NOVEL NEXT Chapter 14
Before being cast as the general producer for Na Ah Ah, Han Si-woo had one request from the production team.
To always show a cold and composed demeanor, of course.
Simply put, it was a demand to take on the role of the villain.
While it could be a fatal request for a celebrity, Han Si-woo agreed without hesitation.
He believed the idol industry couldn’t succeed merely on warm feelings.
Though he’s now considered one of the top idols, Han Si-woo had his own grueling journey.
And so did every idol.
The brighter the light, the darker the shadows.
Han Si-woo wanted to ensure his juniors wouldn’t suffer deeper wounds in the future, so he intentionally didn’t hold back on criticisms to help them grow with the small pains of now.
In the meantime, there were far too many unfortunate cases.
Especially when he had to assign a C ranking to a participant who had trained for over ten years. His heart ached deeply.
But then….
‘…Hmm?’
One particular participant caught his eye.
‘Her training period is… only a month?’
In fact, she had stood out to him since he first entered the set.
And no wonder…, her overwhelming appearance was evident even to someone who had been in the industry for over a decade.
Appearance is, inarguably, one of the most essential criteria in showbiz.
In that regard, Ha Ye-rin had incredible star potential just based on her looks alone.
But still, only a month of practice…
If Han Si-woo gave a good evaluation to Ha Ye-rin, how would the other participants who had trained painfully for years feel?
…Probably miserable.
That’s why Han Si-woo had no choice but to be even colder toward Ha Ye-rin.
Of course….
“…Because of my parents.”
“……What?”
“Because of my parents… I absolutely must become an idol… I promise…”
He flinched when Ha Ye-rin mentioned her parents.
‘Parents……’
It was a word that tugged at his heartstrings just by hearing it.
Han Si-woo also had parents whose mere thought made his chest tighten.
In a home already struggling with poverty, his parents had supported his long and arduous trainee life.
His father worked hard through early mornings, while his mother dragged herself to work in a restaurant despite her illness.
Receiving allowance soaked in their blood and sweat, how many vows did he make?
He promised to succeed… to make sure his parents wouldn’t have to suffer anymore and could live comfortably.
She probably felt similarly to the past Han Si-woo.
Although she was like a reverse Han Si-woo with a goal of becoming an idol to not disappoint her parents, Han Si-woo had no way of knowing that.
He couldn’t help but develop nuanced feelings for Ha Ye-rin while reminiscing about his past.
“Then… I’ll show you the stage now.”
However, just before the stage began, that sentiment quickly turned cold.
No one in this world is without a story.
Like with the other participants, Han Si-woo intended to evaluate Ha Ye-rin’s stage with a cold and rational gaze.
And thus, the stage began…!
“……Hmm?”
“……Huh?”
The other judges tilted their heads and wore puzzled expressions at an entirely unexpected song choice.
And Han Si-woo…
“…Pfft!!!”
“……!!”
He broke into his first smile after starting the ranking evaluation, a joyous and bright one like a child.
‘…Han Si-woo.’
‘…smiled?’
The surrounding judges, participants, and even the production team outside the stage were amazed and turned to look at him in disbelief.
Nevertheless, Han Si-woo couldn’t stop laughing, holding his face as he watched Ha Ye-rin’s stage.
Woooo~.
In that moment, the production team, the first to regain their composure, focused the cameras on Ha Ye-rin’s performance.
*
Having lived 19 years in Ha Ye-rin’s life, there are still moments from her past life that linger in her memory.
For instance, the TV program she watched the night before she died.
It was a popular observational variety show about the lives of celebrity loners.
On the episode aired the night before her death, Han Si-woo had appeared.
She had watched it with a can of beer in hand at the news that Han Si-woo was finally back on variety shows.
“Well, people’s lives are all the same, right? What’s the big deal?”
She thought as she took a swig of beer.
And then….
“…What is that?”
As the camera passed Han Si-woo’s front door, she almost spat out her beer.
The panel on the variety show shared her reaction.
“…Wow. Han Si-woo, what is all that? There are so many figures…?”
From the entrance, through the hallway, and into the living room, an army of figures lay sprawled.
The sight, tinged with a hint of madness, left the panel in shock while Han Si-woo blushed.
