Chapter 438
Chapter 438
A college senior I used to get drinks from suddenly appears as my fan in a video call.
And at this very moment, my job is being an idol.
It’s incredibly disconcerting.
However, my mouth, tempered by years of professional experience, says exactly what it should.
“…Yes. Seo-jin Noona.”
[Yes.]
This is driving me crazy.
Seeing Ryu Seo-jin’s satisfied face on the screen only made me more uneasy.
Granted, it was thanks to remembering something she said during a drinking session that I successfully managed to get cast for the Idol Inc. karaoke segment.
‘Did that senior… even like idols?’
I was too busy trying to make a living to care about the tastes of my fellow club members, but as far as I knew, she mostly took photos for her portfolio.
She definitely never gave me any side jobs to take photos for her.
And yet…
‘Was she just… keeping it a secret for the sake of her social life?’
She wasn't just a fan; she was a fansite master.
"PuppyBear," the account that posted photos of Lee Se-jin and Park Moon-dae, was a name I recognized—a high-profile account known for producing top-tier shots.
‘Judging by the posting intervals and the way the account is run, TeSTAR definitely wasn't her first idol group.’
I don’t know if I just didn't notice because I wasn't interested, or if she was just that good at hiding it.
Anyway.
‘…No wonder the compositions looked exceptionally natural.’
Was it because we learned the same things in the club? No, let’s stop there.
‘Focus on the work. Work.’
I have to think of her as a grateful fan who participated in this event.
I can’t let any strange vibes slip into a real-time video call that’s being recorded.
‘If I think of her strictly as a fan….’
But even then, I have a question: why did she submit a story for me?
Instead of Keun Se-jin.
‘I thought she liked Keun Se-jin and was just taking photos of me, the rank 1 member, to expand her reach.’
Then I realized how it happened.
‘…Because they rushed the process, they didn't put a limit of one application per member.’
With her meticulous personality, she probably created a tailored story for every single member and submitted them all.
In a situation like this, a Journalism and Mass Communication major has an absolute advantage.
…And the story this senior—no, this fan—submitted to me was…
—I, who chose a career path similar to my older sister’s back in high school, will I finally be able to accept and love myself now?
She had written a very plausible story, comparing her competition with her sister and her low self-esteem to my experience of debuting at rank 1 through a survival show.
Naturally, the identity of that "older sister" is Ryu Seo-rin, the writer for Idol Inc.
[First of all, my sister is someone with a very strong sense of purpose and great drive.]
Yeah, I agree.
I almost flinched, thinking of that notorious writer who was a master of clickbait and drama.
However, I didn't let it show and nodded quite seriously.
“She sounds like a wonderful person.”
I’m honestly impressed with myself.
[Yes. That’s why I think it was a bit hard for me to work in the same field. I kept comparing myself to her.]
Without even blinking, Ryu Seo-jin continued to pour out her story, reconstructed with the skill of a Journalism major. It was essentially a fictionalized bio.
Still, since the general flow was clear, it was easy for me to respond.
“I think I felt the same way when I first went on the idol survival show and looked at the other participants.”
As I calmly rode that flow, it started to feel more like a scripted broadcast, and I began to feel more at ease.
By the time we reached the end, I had completely regained my pace.
“…Seeing how you’re sharing your concerns like this, I believe you have just as much drive as she does, Seo-jin Noona.”
It ended with a cliché but beautiful conclusion: that she should believe in herself more and that it’s okay not to compare herself to those around her.
And the fan on the screen listened intently, even though it was just a typical broadcast-style feedback from an idol in response to a story that was basically a "self-intro novel."
“…….”
Right.
Senior or not, I shouldn't forget the fact that this person is a hardcore fan who willingly spends her time and money on me…
[Then, could I possibly get a 'Fighting!' in Moon-dae’s puppy version?]
The corners of my mouth twitch.
“…Of course.”
‘Goddammit, seriously.’
I don’t know what to call this. Humiliation?
“Fighting!”
Nevertheless, I willingly pinched one of my cheeks and fluttered my hands above my head to cheer her on.
