Debut or Die - Chapter 384

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

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A Fatal Illness if I Don’t Debut – Episode 384
Thirty minutes after Ryu Chung-woo unexpectedly appeared from beyond the dry ice as a member of the 【Viewer Supplementary Class】.
“Then I look forward to seeing more of your improved performances in this stage.”
“Yes!”
The insertion of the Supplementary Class and team reorganization had concluded. Now came a brief transition and rest period before naturally moving into the practice segment.
Of course, the cameras clung persistently, determined not to miss a single moment of my conversation with Ryu Chung-woo.
Earlier, when Ryu Chung-woo took his position in 【Vocal B】, they’d already captured plenty of dialogue cuts—they certainly had their appetites.
-…hyung, were you surprised?
-Yeah.
-A lot?
-Yeah.
I didn’t need to watch the broadcast to know exactly how dumbfounded I’d look.
And what they’d splice in between those moments.
‘They’re going to cram in interviews like crazy….’
Sure enough, I was scheduled for interviews with the Production Team first, and they dug for answers with record-breaking persistence.
“Did you happen to know in advance that Chung-woo was participating? Any signals? Oh, you had no idea at all?”
“I hear you two share an apartment together~”
“Is there anything you’re hoping for now that Chung-woo is participating?”
“On the flip side, there must be aspects you need to be cautious about, right? You’ve become competitors, after all.”
They were having a field day.
I expressed my shock in a lighthearted manner, then offered a suitably docile response.
“Since we both need to do well, I figured we should prepare even harder for this stage.”
There was no need to provoke further or exaggerate.
[R-really?]
Yeah.
‘Anyway, the moment it airs, all hell’s going to break loose….’
A gold medalist cousin from the same school suddenly appearing on screen? Hell, I’d watch it myself.
I suppressed a smirk and returned from the interview location to the Training Room. Then I pointed to the next person.
Ryu Chung-woo.
“The Writer is calling for you.”
“Hyung.”
I waved my hand at him, then pretended to set down my notebook while showing him a message outside the camera’s frame.
I had to give him this much.
-No matter what, deflect and answer smoothly.
“…!”
Ryu Chung-woo gave a slight nod and left the Training Room.
‘Looking at him, it doesn’t seem like he caught on completely.’
What on earth was going on? Why had a guy who’d been doing fine at university suddenly show up on a Survival Show Program?
‘…I didn’t even suggest it to him.’
He seemed to be doing well enough, and besides, he didn’t strike me as the type the Agency would favor, so I’d decided to leave him alone.
But why did you come out directly? Without saying anything.
“….”
[Hmm, asking directly like that….]
No, I can’t throw a fastball like that while the cameras are rolling. If they add BGM, it’ll be edited straight into a conflict segment.
‘I’ll handle it as gently as possible before bed later.’
That’s the conclusion I reached. And I started modifying my strategy.
In this solo competition team that now includes Ryu Chung-woo as a variable, I needed to figure out what to do.

* * *
Because the interview ran long, practice started a day late.
And when Ryu Chung-woo returned from the interview, he seemed to have picked up on the broadcast atmosphere well enough, offering a shallow, gentle self-deprecating comment.
“I was going to tell you beforehand, but I suddenly got the acceptance call that morning…. I didn’t mention it because I was worried it might throw off your condition.”
I let that slide easily.
I patted him on the back and let out a small laugh.
“Yeah, I got it.”
“…!”
“You’re not the type to just try anything recklessly because it seems fun. I naturally trust that you’ll take this seriously.”
“…Yeah. Of course. I will.”
Ryu Chung-woo nodded with a faint smile.
‘This should come across as heartwarming when combined with the interview.’
Of course, I added a comment anticipating reactions like ‘it’s a competition, so blood relations shouldn’t make things slack.’
“Don’t go easy on me.”
“Ha, got it.”
Good. I don’t need to worry about the cameras now.
And once the situation was settled like that, another team member who’d been looking at us somewhat awkwardly opens his mouth.
The guy who essentially owns this team’s performance. The former main vocal of VTIC.
“Um… I was going to tell you a bit about the song now. Is that alright?”
“Ah, yes. Thank you.”
It was obvious he felt like his screen time was being stolen, and he seemed a bit irritated, but the moment the cameras started rolling, he quickly composed himself.
Hmm.
‘He’s not stupid.’
And he absolutely doesn’t ask for input on the song choice—he locks it in as ‘already decided’ and starts from there.
‘He’s trying to seize control.’
