The Gates Opened on the First Day of Debut - Chapter 102

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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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The Gate Burst Open on My Debut Day (102)
Once the variety show schedule was locked in, we each began preparing according to our commitments.
I watched every highlight that had been uploaded to YouTube, and for episodes that were particularly popular, I tracked down the full videos to analyze what made them successful.
We only gathered together in the Kitchen for meals, spending the rest of our time in the Living Room or our individual Rooms.
―Zing, ziiing
Only a few days remained until filming.
I was sitting on the Sofa in the Living Room, watching variety show clips that each of us had appeared in.
“Whose phone is that ringing?”
Someone’s phone began to ring. I lifted my head and glanced around.
I spotted a single phone sitting alone on the Sofa.
“Sung, you’ve got a call.”
“Oh, sorry.”
Yoo Sung, who had been drinking water in the Kitchen, hurried over with quick strides.
Upon checking the caller ID, Yoo Sung’s brow furrowed sharply.
“What? Who is it?”
“My older brother.”
Ah, I see.
I quickly understood why Yoo Sung had reacted that way and immediately tried to tune it out.
“Hello?”
[“Our Sung!”]
But since I was sitting right beside him, I could still hear the call clearly despite my attempt to ignore it.
Without thinking, my ears perked up.
“Why are you calling?”
[“Of course to congratulate you! I sincerely congratulate the pride of the Yoo Family on your debut!”]
“You’re calling out of the blue with congratulations? That’s late.”
I understood Yoo Sung’s frustration.
It had already been over a week since the EX-Grade K-POP Idol broadcast ended.
Anyone who needed to know already knew by now.
“You’re really something else, brother. You’ve been holed up in the Mountains for weeks doing some ridiculous adventure or whatever, where there’s no signal, and you just got back?”
Yoo Sung shot back sharply.
But Yoo Sung’s Older Brother was a formidable opponent.
[“Sorry, sorry! But your older brother had his reasons too!”]
“Reasons? What reasons?”
[“First of all… there’s nobody around you, right?”]
Suddenly, Yoo Sung’s Older Brother lowered his voice.
Yoo Sung glanced at me, who was sitting right beside him and blatantly eavesdropping.
“There isn’t.”
[“Good. There shouldn’t be anyone. This is really… breaking news material.”]
“Breaking news?”
[“Do you know what your older brother discovered?”]
Intrigued, I scooted my way closer to Yoo Sung, inching forward bit by bit.
Of course, Yoo Sung let out a scoff with an expression that said “here we go again.”
“How would I know that?”
[“Don’t be shocked when you hear this! Sung-i, your older brother actually….”]
Yoo Sung’s Older Brother drew out his words with deliberate suspense.
Even I, eavesdropping from where I stood, held my breath.
[“…discovered an alien.”]
“Sigh….”
An, an alien…?
My excitement deflated instantly.
Yoo Sung exhaled a deep sigh that seemed to emanate from the depths of his being.
“What do you mean an alien…. I’m so embarrassed because of you that I can’t even walk around with my head held high.”
[“No, I’m serious! Just listen. So… it was a week ago.”]
Yoo Sung’s Older Brother began explaining methodically how he came to discover the alien.
[“I was out adventuring in the Mountains like I always do… when suddenly I heard this thunderous rumbling sound from somewhere.”]
“Yeah. You must have been startled.”
Yoo Sung offered a perfunctory response with a resigned expression.
[“I was terrified! I thought it was an earthquake or a landslide! So I ran toward where the sound was coming from.”]
“Why would you run toward danger like that….”
Unable to hold back, Yoo Sung interjected, but Yoo Sung’s Older Brother paid no mind and continued.
[“Anyway, I went in the direction of the sound, and there was this black hole-like thing!”]
A black hole?
In that instant, I pictured a massive black circle like a black hole… a Gate.
It couldn’t possibly be a Gate.
It’s not like there’s one every hundred meters like convenience stores.
“Yeah. That’s interesting. A black hole, huh.”
[“Isn’t it fascinating? It wasn’t an ordinary hole. It felt like… it was connected to another world, you know?”]
“That really is fascinating.”
Yoo Sung offered another hollow response with a perfunctory tone.
It seemed this wasn’t the first or second time something like this had happened.
[“But you know what’s even more surprising? A person jumped out of it!”]
“A person?”
[“Ah, no, not a person exactly. Something in human form, so… an alien jumped out!”]
“If it’s in human form, then it’s a person. How is that an alien?”
Yoo Sung countered logically, but Yoo Sung’s Older Brother remained steadfast.
[“It came out of a hole connected to another world, so it’s an alien!”]
“Isn’t it just a Missing Person? Did you report it to the police?”
[“Hmm… I thought about that too.”]
Yoo Sung’s Older Brother hesitated as he spoke.
[“If it really is an alien… wouldn’t the government take it away?”]
“So it’s not an alien, but a Missing Person….”
[“If the government takes them, they might conduct human experiments without anyone knowing. What if an alien friend comes back later seeking revenge?”]
Yoo Sung was at a loss for words.
As an awkward silence stretched on, Yoo Sung’s Older Brother burst into hearty laughter.
[“Haha! Of course I was joking. Your older brother has at least that much common sense. Obviously I was going to report it to the police.”]
“I don’t even know where the joke starts and ends anymore….”
