Chapter 274
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 274
The news of the concert set the fans ablaze.
Those who had been fans since The Dawn was a four-member group wept, murmuring, "Our boys are finally having a Gymnastics Stadium concert..." while the new Noeuls were equally ecstatic, thrilled at the prospect of finally seeing The Dawn in person.
Although some had managed to see them during the pre-recordings for Christmas Again? or Our Brilliant Dawn, the number of attendees had been so limited that most had never seen the members in the flesh.
[Haaaㅠㅠ I was so sad after missing the first concert and having nothing since, but it’s finally happening ㅠㅠㅠ Has it been a little over half a year..]
[This is so great ㅠㅠㅠ The boys have really grown in scale too.]
The news that the concert would be held at the Gymnastics Stadium gave people a slight sense of relief.
[Lol, there’s definitely a seat for me. Do you know how many people that place holds?
I’ve never failed to register for a class in my life.
Let’s goooo.
└ You always fail at concert tickets, though.
└└ Do you really have to poke me where it hurts like that?]
Of course, as the day of the ticket sales approached, that relief vanished into thin air, replaced by a wave of anxiety.
[There’s way too much talk about the concert lately...]
[No, seriously, why am I so scared? It feels like the entire world is planning to go.]
As everyone sat biting their nails, wondering if there would be a seat for them, a notification for a The Dawn live stream rang out as if the members understood their tension.
【I pulled a photocard. It’s awesome… Look at this album, it’s crazy.】
Fingers moved by habit to join the stream, but the Noeuls froze the moment they saw the title.
[What is up with this live title? LMAOㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[LOLㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Is this The Dawn or Daepasung? Do you guys read the same webtoons as me? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
Clicking the link revealed the members of The Dawn huddled together in Kang Yi-chae’s studio, giggling and chatting.
Jeong Da-jun, sitting right in the center, waved his hands vigorously as he watched the Noeuls' greetings flood the chat.
The other members sitting in a row beside him—except for Kang Yi-chae—all looked somewhat resigned for some reason.
"Hello, Noeuls~!!! How have you been? It’s a bit late, but we’re going to do an unboxing of our new Dim Light album!"
The explanation of the album versions, the packages included in each, and the details were finished by Jeong Da-jun in just three minutes.
"Now! Let’s get to the main event!!"
Jeong Da-jun pointed behind him with his right hand. There, a cloth with a pentagram drawn on it was laid out over a low coffee table.
[What is that???]
The members' signatures were written at each point of the star, and in the very center sat a tablet displaying the specific photocard Jeong Da-jun wanted.
"This is today’s photocard summoning circle."
[ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Ah, I was so nervous, but it all just evaporated. These guys are seriously crazy ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[Full-on Satan-worshipping idols ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
It was a classic Jeong Da-jun move—copying anything he’d seen online that looked trendy or fun.
"Of course, these albums weren't provided by the company; I bought them all with my own money! I want to pull the Cotton Candy PC!!"
[Even the one he wants lol ㅋㅋㅋㅋ I guess he doesn't care about the current market price at all. He’s only thinking about the card he wants ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[Lol, Da-jun’s legendary card this time is the Goggle PC, but look at that determination to pull the Cotton Candy one instead...]
[So cute ㅠㅠㅠㅠ Da-jun-ie liked the Cotton Candy PC?! The price for that one is gonna skyrocket now.]
"Opening it now, okay?"
As the members settled onto the sofa, Kim Seong-hyeon picked up one of the boxes stacked nearby and began tearing the tape. Immediately, Jeong Da-jun and Kang Yi-chae jumped up in outrage.
"Excuse me! Seong-hyeon-ssi! Where is the sincerity? Where is the heart?!"
"Ah, seriously~ You’re not desperate at all. Is that the attitude of someone who wants to pull a specific card?"
"……Is this the part where I’m supposed to apologize?"
Kim Seong-hyeon looked bewildered after being scolded for trying to be helpful by opening the box.
However, as the leader of The Dawn who could never win against the younger members, he was ultimately sentenced to open the boxes while singing Our Brilliant Dawn live.
"Hold me… warmly, ha… like you did before~."
"La~~ La~~ Ah~!"
Kang Yi-chae and Jeong Da-jun followed Kim Seong-hyeon’s sweet vocals with loud, discordant shouting.
[ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Our baby has reached enlightenment,,,,,]
[I guess if you’re stuck with members like that 365 days a year, even Light has no choice..]
After opening all the boxes, Kim Seong-hyeon distributed five albums to each member. Seo Ho-yun inspected his from front to back before ruthlessly ripping off the plastic wrap.
"Ack! Hyung, if you just tear it like that…."
