Chapter 90: Level Up (10)

Jellynyang's firm grip on the number one spot is an impregnable fortress that cannot be easily broken.

And the fans of S.K.Y, who call themselves 'Wing,' knew this well.

However, being human, there are times when you have to push forward, even if you know it's a foolish choice.

"We can't give up! Look at our kids!! Our kids sing incredibly well!! They dance well too!! Their faces are insane!!"

The Wings worked hard to promote them.

Thanks to their good looks, the reaction was positive.

But perhaps because they drew so much attention, many people turned into anti-fans.

Jealousy, envy, suspicion, and malice all combined to turn into nasty comments.

- A group with no skills, just visuals ㅋ

- Every time I see those face-loving fools, I'm disgusted.

- Singers should be able to sing well. ㅉㅉㅉ

Thud!

"No way!!! Our kids are talented!!"

They were still rookies, so they hadn't had a chance to show their skills yet.

But people, without knowing much, assumed that because they had good visuals, their skills must be terrible.

Can it be any more unfair than this?

"Which agency are they from to be criticized for their skills?!"

Anyone who knows a bit about this industry knows that Honey Enter is strict about both visuals and skills.

If they came to the idol community, they must know this.

That's why it's even more infuriating.

They knowingly write malicious comments.

The Wings, frustrated by the nasty comments, endured the rising blood pressure and diligently collected the comments.

If they gather the ones that cross the line and send them to the agency, Honey Enter might sue them someday.

One day, while streaming S.K.Y's new song with a heavy heart, a miracle happened.

"Huh?? What is this?!"

A post titled "[Today's Male Idol Beach Festival Live Cam - Legendary Stage]" became a hot topic in the community.

Without much thought, they clicked and watched it, and it turned out to be S.K.Y!

"Aah!!! I missed seeing this live?!"

They watched the video like crazy, almost frame by frame.

Soon, a higher quality version of the video was uploaded, and the community buzzed with excitement.

"This is it. This will definitely work!"

The Wings had a hunch.

With this video, S.K.Y had finally taken off.

It was the moment when their rise began in earnest.

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"I saw the stage. It was amazing."

"How can you dance so well? Your high notes are perfect, and your pitch is solid. I'm jealous~ Are you guys young?"

"Thank you!"

"As expected from Honey Enter. You guys are flawless in skills."

"Thank you!"

As they became a topic in the community and headed to the waiting room to appear on a music show, the way the staff looked at them had changed.

Previously, they were often ignored, even when bowing 90 degrees. But today, even without initiating a greeting, the staff acknowledged them first.

"The treatment today is completely different from before. It feels so awkward."

Woo-yeon expressed his feelings by clenching and unclenching his fists.

They all felt awkward about the sudden 180-degree change in treatment.

"This industry is always like that. They treat you like royalty when you're popular. That's why idols get star syndrome when they become famous."

"Wow. So they'll keep treating us well?"

"Yes. For now. But you guys need to know something. Today's sudden change in attitude isn't the end. These people can change their attitude anytime. They'll treat you well when you're popular, but the moment you slip up, they'll treat you worse than before."

The manager explained the reality to the bewildered group.

Her words had credibility because these people had changed their attitude overnight.

"Don't think these people are sincere just because they're nice to you. 80% of what comes out of their mouths is lies. They'll act like they'll do anything for you, but they're just trying to use your popularity. Trust? There's no such thing in this industry. Don't trust anyone. Don't be used. You have to use them to survive in this industry."

"...."

"...."

The manager's words sent a chill down their spines.

In reality, all day, the staff had been nice to them, treating them like 'people,' which had made them feel proud and excited.

They had high expectations, thinking, "Are we becoming stars?!"

"You always say things like this when we're feeling good…."

"This is all~ valuable advice. Kids! So don't just let it go in one ear and out the other, take it to heart."

"Yes~"

"Yes, sir!"

Even though Honey Enter was a powerful agency, a rookie group like theirs couldn't get a private waiting room.

They had to be careful not to be disliked by the staff by being too demanding.

"Hello!"

"Hello, seniors!! We are 'Rain,' here to make your hearts flutter!"

As they entered the waiting room, they saw a nervous rookie idol group in black stage outfits.

Many idols debut each year, but male idols are rare, so their attention naturally turned to 'Rain.'

"Wow~ Are we already at the level of having juniors?"

"It's still hard to get used to."

