Chapter 34: Concept Shoot (3)
Lee Dokyung’s expression twisted for a moment, then returned to a composed face.
Even so, the way he couldn’t completely hide his emotions felt exactly like a high schooler his age.
"Hey, what… what are you talking about?"
He must have been so flustered that he spoke informally without realizing it.
Lee Dokyung frowned, as if I was threatening him with some ridiculous rumor he didn’t know where I had heard.
Yeah, that’s more like it.
His expression was much more honest now.
Should I make him even more honest?
In a calm voice, I uttered a name that was quite familiar.
Two female trainees from Doubles Entertainment set to debut in a year.
"Kang Mini, L."
And who else was it?
Ah.
"Actress Lee Seohwa?"
"Hey!"
Lee Dokyung shot up from his seat.
The face he had barely managed to keep composed now looked like it was about to burst.
I let out a dry laugh and shrugged my shoulders.
"I thought we were back in the 16th century. You sure have some skill."
If I had a camera in my hand, I would’ve wanted to capture Lee Dokyung’s face just now.
To think that always-composed face could look this anxious.
Lee Dokyung spoke in a trembling voice.
"Where did you hear that?"
"I told you, I have wide connections and know a lot."
"Where did you see it? No, even if you did, those three..."
"Seems like you’ve got a lot on your mind. Did you go on dates all over the place?"
"How did you find out!"
Lee Dokyung stepped forward like he was about to shove me, so I casually stepped back.
He looked like he was trying to put on a threatening face, but having experienced Lee Junhyeok, who would really hit you if things went south, it wasn’t that scary.
Even looking like this, he’s a true idol who cares about his image.
I don’t know why someone like that couldn’t manage his relationships.
I scratched my head and spoke plainly.
"You know how it is. One becomes two, two becomes three, and later it becomes five..."
"What are you talking about?"
"Your girlfriends, Mr. Lee Dokyung."
"You little...!"
At my words, Lee Dokyung’s face turned vicious.
It’s not even a lie.
He really did end up with five in the end.
"Does Miss Lee Seohwa know? Ah, maybe it would’ve ended already if she had."
"If you tell Seohwa, I’ll kill you. She doesn’t know anything, so don’t touch her."
Wow, he’s really sincere about love.
Even while juggling three, that’s touching.
I opened both my hands and shook my head.
"Of course. Why would I want to ruin your love life? I support your love, hyung."
Hmm.
"...Though I’m not sure society will support it?"
"You crazy bastard."
I don’t care about other people’s relationships.
If Lee Dokyung hadn’t been so uncooperative, I wouldn’t have even pulled this card.
But there was one thing he should have known.
"If you’re going to try and threaten someone, you need to be clean yourself. So clean that there’s not a speck of dust no matter how hard they dig."
If he planned to make enemies everywhere, he should’ve at least looked at himself first.
Since I had never been directly involved with Lee Dokyung, I had ignored the rumors of him being a Casanova in my previous life,
But getting hit like this changes things.
I wasn’t going to fall for Lee Dokyung’s word games anymore.
He shouldn’t have messed with me.
He should’ve kept Seohan-hyung, who was just sitting quietly, out of this.
Lee Dokyung swallowed dryly and looked back at me.
The eyes that had been full of confidence moments ago were now completely deflated.
Lee Dokyung grimaced and opened his mouth.
"What do you want?"
"Return of my part."
"Hah."
At my words, Lee Dokyung’s expression turned ice cold.
His face paled as if he hadn’t expected me to go this far just for Kang Siwoo.
"You’re really that altruistic?"
"Of course not."
"Then what?"
"Getting my part back is just the start. What I really want is something else..."
Even in this mess, I had the realistic obligation of getting through the second evaluation safely.
I didn’t want to be the idiot who ruins it by fighting with team members.
This was just a condition to ensure that, and what I really wanted was something else.
Compared to an average trainee, he was someone who knew way too much about this world.
I knew who Lee Dokyung’s informant was.
Wasn’t it said that Lee Dokyung’s sister was a reporter at a notorious gossip outlet?
I had a feeling I’d need her help soon.
Better someone I had dirt on than a complete stranger.
I smiled slightly and spoke confidently.
"Mr. Lee Dokyung, you have a sister, right?"
"My sister?"
"Yeah, could you introduce me to her?"
"...In this situation?"
Huh?
Ah, wait a second.
"I think you’re misunderstanding something."
"You’re just like the rest, huh..."
What do you mean just like the rest!
Don’t look at me like I’m your kind.
I quickly waved him off and looked back with disgust.
"The reporter."
"Ah."
Lee Dokyung’s face turned beet red again.
The concept shoot that essentially determined the team assignments.
Unpopular trainees had a higher chance of being slotted into the remaining spots, but it was different for trainees with higher rankings.
It was their opportunity to promote the concept they wanted to push.
And since song selection was also tied to this, the concept shoot scene had been heating up since the morning.
Jin Sehyun scanned the props with his arms crossed.
There didn’t seem to be any particularly useful props, and he was just considering whether to go out wearing a safe-looking hat when—
Cha Seongbin casually stood next to him.
"Oh! You were here?"
"Yes, hello."
The only thing Jin Sehyun knew was that he was in the same team as Ha Junseo; other than that, they had no particular interaction.
The only notable thing about him was that he was outgoing enough to strike up conversations with most trainees.
Cha Seongbin naturally started talking to Jin Sehyun.
"What kind of concept did you choose?"
"Ah, I’m just going for something as cool as possible."
"Oh, that suits you."
Cha Seongbin let out a short exclamation at Jin Sehyun’s answer.
Cha Seongbin had already gone up earlier and flaunted every bit of charm he had.