"It’s fine. The photocard is the only thing that matters anyway."
"……!"
At that, Jeong Da-jun’s eyes sparkled as he clung to Seo Ho-yun’s side.
"What are you trying to pull??"
"Mine."
The rising "Tower Palace" tier photocard, famously known as "School Uniform Ho-yun."
It was a photo of Seo Ho-yun wearing a school uniform on the music video set, smiling faintly under the pouring warm sunlight. His ash-gray hair shimmered as it reflected the light.
[I don't have that one either...]
[I seriously don't have it either....]
Seo Ho-yun, who had been looking bored and unmotivated, quickly changed his expression and gave a soft smile upon seeing the fans' reactions.
"I’ll pull it and give it to you guys. I don't need it."
It was a touching sentiment, but the Noeuls were as strictly realistic as Seo Ho-yun himself.
[How exactly are you going to give it to us, honey?]
[Are you teasing us when you won't even give it?]
[I don't care if it's Seo Ho-yun, I can't forgive this.]
"……I’ll try pulling it first."
Thinking he could find a way somehow, Seo Ho-yun opened the album.
"Now, shall we check them all at once?"
He lined up the backs of the several photocards from the five albums and spoke with confidence.
"……."
But of course, a man with rotten luck wasn't going to get the photo he wanted.
"Wow… how can you get four of the same photo?? And even these two are duplicates. Not a single one you wanted."
"Da-jun-ie, you’re really stepping on people quite gently, aren't you?"
"Seo Ho-yun, just go back to the dorm and go to bed early."
Despite this album setting new records for legendary photocards for every member, Seo Ho-yun hadn't managed to get a single one of them.
"……It happens."
Ignoring the members' jeers, Seo Ho-yun began tidying up the torn plastic while Seong Ji-won opened his albums next to him.
"Oh! Ho-yun-ah, your card is right here."
"…Thanks."
It wasn't the school uniform version, but the very first card was indeed Seo Ho-yun. In the end, Seong Ji-won managed to get the version he wanted after opening only five albums.
[Oh, but Seong Ji-won is surprisingly good at pulling cards quietly.]
[Right? I think I opened more than ten albums trying to get that Seong Ji-won card ㅋㅋㅋㅋ.... and I failed.. but he got it just like that....]
Next was Kim Seong-hyeon’s turn.
He tried to open the album normally like the others, but was once again blocked by Jeong Da-jun and Kang Yi-chae.
"Uh-uh! Seong-hyeon-hyung, no cheating."
"Exactly, exactly! Put it in the middle of the summoning circle!"
When Kim Seong-hyeon reluctantly placed the album on the cloth, they now demanded he dance.
"Hyung! You have to do a dance break with more desperation!"
"……Fine…."
Deciding to enjoy the inevitable, Kim Seong-hyeon let out a small sigh and carefully tore the packaging while performing a popping routine to the younger members' demands.
"Come to me before I bite you~."
[ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[Kim Seong-hyeon ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ This is what happens when you spoil the maknaes. They end up drawing magic circles ㅋㅋㅋ]
However, reality seemed to hit him hard soon after, as he stopped his singing and movements to ask a question.
"But Da-jun-ah. Can't I just take a photo in the same pose and print it out?"
"Where in the world is there a photocard that’s exactly the same! Honestly, your mindset isn't there yet!"
Watching The Dawn bicker and cause a ruckus, the Noeuls felt their pride being strangely wounded.
[Ah..... I’m offended.
I’m going to film my unboxing again and upload it.]
[I really want to do that too. It’s humiliating to lose to an idol in an unboxing hype battle.]
While the Noeuls were uniting under the resolve not to lose to their own idols even in comedy and calculating how many more albums to buy, The Dawn’s unboxing continued.
"Ah, it’s not coming out."
Jeong Da-jun, who failed to get the photocard he wanted until the very end, pouted.
He soon flipped an empty box upside down and wrote on the bottom: 'Seeking World’s Most Handsome Jeong Da-jun Cotton Candy PC.'
"Looking for a photocard trade!!"
[ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[I’m dying, Jeong Da-jun really knows how it’s done.]
[Suddenly it feels like I’m at HotTrOcks ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
As Kim Seong-hyeon and Seo Ho-yun, who had also failed their pulls, showed interest and began actively trading and haggling, Kang Yi-chae opened his album.
"Oh! Yi-chae-ya, isn't this the one you wanted?"
"Oh~."
He pulled his own legendary photocard in one go. Kang Yi-chae chuckled and said in a sing-song voice,
"The most handsome man has arrived~."
When he flipped over another card, it was the one Kim Seong-hyeon had been trying to get.
"……!!"
