“Eh? Really?”
Since it was the middle of promotion season, I hadn’t even managed to sleep two hours properly today, so when I said my condition was good, Jung Dajun tilted his head in doubt.
But having shaken off the constant nosebleeds, the coughing up blood, and the headaches that felt endless, I was in a refreshingly clear state, so I was in a damn good mood. On top of that, I’d just had a face-to-face with the fans, which made me even more satisfied. Though I did feel a little sorry when they each added a worried, “Stay healthy,” with concerned eyes.
From my right, Kim Sunghyun, taking a huge bite of the famous sandwich from the YuYu Bank snack shop, said,
“But he really does seem to be in good condition. These days Seo Hoyun’s been smiling so brightly that the company employees are starting to avoid him.”
“Well yeah, when a guy suddenly does something he never used to, it’s creepy as hell—Ow!”
I gave both Kim Sunghyun and Jung Dajun a flick on the head and turned my gaze away. Sitting across from me, Sung Jiwon smiled gently.
“It must be because he finally got to spend time with family again.”
“Oh, right! Is Hojin-hyung getting better now?”
“Yeah. Ichae, you met Hojin too, right? How was he?”
Even though it was just a casual question, all the members turned their eyes toward Kang Ichae, who was sprawled out in the corner of the waiting room playing games. My smile cracked slightly.
“Yeah, I saw Hojin-hyung—”
Glancing at me, Kang Ichae lifted the corner of his mouth in a showy smirk.
“—He’s gotten a lot healthier, and I was soooo comfortable and happy too.”
Happy? Comfortable?
I barely restrained the snort that almost escaped.
‘This bastard, seriously....’
Dragging in a pile of stuff like his laptop and digital piano under the excuse of “taking care of the sick,” he had barged into Min Jiheon’s house and stayed with me for five days.
No matter how I tried to kick him out, he crouched low and begged, saying he’d stay quiet, and honestly, I was too tired to bother pushing him out, so I just let him be.
“Waaah, it’s so sad that Ichae has no talent.”
If I looked okay, he would cling and whine, but the moment I coughed up blood, he would suddenly shut his mouth and disappear somewhere. Then out of nowhere, I’d glance at the table and see a few painkillers left there.
‘What a foxlike bastard.’
He hovered right at the edge of my patience, pushing in and pulling out just enough not to get thrown out.
Once, when he tried to cook in the kitchen, chopping onions while crying like a baby chick, I was so dumbfounded that I forgot my pain for a moment.
“...Kang Ichae, aren’t you going back to the dorm?”
“Dooorm?”
He tilted his head as if I’d asked something strange, then beamed.
“This is a secret... but I work really well here.”
“...”
“Must be feng shui, with land this expensive.”
Enough. Just get the hell out.
I sighed and pushed him aside, deciding I’d at least feed him before kicking him out. Taking the knife, I fixed the mess he’d made with the ingredients and started cooking porridge.
Watching me for a bit, Kang Ichae strolled over to the digital piano and started plinking away.
“Hyung, you’ll get bored cooking. Want me to sing like it’s an audition program?”
“No. Don’t.”
Of course I refused.
But Kang Ichae °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° wasn’t the type to shut up so easily.
He ran his long fingers over the keys like he was about to press all 88 of them, and then he started.
“Jiwon-gun isn’t even a supporter, he′s no supporter.”
“...”
“Ask him how-how, but he never answers, oh man, you know who I′m talking about—”
What a waste of talent.
“—He′s shameless.”
Ting-ting-ting-ting!
Bang-bang-bang-bang!
“Wooo~ ooo woowoowoowoo~.”
At the peak of his pathetic vibrato, I slammed the ladle into the sink and stomped over.
Then I yanked the plug out of the piano and warned in a low voice,
“Kang Ichae. Enough.”
“...”
“Go back to the dorm before I really get pissed.”
He pressed a dead key silently.
“...Man, it′s challenging life....”
Even squeezing in his own name for the rhyme, eyes closed like it was some sentimental ballad.
Crack.
“You bastard, don’t think you’re leaving here in one piece.”
“Kkyaah~!”
