11. Debut Preparations (5)
“They said we should try going with something refreshing for the debut. They said it would suit your age group, too. This is the draft—do you know theme park announcers? That kind of vibe.”
What was going on? The explanation alone already sounded great. He’d never imagined such a good option could be presented.
“As you can see from the photos, ‘refreshing’ doesn’t mean just bright and energetic… Hmm, you won’t really know just from the explanation, so listen to the demo track first.”
Eunchan nodded vigorously. On the tablet the CEO was showing, a brief concept PPT for this song was displayed. It was so safe yet perfect that it was almost suspicious.
He’d honestly been more nervous than excited when he heard there was one more concept unlike in the past, but this was so good it felt almost wrong to compare it to Ojakgyo, the debut song from the Chilwol Chilseok days.
It had the perfect refreshing quality that a boy idol group should enjoy in the early days of their debut, and an overall fantastical feel with a diverse use of colors that kept it from being boring.
He couldn’t have been more pleased.
‘The CEO is a really good person, but I don’t think producing is his thing at all.’
People had their own jobs they were supposed to be good at according to their rank. The CEO just needed to run the company well.
He didn’t know why such an option had suddenly appeared, but it seemed the heavens weren’t completely set on killing him. At this level, heaven was definitely helping him to succeed as an idol this time.
“What do you think?”
He’d already loved the concept from the start, and after listening to the demo track, he had nothing more to say. CEO, where do I even have the right to say I hate it or love it for you to ask my opinion?
They absolutely had to go with this concept! With this, they could succeed this time!
“Well… I think something manly would suit Genesis, though. What do you think?”
“I like the second one!”
“Hmm?”
“CEO, I unconditionally like this refreshing concept. I think we can do well. No, I’ll do well!”
“…Hmm, well… Honestly, I didn’t know you’d like it this much.”
“I love it, really!”
Eunchan’s eyes sparkled as he grabbed the CEO’s hands tightly with both of his own.
He wondered if it was a bit rude, but it felt like if he didn’t hold on to the CEO’s hands at least, the CEO might fly up into the sky.
It was the moment he was holding the CEO’s hands and beaming with sparkling eyes. The system window he’d seen on the first day of his regression appeared before him again.
Startled by the system window that appeared between him and the CEO at close distance, Eunchan quickly let go of the CEO’s hands and took a step back. Then he read through the system window before his eyes.
[ Achievement ‘Held and Let Go’ achieved! ]
* Favorability fluctuation value of 100 or more met within a set period *
[ Congratulations! As an achievement reward, the ‘Draw’ system is now available for use. ]
‘What is this now?’
He’d thought he was getting somewhat used to the system, but something new had appeared again. Still, perhaps because he was somewhat accustomed to it now, even when such a screen suddenly popped up, he wasn’t as flustered as the first time. He was merely bewildered. Eunchan quickly read the text on the system window before him.
‘I don’t know exactly, but it seems the CEO was quite flustered when I pushed for the refreshing concept…?’
But is this something to celebrate? If that had hit -100%, it wouldn’t be something to be happy about.
He’d gained some kind of draw system by achieving an achievement in the confusion, but unless it helped with his idol activities, it was just one more bothersome thing.
‘A draw, huh…’
He’d seen Byeori pouring money to draw a specific character while gaming. It was what they called ‘gacha.’
He’d also often seen posts on SNS he lurked on when bored about people spending real money to draw game characters or weapons.
‘Isn’t it just a probability battle like the lottery?’
You just have to be lucky.
‘Though I don’t really know if I’m the lucky type.’
This time, it was a feature quite easy to understand, so Eunchan grasped how to use it right away. After reading all the text on the system window before him and after some time had passed, the system window page turned to the side.
“Eunchan?”
“Ah!”
Perhaps because Eunchan had frozen in place, the CEO called his name worriedly. He didn’t know what was going on, but he had to proceed quickly.
-----
[List of Obtainable Skills]
(Skill Rarity – Acquisition Probability)
[Exclusive] ★5 – 0.00001 %
★5 - 0.0001 %
★4 - 1 %
★3 – 10 %
★2 - 33 %
★1 - 55 %
[ system : All skills are returned after being used once upon acquisition. ]
-Current draws available for Yu Eunchan: 1
-----
Perhaps because the situation was urgent, his mind raced quickly. Though he couldn’t grasp it exactly, he could roughly guess by feel. From the general situation, it seemed he had achieved an ‘achievement’ and become able to use this draw system.
[ Caution! After proceeding with a draw, used attempts are never returned. ]
* This notification is provided only once. *
‘Y-yeah, okay.’
He hadn’t even thought about refunds in the first place. Just spin it quickly.
For a moment he felt breathless, but only briefly, as a golden screen appeared before Eunchan’s eyes.
[ ★5 Mind Control - You can manipulate the opponent’s mind for 1 minute. ]
‘Isn’t this a cheat skill? Is it okay to play with people’s minds like this? Besides,’
‘…A 5-star on the first try? Is this some kind of new user exclusive event?’
