Cheating way through to Stardom Chapter 44- YUMI’s Jinx

After spending the entire day, it was already time to head to the stage.

I had already done my makeup and changed into my costume, and then headed towards the stage.

The guy with the ponytail looked me up and down and said, “We have a waiting room, but there are a lot of us. It’s better to get ready in advance.”

I nodded in agreement.

“Spray your hair before you go out. It’ll help keep it in place even if you sweat.”

That’s an interesting trick.

The guy with the ponytail took care of me like a teammate as soon as he saw my dance.

“If he didn’t have a good personality, he wouldn’t have worked with YUMI for so long.”

I hadn’t slept much, but I felt okay.

The dancers who had practiced with me for the past two days didn’t seem to be in bad shape either.

The problem lay elsewhere.

“I wonder if YUMI is okay.”

Maybe it was because she had overworked herself in practice.

YUMI looked pretty weak this morning. She seemed exhausted, like a fish out of water, after running a few schedules.

“Is she always in such bad shape?”

“She’s been better lately because she’s been getting some sleep.”

I see.

‘If it wasn’t for the cheat, she might have collapsed in the early evening. Ah!’

I recalled a past event from before my regression.

Come to think of it, in my previous life YUMI had once collapsed on stage after releasing a song called “Sacrifice.”

‘That’s why the song was good, but the promotions ended early.’

I tilted my head as I looked at my costume.

“So, is this a different future now?”

Well, the future has been different since I passed the audition for ‘Friends Entertainment.’ But it still felt strangely surreal.

I pulled out my smartphone from my pocket.

‘It feels kind of new.’

I suddenly had a question.

‘Am I the only one using this?’

I shook my head. It was a pointless thought.

‘Well, it’s more miraculous than I thought.’

I didn’t know the exact criteria for the cheat.

I brushed off my thoughts. Why was I thinking about such pointless things all of a sudden?

Just then, YUMI approached me, wobbling.

“Dowon, get in my car.”

Huh.

“What’s this, YUMI? Are you taking care of me because I’m your junior?”

“Yeah. Junior love, national love, world peace.”

“You’re not hitting on me, right?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. We’re eight years apart.”

YUMI grabbed my arm and walked. I nodded slightly to the dancers and got into YUMI’s van.

“Is this a top star’s car?”

It was clean but chaotic. Various items were scattered around messily.

“It’s like this during promotions. It’s practically another home.”

YUMI’s manager, sitting in the front seat, smiled.

“I eat, sleep, and change clothes mostly in the car.”

I see.

“It doesn’t seem like someone else’s problem, does it? When you debut, you’ll remember my words.”

I chuckled softly.

“It’s good to be busy.”

YUMI smiled at me in her costume. With makeup and her outfit on, she looked like the YUMI I saw on TV.

“Senior, are you feeling really unwell?”

YUMI’s eyes widened.

“I thought that might be why you brought me.”

“Look at this guy.”

She sighed softly.

“How did you know?”

“I’m pretty perceptive.”

YUMI clasped her hands and looked out the window. Although it was tinted black, I could see a bit outside.

“Look.”

I glanced out the window.

“It’s snowing.”

“Do you know what day it is today?”

“Friday, isn’t it?”

“It’s not just any Friday! It’s Friday the 13th!”

I see.

“I don’t follow any religion.”

“Neither do I! The problem is, something bad always happens to me on Friday the 13th.”

YUMI looked very serious. She spoke with her head down.

“I fall over.”

“Excuse me?”

“On Friday the 13th, if it snows, I fall.”

Is it some kind of jinx?

“You just thought it’s no big deal, didn’t you?”

“Yes. It’s not a big deal. You can just get up after falling.”

“Hey! Do you know what I’m wearing?”

YUMI lifted her leg. Below her slender ankle was a high heel.

“Ah, I see.”

If she falls, she could get injured.

“I’ve managed to avoid it for a few years, but why does it have to be today?”

YUMI murmured, leaning her head against the window.

“I need to show my brilliant performance to those high and mighty actors.”

I see. But I think I understand one thing.