This guy is two years younger than me. Usually in team competitions, people would tell someone to relax and speak casually, but he keeps everything in formal speech.
‘His head works well enough, and he’s got a strong ego.’
Then there’s only one type of stage this guy will push toward.
“Since this team is made up of people aiming for vocal positions, I structured the stage around vocals.”
“Ah, I see.”
I figured as much.
‘This guy isn’t very confident in dancing.’
Even as a trainee in my third year, my stats are at best C+. That’s my level from my time at Ajusa.
If I want to showcase only solid skill? Then choosing a stage that maximizes vocals alone is the right call.
‘That guy’s vocals are A-, after all.’
And it seems he believes his vocal ability is similar to mine.
‘So he’ll think the song choice determines everything.’
Fine. Do your best. It’s convenient that Ryu Chung-woo’s dance stats are similar to his anyway, so the specs match.
‘There won’t be much footage of Ryu Chung-woo struggling to keep up with the choreography.’
I pulled up Ryu Chung-woo’s status window right in front of me.
[Name: Ryu Chung-woo]
Vocals: B (S-)
Dance: C+ (A)
Visuals: A- (A+)
Charisma: B (A)
Trait: Full Draw (B)
Not bad. Or rather, to be honest, the fact that a college student received grades like this is remarkable.
‘If I were an agency representative, I’d find a way to sign him on the spot.’
…But here’s the thing.
The problem is that I know Ryu Chung-woo’s actual abilities from reality—five years later as a first-tier idol in Testa.
Let me compare.
[Name: Ryu Chung-woo]
Vocals: A (S-)
Dance: B+ (A)
Visuals: A- (A+)
Charisma: A- (A)
Trait: Full Draw (S)
A perfect vocal-focused all-rounder.
A lead vocalist capable enough to be positioned as a main in other groups, with choreography completion and charisma sufficient even for center placement.
But the Ryu Chung-woo here is raw, untrained in fundamentals. Except for visuals, his stats have dropped one or two tiers compared to his Ajusa days.
‘And the trait is strange too.’
I recalled the original Ryu Chung-woo’s trait stat.
[Full Draw (S)]
-When you draw the bowstring, you’ll be in the exact position you want.
: Performance Composure +150%
A correction stat that allows you to express exactly what you want on stage and act naturally.
In a word, the image of a professional.
This was definitely an overwhelming S ever since his Ajusa appearance.
‘Why is this guy’s grade only B?’
I thought this was a trait he should have possessed since his archery days….
But there was no time to dwell on it further.
We were filming.
The Club Main Vocal, who had been studying the lyrics sheet, spoke in a subdued voice.
“Then the parts are… well, the rules are already set.”
“Yes.”
First, I needed to handle this guy.
I opened my mouth with an inward smile.
“Because there are rules.”
If he said it himself, it might look selfish, so he was hesitating and letting me speak instead. That’s the game.
I recalled what the CEO had said.
-The member from the Superior Section who owns the song is the one leading it. Think of the rest as featuring artists.
“Rules should naturally be followed. Tae-jun, you take the main part for half the song. You’re the owner of this track. We’re the challengers.”
“Ah… no, we’re all making this together, and since the rules are like that anyway…”
Right, appeal with that humble image. I understand what kind of image you’re trying to build, but…
‘Then the initiative will slip away.’
When you let someone else speak, they gain the right to have a say.
What’s the point of nailing the song selection if I lose control over the parts? Better to reverse it.
I’m fine either way.
“I think it would be better if you could sing the entire song overall. You need to be managing the performance, after all.”
“Yes… um. Thank you.”
I generously gave him every section except the bridge, all the way to the climax. He quickly claimed it.
[Ugh, isn’t this too much…? Ahhh~ no, it’s perfect! I got it!]
Yes, that’s appropriate.
I watched his popup of admiration as I read his thoughts and smiled inwardly, then waved the remaining half of the parts at Ryu Chung-woo.
“Is there a part you want to do?”
“Ah, I’d like to try this one.”
The guy who had only nodded along without joining in my conversation with the Club Main Vocal didn’t hold back when the question came to him.
‘He’s exactly proactive when it matters.’
After hearing all his opinions, I immediately called over the Club Main Vocal.
“We were thinking of taking exactly half each from the remaining parts. Would that be okay?”
“Yes? Ah, of course it’s fine.”
He answered readily, but I could tell he didn’t really care. No matter who took which part, he was already in an advantageous position anyway.
