Chapter 375
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 375
“Yeon-hu hyung, are you okay?”
Kang Yeon-hu ignored the throbbing pain in his ankle and nodded at Lee Se-hyeon’s question.
It felt like the rehearsal had only just ended, but before he knew it, the seats had filled up, and the K-POP concert was underway.
Despite the grueling schedule, his kind-hearted younger members had followed his lead without a single word of complaint. They were currently huddled around a monitoring TV in a corner of the waiting room, watching the live broadcast.
“Let’s see, they said The Dawn is doing three songs, right?”
“We’ll be able to see their stage before we head out, right?”
“Probably? There’s a Japanese artist performing between us and The Dawn, so we should have a little time.”
The agency had told the members to avoid watching The Dawn’s videos if possible. They claimed it was to prevent their images from overlapping or influencing each other, but Kang Yeon-hu figured it was a preemptive measure to keep the members from getting discouraged or intimidated.
And he had been flat-out ignoring that advice.
He had to see for himself.
He had to know which way the Daesang would swing this year.
Surely, it hasn’t completely shifted to The Dawn… No way…
Yeon-hu shook his head, brushing away the negative thoughts.
He didn’t hate seeing these pure, once-timid kids smiling brightly and getting excited over their rising popularity lately.
Yeon-hu shifted his gaze from his members to the screen. An idol group he’d seen occasionally on broadcasts was currently performing.
The problem isn't this group.
“Oh, it’s starting.”
It was the group coming up next.
The lights dimmed, and as darkness settled over the venue, colorful numbers flooded the stage. One by one, the lifts rose, revealing silhouettes. A roar of cheers erupted throughout the arena.
【THE DAWN】
The tangled numbers formed ASCII code before transforming into the alphabet, announcing the arrival of the performers.
【Don’t think too hard,
it’s my round】
As Yeon-hu swallowed hard against his nerves, Seo Ho-yun’s low narration flowed out over a specially produced intro.
【Throw it all away and just hold me tight
Stop with the useless words
Just tell me you love me for now】
Matching the concept of their recent title track, Level S2, the members of The Dawn wore tight black T-shirts that accentuated their frames, topped with racing jackets that varied slightly in detail and color.
【No need for difficult words tonight
Just whisper to me endlessly】
Even though he had checked this song countless times, Yeon-hu felt his nerves pull taut.
【But let’s keep it under level S2
So I can split these letters before things get too deep
Don’t ask, just come out and dance with me, Babe】
More than anything, Yeon-hu’s shoulders flinched involuntarily every time Seo Ho-yun’s smiling face appeared on screen.
The guy was usually so unsettling and gave off such a sharp vibe, yet under the spotlight, he looked like he was born to be a celebrity. Seeing that face made the pain in Yeon-hu’s ankle vanish for a moment.
【Because the dawn belongs entirely to us】
Yeon-hu, who had been staring at the TV almost without breathing, finally exhaled when the melody cut off.
Just then, he heard Lee Se-hyeon mutter while rubbing the back of his neck.
“…He’s the same as ever.”
Despite the slightly shaken tone, Lee Se-hyeon’s expression remained calm.
Yeon-hu knew exactly what he meant.
The feeling of helplessly watching a rival group improve day by day…
Still, it wasn't significantly better than before.
No, since The Dawn had already finished their official promotions, there was a limit to how much more hype they could generate.
At this rate, High Five—who had recently captured everyone’s attention with ‘New Thrill’—held the advantage.
Yeon-hu was just finishing this mental calculation and trying to calm his racing heart when a new VCR appeared on the center screen, and instruments rose to the middle of the stage.
It looked like they were going to perform their B-side, ‘Superhero.’
“We should head out too—”
“Huh?”
A short gasp escaped Ri-yeong, who couldn't take his eyes off the screen.
That sound felt like an ominous omen. Yeon-hu planted his foot back on the floor and turned his head.
In that brief moment, The Dawn appeared on screen, having changed into casual suits.
The moment Kim Seong-hyeon, with an electric guitar slung over his shoulder, locked eyes with the camera, his Adam’s apple bobbed, and a deep voice boomed through the microphone.
【Drop.】
Simultaneously, Kang Yi-chae’s pick struck the guitar strings hard.
Zzzzzzt—!
The lights scattered brilliantly in sync with the storm-like melody.
“Whoa!”
【Because I can find you
Among the countless people at the intersection
Because I can discover you】
The soft, bright, and hopeful feeling of the original B-side was gone, replaced by a powerful new sound.
Seo Ho-yun, scowling slightly as if the glasses he wore as a prop were bothering him, sang with a gritty, powerful voice.
【I want to be your superhero
I don’t mind wandering unknown paths to find you
I want to be your superhero
The ordinary me, for your sake
Into a hero who can do anything】
“Wow…”
And for the second verse, they even sang the lyrics in Korean.
The sense of foreboding was taking physical shape. Overwhelmed by a sudden wave of dizziness, Yeon-hu squeezed his eyes shut, unable to watch any longer.
Unaware of their leader’s inner turmoil, Jeong Chae-hyeong and Ri-yeong chattered excitedly.
“The way they’re playing is freaking cool.”
