Chapter 449
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 449
"Woo-seong, congratulations!"
Descending from the stage, Ju Woo-seong met the pouring cheers with a smile.
The organizers of the Music TV Awards Live hadn't informed them of the results at all, even after assigning Black Call the final performance slot, which had left him more than a little anxious.
Ah, this feels great.
They had prepared so hard; it would have been a total embarrassment to walk away empty-handed.
Now that the tension had finally snapped, the members were in high spirits, celebrating wildly by ruffling each other's hair and clapping one another on the back.
Just then, he saw the members of The Dawn approaching.
"Black Call seniors, congratulations on winning Song of the Year!!"
"Ahaha, same to you guys."
Kim Seong-hyeon, who was clutching his trophy as if it were his most precious possession, bowed deeply like a soldier on high alert. Chae Jeong-woo gently straightened him back up and offered a warm reply.
Since they were juniors Black Call had viewed favorably for some time, a heartwarming atmosphere settled between the two groups as they exchanged pleasantries.
"Seong-hyeon, are you coming to the after-party?"
"No, we’re heading straight back to do a live stream!"
"Oh, nice. We’re planning to do the same."
Throughout the exchange, Ju Woo-seong’s eyes remained fixed on Seo Ho-yun. The kid’s face was expressionless. Unable to fathom what he was thinking, Woo-seong clicked his tongue inwardly.
Why does he look like he’s in bad shape every time I see him?
Lowering his chin slightly to hide his annoyance, he let out a sigh and walked over to Seo Ho-yun, grabbing him by the arm.
"You... are you okay?"
"...Ah, yes."
Looking up at him with a hint of surprise, Seo Ho-yun acted as if nothing were wrong.
Having been burned several times by this kind of skillful acting, Ju Woo-seong didn't trust the answer at all. He scanned Seo Ho-yun from head to toe.
Is he really... okay?
When they had crossed paths in the hallway earlier, his expression had flickered with pain, and he seemed strangely on edge—though Woo-seong figured that could just be his usual prickly personality. Now, however, he looked perfectly fine.
Right. I guess he’s feeling better.
As soon as he confirmed Seo Ho-yun’s condition, Woo-seong’s mouth began to itch. If the kid was fine, then it was time to brag about his trophy.
"Seo Ho-yun."
He intended to gloat and needle him as usual, but the moment his eyes met those pitch-black pupils, he felt as if his inner thoughts were about to leak out. He found it hard to speak.
"That..."
Hey, don't you think I've become a pretty decent person compared to before?
I’ve been strange lately.
I don't get tired even when I dance, and I actually look forward to tomorrow a little.
I want to give the people who like me a reason to feel glad that they do. It makes me want to show them something even more amazing.
Maybe it’s thanks to you that I realized I had these feelings. Of course, our first meeting was a bit rough, but anyway—...
Even if it had been a bad start, Seo Ho-yun had certainly acted as the catalyst for this change. Whether the kid had intended it or not was another story.
Ju Woo-seong swallowed the honest feelings that threatened to burst out and forced a cocky front.
"Don't you... have anything to say to your talented and... respected senior?"
"……."
At that, Seo Ho-yun’s eyes immediately narrowed.
Feeling a bit sheepish, Woo-seong was about to let go of the arm he was holding when the kid suddenly pulled him closer.
Startled, Woo-seong was dragged toward him, and Seo Ho-yun whispered softly into his ear.
"Hyung, don't get cocky."
...This damn consistent bastard.
Woo-seong jerked back and rubbed his ear with his palm. Watching him, Seo Ho-yun curled the corners of his mouth as if amused.
"……Hey, just go... Just go, man."
"You know."
Still holding his arm and refusing to let go, Seo Ho-yun glanced around before leaning in again, whispering in a calm voice only Woo-seong could hear.
"It’s true that you’re talented, Ju Woo-seong, but your grit is even more impressive. You never would have reached this position if you hadn't kept pushing yourself."
"……."
"It couldn't have been easy. You worked hard."
The junior spoke softly, his eyes curving like flower petals.
"Be an idol for the rest of your life. It suits you."
While Woo-seong stood stunned by the unexpected praise, unable to react, Seo Ho-yun simply added one more "congratulations," patted him twice on the shoulder, and walked away to follow the other members of The Dawn.
"—Woo-seong, what are you doing? We have to go."
