Chapter 94
Chapter 94
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 94
Chapter Title: An Unexpected Encounter
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A sound like a jet engine roared as fireworks exploded.
Confetti-like particles scattered through the air.
RE-V strode forward, shrugging off the traditional robes they were wearing.
As the robes came off, the outfits RE-V wore underneath were revealed.
They were white, semi-translucent shirts made of a shimmering material that caught the eye.
Just by removing one layer of clothing, the vibe was completely different from their previous stage.
To prevent the risk of someone tripping over them, nearby dancers quickly picked up the robes and carried them to the side of the stage.
―you messed up
everything is a mess
Even for me
Jung Eun-woo performed an upper body isolation, then bent slightly at the waist, shifting his center of gravity backward.
Park Ji-ham and Lee Ho-jun supported him from either side.
―Even without a destination
I walk endlessly
Through this faded city
After hearing the first song without knowing who RE-V was, most of the audience had assumed they were a group that performed calm, beautiful stages.
That must have been why they appeared just as the sun was setting.
‘Wait, I’ve heard this song somewhere before. Where would I have heard a K-pop idol song?’
A few audience members recalled a video they had recently seen on You-Tube.
‘Ah, that’s what it was. The tiger I saw on social media.’
The behind-the-scenes clip from a music video where they wore green outfits and pretended to be tigers.
They had seen the name RE-V on a social media account but had just thought, ‘Oh, a K-pop idol group,’ and moved on, only now putting it all together.
―Not knowing what I should do
I’m just following your words
RE-V’s white shirts glittered as they reflected the stage lights.
The sparkle was beautiful without being overwhelming.
―woo
You’re covering my eyes so I can’t find the answer
For the chorus, RE-V spread out their formation wider than usual.
The stage was large, and they wanted to show the choreography more clearly to the large crowd.
They slid their right feet to the beat, moving their hands from above their heads to their eyes, then down to their waists.
―I want to get the key to this question
Lee Ho-jun tapped his head with his finger, then strode diagonally across the stage with his long legs.
―pretty things like you drive me crazy
RE-V placed their hands on their faces and slowly turned their heads.
―Saying the pain is only for a moment
The dancers moved as one with RE-V.
Every angle, from the lift of their feet to the spread of their hands, was perfectly synchronized.
It was a section that offered a glimpse into how much effort they had put in.
―You swallow me into despair
RE-V punched downward with a clenched fist, bending at the knees.
―That love ruins me
Throughout the performance, RE-V’s manager and a JR Entertainment staff member were recording the stage.
The manager used his phone, while the staff member used a company camera, both filming with bated breath.
―It's the
(It's the)
Originally, this was a part where Park Ji-ham and Seo Yoon-seul harmonized, but for this stage, all the members joined their voices.
The harmony of all their voices was incredibly beautiful.
It wasn’t messy or jarring at all.
The manager watched the stage through his camera with a proud expression.
‘It’s not just because they’re my boys, they’re really going to be a huge group. They’re too good. Singing, dancing, and on top of that, their ideas are perfect.’
―End
Seo Yoon-seul delivered an explosive high note.
It was a refreshing high note that felt like it could clear any blockage.
Just then, the ribbon tied around Lee Ho-jun’s wrist began to slowly come undone.
Perhaps annoyed by the loosening ribbon due to the intense choreography, Lee Ho-jun forcefully tore it off.
He continued the choreography, holding the ribbon in his hand and looking for a place to dispose of it.
―woo
You’re covering my eyes so I can’t find the answer
(Woo hoo woo)
While moving to change formation, Seo Yoon-seul took the ribbon from Lee Ho-jun’s hand. Then, instead of looking for a spot on stage, he tossed it toward the audience.
The crowd waved their hands, trying to catch it.
The competition was surprisingly fierce, as it would be a great souvenir from the festival.
―pretty things like you drive me crazy
After performing the final part, RE-V left the stage to thunderous applause.
***
To celebrate the successful performance, we all went to a restaurant for a late dinner with the company staff.
“Order more if you’re still hungry. Let’s eat whatever we want today. You’ll be preparing for the album for a while, so you should eat well now instead of holding back.”
“Okay.”
It was a Mexican restaurant, and the atmosphere was great, suggesting it was a local favorite.
Every time new people came in, they would naturally greet and chat with others at different tables.
“By the way, Haru, when did you get so good at English? I was seriously surprised.”
“I went to an international school.”
“Huh?”
“Why didn’t you ever tell us?”
It was the first time I’d ever heard this.
