Chapter 72

"Take off the mask."

The hair and makeup shop that Hanul Entertainment contracted was located right in the middle of Cheongdam-dong. The luxurious and elegant interior made me feel almost ashamed to enter with my bare face.

It felt like a long time since I had visited the shop. Had so many things happened in such a short period that my sense of time had become distorted?

"Welcome! Members of Theora, please take a seat over here."

"I watched your last variety show and your Newtube channel too! I bought this album, so if you have time, could you sign it for me?"

The album of Theora was subtly extended towards us.

Since this shop is frequented by many actors and idols, I heard that they usually don't pay much attention to ordinary people. But a signing request? This was a surprisingly warm reception.

I took the album, signed it, and passed it over. Ji-on signed it with a cool flourish and placed it in Baek-ha's hand.

Soon, the album with signatures from all the members was returned to its owner.

"Thank you for the signatures! I'll support Theora and spread the word to others!"

The fact that she bought Theora's album with her own money meant she was a fan. There was no way we couldn't sign for such a precious fan.

"Can I ask you a question if you're our fan?"

Chae-ryong, with as much kindness as possible, started the conversation. The hair salon employee, captivated by his deep voice, blushed and seemed ready to spill her guts.

"Yes, yes! I'm a fan! Ask me anything!"

"We've never met our fans up close before. Is there anything our fans hope for from us?"

For a moment, the employee's eyes shone brightly, and I blinked. The person who was so happy to meet her favorite celebrity was now standing there with a clenched fist and a determined expression.

"Oh, well, I know Theora is new and it's hard to take care of fans, but I hope you can visit the fan cafe sometimes. It would be nice if you could give us an official fandom name. When will there be a fan signing event? Nowadays, idols have their own Newtube channels, so maybe Theora could do that too... Ah, I got carried away and started talking non-stop. I'm sorry."

"No, thank you for your input. We'll consider it. We'll discuss it with the members and try to do it one by one."

To make sure he didn't forget anything, Chae-ryong was taking notes on his phone. Since Chae-ryong was busy and Seo-hun was getting his hair done, I stepped forward.

"Thank you."

"Mr. Eui-won, did you know that many fans came to you after seeing the life shots on SNS?"

"Mr. Eui-won"...? The title felt unfamiliar, and I almost stumbled. If she works at the shop, she must be older than me, but the honorific "Mr." made it feel distant.

I could just call him Eui-won, but I didn't say anything, thinking it might be a rule here to use honorifics.

"Baek-ha's photography skills are amazing, right?"

"Oh, of course, Baek-ha did a great job, but the model has to be good too!"

"Thank you for the compliment. I'll work hard to always look my best."

I smiled, answering as I had been taught by Oh-ran. When someone compliments your appearance, you should first express gratitude and then add that you'll work hard, right? It felt like the training had paid off, and the words came out automatically.

The effect of repeated learning...

"Where is there room for improvement? Mr. Eui-won's beauty is already doing the work. Your very existence is a treasure to humanity... Oops!"

The employee covered her mouth with both hands, as if she had made a slip of the tongue.

To be called a treasure to humanity was, frankly, a bit much. But from the listener's perspective, it wasn't bad.

Now I understand. Exaggeration and flattery are one way for fans to express their intense love for us. Instead of refuting it outright, it's better to accept it gracefully.

"Fans are like vitamins to us. Thank you."

I almost said "nutrient supplement" but quickly changed the word. While "nutrient supplement" is more accurate, "vitamin" sounds softer. I felt proud of my quick judgment.

Inside, I was praising myself and then turned my gaze forward, but the employee was clutching her chest and sitting down.

"What? Are you in pain? Should you go to the hospital? Should I call an ambulance?"

As I fired off questions one after another, the employee slowly got up.

"...No, I'm not in pain. You don't need to call an ambulance. It's just that Mr. Eui-won is so captivating, so please calm down."

She tried to reassure me, but her explanation was strange. Is she still in pain? She should probably go to the hospital later...

"Our Eui-won is a bit like that."

"He's a lot like that. It must be hard to handle, Mr. Chae-ryong."

"Yes, that's true. But to the fans, he's a gift, isn't he?"

"Once you get caught, you can't even struggle, can you?"

What does that mean? What kind of conversation are they having? Even without using any code, I couldn't understand it at all. I have a feeling this kind of thing will happen often.

"Thank you for the short interview. Please recognize us when you see us at the shop."

"...Yes!"

The employee, now flustered, returned to her seat. Chae-ryong's clean finish was typical of him.

"Eui-won!"

At the always spirited voice of Baek-ha, I turned my head to see a phone camera greeting me. Was she already taking photos before I even got my personal phone?

"Expect it. Today is the day the realist photographer Mint returns!"

She's not just a photographer but a "realist" photographer. There must be a reason for that. She probably aims to capture unadorned moments. I need to stay on guard.

