12. Debut Preparations (6)
Only three days remained until the music video and jacket shoot.
Honestly, before the regression, Gaeul had particularly liked the Ojakgyo concept, and it seemed that hadn't changed even now.
'He did want to do a powerful concept.'
The fact that Gaeul's expression was still quite unpleasant even after finishing recording was proof of that. Throughout practice, his face had shown he wasn't into it.
He probably had no intention of expressing his dissatisfaction, but that didn't mean it didn't show, so it was impossible not to notice. Just because he understood it in his head didn't mean his emotions accepted it, so I understood, but.
'It's because I used my skill... I feel a bit sorry. I should take better care of him.'
Still, it couldn't be helped. I knew debuting with Ojakgyo would make us flop, so I couldn't just proceed with it as-is.
Eunchan fiddled with his fingers awkwardly, then brightly greeted Gaeul, who had just closed the recording booth door and was coming out.
"Gaeul, your expression didn't look good at all? What, it was perfect!"
"...Work is work."
As expected.
Before the regression too, Gaeul had been sensitive to praise. Even while his words came out skewed, his ears turned red—exactly the Yeon Gaeul I knew.
Recalling what had happened today, Eunchan broke into a sly, mischievous grin.
"Yeon Gaeul, aren't you too good at singing? I was listening to you record and almost forgot it was my turn next. The staff members were praising you a lot too."
"The staff members......? What do you mean?"
"When I finished my part and came out, they were there. I think they came to watch us record. Especially Director Choi—he praised you so much, saying Gaeul fits this concept really well."
"...Really?"
To be exact, he had said, 'How does Gaeul pull off even this kind of fresh concept so well,' but.
Anyway, since it was praise, let's call it the same thing.
***
Eunchan was also the last in order for recording the songs on this album.
After helping clean up and greeting everyone on his way out, Choi Mi-young, the CEO's niece and currently active as an actress, greeted Eunchan. Eunchan was a bit flustered, wondering if she had been watching everything.
'Why is she here?'
This hadn't happened in the past. Director Choi had been busy with her own schedule and hadn't paid much attention to us. Though she had stepped up to promote them later when Hamjeongwon's Utopia debuted.
He wasn't without doubts about the situation itself, but he figured this too was a butterfly effect caused by the regression and let it go. More than that, the words Director Choi had said to him were so puzzling that they remained particularly vivid in his memory.
Feedback on today's recording, praise, words of expectation, and asking him to take good care of things going forward. And,
'Come to think of it, you were a Sonyeomi fan, right?'
'Huh? Yes.'
'I was filming with Sonyeomi's Mu-young last time, and he actually brought up Minutes to me first. You guys must be getting attention. Thanks to that, it helped when deciding the debut concept proposals. I strongly recommended this, so I'm glad you all seem to like it too~'
Sonyeomi's Baek Mu-young mentioned Minutes? Why would that popular senior talk about public trainees from a new agency? No, more than anything, how did he know about them? Along with these questions, he instantly understood how a different situation from before the regression had occurred.
'So that's why we were given concept options.......'
To think that they had been able to get away from the title track Ojakgyo thanks to Baek Mu-young subtly mentioning them to Director Choi. He had never expected that.
'He knows about Minutes... then did he know about us before the regression too?'
In the past, encountering the Sonyeomi seniors in person had been limited to passing them in the hallways of music show waiting rooms. Even then, Eunchan had been so nervous that he stuttered over the five syllables of "hello" and couldn't even greet them properly.
'If I get to see the senior this time, I should thank him.'
If this life flowed like the past too, the promotion period for Sonyeomi seniors' next full album and our debut song activities would overlap by about a week. This time, don't stutter and greet properly, Yoo Eunchan.
At the same time, he thought, 'It would have been nice if I had been a public trainee.' If he had been, the senior might have recognized him, thinking, 'So there's a kid named Yoo Eunchan too.'
Still, if he brought it up to Director Choi first, wouldn't he watch our music video at least once when Genesis debuts? Then I too.......
'...I'm getting my hopes up over nothing again. This is exactly how I mess things up.'
Let's think about it after debuting safely first. Things other than debuting can be thought about later; it's not too late.
***
The Genesis members were slowly unveiling themselves.
The first had been me, a non-public trainee, and the last member revealed at midnight today had been Joohyeok.
