Top Girl Group Scenario Rewritten with My Own Hands - Chapter 57

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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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Episode 57
“Wow, it’s hot……!”
“It’s a tropical climate.”
“No, I know that! It’s just how I feel about it. I already know it’s tropical!”
“We’ve had the air conditioning on in the car this whole time, but you’re hot because you’re overdressed.”
“I should’ve listened to you, unnie…….”
“You should trust what I say more often.”
“From now on, I’ll trust you completely…….”
I simply laughed at Hyun Jae-yi’s pouting.
It’s still mid-November, and even though she bundled up complaining about Seoul being cold, the moment we landed at Jakarta Airport she started whining about the heat. I’d even warned her that Jakarta reaches nearly thirty degrees even in November.
It’s already mid-November now. We’ve arrived in Jakarta, Indonesia to attend the Asia Icon Awards—what Korean fans usually just call ACON—a ceremony we couldn’t miss.
The real sign that awards season has arrived is how our practice schedule and arrangement workload keep piling up.
There’s the VMA in early December, the Lemon Music Awards in mid-December, and then the broadcasters’ Year-End Music Festival on top of that. There’s barely time to breathe!
Of course, if there were breathing room, that would be a different problem—it would mean things aren’t going well.
Fortunately, this year “Right Now” is doing well enough that we should be able to perform at all three broadcasters’ Year-End Music Festivals.
“The venue will have air conditioning too, right?”
“I think it’s safer to just assume it’ll be hot. Han Jung-yeon said Thailand was really hot last year.”
“Wait, she never told me that!”
“You probably didn’t ask. I asked her just in case, and I mentioned it to Park Joo-young, so she brought some portable fans for us.”
“That’s our leader for you.”
“I’m not sure how that connects to being a leader, but…….”
Kang Su-ah, who was likewise melting in the tropical heat, gave me a thumbs up.
Though ACON markets itself as an Asia-wide awards ceremony, it’s essentially a K-pop awards show that’s typically held in Asia’s K-pop hotspots—particularly Southeast Asia.
The problem is that Southeast Asia stays brutally hot even in November.
Well…… at least it’s better than freezing. Word is that LBC is sending several idols, including rookies, to an outdoor stage for the Year-End Music Festival on December 31st this year…….
I’d really prefer an awards show that’s neither too cold nor too hot. Is it really too much to ask for basic heating and cooling?
If that’s an unreasonable request…… then the entire K-pop industry runs on exploitation.
***
“Asia Icon Awards, Female Rookie Artist category. Evergreat and Ashcode.”
As cheers erupted from all around us, we rose from our seats and made our way to the stage with ease. We looked more confident than we had at our first awards show.
ACON typically awards two or three groups per rookie category anyway, so we’d come prepared to win a rookie award.
Even as I try to keep my distance from Ashcode, seeing their faces every time we win a rookie award makes it harder and harder to avoid them.
“Would you like to give your remarks first?”
“Ah, then we’ll go first. Thank you.”
And so our interactions grew more frequent.
After receiving the award from the presenter, this time Noah spoke to me first. I didn’t hesitate—I took the microphone without stepping back.
“Let me say hello first. One, two, three.”
“Hello everyone, we’re Evergreat!”
Then Hyun Jae-yi stared straight at me. As we’d agreed beforehand, I passed the microphone to her.
She’d asked to have the first chance to speak during this rookie award acceptance speech.
“Everly! We won the Rookie Award!!!!”
As a huge roar erupted from the audience, Hyun Jae-yi smiled with satisfaction.
…I’m definitely checking her YouTube watch history when we get back to the dorm.
There’s definitely something like an “Idol Award Acceptance Speeches Collection” on there, and the comments probably say that greeting the fans first is the coolest thing.
Not that she did anything wrong, but that’s pure calculated showmanship. She clearly saw a senior idol doing it, got inspired, and decided on the spot that she wanted to be the one giving the speech.
“Thanks so much to all our Everly members who love us, support us, and care for us—we were able to receive this once-in-a-lifetime award because of you! Evergreat will take this as encouragement to work even harder, and we’ll do our best to show you even more amazing and wonderful performances from now on! We love you, Everly!!!”
Then Hyun Jae-yi blew hearts with her whole body and casually stepped back.
This girl. What if she just says her remarks and leaves?
It’s not like she doesn’t know that thanking everyone is standard protocol…….
In the end, I cleaned up the acceptance speech remarks. I always wrestle with whether I really need to squeeze Lim Gyeong-taek in among the people I’m thanking, but that’s just how professional life works.
