Chapter 84 - Hit the Jackpot!

The day to appear on MBS's 'Music Big Show' had come.

It would be the stage where they sing their new song 'After girl' for the first time.

As it was an important stage for their first reveal, they were proceeding with a set pre-recording.

PD Kang Eun-jeong, whom they had met at the Super Marine Festival, was considerate in many ways, so the set preparation proceeded smoothly.

“Ah, the rank dropped!”

While waiting in the waiting room, Laura held up her phone and shouted.

Laura was in the middle of looking at the Lap Music NEW100 chart.

“It's 4th place?”

“A few hours ago, it was 3rd place!”

“Laura, phone confiscated.”

“Ah…!”

Baek Hyeon-woo snatched the phone from Laura's hand.

Laura urgently tried to snatch it back, but Baek Hyeon-woo raised the phone high up near the ceiling, making it out of her reach.

“Ah, so cheap! Are you doing this just because you're tall?”

When her hand couldn't reach even as she jumped up and down, Laura got angry, her face turning red.

“It's not just Laura. Everyone else, turn off your phones and hand them over.”

“……!”

At Baek Hyeon-woo's words, the others also flinched.

Because they were all checking the Lap Music chart on their phones.

“I understand you're curious about the rank since this has never happened before, but you're all paying too much attention to it. Let's check after today's broadcast is over.”

There's no need to pay so much attention to the fluctuations of the real-time rank.

It can go up and down for no reason, and if you get happy and sad over every little thing, it's not good for your mental state.

“Manager-nim is right.”

At that moment, Seo Na-eun opened her mouth.

“What's important for us right now is doing well on today's pre-recording. Let's just focus on that.”

“Yes…”

“Okay.”

After admonishing her younger members like that, Seo Na-eun looked at Baek Hyeon-woo.

For some reason, he thought she was like a puppy waiting for praise.

“Thanks, Na-eun-ah.”

“It's nothing.”

Seo Na-eun made a satisfied expression.

Watching her, Kim So-yeong chuckled.

“Focusing is good, but let's not get too serious. As Yoon Si-kyeong sunbae-nim said, let's take the strength out of our shoulders and relax.”

As they were having that conversation, a knock was heard on the waiting room door.

“Hello, sunbae-nims! We are Bling Bling Bling Baby!”

Familiar faces came in at the same time and greeted them.

It was the 6-member girl group, Bling Baby, who had been eliminated in episode 3 of 'The Idol'.

“Are you guys pre-recording today too?”

“Yes!”

The six members of Bling Baby answered in unison.

“Thanks to you sunbae-nims taking good care of us on 'The Idol', we were also able to appear on 'Music Big Show' with a pre-recording! Thank you!”

“What did we do? It's because you all worked hard.”

“No!”

The girl with long hair, who was the leader, clasped her hands together while looking at Kim So-yeong.

“On the day we were eliminated, it was a huge help that we got screen time thanks to So-yeong sunbae-nim comforting us! Among all the videos we've appeared in so far, the clip of that part has the most views!”

“It did?”

At that time, Kim So-yeong had comforted them, saying, 'We also had many hard times in the past. You guys can do well too,' and the Bling Baby members had all burst into tears together.

It seemed the video clip of that part had gotten quite a lot of views.

“Honestly, if it weren't for that scene, we probably wouldn't have been able to schedule 'Music Big Show' today!”

“I didn't really know, but it's a relief that it was a help to you.”

Kim So-yeong said in a gentle voice.

“Keep working hard. I'll be cheering for you.”

“Yes!”

Bling Baby's eyes, as they looked at Kim So-yeong, were shining very brightly.

As expected of Kim So-yeong, who has the most female fans in Newstarz. It was a sight of her having completely captured Bling Baby's hearts.

“Congratulations on your new song, sunbae-nims!”

“Hit the jackpot!”

Bling Baby chattered for a good while and then left the waiting room.

Watching them leave, Laura crossed her arms.

“We also had a time like that.”

“I don't think you've ever shown such a polite side to sunbaes like that, Laura unnie... Ouch.”

Laura flicked a drink cap with her finger at Kanade, who was picking a fight.

“If you say it like that, it makes me sound like an ill-mannered person. It's just that I didn't want to needlessly act cute in front of competitors.”

“Competitors…”

Yoo Jeong-ah said with a cautious attitude.

“We've only been competing with Choux-pop or N.A.N, so I forgot... but actually, all singers promoting in the music industry are competitors.”

“That's right. We always end up competing on music sites and music shows. I think everyone is a competitor.”

Competitors.

Hearing those words, Baek Hyeon-woo recalled what he had heard from Park Yeong-ho.

‘Director Park told me to be careful of Drum Fire.’

Drum Fire released a comeback album at the same time as Newstarz and suffered a bit of damage.

Because of Newstarz's new song, they couldn't hit #1 on any site.

Even on Lap Music's NEW100 chart, Drum Fire's song was continuously below Newstarz's.

‘We're higher on the music sites... but on music shows, Drum Fire will be more advantageous.’

Music show rankings are decided by adding up various factors.

They rank them by combining not just music site ranks, but also YouTube music video views, TV and radio broadcast counts, physical album sales, and viewer votes.

Excluding the music site ranks, there isn't a single thing advantageous to Newstarz.

‘Because Drum Fire's fandom has considerably strong firepower.’

In the case of physical album sales... Drum Fire's comeback album, fans buy many copies each, so the sales will be over 100,000 copies.

On the other hand, Newstarz's new song is a digital single with no physical album, so that category is 0 points.

‘The rankings will start coming out on the music shows next week, can we beat Drum Fire.’

