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[Exclusive Preview/Legendary Embarrassing Moment: Check Out This Male Idol]
“…”
I quietly turned off YouTube after watching the video in the practice room. As I did, a message popped up on the screen.
– Seo Hojin: hyung hyung hyung hyung
What’s going on?
– Seo Hojin: I’m in a hurry
– Me: ?
– Seo Hojin: Have you seen my class notes from freshman year? I need it for an assignment
– Me: No
– Seo Hojin: Ha… thump-thump[1]... thump-thump…ㅜ
I was sure this bastard deliberately made up this story just to bring it up. I clenched my fist and gritted my teeth to contain the anger that rose from within.
In an instant, the variety show that was broadcast to the whole nation turned me into an “idol with legendary embarrassing moment.”
It was great that my intelligent image had a 180-degree change, but it wasn’t so great that my embarrassing moments on YouTube garnered millions of views.
[Is Seo Hoyun an aegyo machine or a robot? (Like 113)
└Aegyo machine: Is he a robot or Seo Hoyun?
└Robot: Is he Seo Hoyun or an aegyo machine?]
[When Seo Hoyun grabbed Kang Ichae by the collar, it was the highest rating (Like 2144)
└ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[Ho.Yu.N.Be.Strong.Sob.Sob (Like 3155)
└Amazing staccato
└ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[It’s really funny to see him struggle so fucking hard with aegyo… He really can’t do it and only does it because he’s told toㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋHis image is so refreshingㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└When he said he’d do anything if the fans liked it, I screamed…. Yes… my face is burning… but it’s good to live hard!!]
Ding!
[Am I the only one who’s embarrassed?]
“I’m the one on the spotlight so why would you be…”
I murmured quietly as I held my head. Kang Ichae, who had casually exposed my embarrassing moment, sat down laughing as if he was enjoying it. I angrily gave him a honey punch.
“Calm down. We have a fansigning event tomorrow anyway, so it’s good.”
“What’s so good?”
“Just think of it as practicing aegyo in advance—”
Kang Ichae squinted his eyes as if it was none of his business. A quest appeared as I pushed the traitor away with my foot.
[Quest Arrival!
Make memories with fans at the fansign!
A surprise gift from the system for the sulking Seo Hoyun.
Success: 2,000 points awarded.
Failure: Share on SNS with the reputation of “A Real Fish Market Rock”]
Until recently, The Dawn had only a handful of fans, yet they still held a fansign during their first album release.
Fansigns.
An opportunity to meet and talk to idols who were only seen through videos.
It was a shitty random drawing event where you had to spend tens of thousands of won to even have a chance of winning, just to talk for a few seconds or minutes, depending on the number of members.
“How was it last time?”
Kang Ichae, who had clearly wronged me, eagerly approached.
“Are you talking about our fansigning during ‘Glow’? Like fansign cuts, things like that?”
Jeong Dajun raised both of his hands and jumped up.
“Me!”
“Okay, Dajun. You only need to raise one hand.”
“The company didn’t tell me anything!”
It was the only thing Daepaseong Entertainment did right.
It must have been Jeong Dajun’s innocent smile that made it up to my terribly contrasting personality.
“Let’s practice once.”
Feeling excited, Kang Ichae sat in front of me and screamed with both hands covering his mouth.
“You’re so, so handsome, Hoyun!”
“Even using informal language.”
“Can you be a bit more cooperative? Let’s try again.”
This didn’t feel like something I could just answer vaguely and get it over with. When I raised my eyebrows, Jeong Dajun jumped in.
“Let me try. I ate tuna kimbap today!”
“Oh, really…?”
“…”
“…Good job?”
Everyone was silent. Even Kim Seonghyeon, who was nonchalantly sipping water at the corner, looked at me as if he couldn’t believe my attitude. Kang Ichae coughed a few times before asking brightly again.
“Hoyun! When is your next comeback?!”
“I think it’ll depend on how the songs turn out, wouldn’t it?”
“What… should we do?”
Everyone mumbled with a nervous look. I answered this question sincerely, but the reaction was still not good. According to the members, what was important was not the serious TMI, but the appropriate response and a balance of push and pull.
Well, I think I knew it theoretically…
Feeling awkward, I looked away but Seong Jiwon suddenly stood up.
“Wait a minute.”
He then grabbed an employee passing by in front of the practice room.
“Jihyeon, I’m sorry, but please help Hoyun come to his senses.”
“Yes, what??”
It was the stand Lee Jihyeon who had been caught by surprise. After listening to the whole story, Jihyeon scratched her cheek uncomfortably.
“So, you want me to talk about my ideal fansigning event… But it’s difficult. I’ve been out of the fandom for a while now… Now I’m more into 2D[2]…”
“That’s fine. Just get Hoyun to snap out of it.”
“Um… ‘Oh, really?’ is a bit too much. Okay, got it.”
And so, Lee Jihyeon’s fansigning experience began. Starting with a fansigning event from N years ago, Jihyeon suddenly began talking and accelerated five minutes later.