My wrecked body back then didn’t have enough tolerance to endure even that childish provocation. As I took a step, Kang Ichae screamed and bolted.
That was how the days went, until one morning, when I opened my eyes to another miserable dawn—
I realized my body was completely back to normal.
It was exactly the fifth day since Kang Ichae had invaded Min Jiheon’s house.
‘Arms moving fine, legs fine.’
The constant iron taste in my mouth, the smell of blood stuck in my nose—gone.
I was about to throw on some clothes and rush out to check on Seo Hojin, when I stopped. Curled like a shrimp on the living room sofa, covered only with a jacket, Kang Ichae was sleeping, having probably dozed off working until dawn.
“Hey, Kang Ichae.”
When I nudged him with my foot, he woke up messy-haired and wordlessly began packing up his stuff. Then he grinned and said,
“Hyung, wanna eat jjajangmyeon with the members today?”
Eat it this early in the morning?
I just sighed, catching the faintly excited look on his face.
After checking over Seo Hojin thoroughly, I returned to the dorm. Of course, Kang Ichae trailed after me the whole time.
Still, with a clear head, looking back on it, things weren’t bad.
Joo Woosung’s self-produced content had racked up solid views, completing that quest nicely. We’d also done the comeback show, music shows, and mini fanmeeting, covering other missions step by step.
If things kept going like this, my plan would stay on track—
[Quest Arrival!
Achieve 3 broadcast variety show appearances before year’s end.
Reward: 30,000 points
Failure: Sudden status abnormality for one month, unable to log out of Nugu Idol Tycoon]
Why the hell did the quest balance have to go insane again.
“Tch...”
With my condition reset, the penalties also snapped back to the same shitty normal from before, no more sweet “Nugu Actor Tycoon” days.
I glared at the system window hovering over the waiting room mirror, then grabbed Kim Sunghyun’s mango smoothie and gulped it down.
“Hey, hey, yours is over there. Same thing, why’re you drinking mine?”
“Embarrassed of your baby?”
“And seriously, just shut up already.”
I ignored Kim Sunghyun’s whining and glanced at Kang Ichae. He was chatting and laughing with his now-close roommate Sung Jiwon.
“Ahaha, seriously, Jiwon-hyung’s so funny these days.”
So you’re happy now, huh, Kang Ichae.
‘Laugh plenty while you can.’
I would calmly keep to the schedule, waiting for him to let his guard down completely.
‘You’re dead.’
***
[Addictive as hell, the lyrics just keep looping in my head like a round song.]
[Please, ban this song during exams.
Keep it under Level S2... aaagh stop.]
The Dawn’s songs rang out on streets everywhere.
The title track was popular, but especially the b-side Candies got crazy praise among K-POP fans.
[Please trust me, a 10-year K-pop veteran, and listen to Candies just once...
Remembering the sweetness we shared, they said...
No way, for a 4-year group to pull off this kind of concept?]
[Your problem is that your smile’s too pretty...
My problem is that I love you...]
[Shit, feels like my salivary glands broke...
└I’m the opposite, my gums dried out from laughing at their stage...]
Since promotions for the Last Round album began, all kinds of videos were uploaded to The Dawn’s official YouTube channel. Among them was a guide for the fanchant to the title song Level S2.
[Kang Ichae’s diction is unnecessarily precise as fuck.]
[Maknae LOOOOLL Our puppy’s insane LOOOOL He’s basically rapping the fanchant during the break LOOOLLLL What if he stutters during his own demo LOOOOOL So cute hahahaha]
[For five minutes, Jung Dajun moved around dozens of times while Sung Jiwon barely twitched hahahaha]
There were also behind-the-scenes bits: them crash-practicing before filming, and Jung Dajun nearly poking Kim Sunghyun’s face with the pyramid-shaped lightstick while waving it around.
[Everyone sang however they wanted so Sunghyun told them to get it right or he’d hit them with the lightstick, but no one listened
└LOLLL From the side you can hear Jiwon softly mumbling “shiruunde...”
└└Hahahaha so cute T_T]
Another video showed them searching their own names on MangoWiki. Jung Dajun typed in “Seo Hoyun” first and read aloud.
