Chapter 451
Chapter 451
Keun-dal was currently facing an unexpectedly extreme situation.
He thought he could finally breathe easy once he returned to his original body, but an unforeseen obstacle had appeared.
"It’s been a while."
A person in the next seat suddenly acting like they knew him.
It was the kind of situation that made cold sweat pour down his back, making him want to send an SOS to anyone who would listen.
To make matters worse, he couldn't even flee the audience section while holding this camera.
"But it must be hard to work a second job as a data seller after getting a real one."
"..."
"Well, you know how it is."
I don't know...!
He didn't understand the context of the conversation at all!
The person was likely an old acquaintance of Ryu Gun-woo, but he couldn't be sure.
Is she... a data seller too? Someone from back then?
However, he couldn't call for Park Moon-dae. TeSTAR’s performance was about to begin. He couldn't disrupt their first comeback stage over something like this.
So, he repeated to himself:
If I... were Gun-woo hyung!
What would he have done in this situation?
He racked his brain harder than he ever had since that life-or-death exam.
...Let's keep words to a minimum!
Then, he answered calmly.
"...I'm not trying to sell them for money. It's just a hobby now."
"Is that so?"
It seemed like an appropriate response!
Fortunately, the person seemed to accept it, as no more personal questions followed.
...I got through it!
Keun-dal let out a sigh of relief, but in reality, Ryu Seo-jin, sitting next to him, was thinking to herself, He’s softened up a bit.
Attributing it to the peace of mind that comes from a stable bank account, she asked another question.
"Oh, are you shooting TeSTAR too?"
"...Yes."
"Who do you usually focus on?"
"Moon-dae."
This was an answer he could give without a shred of hesitation.
Then... he saw the person next to him nod.
"Your eye for market value is as good as ever."
"..."
That was an unusual choice of words. Keun-dal was almost certain now.
This person is a data seller!
And Ryu Seo-jin also reached her own conclusion.
He’s definitely still selling data.
It was a perfect misunderstanding.
It was then.
[...Please welcome them now!]
The MC’s introduction ended.
At that moment, as if by prior agreement, both of them reacted.
Ah, it's starting.
The two TeSTAR fans, each mistakenly believing the other was a data seller, turned their gaze toward the stage in unison.
As the white awards-ceremony lights dimmed, the intro finally began to flow.
It's Savior!
Keun-dal gripped his camera, his heart pounding. He planned to watch with his own eyes and only snap a few shots.
Click.
Blue and red lights flared on stage. They immediately pierced down toward TeSTAR, who had already taken their formation in the center.
Their outfits were ornate coats inspired by traditional dopo.
Hngh.
He couldn't believe he had seen this up close beforehand.
The intro was so familiar he practically had it memorized.
Park Moon-dae took a large stride forward, cutting through the massive stage to pierce the air as the song began.
The thrill of hearing those high notes live on-site.
Wow...
Keun-dal stared at the stage, feeling as if his heart were being electrified.
This version of 'Savior' had been rearranged into something closer to retro rock, giving it a strangely modern yet classic feel.
The points where the band sound and orchestral sound intersected made his heart race instinctively.
Rae-bin is truly a genius...
Keun-dal, who had become somewhat acquainted with Kim Rae-bin through the ice cream incident and had discussed such things with him, swallowed hard.
'Savior,' which had raced forward like a runaway train and even showcased a new dance break, concluded with a grand remix befitting an awards ceremony.
"Waaaaaaaah!!"
Keun-dal was overwhelmed by the ear-splitting cheers, but he held back because he couldn't let the camera shake.
Hyung forgot to bring his lightstick...!
But the regret was short-lived.
The lights on stage shifted, and music began to flow once more.
A light interlude.
"Gasp."
...It was the new song.
Keun-dal widened his eyes.
On stage, a spotlight suddenly hit Cha Yu-jin, who had broken formation and was sitting in a corner.
With his hair partially slicked back with pomade, he was clapping while looking at the other members who had just finished 'Savior,' wearing an expression of deep impression.
Then, the members sighed and broke their formation.
"...?"
Among the members who were stretching or yawning, Bae Se-jin began to walk around holding a clipboard, making gestures as if giving instructions.
The camera captured a variety of reactions, from Seon A-hyun nodding attentively to Kim Rae-bin frowning as if annoyed.
