The Gates Opened on the First Day of Debut - Chapter 81

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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 (81)
A man stared at his phone in the darkness of his room.
The light bursting from the phone screen illuminated the stubbled jaw of a man who hadn’t shaved in days.
[“Beneath the descending sky, O Fortuna, was this too the will of the gods?”]
On the phone screen, Han Theo appeared, his body shattering as he danced and his voice tearing as he sang.
Sitting quietly and watching Han Theo on the screen, my heart grew heavier and heavier, my breathing catching in my throat.
[“Waaaaaaah!”]
As the stage performance ended, the crowd began to cheer.
My heavy heart lifted slightly.
But only for a moment.
[“Get off the stage!”]
Someone in the cheering crowd shouted sharply at Han Theo and threw something.
Fortunately, Kim Chowol beside him grabbed Han Theo’s arm and pulled him away in time.
A half-crushed aluminum can fell onto the stage.
The crowd’s roaring cheers that had been ringing moments before vanished like a lie, and the atmosphere plummeted instantly.
[“What? Get off? What are you suddenly talking about?”
“What did you just throw? You threw it at the trainee in the middle, right?”]
Among the murmuring crowd trying to understand the situation, someone shouted again.
[“Han Theo, get off the stage! Or explain the parachute trainee allegations!”]
The camera filming the stage suddenly began to shake.
[“Parachute trainee? Ah, could that trainee be the one in question?”
“Really? They can appear on broadcast without even properly explaining themselves?”
“Still, throwing trash isn’t right. Someone could get hurt…”]
The voices of the murmuring crowd grew louder.
As the shaking camera refocused on the stage, I could see Han Theo’s ashen face.
My heart, which had lifted slightly, grew heavy again.
[“Please wait. Please step aside for a moment!”]
Security guards stationed near the stage pushed through the crowd and found the person who threw the trash.
But the person who threw it had already fled.
Han Theo and his teammates, having successfully completed the stage performance, descended from it with their heads bowed low like criminals.
“Sigh….”
Unable to bear the discomfort any longer, the man scrolled down and escaped to the comments section.
The video had been uploaded yesterday evening, and it already had over 300,000 views, with comments surpassing 600.
I honestly did wrong throwing trash, but the Parachute Trainee shamelessly coming up on stage is also a problem, you know.
👍385
└No, from the moment trash was thrown, what that woman says has no credibility (👍213)
└Honestly, the messenger was wrong, not the message, right? (👍125) ]
[But is Han Theo really a parachute trainee? They’re too skilled to be called a parachute trainee;;
👍571
Han Theo got in through connections, that’s why people keep saying something’s off about it. There was no reason to bring him in through connections in the first place.(👍176)
Honestly, even if this were nepotism, wouldn’t it be fine? lol Rather, if they didn’t debut after this, that would seem like rigging. (👍98)
Even if it’s nepotism, they’re saying funny stuff about it being “recognition” or whatever lol. If they were in that position themselves, these bastards would be foaming at the mouth and throwing a fit.
👍431
└ㄹㅇㅋㅋ I wrote my resume and prepared for the interview, but if I fall due to a parachute, I will admit it lol (👍206)
└But if that Parachute Trainee is better at the job than the person who got in, there’s no problem, right? Just think of him as someone who would’ve gotten in anyway with the same application and interview, and there’s nothing to regret(👍185)
└Then he should’ve written the same application and done the same interview to get in. Why did he come in as a Parachute Trainee instead?(👍112)]
Public opinion about Han Theo was split almost down the middle.
The Female PD, who had received under-the-table money from the Loud Sound CEO, monitored over 600 comments and the constantly growing stream of new ones.
‘It’s all because of me. My heart wavered over such a pittance….’
The Female PD recalled when the Loud Sound CEO first approached her and showed her Han Theo’s profile and videos.
After reviewing Han Theo’s profile and videos, the Female PD had thought to herself.
‘I never expected to find a gem hidden in such an obscure agency!’
The Female PD was itching to show Han Theo’s profile and videos to Jang Hyuk-soo as soon as possible.
But then the Loud Sound CEO carefully opened his mouth.
‘Um… Female PD, do you think our Theo could appear on the program?’
‘Pardon?’
‘Well, Theo was originally preparing to debut at our agency, but the agency’s circumstances aren’t favorable… Without this program, his debut might be difficult.’
The Loud Sound CEO continued, gauging the Female PD’s reaction.
‘So if you could possibly use your influence to help our Theo appear on the program… would that be possible?’
At that point, the Female PD should have reassured him that with Han Theo’s visuals and talent, he would definitely debut.
But at the Loud Sound CEO’s next words, the Female PD fell silent.
‘If a gesture of goodwill is necessary, I’ll do my best to prepare something.’
‘A gesture of goodwill?’
‘Since we’re a small agency, I can’t offer much, but still….’
The Female PD belatedly understood what the CEO was implying.