I need to find a way to get our team out from under Music Proof as soon as possible. Ideally, I’d like to stay with Team Leader Lee Su-bin and Kim Yoon-joo to the end…….
***
“Wow, this year’s rookie Evergreat! Can you sign something for me?”
“What’s all the fuss about…… Congratulations on your Fan’s Choice Award.”
“Ha, ha…… I’m really embarrassed right now. Thanks for accepting it…… Anyway, thanks. And genuinely, congratulations on the Rookie Award.”
After the first half ended and I returned from the waiting room, I ran into Han Jung-yeon on my way back to the performers’ section.
ACON is definitely a bigger production than KSA, so even Daylight, who are solidifying their first-tier status, are attending.
Somehow Han Jung-yeon seems less energetic when she’s alone. Every time I meet her, she shows incredible brightness and bold enthusiasm, but in our personal chats she’s quite reserved, and when we run into each other like this, she’s definitely quieter…….
I really just can’t figure her out…….
“Huh?”
“…No, it was nothing important.”
“What? Is there something I didn’t tell you? What don’t you understand?”
“Ah…….”
What was I thinking, saying that out loud?
That was the kind of careless thing you say when you’re half-asleep.
“It’s just that when you don’t have to put on a show, you get quieter than usual. I was just thinking about that.”
“Ah…… Being a bit loud is good for broadcasts, you know? But that doesn’t mean I’m forcing it when I’m with you, right?!”
“Seems a bit forced right now.”
“…Oh, you caught me. Honestly, it’s so hot I’m just tired…….”
“Ha ha.”
I kept the observation that she looked over-the-top a moment ago to myself. No need to make things harder.
Everyone in entertainment hides their true selves, but with Han Jung-yeon, the difference shows up noticeably when you meet her privately.
It’s not a problem, exactly. It’s just…… even though she said she wanted to be friends, it feels like she’s not treating me like a friend. If anything, it feels like she’s wearing a mask when we talk.
In contrast, Yeo Eun-jae seems to treat me more like a genuine personal friend, yet with both of them I somehow can’t figure out why they act the way they do…….
Yeo Eun-jae and Han Jung-yeon both insisted I not put up walls with them…… but I’m not putting up any walls, and I can’t figure out why they got that impression in the first place.
There’s definitely a Returnee in Daylight. The System confirmed it as an issue.
For now, Daylight probably won’t be either a help or a problem for us, but if another Mission comes up, that could change.
“…Why?”
“No, just…”
Han Jung-yeon blinked her large, round eyes. With eyes that instantly explain why rabbit is the popular choice for cute animal designs, and silver-white hair that’s nearly white, she really does look like a white rabbit.
“What, you’re going to tell Eun-jae?”
“What? And Eun-jae doesn’t nag me.”
“Whoa, you still haven’t dropped formalities with Eun-jae?!”
“Go Hyun-seo doesn’t drop them with me either. I just do whatever feels comfortable.”
“Wow, I couldn’t handle that. That would make me so uncomfortable…… You and Hyun-seo both…”
“I’m more comfortable being formal. …I wonder what’s Hyun-seo’s problem.”
……As we talked, I genuinely became curious.
When I asked the question seriously, Han Jung-yeon, who was walking back to the performers’ section with me, burst out laughing right there.
Apparently I’d asked her what I’d done to become such a scary older sister to Go Hyun-seo.
But honestly, I have no idea either…….
Han Jung-yeon couldn’t get her expression under control until we got back to the performers’ section. Later I found out that Daylight fans posted comments asking if something good had happened during the ceremony…….
I don’t know. They say smiling brings blessings, so I should just think I earned some blessings too by making Han Jung-yeon laugh.
Or maybe I should demand my half of the blessings she got from laughing, since I was the one who caused it.
***
Even though it’s a shared award, the fact that I keep winning Rookie Awards at every awards show I attend has somehow loosened the tension in my shoulders, and my mind has felt a bit lighter lately.
The fact that Shim Yu-jung, who used to nag me about rushing around, seems less frantic lately suggests that I am managing my mental state reasonably well.
But separate from that, the actual work still piled up.
Instead of the usual quick turnover, we’re preparing our first Mini Album rather than a single, so we have more songs to prepare, and since we’re having a Comeback right after the rush of awards shows and festivals, there’s a lot to do beforehand…….
It’s not like the environment around our Debut where we could just keep working, and we can’t postpone anything if it goes wrong.
As a result, it seems like everyone in Management Team 3 who’s involved with the album is working mandatory overtime…….
Of course,
“Should we fix the Tracklist as is? Does anyone have opinions?”
“Let’s leave it and go with this.”
“Then we’ll really fix it this time. Really, truly.”