“That’s why you called me.”

“Yeah. After talking to you, I felt like my condition got better.”

“It’s a coincidence.”

She was sharper than I thought. She probably didn’t think I used the cheat. But she figured out why her insomnia had disappeared.

“I know. It’s a coincidence.”

YUMI smiled faintly.

“But still, I wanted to grasp at straws.”

YUMI lifted her leg and moved her ankle.

“They’ve been working well so far. Even though I’ve overworked them.”

Her feet, encased in high heels, were a mess. She moved her ankle a few more times before speaking.

“Actually, it was just an excuse.”

“What was?”

“You make people feel good.”

For a moment, I laughed.

“It’s an honor.”

“Ah, I’d love to have a brother like you. I’d take good care of him.”

I thought of my sister, Cha Sora, and laughed a little.

“If my sister heard that, she’d probably give you a whole box of me.”

She’s probably busy studying now. My sister.

YUMI closed her eyes as she looked out the window.

“It’s depressing. Knowing that misfortune is coming, but unable to avoid it!”

I see.

“Then, I’ll have to help you avoid this jinx.”

I quietly pulled out my smartphone.

[cheat mode 1/3]

[Singer YUMI will not fall today.]

[Changed.]

[Side effect: You will lose your voice for 30 minutes in 3 minutes.]

[cheat mode 2/3]

Oh.

‘The side effect is pretty severe.’

Usually, it’s not a big deal. Why is it so serious? Is YUMI’s jinx that strong?

‘But since it’s changed, YUMI won’t fall today, right?’

I glanced at the navigation system from the driver’s seat. It said the estimated time was 40 minutes.

‘That’s a relief.’

I didn’t say it out loud. I quickly switched my smartphone from the cheat screen back to the regular screen.

‘What if YUMI starts talking to me?’

YUMI was sitting with her eyes closed and didn’t say anything. Just then, the van jolted as we went over a speed bump.

“Ouch!”

YUMI grabbed her head. I quietly handed her the neck pillow that was lying around.

“Thanks. I think I’ll sleep a bit.”

She closed her eyes again.

‘Good thing she wants to sleep.’

I covered her with the blanket that was next to me. She smiled and shifted her position.

‘But still, the side effects are pretty strong.’

What are the real criteria? Is something big going to happen?

‘Well, we’ll see when the time comes.’

I put my smartphone back in my pocket. The car moved smoothly down the road.

***

After finishing the rehearsal, we had a long waiting period. Amid the noisy crowd, I quietly did some ab exercises in the corner of the waiting room.

The guy with a ponytail looked down at me from his chair and spoke.

“You sure work hard.”

What now?

“Do you have a grudge against your abs? Every time I see you, you’re doing that.”

“Oh, it’s because of vocals.”

I took a deep breath.

“My breath control is weak.”

“Hmm. By the way, I heard they’re forming a new boy group at Friends. Do they have the members picked out?”

“I don’t know.”

“They’ve probably already made their decisions.”

That’s probably true.

“Aren’t you anxious? If you don’t make it this time, you’ll waste a few more years.”

Is he teasing me?

I paused my ab exercises.

“Not really.”

“Why? Because you’re still young? Time flies, you know?”

“If it were Director Joo and the President, who do you think they’d pick? Based on skill? Or looks? Vocals? Dance?”

I smirked.

“I’m not lacking in any of those areas.”

I resumed my ab exercises. I heard Ponytail click his tongue, but I didn’t care.

Another dancer spoke.

“Seriously, man, why are you giving the kid a hard time?”

“When did I do that?”

“You just did.”

Ah, so he was being a jerk.

“What a nasty attitude.”

You’ll have a bad day someday, you know that?

I smiled just as I felt, and Ponytail looked away. Looks like he knows he’s guilty, Mr. Dancer.

“Entering the main stage! Please stand by.”

I jumped to my feet. The coordinators and hairstylists quickly came over to spray my hair.

The hallway was crowded with people. YUMI spoke.

“Let’s do our best. Let’s show them what we’ve got.”

