Chapter 369
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 369
“What? You’re saying someone picked a fight with Jeong Da-jun yesterday?”
I had stopped by the conference room to discuss a few things with the planning and management teams before our departure for Japan. My eyebrows furrowed and then relaxed as I processed the breaking news delivered by Kang Yi-chae, who had arrived from the studio ahead of me.
I thought nothing was wrong since he was snoring away when I got back…
By the time I’d returned to the dorm after finishing my individual schedule, Jeong Da-jun was already fast asleep. This morning, we were all so busy that we hadn't had a chance to talk.
Kang Yi-chae, whose fingers were moving restlessly as he played a mini-game on his phone, added nonchalantly, “I heard it happened near the emergency stairs after the U-U Bank shoot. Apparently, the other guy was shouting pretty loud, so quite a few people saw it. A music show staff member had to step in, looking absolutely terrified.”
“Who was it?”
“That main vocal from TEW, the one from Shining Star. Remember him?”
Jeong Won-ha?
Why is he popping up now?
“They say Jeong Da-jun said something rude… but I don’t know the details. It looks like our company and TEW’s agency handled it so it wouldn't leak out.”
I leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms.
I didn’t think he was that stupid, even if he was prideful and greedy.
He was also a bit gullible, easily swayed by a little flattery.
I tried to recall the image of Jeong Won-ha, who used to act so charmingly around me, as I asked, “So, what did Jeong Da-jun say about it?”
“No idea. I haven't had a chance to talk to him yet.”
As I was mentally sketching out the likely scenario of the incident, Kang Yi-chae set his phone down on the table and narrowed his eyes at me.
“Fix your face, will you? We’re meeting him soon anyway. You can just ask him then.”
“…Well, that’s true.”
Just as I let out a sigh and brushed back my bangs, which were falling into my eyes, the conference room door opened cautiously.
Jeong Da-jun’s face peeked through the gap.
“I’m here….”
Normally, he would have burst in shouting, “Jeong Da-jun has arrived!” with gusto. Instead, he crept in and awkwardly sat down next to Kang Yi-chae.
“…Hey.”
“Y-y-yes?!”
I only called his name because I wondered why he was acting like this, but he jumped as if he’d been electrocuted. That overreaction felt suspicious. Even Kang Yi-chae looked at the maknae with doubt.
I decided to skip the pleasantries and go straight for the jugular.
“Jeong Da-jun, I heard something happened yesterday when you were at your U-U Bank schedule?”
“Ah… th-th-that… yes…….”
Jeong Da-jun’s eyelids fluttered like butterfly wings as he cast his gaze downward.
“Spill it.”
“No… it’s nothing much… Senior Jeong Won-ha was just being a bit harsh with his words… so I got a little heated, too.”
“Why? What did he say?”
I wasn't asking because I wanted to hear the insults again. It was because there was something unsettling about the situation that I couldn't quite grasp from second-hand information.
I could see Kang Yi-chae frowning and watching me from across the table, but I waited only for Da-jun’s answer.
“…He just said I didn't have enough experience to be an MC…… and asked if I was being a burden to you guys…….”
“…….”
“…….”
…That’s it?
“W-wait!”
Seeing my expression, Jeong Da-jun’s fingers twitched as he hurriedly added more.
“And he, he said I’d been transformed into a big-shot idol, and, and…….”
Isn't that basically a compliment?
“He also said I was pretending to be innocent!”
Strangely, the more I heard from the maknae, the less the situation made sense.
He got fired up over just that?
Of course, to me, Jeong Da-jun always felt innocent and young, but that wasn't necessarily the case from an objective perspective. He had already secured his place in The Dawn and was pulling his weight. To put it another way, he had become someone who wouldn't even blink at most things.
Once, an idol he ran into in the restroom snidely asked him, “Is the WH Entertainment bus comfortable?” and Da-jun had just laughed it off, saying, “The seats are so plush and cozy!”
“And… and!”
“And what else.”
With his cheeks flushed red, Jeong Da-jun slammed both palms onto the table.
“He said I can’t do anything because Ho-yun hyung coddles me! He was just talking nonsense!”