"Tell the capitalist photographer Baek-ha to come."

"No, no! She only comes when everything is perfectly set up!"

Despite Chae-ryong's coaxing, she stubbornly moved the lens in different directions. Oh-ran must have been stressed.

The other members are fine, but Oh-ran takes on the personality of the camera's perspective, even in places where he should feel comfortable. It's tiring to be constantly tense. Baek-ha is aware of this and doesn't take out the camera when it's just Theora and the manager.

But there are moments of relaxation even during schedules. Of course, Baek-ha wouldn't leak unflattering photos without permission.

She wouldn't do anything to harm Theora.

But even if I understand it in my head, it still feels annoying, right? If Oh-ran were straightforward, he would have already reined in Baek-ha. Yet, the realist photographer Mint is still active. There must be some hidden secret.

"Why does Oh-ran let Baek-ha do as she pleases? Did she find a weakness?"

Seo-hun, who returned with a refreshed hairstyle, explained the long-standing tension between Oh-ran and Baek-ha in a low voice.

"When Oh-ran first joined Hanul Entertainment, her tone was even sharper. Baek-ha had a hard time trying to change it. It was tough even after I joined the company, so it must have been even worse before."

"Why do you have to live so hard?" Baek-ha would push Oh-ran to "grow up" and stop isolating herself from the world.

During their frequent clashes, other trainees would tell Baek-ha to just leave the prickly Oh-ran alone.

Oh-ran's attitude often caused resentment among other trainees. In a company that values character, it was a fatal flaw.

Baek-ha knew how desperate Oh-ran was and didn't give up, eventually winning.

During the time when Oh-ran's resentment towards the world was at its peak, Baek-ha was the one who opened and embraced her wounded heart.

Baek-ha, despite her young age, has always had a deep understanding. Her efforts shaped the more rounded "Theora" Oh-ran we see today.

She could be called a benefactor. Baek-ha played a significant role in Oh-ran becoming a member of Theora.

"Thinking about that time! Ugh, I heard all sorts of bizarre things! Hong Oh-ran, you're a human being now, a human being."

The fact that Baek-ha, who doesn't hold grudges, is still shuddering shows how intense their conflicts were.

Oh-ran couldn't have been unaware of Baek-ha's efforts. She must feel grateful and guilty. That's why she overlooks Baek-ha's annoying behavior.

"I found it hard to deal with the softened Oh-ran... I admired her. I thought that with the patience you have, you could do anything."

Even after Oh-ran became more approachable, Seo-hun found it difficult to get close.

"It's all about technique! Think of it like taming a wild cat with strong guard! If you approach carefully and consistently, they will eventually let you in! The thing that can open their collar is warm sunlight!"

The insecurity from losing her parents and the frustration from repeated misfortunes. She must have developed a distrust of the world without even realizing it.

It's not strange for that distrust to manifest as a cynical personality.

How much patience was needed to break through that tough shell and open her heart? Even with the right techniques, it was impressive that she didn't give up.

"Even if you find it annoying to have a camera in your face, you can't just lash out at me! Hehe!"

Is she taking revenge for the past hardships? I decided to stay out of it and respect Baek-ha's hobby of taking quirky photos.

"If you don't want to be stressed, just let it go a little! You don't know that, do you?"

Oh-ran can't take off her "cute Oh-ran" mask in front of anyone other than family or members. I thought the members accepted it without any issues.

"A professional attitude is good, but it would be nice to show your true self a little."

"Seo-hun, you think so too."

Her delicate and cute face doesn't match her personality. But personally, I don't dislike Oh-ran's personality.

In fact, her clear likes and dislikes and straightforward expressions make her more comfortable to be around. You can accept her as she is.

"She's subtly affectionate with her close people. Oh-ran is."

"Personally, she's the most comfortable, but how the fans will feel..."

The main reason Oh-ran hides her true personality is to meet the fans' needs. She believes they will prefer her polished personality over her real one.

Until that belief is shattered, she won't reveal her true self.

"There's also something called gap moe, right? A personality that's unexpectedly different from the image can also fit into that. Like Seo-hun."

Currently, to match the album concept, Seo-hun has reduced the size of his muscles, but his bone structure hasn't changed.

On screen, he always looked slender, but in reality, his body was tightly packed with muscles.

Despite his sculpted, muscular body, Seo-hun is the most emotional and affectionate among us Theora members.

As fans get to know Seo-hun, they might fall for his meticulous personality. He's the type of person you want to know for a long time, not just as an idol but as a human being.

"I hope Oh-ran can practice taking off her mask in front of my camera."

If the reaction to her taking off her mask a few times is positive, Oh-ran will feel more at ease.

"There are a few reasons for this! It's mostly because it's fun, but..."

She tried to downplay it, but her sincerity came through. I decided to cooperate in helping Oh-ran take off her mask.

...I can't deny that I get teased every time I'm shocked by Oh-ran's transformations.