Chapter 35
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 35
“What? Is it an audio glitch?”
“This is crazy.”
The fans began to stir. Even from the stage, I could see the staff scurrying around in a panic.
I quickly raised my microphone. It wasn’t my part, but—
[Come to me, Come to me, Don’t be afraid]
Let’s keep going, guys.
Audio glitch or not, we couldn’t stop here.
[I have my second chance]
Seong Ji-won caught on and quickly improvised a lower harmony. It was a harmony that wasn't in the original arrangement, but since we were performing acapella now, we had to fill out the sound however we could.
Following his lead, Kim Seong-hyeon waved to the fans as if to tell them everything was fine before joining in.
[No, there’s no need to worry]
It was then that the fans began to sing along with us.
As we moved slowly to the beat, the tangled formations quickly smoothed out. At that exact moment, Kang Yi-chae jumped in, timing his entrance perfectly.
“Everyone, sing along!”
[Stand up with your target in hand, I have confidence]
Even in the face of this audio disaster, Kang Yi-chae’s confidence was overflowing.
In fact, because there was no backing track, he ran wild like an unbridled colt. As Yi-chae bounced around in excitement, the fans’ worried expressions vanished, replaced by cheers.
[I ain’t gonna miss this time!]
Jeong Da-jun got swept up in the energy and stepped forward. Perhaps thinking, ‘Well, since it’s already come to this,’ everyone began frantically ad-libbing and changing the song on the fly.
During the highlight, Seong Ji-won and I hit the final high note together with perfect clarity. Even without music, Seong Ji-won sounded like he’d swallowed a CD. He didn't miss a single beat.
Kim Seong-hyeon deliberately smirked and approached the front of the stage. He made eye contact with the audience members one by one, then arched a single eyebrow.
[Give me, Give me, Give me Second Chance]
And with that, the song ended. The sound of our heavy panting echoed clearly through the microphones.
The backing track belatedly blared out for a moment, prompting the audience to boo the organizers, but a huffing Jeong Da-jun grabbed his mic.
“I’m glad… whew… I’m glad we practiced hard.”
“Wasn’t this all just a big plan to prove we sing live?”
“Of course, of course. I knew it all along.”
“You looked pretty panicked for someone who knew.”
“Ah, Hyung!”
As we played it off smoothly, the booing quickly subsided. Amidst gazes full of goodwill and affection, countless slogans swayed lovingly.
We greeted them with bright smiles.
No voice cracks, and the rhythm was spot on.
‘Actually, this is better. Should I stir the pot a bit by using this as proof of our live vocals?’
I gripped the mic, my mind already spinning with optimistic PR strategies.
“It seems all that practice lately has paid off. Um, some of you might already know, but we’re currently filming Shining Star.”
I made sure to pointedly mention Shining Star.
“The first episode hasn't aired yet, but we’re doing our best every single time so that we won't have any regrets.”
“The Dawn, fighting!”
“Thank you. We’ll work hard so that we can stand proudly on stage alongside the other groups…”
I was in the middle of speaking when a sudden, venomous shout pierced the air.
“Get lost, you rigged group!!”
Thwack!!!
“Kyaaaak!”
Someone screamed. Something struck my head and shattered.
Ah… this sensation felt very, very familiar.
I slowly brushed back the hair on the side of my head where I’d been hit. What came away on my fingers were finely crushed thin shells and a sticky, yellow liquid.
…It was an egg.
“What the—is that person crazy?”
“Who was it!”
The audience fell into a commotion. Not just the fans, but even the passersby who had stopped to watch looked around in shock.
However, the culprit had likely already vanished into the crowd; they were nowhere to be found. The members started toward me with hardened faces, but I held up a hand to stop them.
“Here, wipe it with this.”
“Thank you.”
I took the towel a staff member hurriedly brought over and roughly wiped my head.
Everyone’s faces were deathly pale.
‘Aha…’
All sorts of things were happening today. From an audio glitch to getting egged.
I had a grasp of the situation.
I’d heard that rumors about a "PD’s pick" or whatever had been spreading through online communities, but I didn't realize it had reached this level.
‘I guess you get egged whether you’re a trashy PD or an idol.’
It was a new discovery. I picked up the mic and offered a slight smile.
“The program must be quite popular already, even before the broadcast.”
The atmosphere stirred.
They probably expected me to burst into tears or look discouraged.
But sorry to disappoint, I wasn't that type.
“To continue what I was saying earlier, we are preparing a lot so that we can stand proudly on stage with the other groups.”
I continued calmly. My skin felt sticky as if there was still some residue left, but I didn't pay it any mind. The more I cared, the more the antis would enjoy it and the more the fans’ hearts would ache.
And honestly, if the video of me getting egged went viral and caused a controversy, it would be useful in many ways.
“I want to repay the time and affection our fans give us with performances so good that you’ll never regret supporting us. Please give us your support.”
And I truly meant that.
Below the stage, the faces that looked ready to kill someone a moment ago gradually turned tearful. I gave them a smirk to reassure them.
