Chapter 139: Water Deer

[If it’s Hyper, are they considered failed idols?]

It seems like they just made a comeback, but they’re already out of the real-time charts.

Is Hyper a failed idol group?

If they were truly failed idols, you wouldn’t even know their name, lolololol.

└ Exactly.

└ If they were failed idols, they wouldn’t have entered the charts in the first place.

└ A real failed idol isn’t “Is this group a failed idol?” but rather “Does this group even exist in this world??” — that’s the normal reaction.

└ But still, they perform on music shows… enter the charts… and go to events ㅠㅠ

└ Please don’t take away the title of failed idols… my group is the real failed idol, lol ㅠㅠ

They’re not failed idols… but if you ask if they failed moderately, then yes, I think so.

└ Ah, lol, “failed moderately” sounds even more miserable.

└ Damn, that’s like killing them twice.

└ Just say they failed outright.

└ “Failed moderately,” lololol, damn, that’s too harsh.

Their 2nd mini album got a decent response, but it’s true that they couldn’t rebound and ended up blowing it.

└ They released a terrible song, lost all their core fans in the next album, and haven’t had a reaction since.

└ Honestly, the composer is too much of an anti.

└ Not just the songs—the styling screams failed idol too.

└ That’s because their shitty company can’t do their job.

└ If they had gone to a big company, they would’ve shined a lot more. Their individual skills aren’t that bad.

└ Why would a big company ever take them, lolololol.

└ Truth.

└ Honestly, they don’t meet the visual or skill standards for a big company, lol. There’s a reason they didn’t get in.

└ It’s not that they didn’t go to a big company, it’s that they couldn’t.

[I went to the Dance in the Night recording, and I realized why Jeong Wonjae isn’t getting popular.]

The company hyped him up like crazy as a verified main dancer, lol.

If he had gone to another group, he wouldn’t have even been considered for main dancer.

When all the members performed together, it wasn’t as obvious, but when it was just two people on stage, his flaws were completely exposed.

His dancing was just average, lol.

Since yesterday, there’s been a flood of hate posts about Hyper;; maybe it’s because it’s comeback season.

└ I wonder if it’s the same person posting, but honestly, they’re not entirely wrong, lol.

But why does this shitty company keep pushing Jang Yoonjae in Hyper? He’s neither visual nor skilled, and he doesn’t even fit the idol market, so of course it’s not working.

└ Was Jang Yoonjae center in the last album too?

└ Yeah, at this point he’s gotta be the CEO’s nephew, lololol.

└ Honestly, the other members are better.

└ You just don’t know—Jang Yoonjae’s the only one who even shows a hint of talent, lol.

└ If that’s the case, then the group’s future is bleak as hell.

└ For a shitty company, it’s actually impressive they gathered kids that decent.

└ Still, this company is way too shitty….

I watched his stage and even rookies in the same position with just one year in the industry completely outshined him, lol.

└ Who?

└ Stardust’s Do Seohan.

└ Ah… but he’s from a big company.

└ Of course. Do you think just anyone can get into Doubles, lol.

└ A big company isn’t called big for nothing.

└ Stardust members were beaten to death in Mara-flavored Starf before debut. You can’t just think of them as rookies, lol. Sure, they may lack some experience, but their actual skills are solid. Almost all their debut members were A-rank trainees.

“Haa…”

The comment made me sigh involuntarily.

It was already painful being treated as part of a failed idol group, but seeing comments comparing me to Stardust’s Do Seohan made my anger boil over.

One comment in particular pierced my heart.

‘Do you think just anyone can get into Doubles?’

It was, in fact, the truth I didn’t want to admit.

I had failed the Doubles audition three times in a row, failed to make it into debut teams at other mid-sized companies, and eventually debuted at a tiny agency that was no better than a neighborhood corner store.

I kept telling myself it was all just bad luck. I wanted to believe that.

Jeong Wonjae let out a long sigh, exhaling pale cigarette smoke.

“Damn it, I can’t do this anymore.”

Nicotine wasn’t enough. I needed something stronger.

Whenever I felt suffocated, I had the urge to throw myself into something even more extreme.

The words of Lee Juhyung from Fisher kept echoing in my head.

‘It’s fucking good. On a whole different level, man.’

This job really drives people insane.

Jeong Wonjae stared down at the business card in his hand and let out a crooked laugh.

[Plastic Surgery Director Park Hanseok]

I had gone to talk to him that day. Security didn’t seem to be an issue.

Just like Lee Juhyung had said, plenty of well-known celebrities were clients there.

Honestly, I was scared, so I left that day without doing anything….

“But isn’t it fine as long as I don’t get caught?”

Maybe just once. One time should be okay.

It’s not like I plan to keep going—just once should be fine.

“Ha.”

As I stared at the business card, lost in thought, a familiar voice brushed past my ears.

‘Get a hold of yourself.’

It was what Do Seohan had said when we ran into each other in front of the shopping district.

Even in that brief moment, our eyes had locked directly.

“……”

For some reason, those words of his felt like he had seen through everything, and they stuck in my mind.

What was that?

“Did he know something?”

When he grabbed me as I was about to fall, why did it feel like he was telling me to stop, even now?

To pull myself together.

Jeong Wonjae mulled over the words for a moment, then shook his head.

It was just his imagination.