“I’m saying! They’re really doing everything they want to do.”
As Jeong Da-jun’s sticks beat the drums fiercely, the atmosphere reached a fever pitch.
【The dreams we drew behind the stage
Your colors that dyed the colorless me
Melting into the sunset, lighting up my world
You know what I will say?】
The vibrantly shining stage suddenly blurred into shades of gray. Thunder rumbled, and thick clouds rolled in.
Kim Seong-hyeon grabbed a handheld mic from its stand and opened the intro to the next song.
【—I’m not mature enough】
What?
Yeon-hu’s brow furrowed. Beside him, Jeong Chae-hyeong also seemed to sense something strange, his eyebrows twitching.
Why the lyrics…
But as the intro kicked in for real, every member of High Five except Yeon-hu leaped to their feet and screamed.
“Waaaaaaah!”
It was the mega-hit song of the second-generation girl group ‘Revi,’ who had led the Hallyu wave in Japan and enjoyed such immense popularity that it was no exaggeration to say every Japanese person knew their name.
“I Can’t Mature!!”
Witnessing his members’ over-the-top reactions—the kind you’d see on a variety show—Yeon-hu felt a chill run down his spine.
Dammit.
He wondered why they had suddenly changed their outfits.
That song had received an even better response back then because it featured a mannish concept, which was rare for girl groups at the time.
【Yeahh——!】
As a warning bell rang in his head, Seong Ji-won’s clear high note soared effortlessly.
Meanwhile, the members of The Dawn stepped away from their instruments one by one, grabbed their mics, and strode out onto the protruding stage.
【I thought I’d feel better when I met you
But the moment I sat down, my gut felt wrong】
Standing dead center, Seo Ho-yun tossed his glasses aside and brought the mic to his lips.
【A scent of perfume I don’t recognize
You, ordering coffee without a word
My vibe is a bit chilly today】
Once again, Yeon-hu was forced to realize it. Seo Ho-yun had a knack for commanding attention.
【Why is your couple ring off?
Why are you looking at me so coldly?
I don’t understand you saying we should break up】
Next, The Dawn’s maknae ruffled his hair and put on a bewildered expression. He still looked quite young, which somehow made him even more eye-catching.
【There’s no such thing as the aesthetics of a breakup
But I still should have given you some flowers before I left】
Seong Ji-won, who had been off to the side, swapped places with Jeong Da-jun. Hearing the lyrics, Jeong Chae-hyeong blinked a few times and spoke.
“…Wait, isn’t the original lyric ‘I should have thrown flowers at you before I left’?”
“They changed all of them slightly.”
It seemed they had rearranged the cover into a rock-infused medium-tempo blues and tweaked the lyrics to suit themselves.
Lined up, the members of The Dawn performed the trademark hip-swaying dance of ‘I Can’t Mature.’
【Ooh Ooh Ooh Ooh…】
The endless cheers were clearly audible even in High Five’s waiting room.
Then, Kang Yi-chae grabbed Seo Ho-yun’s wrist and pulled him close.
【Please give me a moment, what’s your phone number?
Everyone asks me this when I walk down the street
But don’t you know my value?】
Waaaaaaah—!
The original performance used neckties, but they had modified the moves since their outfits were different. Still, the crowd’s screams intensified as they followed the girl group’s original choreography.
Kang Yi-chae curled one side of his mouth into a smirk and let go of the hand he had pulled, as if casting it away.
【This situation is just ridiculous】
As Seo Ho-yun and Kang Yi-chae spun around and moved to the back, Kim Seong-hyeon stepped forward to fill the space.
【It’s my first time feeling this frustrated
My heart hurts so much】
He then performed a wave, thrusting his hips. His loosely worn jacket slipped off his shoulder with the movement.
【Ooh Ooh Ooh Ooh…】
“Whoa…”
【I swallow my pathetic feelings
And keep my pride still
But you only push me away coldly】
Now, even the High Five members had gone quiet.
Yeon-hu didn’t even need to check the reactions to know what they would be like.
【I’m not mature enough
Ooh Ooh Ooh Ooh…】
…So you’re determined not to let go of the public’s attention until the very end, huh?
“They killed it…”
“Wow, hiss. They really tore that concert apart.”
Watching Seo Ho-yun smile while catching his breath, Yeon-hu suppressed the sigh that threatened to escape.
I made a mistake.
Even though he had checked the setlist beforehand, he thought they wouldn't be outdone. He had already experienced how strong they were in live performances through Shining Star.
The pain in his left ankle flared up again. Yeon-hu stepped down harder on the floor and spoke to his members.
“Let’s head up.”
They passed through the busy staff and headed backstage.
A Japanese singer’s special stage was currently underway, and a song in an unfamiliar language was playing.
Yeon-hu checked the stage, careful not to let his expression crumble.
“High Five’s VCR is coming up soon! Cast members, please get on the lift in three minutes!”
Just as the High Five members were warming up with a mix of excitement and nerves—
“Wait a second.”
Yeon-hu’s arm was pulled back.
Startled, he turned his head to find Seo Ho-yun, his face full of irritation, panting for breath.
“Give me ten seconds.”