They usually gave various benefits to people just starting games to help them catch up to veterans.
Anyway, he had to resolve the situation quickly right now, and he wasn’t in a position to be picky. Eunchan squeezed his eyes shut and opened them.
‘Nothing ventured, nothing gained, and I desperately need the refreshing concept now, so let’s try it once.’
With that resolve, Eunchan looked straight into the CEO’s eyes and smiled faintly.
‘Please think that the refreshing concept is unconditionally the right choice.’
He wasn’t wishing for anything grandiose. As long as it wasn’t that ‘Ojakgyo’ concept. Please decide on the second one, the refreshing concept that the director proposed.
It was then.
“As expected, Eunchan, the latter seems better as you said. Director Choi has an eye for these things.”
Huh?
He’d resolved to use the given skill, but he hadn’t completely believed it would really work. Yet the CEO, who hadn’t been favorable toward the refreshing concept, was saying this with a serious face.
“…Right?”
When Eunchan asked cautiously as if testing the waters, the CEO deleted the Ojakgyo PPT file—the first concept—from the tablet entirely.
“Oh, who planned the first one again? Ah, was it me? Anyway, let’s go with the latter. I must have been crazy. I should be doing things worth worrying over.”
He hadn’t known the effect would work this well.
[ system : 1 minute has elapsed. The skill effect disappears. ]
He was bewildered. Eunchan stared blankly at the CEO’s face. The CEO glanced at Eunchan and asked casually, perhaps thinking Eunchan was deeply moved.
“…Do you like it that much?”
This was when he had to say yes.
“CEO, you’re really the best. I really want to start promoting quickly.”
The CEO turned his head slightly, avoiding Eunchan’s eyes.
‘Was there… no soul?’
Anyway, the situation was resolved. To think a 5-star had come out just when he needed it.
He’d grabbed the lifeline, and now all that remained was to climb up it. In the end, even though he’d only slept about three hours because he couldn’t fall asleep, now it felt like his fatigue had completely vanished.
“Eunchan, you’re making all sorts of cute fuss and acting like it’s a big deal. Then I’ll pass this concept on to the A&R team leader first, so let’s talk again after hearing the other members’ opinions at the afternoon meeting and making the final decision. I’ll send you the concept draft file by message, so you can explain it to the kids beforehand if you want.”
“Yes!”
Eunchan nodded vigorously. As expected, for a debut song, the standard refreshing route was the best.
Wasn’t the standard route for boy idols to debut refreshingly and brightly, then attempt an image change with the modifier ‘returned from a boy to a man’? He was overflowing with the will to convince the members somehow.
Why, wasn’t there a famous saying in the idol world? If your skills suck, you’re only annoying on stage, but if your concept sucks, you’re annoying 24 hours a day. So the members couldn’t possibly hate it, right?
***
Only after closing the CEO’s office door and stepping out did the detailed aspects of the draw system he’d missed earlier begin to come to mind.
‘So if you achieve an achievement, you can use the draw system. It really is like a game. Though it’s not strange at this point when I can already see hearts and stars.’
From how it only explained the skill he’d just obtained through the draw system, it seemed he could only see the explanation after acquiring that skill.
‘How could I make use of the other skills?’
Today, fortunately, a 5-star skill with those nonsensical odds had come out and helped him, but he couldn’t even guess what the remaining skills might be.
‘Well, it seems better than that favorability system with no beginning or end.’
It was a draw system with more flexibility than he’d thought, but that didn’t make him want to spin it recklessly. Getting hooked on that was no different from gambling, right? This was what encouraging gambling looked like.
Anyway, he had 0 draw attempts left now. It seemed they gave them when you achieved some kind of achievement, but they didn’t tell you the specific method.
***
After finishing his one-on-one with the CEO, Eunchan took private vocal lessons and then immediately headed to the office where the members were gathered.
There was still about an hour left until the scheduled afternoon meeting, but they were already listening to the A&R team leader’s explanation. It wasn’t like sudden changes to meetings or practice schedules had never happened before, so they weren’t very flustered.
Eunchan quietly closed the door, bowed his head to greet the team leader, and then assessed the reactions of the members around him.
“Has everyone checked?”
“Yes.”
On the tablet the members were focused on, brief explanations and reference images about the concept were displayed. It seemed to be the same material he’d seen in the CEO’s office that morning.
‘Since there’s only one concept, they’ll have no choice but to follow it.’
Eunchan took the tablet the team leader passed him and examined each member’s expression one by one. Seeing no signs of objection, it seemed only the refreshing concept had been delivered to the other members.
He felt a slightly complicated emotion. Perhaps among them, there might have been someone who wanted the Ojakgyo concept.
It was already in the past, so there was nothing to be done.
First, the current host’s existence is on hold for now. <
Second, avoid the group name Chilwol Chilseok at all costs. << CLEAR!!
Third, must be careful in choosing the debut song concept. << CLEAR!!
Since it’s come to this, let’s make sure we Genesis stand on our own concert stage, guys.