The Reincarnated Idol Hard Carries an Indie Band - Chapter 83

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

A Former Idol Carries an Indie Band
Chapter 83
There were still people who criticized Oktop’s attitude.
Like the way Kang Min had treated Lim Hyun Taek.
Or how Cha Seo Ha had danced and thrown an arrogant glance at Judge Park Chul Hwan.
It was nothing that would cause real trouble—just background noise.
But the more serious consensus was that Oktop’s story was entertaining and their skill was outstanding.
They showed something new each round, and each member’s distinct personality shone through.
People who hadn’t known much about Oktop began to take interest in them and sought out their music.
It was all thanks to how thoroughly Oktop had leveraged the system.
And the broadcast network, well aware of this growing buzz, made more aggressive moves as the finals approached.
“Lee Do Young. Stand in front of there and put your hand on your brother’s photograph.”
“Like this?”
“Yes, that’s good…….”
The Columbarium where Lee Do Hyun’s ashes were enshrined.
Located in a quiet spot, the open space here brought a pleasant breeze, but
Lee Do Young’s mood was anything but pleasant.
He stood before an urn filled with flowers and photographs while the camera crew captured the scene.
“Thank you for your cooperation.”
Lee Do Young’s expression had naturally turned somber.
Missing his brother, and feeling as though he were doing something terrible to him.
But such thoughts lasted only a moment.
This was all for his brother and family, after all.
“Your expression doesn’t look very good. Are you in pain?”
“No. I’m fine.”
Kim Da Young, the writer who had accompanied them to the Memorial Park, asked with concern.
It was a scene absolutely necessary for the broadcast, but her subject was only a high school student.
“It’s possible you feel guilty about using your brother on the broadcast while he’s so young.”
Kim Da Young thought she should comfort this young friend a little.
“Think of it this way. Your brother couldn’t finish his music, but now you’re going to complete it, and people will remember him because of the photos we’re taking today.”
“Yes, thank you.”
“We’ll help well too. Editing is our specialty.”
That was right.
What the broadcast network did best.
It was moving people’s hearts through editing.
Today’s footage, which felt like it laid a stone on Lee Do Young’s heart, would become perfect material for the network to use.
And that would greatly help Oktop’s plan.
* * *
“What? You want to go to university?”
The Administrative Office of Jeong Woon High School.
The homeroom teacher of Cha Seo Ha and Heo Jun Sung wondered if she’d heard correctly.
The two had come to the office out of nowhere and said they wanted to go to university.
Of course, they meant a Music University.
But the conditions were strange.
They were asking her to look into universities that specifically required taking the College Entrance Exam.
There were less than two months until the exam.
“You two—lately you’ve been doing a lot of broadcasting, and it seems you’ve lost touch with reality. Lee Do Young I might understand, but you two, the worst students in the class when it comes to studying—there’s no way you can start preparing for the College Entrance Exam now. Plus, aren’t you in the middle of shooting?”
“No, teacher. We really want to go to university.”
Cha Seo Ha answered confidently, and teachers sitting nearby began to snicker.
“You two. There are plenty of arts universities that don’t require the exam. What about those?”
“No, a man has pride. We can’t go to those kinds of places…….”
“Jun Sung, the exam isn’t something you take based on pride…….”
The homeroom teacher pressed her forehead, exasperated.
After a moment of confusion at Heo Jun Sung’s rambling, Cha Seo Ha spoke again, calmly.
“Teacher, honestly, the exam is just something we take. We’ve never really studied, but we should have some memories of taking the exam.”
“Ah…, is that so?”
“Yes, but the university entrance is serious. We want to go to a Music University. We don’t know what will happen to us in the future, but we should have a degree.”
“Hmm…….”
Once the word “exam” dropped out of the conversation, the homeroom teacher became decidedly more serious.
A Music University could be entered on practical skills alone, so if these two were appearing on broadcasts, their chances were actually quite high.
“All right, I’ll look into Music Universities.”
“Oh, and if possible, could you look for one where the practical exam is scheduled as late as possible?”
“Of course. What’s the reason for the date?”
“Oh, we have shooting until the end of October.”
“Ah, I see. Got it.”
That’s how we decided to start preparing for university entrance today.
Naturally, we have no intention of actually going to university—we’re just going to take the exam.
* * *
With the final university entrance application submitted, preparation for the finals stage was nearly complete.
Judge Park Chul Hwan wrote an appropriate song for us after an in-depth meeting.