“Is that what made you mad?”
“No!!”
I would have believed him if he’d said yes. What a shame.
Kang Yi-chae, who had been listening silently with his chin resting on his hand, finally spoke up.
“Did you talk back?”
“Uh…….”
Jeong Da-jun’s eyes darted from left to right as if searching for a plausible excuse. At the same time, the corner of Kang Yi-chae’s mouth twitched.
“…No, well, I did a little… but I mostly just listened. …Yeah.”
“…Ah~, really?”
Yi-chae turned his entire body toward him and scanned Da-jun from head to toe with a blank expression. Da-jun’s shoulders instinctively slumped. But then, Yi-chae suddenly beamed as usual, spun his chair around, and gently rested his head on Da-jun’s shoulder.
“Our maknae is all grown up, huh?”
I could clearly see Da-jun’s back stiffen at the chilling look in Yi-chae’s eyes as he looked up at him.
“So mature~. I’m so proud~. As long as you handled it well, it’s fine. Your feelings weren't hurt, were they?! Want hyung to blow on the boo-boo?”
“N-no, ugh, I’m fine….”
“Look at this guy, low-key gagging at me?”
Chuckling, Kang Yi-chae finally pulled away from Da-jun.
Just as Da-jun was dragging his chair away to create some distance from Yi-chae—
“Hey guys, hello!”
“Hey….”
Seong Ji-won and Kim Seong-hyeon, who had gone to vocal lessons together, appeared.
Kim Seong-hyeon looked pale, as if he’d been completely drained by the practice machine that was Seong Ji-won.
“Hello!”
The meeting officially began only after the Daepasung planning team (including Lee Ji-hyeon), the WH planning team led by Jeong Seon-ui, and the respective management teams had all entered.
Jeong Seon-ui, rubbing his stomach with his right hand, picked up the microphone and spoke in a weary voice.
“—I want to double-check every detail regarding The Dawn’s Japanese activities for the second half of the year. Since we are challenging a new concept, I believe we need to be more thorough than ever.”
“Yes, yes~. Team Leader~.”
“…Have you been practicing your instruments diligently?”
“Of course!”
At Kang Yi-chae’s prompt and cheerful reply, Jeong Seon-ui let out a small sigh and pulled up a chart analyzing Japanese album sales trends on the projector screen.
Meanwhile, under the table, the tip of Kang Yi-chae’s shoe tapped my shin.
When I glanced at him, Yi-chae nonchalantly crossed his arms and pointed at the maknae with only his index finger, mouthing a single word.
‘Liar.’
I looked away from Kang Yi-chae, who was curving his eyes like a fox, and stared at the screen.
Yeah. I think Jeong Da-jun is lying, too.
*
[WTF, Deonging-i-deul are going to Japan]
In early October, a time when most would be busy wrapping up the year and preparing year-end stages, news spread that The Dawn was heading to Japan.
[Flight info for Deonging-i-deul to Tokyo is out
└WTF, are they going for a concert? lol
Actually... they’re releasing an album....
└They made three comebacks this year and now Japan... T_T Do these kids have one body or two?]
[What~~?? Releasing a Japanese album to match the K-Pop concert schedule? That’s amazing! WH-san... just how far ahead were you looking?
└Lmao, Noeul-chan has been watching way too much otaku anime. Their Han-bon-eo is top-tier.
└└I’m actually Japanese.
└└Ah... I’m sorry....]
However, the backlash wasn't as big as expected.
Not only had The Dawn built a solid domestic fanbase, but they had also been releasing songs without any major breaks throughout the year. Even when they had a bit of downtime, they consistently appeared through individual schedules.
Furthermore, it was revealed that they were only going for about ten days to attend a K-POP concert being held as a one-off event in Japan, which kept the fandom atmosphere peaceful.
[Of course, of course, our babies need to become Yen Princes~]
[But isn't The Dawn really popular in Japan? Especially Black Cat Ho-yun-chan..
└Why a cat?;;
└└Japanese Noeuls are stubborn as hell. They’re still pushing the cat moe-ization for Seo Ho-yun..