“…No, come to think of it, it’s infuriating!”
“Huh??”
“What’s so hard about doing that for real that she had to roll her eyes like she’s at a fish market, that girl? Do you know what she said at the fansign event? She wants to live a normal life now. If that crazy bitch wants to live like a god, she shouldn’t have such a normal bank account?!”
“…”
It was an emergency.
As cold sweat poured down from seeing the rampaging Lee Jihyeon, the members’ gaze focused on me.
“…You saw it, right? Let’s do well.”
“Yes…”
***
After suddenly receiving an emergency education (also called brainwashing) from the members, Seo Hoyun entered the fansign event with some confidence. Everyone screamed at him for taking off his usual dark outfit and putting on a blue jacket that matched this concept.
However, for Seo Hoyun, it was an emergency from the start.
“Hoyun! Do you have a favorite animal? Like a rabbit?”
“Yes…?”
Blinking at the sudden question, he answered. It didn’t matter what kind of animal he liked, but he felt like he should pick one to like, so he hid his heart that didn’t care at all about such things and answered.
“I… like cats.”
“…Think again. From within there.”
“…A rabbit?”
“Of course!!”
Of course?
Seeing the fan pass by with a happy face and clenched fists, Seo Hoyun was very flustered. And belatedly, he had a thought.
Wait, could it be…
And then, a post like this went up on SNS.
[Guys, Hoyun prefers being called a rabbit. It’s official, so if you disagree, show me your photocards.]
[Where did the cat faction go?]
[Seo Hoyun looks like a freaking cold handsome guy, but…
Fans keeps calling him a rabbit, so he starts to look like one. Just like how when you keep calling someone your husband, eventually people think, “Ah… that’s that person’s husband.”
└Ah… Seo Hoyun was a rabbit.]
It was manipulation and fabrication.
He had seen reactions like “Seo Hoyun, rabbit, genius idol” before, but never thought that he, the top personality and evil PD, would be called a rabbit. Shocked, Seo Hoyun greeted the next fan.
“I heard you like sweet things but you also like Soruinun at the same time….”
“That’s correct. How did you know?”
As he opened the album and signed it while having a conversation, the fan hesitated for a moment and then spoke up. It was a story that Kim Seonghyeon, who was before Seo Hoyun in the line up, had told the fan.
While Seo Hoyun struggled with the headband falling off as he constantly bowed to sign and sincerely responded to the fan’s questions, the members (especially Kang Ichae) were jumping around like fishes in water.
[Ichae remembers me…….. Everything from my name, major, where I live, and what we talked about back then. He said we’ll see each other more oftenㅠ Jeong Dajun is also happily bouncing around next to him as always….]
[I just showed Kim Seonghyeon our marriage certificate and he really tried to sign it calmly, but I stopped him ;; I had a conscience, right?
└Wow, you really had patience.
└I squeezed some strength into my brain.]
[Jiwon says he’s happy these days…. ㅜ He’s thankfulㅠ Be happy forever you bastard ㅜ]
[Ah, life is good these days. Shining Star was so annoying because it was so spicy, but when we actually look at the kids’ personalities, they’re so soft and squishy….]
As they gobbled up the breadcrumbs poured down in a flurry, Kang Ichae smiled and sent off the fans who had just finished signing.
“Take care, noona~! Just finish with a good mood after seeing Hoyun-hyung’s aegyo!”
“Hahaha! I will!”
“…”
Seo Hoyun, who was next in line after Kang Ichae, had no choice but to work hard at showing different aegyo every time, as Ichae constantly teased him….
After finishing the fansign event with their faces shining, the exhausted members all left. Seo Hoyun, who had been happy to meet the fans but also hit by a sudden reality check, stuck to the corner of the van on their way back to the dorm and washed his face.
***
“Good job~!”
“Where should we put the gifts?”
“It would be nice if there was one more room. Right?”
With dark circles under our eyes and our spirits half-gone, we returned to the dorm and, as if it was natural, each sucked on Seong Jiwon’s red ginseng juice. Kang Ichae laughed as if he wasn’t tired at all.
“I was worried, but it turned out fine~.”
“…”
“Leave it, Seo Hoyun’s out of it right now.”
“Thank you…”
Aside from my mental state, the fansign event seemed to have gone well, but when it ended and we returned, my fingers were too tired to move, and I melted into the sofa, my body sprawled out. Seong Jiwon and Jeong Dajun seemed to be trying to sneak into their rooms. They probably didn’t want to get caught in the crossfire… but then Kang Ichae suddenly blocked their way.
“Hyung, I’m going to the convenience store, what should I get?”
“Damn.”
“Can’t you at least be half as nice to us as you are to the fans?”
“You’re asking for a lot, you accomplice.”
“Aigo, you’re such a bastard~!”
Kang Ichae spat out nonsense and dragged Seong Jiwon and Jeong Dajun along to buy ice cream. There was no need to watch anymore since we had already monitored the event in the car on the way back.