My mind went blank, but after performing a few more of those typical fansign motions, the first call ended successfully.
—Click!
“…….”
I feel like I’ve been turned to ash.
My energy was completely drained, so I lay down on the floor for a moment. The staff didn't stop me. However, the door suddenly burst open.
“Moon-dae, Moon-dae! This is fun, isn't it? It’s kind of meaningful, too~”
The guy who was doing his calls in the next room shouted excitedly, as if he had been waiting outside the door.
“I just talked to your fan.”
“…??”
If he had come in just a bit sooner, she would have gotten even more value for the time she spent submitting that story. What a shame.
I was a bit horrified at first, but the work itself wasn't anything difficult.
Sitting in a pension with staff and talking to fans for a few minutes? I’d do it even if I wasn't getting paid.
In fact, each member was only assigned seven fans. To get enough footage for the concert VCR, they had agreed to take that many and hope to get one or two good clips.
‘They could have picked a few more.’
The schedule was a 5 to 10-minute call per person with a 10-minute break in between, so it would be over in two hours. For all the effort they put into setting this up, it felt like they weren't milking it enough.
I smiled at the screen and nodded.
[Moon-dae, have you ever had a hard time living in the dorm?]
I know there’s no malice behind the question, even if any answer is a potential minefield.
“Hmm… when a bug appeared once, the members wouldn't let me into the room, so we all ended up sleeping in the living room together.”
My answer was a non-sequitur that seemed relevant.
[No way! Who?]
Good, she took the bait.
I finished another video call by sharing an anecdote like that.
I mostly selected stories that people could easily empathize with, choosing those with a clear cause-and-effect structure at random.
Because of that, about half the people were like the one before—people who had never even imagined talking to an idol—so it was quite a fresh experience.
Of course, there were some familiar faces as well.
Surprisingly, the first fansite master appeared around the fourth or fifth call.
[Oh my god, hi Moon-dae!]
“Is your story about how you’ve started liking another idol instead of me?”
[…?! N-No…??]
It was a joke. Her story was about debating whether to drop out of high school due to career issues and problems with a friend.
However, less than three minutes in, it drifted away from a counseling session and into a typical fansign-style chat, but I kept the conversation going without cutting her off.
[Thank you so much, Moon-dae! Seriously, let’s see each other again!]
I just felt like doing that.
And I felt it anew.
‘…Has it been a while?’
It had been a long time since I’d done something like this as TeSTAR. It felt like well over a year.
Even after returning from breaking the system, we hadn't released an album and had only been touring.
Doing something that made me directly feel like I was a part of TeSTAR brought up fresh emotions.
“…….”
Well, let’s not hold back and keep working hard. I quietly sat through a hair touch-up and then stared at the smartphone again.
It was already the last counseling session.
And this person was…
[H-Hello! Oh, what do I do!]
“…!”
The face reflected on the screen was one I had seen a few days ago.
A person I had seen by the light of a lightstick between dark concrete walls.
“…Hello.”
The fan who was a graduate student.
[This is the first time I’ve ever won something like this!]
She had a bright face, showing no sign of having experienced a collapsed building. I clenched my hand tightly under the table and then let go.
The excited fan poured out her personal stories before even getting to her concern.
It was a story I already knew. Because they were words I had heard beyond the walls of the collapsing storage room back then.
She must have been this bright and optimistic by nature.
I spoke without thinking.
“…So you’re a graduate student.”
[Yes!]
It was a concern about her studies, so I had chosen it thinking that hearing from Park Moon-dae, who had taken the GED, might provide a new perspective.
[But I don’t recommend it….]
So it was a story about grad school.
I gave a faint smile.
“I think it’s an amazing thing to have research or studies that you want to do. So, you’re an amazing person, Noona.”
[Ughhh-heee-hee.]
She made a bit of a strange sound, but I hear that at every fansign, so I didn't mind.
I listened as sincerely as possible and reacted, just as I had with the people before her.
