Chapter 81
Chapter 81
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 81
Chapter Title: Fan Meetings and Old Faces
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“BRAVE! I love you! We won first place again!”
Unlike our first win, we were now quite a bit more relaxed.
Thanks to that, we were able to put on a proper encore stage.
Today's pledge was to sing while doing a tiger pose.
This was because Lee Ho-jun had become the hottest topic after the music video's behind-the-scenes footage was released.
‘Honestly, it would be strange not to think anything after seeing Ho-jun acting as a white tiger while wearing a green suit.’
The other members had also acted while looking at green dolls or other props, but nothing could beat the intensity of Lee Ho-jun's part, where a person in green tights played the white tiger.
So, while we were debating what to do for our first-place pledge, we naturally decided on the tiger pose.
—Even without a destination
Walk endlessly
Through this faded city
In reality, the tiger pose wasn't anything grand.
It was just a matter of slightly curling our fingers and bringing our hands up next to our faces.
Even so, the fans cheered so loudly it seemed their veins would pop.
“Kyaaaaaaah!”
“Grrr.”
During the instrumental part, Haru playfully made a tiger sound, and the light sticks created a powerful wave.
His not-quite-cutesy act made the fans grip their light sticks tighter as they waved them.
“BRAVE. Get home safe today, too!”
“Okay!”
We waved to the fans and walked off the stage.
“Ha. I’m so proud.”
Our manager beamed, holding the trophy in his hand.
“We have one week of promotions left. Let's sweep up the trophies for the rest of the time, too.”
For some reason, the manager's voice sounded particularly excited.
“You seem to be in an even better mood today.”
“Ah, Yoon-seul. Was it that obvious? Ah, I tried to control my expression, but I guess it showed.”
At my question, the manager grinned and touched his face.
“Yes.”
“The company said they’re assigning a road manager soon.”
“A road manager?”
“Yeah. I was originally a road manager too, but I dropped the ‘road’ part when I came to you guys. Now they're even giving me a junior, so I can't stop smiling.”
“But our promotions end next week.”
Our first single album promotions were scheduled for three weeks.
“What do you think that means?”
“What is it?”
“It means your break won't be a real break.”
I couldn't quite grasp what the manager meant.
I was confused whether it was to prepare for a full album or if there was something else planned.
“Schedule offers for you guys are pouring in every day, and we also have to prepare for the fan meeting.”
“A fan meeting? We’re having a fan meeting?”
At Park Ji-ham's question, the manager nodded his head vigorously.
“Of course. That's why the fans signed up for the membership. It's only right that we let them use it. If they spent money, they should get something worthy in return, right? But who here has done a fan meeting before?”
The manager raised his right hand to his ear as if to say ‘raise your hand’ and asked.
In response, Haru and I raised our hands.
“I did one in a rented space inside a shopping center. Though only twelve people came.”
“Still, you did one. We’ve never had one.”
“I’ve never done a fan meeting either. Other than seeing fans on my way home from work, I’ve never really met them.”
“It wasn't much different for me. We did one right before the group disbanded. They told us to give our final farewell to the fans since we'd been active for six years. It was their last act of consideration.”
Haru spoke in a flat voice, as if recounting a mundane, everyday story.
“What about you, Yoon-seul?”
Then, before any of us could say anything, he turned his gaze to me.
“We had a comeback right after the Park Su-hyeol incident blew up, and we did it then.”
That was the first and last fan meeting of my life.
“We rented a hall at a university, and I remember about 200 people came.”
“200 people?”
“Yeah. Back then, the fans hadn't left yet.”
In fact, that was a time when the fans were banding together.
[We can't fall apart like this. GANGSTER-M isn't going to collapse just because one leader left, just because one school violence perpetrator left. We have to use this chance to show that we're still going strong.]
↳A trio? Not bad. It feels like a sub-unit. Besides, the main vocal and main dancer are still here. They'll get more parts, so it's actually better.
↳Let's give them some real support so they don't lose heart. I can't stand seeing our boys looking down when they haven't done anything wrong.
↳We don't need a leader like that anyway, so there's no problem.
↳He was probably just ruining the team's atmosphere. It's a relief he's gone now.
The fans had put in a great deal of effort to show that GANGSTER-M hadn't fallen yet.
‘If no other problems had occurred back then, we might have been promoting just fine. No. Let’s not think like that.’
“If someone made a movie about our lives, I feel like they wouldn't even need to add any more hardships. If they added any more, I think even the viewers would find it too much.”