Everyone high-fived YUMI as they passed. Korea’s top female singer saw me and gave me a dazzling smile.

“Let’s do well.”

“I’ll do my best, senior.”

Backstage was filled with various machines. Come to think of it, this was my first time on such a big stage.

“The audience is full of actors.”

An interesting audience for a first performance.

YUMI asked from beside me.

“Are you nervous?”

I answered honestly.

“No.”

“Oh?”

“I’m actually excited.”

Watch me, all of you.

“Right now, I’m borrowing the senior’s fame, but…”

Who knows what position I’ll be in next time I’m here?

My body heated up. I smiled genuinely. Something warm filled my empty stomach. It had such a good aroma that I wanted to gulp it down like crazy.

“Enter now!”

I followed the dancers inside.

“But I’m still not enough.”

It would be a long time before I was satisfied. Honestly, I was getting a bit tired of waiting.

***

YUMI’s stage felt like a live version of her “Sacrifice” music video.

I sat on the couch with my eyes closed. As the music flowed, YUMI stroked my hair and sang.

‘It’s not live, though.’

YUMI had said they already pre-recorded the vocals.

‘Well, it’s a performance-focused stage.’

But it was still a stage. I played the role of a boy with closed eyes under the stage lights.

‘This feels strange.’

I could hear all the noise around me, yet I was playing an unconscious boy.

The verse soon ended. I heard a sharp sound. I immediately stood up and moved forward.

The lights came back on.

Dressed-up actors appeared before my eyes.

I danced with a smile, just like the boy in the music video.

To the side, backward. Forward again, jump.

‘This is an illusion of a moving boy.’

I danced toward YUMI as she reached out tenderly, and the dancers in black moved.

“That’s the anxiety of vampire YUMI.”

The dancers performed the same choreography one by one, expressing worry and concern through their dance.

“It’s quite an artistic stage.”

I danced smoothly and turned my head towards the stage.

Last year’s non-clapping officials were now focused on the performance.

‘There’s the camera.’

Camera 5 pointed at me. I moved according to the planned route. I, representing the hope of the vampire, approached her.

‘This is all for the scene where YUMI and I touch.’

The performance was already halfway through.

I controlled my breathing and reached out to her in time with the music.

Then it happened.

‘What?’

She suddenly staggered. I saw her lose her balance and start to fall backward.

Her words flashed through my mind.

‘On Friday the 13th, if it snows, I fall’

I couldn’t let that happen.

‘I have to catch her.’

But the distance was too great. Plus, there was a set choreography and route.

That’s when it happened.

A second felt like an eternity. I don’t know what kind of effect it was, but every moment seemed to stretch out like a panorama.

‘I can do it.’

That thought crossed my mind.

I turned and grabbed her waist in a flash. I felt the fabric of her stage costume vividly against my palm.

‘Caught her!’

Her breath brushed past my ear. YUMI’s eyes, leaning on me, were trembling endlessly.

Come to think of it, YUMI had said this back then.

‘It’s depressing. Knowing that misfortune is coming, but unable to avoid it!’

How does it feel to avoid it, senior?

‘Well, maybe just this time.…’

The world still stretched out long before me.

There was much to do. I skillfully positioned her upright and moved my body to the beat.

It was a simple leg movement, but it might look like a connecting move.

YUMI was slightly flustered but quickly regained her composure like a diva. And then, as if waiting, the expansive moment returned properly.

Soon, the prepared choreography finished, and the lights dimmed again.

I closed my eyes on the sofa brought by the dancers. As YUMI’s final gesture, when she finished touching my cheek, the prepared song ended soon.

I heard YUMI’s rough breathing. Then, I heard a thunderous applause.

“I’ve fulfilled your wish.”

This time, you received applause, senior.

I heard that the stage was over. I quickly got up and slipped behind the stage.

It was when I was leaving the corridor.

She looked at me.

“Senior?”

YUMI grabbed my outfit and slowly let go. Then she took a deep breath and shouted.

“Let’s take a picture!”

The dancers gathered with smiles. YUMI pulled me and put me right next to her.