‘He’s not interested in coaching others or raising the overall quality.’
His mindset was that as long as he looked good to others and didn’t lose out, nothing else mattered. Now I understood how Chung-ryeo had controlled him for years.
“Yes. Thank you for your cooperation.”
From then on, I continued to gently boost the Club Main Vocal’s confidence while conducting practice, and I deliberately didn’t create separate one-on-one time with Ryu Chung-woo.
‘I can’t afford the narrative that the two of us are bonding and leaving that guy out.’
I was making sure not to miss the image of taking good care of this Club Main Vocal.
And Ryu Chung-woo followed the practice diligently without any resistance, but… that was all.
[Huh? You’re doing well though?]
He was decent enough.
But since he was a civilian following along in a team situation where all authority belonged to someone else, his impact was weak.
‘Hmm.’
…If Ryu Chung-woo was participating anyway, it would be a lie to say I didn’t want to pull him along somehow.
But right now, it’s realistically impossible to do anything like just recruit this guy as a teammate and awaken him. The timeframe is too short.
‘Besides, I have no idea what this guy is thinking right now.’
“….”
There’s no helping it.
For now, I need to structure things so Ryu Chung-woo can leave here without taking any heat and having had a fresh experience.
[Ah….]
I nudged Club Main Vocal repeatedly, guiding him to modify the Stage himself, while slowly adjusting my strategy.
And just like that, four days flew by.
Locked away in this remote place practicing every day, time always flows like an arrow.
And Ryu Chung-woo was… surprisingly improving at an inhuman pace.
[Chung-woo’s dance stat became B-…?]
Does this even make sense?
If I hadn’t known this guy, I would’ve doubted my past, treating the notion that he’d never trained as a trainee as nonsense.
[…Wait, that’s what your hyung used to hear from 【Ajusa】….]
That’s just the status window’s doing. Ryu Chung-woo isn’t like that.
‘But… even so, it doesn’t seem like he’d be pushed through to debut from here.’
Because a guy brought in this late in the game needs to be overwhelming to be pushed through.
If people hear vague talk about him being a gold medalist and riding the family bus… I’m not sure if a guy without an awakening or trauma would be okay.
[ㅠㅠ]
There’s no way around it.
I smacked my lips and moved my feet again.
To organize my thoughts, I’m walking through the Corridor at this early dawn hour.
Doing this makes me remember those days when I’d roll around writing “sleep is something you do after death”….
[Oh, over there!]
Huh?
There’s still a Training Room with the lights on. And that’s the Training Room I was using just now.
‘…No way.’
I grabbed the door handle and slid the door open.
Screech.
“…!”
My teammate’s face comes into view immediately.
It’s Ryu Chung-woo, drenched in sweat.
“You’re not sleeping.”
“Oh, I thought I’d do a bit more.”
It’s 3 AM, when the unmanned cameras have run out of battery and aren’t rolling. This guy was still in the Training Room.
“What about you?”
“Had some things to think about.”
By the way, Club Main Vocal disappeared right when the cameras shut off. Since he’s not in the Dormitory either, he must be doing something with the other trainees.
“….”
Wait, could it be that his skills improved so rapidly because he’s been doing this every dawn? Betting on his own stamina?
“You’ve been doing this the whole time.”
“Well… I just felt like something was missing.”
“Take care of your stamina. If you can’t perform on the actual stage because of this, that’s a problem.”
“Yeah. You’re right.”
Ryu Chung-woo answered obediently and lay down on the Training Room floor. The way he spoke made it clear he had no intention of heading back to the Dormitory.
‘This guy.’
I closed the door for now.
Then the guy lying there staring at the ceiling suddenly spoke up again.
“I’m sorry, hyung. I didn’t apply to interfere with your stage.”
“…!”
“Some Writer recommended me for ‘Vocal B’. I should have thought more carefully back then. It’s being broadcast, after all.”
And I realized something.
‘His speech pattern changed.’
He must have been deliberately using informal speech only. He was probably worried that if someone the same age as me used formal speech on broadcast, it might reflect badly on Ryu Gun-woo.
“…That’s not your fault either, so you don’t need to apologize.”
I quietly sat down beside him and asked casually.
“So, how did you actually end up participating in this?”
Did the Production Team cover your tuition or something?
“That’s….”
Ryu Chung-woo answered slowly.
“Because hyung seemed different.”
I went rigid and silent.
But he didn’t seem to notice, and continued.
“Do you remember when you made a sobriety calendar for New Year’s?”
“….”
