Chapter 86
Chapter 86
[Ta-da!]
What had been hidden under the cloth was… a heavy nameplate.
It was a luxurious, massive mother-of-pearl nameplate, the kind you’d only see on a corporate chairman’s desk, with text engraved in a formal calligraphic font.
[Reviewer]
[Loviewer]
Ryu Cheong-woo spoke with a smile.
"We chose this while thinking of the fans who watch over us with love."
"It’s LOVE plus Reviewer!" Cha Yu-jin added an extra explanation. He looked at the giant nameplate with a proud expression. "This? We had it custom-made! It means our fans, who have invested so much in us until now, are the best to us… Oh, and after the W Live ends, we’re going to give it away to a fan through a lucky draw!"
Naturally, the sudden appearance of the nameplate was so out of left field that it was just hilarious.
For the record, Park Moon-dae had opposed it until the very end, but he was outvoted and eventually gave up.
Regardless, TeSTAR looked so proud of it that the fans just flooded the comments with laughing emojis and hearts. It was cute, after all.
Of course, on social media, a fierce play-by-play was underway.
Thanks to that, the members—who had leaned in close to the smartphone screen, curious about the reaction to the fandom name—judged the situation based on the "lolll," "T_T," and "I love you" comments.
"Report! The reaction seems good!"
"T-thank goodness…!"
"Alright!"
With excited faces, TeSTAR moved on to the next announcement.
"Next, we will announce our official colors!"
*
TeSTAR’s first W Live continued for quite a long time.
It was originally scheduled for two hours, but the members felt it would be a shame to end their first W Live strictly according to the script.
As a result, quite a lot of TMI was revealed in the latter half.
=========================
[Summary of TeSTAR’s MBTI revealed on W App today lol]
: Ryu Cheong-woo ESFJ / Lee Se-jin A ISFP / Seon A-hyun ISFJ / Keun Se-jin ENTJ / Park Moon-dae INTJ / Kim Rae-bin INFP / Cha Yu-jin ENTP
Watching kids who’ve never done this before get all excited while doing it live was a real treat… TeSTAR is even a "content restaurant" when it comes to W Live…
※ It wasn't an official test, so just for fun!
=========================
Of course, the atmosphere of celebrating the finally decided fandom name was the strongest.
TeSTAR’s fans spent their Sunday enjoying the various crumbs dropped during the first W Live.
Furthermore, the final fan signing event for this promotion period was currently underway.
Even while worrying about TeSTAR and cursing the agency, it was human nature to wait for the fan accounts, especially since people said they would ask about the W Live.
Fortunately, the atmosphere being relayed in real-time was excellent.
And TeSTAR, feeling that their work was coming to a successful close, was conducting the fan signing event even more energetically.
*
"Moon-dae, could you draw the lightstick here for me?"
"…Of course. Right here?"
"Yes!"
I feel like I’ve received similar requests about ten times today. Hiding my reluctance, I drew the final version of the lightstick next to my signature.
…Even though I drew it, I can’t recognize what the hell it is.
"Oh my god! I love it so much…!"
Is it because my clumsy side looks human and endearing…?
‘Or is it because it’s so badly drawn that it has rarity value?’
Either way, as long as the recipient is happy, it doesn’t matter, but I can’t help feeling like a con artist selling water from the Nakdong River.
‘It feels like I’m just killing time.’
I finished the drawing as quickly as possible and asked again.
"Is there anything else you’d like to see?"
"Gasp, then write something heart-fluttering!"
"Hmm, something heart-fluttering…"
These kinds of non-specific requests are the trickiest in an environment where I can’t afford to spend time agonizing over it.
However, since this is also something I hear at least twice per fan sign session, I’m starting to pick up speed.
I immediately wrote down a message below the lightstick.
[Park Moon-dae’s evening schedule for today: Thinking about the Loviewer I met at the fan sign.]
"Heeeuuuugh…"
"See you again."
The fan was ushered to the next seat by the staff while sobbing. Since she had already lingered once, the staff was firm this time, so there was no helping it.
‘As expected, mentioning a specific situation related to the other person is the most effective.’
Adding a slightly personal touch is better, but I couldn't possibly think of one in twenty seconds, so it couldn't be helped.
‘I’ll probably actually think of them this evening.’
I waited for the next person while rubbing the back of my neck, but there was no sign of them coming yet.
"Se-jin, do you have a secret to performing well on stage?"
"Hmm~ If you tell me what you like about me, I’ll make that my secret!"
"Waaaaah!"
It was because Keun Se-jin was carrying on the conversation like it was some kind of circus act. It was impressive how the staff couldn't even find an opening to intervene.
‘I have some downtime…’
As I looked toward the cameras calling my name, I heard the fan who had just passed by talking to Seon A-hyun.
"H-hello."
"Ah, yes. Hello."
Perhaps she wasn't particularly interested in Seon A-hyun, as her voice lacked much enthusiasm.
