Chapter 418
Chapter 418
Regardless of how the variety show turned out, there was something I had to focus on first.
The performance.
“Thank you!”
I lifted my head. Along with the voice ringing from the microphone next to me, the choreography for our debut song, ‘Hi-five,’ came to an end.
It was the final encore song.
Waaaaaaa—! Waaaaaaagh!
The heat, the cheers, the lights—the vibrations pulsed through my body.
…It’s been a while.
Sweat trickled down my temples.
I slowly closed and opened my eyes, taking in the sea of light filling the massive plaza.
In truth, a tour isn't particularly helpful for building public recognition or fame, as it isn't heavily exposed to the media. Since we were essentially harvesting the recognition we’d already earned through ticket sales, agencies treated it as a cash cow.
However, once you’re actually on stage, it’s hard to dismiss it so coldly.
“Huff.”
I’m… getting goosebumps.
In fact, it made me wonder if my priorities hadn't been flipped. Wasn't the whole point of raising our profile just to gather an audience who would watch and listen to this?
“Thank you!”
The surging adrenaline made me think foolish thoughts. I roughly wiped my forehead.
“See you again!!”
“See ya!”
The tour, our first in a long time, fired up the group’s atmosphere regardless of who it was. To the point that someone shouted this the moment we stepped backstage.
“I believe today’s performance was exceptionally high-quality and executed without a single mistake!”
“Mhm, I think so too…!”
The two-day Singapore concert received rave reviews from the group’s two resident perfectionists.
Checking the camera that had entered right on cue, I nodded.
“I guess we can enjoy the healing course tomorrow without feeling guilty.”
“Exactly!”
The variety show crew’s cameras moved excitedly among the members as they caught their breath and joked around.
“Ah~ but no matter how much I think about it, isn't this a dream schedule? Meeting fans, performing excitedly, then boom—healing! And then back to performing~”
It was a perfect introductory line, the kind you’d hear in a variety show teaser. He probably knew that when he said it.
“Tell me just between us for now, what did our Yu-jin and Moon-dae-moon-dae pick?”
“It’s a secret. I want to see the members’ faces when they scream!”
“Oh~ sounds luxurious?”
“Yeah, we spent a lot of the budget.”
“I knew it!”
Keun Se-jin laughed and slapped me and Cha Yu-jin on the back.
I decided to keep the truth about where that budget was actually spent to myself for the sake of a good reaction later.
“Great job, everyone!”
And that night at midnight, when the guys—who had gathered for late-night snacks for the first time in a while—were keeping their eyes wide open to fight off sleep, the PD finally burst in.
Ding-dong.
“Oh my goodness, were you all gathered here waiting for us?”
“Ah, we usually share a room once a week when we’re on tour to bond.”
“Party tonight~”
“No way, is this the first time you’re revealing that to Loviewers? This is why~~ the fans feel left out!”
He was right, but he had a talent for making it sound annoying.
“I’ll fix that.”
“First, if we’re going to talk about it, I’ll prepare a proof shot.”
When I responded even more politely, as if filming an apology video, even the camera director struggled to hold back a laugh.
Very variety-show-like.
The proceedings continued in that pleasant atmosphere.
“Now, shall we give a round of applause to yourselves for successfully finishing the concert in the first country of the tour?”
“Wooooo!”
Smiles were plastered on the guys' faces as they laughed and clapped. Those were genuine.
“Moon-dae-ssi, this is the first time since we started filming that you’ve smiled so brightly and sincerely.”
“I always smile with all my heart.”
“Aw, come on~ last time you couldn't smile sincere— I’m sorry. Moon-dae-ssi, it’s a joke. My bad.”
Cut it out.
With the writers’ laughter in the background, the PD finally got to the point.
“Now then, our ‘Sejin-ies’ were first, right?”
“Ye-ep~”
The PD showed the camera the plan submitted earlier by a grinning Keun Se-jin and a seriously nodding Bae Se-jin.
“In here! Is the healing course you two selected.”
Since the tour took us to various countries, the order was fixed to ensure smooth travel destination selection.
Their turn was Indonesia.
When I thought of ‘healing,’ keywords like yachts, snorkeling, and beaches came to mind. I lowered my hands and waited quietly.
The PD shouted energetically.
“Now, drumroll please~ The Sejin-ies’ healing course, the title is—!”
“Drrrrrrrrrrr!”
The PD opened the file with an exaggerated gesture.
However, the moment he read the contents, the energy vanished from his face like magic.
“PD-nim?”
A question mark seemed to float over the PD’s face as he stared into the file, and then a bewildered voice spoke.
“…Active Volcano Climbing?”
“……”
“……”
Wait.
“Ah, climbing is good.”
That’s just your opinion, Ryu Cheong-woo.
When I turned my head, Bae Se-jin spoke seriously, his face turning bright red.
