were all talented and good-looking, but the atmosphere among them was mostly, We're all friends!!

Then someone who had literally won a popular TV survival show joined the company.

Naturally, everyone probably pointed at him and said:

You! Be the leader!!

I nodded in understanding.

"In a good way, the others don't really think too hard about things, do they?"

"...Uh... yes."

"Exactly. From now on, you're their brain."

I patted his shoulder and nodded.

Ji Hyuk tilted his head.

Is that supposed to be a compliment...?

Around then, we wrapped up our catch-up conversation.

"If you've been working on anything lately, can I take a look?"

"Yes!"

Ji Hyuk immediately rummaged through his backpack and pulled out a laptop.

An old laptop.

The power button looked loose, and it took a full three minutes just to boot up.

"Want a snack?"

"Yes."

I waited while occasionally feeding snacks into Ji Hyuk's mouth as he frantically moved the mouse around.

Eventually, one of his projects began playing.

"It's definitely not something worthy of showing you, Sunbae, but... I still worked hard on it."

Ji Hyuk swallowed nervously and rubbed his palms together.

I quietly listened.

[File.0127]

It was a pop track built around a moombahton foundation.

Maybe because his roots were in hip-hop, but the rhythmic sensibilities of hip-hop were strongly embedded throughout the song.

Listening to the prominent hi-hat sounds, I smiled.

"...!"

The trainee's face brightened immediately.

"Can I hear some of your other work too?"

"Y-Yes! Of course!"

There were tracks with slow, attractive EDM influences.

Overall, his slower pop songs left a stronger impression than his fast dance tracks.

And the thing I liked most was the chorus.

"You write really good hooks."

"N-No, I don't."

"No. Seriously. You're good."

Writing a hook that sticks in someone's head after only one listen wasn't easy.

Several of his songs had moments people would find themselves humming afterward.

It was genuinely impressive.

Of course, if I were scoring them objectively, I'd probably give them around sixty out of a hundred.

The arrangements were rough.

The overall construction was clumsy.

But those were things that could be fixed through learning.

The important thing was the talent visible underneath.

"..."

It sparkled.

The wrapping paper might have been rough, making it hard to see at first glance.

But there was something shining brightly inside.

"Ji Hyuk."

"Yes, Sunbae."

"Would you be interested in learning composition from me?"

"!!!!"

The trainee froze solid for about five seconds.

Then he slowly raised a hand to his mouth and stammered.

"T-T-T-T..."

"Hm?"

"I-Is that really okay?"

"I planned to do it from the day you joined the company."

He looked like a machine that had broken down.

Watching him creak and twitch mechanically made me laugh.

Then suddenly, a voice from the past drifted through my mind.

"Wooju."

"Yes."

"Would you like to learn composition from me?"

Director Jo Gyuhwan came to mind.

The man who had offered to teach me composition when I first joined Lemon Entertainment.

"W-Wow..."

Ji Hyuk covered his mouth.

As if he couldn't believe what was happening.

When I noticed his eyes beginning to redden, I laughed.

"Why are you crying?"

"No... I just... This kind of luck..."

The handsome high school student nodded repeatedly before speaking with a determined expression.

"Sunbae."

"Yeah?"

"I'll work like a dog. I will never forget what you've done for me."

"You really don't have to go that far..."

I laughed at his blazing determination and glanced toward the studio calendar.

"The first lesson would probably be..."

Every square was packed.

Japan Tour.

University Festivals.

SNL Preparation.

Hot Sauce Release Preparations.

Seoul Finale Tour.

Reality Show Meetings.

And countless other schedules.

"..."

"..."

For the first time, I felt like I truly understood how Director Jo had felt.

"I think I could make time next month. Around one in the morning...?"

"Please don't say that, Sunbae. If you told me to come running at three in the morning, I'd be there."

"Since I won't be able to see you often anyway, why don't you learn from the producing team in the meantime? I'll speak to them personally."

"Yes!"

Smiling at Ji Hyuk's bright grin, I shook his hand.

"Let's do our best together."

Ji Hyuk immediately stood up and bowed ninety degrees.

"Thank you, Sunbae. You're busy, so I'll..."

"Hm? We're not done yet."

"...?"

Ji Hyuk blinked.

"We're starting lessons today?"

"No."

As I sent a message to a group chat, I spoke.

"You're competing against DNS Media, right?"

"Yes."

"We're going to help with that."

I spoke seriously.

"This is going on TV as NewBlack's juniors versus Street Boys' juniors. If NewBlack's juniors lose?"

I shook my head.

"I refuse to witness such a scene."

"Uh... I'm grateful, but shouldn't trainees compete fairly against each other?"

The innocence still lingering inside the high school student made me shake my head.

"Ji Hyuk."

"Yes."

"You can't approach life with such pure ideals."

"..."

"Everyone at DNS Media is probably throwing their entire company behind this preparation effort. So we need to prepare with everything we've got too."

"Ahhh...!"

I nodded.

"Ji Hyuk. Repeat after me."

"...?"

"Lemon does not lose."

"Lemon does not lose!"

Seeing my apprentice already responding with bright, intelligent eyes, I smiled in satisfaction.

On a peaceful afternoon, Lemon Entertainment's trainees received an unexpected summons to the sixth floor.

"Holy crap. The sixth floor."

"No way."

Like chirping baby chicks, the trainees waited nervously outside the glass security doors.

The bell rang.

The doors opened.

[Identity Verified. Access Granted.]

No one knew why Ri Hyuk's voice had been turned into the building's robotic security system.

Still, the trainees looked around with shining eyes.