"They seem really nervous. I wonder if they'll be okay."

"They're trembling. It reminds me of our debut stage, and my heart is racing too."

Today was the debut stage for the male idol group 'Rain.'

Naturally, memories of their own debut stage came flooding back.

The excitement, fear, thrill, and anticipation they felt then resurfaced, stirring their emotions.

"Um, good luck with your debut stage."

"Thank you!!!"

Since they were just debuting, these guys bowed deeply, showing respect.

Seeing this, they felt a mix of nostalgia and pity.

'I hope they do well. They all look so young.'

Is it okay to say this to a competitor?

But seeing them tremble, they couldn't help but feel sympathy.

They hoped they would have a flawless performance.

Since Rain's performance was before theirs, the members all left the waiting room together.

"Hey, should we go watch that rookie male idol group's performance?"

"Their performance?"

"Yes. It reminds me of the old days, and I want to cheer them on."

"Is it okay to just go watch?"

"If just the two of us go quietly, it should be fine, right?"

"Hmm, let's do that."

Out of simple curiosity, Woo-yeon and I left the waiting room together.

They quietly walked past the busy staff and hid near the stage area.

"No one will notice us here."

"It's just starting."

Lively, almost club-like, intense beat music started playing.

The camera moved, and the dance began.

Not bad.

A lively beat aimed at summer.

Lyrics as refreshing as their group name.

With the help of auto-tune, their voices soared.

Just as they were about to say, "Wow,"

Thud!!

"Huh!"

"Eek!"

One of the members fell with a loud thud.

The fallen member accidentally hit the member next to him with his arm, causing a domino effect of falls.

The member's mistake affected the others, ruining the formation.

"Cut! Cut! What are you doing now!! This is not a joke!!!!!"

A thunderous roar, scarier than a tiger's, echoed.

Woo-yeon, startled by the voice, hid behind my back.

"Oh no! What do we do?"

"They're going to get scolded badly…."

The 'Rain' members, who made the mistake, were deeply apologetic, their heads almost touching the ground.

Their manager also rushed in, flustered.

"…Let's go back."

"Y-Yes. We might get in trouble if we stay here."

Watching a fire is fun, but you have to consider the atmosphere.

Making such a big mistake on their debut stage.

Who knows what will happen next, but it seems like it will be quite dramatic.

"S.K.Y, please come out and wait."

"Yes!!"

After confirming that the rookie male idol group had messed up their stage, they returned to the waiting room.

Soon, the dejected male idol group returned to the waiting room, some of them in tears.

It seemed like their mental state was shattered.

The members, already aware of the situation, sat quietly. Soon, a staff member came to call them, and they left the waiting room.

"Phew, I almost died from holding my breath."

"We can't make mistakes. Got it?"

"We need to have the same energy as that stage."

"Come on, everyone, focus!!"

"Let's put our hands together."

Before going on stage, they all put their hands together for a cheer.

It might seem childish, but this ritual was surprisingly effective.

The most important thing, which can easily be overlooked, is teamwork.

By putting their hands together, they strengthened their teamwork.

"S.K.Y, let's soar! Come on, come on! Fighting!"

"""""Fighting!""""""

They took their positions on stage.

The familiar sound of their song played through their in-ear monitors.

It was time to focus solely on the stage, pushing aside all other problems.

'I still remember that feeling….'

Having experienced a fantastic stage once, they felt a sense of longing.

The stage began again.

They felt dissatisfied with their own movements.

Why can't they do it as easily as they did before?

A thirst for something just out of reach.

Their throats weren't dry, but they felt parched.

And then,

Thud!

Someone fell.

They had heard that sound once today already, but they didn't expect to hear it during their own performance!

Fortunately, the member quickly got up and resumed dancing.

'Who was it?'

Glancing sideways, they saw Woo-yeon smiling and limping.

'Woo-Yeon fell!'

Fortunately, there were no more mistakes, and they finished the stage.

As soon as the stage ended, they checked on Woo-yeon.

"Woo-yeon, are you okay?"

"Ugh! I'm fine. I'm sorry!!"

Woo-yeon, remembering what had happened earlier, quickly bowed and apologized to the staff.

The other members also apologized, fearing a similar scolding.

"I'm sorry!!"

"Is your leg okay?"

And the music show PD, who had scolded the rookie male idol group earlier, approached them with a concerned voice.

Surprisingly, her voice was filled with worry, not anger.