Entertainment Life With A Camera

Chapter 55:

Chapter 55

Why are you here?

“I feel like I’m going to die.”

“Kil…l…me…”

After finishing their promotions, Awi was busy running around the events that piled up in the summer season.

The members who got on the van groaned as they sat on the chairs.

“Guys, good job. Let’s go to the dorm now.”

The manager was no different. Dark circles had settled under Park Dong-soo’s eyes.

[We’ll get paid soon.]

‘Will we die of overwork before we get paid?’

There were also people who were angry at Awi’s extreme schedule. 

They were the fans.

-Is their schedule for real?

-I thought it was suspicious that they had their own stage every Thursday because they couldn’t go on Nnetㅅㅂ

-They’re crazy

-They’re working too hard ㅅㅂ

‘She’s here again.’

Ian clicked his tongue as he recognized the fans who were attending through Jin. 

There were quite a lot of fans who followed them even to the local events.

The agency seemed to show them the price of causing trouble by putting them anywhere as long as the schedule matched, even if it was a local event far from the dorm.

“Don’t we have to hit our ringer?”

“First, we have to hit Dong-soo hyung.”

Park Dong-soo had been staying in Awi’s dorm living room for a long time.

“Guys, go to sleep quickly… We’re going to the countryside tomorrow…”

“Thank you, hyung.”

The members yawned and lay down on the bed without even washing properly. 

Ian also lay down his heavy body on the bed. 

He felt like he could live when he lay down.

‘But… it’s better than before…’

It was better than his previous life, when he was sucking his fingers in the dorm without anyone calling him.

***

Awi went to a few events in Chungcheong-do and Daejeon, and then headed to Iksan in Jeollabuk-do.

“Hyung, are we running two rounds today?”

“Today is only once in Iksan, and tomorrow we have Gwangju…”

“Hyung, stop there. It hurts if we know too much. Our mental state.”

Lee Joo-hyuk sighed deeply. Park Dong-soo smiled as he saw the tired faces of the members.

“But you guys are free after the performance. You can enjoy the festival.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, it’s a food festival, so there must be a lot of delicious things. I brought vodka.”

“Hyung, did we ever tell you that we love you?”

Park Seo-dam sprang up.

“But don’t wander around separately.”

The staff who followed the schedule were probably dying too. Park Dong-soo was in a good mood for a rare occasion and whistled.

[Huh? Ironheart is here again.]

‘Really?’

Ian glanced at the red cross mark that Jin showed him.

‘Really dedicated.’

ㄴ

While Awi was preparing for the stage with the staff, MC came up and induced the audience’s response.

[Huh?]

‘I’m scared when you say huh, what is it this time?’

[Isn’t that… him?]

‘Who?’

Ian looked up at the stage. His hand that was putting on his in-ear monitor stopped.

‘…Why are you here?’

Ian clenched his trembling hand. The person who was doing MC for this event was someone Ian knew well.

“Yes, everyone~ Your idol! Shining like a diamond, this event’s pre-MC Im Tae-woo!”

He was from the same group as Ian’s previous life, Kim Yong-min. He was Diamond Im Tae-woo.

***

Im Tae-woo hated Kim Yong-min, who came from a large agency. 

He hated that he was immediately put into a debut group as soon as he came to TA Media.

“You’re lucky to be from MI Enter.”

“What?”

“You got into a debut group quickly because of MI Enter’s favoritism.”

Kim Yong-min frowned. What kind of nonsense was that?

“So what? You couldn’t even debut there.”

“So what?”

But among the nine members of the debut group, there was only one friend of his age who was also a member. 

That was Kim Yong-min. So Im Tae-woo didn’t show much of his dislike. 

Anyway, they were going to debut in the same group, so it would only cause trouble.

“Hey… we really debuted.”

“Today is our first day.”

He actually felt happy when they debuted in the same group. 

The feeling of hatred for Kim Yong-min also melted away like snow in the joy of debut.

