They handed out missions according to an algorithm that felt suspicious yet impossible to verify, and through filming filled with heavy-handed intent, they squeezed narratives out of the trainees to create so-called "PD-picks."
The very fact that PDs and staff shape the show is inevitable, so I had no intention of complaining about that. After all, the relationship between a broadcaster and its cast is mutually beneficial.
But—
"…Ahh, I hope we'll get to see the two trainees' fresh chemistry in the next mission! Now let's move on to the long-awaited announcement of first place."
Even if I understand how the broadcasting world works, being used as material for it doesn't feel great.
They were the ones who pulled aggro first, anyway.
So I could let this level of aggro slide. A comment like "I know roughly how the show will go" wasn't a big deal.
I quickly finished speaking and lowered the mic in sync with the MC transitioning to the rankings. Tense silence followed.
"And first place goes to… KRM Entertainment trainee Won Yu-ha!"
At last, the results were announced.
***
"Congratulations, Yu-ha!"
"Congrats!"
After all filming wrapped, I received congratulatory greetings from trainees I was familiar with as I stepped down from the set. I was replying to them when someone suddenly tapped my shoulder. I turned.
"..."
"Come with me for a moment."
It was Kang Hyunjin.
I stared at him silently for a second, then nodded. Before leaving the set completely, I broke away from the other trainees and headed toward the emergency stairs where no staff were around.
As soon as we arrived, Kang Hyunjin didn't hesitate.
"What do you know?"
"…Pardon?"
"That remark earlier—you said it because you knew something, right? Didn't you?"
I silently looked at him. On his gaunt face, there was a restlessness he couldn't hide.
So that's why he called me out now, after treating me like I didn't exist for so long.
He must've mistaken the aggro I pulled toward AINET for a hint that I knew something.
If he didn't know the context, I suppose it could sound that way.
Or maybe he's been thinking all along that I know something.
Either way, his words allowed me to confirm one thing: why Kang Hyunjin, who had been friendly at first, suddenly turned cold toward me.
— Your skill skyrocketed in such a short time. Thanks to that, you got the "growth-type character" image and were even picked as a center candidate. I bet your company's director is very proud of you, huh?
When we filmed the video to determine the center for "See," Yoo Chan-hee had snapped at me, accusing me of purposely acting like a weak trainee at first to craft a "growth character" narrative.
That also implied that KRM and AINET were colluding to push me and build that narrative.
It wasn't worth addressing, and at the time it seemed nothing I said would matter to Yoo Chan-hee, so I didn't refute it—
but I wasn't the only one who heard it.
Kang Hyunjin had been right there.
Right after that conversation, he suddenly dumped unilateral hostility on me.
In other words, he heard that and started believing that I was a so-called "rigged trainee," getting unfair benefits in
If he thinks I've benefited in some hidden way, he wouldn't be able to ignore what I'd said earlier. Calling me out here must mean he hoped to extract some insider info about the show from me.
But his premise was wrong from the start.
"I don't know anything."
"Don't lie. Then why did you say—!"
"I told you earlier. I just said it felt like it was time."
"…What?"
Seeing that he truly wasn't getting it, I sighed deeply and continued quietly.
"You know the production has been desperately trying to force a rivalry narrative. And now the previous first and second place have switched, and your rank dropped quite a bit. In a situation like this, do you really think the staff wouldn't try to put the two of us together?"
"…That's it?"
"What else am I supposed to know?"
"..."
He silently stared at me with suspicious eyes. It was painfully obvious what he thought of me.
His silence was so ridiculous that I spoke up.
"My situation is the same as yours. I haven't heard anything, so I have nothing to give."
Even if I did know the future missions or direction of the show, that wouldn't be knowledge from this life. It would be information I got from the previous timeline's
And too much has changed now for me to be certain of anything.
"And I don't know what you're imagining, but I'm basically a thrown-away kid. There's nothing worth hearing from KRM's side."
"…Ha. You don't think that sounds unconvincing? Who doesn't know KRM and AINET have been on good terms lately? Just look at how differently their rookie group is being treated."
He snapped back, almost growling. He was referring to how LON, benefiting from KRM and AINET's improved relationship, got strong stage setups and good screen time at last year's year-end stage and their comeback stage.
It's also true that I, unusually for a major company trainee, got to appear on an idol survival show because of that relationship.
But the reality wasn't what he thought.
They only sent me because I was a near-discarded card worth trying one more time.
Believe it or not, that's up to him.
Even if I'd fallen into a severe slump, I had spent five years as a KRM trainee and never once dropped below an A-grade. I had climbed into the debut lineup and was considered highly likely to debut.
But the slump was too devastating. My stamina had crashed, and even my fundamentals had crumbled.
With depression added on top of that, they probably couldn't consider me for the debut lineup anymore. Sending me to
KRM is only surprised because I'm performing better than expected.
