Chapter 68

Right now!

"Looks like anything can happen. I don't know what came at me, but I ended up holding a puppy..."

If the puppy had been injured, even if it was just a puppy, I wouldn't have been able to avoid criticism. In the entertainment industry, there are always people lurking, ready to seize on any bad outcome, no matter the process.

"Good judgment. Seohoon."

According to Ji-on's evaluation, Seohoon hyung showed wise quick thinking. In that short moment, he composed his expression, wrapped the puppy in a blanket, and handed it over to Chorok hyung.

He judged that while he could dance while holding the puppy, he couldn't handle the intense choreography. He thought the choreography would get messed up if he tried to return the puppy to its owner right away.

"Our main dancer is capable of dancing while holding a puppy."

Of course, he briefly danced, moved to the edge of the stage, handed the puppy to its owner, and then returned.

"Maybe because he raised a puppy at home, he instinctively picked it up. Anyway, it's fortunate that there was no mistake."

Did the puppy recognize that habit and run to Seohoon hyung instead of another member? It didn't bark or struggle, even though it was with a stranger.

Seeing a puppy at the opening ceremony is rare, and for the owner to lose the puppy, and for the puppy to run to an idol member during a performance...

"If we hadn't experienced it ourselves, people would have said it was staged or a lie."

If the audience hadn't recorded it, it would have sparked a debate about whether it was staged or not. What a coincidence.

"This will be a great story for a talk show!"

Bakha giggled while sipping kimchi broth. Though there's no set date, there will surely come a day.

"Little by little, these incidents become history!"

Chorok hyung calmed down the excited Bakha, suggesting that we should save the story for the talk show.

Chorok hyung, who easily persuaded one person, calculated my practice schedule and allowed me to go to the studio.

I was caught trying to go to the studio alone at night after group practice, so my time there was limited. Chorok hyung became strict if he saw any signs of me overworking.

"I'll stop by the studio before group practice."

Today, I headed to the studio after reporting to Chorok hyung.

The studio, located halfway between the practice room and the dorm, was within walking distance. However, due to the strict orders from the members and the manager, I had to wear a cap, glasses, and a mask.

I placed my fingerprint on the studio door lock and entered, greeted by a stark space. There wasn't even a single plant or cushion.

The studio, which I had urgently requested before moving into Theora's dorm, was only used for composing.

I was too busy with debut preparations to pay any attention to the interior. The only things there were the equipment needed for composing and the luggage that Hyung Hyeon-oh had moved from his home.

"I should set aside a day to tidy up. The members will nag if they come over."

Of course, there's no telling when I'll have a free day. No one has been invited to the studio yet. The only visitors were my parents, who came to help move the luggage.

It was really chaotic. I didn't even think about inviting the members.

The members never mentioned my studio. If any of them had expressed a desire to come, I would have gladly allowed it.

"Actor Naohyuk's high notes were firmer than expected..."

During the arrangement phase, it might be good to slightly raise the scale. While his singing skills don't match those of a professional singer, his voice is good, his pronunciation is solid, and most importantly, his emotional expression is excellent.

"If we put in extra effort during recording to bring out his potential to the limit..."

Could this one song be his own? Since it's an OST for a drama, there's a possibility.

"...You are my first love, hmmmm~."

While checking the notes and playing the chords on the guitar, I heard a loud knock on the door.

Knock knock knock?!

"Yeon! Ham Yeon!"

Surprised, I opened the door to see Chorok hyung, drenched in sweat.

"What? What happened?"

"We, we got a live busking booking!"

"Live? When?"

"In just 2 hours!"

"...What?"

What did I just hear? A schedule set for two hours from now? And it's a live broadcast? I rubbed my ears, thinking I might have misheard. But there was nothing wrong.

Before I could explain, Chorok hyung dragged me along. He was in such a hurry that he was still in his practice clothes, without even a cap.

"2 hours, right. We agreed to do a live busking on NewTube, but the scheduled performers had an accident. They called around urgently, and our name came up."

Ah, I remember saying we'd definitely go if Theora was called in an emergency. That must have spread to the NewTube contacts. The world is smaller than I thought.

In this urgent situation, Theora must have seemed like an oasis in the middle of a desert.

"Let's go quickly."

As soon as we got in the car, the manager started driving. We couldn't afford to waste a single minute.

"Since you were practicing, I told the others to shower at the dorm. We have less than an hour left after the travel time to the busking location."

In less than an hour, we need to shower, change clothes, and do hair and makeup. We have to do whatever it takes.

"I'll prepare as quickly as possible."

There was no time to deliberate or argue.

I ran up the stairs and opened the dorm door, where Seohoon hyung and Ji-on were drying their hair.

