translation by mourningmoor
The aftermath of the pork belly party was intense.
"Hiiik, what is all this?"
The table was not only slippery but also greasy and shiny.
Pork oil splattered everywhere, and footprints scattered it even further across the room.
A mountain of trash and food scraps piled up on the table.
In the end, I rolled up my sleeves again.
These filthy rabbits—no, anchovies.
Dungeon demons who only know how to eat but not clean up.
Grabbing a scrubber, I furiously scrubbed the floor.
Damn it.
This feels just like my apprentice days, cleaning Master’s alchemy lab. Scrubbing out stains until my arms were sore, polishing with wax until the place gleamed—those memories come flooding back.
"Ha, Master..."
Pausing for a moment, I recalled Master Yondran lying weakly in the shadowy cave of the Grayland Plataue.
I wonder if my master is safe.
Has peace finally settled over Armania?
Has the vacant Magic Tower welcomed a new master?
Lost in nostalgic thoughts of my homeland, an ominous shadow fell beside me.
"Ichan-aaahhhh..."
The drawn-out tone told me it was Siu.
The others had already disappeared into their rooms, but this guy had stayed behind, insisting on helping. At least he offered to empty the trash can in the bathroom.
But why did it feel so ominous?
I subtly tilted my head to glance upward.
With the light behind him, a grim shadow cast over his face.
"Th-this thing burst in the bathroom…"
In his hand was a trash bag, torn open at the side.
It was clearly the bag stuffed with greasy napkins from wiping up the pork belly oil, along with all sorts of other nasty trash...
"The garbage spilled everywhere, and now the bathroom floor is just..."
Seriously, why does a perfectly fine trash bag suddenly rip open like that? Huh?
"Hey, you... ☆◀$▽○%●◎@★."
* * *
Kang Ichan had changed.
Changed far too much.
Maybe it really was because he got struck by lightning, just like Jaewon said.
Because he had completely become a different person.
After being thoroughly scolded, Siu fled to his room, shaking his head in disbelief.
Then Jaewon, who had been lying on the bed reading a comic book, perked up his head.
"Why? Did Ichan hyung scold you again?"
This time, Roa poked his head out.
"That's why I told you, as soon as Ichan hyung starts cleaning, you have to quickly go back to your room."
"Exactly. That's how you avoid getting scolded."
Roa and Jaewon, lying on the upper and lower bunks, nodded simultaneously as if they were twins.
"But how can we do that? In principle, labor should be shared," Siu argued.
Roa shook his head.
"We've determined that only makes Ichan hyung more stressed."
Then he adjusted his posture and spoke with a serious expression.
"That day too, Ichan hyung redid everything because he said our cleaning was messy," Roa recalled.
"Yeah. He even told us it's better if we don’t do anything at all," Jaewon agreed.
They weren't wrong.
We tried to clean, but the result was always a bit sloppy.
I’d gone to bed feeling uneasy after our half-hearted efforts, but by the next morning, the place looked completely transformed.
The sink sparkled with a gleam, the bathroom was white and fluffy, and the living room was spotless, not a speck of dust in sight.
The cramped, messy dorm had completely transformed, looking as if it were brand new.
It was clear that the cleaning had been redone.
And even though Ichan hadn’t gone to bed, he must have stayed up all night working on something. By morning, he was sitting in the living room, staring at his laptop.
That’s when I was a little surprised.
The look in his eyes was so intense, it sent chills down my spine.
"He wasn’t like this before, right? His stamina, his energy, it was all bottomed out."
Yeah, he was definitely that kind of kid. Terrible stamina, quiet, and barely noticeable. But now…
Was everyone thinking the same thing? Roa broke the silence.
"After the accident, he became a completely different person."
Then, Jaewon chimed in.
"Yeah, he used to be the dirtiest."
"Yeah, I’ve seen him wear the same clothes for over a week."
"He’d only eat ramen every day just because he didn’t want to do the dishes."
"He barely said more than two words a day."
"He couldn’t even make eye contact with the teachers."
At their words, Siu also nodded and joined in.
"But he’s changed."
Yeah, he’s changed. And for the better.
"Don’t you think he’s gotten kind of cool? He looks a bit shiny, too."
At Roa's words, Jaewon nodded and immediately imitated Ichan.
"Isn't it cool when he just sits there and then suddenly grins like this?"
"Yeah, yeah."
Roa clapped his hands in agreement, and at that, Hanjoon, who had been lying on the bed all this time, got up.
"Alright, enough."
Hanjoon, who was just as blunt as Ichan used to be, spoke up.
If Ichan was shy and couldn’t bring himself to speak, Hanjoon was the type who just stayed silent because he couldn’t be bothered.
And now, Hanjoon finally opened his mouth.
"He's acting like a leader."
"Oh, right. Ichan hyung is the leader."
The leader of L.I.T. is Ichan.
The oldest member is Hanjoon, but he was so quiet that he was passed over.
So, it had to be either Ichan or Siu. However, S-woo insisted that Ichan should be the leader since his birthday was earlier.
Even though they were the same age, Ichan’s birthday was on March 3rd, while Siu’s was on November 7th.
Ichan was definitely the older one by a long shot.
