Chapter 229
Chapter 229
TeSTAR’s second debut anniversary was to be celebrated with a fan meeting. It was a classic approach, but one that guaranteed fun.
And as befitting a fan meeting, the venue was smaller than a concert hall to maintain an intimate atmosphere, so we also provided a paid real-time online stream.
‘I don’t even need to look to know that illegal broadcasts will be all over WeTube.’
It wasn’t a day or two since this started, so it wasn’t surprising. The paid platform would probably work hard to report them.
‘Still, isn’t this better than not broadcasting online and just lining the pockets of scalpers?’
Besides, by tracking the number of people who paid to watch the fan meeting, we could see how much of the general public's interest from this promotion had converted into the fandom.
After all, it was a metric of people willing to pay even though they could watch for free if they ignored the voice of their conscience for a moment.
So, if I calculated the price relative to time compared to a VOD…
‘…I’d better make it worth the price of a concert ticket.’
I decided to stop thinking about useless WeTube stuff and focus on doing my job well.
Fortunately, the fan meeting on the day of the event started smoothly.
“Waaaaaaaah!!!”
Countless colorful balloons soared into the sky during the blue-themed opening stage.
The subtitle for this fan meeting, which began with the light and bright song Picnic, was <Daydream>.
It could be seen as a reversal of the English subtitle for the current title track, Nightmare.
‘Having a connection like this gives the stage a theme.’
And wouldn't that be more fun to watch?
Accordingly, the event was planned to proceed with a soft and warm atmosphere.
Since there had been frequent incidents and accidents over the past year, I figured it was okay for a fan meeting to be like this.
Overall, the concept was set to a fairytale-like vibe.
So, I tried to make the talk segments and variety games in the middle… cute, but I wasn’t sure.
The direction had changed halfway through.
At first, it started off normally.
“Hello, everyone!”
“Today is the anniversary of TeSTAR and Loviewers! <Tesversary>! Thank you so much for coming.”
“Let’s have fun today!”
The "Recent Life Talk" and "Post-it Questions" were practically the golden rules of a first fan meeting, and the expected answers were woven together well.
Of course, the guy with confidence started throwing in ad-libs from the get-go.
Yes, I’m talking about Keun Se-jin.
“Oh? ‘Who has the most aegyo?’ We have to see it to know! Now, now, everyone, get one shot of aegyo ready~”
He was recklessly spouting things that hadn't been agreed upon. He should be grateful the fan meeting wasn't a live broadcast.
As the camera zoomed in on me, I shamelessly performed a recently popular aegyo to match the mood.
Horrified screams and shrieks erupted from all over. …Even shrieks?
“Wait, Moon-dae, when did you practice that??”
“Because I’m an idol, I don’t sleep. I did it in my spare time.”
“Ah, ahaha~”
Laughter burst from the audience.
Still, after three years, I was starting to feel nothing even when doing embarrassing things. I was smoothly becoming a person who craved attention.
However, Keun Se-jin, who had been playing along with the nonsensical skit, smirked and slapped my back.
Then, he dragged reality into it.
“No, but you still have to sleep, Moon-dae! Oh, everyone! I’m telling you, Moon-dae really hasn’t been sleeping at all lately??”
“……!”
“Moon-dae hyung is just working at dawn! He works too much!”
“From what I’ve seen, it seems he only sleeps once every two days.”
I didn't know how this guy, who was usually so tactless, could be so sharp about things like this.
‘I certainly have been sleeping about that much lately.’
It was thanks to Bacchus 1000.
Thanks to that, I quickly finished the interview questionnaires, intervened in the formation of the dedicated team to my liking, and even recruited new management personnel, so I was very satisfied.
‘Still, I guess it looked unusual to those who can’t see the status window.’
One thing was for sure: there was no need to take it seriously.
‘It’ll be a headache if this gets used as material for people to say, “Park Moon-dae doesn’t sleep, so why are you sleeping?”’