Acting?
It was a musical or theatrical composition.
Then, a sharp whistle blew.
In an instant.
Every member on stage stopped moving and looked toward the audience.
Then, bold capital letters, looking like something out of an American comic book, appeared on the electronic display.
[PRACTICE IS OVER!!]
A sound effect like a school bell rang out. Through it, a cheerful riff melody and drum beat kicked in.
TeSTAR threw off their coats with liberated expressions and ran toward the front of the stage.
As if they were heading out to play.
Hup.
And what was visible underneath the discarded coats was...
Outfits reminiscent of 80s American high-teen fashion.
As if they each had a specific role, the compositions and accessories—from knits to jeans—differed slightly for each member.
Then, Cha Yu-jin, who had somehow picked up and thrown on a star-patterned jumper, joined them with a swagger, and they took their formal formation at the center.
"......Whew."
Finally, a caption appeared at the bottom of the screen.
[TeSTAR – POSE]
A MIDI sound mixed with mechanical effects bounced at various pitches between the tempos, like water droplets splashing.
And TeSTAR changed their formation as if bouncing their steps.
Following Cha Yu-jin’s mid-low voice, which sounded like he was showing off, a similar verse melody continued with Park Moon-dae’s raspy high notes.
The tempo rose.
A mirror ball spun above the stage.
Between those brilliant lights, light and fast, complex steps fell perfectly into place.
And in contrast, there were upper-body movements that used the fingers and entire arms—moves that looked 'easy to follow' and caught the eye immediately.
TeSTAR flashed on stage like a symbol of color, light, and youthful bravado.
The song raced forward cheerfully, following the dazzling steps of disco, as if it would soar upward forever.
The moment the pre-chorus passed, the melody shifted into a catchy minor key, and the bass dropped.
The sound of an engine.
Then, a chorus closer to hip-hop exquisitely tied the retro sounds together with a modern composition.
In the refrain, Kim Rae-bin, who stepped forward while kicking his feet, rapped with a popping rhythm.
Black fashion, reminiscent of EMO or Goth styles, added to the atmosphere.
Off-beat electronic sounds flew like they were dancing over a heavy rock bass.
Cha Yu-jin, who had thrown off his jacket, changed formation while performing steps like a Latin dance.
That part, which used the catchiest melody, was clearly the chorus to anyone listening.
And then, a section where the riff melody raced without vocals.
Lee Se-jin, with his hair pushed back, came forward with a smirk. After appearing to high-five Ryu Cheong-woo, he performed a solo dance in the center. That was...
Ah.
It was actually a move from their debut song, 'High Five'!
That was it. TeSTAR had set aside an interlude section in the performance where they could take turns adding ad-libs.
The members followed Lee Se-jin’s movements joyfully, as if laughing at them, yet skillfully, naturally transitioning into the next move.
Park Moon-dae, wearing light-colored jeans and a short denim jacket, slid into the center on his knees as he sang the final line.
Bang!
Confetti exploded.
The LED screen glowed like fireworks.
Until the very end, the choreography was cheerful and clean. And it overflowed with power.
Naturally, as if by reflex, ear-splitting screams erupted from the audience.
"Waaaaaaaaa!!!"
"Aaaack!"
It was a song like a party.
It had every element people would expect from a popular boy group.
The fluttering confetti seemed to predict the future.
...It’s really good!
Keun-dal was moved all over again. Because of that, he realized a beat late.
The person next to him was firing off continuous shots with her camera like crazy, while he was just standing there blankly holding his.
Oh, right, the photos!
He had to take some now!
It was just as he hurriedly raised the camera to his eye.
[Keun-dal.]
Huh?
Keun-dal looked up reflexively.
A pop-up was glowing calmly.
[There’s something I want to show you.]
It was Moon-dae hyung.
......The one currently on that stage!
It’s done.
The comeback... seems to have been a success.
I remained in the ending pose, kneeling on the stage. The other guys were the same.
"Huff."
I was out of breath, but none of us would be huffing and puffing here.
No matter how pressed for time an awards ceremony was, there were always a few seconds for the ending shot of a group that was essentially today's headliner.
And a few more seconds after the stage lights went out immediately following that ending shot.
The timing when I sent the pop-up to Keun-dal was at an exquisite moment somewhere in between.