└└Still??????
└└Yup. They’re incredibly persistent.]
[The isolationist policy of Japanese Noeuls... The heart that refuses to accept the rabbit moe-ization trending in Korea and stubbornly pushes the cat for domestic use... It’s magnificent.
I need a proper expression to explain this situation.
└‘Because that is what a Japanese Noeul is.’
└LOL WTF HAHAHAHAHAHAHA]
In the midst of this, another piece of news reached the fans.
The Dawn’s documentary, From Dawn to Dawn, was going to be released as a theatrical movie.
[Heol! The documentary From Dawn to Dawn that came out during Woo-chan-sae promotions is getting a simultaneous theatrical release in Korea and Japan!!!
I guess they made it into a movie by including unreleased footage and recently filmed clips T_T]
[Gosh, I’m taking my inverted pyramid lightstick with me.]
[Part-timer: Yes~ What movie would you like to book?
Me: ....Dawn to Dawn,,,
Part-timer: Pardon?
Me: From Dawn to Dawn..... The,, The Dawn,, the idol movie,,,,
Part-timer: Ah... Yes~ ^^
└Why can’t you say it with confidence?
I’m here to see my Dawnies’ youth! I’m here to see my man!!! Say it properly!]
[Oh damn, the photocard they’re giving out in Korea is different from the Japanese trading card..... but both are freaking gorgeous..........]
[I have no choice but to scour Japanese second-hand apps,,,, f*ck..]
Not long after, promotional videos of The Dawn members for the documentary movie began to be uploaded one by one.
【Hello~. I’m Seong Ji-won.】
The first to start was Seong Ji-won, wearing a cozy-looking white knit sweater made of thick yarn. With a bright smile on his face, he spoke Japanese fluently.
[Crazy. His looks, voice, and way of speaking... isn't Seong Ji-won totally a Ghibl male lead? My heart is fluttering so much. What is Ghibl doing not scouting this talent?! Wow fck fck fck fck
└He probably learned it at his old agency... It might not be a great memory for Ji-won...
└Sigh....... I’m going to go murder the CEO of his old agency.]
All of The Dawn members promoted with similar greetings, but the reaction to Kang Yi-chae was particularly explosive.
[I’m crying because Kang Yi-chae’s Japanese pronunciation is so funny LOLOLOLOL]
[Yi-chae is literally just a foreigner. Arigato! Konnichiwa! HAHAHAHAHAHA]
[F*ck, I need to watch this whenever I’m depressed. I didn't know because he kept using English the first time he went to Japan LOLOLOL T_T]
[I’m literally in tears right now. My baby comedy gold.. My baby comedians.. I love them so much.]
Strangely, however, almost no information was released regarding important Japanese broadcast schedules or songs.
[But why has nothing been released this time? I’m trying to look up the Japanese album, but it’s like a secret intelligence mission... f*ck, they even released the teaser images so late T_T
└Looking at the tracklist, it seems like it’s just a Japanese version of Our Brilliant Dawn plus one original track?
└That’s why I’m so excited for that original track... The Colors tracks were legendary....]
While Noeuls were anxiously waiting for new material to drop, The Dawn had just arrived at the airport.
“The Dawn!! Look over here!”
“Seong-hyeon-ah! Ji-won-ah~!”
“Seo Ho-yun-ssi!”
Reporters and fans who saw Kim Seong-hyeon and Seong Ji-won getting out of the van first began flashing their cameras incessantly.
The members got out one by one, and the last to appear was Seo Ho-yun, wearing a boxy navy duffle coat over a black turtleneck, with a dark blue checkered scarf wrapped tightly around him.
When he heard his name, he gave a bright smile and pulled down the scarf that had been almost covering his face.
“Hello.”
[The essence of an idol....]
[God.. Seo Ho-yun is a god....]
A low exclamation rippled through the crowd, and the sound of shutters firing exploded all at once.
However, focused as they were on Seo Ho-yun’s face, they failed to notice one thing.
The WH Entertainment staff following behind were carefully transporting the instruments that The Dawn members would be using in Japan.