I decided to pass it off as a joke and shrugged.
“Well… they say idols don’t sleep anyway.”
“Boo~ Idols are human too~”
“Are we not idols?? Huh?”
Amidst the playful booing, Bae Se-jin muttered with a gloomy face.
“That just sounds like a violation of labor laws….”
“…….”
Conscious of the audience, who were letting out strange shouts that were half-laughter and half-worry, I avoided the camera’s gaze.
‘It’s not like I can show them the Bacchus 1000.’
In the meantime, Keun Se-jin chuckled and pointed his microphone toward Seon A-hyun.
“Now, A-hyun, Moon-dae-Moon-dae’s roommate, any words?”
“…That’s right! Moon-dae, doesn’t sleep enough…!”
“…!!”
Seon A-hyun spoke earnestly with a determined face.
“For your health, if you could tell him to sleep a lot….”
These guys….
— Sleep!! Moon-dae, sleep!!
— You really have to sleep well!!
‘…I’m cornered.’
I fell silent for a moment at the audience’s comments, then shifted my stance.
“……Of course. It was a joke. I should sleep well.”
“Swear it! Swear it!”
“I will sleep well so as not to strain my health.”
“Waaaaah!”
It wasn’t a lie. Not exactly.
“Then everyone! Since we’re on the topic of sleep~ Aren’t you curious about what kind of pajamas we wear??”
— We’re curious!!
— Totally curious!!
“Let’s see it in this next stage!”
The topic shifted smoothly, and the prepared animal pajama version of the Haengcha performance followed to great success.
The fans were delighted, and the stages and events continued one after another without any injuries or mistakes.
…As planned, the thrill of showing a good performance remained the same. I had no time to think about anything else.
And then, the final stage before the encore.
It was only after performing the classical arrangement of the current title track, Call, that I had a little room to think.
— Encore! Encore!
The now-familiar cheers echoed from above.
“VCR starts in three minutes!”
I caught my breath and checked my changed outfit, only then suppressing a groan as I recalled the previous talk segment.
‘From now on, every time I turn on a live stream at night, the comments will be flooded with people telling Moon-dae to go night-night….’
I might not be able to use Bacchus 1000 to its full potential for a while….
At that moment, I realized.
“…!”
Wait.
In the end… didn’t this result in the fans monitoring me?
And if I thought about who brought it up, it was obvious.
‘He planned this.’
After finishing my outfit change, I looked at Keun Se-jin, who was getting his makeup touched up.
Keun Se-jin winked.
“Hyung looks really handsome today, right~? I know.”
“…….”
Let’s talk after the fan meeting.
The fan meeting concluded with the fan song Magic is You, rearranged with an exciting band sound.
“Please get in the car. I’ll be right there after getting some feedback!”
“Got it.”
I wiped my sweat-soaked face and got into the car under the guidance of the new manager.
Then, I briefly checked the online reactions.
‘No issues.’
It was clean, without a single incident. I decided to refrain from checking the under-the-radar reactions, so I skipped those.
I immediately turned off the smartphone screen and spoke.
“Lee Se-jin.”
“Yeah?”
Keun Se-jin, who had been chatting excitedly with Cha Yu-jin in the front seat, immediately turned around with a grin.
“You brought up the sleep thing on purpose, didn’t you?”
“Why ask something so obvious?”
“……!”
“I mean~ Moon-dae isn’t a Terminator or anything~ You only work without sleeping. You’re going to die suddenly in your 30s at this rate!”
‘I won’t, you punk.’
On the contrary, if I just slept, I might die suddenly next year because of the status effect.
However, Keun Se-jin looked around the car and raised his hand.
“Anyone here who thinks Moon-dae gets enough sleep~?”
“…….”
“Then, anyone who thinks he needs to sleep more?”
Hands went up one by one.
From those who looked quite tense to those with matter-of-fact expressions, it seemed everyone agreed that I was overdoing it.
