Chapter 443
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 443
After a bout of heavy rain, it seemed like summer had truly arrived, but the monsoon season followed immediately, bringing a tedious, daily drizzle. It was during this time that the decision was made to hold the Song Camp finale on a makeshift outdoor resort stage.
As nearly 40,000 people moved to the venue since dawn, enduring the elements just to see the cast perform, the majority of the public had returned home early in the afternoon. They were ordering delicious food and tuning their TVs to QBS.
[Wow, the competition for the Song Camp broadcast lottery must have been insane. Everyone I know failed to get a ticket...]
[They say the Variety Show of the Year award is already in the bag... I’m so thankful it’s been fucking entertaining, but I can’t believe there isn’t a single seat for me among all those spots. I even borrowed 15 people’s phones to apply.
└ Damn, you actually have 15 friends?
└└ I didn't say they were friends...
└└ Ah... sorry~ lol]
[Even though I know they’re suffering because of the rain right now, I’m still filled with envy, jealousy, spite, hatred, anger, and resentment toward the people at the venue.]
On various social media platforms, photos of people in raincoats at the site were popping up under the tag "Song Camp Broadcast Proof."
[Oi, oi... I’m getting jealous of these photos, so I’m logging off Twitter.
Just kidding, my screen time is already at 16 hours.
└ Does this guy even eat or sleep?]
Tucked away in the midst of it all, fans of The Dawn were hiding in their private accounts, continuing their chatter about the 3rd competition.
[If Song Camp starts at 7:00,
I’ll be fucking shaking from 1:00.
└ Shaking like a phone on vibrate right now.
└ Production team, just give them 1st place already 🔪🔪]
[Fuck, I really thought I’d be okay even if they didn’t get 1st, but now that we’ve come this far, I’m getting greedy lol]
[Did Kang Yi-chae go into secluded training or something?
└ His form is getting crazier and crazier. He won't drop from the Three Os music charts lol]
[But which one is Kang Yi-chae’s song for the 3rd round??
└ My vote is on Skit.
└└ For real?? I think In May sounds like a Kang Yi-chae song...
└└ That’s definitely Baek Ji-jun lol. Fuck, Baek Ji-jun is a damn good songwriter...
└ I honestly can’t tell, so I’m still holding off on my vote out of caution ㅠ
└ Both are absolute fucking masterpieces, though.]
While various opinions were being exchanged in the heat of the moment, one fan scanned and posted a magazine interview of Kang Yi-chae on a public account.
[KANG YI-CHAE’S INTERVIEW IS OUT!!!!!!]
The Noeuls pored over every single word as if licking the page. Seeing the content filled with affection for the members and the fandom, they began pounding their keyboards again in a frenzy of adoration.
[‘I am indeed an idol-turned-producer.’
Boom-boom-boom-boom... Hip-hop music echoing in the background.]
[I love that Kang Yi-chae hasn’t lost his idol identity.
‘The answer will always be the same.’ Isn’t he a total madman?
└ Ugh, Kang Yi-chae is so precious lol. I need to pet his head. Scritch-scritch-scritch.
└ Seriously, with that face, you’d think he’d be in the underground scene talking about the ‘fuck music industry’... I just want to give him a big hug.]
[I’m so proud of Yi-chae doing an interview alone ㅠ
But Yi-chae... the outside world is dangerous.
Take one of the Dawn-ging Pokémon with you!
└ Yi-chae: I can’t choose.
└└ Fine, take them all!!!!!!]
[Interviewer, I know you’re impressed by Kang Yi-chae’s songwriting prowess,
but he is absolutely not the type to ever quit The Dawn.
Mainly because our shy Yang A-chae only has four phone numbers saved in his contacts.
└ Gasp, that’s extreme...; He’s an idol who has to have a social life...
└ No way, is the phone number thing for real?? Which interview was that in?
└└ No, fuck, you actually believe that? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└ Ah ㅋㅋㅋㅋ It was so convincing that people are actually falling for it ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└ But in reality, he probably only has 6 or 7 at most ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
Though it was only a few pages of text, it seeped deep into the fans' hearts.
[Title: Kang Yi-chae, who didn't give a single hint in his interview.
But whatever~~~~! I’m trusting my gut.
My heart is beating faster for this one!!
I’m betting on ‘In May’!!!!!!!!!!!
└ Fuck, then I’m going with that too!!!!!!!
└└ I’m rubbing all my life’s lottery luck onto this!!!!!!!!]
[Wait, are we really doing this?? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[Man, I was going to wait until the last minute, but fuck it ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[The class of a True Noeul.
Fuck, there’s no backing down now. I’m in too!!!!!!!!]
Ultimately, in the aftermath of the interview, those who had been hesitating to vote began to find their courage.
[It’s starting!!!]
And so, as 7:00 PM arrived, Song Camp raised the curtain on its final competition.
* * *
The venue for the final competition.
It was already packed with an audience brimming with anticipation. To ensure the owners of the songs remained a secret, the camera rehearsals had been moved up several days, and no separate rehearsal was held today.
