Chapter 27
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: The Day of Our First Music Show
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The day of our first music show.
As soon as the car pulled into the parking lot of CBK Broadcast Hall's public area, Kim Han-soo gave us a stern warning.
"Everyone, keep smiling from now on."
Even as he said it, Kim Han-soo was already flashing a bright smile. He was handsome to begin with, but grinning like that made him look like a friendly salesman.
Wait, was he actually a salesman?
"No cursing, no slang, no badmouthing anyone."
"Ah! Team Leader, how many times have you said that already?"
Kim Ha-woon whined at the words we could probably recite word-for-word by now. But Kim Han-soo pressed on steadfastly.
"Don't even mention other celebrities. Greet everyone politely and loudly. And absolutely no slip-ups that could get us in trouble."
Only after repeating the same spiel over and over did he finally open the car door. Somehow, I already felt drained before even entering the station.
If my energy started at 100, it felt like over 60 was already gone.
"If you've all got it, let's head in. Smile as you get out."
We stepped out and walked a short distance, spotting a photo line fenced off in the distance, lined with dozens of cameras.
Kim Ha-woon, probably nervous, stopped dead in his tracks but managed a smile as he whispered softly.
"...Hyungs, we're not getting totally ignored, right?"
"You might."
"You too, hyung."
Lee Jae-ha quickly jabbed the sides of the two who were already bickering.
Poke!
"Eek!"
"Ack!"
They whipped their heads around in surprise, freezing as they met Lee Jae-ha's icy glare.
That's when Lee Jae-ha whispered low.
"Smile."
The words had barely left his mouth before bright smiles bloomed on their faces. Yeah, why'd you have to go and do that...
We hurried onward, the cheers of the crowd growing louder. We entered the photo line with beaming smiles.
"Hello! We're B.O.Y!"
"Hello, everyone!"
Cameras flashed wildly. I'd experienced it once at the showcase, but this was something I'd never get used to.
I waved to the crowd, trying not to squint against the lights.
"Kyaaah!"
"Do-jun! It's your noona!"
I turned toward the sound of my name. Someone pressed right up against the fence was waving frantically.
I smiled brightly and waved back.
"Kyaaah! He looked at me!"
She started jumping up and down, screaming. A shiver ran down my neck in that instant.
So this is what it feels like to have cheers pouring straight at you.
We'd gotten fan support at the showcase stage too, but facing it from this close was a first.
I felt it instantly. There was no escaping this for the rest of my life.
It was thrilling in a way imagination alone could never capture.
As we passed the photo line and entered the broadcast station lobby, Kim Ha-woon said excitedly.
"Whoa, Do-jun hyung really is the most popular. It felt like almost all of them were your fans!"
"I heard your name a ton too."
"No way. Ah, seriously jealous..."
"Ha-woon."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than Kim Han-soo cut him off coldly. For some reason, the salesman's smile from earlier was gone, replaced by a stiff expression.
"Never say stuff like that outside."
"Whaaat?"
"No, Team Leader. I'm fine."
It wasn't malicious anyway. But Kim Han-soo was firm.
"No. It has nothing to do with what Do-jun thinks. Words like that can spark feud rumors."
"But..."
He stopped walking and crossed his arms at the timid protest. His face remained serious.
In the end, Kim Ha-woon surrendered first.
"...Sorry. I won't do it again."
Just like that, Kim Han-soo smiled as if nothing had happened and resumed walking. We greeted everyone we passed on the way to the waiting room.
Our waiting room was at the farthest end of the floor where all the rooms were clustered.
'Small.'
That was my first impression of a music show waiting room. With the four of us plus Kim Han-soo, five people filled it to the brim.
Once the road manager got back from parking, it'd feel like we were sardined in.
"Way smaller than I thought."
"But doesn't it feel kinda cozy?"
Kim Ha-woon, his earlier gloom forgotten, sparkled as he looked around every corner.
"I could stay here all day!"
"We're stuck here till dinner anyway, right?"
"Just a figure of speech! Hyung! You feel the same, right?"
Park Tae-hoo was the one picking nits, so why ask me? I just smiled and said,
"Better than not being allowed in at all."
