Chapter 448
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 448
What about my expression?
After pulling his hand off me, I braced my legs and stood up straight. It felt like someone was grabbing my brain and wringing it out, but it wasn't unbearable.
“You— go up— can—...”
The real problem was the tinnitus blocking out everyone else’s voices.
I can’t hear a damn thing, fuck.
It was making it difficult to pretend I was fine.
I roughly deduced the meaning from Ju Woo-seong’s moving lips and muttered a response.
“...No, it’s nothing. I was just a bit dizzy for a second, but I’m okay now.”
“Oh, is that so?”
Ju Woo-seong crossed his arms, scanning me from head to toe.
“You’re giving me a complete non-sequitur, so I’m sure you’re just peachy.”
He added the last part with a sarcastic bite.
Normally, I would have brushed it off with an excuse, but I was too exhausted for all that. He was exceptionally quick-witted anyway, so he was going to be a nuisance regardless of what I said.
“Mind your own business. I’m fine enough.”
I waved him off, essentially telling him to get out of my sight, but Ju Woo-seong didn’t budge. He just let out a scoff.
“I know by now. I know you’re good at enduring things.”
“...”
“But it seems like you still don’t realize that the way you endure is just plain stupid.”
I felt like I’d heard that somewhere before.
I wanted to snap back with a retort, but my head wasn't functioning properly. As I leaned my back against the wall and let out an irritated sigh, Ju Woo-seong clicked his tongue at me, pulled his phone out of his pocket, and checked the time.
“Hey, Seo Ho-yun. The MTA ends a bit earlier than other award shows.”
“...What?”
“You don’t have to wait until the very end to greet every single cast member like in Korea. Just go and rest once your stage is over.”
Ju Woo-seong advised me to skip the after-party, his brow furrowed deep with disapproval.
“...Ah, right.”
I appreciated the concern, but did he really have the mental leeway to worry about me right now?
In Korea, Black Call was a group that swept every Grand Prize the moment they dropped an album. However, this was the first time even they had been nominated for the Music TV Awards Live—and for the most prestigious ‘Song of the Year’ award, no less.
Perhaps that was why Ju Woo-seong seemed tense, lacking his usual playfulness or room for jokes. Yet, he was still worrying about his junior because I looked like I was in bad shape.
This guy is something else.
I brushed my hand over my forehead and let the corner of my mouth quirk up.
“Hyung.”
“What.”
“Just keep your acceptance speech short.”
Ju Woo-seong blinked a few times as if he didn't immediately catch my meaning, then let out a short chuckle.
At that moment, someone’s voice calling for Ju Woo-seong drifted over from behind.
“Woo-seong hyung! I’ve been looking everywhere for— ah...”
Turning my head, I saw Lee Han-ju walking hurriedly from the end of the hallway.
Finding me and Ju Woo-seong together, Lee Han-ju looked back and forth between us, his voice trailing off as he let out a small, weary sigh.
“...I should have known.”
“...”
“I wondered what you saw that made you bolt out like that.”
“Whatever. Hey, let’s go. Hurry up.”
Ju Woo-seong covered Lee Han-ju’s mouth as if to hide his face and gestured for me to head back to the waiting room. Lee Han-ju pried Ju Woo-seong’s hand off, complaining about it being dirty, and wiped his lips with the back of his hand before pumping his fists at me.
“Seo Ho-yun-ssi, fighting!!”
“Yeah, fighting to you too, senior.”
I watched the backs of Lee Han-ju and Ju Woo-seong as they left, then rubbed my ear and moved toward a secluded emergency staircase. After carefully checking the surroundings, I called up my original objective: the system window.
“Hey.”
Ding!
[...I am currently analyzing the situation.]
It wasn't even surprising anymore, but this bastard was being useless again.
[...First of all, Seo Ho-yun-ssi, you are currently experiencing tinnitus and auditory hallucinations, correct?]
“Why are you asking me that, you lunatic?”
[It is because I do not understand. As I mentioned before, this is not a penalty for a failed quest. Furthermore, considering The Dawn’s current status, this is truly strange.]
It had explained before that Awareness was proportional to the system’s stability.
If there wasn't a single lie in that statement, then the current situation was definitely abnormal.
“...Is there any chance it’s because of Kang Yi-chae? Like, because he knows about my situation—...”
[That is not it. I am certain.]
I wondered how it could be so confident.
Is it scamming me after all?
But looking back at the system’s track record, it was more likely to hide things than to spout clumsy lies.
“...You go and double-check first, then we’ll talk.”
As if in agreement, the system window vanished. Immediately after, the emergency exit door swung open, and Seong Ji-won appeared.
“Ah! Here you are.”
“What is it?”
“They said it’s time to go take our seats.”
I nodded and followed Seong Ji-won to join the other members. Still wearing the outfits we’d debuted on the red carpet, we sat in the designated artist seats and looked around. I could see the Noeuls in the audience waving frantically after spotting us.
“This is Music TV Awards—!!”
The opening began shortly after, and as I struggled to hide my pain, it was suddenly our turn.
After changing into our stage outfits, I followed the staff’s guidance toward the backstage, pressing my palm firmly against my throbbing head. While I was trying my best to keep my wits about me, I felt a hand grip my shoulder. I turned my head to see Kang Yi-chae saying something.
“What’s wrong—...”
Since his voice only reached me faintly, I simply patted Kang Yi-chae on the back instead of answering and moved forward.
【This is The Dawn bound for sunset—】
As we took our positions in the center of the dark set, blue lights fell upon us. Simultaneously, a massive roar of cheers erupted.
