I Became An Idol To Pay Off My Debt

“Oppa, why? What’s up?”

“…….”

Han Si-woo pulled out a cigarette from his pocket as soon as he stepped outside with Sua.

Then, looking at Sua’s empty hands, he pulled out another cigarette and offered it to her.

“You don’t have a cigarette? Can I have yours?”

“…I’m good. I quit.”

“Oh….”

Upon hearing Sua’s words about quitting smoking, Han Si-woo hesitated for a moment while looking at the cigarette in his hand….

“Well, then I won’t smoke either.”

“No, it’s okay. You can smoke.”

“I’m fine, really.”

He put the cigarette back.

“So, what’s the deal? Why did you call me here, leaving the kids behind?”

“……”

“They’ll be waiting. Stop dragging this out and just tell me.”

Han Si-woo was the type to speak his mind without holding back if he had something to say.

But as he hesitated, Sua tilted her head and asked.

“And….”

“Just… you know, the drug incident happened recently.”

“…….”

“I was wondering if YW is okay…”

“Phew….”

Han Si-woo couldn’t help but pause at that.
Even though he was an outsider now, having been with YW for over a decade, he was well-versed in the internal situations.

And his worries were valid.

In reality, YW was struggling with the drug issue at that moment.

“…Just give me one.”

“Ah…, uhm….”

So Han Si-woo and Sua ended up sharing a cigarette and slowly continued their conversation.

“…You know, there’s no one in our line who does that kind of stuff. But….”

“…Is it the juniors causing the problems?”

“…Yeah. Honestly, I had my suspicions about some friends from a long time ago. I think it’s going to be really tough this time.”

If Sua was saying this much, it meant the situation was quite serious.

After all, YW had already faced a crisis when some OBs above Han Si-woo and Sua got involved in a marijuana incident.

Sua rarely frowned as she looked at the practice room where Python’s members were.

“Ha…, those kids who did drugs will get what they deserve, but I’m worried about them. They should be rising up right now, I don’t want them to be affected by the company…”

“……”

Python had exceptional skill and star potential.
There was certainty that they would build a solid fanbase and, in a year or two, become the representative group of YW.

But the seniors were blocking the path for the juniors.

If YW were to be swept away, there was a high probability that Python, a rookie group under YW, would be affected as well.

Maybe that’s why.

“…So about that, Oppa.”

“Yeah?”

Sua made a request to Han Si-woo that she usually wouldn’t.

“…Can’t you come back to YW?”

“……”

It was obvious that YW would be shaken moving forward.
What YW needed right now was a hero to save them from the crisis.

“If you come back, it will probably be a huge help.”

With his good image and being a senior at YW, Han Si-woo’s return would have a positive impact in preparing for the upcoming shock.

“……”

But even knowing that, Han Si-woo couldn’t hastily give an answer.
And then….

“Phew…, Sua…”

He lowered the cigarette and began to speak calmly.

“I’m currently the producer for Rookies.”

“…….”

“No matter what happens, Python can remain Python until the end. But Rookies… we have less than six months left.”

It was true that Han Si-woo still had affection for YW.
But Han Si-woo was a man who understood his duty.
He had no intention of abandoning Rookies to return to YW.

Above all….

“And those kids in Python are stronger than you think.”

“…What?”

“Follow me.”

Han Si-woo had strong faith.
He extinguished the cigarette and took Sua quietly into the practice room.
And through a small crack in the door, the scene of the practice room was….

“So the concept is a collaboration of Python and Rookies’ hit songs…”

“That’s a good idea, but…”

It was the members of both teams carefully discussing what concept to go with for the special stage.

“……”

Seeing the 모습 of Rookies and Python, Sua reminisced about the past.
Back when she, Han Si-woo, and their other colleagues were young.
…When they had poured their lives into each stage, facing it passionately.

“We didn’t have it smooth either, but we got through it well.”

“…That’s true.”

Han Si-woo lightly placed his hand on Sua’s shoulder and grinned.

“So our juniors will do well too. Let’s just watch over them.”

“…Okay.”

So the two watched the 모습을 of Rookies and Python for quite some time.
As flowers wilt and new ones bloom, the lineage of idol legends slowly began to pass to the new generation.

With Yoo Seol’s sharp remark, we could now focus solely on the concept meeting without any more pride battles or testing each other.
When Han Si-woo and Sua came in later, the atmosphere became even more heated under their supervision.

But….

“I said we should do a collaboration with the hit songs, didn’t I?”

