Ch.2002. The Group Project is a Complete Disaster

A quite fierce gaze.

I had the feeling that if I said no here, there was no telling what might happen.

Suhyeok’s throat made a gulping sound as he swallowed.

“Choi Gang. Didn’t I tell you not to glare like that?”

“I only listen to orders from those stronger than me!”

-Clang!

Seo Eun, holding a drumstick, brought it down on Choi Gang’s head, who appeared to be twice her size.

“I was. In the middle. Of something important.”

Her mouth was smiling, but her eyes were not.

So this is what they call the charisma of a central club president.

With practiced ease, Seo Eun subdued the giant who was twice her size with a single strike, then turned around and rummaged through the drawer above the desk.

“Gang-ah, where did you put the remaining application forms?”

“Don’t know. I didn’t touch them.”

Plopping down on the sofa, he folded his arms and looked Suhyeok up and down as if scanning him.

“Ah! Found it! Here it is!”

What Seo Eun handed to Suhyeok with a broad smile was a club application form.

“Just fill this out! By the way, what were you trying to say earlier?”

The atmosphere suggested his membership was already confirmed.

He thought about asking to be excused, but the sight of the man guarding the door made him hesitate.

“Ah… it’s nothing…”

“Then please fill this out at your leisure and give it to me!”

Right. I did come here wanting to join anyway.

And… it seems like they’ve acknowledged my skills…

They even checked out my guitar…

Pen in hand, Suhyeok began filling in the blanks one by one.

Name, student ID, major, reason for applying… huh?

“Excuse me.”

“Yeees~”

“These questions… are these correct?”

The questions at the top seemed normal enough, but they became increasingly bizarre further down.

[For guitars, Gibson OR Fender]

A question asking to choose between the two major brands of electric guitars.

Though odd, this was still within the realm of understanding.

Suhyeok used a Fender, so he naturally wrote “Fender”…

The nonsense began below that.

[What are your three major lifts?]

[Do you have a favorite VTuber?]

[What’s your alcohol tolerance?]

[…Can you pretend you didn’t see this?]

“Ah~ The members each wrote down questions they wanted to ask~”

“Is… physical strength really necessary for a band…”

Why on earth would they need to know about weightlifting for a band?

And what’s a VTuber?

“Of course it is!”

Choi Gang jumped up and strode toward Suhyeok.

“A band is a space for strong men! A manly attitude is—”

“Gang-ah. Could you please just shut up for a moment? If any questions are difficult to answer, you can just skip them. Just answering the normal ones at the top is fine.”

“Ah. Okay.”

[I’ve never been to a gym, so I don’t know.]

[I don’t really watch VTubers.]

[I’ve never drunk alcohol to my limit, but I think I can handle more than one bottle of soju.]

…What’s with this “pretend you didn’t see” question?

Finding it too strange, Suhyeok left that one blank.

“I’m done.”

“Great~”

Taking the application, Seo Eun carefully read through Suhyeok’s answers one by one.

The most important parts were whether he could attend practice regularly and his guitar skills.

Although Seo Eun played bass, she could tell at a glance that Suhyeok was incredibly skilled.

No, honestly, even a non-musician would have recognized his playing as extraordinary.

“Your alcohol tolerance is… unlimited…”

“No, not unlimited, I just haven’t had much experience drinking…!”

“Then we’ll find out this Friday~”

“Pardon…?”

“Yes, yes. So this Friday we’ll have a welcome party and check out Suhyeok’s drinking capacity!”

“Ah, you really don’t have to…”

“All the members have been desperately waiting for a new guitarist~ They’re all nice people! There’s no need to feel so burdened.”

At Seo Eun’s words, Suhyeok’s eyes scanned the ceiling once before turning toward Choi Gang.

That’s right.

It’s not right to judge people by their appearance.

But if Suhyeok had first met Choi Gang in a dark alley, he would have been ready to empty his pockets and hand over all his cash.

Forcing himself to think positively, Suhyeok nodded reluctantly.

“Um… I’ll come on Friday then!”

“Ah, Suhyeok. One last thing.”

Suhyeok, who was gathering his guitar, turned his head at Seo Eun’s call.