“We’ve worked hard on the next stage too. You’ll watch it, right?”
“Seo Ho-yun, I love you!”
“Thank you. I really like you guys too.”
After I finished speaking and gave a deep bow, the members immediately swarmed me. They fussed over me, whispering frantically.
“Are you okay? Ho-yun.”
“We seriously need to find out who did that.”
“Hyung, are you really alright?”
“Let’s just go down if it’s too much, Hyung.”
I shrugged and patted the shoulders of my teary-eyed teammates.
“I think my hair was falling flat during the performance earlier, but this will keep it in place.”
“Hyung, are you actually insane?”
Kang Yi-chae looked dead serious, but I just flicked the foreheads of the moping idiots one by one. And by that, I mean the entire group.
“Ow, that hurts!”
Stop looking like the world is ending.
I finished wiping my hands and returned to my position for the next formation. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kim Seong-hyeon clenching his teeth.
He must feel wronged. He’s probably dying from the injustice of it all, but now his expression said he was determined to do an even more legendary job.
I nudged Kim Seong-hyeon.
“Let’s do this right.”
As a result, we successfully pulled off our second performance as well.
As we headed down from the stage, the members stuck to my side for some reason and wouldn't leave me alone.
* * *
[He’s seriously a total madman. Ah, seriously, I’m—I’m going crazy. If you have a problem, go to a hospital, you psycho. Why are you taking it out on our Ho-yun?]
[I’m currently suing all the malicious commenters. I guess they think we’re pushovers because we’ve been quiet. See you all in court, you bastards.]
[Why is Ho-yun so calm through all this? Seeing him so unfazed actually makes me want to cry more… How much must he have suffered at such a young age to act like it’s nothing after something like that?]
[There are actually Today fans laughing and saying this was satisfying to watch. This is just a declaration of war at this point.]
.
.
.
[Subject: Today fans, holy sh*t
They seriously crossed the line this time.
It’s obvious the person who threw the egg at Seo Ho-yun was a Today fan.
Do they have brains? Or not?
And there are so many people laughing at the video. There are so many crazy people out there;;
└ Do you have proof the egg thrower was a Today fan? There’s no proof, and the person involved said he’s fine, so stop overreacting lol
└ People like you who post without using their brains are the proof.]
Social media and online communities were set ablaze.
While rumors about a "PD’s pick" had been quietly circulating among the fandoms of the groups appearing on Shining Star, the guerrilla concert and the egg incident made it a hot topic even among other K-pop fandoms.
At the same time, it rose to #2 on Nutube’s trending videos.
[‘The Dawn Sangho-dong Hosan Park Guerrilla Concert Fancam’
└ Wow;; Seo Ho-yun’s mental strength is insane… I would’ve cried right there, but he’s so calm (Likes 492)
└└ Did you say Seo Ho-yun? He’s truly amazing… I heard he even caught a robber before.
└└ There was a reason Ju Woo-seong adores Seo Ho-yun.
└└ Truly the GOAT of mental strength.
└ Isn’t throwing an egg a bit much? Shouldn’t the agency sue?
└└ If I were a fan, I would’ve cried hearing Seo Ho-yun’s comments ㅠㅠ He’s the one who got hit, but he’s the one comforting others.
└└ I’m officially a Seo Ho-yun fan now…
└ I haven't been interested in idols lately, but these young men are truly impressive. They performed like it was nothing even after an audio glitch and getting hit by an egg. I’m a 49-year-old man, but I think I’m becoming a fan. Supporting The Dawn (Likes 1249)
└ Is it true the egg thrower was a Today fan?
└└ Don’t feed the trolls. Don’t feed the trolls. Don’t feed the trolls.
└└ It’s a cold hard fact, what do you mean "don’t feed the trolls" lol. Are they seriously so blinded by jealousy they can't see?]
‘Everything’s going according to plan.’
To be honest, I hadn't expected the audio glitch or the egg, but thanks to handling it well, our popularity actually soared. Plus, it even created a rival image with Today.
‘This is a total win.’
Thanks to the Nutube algorithm, the view count skyrocketed to hundreds of thousands in a short period. It was easy to see it would hit the millions soon.
Furthermore, because the guerrilla concert was a success in its own way, my stats went up.
[Dance: C+]
As I said, a total win.
‘The only problem is…’
“What was that? Did you just cough?”
“What?”
These guys had become strange over the past few days. I’d only let out a small dry cough because something went down the wrong pipe, but the members practically leaped out of their seats.
“Turn off the AC~. Ho-yun Hyung is coughing.”
“Ho-yun Hyung, did you just cough? Should I, uh, get you some warm water?”
“Is Ho-yun sick? Is it because he got hit by that cold thing back then?”
“Hey, I told you to make sure you take your vitamins.”
It was overprotection.
I was being coddled and overprotected by these guys who were nearly ten years younger than me, like I was their nephew.
If I took three steps, they’d cling to me asking where I was going, and if I coughed once, they’d react as if I’d caught the plague and rush to bring me water.
