Chapter 4: The Reason He Entrusted Me

“Haa…”

If only I hadn’t possessed someone.

If that hadn’t happened, I could’ve watched our bias’s upcoming music video and been the happiest person in the world.

I just wanted to see my bias smile.

Chanul-ah… if it were you, what would you do in this situation…?

The truck… Yeah, if it hadn’t been for that damn truck…

“Freaking dump truck son of a b—…”

I muttered the curse without thinking—when I suddenly sensed someone flinch near the door.

“Uh… hyung, can I come in?”

It was Choi Woojin.

Shit. Did he hear that?

“Why? What is it?”

“I just need to grab my lotion…”

He pointed toward the desk in the corner of the room.

So you’re my roommate, huh. Well, I guess that can’t be helped.

“Ah, sorry. Don’t mind me. Go ahead.”

Judging by the way he was clearly more hesitant than before, he must’ve heard my outburst.

‘Ugh… I just killed the mood for the poor guy.’

In the corner, Choi Woojin quietly applied his lotion with a soft squish-squish sound. Then he moved toward the light switch, hovering there awkwardly.

…It was starting to feel a little stifling.

Unable to watch any longer, I finally spoke up.

“You want to turn off the lights?”

“Uh, yeah… It’s just, you usually turn off the lights around this time… but it didn’t seem like you’d washed up yet, so…”

Already trying to sleep?

Well, whatever. Honestly, turning off the lights and staying quiet sounded like a better idea right now anyway.

“Yeah, I’m just gonna rest and crash early tonight. I’m exhausted. Could you turn off the lights?”

“Sure.”

As soon as I said that, Choi Woojin switched off the lights and quickly scurried up to the top bunk.

Once he was up there, I heard a soft tok tok as he turned on a small mood lamp. So he normally sets the room up like this… huh. Kinda nice, actually. Calming.

I lay back on the bed and started retracing everything that had happened today.

A company that was clearly embezzling every cent I earned.

The downright pathetic treatment of their own trainee artists.

And as if that wasn’t enough, a CEO who tried to snatch away even the stroke of luck I gained amidst all the misfortune. If this had been the original Kim Haram, I was sure he would’ve had that miracle completely stolen from him.

Why did Kim Haram want to become an idol so badly, even while putting up with all this shit?

Honestly, I couldn’t understand it. I’d never once dreamed of becoming an idol myself.

Just then—

[1-4-4]

A song briefly started playing from the top bunk, only to be cut off abruptly. There was a pause, like someone holding their breath, and then Choi Woojin’s voice broke the silence.

“Sorry. I was trying to watch a video, but I must’ve hit the wrong thing.”

“It’s fine. No need to apologize.”

Oh, right. This kid.

The one who willingly came here because he wanted to become an idol.

After a brief pause to collect my thoughts, I opened my mouth to speak.

“Woojin-ah.”

“Yes, hyung?”

“Why do you want to become an idol?”

There was a moment of silence before Choi Woojin’s head suddenly popped down from the top bunk.

Jesus—!

That startled me.

“Hyung, you really like asking that question, huh?”

His upside-down face flashed a cheeky grin. Even viewed upside-down, this kid was kind of cute.

“I don’t know. I just suddenly felt like hearing your answer again.”

His head disappeared back onto the bed, and I heard some rustling as he shifted around. Then his voice floated down, like he was speaking while lying face-down.

“When I was in elementary school, I went to see RISE sunbaenim’s concert.”

Three or four years ago, huh? Yeah, RISE was insanely popular back then. Even I got caught up in the hype for a while and went to one of their concerts.

“I fell for them at first sight. They were just so cool.”

Yeah, I get it.

That’s how it is. Idols are always at their most radiant on stage.

“Then, by chance, I happened to look at the friend who’d come with me. You know what I saw?”

From the other side of the bunk, his voice shimmered faintly with excitement.

His friend?

That was a turn I hadn’t expected.

“What did you see?”

“He looked really, really happy.”

Yeah… when you’re watching your favorite idols shine on stage, it’s impossible not to feel happy.

“So then what?”

“And then I looked back at the stage again. But…”

He sounded like he was holding back a surge of emotion, like his breath caught in his throat. Sure enough, Choi Woojin’s voice came next, a little more flushed than before.

“The RISE sunbaenims on stage… they looked even happier than we did watching them.”

Ah.

I understood now. The way they seemed to glow brighter than anyone else up there—those expressions like they held all the happiness in the world in their hands.

“That day, I made up my mind. I have to stand on that stage too. I have to feel that happiness for myself.”

‘If I give happiness to others, I’ll become happy too.’ That was what he meant.

