Chapter 65

"Let's talk about you

Just talk about you

Don't say anything else, just be yourself."

As Li Zhiyan's singing came to an end, the stage lights brightened, and the audience on the stage came back to their senses, bursting into cheers and applause. The guests on the side were no exception.

"Ya~!"

Jang Hodong exclaimed dramatically, then walked to the center of the stage, excitedly shouting, "Ya, I'm not very knowledgeable about music, but I really think it was great. Although I've seen your videos, this time it felt more formal, like a performance on Music Bank!"

"Thank you!"

The five of them stood in a row, smiling and expressing their gratitude. The two girls even bowed.

"But why are there only five of you? I remember there was someone wearing a mask in the second and first videos? By the way, is one of you Happy Musician? Was this song also created by Happy Musician?" Jang Hodong asked four questions in one breath, but his expression was one of excitement, curiosity, and enthusiasm, which also stirred the emotions of the audience.

In the backstage, Li Huanle almost knelt at Jang Hodong's performance, thinking to himself, "It seems I need to study the actor's self-cultivation more seriously. No wonder people always say life is like a play; these variety show hosts' acting skills are simply Oscar-level!"

Beside him, Li Zhiyan picked up the microphone, suppressing her inner excitement, and said with a sweet smile, "Our leader is also the creator of the song, and he's right behind the stage!"

"Wow~"

The audience below let out a curious murmur, and the perfect supporting actor, Jang Hodong, also asked in surprise, "Is it Happy Musician?"

The five nodded.

"Why didn't he perform with you?"

"You'll have to ask our leader, Senior Jang Hodong!"

"Alright, let's welcome our Happy Musician to the stage!"

Following Jang Hodong's words, Li Huanle, wearing a black casual jacket, white T-shirt, and black casual pants, walked out with a smile.

"Wow!!"

The audience below let out another exclamation, not because Li Huanle's appearance was stunningly handsome... cough, but because, contrary to most people's expectations, Li Huanle was not ugly or ordinary. Instead, he was a handsome man with a rugged charm, exuding a mature male aura.

Perhaps this was due to the past two years of social experience, which is why the audience let out an exclamation when Li Huanle appeared.

Joining his teammates, Li Huanle stood beside Li Zhiyan, holding the microphone, and said with a slight bow and a smile, "Everyone, my name is Li Huanle, also known as Happy Musician. I'm very happy to be here at STARKING, and it's great to meet all of you!"

Boom!

This wasn't the audience being shocked, but rather, Shin Ji, who was sitting between Kim Tae-yeon and Kang Min-kyung, suddenly stood up, but the next moment, he inwardly exclaimed, "Oh no!"

"Shin Ji, you look very excited. Do you have something to say?" Jang Hodong was puzzled by Shin Ji's sudden standing, but since he and Shin Ji had a good relationship, having worked with Kim Jong-min for several years, it would be strange if they didn't. So, he immediately asked.

Seeing everyone's attention shift to him and Jang Hodong giving him a chance to speak, Shin Ji felt relieved. His round, fleshy face suddenly turned a bit red, and he pretended to be a bit envious, asking, "I just want to ask, does Li Huanle have a girlfriend?"

"Ya, ya, ya!!"

"Shin Ji, warning!"

Beside him, the older sister, Yoo Se-yoon, suddenly called out, "I also want to know!"

"Se-yoon, you're already married, and my... little brother is only 23 years old!" BOOM, sitting on the right, called out in exasperation. He originally wanted to say "little brother," but suddenly remembered this person was Li Huanle, so he quickly changed it to "little brother."

Shin Ji let out a sigh of relief and quietly sat down, but his heart was far from calm. This name meant a lot to him, or rather, to Koyotai. Although he only learned about this a couple of years ago, once he knew, he couldn't forget it.

Beside her, Kim Tae-yeon glanced at Shin Ji cautiously. Among everyone, perhaps only she and Kang Min-kyung knew something, or at least suspected something.

"BOOM, warning, don't make random connections!" Jang Hodong warned BOOM again, acting like a soccer referee.

BOOM called out in exasperation, "Ya, I'm not making random connections. I'm the one who gave PD Happy's phone number!"

"A~?"

The audience also cooperatively let out a puzzled murmur.

Jang Hodong came to Li Huanle's side and asked curiously, "Li Huanle, is what BOOM said true?"

Li Huanle grinned, "Of course, we've known each other for several years. BOOM used to frequent Hongdae at night!"

"Ha~!"

The men beside him suddenly burst into laughter. One reason was Li Huanle's use of the respectful form, "XI," which is a more respectful way to call someone's name, often used when the two people are not very familiar, similar to "Mr." or "Miss."

And frequently visiting Hongdae at night...

"Ya, ya, ya, Li..."

"Nighteen, nighty, night~. Isn't that what you like the most?"

Li Huanle suddenly imitated BOOM's often-used phrase, "Nighteen, nighty, night," which is actually from BOOM's 2006 song "BOOM.UP." Although it was his signature song, it flopped after its release. The phrase roughly means "night party."

So, Li Huanle used BOOM's often-used catchphrase to KO him before he could argue back. "Isn't that what you like?" Seeing BOOM's reaction, the audience burst into laughter.

"Ha ha, Li Huanle, you're very humorous. Your name fits you well, truly pleasant. Alright, let's introduce your rookie band. I really enjoyed their performance just now!" Jang Hodong said happily. He was pleased with Li Huanle's humor and cooperation, and the annoyance he had earlier disappeared. It seemed this young man wasn't as he had initially thought.

Li Huanle turned to Li Zhiyan and nodded, signaling her to introduce herself. He didn't want to be the spokesperson, especially for Li Zhiyan and Jeon Bora. It was best for them to speak more and for the audience to get to know them better, as they should be debuting this year.

"Hello everyone! I'm Li Zhiyan from the rookie band, a CCM trainee..."

"Hello everyone! I'm Jeon Bora from the rookie band, also a CCM trainee..."

"Hello everyone!..."

"Hello... everyone..."

"Hello... everyone..."

For some reason, after the five introduced themselves, the Kim brothers and Jung Joon-young suddenly felt a surge of malice, though they weren't sure who the culprit was.

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