Chapter 97
‘Let’s debut now, Juha.’
Setting aside other comments, that post struck Juha’s heart with a pang. Even though Juha had never talked about how hard and difficult his 6 years of trainee life had been, or how agonizing it was to be dropped and re-challenge auditions, everyone understood and empathized with his feelings.
Memories from all this time flashed through his mind like a revolving lantern. Being harshly scolded during monthly evaluations while harboring resentment, and when he was younger, crying and repeating practice because of moves that wouldn’t work no matter how much he practiced. Having done his absolute best yet still being dropped, going through those painful times of hardship, he suddenly felt proud of himself now receiving fans’ support.
‘Can I really debut now?’
Currently ranked 3rd place. If he just maintains his current position in the 3rd competition, he’ll advance to the finals. Only Choi Taeri and Na Junho were ahead of him. Those two felt like high mountains to Juha. But 3rd place was sufficient too, and since debut was the priority, he shouldn’t be too hung up on rankings.
‘Let’s just keep looking forward as usual.’
Juha, who had been lost in sentiment, suddenly snapped to attention at his cell phone ringing.
Past 2 AM, the caller was Han Jaewan.
“Oh, hyung? What’s up at this late hour?”
-Juha, what time are you free from tomorrow?
Jaewan asked a question right off the bat as soon as he called. Judging from the sounds coming through the phone, it seemed like he had just gotten in his car.
“I’m free anytime tomorrow?”
-I’m getting off work now and not going to the company tomorrow. I’ll look after you all day, so come to the practice room.
“Really?”
Juha asked back while unconsciously checking the time again. Han Jaewan had been at the company past 2 AM.
“But hyung, aren’t you tired?”
-I’ve been bothered ever since I sent you away like that last time saying I was busy. I have to help you this time. Is 10 AM tomorrow okay?
“Yes, yes yes!”
Juha answered hastily.
-Got it. Rest well today and see you tomorrow.
“Thank you, hyung!”
As soon as he hung up, Juha’s heart was pounding. He couldn’t practice properly last holiday because someone else was using the practice room, but if he receives special training from Han Jaewan tomorrow, it would definitely be a great help for the 3rd competition.
Thinking about receiving proper coaching, Juha even felt excited.
‘Let’s sleep quickly first.’
Juha hurriedly changed into pajamas and lay down on the bed.
* * *
His mother had prepared a table full of breakfast, but Juha just ate a little rice mixed in soup and got up.
“Why aren’t you eating more? Are you going somewhere? This was just made, eat before you go.”
His mother asked while placing freshly cooked braised potatoes on the table.
“I’m going to practice at Jaewan hyung’s place. He said he has time today.”
“Still, you should eat properly before going out. Once you start practicing, you don’t take care of meals and just dance.”
“If I eat too much, it interferes with practice.”
Feeling sorry for his mother who had prepared a full table, Juha made an awkward excuse.
“Will you be back late?”
His mother cleared the dishes with a very disappointed face. The food was almost untouched and clean as new.
“I’m going to practice until Jaewan hyung has time and then come back. I’m sorry. I’ll eat when I come back later.”
“Be careful. You’re going back to the dorms tomorrow.”
“I know.”
Juha answered with a chuckle at his mother’s concern.
Pulling his hat down low and wearing a mask, as soon as he went outside, the summer heat hit him.
Juha still hadn’t told his parents about the contacts from various companies after Serona Entertainment’s CEO Jung Changseon visited. He felt awkward because they might get too hopeful, and he wasn’t mentally prepared yet.
When other fans talk about Juha, they often say ‘Poor thing. Got dissed by Metabolic.’ When he was dropped from that Metabolic whose debut song couldn’t even enter the top 50 on the charts, it felt like the world was collapsing, but now he had made the person who abandoned him come to his house carrying a fruit basket. He hadn’t even told Taeri about this story. He didn’t want to tell Taeri about such detailed troubles. It might be the victim mentality of Juha as an independent trainee, but at least to Taeri, he just wanted to always look good.
Since the betrayal by Jung Changseon hadn’t healed yet, both Juha and his parents needed resolve to belong to a company again. But most of all, the biggest reason was waiting for contact from a bigger company. Thinking of his dropped trainee days, he could say his stomach was full, but he wanted to be careful about this contract. The average contract period for idols is 7 years, so the company he contracts with this time, he’ll spend more than half of his twenties with. After wasting his teens like that, his remaining twenties became even more precious. Even if Juha went a little slower, he hoped to keep his wits about him and work with a proper place.
Unlike last holiday when five places contacted him, this time only one new place contacted him. But since it was an entertainment company based on Chinese capital, he wasn’t interested. The companies he’d been in contact with before contacted him again asking if he’d thought about it, and he just answered that he wasn’t sure yet.