It was the perfect moment to offer some kind of encouraging reply, just a light comment to match his mood—but somehow, I couldn’t say anything.

When I didn’t answer, Woojin awkwardly shifted and continued in a more subdued voice.

“But it’s not easy. I keep practicing, but I’m not sure if I’m improving… I wonder if I’ll ever even get a chance. I mean, our company isn’t exactly big…”

No.

It could have become big.

It could have given you that chance.

I barely managed to swallow the words that had risen to the back of my throat.

“…It’ll come. Your chance.”

“I hope so.”

Hehe.

His soft, cheerful laugh drifted down.

“I just want to get better soon so I stop burdening you, hyung… You’re already popular, but you’re stuck with us.”

No. That’s not it. That’s not the problem at all.

Woojin-ah… It’s something far deeper than that. Something way more fundamental…

Frustrated, I sat up abruptly in bed and sprang to my feet.

Woojin looked flustered as I stared straight at him without saying a word.

“Uh—did I… say something wrong? If I upset you, I’m sor—”

“It’ll come.”

He stopped mid-apology, caught off guard.

“…Huh?”

I pointed right at him with my fingertips.

“Your chance. It will come. I’ll make sure of it.”

“O-Oh… Thank you.”

I turned around without another word and headed for the door. Woojin called out in a panic.

“Where are you going?!”

“To wash up. I need a proper shower before bed after all.”

I opened the door, then paused—half-turning back into the room to speak again.

“And also, stop saying sorry so much. You haven’t done anything wrong.”

“O-Okay…”

Click.

I left the room, walked out the front door of the building.

I needed air. Just… a little breeze.

As I stood in front of the building, the summer wind greeted me. It was lukewarm, but not unpleasant.

Happiness… huh.

Yeah. That’s what being an idol meant to me—someone who gives others joy and happiness…
and turns that joy into their own.

‘Yeah… that’s exactly how it felt.’

I’d felt a similar emotion before.

That twinge of envy watching them up on stage—How happy must they be? I used to wonder.

And then came the admiration.

The only difference was that I’d stopped at admiration—while these kids… they chose to chase it.

‘…They’re admirable.’

They wanted to become idols because making fans happy made them happy?

If someone had said that at a concert, I’m sure some fans would’ve burst into tears on the spot.

…Even Kim Haram must’ve heard all this too.

“…I get it now, Haram.”

Hooo. I let out a deep sigh.

I’d asked without thinking, but now I was genuinely curious.

I wanted to see these kids debut properly—to see them loved by the world.

…And if possible, I wanted to be there with them.

Hoo— I sighed again, and my head naturally dipped down.

“…System. Show yourself.”

The system window popped up from below, lower than usual.

[…Are you crying?]

Excuse me, what?

Did it seriously just ask if I was crying?

I wasn’t crying, okay!?

What the hell is this emotional baiting from below? It’s seriously annoying!

“Cut the nonsense. Just show me what you’ve been trying to pull up this whole time.”

The system window had been twitching and fidgeting next to me the whole time I listened to Woojin’s story. It was so distracting I nearly scolded it.

…Maybe it was a good thing my mind had been slightly distracted just now. Anyway.

[The “overcoming plan” you requested earlier today has been prepared. Please open your personal character profile to review.]

Already? It felt way too fast to trust.

“Well, alright. Let’s see it, then.”

I pulled up Kim Haram’s character profile in front of me.

[Character Information]

Name: Kim Haram (Seo Jimin)
Age: 21
Position: Lead Vocalist, Lead Dancer
Traits:

• Even Otakus Get Lucky (Unique / Active)
• Born to Be an Idol (Special / Active)
• Leadership Potential (Inactive)

[Open for detailed stats and information]

“A unique trait, huh… If this turns out to be another random useless gimmick, I’m rejecting it on the spot.”

I tapped to expand the detailed trait info, not expecting much.

But moments later—

“…What is this?”

I looked at the system window, which was now bobbing up and down.

Was it… gloating?

[Thanks for the compliment. :)]

Excuse me?

When did I compliment you?

Was this… actually good?

Above my head, a string of question marks began spinning in circles and disappearing.

[Trait Information]

Trait Name: Even Otakus Get Lucky
Grade: Unique
Status: Active
Effect:
Fandom is your life. The blood, sweat, and tears you poured into being a fan have finally paid off. Any action related to your fandom will now influence you directly.

Activation Requirement: Must be a fan of someone.

I mean, I never literally bled for it…

Actually, did I? The fan market scene was wild back in middle school…

“Well, whatever… good job, I guess.”

I shifted my eyes away from the still-proudly-wiggling system window.

Traits weren’t everything anyway.

Let’s do this. Idol, here I come.