I’m in the same boat.
Finally, it’s fixed. While squeezing in album meetings between awards shows and schedules, we’ve been playing demos for the dedicated team, discussing which songs to include and which to cut…….
The Title Track was locked in early, but we kept disagreeing on the B-sides, so today we decided to settle it once and for all.
Some people loved sleek, cool pop while others preferred warm ballads, so the Tracklist got overturned several times…….
The only reason we have any breathing room is because our Team Leader keeps poaching talented people from other teams to bring into Management Team 3. Otherwise, I’d be having to oversee the album art direction myself too.
Even so, things are going reasonably well, and the company’s been increasing its investment budget, though I haven’t really felt it since there’s still so much work. But apparently we’ll actually be able to spend a bit more on this album.
After the meeting ended, I dragged my exhausted body out of the conference room and headed to the practice studio.
The VMA is roughly two weeks away, the Comeback is about a month and a half away, and in between there are more awards shows and the Year-End Music Festival…….
Even if I were a workaholic—which I’m not, actually—this kind of schedule is purely exhausting physically.
“Unnie, you should work out more. Is this tiring?”
“Stop talking nonsense. You’re just abnormally strong…”
“Even our other Dance Line members are fine. It’s the Vocal Line that’s the problem.”
At Go Hyun-seo’s retort, Hyun Jae-yi and Ju Hye-rin burst out laughing.
Lee Han-byul readily admitted her stamina isn’t that great, and Kang Su-ah agreed with me, complaining that my stamina is too good.
Ha ha, just a typical November night at Music Proof’s dance studio.
Around almost midnight, Kang Su-ah eventually gave up with a “Can’t do anymore!” and flopped down on the ground, and Go Hyun-seo called a short practice break. It was perfect timing—my body was starting to give out too.
“Wow, this is tough. Really brutally tough.”
“Our Ji-on really needs to cut back on work. That’s the only way you’ll have energy.”
“What are you talking about? If I work less, our team falls apart.”
“Ugh, ha ha ha! Oh man, Seo Ji-on really is too much of a T…”
“Han-byul…….”
Is this really the same girl who just said she couldn’t go on and flopped dramatically to the floor? Watching Kang Su-ah giggle and roll around on the ground, that’s what I thought.
The VMA, Lemon Music Awards, Year-End Music Festival, Comeback…… and she looks at all that and says I need to work less? Though that was probably half-joking anyway.
[▷ Current Mission: Win the Female Rookie Award at the VMA!]
I stared blankly at the Mission on the quiet studio wall. I had roughly two weeks left until this System-issued Mission was decided.
I’m a bit scared of what might happen if we don’t win the Rookie Award at the VMA. But there’s nothing more I can do…….
God, I’m tired. If it’s something I can’t control, not worrying about it would be better for my mental health, but because of the System, I can’t do that, and it’s draining my mental energy far more than I’d expect.
What if I try my hardest but still fail? Being tired lately, all kinds of thoughts like that come creeping in…….
Click.
I heard the light switch, and suddenly my vision went dark. A blackout? No, the hallway beyond the door still has lights on, so it can’t be that.
My spiraling negative thoughts suddenly stopped. All my focus shifted to figuring out what was happening, my eyes straining to adjust to the darkness.
The moment I turned my head to look toward the door again.
Bang—
I heard a confetti popper go off, and paper ribbons from a handheld fireworks burst scattered down over my head.
“Happy birthday to you~ Happy birthday to you~”
“To our beloved unnie Ji-on~”
“Happy birthday!”
“Yay~!!”
Then the members, who had slipped out of the practice studio moments before, came back in with a small cake, singing the birthday song.
“…… What?”
“See, I told you! Seo Ji-on probably forgot her own birthday!”
“Wow, how can you forget your own birthday?! Don’t you get excited as your birthday gets closer?”
……Already?
I quickly pulled out my phone and checked the time. We’d just passed midnight—today is November 17th.
My own birthday, the one I’d completely forgotten about, had just arrived.
Rewriting the Top Girl Group Scenario With My Own Hands
Author
: Nam Seo-rang
Date of Production
: February 11, 2026
Publisher
: Aces Media Co., Ltd.
Editor
: Aces Media Editorial Team
Address
: 4F Urban Bench Building, 325 Teheran-ro, Gangnam District, Seoul
Email
: [email protected]
※ This work has been published by Aces Media Co., Ltd. under contract with the copyright holder,
and no content may be used in any form or by any means without permission from the company and author.
This e-book is a copyrighted work protected by copyright law and unauthorized reproduction or duplication may result in legal liability.
UCI
: G720:N+A129-20260102083

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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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