Looking at the community and SNS reactions, it seemed not bad. Thankfully, they seemed satisfied. I was now lying flat on the sofa, lost in thought.
But no matter how much I think about it… I don’t understand.
They waited in line, spending money to buy dozens of albums and barely winning a spot at the fansign event, then even bought gifts, and still tried to only say nice things.
After all that blabbering… is there any value in liking me?
As for the other members, they were on the rise and performing well lately… I absentmindedly organized my thoughts, and my gaze naturally went towards the music show trophy in the living room.
“…”
The manager said he would take it to the company soon.
The reactions to our first-place promise weren’t bad either. A good song, first-ever first-place win, decent music sales, and good variety show reactions.
Everything was going smoothly, as if the wind was in our sails.
I’ve got all the conditions.
Ding!
[What’s our bunny thinking about? ㅎ.ㅎ
Bunny versus cat, pick one ㄱ]
“…”
This brat, someday I’m really going to hit him…
I took a deep breath and turned my gaze to Kim Seonghyeon.
“But why aren’t the kids coming back?”
“Well, I don’t know?”
Kim Seonghyeon awkwardly averted my eyes and stammered. I got up from the sofa, scratching my head and about to change clothes.
I needed to hurry to the company to discuss the settlement with the CEO…
“Seo, Seo Hoyun!”
“Euk!”
Kim Seonghyeon, who had been fiddling with his phone from afar, suddenly rushed over and threw a blanket draped over the sofa at me, then rolled me up like a sushi roll. The blanket was a heavy winter one that I had put out to wash.
“??”
“Aren’t you tired? Wanna be a kimbap? It’s warm and cozy!”
“What…”
Why was he suddenly acting like this? He even covered my face so I couldn’t see ahead. Kim Seonghyeon raised his voice, blocking my hands so I couldn’t remove the blanket.
“It’s so cold!!”
“It’s summer, you lunatic.”
“Get out.”
“Before I swear.”
Feeling my ominous tone, Kim Seonghyeon flinched. Normally (although he wouldn’t have done this in the first place), he would have apologized and stopped quickly, but he was both flustered and persistent.
Even without seeing, I could sense Kim Seonghyeon’s confusion. Seizing the moment when his grip slightly weakened, I snatched the blanket away and glared at him.
“Kim Seonghyeon. There must be a reason for suddenly mentioning kimbap…?”
“…”
When I narrowed my eyes and pressured him, Kim Seonghyeon, who had zero talent in acting, just rolled his eyes with a perplexed expression.
This brat definitely had something.
“You did something wrong.”
“No… I didn’t.”
What did you mean you didn’t? You’re acting like a guilty puppy.
“Spit it out.”
“Nothing? But…what if I try speaking gently and kindly like I usually do?”
“…What?”
I was about to seriously ask him what he had eaten when suddenly, I saw his phone on the other side of the room.
The phone fixed on a tripod looked suspicious.
“…?”
“Why is that there and…”
“What does kimbap have to do with…”
Bang!
That’s when it happened. The front door opened, and a paper firecracker burst.
“Wow~!! Congratulations on your first place~! You’ve successfully finished your ‘Ocean Train’ music promotions… Uh…”
“…!!”
Jeong Dajun came in with a big smile and a huge cake. It looked like a cake to celebrate our first place since there was a “1” on it.
Kim Seonghyeon and I were awkwardly standing still around the sofa. Our posture looked suspicious to anyone.
The icy atmosphere, our strange behavior, the messy hair, and the sweat on my forehead. It all gave the impression that something had happened.
“… Kimbap?”
Jeong Dajun mumbled blankly, then his eyes widened.
“Did you two… fight over kimbap?!”
“Hello~, congrats… Huh.”
“Congrats, congrats… Huh?”
Seong Jiwon and Kang Ichae, who entered the room late, also stopped talking and closed their mouths. Wearing silly cone hats and quirky glasses, the other members who had burst in with firecrackers froze in place, apparently misunderstanding something.
“You guys fought because of food?”
Why on earth did the conclusion go in that direction?
“We didn’t fight… No, anyway.”
They seemed to get the gist of it, but why me… I was the target of the surprise, wasn’t I? Why was it me who seemed the least likely to be entertained by it?
No, no, pushing all that aside.
My head hurt, so I supported my forehead with my hand.
“Was it recorded?”
If it was recorded, at least there was some chance of saving the situation. They could edit it somehow… But all the members averted their eyes.
“…Uh…”
“V-Live…”
“…Live broadcast?”
Everyone nodded their heads gloomily.
With me as the target?
I’m screwed…
The manager who came in late, not understanding the situation, entered the room with a joyful expression and set off a party popper.
“Surprise~!”
“…”
Pop! The confetti fluttered and hung humorously on the members’ heads.
An icy silence filled the room.
[1] “싱가캐” is an internet slang and a contraction of “심장이 가쁘다”, which can be translated as “heart pounding” or “heart racing”.
[2] Me too… ^ㅂ^
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