"W-what is y-your n-name?"
"Pardon?"
I heard the fan ask back in a slightly bewildered voice.
"Y-your n-name…!"
Seon A-hyun asked again, but his voice, which had grown slightly smaller, ended up being a bit muffled. A hint of annoyance began to seep into the other person’s tone.
"I can’t really hear you…"
"I-I-I’m sorry."
"No, it’s fine."
"……."
This doesn't feel good.
After that, Seon A-hyun went silent.
Glancing over, I saw that he was at least still signing.
"Hello!"
"Hello."
Finally, Keun Se-jin’s conversation ended, and another fan came before me. While waiting for the fan, who was still waving at Keun Se-jin, to hand over the album, I heard the voice from the side again.
"H-here, t-this…"
"Ah."
It seemed Seon A-hyun was offering the gift he had prepared.
And a voice that sounded slightly offended rejected it.
"Ah, that’s okay. I’m fine."
"…!"
The fan sitting in front of Seon A-hyun got up and left just like that.
In fact, such things can happen.
There is no job where you only meet kind people. Since she didn't curse at his face, he could have just felt a bit bad and moved on.
The problem was that my gut feeling was screaming.
‘Stuttering, an unfamiliar peer, rejection.’
It was a triple crown of triggers.
It was as if someone had performed a tap dance right on top of Seon A-hyun’s trauma switch.
"……."
Looking to the side, Seon A-hyun was frozen stiff, breaking out in a cold sweat.
‘Oh, for fuck’s sake…’
If this goes on even a little longer, people will notice.
I first snatched the pen from Seon A-hyun’s hand. Then I immediately tore off the packaging.
"…!"
"This is a gift A-hyun prepared. Would it be okay if I signed for you with this as well?"
"Wow! I’d love that!"
I immediately began signing and pulled Seon A-hyun into the conversation.
"And A-hyun says he’ll give you the one I’m using now, plus another wrapped one."
"Heol…?! Really?"
"Of course. Right, A-hyun?"
"…Y-yes!"
Seon A-hyun seemed to have come to his senses as he began to respond.
‘At least his freezing has let up.’
"Oh my god, I love it, but why am I getting two?"
"It’s a reward for putting up with Keun Se-jin’s talking for so long. Our member talks quite a lot, doesn't he?"
"Hey, that’s too much!"
"Hahaha!"
Keun Se-jin managed to overhear and threw in a comment before disappearing.
By this point, the fan seemed to think it was all a joke and laughed happily as she took the pens.
"Thank you so much~ But how did you know I was an older fan?"
"I heard Keun Se-jin call you 'Noona' about ten times from over here."
"Hahaha…!"
The fan, laughing sheepishly, fortunately engaged in conversation and exchanged words sincerely with Seon A-hyun, who was next in line.
And Seon A-hyun regained his composure before the next person arrived.
‘We got through it for now.’
Fortunately, no other incidents occurred until the fan signing event ended that day.
*
"Are you okay?"
"…I-I’m okay."
In the car on the way back to the dorm, Seon A-hyun’s condition was definitely better than before.
However, his complexion was still pale.
And he repeatedly muttered apologies.
"I-I’m sorry… I-I almost c-caused a b-big problem, didn't I…?"
"It wasn't really like that."
It could have become a somewhat annoying scandal, but it wasn't something that would deal a blow to the group.
The problem was that if things continued like this, his mental state would shatter first.
‘He’ll keep worrying that a situation like earlier will happen again every time a fan sign is scheduled.’
And if the day ever came when his 'Perseverance' trait was deactivated… it really could deal a blow to the group. There would be a hole in the dance line.
"Have you thought about getting some counseling?"
"…T-t-there’s no time…"
"If we talk to the agency, I think they’d let you off for a bit. These days, many people take a break from activities altogether for issues like this."
Since they had completed four weeks of promotions, it meant that if Seon A-hyun said he couldn't do it anymore, they would accommodate him to some extent.
But Seon A-hyun hurriedly shook his head.
"T-they said they’d give us a vacation soon, s-so then… I’ll do it."
"……."
That’s probably for media play, and they’ll likely give us about three days and act like they’re doing us a huge favor.
I was about to say it might be better to get it now, but Seon A-hyun spoke first.
"R-right now… I don’t want to. I-I’m still promoting, and I d-don’t want to m-miss any s-schedules."
He’s firm.
Since he said so himself, I decided to let it go for now. It was also the first time it had happened.
"Hmm… okay. I got it."
"Yeah……."
‘If the atmosphere seems strange, I can just contact Seon A-hyun’s parents.’
Because we spoke quietly in the car with music playing, the conversation didn't leak out. I decided to escape from Cha Yu-jin’s voice singing along to pop songs by using earplugs.
"……."
And when we arrived at the dorm.
The living room was filled with balloons for some reason.
"……?!"