NOVEL NEXT Chapter 205
After that, our Rookies no longer appeared on music shows, as Director Jeong had predicted.
Of course, that didn’t mean we were just loafing around during our free time.
Instead of appearing on music shows, the Rookies increased their media exposure by creating self-content or participating in various entertainment programs.
“Ye-rin, long time no see…”
“Oh! Konnichiwa!”
We held fan signing events every two weeks to broaden our communication period with the fans.
“Okay, everyone! Please sing along!”
Waaaah-!
We even performed on the stages of famous university festivals in Seoul, coinciding with the college festival season.
Last time during our first album activities, we focused more on the musical aspect, but this time, it was a phase where we concentrated on making Rookies’ name more known.
Perhaps that’s why our average quitting time was much later than during our previous activities.
Last time, we’d return home before 10 PM after finishing all schedules, but this time, it was common to come back after midnight, sometimes even at 2 or 3 AM.
Once again, I found myself in a situation where I could only sleep four hours a day, which was quite tough…
“Ye-rin, you came?”
“Yes, Producer Han Si-woo.”
Even amidst all this, I didn’t forget the vocal training I had promised with Han Si-woo.
Most of the vocal training with him started well past 1 AM.
The place was a practice room that Han Si-woo had rented with his own money, near the Rookies’ dormitory.
“Unnie, won’t you collapse like this?”
“Ye-rin, it’s good to work hard, but I think you’re overdoing it right now.”
The members looked at me with great concern as I dove into vocal practice after sacrificing sleep.
“…Ye-rin, if it’s because of what I said back then…”
Especially Yoo Seol, who had pointed out my vocal ability, tried to stop me with an apologetic look…
“No, it’s because I want to do it.”
I silently smiled and shook my head as I firmly participated in vocal training.
No matter how much stamina I had with my 96 stats of two hearts, this brutal schedule was tough. Still, training with Han Si-woo was effective enough to be rewarding.
“Ye-rin, singing well isn’t just about hitting high notes. And since we already have Seol and Hye-jeong in Rookies, we need to find differentiating points.”
“Differentiating points from them?”
“Yes, for instance, developing your attractive tone further. Your tone is slightly husky, and this…”
Having been in the entertainment industry for a long time, Han Si-woo was truly an outstanding idol consulting expert.
He explained using his own case as a reference, teaching me how I should develop myself and providing training for it.
And when vocal training began to show results, around the second week of training…
Ding-a-ling.
“Unnie…!”
As usual, just as I finished my schedule in the dead of night and was heading to Han Si-woo, a voice stopped me.
“Hm…?”
Surprised, I turned to look back and…
“Why is everyone…?”
All the other Rookies members were standing there.
It was already past 1 AM.
With a schedule starting at 7 AM the next morning, I needed to wake up by at least 6 AM…
Seeing the members dressed in casual clothes instead of pajamas, I couldn’t help but feel flustered.
“Why are you all out? Aren’t you sleeping…?”
“Let’s go together.”
“…Huh?”
“We’re going to training with Producer Han Si-woo, right? We want to go too.”
“……!”
Faced with the sudden declaration from the members, I was at a loss, but they seemed determined, their expressions resolute.
“…But why? The other members didn’t have any issues with their vocals.”
All Rookies members, except for Na Han-na, had higher vocal stats than me.
Seeing Yoo Seol and Lee Hye-jeong, both of whom were among the top idols vocally, join in made me tilt my head.
“Especially Seol and Hye-jeong, you don’t have anything left to learn vocally, right? You’re already perfect, so why…?”
“Me and Hye-jeong don’t think our skills are perfect. The more we practice, the better.”
When Yoo Seol said this, Lee Hye-jeong nodded too. Then other members chimed in.
“And even if it’s not just vocal practice, we need to practice other things too.”
“How much longer do you want to keep getting better all by yourself…? That’s just unfair!”
“……”
I stared at the members blankly for a moment before asking, “If we go practice now, we won’t be able to sleep, and it will be tiring. Are you all okay with that?”
“Of course! We all practiced for three hours back when we were Na Ah Ah!”
“We can all endure it, Ye-rin.”
“…No, it’s okay for everyone else, but Han-na…”
As I pointed out Na Han-na, who looked half asleep, she shook her head and said firmly.
“…I can do it too. I want to.”
“……”
Even sleepy Na Han-na stepped up like this…
It seemed that all the Rookies members had such kind hearts.
They must have been worried about me sacrificing sleep to go practice vocal training every night.
This support from the members made me feel very grateful.
So…
“…Alright, then let’s go together.”
I nodded and grabbed the members’ hands as we headed to the practice room.
“…Wait, why are you all here?”
“We’re all here to practice together!”
Han Si-woo was as surprised as I was when all Rookies barged into the practice room, but he soon accepted everyone.
However, the practice room had originally been reserved for just me and Han Si-woo, so it was too small to accommodate everyone…
“You’re training every night?”
Director Jeong solved this problem.
“Even though I prioritize keeping sleep time, your enthusiasm is incredible, so I will book a larger practice room where you can all practice freely.”