He captured the feeling of the song we intended very well.
The song’s quality was appropriate too, so I felt confident we could end this competition with a shocking wave of emotion.
“Ugh! Let’s take a break!”
Heo Jun Sung set down his guitar and collapsed to the floor.
“About five days left now.”
As Heo Jun Sung said, there was really not much time left until the finals.
“I need a break too.”
“Taihenda…….”
“Min, what does that even mean.”
“It means I’m exhausted.”
The members began to sprawl out on the floor one by one.
“Is it tough for you guys?”
“No, practicing one song shouldn’t be that hard.”
“It’s nothing.”
“I’m fine too.”
“Watashi mo da.”
Yeah, learning a new song and playing it together takes us a day at most.
Even a day is long.
We probably aren’t actually that physically exhausted.
“Hey!”
“Whoa, you scared me. Don’t yell like that.”
Heo Jun Sung suddenly sprang up from the floor.
“Hey, our next thing is the finals!”
“……?”
“You guys do know that, right?”
“What’s he on about now…….”
“No, listen you crazy bastards, the finals stage!”
“Yeah, you idiot.”
“Jun Sung, you really didn’t know?”
“Bakayaro…….”
“What? Is this actually real?”
Heo Jun Sung flailed in midair for a while, bewildered.
“Hey, Kim Ji Hu, is that your friend?”
“I don’t know him. First time seeing him. Total stranger.”
“No, look. Think about it. Cha Seo Ha became famous, so he got famous, and he went on a broadcast, so we went on a broadcast, and he drew all the hate and flipped the whole narrative…….”
His gestures while speaking were fairly ridiculous.
“And then Cha Seo Ha came here and rose higher. Does that even make sense? Aren’t you a high schooler? You’re an alien. A Reptilian? Wait! It’s the Illuminati!!!”
Heo Jun Sung shouted loudly at me.
So loud….
“Hey, somebody do something about him. He’s being too loud.”
“Yeah, there can be aliens who are high schoolers too, Jun Sung.”
Huh? Even Lee Do Young is talking nonsense now?
“If that’s how it goes, then everything we’re planning will happen! So our plans are all going to work out? That doesn’t make sense.”
This was starting to give me a sense of what kind of YouTube videos he watches.
“No! Think about it! Isn’t it amazing?”
“What’s amazing about it now? The kid’s just a little smart.”
“Yeah, Jun Sung. And conspiracy theories aren’t good to believe in too much.”
“Right, right. It’s the kind of setting you’d see in anime anyway, you know?”
“Is that the same as reality?”
The members who were supposed to be resting continued their strange conversation.
Loud as it was, it felt good watching them like this.
Broadcasting is good and making music is good, but really my dream is to maintain Oktop and make it succeed.
Beyond that, I have no big dreams except for my grandmother to live long and healthy.
I just want to live a long time making music with these guys.
These cute idiots.
Our plan for the finals stage carries significant risk.
That’s why we had to prepare solidly all this time.
Now we’ve truly entered the final chapter.
We’ll pull it off.
There were no gaps in my plan.
Of course, there were some things I had to concede, but those were things I didn’t want anyway, so it’s all gain.
Let’s do this well.
With these guys.
“Or maybe that’s it!”
“What now?”
“SCP! A mutant!”
“Sigh…….”
* * *
Who’s The Real was showing everything an Audition Program could display.
Despite rock being a unique subject matter, the viewership was hitting record highs for an Audition Program.
Department heads were often running pizzas and chicken through the editing room, and sponsors were lining up.
It was the biggest achievement of any work PD Lee Jong Myung had ever made.
And the finals of this highly popular broadcast were starting today.
From early morning, the three finalists were busy with Rehearsal.
The crew was constantly checking the stage, sound, and lighting.
While Oktop was in the middle of Rehearsal,
“……People only want to see……. Ah……. I’m sorry!”
Cha Seo Ha kept making the same mistake with the lyrics in that spot.
The moment the Rehearsal ended, Heo Jun Sung walked toward Cha Seo Ha.
“Hey, Cha Seo Ha, what are you doing? Get it together!”
“Ah, ah! We’re fighting! Someone stop us!”
After several Rehearsals from early morning, there was no improvement.
Heo Jun Sung had raised his voice at his bandmate.
The other members of Oktop and the crew separated the two, and the atmosphere turned cold.
Cha Seo Ha was not the type to forget lyrics normally, but now on the day of the finals Rehearsal, he kept making mistakes as if setting up a flag.
“Hmm…. If he messes up the lyrics in the Live Broadcast, that’s a problem…….”
“Can’t he just look at the Teleprompter?”
“Ah, the Teleprompter is getting the timing of his lyrics wrong.”
“Ah, so it’s just that he hasn’t memorized it well enough…….”
“Sigh, so Maruru Band is taking the trophy.”
The staff shook their heads at Oktop.
Of course, they’re high schoolers, they’ve done well to come this far, it’s Live Broadcast so they should prepare better, and so on.
Various opinions filled the Studio.

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