Cheating way through to Stardom chapter 46- The members and the leader

With Yoo Hajin around, there shouldn’t be any conflicts leading to the group’s disbandment.

Unlike the chaotic trainees, the debut team seemed to get along relatively well.

“Honestly, the debut team should be more on thin ice.”

Suddenly, Yoo Hajin looked like a dove of peace.

“Looking forward to working with you, Hyung.”

I smiled at Yoo Hajin, surprised by my sudden change in attitude, he blinked.

“So, are you the leader hyung?”

Please, let it be you. Not Kang Minjae, the guy with no social skills.

“No, the leader is…”

Yoo Hajin was in the middle of speaking when the door opened again, and this time, a familiar face came in.

“I wondered why you hadn’t come.”

I addressed the person entering.

“I’ve been waiting. Please, come in.”

“You greet people like a mafia boss.”

Kang Minjae sat across from me with a smug smile. It was so expected that even Yoo Hajin wasn’t surprised.

At that moment, the manager spoke.

“Guys! Can’t you make a face like ‘Oh! You became a member!’?”

Are we supposed to be shocked that this guy, who is producing the group, is a member?

“Do you want me to act?”

Yoo Hajin touched his face.

“Should I look surprised?”

Kang Minjae propped his chin and said.

“I think it’s too late for that.”

I nodded.

“Manager, you should have ordered us earlier.”

If you had, I would have put my heart and soul into acting surprised.

I asked Kang Minjae.

“Did you pick the members, Minjae hyung?”

“I had no say in it. That’s the president and the director’s domain.”

“That’s unexpected.”

“If you knew I was a song-making machine, you’d pity me, Dowon.”

I smiled pleasantly despite feeling disgusted.

“Why act pitiful?”

It’s nauseating.

“It’s true.”

“I can’t believe it.”

“Really. When I think about it, Dowon, you don’t seem to trust me.”

Is my acting that good? It’s not subtle at all, it’s obvious.

At that moment, the door opened again, and someone else came in. I looked at him quietly.

‘This is a surprise.’

The guy who came in like a spring was someone I knew too.

‘Ki Jaeyun.’

He was the guy I had a dance battle with a few days ago. Come to think of it, it was a bit novel.

‘He was originally a member of Zenis.’

He was one of the guys left in the company. Of course, since Zenis disbanded, he hadn’t been able to engage in proper activities.

Yoo Hajin spoke.

“Oh, it’s Jaeyun.”

“Hyung! You’re a member too! Of course!”

Ki Jaeyun pointed at me and said.

“Except for this guy, it’s obvious!”

Look at this brat.

I smiled pleasantly. Yoo Hajin shook his head, sensing my mood.

“Right now, Dowon has the most recognition.”

“I can quickly build up that recognition too.”

“Hey, stop it. How can you say that in front of people?”

I said to Ki Jaeyun.

“It’s true that I’ve had more opportunities.”

Kang Minjae blinked.

“But even if those opportunities had gone to Jaeyun hyung, well…”

I exaggeratedly shrugged my shoulders.

“He would’ve done great, right? Absolutely perfectly? Even better than me? Wow! I’m sure he would have!”

Kang Minjae covered his mouth and laughed.

“You’ve learned to insult indirectly, our Dowon.”

Yoo Hajin shook his head and said.

“We all know that not just anyone can do it.”

“I can do it too!”

Ah, so noisy.

‘He’s the landmine.’

Honestly, I didn’t think Kang Minjae and Yoo Hajin would cause any trouble.

‘Why did they pick a guy like that…’

I sighed deeply, and Kang Minjae looked at Ki Jaeyun and said.

“Jaeyun, you can’t act.”

Yoo Hajin chimed in.

“It’s not just acting. You can’t sing either.”

“Your rap isn’t great either, right? What about your part?”

“All you’re good at is dancing. Dowon can dance, sing, act, and even has the looks. You know that, right?”

I smiled pleasantly.

“You’re generous with your praise. Objectivity is indeed the shortcut to success.”

If possible, let’s take the shortcut. Everyone.

“Let’s aim for the top.”

Yoo Hajin tapped my shoulder.

“You say such annoying things so irritatingly well.”

“I’m sorry.”

Kang Minjae tapped the table.

