Chapter 84
Former Japanese national judo team member and Olympic gold medalist.
And current mixed martial arts fighter, Yamamoto Takeshi.
Standing before a man who was the leader of an idol group from Korea, he was currently in a very foul mood.
'This isn't some kids' prank, what kind of nonsense is this?'
He had come to the filming location after hearing a request to verify a band vocalist's judo skills from their school days.
Since it was a variety show, he had expected this to some extent, but...
'It's not like I'm some villain.'
To provoke an ordinary person and ruthlessly subdue them in the ring—he had absolutely no tolerance for this kind of variety show theatrics.
And then.
'Now they want me to deal with some idol member too...'
Yamamoto Takeshi initially gestured toward a Korean man named Sunwoo Rin, who was sitting quietly in his seat as the production team had requested.
A member of a K-pop idol group from Korea.
While provoking him as the production team demanded, an uncomfortable feeling welled up inside him.
Although he didn't know much about idol culture, he had at least heard roughly about how extreme idol fans could be.
'If I touch this wrong, won't it become troublesome later?'
It wasn't even a member of their own country's idol group, but a member of a Korean idol group.
If he had known he'd have to deal with someone like that, he wouldn't have come in the first place.
'Haa... it can't be helped.'
He'd play along moderately and finish it quickly.
It wasn't like he had to end it within 10 seconds, and if he accidentally injured the other person, that would be the biggest problem.
With that thought, Yamamoto Takeshi spat out the line he didn't even want to say toward Sunwoo Rin in front of him.
[How shall I go easy on you?]
He wasn't sure if he had properly fulfilled the writer's request to speak leisurely while showing off the demeanor of a strong person, but.
[Woooaaaah!]
[So cool, Yamamoto-san!]
Hearing these sounds from around him, he was wondering if he had acted better than he thought and was feeling a bit proud, when.
[Please go all out.]
'Huh?'
An answer he hadn't expected at all came back from his opponent.
And then.
[Kyaaaaaah!]
[As expected, you don't back down, Rin-san!]
[I think I'm falling for you!]
'Go all out?'
His mood, which was already not good, sank even further at the opponent's fearless remark.
And then he finally got a proper look at the opponent he hadn't been paying attention to.
'With that pretty face.'
Unusually dyed white hair, and although he didn't want to admit it, outstanding looks that pulled off that strange hair wonderfully.
Finally, that expression that seemed to know no fear for some incomprehensible reason.
'Don't tell me he's relying only on his physique?'
His own height was by no means small, but Sunwoo Rin in front of him looked slightly taller than him.
Plus a body that looked solid, as if built through exercise.
Of course, compared to his own muscles, it was nothing more than a skinny frame.
'He probably hasn't been beaten up anywhere.'
He finally felt like he understood the reason for that confidence.
And thinking that.
'Am I being looked down on?'
He instantly revised his initial plan entirely.
Variety show or whatever—no, precisely because it was a variety show, it was even better.
'I'll completely humiliate him.'
If he lifted him over his head and spun him around three times in the air, how would that confident face change?
With such thoughts, he corrected his posture.
As he took his stance, the opponent facing him slightly created distance and took a similar posture to his own.
'He's seen it somewhere before.'
[Ah, the two people have taken their stances without any warning.]
[A suddenly started match! It seems Yamamoto-san has gotten properly fired up by Rin-san's counter-provocation!]
[A probing battle is taking place! A much more serious atmosphere than the previous match!]
The voices of the Prince members shouting as if they were providing commentary while watching the two people on the ring inside the studio.
Listening to those voices, Yamamoto Takeshi leisurely advanced forward.
'Once I grab him... it's over!'
It would have been much easier if the opponent was also wearing a judo uniform, but that much of a handicap was nothing to him.
Once he got hold of even one arm...
'Hm?'
The opponent didn't give up his arm.
No, the defense was more solid than expected. He couldn't see any opening to easily grab and throw.
While probing like that for a moment.
[Is Yamamoto-san going easy on him? Time is passing in an instant! Now 5... 4...]
[Ah, is the Prince free pass going to disappear so vainly!]
[Our bodies are more expensive than we thought...!]
[We were counting on Yamamoto-san!]
'Just be quiet and wait!'
It wasn't like he had said he would end it within 10 seconds in the first place, and he didn't know why he was getting caught up in this bet.
'I'll finish it quickly...!'
[Huryaaah!]
Spinning three times in the air was canceled.
Quick finish.
He would end it right here with this one move.
Grab-
Ignoring the opponent's defense, he firmly grabbed the forearm.
The simplest method.
Just overpowering with brute force.
He'd have to give up on humiliating the opponent, but this was still better than letting them last 10 seconds.
However.
Squeeze-
'Oh? Look at this?'
He saw Sunwoo Rin grabbing his judo uniform in an instant.
'So what if you grab my collar?'
He must think he can withstand it with strength just because he's worked out a bit.
That was something only fools who had never felt the difference between a pro and an amateur would do.
'Still, he held on quite well.'
The grip strength felt from where his uniform was grabbed.
He could feel that the opponent's strength was by no means light.
But even so, just an ordinary person.
'Now go down quietly!'
[Uwoooooh!]
[Overthrow!!]
[Is he going down?]
[Ippon...!]
Piercing voices of people could be heard from around.
At that moment.
'Huh...?'
Something felt off with his senses.
'Why is this?'
Both of the opponent's feet should have been lifted off the ground.
But one foot of the opponent was still planted on the floor.
And then.
[Ugh!]
The opponent's leg that was in the air instantly dug into the inside of his thigh.
Something went wrong.
'What kind of trick—!'
