Chapter 127
Chapter 127
The status effect related to the Rookie of the Year award was cleared faster than I expected.
‘I thought it would last until February.’
The fact that it cleared the moment we received the award at the final major ceremony meant… that the current public opinion was just that overwhelming.
It was likely the result of facing the Rookie of the Year controversy head-on. I didn't realize that would affect the timing of the status effect's removal.
‘Well, being able to check things sooner is a good thing.’
I hadn't planned on clicking ‘Truth Verification’ for a while anyway, so achieving it early didn't mean I’d be hit with a new status effect too soon.
“Thank you!”
While I was lost in thought, Keun Se-jin finished his speech and stepped aside, giving me the spot in front of the stand mic.
It was my turn.
I walked out slowly and stood before the microphone.
The shimmering waves in front of me blurred my vision. A luminous glow that stood out even from a distance—TeSTAR’s lightsticks.
‘…There are overwhelmingly more than at the other ceremonies.’
It was probably because VTIC was absent. Confirming the sight, I leaned into the mic.
“First, I would also like to begin my speech by saying thank you.”
I didn't particularly dislike giving acceptance speeches, but I never felt the urge to volunteer for them either.
‘I only did it because we were taking turns.’
But looking at it now… it seemed like a decent way to express gratitude.
“…TeSTAR is not a group that prepared together as a team for a long time. Because we were unproven as a team, we went through a lot of worry and effort to debut as a group after a short preparation period.”
Of course, we didn't just worry; we also cursed out the company, but regardless, it was the honest truth.
And so was the next part.
“And I believe the driving force behind that… was the fact that there were people waiting for us.”
……It wasn't just the debut preparations.
It was the same during this Rookie of the Year controversy. Because I knew there were people who would respond immediately if the situation turned around… I was able to choose such a primitive method.
Isn't it a strange and wonderful thing that there are people waiting to love something, as long as you put out a good result?
“Thank you for believing in us and waiting. Thank you for your expectations.”
I was grateful that they didn't give up on their expectations despite the exhausting public discourse and annoying situations.
“To become a group that gives you excitement rather than worry when you think of TeSTAR’s tomorrow, we will continue to do our best without forgetting how we feel right now. Thank you.”
I bowed my head. And I stayed like that, offering my greeting for quite a while.
A brilliant roar of cheers poured over my head.
That sound, as powerful as the luminosity of the lightsticks, felt strangely hot.
Then, I felt hands patting my back.
‘It must be the members.’
Just as I was about to think positively that this would make for a good picture, I heard some slightly flustered whispers.
‘Mo-Moon-dae, are you okay?’
‘Are you crying?’
I’m not crying.
Another guy whispered seriously.
‘If it’s hard to lift your head right now, just cover your face and turn around.’
Why on earth do they think I can't lift my head because I'm embarrassed from crying?
‘Isn't it normal to think the greeting is just long because of the emotion and gratitude?’
I suppressed a sigh and lifted my head.
Countless lightsticks, as brilliant as the cheers, surged in waves. For some reason, they looked even more massive than before, like a galaxy.
“…….”
‘That was close.’
If I had lifted my head without thinking, I really might have teared up from getting swept up in the moment. Thanks to the guys who misunderstood and thought I was crying, the mood cooled down and neutralized, saving me from making a fool of myself.
‘I’m breaking out in a cold sweat.’
At the same time, I remembered a trait I had discarded the moment I saw it a few months ago.
[Trait: Tear Faucet (B)]
- Open and close it with ease!
: Tear control ability MAX
A slight chill ran down my spine.
‘…Surely I won’t end up needing that.’
I briefly suspected that this might turn out like the ‘Immovable Heart’ situation—needing it right after discarding it—but I soon shook my head inwardly.
‘Even so, I can't give up another trait for something like this.’
If worst comes to worst, I’ll just be a bit embarrassed. And really, how often would something like this happen? It’s only because today was a day where complex circumstances overlapped.
