The Second Chance of A Suicidal Idol

Debut (2)

"So right now we're going to your KBS debut stage... and after that you guys have a magazine shoot... and after that Reggie, Hyun, and Hyun-Ok have vocal lessons... Joon-woo, Du-Ho, and Yong-ssi have dance lessons... and maybe you guys will have some promo videos to shoot afterwards or throughout the day. You know, ticktock? Or whatever they call it?" Mr. Jeong explained almost out of breath by the end.

ASCEND was in the car on the way to their debut stage. Excitement bubbled in their expressions, yet a certain anxiety lingered. It was a first-timer's anxiety on most faces, but Joon-woo and Mi Yong's expressions were of different anxieties.

Winner was a hot mess, destined to disband by their first forming. Perhaps it was something related to that, Mi Yong looked slightly down. And Joon-woo... was Joon-woo. Anxiety was Joon-woo's last name.

Not to mention their full day of schedule that would leave them parched and ready to pass out by the end. They couldn't get accustomed to these 20-hour work schedules, ever. Joon-woo still wasn't used to them.

"Make sure you guys are kind to the staff and especially to the fans who attend. Fan service will be the decider of how well you guys do. I know your debut charted well, but maintaining that is very important." Mr. Jeong debriefed. "You guys know the images that you're to embody." It came off as more of a warning and sounded on in Mr. Jeong's usually timid tone.

Joon-woo figured he had been drilled by some higher-ups to keep them on their best behavior.

And their debut song did more than "well" in Joon-woo's slightly biased opinion. On Billboard Korea, it had charted just out of the top twenties. On Welon, they had just barely entered the top thirtieth in 39th. And on Mugs, they found the most success at eighth. In 24 hours, their music video garnered a little below ten million views and their album sales just below the 150k region.

Joon-woo hadn't expected this much success. Of course their debut wasn't historical. But considering the company wasn't in the top four. They had been shipped off to a smaller company by the name of EASY Entertainment. Not ICE, or Sound, or XO, a smaller one.

They beat out the comebacks of a few bigger soloists and groups, which sparked some... outrage. But for the most part, their debut was good.

They were all exhausted on the daily, had a growing fanbase, and no present scandals yet. It was a good compact by Joon-woo's weak definition.

The van pulled into a full parking lot. They were on time. Which was lucky, due the fact some paparazzi were lingering around their company building as they left.

Quickly, the group was ushered out and indoors.

The next hour and half passed so fast, then.

They were taken for make-up and costuming. And Joon-woo found himself the victim of gaping Noona's. Really, it was as if they were naturally charmed his way... Joon-woo also found himself in a skirt, again. Granted it was over jeans, he was still the victim of ridicule by his bandmates. Joon-woo missed being the ultimate Unnie of Cheerleader. Being a maknae was far too exhausting.

They were taken for mic-checks, and rehearsals soon after and by the time Joon-woo found himself back at Earth, it was almost stage time.

Perhaps it was a habit Joon-woo had long had, dissociating in moments like these. He knew his fan service game was fine and he had perfected it as best he could through his years as an idol. Sure, his fan service was definitely more... feminine. But his whole image was at that point, so who was he to care? It made it easier for him anyway, he was used to this more so than the manly type of fanservice. He could never imagine himself with abs, showing them off in wet tank tops and pulling up shirts. Frankly he was disgusted at the idea.