【Appearance: Delicate, pure-looking face with a cold aura. Because of that, the difference between when he smiles and when he doesn’t is huge. Even the members admit his looks. When Kang Ichae was asked in a live about Hoyun’s strengths, he said, ‘Hyung’s strengths? Hard to say, except for his face.’ Iyaaah~】
【When the hell did I say that.】
【Sorry, but that was literally all I could think of.】
Hoyun smirked at Kang Ichae, then switched places with Dajun to sit at the laptop.
Scrolling down—
【Seo Hoyun... Nickname: Clumsy. Who the hell wrote this?】
【Hey, hey, check the dance section. Seo Hoyun, go there.】
【Though positioned as a vocalist, he moves with smooth and light lines. Late-arriving Noeul fans thought he’d always been good at dancing. His relentless practice covered up shortcomings, always showing improvement... wait, this is bullshit.】
Kim Sunghyun frowned, then turned his head toward Hoyun.
【...Hoyun, seeing you won’t admit it, guess you at least have some conscience?】
Instead of answering, Hoyun opened a notepad window.
【From 100 days old, gifted-from-birth Seo Hoyun stunned the family with extraordinary dance moves.】
[Shit, look at Seo Hoyun pounding away on the notepad like he’s dead serious.]
[Is this mythology??]
Kim Sunghyun just stared blankly at his fingers, at a loss for words.
[LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO]
[LOL You’re seriously cute and shameless hahahaha]
[Exactly LOOLL I remember you being a total clumsy mess in Second Chance!! LOOOL]
Calm-faced, Hoyun kept typing, “Baby Hoyun’s mystical powers grew greater as time passed....” At that, Jung Dajun muttered in pure awe,
【Hyung, you could be a drama writer.】
【Thanks.】
【Mhm, our Hoyun really is multi-talented. Even in this, your gifts overflow.】
【......】
Hoyun’s fingers stopped.
Losing interest in his own bullshit, he switched to searching Sung Jiwon’s name.
【Not satisfied with heavenly singing alone, he keeps trying rap, but he’s unbelievably bad. Compare his self-produced content from debut year and the recent workshop—his skill hasn’t improved at all.】
【No!! Don’t insult our boy!】
Kang Ichae shouted angrily and covered Jiwon’s ears with both hands. Wide-eyed, Jiwon awkwardly muttered Candies’ rap part.
【Was. it. sour? Was it sweet.
Do you. under. stand. what I. am. say.ing—】
【That’s enough.】
Hoyun cut him off flatly.
Looking a little hurt, Jiwon glanced at Hoyun, but Jung Dajun jumped in brightly to close the moment.
【Okay bye! See you again!】
[LMAOOOOOOOOO]
[God this group’s so cute I can’t function]
[LOOOOLLLLLLLLL That betrayed look LOOOOLLLL But... our Hoyun-chan’s just honest, right?]
As Noeul devoured the endless stream of content—
[The Dawn, the variety kings, are back!]
The teaser dropped for their most ambitious self-produced content this cycle.
[This has to be Daepaseong’s influence, right? They’re churning out self-content like a factory.]
[I’m so so excited.]
The first scene showed Sung Jiwon rapping in a dark place, opposite him Jung Dajun in a cap, bobbing his head to the beat.
【First, take my candy.】
With an exaggerated gesture, he handed Jiwon a necklace engraved “Level S2.” Jiwon took it with a bright smile.
【Thank you!】
[Uh...?]
The screen cut to a pile of fallen leaves. Suddenly it rustled, and up popped Seo Hoyun, clad in camouflage covered with branches and leaves.
He loaded a paintball gun with grim determination.
【Do you really have to do this?】
【Yes. I really have to.】
His eyes gleamed dangerously.
【Because I can’t just sit back and take it.】
[Oh right...]
The scene shifted again: Kim Sunghyun and Kang Ichae riding a tandem bicycle, the sun setting in golden hues behind them.
As their backs receded into the distance, the big title appeared.
[They’re handsome but kinda weird...]
And so began The Dawn’s wild self-produced content, Unlock My Code.
