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Translator: uly
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: Failed Idol EverPlanet
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Oh, a sub quest.
Pretending to fiddle with the contract, I quickly hit Y.
It was my first sub quest ever, so my expectations were sky-high. What would it be about?
A quest window popped up before my eager eyes.
[SUB QUEST OCCURRED!
[Debut Qualification Ability Evaluation]
▶Even if you've lost your memories, you still have to debut. But UJ Entertainment's head of overall management, Manager Hong Jae-pil, wants to cut you loose. Prove within the given timeframe that you deserve a spot in the debut lineup, and join it with your head held high.
Rank: D
Quest Completion Conditions:
1) Perform a song that moves the evaluators' hearts
2) Deliver a performance that dazzles the evaluators' eyes
Rewards on Completion: EXP, SPECIAL ITEM, EverPlanet Debut Lineup Confirmation
Penalty on Failure: MAIN QUEST FAILURE]
[Will you accept the quest? Y/N]
The penalty for failure was downright terrifying.
Well, just succeed, then.
Mastering one song shouldn't be a problem, even if my skills were rusty. A few days would do it.
I didn't waste my trainee days for nothing, after all.
The moment I hit Y, a window confirmed the quest acceptance.
At the same time, Manager Hong, who had been showing signs of hesitation, nodded.
"Alright. Then you'll be evaluated alongside everyone else at the debut qualification ability evaluation."
"Debut qualification ability evaluation?"
Not the monthly evaluation, not the debut showcase lineup—debut qualification ability evaluation?
I'd never heard the name before. It wasn't like the college entrance exam or anything.
"Anyway, right now we don't think you can make the debut lineup anymore. We need to pick one person from the remaining trainees to fill your spot. That's what this evaluation is for."
"..."
So, they'd already planned my dismissal down to the last detail.
I narrowed my eyes at Manager Hong.
He continued without a care.
"It's not hard to give you a shot. If you can show your original skills properly, of course we'd pick you. But you'll be evaluated on the same level as the other trainees, so keep that in mind."
"Got it. So when is this debut qualification ability evaluation?"
"It's scheduled for three days from now. We need to fill the spot ASAP. You get what I mean?"
Three days? ...That was tight.
The moment that thought crossed my mind, ding! A small line appeared at the top of my vision.
[Time until Debut Qualification Ability Evaluation: D-3]
...How thoughtful of you, system.
I shot a sharp glare at the empty air.
"Understood. I'll prepare. One vocal track and one dance track, right?"
"Yeah. Three days—give it your all."
That vile glint in his eyes, like he was eager to see how badly I'd flop.
It had been a while since my competitive fire was lit.
Anyone else, maybe, but I was going to flatten that nose of Manager Hong's.
Even if it was already flat as a pancake.
That's when a new kind of notification appeared, one I'd never seen before. It had a bright yellow crown icon.
[New! Acquired New Title!
『Fledgling Negotiator』
You've successfully taken your first step in negotiation.
Title Reward: +10% Negotiation Success Rate]
Oh. A 10% boost to negotiation success? Nice.
Looked like it'd come in handy plenty in the future.
An unexpected bonus.
Anyway, time to put on a stage in three days that'd satisfy everyone.
I could do it. No—I had to.
Failure meant 'complete death.'
* * *
After hashing it out with Manager Hong, I left the company with my manager hyung.
With his bear-like build and big, round eyes that didn't quite match, he asked,
"Jae-ya. Think you can pull it off in three days?"
"Have to try."
"Yeah, you do. Go hard at it. You've practiced plenty, so your body's gotta remember something."
My manager hyung pressed the elevator button for the first floor and kept going.
"Head to the dorm for now. Manager Hong said you can share with the debut kids for the next three days. All your stuff's there anyway."
"Ah... Got it. Where's the dorm, hyung?"
"Not far from here. Ten-minute walk."
Dorms are always near the agency to save time.
Probably some villa around here. Apartments were too pricey.
"Here it is."
As expected, it was a small villa.
No elevator, either, so we climbed to the fourth floor. ...Count it as exercise. Free cardio.
"The kids probably haven't headed to practice yet. You don't remember them either, right, Jae?"
"Uh... Yeah. Probably."
I didn't remember exactly who was who, but I'd recognize their faces, more or less.
Bodies that had caused all sorts of incidents, after all.
"Then greet them first when we get in. They were really worried about you."
"Oh, really?"
The guys who'd pulled all those stunts were worried about me?
I had a hard time believing that more than the fly buzzing past my face right now, but I followed my manager hyung into the dorm anyway.
"Kids, Jae's here."
At my manager hyung's words, crash-bang-clatter! Something collapsed, and one guy came sprinting to the entryway.
Total young master type, obvious from how delicately he'd been raised. Oh, him...
"Jae hyung, you okay? Heard you lost your memories. For real?"
"Yeah, for real. Where's Teddy and Tae-hee?"
"Teddy hyung's at Korean lessons, and Tae-hee hyung left early for school. So you don't remember us either, hyung?"
"Nope. Not a single one."
"Tsk tsk. They say even a lucky bastard falls on their face eventually..."
My manager hyung answered for me, and the guy clicked his tongue, shaking his head.
Then the other guys at the kitchen table came over to the entryway.
Looked like they'd been eating.
They bombarded me with questions.
"Hey, you really have amnesia?"
"Jae-ya. You okay?"
"Yo, Ha Jae. Amnesia for real?"