“Actually, it’s a fact no one knows… I’m a bit of an otaku, you see. Especially for that anime.”
“Oh~ I see. But isn’t that a nostalgic anime?”
“Yes, exactly. It’s something I watched when I was young. It makes me feel like I’m returning to my childhood, so to speak.”
Han Si-woo spoke with a bright smile, reminiscing about his past.
His parents used to leave early in the morning for work and return late at night.
The only comfort for little him was that anime.
“Ah, I see. But what was the name of that anime again?”
At the MC’s question, Han Si-woo smiled genuinely as if transported back to those days.
“It’s Digimon Adventure!”
*
Sending cue signs to the production team…
-Yeah, it won’t be easy, will it? The world I’ve been granted~
She announced the start of the stage with a calm echo, without accompaniment.
With just her stats raised, her voice was comfortable and refreshing, much unlike the rap-style singing from her past.
Once she captured the judges and cameras’ attention…
-oh~ my~~ love~~
Dah~ dadada dadada~
After finishing the first verse, the lively band music flowed out.
She took a simple dance step during the interlude, checking the judges’ reactions.
First, the other judges except for Han Si-woo.
Their expressions were puzzled.
The women were likely unfamiliar with the male-oriented fantasy anime, Digimon Adventure. Most importantly, they were surprised because the song she prepared wasn’t an idol track.
And Han Si-woo.
“…Pfft!!!”
Fortunately, he showed the reaction she had hoped for.
He certainly didn’t expect to hear this song on a female idol audition program.
So, he must have been pleasantly surprised at the unexpected song choice.
The song was [butter-dragon] from the Digimon Adventure series.
-Should I fly like a butterfly, carried by the gentle breeze?
She felt glad knowing that Han Si-woo also liked Digimon Adventure, as she had seen it from the broadcast.
She had loved the series in her past life too.
In her past life as a shy orphan, her only friendly company was the Digimon on the TV in the orphanage.
-I wonder, would you dare share this feeling.
So if you’re like me, then respond and rise.
-Can you break through the storm with a loud oh oh oh oh oh-!
If you were a male from the 90s who had been chosen then…
-Once more oh oh oh oh oh-! Can I fly in the sky again?
If you were a companion who lived in the world of Digimon back then…
If you still hold onto your boyish heart in this estrogen-filled realm…!
-Yeah, it won’t be easy, will it? The world I’ve been granted~
Link up…! Han Si-woo…!
-It’s not a convenient and beautiful space you can get easily.
While she said that, she hadn’t even given herself a moment to observe Han Si-woo’s expression.
This song had always been her favorite throughout her entire life.
Forgetting that this was the set of Na Ah Ah and that over a hundred people were staring at her, she dove into the song completely.
-oh my love~.
Thus, she finished her first stage.
Only towards the end did she suddenly recall what her vocal trainer, Soo-hyun, had once said.
‘The easiest way to enhance the quality of a performance is simply to enjoy the stage earnestly.’
In that context, she considered her stage to be a success.
The moment she finished her last verse… she had been enjoying it more than anyone else.
*
The other female judges, except for Han Si-woo, had no choice but to feel quite bewildered by Ha Ye-rin’s song choice.
It was the band song [butter-dragon] from the Digimon Adventure series.
Not an idol song, but a band song, and moreover, a male band song.
Furthermore, since Digimon Adventure was an old anime aimed at males, it didn’t resonate much with them.
However….
“Aha ha ha-!”
Until now, they had maintained icy expressions, but they couldn’t afford to show any discomfort at seeing Han Si-woo laughing like a child during Ha Ye-rin’s performance.
And aside from the strange song choice…
‘Her vocal ability… isn’t bad.’
Ha Ye-rin’s vocal talent was decent.
Her voice was refreshing and comfortably pleasing to the ears, with a good sense of rhythm.
While she wasn’t up to the main vocal level, her singing was sufficient for a lead in case of emergencies.
And her expressions…
Until now, Ha Ye-rin had only shown expressionless faces.
Of course, she still appeared mostly expressionless, but…
Smirk.
Her genuine smiles that occasionally lit up while singing radiated tremendous charm, even for the women watching.
Snow Lotus (雪中花).
They say a flower blooming in the snow is the most beautiful… that little smile hidden behind her cold facade made Ha Ye-rin’s overwhelming beauty soar even higher.
