Became The Leader of a Girl Group Destined To Fail – Chapter 152

Chapter 152

“Hey. It was really hard to get you in, seriously.”

Just before the recording of <Dear My Diva>.

The cafe in the lobby of the SWC broadcasting station.

Prism Homma was talking with a friend who worked at SWC.

“Why? You didn’t say that last time.”

Was it because there were more applicants for the finals?

“No. They said most of the list was already decided. I barely got you in because one of the original entrants couldn’t come due to illness.”

“Huh. They already had most of it decided?”

“Yeah, that’s what it seems like.”

Prism Homma’s friend had a slightly uneasy expression.

Likewise, Prism Homma felt uneasy as well.

“Is that normally how it works?”

Prism Homma’s friend looked around and lowered their voice.

“Not usually. I told you early on purpose, and even then it was like that.”

“Then why is it like this?”

“I don’t know. But the PD of Dear My Diva doesn’t have the best reputation, you know?”

“Really? In what way?”

“I don’t know. Anyway… I just want you to know it was really hard to get you in. Okay?”

Prism Homma felt anxious.

This better not cause any disadvantage to our kid.

“Okay….”

“Even my mom wanted to come, but I turned her down to get you in.”

Huh, her mom wanted to come to this?

Prism Homma was taken aback.

“Why did your mom want to come…?”

“I don’t know. She said she really liked your kid. When I told her it wouldn’t be possible because a friend asked first, I became an unfilial daughter.”

“Oh.”

Was our kid really that popular?

I knew there was some positive response among the middle-aged, but this was the first time I felt it in reality.

Please, let our Cheong become a superstar…!

“Buy me some beef later. I need to go now. You should get in line.”

“Okay, thanks.”

Cheong….

You’ll be okay, right?

Prism Homma clutched her pounding chest and got in the admission line.

***

“Wow, that was an incredible stage. It’s hard to believe she’s a rookie who debuted just a month ago. That was Inleven’s Dahin. It was truly a heart-wrenching, very sad song. Right, Dan Ha?”

“Ah, yes. It was indeed a very impressive voice.”

“Oh, Dan Ha’s eyes just lit up. That’s the look when he’s eyeing talent.”

“…”

“See, he’s not denying it! Our Dan Ha is really ambitious. Even coveting talents from other companies. Haha.”

The anxiety kept growing.

The second stage just performed was by Dahin, the strongest competitor.

To be honest, most Steel Blue fans didn’t deny that Dahin was a good singer.

She was indeed good.

But!

Our kid was better!

This was the pride of Steel Blue fans.

It was the strength that helped them endure all the trolling and negative viral campaigns.

But the stage just now….

Prism Homma’s K-ears, honed over 11 years of idol fandom, were telling her the truth.

A song perfectly tailored to the Korean sentiment from start to finish and….

‘Bringing Shinwon as a featuring artist for the finals was such a cheat key….’

Even bringing a guest famous enough that anyone would recognize them.

And it wasn’t just Dahin.

The previous stage also had a very strong guest.

The first stage featured the hottest rapper these days, ‘LilJK.’

“Furthermore, Shinwon, who came as a featured artist. He sang so sorrowfully that it brought tears to my eyes.”

Dahin had brought Shinwon, the hottest ballad singer.

‘Why are they all so well-connected….’

Our kid didn’t seem to have connections in that area.

What to do.

What to do.

She only seemed to be close with other girl group members.

And that wasn’t the end of it.

Dahin had also changed her singing style.

‘Moment, those cruel people… Changing her singing style just for a one-time stage?’

As Prism Homma had continuously attended <Dear My Diva> as an audience member, she had watched Dahin’s performances.

This time, Dahin was somewhat different from before.

Until now, she had sung brightly and plainly, but this time it was very sorrowful… and it felt like there was a lot of technique involved.

It felt more like the singing style of a ballad singer than an idol.

‘If she suddenly changes her singing style like that… Especially to a style that uses her throat so much, her voice will get severely damaged.’

Even though she wasn’t her idol, it was concerning to this extent.

Dahin’s fans must have been heartbroken.

As a K-POP philanthropist, Prism Homma sighed with pity.

Even among idol fans, Moment was notorious.

Though a large company, it had no respect for its artists.

With Moment, it was obvious they treated their idols as money-making parts.

They released new rookies every year and abandoned them if they didn’t get a response.