Among Minutes, Hyeon Joo-in and Seo Joohyeok had the highest recognition, so it was right for the Genesis teaser to reveal Joohyeok last. Even non-fans, quite a lot of people knew about Joohyeok.
[Oh, that kid from that show with the fierce eyes who danced well?]
Usually like this.
Even if his debut had been canceled, the title of immovable first place from the start of the public audition program to the finale didn't just disappear.
Thanks to that, people who were somewhat interested in K-pop vaguely knew Joohyeok too. Even before the regression, Joohyeok's teaser had come out 6th, so it wasn't particularly strange.
The difference from July Seventh was that the last member wasn't 7th place Hyeon Joo-in, but 6th place Seo Joohyeok. But who knew this part would become such a big problem.
"Sigh......."
Eunchan, sitting in the waiting room and looking down at his phone, furrowed his brows.
-----
MINITS Ent. @MINITSneighbor
2x0707 GENESIS Release !
Let us reveal Genesis's last member :D
#Genesis #genesis
#AreYouReady?
5,901 Reposts 2,410 Quote Tweets 1.9k Likes
-----
└ Anyone's Farm
@efdzcji8
Fuck, Seo Joohyeok is finally debuting?
I've been waiting so longㅠㅠㅠ See, waiting pays off
Let's show that crazy bastard what's what
└ Waiting for Hyeon Joo-in's Debut
@Rskdfod2dka
??? Last......? Did they post this wrong?
How dare they have a debut team without Hyeon Joo-in? It must be a mistakeㅋ
…
Fuck, stop joking around and give us Hyeon Joo-in, you crazy bastard Kim Gwang-chun
└ I'm a multi-fan
@iamjobdeok
What, where is Hyeon Joo-in?
I was only waiting for him?
Is 6 members the end?
No, it's not that I hate the rest hahaㅋ…
ㅋㅋ…
-----
It was a good thing I didn't check at midnight. If I had, I obviously wouldn't have gotten a wink of sleep.
Today was the first shoot as Genesis, so I couldn't let lack of sleep affect my work.
'Though I should be used to these reactions by now, it's not easy.'
He knew Hyeon Joo-in was familiar to the public thanks to appearing on television, but seeing people only look for Joo-in when another member's teaser was released didn't feel good.
'Joo-in said he would focus on his acting activities.'
This was definitely not a good reaction for the six of us who would be promoting as Genesis going forward, nor for Hyeon Joo-in, who would be active as an actor. He felt like writing and sending a letter if he could.
Hyeon Joo-in is currently filming a web drama well.
He said he wants to walk only the actor path going forward.
Everyone, please respect actor Hyeon Joo-in's choice and cheer for his flowery path.
Thank you.
'Joo-in has good recognition and an overwhelmingly handsome appearance, but I didn't know so many people would be this disappointed.......'
The reactions were fiercer than expected. Eunchan took his eyes off the phone he had been staring at with a serious face. If he kept looking, it might affect the upcoming shoot.
"Ugh......."
Then, groaning sounds came from the opposite side. Eunchan put his phone in his bag and moved toward the sound, where Gaeul was fiddling with his hair in front of a mirror and letting out a sigh.
"...Eunchan hyung, doesn't this hair not suit me? I really don't think this concept suits me......."
I noticed he had been staring at the mirror since earlier; he was still at it.
Gaeul had dyed his hair a light brown yesterday. It seemed to be his first dye job ever; he had been so awkward about it since yesterday that Eunchan kept complimenting him, but he was still at war with his new appearance.
Back in July Seventh days, Gaeul had maintained this light brown hair throughout all six years of promotions. That was why Eunchan was actually more familiar with this than black-haired Yeon Gaeul. Gaeul, you just need to grow a bit taller and bigger now.
'In my eyes, this suits you much better.'
And there was a reason. It matched his image perfectly. He already had that so-called big-dog energy, but with his hair dyed light brown, he looked just like a golden retriever. This seemed better for establishing his image and concept too.
"It fits you like a glove. I was staring blankly from afar because it suits you so well."
"...Are you teasing me?"
"You don't believe your hyung? I really think this suits you better. Even objectively."
Even before the regression, Gaeul had been in the upper tier of popularity within the team.
Naturally.
He had a distinct fanbase and generally did well without causing any scandals. His vocal ability was outstanding too. So he really could use some confidence.
