Chapter 522
Chapter 522
A wedding hall is usually a fairly large space.
However, because it was packed with guest seating, all sorts of decorations, and production equipment, the actual floor space was quite limited.
Naturally, this meant the congratulatory song was performed just a stone's throw away from the guests.
Thanks to this, those in the front rows could see the singers right before their eyes.
And because of this cramped layout, there were some who could see the singers up close even if they weren't in the front.
For instance, a female sociology student who had come to see her relative’s wedding.
Whoosh.
She saw tall figures turning the corner and running past the very edge of the groom’s side, right where she was sitting.
Seven men.
Dressed in sleek, custom-fit navy suits, they passed by in an instant, but it was impossible not to recognize those faces.
Faces she had only ever seen on a screen.
‘TeSTAR.’
The boy group that was arguably the most famous in the country this year.
Stepping out of the two-dimensional plane to become three-dimensional, they moved with a sense of presence and reality far more overwhelming than she had ever imagined.
The wind they kicked up as they ran even brushed against her cheek.
‘…??’
"Huh?"
"Wait, what—"
Dazed murmurs erupted around her.
She felt the same way.
In that moment, unable to properly process the situation, she was questioning if this was even real.
Ping—
Having reached the performance area in a flash, the seven men grabbed their microphones without hesitation and shouted.
[Congratulations on your marriage, CEOs of Ruin Industrial Complex!]
A mix of startled gasps and cheers broke out in an ambiguous reaction.
However, those holding the microphones didn't show a hint of amateur hesitation; they immediately smiled and spoke in clear, polished voices.
[Since this is our first time singing at a wedding, we studied hard. We heard that usually, a close acquaintance of both the bride and groom performs the song with all their heart.]
[Yes. With the hope that the two of you will continue to live a happy and joyful life together…]
[We realized that describes us perfectly! So, we’ve prepared a song with that same heart~]
It was only then that the guests finally snapped out of it.
It was TeSTAR!
‘Whoa…!’
The sociology student swallowed hard.
She had wondered before what it would feel like to see celebrities in person.
Whether they would look better or worse than they did on screen.
The conclusion? Their features were just as handsome. They were a group famous for their visuals, so that wasn't surprising.
However, a screen couldn't fully capture the unique aura a person possessed.
Their build, their looks, their expressions.
Conditions that were already top-tier had been meticulously polished and refined every single day.
The sheer destructive power of all that manifesting in reality!
‘My god.’
Seeing them from right under her nose was an incredible stroke of luck.
Just as the guest belatedly realized her seat selection was insanely good.
The solidly built Ryu Cheong-woo smiled and shifted the flow of the speech.
After mentioning what wonderful creators and partners the couple were.
[We also had the chance to participate in the amazing work the two of you created together. I’m not sure if you’re aware.]
The moment those words ended, scattered groans and screams erupted from the guest seats as if they sensed what was coming.
‘What? What are they doing?’
Up until now, TeSTAR had spoken as if they had a personal friendship with the couple. It implied they weren't there because of a roundabout favor or through their agency.
And then—
‘Come to think of it, I think TeSTAR advertised some game….’
Before that thought could even finish.
[Let’s begin!]
The accompaniment started.
The electronic guitar track began to roar through the hall with the intensity of a lightning strike.
"…??"
"Waaaaah!"
Excited screams and confused murmurs crossed paths among the guests. It was the divide between those who knew and those who didn't.
And in that moment, the song cut through all the noise in the hall.
[I'm gonna survive—
Like you did before!]
A thrilling high note.
‘Holy crap!’
The incredible volume of that clear high note was something she never expected to hear at a wedding.
At the sound of Park Moon-dae’s voice, all the questioning murmurs vanished, replaced by an explosion of cheers.
Then came the catchy intro part.
[Ash to ashes, dust to dust!
But NOT for me, not me.
I’m alive, that’s right, like—
Legends never, die!]
Cha Yu-jin winked and reached out toward the couple.
The CEO couple, unable to contain their excitement, threw their hands in the air!
‘Wait?’
It was then.
The giant white screen at the front of the hall lit up, and a video began to play.
From their days at Ruin Factory, through T1 Plays, to the current Ruin Industrial Complex.
Images of the CEOs passionately and joyfully making games while losing sleep flashed by.
This was the request Park Moon-dae had carefully made after the couple told him to 'ask for whatever you need.'
—It would be great if we could play a video during the ceremony.
A video capturing the story of the couple-to-be, commonly shown at weddings.
Combined with the unique nature of these CEOs, it had been turned into a piece of distinct content. Yet, the warmth and the depth of their relationship were conveyed just as clearly as any traditional video.
And then.
<127 Section>
The moment the trailer TeSTAR filmed appeared on the screen, even the guests who hadn't known the situation realized it.
<'Bonus book' by TeSTAR>
This was a song from the game that the couple had poured their hearts into creating together.
In other words, it was the couple’s theme song.
[That's what keeps me alive!
I chase after it fiercely,
The footsteps that will complete my life.]
TeSTAR, the screen, and the sight of the couple heated up the atmosphere with a synergistic effect.
What is the side effect of inviting a very famous celebrity to sing at a wedding?
It’s that the protagonists of the wedding can change.
The side effect where guests focus more on the singer than the couple, screaming for them, and talking only about the performance even during the meal after the ceremony.
That’s why inviting a singer who is famous as a person, rather than just having a famous song, often results in lower satisfaction than expected.
The wedding itself gets overshadowed.
[If I reach out, I can hold it.]
But in this hall, that side effect didn't exist.
