Chapter 15 - Keyword (1)
I thought it would be impossible to stay up all night at this age unless I had a sh*t ton amount of work.
But it wasn’t.
When humans were in a pinch, they could do anything. Thanks to that, I greeted the morning with sleepless eyes.
Not only my memory had been erased, but with my mouth sealed shut as well, it felt like all my limbs were tied up.
‘The biggest problem is not knowing exactly what constitutes direct information.’
Such subjective expressions were dangerous. Wasn’t it like laying traps everywhere and hoping something would get caught?
I got out of bed with difficulty, pessimistic about an unfortunate future.
Even though I was forced to sign a security agreement, I still had to work.
That was the fate of office workers.
“Did I fall asleep while working overtime to end up like this…?”
I unconsciously muttered to myself, and Choi Jeho and Lee Cheonghyeon looked at me with an uneasy gaze.
I left the two of them and walked out of the room. Just then, Jeong Seongbin was coming into the living room.
Having made eye contact with me, Jeong Seongbin approached and asked.
“Didn’t sleep well last night?”
“A little bit.”
Then Jeong Seongbin hesitated for a moment before whispering in my ear.
“Hyung.”
“What is it?”
“Did you stay up because you were looking into the future?”
“What?”
The mischievous expression on Jeong Seongbin’s face as he turned around made it clear he was joking.
His consideration in trying to hold back his laughter only made me feel more embarrassed.
When I told him to just laugh openly, Jeong Seongbin didn’t hold back.
Are you happy?
Since you’re laughing, I’m happy too. Don’t you dare say you’re quitting being a trainee from now on.
* * *
“Iwol, you said you wanted to see me?”
When I arrived at UA, the manager called me. It was because I requested a meeting.
It was only about one matter: the use of smartphones.
As someone who only had a 2G phone, the only way for me to get outside information was by secretly going to a PC room at dawn or using the public phone in the dorm.
Even when I used the spare phone, I always opened it in incognito mode, but my heart pounded, worrying that someone might suddenly ask, ‘Who searched ‘I see something weird in front of me’ on the phone?’.
So, I tried to get a cheap smartphone under my name, but unfortunately, UA didn’t allow trainees to use cell phones.
Maybe they let me off the hook for a month because I had a 2G phone. Anyway, this company only had a soft spot for useless things.
But what I wanted was not the confiscation of phones or the use of 2G phones, but the use of smartphones.
Since I was dropped into the past with my memory erased, I needed to secure access to information.
As expected, the manager’s response to my request was not very positive.
“That’s not possible. The other kids also agreed not to have personal phones until debut.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Moreover, UA didn’t let them use their cell phones for a year after their debut.
There was no way I could just brush off such an important issue so easily.
Despite my rising hostility, the manager remained steadfast.
“We don’t mean anything bad with it, it’s because the company has to manage you kids, so I hope you can understand.”
I felt it was excessively outdated but I kept silent for now.
Even if I said, ‘Spark never caused any problems with their phones,’ who would believe me?
“Iwol, since you haven’t been preparing to be an idol for very long, you may not know, but there have been many cases where one mistake made in a post later turned out to be a big problem. The company is trying to prevent that.”
“Yes. But manager, can you at least consider the reason I need a phone?”
I expressed respect for the company’s policy and that I would follow the result no matter what, but humbly requested to be heard.
As long as I made it clear that the decision was up to the company, most people would let me speak unless they were an unreasonable person like Manager Nam.
Fortunately, the manager was kind and gave me time.
“I don’t remember if I mentioned this when I joined, but I don’t have a good relationship with my parents, so I’m living independently.”
“Yes, I heard from the management team.”
Then that would make the story quick.
My situation, where my guardian moved without a word and lost contact, was poorer compared to other trainees.
Because trainees needed money for expenses beyond what the company covered. Like buying shoes or medicine, for example.
“I need a smartphone to manage living expenses or find a part-time job, so I asked in advance. Would it be difficult to check it just once a day?”
Going to the ATM every day to check my card or bank balance was too difficult with the tight practice schedule. The manager agreed with this.
“You’re going to work part-time too?”
“If I can find one that fits around my practice time. Of course, I plan to do it after mastering the basics.”
To reassure the manager, I strongly expressed that I had no intention of wasting time.
However, the manager’s concerns didn’t end there.
“I heard you’re always the last one to leave. The kids say that. Do you have the stamina for it?”
“All I have is my stamina. I’ll be fine.”
To be honest, I believed Hanpyeong Industry hired me based on my stamina. That was why they worked me tirelessly.
While I was lost in thought, the manager pondered for a moment and said,
“I’ll discuss it if it’s just once a day. But don’t get your hopes up too high since it might not work out. And consult me first before starting any part-time job.”
“Yes, thank you.”
“Okay. Practice hard!”
The manager patted my back a couple of times and left. With this, my immediate tasks were more or less settled.