As I walked through the backstage of the temporary outdoor stage, other performers I had become acquainted with greeted me. Although the exact rankings hadn't been revealed yet, the performance order roughly indicated the top ranks, so everyone looked rather relieved.
“The Dawn! Over here, please!”
Turning his head at the staff member’s voice, Kang Yi-chae locked eyes with Baek Ji-jun, who was waiting nearby. The other man gave a gentle smile, true to his nature.
“To prevent spoilers, we skipped the pre-rehearsal today, but we’ll give you a final briefing before you go on stage—...”
He could see Baek Ji-jun mouthing "Fighting," but Kang Yi-chae simply gave a slight nod and walked past.
Following the members and the staff’s guidance, he went to the waiting room and sat on the sofa.
“They said we’re second to last!”
“Ah, really?”
Seeing that Baek Ji-jun was last and they were placed right before him, it seemed the stage order was determined by the vote count accumulated so far. In other words, it meant Baek Ji-jun was still holding onto first place.
Kang Yi-chae stole a glance at Seo Ho-yun, who was sitting silently beside a boisterous Jeong Da-jun, before turning his head away.
While they stayed in the waiting room, occasionally exchanging thoughts about the performance, time flew by. Soon, the start of the live broadcast was announced through the droning microphones.
“Song Camp, the finale begins now!”
As short, edited clips of each contestant’s 3rd competition songs played, the total vote count was displayed in large numbers on the massive screen.
“Whoa, that’s no joke.”
“It’s record-breaking.”
As Seong Ji-won and Kim Seong-hyeon chatted while watching the scene closely on the TV in the waiting room—
Bwaaaaa—.
The thunderous sound of a horn echoed. Jeong Da-jun, who had been practicing alone in the corner by bouncing his drumsticks, jumped in surprise and dropped them on the floor.
【The vote for 1st place will close shortly—!】
As MC Lee Jeong-ung shouted while looking directly into the camera, a countdown appeared on the screen.
【10, 9, 8, 7—...!】
Seong Ji-won broke his upright posture and leaned closer to the screen.
【...—3, 2, 1—!】
【Voting is now closed—!】
【The die is cast! Now, we reveal the owners of each song!】
Waaaaaaa—...
“...It’s starting.”
With Seong Ji-won’s low murmur, the final competition officially kicked off on the TV, starting with Kang U-rin’s "Paper Doll."
【Let us fall—!】
As if proving Song Camp’s popularity, even though "Paper Doll" had received a relatively lukewarm response in the blind voting, the audience's cheers were loud enough to reach the backstage.
Jeong Da-jun, who had squeezed in between Kim Seong-hyeon and Seong Ji-won to watch the broadcast, couldn't sit still. Unable to hold back any longer, he leaned against the door, craned his neck to look around, and cautiously asked a staff member.
“...Um, is it okay if we go out and watch?”
“Ah, just a moment.”
There were still more than 30 minutes left until their performance, and they hadn't even put on their microphones yet. After the staff member confirmed the request via radio and nodded, the members quickly filed out of the waiting room. Kang Yi-chae followed slowly behind them.
Everyone moved close to the walls to avoid getting in anyone's way.
“...Hyungs, we’ve stood on many big stages before. But why am I so nervous today?”
“It makes sense. I heard people talking about the viewership ratings when I walked past earlier.”
With a bright smile, Seong Ji-won whispered playfully to Jeong Da-jun. Before long, the youngest’s jaw dropped.
“That’s cra— No, Song Camp is a total hit!!!”
“Ahaha, let’s do our best.”
The anticipation, fluttering hearts, and excitement radiating from the members as they walked through the backstage reached Yi-chae as well.
There was no trace left of their past selves—the ones who were anxious, fretful, and unable to believe even in themselves.
“...As of 7:40 PM, the ratings are out—...”
However, Kang Yi-chae felt as if he were sinking into solitude in this noisy place. Just like those days when he used to kill time alone in the PD’s room.
“—...Check the microphones again....”
The sounds stretching out from all directions scattered like incoherent mumbling before they could reach his ears.
He lowered his gaze and stared at his toes, but for some reason, the side of his face felt a prickling sensation.
“—Luma is moving! To Zone C over here—!”
Lifting his chin slightly, he saw Seo Ho-yun—the man he had been avoiding one-on-one for the past few weeks—looking at him.
After blinking a few times, Kang Yi-chae blurted out the thought that suddenly surfaced in his mind.
“...Are you nervous?”
He realized a moment too late that there was no way the great Seo Ho-yun would be nervous, but his mouth continued to speak words directed at who-knows-who.
“It’s okay. Everything will turn out fine.”
That they would be successful, and that there would be no problems in the future.
Even though he knew such words wouldn't really reach Seo Ho-yun, who seemed to be built entirely of logic, Kang Yi-chae couldn't stop.
“Because you made it that way, Hyung.”
He had even gone so far as to eliminate the judges' scores.
After observing those dark eyes that seemed deceptively calm, Yi-chae gave a smirk and was about to move on when a steady, quiet, mid-to-low voice pierced his ears.
“...Kang Yi-chae.”
