Chapter 566
Chapter 566
I made my declaration.
“…So, I’ve quickly called TeSTAR together.”
Clap, clap, clap, clap…
Kim Rae-bin clapped alone for a moment before catching the vibe and stopping.
The other members were all sitting around the kitchen table with expressions that practically had "???" written across their faces.
“So suddenly…?”
“Hmm. Do you want to go on a trip or something?”
No.
“It’s about the album.”
At that moment, a look of ‘I knew it’ flickered across every single one of their faces.
Still, the fact that they didn't get angry proved they were a group of true workaholics. I nodded inwardly, satisfied.
For the record, this was their reaction after their brains actually started working, following that initial spinal reflex.
“…Wait. We already have the album plan set.”
“Yeah. The schedule is for early next year.”
That was true. In fact, work on TeSTAR’s next album was already underway.
Since our last title track, ‘Savage,’ was a mini-album and not a full-length one, it was about time we put out a studio album. We had slated that for the early to mid-part of next year.
‘Of course, it’s normal not to keep such a tight schedule.’
Usually, by this point in their careers, most groups would only make a comeback once a year, if that, to minimize image consumption.
Well… actually, it wasn't just a matter of image consumption.
‘Companies stop investing.’
They no longer feel the need to be as aggressive as they were when they were trying to grow the group. If a group is successful, the company can just relax and milk the public recognition and fanbase they’ve already built.
That’s why they pull the production staff with proven planning skills and move them over to rookie development.
In fact, didn't we almost face that ourselves back when we were under T1?
‘Of course, now that we own shares in this company, that won’t happen.’
Money really is the best. It’s as reassuringly solid as a hearty bowl of soup.
Anyway, I nodded and spoke up. The album would come out next year. However.
“But there’s something I want to do before that.”
Suddenly, several members gulped.
‘…?’
What now?
“…Is it because you think a controversy is about to break?!”
“Gosh… are we not going to win the Grand Prize?”
“…….”
Even Seon A-hyun nodded at me with a serious face.
“M-Moon-dae. If there’s a problem… I think it would be good if we all talked about it thoroughly first, and then responded.”
“…….”
Is this what they call karma?
It seemed that whenever I voiced an opinion, they immediately associated it with some sort of crisis-management political maneuvering. I understood.
But this time was different.
I rubbed my cheek.
“Actually… this isn't an opinion I’m giving because of results or some calculated move like before.”
“……?”
“We’ve done it that way every time so far, so I wanted to try something different this time.”
Keun Se-jin, who had been listening quietly, spoke up.
“Something different?”
“I was thinking, why don’t we just do what we want to do?”
“…!”
“Without any other calculations.”
It was because I had realized something while going through recent events.
‘It’s a fact that the members of this group came together in an impossibly perfect way.’
A team where everyone is passionate about group activities, where everyone is unique without crossing the line, and where they all get along despite being stuck together every day—such teams are rare enough to count on one hand.
But honestly, even for guys like this, after promoting for this long, it would be common for them to hit burnout at least once and say, ‘Yeah, I’m not doing it.’
‘No matter how good a person is, you can’t help but feel a moment of skepticism when you keep doing the same thing.’
If someone has worked at the same job for seven years and is still constantly burning with passion and consistency? You’d have to suspect they were on something.
‘But TeSTAR is doing exactly that right now.’
……And in my opinion, the reason none of them have shown even a moment of skepticism about the work… is because there’s been a different kind of stimulation.
It was simple.
‘It’s because they keep almost dying.’
From car accidents to time travel, virtual worlds, and even being trapped in a collapsing building.
At this point, wouldn't celebrity life feel like a sweet drink in comparison? Even I, having just come back from the brink of death, was prone to that illusion.
It was funny that there was actually a silver lining to such bizarre experiences…
‘But that’s over now.’
Now that the system is gone, the most frustrating and sweat-inducing situations we’ll face will come from our promotions.
I thought it would be good to have a time to reset our mindsets before that happened.
“Let’s not be too analytical. I want us to try an activity solely because ‘we like it.’”
“…….”
