The Gates Opened on the First Day of Debut - Chapter 48

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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 (48)
“Hello, I’m Kim Junwoo from Nexus.”
Kim Junwoo greeted Hwang Min-woo first.
Hwang Min-woo’s expression brightened instantly upon recognizing him.
“Oh wow, hello senior! I’m looking forward to working with you today!”
“Yes, me too.”
The trainees still needed more time to finish their preparations.
The judges seated at their table naturally fell into casual conversation.
“Min-woo is from Winter Boys… right?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“I saw you on a variety show before! The Winter Boys debut behind-the-scenes special!”
“Oh, I think I saw that too. Their concept was winter guys, right? That’s why they debuted in winter and only make comebacks in winter.”
“Haha, that’s right. You know your stuff!”
The other judges, unaware of Hwang Min-woo and Seo Ijae’s circumstances, spoke to him warmly.
Hwang Min-woo grinned widely, clearly delighted, and engaged in cheerful conversation with the judges.
“The song that the Winter Boys team is remaking this time is Winter Boys’ debut track, Winter Boys.”
Kim Junwoo, who had been quietly observing Hwang Min-woo, opened his mouth.
“I became curious and looked up the song information.”
“Oh, Junwoo is really diligent! You even researched the song details!”
“It’s nothing special. I was just curious. But while looking up the song information, I discovered something interesting…”
Kim Junwoo smiled with a slight smirk as he looked at Hwang Min-woo.
Hwang Min-woo’s shoulders flinched when their eyes met.
“Min-woo, you can write lyrics and compose too?”
“What? Really?”
“Your name appeared in the Winter Boys song credits. I saw that you wrote the lyrics and composed it.”
“Wow! What, Min-woo, you’re incredibly talented!
“Haha…”
The other judges’ eyes sparkled as they looked at Hwang Min-woo.
Hwang Min-woo laughed awkwardly.
At first glance, he seemed embarrassed by the flood of compliments.
But to Kim Junwoo, who knew the truth, it looked different.
Hwang Min-woo was uncomfortable with this conversation.
“So the Winter Boys team is remaking a song you wrote and composed? I’m really looking forward to seeing you perform!”
“That’s why I couldn’t sleep properly yesterday. My insomnia has been getting worse lately… Do the rest of you sleep well?”
“But you didn’t compose it alone, did you?”
Kim Junwoo cut off Hwang Min-woo’s attempt to change the subject with surgical precision.
Kim Junwoo smiled with a slight smirk and thought to himself.
‘Why not have a bit more fun.’
Don’t bother changing the subject.
“Seo Ijae? That name also appeared as one of the trainees on our program.”
“Ah…. Yes, Lee Jae.”
Hwang Min-woo’s pupils trembled with unease.
His expression darkened slightly, as though he were reluctant to speak of something he’d rather avoid.
“Could you tell us about the behind-the-scenes work? Did you two collaborate on it?”
“Well….”
Hwang Min-woo glanced nervously toward the staff.
Plenty of time had already passed since the trainees finished their preparations.
But the staff pretended not to notice Hwang Min-woo.
They probably wanted the conversation to continue—it was getting interesting.
“Why? Is there something you can’t talk about?”
“Huh? Oh, no…. That’s not it.”
Hwang Min-woo visibly startled.
At this point, it seemed Hwang Min-woo was beginning to suspect Kim Junwoo as well.
He’d probably recalled the connection between composer Jiyu and Nexus.
Kim Junwoo stepped back to avoid suspicion.
“I was just joking. Why did you get so startled? You look like someone who’s committed a crime.”
“Ha ha….”
“Won’t you tell us about the behind-the-scenes?”
“The behind-the-scenes….”
After a moment of deliberation, Hwang Min-woo finally spoke.
“Actually, Lee Jae handled almost all of the composition. Winter Boys was originally Lee Jae’s practice piece. I just helped develop it.”
“Ooh….”
“But I wrote all the lyrics myself. You probably noticed that only my name appears in the lyrics credits.”
“That’s right, I did notice.”
The other judges nodded with expressions of interest.
The staff, satisfied as well, gestured toward the Practice Room door and murmured among themselves.
The trainees would be entering soon.
“But you don’t engage in musical activities anymore?”
Yet Kim Junwoo had no intention of ending the conversation here.
“Pardon?”
“Usually, if someone can compose and write lyrics, they continue their musical activities, don’t they?”
“Ah, I’ve completely transitioned to acting now….”
“Even if you’ve transitioned to acting.”
Kim Junwoo cut off Hwang Min-woo’s words decisively.
“At Nexus, even members who’ve transitioned to acting continue their musical activities consistently.”
“Well….”
“But strangely, Min Woo, you seem to have no lingering attachment to music at all.”
Kim Junwoo was pressing Hwang Min-woo relentlessly.
The atmosphere in the Practice Room had become strange.
The other judges began to read the tension between Kim Junwoo and Hwang Min-woo.
“To be honest… I felt like I was lacking in songwriting and composition while preparing for Winter Boys activities. But acting suits my aptitude well….”
Hwang Min-woo trailed off, glancing nervously at Kim Junwoo.
Kim Junwoo lost himself in thought without even sparing Hwang Min-woo a glance.
The atmosphere was precarious, like walking on thin ice.
Everyone swallowed hard and stared intently at Kim Junwoo.
Finally, Kim Junwoo opened his mouth.
“If songwriting and composition don’t suit your aptitude, there’s nothing wrong with focusing on acting.”
Phew.
Hwang Min-woo and the other judges quietly exhaled in relief.
It seemed their impression that Kim Junwoo was cornering Hwang Min-woo had been a misunderstanding.