When I announced it was time to end, the graduate student’s face looked much more relaxed, and her eyes sparkled as she spoke.
[Thank you. Really…! To be honest, I’m still struggling with it, but I think I get the strength to overcome these worries from you and TeSTAR. Truly.]
The fan on the screen smiled brightly.
“No, I’m the one who should be thankful.”
It really wasn't bad.
It was only after I hung up that I realized this fan hadn't asked me for any specific lines or poses.
‘Oh.’
She didn't get her money's worth.
Maybe I’ll see her at a fansign next time.
Anyway, the video calls that started at 7 PM finally wrapped up near nightfall.
Once we went outside the room and filmed a simple ending shot… today’s shoot would be over.
“Great job, everyone~!”
“That was fun!”
Because the work wasn't grueling, the staff all looked cheerful. The members were the same.
“It might be good to hold fan meetings in this format occasionally. After all, standing in line at a venue doesn't really feel like a one-on-one conversation.”
“So it is a diversification of the ways we meet fans by utilizing modern civilization.”
“I… liked it…!”
They must have found it quite enjoyable.
I chuckled and scrolled through the screen to find today’s reviews.
It looked like everyone here had memorable experiences as well.
I finished reading Keun Se-jin’s "KakaoTalk Boyfriend Profile Picture Generator" reviews and Cha Yu-jin’s "Top-tier Spanish Instructor for Travelers" reviews before putting the phone away.
The last guy asked slyly.
“Moon-dae Hyung, are you happy right now?”
“Yeah.”
It’s all thanks to the guy who swiped the smartphone in the first place, so I should remember this and cook him something delicious.
And it wasn't just Cha Yu-jin; the atmosphere had somehow shifted to being right on the verge of a team dinner.
“Can we get delivery here? If not, I can go out and buy some stuff.”
“Oh, we’ll go. We were planning to head to the mart anyway.”
The donation concert staff, who had joined the conversation, volunteered to go buy pizza.
I’m grateful, but I wonder if they’re actually just running away because they don’t want to have a dinner with celebrities they aren't close to. It’s only natural for office workers.
Anyway, it was after we saw off the staff as they hurried out.
“Then let’s set the table before they get back….”
“Ohhhh, the cat is back! Let’s take responsibility for this cat!”
“Yu-jin, Bae Se-jin Hyung has a cat hair allergy….”
“Oh.”
After passing through the chaos of the cats for a moment and getting some of the dinner preparations done.
Ding-dong.
The doorbell rang. The guys who were setting out glasses all looked up at once.
“Hmm?”
“Are they back already?”
There was no way. The staff had left only ten minutes ago. The pizzas wouldn't even be in the oven yet.
‘They must have forgotten something.’
“I’ll go.”
Being the one closest to the entrance, I stepped forward.
Ding-dong.
I heard you.
I quickened my pace and grabbed the front door handle.
Click.
And through the gap of the opening door, light and sound poured in.
“Hi!”
This voice….
“Surprise~”
“Whoa, applause!”
“…!!”
I froze.
The members of VTIC, dressed in casual clothes, were standing right outside the front door of the pension.
What the hell.
“Moon-dae-ssi, hello!”
What is going on?
Cheong-ryeo smiled brightly and waved his hand.
Even as I thought it, I wondered what kind of bullshit description this was, but it was reality.
And I could see the cause behind them.
Above the cameras, bright lights were flickering. And the ones holding those lights… were the staff who had just left.
‘Oh.’
As I grasped the situation, I slowly lowered the hand that had almost balled into a fist.
Actually, we had agreed to do a small impromptu stage at the end of the donation concert VCR as a surprise, but…..
‘…This is how they planned to do it?’
I didn't expect us to be the ones getting surprised.
“We’re here for a special stage with TeSTAR!”
Jin Chae-yul smiled broadly and waved his hand in front of the lights.
‘Has he lost his mind because he’s in the military?’
It was a strange, somewhat irritating reunion. But still….
“……Come on in.”
“…!”
Why not?
I chuckled and stepped aside.
Let’s do it.