“That’s good, but….”

The difference in opinions was not easily narrowed down.
O Ah-ra suggested a stage where the hit songs of Rookies and Python would be mixed into a crossover arrangement….

I proposed that since it’s a special stage, we should collaborate on songs from legendary idol groups of the past.

“I understand your point, but this is our stage, isn’t it?”

For reference, we had agreed to speak comfortably with each other after all.
I was the youngest, along with O Ah-ra and Kanna being the same age, while Yoo Seol was the oldest.
Even O Ah-ra, who usually spoke casually only when alone and used polite language in front of others, looked frustrated and exploded at me in casual language.

“It’s great to collaborate with songs from other seniors, but this is a stage just for us…! Don’t you think the fans of Python and Rookies would like it more if we choose a hit song from each and edit them into one?”

O Ah-ra’s argument was valid.
Considering the news that members of Rookies and Python were coming together, fans of both teams would undoubtedly be looking forward to our unique stage.

Moreover, with outstanding producers like Han Si-woo and Sua onboard, it seemed likely we would create an exciting stage by merging the hit songs from both teams.
However….

“This isn’t just our stage. Isn’t it a festival for all idol fans?”

I had slightly different thoughts.
“And all our songs are already in the previous performance, so if we do our songs again in the special stage, it’s going to be redundant.”

Since it is a ‘special’ stage, don’t we need to do something a little special?
Of course, what O Ah-ra suggested was quite special too, but…. I wanted to create a stage that all idol fans could enjoy.
Collaborating with hit songs from legendary idols from the past would connect the old and new generations and allow everyone to have fun.

“Oh man… I just said to go with my idea.”

“I told you, if we follow Ara unnie’s idea, the stage will be redundant!”

I understood O Ah-ra’s intentions, but my thought seemed better.
Since she wouldn’t back down, it was frustrating.
‘O Ah-ra probably has similar thoughts to mine.’
Even putting aside the fact that we had the same goal as competitors with the same quest, O Ah-ra seemed especially like someone I wouldn’t get along with.

Eventually, as we couldn’t narrow down our differences, it was Kanna from Python who stepped in.

“Stop fighting-!!! I think both of your ideas are great, so why don’t we just do both?”

“……!”

Both O Ah-ra and my ideas?

Wondering if that was possible, I turned to look at Han Si-woo, who was beaming with satisfaction….

“Hmm…, the time for the special stage is quite ample. It looks like both ideas could be realized.”

“…Really?”

He nodded with a small smile.
When I asked again, slightly taken aback, Han Si-woo just laughed broadly.
“…Then why didn’t you say that earlier? That we could do both….”

“I found it funny to see you two arguing.”

“……”

“Well, you two seem to have gotten quite close.”
…At that moment, I shot him a glare as if I might slap him, and Han Si-woo hurriedly got to his feet and nonchalantly went over to the working equipment.

“Haha, it looks like we’ll be busy preparing two stages. If the talk is done, shall we hastily start working?”

Anyway, despite the noise, we quickly finalized the concept and began to solidify the ideas.
With not only Han Si-woo and Sua but also Yoo Seol, O Ah-ra, and Kanna each having outstanding abilities, we finished the arrangement and choreographed in just a week.

No one said anything, but with pride on the line for both teams, Yoo Seol and I, along with O Ah-ra and Kanna, heatedly practiced to not fall behind the other.

Maybe that’s why.

“Wow, this is good!”

“We could easily form a new team with this….”

We achieved a level of stage quality that surprised both Han Si-woo and Sua.
Plus, as we continued practicing, I started to feel another emotion.
That was… ‘something different’.

Thump.

‘This is fun.’

Of course, performing with Rookies members had always been a lot of fun.
But with Rookies, we had built our synergy to the point of knowing what each other was thinking and what action would come next without even looking.

While this meant the stage stability was excellent, it also meant there were no crises….
But now, working with new members like O Ah-ra and Kanna, there was a thrill in trying something new.

I wondered if O Ah-ra might feel the same way as I did and turned my head toward her….

“What are you doing? You’re looking the wrong way.”

“…Sorry.”

She glared at me sharply, sternly pointing out my gaze.
It seemed that becoming close with O Ah-ra would be quite a challenge.

Still, despite the lack of closeness, the quality of the temporary team’s stage kept rising….
And soon, the end-of-year awards ceremony… Among them, the NANA hosted by Nnet was rapidly approaching.

---