And Im Tae-woo couldn’t deny Kim Yong-min’s singing skills.

He had flawless skills, and he was always taking lessons and working hard to improve himself. 

He also practiced dancing until dawn to make up for his lack of dancing skills. 

Im Tae-woo felt a sense of inferiority that was hard to overcome.

“Do you like being the main vocal? I want more parts too!”

“Hey… do I decide that? The composer does, right?”

But sometimes he vented his anger at Kim Yong-min. Of course, Kim Yong-min didn’t back down and shouted back, and they had big fights.

“…But I’m handsome.”

“Are you done talking shit? Ugh, you bastard… Fine, you’re the visual of our group.”

And sometimes they made up for no reason. 

They were in the same group anyway, and they were the only friends of the same age who could confide in each other. 

They got along well while bickering.

“Hey, don’t you know what that is? It’s a war criminal flag!”

“I didn’t see it!”

“Ha ㅅㅂ.”

“Hey… are you okay? Don’t look at the internet for now.”

Im Tae-woo stayed by Kim Yong-min’s side when he was suffering from hate comments because of the stylist’s mistake.

“Our fan signing event is under quota again…”

“Maybe it’ll get better with the next album?”

“Do we even have a next album?”

“…Don’t say things like that.”

They also trembled with anxiety as the number of fans decreased and the album release date got longer.

They also went to confront the agency’s president who abandoned them when one of their members left because of school violence.

“…It’s not working. I’m going to study composing. Let’s make our own album.”

“Don’t you get tired?”

“Hey, we have to live even if the company goes bankrupt. This time we’ll make it.”

Im Tae-woo, who had half given up, got up and closed the book at Kim Yongmin’s burning gaze.

Inspired by Kim Yongmin, who had been working on composing songs without sleeping at the dorm, the other members also regained their motivation one by one.

“This hyung will give you a lot of parts this time.”

“Hey, let’s do it together. I also read some books on harmony.”

“Yongmin-ah, let hyung join too.”

In the end, they worked on the song with their eldest member and had a blast. 

It was the most exciting moment since their debut.

“I think our album will do really well this time.”

“Isn’t our debut timing good too? All the big groups are going to Japan…”

They went to the studio to take photos for the album, and the director who filmed their debut song generously offered to donate his talent for the music video.

“Hey… did you see the article?”

And then, Minjun, a member of the same group, had a speeding marriage scandal. 

Minjun packed his bags and ran away in the early morning, and the other members also lost their motivation and went back to their hometowns.

The last people left in the dorm were Im Tae-woo and Kim Yongmin.

“People have their own time… Those who are meant to succeed will succeed…”

“Hey, Im Tae-woo…”

“Kim Yongmin… Yongmin-ah… I guess we’re really losers.”

Im Tae-woo sat down and shed tears. Kim Yongmin closed his eyes tightly. He didn’t want to hear the fact that he had been trying to ignore from someone else’s mouth.

“They say effort never betrays you… Why are we like this…”

Im Tae-woo eventually sobbed out loud.

Kim Yongmin saw Im Tae-woo crying and screaming like that for the first time. 

He was confident and proud before.

He lay down on the bed and tried to sleep with a complicated feeling. 

When he opened his eyes, there was no one in the dorm.

Im Tae-woo’s belongings were already gone, and he never contacted him again.

***

“No! You said it was 400,000 won. Does this look like 400,000 won?”

“Oh… there must have been a misunderstanding. We originally asked for 300,000 won.”

“Ha…”

And Im Tae-woo, who had grown old, was arguing with the event manager.

‘He’s aged…’

Ian, who had finished his performance, stared blankly at Im Tae-woo.

“Ian-ah, drink some water.”

“Oh, yes.”

Ian took the water from the staff.

The former idol Im Tae-woo who was begging for 50,000 won more while holding onto the event manager under the scorching sun and the rising idol group who were drinking ice water in the shade surrounded by staff.