“That’s all. Of course, if you’re against it, I’ll yield.”
Perhaps because they never expected such words to come from me, everyone remained silent for a moment.
Right. I knew it wasn't exactly a "me" thing to say. I figured I’d have to pull out all the arguments I’d prepared to actually persuade them…
“I see. It sounds like it will be an enjoyable project!”
Never mind, scratch that. One guy immediately raised his hand and jumped in. It was Kim Rae-bin.
Just like the clueless guy he was…
‘Wait.’
I looked at his expression again.
Kim Rae-bin had a fierce look on his face, his ears slightly flushed. It was a gesture often seen when someone was braving a bit of embarrassment.
“…….”
Right. There was no way he wouldn't notice the atmosphere when everyone else was silent. He had just been the first to answer quickly to show his support for my opinion.
‘…What a pure guy.’
But the unexpected reactions didn't end there.
“Oh, Kim Rae-bin is fast! I like it too. We don’t have anyone with weird tastes. It’s fine.”
“…That’s true. It’s not like we’ll come up with something unusable.”
Following Cha Yu-jin, Bae Se-jin also reacted as if he found the idea intriguing upon further thought, and the atmosphere naturally began to heat up.
Even those who usually shied away from sentimental words joined in.
“I… I want to try it too, just once… following only our hearts… together…! I didn’t know how to say it, so my answer was a bit late. Moon-dae.”
“Yeah. It’s a bit unfamiliar, but… I think it’s actually really great that you were the one to suggest trying something like this.”
“……Thank you.”
Once the answers started coming, opinions converged in an instant.
I was slightly taken aback.
‘……I thought I’d have to persuade them.’
It wasn't that long ago that I almost got screwed over on my own. I thought that if I suddenly took such uncharacteristic, protruding action, they would naturally be more suspicious, and I’d have to convince them using various logic.
Then Keun Se-jin spoke up with a smile.
“Me too~ Honestly, I didn’t think the great Park Moon-dae would ever say something like this.”
Hey.
‘Your nuance is different.’
However, Keun Se-jin also shrugged and continued with a laugh.
“Well, I do believe that Moon-dae wouldn't do anything that would harm the group.”
“…!”
“Right?”
I suddenly looked around.
To a man, they all had expressions that suggested they had no reason to disagree with Keun Se-jin’s words. Looking at Cha Yu-jin, who was shouting ‘Yes’ with a nonchalant face, I could be certain.
‘Ah.’
I see.
And I realized.
If nothing else, the trust that I wouldn't make a choice that would negatively impact this group… was something I had certainly built up well until now.
“Right, Moon-dae-Moon-dae?”
“……Of course.”
…I was grateful, truly.
As I was lost in that slight touch of emotion, Keun Se-jin continued with a smile.
“Let’s just give it a go without any regrets.”
“Yeah.”
“Well. You all know that if we don’t get the Cultural Merit Award, Se-jin hyung has to enlist next year anyway, right?”
“…….”
“…….”
“So let’s do it without regrets~ before that.”
Bae Se-jin nodded with a dazed expression. I pressed my hand to my forehead.
‘I guess he did want to object.’
Keun Se-jin, who was very good at indirectly saying, ‘Everyone’s reacting well and you’re good at your job so we’ll try it, but you know that promotions without results are meaningless at this point, right?’ gave a genial smile.
Still, the surprising thing was that even he didn't actually oppose it in the end.
That gave me a lot to think about.
“Good. Then if the company says they have the capacity, let’s do that.”
“Yes!”
Ryu Cheong-woo’s words settled the matter.
I looked around.
Friendly gazes, now familiar, were fixed on me.
These guys… they had a way of making a person feel unnecessarily excited.
So, I made my declaration more cheerfully than I had expected.
“Let’s throw in everything we’ve ever wanted to do.”
*
The end of the year and the beginning of the next were busy for everyone.
Naturally, TeSTAR was also busy running around, attending music programs and award ceremonies.
Content poured out every week. New remix stages, fresh solo intros, and even performances! People were delighted.
