Chapter 279
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 279
Usually, when a fire breaks out, the next step is the extinguishing process.
With the merger and acquisition talks in full swing, The Dawn had found themselves at the center of a heated controversy. Rather than blindly trying to put out the sparks, Seo Ho-yun decided to make the most of this opportunity.
[OMG!!! A live stream is up lol ‘The Dawn High School Talent Show’]
The Noeuls had expected that once the acquisition went through, the group would stop using Pop-Pop and start using WH Entertainment’s proprietary platform for their lives. However, no one expected a broadcast to drop so suddenly without any prior notice.
Fans who had been relaxing scrambled to open the app and start signing up.
[Lmao look at everyone rushing to sign up all of a sudden]
[Guys, you can link your accounts, it takes like 3 seconds. Hurry up and get over here!]
In truth, this live stream was a sort of demonstration aimed at WH Entertainment—a statement on how The Dawn had led themselves up to this point.
As the stream started and the camera captured a dazzlingly luxurious practice room, most fans immediately realized where they were.
[Whoa, this is the new headquarters]
It was a far cry from the shabby, dimly lit practice room they were used to, where it felt gloomy even with all the lights on.
[Damn, that was fast. I guess they moved in right after signing the contract.]
[Even a rush job wouldn't be this quick. Is WH in a hurry, or is it Daepasung? lol]
While it was objectively a good thing for The Dawn to practice and promote in such a place, the Noeuls still felt a bit uneasy about the merger. They didn't know how WH Entertainment would treat the group moving forward.
Just as the fans were debating how to react, Seo Ho-yun suddenly popped into the frame. Fortunately, his cast was off, and he was wearing a neat pair of sneakers on both feet.
"Hi, Noeul."
[Whoa! OMFG!!!!!!!!!]
[Aww lol so cute, our bunny]
[Crazy, black-haired Seo Ho-yun is back! I love you ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ Everyone else was crying for dyes and bleaches, but I stood my ground for black hair ㅠ]
And following him...
"Hi~~!!"
"Hello."
There was Kim Seong-hyeon, wearing a school shirt unbuttoned over a white T-shirt; Seong Ji-won, wearing his full school uniform jacket with impeccable precision; Kang Yi-chae, zipped up to his chin in a green jersey with three distinct white stripes on the sleeves; and finally, Jeong Da-jun, wearing a boxy hoodie over his shirt.
The other members poked their heads out one by one.
[Those are the 'Our Brilliant Dawn' outfits!!!
What do I do? They're so, so cute. Seriously, so cute.]
[The Dawn is just God for committing to the high school concept like this... They look so fresh. I can see the 'The Dawn High School' AU flashing before my eyes.]
[They said they’d dance to girl group songs in these outfits lol crazy lol]
Stepping back with the members so everyone was in the shot, Seo Ho-yun lightly rotated his ankles and spoke.
"Wait a second. We need a moment to warm up, so we'll start with 'Our Brilliant Dawn' as a trial run."
Amidst the enthusiastic cheers of the expectant fans, the members quickly snapped into formation and moved in perfect synchronization to the beat. The sound of their sneakers scuffing the floor in unison provided a strange sense of catharsis for the Noeuls.
As soon as "Our Brilliant Dawn" ended, a random medley of famous girl group hits—pre-selected from Nutube—began to play.
Songs from White Cherry, Lia Purple, and other tracks that any Korean would recognize from the very first note followed one after another.
[This is paradise...]
[So this is what heaven looks like.......]
[Wow, I'm so grateful.....]
As if this level of dancing was a breeze, Seong Ji-won asked with a bright smile, "Noeuls, is there anything specific you want to see?"
True to the "Talent Show" title, this surprise live was prepared with the intention of performing almost any song the Noeuls requested.
[No way, you'll really show us?? White Cherry, please!]
[Please do Ju Woo-seong's solo song 'MYTH'!]
[Woo-seong Woo-seong Woo-seong Woo-seong Woo-seong Black Call Black Call Black Call Black Call Black Call]
"A Ju Woo-seong sunbae-nim song? Today is supposed to be a girl group dance relay, but... does anyone know it?"
When Seong Ji-won’s gaze landed on the self-proclaimed (and publicly recognized) Ju Woo-seong superfan, Kim Seong-hyeon shook his head.
"I haven't perfected Ju Woo-seong sunbae-nim's dance yet, so I'm afraid I'd be doing him a disservice..."
"Me! Me, me!"
Jeong Da-jun, who had been bickering and playing around with Kang Yi-chae in the back after finishing the previous choreography, suddenly raised both hands and jumped forward.
"Whew, the time has finally come for me to show off my skills."
Exhaling a long breath that blew his bangs upward, Jeong Da-jun grinned mischievously. He immediately took center stage and waited for the music.
【The distance between you and me is just a breath away
Can I stare into your eyes】
While he might have lacked a certain something compared to Ju Woo-seong, he didn't miss a single beat and hit all the key points perfectly. Moreover, his natural gestures during the gaps in the choreography had become much more polished and cool.