“…TeSTAR’s next tour destination is Indonesia, and there are many famous volcanoes there.”
“I thought everyone else would do something luxurious~ so we decided to save money and build up our stamina!”
“Stamina is the most important thing on tour.”
“……”
I realized it then.
These guys took a sharp turn to avoid fighting.
Since their hobbies didn't match, they seemed to have made a bizarre, high-speed dash toward the only thing their values aligned on.
Work.
“I see. That is a very meaningful idea!”
Since Kim Rae-bin had already blurted out that line, anyone who complained now would be branded a slacker with no professional mindset.
Is ‘healing’ dead?
Watching the guys nod, saying it was a choice worthy of professional idols, I started to think something was wrong.
If so, our team’s choice… wait.
But I soon changed my mind after looking at the members of the next team.
It’s the Ryu Cheong-woo and Seon A-hyun combo, after all.
They’d have a decent course… wait, I was a bit suspicious that Ryu Cheong-woo might have brought up hiking again.
So I asked the PD outright.
“By any chance, is there any overlap in our choices?”
“…No, Moon-dae-ssi, really, I’m just checking this for the first time too. I didn't peek!”
Do you want to ruin the show? Stop lying.
“…Ah, of course, our Writer Lee checked beforehand just to make sure there were no overlaps!”
The writer, who was covering her face, gave an ‘OK’ sign with her fingers. I couldn't see her expression because her face was covered… but anyway, it probably wasn't a lie. I decided to adjust my expectations.
…A bit of a rollercoaster vibe isn't bad.
I was worried about the ratings anyway, so this was actually for the best.
After squeezing in some PPL for a lodging reservation app on the spot, we got some deep sleep and left for Indonesia the very next day.
And we truly did start hiking Mount Batur.
“The weather is great!”
“……Wow.”
I take back what I said about it being for the best. Even after being an idol for four years, Park Moon-dae’s body, even with stat boosts, had less stamina than Ryu Gun-woo’s.
In that sense, if I thought of this as stamina training, the cost-effectiveness wasn't bad, but…
I looked to my side.
“The scenery is… really pretty. Right…?”
“Cooool.”
“……”
Behind the former athletes who were walking with light steps.
Bae Se-jin was trudging along with an expression like he was walking his own personal path of atonement.
If he was going to be like that, why on earth did he pick hiking? And why did I have to take collective responsibility for his choice?
Is this… healing?
Regardless, the view from the top, which I saw through gritted teeth, was indeed spectacular.
So, just as I thought we could wrap up the healing shots with that.
“It’s a night hike tomorrow, everyone. Excited?”
“Wow.”
“You can see the blue glow on the volcano at night, and they say it looks just like hellfire.”
“……”
“We’re getting some precious shots. Thank you, Sejin-ssi-s~ Oh? There’s a hot spring right in front of us, but you didn't… make a reservation? Oh my~ because you were thinking of the budget!”
Even Keun Se-jin’s facial muscles almost twitched.
Since their opinions kept clashing anyway, they probably tried to capture both spectacles and a solid main goal, anticipating that it would be compressed into 30 minutes for WeTube content.
That judgment was sharp, but humanly, it seemed difficult to endure the PD’s insane gloating.
That guy couldn't even crack a joke.
I could see the writers watching the sinking of the ‘variety-type human’ with delighted faces. I could already see how the editing would go.
“Sejin-ssi?”
“…Ah~ it’s great!”
Too late.
“It’s great, right? It was your choice!”
“I’m happy!”
“It’s good!”
Is this the army?
We finished the night hike the next day and rock climbing on the last day, then spent the entire following day holed up in the hotel sleeping. It was only a relief that we didn't have muscle pain since our job involved using our bodies. They probably calculated that too.
Still, on the faces of the guys who gathered again after rehearsals and the concert…
Please, let it be healing!
It seemed to be written right there.
Yeah. Unless you’re a hiking enthusiast, three days of hiking is not healing.
“Now, now, everyone, cheer up. We have to go to the healing course!”
“Yes, sir!”
I nodded and stared at the file the PD was taking.
The next destination is… the UK.
The flight path was a bit tangled due to the venue schedule, but it was actually better. Surely they wouldn't go mountain climbing in the UK.
They won't say something crazy like climbing Big Ben, right?
“Now~ ‘Happy Trip,’ it’s Cheong-woo-ssi and A-hyun-ssi’s team, right?”
“Yes…!”
“I’ll open it right away~ Right now!”
[Horror Experience]
“……”
“……”
Seriously… no, for real?
“There are a few famous horror theme parks in the UK, so we picked those.”
“Since it’s summer, we thought this would be the best way to beat the heat… We thought everyone would want to do something fun since they’d be resting.”
Ryu Cheong-woo gave a bashful smile, saying he didn't expect hiking to be the first course.
“Your bodies will be comfortable, guys. Don't worry.”
