I Became the Youngest Member of a Top Idol Group

Chapter 32: Concept Shoot (1)

Ssshhk—

Surprised, Kang Siwoo unconsciously sprayed the mist into the air, creating a faint rainbow.

At least he didn’t spray it toward me—thank goodness.

“…Hyung?”

At this rate, we’d end practice just talking about cacti.

I could understand his urgency, to the point where he threw the sprayer on the ground.

I mean, come on. A person can like cacti.

They’re healing just to look at. Why shouldn’t someone give them a little water?

I didn’t think it was weird at all, but he seemed flustered, like he'd stepped on his own toes.

Trying to lighten the awkward mood, I brought up a new topic first.

“So, hyung, about the sel—”

“I don’t like cacti.”

“I meant, the song selection… are you okay with it?”

“Oh, sorry.”

Ssshhk.

I took the sprayer from Kang Siwoo.

Then I sprayed it into the air like it was a mist.

Nice.

Not dry at all.

I shrugged and continued.

“Your part feels like it’s on the border between vocal and rap, so I was wondering if you’d wanted something different.”

We chose parts in front of the camera, but honestly, it felt rushed and clumsy.

In the first place, not many people spoke frankly about their preferred parts when the cameras were rolling, and we just assigned parts based on whose tone fit better.

And actually, in the mid-evaluation, the parts turned out to suit everyone’s voice perfectly.

Still, since Lee Dokyung had complaints about his assignment, I wondered if Kang Siwoo might feel the same way.

“Rap is my main.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

This was an unexpected turn.

I had a rough idea that vocals weren’t his specialty, but I had no clue Kang Siwoo could rap because it never aired.

Judging by his vibe, he could probably pull off a slick style of rap.

Now I was curious. What would that sound like?

Maybe he could read my thoughts, because Kang Siwoo muttered with a dissatisfied look.

“What’s with that face like you want to hear it?”

Okay, maybe I did think that.

“Oh, no. It’s nothing.”

“Want to hear it?”

“Huh?”

Is he the type who likes being set up for things?

Unexpectedly proactive. I nodded with interest.

“Then, yeah, I’d like to hear it.”

…Though I expected something decent at best.

But what followed blew my expectations away.

Kang Siwoo rapped casually, without music.

The street you left me on

What’s left is just an excuse

I think, I think, I think, I draw you

Like a palette, a piece of meteor that won’t fade

“Wow.”

Even without a single error, his diction was flawless. There wasn’t even a beat, and yet the rhythm was so vivid.

Unlike his somewhat ambiguous tone when singing, his rap had a raw, unique essence.

“You’re really good.”

Honestly, I was more than a little surprised.

Maybe I kept projecting the Kang Siwoo I used to know.

Back then, he was just a faceless trainee who should’ve been eliminated in the first ranking ceremony.

I never imagined he’d be this good at rap.

Wait, why the heck hasn’t this aired?

I kept letting out sounds of disbelief as I shook my head.

“You really should’ve taken the rap position. It’s honestly such a waste you ended up in vocals.”

“I wanted that too… but, well, things don’t always go the way you want in survival shows.”

Kang Siwoo shrugged and added,

“It’s not like I showed enough on camera to earn a rap position.”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

He had no screentime, so no one even knew he could rap.

Come to think of it, maybe he did show a rap during the level test, but the wait was so long that I’d zoned out toward the end, and that part got completely cut from the broadcast anyway.

I tilted my head and asked,

“With skills like this, weren’t you an A grade?”

“My dancing’s not that great.”

“Looking at it overall, I think you’re more than good enough.”

His expression might’ve been a bit intimidating, but he had a stylish, handsome face.

A physique that overwhelmed the other trainees.

And rap skills that could’ve stood out—if only he’d had screentime.

Yet everything got cut….

Then, a memory suddenly flashed through my mind.

No way.

‘If your tantrum got it cut from the show, then isn’t that exactly what you wanted?’

The thing Lee Dokyung said.

I was starting to think there might be something to it.

Maybe he thought the same, because Kang Siwoo opened his mouth first.

“I think the PD has it out for me.”

Kang Siwoo didn’t seem like the type to open up easily.

There was another hyung with a similar personality.

Seo Ian.

He held back his words because he was afraid they might hurt others—even when talking about himself.

Kang Siwoo was a little different.

He just didn’t want to show his weaknesses.

Maybe he thought showing himself at all was the same as exposing a weakness. I don’t know why he closed himself off so tightly, refusing to say anything.

He was the complete opposite of Lee Dokyung, who had a knack for saying things that always worked to his advantage.

But ever since I told him to speak casually, he seemed a little more relaxed, and now even honest words were coming from him.

An image cold enough to sting. A naturally chilly tone of voice.

Yet, with unmistakable warmth, Kang Siwoo spoke.

“It’s hard to explain, but… I did do something that’d make me a target.”

Just as I expected. Kang Siwoo let out a bitter chuckle.

“You were probably the one who wanted me to be eliminated at 21st place. I somehow made it this far without even getting any screentime. But next round, the number of contestants is going to be nearly cut in half, right?”