Beneath that, there was a strong desire to avoid becoming the leader at all costs.
The quiet Ichan didn’t argue with Siu, and in the end, he was chosen as the leader.
And that’s when Ichan changed. And in a very positive way.
"Good thing, right? He’s overflowing with charisma."
Yeah. It’s definitely a good thing. Yep.
The kids gathered together, exchanged meaningful looks and nodded in agreement.
* * *
"Why am I the leader?"
I furrowed my brow when I heard the message from the Artist Management Team.
They said the team leader needs to head up to the Artist Management Team by 11 AM for a scheduled meeting.
I had just come back from my morning workout, so why am I the leader now? What do I know about this?
"You've always been the leader."
From Siu's answer, a faint sense of 《apology》 emerged.
This guy must have forcibly pushed the leader role onto Kang Ichan, huh?
Yeah, being a leader is a heavy responsibility, annoying at times, and sometimes you have to suppress homicidal impulses. But still, why me as the leader?
"Why am I the leader when we have Hanjoon-hyung?"
Hanjoon, who had been staring at me blankly, subtly turned his head away.
This guy didn't show even a hint of 《apology》.
As expected, he's shameless.
"Well, you're the leader, so go up to the meeting at 11. The Artist Management Team is on the 5th floor."
sigh. Well, I have such exceptional character and ability that I'm a perfect fit for a leader, but Kang Ichan? He’s absolutely not leader material.
To think they made someone like him the leader.
L.I.T. A group that really wasn’t meant to be, huh?
“Hyung, hyung.”
In utter disbelief, Roa rushed over to me.
“I’ve sent the choreography video for <Promise> that you asked for this morning to your phone.”
Instead of saying thanks, I just ruffled his hair and left the practice room.
Starting today, we’re diving into rehearsals for the sub-title track <Promise>.
Unlike the rest of the team, who already knew the choreography, I didn’t even know it existed until now.
That’s why I asked Roa for help. I asked him to film his dance moves and send them to me. I planned to review them and jog my memory.
As for the music, I had already familiarized myself with it during my walk around the neighborhood just earlier.
Now, it’s time to learn the choreography.
I played the choreography video Roa sent me.
Since the music had a different beat than the one we previously worked with, the choreography had a completely different vibe.
While starting from a seated position and jumping up was characteristic of a fast tempo and dynamic movements, <Promise> features choreography that is much smoother.
Watching Roa's video, I activated my Media Acquisition.
These were moves I needed to practice and apply in the afternoon rehearsal.
The expectations that Youngjun ssaem had for me.
I felt like I had to meet at least half of those expectations, or else I'd lose face.
While waiting for the elevator, I hummed the song and followed along with the moves.
When transitioning between moves, I mixed in a slight wave, and here, I sharply flicked my head with precision...
"What is this, it's even harder? Who the heck made this choreography?"
"I made it."
A sudden hand patted me on the back.
"You're following along pretty well, so why the complaint?"
When I turned to look, a rugged-looking man was grinning with his eyes half-closed.
I recognized him. He was on the list of people I had learned through Media Acquisition.
Gong Seokho, the Performance Director of Blade Entertainment.
This guy choreographs the entire performance, while Ji Youngjun provides detailed guidance.
"Youngjun said you're a hidden gem, huh?"
That was the day. The day I threw myself into the work for the team dinner.
From that day on, Ji Youngjun's gaze toward me changed.
When I look into those sparkling eyes, a chill runs down my spine.
Should I continue practicing like this…? Or should I quit? It was a dilemma. This kind of attention wasn't what I had hoped for.
But to spread rumors like this…
That guy, seriously. Tch.
"Thank you."
Still, it's polite to show gratitude when complimented.
I bowed deeply and expressed my thanks properly.
Director Gong Seokho looked at me with a satisfied expression and nodded.
"Let's go. You're attending the meeting, right?"
"Yes."
I got into the elevator and went up to the 5th floor.
Following Director Gong Seokho into the meeting room, I noticed about ten people sitting.
Gyuhyung, who had already arrived, gestured at me silently, calling me over.
I smiled faintly and sat down, feeling all eyes on me.
Ah, really. I’m the center of attention wherever I go.
This kind of attention was nothing. I've always had it.
I calmly accepted their gazes, sitting up straight and facing forward.
"Kang… Ichan?"
At that moment, someone called my name.
I subtly turned my head, and once again, I saw a familiar face.
The CEO of Blade Entertainment, PD Pyo Cheon-Hee.
The kids call CEO Pyo Cheon-Hee "Pyo PD" or "Pyopi Sepo."
T.N.: 표피 세포 (Pyopi Sepo): A playful pun, as "표피 세포" means "epidermal cell" or "skin cell" in Korean. It combines the CEO's surname "Pyo" with "표피(pyopi)" (skin) and "세포(sepo)" (cell).
He looked at me with a slightly curious gaze.
"Jaewon said, 'A lightning-struck jujube tree,' but has it really become the icon of luck?"
Kim Jaewon, this guy.
I gritted my teeth and took a deep breath when PD Pyo threw an unexpected comment at me.
"They asked you to appear on a show."
Appear on a show? What show?
"It's for a reality variety show that TVH is preparing."