translation by mourningmoor
“Sunbaenim.”
After glancing around, I tilted my head toward Seo Hanul and spoke quietly.
“You have to make it into the top three.”
Barring any unexpected events, Seo Hanul will make it into the top three.
Although Ahn Moonseok and Hyun Woojin are close behind, there’s no need to worry too much.
“This is still a secret, but…”
After spending a week with Seo Hanul, I’ve gotten a glimpse into every corner of his heart.
“If sunbaenim makes it into the top three, PD Pyo will take you.”
The reason this guy dreamed of becoming a composer was because of PD Pyo Cheonhee.
The reason he became interested in me was also because of PD Pyo.
It seems he became curious after seeing PD Pyo praise me as a genius in an interview.
So, it’s only natural that Seo Hanul wants to become an artist under Blade Entertainment.
“You’re interested in our company, right?”
I took a step back and glanced at him.
His ears were red with excitement, and his eyes were filled with tears.
I patted his shoulder and delivered the final blow.
“Don’t go anywhere else. I want to share a meal with you, sunbaenim.”
At that, Seo Hanul nodded so hard it looked like his head might fall off.
* * *
The L.I.T fan community on Universe was in an uproar.
As soon as the results of the 4th round were announced, Blade Entertainment posted a brief notice.
Carnival: Hee (喜), Ro (怒), Ae (哀), Rak (樂) 20XX. 10. 28.
That was all.
The notice only contained that. Carnival, Hee-Ro-Ae-Rak, and a date.
As if they had been waiting, the Filaments started posting.
Is this about a new album? It’s about time, right?
└ I think so too. There’s a little over a month left, so the tracklist and highlight medley should be released soon, right?
└ Ugh. The album name is Carnival? I’m already excited ㅠㅠㅠㅠ
It must be a new album. In today’s interview on Survival Music Genius, Seo Hanul said something. He said Ichan is working on this and that, and he can’t sleep because of it.
└ Right. He said he’s barely sleeping because of all the work ㅠㅠㅠㅠ
└ I’m scared he’ll collapse again ㅠㅠ Why does PD Pyo work him so hard?
Wow. If the new album is real, Kang Leader is insane. How does he do all that? Isn’t he a true genius?
└ I saw the interview today, and the members said they’re helping a lot.
└ Our boys are so precious ㅠㅠㅠ You can really see how close they are, and it makes me so happy.
While some were simply expressing excitement about the new album release, others were listing all the hints that had been dropped and starting to speculate.
About the 3rd round’s traditional Korean music version. Leader Kang said in an interview that he’s been interested in traditional Korean music lately and has been listening to the sounds of various instruments. Don’t you think this album will have a traditional Korean music vibe?
└ I think so too.
└ Me too. And also, remember the super hip EDM song from the 2nd round? A typical idol song. Bright and bouncy.
└ Right. He said in the interview back then that they practiced the choreography day and night with the members. Even though it was a solo stage, why practice together? Could it have been a spoiler?
Wow. That makes sense. It must be related to the hanbok photos Siu posted last time.
└ When I saw Jaewon and Roa today, their hair was really long. It must be the traditional Korean music vibe.
└ This makes every round seem like a hint. Could today’s stage be related too?
The Universe community was buzzing.
Some fans even started fasting prayers, hoping that the new album release was real and that it would be a full-length album filled with new songs.
And their wish came true two days later when the tracklist was revealed.
* * *
“How are the Filaments reacting?”
I asked Roa, who was checking the reactions on Universe, as I finished up my work.
Roa smiled brightly and nodded.
“They’re really excited.”
“That’s a relief.”
I closed my laptop and got up.
It was already time to start afternoon practice.
The preparations for the 5th round mission were already done, and the 6th round preparations were about halfway finished.
Barring any unexpected events, I’ll win <Survival, Music Genius>. The difference in skill was already too clear for the outcome to change.
So, from now on, I need to focus on the 1st full-length album, which will be released in a month.
“Has Jaewon come back from school?”
As I left the practice room, I asked, and Roa, who was following behind, tilted his head.
“Huh, now that you mention it, he should’ve been back by now. Why is it so quiet?”
Roa, who’s a high school senior, hasn’t been going to school lately.
Because of college entrance exams, practical exams, and whatnot, seniors are apparently exempt from attendance.
So, for the past few days, Jaewon has been going to school alone.
Maybe because they’re always together. Roa seems to feel a little sorry for Jaewon, who grumbles every morning as he leaves the house alone.