“I know, right? Seriously, I don't know what kind of happiness we’re saving up for our later years to have so many stories like this.”
“Anyway, what did you do back then, Yoon-seul?”
“We prepared an opening stage and a short solo stage each, and I think we played some games with the fans. We did things like granting wishes, too. What else? I think we also did a short medley of highlights from other idols’ songs.”
It was a typical fan meeting format that other idols also used.
“Ah. The fans also did an event for us. The lights in the venue all went out, and then the light from their phones filled the entire space. And then they sang for us. Even adding harmonies.”
“The fans did?”
I answered Haru's question with a nod.
I still remembered that day vividly.
It was a memory I could never forget.
The light seen from the stage was so beautiful.
It was more beautiful than anything else in the world.
Fireworks, fireflies—nothing could compare to the light of those phones.
“That must have felt really strange.”
“I know. We’re the ones who sing, and the fans are the ones who listen. So the thought of that being reversed… I can’t even imagine it.”
“It felt amazing. I think it was because I couldn't forget that feeling that I couldn't give up on my dream of being an idol and had to try again.”
“Alright, everyone.”
The manager clapped his hands, drawing our attention.
“Let's not linger here any longer. We have another schedule today.”
“Yes.”
***
After a quick touch-up of our hair and makeup, we arrived at the NTV studio.
It was for the filming of our collaboration stage with Creatin.
“Are there no audience members at all today?”
“Yeah. Probably. They said they'll just film it, upload it to YouTube, and then hold a vote. The live stages will start from the next filming.”
Creatin had already arrived, finished their opening shoot, and were waiting in their dressing room, so RE-V headed to ours as well.
“I see.”
It reminded me of the RED CUBE filming.
Back then, the grade evaluation and the theme song mission were also conducted through online voting only, with live performances starting afterward.
‘The overall format seems similar. Is this also a kind of cliché?’
“Hello, sunbaenim. We are Zero to the Boy!”
A resounding greeting made me stop in my tracks.
“Hello.”
I turned to look and saw that the ones who had greeted us were none other than the members who had been active with me as the second generation of GANGSTER-M.
It was the first time I had seen them face-to-face since returning to the past.
‘And they’ve added two new members.’
Two of them were faces I’d never seen before.
They must have transferred from another agency or started their trainee life late during my time with GANGSTER-M.
“Oh, hey. It’s been a while.”
Even though I had no issues with them now, it felt awkward to face them.
“Have you been well?”
“Yeah. More or less. You guys are doing well, too?”
“Yes.”
An incredibly awkward conversation ensued.
There was nothing more to say.
“Well, I’ll get going then.”
“Yes, hyung.”
They continued on their original path.
“Looks like you had some interaction with the trainees? I thought you were put in the debut team right after you transferred.”
“Even if you’re in the debut team, you still see them during group practice.”
“But it’s a bit sad for them. Of all places, LM Entertainment.”
The manager clicked his tongue and said so, having heard stories from around and knowing full well how I had left the company.
I deeply sympathized with his words.
LM was by no means a good agency.
“Creatin’s dressing room is here. Let’s go in.”
Just as the manager reached for the dressing room door.
“Hey!”
A lion’s roar echoed through the hallway.
It was an all-too-familiar voice.
My former manager.
“Who told you to come outside! I told you not to move a muscle in there! Even these outfits are part of the psychological warfare!”
He hadn't changed.
I had expected it, seeing how he treated me, but he hadn't changed one bit.
A sigh escaped me automatically.
“We’re sorry.”
At the end of the hallway, I could see them with their shoulders slumped and their heads bowed low.
They looked pitiful, overlapping with my former self.
‘Of all people, they got the same manager. He shouldn’t be assigned to rookies.’
He was the textbook definition of someone who preyed on the weak and cowered before the strong. When he was next to popular idols who didn't tolerate injustice, he never showed such a violent side.
In those moments, he was as meek as a lamb.
‘They’re in for a tough time.’
“Let’s hurry inside.”
Just then, Park Ji-ham pushed my back with all his might.
It seemed he did it out of consideration, thinking it would be hard for me to see my old manager.
‘It doesn’t bother me anymore. He just looks pathetic. And I feel sorry for them.’
“Yeah. Let’s hurry and go in.”
“Right. We need to get our makeup touched up, too.”
The other members joined in, pushing me from behind.
And just like that, I was pushed into the dressing room.