Chapter 186
Chapter 186
I crossed my arms.
"So… what you’re saying is that it would be better to revise my solo stage."
"Yes."
Ryu Cheong-woo nodded with a stiff expression.
We were having a modest celebratory meal at the dorm after successfully finishing the first day of the concert, and I hadn't expected to hear this.
‘So this is what he meant when he said we should talk later.’
They should fire the person in charge of the equipment; why should I be the one to give up my performance?
Besides, it was a solo stage, so it wasn't like I was inconveniencing anyone else. Being told what to do felt a bit ridiculous.
I replied half-heartedly.
"We can just find the person who made the mistake, replace them, and keep going. I didn't feel particularly burdened by that stage."
"You might not feel the burden, but your wrists and waist certainly do."
I suppressed a sigh.
"…I told you, I’m fine. I wouldn't have done it in the first place if I couldn't handle it."
Keun Se-jin interjected.
Indeed, it wasn't just Ryu Cheong-woo; the others were also listening intently, as if they were in the middle of a formal meeting.
"Park Moon-dae. Our tour schedule is over three months long just for the dates already set. That’s twelve shows, excluding Seoul."
I knew that.
"Can you really do that twelve times? Can you do it every single time at a new venue without making a single mistake?"
"That’s why I said it was fine even if I made a mistake—"
"N-no, it wasn't fine."
"…!"
It was Seon A-hyun.
"Moon-dae, you fainted… I-if something goes wrong, it’ll be a disaster. Your w-wrist still hurts, too…"
"……."
My head was starting to throb. I massaged my shoulder.
"…There’s time before we head overseas anyway. I can recover enough if I rest then."
"Moon-dae."
Ryu Cheong-woo pressed a hand to his forehead.
"Are you a doctor?"
"…!"
"With any injury… the moment a bone is damaged, there’s no guarantee there won't be lingering aftereffects."
Ryu Cheong-woo gave a bitter smile.
"I can guarantee that much."
"……."
This guy was using a cheat key.
I fell silent at the words of a former national athlete who had retired before his prime due to the aftereffects of an injury.
Of course, this wasn't a declaration of surrender.
‘Should I try to appeal to their emotions first?’
Since sensitive keywords like 'injury' were involved, these weren't people who could be persuaded by logic alone.
‘Either way, if I phrase it convincingly enough… the "That sounds right (C)" trait might trigger.’
The probability was over fifty percent, wasn't it?
I crafted a suitable argument. Then, I spoke as if I were hesitating.
Appealing to them like this:
"But… I practiced for a long time to show everyone this."
"…That’s…"
"I put a lot of thought into it, starting from the initial concept. And when I actually did it, the reaction was really good…"
I finished my sentence with a serious tone.
"It feels like such a waste to stop after just one day. I want to try as much as I can. If the recovery is too slow, I’ll ask for your understanding and change it later."
Ryu Cheong-woo’s expression darkened slightly.
‘Did it work?’
However, Keun Se-jin cut in with an exasperated look.
"You haven't even been using that equipment for two weeks, so what do you mean you practiced for a long time?"
This bastard.
"…I meant I spent a long time on the concept."
"Oh, really? You just chose this to make an excuse for getting hurt, didn't you?"
"…!"
"It worked for one day, so let’s move on to an alternative now. You can hold back and do it later when you’re fully recovered. We’re going to keep doing concerts in the future anyway."
Keun Se-jin continued with a stern face.
"Look at the long term. Are you going to retire after this tour?"
"…!"
"You’re not, right?"
Well… I didn't know.
I might not be able to continue.
At that moment, a realization hit me like a blow to the head.
‘Was I actually worried about this?’
The fact that I didn't know if I would remain as Park Moon-dae once all the status effects were cleared after this tour.
‘So I wanted to make sure I did it now, while I still could…?’
That was too sentimental… like a child.
I immediately erased that thought and adopted a more sensible nuance.
‘Right. I probably just wanted to do a good job while I was at it.’
The stage was more fun than I expected, and it was rewarding work. Plus, the pay was good, so there was nothing to complain about.
Since I was immersed in that feeling without any long-term certainty, it was possible my standards had slipped a bit.
While I was lost in thought for a moment, Keun Se-jin drove the point home.
"Instead of having lingering aftereffects that interfere with your performance, just recover fully now."
"……."
Fine, damn it.
You’re right.
‘It does feel a bit wrong to treat this body so recklessly just because it’s not mine.’
And who knows, I might continue living as Park Moon-dae.
I let out a sigh.
"Alright."
"…!"
"I already have an alternative, so I’ll check my condition tomorrow morning and think about it again."
Bae Se-jin, who had been listening quietly, suddenly shouted.
"D-don't just check it yourself! Go to the hospital!"
"…Um, okay."
Since it was my solo stage, I could have ignored them and pushed through, but I decided to concede this time.
"Good choice."
"Make sure you go to the hospital with a manager tomorrow."
"I will."
‘It’ll be funny if the doctor says I’m fine after all this.’
I made an uncharacteristically hopeful prediction and deferred the final decision until tomorrow morning.
For the record, it was a meaningless gesture.
