pappabearbooks Chapter 127: Year-End (4)
Chapter 127: Year-End (4)
-[Would you like to evolve the title ‘Recognition Monster', which has reached +5, into the title ‘World Star’?]Kang Rojun, who was looking at the notification that appeared on his phone.
“Title evolving? ‘World Star’?”
He muttered quietly while stroking his chin.
‘As expected, +5 enhancement wasn’t the end for titles.’
In the beginning, the ‘AI Simulation’ app had explained that each title could be enhanced up to +5. But once he actually reached that level, it threw in a new concept: title evolving.
‘Did the ‘Recognition Monster’ title get enhanced this time because of the launch of ‘Rental Lover’ in Japan??’
Or maybe it was thanks to the accumulated impact of ‘Produce That 100!’. The response after its conclusion was intense both domestically and in Japan. Anyway, for now, the thing in front of his eyes was this ‘title evolving’. That was what mattered. And Rojun didn’t hesitate at all.
‘Whatever it is, I absolutely need to evolve it.’
For reference, with the ‘Recognition Monster’ title reaching +5, the number of coins Rojun could earn per day increased to 16. Titles were the only means to increase daily coin earnings. That reason alone was more than enough to evolve it.
Soon, Rojun pressed ‘Allow’ on the notification.
Then the message changed.
-[Congratulations! The title ‘Recognition Monster’ has been successfully evolved to the title ‘World Star’!]
-[Evolved titles can now be enhanced up to +10, and bonus coins will increase to 2!]
A smile spread across Kang Rojun’s lips.
‘As expected, evolving changes the bonus coins to 2.’
Up to now, enhanced titles gave 1 bonus coin per level. So far, he had accumulated 11 bonus coins. When added to the base 5 coins earned daily, it meant 16 coins per day upon completing the daily mission. Now, those bonus coins would be 2 each.
‘Well, maybe only evolved titles work that way, but who cares. So if I enhance the ‘World Star’ evolved title up to +10, that’s 20 bonus coins alone?’
A simple calculation meant he could earn 36 coins per day. In ten days, that’s 360 coins. And that wasn’t even the end, more notifications popped up.
-[Upon acquiring the evolved title ‘World Star’, the passive skill ‘Overwhelm’ has been generated!]
Overwhelm? Rojun blinked and slightly furrowed his brow.
‘What is the passive ‘Overwhelm’?’
Terms you'd usually see in a game. Well, the ‘AI Simulation’ was pretty much a game anyway, but the idea of a newly generated passive was still unfamiliar. After a short wait, the notifications disappeared.
Meaning, the ‘AI Simulation’ had said everything it needed to say.
Rojun immediately tapped the ‘AI Simulation’ app. His character appeared right away. And there was a noticeable change. A subtle glow surrounded the character. Moreover, the status had also changed.
-[Title: Side Job Tycoon+3/ (Evolved) World Star/ Global Genius+2/ Instrument Master+1]
-[Passive: Overwhelm]
The Evolved title ‘World Star’ and the passive skill ‘Overwhelm’ stood out. Rojun, still stroking his chin, tapped on ‘Overwhelm’, and brief text appeared on the phone screen.
-『Overwhelm: No matter who your opponent is, the aura you emit will shine even brighter』
-『User Kang Rojun's Overwhelm has increased.』
After reading the text for a moment, Rojun understood its meaning.
‘Aura you emit? So it means my aura has been boosted?’
Aura was a word that encompassed many things, atmosphere, charm, energy, and perhaps even star quality. It could mean a tremendous presence or charisma. The kind of power that makes you capture attention without doing anything, or hypnotize a crowd with just a word.
Kang Rojun was already a visual monster, but now it meant that would be amplified even further.
Kang Rojun was purely amazed.
“This kind of thing is possible?”
Though for now, he didn’t feel any major change. Maybe it looked the same to him but appeared different to others? Whatever it was, it was ‘AI Simulation’, so it had to be 100% real. As long as it helped, Rojun was thankful for any passive skill.
“Nice, evolving. If I get other titles to +5, will I get passive skills for all of them too?? Or is it random?”
Rojun’s interest soared at the appearance of a passive. And he had gained one more thing from this title evolving.