"Right? Right?"
"Do-jun hyung said it's better, not that he wants to stay all day."
The two started squabbling again. Were they on good terms or not?
They bickered like this, but whenever something happened, they stuck together. So probably good terms.
I let out a big sigh.
Meanwhile, Lee Jae-ha had sneakily claimed a seat first and was listening to music.
'Cold-hearted guy.'
Help me out a bit. Don't just make yourself comfy.
❤
I thought being cooped up in the waiting room would be boring, but time flew by faster than expected.
After a simple meal and touch-ups from the stylists, Kim Han-soo called us out.
He stood in front of the nearest waiting room and launched into another lecture.
"No one here debuted after us, so greet them all politely no matter what."
"You said that already!"
"Can't hear it enough. Keep it in mind."
"Team Leader worries too much. We're not kids. Right, hyung?"
A kid saying that kinda killed the persuasion...
Not wanting another earful, Kim Ha-woon shouted the loudest greeting the moment the door opened.
"Hello, seniors! Beside of You! B.O.Y!"
Most of the senior idols welcomed us with smiles. We shook hands, exchanged brief chats. Of course, without prior connections, they didn't last long—some just nodded curtly.
Still, seeing celebrities we'd only known from TV in person gave a different thrill from performing on stage.
Maybe that's why even the repetitive greetings felt fun.
Now, only two rooms left: 'Arena' and 'Flame', who debuted three years ahead of us.
Usually, rooms went by debut order, innermost for seniors, but popularity must've played a part—Flame had the very back one.
Greeting those guys as junior idols felt a bit weird.
"Oh? Team Leader Kim Han-soo!"
Just before knocking on Arena's door, someone approached Kim Han-soo with a delighted smile.
"Fancy meeting you here. You remember me, right?"
"Of course. How could I forget you, reporter?"
"Heh heh, I was just about to request a special interview, and here you are."
"Special?"
At 'special', Kim Han-soo's face lit up. He'd seemed worn from all the greetings, but now that fatigue was gone.
The reporter smiled coyly.
"Shall we move somewhere to talk?"
...Kinda feels like there's some ulterior motive.
Well, looks-wise, Kim Han-soo was plenty charming. A bit taller and he could pass for a model.
"An interview sounds great, but the kids are out greeting..."
"Go ahead, Team Leader."
A special interview? Of course we'd want that.
"We'll just say hi and be right back anyway."
He hesitated at my words but eventually entrusted us to the road manager with strict instructions and followed the reporter.
With Kim Han-soo gone, tension crept in. I signaled the members, knocked lightly, and opened the door cautiously.
I bowed deeply right away.
"Hello, seniors! We're...!"
But then.
"Well, look who it is. The connections guy who snuck onto radio before even debuting."
...Huh?
"Must be nice. Some of us struggle to get on TV after three full years."
The voice and tone were pure sarcasm.
I slowly raised my head. The room held only Arena members.
The air froze solid. The road manager watching shut the door first. Smart—didn't want word getting out.
But our newbie road manager had no clue what to do next and just panicked.
No... What do we do if even the manager's like this? We're newbies too.
As we floundered, Arena's Kim Min-hoon—who'd started it—continued.
"Wow, ignoring seniors now? If I had Park Min-ha-level backing, maybe I'd act up too."
"Hey, hey, we wouldn't stoop that low."
Another Arena member, leg crossed and foot tapping, snickered mockingly.
Hmm, laugh it off? Clashing here would just hurt us...
"Seniors."
...Not Ha-woon, why you, Jae-ha?
Lee Jae-ha stepped forward protectively, face set. More precisely, he blocked me.
"Your words seem a bit harsh."
"Sticking up for your member, huh."
"Why bother? Once he gets famous, he'll ditch the team for solo gigs. Just like someone."
In that moment, Kim Min-hoon's gaze flicked somewhere. At the end sat a man with eyes closed, silent.
The name everyone thinks of for Arena: Sung Joo-chan. Pretty much solely responsible for whatever name they had.
Picture forming. Resentment toward their own star who made it solo, inferiority from stagnation.