Because that very dawn, an argument broke out among the people who had concert tickets.
And it was quite a big one.
When the first concert had just ended, the atmosphere was fantastic.
There were almost no complaints whispered under the surface, nor any lukewarm reactions. It was just a wave of joy.
Furthermore, as the Twin Fansite Masters had predicted, TeSTAR’s impromptu talk stage became quite a hot topic even among non-fans.
Videos of that stage taken with smartphones were uploaded to WeTube in droves as soon as the concert ended.
The company even jumped on the trend by posting a witty message on social media.
=========================
Our TeSTAR, every combination is precious☆
All impromptu stages from the <Enchanted ME> tour will be included as a special feature in the VOD package.
=========================
Fans looked on with suspicion, wondering, "T1 is actually working fast?" but they were relieved that they could officially watch all the impromptu stages.
As detailed reviews from the audience members who returned home flooded in, posts anticipating tomorrow’s concert piled up throughout the night.
Naturally, there were countless posts about Park Moon-dae as well.
Exquisite shots of the moment Park Moon-dae floated in the air, looking elegantly draped, were shared in all sorts of angles and versions, filling social media.
There were occasional worries about his injury, but because the stage was so good and Park Moon-dae seemed so composed, the overwhelming majority were happy, thinking, "He must have recovered quickly."
Believing that was also more convenient, as it meant they could see that stage again next time.
However, just as public opinion was about to settle…
A certain post was unearthed.
[Mid-concert review from a male idol concert staff member]
It was a review from a part-timer testifying that the idol who performed the 'solo aerial stage' had fainted.
It was deleted fairly quickly, but since a verification photo had been posted, there were naturally people who had screenshotted it, feeling it was real.
And when the circumstances were pieced together, it obviously pointed to Park Moon-dae.
A whirlwind of opinions surged as fans were thrown into turmoil.
Those who were already worried about the aftereffects of his injury were heart-stricken, but since it was just a single unofficial post, various stances emerged.
And these stances intensified as time passed.
It was a mess, with movements to pressure the agency clashing with the opinions of skeptical fans.
It looked like the fandom was on the verge of splitting.
And Park Moon-dae saw this mess as soon as he woke up in the morning.
"……."
He felt a sharp pain in the back of his neck.
‘How did this leak?’
He grumbled, thinking, 'Calling it "fainting" makes it sound serious, but I just felt a bit lightheaded for a moment.'
But seeing things reach this point, even Park Moon-dae had to admit it.
No matter what, he didn't like the idea of the audience watching the stage while anxiously worrying about his health.
I admitted it while eating breakfast.
"…I should stop."
"R-right!"
"Good thinking."
I added a word calmly as I watched the members react.
"Yeah. But I’ll finish the Seoul shows."
"……??"
I was met with looks that, to put it bluntly, asked what kind of bullshit I was talking about.
It didn't matter. I spoke firmly.
"I thought of a good way to explain it to the audience. This is the best way."
"Moon-dae."
"Once Seoul is over, I won't do it again until I’m truly fully recovered."
It was a bit funny that I was the one persuading them to let me do my own stage, but anyway, they reluctantly accepted it.
‘Good grief.’
I contacted the company immediately afterward.
And before the second day of the concert began…
An announcement was posted through the company.
=========================
[Hello. This is T1 Stars.]
During the performance of the song 'Flower Dark Moon' at TeSTAR’s <Enchanted ME> concert last Friday, an error occurred with the stage equipment.
Considering the risks of re-installation, the performance for that song has been modified after consultation with the artist.
However, according to the artist's wishes, the performance will proceed safely as planned without changes under the supervision of experts for the remaining concerts in Seoul.
……
=========================
The rest was a long-winded way of saying "Park Moon-dae is fine."
In short: "Park Moon-dae is fine, but there was an equipment error, so we’ll remove it in the future."
The agency seemed quite conscious of the fans' attacks, and since the rumors were already everywhere, they agreed to disclose the equipment error.
They would get criticized, but they probably thought that if the performance had to be modified anyway, it was better to focus on 'prevention' rather than highlighting my injury.
‘Either way, people are going to bash them for another equipment error and say they’re incompetent.’
It wasn't my concern. Anyway, since the person in charge had been replaced with someone more professional, there shouldn't be any more accidents.
The problem was what the company told me next.
It meant the contestants of the current Idol Inc. Season 4 were coming to see TeSTAR’s concert.
Of course, it was for broadcast content. They probably intended to capture a few shots of 'contestants strengthening their resolve for their dreams after seeing TeSTAR’s successful concert' for the upcoming finale.
Since they would be coming to this agency after debuting anyway, it also felt like they were testing the waters.
‘Hmm, feels like the company is shooting itself in the foot.’
Actually, if it was just attending a concert, it was an awkward thing for a member to refuse.
‘It would be ridiculous to tell them to take back the invitation tickets the company already gave out.’
And it would sour the relationship with Tnet.
I almost worried about it for a second.
But immediately after, I realized there was no need for me to waste my mental energy.
It wasn't my business.
‘If the company insists on watching a dumpster fire….’
I’ll just leave it be.
I shrugged my shoulders.