“But Dowon, you’re right. Objectivity is necessary. In that sense, Jaeyun, prepare for almost no parts in the songs.”

“Why! Give me some!”

“Hajin sings well, and I think Dowon will be good with a bit of training. So, the next member will be a rapper.”

At that moment, the door opened, and someone came in. The moment I identified them, I was truly surprised.

“Huh?”

Lee Seungjoon walked in leisurely. The bear-like guy lowered his head and then lifted it.

“The last one.”

Kang Minjae extended his hand. Lee Seungjoon shook it naturally.

“Are they doing business? Shaking hands.”

But they did look good together, maybe because they both had some bulk. Lee Seungjoon smiled at me.

“I can dream even bigger now.”

I was momentarily confused by what was being said.

‘Ah, is he talking about what he said yesterday?’

-Feels like I have something in my life that wasn’t there before. Yeah. That’s right. I’m dreaming. A good dream. Maybe that’s why. I just don’t want to wake up.

What a crazy guy.

I couldn’t hold back my laughter for a moment. Lee Seungjoon smiled and sat down in the remaining seat.

Yoo Hajin looked around and said, “Is this everyone? The visuals aren’t bad. How tall are you? Dowon, have you grown a bit?”

What was it last time we measured?

“Around mid-170s.”

Ki Jaeyun shouted, “I’m 177!”

Kang Minjae looked Ki Jaeyun up and down and said, “177 isn’t bad. Dowon will grow a bit more. With this height, we can do a variety of things. Plus…”

Kang Minjae turned his gaze directly to Lee Seungjoon. “You’ve got a good build.”

Lee Seungjoon straightened his shoulders and smiled softly.

“I’ve heard your rap. Hmm, this…”

Kang Minjae smirked on one side of his mouth.

‘This guy is serious.’

When he’s being honest, he smiles in a way that gets under your skin.

“Not bad. So, there are five of us?”

Yoo Hajin looked around and said, “Seems like it. Minjae, isn’t the number smaller than you expected?”

“What does it matter? It’s good, isn’t it?”

I said with a smile, “Fewer members mean more money to split.”

The four of them looked at each other, leaving me out.

Why are they just looking at each other?

Kang Minjae mumbled, “Dowon, you seem to be really meticulous about money.”

“At least with money, I think one should be very meticulous.”

Yoo Hajin shook his head, “Still, a kid shouldn’t live so rigidly.”

“Wow. To hear that from you, Hajin hyung!”

Yoo Hajin patted my shoulder and looked into the distance, “Yeah, I’m not one to talk.”

I quietly looked at the manager.

The silent gesture to stop filming since we were done, but the manager was still holding the camera.

Kang Minjae whispered, “So, I have a lot more to do from now on?”

He looked at each member with eyes like a hawk eyeing its prey.

‘There he goes showing his true colors.’

Usually sly like a fox, but at heart, he’s a snake.

“Not bad.”

That means he likes it.

I turned to the manager and asked, “So, what are we doing now?”

“Oh, they want us to pick a leader.”

A leader, huh.

I quietly looked at Yoo Hajin.

Despite everything, this good-natured guy scratched his head and said, “Can’t Minjae do it?”

Ah, damn it.

‘Absolutely not.’

If he leads, the team will be in shambles.

Kang Minjae leisurely tapped the table. “I don’t mind either way.”

I sighed and said, “I do mind.”

The gazes focused on me instantly.

I smiled brightly and said, “Minjae hyung is involved in production, right? Writing lyrics, composing, maybe even choreographing a bit.”

Yoo Hajin nodded.

“That’s a lot of weight on his shoulders. We can’t ask a busy guy to handle Ki Jaeyun’s messes too.”

Ki Jaeyun shouted immediately, “Hey! Why me?”

Kang Minjae propped his chin on his hand, lost in thought.

“Ah, that’s true. I hadn’t considered it. Members could cause trouble.”

Most likely Ki Jaeyun, since the others aren’t that type.

Yoo Hajin said, “I’ll do it.”

I almost clapped.

“Minjae, you’re too busy. Plus, you know the debut group kids. They keep causing trouble, and while you’re good at scolding, you’re not great at managing.”

Quite the peacekeeper, Yoo Hajin.

He knows better than I thought.