-[Inventory]
-[1] AI Automation 1-time free usage ticket
An item that allowed him to use ‘AI Automation’ for free.
“That’s freaking sweet, totally awesome.”
Naturally, the corners of Rojun’s mouth reached his ears.
Saturday the 28th.
With the news that Kang Rojun would attend this year's SBC Acting Awards.
《‘Rojun’ to attend SBC Acting Awards, making it to a year-end awards show in less than a year since his debut? Quite exceptional》
《‘Rojun Writer’ invited to SBC Acting Awards with his debut work!》
Various media outlets went wild.
“He’s making it to a year-end awards show in under a year?? Rojun’s seriously a true disruptor.”
“It’s funny how he’s attending an awards show first as a writer, his side job, before he does as an idol. Has anyone like this ever existed??”
It was understandable. Across the entire history of the entertainment industry, there had never been a case like Rojun’s, he was the first and only.
“This guy, I swear he’s going to cause a real stir. What if he actually wins an award?”
“Come on, there’s no way SBC would just hand an award to a guy who hasn’t even been a writer for a year, right??”
“Dude, ‘Rental Lover’ pulled a 24% viewership rating. And it was a one-act drama. Think about how massive the buzz was.”
“Hmm- anyway, reporters are going to swarm the SBC Acting Awards this time. I’m definitely attending and filming only Rojun! He’s the hottest sell this year, no question.”
“Only reporters? The public will be all over it too! I’m definitely going!”
The entertainment industry, always at the mercy of what’s trending. Novelty was part of the appeal too. Big or small, many media outlets were desperate to capture footage of Kang Rojun, and this frenzy extended to the three major national broadcasters.
"How's the casting of the 'Produce That 100!' final winners going?!!"
“Uh, GN hasn’t responded yet!”
“If they’re not responding, then go get the damn answer in person! You think just calling them will do anything?!”
“Is it even possible?? GN Entertainment only just signed them.”
“I don’t care what’s possible! This year’s celebratory stage has to be them! And not just us at MBS, KBC and SBC are probably thinking the same!!”
A war was breaking out to cast Rojun, Si-hoo, Kang-min, and Do-kyung. The three national networks were all aiming to bring the final winners of ‘Produce That 100!’ onto their year-end awards shows as celebratory performers. It made sense.
No matter what anyone said, the phenomenon that dominated the year was ‘Produce That 100!’, and the ones who inherited that massive popularity were Rojun and his team.
But the one with the highest chances was still SBC.
“E-even if they do perform... I think SBC has the best shot. I mean, their leader Rojun is already invited as a writer-”
MBS and KBC weren’t ignorant of that fact, but they weren’t giving up.
“So what, you wanna throw in the towel without even trying?? Whether we book them or not decides the ratings!! Get your ass over to GN right now!”
After all, year-end award shows were also battles for ratings. That’s why bringing in famous idols or singers for celebratory performances during the ceremony mattered so much.
With Kang Rojun heading to SBC, the first battle had already been lost.
《[Awards] Will SBC, riding on the success of 'Rojun' and others, win among the three public broadcasters this year?》
If they handed over the celebratory stage too, it was obvious SBC alone would hit the jackpot this year.
Meanwhile, Si-hoo, Kang-min, and Do-kyung returned to the ‘Produce That 100!’ campus. As soon as they arrived, they gathered in the room with Kang Rojun, eager to catch up on postponed conversations. It began with EY Entertainment.
“Dude, I literally gasped while eating when I saw the article about EY.”
“Same here. Rojun hyung, do you have some kind of supernatural power or something?”
"As if."
“But seriously, how does stuff like this keep happening?”
After a few minutes of talking about EY Entertainment, the topic shifted to what they all did during their break. Then, with a blank expression, Do-kyung suddenly looked at Rojun and muttered,
“But Rojun hyung... you look even more amazing now.”
"What do you mean?"
“I can’t describe it with words, did your face get more handsome? What is it? Don’t you guys notice it too?”
Si-hoo and Kang-min quickly agreed.
“I thought the same. Rojun, did you work out hard while we were gone? Or did you go to a dermatologist?”
“You definitely got better-looking... but there’s something else. It’s hard to explain.”
Do-kyung let out a deep sigh as he looked at Kang Rojun.