[“But they couldn’t remember anything.”]
“What?”
[“Who they are, where they came from… they couldn’t even remember their own name. They seem to have some kind of trauma—whenever I try to take them out of the tent, they suddenly have a seizure.”]
Yoo Sung’s Older Brother explained the condition of the presumed Missing Person—or alien—in a calm tone.
[“So for now, I’m protecting them. Once they calm down a bit, I’ll take them to the hospital or the police.”]
“…Take them as soon as possible.”
[“Yeah. That’s what I should do. Thanks for worrying, Sung-i.”]
“When did I ever worry?”
I watched Yoo Sung pout and thought to myself.
He was just grumbling for no reason.
[“So what I’m trying to say is! Your older brother had his reasons, so I found out about your debut a little late, that’s all!”]
“Who said anything?”
[“It’s all your older brother’s fault. Don’t be too upset about it.”]
“When was I ever upset….”
Yoo Sung let out a deep sigh and shook his head slowly.
“Now you have nothing to say, right? Hang up then. I’m busy preparing for filming.”
[“Filming? What kind of filming?”]
“A variety show.”
[“Whoa, you’re appearing on a variety show? Which one?”]
“Find out yourself. The article will be out soon anyway.”
[“Come on, you could at least give your older brother a hint….]
“I’m hanging up.”
Yoo Sung roughly pressed the end call button.
Then, as if calming his irritation, he took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.
“You two get along well.”
“Are your eyes crossed?”
I chuckled watching Yoo Sung grumble.
No matter what, they were brothers who got along well.
* * *
Time flew by, and the morning of the Necessity is the Mother of Invention filming day arrived.
Okada, Kang Hae-soo, and I descended to the basement, seeing off the other members.
In the basement, the Manager was waiting for us alongside a massive van.
“Perfect timing. Let’s head out. Oh, before that….”
The Manager handed each of us something.
This is….
“An action camera? Are we filming starting now?”
It was the kind of action camera YouTubers used when shooting vlogs.
“Oh, it’s not for Necessity is the Mother of Invention filming. We’re just grabbing some footage for our own content.”
“Your own content?”
“Don’t worry about it for now. I’ll explain everything later.”
We tilted our heads in confusion but carefully secured the action camera nonetheless.
“Just ramble about whatever comes to mind and fill in some audio.”
They wouldn’t even tell us what kind of content this was, yet they had so many demands.
…That’s what I thought, but as powerless rookie idols, we had no choice but to do as instructed.
“Um… I’m Hiro from Guild? Is this… is this how I should do it…?”
Hiro glanced at the manager reflected in the rearview mirror as she spoke.
The manager nodded.
“We’re currently on our way to film Necessity is the Mother of Invention. Hiro and Kang Hae-soo are here too.”
I turned the camera to film Hiro and Kang Hae-soo in turn.
Still unaccustomed to the camera, Hiro and Kang Hae-soo bowed politely toward it.
Their fresh, green rookie appearance made me burst into laughter without thinking.
“Kang Hae-soo, Kang Hae-soo. What made you decide to appear on Necessity is the Mother of Invention? Please share your thoughts.”
“Huh? Me, me?”
Suddenly playful, I held the camera toward Kang Hae-soo like a reporter conducting an on-site interview.
“Kim Chowol recommended it to me. He said we should go together.”
“And you, Hiro?”
“I… I was also recommended by Kim Chowol…!”
No, if you both say the same thing, what am I supposed to do?
I’d never filmed anything outside of EX-grade K-POP content before, but I knew that answer was a no-go.
“Ha! Well, it’s fresh and charming, you know. Exactly like rookies.”
But the manager seemed pleased.
“Then why did Kim Chowol recommend Necessity is the Mother of Invention to us?”
This time, Kang Hae-soo turned the camera toward me and spoke.
Ah, so this is how you counterattack, huh?
“Because it’s a physical variety show.”
I answered confidently.
“You two both have great athletic abilities.”
Kang Hae-soo and Hiro exchanged long, searching looks.
Nothing to say to that, right?
“Then… why did you say you’d appear on Necessity is the Mother of Invention with us?”
The attack came from a completely unexpected direction.
It was Hiro.
I shrugged and answered.
“Me? I just wanted to ride the bus.”
“A bus…?”
Did Okada, being a foreigner, not understand the expression “taking a bus”?
“Since you two are both athletic, I was thinking of riding on your coattails a bit.”
At my materialistic answer, Kang Hae-soo and Okada’s jaws dropped in shock.
I couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
“Of course I’m joking! Why are you taking it so seriously?”
“Y-yes, I knew it! Since Kim Chowol is also athletic… he even won the baseball MVP award.”
“That’s… well, yes. I did win the MVP.”
I laughed awkwardly and thought to myself.
Sorry. That was all equipment carry.
“We’re arriving at the Shop soon, so get ready.”
“Yes.”
The Manager, who was driving, spoke up.
We straightened our postures, having been half-turned around chatting excitedly.
I gazed out at the scenery flashing past the window and reflected.
‘I said it was a joke, but…’
Truth be told, I was half-serious.
If I only sent the talented ones, it wouldn’t be fun—I needed to bring along someone moderately unskilled too.
I absolutely wasn’t planning to hide behind the talented ones and coast.
Really!

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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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