For some reason, he felt a sense of foreboding.
Turning his head, he saw Seo Ho-yun looking at him with a somewhat subtle expression.
“There’s something I couldn't finish saying that day.”
“......What?”
Kang Yi-chae clenched his jaw to keep from grinding his teeth.
Whenever Seo Ho-yun took that kind of attitude, something that exceeded his expectations always happened.
“I absolutely have to go back.”
But even so, he didn't have to—
“That is my number one priority right now.”
—reiterate a fact he already knew so well....
The footprints they had carved over three years, the popularity they had built, the envy and jealousy from those around them.
It was clear that Seo Ho-yun had also worked incredibly hard to achieve things that some people would literally die for, yet strangely, it always felt as if he could let go of all of it at any moment.
It was something Yi-chae had been aware of for a long time, something he had thought about over and over, trying to understand. Nevertheless, unable to suppress the sudden surge of irritation, he brushed his hand over his cheek with a sigh of annoyance.
“...But, the truth is, I’m going back to find my brother.”
My brother might be there too, Seo Ho-yun added.
“If I can just find him and bring him back here with me....”
Yi-chae didn't know what kind of face he was making, but through his long red hair, he saw Seo Ho-yun lock eyes with him and give a faint smile.
“I’ll try to come back.”
It’s not a promise, he muttered softly before attempting to move toward the other members.
Kang Yi-chae blocked his path with one arm and let out a small, dry laugh.
‘Kang Yi-chae, you screw-loose bastard.’
For some reason, it felt like he was facing someone from his past again, and a part of his chest began to itch.
Cursing his own easy-to-please nature, Kang Yi-chae tilted his head to the side.
“……Ho-yun Hyung.”
“What.”
“...I was going to tell you eventually but just let it slide, but you have a tendency to act all cool and talk a lot when you’re feeling embarrassed.”
Witnessing that momentarily expressionless face sour in real-time, a refreshing laugh finally burst out of him.
“Pfft, anyway... yeah, sure. I get it, Hyung.”
I’ve gone mad.
“Do whatever you want.”
To think he had gone through all this trouble just to hear a single sentence that wasn't even a promise.
“Hey, what are you guys doing?”
Perhaps worried about the two of them whispering apart from the others—especially since they had seemed awkward lately—Kim Seong-hyeon, who had been glancing over, cautiously approached.
Kang Yi-chae raised both hands with a mischievous expression.
“Our be~loved Dawn! Before we go out!! Let’s get our chant together first!!!”
“What?”
The moment a surprised Kim Seong-hyeon raised his voice, Jeong Da-jun—who had been watching the other performers from a spot where the outdoor stage was visible but he wouldn't be spotted—jumped up, waving his drumsticks.
“Ack! The chant, right!! I totally forgot about that!!! We definitely have to do something shonen-manga-like like that!!!”
“Ahaha, sounds good!”
“What’s with this all of a sudden, seriously....”
After scanning the members who were all hyped up and excited, Kim Seong-hyeon let out a small sigh. He quieted the rowdy bunch, glanced at the busy staff, and took a step back.
“Sigh... Hey, come here.”
He lined everyone up against the wall so they wouldn't block the way.
Pitter-patter—. The sound of raindrops falling on the venue’s roof bled into the melody of the music. Lifting his chin slightly to look up, Kim Seong-hyeon spoke with a bit of strength in his voice.
“You all worked hard through this third survival. Especially Kang Yi-chae, who must have had a tough time. I’m grateful to everyone for silently... well, not exactly silently, but for trying their best to support him in their own way—...”
“Too long!!”
“Ayy, keep it short, please~.”
“...Haa.......”
When even Seong Ji-won joined Jeong Da-jun in teasingly booing him as if he’d been influenced, Kim Seong-hyeon let out a sigh as deep as aged broth.
“...Whatever. I’m trusting you guys again this time.”
Despite his deflated tone, Kim Seong-hyeon threw out a heavy chant and patted Kang Yi-chae on the back as he walked past. Following him, Seong Ji-won chuckled, patted Yi-chae’s shoulder, said "Good job," and walked toward the staff. Jeong Da-jun chattered on about how Yi-chae had to watch his newly mastered cool technique, even though the drums were in the back and he wouldn't be able to see it.
We were noisy the whole time we were being handed microphones and checking our in-ears.
Bzzzzzz....
Outside, it seemed the pre-recorded interview was being shown on the VCR.
As I stepped onto the lift, my heart began to race wildly.
It was always like this right before going on stage.
—Waaaaaaaaa!
It felt like cheers were echoing, but they were drowned out by the violent thumping of my heart and couldn't be heard clearly.
Even in the darkness where I couldn't discern the face right in front of me, I felt like I knew exactly what kind of expression each member was wearing.
I don't know what whim took over a man who was so twisted he believed nothing could be achieved through "effort" and "will" alone.
‘It doesn't matter if it’s not a promise.’
Kang Yi-chae felt lighthearted.
‘We just have to make it happen.’
So, let’s give it a try.
Waaaaaaaaa—!!!
So that even after the ending credits roll, we remain together in the audience.