Kang Minjae nodded obediently, “Yeah, Hajin, you do it. But…”

He looked at me and said, “Dowon, aren’t you disappointed?”

“About what?”

“Aren’t you pushing the leader role to Hajin because I’m busy?”

This fox-like snake. So unnecessarily sensitive.

“Hyung, you’re already doing too much. Writing, composing, and producing. And we have Hajin hyung.”

“You don’t trust me.”

I quickly nodded. “Of course not.”

“Oh! I’m hurt!”

As if. What a pain in the neck.

“People have limits. You should learn to delegate. Lyricist, composer, producer.”

Even if you’re a genius in the music world, you can’t do everything.

Yoo Hajin shook his head.

“Wow.”

Why is the peacekeeper and soon-to-be leader reacting like that?

This time Ki Jaeyun spoke up, “Everyone in the debut group thought about it but never said it to Minjae hyung’s face!”

Kang Minjae glared at me.

Why is he doing that? Did I hit the mark?

“You really don’t trust me.”

“Is it important whether I trust you or not?”

“It is to me.”

Damn.

What is he on about?

In situations like this, it’s best to get to the point quickly.

I looked at Yoo Hajin and said, “You’ll be the leader, right?”

“Huh?”

“Anyone else want to be the leader?”

Lee Seungjoon and Ki Jaeyun immediately shook their heads.

“Then Hajin hyung it is! Hyung, please take care of us! And keep Ki Jaeyun out of trouble!”

“Why is it always me!”

“Oh? Okay. I’ll do it.”

Lee Seungjoon tilted his head and said, “Is this really okay?”

“Do you want to be the leader?”

“Of course not, but Minjae hyung is glaring.”

I quietly ignored it.

Such a grudge-holder.

Kang Minjae stared at me intently, “Well, I’m fine with whatever.”

Damn. Stop glaring already.

“Hajin, take care of us.”

There was a lot of heat in his words. I sighed softly.

“Okay, well. Speaking as a leader, what else do we need to decide, manager hyung?”

The manager replied, “The group name?”

This time I looked at Kang Minjae.

“What do you like? Minjae hyung?”

“Huh? Why me this time? Isn’t the leader’s opinion important?”

“Yeah, kind of.”

“Oh, come on. Let’s put personal feelings aside and focus on productive progress. Lyrics, composition, producers.”

Though Kang Minjae’s gaze was felt, it was disregarded.

“Come on. Did you decide on a few names?”

“Choose between climax, zenith, depth.”

“They all mean the same thing.”

Kang Minjae nodded.

“Did our Doyeon study English?”

Ki Jaeyun said to Lee Seungjoon.

“Do they all mean the same thing?”

Like that.

“He can’t even speak a foreign language.”

Is dancing really the only thing he’s good at?

Hajin, the dove of peace, said.

“A good name should be easy, short, and memorable.”

Lee Seungjoon said.

“Zenis sounds good. It’s the shortest and well-known.”

Kang Minjae nodded.

“Let’s go with Zenis then. Doyeon, you okay with that too?”

“Yes. But I’m curious about one thing. Why do they all mean climax?”

Kang Minjae’s expression disappeared, lost in thought.

An awkward silence fell.

“Why does he have to do this again?”

Why ruin the mood?

“The surface reason is to show a climax on stage. The real reason is…”

The fox-like snake chuckled and whispered.

“Don’t tell.”

“Minjae hyung!”

“Anyway, we’ve decided on Zenis. Manager hyung, what’s next?”

The camera was still rolling.

“Alright, cut!”

Ki Jaeyun jumped up as if bouncing.

“That’s a wrap! Yes! I should call Mom and tell her we’re debuting!”

He ran off like the wind. Is he an idol? Oh, he is.

I caught my breath and grabbed Kang Minjae’s clothes.

“Why the climax, what’s the reason?”

“It’s a secret.”

Fine, whatever. If you don’t want to tell me.

“Yeah. Let’s leave it as a secret.”

“Huh, that’s not it.”

I turned around and said.

“Seungjoon, I’ll make tteokbokki now.”

“Thanks.”

The bear was watching Ki Jaeyun’s back.

“Why is he like this again?”

Well, I kind of knew.

“He must not have anyone to talk to.”