They had put out a product they thought had lost all market value, and suddenly demand surged.
To KRM, this must feel like unexpected profit.
But KRM is already pouring everything into pushing LON. They might give me basic management, but they have no reason to go out of their way to help me.
So it was clear that what Kang Hyunjin—and the public along with him—believed was wrong. If being from a major company gave me any advantage in screen time, there were just as many things I couldn't get precisely because I was from a major company.
"If I were a trainee worth pushing that hard, I wouldn't be here. I'd already have debuted and be performing on stage with LON."
"…!"
"I think you're misunderstanding something…"
A sharp throb ran through my head, and I winced before letting out a sigh. Answering pointless hostility was more draining than expected, and now I just wanted to end this conversation and get back to the dorm to rest.
"I've never had any advantage over you, Hyunjin. Sure, I admit there are benefits or screen-time perks that come from being from a big company, but didn't you get the same things?"
"What about when you acted in the beginning to get a character? You can't say you didn't benefit from that."
Kang Hyunjin spoke with a face full of hostility—pure, unwavering conviction in his expression.
…Ha. Forget it.
Looking at that face, I abandoned the idea of explaining anything further. In my experience, guys like him never listened no matter what I said. They were too wrapped up in their own beliefs to hear anyone else.
There was only so much pointless hostility I could tolerate, so I let out a crooked, mocking line before I could stop myself.
"My acting skills aren't nearly that good."
"…What?"
"I've only ever taken expression-focused acting classes. I think you're overestimating me way too much. I'm nowhere near actor material."
"…!"
Seeing him shut his mouth at my words, I opened the door leading out of the emergency stairwell first and stepped outside.
By the time I crossed the now-empty set, Kang Hyunjin still hadn't followed me. Relieved, I quickened my pace. Even if I'd have no choice but to face him tomorrow for the mission, I had no intention of dealing with him again today.
"...…."
"...…."
…At least, that had been the plan.
"Oh! You're rooming with Hyunjin-hyung this time? Please take care of him~!"
"…I'll do my best."
Looking at Aiden Lee energetically greeting me, Joo Danwoo sneaking glances at my expression, and finally Kang Hyunjin standing in the doorway with his luggage and a sour look, I thought:
I should've pulled even more aggro.
Damn broadcasting folks. They really assigned us the same room.
***
"Yu-ha, if you don't eat you're going to get sick~!"
"I said I'm fine, go eat your own…"
I pushed away Aiden Lee's tray as he tried to drop more food onto mine again. I hadn't missed sleep, but I'd tossed and turned all night, so my whole body felt drained.
…Why did it have to be the same bed?
Because Aiden Lee and Joo Danwoo had already claimed the other bunks with their luggage, I had no choice but to take the remaining top-bottom bunk—
and of course, the last person to enter was Kang Hyunjin, meaning he and I ended up sharing the same bunk.
If I could've switched with Aiden or Danwoo, it would've been better, but with cameras already installed, openly swapping beds was impossible. The broadcast would spin it like we were avoiding each other.
So even in my sleep, I found myself tense for no reason—and judging from the constant tossing and turning above me all night, Hyunjin was the same.
"Yu-ha, are you okay? Want me to get you a recovery drink?"
"…No, I'm fine."
Those drinks carried some unpleasant memories for me…
I answered Joo Danwoo's worried question vaguely, and then Aiden suddenly asked:
"But Yu-ha, what were you doing with Hyunjin-hyung yesterday? You two went off together. I thought you went to make up."
"We were just talking. There's nothing to make up for—we never fought."
I didn't have any particular feelings toward him, and all he had for me was one-sided hostility. There wasn't even a proper argument, so how could there be a reconciliation?
Even with my explanation, Aiden frowned in confusion.
"Then why does Hyunjin-hyung dislike you? It doesn't seem like he hates you because you're rivals."
Aiden, usually oblivious but sometimes surprisingly perceptive, hadn't figured out the reason for Hyunjin's abrupt attitude shift, probably because he had no clues to work with.
I considered for a moment what I should tell him, but eventually I shook my head and pointed at his tray instead.
"Don't worry about useless stuff and eat. Isn't your role important in the next mission?"
"Hm, but I'm curious."
He seemed tempted to pry further, but because explaining the roots of Hyunjin's hostility—or the complicated relationship between KRM and AINET—was far too much to get into in front of all the trainees, Aiden finally dropped it and focused on eating.
According to what he'd told me last night, his role in the upcoming 3rd mission was truly important.
Because—
"The 3rd mission will be the Producing & Concept Evaluation, using songs made by the trainees!"
The 3rd mission was a creative battle where trainee producers would lead their own teams and produce their groups' stages themselves.
READ MORE CHAPTERS HERE: https://shinchan1.podia.com/the-lucky-plan-of-an-idol-in-his-second-life-chapter-66-110