No other surprising contacts came.
‘Was yesterday’s broadcast bad?’
As a member he wanted to debut with, Juha received as many as three votes from participants in the top 5. Excluding Juha himself, everyone in the top 5 except Yoo Youngin said they wanted to be with Juha.
Whether that wasn’t much merit, or whether his portion yesterday lacked impact, Juha worried while creating non-existent faults.
The contact he was waiting for was from Fandom Entertainment. Even putting contract issues aside, he wanted to receive a contract offer from Fandom and get confirmation that he was on the same level as Taeri. It was useless pride and Taeri would say it was stupid if he heard it, but he wanted to be able to stand next to him without being intimidated and with confidence.
Hoping to contract with a good company and have things work out well, to achieve his dream and make his family happy so he could laugh saying the pain experienced at Serona was just a thing of the past. Thinking like this, Juha opened the practice room door.
“Jaewan hyung! You came early?”
“Oh, Juha’s here?”
Jaewan greeted Juha while stretching. His face was bright, as if he wasn’t tired from working until late last night.
* * *
After lightly warming up for about an hour, hard training soon followed. Today Juha pestered Jaewan to teach him KRUMP. It was a dynamic and strong dance with many movements that violently bounced the body. Juha didn’t like that his image in the audition was solidifying as weak. Changing his image with energetic dance was Juha’s plan for the 3rd competition.
Han Jaewan’s skills were always good, but after becoming an official dance trainer, his teaching ability had become remarkably higher. Moreover, since Juha concentrated and followed well, Jaewan seemed even more excited.
“Haa, haa. Hey, let’s rest a bit. How do you never once say let’s rest?”
Eventually Jaewan got tired first and sat down heavily on the floor.
“Haa, gasp. Time is precious. It’s not like hyung has time often either.”
Juha said while wiping sweat flowing down his forehead. Since it was sweat he’d shed anyway, they practiced with the air conditioner off, and his whole body was soaked as if he’d showered with sweat. Dancing too intensely made him feel like every joint in his bones was separating, but Juha even liked the screams from inside his body.
“You’ll hurt your body practicing like that. No matter how much being an idol is a short-term business, you have to think about your body.”
Jaewan turned the air conditioner on high and brought two bottles of water from the refrigerator, throwing them to Juha. After gulping down the cool water, his heated breathing gradually found its place.
“But you, didn’t anyone contact you?”
Jaewan asked Juha carefully. It was a potentially burdensome question, but since they were comrades who experienced the same pain, it wasn’t uncomfortable.
“Hyung, do you know who came to our house last week?”
“Who?”
At Juha’s sudden question, Jaewan showed momentary curiosity.
“Jung Changseon.”
“That fucking bastard……”
As soon as Jaewan heard the name, he poured out curses. Jaewan had also been a trainee at Serona for 4 years before being dropped. When he was dropped at age 21, he couldn’t waste time looking for another agency. He went to the military right away, and as soon as he was discharged, he swept b-boy competitions and entered a major corporation subsidiary called ‘Illi’ as a dance trainer.
His basic skills were outstanding, and since he was famous as a b-boy even before being a trainee, he was a successful case among dropped trainees, but the wounds from Serona remained with Jaewan for a long time.
“Don’t tell me he wants you to sign again?”
“Yes.”
“Wow, how can a person be so shameless? How can he do such things while wearing human skin? Isn’t he embarrassed?”
Juha just chuckled without answering. Seeing Jaewan getting angry as if it happened to him, Juha felt good as if confirming he had a reliable ally.
“You’re not thinking of saying yes, are you?”
Jaewan couldn’t hide his suspicious look, as if he couldn’t feel at ease.
“Of course not.”
“I’m saying this now. Honestly, after you and I practiced for one or two years and devoted all our youth to that extent, being dropped from the debut group and immediately acting like they don’t know us was too much. Companies with conscience at least offer office jobs. But look at me. In the end, it wasn’t Jung Changseon who took me in but another company.”
“That’s right. It just, felt a bit strange. That’s why I wanted to tell hyung.”
After saying everything, he felt somehow embarrassed. Once he opened his mouth, it seemed like his true feelings would pour out like a broken dam.
“You did well. You need to open up your inner thoughts like that. You have a refreshing personality where you say everything when your stomach churns, but you absolutely never talk about your inner feelings. How much must Jung Changseon be beating the ground in regret? The stone he threw away thinking it was a worthless rock was actually a diamond in the rough.”
After saying what he wanted to say refreshingly and praising Juha, his gaze wandered awkwardly for no reason. Juha had also thought he was a useless and pathetic worthless rock. But appearing on My Idol, climbing step by step, and learning about fans’ love, he realized his own value.
“Ahem, so anyway.”
Jaewan cleared his voice and then glanced at Juha cautiously.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