Right now, most other popular groups are on break, so Drum Fire is the biggest competitor.

WAVE also released a new song recently and is promoting, but WAVE is originally weak in music show rankings, so they don't need to be considered in the 1st place competition.

In the end, we have to beat Drum Fire to aim for 1st place.

“Girls, I'm going to go check the set again. You rest.”

“Yes, go ahead.”

Baek Hyeon-woo stood up from his seat to check the recording set.

Director Park Yeong-ho was already there, but he wanted to check himself.

“……?”

However, while walking down the hallway, he discovered a strange sight.

Bling Baby, who had come to greet him earlier, was hesitating in the middle of the hallway.

‘What are they doing, blocking the way?’

As he got closer, he could see what the situation was.

Some guys were holding onto Bling Baby and hitting on them.

‘Aren't those guys Drum Fire?’

He remembered their faces because he had seen their music video.

Seeing their slightly sweat-dampened hair, it seemed they had already finished their pre-recording and came out.

If it was idols dating each other of their own free will, it would be none of his business... but in Baek Hyeon-woo's view, the Bling Baby members seemed to be in a very awkward situation.

They are in a situation where they finally got a chance after a difficult life of being unknown, so having male idols approach them is just troublesome.

‘I can't even see where their manager went... Can't be helped.’

Baek Hyeon-woo hesitated for a moment, then approached them.

“You guys were here?”

“……!”

The Bling Baby members who confirmed Baek Hyeon-woo's face widened their eyes.

“So-yeong said earlier she forgot something and was calling for you. I think you guys should go.”

“Ah, u-really?”

“Yeah, hurry up and go. You shouldn't upset your sunbae.”

“……!”

The leader of Bling Baby made a flinching, surprised expression.

Kim So-yeong is not a person who would get angry because her juniors came late.

Therefore, this is a lie to help Bling Baby.

She understood that in an instant and immediately nodded her head.

“Ah, understood! Thank you!”

All of Bling Baby left with grateful expressions.

The gaze they had for Baek Hyeon-woo was shining brightly, just like when they looked at Kim So-yeong earlier.

‘They're good-natured kids. I hope things go well for them in the future.’

Watching Bling Baby leave, just as Baek Hyeon-woo was about to go on his way again.

“Hyung, why are you interfering?”

The leader of Drum Fire blocked Baek Hyeon-woo's path and thrust his face forward.

“The atmosphere was good, but you cut in and ruined it. How are you going to take responsibility for this?”

“……”

This guy, man, he's really handsome.

Baek Hyeon-woo coolly analyzed the male idol in front of him.

There are many idols who just have heavy makeup on but in reality are no different from ordinary people, but this kid is really handsome.

Even his current threateningly smiling expression has a lot of power, so he could understand why fans were head over heels for him.

————

[Seok-joon]

Vocal: B-

Dance: S-

Visual: S

Potential: A

Body Condition: 65%

Mental Condition: 80%

————

‘Even his stats are good. He's a strong enemy.’

The Drum Fire members were collectively creating a threatening atmosphere, but Baek Hyeon-woo was preoccupied with observing his future competitor in detail.

“Hyung, does what I'm saying not sound like words to you?”

As Baek Hyeon-woo showed little reaction, Seok-joon reached out his hand and tried to grab Baek Hyeon-woo's shoulder.

However, right at that moment.

“Seok-joon-ah! The PD-nim is coming!”

Another member urgently called for Seok-joon.

At that, Seok-joon's expression changed in an instant.

‘Oh ho?’

Until just a moment ago, he had a very punk-like expression, but before he knew it, it had changed to the face of a brightly smiling boy.

‘He uses his S-rank Visual like this?’

Leaving the tongue-clicking Baek Hyeon-woo aside, Seok-joon flocked over with the other members.

“PD-nim, hello!”

“Hello!”

A woman with a ponytail and a plain appearance... 'Music Big Show's' PD Kang Eun-jeong was passing through the hallway.

The Drum Fire members, including Seok-joon, greeted her with booming voices.

“Oh, yeah, did the recording go well?”

“Yes, PD-nim.”

Seok-joon approached Kang Eun-jeong while maintaining his boyish smile.

“This time too, thanks to your consideration, PD-nim, we were able to create a good stage. Thank you so much.”

“Ayy, it's all because it's necessary for the broadcast.”

Kang Eun-jeong answered with a friendlier attitude than when she dealt with Baek Hyeon-woo.

“You're appearing next week too, right? Show us a good side then too.”

“Ah, but PD-nim, about next week.”

Seok-joon clasped his hands together in front of Kang Eun-jeong with an eye smile.

He was in the middle of acting cute, utilizing his handsome face to the fullest.

“Next week, we're scheduled to perform on the shared stage, not a solo set. But because of the LED direction...”

Going on at length about professional matters, Seok-joon pleaded with an earnest attitude.

“I spoke to the director over there, but their reaction was lukewarm. That's why I'm telling you, PD-nim, but could something be done?”

Baek Hyeon-woo watched with a feeling of fascination.

Is it okay for a handsome idol to make a request directly to a PD like that?

If he did that to a fussy PD like 'Music World's' Yoo Seon-hee, all hell would break loose, but is he able to act like that because PD Kang Eun-jeong has a good-natured and friendly image?

“Hey, Seok-joon-ah.”

Just as Baek Hyeon-woo was having such thoughts.

Kang Eun-jeong looked into Seok-joon's face and opened her mouth.

“Are you completely crazy? Why don't you just make the entire program yourselves?”

At her ice-cold voice, Seok-joon's face froze.