'I leaned on Gaeul a lot during July Seventh, so this time I should be a hyung he can lean on.'
He didn't know if he'd be helpful, but.
For about the last two years before the regression, all he remembered was leaning on Gaeul. Gaeul could rise even higher than this. Honestly, it was a wonder he had endured for six years. If Gaeul hadn't been there, he might have given up on his idol dreams much earlier.
"Gaeul hyung, they say it's your turn now."
"Ah, okay. I'm going."
Joohyeok, who had just finished his individual shoot, approached Gaeul and pointed toward the studio.
Gaeul let out a deep sigh but nodded. Somehow his steps forward looked as heavy as if he had weights tied to them, but he would do well. Just as he had in the past.
'Yeon Gaeul, fighting......!'
As Eunchan was cheering for Gaeul internally, Joohyeok came and sat beside him. Joohyeok looked tired, perhaps because the shoot had been difficult, so Eunchan shifted to make more room. Joohyeok bowed his head in thanks.
"Hyung, thank you, I'll get some shut-eye......."
Eunchan held out the cushion he had been holding to Joohyeok. After the album jacket shoot, the music video shoot remained, so if he was going to rest at all, now was the chance.
However, the filming schedule was tight, so they had to stay gathered in the waiting room. Thus, there was no chance for quiet.
"Joohyeok!"
...No sooner had he finished speaking than the chattiest member arrived. Unable to wait, Iseon approached and started chattering next to Joohyeok.
He seemed to have made various requests to the makeup artist; it looked like his touch-up was already done.
[Do Iseon]
Appearance ★★★★☆
Vocals ★★★
Dance ★★★★☆
Appeal ★★★★☆
Luck ★★☆
'Having everything above average is so like Iseon.'
"...Can't you see I'm trying to rest for a moment?"
"Why are you saying such hurtful things? It's because I want to hang out with you."
At Iseon's sudden appearance right in front of them, Joohyeok slowly leaned back. With Joohyeok's weight suddenly touching his shoulder, Eunchan naturally turned his gaze toward the two of them.
'These two bicker whenever they're together, so I didn't really want to get involved.'
When he glanced over, Joohyeok's face was crumpled up like paper.
"...Hey, can't you see me and Eunchan hyung are resting?"
'No, Joohyeok... don't drag me into this.'
The memories from before the regression of getting caught between these two trying to mediate and getting torn apart were still vivid.......
"Joohyeok, just look once. It's reeeally important."
"...What."
"Don't I look so handsome today? Hah, is that too obvious? But after getting my hair, makeup, and outfit done, I feel even more full of myself than usual. The jacket photo results later are going to be no joke either."
"That again? Stop spouting nonsense and go away. You're heavy."
"What are you talking about? Last time you said I looked like I lost weight!"
"...Whatever. Move."
"Silence means consent~ Ah, Eunchan hyung, how do I look? The makeup artist said today's styling seems to suit me really well too."
"Ah, yeah. Well, Iseon, you're always handsome."
Eunchan, who had been calming his startled heart, put on a strange smile. Still, he wasn't lying. It wasn't empty flattery either.
Even during July Seventh, Iseon was quite handsome; it was just that he had been overshadowed by Hyeon Joo-in. If Joo-in was more of a textbook handsome man with bold features, Iseon was closer to the pretty flower boy type, so his fanbase was just slightly more niche.
Actually, more than that, Iseon tended to be a bit off-putting when he opened his mouth, so perhaps the taciturn Joo-in had been better received. But Iseon's personality matched this concept well, so it made sense he was this excited.
'Iseon should have gone with this kind of bright concept from the start.'
Iseon was literally 'perfectly' pulling off the amusement park caster concept.
The current Iseon really looked like he was wearing his own clothes. To the point where Eunchan wondered if he had subconsciously chosen a concept tailored for Iseon.
Who would have thought a man well over 180cm would suit a sky-blue short-sleeved shirt, a scarf, and navy shorts so effortlessly? Add in the sparkling blond hair, and it was like a complete set. Shouldn't he be thanking the head stylist?
'Of course, that face is what completes it, though.'
Before the regression, they had mostly gone with powerful, dark, and heavy concepts that suited Hyeon Joo-in, so the overall vibe was quite intense. Since Iseon's and Joo-in's images were practically polar opposites, it made sense that Iseon hadn't been able to shine back then.