“That’s impossible.”

On the day of the outdoor reality shoot, the van smoothly slid into the parking lot.

The car had left early in the morning and arrived at an amusement park in Daecheon after almost two hours.

It seemed like we were stopping by before heading to the pension, but as soon as the van doors opened, the hyungs were bursting with excitement.

It wasn’t like we had been to amusement parks often in our lives.

Because all of us had been trainees from such a young age, we had never really enjoyed things like this.

Seo Haim hopped out with a face full of excitement.

“Waaaaah! Amusement park!”

“Wow, this is pure healing.”

Ha Junseo grinned and shoved his hands into his pockets.

Of course, I couldn’t agree with him.

“Healing?”

“Yeah, just looking at it is healing.”

An amusement park is healing?

Why?

I couldn’t understand how rides that torment the mind and body under the name of thrills could be called healing.

To me, true healing was going straight to the pension right now and roasting marshmallows in front of a warm campfire.

While I was having those thoughts, Seo Haim’s cheerful voice cut in.

“Seohan, what do you want to ride?”

“I….”

My unfocused eyes scanned the surroundings.

“Bum…per cars?”

“Hm.”

No reaction.

Unfortunately, Seo Haim seemed to want to ride something else, tugging on my sleeve as he asked.

“Hey, what about the Viking?”

“It makes me queasy.”

Actually, I used to like the Viking when I was younger.

Back when I wasn’t afraid of anything, I think I enjoyed the right amount of thrill….

But at some point, maybe my semicircular canals went bad, because even after a short ride, I’d feel dizzy.

“I used to ride it when I was younger, but now I’m old.”

“What?”

Ah.

I saw angel Ha Junseo grinding his teeth.

“Ahem.”

I coughed awkwardly and averted my eyes.

“What about the roller coaster?”

“I’m scared….”

“Then how about the Gyro Drop?”

“Just kill me instead….”

I really just wanted to ride the bumper cars.

Well, if the hyungs decided to ride something, I was prepared to let them go without hesitation.

“Let’s ride the Gyro Drop together! Ride it with me~.”

“Ugh. I’d better run away.”

I shook off Seo Haim, who kept dragging me toward the thrill rides, and scurried off.

He looked disappointed for a moment, but quickly switched targets and started pestering Jin Sehyun instead.

Maybe I should look for a more peaceful option.

Not far away, I spotted Seo Ian calmly checking the ticket booth.

“You don’t like scary rides either, right?”

“Mm. I want to feed the rabbits….”

Now that was a great idea.

As long as it wasn’t the Gyro Drop or roller coaster, I thought anything would be fine, so I went to stand beside Seo Ian.

“Members, please gather!”

The reality show director called us together.

I thought we’d have free time at the amusement park, but of course, our reality team would never just leave us alone.

See? I knew it.

[This is your mission.]

I thought it was going to be a concept where we grilled meat and hung out warmly together, but Doubles’ reality team was, as always, never that easy.

The PD holding the megaphone announced loudly.

[‘Save Me’ Mission. This mission will require strong teamwork among members. The location is… right over there.]

I turned my head to where he was pointing and assessed the situation.

At a shabby corner of the amusement park stood a sign that looked eerie just from the entrance.

So.

Don’t tell me.

[It will take place inside the Haunted House.]

“…Huh?”

Should I just go home?

.

.

.

.

“Remember last time on the reality show~? Just like when you found the hint balls, you’ll go inside and find the letters written on the walls.”

The mission was to put the letters together and figure out the word.

The staff smiled as they handed flashlights to the members.

They were special flashlights that revealed fluorescent writing on the walls in the dark.

According to the explanation, we had to shine the lights around the Haunted House and combine the hints written there.

“You’ll go in three teams, so you get three chances total!”

That wasn’t what mattered right now.

What mattered was that the Haunted House was the location.

I swallowed dryly and asked a staff member.

“Will people inside grab our arms and legs?”

“That’s up to them!”

“…?”

What kind of answer was that!

As I trembled at the reality team’s irresponsible words, Jin Sehyun casually added.

“Try communicating. If you ask them not to grab you, maybe they won’t.”

“They’re people you can talk to?”

What the hell.

Since when were Haunted Houses places where conversation and common sense worked?

I shook my head and muttered.

“Ah… ah…. I don’t want to go in.”

“Don’t worry. It’s not scary.”

A staff member checked the mic while speaking.

“Since we heard you all scare easily, we didn’t make it that scary~.”

“But the ghosts will come out, right?”

“They’re just people!”

“……”

I really wanted to go home.

But of course, the staff had already finished preparations inside.

“Two of you will go in first~.”

“Don’t be too scared. Haunted Houses like this aren’t that scary.”

“Really? Really? Please, just tell me they’re not!!”

“I’m… nervous….”

The first to be dragged inside were Seo Haim, who was especially cowardly, and Seo Ian, who secretly feared these things.

A duo of scaredy-cats.

They were just as cowardly as me, so honestly, I thought I could predict their reaction.

“……”

But one minute after they entered, trembling,

It was surprisingly quiet.

Huh?

“Maybe it’s not that scary. I don’t hear any scream—”

Just as I said that.

“AAAAAAAHHHHH! KYAAAAAEEEKKK!”

From somewhere, the scream of a water deer echoed.

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