After all, why would Kim Junwoo rebuke Hwang Min-woo in a public setting if he harbored any ill will toward him?
Once the conversation between Kim Junwoo and Hwang Min-woo concluded, the trainees finally entered the Practice Room.
“Hello, we’re the Winter Boys team.”
Kim Chowol, wearing a Leader sticker on his chest, greeted them as the representative.
A Center sticker was affixed to Seo Ijae’s chest.
“It’s been a while, Kim Chowol.”
Kim Junwoo, who had been ruthlessly pressing Hwang Min-woo just moments ago, smiled warmly at Kim Chowol.
It was a soft and affectionate smile that made the other judges blink in surprise.
But Kim Chowol’s attention was elsewhere.
“Hello, I’m Hwang Min-woo, the special guest judge for today’s evaluation.”
Kim Junwoo’s gaze alternated between Seo Ijae and Hwang Min-woo.
According to Jiyu’s explanation, Seo Ijae had developed trauma because of Hwang Min-woo.
Trauma is not easily overcome.
Especially in a situation like this, where the perpetrator is thriving while the victim is struggling at the bottom.
Kim Junwoo even considered the worst-case scenario—that Seo Ijae might suffer a panic attack upon seeing Hwang Min-woo.
But when Seo Ijae actually saw Hwang Min-woo….
‘He seems less bothered than I expected?’
Of course, he appeared somewhat flustered, but that was only natural for anyone.
Hmm.
Kim Junwoo observed Seo Ijae with an intrigued expression.
“Hello, I’m Seo Ijae.”
He finished his introduction plainly, just like any other team member.
Rather, it was Hwang Min-woo who seemed taken aback.
Hwang Min-woo widened his eyes and looked back and forth between the staff and Seo Ijae.
He appeared unable to believe that Seo Ijae was pretending not to know him.
“It’s been a while, Seo Ijae.”
In the end, Hwang Min-woo was the first to acknowledge their connection.
“Yes, Judge Hwang Min-woo.”
“What’s with the formality? Speak comfortably. It’s awkward, Lee Jae.”
“…Understood, Min Woo.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
It was truly an intriguing situation.
Members who had once performed in the same group—one now sat in the judge’s seat while the other remained a trainee.
It would have been perfect if Hwang Min-woo shed a tear here, but unfortunately, he wasn’t particularly skilled at acting.
Hwang Min-woo spoke with a distant expression, as if lost in memories.
“Our song… we’re singing it again?”
Our song.
The judges gazed at Seo Ijae and Hwang Min-woo with sympathetic expressions.
But to Kim Junwoo, who knew the truth, it looked as though Hwang Min-woo was blackmailing Seo Ijae.
‘This is our song. Not yours alone. I helped with the composition and even wrote the lyrics. It’s our song.’
Seo Ijae seemed to catch what Hwang Min-woo was implying and clamped his mouth shut.
The previously composed expression on Seo Ijae’s face wavered slightly.
Hwang Min-woo flashed a victorious smile.
“It’s our song.”
Kim Chowol suddenly interjected.
“We remade it, so it’s our song now.”
Kim Chowol’s tone was respectful, and his demeanor was courteous.
But there was steel beneath his words.
“Oh… bold, aren’t you?”
“Trainee Kim Chowol, you seem confident. Isn’t that a rather risky statement to make in front of the original artist?”
The other judges playfully chimed in with their own remarks to Kim Chowol.
But Kim Chowol remained undaunted and answered steadily.
“Our team has an original artist too, so it’s fine.”
“Right, that’s true. Trainee Seo Ijae was with Winter Boys.”
“Lee Jae handled everything from the lyrics to the arrangement himself. We just offered our opinions from the sidelines.”
“Ha.”
Hwang Min-woo suddenly let out a hollow laugh.
The other judges startled and whipped around to look at Hwang Min-woo.
“Min-woo? Why the sudden outburst?”
“Ahem… no, this is….”
Hwang Min-woo, belatedly realizing his mistake, broke out in a cold sweat.
‘Hmm….’
Kim Junwoo, eyes narrowed, stared intently at Hwang Min-woo.
Kim Junwoo immediately understood why Hwang Min-woo had laughed.
Hwang Min-woo knew the truth.
That Seo Ijae hadn’t been able to compose or arrange anything since his Winter Boys activities ended.
“I was always there helping whenever Lee Jae worked. I was just a little worried whether he could do well without me….”
Hwang Min-woo spouted an unconvincing excuse.
The judges sensed something off, but chose not to make a bigger issue of it.
“Don’t worry so much. Anyone watching would think you’re Trainee Seo Ijae’s older brother.”
“Ha ha….”
“He must have done well on his own. Winter Boys was originally Seo Ijae’s trainee project, wasn’t it?”
“Yes, that’s right. Well, he should do fine.”
Hwang Min-woo nodded with an uneasy expression.
But he quickly returned to his original confident demeanor.
He seemed firmly convinced that Seo Ijae still couldn’t compose or arrange music.
Well, Hwang Min-woo’s assumption wasn’t entirely wrong.
‘But it’s still too early to let my guard down.’
Kim Junwoo suppressed the corners of his mouth rising upward and looked at Kim Chowol.
“We’re starting the stage now.”
Kim Chowol sent a meaningful glance to his teammates lined up in formation, then spoke to the staff.
Music flowed from the speakers.
“Small lights drifting through the cold air.”
The moment the first verse left Yoo Sung’s lips.
Hwang Min-woo muttered softly with an expression of shock.
“How… how is this possible….”
Hwang Min-woo’s expression rapidly crumbled.

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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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