“See~ It’s a group life. Take care of yourself, Moon-dae!”
I suppressed a sigh.
Well, fine… I knew they were worried.
“Alright.”
“Good!”
Since the dedicated team was already formed, I could probably seal it away for a while anyway.
‘I used it well for a few days.’
I shrugged and leaned my head against the backrest.
Ryu Cheong-woo smoothly took control of the situation.
“Right, Moon-dae too… everyone worked hard until the 2nd anniversary. I think we’ve done really well so far.”
“I, I think so too…!”
“You’re absolutely right~”
Yes, the 2nd anniversary. Time had flown by before I knew it.
“I like this team. Our teamwork is the best!”
“…Thanks for everything so far. Let’s, uh, keep working hard in the future.”
“You are absolutely correct. I will not let my guard down and will do my best for the remaining three years as well!”
I heard the voices of the guys chattering about their feelings.
It didn't feel bad.
‘…Right, there are three years left on the contract.’
It was longer than the time we’d spent so far. Still, I hoped we could keep going for at least that long….
“…….”
It was the moment I was trying to map out the route for how all of this could turn out for the best.
“Moon-dae, Moon-dae.”
“What.”
“Is there anything you want to say?”
“…? Not particularly.”
“Hmm, I see~”
Keun Se-jin said in passing.
“Well, let me know if you think of anything.”
“…….”
That… wasn’t that the kind of thing you’d say when you were certain I had something to say?
‘This guy isn’t the type to say something like that for no reason.’
I lifted my body from the backrest.
“What are you….”
It was then.
Clunk!
The front door of the car opened.
A staff member wearing a hat climbed into the driver's seat. Because he got in so quickly, I couldn't check properly, but excluding everyone else, only one person remained.
‘It must be the manager.’
No, wait.
The manager from earlier… wasn’t he wearing black staff clothes?
Ryu Cheong-woo, next to me, called out.
“Excuse me?”
But the staff member didn't answer, and the car started immediately after.
“……?”
Who the hell is this guy?
I checked the front again.
‘…No member is in the passenger seat.’
Since we piled the luggage in the passenger seat, everyone was sitting in the back.
But to start the engine without showing his face or answering….
“……!!”
Holy shit, no way.
I immediately whispered to the seats next to and in front of me.
“Everyone, get out.”
“What?”
“I said open the door right now…!”
It was at that moment.
“Hyung-nim? Manager Kim Jun, is that you?”
“……!”
Keun Se-jin in the front seat calmly spoke to convey information.
And that meant… the guy in front was the former manager.
The one who was fired from the company a few days ago thanks to the call recording.
‘Fuck.’
No matter how I thought about it, his intentions were definitely not good.
Vroooooom!!
Furthermore, the problem was that this bastard had started driving the car.
And at a terrifying speed.
“Ugh.”
“Hyung-nim, hyung-nim? Just a moment… please calm down.”
“Calm down my ass, you fuckers!!”
The former manager suddenly let go of the steering wheel and whipped his head around.
Screeeech!
The car came to a halt right after leaving the parking lot.
In the middle of the road, in the dead of night.
‘This crazy bastard.’
Honk!
Late at night. A car driving right behind us swerved past with a deafening honk.
“…….”
Cold sweat poured down.
The engine was still running. If I tried to open the door and get out now and he started driving, I could end up with an injury that would require hospitalization.
I immediately checked if there was anything in the back seat I could throw forward.
I had to drag this bastard out right now.
“You, you guys. Huh? Does it feel good to blackmail someone with a recording? Huh?”
The former manager spat as he spoke.
“I came here specifically to get an answer, so tell me. Is this my fault? Huh? Where do you get off firing someone just for one wrong word….”
“It was my fault.”
“……!”
I had to calm this piece of shit down first. I immediately cut in and answered submissively.
“There was a hacking attempt on the cloud account, so I handed it over to the company. It seems they saw it while playing the recording to verify it….”
