Chapter 85
Chapter 85
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 85
Chapter Title: The Final Stage
-----------------------------------------------------------------
[I can’t believe it’s already the last week of promotions. My heart aches. Can’t they just promote “MESS” all year long? I’d be happy to watch even if they just changed their outfits. Or just make a comeback and pretend we don’t know. We’ll all play dumb. We’ll react like it’s the first time, so please.]
↳I’m not ready to let them go yet. I need more time to prepare myself.
↳What have all the STEM majors been doing, not researching time-traveling magic? Get on it, now.
↳Sigh. When will they be back? I really wish they’d just shamelessly make a comeback with “MESS” again.
↳I think it’ll be a while. Creatin is going on that survival show, so they won’t have a comeback right after it ends.
[I’m not ready to send them off yet. When will they be back? It’s obvious it’ll take a long time since they’ll have a comeback right after the Creatin survival show ends, right? In that case, come back with a full album. That would be better… If I think they’re late because of a full album, I think I’ll feel a little better. Even if it’s just a little bit.]
↳A very wise statement.
↳Please. Our boys have been running nonstop since RED CUBE, so they need to rest. It would be perfect if they took a break and came back with a full album. Of course, they have to film live streams, commercials, photoshoots, and variety shows in between. Otherwise, I’ll wither away.
↳If we have to wait anyway, I’ll wait for a full album. Please give us a full album.
[Why do our boys seem to be getting more handsome by the day? Ugh. I’m hooked. (Screenshot of RE-V on stage)]
↳Seriously, how can those five be in one group??? Is that even possible? It feels a little surreal because it’s like they gathered all the members who would normally be the one visual ace in other groups. Anyway, yeah.
↳lol I think that every time I see RE-V. Like, how can they all be in one group?
↳Isn’t that just proof of our discerning eye?
↳Right lol. We picked them. Thinking about it like that makes my heart swell with pride. They were all our picks. The group we made. Wow. Our taste is insane.
[Why have the boys been posting so many pictures lately? A while ago, they posted a picture saying they were drinking beer, yesterday they sent a picture of them playing basketball, and today they shared what they’re having for lunch. I’m so grateful. Some might think it’s trivial, but you know these little things are only possible with real love and dedication, right? Our boys truly cherish and love BRAVEs so much.]
↳Is there any other idol group this devoted to their fans? This is why I can’t even think of leaving the fandom. I’m just going to stick with RE-V forever.
↳After stanning idols who would just stare with dead eyes at fan signs, repeating “Ugh, seriously,” and when asked to do something cute, they’d say, “There are things I don’t want to do, too,” meeting proper idols has brought me so much happiness. I never knew being a fan could be this joyful. I was always busy defending them, but now, even if I don’t, there are so many good posts.
↳Could your old bias group be… the one I’m thinking of?
↳It feels like you’re right, and now the mood is somber. We both went through a lot. Pat, pat.
↳lol Both the idols and the fans know how precious they are to each other. I’m a fan of another group, and it’s just nice to see. lol
↳Thanks. I like Hyungjin too. He’s cute.
[I love that the boys post a lot of pictures, but the downside is that whenever a notification goes off, I check my social media like Pavlov’s dog. And if it’s not what I was hoping for, I get disappointed… (Funny dog meme)]
↳Who wrote my diary here? Fess up. This is clearly a leak.
↳For a second, I was terrified, thinking someone installed a hidden camera in my house and wrote this. Civilian surveillance is a crime.
↳lololol I did not conduct civilian surveillance. I’m an innocent citizen. I just happen to love RE-V a lot.
[I don’t have the confidence to watch today’s final music show with both eyes open. I’m going to the recording, and I feel like I’m just going to cry endlessly. What do I do? (Proof shot of attending the recording)]
↳Then please trade with me. I promise I can watch them with my own two eyes without crying like a psychopath. I want to go to the recording too.
↳lol “without crying like a psychopath” lol. Suddenly, everyone there who doesn’t cry is a psychopath.
↳That’s why I brought tissues.
↳Bring a handkerchief or a small towel instead of tissues. If the tissues get wet, you can’t throw them away, and they become a hassle.
↳This is the advice of a true veteran fan lololol.
↳Ma’am. You posted this just to brag, didn’t you? I hope I’m mistaken, but it seems like you posted this to show off that you got into the recording.
* * *
Before I knew it, the final day of our promotions had arrived.
A wave of different emotions washed over me.
I felt a sense of relief that the promotions had concluded successfully, but also a twinge of sadness that it was now over.
“Guys, you all worked so hard.”
The stage hadn’t even ended yet, but our manager was already telling us we did a good job.
“Hyung. Why are you being like this?”
“Yeah. We haven’t even gone on stage yet. It feels weird when you say that.”
“Does it?”
“Yes.”
At our reaction, the manager scrunched his nose once.