"Wait, Kang Yi-chae, what are you?"
"Mmm, a lucky boy~."
After holding up his own photo and giving it a ceremonial kiss, Kang Yi-chae effortlessly ripped through the next album.
"Shall I try pulling Ho-yun-hyung in his school uniform next?"
"What kind of nonsense is that?"
In fact, even though Seo Ho-yun had opened several more albums, there wasn't a trace of that photo. Seo Ho-yun scoffed, certain that Kang Yi-chae wouldn't be able to pull it.
"How could you possibly pull that?"
However, thirty seconds later,
"Ooh~."
First, the Cotton Candy photocard Jeong Da-jun was looking for appeared.
"……?"
"……??"
With a whistle, Kang Yi-chae opened the second photocard, and there was Seo Ho-yun, smiling faintly in his school uniform as if to show off.
"Kang Yi-chae."
A fuming Seo Ho-yun threw down the photos in his hand and stood up.
"—Don't you dare cheat. You hid that and swapped it, didn't you?"
"You’re being pathetic, Hyung."
[Guys, calm down ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ You’re in front of the camera ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[As expected, even idols can't escape the madness of photocards...]
[Even throwing the albums....]
"What can I do if I was just born lucky?"
As Kang Yi-chae replied nonchalantly with a shrug, a box was shoved in front of his face. It was the very box that said 'Seeking World’s Most Handsome Jeong Da-jun Cotton Candy PC.'
"I’ll give you two for one for the Cotton Candy PC!!"
[ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[I’m losing it ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Where did you even learn that ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[Our puppy must have watched Noeul-logs diligently ㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
The fans' hands were busy typing "lol," but their other hands were busy deleting the Noeul-logs they had uploaded to Nutube. It felt as if their sensitive personal spaces had been discovered in an instant.
[I logged in so fast to delete my Nutube. He really shouldn't see that.]
[Man, the thought that the baby might have seen my transparent desires makes me break out in a cold sweat.]
Discussions broke out among the fans about whether they should title their videos "Jeong Da-jun, Do Not Enter," though others argued that would only make him want to watch more.
"……Bye, Noeuls~."
"Next time, I’ll tell them to release a reasonable number of photocard versions…."
The live stream ended with everyone looking a bit dejected, except for Seong Ji-won and Kang Yi-chae, who were satisfied with their results.
[Kang Yi-chae is my bias, but I was momentarily pissed off.]
[Tell me about it. I almost turned it off because I felt slighted while watching.]
The Noeuls who had witnessed Kang Yi-chae’s luck were also slightly wounded, but more importantly, concert ticketing was now the priority. It was almost time for the reservations to open.
[Heck, it’s already time.]
The Noeuls, who had been waiting with portal site clocks and reservation sites open, clicked the buttons like mad the moment the time arrived, but...
[..........................]
Most couldn't even make it to the payment screen.
[Fuck..]
The more they refreshed, the faster the seats disappeared, leaving them with nothing but empty hands.
Everyone trudged to the convenience store, muttering about needing straight soju, and vented their hollow feelings on SNS.
[Ffs, it feels like everyone in the world is going to The Dawn’s concert except me.]
[I’m jealous of The Dawn....
Even if they fail at ticketing, they still get to go to The Dawn’s concert...]
[Guys.. please understand if we talk nonsense.
Good luck with the concert prep...]
The Noeuls tried to act cool but failed repeatedly, swallowing their tears. Meanwhile, The Dawn was in the midst of a hectic schedule because of the concert.
Though they had been preparing for a long time, once the dates were finalized, the members felt like everything was still lacking.
"One, two!"
"Okay, turn here."
It was the day before the concert, and they were repeating their endless practice as usual.
In that moment, amidst the rhythmic sound of sneakers scraping the floor in perfect time—
Screeech—!
Thud!
"Ugh!"
Seo Ho-yun slipped and tumbled across the practice room floor.
The members' faces turned pale at the sight of his clearly serious condition.
"Seo Ho-yun!"
"Hyung!!"
"Ah, shit…."
His mind went blank for a moment as a sharp pain surged through him. Gritting his teeth, Seo Ho-yun checked his ankle first.
The skin above his sock was turning bright red. It looked like it would start swelling soon.
A hollow laugh escaped him.
"Dammit."
It was one day before the concert.
In a corner of his vision, a quest window popped up.
[Quest Arrived:
'Successfully complete the upcoming concert at the Gymnastics Stadium!'
Now that the influx of fans has increased, it’s the perfect time to row while the tide is in, right? Provide the fans with a concert they’ll never forget.
Success: 15,000 Points
Failure: Permanent Stamina Debuff]
It was a sign that he was screwed.