What TeSTAR was singing was a work the couple had created together, a song related to their chronicle.
It was no different from singing the couple’s symbolic anthem.
Since it was also TeSTAR’s own song, the tight narrative and connection were conveyed to the audience without any sense of mismatch.
There was a clear, valid reason for TeSTAR to be the wedding singers at this ceremony.
[I will never die,
Like I did before!]
TeSTAR sang the rap parts all together and even encouraged the groom, the bride, and the guests to sing along, adding a cute touch so it wouldn't become too serious.
It was a composition that fit the festive atmosphere of a wedding perfectly.
The discrepancy in the lyrics actually brought about a sense of playfulness. Because there was a story behind it, it gained a unique charm and depth.
[Choose your way…
Choose your side.]
[Yes, choose your side!]
Furthermore, through the naturally connecting lyrics, TeSTAR transitioned from the middle of the game song into their latest hit.
'Roll the Dice.'
The song of the year that had gained complete public popularity through Waterbomb.
The fact that the couple getting married today had created the game within the album featuring that song made the attending relatives and friends quite excited.
[Just roll the dice
Trust take my side]
In that way, TeSTAR succeeded in perfectly celebrating the marriage with a song whose lyrics didn't fit the occasion at all.
Not as a TeSTAR concert, but as a wedding performance.
[Be happy!]
The three-and-a-half-minute performance ended precisely with the video.
Applause and cheers poured out for TeSTAR and the couple.
As the accompaniment stopped, the warm sense of solidarity created by the video and song began to fade, and interest in TeSTAR themselves was about to explode—but by then, TeSTAR was already making a swift exit.
"Oooooh!"
However, people who already had their smartphone cameras out continued to cheer while filming TeSTAR until they disappeared.
The guest who had been blankly clapping while watching the performance finally came to her senses.
‘Ah, me too!’
She was the one who could film this from the closest distance!
She hurriedly raised her smartphone and managed to catch TeSTAR passing right by her.
At the same time, her eyes looked directly at TeSTAR, not through the screen.
‘…Wow.’
They were the people she had seen on TV.
Cha Yu-jin smiling just enough to show his canines, Seon A-hyun with long eyelashes and flushed cheeks, and the friendly, refreshingly handsome Lee Se-jin.
Kim Rae-bin with his flashy and decadent aura, Ryu Cheong-woo with his solid frame and striking looks, and Park Moon-dae with his nonchalant, fair, and pretty face.
Even the neat face of Bae Se-jin, who was currently hot for his role in Doll Hunter.
Those handsome celebrities, whom she felt she knew personally, completely captivated her gaze.
‘Wow.’
Her throat felt tight with wonder and excitement, and she forgot to stop the video recording, holding her phone up for a long time.
And she wasn't the only one in that state.
The performance, filmed by dozens of guests, was naturally uploaded to the internet and made public.
[Everyone screamed the moment they realized who the singers were]
[TeSTAR suddenly crashing a wedding]
[TeSTAR’s wedding performance that went viral today]
Internet users were initially taken aback by the sudden flood of short videos and news without warning, but the titles were far too intriguing to ignore.
‘What is this?’
And when they clicked, they saw TeSTAR belt out a game song with an electronic track at a wedding, with the backs of the bride and groom’s heads visible as they excitedly waved their hands.
[I'm gonna survive—]
As is always the case with videos, they provided a level of objectivity that allowed people to watch from a third-party perspective, slightly removed from the actual scene.
This meant many people burst out laughing as soon as the performance started.
TeSTAR shamelessly performing a conceptual song in front of both sets of parents, and the couple responding like they were at a concert, was peak entertainment!
The situation became even more interesting as it became known that the couple were the CEOs of Ruin Industrial Complex and the history they shared with TeSTAR was revealed.
People who didn't know that the decision had been made hastily only about a week ago even praised the couple’s patience.
And just as the buzz surrounding the humorous and unique event reached its peak and began to settle down, something else started being discussed.
Their skills.
Because it was raw footage without any editing, their skills felt even more real.
The shaky amateur videos taken with smartphones added to the sense of being there.
The fact that all sorts of guest chatter were included made it even more so, though this did lead to some regrets.
There were almost no videos where one could see TeSTAR’s performance clearly, like on a music broadcast.
It was only natural, but people were even leaving comments like these:
Fortunately, those comments were shut down by proper internal moderation.
And among these 'excessive reactions,' there were actually some good ones.
For example, this:
Because the trolls trying to use Bae Se-jin overreached, their intentions became glaringly obvious.
Once an opinion becomes embarrassing or ridiculous, it loses all its appeal. Thus, the wild speculation regarding Bae Se-jin’s activities temporarily died down.
Everything seemed great.
Fans were happy with the natural, joyful, stress-free content and enjoyed themselves for a few days.
It was the perfect content to tide them over while waiting for the comeback!
However, none of them knew.
That the very reason TeSTAR had planned this performance had been thwarted.
[…Ah,]
[Yeah, Fate is a fake!]
Nothing had come out of Kim Rae-bin’s mouth as he held the microphone, and a silence had almost fallen.
The moment they saw him freeze, Cha Yu-jin and Lee Se-jin had quickly stepped in, handling the rap part like a group chant to keep it upbeat.
The only ones who knew more than that were the members themselves.
"You said your voice didn't come out."
"Yes."
Kim Rae-bin nodded with a pale face.
"Suddenly… for no reason, tension welled up, and my voice wouldn't come out."
In the car on the way back from the wedding. I pressed my fingers against my temples.
Being unable to perform.
The symptom that Steer Kim Rae-bin had possessed remained, refusing to leave.