【Please fasten your—....】
Beeeeeeeeeeep—!
Ah, dammit.
The tinnitus blared like a warning siren, and the music reaching my ears began to cut in and out.
【Now, the flight...】
Despite that, the stage continued seamlessly.
【...Our hands... standing....】
I had practiced this thousands of times for moments just like this.
【We hope to see.......】
And by the time the song was about halfway through, I could hear reasonably well again.
I finished the performance safely and caught my breath while glancing at the members. Fortunately, it seemed no one had noticed anything unusual. The boys were busy chatteringly sharing their impressions as they headed down the stairs.
“That was amazing just now!”
“Yeah, yeah, all that practice really paid off.”
We returned to the caravan trailer waiting room to change into new outfits before heading back to the artist seats, but a wave of nausea surged within me.
Fuck, what is this really?
Would it feel like this if someone were driving a drill into my head?
A cold sweat broke out across my entire body.
Praying that my outward appearance didn't look unnatural, I forced my lips into a smile and acted as if I were enjoying myself.
Did I do something wrong lately?
But no matter how much I thought, pondered, and reflected, there was nothing.
If anything, I had been diligently completing even the minor quests recently.
Just as I was letting out an internal sigh at the incomprehensible situation, the members suddenly stood up with a cheer and pulled me into a hug. Only then did I realize The Dawn had won an award, and I smiled brightly at the camera.
I followed the members onto the stage and was handed a trophy. On the gold panel beneath the transparent model, the words ‘Best K-pop Artist THE DAWN 20XX’ were engraved.
“Um, thank you very much for this award. This is for Noeul...”
Kim Seong-hyeon, standing first before the microphone, left a short acceptance speech in his honest English, and Kang Yi-chae followed up in Korean.
“We will always—... Ahem.”
Chuckling as if he were in a good mood, he expressed his gratitude to Noeul and added one more thing with slightly flushed cheeks.
“...We will always be together. Thank you.”
He was reciting the same sentiment the leader had once expressed.
Unlike us, who were riding high on an unexpected achievement, the Black Call members, who still didn't know their results, looked quite anxious.
After several more performances and presentations, the moment finally arrived for the final award of the Music TV Awards Live.
A Hollywood actress clad in a black evening dress adorned with crystals appeared holding a cue card.
“...—And the best artist of the year, goes to... Yes, BLACK CALL—!!”
The moment the announcement was made, the Black Call members let out a roar and dashed onto the stage.
“...Ah, I really didn't know if we could make it this far, but I believe this is all thanks to our Bloy.”
After Chae Jeong-woo calmly finished explaining what this award meant to Black Call, Ju Woo-seong stepped up to the microphone.
“...Well, Jeong-woo covered the important parts, so I’ll just say one thing.”
As he bowed his head slightly, his honey-blonde hair fell across his forehead. A low gasp escaped from the audience as the image was captured perfectly on the screen.
With a faint smile, Ju Woo-seong raised the trophy in his hand, kissed it lightly, and then curved his lips even deeper.
“I am your idol for life.”
Crazy bastard.
He ended it with something short yet incredibly powerful. And my eyes were officially assaulted.
Screams bordering on shrieks erupted from all corners along with the applause.
While I was swallowing my annoyance, I locked eyes with Ju Woo-seong, who was ruffling Jeon Sae-young’s hair as they walked down the stairs. He tilted his head and tapped his own temple with a finger. I gestured for him to just go do his stage, signaling that I was fine.
Ju Woo-seong quirked an eyebrow, shrugged, and headed backstage.
Just as I was thinking I only had to endure a little longer before I could return to the hotel, the tinnitus suddenly intensified as if heavy static had set in—
“...Ugh.”
—and all noise cut out at once.
...Waaaaaaah—!
Then, like a rising tide, the sounds from all directions flooded back in.
Waaaaaaaah!
“...Uh...”
Furthermore, the headache that had been tormenting me so viciously for the past few days had vanished without a trace.
What...
Could it really disappear so cleanly if it wasn't a system penalty?
As I was pondering the sudden shift in symptoms, Seong Ji-won, sensing something suspicious, leaned toward me and whispered a question.
“Ho-yun, are you okay?”
“...Yeah.”
I nodded, responding slowly.
There were more than a few suspicious points, but for now, finishing the Music TV Awards Live well was more important.
The intro to Black Call’s ‘Kings’ began to blare powerfully.
Ding!
Right on cue, the system window popped up.
[Seo Ho-yun-ssi.]
It’s probably just going to spout some nonsense about not knowing what the problem is.
[Listen carefully from now on.]
I stared at the blue rectangle without much expectation, but an unexpected sentence was recorded.
[The headache and auditory hallucinations are gone, right?]
When I nodded slowly, pretending to vibe to the beat, the system window continued to write.
[I have temporarily blocked them. The symptoms you are currently experiencing are not caused by the system. As I mentioned before, they are not a penalty either.]
[Based on my investigation, something outside of the system’s control was attempting to approach you.]
‘Something outside’?
My lips involuntarily twisted at the sight of such an ominous phrase. The system window began to spark as if it were about to shut down.
[From outside the system, an unidentified entity is trying to shake you.]
In tandem with the rising brass melody, the bright lights turned a deep red.
[Until I can clearly identify and respond to this, you must not believe anything strange you might see. You must ignore it.]
The system window, appearing almost blood-red, flickered ominously.
[No matter what is said, do not, under any circumstances, let it get to you.]