Idol of the Heavenly One - vanish into fiction

The day my break ended, the manager hyung came to my family home and took me and Baek Jae-heon to the agency instead of the dorm. I thought we were going to the dorm first to drop off our things, but since we went straight to the company, I wondered if there was something he wanted to talk about.

“How about you sit out this promotion?”

“…Me?”

“Yes. I think it would be better if you skip this round. The next album is a full album, so your condition needs to be good for that. So let us rest for this promotion.”

I never expected this suggestion. Until now, every time I was in the hospital, the company only asked things like “When can you be discharged” and “Can you make the schedule,” which were purely businesslike.

“Hmm…”

To be honest, logically speaking, I did think the company was right. If I danced in this condition, it was obvious my body would be pushed too far. Even so, I felt disappointed. I wanted to show the fans with my own body that I was alright, and I did not want to miss out on promoting with the members.

“Are you conflicted?”

“…Yes.”

“That is surprising. Any other kid would have immediately said yes.”

At the manager’s genuinely surprised expression, I wondered if the other members would have immediately taken the break if something like this happened to them. Thinking about it more, it really seemed possible. No, it was almost certain. Unlike them, I already knew something like this would happen to Baek Jae-heon, so aside from being injured, I was not mentally shocked. But someone who knew nothing and went through this themselves would not only get PTSD, they would question whether they should continue being an idol at all.

Thinking about it that way, I realized Baek Jae-heon was truly stubborn and tenacious. He went through this twice and still chose to be an idol again. I loved that he loved me this much, but it was also a little scary. Still, I did not show that. From Baek Jae-heon’s perspective, the person who took a knife for him could seem even scarier. We should overlook each other’s stubbornness. That is only fair.

Anyway, even though resting was indeed the correct choice, I felt it would be better if, when people looked back on YEARZ’s promotions someday, at least some part of me remained in it.

“Hmm, even if I cannot join the music show stages, I want to appear in the music video.”

So I said that even if I could not dance, I still wanted to be in the MV.

“Oh, that is a good idea.”

The manager’s eyes lit up as if it really was a great idea, and he immediately started seriously reviewing something. He was probably checking the MV storyline and deciding how to incorporate me.

“Perfect.”

“Sorry? What?”

“We needed a male lead who fits exactly your vibe for the MV. Myeong-hyeon, you should do it. It fits perfectly.”

Then an unexpected answer came. After reviewing things for a long moment, the manager clapped his hands as if this was fate.

“What? A male lead?”

A male lead? Up until now, our MVs were either dance videos or continued the group’s worldbuilding storyline. Why was there suddenly a male lead? And what kind of male lead supposedly had a vibe like mine?

“This concept is lyrical and dreamlike.”

“Ah…”

“Myeong-hyeon, you should play the male lead.”

“…Well, yes. Sure.”

I worried a bit, wondering if I had to act, but I still liked the idea. I could not join the stages due to choreography, but at least I could appear in the MV with the members.

“Hello! I am Jooha from PAZE!”

But I did not know there would be a female lead too.

I froze at the bright, fresh greeting from the center of the agency’s new girl group. Behind her, Baek Jae-heon stared at us with an expression full of displeasure, boring holes into my back. I forced myself to ignore his gaze.

Since the manager had said a male lead with a vibe like mine, I thought maybe it would be something like a mysterious detective, or a lonely hero. Something like that. After all, I was ranked first in the survey of “male idol who looks like he could protect you.”

“This MV is a story about encountering your first love like being caught in a sudden rain shower.”

But it was not a mystery, not a lonely-hero concept. It was a romance. It was lyrical and dreamlike, sure, but that did not seem like something a male lead with my vibe should be doing. If anything, that fits Baek Jae-heon better. I tried to make excuses inside my head, but none of them reached Baek Jae-heon, who was fiercely glaring at me.