Woo-seong continued to stare blankly at the floor until Chae Jeong-woo came up beside him. Blinking, Woo-seong leaned his head against Jeong-woo’s shoulder and watched The Dawn’s retreating figures for a moment.
"……Hey."
"What?"
"…He’s really good at playing with people’s hearts…."
Jeong-woo asked what he was talking about, but Woo-seong just shrugged it off as nothing and let out a long sigh.
"…Ah, I missed my timing to tell him again."
*
The next day, the members of The Dawn headed to different locations due to their individual schedules.
I sat up groggily, brushed back my messy hair, and organized my thoughts for a moment before heading toward the source of a noisy commotion.
"Ha... do I look like a singer belonging to the world's best fandom, Noeul?"
"This is what The Dawn is all about…."
What are they even saying….
The younger members had been making a fuss over the trophy since last night. Today, as if performing a sacred ritual, they had placed it on the floor and were circling around it.
Shaking my head, I looked into the mirror that covered an entire wall of the hotel living room.
I was wearing a white turtleneck, faded jeans, and a light leather jacket with a prominent luxury brand logo.
Kim Seong-hyeon, who had just come out of the shower and was standing by the bathroom door with his arms crossed, frowned slightly and muttered.
"You look so normal as long as you keep your mouth shut…."
"Are you falling for me?"
"The problem is that you never shut it……."
Jeong Da-jun was buzzing with excitement about filming self-produced content in New York, but Kang Yi-chae, who had been matching his energy until a moment ago, suddenly turned sullen and slumped onto the sofa.
"I don't want to do the interview alone…."
"Look at this guy."
Kim Seong-hyeon scowled sternly but looked at Kang Yi-chae with worried eyes.
"…Can't I just skip today and go play with Da-jun?"
"Yi-chae hyung, act like a professional…."
When the youngest gave him a piece of his mind, Kang Yi-chae pretended to cry, claiming he was shocked. Jeong Da-jun gave a sharp "Hmph!" and started getting ready to head out on his own.
When surprisingly no one paid him any attention, Kang Yi-chae eventually poked his head up and started whining again.
"…Then can't I follow Ho-yun hyung? I can just ask them to invite me to that brand event too."
"Do you think that’ll work?"
"…This is so annoying…."
It wasn't that he wanted to follow me; he just didn't want me to meet Min Ji-heon. He was particularly prickly toward Min Ji-heon.
But a schedule was a schedule.
Even as Seong Ji-won tried to soothe him, Kang Yi-chae made his sulking obvious, burying his face in a cushion and kicking his legs. I clicked my tongue and spoke.
"Clear your schedules for tomorrow."
"Huh?"
"Let's all go out together."
"…Really?!"
Kang Yi-chae’s face instantly brightened as he bolted upright. Kim Seong-hyeon glanced at me, wondering what had gotten into me, but no one seemed to dislike the idea.
"Well… sure, that sounds good."
"Wow~! Then should we go to a burger joint?"
"The ocean!! I want to go to the ocean!! The harbor!!!"
"Wait, if it's the harbor, there’ll be seagulls?! I want to throw shrimp crackers at them!!"
Seeing them raise their voices in excitement as they debated where to go, I found it a bit ridiculous, yet they were quite childlike and cute.
Do they really like being together that much when they’re stuck to each other every day?
Perhaps thanks to Kang Yi-chae’s recent increase in clinginess, the atmosphere within the team was nothing but peaceful.
"…I’m heading out then."
"Kyah, have a good trip~~!!!"
I chuckled at the sight of Kang Yi-chae bouncing around with Jeong Da-jun, having regained his energy.
I went down to the parking lot and got into the van. The manager, already in the driver's seat, gave me information about the venue.
"I heard the crowd at the entrance is insane today, so be careful going in. Also, I heard Min Ji-heon is attending."
"Yes, I heard."
He added a bit of gossip, saying the management team was watching Min Ji-heon like hawks, fearing he might disappear again after the event since he had rented a car here too.
I turned my gaze to the window and watched the scenery flash by. We arrived at the nearby destination quickly. As I stepped out onto the red carpet, a roar of cheers erupted.
Even while waving to fans and responding to interview requests from reporters, my mind remained cluttered.
…Something feels off.
The tinnitus, the hallucinations, and even the system warnings.