‘Let’s just wave.’
I waved toward the audience and bowed, accompanied by the guys who were trying to poke my sides as if to say, “We thought you were crying!”
The lights were still burning bright.
*
After the awards season wrapped up, full-scale concert preparations began.
Among them, of course, was the process of preparing the unit stages while being filmed.
[Magical Boy TeSTAR’s magical AI assistant!]
“Now we’re even appearing on WeTube?”
“It’s Cheong-woo hyung!”
Just as Cha Yu-jin said, Ryu Cheong-woo was appearing on the TV screen connected to WeTube.
With a bird wing graphic edited onto his shoulder, Ryu Cheong-woo smiled, winked, and made a slight shooting motion with his index finger and thumb.
[Catch, Curious!]
It was a perfectly normal commercial scene featuring Ryu Cheong-woo as a cheerful, handsome man.
“What!”
“Why is hyung the only one doing something cool?”
“……It’s not… an animal?”
Bae Se-jin’s final question sounded almost gloomy.
However, Ryu Cheong-woo just laughed and ran a hand through his hair, seemingly embarrassed by this as well.
“Haha, it’s not that it’s cool… It’s just that fans compare me to a ‘bird’ a lot, so I think it ended up like this to match that.”
But the members' reactions were cold.
“You could have been a cheep-cheep chick, but you did something cool.”
“I was going to press skip for you, but there was no need.”
“No, I didn't decide this, guys!”
Ryu Cheong-woo was momentarily flustered, but he soon realized their reactions came from a place of lighthearted jealousy and laughed it off, finding the situation cute.
‘…Must be nice having a hawk as your image animal.’
Some people ended up in that state while pushing a puppy image.
I quickly shook off the memory of my own commercial cut and focused on the video playing.
[Je te donne des fleurs que…]
A slow, beautiful chanson was flowing from the screen. It was the unit song chosen by Kim Rae-bin and Ryu Cheong-woo.
Keun Se-jin asked with habitual admiration.
“Oh, you’re going to use that song?”
“Yes.”
Kim Rae-bin nodded, his eyes sparkling.
“I believe it’s a melody that suits Cheong-woo hyung’s vocal color well. If we leave only the keyboard sounds and change the rhythm to be kitschy, it will become a very sensible instrumental…!”
“Right. Rae-bin seems to be having fun with it, so I’m looking forward to it too.”
Ryu Cheong-woo chuckled and nodded.
I could guess the general atmosphere of how this team was progressing.
‘He’s just letting Kim Rae-bin run wild.’
Since it was just one unit stage, it seemed Ryu Cheong-woo wasn't being conservative and was fully accepting Kim Rae-bin’s ideas.
‘That’s going to result in an interesting picture.’
It was quite intriguing.
Next, Cha Yu-jin excitedly searched for a video and played it. An old pop song flowed out over a brown album cover.
‘…A pop song, specifically?’
I wondered if the song choice was too advantageous for Cha Yu-jin, who was Korean-American, but I soon realized that couldn't be the case. Keun Se-jin likely secured the narrative of being considerate toward Cha Yu-jin and then picked the song he wanted.
‘I’d bet my life—or at least my last name—that this guy didn't just concede.’
My last name was already different from my original one, but I placed the bet anyway.
When Keun Se-jin caught my eye, he gave a barely perceptible twitch of his eyebrow. It seemed that pop song was indeed the one he had steered them toward.
“I like this song! I’m totally looking forward to it!”
“Right, let’s make a cool stage~”
“Let’s make it!”
When Cha Yu-jin excitedly raised his hand, Keun Se-jin responded with an energetic high five.
‘Well, as long as they’re both satisfied.’
So far, there didn't seem to be any problems.
“Th-then… we will play the song we chose…!”
“Ooh~”
The last group was me, Bae Se-jin, and Seon A-hyun.