“Honestly. I’m really worried about how you guys will survive in this ruthless entertainment industry. So worried.”
He looked like a grandmother worrying about her grandson, which made me burst out laughing.
“Yoon-seul, what are you suddenly laughing about?”
“Well, you sound like a grandma worrying about her grandson. Besides, this is our second debut, you know? You don’t have to worry about that.”
“Right. I guess that’s true.”
The manager said, nodding his head.
“Don’t go up on stage in a bit and start crying foolishly.”
“Hyung. What do you take us for? We don’t cry over things like that.”
Park Ji-ham told the manager firmly.
“You all sobbed when you got your first win, though.”
“Wouldn’t it be weird if someone *didn’t* cry then?”
“Exactly. I’ve never seen a group where no one cries.”
Haru quickly agreed with Park Ji-ham.
“Who would have thought life could change so much just by going on one survival show, after never once winning first place in our lives?”
“It’s a complete reversal of fortune. And if you’re that worried, you can just not leave us, hyung.”
“Aigoo. Eun-woo, when you get famous, don’t you dare tell me you don’t like me and ask for a different manager.”
The manager said, shaking his head playfully.
“Hyung, even if you become a team leader, I’ll beg the company to assign you to me. You know our contract is for seven years, right?”
“Wow. That’s a long time. It’s nice to have job security for seven years, but I can still get promoted, right?”
As we joked around with the manager, our turn finally came.
“Should we do our cheer on stage today?”
Park Ji-ham asked, looking at the stage.
“That’s a great idea. Let’s do what Ji-ham said.”
“Sounds good.”
“Yeah. Let’s do it with the fans, while we’re at it.”
“I love that.”
And so, we walked onto the stage without doing our cheer backstage.
We gathered in the center of the stage and put our hands together.
“One, two. Let’s burn it up!”
“Let’s burn it up!”
The fans shouted the cheer along with us.
“Waaaaaah!”
Afterward, we waved to the fans and got into our formation.
“It’s our last day. How are all the BRAVEs feeling?”
“So sad!”
“We miss you already!”
The fans answered Lee Ho-jun’s question in a loud voice.
“We miss you already, too.”
The fans let out an unintelligible shout.
I couldn’t make out exactly what they were saying, but I figured it must be something good and decided to just smile.
And so, the final performance of our “MESS” promotions began.
* * *
The manager had said it jokingly, but contrary to his worries, we finished the performance without shedding a single tear.
Since we were one of the last acts, we came down from the stage, had our makeup lightly touched up, and then had to go right back up to hear the first-place announcement.
“Shall we announce today’s number one winner?”
I could see the fans waving their lightsticks for us.
I gave a small wave back to the fans.
‘Everyone hated that it was square, but it’s definitely easy to see.’
The red, square-shaped lights stood out distinctly among the other flashy lightsticks.
“RE-V’s ‘MESS.’ I heard today is the last day of your promotions. Congratulations on seizing first place right until the very end.”
Unlike when we won for the first time, I accepted the trophy naturally.
Then, I waved it toward the fans.
“Congratulations.”
“Congratulations.”
Congratulations from fellow artists followed.
“Thank you.”
As I was expressing my gratitude, the instrumental for the encore began.
“BRAVE! Thank you for getting us first place until the very end. We love you.”
We each made various hearts for the fans.
—you messed up
everything is a mess
Even for me
“Thank you, BRAVE!”
Our first-place promise for today was to add our own chorus and fan chants as we pleased.
—Let's go somewhere
“Let’s go!”
—Even without a destination
We walk endlessly
Through this faded city
“We’re walking on!”
We hadn’t coordinated our lines beforehand, but it seemed to make sense.
—Not knowing what to do
I'm just following BRAVE's words
During the part that went, ‘I’m just following your words,’ Park Ji-ham changed ‘your’ to ‘BRAVE’s.’
“Waaaaaah!”
Our chaotic ad-libbing made the previously quiet fans erupt in cheers.
“I'm just following BRAVE's words!”
It seemed like a very good idea.
‘Next time, it might be good to make a promise to change the lyrics like this. I think the fans would like it, too.’
—You slowly gnaw at me
And when I'm useless, you'll throw me away
Like a piece of gum
“BRAVE! Let’s not wait too long and see each other again soon. Okay?”
“Yes!”
“We promise we won’t look at any other idols while we wait!”
It sounded like a girlfriend promising not to cheat on her boyfriend who was going off to the military, which made me laugh.
“You won’t look at other idols?”
“Of course not!”
“You promise?”
“Yeah! But let us watch girl groups! That’s a different genre!”
A fan’s urgent voice rang out.
“Okay, okay. I’ll let that slide. So don’t look at other idols, and wait for us while watching our videos. We’ll work hard and come back soon.”
We waved to our fans, and they waved their lightsticks back at us with all their might, officially bringing the promotion period for RE-V’s debut song, “MESS,” to a close.