Chapter 101
“Are you really going to do it?”
Seo Baek-young’s mouth gaped open.
“Even though you’re already the most in-demand for interviews because you ranked first in ‘Make a New Color’… huh? Aren’t you the busiest among us?”
“That’s right. It’s completely unreasonable.”
“You’re not going to do it, right?”
After practice, the members gathered closely around as I cooked samgyetang for nourishment.
The members were looking at me with concern.
…Or perhaps they were monitoring if I was making the samgyetang properly.
“You’re going to decline, right, unnie?”
Ryu Bo-ra stared at me and asked.
“I absolutely have to do it.”
I deliberately avoided Ryu Bo-ra’s gaze.
“If it were Mnet, I would’ve declined, but it’s SWC. It’s a national network.”
“Even if it’s a national network… competing every two weeks is a bit much… And you have to prepare the songs alone.”
“But it’s just covers, so it might be manageable… Besides, they said I don’t have to do any dancing. As long as there’s no choreography, it’s doable.”
I was a bit worried about my throat, though.
I wondered if this would end up ruining my vocal cords.
“If that’s what you want, then there’s no choice…”
“And it’s scheduled to be filmed around the time our activities wrap up, so it should be fine. It officially starts five weeks from now.”
I considered stopping there but decided to explain further.
“The reason I want to do this is… right now, the national networks don’t see us very favorably. We debuted from a cable program called ‘Make a New Color,’ and although it would have been a different story if it flopped, it was a huge hit.”
“That’s true.”
“But the fact that a national network invited me is a positive sign for improving relations. Honestly, I didn’t expect them to call us this soon… I think it’s thanks to seniors like Lee Sol and Dan Ha.”
I had been really worried.
Since we debuted on Mnet, I thought we wouldn’t get called to national networks for at least a year.
That would cause significant issues for our chances at rookie awards.
“But why did Senior Dan Ha contact you?”
“I heard he’s going to be an MC. I’m just tagging along.”
“Ah.”
I knew I’d get criticized for being a tag-along again, but… we had to survive somehow.
“Even though we’re set up as competitors this time… it’s surprising he’s looking out for us.”
Yeon Juhong blinked and asked.
Yeah.
I was surprised, too.
‘But is it okay for me to join, senior?’
Honestly, if I got involved like this, Burn Ash’s fans wouldn’t be very happy.
I had no choice but to accept, though.
They were the ones giving, not me.
‘I don’t see why not.’
Dan Ha said that and added a word to my hesitation.
‘If you feel uncomfortable about owing me, just guide me again later.’
‘Oh…’
‘Or get famous quickly and buy my song at a high price.’
‘…I’ll seriously consider it…’
I couldn’t promise that even if it killed me.
…Because to earn points, I needed to perform my own music, not someone else’s.
“He probably felt bad and gave me this chance to repay the favor.”
“Wow. He’s kind.”
“Well. It’s something to be grateful for.”
I still felt a bit uneasy, but let’s just consider it a blessing for now.
“Anyway. That’s not the important thing.”
I glanced at the clock.
“The teaser is about to drop.”
So let’s hurry and eat the samgyetang.
***
“Deputy Kim, aren’t you eating dinner? Today’s menu is pork cutlet.”
It was a scene in an office.
In this company, working overtime was the norm.
As a result, having both lunch and dinner was routine.
“Oh, no. I brought my own lunchbox today. Enjoy your meal!”
The woman called Deputy Kim waved her hand quickly.
“What, are you on a diet, Deputy Kim? You always took seconds when they served pork cutlets.”
“…I just felt like having my lunchbox today…!”
“Okay, see you at the meeting later.”
“Yes, yes.”
Deputy Kim quickly waved her hand and heated up her lunchbox.
Normally, she would have eaten the cafeteria’s pork cutlet.
It was her favorite menu item.
However,
Today, something more important than her favorite menu item was coming out.
‘The music video is dropping at 6, isn’t that a sign not to eat dinner?’
Indeed.
Deputy Kim was a long-time fan of Kim Geum.
She had fallen in love ever since Kim Geum appeared on a hip-hop survival program.
Naturally, she had been fervently supporting ‘Make a New Color.’
When the highlight medley was released two days ago.
Deputy Kim knew instinctively.
‘This is going to be a hit.’
It was the first time she supported a Colors idol, but her years of fangirling over girl groups told her.
This was going to be a hit.
Why?
Because the song was good even with just 11 seconds of it.
There’s only one thing that makes a girl group successful.
The song.
If the song is good, it will be a hit.
Even if everything else is perfect, if the song is bad, it will take a long time to gain popularity.
Even if other aspects are slightly lacking, if the song is good, it will be an immediate hit.
This is because public appeal was everything for girl groups.
So, when the concept photos were released, I felt both excited and worried.
The concept seemed a bit more conceptual than I expected.