[Uh, is there something you want to show me?]
Yes.
I took a deep breath and murmured.
Try sharing my vision.
The pop-up flickered as if puzzled, but soon it seemed to connect to my senses as I requested.
And then.
[...Wow!]
It seemed he had finally seen my field of vision.
This is...
I wasn't sure if I should call it majestic or overwhelming.
Including the standing area, nearly 20,000 lights were undulating in every direction.
It was a landscape close to the awe inspired by nature.
The view from the darkened stage sparkled even more brightly. It was likely akin to the feeling of being amidst a sea of stars pouring down in the middle of the ocean at night.
To think I’d use such a metaphor.
I let out a small laugh, and Keun-dal seemed quite excited.
[It’s so cool! Wow! But thinking that those are all people makes it a bit scary too... anyway, thank you! This is a first for me!]
Right.
And then I said what I needed to say.
Thanks.
[...]
[Why, why? Uh... because I acted well today?]
It’s not quite that...
Because this is a view I’m seeing thanks to you.
[...??]
I stood up as a hand lightly tapped my shoulder, and I gazed at the stage once more.
I revisited a fact I had realized anew.
Why does Young-rin remember me?
There must be many reasons. Her own professional character, or perhaps because there weren't many cameras back then since I was a nobody.
But...
If I had to pick, I think the meaning that fancam held was significant.
The opportunity to succeed as an idol.
The impression and feelings toward the person who pushed that opportunity forward.
In that sense, this guy is actually the most direct supporter who pushed for the opportunity for me to see this view as an idol.
From a time when I couldn't even imagine I would become like this.
I spoke slowly.
You said there was nothing I couldn't achieve among the things I had... but that’s not true.
Because I was going to die.
If this guy hadn't wanted my survival, and if he hadn't stubbornly remained as a status window to support me so I could pass the idol missions, this was a view I never would have seen.
So, I wanted to show you this at least once.
[.......]
That this is the view you gave me.
I can't make him perform on stage, but I thought we could at least look at this much together.
[.......]
The pop-up couldn't display any words for several seconds.
However, I somehow felt that he must have given a small nod from the audience.
"Moon-dae, we have to head down."
"Yes."
I turned my head and began to walk off the stage, leaving the audience behind.
Only then did Keun-dal’s pop-up appear again.
[I’m incredibly happy.]
I smirked.
I felt as if everything was going to turn out just right.
That must have been why. The fact that I checked this first, even before monitoring, as soon as I stepped off the stage.
...The Mission Failure pop-up.
And the result was...
'Park Moon-dae (1 / 2)', 'Ryu Gun-woo (2 / 2)'
[Target 'Park Moon-dae (1 / 2)' Lost]
[Target 'Ryu Gun-woo (2 / 2)' Lost]
[Released]
I succeeded.
[Mission Failure Scenario Complete]
Victory: Player Park Moon-dae (Ryu Gun-woo)
Reward: Fragment of ■■■ 2 (2/4)
I clenched my fist.
Good.
However, a new pop-up rose above the previous one.
As if it had been waiting for me to check.
[Fragment of ■■■ 2/4]
[Conditions Met!]
[Forming ■■■]
"...!"
...Forming?
In an instant, a very ominous prediction crossed my mind.
From the circumstances, ■■■ seemed to be the thing I called the system, no matter how I looked at it. ...If that was the case.
Don't tell me the system is being recreated just like this...
So it ends with the shitty result that I diligently helped this bastard so he could run wild again?
Fuck.
No way.
I stopped in my tracks.
"Park Moon-dae?"
"Hyung, are you hurt??"
Wait.
I took a deep breath and stared at the pop-up. I had to confirm exactly what was happening.
However, it... ended by changing into a completely unexpected phrase.
[■■■ (ver. Beta) Binding Complete!]
[Owner: Player Park Moon-dae (Ryu Gun-woo)]
"..."
Owner?
The system... is mine?
At the same time.
On an internet stock discussion board.
==========================
[Last chance to escape]
T1 Ent
A major negative event will break in February. Sell everything now.
==========================
After receiving a few upvotes, the post was swept away by even more downvotes without causing much controversy.
However, no one expected that a short while later, a screenshot of this post would circulate across the entire internet as a "sacred pilgrimage" site.
...It was the sign of a typhoon.