Seeing that only the manager wasn’t surprised, he must have already known.
“Well, it’s kind of awkward to bring it up when no one asks.”
That was true.
It would have been weird to just blurt it out when no one had asked.
People might misunderstand and think he was bragging.
“Did you know, Manager?”
“Yeah. I manage all your basic profiles. But you guys were amazing.”
“What was?”
“When Ho-jun tore off the ribbon, and Yoon-seul took it.”
The manager patted my shoulder in praise.
“That happened?”
Haru asked in a surprised voice, as if he had no idea.
“Yeah.”
“I didn’t know at all. So you tore off the ribbon.”
“From the angle you were standing, you probably couldn’t see it.”
Besides, it’s not easy to keep track of what others are doing on stage.
In a way, I was lucky.
I happened to turn my head just as Lee Ho-jun was tearing off the ribbon.
If he’d had a pocket, he would have stuffed it in there, but the stage outfits we wore today didn’t have any.
Thinking someone might trip if he just dropped it on the floor, Lee Ho-jun held onto it tightly.
I decided it was better for me to take care of it since I was moving to the side anyway.
“It was amazing teamwork.”
‘Teamwork. Right. This is what being a team is all about.’
“Ho-jun, you’ve got a strong grip. That must have been harder to tear off than it looked.”
“Hyung, it was a surge of superhuman strength. I probably couldn’t have done it normally.”
Superhuman strength seemed like the right word for it.
It wasn’t a regular shirt with a ribbon tied on; it was part of the original design, so tearing it off with sheer grip strength couldn’t have been easy.
“Excuse me. Are you all here on a trip together?”
A foreign woman suddenly approached us.
She was a woman with red hair and freckles.
“Yes, that’s right.”
Haru answered on our behalf.
“Are you here for the festival?”
Her speaking pace wasn’t too fast, so it was easy to understand.
It seemed like a considerate gesture for us.
“That’s right.”
Since she didn’t seem to recognize us, Haru played along as if we were just visitors, not revealing that we were artists.
“I see. I’m Kenji. Nice to meet you.”
I guess this was the ‘small talk’ I’d only heard about.
‘They say everyone here is sociable, and it seems to be true.’
I’d been seeing people chat with others since we first entered the restaurant, so this didn’t feel awkward or strange.
“I’m Haru. Nice to meet you too.”
The woman offered a handshake, and Haru took her hand.
This would have never happened in Korea.
It really hit me that I was in a foreign country.
“Um, and this gentleman is…?”
The woman’s gaze turned to Jung Eun-woo.
“I’m Eun-woo. Jung Eun-woo.”
“Ah, I see.”
For some reason, the way the woman looked at Jung Eun-woo felt awkward.
‘What is it?’
It didn’t seem like she had come over just for a simple chat.
‘I don’t think she recognized us.’
If she had, she would have asked if we were the idols performing at the festival, not if we were here on a trip.
‘Then what is she trying to say to Eun-woo hyung, hesitating like that?’
The woman tapped the floor with the tip of her shoe.
“If it’s not too much to ask, could I have your phone number? Or your social media ID is fine too. I’ve been watching you since you came into the restaurant, and you’re just so my type. I really debated this before working up the courage to ask.”
This sudden development left everyone speechless.
The manager was so shocked his mouth was hanging open.
“I really appreciate the thought, but I don’t think I can because of my job.”
“What? What kind of work do you do?”
At Jung Eun-woo’s refusal, the woman’s eyebrows furrowed.
“Are you doing something illegal?”
Jung Eun-woo quickly waved his hands in denial.
“It’s not like that, I’m actually a K-pop idol…”
He added the explanation in a small voice.
“What? What did you say?”
The woman, who had been writing a novel in her head based on Jung Eun-woo’s claim that he couldn’t give out his number because of his job, blinked her eyes.
It seemed the profession of ‘K-pop idol’ hadn’t been part of her imaginings.
“I’m really sorry. I’m not doing anything illegal, but as an idol, I have a no-dating clause.”
Jung Eun-woo apologized to the woman with a slight bow.
“Oh, no. So, are you the idols who performed at the festival? I heard a K-pop idol group was participating today.”
“That’s right. I’m sorry for lying at first. It just felt a little weird to say so when you didn’t ask.”
“I see. Well, could I get a picture with you? For the memories.”
“Of course. We can take as many pictures as you want.”
The manager took the woman’s phone and took a picture of them together.
“Thank you. I hope you enjoy the rest of your time in California.”
With that, the woman took her phone and returned to her group.