What did he just say.
“You didn’t tell me directly, but since the calendar was hanging right there on the Refrigerator, I figured it out on my own.”
There was no reason for me to quit drinking here, so why would I do something like that… Anyway, so this guy, could it be.
‘Does he suspect me?’
Ryu Chung-woo’s explanation wasn’t finished, and I turned over several possibilities in my mind.
“But hyung readily drank alcohol….”
And so.
“It seemed like you weren’t refusing drinks because things were too hard, but seeing that you still continued with this work anyway, I wondered if it was something you really enjoyed.”
“…!”
I recalled the conversation patterns I’d had with him a few times.
Questions about idols.
-How is it?
-It’s fun. It’s the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done in my life.
So that’s how you interpreted it.
“And since you started challenging yourself in a new field this year, it seems like you’ve changed a lot….”
He hesitated slightly, but continued.
“It felt… unfamiliar, I guess.”
“….”
“I was envious too.”
What?
Ryu Chung-woo spoke in a low voice.
“Actually… I’m not even sure why I quit archery.”
“…!”
“I used to do it desperately. But suddenly it felt like it wouldn’t matter if I couldn’t do it anymore. Probably.”
I reflexively completed the deduction from his words.
Originally, Ryu Chung-woo quit archery by force, crying and wailing over an injury, even breaking his bow.
‘But instead of the injury….’
A void had been created.
And the most fitting and reasonable excuse had filled it.
“So basically… it seemed like I didn’t need to do it.”
“….”
I thought he was doing well at university, but that’s what it was.
‘Sigh.’
And now, the guy who impulsively jumped into an industry his relative worked in spoke with a firm voice.
“That’s why pulling all-nighters like this is refreshing. It feels overwhelming right now, but I feel myself improving every time I do it. That feeling is good. It’s been a while since I’ve felt that.”
“….”
“That’s why you said you liked it. I get it now.”
Ryu Chung-woo laughed briefly out loud. I stayed silent for a moment, then finally asked.
“Do you want to win here?”
“Huh?”
Do you want to keep going?
Ryu Chung-woo looked slightly taken aback, but soon burst into laughter.
“Of course! Hyung, nobody wants to lose.”
And he added with a fairly resolute voice.
“Same here.”
“….”
I got up.
Actually, I had planned to give Ryu Chung-woo a decent filler position incomparable to anyone else, and cut Club Main Vocal’s part at the crucial moment….
But my thinking changed.
“Understood.”
I needed to revise the plan.
The next day, before going to the trainer, I handed the lyrics sheet to Club Main Vocal.
The paper had new markings on it.
“Look, if this performance is going to have this kind of structure anyway… I’d like to suggest some adjustments to raise the overall Stage quality.”
“Excuse me?”
He glanced at the new lyrics sheet with apparent disinterest, but the moment he registered what was written, his focus sharpened.
And what leaked from his eyes despite his efforts to contain it was… greed.
‘That’s right.’
“And… I think this would emphasize that it’s more Tae-jun’s Stage, which fits the performance theme. I was wondering what you might think about it.”
“Ah.”
This guy knows too. He understands that declining a few times looks better for appearances.
But I’m merely presenting an opinion, not pushing an agenda.
The moment he refuses once, there’s an atmosphere of turning back without hesitation with ‘I see.’
And he couldn’t resist it.
“Hmm… yes, yes. For the sake of completion.”
Good. He took the bait.
[Huh, so does that mean Chung-woo can definitely beat this person?]
That’s not necessarily true.
I calculated it coldly.
Given the nature of this survival show….
‘I won’t know until we see how it unfolds.’
Even so, I choose to hold onto hope…
That’s personal freedom, I suppose.
But I decided not to view the situation too optimistically.
‘At worst, I won’t get criticized.’
I didn’t know that the principle I’d already felt back at Ajusa would apply again this time.
Namely….
Ryu Chung-woo has never lost in a survival show.
The dress rehearsal the day before the Stage.
The CEO speaks as if pronouncing a verdict.
“Among those who cannot perform the new song, there will definitely be eliminations. And it might not be just one person.”
“…!”
He’s saying we’re beginning to seriously reduce the roster.
And this time, don’t even dream of the entire team surviving—words that would shatter the morale of those who’d prepared so hard… or so I thought.
But then he continues.
“And the judges for the performance won’t be me.”
Surely not.
“It will be the most impartial critics of all—the audience. Your votes.”
“….”
I clenched my fist briefly.
I won.

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

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