“…….”
“It’s definitely not what we wanted. They probably told you whatever they wanted while forming the dedicated team.”
“…….”
He wavered. Thank god he was a moron.
Keun Se-jin cut in right from the side.
“Hyung-nim, we’re sorry we couldn’t speak up for you more strongly. We thought you had been scouted and left. We’ll go back and talk to them right away, okay?”
Ryu Cheong-woo, next to me, was intentionally keeping his mouth shut. It seemed he knew that he was the one who had provoked the manager at the end.
However, he was holding a book in his hand. It looked like he was planning to throw it if necessary.
‘If it doesn’t work this time, we really have to throw it.’
I watched the reaction of the lunatic in the driver's seat intently.
The guy huffed and puffed, and finally took the bait.
“…So, you’re saying you’ll get me reinstated?”
“Of course!”
“We will definitely make a strong case to the company.”
“Yes, yes.”
Sensing the atmosphere softening slightly, the members chimed in eagerly.
And in the corner of the front seat, Bae Se-jin was silently sending a text to 112 with his hand behind his back.
“…….”
It was the moment the former manager was about to put his hand back on the steering wheel.
‘It worked.’
If we could just get him to pull over to the shoulder and ask to let us call the company….
It was at that moment.
“…Huh?”
K-BOOOOOOM!
…A massive noise erupted from behind.
Along with a vibration.
No, could this even be called a vibration?
This was… an impact.
A massive impact that started with the vibration sent my body flying forward.
‘Fuck!’
It was a rear-end collision.
And in that split second, I saw it.
Amidst the shattering car body and seats, and the deploying airbags, a broken part was about to fall and impale someone’s head.
Something sharp and massive.
‘……!’
Without thinking, I lunged my body to knock the part away.
Because I thought I could do it.
Of course, it was madness.
Thud.
Instead of catching the part, it pierced through my chest as I sat there buckled in.
The impact tore through my chest.
“Gah.”
And everything went dark.
When I regained consciousness.
In my black vision and my head ringing with a roar, a small light flickered.
Ting—.
Something round and glowing gold cut through the black void and bounced up.
And as it slowly fell… its outline became clear.
A gold coin.
‘…A coin.’
[Insert Coin]
The status window that appeared… swallowed the coin like a slot.
And then.
“Haaah!!”
I… I.
I opened my eyes while looking at a moldy motel ceiling.
Just like some time two and a half years ago.
“…….”
It was a ceiling I knew… one that was hard to forget,
‘No.’
There was no way.
I lifted my head and looked around. A musty-smelling blanket fell to my feet.
It was the same scenery I had seen once… no.
‘Is it a hallucination?’
Is there another interpretation… some other way to understand this….
“Right.”
I staggered out of bed. Then, almost crawling, I moved toward the vanity.
And… I saw it.
“……!!”
Reflected in the mirror… was not Park Moon-dae.
It was me. Ryu Gun-woo.
…A sight I hadn't seen in two and a half years.
A hollow laugh escaped me.
“No.”
Even if I came back, it should be as Park Moon-dae.
Why would I wake up in the motel room where Park Moon-dae had been? It made no sense. It wasn't natural, it was inconsistent and….
‘As if a status window appearing and entering someone else’s body makes perfect sense, right?’
“Shut up.”
I slammed my head against the vanity.
And I muttered.
“Status window.”
But nothing happened.
I shouted again.
“Status… window. Status window, status window….”
Please, something….
Ding.
“……!”
A window… appeared before my eyes.
But it wasn't the status window I knew.
[Name: Ryu Gun-woo (Park Moon-dae)]
That was it.
“…….”
I sat down, leaning my back against the bed.
And as calmly as possible, in a way that wouldn't be self-justification… I reviewed the situation a few more times.
After that, I reached a conclusion.
‘This is… a dream.’
That I had likely fallen into a coma.