While the hardcore fans naturally covered their mouths and shook their wallets, the general public’s reaction was still uncertain.
Of course, one of the concept photos did look more public-friendly…
However, all these worries disappeared as soon as I heard the teaser and the highlight medley.
‘They sure hyped it up, saying all the songs were composed and written by the members, except for “Fingertips,” which was featured in Make a New Color.’
In fact, whenever this kind of hype circulated, Kim Dae-ri felt more worried than excited.
Members composing and writing their own songs was literally a double-edged sword.
If the songs were good, they could score 200 points out of 100.
If the songs were bad, they could score minus 200 points.
Kim Dae-ri, whose favorite member was Kim Geum, the team’s composer, was especially worried.
But then…
‘Yoon Cheong composed the title track?’
Not Kim Geum?
Yoon Cheong?
‘…Didn’t she usually compose R&B style songs rather than idol-like tracks?’
Kim Dae-ri recalled Yoon Cheong singing a short self-composed song in her self-introduction video for Make a New Color.
It was a good song, but anyone could tell it wasn’t an idol title track.
Of course, there were rumors that Yoon Cheong helped Kim Geum with some songs in Make a New Color.
But even then, it was just support.
And now, she composed a song by herself?
At first, I thought the article was wrong, so I checked it multiple times.
I had no ill feelings towards Yoon Cheong.
Kim Dae-ri even voted for ‘Kim Geum/Yoon Cheong/Seo Baek-young/Yeon Juhong/Ryu Bo-ra’ in the final broadcast.
But Yoon Cheong wasn’t even my second or third favorite; she was just a member I picked because she was close to my favorite.
There was also a bit of sympathy involved.
That was all. Yoon Cheong shouldn’t have crossed into Kim Geum’s territory. No matter what anyone said, the composer for Steel Blue should be Kim Geum.
But Kim Geum only participated in composing the side tracks and arranging the title track.
Feeling upset and a bit determined, I thought, “How good must the song be to beat our music geniuses…!”
As I widened my eyes.
Ding!
▶ [Steel Blue – ‘Blue’ M/V]
The title was short and strong.
Let’s click it.
Let’s see how great it is.
In front of a burning mansion, five people raised their heads.
They were all wearing long, luxurious dresses that almost dragged on the ground.
At the same time, they were looking up at the burning mansion with blank expressions.
Then, Ryu Bo-ra’s murmuring introduction.
Why are you so Blue
You look as pale as I do
Pale, Fail Blue Blue
The moment I heard the introduction, I decided to be reverent for a moment.
The tone and face did it all.
But from today, it will be different
Now I hold your hand
Now Blue means our sky
It was Yoon Cheong.
In the cockpit shown in the concept photo.
There was a heart-shaped bullet mark on the plane’s front window.
Yoon Cheong was sitting in the cockpit, wearing a crown.
As soon as she grabbed the control stick, the crown became a pilot’s hat.
Shoo-Shoo-Shoot me
Shoot me up to you hundreds of times again
The chorus.
Yeon Juhong appeared, holding a quiver full of diamond arrows.
With her signature coral pink wavy hair.
Yeon Juhong shot an arrow towards the camera.
Shoo-Shoo-Shoot me
Shoot all your blues to me
I’ll gladly fight against it
Shoo-Shoo-Shoot me
Shoo-Shoo-Shoot BLUE
‘The chorus is crazy.’
Even though the beginning was already great, the moment I heard the chorus, I was convinced.
This would definitely be a hit with the public.
The group shot that matched the chorus.
For the first time, Kim Dae-ri felt what chemistry between members meant.
They were just singing the same song in different colored clothes.
But it felt so good.
Be my blue flame
I’ll show you the brilliance of that flame
Then, Kim Geum.
Holding a massive flamethrower with her small frame.
Setting a factory on fire with the happiest face in the world.
The fans’ long-awaited black hair bangs, with twin pigtails tied below.
A choker, a white crop shirt, a gray cardigan, and a gray tennis skirt, reminiscent of a school look.
‘Crazy, Kim Geum is a school look master. This is insane.’
Don’t doubt it
You and I will never be extinguished
When the fire dies down
I set the fire again.
What’s the problem? I’m your flame
I’ll burn it all away.
‘Insane singing rap.’
Why are you so Blue
But I will save you
Now I hold your hand
Now Blue means our sky
Seo Baek-young’s part.
In a rain-soaked jungle-like forest.
She looked lost.
She threw something that looked like a bomb-
But what exploded were beautiful, colorful petals.
Then, the members appeared on screen one by one.
The weapons that seemed like they could harm someone suddenly turned into adorable toys as soon as they met the camera’s gaze.
Shoo-Shoo-Shoot me
Shoot all your blues to me
I’ll gladly fight against it
Kim Dae-ri thought.
Yeah.
Enjoy it, girls.
I’ll handle the fight.