And the song’s lyrics.
-Yeah, it won’t be easy, will it? The world I’ve been granted~
No matter how challenging things got, the lyrics about persevering resonated deeply with the idol trainees’ situations.
-oh my love~.
With that satisfying smile, she completed her performance…
“…Hoo, this will be all. Thank you.”
Finally, the time for judging arrived.
“……”
“……”
No one dared to pick up the mic first.
But then….
Swish-.
Someone, as if waiting, grabbed the mic.
It was Han Si-woo, who still wore a cheerful smile.
“First off, Ha Ye-rin trainee, why did you choose this song?”
“Oh, um…”
Ha Ye-rin, blushing and stumbling at Han Si-woo’s question, finally managed to respond.
“Actually, I’m a huge fan of this anime… I really wanted to sing it for my first stage.”
“A ha ha-!”
Han Si-woo laughed pleasantly at Ha Ye-rin’s reply and continued.
“Actually, I also really love Digimon. I hope to have an in-depth discussion about it with Ye-rin someday~”
“…Then I’d be honored.”
“And you sang very well too. Your tone is nice, and your vocal delivery is good. Your sense of timing was also quite nice. It was a truly enjoyable performance.”
As Han Si-woo evaluated, other judges in the vocal section chimed in with praises.
“…That’s right! I especially thought the tone was very good.”
“I feel like I discovered a rough but beautiful gem that hasn’t been polished yet.”
“Plus, you didn’t overdo it with tricks or style, which is even better.”
Indeed, one of Ha Ye-rin’s strong points was that her brief training meant she didn’t have any bad habits.
If she meets a good trainer now and keeps progressing, her vocal talent could definitely improve further.
“You trained for only a month, and to perform at this level suggests you absolutely have talent for vocals. Your potential for growth is also strikingly distinct compared to the other participants.”
Just as Han Si-woo’s pleasant praises seemed to wrap up the judging…
“…But,”
Suddenly, the tone of Han Si-woo’s voice changed. It felt cold enough to wonder if he was revealing a dual personality.
“Ha Ye-rin trainee, this isn’t an idol song, is it?”
“……Yes.”
“There were some moves in the middle, but they hardly qualify as dancing. Am I correct?”
“…That’s correct.”
Indeed.
No one had been willing to speak up first, fearing Han Si-woo’s intense gaze, but… there were indeed no dances in Ha Ye-rin’s performance.
“Nowadays, for idols, dance is nearly as vital as singing. If not more so.”
Han Si-woo had a clear sense of distinction between when to relax and when to be serious.
While her personal taste, surprisingly decent vocal ability, and high potential were commendable, it was clear that without dancing, the stage meant very little.
Thus, Han Si-woo had no choice but to request such for evaluating Ha Ye-rin’s ranking.
“Do you have a dance song prepared separately?”
As Han Si-woo’s request felt like a harsh winter’s chill, everyone swallowed nervously, sensing the end for Ha Ye-rin.
There are many people among ordinary folks who sing well.
But dancing has a higher barrier to entry than singing.
There’s no way anyone could show exceptional skill in dancing after just one month.
“……”
It seemed she knew that truth all too well, as Ha Ye-rin bowed her head deeply.
“…I have something prepared. I’ll do it.”
The judges silently hoped that however messily she performed, she wouldn’t be too disappointed.
*
It’s obvious, but she wasn’t thinking of getting away with an easy ranking evaluation just because of the nostalgic appeal of Digimon Adventure.
As Han Si-woo emphasized, what’s crucial for idols today is dance… and her performance had none.
Therefore, when Han Si-woo requested a new dance song…
“Do you have a dance song prepared separately?”
“……”
All she could do was bow her head.
“…Pfft.”
She had to stifle her laughter.
The importance of dance? Of course, she knew it well.
‘Status Window.’
Quietly, she opened her status window in her mind and navigated to the artistic stats.
What appeared first was her vocal ability.
(Vocal Ability: 65)
Her original vocal ability was 12. She had invested 53 points into it.
Though she could invest even more points, her attention quickly shifted elsewhere.
Specifically….
(Dance: 99)
Sorry, I just baited you to show this.
Digimon Adventure? I truly like it.
However, our memories were merely a setup for this.