Debut or Die - Chapter 258

—————

This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

—————

A Fatal Illness if I Don’t Debut – Episode 258
“Everyone! Are you spending a warm year-end season?”
“The musicians who set our hearts ablaze throughout this year are preparing magnificent stages once more.”
The two idols beside me were handling the hosting quite well.
‘They didn’t waste their experience.’
I picked up my microphone.
“Then shall we start with the first stage of the Gayo Daejeon, where we introduce the artists who delighted us with the most brilliant activities this year?”
My sentences were noticeably longer than the others—and it wasn’t a mistake. Could they really be dividing the script based on seniority?
‘And who the hell made me poke my cheek like that?’
Given my position, there wasn’t much I could do, but did they really have to specify something like that in the script? I wouldn’t forget this deliberate move.
“The SBC Music Awards begins now!”
Regardless, the cameras rolled, and the three of us MCs flashed our capitalist smiles at the lens.
The moment the lights cut, we either took light breaths or adjusted our expressions.
“Phew.”
“Good!”
The VTIC guy across from me deliberately reached over and patted my back. Completely unnecessary senior behavior.
“Moon-dae, you did amazingly!”
“Thank you.”
Young-rin, who had been reviewing the script, smiled slightly and added her words.
“Still working hard, I see.”
“Thank you.”
I bowed repeatedly. With such a gap in seniority, it was better to just become a gratitude bot throughout the entire shoot.
After all, right below the platform we stood on were fans holding light sticks.
Of course, I could spot several camera lenses too.
‘Well hidden.’
I glanced with a slight smile at the cameras held by a few familiar faces, then looked away. Since this was live anyway, calling it a leak would be embarrassing.
‘Once this stage ends, the broadcast theme announcement…’
I reviewed the ridiculously long script one more time, starting with “the hearts of everyone enjoying the festival.” It would appear on the prompter, but I could still stumble.
‘But… three idols as hosts feels like a stretch.’
Honestly, this lineup would definitely generate buzz, but if I’m thinking purely about hosting stability, I’d prefer having an announcer to anchor things.
Since this isn’t like an acting awards or entertainment awards where we’re presenting, I understand the calculation that everyone will get through it somehow. Still, I didn’t want to give them ammunition for criticism.
And it seemed everyone else felt the same way.
“Wow, this is nerve-wracking! I’ve only hosted our own content, but suddenly doing something like this at year-end? I’ll really give it my all, everyone.”
The one with the longest career was already boasting rookie-like ambition.
“Moon-dae, since you’re still a rookie, don’t be too nervous. If you stumble while speaking, just finish the sentence and I’ll take it from there.”
This one was practically a professional MC. Having hosted in various places, they were practically a full-time host.
“Thank you.”
I looked at Young-rin.
“Still, the goal is to make no mistakes. I’ll do my best.”
Young-rin smiled faintly. Like a team leader charmed by a new employee.
“That’s right.”
“Wow! Go, idols!”
It’s a bit funny seeing the three of us put our hands together for a cheer while holding our scripts, but I’ll take it as a win that nobody’s half-assing this.
“How did you enjoy the National Gugak Orchestra’s special stage introducing this year’s musicians?”
“It was truly magnificent!”
“The dazzling movements were like a glimpse of a bright new year, so I enjoyed watching it very much.”
And the three of us didn’t make a single mistake throughout Part One. Myself included, of course.
‘Good.’
[Commercial Break]
As Part One ended and the commercial break began, I took a sip of water. Then I spotted familiar faces waving from the Singer’s Seating Area, arranged for reactions.
“You were so cool! That’s it!”
‘I can’t hear a damn word they’re saying.’
With the sound system and the roar of the audience this loud, why are they struggling to speak?
Either way, I appreciate the support, so I waved back and flipped to the next cue card.
‘If things go like this, I’ll at least hit average.’
I even covered for that VTIC guy when he looked embarrassed by his own self-aggrandizing script, so the image of an incompetent nepotism rookie idol shouldn’t stick.
‘Let the articles be good.’
I shrugged and set down my water.
[30 Seconds Until Part Two]
Then, after Part Two’s first stage ended, the broadcast was about to go live.
“Moon-dae!”
Suddenly, something completely off-script came flying at me.
VTIC Chae-yul thrust a massive cupcake with a lit sparkler stuck in it right in front of my face.
“…??”
What is this?
“I heard that Moon-dae had a birthday a few days ago!”
“Happy birthday, Moon-dae.”
And the production team swiftly placed a party hat with puppy ears on my head from below the camera.
“….”
I dazedly put it on.
Seriously, you guys at the Broadcasting Station could’ve given me a heads-up. What is this on live broadcast….
-Smile!
No need to write that on the sketch board. I’m already grinning so hard my face might split.
“Haha, thank you.”
-Blow out the candles!
They’re relentless.
I smiled widely and blew out the sparkler. Then I tugged at the puppy ears.
Dressed in formal wear, hosting a year-end program, and now performing antics for the entire nation. Really….
“Thank you.”
I can see people in the Singer’s Seating Area dying of laughter. I’ll check it out when I get back to the Dormitory.
…Wait.
‘Now that I think about it, the Part 2 opening script….’
“Our next performance features a song related to beautiful birthdays!”
“It’s the song that lit up this summer, isn’t it?”
I barely maintained my composure and continued with the final line.
“‘birthday boy’ by Gray Cable, a 17-year veteran band. We invite you all to their special live performance.”
So this was all for that.
Was this what it meant to be an idol MC—losing all dignity just to introduce the next song?
It wasn’t even a regular music broadcast, yet the year-end program continued relentlessly, and the sheer weight of an idol’s duties made my head spin.
…And this tone would continue all the way to the end.