Since he had the kind of face that could pull off various concepts, Jin Sehyun had assumed he would go for something powerful, but it turned out he had a surprising preference for a refreshing concept.
If everyone stuck with the concepts they’d thought of, there was little chance they’d be assigned to the same team.
‘That’s a relief. He seems like a tiring personality.’
Dealing with Seo Haim alone was enough to drain him.
At least Seo Haim was bright and cheerful; for some reason, Cha Seongbin gave off a subtly sly vibe that didn’t align with Jin Sehyun’s tastes.
‘I prefer someone with a laid-back personality, like the youngest.’
Despite his age, he was quick on the uptake and had a personality that could blend in anywhere.
Thinking of Do Seohan, Jin Sehyun looked up.
"Oh, looks like it’s Seohan’s turn next?"
Right on cue, Seohan was stepping out for his concept shoot.
Jin Sehyun widened his eyes and looked that way.
Cha Seongbin watched Seohan with eyes full of interest.
"What concept is he doing?"
"Not sure, I haven’t heard anything…"
Ah.
He remembered.
Seo Haim had mentioned it in the dorm yesterday.
Jin Sehyun’s eyes stopped midair as he tried to sift through the hazy memory.
‘So what concept is Seohan doing?’
‘Not sure, something hot, I think.’
Do Seohan doing something hot?
Jin Sehyun blinked as he stared intently at Seohan entering for the concept video shoot.
His voice trailed off uncertainly.
"I think… it was a sexy concept… maybe?"
"Nah, you must’ve misheard."
Right, our youngest wouldn’t do something like that.
"I probably misheard."
Jin Sehyun firmly denied it as he opened the water bottle beside him.
Gulp, gulp.
Just as he was quenching his thirst and waiting for Seohan’s turn,
Familiar music flowed through the studio.
"Huh?"
LROY’s ‘Dancing on Movie.’ The song Do Seohan had used to receive an H grade during the level test.
Jin Sehyun’s face turned confused at the dreamy mood of the song.
No way.
Still can’t figure it out
Still can’t figure it out
For this song to play now…
Do Seohan stepped forward with powerful control and release.
Along with the sticky synthesizer sound, he performed a familiar choreography.
However, although it was the same choreography, the mood was noticeably different from the level test.
Back then, it felt focused on an enigmatic, dreamlike atmosphere...
But now it was different.
"……."
A deadly gaze.
Subtly sultry moves to match.
Seohan was such a good dancer that he could pull off any concept choreography with ease.
There’s no way he hadn’t danced to a sexy mood piece before, so the moves themselves weren’t odd.
However...
He was doing well, but it didn’t match the Do Seohan they knew.
Why was our baby hamster…
Why on earth…
Suddenly doing sexy?
Jin Sehyun’s eyes didn’t know where to look.
Cha Seongbin noticed the subtle shift too.
This place I’m trapped in is probably a prison
The unreachable end of darkness
The you I’ve let go is probably a prisoner
I’m trying to bring this meaningless wandering to an end
Do Seohan looked into the camera with an unreadable expression.
His rebellious eyes fixed on the camera weren’t threatening at all.
If you had to compare, he looked more like a hamster angry over having its sunflower seeds taken.
Cha Seongbin could barely stay still in place.
He began nervously shifting his feet, and then muttered quietly.
"Uh…?"
He had spotted something in Seohan’s hand.
"What’s that water bottle?"
It was the same brand as the one Jin Sehyun had just opened to drink from.
Seohan raised the bottle at a 45-degree angle, and the corners of his mouth lifted into a smirk.
At the same time,
Seohan suddenly twisted open the bottle cap.
Just as they realized it was a prop Seohan had prepared—
"No way, is that…"
Cha Seongbin’s words cut off there.
Because of Seohan’s unexpected performance.
The ambitious final move that would be the climax of this entire performance.
Splash—
Seohan boldly poured the water bottle in his hand over his head.
Cha Seongbin instinctively covered his mouth.
"…W-What is he doing?"
"Seohan…?"
Drip, drip.
His shirt and hair were soaked, water dripping down.
The camera director’s eyes sparkled as he hurried to zoom in on the shot, and the other trainees waiting nearby widened their eyes rapidly.
A blazing performance that seized the attention of everyone in the studio.
In terms of impact alone, no one before him could match this concept shoot.
Cha Seongbin froze in disbelief, doubting his own eyes.
But then—
"…Uh, what is that."
Soaking wet, Seohan stared straight into the camera—
And looked…
Far from sexy.
"He looks like a wet hamster."
"A drenched mouse…?"
"Ah, he looks like he’s suffering."
"Cough."
Shiver, shiver, shiver.
Eventually, he even started trembling from the cold.
His wet hair oddly made him look pitiful.
"Pfft."
Sniffling from the water in his nose, Seohan kept his eyes locked on the camera.
"Huff… huff…"
A familiar-looking ending pose.
Blink, blink.
Even now, he did everything he was supposed to.
That sincerity finally made Jin Sehyun lose it.
The camera director, who had seen it all up close, looked like he had reached peak job satisfaction.
No matter what anyone said, it was a PR video delivered with his whole body.
The camera director, full of excitement, raised both thumbs high.
"Wow… that was so cute."
"Right? It came out really well on screen."
Due to water getting in his ears, Seohan didn’t hear the staff's comments clearly and misunderstood them.
But since they were compliments anyway…
‘I was sexy.’
And with that, mission accomplished.
"Phew… Ah, water. Got in my nose."
Mumble, mumble.
Even while shaking off water, Seohan walked out of the set with a satisfied smile.
That smug look in his eyes, as if he truly believed he had been sexy.
Cha Seongbin lowered his voice and asked Jin Sehyun,
"Is he always like that?"
Splat.
Jin Sehyun sprayed water instead of answering.
"…I don’t know that guy."