Following the script, Seon A-hyun stepped forward and operated the WeTube screen. Then, a retro, laid-back band accompaniment began to flow.
[Woo! I can hear your heart~]
“Huh?”
Seeing the slightly confused looks from the other groups, I explained with a smile.
“It’s ‘You Are Amazing’ by Mi-so sunbaenim.”
It was a song by a female solo singer who was active in the late 80s. Moderately bright, moderately emotional. The chorus of this song, ‘Woo woo woo~ Amazing!’, was famous enough that even people in their teens or twenties had probably heard it at least once on variety shows.
But that was all.
To them, it probably didn't seem like a song with the impact or atmosphere suitable for a modern concert.
Ryu Cheong-woo looked a bit shocked.
“The three of you are doing this song?”
“Yes.”
I nodded calmly, and the other two teammates also affirmed with slightly flushed faces.
After scanning their expressions, Ryu Cheong-woo finally nodded.
“Right… Moon-dae, you picked it?”
“…? No. Seon A-hyun and Se-jin hyung picked it.”
The two of them had put it on the shortlist first, and we chose it together after discussing.
“……Um. I see.”
Ryu Cheong-woo nodded immediately, but I could feel him hiding his worry.
‘If the cameras weren't here, he would have already asked if we’re really okay with this.’
Seon A-hyun, who didn't notice that vibe, just muttered with an excited face.
“I-I think it will suit us well, so I’m already looking forward to it!”
Bae Se-jin also looked hesitant about whether to speak, but eventually opened his mouth while looking at the camera.
“…I think it will be a great stage, so you can look forward to it.”
Watching the two of them express their opinions so actively for once, Ryu Cheong-woo’s face gradually relaxed. Seeing how much they liked it, he must have thought there was some charm to the song that he just wasn't seeing.
Finally, Ryu Cheong-woo glanced at me. He asked with a face that seemed to want one last bit of reassurance.
“…And Moon-dae, you’re confident too?”
“It’s hard to be unconditionally confident in any stage. I’ll do my best to perfect it.”
“…….”
“Let’s all do our best!”
“Let’s do it!”
“TeSTAR, fighting!”
As soon as the filming ended, Ryu Cheong-woo asked about three times if we were ‘really okay,’ and I nodded all three times. Only then did he disappear to brew some coffee with a somewhat relieved face.
‘Did I tease him for nothing?’
I had planned to play around a bit since I was the only one who avoided the commercial Russian roulette, but since he’s such a responsible guy, it worked better than expected.
‘Actually, what I’m worried about is a different part.’
My concern… was the new song stage.
‘Performing a new song for the first time at a concert before the digital track is even out.’
The title track and the B-side. I had to make the audience enjoy two songs that were unfamiliar to them and unproven to the public. It was important to keep the atmosphere from sagging.
“……Hmm.”
After some thought, I came up with a short and clear answer.
‘Let’s pour capital into it.’
Fortunately, the company had plenty of money.
*
While TeSTAR was busy focusing on concert and new album preparations, the concert dates were finally announced.
=========================
[Concert notice is up]
: Schedule for both days of the weekend, March 30th–31st
(Notice Image)
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The fans were already bursting with anticipation because they had heard through the grapevine that the agency had rented the Gymnastics Arena.
And the moment that anticipation became reality, people let out screams of joy and immediately began preparing for ticketing.
But before they could even calmly begin their ticketing preparations, new news came pouring in.
The fans were already flustered by that, but the news wasn't over yet.
There was more.
While the fans were struggling to digest the news in a frenzy, one fact was becoming firmly established.
‘The competition for concert tickets is going to be insane!’
And in the midst of this whirlwind of confusion and tension, TeSTAR posted on social media.
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[TeSTAR is finally having our first concert! > _ < Is everyone coming to see us? ㅠㅠ We’re also going to try our hand at concert ticketing along with Loviewers!]
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It was nothing short of a declaration of war.