Only our bodies will be comfortable.
“Mhm, and this…!”
I reflexively took several tickets that Seon A-hyun pulled out of the file and handed to me.
They looked handmade, with crayon marks on them.
What’s this?
I flipped a ticket over.
[Experience Exemption Ticket]
He’d even drawn flower patterns on it.
“If it’s too scary, you don't have to do it. You don't have to force yourself…!”
“Right, participation is voluntary.”
But why are you only giving them to me?
“I mean, if Moon-dae doesn't want to do it while we’re there….”
“I’ll do it.”
“Huh?”
“I said I’ll do it.”
Who… who would use this in this situation?
I returned the tickets with superhuman patience.
I’m going to study up beforehand.
While planning to push both Cha Yu-jin, who was clapping, and Keun Se-jin, who was roaring with laughter, right in front of the ghost actors.
And… I’ll just say we spent our time in the UK with nothing good except the performances.
At this point, I gave up on the plan.
“Hey, Moon-dae-hyung! [What do you think about the fact that we’re the only ones who planned a true ‘healing’ course?]”
I didn't even flinch when Cha Yu-jin said that backstage after the concert.
“…It’s a shame.”
“Right!”
I decided not to bother telling him that it was only ‘healing’ for him.
It would be revealed within 30 minutes anyway.
“First of all, your UK performance was so~ good. Our staff came back with hearts in their eyes!”
“Hehe!”
“Thank you! Thank you!”
This time, the production crew, who had even watched the concert, joined in with beaming smiles.
I wondered if they were planning to ambitiously milk the view count, considering the cost of sending them on overseas business trips every week.
Anyway, the PD finally called the long-awaited team.
“Now. This turn is… oh, Yu-jin-ssi and Moon-dae-ssi’s team.”
“Yeah~”
I didn't refuse Cha Yu-jin’s request to high-five. I just hoped it would be funny.
“The team name is very avant-garde. It’s… ‘I Will Do What I Want.’”
The PD caught the editing point, made a gesture as if telling them to insert sound effects, and continued.
I mimicked the PD’s gesture. Bae Se-jin looked at me with disbelief.
“Oh~ and according to Writer Lee, you spent much more of the budget than the previous teams!”
“Ooh!”
“Luxury!”
Cheers erupted.
“Now. Then, the fantastic healing course that will unfold in ‘Mexico’ is….”
The PD flipped the file. A massive title was revealed.
[Great White Shark Cage Experience]
“…You get into a cage, go down to the seabed… and meet Great White Sharks.”
“……”
A hellish silence fell for a moment.
“That… the thing from the thriller movies?”
I stayed still for a moment, then finally admitted it.
“Yes.”
“Hey!”
Bae Se-jin shouted.
“Park Moon-dae, you’re the same!”
“You—you said let’s see Great White Sharks up close, so why did you nag me so much about hiking!”
Cha Yu-jin responded to his namesake who was screaming. This guy was dead serious.
“We don't use our stamina. We picked something fun to play! Everyone else picked weird things!”
“How is being trapped in a cage to meet sharks a fun game? It’ll be fun for the sharks…!”
“Listen.”
I opened my mouth.
“Originally, healing is a combination of recovery, emotion, and laughter.”
“…And?”
“Our team took charge of the laughter part.”
“……”
Bae Se-jin spoke with a blank expression.
“You know that’s total nonsense, right…?”
Yep.
Ryu Cheong-woo spoke with a gentle smile.
“In the end… no one picked a healing course where we could just rest.”
“……”
“……”
It was the end of the healing-less healing trip.
“No, what do you mean it’s ruined! You made such excellent choices for a variety show!”
I wanted to smack that PD’s mouth.
“And we have the last one too~ Rae-bin-ssi!”
The name of the guy with the strongest workaholic tendencies in the group was called.
“Yes!”
“Since it’s come to this, let’s take a look at Rae-bin-ssi’s course in advance too!”
He was excited.
I rubbed my temples, already guessing what kind of ending it would be, but….
[Starry Night Massage Experience]
Plan:
Move to a beautiful plateau by a lake via horseback riding, then enjoy an aroma campfire and a full course of chef-prepared dishes.
Afterward, watch the Milky Way in the warm outdoor breeze while receiving a professional massage.
Then, sleep after a hot spring bath.
“……”
“I’m sorry. Everyone else chose courses that highlighted the characteristics of each country and the team’s personality while contributing to our duties as idols, but I alone tried to excessively recreate my last vacation….”
“I love you, Rae-bin.”
“Kim Rae-bin is the best.”
“…??”
And so, TeSTAR vowed to enjoy the promised final healing course and went off to see sharks….
For the record, the first episode was released the very next day.
A healing-less healing trip.
…For the first time, I began to fear the fans’ reactions to what kind of feedback this insane variety show would receive.