Director Jeong utilized NAS Entertainment’s funds to secure a practice room near our dormitory for the members to practice in.
Thus, Han Si-woo and the Rookies moved there for nightly training.
Members lacking in vocals took vocal training, while those lacking in dance received dance training.
They shared tips with each other and helped out during training sessions.
And after a month of hectic training…
“Ugh, I’m dying.”
“What time do we wake up tomorrow?”
“Is it 7 AM? Probably?”
“Wow, really? Then we could sleep for 3 hours, right?”
We gradually got used to the grueling schedule.
Initially, members who struggled like sickly chickens were soon able to endure early morning practices with ease.
Of course…
“Han-na and Yoo-jin are already asleep, huh?”
“What? You guys! Wake up, you should be sleeping at home, not here!”
Na Han-na, who always loved sleeping, and Seo Yoo-jin still struggled, but…
They both managed to steal some naps during the waiting times between schedules, sticking around with the members until the end.
“Ah… laying on the practice room floor together reminds me of the Na Ah Ah days.”
“Right… ”
As Park Yoo-jung said this, everyone nodded in agreement.
After finishing a session, lying on the floor together felt reminiscent of our time as Na Ah Ah.
Just then, Han Si-woo entered.
“Everyone, instead of lying around, you should get up. I’ll drive you all back.”
Wow!
Although the practice room was only a ten-minute walk to the dorm, Han Si-woo would always pull out the Rookies’ van and drive us back.
As we woke up Seo Yoo-jin and Na Han-na, Han Si-woo turned as if he had forgotten something.
“Oh, I have an announcement to make… In two weeks, we’ll be preparing for Rookies’ third song.”
“The third song is already out?”
“Yes, since the third song is also a digital single, we prepared it much quicker than for an album.”
It feels like we just released the digital single Breaking Bad!, and we’re already preparing for a new song…
Digital singles seem to have this advantage in terms of speed.
By the way, Breaking Bad! maintained the number one spot on music streaming sites for three weeks before slowly dropping to ranks 3 and 4.
Interestingly, Secret Girl is still alive in the charts, hanging on at number 7.
Typically, once the fan interest fades, idol songs drop down quickly, but Rookies’ tracks surprisingly endured on the charts, making the fans feel grateful and proud.
“…I want to repay the fans somehow.”
As I muttered this to myself, Yoo Seol tilted her head and asked me.
“Hm? Ye-rin, what do you mean?”
“Oh, it’s just… I suddenly thought of thanking the fans. I was wondering if there was any way to repay them…”
“Showing good sides to the fans is a way of giving back. You’re already doing well enough right now.”
“Thank you, unnie.”
While Yoo Seol and I were having this warm conversation, someone cut in.
“Ye-rin, there are other ways to repay the fans.”
“…Huh?”
That was none other than Han Si-woo.
“There are many fans who like your appearance, Ye-rin. You could fulfill their new preferences.”
…Fulfill their new preferences?
“What do you mean…?”
Not understanding the meaning behind his words, I tilted my head, and Han Si-woo grinned playfully.
“I have something in mind. After the song preparation period ends, let’s go to the shop together.”
“……?”
Going to the shop was something I was used to, but today his words felt particularly meaningful.
‘What does he want to do at the shop…?’
At that moment, I had no idea what Han Si-woo could be thinking.
—
Hmmm, it’s not working well…
Negative comments often start small.
A story that begins in a small corner slowly grows into a massive wave.
Shin Si-woo, attempting to tarnish Rookies’ image in a forum, found it wasn’t easy.
Though he tried to poke at it through anonymous forums and gossip, the fans’ loyalty to Rookies was surprisingly strong.
Ugh, this is annoying…
If Rookies ended up wrapping up on a good note, Ha Ye-rin would likely take most of the popularity in her next idol group re-debut.
That was a scenario Shin Si-woo fervently wished to avoid.
Huu…
With a heavy heart, he exhaled a cloud of smoke…
……
And gazed intently at the cigarette between his fingers.
While it might be a bit risky, if I use this, it will surely ruin them…
As Shin Si-woo lost himself in his thoughts, a notification chimed on his computer screen.
Hmm?
It was a new alert from Rookies’ fan account that he often lurked.
Trying to focus on burning the cigarette, he was about to overlook the notification when he saw the headline.
[Ye-rin dyed her hair-!!!]
……What?
With an alarming title, he once again gripped the mouse.
The image that greeted him showed…
A platinum blonde Ha Ye-rin, dressed in casual clothes, leaving what looked like a beauty shop.
……
The bright platinum blonde, almost white, made Shin Si-woo’s eyes widen and his mouth drop.
He had stubbornly believed that Ha Ye-rin only looked good with black hair.
But the newly dyed platinum blonde Ha Ye-rin…
Thud.
He was so entranced that he didn’t notice the cigarette butt fall to the floor.
Wow…
He grasped the monitor with trembling hands.
Thump.
As new preferences opened up, his heart began to race.
At the same time…
Thump, thump.
He felt an insatiable thirst building inside him.
It was a desire he’d never felt before, strong enough to feel truly desperate for.