NOVEL WEB HSMIGD C2 - How to stop my idol group from disbanding
Kang Moon’s legs gave out, and he collapsed onto the floor. Just to be sure, he pinched his forearm this time, but once again, the pain was unmistakably real.
“Ha… Is this even possible?”
Lying on his back, he exhaled a deep sigh from the depths of his chest, staring up at the ceiling. When he wiped his face with his palm, it was sticky, probably from all the tension.
The semi-transparent screen is still floating in front of the door, and except for himself and the screen, everything else remains in black and white. It feels like this strange standoff would continue indefinitely unless he made a decision.
No matter how much he loved this game, he had never wished to enter it. Sure, he had sometimes envied the protagonist, who shared his name, for living a different life. But that was all. Living as nothing more than a fragment of nonexistent data is obviously far worse than reality.
How had he ended up in a situation straight out of a movie or novel? It isn’t like he had committed any great sins in his life.
“…”
He spent countless minutes denying reality, getting angry, and even pleading with a god he didn’t believe in. But as he struggled to figure out how to escape this miserable predicament, his gaze naturally returned to the choice window in front of the door.
The future of the group is in your hands. Do you wish to maintain this concept?
[Yes] [No]
The game’s protagonist’s first group, W.A.IN, debuted with an outdated delinquent concept and failed miserably with their first album. The issue wasn’t the concept itself—it simply didn’t suit the group. On top of that, a school violence scandal had surfaced around the same time, and the company’s poor handling of it had only made matters worse. Though the details were vague, it was heavily implied that a rumor about one of the members had been the trigger.
But that wasn’t all. After much effort, their second album was finally released, only to be doomed by the company’s outdated taste. They were not even allowed on music shows and were forced to go through a never-ending cycle of minor events until they vanished without a trace. The game character said that on the day of their disbandment, he walked through the rain without an umbrella, crying uncontrollably.
However, the actual game started after that, when the protagonist got a lucky break and joined a survival show. That meant these past events were only briefly referenced through flashbacks or dialogue—they had no direct impact on the game itself.
“So… the game hasn’t started yet?”
Kang Moon’s eyes lit up as a glimmer of hope flickered in his once-clouded mind.
If things are left to unfold naturally, W.A.IN will follow its ill-fitting concept, suffer from poor management, and head toward disbandment. That will lead to the protagonist joining the survival show, kicking off the main game. If that happened and he got swept up in the story, he might lose his chance to escape forever, unless the game shuts down.
That meant he had to prevent the game from starting at all costs. And to do that, W.A.IN must never disband.
“…Screw it. How hard could it be?”
Might as well give this idol thing a shot.
Brushing off his pants out of habit, Kang Moon took a deep breath through his nose and started walking confidently. Now he has a clear goal, his mind feels surprisingly clear.
To prevent a humiliating debut, he has to set things right from the very beginning. That meant changing this terrible concept first. It might have worked if executed properly, but based on his past experience with this game, he knew this company wasn’t capable of that. Worse, he is aware that, because of the game’s setting, school violence is about to become a major social issue. It is too risky to stick with a concept that doesn’t even suit the group. A safer, more polished concept that highlights the members’ strengths will be the better choice.
Standing in front of the door, Kang Moon pressed the [NO] button without a moment of hesitation. With a cheerful ding, the selection window disappeared, and color returned to the room.
Hidden Quest Opened! Prevent W.A.IN’s Disbandment!
As the glowing text faded, a click echoed through the room. Kang Moon immediately reached for the doorknob. Unlike before, when it wouldn’t budge no matter how hard he tried, it now turned effortlessly.
Realizing he can finally leave, he smiles brightly and pushes the door open. The moment he steps out, a young man notices him, drops his chopsticks, and runs over to him. His mouth is still stuffed with the ramen he had been eating.
The guy has bright orange hair, a round baby face that still retained some youthful softness, and is slightly shorter than Kang Moon. His large, expressive eyes are filled with natural charm. At first glance, he can tell that he is the youngest member of the team.
“Hng! You othay (okay)?”
The boy anxiously scanned Kang Moon’s body for injuries. His words are muffled by the ramen he is still chewing, but his expression is seriously worried.
Kang Moon, watching him closely, wrinkled his nose when he saw the food in his mouth and lightly pushed him away.
“Chew first before you talk. That’s disgusting.”
“Ah. Sowwy (sorry).”
The boy nodded enthusiastically and quickly chewed, swallowing the food down with a loud gulp. His wide, round eyes darted over Kang Moon’s face, making him instinctively lean back a little.
