Chapter 23.2
With two regressors around, there was no guarantee Pick Your Romeo would unfold the same way as before. Myeong In Woo, originally a Reverb member, going to Ciel was already a massive upheaval.
However, I was certain that at least Choi Hyun Hee and Go Ha Ram would debut. Just as I had marked these two in advance, Cheon Tae Rim surely wouldâve included them in his lineup as well.
Strictly speaking, rather than believing in Choi Hyun Heeâs growth potential, I was banking on the cunning manipulations of the regressor, Cheon Tae Rim. Even if Choi Hyun Hee stumbled, Tae Rim would somehow manage to patch things upâŠ
But Hyun Hee seemed to mistakenly believe that I genuinely trusted his potential. How could he not grow fond of me when an outstanding trainee who’d joined only recently expressed such confidence in his debut chances?
With just a few words, I succeeded in winning over Choi Hyun Hee. Considering how hostile we’d been in my past life, the irony wasn’t lost on me.
After that, whether in the A-Class practice room or Jang Hye Joonâs personal studio, Hyun Hee always stuck close by my side.
With Ha Ram behind me and Hyun Hee on my right, dragging along the most promising members like some pied piper, Tae Rimâs stare became even more persistent.
Now that Hyun Hee had started following me, no matter how capable Tae Rim was, unless he completely abandoned Hyun Hee, disposing of me quietly would be nearly impossible.
Just as I was smugly celebrating my victory, Jang Hye Joon also began losing his mind, just like Hyun Hee had. Hye Joon clung to me like an S-pole magnet drawn to an N-pole.
âDonât go to Ciel.â
âBut wouldnât they at least debut me there?â
âNo. You can’t go there.â
âWhy?â
âBecause you’re debuting with me.â
âYouâre insanely confident.â
âItâs perfect timing, actually. Since the debut lineup will be decided through a survival show, even if your parents object, as long as you rank high enough, you’ll debut anyway.â
âThink theyâll rank me high enough?â
âIf R&M doesn’t, I’ll make sure you do.â
ââŠâŠâ
âYouâre debuting with me.â
There was no way Iâd lose that face, those skills, and all those celebrity connections through his parents. Having famous actor parents might not immediately help after debut, but once our Neotube channel took off, it would become an ultimate cheat key.
Besides, building strong connections in the acting world meant that if our idol careers faltered, switching to acting would become an open option. Jang Hye Joon was essentially a long-term insurance plan for my future.
Given my fear of blood and tendency to faint at the mere sight of knives, itâd be difficult for me to switch to acting myself. But who knew about the others? During acting lessons, Iâd seen several who had potential. As time went on, securing career options beyond idol activities was the safest route.
In that sense, Jang Hye Joon was someone who could provide a long-term lifelineânot just for me, but for other members as well. I shamelessly persuaded him without holding back. You can do it, weâll debut together, donât be discouraged by your parentsâ objections⊠Every word was calculated and necessary.
Even though I was blatantly flattering him to keep his spirits high, Hye Joon actually took it seriously, diving into preparations for Pick Your Romeo with newfound determination.
Whether at the R&M practice room or his private studio, he stopped slacking off entirely and began practicing relentlessly.
As Hyun Hee and Hye Joon started practicing harder, a subtle rivalry began to grow between them.
Because trainee rivalries were typically the perfect fertilizer for growth, I watched their progress with quiet satisfaction. Grow quickly and become Reverbâs strong pillars. Let me relax comfortably in the shade you create.
Maybe it was because Iâd been watching them with sly intentions, but at some point, Hyun Hee and Hye Joon started openly competing, using me as their battleground. Like cats suddenly baring claws at each other, they didnât hesitate to start catfights.
How on earth did things turn out this way?
âAre you bringing Hyun Hee and Ha Ram to the studio again tomorrow?â
âItâs better if we all practice together.â
âThatâs true, butâŠâ
Hye Joon glanced furtively to my side. Choi Hyun Hee was glaring at him with an expression clearly screaming, ‘Take me along too.’
Yet the real problem wasnât these two guys sticking to me like glue. It was the increasingly sharp gaze fixed on me the closer Hyun Hee and Hye Joon got. That intense stare accusing me of manipulating innocent kidsâŠ
Standing far away, demoted clearly to B-Class, Cheon Tae Rim was glaring at me with murderous intent.
