Chapter 100

The 100th episode of "The Idol's Technique That Never Fails"

[Who is today's guest worker?]

[↳First Light]

[↳↳I don't think they'll work.]

[↳↳↳They seem like a bunch of rascals.]

Soon after, the broadcast began, and the members getting out of the car were shown.

[↳↳↳They really are a bunch of rascals, huh?]

[↳↳↳X is putting on airs.]

Finally, Jeong Hae-won got out, bowed to the crew, and said,

"Hello. Did the kids greet you?"

"Yes, they did."

"I'm sorry, but all of us except me are I. They're not bad kids."

[↳↳↳He's really putting on a show, huh?]

[↳↳↳↳Starting off with a bang.]

From the beginning, the character of being shy was set, and even when the team was divided and the members seemed awkward, it was all absorbed as part of their character.

[↳↳↳↳Can they all really be shy like that?]

[↳↳↳↳↳First Light is a group with one E and six I's...]

[↳↳↳↳↳↳But they're still greeting people enthusiastically.]

[↳↳↳↳↳↳↳If they don't greet people, they'd just seem rude...]

[↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳Kyaa, Choi Jung-min could start a labor force now.]

[↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳If they hadn't released an album this time, I would have forgotten they were idols.]

[↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳Even my daughter didn't know Choi Jung-min was an idol.]

[↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳He's still an idol, not just a former one...]

[↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳But Choi Jung-min really loves the talkative member.]

[↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳He's the title composer, you know.]

[↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳What?????]

[↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳This is real, lol.]

[↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳Wow, he's everywhere.]

After moving to a new location and the team being divided, the cooking team appeared. Hwang Sae-beol looked at the amount of meat and muttered,

"It's probably not enough. But we have plenty of ramen, right?"

Then, the quiet Kim Su-kyung glanced at him and replied,

"We have plenty. But it looks like more than enough."

"Our members eat a lot."

"If we finish all of that, it's more than just a lot."

"Ah..."

Hwang Sae-beol nodded, and the conversation ended.

While he was carefully pounding the meat for the cutlet, Jeong Hae-won entered the makeshift kitchen, glanced around, and then left.

Then, Kim Su-kyung said,

"Our dog at home is just like that."

"He checks each room to see if people are there?"

"Yes, when I was about to debut, my grandmother..."

Hwang Sae-beol stopped talking, and Kim Su-kyung nodded.

"Our dog, Kkami, is an old lady, and I'm worried. She's not eating."

"When they don't eat, it's really the saddest."

"Exactly. It means they have no will to live."

"True. Eating is their joy."

"Right. But do any of your members not eat raw fish?"

"I don't know. They just disappear when I put it down, so I can't check."

"Ah, right."

[↳↳↳↳↳Haha, what a question.]

[↳↳↳↳↳↳Kim Su-kyung looks like he's found a kindred spirit.]

[↳↳↳↳↳↳↳They're both introverted, but they get along well.]

[↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳First Light is really good at their work.]

[↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳It's satisfying to see them do well.]

[↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳Even Hae-won, who's so noisy and busy, is really good at his job.]

[↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳He's not a beginner at wiping water or adding oil...]

[↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳It's nice to see guests who are good at their work on 'Find the Worker'.]

[↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳My parents are really into it because they work hard and eat well...]

[↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳First Light might win them over.]

[↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳The members all have a certain edge, which makes it fun to watch.]

[↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳I burst out laughing every time Hae-won appears... Maybe I'll become a fan too.]

[↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳But does Hae-won like the regretful fans?]

[↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳At a signing event, when a fan said sorry, he smiled and said, 'Let's not say things like that among ourselves.']

[↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳But the fans know he's not really okay with it...]

[↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳Still, First Light really loves their team.]

[↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳This is surprising. I thought his contract was short, so he wouldn't be so attached to the team.]

[↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳I was surprised by this broadcast too.]

[↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳Will VMC maintain First Light even if they acquire TRV?]

[↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳I don't know... Hae-won is so disliked.]

[↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳We should protest if Hae-won is treated unfairly.]

[↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳I'm a skipper, but I'll join you.]

[↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳↳It's reassuring.]

* * *

The reaction to the "Find the Worker" First Light episode was incredibly positive. They worked hard and did a great job, and they also ate well, which boosted their recognition and likability.

