Chapter 355
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 355
The impressions K-pop fandoms had of The Dawn varied, but they could generally be boiled down to two things.
A group that mostly just plays among themselves.
And: handsome but weirdos.
Publicly, it was known that Seo Ho-yun was close with Ju Woo-seong and Min Ji-heon, and Kang Yi-chae was also on very friendly terms with Blue Tiger. In reality, however, they spent about 348 out of 365 days a year sticking strictly to their own group.
This tendency was subtly revealed in the Level S2 choreography challenge videos that spread across Tick-Tock and Nutube Shorts.
[Jeong Da-jun is so damn good lol]
This was because Jeong Da-jun, The Dawn’s youngest member and the personification of "bubbly," would be all smiles while matching dances with other idol groups, only to be seen bowing stiffly at a ninety-degree angle with an awkward expression the moment the music stopped.
[The thing about Jeong Da-jun that’s so fascinating...
In the group, he still acts like a 21-month-old baby.
Outside the group, he suddenly turns into a cold, handsome guy.
└ Agreed. He’s getting more and more shy around strangers. I think he’s taking after his hyungs.
└└ For real?
└└ Yeah. During the last music show, another idol was filming a vlog and you could see their waiting room for a second lol.
It looked like he found it a bit annoying when male idols his age tried to talk to him to network.
└└ LMAO that’s hilarious ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└└ Seriously, this kid knows everything now and has such a strong personality... It feels like he mostly learned the bad traits from his hyungs, though...
Please cherish our baby puppy...]
Even Jeong Da-jun, who used to love people, eventually started circling only within the group.
And the other members weren't much different.
[The maknae seriously stepped up to give a meeting presentation, but then he saw Yi-chae’s face and suddenly burst out laughing.
It was so random, he just started cracking up.
Even Yi-chae was just expressionless, spinning a pen, but then he saw Da-jun and started wheezing and doubled over laughing...
What is with these two? Why are they like this?]
[Did you guys communicate telepathically behind my back or something?]
[Lately, they say they laugh just by making eye contact...]
[But our babies are such pros. In the Level S2 choreo where they face each other and hold hands, their expressions don't waver at all. They look so dead serious.
└ Did you see the fancam? When they turn around and the camera can't see them, they’re struggling so hard not to laugh.
└ Lol, they play so cutely.]
Perhaps that was why even the smallest gap could be greatly exaggerated, allowing discord rumors to flare up easily.
However, as they entered full-scale promotions, the image of The Dawn shown through various broadcast media remained as harmonious as ever.
[It was weird that they even had discord rumors in the first place.]
[For real. That’s why I ignore all that clickbait.]
One could tell how comfortable they were with each other just by looking at the chats Kang Yi-chae or Jeong Da-jun occasionally posted on UseVerse, or the rare glimpses of text messages caught on camera.
[Rap Machine: Hey guys~ Assemble at the practice room at 5!!]
[Conscienceless: Ok]
[Water Dumpling: Seong Ji-won... You mean 17:00, right?]
[Me: Ayy, hyung, why even ask?]
[Maknaeng-i: ㅋㅋㅋㅋ Exactly ㅋㅋ Hyung, of course it’s the afternoon.]
[Rap Machine: Huh? 05:00.]
[Me: Ah......]
[Maknaeng-i: Ah.......]
[Conscienceless: Ok]
Messages like these.
[Conscienceless: Jeong Da-jun, get your butt over here right now.]
[Maknaeng-i: Ah, hyung ㅜㅜ It’s not like that ㅜㅜㅠ]
[Maknaeng-i: Wait wait wait, hyung, just calm down a bit.]
[Maknaeng-i: I’ll be there in a bit.]
[Maknaeng-i has left the room.]
[Conscienceless: Kang Yi-chae.]
[Me: Yi-chae Yi-chae.]
[Water Dumpling: What’s with him?]
[Rap Machine: Da-jun went out without listening to Ho-yun... ]
[Rap Machine: So Yi-chae said he’s going to go catch him.]
[Water Dumpling: Is Kang Yi-chae... Seo Ho-yun’s PokeXmon?]
[Water Dumpling: He’s so obedient.]
Just by looking at these contents.
Intimacy dripped from every sentence.
[Yi-chae Yi-chae LMAO ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[Look at how Kang Yi-chae saved their names:
Seong Ji-won: Rap Machine
Kim Seong-hyeon: Water Dumpling
Jeong Da-jun: Maknaeng-i
Seo Ho-yun: Conscienceless ㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[Kim Seong-hyeon’s jokes are so on point.