After posing for enough photos, I entered the show venue.
The theme was said to be a cathedral clock tower, and a large clock that looked like a wooden building was placed right in the center. As I looked around the carefully decorated models, I saw flashes going off near my assigned seat, drawing everyone's attention.
In the middle of it all stood a man, wearing a trench coat that reached his thighs, fiddling with his hands with an expressionless face.
His eyes darted around until they found me, and his face instantly broke into a smile. He seemed to radiate even more brilliance than usual.
"I’ve been waiting."
I looked him up and down and nodded.
It’s not... Min Ji-heon.
I might have suspected him a few years ago, but he was the one who had helped me even at the cost of his own body.
It was hard to know for sure because the system was keeping its distance out of wariness toward Min Ji-heon, but looking back at the 'Unknown Actor Tycoon' days, his abilities definitely had limits.
It meant it would be difficult for Min Ji-heon to influence me while being far enough away that the system window wouldn't notice.
"Me too."
That didn't mean I trusted him completely, though.
As I sat down beside him, the corner of Min Ji-heon’s eyebrow twitched.
"Can we take a picture—?"
Just then, reporters asked Min Ji-heon for a photo.
Min Ji-heon immediately looked into the cameras and put on an angelic smile. After this was repeated a few times and the reporters' attention finally shifted to other guests, I heard a low, heavy voice.
"…This is a bit sudden for me."
As expected of an actor, his expression remained perfectly composed, but his voice was thick with emotion.
"Why are you so on edge?"
Because things feel very ominous today.
It wasn't particularly hostility toward Min Ji-heon, but he seemed to have misunderstood, as he looked at me with slightly sunken eyes.
At that moment, the CEO of the brand approached and shook hands with those in the invited seats.
Dong—, dong—….
Once the greetings were over and everyone was seated, the second hand of the clock began to move. The venue darkened, and the sound of soft music spread. Then, models wearing the upcoming season's clothes and accessories walked onto the stage.
Throughout the show, I repeatedly came up with and discarded various hypotheses.
Honestly, I don't know.
My nerves were frayed, worrying that something might happen in this unfamiliar place far from Korea.
As my thoughts continued in an endless loop, Min Ji-heon leaned his upper body slightly toward me.
"Hey."
"Yes."
"I don't know what happened or what you’ve misunderstood, but don't be like this to me."
"……."
"It actually hurts my feelings."
You’re the one who misunderstood.
I was debating whether to tell Min Ji-heon, whose handsome forehead was slightly creased, that it wasn't like that.
Beeeeeeeeeeeeep———.
"Ugh…."
Damn it, it was starting again.
I clutched my forehead as a sudden surge of pain made me stagger slightly.
[Hidden—.]
[—…….]
Ding!
[? Would you like to check the Hidden Trait? ?]
Instead of the usual blue system window, a pitch-black rectangle appeared.
[? Would you like to check the Hidden Trait? ?]
[? Would you like to check the Hidden Trait? ?]
Hidden... Trait?
[Acquiring Hidden Trait.]
[Lock is being released.]
Before I even had a chance to grasp the situation, lines of text appeared in rapid succession.
[Congratulations!
The 'Contribution' trait has been unlocked!]
['Contribution' is linked to Player Seo Ho-yun's '???' and represents the degree of help or benefit provided to Seo Ho-yun.]
[※ Contribution can also be increased by bearing physical penalties on behalf of Player Seo Ho-yun.
Frequent proxying will result in physical penalties leading to death. Please be advised.]
Along with the ominous system warning, a new window opened. Simultaneously, words Min Ji-heon had said in the past flashed through my mind.
[Viewing Kang Yi-chae's stats.]
[Kang Yi-chae]
[Kang Yi-chae]
[Kang Yi-chae]
[Kang Yi-chae]
[Kang Yi-chae]
[Kang Yi-chae]
[Kang Yi-chae]
[Kang Yi-chae]
[Kang Yi-chae ]
[Kang Yi-chae ]
.
.
.
[Kang Yi-chae | Main Rapper]
Singing: S0
Dancing: A+
Variety: A0
Acting: B-
Charm: S0
[The 'Contribution' trait has been unlocked!]
"I don't want to rain on your parade, but don't let your guard down."
[Contribution: 3¿7%]
"Everything doesn't always go smoothly, you know."