Second Try Idol

“Let's start with Hyun-Woo."

“Me? Well, I think."

I got the first say in the second topic of the debate—“Is Kang Joo-Han’s autocratic system okay?”—thanks to Joo-Han's decision. Despite the protests from Goh Yoo-Joon and Jin-Sung about the bias, Joo-Han ignored them and waited for my input.

I shared my thoughts. “I believe Joo-Han's autocracy is fine as it is."

“Oh, why is that?"

“Why not? Joo-Han has led us well as our leader, and that's why Chronos has come this far, right?"

“No, that's because we all worked hard!" Jin-Sung stood up to argue.

Then I followed suit. “What are you talking about? It's all thanks to Joo-Han's hard work alone!"

Then Goh Yoo-Joon chimed in, “Respected Joo-Han, Suh Hyun-Woo is overstepping his bounds."

“Are these guys for real?"

As Goh Yoo-Joon spoke, Jin-Sung raised his hand while still standing. “I have a point to make. The moderator is favoring one side. That side is full of Joo-Han's biggest fans. Can we switch members? I want Hyun-Woo back on our side."

“Denied," said Joo-Han.

Goh Yoo-Joon raised his hand again. “I have a point. Suh Hyun-Woo's argument lacks persuasiveness."

Hearing this, I countered, “What? I have a point too. I demand an explanation from Goh Yoo-Joon about the broken toilet at our dorm."

“Guys... the topic is changing..." Yoon-Chan tried to steer us back, but Joo-Han just shrugged.

“So what? A little mudslinging is fun."

“Ah..."

“How many times are we going to talk about the toilet?"

“Because of you, we have to go all the way to the company just to use the bathroom!"

“Wait, you use the bathroom? As an idol?"

“Grab each other by the collar, you two," commanded Joo-Han.

“Uh, Joo-Han hyung..."

Following Joo-Han's request, Goh Yoo-Joon and I slowly approached each other and grabbed each other's collars. The familiar grip felt almost nostalgic. Was this the first time since high school?

“Shall we settle this here?"

“Fine. I didn't get hurt in the washroom, okay?"

“If you are not hurt, that's all that matters!"

We let go of each other's collars simultaneously after comforting one another and parting ways.

Jin-Sung had calmed down from watching our scuffle, and he asked, “I'm curious. What exactly happened to the toilet at the dorm? Did you summon Rasputin or something?"

What exactly happened while Jin-Sung and I were doing our Q-app session?

Joo-Han accepted our queries. “Let's take a moment from our main topic to address 'How did the dorm toilet end up broken?' according to Goh Yoo-Joon. This is something not only we but also our fans are quite curious about, having seen it on our Q-app."

Honestly, I knew the explanation wouldn't be anything out of the ordinary. It must have happened while packing up for the move, trying to reach for the shampoo on the shelf by climbing onto the toilet.

“That's because we are moving soon. I was packing up, trying to grab the shampoo and towels by climbing on the toilet."

As expected.

“Then Joo-Han hyung suddenly came out into the living room and started singing trot."

...What?

“I got excited and started moving to the rhythm while still standing on the toilet."

“...Why were you dancing to trot? And that caused it to break?"

“No, it was still fine then. But the manager who came to pick us up turned on his phone camera and requested an encore from Joo-Han."

‘...Trot... Encore…’

“So when Joo-Han hyung was singing the encore, I broke the toilet doing headbanging while still on it."

“...I think our fellow members are a bit weird."

“I know right?"

Jin-Sung and I nodded in agreement.

“Why were you singing trot, Joo-Han hyung?"

Joo-Han responded nonchalantly, “I was so stressed from losing my work, and Yoon-Chan told me to sing trot if I felt down."

“Yoon-Chan too?"

“Ha... Joo-Han hyung was just too gloomy..."

Then Joo-Han tapped his cue card on the desk in front of him. “Alright, enough about the toilet. Let's get back to the main discussion. We've heard from the supporting team, so let's listen to the opposing team now. Goh Yoo-Joon, your thoughts, please."

“Sure. Honestly, how have we been living up till now? What was it like when Joo-Han hyung was working? It was like a household with a senior taking the college entrance exam, right? Walking around in socks, living quietly, and Joo-Han hyung hogging the good computer… I don't think this kind of dictatorship is right."

With a soft tone, I chuckled and answered, “So, what was the result we got? Chronos’s songs and your solo tracks, right? Then, you should be grateful for it. Plus, he doesn’t really work at the dorm anymore. He is always at the company studio.”

“...That’s true.” As Goh Yoo-Joon agreed, Jin-Sung raised his hand.

“I have something to say. It makes sense to be quiet during work, but why the studying! Why make me study? It has nothing to do with Chronos!"

Pointing at Jin-Sung with his stick, Joo-Han reprimanded, “Hey, no informal speech. Please be more respectful to others. That's a warning for you."

“What? Why am I the only one getting called out when everyone else has been talking informally?"

Then Yoon-Chan tentatively raised his hand. “I have a thought. Joo-Han hyung making Jin-Sung study was for Jin-Sung's future. Isn't it right for a big brother to ensure his younger brothers have more opportunities and options for the future? I think Jin-Sung needs to appreciate Joo-Han's caring nature more."

“That's... thanks for looking out for me, but..."

The topic drifted away again, but no one seemed to mind. The crew seemed to enjoy the mix of fighting and random conversations. At this moment, the writer held up a sketchbook.

[Improv is good, but please wrap up with a dramatic ending]

Seeing this, we suddenly fell quiet as we were unsure how to end it with a dramatic ending.

In that brief silence, Joo-Han started to move and slowly walked toward the opposing team.

“Hyung?"

“Where are you going?"

Everyone watched curiously, and Joo-Han slightly pushed Jin-Sung aside to sit next to him.

“I oppose the Joo-Han dictatorship."

“Wait, yourself?"

Goh Yoo-Joon laughed incredulously, but Joo-Han just shrugged and confidently continued, “Honestly, it's lonely and tough on my own."

His monologue was devoid of emotion, and his face showed no sign of struggle.

“Rings, after seeing today's chaos, you know, right? It’s really tough to manage two quarreling friends of the same age, our youngest who doesn't consider his size, and the trembling puppy."

“Why's he like this?"

“Are you whining?"

“A puppy..."

Joo-Han continued, “That's why I oppose the dictatorship. Now, I have an announcement to make, and it's already been decided."

“It's decided already?"

“Yes, it’s the leader's privilege." Joo-Han stood up from his chair, soothed Jin-Sung's shoulder, and returned to his spot. He then wrote something big on the board.

[Sub-leader]

“Chronos will be managed by both a leader and a sub-leader from now on."

We all reacted with surprise and raised our hands in shock.

“No way!"

Joo-Han declared, “Now, I will announce the sub-leader I've chosen."

“Already?" At Yoon-Chan's question, Joo-Han nodded and pulled out a panel from the floor.

“The sub-leader of Chronos is… Well, drumroll please."

As Jin-Sung played a drumroll on the desk, Joo-Han tore off the sticker with gusto, and the panel read.

[To be revealed shortly!]

“...”

Three, two, one.

“Okay, cut! Well done, everyone!"

“Thank you for your hard work!"

The recording concluded, and the video for the inauguration would end with a close-up of the “To be revealed shortly!” panel. We would then reveal the backstory and sub-leader live on stage.

Our manager quickly gathered our things. “Great work. Off to the recording studio now."

“Thank you! We appreciate it!" We politely thanked the crew and headed straight to the car.

Next was the recording of a fan song that Joo-Han composed, with just a week left until the inauguration.

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