└ Kim Seong-hyeon is my little comedian. He’s seriously hilarious.]
[Wait, how did Ji-won even translate that and see it? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[So what happened to the discord rumors between Yi-chae and Ho-yun??
└ They didn't really explain... There’s no point anyway.]
[They’re so close, what are people talking about ㅋㅋㅋ According to Seong Ji-won, Seo Ho-yun went to a workshop just to get some album to give to Kang Yi-chae as a gift.
└ For real??? He’s the epitome of a good hyung.]
Contrary to the rumors spreading under the radar, the relationship between Kang Yi-chae and Seo Ho-yun was not much different from usual. If anything, Kang Yi-chae seemed to be acting even more friendly, sticking to him like glue.
Just as fans were pouring out all sorts of speculations about what such behavior implied, a self-produced content video was uploaded.
【THE DAWN - Unlock My Code】
With a zzzt noise, a color bar appeared, followed by the members of The Dawn appearing in an arcade filled with purple lights, fully immersed in games.
【The Deonging-i-deul enjoying some light gaming at the arcade ♡】
Everyone was dressed casually in combinations of windbreakers, sweatshirts, or hoodies with cotton pants or jeans.
[Ho-yun wore white today because he had an official schedule.]
[ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Identifying his schedule by his clothes...]
Kim Seong-hyeon, who had tied his windbreaker around his waist as if he were a bit hot, stared blankly at a claw machine and spoke.
"The staff told me to pull out the rabbit..."
With a serious expression and his lips pouting, Kim Seong-hyeon was moving back and forth, trying to figure out an easy way to get it out, when Seo Ho-yun sauntered over.
"Think you can do it?"
[This guy is just sneering from the side.]
Kim Seong-hyeon snapped at Seo Ho-yun, who was peeking over and blocking his view with his arms crossed, telling him he couldn't see. But Ho-yun just sighed and shook his head as if he felt sorry for him.
"Baby, just donate the money instead."
"...Shut up."
[ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ But Kim Seong-hyeon is amazing. He’s concentrating even with that face staring at him so intently.]
[If it were me, I’d throw the doll or whatever and just look at Ho-yun. Holy crap, he’s so divine.]
In reality, Seo Ho-yun’s looks didn't have much of an effect on Kim Seong-hyeon, but the sabotage was persistent. Because of it, he would often hook the ball chain by a hair's breadth only to drop it.
Kang Yi-chae, who had ignored the maknae whining that he wanted a PompomXrin and instead picked only elephants to fill his arms, wore an expression of disbelief.
"You still haven't gotten it?"
"Just stay still for a second."
"You know, Seong-hyeon. I don't think you have the talent for this..."
"Seong Ji-won, don't you start with me too..."
Even Seong Ji-won, who had just finished belt out Level S2 alone in a coin karaoke booth for promotion, wore a troubled smile.
After several repeated failures, Seong Ji-won saw Kim Seong-hyeon shove his twelfth crumpled bill into the claw machine and subtly glanced at Seo Ho-yun.
"Ho-yun, do you want to try? I think you'd be good at it."
"I can't do it."
Seo Ho-yun just rolled his eyes toward Seong Ji-won and shrugged.
"And why would I spend money on something like this? It's a waste."
Since all of The Dawn were huddled together watching Kim Seong-hyeon waste his money, Jeong Da-jun, who was crouching nearby, tilted his head and asked Seo Ho-yun with an innocent face.
"Hyung, but the fans might do it too, right?"
"When Noeul does it, it's for the sake of the domestic economy."
[ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[He dodged that trap so easily ㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
Ignoring the stinging glares from his members, Seo Ho-yun looked directly into his assigned camera and gave a light, breezy smile.
Seeing that, Kang Yi-chae smirked, then walked over to Kim Seong-hyeon and tapped him to move aside. He took over the spot and snatched the doll in one go. Holding the rabbit and looking a bit dejected, Kim Seong-hyeon sat on a chair provided in the middle of the arcade. The other members followed suit and sat in the empty spots.
Looking around at the thing in his hand, Kim Seong-hyeon found a zipper on its back and pulled it down. Inside, several slips of paper were visible.
Unfolding the largest one, he found text regarding the self-produced content they were filming today.
"The members of The Dawn, each harboring a secret. Find your own secret code through missions and take first place."
"It's my secret but I don't know it? Is my concept being a bit stupid?"
"Wait, shh. Anyone who earns 10 points through mini-games can obtain their code from the production team. The first person to acquire their code will take first place..."
Seong Ji-won, who had been handed a new slip of paper, continued reading slowly.
