Chapter 117
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 117
Chapter Title: Genesis Eleven Fan Signing Event with Noble Art Hall
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A massive banner hung prominently in the center. Yellow tapes marked "No Entry" were strung up everywhere.
The idols hadn't even arrived yet, but staff members were already wearing their official passes around their necks, looking pissed off as they stood around vigilantly. And the massive crowd that had put those expressions on the staff's faces...
'Whoa, this is enough to drive anyone crazy.'
I feel it every time, but crowded places just suck the energy right out of me. Especially when it's packed with hyper high school girls in the prime of their youth.
Heads, heads, heads... Everywhere I look, it's a sea of backs of heads. Without those no-entry yellow tapes, I'm 120% sure the crowd would've charged straight up to the stage where Genesis Eleven was holding their fan signing today.
And there were a ton of girls with physiques that even made me, a guy, nervous. It was unlikely, but if I were an idol bodyguard and one of those girls body-slammed me, I might actually see my life flash before my eyes—no bullshit.
I could wake up with a wrecked waist and a doctor giving me a grave look.
'Damn, I just don't get it.'
Sure, some of the girls here must've gotten lucky and won with just 3 or 4 albums. But considering how many albums Oh Hana bought or the prices, on average, everyone here probably dropped at least 2 million won. That's insane.
No wonder management keeps pushing boy groups despite the lower odds of going viral compared to girl groups. For real.
'Almost all girls.'
There were some guys who seemed to just be there to spectate, but compared to the number of girls, it was a drop in the bucket. How many guys would even spend 2 million won just to hold an idol's hand once?
'Even normal girls wouldn't usually do that.'
What I'm trying to say is, none of the girls here could be called "normal."
Or more precisely, they'd all sunk serious cash, so everyone was on edge. I kinda get the vibe. I used to get attached to characters I'd grinded for with real money too.
But compared to these people, that version of me was a total newbie.
"To get Riki's signature, you gotta line up for like 2 or 3 hours?"
"That's too much. If it's like that, just make Basil and Harry one line, and Riki two lines."
Who were Basil and Harry again? The fact that I couldn't even remember member names meant they were probably the less popular ones. A quick search confirmed it—two members with green and sky-blue dyed hair.
They both looked nice enough, but sadly, neither had that magnetic pull. For better or worse.
"Hey! What did you just say?!"
"What? You're talking about Shibin?"
"You just said to shorten Harry oppa's line!!"
"Was I wrong?! There's barely anyone lining up for signatures anyway. Might as well yield a bit! Isn't it better than them finishing early and sitting there awkwardly? It's considerate!"
"What? You bitch! Making Riki oppa's line two doesn't make him into two people!"
"Fuck! Who's the bitch?! You slut!"
...This place is a warzone. A warzone.
"Phew, I changed my panties before coming. The women's bathroom was so packed I nearly lost my mind."
Right next to them, high school girls were cursing each other out and grabbing hair, fighting like cats—but no one, including Oh Hana, paid it any mind. It was like this was just everyday stuff.
'Scary. For real.'
Men hustle to protect their own turf too, but women operate on a whole different level. And these girls were fighting for the male idols they love.
They spend their own money, put in their own effort.
For fans like that, Riki just had to flash a few smiles and call it a day.
'Damn... fuck.'
Thinking about it made the unfairness hit so hard I wanted to curse. No wonder there are so many "kept men" out there—I just hadn't noticed before.
Following Oh Hana around had shown me there are way more women than I imagined who willingly serve men. And when they gather like this, it turns into a brutal battle of glares.
"The company is going too far, aren't they? They should let an equal number of fans get signatures per member. This feels like reverse discrimination—our oppas must feel bad."
"Right. What's the crime of the oppas who have to sit there quietly? The company sucks at this. Let's complain."
"We should. Definitely!"
Scary. Seriously.
I get why broadcast stations are so cautious.
"Ha! Too far? They'd probably be grateful. How much easy money do they make just because they're in the same group?!"
"Exactly. They make bank—why would they feel bad? They earn without lifting a finger!"
"Hey! You can't think like that! Is it all about money?"
"Yeah! Money is everything! It's capitalism! More money wins! Oh, are you broke so you don't get it? If you don't know, just shut up!"
Fights usually die down if one side yields, but none of the girls here seemed to have "yield" in their vocabulary.
"......"