And at that moment, a face flashed through the mind of the Female PD, who had been about to refuse the proposal.
‘Come to think of it, my girlfriend’s birthday was coming up soon.’
After finishing her recollection, the Female PD swallowed a sigh and thought.
‘Why did I think of my girlfriend at that moment?’
Why did the image of his girlfriend, happy over a thirty-thousand-won lipstick, flash through his mind at that exact moment?
If only it hadn’t been her birthday. Or if the Loud Sound CEO hadn’t brought up that loaded phrase about a gesture of goodwill….
The Female PD knew full well that it was all just an excuse.
In the end, it was the Female PD who had accepted the bribe.
And because of the Female PD’s choice, a trainee barely twenty years old was quietly enduring the torrent of public condemnation.
[“Thank you for watching until the end. I’ll repay you with an even better stage.”]
The Female PD played the part where Han Theo bowed and greeted over and over.
And finally, the Female PD’s resolve hardened.
Taking a deep breath, the Female PD called someone.
―Brrrring, brrrring, click
The dial tone cut off, and finally the other person answered.
* * *
A cramped office barely worthy of being called a CEO Office.
A man who appeared to be in his early sixties was nervously gnawing at his fingernails.
“Why on earth isn’t anyone picking up?”
The man’s identity was the Loud Sound CEO.
From Han Theo’s perspective, he was the son of his grandfather’s cousin—in other words, a distant relative by marriage.
Even calling him a distant relative felt awkward; they had never met once since birth, and it was embarrassing to claim any familial bond.
Yet the CEO had readily accepted Han Theo’s grandfather’s request to help fulfill Han Theo’s dreams.
This was because the CEO’s daughter had once received help from Han Theo’s grandfather during her studies in America.
“Do I really have to shut down the business….”
The CEO muttered as he carelessly tossed the phone he’d been clutching since morning onto the table.
I couldn’t understand why nothing ever worked out.
As for the bribes and favors… honestly, I had nothing to say in my defense.
It was true that I had given the bribes, and it was equally true that the Female PD had cast Han Theo in the program in return.
“But our Theo really knew nothing about any of this.”
Thinking of Han Theo’s face, my heart grew heavy.
Han Theo was a good kid who nodded obediently and followed whatever I said without question.
When the parachute trainee scandal erupted, the CEO immediately contacted the Female PD who had received the bribes.
‘PD, I don’t care what happens to me—please, I’m begging you, save Theo, just save Theo!’
The Female PD, who had initially refused the CEO’s plea, eventually agreed to consider it after repeated persuasion and entreaties.
“But why hasn’t she contacted me since then?!”
Public opinion regarding Han Theo had recovered somewhat thanks to the guerrilla stage performance.
However, the parachute trainee label clinging to Han Theo showed no signs of disappearing.
‘Did she betray me? Or maybe Jang Hyuk-soo contacted her first. It wasn’t betrayal—she was never on my side to begin with….’
The CEO finally let out a resigned sigh.
I couldn’t wait any longer.
Whether it turned to poison or medicine, I had to release an official statement regarding the parachute trainee scandal.
Sitting before the computer, the CEO opened a document and began typing the statement.
[Hello, this is Loud Sound Entertainment.
We are issuing an official statement regarding the suspicions that have arisen concerning our trainee Han Theo’s participation in the EX-Grade K-POP Idol program.
First and foremost, we sincerely apologize for causing concern to our fans and viewers.
Following a factual investigation, we confirm that there were indeed financial transactions with certain members of the program’s production team. This decision was made unilaterally by our company’s management, and we must clearly state that the trainee in question was completely unaware of these circumstances.
Trainee Han Theo participated in the program solely through his own effort and ability, and is unrelated to this matter. All responsibility lies with the company….]
The CEO’s hands suddenly stopped as he was typing the statement.
‘Will people actually believe this?’
Through this parachute trainee scandal, the CEO had painfully learned just how cold and merciless an excited public could become.
There was a high likelihood that people, fixated on the fact that it was indeed a parachute trainee situation, would refuse to believe that Han Theo had known nothing.
―Bzzzzt, bzzzzt
Just as his thoughts grew heavier, the CEO’s phone began to ring.
The CEO hurriedly checked the caller ID on his phone.
“An unknown number?”
The CEO, who had been certain it was the Female PD calling, couldn’t hide his disappointment.
Swallowing a sigh, the CEO answered the phone.
“Hello, this is Han Myung-soo of Loud Sound Entertainment.”
[“Is this CEO Han Myung-soo?”]
“Yes, I’m CEO Han Myung-soo. But if I may ask… who is calling?”
The person who had called the CEO was an unfamiliar man.
The unfamiliar man answered the CEO’s question with composure.
[“Ah, this is Jang Hyuk-soo. Jang Hyuk-soo.”]
“Yes…?”
[“I have something to discuss regarding Han Theo’s trainee situation. Do you have a moment to talk?”]

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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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