* * *
‘Park Moon-dae is so cute!!’
Park Moon-dae’s Fan, who was holding a camera below the broadcast booth, nearly burst into tears of joy.
The moment she heard from a staff member that Moon-dae would be MCing the year-end show, she’d secured a spot in this area—and it was so worth it!
‘This is it! This is what I wanted!’
After such a long time, seeing Park Moon-dae in person felt absolutely wonderful….
He wore a crisp navy suit over a black dress shirt, his hair styled perfectly—the very picture of a professional MC.
But as the youngest MC, he’d been given a white ribbon tie, and it was just… so adorable!
Especially when he accepted the cupcake!
It seemed to be a surprise segment, and his flustered expression made it even cuter.
‘He got frosting on his nose….’
The moment she noticed, Park Moon-dae wiped it away and the staff cleaned up after him, but the Fan had already captured that shot.
‘Hahaha…! Hahaha!’
Completely giddy from her first offline shoot in ages, the Fan burst into internal laughter and frantically collected photos. A preview raccoon indeed!
After the accident, the extreme depression, the rollercoaster of wild swings, and the anxiety-filled atmosphere of his return activities—all the accumulated fatigue melted away.
Her heart felt light and joyful.
‘I’m really looking forward to this comeback.’
The feeling of everything returning safely to its place was wonderful. The Fan smiled contentedly and adjusted her mask.
‘Moon-dae looks in great condition too!’
Whenever the members in the Singer’s Seating Area made eye contact with Park Moon-dae and waved, she loved how he’d subtly wave back when the camera wasn’t rolling.
Moreover, Park Moon-dae had clearly spotted the fans’ camera lenses too. He’d made eye contact with this camera as well!
‘I’ll be an idol fan for life….’
Park Moon-dae was undoubtedly the settlement that had descended upon her K-pop life. That was simply how it was.
‘Switch fandoms? Never.’
Watching a former idol transition into entertainment journalism, she’d once sworn never to trust an idol again—but those bitter drunk memories had been ground to dust through a series of insane events.
And moments later, Part 3.
‘They’re about to perform! The cue sheet was right.’
Park Moon-dae strode quickly and disappeared behind the MC booth. She also spotted Testa moving from the Singer’s Seating Area.
‘Year-end programs don’t usually release official fancams…!’
Park Moon-dae’s Fan gripped the camera with a sense of mission.
It was an incredibly fulfilling moment.
‘It was so… wonderful.’
And on the way home, she left the SBC Sangam Hall feeling thoroughly satisfied.
Fatigue hadn’t accumulated. Well, adrenaline was surging wildly through her system right now, masking the exhaustion that would surely hit once she got home.
In any case, Park Moon-dae’s Fan was absolutely happy.
“He really performed amazingly on stage.”
Testa hadn’t lost any of their skill.
Not a single choreography sequence had been simplified or removed.
‘If anything, they seemed even more polished!’
There was no trace whatsoever of the traffic accident.
Even Park Moon-dae, who had stumbled slightly during the group concert right after his discharge, was flying across the stage today with boundless energy.
Completely armored and burning with competitive fire—it radiated from the venue itself and through every lens of the camera.
Of course, the stage composition itself was excellent. The shooting performance in ‘Spring Out’ was dazzling and grand, befitting the year-end season.
She was certain it would become quite the topic on the Internet.
‘Just… this part!’
She excitedly got into a taxi and connected her camera to her laptop, reviewing the footage she’d captured. She wanted to savor those particularly striking moments again!
It was while she was fast-forwarding through the video.
‘Huh?’
Park Moon-dae, just finishing the stage and heading up to the Singer’s Seating Area.
Beneath his black hair, a bright strand was visible.
A chill ran through her.
“A wig…!”
The black hair was fake—whether spray or a wig, it didn’t matter.
Park Moon-dae had escaped black hair again!
‘Insane! This album cycle must be a dyed hair concept!’
This was separate from her personal preference for black-haired Park Moon-dae!
‘What color is it? What color could it be? Once I adjust for the lighting, the color should show up, right?’
Park Moon-dae’s Fan couldn’t contain her excitement and curiosity. It had been so long since she’d felt this kind of joy.
“Hah….”
She briefly wondered if she could keep this spoiler to herself until January, while constructing exciting theories about the upcoming activities.
Meanwhile, the video resumed playing after the screenshot.
Park Moon-dae, having checked the cue sheet, successfully returned to the Singer’s Seating Area.
But watching it again, something about his appearance seemed… off.
“Hm.”
In that instant, her imaginings evaporated completely.
Park Moon-dae’s Fan immediately zoomed in on his upper body.
“….”
From this angle, it looked like she was seeing Testa returning to the Singer’s Seating Area, but his expression was briefly… fierce?
His eyebrows were twitching.
‘What was that?’
Park Moon-dae’s Fan turned the camera a few more times at that strange feeling, but since she’d only been filming Park Moon-dae, she couldn’t tell exactly what he was looking at.
Besides, his expression control had snapped back into place so quickly anyway.
“Hmm.”
‘It must have been my imagination.’
It was pathetic to make a fuss over an expression that had lasted mere seconds. Park Moon-dae’s Fan shrugged it off deliberately and scrolled past the video.
But it hadn’t been her imagination.

