Debut or Die - Chapter 426

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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 426
Truth be told, contact with the VTIC members hadn’t completely severed after returning to reality.
From the beginning, that is.
-VTIC Chae-yul: Hey there~~
VTIC Chae-yul senior, you remember my wish, right? Haha, my wish!
They’d reached out the very next day with messages like that.
Anyone could see they were essentially probing—”What if you don’t remember? Did something happen between us?”—with that unmistakable tone.
‘If I’d actually lost my memory, I would’ve turned it around and interrogated them instead.’
Anyway, I’d barely managed to stop those VTIC bastards from creating a “Wishes group chat”—and that happened before we even filmed the healing variety show.
-VTIC Senior Chaeyul: Oh, that’s right. There are people who weren’t part of Wishz, so they might feel left out.
-VTIC Shin O: Then should we just invite everyone to the old group chat?
-Hold on a moment
I’d nearly let the entire team end up replying to daily check-ins from the senior group.
‘I thought things had quieted down after that, so nothing else would happen.’
I’d even seen the article headline about his enlistment date being set, so I figured we wouldn’t see each other for a while.
If just one of them hadn’t suddenly called, I would’ve kept thinking that way.
And at this hour, no less.
‘…What game?’
Who taught him the insane habit of calling a junior member at 2 AM because an idea popped into his head?
When I turned the question back on him, Ju Dan gave me this response.
-Since the live broadcast shoot was imminent, you naturally wouldn’t have gone to bed yet. I do have some sense of propriety.
“…Yes.”
That’s not propriety—that’s called a guess.
Anyway, he continued with what he had to say.
-There’s a plan. Before enlistment, we’d release a fan song without warning, and even though it’d be inactive, we’d treat it as a meaningful memento. That was the proposal.
Is that so? We’d need to avoid overlaps, so I should probably dig into the schedule.
“Congratulations. When are you announcing it?”
-It’s still under discussion.
“…?”
There wasn’t much time left for that, so if it’s still under discussion….
Wait, don’t tell me.
“Chung-ryeo didn’t approve it, did he?”
-….
“You didn’t say anything.”
A long silence stretched out.
-We’re members of the same group, so the term “approval” is somewhat inappropriate.
So he didn’t get approval. Got it.
-And… wait, this call isn’t being leaked, is it?
I turned my head.
“Is this Ju Dan?”
“Yes.”
“Ah, I see. Give them my regards.”
Nobody’s particularly interested. They’d already figured out this wasn’t news about the album they’d been waiting for.
Once I made it clear we were being treated like a personal call, Ju Dan lowered his voice.
-The timeline he already knew has already passed. Wouldn’t it be natural for stubbornness accumulated over many years to cloud judgment at some point?
Is he being serious? That bastard?
“Then perhaps you could speak with him directly….”
-Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be now.
Breathe and answer.
Anyway, they’re planning to persuade the leader themselves somehow, so there’s something they want to ask Testa.
From here on, we all listened together on speakerphone.
-So what we wanted to ask is….
“Yes, yes, yes.”
-A charity concert.
“…??”
The conversation suddenly jumped from the album to helping the underprivileged.
“What a meaningful idea!”
No, wait, don’t do that yet.
-Yes. Fan songs typically have gratitude and love as their themes, so the frequency of the concept seemed to match quite well, which is why we’re planning this.
To summarize his explanation, instead of activities, VTIC would be hosting a charity concert.
-And we were hoping Testa members would appear as guests.
And there’s something oddly familiar about this.
Sure enough, Ryu Chung-woo carefully interjected.
“Um, is this perhaps a continuation of the charity concert where Moon-dae invited you seniors last time?”
-It would make for better narrative if we framed it that way.
Exactly. It’s reciprocity for appearing as guests at the charity concert we held.
Since we’d held our first charity concert in connection with VTIC’s company, they wanted us to appear as guests in return.
“Oh.”
“That’s a good cause! I’m in.”
Apparently they’re not just inviting us—they’re calling several teams.
‘So it’s more of a large-scale event then.’
Actually, it would be awkward to say no after they’d already invited us as guests before.
The atmosphere was naturally drifting toward tentative agreement.
“Right~ It sounds like such a meaningful and wonderful thing, senior! But we should hear from our company too, so could you give us a little time?”
-Of course. I’ll call back around ten in the morning tomorrow.
It was a response that didn’t account for people needing sleep, but either way, the agreement fell through.
“Oh, we should contact you directly~ We can’t have you calling us again, senior!”
The others didn’t bother interjecting as he smoothly wrapped up the call. They simply acquiesced.
The one who’d interjected wasn’t the type to do something without reason.
“Mm.”
And as the call ended.
Big Sae-jin, the instigator himself, sat in the Living Room with a wry smile.
“You… had second thoughts?”
“…Sort of? I was thinking the Company might look guilty about this controversy and use us for the charity concert to make themselves look good. Like we’re volunteering, you know?”
“…!”
“If that happens, wouldn’t that be bad…?”
It would be bad.
I opened my mouth.
“If we share responsibility for the Company’s mistakes, it’ll look like we did something wrong too.”
“Bingo~”
“Ugh…”
Our image would be locked in place.
Right now we’ve barely separated ourselves from the Company’s ridiculous behavior with the premise that ‘the artists are victims too,’ but a charity concert?
The problem was it could connect us to the image of ‘the artists are also being self-reflective.’
-T1 trying so hard, Testa trying so hard lol
-See, they knew about it and participated in it. Since they were stabbed, they got a spoon at a senior’s charity concert and started bashing on social media.
That’s how it would go.
‘He’s gotten sharper after struggling at Zairop.’
I looked at Big Sae-jin with genuine admiration, then nodded.