My parents were so pleased with the broadcast that they talked about it for about two hours over the phone, explaining what they liked about it. When I went on a survival show before, they said they watched it, but their comments weren't as detailed. It seems "Find the Worker" is a show tailored for adults.

I hope more shows like this come along for the sake of my parents.

Meanwhile, the release date for the mini 3rd album was approaching.

Today, one week before the release, the concept trailer, highlight medley, and teasers were scheduled to be released one by one.

This time, it's a concept we've never tried before, so the members are extremely nervous. I'm no exception.

While we were waiting for the concept trailer to be released at 12:00, I noticed An Ju-won's expression stiffen as he checked his phone.

"Why?"

When I asked, An Ju-won seemed to be debating whether to speak and finally said,

"The merger is almost confirmed."

"Ah."

I had imagined a scene where I would clash with VMC, but I hadn't imagined becoming part of VMC. On the other hand, the other members, except for me, had debuted under VMC and then faded away, so they must be feeling mixed emotions.

However, An Ju-won's expression suggested there was more to it. When I looked at his phone, it was a press release about a show that Spy had previously leaked. A documentary centered around the members of the debut group "Boys."

[‘From Boys’ confirmed for scheduling... Previewing the new look of the debut group 'Boys']

Hehe.

Lucky. If I hadn't checked it beforehand, the shock would have been much greater. Still, I wasn't too surprised because I already knew about this plan.

Since I wasn't as shocked as expected, Min Ji-ho, who was sitting next to me, asked with a slightly pouting face,

"Why aren't you surprised, Hyung? Such a serious article just came out!"

"No, I am surprised. I'm just too surprised to react."

It seems they released the press release right before our album to tear the team apart. I asked,

"How are the fans reacting?"

Then, Shin Ji-un, who was sitting on the sofa and looking at his phone, replied,

"Not well."

"Hey, I know they're not happy. How are they not happy?"

"Just, not well. Don't worry about it, Hyung."

"Are you... going through another rebellious phase?"

Even as I acted shocked, he ignored me. Ah, it seems the bad attitude I had before is coming back...

Still, Shin Ji-un wasn't wrong. The fans must be stressed, but I don't have the mental strength to check right now.

Instead, I turned on Xbus.

[Jeong Hae-won: Hae-sunis! Are you waiting for the concept trailer? I'm waiting too. I'm so excited!]

As soon as I posted, Min Ji-ho, who had been lying down listlessly, jumped up and said,

"Right. We need to reassure the Hae-sunis, not lose our energy, especially at a time like this."

Then, he gathered the members and said,

"We can't spoil anything, so just gather your hands for a team ring photo. In age order!"

Following Min Ji-ho's request, Park Seon-jae started stacking his hand, and the others followed. An Ju-won arranged the composition to make the team ring visible and took a beautiful photo. Then, Min Ji-ho posted the photo and a message on Xbus.

[Min Jo: Hae-sunis!!!!!!!!!! It's almost time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So, I'll leave a spoiler that Min Jo's Hyung made the trailer music and then leave...]

Then, 5 minutes before the trailer, he posted another message.

[Min Jo: 5 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hae-sunis, it's 5 minutes later!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!]

When I laughed at this, Min Ji-ho turned around and asked,

"Why are you laughing?"

"Wouldn't you laugh at this?"

"I'm too nervous to laugh..."

Min Ji-ho, who loves the stage, may seem bold, but he's one of the most nervous before an album release.

Even without Min Ji-ho, the other members were huddled against the wall, staring at their phone clocks. I looked at them and then at my phone.

To maintain our team, I'm willing to grab onto anything, even a straw or a snake's tail. I found the number I had saved from a previous text message.

[VVV Entertainment's Kang Hyo-jun A&R]

And I left a message for that number.

[Hello, this is Jeong Hae-won. I'm sorry to text you so late. I have something to say, so please let me know when you're available for a call.]

Then, I received an immediate reply.

[I'll call you after the trailer is uploaded.]

Even in a large company, and being the CEO's nephew, the A&R must work all night. Hehe. It's an extreme job...

* * *

12:00.

The First Light mini 3rd album concept trailer was uploaded.

A total of 1 minute and 1 second.

Fortunately, the First Light fans, who were in a somber mood due to VMC's bombshell, had calmed down thanks to the messages the members posted on Xbus.

And at 12:00.

[Oh... What are our kids...]

[My heart is melting in just 1 minute...]

[Is this a dream or reality?]

As soon as the trailer came out, all attention was focused on it.