"...All members except for the winner will receive a penalty."
"Whoa, isn't that too harsh?"
"Boo! I agree! You should give the winner a prize instead of just penalties!"
The maknaes were the first to protest, each adding their own complaint.
"Of course, there is a prize. The winner will be granted 'Freedom Rights,' allowing them to do whatever they want for two weeks, and it must be accepted."
"Does that mean I don't have to clean?"
"Yes, anything! You can think of it as a lone 'two-week reign.'"
At the production team's hurried addition, Jeong Da-jun’s momentum died down a bit as he muttered, "Then doesn't that just mean everyone else is a slave..."
Amidst the noisy atmosphere, Seo Ho-yun just sat there quietly, covering his mouth with one hand and observing the situation. Feeling that his behavior was rather strange, Kim Seong-hyeon kept glancing at him out of the corner of his eye.
"Why do you keep looking?"
"I'm not."
"It's hard for me to pretend I don't notice when you're glancing so obviously."
"……."
[ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[He’s seriously so annoying.]
[Look at Kim Seong-hyeon’s fist trembling right now ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[Seo Ho-yun, aren't you scared even after seeing those veins?]
"Okay, then I'll read the penalties. Mmm~"
First, Seong Ji-won scanned down the paper and smiled slightly, continuing to speak while ignoring the members' grumbling.
"First, our maknae: no watching dramas for two weeks."
"Aaaagh!"
"Yi-chae: no games for two weeks, including IRIX."
"AAAAAGH!"
"That's fine."
"Can't you live without that much?"
[Seong Ji-won is so chilling ㄷㄷ
'Practice will go well then.']
[Whenever Ji-won is like this, my heart flutters for some reason....]
The person named screamed, but the rest were very calm. They wore expressions that said it didn't matter as long as it wasn't them.
"Seong Ji-won: use rough thug-like speech for two weeks. ...Huh?"
"Whatchu lookin' at?!"
[Ah, Kang Yi-chae, look at him immediately doing the thug accent LMAO ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[So damn funny ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
"Haha, this penalty is a bit hard..."
"How is yours the only easy one!!"
"I said it's hard! Anyway, Ho-yun... no teasing or being sarcastic to others for two weeks."
As everyone's competitive spirit began to flare up and their eyes started to gleam one by one, Kim Seong-hyeon’s penalty was revealed last.
"...Kim Seong-hyeon: say 'I love you' to the members once a day for two weeks. Additionally, give them a goodnight kiss on the crown of their heads every night."
Instantly, Kang Yi-chae and Jeong Da-jun shrieked and jumped to their feet.
"Get Seong-hyeon hyung to first place!!"
"I'm fine with not watching dramas, so can we just give him first place? Hurry, hurry!"
At their violent reaction, Kim Seong-hyeon’s brow furrowed deeply as he growled back.
"Hey! What's wrong with you guys?! I don't want to do it to you either! I don't!!"
"If you keep this up, I'm moving out of the dorm!"
"Seriously! This is unfair!"
"Let's be quiet, guys. Quiet!"
[ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[Ah ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[Look at them all being so disgusted ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
The place instantly became as rowdy as a gathering of excited primates. The one to settle the members, who were hooting and hollering without being able to calm down, was, as expected, Seong Ji-won. At his firm voice, Jeong Da-jun, Kim Seong-hyeon, and even Kang Yi-chae flinched.
[But why is Seo Ho-yun so quiet? It's scary.]
[My thoughts exactly.]
Seong Ji-won continued talking, glancing toward Seo Ho-yun, who was unusually quiet today.
"Anyway, if you get first place, you get a privilege. If you want, you could probably avoid someone else's penalty..."
For a moment, their eyes met.
As soon as Seong Ji-won trailed off, the corners of Seo Ho-yun’s mouth slowly curled up.
"Interesting."
At his ominous voice, the other members' gazes also landed on Seo Ho-yun. Everyone's thoughts—except for Seong Ji-won's—appeared on their faces as if they weren't being filtered at all.
Can't we just eliminate that damn lead vocal, seal his terrifying mouth, and put Kim Seong-hyeon in first place for a peaceful outcome?
At that moment,
"Don't do it. Don't you dare do it."
Perhaps because he was the most frequent victim, Kim Seong-hyeon was the quickest to notice the suspicious vibe and tried to dissuade Seo Ho-yun first.
"Hey."
Seo Ho-yun didn't even pretend to listen. He leisurely switched his crossed legs and leaned his body closer to Kim Seong-hyeon.
"You better prepare a good lip balm."
His eyes curved deeply.