By my standards, that was explosive. But the way security and guards handled it like pros and cleared it up quick showed that at fan signings, this barely qualified as drama. And I soon figured out why.
"Kyaeeeeeeeeek!"
Screams that made even the cheers at Nonsan Training Center graduation sound tame erupted from the far entrance of the art hall.
"Gasp! Ugh!"
The roar was so intense it halted the scuffle for a moment. I swallowed hard and turned, just as someone's elbow smacked my face as they bolted past.
"Oppa!"
The scariest "oppa" I'd ever heard in my life.
"Kya! Oppa! I love you!!"
"Look at me just once!! Over here!! I love you, oppa!! I really love you so much!! I love you more than my own life!!"
"Kya!! I'm dying! Oppa, I love you so much! You look so cool today!!"
Chaos didn't even cover it. This was pure madness. Hell, even fanatics from sketchy cults would bow down.
Layer after layer of yellow tape snapped, and zombie hordes pushed through—only held back by burly bodyguards. If this wasn't war, what was?
And amid it all, one surprising thing.
"You not going?"
Oh Hana was standing calmly right beside me. I still remembered her holding a "Riki I love you" picket sign, screaming louder than anyone at the front.
Back then, she was just like those girls out there—maybe even more fired up.
Now...
"You want me to shove myself in there? Got a death wish?"
She was way too calm. Honestly, what was it...?
Might be my imagination, but it was like the face you make when you suddenly lose interest in a game you were really enjoying.
As that thought crossed my mind, the mad screams from afar grew closer. Meaning Genesis Eleven members were heading this way.
You couldn't see them clearly yet, but glimpses of multicolored hair and waving hands with smiles. And naturally, that blond asshole Riki was mixed in.
"Kya! Riki oppa!!"
Seeing Oh Hana scream, I wondered if I'd been wrong. But Riki passed without even glancing this way. Instead...
'Huh?'
That less popular Genesis Eleven member from earlier—Harry, right? The one with sky-blue hair.
I saw him spot Oh Hana and wave at her. What? Was that a hallucination too?
'Hard to call it a hallucination when their eyes met dead-on.'
As I tilted my head, the fan signing was steadily underway.
"Hello. We're here to start a revolution in this era!"
"Genesis! Eleven!"
With 11 members, the once-spacious signing stage felt cramped. Leader Riki's smooth greeting and thanks kicked things off.
"Our Luxurys are the most precious to us. Please, no fighting—keep the order."
What a fake prick. Good talk, though.
His gentle smile toward the fans almost made me think that prickish side I'd seen before was just me being sensitive. Tch, maybe it was all in my head? Maybe I was in a bad mood then, or that manager really sucked at his job.
Maybe I was seeing things through jealous-tinted glasses because Oh Hana stanned him.
'Ugh, even if it was a misunderstanding, I don't feel sorry one bit.'
With Oh Hana pushing him as her top bias, I was in no position to think positively of the guy.
"Only those with QR codes can enter, but couples can line up together."
"Yes? Oh, yes!"
They must've taken us for a couple. Didn't feel bad.
The popular members definitely had long lines. They moved fast, but still stood out compared to others.
...I'd probably feel shitty if I were them. Being in the same group and seeing that gap would hit hard.
"Next, please enter."
The line was shrinking steadily even amid the chaos.
I was still scanning the crowd meticulously, half-hoping some massive bomb would go off and wreck the whole event.
Like, if that major league cap guy from the studio apartment was really stalking Oh Hana, he might be here too.
'Ah, but he'd have to wear the exact same outfit, right?'
Plus, we'd locked eyes properly back then.
Tch. Should've chased him down right away despite looking like a thug? As I stuck close to Oh Hana with those thoughts, suddenly a hand reached out toward us. Specifically, toward her wrist.
What the—?
"Ugh!"
I reflexively grabbed and squeezed it, drawing a faint groan. Heart pounding, I checked the owner. A sturdy-looking guy. Shorter than me, but built. Dark circles under his eyes screamed chronic stress.
Didn't matter.
"Who the hell are you?"
I asked coldly, but he ignored me, staring only at Oh Hana. She froze, eyes wide upon recognizing him.
No way...
"Ha, Hana. I-I'm sorry...!"
The guy shuddered a few times before spitting out something shocking.
"Let's get back together. Yeah?"
In that instant, a bomb went off in my head.