“Come on, hyung. Getting even more handsome is overkill. Are you trying to make the rest of us look like anchovies?”
The oldest hyung, Si-hoo, scratched his baby-permed hair.
“Actually, starting today, I’m syncing my workout schedule with Rojun’s. You guys should join too.”
“...Rojun hyung, stop working out. Your body’s already good enough.”
Yeah, this was the vibe. Kang Rojun smirked and shrugged his shoulders.
“Nope. I’m gonna become a muscle man.”
As he replied, Kang Rojun murmured inwardly.
‘Their reactions... That passive ‘Overwhelm’ is clearly working properly.’
The next day.
The parents of Si-hoo, Kang-min, and Do-kyung arrived at the ‘Produce That 100!’ campus, and all of them couldn’t stop exclaiming as they looked at Kang Rojun.
“Oh my! Rojun?? So nice to meet you! You’re sooooo handsome in person, really.”
“...Thank you.”
“My kid kept going on about how unreal you look in real life, and wow, it’s true.”
Soon, the parents shook hands with Rojun, saying they were counting on him to look after their children. As he politely greeted them, a brief sense of envy passed through Kang Rojun as he looked at the other kids' parents.
‘They all seem like such good people.’
But there was no time to dwell in emotions.
-Screech!
Several vans soon arrived at the campus. They had been sent by GN Entertainment. The reason was simple. Today, including Kang Rojun, they were all scheduled to attend an official meeting for their contracts with GN Entertainment.
Everyone got into their assigned vans, and they departed.
Sharing a van with Si-hoo, Rojun kept his gaze out the window.
‘Official contract... I’m kinda nervous.’
Several minutes later, the vans arrived at GN Entertainment’s headquarters near Hapjeong Station in Seoul. Rojun looked at the massive building, purely impressed.
‘Whoa- it’s huge?’
Staff members who had been waiting in the underground parking lot guided Rojun, the members, and their parents inside. At first, everyone gathered in a large conference room for a brief overview. After that, Rojun and the other members each moved to separate meeting rooms.
Kang Rojun entered a meeting room close to the conference room.
-Slide.
A ㅁ-shaped table was set in the room. Rojun sat casually near the window, thinking,
‘Phew- it’s fine, I already got experience at 'Culture Drawer'.’
He encouraged himself. In fact, during his solo time at the campus, he had already organized what he wanted to say and the conditions he planned to set for the contract. He also recalled PD Woo Han-suk’s advice.
‘I’m the one in control. No need to walk on eggshells, just be comfortable.’
Soon the meeting room door opened, and GN Entertainment staff entered. About four, men and women. All smiling. After a round of handshakes, they handed Rojun their business cards.
“We’ve beeeen dying to meet you, Rojun-nim. When you shouted out our company on ‘Produce That 100!’, I literally screamed.”
To lighten the mood, they started with casual conversation.
“But really, the broadcast didn’t even show a quarter of what you’ve got. You’re insanely better-looking in person!”
“Thank you.”
“I’ve seen a ton of good-looking people at GN... but I can’t take my eyes off you.”
Rojun figured Si-hoo, Kang-min, and Do-kyung were probably hearing similar things in their own meetings. He responded appropriately to the GN staff’s chatter. About 10 minutes later, the woman who was leading the conversation pulled out a draft contract.
“We’ll now walk you through the official contract.”
She made strong eye contact with Kang Rojun and deepened her smile.
“But before we explain the terms of the official contract, our CEO asked us to first listen to your conditions. Other than what we shared in our self-PR on ‘Produce That 100!’, is there anything else you’d like to request?”
Is it time? With all the staff now focused on him, Kang Rojun exhaled softly and nodded.
“Yes, I do have a few.”
“Mhm, please feel free to share them.”
“There are three conditions.”
The staff’s expressions immediately turned serious, and Rojun calmly stated:
“Freedom to use my phone, a personal workspace, and no personal training. I can manage that on my own.”
As soon as he finished listing the three conditions, the woman’s eyes widened in surprise.
‘W-wait a second. First on 'Produce That 100!', and now here too?!!’
And Kang Rojun.
‘Expression control, wipe the smile, go full poker face.’
Was exuding maximum villainous energy.
*****
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