A momentary lapse in vigilance, but the next action was indeed worthy of a pro.
Yamamoto Takeshi instantly released Sunwoo Rin's arm he had been gripping and created distance.
But that exchange in that split second was enough to bring amazement to the cast members.
[Aaaaaaah! He held ooooon!]
[Truly amazing!!]
[It's already been well past 10 seconds, but the match still isn't over! And Rin-san didn't just hold on—he successfully counterattacked!]
[Don't tell me... will there be a reversal today that no one expected!!]
***
"Hyung...!"
"..."
"Rin-hyung!!"
I snapped out of my thoughts at someone's voice and answered.
"Hmm? What?"
Turning my head to look straight ahead, Yujin Kim and Baek Shihyun were looking at me with slightly excited faces.
"Hyung, what exactly did you do in Japan?"
"Huh? What are you talking about all of a sudden?"
It had already been quite some time since I went to Japan.
While I was feeling puzzled by Yujin Kim suddenly bringing up Japan.
Baek Shihyun suddenly held out his phone to me and said.
"Look at this!"
"What is this?"
I looked at the phone screen, thinking 'why is he acting like this?' at Baek Shihyun's excited behavior of suddenly shoving his phone at me.
[COVER] We:uS – We (cover by LIME)
But even after looking at it, I wasn't really sure what this was.
Wait, a cover video? And a somewhat familiar name...
'LIME?'
"LIME covered our song, what in the world is going on?"
"Ah! LIME!"
The memory suddenly came back to me.
'Hiro, whom I met on that Japanese broadcast last time, was the vocalist of the band LIME.'
Hiro's face from when they had met previously suddenly came to mind.
And also what Hiro said to me after the recording ended.
'I'll definitely prepare the promised gift, so look forward to it.'
The gift Hiro had mentioned.
'Was this it?'
No wonder he said he'd give a gift but then quickly disappeared without even asking for an address or contact info.
To think the gift was covering our We:uS song.
'That's a very artist-like gift.'
"But how do you guys know who LIME is?"
"What are you talking about? Do you know how hot LIME is as a band in Japan right now?"
"Really? Then let's listen to the cover first."
"What? No, first tell us why LIME covered our song..."
I took Baek Shihyun's phone and played the cover video.
Bzzzz-
Thump thump thump thump-
Instantly, the intense sound of band music came through the phone.
'This is... good?'
Rather than just feeling like it was arranged into a band sound, the intro carried LIME's musicality coming through as is.
But there was something even more eye-catching than such an intro.
"Isn't this practically a music video?"
When I first played the video, I was a bit puzzled because the background wasn't a studio.
'They invested this much into just a cover video?'
The visual quality and backgrounds that looked like watching a music video.
Since I had filmed music videos too, I could roughly tell.
'They must have spent quite a bit of money.'
With this level of quality, it could only have been filmed with professional equipment.
"M-me too, let me see!"
Baek Shihyun, who hurriedly said that and stuck to my side.
If it seemed like his eyes were shining more brightly than when he was on stage, would it be my imagination?
'Did Shihyun like this kind of band music too?'
While I was thinking that and looking at Baek Shihyun.
"Wow... this is really moving..."
"The Korean pronunciation doesn't seem like they practiced for just a day or two either."
Next to Baek Shihyun, who was watching the video in amazement, Yujin Kim also came over and started enjoying the music video together.
"Hmm? What's that?"
"What is everyone looking at?"
Seeing the three of us like that, the other members also started flocking toward us.
"Guys, you need to get ready to go up now!"
We heard the voice of our manager hyung calling us.
"Okay!"
Everyone answered like that and scattered to their respective seats.
Baek Shihyun also showed signs of regret, turned off the phone video, and left to fix his makeup.
I also felt a bit sorry that the cover video was cut off in the middle, but I moved to get ready to go up on stage first.
'I should watch it properly after the schedule is over. By the way, there was also the Prince free pass...'
Various things that happened due to the last Japan schedule.
Memories I had temporarily forgotten because I was busy after returning to Korea came back thanks to LIME's cover video just now.
'By the way, when did they say the broadcast would air...?'
I'm pretty sure it was this week.
But I couldn't remember exactly.
While I was thinking about the broadcast date of Prince TV.
"Please head to the stage!"
At the staff's words, I finished preparing and stood up from my seat.
'If we get first place today, it'll be two consecutive weeks of first place, right?'
The bustling waiting room of Music Station.
With the first place announcement ahead, we all headed up to the stage together.
***
-You have achieved first place on a music show for two consecutive weeks for the first time.
-You acquire a large amount of experience points.
'What do you mean a large amount of experience points? They should've just let me level up...'
Having taken first place on this week's Music Station, achieving two consecutive weeks of first place on music shows.
After finishing even the encore stage, we boarded the car returning to our dorm.
Inside the car, the members could be seen still slightly flushed with the joy of experiencing their first two consecutive weeks of first place on a music show.
But unlike those members, I was feeling a bit of dissatisfaction.
'It's not like they're making fun of me, but for two consecutive weeks of first place, they should've at least let me level up.'
While I was complaining inwardly like that.
-Level has increased.
'What? Suddenly?'
A level up in the car out of nowhere.
What was I doing right now? I hadn't done anything.
"Rin hyung!"
"Hmm?"
"Hyung, what exactly did you do in Japan?"
"No, why are you asking that again?"
While I was feeling confused by the sudden level up, Yujin Kim repeated the exact same words he had said in the waiting room.
Earlier it was because of LIME's cover video, but why on earth was he asking now...
"Hyung, what did you do in Japan that we suddenly charted on the Oricon chart?"