It was the same yesterday. We were watching the first episode together and talking, but the atmosphere would suddenly turn solemn whenever my face appeared on screen.
Even during the talent show part where I imitated Im Hyeon-su…
“Right, even Ho-yun is this desperate…”
“Are you kidding me?”
I tried to protest weakly, but even Seong Ji-won wouldn't listen to me. He was the final boss of overprotection.
Anyway, I looked up the reactions after the first episode aired, and they weren't bad.
[Subject: Guys, I’ll summarize Ep 1 for you
The Dawn is crazy handsome.
The end. Bye.
└ No, but seriously, during the performance, the visuals of Seong Ji-won - Kim Seong-hyeon - Seo Ho-yun - Jeong Da-jun - Kang Yi-chae just kept hitting you in the face. Is this for real?
└ How are there visuals like this in such a small agency… The greatest miracle since Moses.
└└ There’s a rumor they’re all being blackmailed.
└└ This is probably it.]
[Subject: Guys, Seong Ji-won was a D.go rookie, right???
I knew I’d seen him somewhere…
There can't be two people in this world this innocent-looking.
└ That’s him.
└└ Ah, I knew it.
└ That mole on your nose… I missed it so much. Mwah
└└ Who do I report this to? D.go or Daepasung?
└└└ LOL ㅠㅠ I’m not the only one thinking this!!]
[Subject: Seo Ho-yun is a rookie
But is he close with Ju Woo-seong and Im Hyeon-su??
That’s wild, what is he ㄷㄷ Plus, both of them are famous for not doing social networking.
Is he just super rich?? Like the son of some high-ranking executive in the industry??
└ Isn’t it just Seo Ho-yun being super clingy? I didn't even like his impressions, Im Hyeon-su probably hates it.
└└ You haven't seen Cheong-beom Noona’s Starstagram yet. She literally filmed and posted Im Hyeon-su’s reaction to the impression.
└ Wait, then what about Ju Woo-seong??
└└ Ju-seong is surprisingly famous for having no friends ㅠ Since Seo Ho-yun is his only friend, Ju Woo-seong is actually the one being annoying ㅠ
└└ LOL wtf that’s so mean ㅋㅋㅋ]
Well, I thought the Im Hyeon-su impression might get some hate, but it seemed she’d looked out for me on her own.
‘As I thought, she’s got a soft spot.’
[Im Hyeon-su: Hey hey hey, did you see my Starstagram?]
[Im Hyeon-su: Seriously lol I almost cursed you out but I held back.]
[Im Hyeon-su: Well… consolation drinks later? G?]
[Me: No.]
[Im Hyeon-su: Ha, you bastard.]
I sent a quick reply and scrolled through my phone logs.
[Ju Woo-seong: 2 Missed Calls]
[Seo Ho-jin: 5 Missed Calls]
They were really hounding me. I cleanly turned off my phone. I appreciated the concern, but honestly, it was an overreaction.
[PD Kim Hee-yeong: 1 Missed Call]
When I suddenly stood up, everyone jumped.
“Where are you going?”
“Hyung! I’ll escort you.”
“Everyone shut up. You’re making me dizzy, so just stay put.”
I pretended to go to the bathroom while stealthily looking for a place without people. I already knew this broadcasting station inside and out.
A place with few CCTV cameras or people, where I could immediately tell if someone was eavesdropping—that was undoubtedly next to the smoking room.
Once there, I dialed the number, and the ringing tone soon followed. Strangely, I felt a little nervous.
[…Hello.]
“Yes, this is Seo Ho-yun.”
[Ah, Ho-yun-ssi.]
It was Kim Hee-yeong. Even after saying my name, she hesitated for a long time without speaking. After a moment, she let out a groan and finally spoke.
[…Normally, it would be better to tell you this in person, but since there are some strange rumors going around, I’m calling you like this.]
“Yes, that’s fine.”
[I saw the articles and the video. Whether you’re okay or not… I don’t think I’m in a position to shamelessly ask that.]
Kim Hee-yeong let out a deep sigh.
[I’m sorry.]
“…….”
[It’s true I tried to create controversy by pitting the two of you against each other, but I didn't know it would have such a direct impact. You must feel so wronged, Ho-yun-ssi.]
“It’s okay. I would have done the same if I were in your shoes.”
[…Ho-yun-ssi, are you a saint? Or what, are you on your second life? Why is a person so mature?]
Kim Hee-yeong was being unusually soft with me. Or maybe she felt a twinge of guilt because I was so young that the ink on my ID card hadn't even dried yet. Well, anyone would feel at least a little guilty if a kid got egged because of their choices.
[Anyway, I’m thinking of covering this up. To make sure nothing like this happens again. We’ve already generated enough buzz, and the ratings will be good. I know I’m being thick-skinned and shameless… but it won't be a bad thing for you either, Seo Ho-yun-ssi.]
“…….”
[I won't create any more confrontation narratives, so just know that.]
“No.”
I slowly crouched down on the floor. Then, burying my face deep into one arm, I listened to Kim Hee-yeong’s voice.
“Please keep that narrative going.”