“Everyone except me is the same age as you, so speak comfortably with them, okay?”

“Yes… I mean, yeah. Got it.”

“See you~”

As Seo Eun waved, Choi Gang behind her raised his hand high.

“See you later, new guitarist!”

“Y-yeah… I’ll be going now?”

Grabbing the doorknob, Suhyeok escaped the club room and hurried down the stairs.

I made it.

I got accepted into a central club!

If I’d known it would be this easy, I would have applied last year.

Suhyeok felt good but also regretted his own foolishness.

He couldn’t stop the corners of his mouth from twitching upward.

He had thought wasting his first year as a 20-year-old on an insignificant club was the worst choice.

Or was it?

If he had auditioned as a freshman last year rather than as a transfer student, would he have failed?

Come to think of it, where did the previous guitarist go?

Having joined somewhat abruptly, he forgot to ask why they were looking for someone new.

He decided to ask at the next practice or at Friday’s welcome party as he hummed his way down the hill.

It felt like spring was finally coming to him.

* * *

The group chat of the Economics Department’s band club “Purple Storm” was filled with a gloomy atmosphere, like a literal storm.

The remaining members were racking their brains over Lee Suhyeok’s declaration of withdrawal.

[So what do we do about Lee Suhyeok? Just let him go?]

[We need to coax him back. We can’t bring in someone else.]

[LOLOLOLOL That guy said he’s going to the Central Club, think that’ll work? LOLOLOLOL]

Purple Storm received activity funds and space from the school, but no one actually knew about any of their proper activities.

That’s because they had never once performed publicly.

All they needed was a cozy hideout and pocket money from the support funds.

They were a group with no interest in actual performances.

There was an audit at the end of the semester, but they just forged that and submitted it.

As long as they took a few photos holding instruments in a plausible location, that was enough. They never had to submit videos, so there was little chance of getting caught.

In short, as long as Lee Suhyeok kept his mouth shut, everything would be fine.

Friday, a day with mandatory major courses.

Today was the first time Suhyeok would face the other Purple Storm members since his withdrawal declaration.

Two nerve-wracking events in one day…

And there was even a welcome party in the evening!

“Haah…”

Right. There’s no escaping this now.

Facing the former members was awkward, but there was no way to avoid it.

He couldn’t skip class entirely, and it might be better to get used to it as quickly as possible.

As usual, he took a seat in the farthest corner.

After putting down his bag, Suhyeok cautiously surveyed his surroundings.

He’d never had a breakup, but this felt like sharing a classroom with an ex.

The word “unfair” floated above Suhyeok’s head.

“Class will begin now.”

The class seemed to start normally, but then…

“From this session, we’ll look at how behavioral economics is reflected in policies through case studies.”

“And as I announced, you’ll be divided into groups to research specific examples of these policies.”

Divided into groups…

Divided into groups…

Divided into groups…

Why divide into groups…?

Team… teamwork..?!

Cold sweat began to trickle down Suhyeok’s forehead.

Group projects were truly one of the things he hated and found most uncomfortable about university.

You couldn’t just keep your mouth shut, you had to communicate well with others, and if you were unlucky, you even had to present in front of all these people!

Staring blankly at the screen as if his soul had left his body, Suhyeok only came to his senses when the group assignment screen appeared.

Please, just don’t put me with the Purple Storm members!

Anyone but them, even Chinese exchange students would be fine, just not them!

Gathering all the desperation in the universe, Suhyeok read through the list from Group 1.

Unfortunately, the universe was not on his side.

[Group 6. Lee Suhyeok, Kim Nayoung, Choi Juho, Park Juyeon.]

Kim Nayoung… Kim Nayoung of all people!

The fact that he had to work with that damn ballad-obsessed vocalist again made Suhyeok’s hands and feet tremble.

Choi Juho was… just someone whose name he knew…

Park Juyeon…?

That name sounded familiar somehow…

Frowning as he searched through his hazy memories, Suhyeok’s pupils trembled.

[Do you know Juyeon? Park Juyeon?]

It was the name Seo Eun had mentioned with that bright smile.

Wait… if that’s the case… I…

“H-hello…”

Trembling before me with a timid voice was none other than our new vocalist.