“It’s hard for us if you keep doing this. We were going to call you for the next event too…”

“No… that’s a different story.”

The gap between them, their changed positions, made him feel bitter.

Ian was snapped out of his trance by Jo Taewoong.

“Hey, what are you doing?”

“Huh? Oh… You know that idol I saw at your grandmother’s neighborhood event?”

Ian pointed at Im Tae-woo.

“I think he was a member of that group.”

“Wow! Really? Can I go say hello?”

Im Tae-woo was holding a white envelope with a dejected look on his face. Jo Taewoong approached him without any hesitation and bowed deeply.

“Hello, senior!”

“Huh? Huh?”

Ian followed Jo Taewoong and bowed as well. Im Tae-woo stiffened at the unexpected respect from his juniors.

“He said he became an idol thanks to your performance.”

Ian spoke for Jo Taewoong and looked closely at Im Tae-woo. 

He seemed to have taken care of his appearance, but his clothes were old and shabby. 

Im Tae-woo shoved the envelope into his pocket and scratched his head.

“Is that so?”

He also felt embarrassed by his miserable appearance and pretended to fix his clothes.

“You don’t have to call me senior… Just call me hyung. I’m not an idol anymore.”

“Hey, you’re still our senior! I really wanted to meet you!”

“But which performance did you…?”

“Oh! Well…”

Jo Taewoong smiled brightly and chattered away. 

Im Tae-woo’s cheeks gradually reddened as he listened to his story.

It must have been how Ian felt when he first heard it. 

The memory that was so miserable and pathetic was meaningful to someone else.

“Thanks for telling me that.”

Does your tear duct get weaker as you age? Im Tae-woo’s eyes welled up with tears. Ian also felt uneasy and looked away.

“What are they doing over there… Hey!”

Park Dongsoo called Ian and Jo Taewoong.

“Ah… I have to go now. It was an honor to meet you, senior!”

“Yeah. See you again…”

Im Tae-woo couldn’t finish his sentence. How could he meet the hottest idol group these days again, when he was wandering around doing MC gigs for local events?

“…I’ll be cheering for you.”

“Thank you!”

Jo Taewoong turned around and ran to Park Dongsoo. Ian hesitated and then spoke to Im Tae-woo.

“Um… senior.”

“Huh?”

He’s really handsome. 

That was Im Tae-woo’s thought as he met Ian’s eyes.

“First of all, don’t take this the wrong way… You sing well, senior. Don’t you sing anymore?”

“Sing…?”

Im Tae-woo gave a hollow laugh. He kicked the gravel on the ground.

“I need to have a song to sing… I’m not confident in ballads.”

The truth was, he didn’t have the courage to try again.

“Then, senior… how about trot?”

“Trot?”

“Yes, I think trot will be the trend.”

Next year, trot singers will gain nationwide popularity with the start of a trot survival show. 

Ian looked at Im Tae-woo earnestly.

“Trot, huh… Thanks for the advice. Isn’t your manager calling you? Don’t you have to go?”

“Ah… yes. I’ll see you again.”

Im Tae-woo couldn’t say what he wanted to say, so Ian said it for him. Ian ran to his manager.

“Trot…”

Im Tae-woo thought hard. 

He had also envied the trot singers who swept up the money thrown by the elders on stage while doing MC gigs.

Compared to that, he felt ashamed of today, when he groveled for 50,000 won.

“Should I try one more time…?”

He felt more encouraged by the fact that his hot junior group had found their dream by watching him.

***

Ian turned around and saw Im Tae-woo clenching his fist as if he had made up his mind.

He had a good singing skill, and he was the visual of a group, so if he took care of himself, his appearance would be decent too. 

He didn’t need to mention his effort.

‘Let’s meet again when you succeed.’

Just like I’m doing well after going back to the past, to my original body, I hope you’re doing well too.

Ian thought so and smiled at the corner of his mouth.