"The others will be out soon. Let's try to do basic makeup in the car."

When Olan and I took turns showering, Chorok hyung was already out, drying his wet hair with a towel.

"We'll get the outfits at the busking location. For hair and makeup, huh?"

The manager sighed and rubbed his temples, frustrated. He said it was impossible to find a hair stylist and makeup artist on such short notice. The Theora staff were supporting other artists.

"We can't put you in front of people unprepared, but if you insist on doing it, I can't stop you..."

While I was gone, the members must have insisted on going. The manager couldn't have persuaded them otherwise.

"I'll try to find someone to do your hair and makeup... Sigh, just dry your hair roughly and get in the car quickly."

We had already committed to participating in the busking. The priority was to arrive at the location on time.

The manager tried to find hair and makeup staff via hands-free while driving. But it was impossible to find anyone who could meet the extreme condition of arriving within an hour.

Even if they did arrive, would they have enough time to work on all six of us?

Despite thinking it was impossible, I mechanically applied toner and essence.

"Yeon, turn your head this way."

Chorok hyung held a wireless curling iron, straightening my hair that had been hastily dried. He also applied hair gel and slightly styled my bangs.

"Done. Next is Olan's turn."

Olan's hair, which needed volume, would take the longest. Chorok hyung considered the time and did a preliminary styling, then took a break before using the curling iron again.

"Do your skincare individually. I'll check each of you for the next steps."

Was Chorok hyung originally interested in styling? To be able to do hair and makeup in a moving car? His technique was impressive.

I had seen him touch up makeup occasionally, but that wasn't enough to gauge his skill. Was he naturally talented in this area? I learned something new.

"I'll start with your eyebrows and lips. For the eye makeup, how much time do we have, hyung?"

"About 20 minutes."

After arriving, we had about 20 minutes to change outfits and finish the makeup.

"We can do it. We have to, even if we can't."

* * *

The busking location was in Hongdae. It was a busy area with no parking spots, so we changed our outfits in the car.

We checked our hair and faces in a small mirror and tidied our outfits. We managed to get out of the car within the time limit, but we were completely frazzled.

"Can we really stand in front of the audience like this?"

I had only experienced perfect preparation by professionals before going on stage, so this busking made me nervous.

Even if I had been at the meeting to decide on the performance, I would have accepted it. But the sudden thought of standing in front of people made me scared.

"Since it's not under stage lights, the makeup should be light and natural. And you all look good even without makeup, so what's there to worry about?"

Chorok hyung's praise, filled with love for the members, eased the tense atmosphere. Everyone seemed to be nervous about the tight schedule.

"Even if the hair and makeup aren't perfect, our faces are perfect, so what's there to worry about!"

Bakha's concern about visuals would never come true.

There didn't seem to be any major issues when I looked in the mirror. We might not get the usual camera magic, but we had to accept that.

We can't always present a perfect image to the camera. Even as idols who sell dreams, there are times when imperfections bring joy. That's the truth.

"Why is the weather so gloomy?"

The overcast sky had been noticeable, and Olan finally pointed it out.

"Trouble! Right?"

"Bakha, at least we can prepare. We have an advantage over other performers. And Olan, you didn't wish for bad luck, did you?"

"Seohoon hyung is worse..."

"What? Why me?"

"Never mind."

I didn't want to remind him if he didn't know.

We walked confidently through the crowd with the manager, who had finished parking.

We had a faint smile on our faces, but we were discussing how to handle the situation caused by Olan's comment.

"...Even if I hadn't said anything, it would have rained, right? There was a forecast for a downpour."

"Are you confirming it, Hong Olan?"

Was Olan deliberately doing this because our reactions amused her? She drew a line with her lips, and Chorok hyung gritted his teeth.

"I'll only believe in the luck of Yeon hyung, nae~."

Phew! I involuntarily gasped. Olan whispered this only loud enough for the members to hear, in a tone that invited trouble.

"I used waterproof makeup, but if it rains, try not to touch your face."

Chorok hyung gave a stern warning and headed towards the busking organizer. Despite the crowd, we arrived at the busking location without any issues.

On the way, people stared, but no one stopped us or called out our names, even though we walked with our heads held high like models.

Should we be relieved or sad?

The busking location was a small stage in the middle of Hongdae. It was more of an open space than a stage. The busking seemed to have just started, and the area was already crowded with people.

"Here are the third participants! The originally scheduled performers had a traffic accident, so we urgently booked these performers! I'm sure you're curious who they are!"

The popular NewTuber, Hengul Henguri, prompted the audience, who responded in unison.

"Yes!"

After a final check with the members, Theora stepped onto the small stage.

More dark clouds gathered overhead, covering the sky.