This is the place we've always dreamed about!

Back in the old building, everyone had shared the underground practice rooms.

But after moving to the new headquarters, the trainees and artists had been separated.

Scarlet, Yoon Chanhyuk, and NewBlack occupied the sixth floor.

Trainees used the practice rooms on the second floor.

Which was why a sheet of A4 paper taped to the trainee practice room wall read:

LET'S GO TO THE SIXTH FLOOR!

Even simply looking around the floor filled them with awe.

"Whoa! Look! That's the original Rabbit Uncle in the display case!"

"Wooooow!"

"Look over there! A coffee machine!"

"A coffee machine!"

"There's even a water dispenser!"

"Idiot. We have one too."

"Yeah, but somehow the water here feels like it'd taste better!"

"Holy moly..."

The trainees squealed and clapped hands together excitedly.

"Wow, we're seriously amazed by things like this. We're idiots."

"Hehehe!"

Still giggling, they finally reached their destination and immediately straightened their expressions.

They were about to meet their seniors.

"By the way, why were we called up here?"

"Ji Hyuk told us to come. Apparently the seniors are going to give us advice about the DNS Media battle."

"Seriously?!"

Excited, they knocked on the door.

Jinho, acting as their representative, cleared his throat.

"Sunbaes. May we come in?"

"Come in~"

The cheerful voice answered.

The trainees opened the door.

And froze.

Standing beside Kim Ji Hyuk was a group of nine people.

"Hi, kids~"

"Hello!"

A four-member girl group stood there in training clothes with their arms crossed.

Scarlet.

Including Daisy, who was tying her hair back.

The powerful aura of the members was impossible to ignore.

Beside them stood NewBlack.

"You made it?"

"Long time no see, guys~"

"Hello, Sunbaes!"

Jiho greeted them casually while holding a bag of snacks.

Biju smiled warmly as always.

Junghyun waved with dependable calm.

Ri Hyuk greeted them too, looking slightly aloof and embarrassed at the same time.

And then...

Ruuuuuuuuuumble...

One man stood in the center like a final boss.

He was smiling brightly.

Yet somehow seemed surrounded by a faint purple aura.

A devastatingly handsome man welcomed them.

"You came?"

"Yes."

"We heard the news too. You're battling DNS Media's trainees on a reality show."

"That's right!"

"So we wanted to help."

"Gasp! Thank you!"

The greatest seniors in the industry.

Offering their help despite their impossible schedules.

The trainees' eyes sparkled instantly.

This is insane.

They're helping us!

They had been completely lost regarding how to face DNS Media's debut team.

And now a lifeline had descended from heaven.

Scarlet's leader, Ara, smiled warmly.

"Have our babies prepared a lot?"

"Yes..."

"Even if you haven't, it's okay. Your noonas and hyungs will build everything for you."

The seniors' eyes gleamed.

"Don't worry too much. Anyone having trouble warming up their voice today? Junghyun can fix it with his magic hands."

"Want to stretch first? If you're not flexible enough, I'll help."

"Let's have fun practicing together~"

The trainees swallowed hard as they looked at the seniors.

Uh...

A lifeline definitely came down from heaven.

A golden one, even.

But...

What's that underneath it?

It felt as though a pit of spikes beneath the rope was cheerfully beckoning them forward.

At the same time.

The members of X BUSTER, DNS Media's soon-to-debut rookie boy group, were gathered together.

"Advice?"

"Yes, hyungs."

Hongju, acting as spokesperson, asked with bright eyes.

"We're about to compete against Lemon Entertainment's trainees. We heard you used to face NewBlack a lot..."

"Ah. That's true."

The Street Boys members nodded while drinking protein shakes.

LB, wearing a snapback backward, spoke up.

"If I had to describe Lemon..."

"Yes!"

"Their faces piss you off first."

"...?"

"You stare at their faces, then accidentally see your own reflection in your phone and immediately get annoyed."

"...Guys. Someone drag him away."

Hanjo sighed.

The members immediately grabbed LB.

"Mmph! Mmph!"

As he struggled.

"Kuuuaaah!"

The members staggered.

"Wow. Look at his strength."

"Sigh. This bastard ate all my protein too..."

"Fufufu! I am no longer the old persimmon tree! I am now a thousand-year-old mighty tree!"

The self-proclaimed tree cackled.

Then the youngest member, Giwon, said flatly:

"Shut up, hyung."

"..."

The mighty tree immediately withered.

Watching the tragic sight, the X BUSTER members blinked.

Can we really trust these sunbaes...?

Still, they shook the thought away.

The members might look like a bunch of muscular idiots.

But on stage they were considered among the very best.

Street Boys continued.

"You really have to work hard. Lemon's whole thing is quality over quantity. Every individual member is ridiculously strong. If you don't overwhelm them with teamwork, it's tough. That's how we beat them before Sun Wooju joined."

The trainees nodded.

Hanjo added,

"I don't know what their atmosphere is like now, but if they've picked a good leader, it might be difficult."

"Ah..."

"Still, don't worry too much. The company's preparing hard, and we'll help with your stage too."

The Street Boys members crossed their arms and nodded.

Then Hanjo suddenly asked:

"There's just one variable."

"What is it?"

"Do the NewBlack guys know this reality show is being filmed?"

One of the Street Boys members immediately sent a message.

A reply came back almost instantly.

"They know."

"..."

Hanjo fell silent.

Then he looked seriously at Hongju and the trainees.

"Defeat isn't necessarily a bad thing."

"...???"

"Growing through defeat is valuable too."

Sunbae?!