“I should call him to see if he’s on his way.”
He always takes care of the youngest like this. What a good kid.
I thought he was following behind me while calling Jaewon.
“Park Roa. Should I buy ice cream for Jaewon when he gets back?”
Normally, Roa would have scurried over as soon as I finished speaking and eagerly asked what kind of ice cream we’d have. But this time, he was silent.
“Roa…?”
I glanced back and saw Roa standing still, his face pale and his lips trembling.
“Park Roa. What’s wrong?”
I turned around and walked over to him.
“Hyungnim.”
Roa’s legs wobbled, and he dropped the phone he was holding.
“My leg….”
Before he could finish, tears streamed down Roa’s face.
His leg?
Is his leg hurting again?
“Get on my back.”
I bent my knees and offered my back. After hesitating, Roa climbed onto my back.
Roa used to be a promising ballet prodigy until a few years ago.
He was preparing for art school auditions with contemporary ballet that incorporated modern dance. But just two days before the most important competition, his knee cartilage ruptured.
Roa, who had 60% of his cartilage torn, had to undergo surgery and give up his dream.
At first, they thought it was an acute injury caused by practicing a choreography with many high jumps non-stop before the competition. But that wasn’t the case.
Roa, a practice addict, had worn down his meniscus cartilage from constant practice.
After surgery, he successfully rehabilitated with sheer determination, but he couldn’t continue ballet. Instead, he started breakdancing, which puts less strain on the knees, and that’s how he caught PD Pyo’s attention.
That’s why Roa was so scared by the sudden knee pain.
As I carried him on my back, Roa whispered through his tears.
“Hyungnim. What if I can’t perform on stage again?”
“Why wouldn’t you be able to?”
I carried Roa downstairs and immediately hailed a taxi.
“That will never happen.”
Who do you think I am? I won’t let that happen.
I’ll never let that happen.
* * *
I must have been really flustered at the moment.
I should have called Gyuhyung first, but without thinking, I hailed a taxi and headed straight to the emergency room at Yonsei University Hospital.
It wasn’t until I handed Roa over to the doctors that I came to my senses.
I couldn’t help but laugh hollowly.
“If Yoo Noah sees this, he’ll tease me again. Saying the great wizard has lost his composure.”
Only then did I call Gyuhyung.
After explaining the situation, a shocked Gyuhyung shouted.
―Hey. Why are you telling me this now? What if you took a taxi there?
“Hyung, you went to pick up Jaewon, right? The other kids are working out downstairs. Who else was I supposed to call?”
Roa was in pain, and the only way to get to the hospital quickly was by teleporting, but I didn’t do that. So, what else could I have done?
A long sigh came through the phone.
―Alright. I’ll be there soon.
After hanging up, I looked toward where Roa was.
The frightened kid was explaining his knee condition to the doctor.
Well, they’ll probably take X-rays first, following the standard procedure.
Then they’ll take appropriate measures.
I could intervene, but I didn’t.
It’s better to let the doctors here handle it first.
That way, Roa will properly understand his knee condition and be more careful.
Roa’s practice routine is so intense it feels like he’s abusing himself.
It’s clear that it’s too much, but he handles his schedule as if it’s nothing, so the company also pushes him hard without a second thought.
That’s why we need the doctor’s official diagnosis.
Treatment is the next step.
* * *
Funny enough, the fans were faster than the reporters.
Three photos were posted on an idol fan community.
One showed Roa surrounded by doctors, another showed me watching over him, and the last showed PD Pyo rushing in after receiving the news.
The person who posted the photos identified themselves as a resident at Yonsei University Hospital.
They said they had recently become a Filament after discovering L.I.T through <Survival, Music Genius>. They had been going through our content in reverse chronological order, starting with King of the Jungle.
They were taking a break in the on-call room, watching our videos, when an emergency call came in.
<Someone who looked familiar came into the emergency room carrying someone on their back. I recognized him immediately. It was Kang Ichan from L.I.T. Let me say it again. Kang Ichan in real life is amazing. Park Roa is also amazing. I truly understand why they’re called the idols of light.>
The doctor left a long testimony but also mentioned that Roa’s knee condition was serious.
As a doctor, they couldn’t disclose detailed patient information, so they stopped there and disappeared.
The post quickly spread, and the hashtags ‘#LIT_Roa_Injury’ and ‘#ROA_Knee_Injury’ started trending on Twittle.
By morning, the incident finally made the news.