Noisy bunch. I scanned the guys each spouting their own thing.
Looking closer, yeah—they were all familiar faces.
That's right. These were the members who'd debut with me in EverPlanet.
And the ones who'd vanished like shooting stars amid scandals in my first life.
Amid the racket, one buff, quiet guy sitting there asked me in a worried voice.
"How's your body feeling?"
"It's fine."
I answered casually, my eyes unwittingly sweeping over his build.
Pecs straining against his black t-shirt, perfectly sculpted physique.
Face like a pure doe, but that body... seriously intimidating. The ultimate gap moe, huh?
"At least that's a relief. Would've been way worse if something was broken."
If my memory served, this was Lee Jae-oh.
I'd seen an article somewhere about a promising fencer selected for the national team at 19, only to switch to idol after a tragic accident in competition.
Makes sense why his body's so jacked.
But pre-regression, he'd assaulted a fan for some reason and faced criminal charges, retiring in disgrace.
He seemed pretty serious now—didn't strike me as the type...
Well, you can't judge a book by its cover.
Then the guy next to him snarked,
"Hey, but heard you're packing up now? What're you gonna do?"
"Kim Kwang-myeong!"
"What? It's true. Something about a debut eval to replace him. Right, manager hyung?"
"...Jae's already on edge—why bring that up, Kwang-myeong? Plus, Jae's older than you."
"We weren't exactly on sweet-talking terms before. And what hyung? He's no hyung..."
Yeah, I knew this one for sure. The rapper who went by B-light.
Looked like a hamster, and his mouth was something to behold.
But the real issue wasn't his attitude.
It was that during EverPlanet's rising phase, dating rumors exploded with a member of top-tier girl group Oceans.
That drove away even the handful of remaining fans, big time contributing to EverPlanet's downfall.
Skillful guy.
And the kicker? After his contract ended, he blew up as a producer-rapper.
Appeared on hip-hop survival show Show Me the Beat (or Showbiz for short) and snagged first place.
I eyed him closely. Person of interest.
He flinched under my gaze, then barked even more prickly.
"What. Why."
"Heard I'm supposed to be your hyung. Let's keep it respectful."
"What?"
I wanted to smack some discipline into him right there, but held back.
I'd get cut before the eval even started.
"Hey. How far back does your memory cut off? Why're you suddenly..."
"Cut it out, Kim Kwang-myeong."
Kim Kwang-myeong. That must be his real name.
The guy who'd been reining him in stopped him, and Kwang-myeong smacked his lips with a pissed expression.
Arrogant as hell.
Sighing at Kwang-myeong, the guy turned to me.
"But seriously, you remember nothing? Enough to mess up debut?"
"Forgot all the debut prep. Just the basics from training stick."
"...This is nuts."
This one was probably the leader. My trainee tenure told me so.
These types usually ended up leaders.
Round face, good vibes—like a golden retriever.
But don't let the soft face fool you. He was a fighting cock.
I'd seen him clash with others, sparking personality controversies and becoming an internet punching bag multiple times.
Even blew up big within the group once.
Couldn't recall who with, exactly.
Honestly, shouldn't the personality flak be on him?
I glanced at Kwang-myeong, who'd botched the first impressions, then back to the leader.
"I'm Su-rim, by the way. Park Su-rim. Year older than you. Sorry I couldn't visit in the hospital. Practice was insane—couldn't squeeze it in."
"Nah, it's fine. Wouldn't have remembered anyway."
I knew how packed debut prep was.
Unless I was dying, they couldn't drop everything.
"Yeah... Uh... Did you hear what happened? How you ended up like this?"
"Yeah. Fell during dance practice..."
"Right. Happened while practicing the debut choreo. And we're the members set to debut with you."
Though not anymore... Leader Park Su-rim trailed off with an awkward smile.
My manager hyung shook his head firmly.
"Nope. Jae's doing the eval with you all. Don't jump the gun."
"Oh, really?"
"What? Thought you were out."
"Kim Kwang-myeong!"
"What."
That mouth of his was way too loose.
Thinking about carrying that around already gave me a headache.
The first guy who'd greeted me shot Kwang-myeong a glare and patted my shoulder.
"Sheesh, why's that hyung acting up today? Ignore him, Jae hyung. He talks big, but yesterday he..."
"Hey, shut it. You wanna shut it or not?"
"Anyway. So it's still up in the air? If you pass the eval, you debut as planned, right? Yeah?"
Go Eun-young. Knew her without asking.
Star of the mega-hit audition show [My Singing Got Better], known nationwide.
Decent fame, killer vocals. Probably main vocal in the group.
But near the end of group activities, she caused a massive stir.
Accused of staff bullying.
Already had personality issues from the show, and with the social climate super sensitive to power abuse, Go Eun-young took the full brunt and sank.
Never saw her on TV after.
Looking at them all, every single one had pulled some colossal screw-up.
And thinking about the absent member who'd done something even bigger...
We're screwed. How the hell do I clear the main quest?
A wave of despair welled up in my throat.
But...
"Jae hyung, fight hard and beat 'em all. I'd love for you to debut with us."
"Yeah. Even if you forgot, your body's gotta remember something."
"Don't stress. It'll work out."
"Hmph. Can't bust through that, might as well pack up."
Seeing the kids like this, maybe I could make it work somehow.
No idea how these finite guys all ended up that way...
"Yeah. I'll give it my all."
A vague premonition hit me.
Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all. Something like that.