Three years without buzz? Hard not to get bitter.
At least, thankfully, the Arena members tsked pityingly at Lee Jae-ha.
"You don't seriously think if that punk blows up, the team rides his coattails or something naive like that, right?"
"Hey, saw him cozying up to Flame too. Y'all got edged out by connections."
"Guys like this just aim to make it solo. Ugh, so naive—how you gonna survive?"
Listening, it didn't feel targeted just at us. But even amid the mess, Sung Joo-chan didn't twitch.
"Makes sense, hanging with those GH-paid chart-toppers. Character's obvious."
Oh, dragging Flame into it now?
"Ah, wasn't it that he got kicked out or something?"
Whatever they said about me, fine. But keep dragging me in, and it'll end badly. Best to greet quick and bounce.
But Lee Jae-ha showed no sign of backing down, unlike usual.
"Do-jun hyung's the best in our group, that's why."
Hey, hey, chill... You're not this type.
I poked Jae-ha's back to signal stop. But Arena reacted to the words already out.
"Bullshit. Already rationalizing?"
"What, implying we suck so we flopped?"
"No."
"No my ass. Your face and answer say otherwise."
Kim Min-hoon shot up and loomed aggressively in Lee Jae-ha's face.
"Huh? What's not?"
Atmosphere screamed imminent punch.
'Damn, these punks...'
No audience in a waiting room, so they go wild. Shouldn't have shut the door?
But we couldn't brawl. Instant debut image as personality wrecks fighting seniors.
I quickly stepped up, blocking Lee Jae-ha.
"Senior, seems like a misunderstanding."
I subtly tapped Jae-ha's shoe toe with my heel. Stay put signal.
Resolve nice first, deal with you later.
"What, you? Back off in line. Go debate toeing the line with that Sung bastard over there."
Kim Min-hoon scowled viciously and shoved my shoulder hard. It jolted my whole side back.
Then Lee Jae-ha snatched his wrist.
"That's not okay."
Jae-ha's eyes were calmly sunken. Kim Min-hoon sighed in disbelief.
"Ha, none of you punks respect seniors?"
He yanked his hand free. The other members except Sung Joo-chan in back rose one by one. Full fight mode.
'Ah, crazy bastards.'
Tried nice route, but no help.
Though Jae-ha overreacted unlike usual, blame the instigators.
This won't blow over easy.
"Huh? Think this industry's a joke?"
He reached to shove Lee Jae-ha's shoulder rough.
I swiftly grabbed that hand with a smack. Kim Min-hoon's face twisted ugly.
"You punk acting cocky? Wanna fight? Huh? Laughing?"
Yeah, laughing. Scared I'll cry?
No need to yell. Just smile and speak calmly.
In case words leak, gotta have the edge.
"If you're bitter, make better friends—why not?"
Head knows a bit why they're so hostile toward me.
But no plans to keep taking this crap.
"Think you can make it like me? Just buddy up with Jae-yoon or Min-ha sunbae. So easy, why not? Beats me."
"You, you punk, what'd you say?"
"What?"
Kim Min-hoon's face flushed red with rage. I met his eyes straight, shrugged.
"Felt bad you lack backing, so I gave advice?"
"Ha... Crazy punk, one radio gig and you're blind?"
"Eh, not just radio—charts topped too."
I lifted one corner of my mouth higher.
No intent to provoke. Just smiling as Kim Han-soo ordered, even here.
"What gives you the balls?"
"Dunno? Flame and Park Min-ha you mentioned?"
Final nail.
"Either beats you seniors anyway?"
"You fucking punk!"
Another Arena member from back lunged with thick curses.
What? Hit me? Better to take it. Go on, swing.
Regrettably, some sense left—Kim Min-hoon grabbed him, sneered at me.
"Lee Jae-yoon? No way trash like you has real connections. Really banking on Park Min-ha? That bitch acts all aloof and pure, but clings to same-company juniors for scraps..."
Then—bang! Door flew open violently. Missed timing to snap at the low blow.
Before turning, a familiar voice spat curses.
"You fucking bastards, hey! Say that again!"