If Colors was the company of “Don’t fail… You damned guys,” Moment was the company of “Why don’t ghosts come…? And take those bastards away?”

They were on a different level of cruelty.

For the happiness and welfare of idols, companies like that should go out of business.

Prism Homma prayed for Moment’s downfall for a moment and then lifted her head.

That was that.

Now it was our kid’s turn.

“Now! Shall we introduce the person who has been the center of so much anticipation? This person is also the original idol produced by Dan Ha. We are very much looking forward to it. Right, Dan Ha?”

“…Produced?”

“Haha. Sorry. Our kid doesn’t know this term well. Dan Ha’s talent, I mean.”

“Oh.”

Dan Ha’s expression subtly brightened.

“Yes. I personally have a great deal of respect… Oh, I mean. I greatly respect her voice.”

What on earth is he saying?

“Haha. Yes. Right, it’s Steel Blue’s Yoon Cheong! Let’s listen to <The Night of Broken Machinery> sung by Yoon Cheong!”

?!

The hand waving Prism Homma’s slogan froze.

<The Night of Broken Machinery>? That ‘Minor Malfunctions’ that I know?

It seemed that Prism Homma wasn’t the only one taken aback by the unexpected song choice.

Everyone around her had the same expression.

Was it because no one knew the song?

No. Anyone slightly older would know it.

But that song was over 15 years old…

‘It’s rock, isn’t it…?’

It’s not the most mainstream genre in Korea, but anyone who knows a bit about music would know ‘Minor Malfunctions.’

The original band, DashDash, was called the national band…

And the song itself was a classic.

But…

‘That’s also a song that no one touches…’

Because it’s incredibly difficult…

The rock genre itself is hard to handle without considerable vocal ability.

Moreover, DashDash’s songs were known to be performed only by their vocalist.

An immensely powerful singing ability combined with a clear and pure voice.

And yet, it had an eerily haunting and strange atmosphere.

They were even called the last ghost of alternative rock.

Prism Homma’s head drooped with worry.

However,

As the stage set up progressed.

The audience began to buzz.

“Isn’t that guitar… Park Ki-hoon from DashDash?”

?!

At the words heard next to her, Prism Homma quickly lifted her head.

“Right. The whole DashDash band is here… except for the vocalist?”

What?

One of the audience members beside her, apparently having looked it up on their phone, alternated between looking at the stage and the phone.

Then, as if convinced, nodded.

“DashDash hardly ever appears on broadcasts… Did they come out just to help Yoon Cheong? I thought they didn’t like idols. This is incredible. How much money did Colors spend on this?”

“Exactly. Aren’t rock bands and idols usually polar opposites?”

Excuse me.

Colors is surprisingly not the kind of company that spends money on things like this.

They do have a lot of money, but they’re not as extravagant with their spending as you might think.

Our Colors is quite stingy about such things, you know?

Suppressing her rising emotions, Prism Homma looked at the stage once again.

Seeing such familiar faces, it really seemed to be DashDash.

Then.

Yoon Cheong appeared on stage, conversing and coordinating with the band members.

She did it so skillfully.

Not showing any sign of nervousness, she smiled comfortably while coordinating with her senior musicians. It was truly….

Prism Homma just clasped her hands together over her heart.

‘Moreover, today’s hair and makeup…! She’s going to make history…!’

During <Nakhwa>, she had made an enormous sensation with a white feather dress that reached her knees.

The dress itself was already famous, but it matched Yoon Cheong perfectly.

Among fans, Yoon Cheong from that day was often called “Swan Cheong,” likening her to a swan.

But today….

As if to hint at a completely different performance, she wore a pitch-black feather asymmetrical dress.

With a black feather tiara.

She had on heavy smokey makeup and was wearing gray colored lenses, which she didn’t usually wear.

Clutching a black standing microphone.

As Yoon Cheong nodded, the drummer behind her tapped the sticks together to start the count.

With the lively sound of the sticks clashing,

With that small malfunction,

My heart that has stopped,

The song began.

Everything had stopped, but

Only thoughts raced even faster.

The song, rearranged to be much eerier than the original.

The intro, starting softly with her eyes lowered.

It felt different from DashDash, who were called the last ghosts of alternative rock.

While they exuded an atmosphere full of deep sorrow….

This night,

The hand that winds my spring again,

Your hand,

Yoon Cheong’s version seemed to be coming to grab something.

Like, for example… Moment.