"I'm looking forward to our results too."
...Why am I getting emotional for no reason? Our kids suit this fresh concept so well, so why had they only done such weird concepts all this time and been unable to shine? Thinking about it again was frustrating.
"Uwaack!"
"Wh-what! Joohyeok, what's wrong?"
"Seo Joohyeok, look. Here, this. The makeup artist emphasized this mole for me."
He had wondered why Joohyeok suddenly screamed, but it turned out Iseon had thrust his face right in front of Joohyeok. The way he pointed at the mole under his left eye, it looked like he was about to headbutt him.
It was bewildering enough from a third-party's perspective, so it was natural Joohyeok was surprised.
'It's amazing how those two play around like that, fight, and still get along well.'
Indeed, in the past, when Joohyeok got injured and halted activities, Iseon had declared he'd halt his activities too, saying he'd nurse him. Their bond must be deeper than others thought.
Joohyeok pushed Iseon's shoulder with a bizarre face mixed with bewilderment and absurdity, annoyed. The problem was that Iseon didn't budge, so instead, Joohyeok was pushed backward.
Which meant he was being pushed toward Eunchan's side.
'Guys... behind hyung, there's nothing but wall... you can see that, right?'
Yeah, he had expected his voice wouldn't be heard. Was this the shrimp's back being broken in a fight between whales? Still, I'm the hyung......?
"Idiot, the chair is moving because of you. Move!"
"No, look. I was sad that my under-eye mole gets covered when I get makeup, so the artist said let's save it and emphasized it. Pretty, right?"
"Get lost, dammit...!"
Joohyeok finally reached out and pushed Iseon's face away.
'Didn't Iseon just come back from makeup touch-up?'
It seemed effective enough. Thanks to that, Eunchan barely avoided becoming a half-dried squid pressed against the wall.
"Ah, I just got my makeup done, what are you doing touching it!"
"So what? It's your fault for shoving your face in out of nowhere."
Iseon, checking his face in his phone screen, grumbled quietly.
When Iseon made a slightly sulky expression, Joohyeok seemed a bit sorry, glancing around briefly to gauge Iseon's mood. Then he tapped the wrinkles near Iseon's undone button with his hand and subtly pushed him back.
"Fix your clothes."
"Okay!"
That Iseon quickly brightened up at such an insincere gesture of reconciliation was one thing, but watching quietly, Joohyeok was quite peculiar too.
It made sense for Iseon, who had admired Joohyeok since he appeared on the audition program in middle school, but Joohyeok hadn't been like that.
'Well, they were classmates for three years straight, so it's not strange he acts that way.'
The arts high school those two and Hyeon Joo-in attended had a system where the class remained the same from enrollment to graduation after choosing a department. So it made sense they grew close. They had even joined the company together.
At first, Joohyeok had seemed dissatisfied with Iseon's clingy behavior, but now he appeared perfectly used to it.
Above all, those two had stuck together like a set during July Seventh too, to the point where if they were doing their own things, you'd wonder if they had fought.
"Go away, now."
"Yep. Joohyeok wiped it off, so I have to ask the makeup artist to fix it."
"...Sigh......."
Eunchan, watching them, let out a snort. These guys haven't changed one bit.
"Eunchan, over here."
"Ah, yes!"
The waiting room door opened and Director Choi gestured to Eunchan. Eunchan immediately got up and headed out of the waiting room.
'What is it?'
She could have come in and spoken, so for her to call only him out separately like this.
'Is it something I shouldn't tell the members yet?'
Since it was the first time Director Choi had been involved in their album from the start, he had no idea.
Eunchan simply looked at Director Choi, who was smiling brightly.
"It's about your showcase."
"Ah, yes!"
The showcase on July 7th? What else is there then?
"The song and music video release that day, then the showcase starts at 7 PM. You know that."
"Yes."
Eunchan nodded. Right. There were differences between agencies, but usually the song and music video released at 6 PM and the showcase began at 7 PM, an hour later. Their agency was no different. It had been the same before too.
"We're planning to add a special event MC for that day's showcase."
'MC?'
Eunchan's eyes widened. During July Seventh, they had held the showcase without a host, just the members talking amongst themselves. It had been awkward, so having a separate host meant it could proceed more smoothly—welcome news.
"Joo-in will do it."
"...Huh?"
Joo-in? There's only one Joo-in I know?