It seemed TeSTAR had prepared special stages with their usual grit, and that alone was enough to keep the fans full.
To anyone looking, it was impossible to juggle the production of new content in this situation. And no one was particularly thirsty for content either.
‘It hasn't even been that long since the comeback!’
There was neither demand nor expectation from the fans.
That was the situation.
One day, while everyone was still buzzing about TeSTAR at the award ceremonies, a music video suddenly dropped out of nowhere without any prior notice.
At the message from her grad student friend, Park Moon-dae’s first fansite master dropped the photo she was editing and hurriedly checked her smartphone, blinking.
Something really had appeared in her notifications.
[TeSTAR ‘Epic’ Official MV]
“…Epic?”
It was a term you’d expect to see in a hip-hop survival show or on a mobile game item.
Considering the former is usually used to express a strong and unique self, and the latter is used to reinforce the concept of a ‘precious item’…
‘Hmm. Very TeSTAR-like.’
It seemed like something strong and conceptual, typical of TeSTAR, had come out again.
‘Come to think of it, dropping it suddenly is also very TeSTAR-like.’
It had become a full-blown tradition by now.
Even as she thought that, the fansite master squeezed her eyes shut for a moment.
‘Moon-dae, I love having lots of content, but… you can save the good stuff.’
For the dry spells, that is.
‘If you don’t distribute it well, the buzz might just die down…….’
But she couldn't suppress her curiosity about what had already been released, so naturally, she had already pressed play.
‘It’s probably not a full album, maybe a pre-release or a collaboration.’
She assumed there must have been a reason it had to be released now.
Tap.
The screen began with the sound of clear water.
The emotional video, with its retro 4:3 aspect ratio, started with a shot of Ryu Cheong-woo’s upper body, looking as if he had fallen asleep leaning against a chair.
What the thin sunlight in the background was illuminating… was a brown tent.
‘Huh?’
Indeed. Rather than a modern camping setup, Ryu Cheong-woo was lying in a chair inside a massive leather tent that looked like it belonged in a bygone era.
“Oh……”
The fansite master admitted it. It did seem conceptual.
‘Now, if only an intense song comes out….’
However, the accompaniment that began to play was a pleasant, bright, and upbeat sound.
The sound of a classical guitar.
“…!!”
Rather than being soft, a country-style sound that bounced as if it were pulsating searched for a melody.
In the midst of that, the drums burst in excitedly.
Along with Ryu Cheong-woo’s conversational vocals.
[The heavy yesterday
Felt like it would never end
And the perfect today
Never did arrive]
On the screen, he stood up from his chair and looked down at a desk.
On top of the scattered maps, telescopes, ink bottles, books, and lamps, a single piece of paper was pinned to a board.
- Citizenship Certificate
And then, flashback cuts flickered by quickly in time with the rhythm.
An arrow being fired, a book recording monsters, a running steam locomotive, a red-haired silhouette hanging from a train, newspapers, wanted posters…
It was a flow that simply indicated he was ‘reminiscing,’ but the first fansite master realized it.
These were already familiar images.
“……!”
They were retro-edited MV cuts from <Haengcha> and <Night and Next>.
With the hand Cha Yu-jin reached out as the final memory, the screen once again showed Ryu Cheong-woo smiling quietly.
[Yeah
Even without perfection
The end of yesterday, the start of today]
“…!!”
At that moment, the fansite master realized.
‘This is… the Ryu Cheong-woo from <Haengcha>!’
That was it.
The Ryu Cheong-woo on the screen was the man from the high-bounty wanted poster in <Night and Next>, who had realized he was a monster through the storyline of <Haengcha>.
- This… monster friend I’m playing.
- I’m actually a bit curious about what kind of choice this guy made afterward.
The choice reflecting what Ryu Cheong-woo ‘wanted to do’ was unfolding on the screen.
[Stepping onto a new land
No excuses, no hesitations]
The tent, the telescope, the map.
Ryu Cheong-woo pulled back the tent flap and walked out.
The monster, who had been reformed by Cha Yu-jin and became a citizen at the end of <Night and Next>, was setting out to pioneer an unknown new land.