“You okay? You were so exhausted you wouldn’t wake up no matter how hard we tried!”
“…Me?”
Kang Moon blinked in confusion, his voice coming out slightly dazed. The boy sighed dramatically and shook his head before grabbing a phone from the table.
“You’ve been sleeping all day, you know that? We all took turns trying to wake you up, but you wouldn’t budge. We thought you were dead! I was so worried… I need to tell the manager you’re awake.”
For someone worried, you’re quite well.
Kang Mun swallowed those words before they could slip out and quietly stepped closer as the boy raised his phone to his ear.
Now that he thinks about it, he didn’t remember this guy existed in the game’s data. Who was proud to say that he knew more about the game than the game developer.
He is definitely one of W.A.IN’s members, but Kang Moon has no information about him, which is frustrating.
“…Hey, sorry, but…”
The boy turned back, tilting his head, waiting for Kang Moon to continue. Taking advantage of his situation, having just woken up after supposedly being unconscious all day. Kang Moon put on the most awkward, troubled smile he could muster.
“…Who are you?”
The boy’s mouth slowly fell open in shock before his face twisted in horror. From the phone, a distant voice asks what is going on, but the boy looks like his entire world has just crumbled.
In the end, he started crying hysterically, forcing Kang Moon to spend the next several minutes awkwardly comforting him. But it was no use. Curled up on the sofa, the boy buried his face in his knees, his shoulders shaking with every sob. I expected some over-the-top reaction, like screaming about amnesia or something… but I didn’t think he’d take it emotionally.
“H-Hyuuung… what do we dooo…?”
“…Can you please stop crying?”
Kang Mun sighed and awkwardly patted his back.
Just then, the door lock beeped, and someone rushed inside. Even without being told, Kang Moon could tell—it was their manager.
“Lee Si-chan, what the hell do you mean—HEY! Are you eating ramen again?!”
The half-eaten ramen still sits on the table. At the manager’s scolding, Si-chan snapped his head up and wailed,
“WHO CARES ABOUT RAMEN?! Our hyung has turned into an idiot! HHHUUUAAAAAA!!”
“Idiot? That’s a bit much.”
Losing a few memories doesn’t make me an idiot.
With nothing else to say, Kang Moon just laughed awkwardly. The manager let out a sigh and walked over with heavy steps, his expression a mix of doubt and concern.
“Kang Moon. Is it true?”
Kang Moon quickly understands the weight behind the short question. Pouting slightly, he nodded slowly. The manager groaned, rubbing his forehead with one hand.
Having the leader lose his memory right before their debut—it must feel like a bolt from the blue. Kang Moon can fully understand the manager’s frustration.
“Did you tell the CEO?”
At the manager’s question, Si-chan shook his head from side to side. The manager hesitated for a moment, then pulled out his phone from his pocket. He put the call on speaker and dialed a number. After just a few rings, someone picked up.
“Why’d you pick up so fast? You aren’t slacking off instead of practicing again, are you?”
—It’s a smartwatch, okay? Why is it a problem to pick up quickly?
“Never mind. Just wrap things up and head back to the dorm. It’s urgent. Are all the members there?”
—Hojai just got here, but why?
“I’ll explain when you get here.”
The manager, already exhausted, cast a wary glance at Kang Moon. Kang Moon can only keep his awkward smile in place. There was nothing else he could do.
Not long after, the front door opened again, and a loud, dramatic voice filled the space.
“What is the matter! Has another member been expelled and forced to embark on a long journey?”
“You really have no intention of fixing that way of speaking, do you?”
The manager, already half-resigned, didn’t even bother acknowledging the comment. Instead, he just gave the new man a flat, exasperated look. The man who had spoken first let out an awkward chuckle as he took off his shoes.
From that short exchange, Kang Moon realized that W.A.IN has a history of members being kicked out before debut. He let out a quiet groan in his mind.
Just what kind of mess had this group been through already? And what’s with that weird historical drama speech?
A creeping sense of unease settled over him. This might not be as easy as he’d thought. The road ahead feels impossibly long.
“What’s going on?”
A smooth, calm, and extremely pleasant listen to a deep voice cut through a commotion. Kang Moon’s eyes twitched. Slowly, he lifted his gaze, searching for the owner of that voice among the members pouring into the dorm like linked sausages.
Holy sh*t, this is a guaranteed win.
The moment he confirmed the source, it felt like he had miraculously regained sight in complete darkness.
In the idol industry, where looks are everything, W.A.IN is already a billionaire.