[Wow, Jeong Da-jun is dancing so stylishly]
[As expected... hanging out with Kang Yi-chae... he's definitely picked up a lot of swag.]
[Did Da-jun get taller???? Did Da-jun get taller???? Did Da-jun get taller?????
└ Isn't it just insoles?
└└ lolololol No, he really grew!! lol]
【I want to act simple in front of you
Can I hold you tight】
Just as the chorus was passing, Kim Seong-hyeon exchanged glances with the members and suddenly shouted.
"Da-jun, changing the song!"
Immediately, a cute and bubbly song blared through the speakers.
【I want to play with you a lot
I want to love this feeling】
It was "Skate," a song by the rookie girl group A-Summer, who had debuted recently.
Jeong Da-jun let out a "Yikes!" but instantly switched to a refreshing expression and began performing the adorable movements.
The 200% synchronization caused the chat to explode.
[lolololol Oh, our puppy]
[Yeah, as expected, he's really stable with the cute concepts lolol]
[This is a brand-new song, the fact that he knows the choreo immediately is hilarious lolol]
"Ho-yun hyung!! Come, come!"
At that moment, Seo Ho-yun, who had been watching Da-jun with a bored expression—actually, just his usual face—stepped up beside him and matched the choreography.
[Whoa, Seo Ho-yun knows it too?]
[Look at Seo Ho-yun's face not changing at all while he hits every single detail of the choreo lololol]
【I want to play with you a lot
I want to love this feeling】
As he moved close to Jeong Da-jun to perform the famous "Skate" pair choreography, the non-stop chat of the Noeuls briefly quieted down. Everyone had momentarily forgotten to type because they were too busy watching.
[Is it just me, or do the lyrics suddenly feel different when Seo Ho-yun does it? Is this magic?]
[Seriously, his physique is so different that when Seo Ho-yun does something refreshing and cute, you have to really focus to see the 'freshness.']
"Ooh~, dance more refreshingly~."
"Don't change the concept~."
At the same time, the other members began to jeer at Seo Ho-yun, who was dancing with a deadpan face. Seo Ho-yun glanced at them, and feeling a sudden surge of mischief, he stepped even closer to Jeong Da-jun.
[He's so persistent lolol]
[Jeong Da-jun is getting ambushed lolololol]
Just as he was about to pivot his right ankle and transition into a dynamic move...
"Switch!!"
"Ack!"
Kang Yi-chae shoved Seo Ho-yun aside, grabbed Jeong Da-jun, and hijacked the pair position.
[????]
The abruptly shoved Seo Ho-yun collided with Kim Seong-hyeon, and the two of them ended up rolling across the practice room floor together.
[lolololol Kang Yi-chae, what are you doing? lolol]
[I thought Kang Yi-chae was nice, but he just shoved his hyung.
└ lolol You thought he was nice? lol]
[Look at Kim Seong-hyeon and Seo Ho-yun's faces lolol I'd be dumbfounded too lol]
[Look at Jeong Da-jun making a coy face like a high school prom queen. Fine, we get it, you're popular.]
"Kang Yi-chae, what was that?!"
"Hey, Kang Yi-chae!"
Even as the older members barked in anger, Kang Yi-chae continued to dance nonchalantly as if nothing had happened.
Seong Ji-won, who had witnessed the entire scene, simply gave a benevolent smile.
"What should we dance to next?"
[Wait, what's with Seong Ji-won's warm gaze, like he's watching his grandkids?
He's not even thinking about helping Ho-yun and Seong-hyeon up.]
[He moved on so naturally that it's obviously just a normal day for them. Hilarious.]
[It's not too late, The Dawn! Debut as comedians!]
By the time a few more songs had passed, the Noeuls came to a realization: The Dawn was fulfilling every single fan request in order, without skipping any.
[Hey, these guys are really dancing to everything they can.]
[Guys, this is basically a The Dawn concert right now.]
[You have to sign up for this. It's literally a free concert.]
[Plus, they're the kings of communication. They're doing almost everything we ask for.]
They couldn't miss this golden opportunity!
The fans began to reveal their desires without restraint. Even though it was supposed to be a girl group relay dance, they started demanding every famous choreography they could think of, regardless of gender.
After a marathon dance session that lasted a full two hours, the members of The Dawn collapsed onto the practice room floor, breathing heavily.
The Noeuls, soaked in happiness, mimed dabbing away tears of joy.
[I'm crying from the emotion. This is the standard of an idol group that clawed their way from a small agency to the doorstep of the first-tier...]
[These guys... really... are the epitome of modern idols.
Feeling bad because of company drama?
The idols will perform for you.]
Each song was roughly three to four minutes long. Even with breaks to read the chat and communicate, they had moved an incredible amount.
"The Noeuls were really determined this time."
Having shed their school uniform layers, the members of The Dawn were now in just their T-shirts, huddling in front of a fan.