* * *
“Thank you for your hard work~”
“Park Moon-dae’s MC work was really good.”
“Thank you.”
“Hyung, puppy ears for a birthday gift… Ow!”
“Stop it.”
The long live broadcast had finally ended.
The moment we regrouped, we headed to the car. We were planning to go straight to the Training Room and run through things one or two more times before heading home.
‘The MC work went fine.’
The stage performance had the quality we’d prepared for, so there was nothing weighing on my mind.
Except for one thing I hadn’t anticipated.
“Hey, your throat okay?”
“…It’s fine.”
“Thank goodness…!”
This guy. Sun Ah-hyun.
When I looked at the Singer’s Seating Area after finishing the stage, several people had definitely greeted Sun Ah-hyun excessively.
‘They look like the ones preparing for a collaboration stage.’
That much was fine.
The problem was that Sun Ah-hyun had avoided their gaze afterward and lowered his head. Like he was intimidated.
“….”
Something felt off.
I grabbed the back of the neck of one of the guys getting out of the car as we arrived at the Training Room.
“Hey.”
“Huh? Park Moon-dae, what?”
It was Big Sae-jin.
I’d noticed him subtly cutting off those guys who were greeting Sun Ah-hyun when we entered.
‘Looks like he picked up on it too.’
I lowered my voice, making sure the guys walking ahead couldn’t hear.
And I got straight to the point.
“You saw it in the Singer’s Seating Area. Sun Ah-hyun.”
“…Yeah.”
Big Sae-jin seemed to understand immediately what I meant.
“That.”
“Yeah, did you see anything? They looked like they were collaborating.”
He shrugged his shoulders.
“Obvious, right? Ah-hyun probably scratched at them relentlessly.”
“…!”
“Ah-hyun’s a good kid, you know. She’s not the type to be cunning or scheming, so they’re trying to push her around.”
Big Sae-jin raised his eyebrows.
“You know how it goes. ‘Hey, Ah-hyun, you’re getting so many camera shots. I’m jealous~ It seems like you don’t even need to practice much, right?’ and then they chip away at her like that~”
“….”
I was so fed up with how well he was needling me that I wanted to punch him in the mouth.
But Big Sae-jin’s tone quickly turned serious.
“And there were probably more than one or two people trying to act friendly with her, right? Since Ah-hyun’s shy, they’d use that to suddenly divide people and gossip behind her back, saying she discriminates against others~ That’s how it went.”
“…sigh.”
“You get it?”
“Yeah.”
Hierarchy games are such bullshit. These bastards aren’t any different from how things were at Ajusa, probably because we’re around the same age.
‘I thought they’d know their place since they’re doing well.’
I’d forgotten that basic human nature—when someone doing better than you seems vulnerable, people act even more vicious.
And it seemed like they’d gathered only people with some name value in the group, making them even more eager to tear each other down.
‘I need to hear more about this.’
I decided to check on Sun Ah-hyun’s condition before entering the training room.
And that was the moment I tried to move.
“Wait.”
“…!”
I was stopped.
When I turned my head, Big Sae-jin, who had grabbed my shoulder, was shaking his head.
“Whoa there, Park Moon-dae. You’re not planning to go tell Ah-hyun about all this, are you? Don’t do that~”
“Why.”
“Hey, people have their pride.”
Big Sae-jin gave a bitter smile.
“If you were in her shoes, could you stand it if your peer friend found out about this situation? Wouldn’t you hate it even more because you’re close?”
“…!”
“Let Ah-hyun handle it herself. That’s the right way.”

—————

This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

—————