“We need to approach this carefully. Well, it’s good that we can adjust the album schedule using this as an excuse.”
Compared to endlessly postponing the album, this is a happy problem, but Headquarters might rush to release it anyway.
‘Then the promotion will be sloppy.’
Using the charity concert as a pretext to secure a few weeks of time for the promotional staff and their work was quite an attractive bait.
“Schedule adjustments don’t seem necessary. We can complete album preparations within two weeks!”
“You can, but won’t the Company’s promotion team struggle?”
“Ay~ our Rae-bin, isn’t it frustrating that not everyone in the world is a genius like you?”
“…?! That’s too much praise, or rather, I’ve never thought such a thing…”
“Ahahaha!”
Man, this kid’s going to break.
Anyway, here’s the thing.
“Anyone with good opinions?”
Honestly, we don’t have to do this charity concert—it’s just a matter of ethics—so speak freely.
Then someone actually waves his hand casually.
“Yeap.”
Cha Yu-jin, whose eyes met mine, grinned.
And the next day.
“We’re doing this because we’re close. Make sure to tell the fans that first!”
Cha Yu-jin shouted confidently at Ju Dan.
That’s right.
-It’s okay to do charity as friends. We’re friends with those seniors now anyway, so it’s not a lie.
‘Let’s make it look like we’re doing this because of our group connection.’
We’re just one of several guests anyway, so our fans won’t resent us. And we get to pick up the image that we have enough name value to contribute meaningfully to a charity event.
-Well, that shouldn’t be difficult with just a bit of advance preparation.
“That’s not me—that’s Moon-dae hyung’s job.”
-I figured as much.
Those who remember being in the same group communicate without much awkwardness.
“Right. Anyway.”
I smiled faintly.
Let me squeeze out a bit more benefit.
“Senior. There’s one more guest I’d like to recommend.”
-Hmm?
Actually, a few minutes ago, I’d made a phone call in advance. But it wasn’t to Ju Dan.
-Yes. Hello, senior!
It was Mirinai Member (Rank 2).
For some reason, her voice seems to be getting more disciplined as time goes on, and I’m not sure why.
Anyway, I was about to get to the main point… but she spoke first.
-First, I really wanted to express my gratitude!
-Pardon?
-…Oh.
But before I could even respond properly, she let out a short sigh and her words came faster.
-It’s just… yes. It’s not gratitude for any specific situation, just a general thank you for always taking good care of us juniors!
-Ah, I see.
-That was all!
No, she could’ve at least mentioned the album.
Anyone watching would think I’d threatened her to keep her mouth shut from now on.
‘You cooperated so well—why are you doing this?’
I recalled this junior’s activities over the past few weeks.
Since the label got ground up, the information I could gather was becoming skewed.
Park Min-ha from Miry-nay, who had been feeding me every detail about what happens at the company and schedule changes from the perspective of an affiliated artist, had certainly earned her keep as an information source.
So I’d decided to make her this proposal too.
-A good offer came in. I thought it would be nice to mention it to the juniors, so I contacted you.
-Um, what kind of…?
-A charity concert.
We’re planning to emphasize first that we’re appearing because of our personal connection with VTIC.
But if Miry-nay joins after that?
‘Then it becomes Testa calling us.’
When the board expands that way, it takes on a slightly different meaning.
The agency controversy comes to mind, but since the base of personal connection takes priority, it gets distorted.
-This is… the agency cutting ties
-Drawing the line lolololololololol
How incompetent must the management be for the members to send out these kinds of signals?
So following T1 Headquarters, the artists are also drawing a line and sending signals distancing themselves from their Agency’s management.
‘If we had done it, we’d choose this kind of positive influence.’
‘And anyway, the management that’s already been discredited won’t be able to touch our schedule.’
It wasn’t a bad move.
And Mirinai Junior’s reaction to the explanation was positive as well.
-I think all our members would be happy with that.
So the final decision was made.
Ju Dan nodded at the guest recommendation.
-That works. We were already planning to cast singers with diverse genders and age groups to broaden our viewership anyway.
“Yes.”
Everything fit perfectly into place.
Now all that remained was one final check.
“But how did you convince Chung-ryeo?”
How did you handle the permission issue with your leader?
Surprisingly, he’d just said he got approval with considerable confidence.
-…I presented various logics and evidence, so I won’t hastily pinpoint which one worked.
But it seemed even he didn’t quite know the reason.
‘Anyway, it looks like he also found something to benefit from, wherever it came from.’
I’d need to watch the progress carefully.
I gladly handed over the call with Ju Dan to the others and mentally reviewed the organized situation.
‘Hmm.’
Got time to properly build the album promotion, cut ties with management. Two birds with one stone.
It didn’t seem like anything would fall apart midway.
So I called up the status window.
[Hyung?]
‘You free that day by any chance?’
Since it’s happening in South Korea and lots of people I know will be there, it should be fine to send a ticket.
‘Come watch the pre-recording.’
[WHOA WHOA WHOA??]
And a few days later.
Everything began when a single screenshot was posted to VTIC’s official SNS account.
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First guest recruitment successful! (photo)
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What was attached was a KakaoTalk conversation that Chae Yul and I had deliberately staged.
The chat history, roughly constructed to look like he’d been won over by late-night snacks and dog photos, was suddenly released without any prior announcement, catching people’s curiosity.
-What guest is it
-The dog he sold off, is it Kongi? lol
-Hyung the sneaky phantom thief Jin Chae-yul who sells dogs is too young to enlist please save him
‘A decent start.’
…And that day, I received a message.
-As promised
-See you soon.
Attached was a yellow dog draped in a beige blanket like a cape—merchandise for the charity concert.

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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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