As Kang Yi-chae poked at Seo Ho-yun's ankle and checked the fans' reactions, social media was also buzzing with talk of The Dawn's relay dance.
[But wait, how do they know all the choreography??]
[Right? It's like they're high school seniors possessed by the spirit of a fan who knows every boy group dance lolol it's amazing]
[Actually, a few of them don't know them. Especially Seo Ho-yun.]
Despite having witnessed Seo Ho-yun dancing perfectly in real-time, a post pointing out that he didn't know the choreography made everyone bristle, wondering if it was a new attempt to start trouble.
[Seo Ho-yun was dancing well, though?]
[It's just that Seo Ho-yun picks up choreo insanely fast. Ju Woo-seong said he can memorize it after seeing it once or twice.
└ Ju Woo-seong said that???
└└ Yeah, said it was his only talent.
└└ lolololol Woo-seong-chan... his standards are still so high.]
However, those who saw the subsequent new posts on Twitter became focused on the truth of the claim. The captured content quickly spread to Starstagram and various communities, eventually making its way into the live chat.
"Are you asking if Ho-yun memorizes the dances on the spot?"
Seong Ji-won, who happened to be reading the comments while drinking water, spotted the question.
"Yes, that's right."
[Yes, that's right???]
[Pardon????]
[Ayy, you're lying lol]
"It's true, though..."
Seemingly bothered that the fans didn't believe him, Seong Ji-won frowned slightly. He capped his water bottle and turned his head toward Seo Ho-yun, who was still leaning against the wall, exhausted.
"Ho-yun-ah!"
Hearing his name, Seo Ho-yun shifted slightly and tried to push Jeong Da-jun forward as a shield. Of course, Seong Ji-won habitually dodged the maneuver and grabbed Seo Ho-yun's arm.
"Ho-yun-ah, let's show them once!!"
"No, we don't have to."
"Yes, we do!!"
Seo Ho-yun resisted, but in the end, Seong Ji-won was the victor. Seo Ho-yun had to stand behind Seong Ji-won and mirror the movements he demonstrated.
[Whoa... what the... he really can dance it as soon as he sees it.]
[And you're saying he can memorize the whole choreography, not just the highlights...?]
[No way, our cute bunny was a genius....]
And so, the second round of the dance relay broke out.
The excited Noeuls shouted out all the songs they had missed earlier, and Seo Ho-yun had to keep dancing along with Seong Ji-won. The other members would jump in to liven things up whenever a song they knew came on.
Finally, three hours after the live stream began, a flushed Seo Ho-yun approached the connected tablet to turn off the broadcast, wearing a deliberately grumpy expression.
"Ah, I don't want to do it anymore."
[Speak informally to me, please!]
Seeing the chat that popped up at that exact moment, Seo Ho-yun quirked an eyebrow.
"No."
And with that, the live stream ended.
The Noeuls let out a collective scream.
[WAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!]
[I think I'm going crazy. Why is he like that????]
Seo Ho-yun was someone who usually maintained polite, formal speech even with younger fans.
[Ah, I don't want to do it anymore. No. Rewind... click... Ah, I don't want to do it anymore. No. Rewind... click...]
[I felt like I was back in my high school summer peak just now.
I don't need VR. Seo Ho-yun gives me a 5D experience.]
[I get a little fluttery every time Ho-yun looks down on me a bit......
└ Ah, seriously, Noeuls' tastes lolol]
From the dance relay that would generate countless clips to Seo Ho-yun's informal speech...
Just as The Dawn's fans were savoring the aftermath of the live stream, feeling full but still wanting more...
"Excuse me, you're supposed to notify us before doing a live stream. Doing it without permission like this—"
"Ah. Well, that is..."
A staff member from the WH planning team and The Dawn's manager were in the middle of a conversation. Naturally, the topic was the unauthorized live stream.
The manager, looking troubled and shifting his eyes, swallowed hard as he recalled Seo Ho-yun's words.
“Manager-nim. The WH Entertainment staff will definitely say something when we turn on the live. I'll take care of everything, so just laugh heartily and say this one thing.”
Closing his eyes tight and then opening them, the manager hesitated several times before finally managing to speak.
"...Well, the kids are at that impulsive age..."
"Pardon?"
"They don't really listen even when you tell them. Hahaha!"
While the WH Entertainment planning team staff member looked dumbfounded, thinking, 'What kind of excuse is that?' another live notification rang out.
Not only the startled WH staff member but also the manager rushed to open the live. This time, it was Jeong Da-jun alone, waving both arms vigorously in greeting.
"Hello, Noeul~~!!"
This was the real reason Seo Ho-yun hadn't toured the building earlier, using his sore ankle as an excuse. He had planned to do it as a live stream.
"Today, The Dawn's most handsome member will be joining you!"
Having caught on to the intention surprisingly quickly, Jeong Da-jun winked and readily joined in.
Meanwhile, Seo Ho-yun, looking out the window from inside the moving van, let out a small chuckle.
"Our Da-jun is definitely a puppy, too."