I was worried that my sister might have tried to contact me and I wouldn’t be able to answer right away…
But from my sister’s perspective, it probably wasn’t pleasant to be contacted by a younger brother who couldn’t even support himself yet.
Apart from finding out my sister’s situation, I decided to remain silent, thinking it wouldn’t be wise to advertise my presence here.
Feeling refreshed, I headed to the practice room, where Park Joowoo was coming from the opposite direction.
Park Joowoo must have been vigorously practicing dance while I was gone, as he was drenched in sweat and filling up his water bottle.
“…Where were you?”
“I had a meeting with the manager.”
“…?”
“He said I’m so shockingly untalented that special measures are needed.”
Park Joowoo’s pupils shook after hearing my words.
“Really…?”
“Half joke, half serious. Which is the serious part?”
“…That you’re untalented?”
“It’s true, but it hurts a little.”
Relieved that I wasn’t getting cut, Park Joowoo seemed slightly at ease.
Did he think it was good that I wasn’t leaving?
If my guess was correct, it would be best not to get too emotionally attached to anyone. The world outside would be full of people trying to take advantage of these kids.
Since it seemed a bit cold to just joke and leave first, I waited until Park Joowoo finished filling his water bottle.
“Hyung… have you decided on your song for the next evaluation?”
It hadn’t been that long since the last monthly evaluation, but the next one was already waiting.
The onslaught of tests reminded me of the pop quizzes back in high school.
“I’ve just narrowed down the list. I’ll have to pick one by the end of the week.”
Then I suddenly remembered that Park Joowoo had received some criticism regarding his song selection. He must have his own worries.
“When are you going to start preparing?”
“…I’m thinking about it.”
Park Joowoo, closing the lid of his water bottle, looked quite troubled.
No matter how annoying I found these kids, seeing someone ten years younger so downcast was a bit painful.
So, I called forth the social skills I had honed at Hanpyeong Industries just a bit.
“I learned the bass as a hobby. If you ever want to sing a band song, let me know. I’ll accompany you.”
“Really…?”
Yes. I learned it from a university club that I couldn’t go to anymore.
In front of my bitterness, Park Joowoo’s eyes lit up. He seemed quite excited.
“…Cheonghyeon knows how to play the keyboard too.”
“Then you bring him along.”
Even if I debuted and quit immediately, there should still be a chance to accompany them.
After that, the conversation about bands spanning different eras didn’t end until we arrived at the practice room.
When I suggested that we would have more opportunities to talk soon, Park Joowoo nodded in agreement.
Somehow, Park Joowoo’s back as he entered the practice room looked a little happy.
* * *
A few days later, I got permission to use a phone.
It was a primitive format where I had to ask the manager for a phone on the day I needed it, use it for 1 hour, and then return it, but it was satisfactory enough.
As soon as the budget phone I ordered online arrived, I installed a stock trading app and checked that my beloved investments were doing well, then bookmarked a few remote job postings.
With some time left over, I searched for keywords on the portal site that I couldn’t show my housemates who used the unlock phone.
(TL note: Unlock phone is a term in Korea, but I forgot what it was. I am sorry, guys.)
‘Suddenly became an idol.’
‘Woke up and found myself back in the past.’
‘I see letters in front of me.’
At the same time, I fervently prayed that the current situation was not just the Korean version of the Truman Show.
If this situation was being broadcast nationwide, I would probably lose the courage to step outside.
It was impossible for someone like me, who prided myself on being ordinary, to suddenly become a recycled life experimenter.
So, I thought there must be similar cases I didn’t know about somewhere and started searching.
“Huh?”
Something actually appeared in the search results.
It was a link that led to a web novel.
On the platform I accessed, there were countless sad stories of idols who returned to the past, idols who debuted by chance, and idols who ended up in a game world, all forced to stamp their contracts.
By the time I learned that 회빙환 (hoebinghwan) was an abbreviation for ‘hoegwi’ (regression), ‘bingui’ (reincarnation), and ‘hwansaeng’ (rebirth), I also figured out that my situation fell under regression.
(TL note: As explained by Iwol above, hoebinghwan is a term in Korea commonly referring to the oversaturated regression/waking up in a different body genre.)
Usually, people who experienced hoebinghwan got hit by a truck in the original world or fell asleep while passionately enjoying some content.
Compared to me who regressed while overworking overtime, everyone else’s setup was more dramatic. I supposed life wasn’t always like a drama.
Moreover, how could they roll me back 9 whole years without even sending a regression truck?
Weren’t they being too cost-effective with me?
Due to the limited time I could use the phone, I only managed to read up to the 25th episode of the novels available for free.
So I only learned the sad law that anyone caught in the shackles of regression must inevitably become an idol.
Of course, I did gain some useful information.
The most intuitive way to describe the members’ personalities using refined language.
‘#Tragic, #Schemer, #BlackScreen, #Healing…’
That’s right, keywords.
I am sorry for not updating this novel for a long time. But it's back on track now^^