Since a massive number of trainees were eliminated in the first ranking ceremony, it was only natural to expect a significant number to be cut in the second evaluation as well.

Kang Siwoo didn’t seem to think he would be one of the survivors.

“I’m not even hoping to make it that far. It’s just that, this stage feels like my last. So I want to give it my best shot.”

That’s why he practiced until late at night. Why he gathered the courage to ask me to rehearse with him.

Personally…

I respected that.

I had no idea what kind of family situation Lee Dokyung was trying to mock.

Nor did I know the details of the big clash with the PD….

But amid all the lost screentime,

Seeing him give his all, even when elimination seemed inevitable, was admirable.

Even someone like me—living life for a second time—felt like I couldn’t match that kind of mindset.

“That’s impressive.”

“What?”

I stared at him with genuine admiration, but Kang Siwoo turned his head away with a reluctant expression.

“Ah.”

Before I could open my mouth, Kang Siwoo cut in.

“I’m being weird, aren’t I.”

“……”

“Forget it. It’s not the kind of thing worth hearing anyway.”

“Alright. I’ll erase it from my mind.”

I hadn’t planned to blab it to anyone, so I smacked my head as if to delete it.

“Oh no, I can’t remember…!”

“You’d be terrible at acting.”

“…I’ll just focus on singing.”

Kang Siwoo chuckled and pulled out a lyrics sheet from his bag.

After practice that lasted until almost midnight,

Both Kang Siwoo and I returned with our voices half gone.

Still, the conversation I had with Kang Siwoo kept spinning around in my head.

I’d said I’d erase it from my mind, but of course it wasn’t that easy to forget.

One question lingered.

What was the family situation Lee Dokyung was talking about?

“Hm-hmm.”

While Kang Siwoo checked the lyrics sheet, I quietly observed him.

I’d always had a sharp eye, so I’d felt this before too….

Even at a glance, he gave off the aura of someone raised in luxury.

That watch… even I, who knew nothing about luxury brands, recognized it.

How much was it again?

And those shoes he was wearing weren’t ordinary either.

But the way he wore them—not to show off, but as if he just grabbed whatever was at home—made it clear.

Lee Dokyung’s words weren’t baseless nonsense.

‘Let’s stick together as people who have nothing.’

Wasn’t that what he said?

Thinking back to how Lee Dokyung sneered that this survival show wouldn’t matter to someone like Kang Siwoo—it made me wonder if he was some entertainment CEO’s son.

“Still, he seemed sincere though….”

You can’t fully judge someone in a short time, but from what I saw, that’s how Kang Siwoo seemed.

Regardless of his family background, he wasn’t the type to be complacent.

At the very least, I could tell he was more sincere than Lee Dokyung about this stage.

Just as I was lost in thought,

“Hey, Do Seohan!”

“…?”

A face suddenly popped into my field of vision.

“Whoa there, what kind of serious thoughts is our youngest lost in?”

That startled me.

I clutched my chest in surprise as I saw Seo Haim peeking out from behind the wall.

Seo Haim frowned and said,

“You’re not actually turning into a hamster just because everyone calls you one, right?”

“Huh?”

“Exactly that! That shocked look just now—you looked exactly like a mouse popping out of a mouse hole.”

“Of course I was surprised. You popped out of nowhere.”

I didn’t expect him to be here at this hour.

I chuckled softly and asked,

“Why are you here, hyung?”

“Oh? I was just on my way back after practice too. You remember you’ve got a concept shoot tomorrow, right? You think it’s okay to sleep this late?”

Ah.

Concept shoot.

“I remembered, but… I didn’t realize it was scheduled for the morning.”

It’s one of those things you remember but forget to account for.

Since I was vibing well with Kang Siwoo, I’d pushed practice a little today.

“I’m getting anxious because there’s not much time left.”

“Our team’s in a similar boat. You know how Jin Sehyun never ends practice early.”

That team was serious about practice too.

I nodded and laughed lightly.

Seo Haim naturally placed a hand on my shoulder and asked,

“So, have you decided on your concept yet?”

“Oh, my concept? Um….”

“They said it’s important, remember? It was announced that it’s connected to the next mission.”

“Yes, that’s true.”

If it’s the concept shoot that usually happens around this time….

You had to use props on the spot and film about a one-minute video that matched your concept.

That edited video would be uploaded on YouTube,

Which could bring in new fans, sure, but more importantly—

If you passed the second evaluation, the third mission was the concept mission.

That was where team assignments were made based on fan votes.

Naturally, the song selection would also be decided by the outcome….

In other words, this concept shoot was saying:

I’m good at this!

So give me a concept like this!

It was basically a chance to appeal to fans for song assignment purposes.

It was definitely not a chance to take lightly.

“I think you don’t even need to think about it. You’re a guaranteed cute hamster type. I’m confident in my own cuteness too, so let’s be on the same team.”

“…Please stop bragging.”

“It’s the truth!”

“Ah.”

Right then, my eyes sparkled as I stopped shaking my head.

“What? Did you suddenly think it’s a good idea?”

Honestly, if I had to pick a concept that fit me perfectly—

“I think I’ve got one.”

There was definitely one.