Chapter 90

"Seeing the three unnie here is quite rare, especially on a weekend at the music broadcast live event?" YoonA was actually asking a question she already knew the answer to. Of course, she knew who had the power to attract the three unnie, who usually disappeared on weekends, to this place. However, she was still surprised when she saw the three unnie at the entrance.

Several large music and entertainment companies would encourage their trainees to attend the live music broadcasts to experience the atmosphere, where they could learn a lot that wasn't taught in company classes. Live performances better showcased one's skills and stage presence, and as long as they paid attention, trainees could gain a lot from watching their seniors perform. As a giant in the Korean music industry, S.M. always managed to secure a good number of seats for each music broadcast, usually in the front rows. These seats were given to well-performing trainees, serving both as a learning opportunity and a chance to relax. The girls in the SuperGirls project were about to debut and, of course, performed well, so Jessica easily got a seat when she applied.

Usually, it was Sulli who was most enthusiastic about this. She would come to watch the seniors' live performances whenever the school schedule wasn't too tight, taking notes as seriously as she would in class. YoonA and Sulli, who grew up in the same neighborhood and were very close, would often accompany Sulli on weekends when they had no important matters to attend to. However, this was Jessica's first time coming to a live music broadcast, as she had a fear of crowds. Jessica often went shopping on weekends, usually dragging Tiffany along, so Tiffany hadn't been to many live music broadcasts either. She only came a few times to cheer for her seniors in the same company. Taeyeon, on the other hand, had to go home to Jeonju, so she only started staying in Seoul on weekends after moving into the dormitory. Thus, both Jessica and Taeyeon were first-timers at the live music broadcast.

The atmosphere at the live music broadcast was very lively, with no moment of silence. Jessica, being taken care of by her sisters, sat in the middle of the five of them, with Sulli and YoonA on her left and Taeyeon and Tiffany on her right, which kept her a bit separated from the crowd. Despite waiting for so long, Lee Jung-min still hadn't appeared, and Jessica was starting to feel a bit frustrated. Given that Lee Jung-min was a complete newcomer, his rehearsal should have been scheduled early. Jessica had been waiting for two hours after lunch, but he still hadn't shown up. After returning on Wednesday night, Lee Jung-min had called Song Seok-jae to arrange the music broadcast schedule and informed his mother. Everything was planned meticulously, and Jessica, who called Lee Jung-min almost every two days, knew about it. She had even noted it in her phone's memo, though she often forgot such things.

Jessica's proactive application to attend the weekend music broadcast was a first, and she was heavily praised by Choi Ho-rye, the head of the trainees. Jessica's fear of crowds and cameras had delayed her debut, which was no secret in S.M. However, with another debut approaching, Jessica was preparing to overcome her psychological barriers and actively requested to attend the live music broadcast to learn from her seniors. This deeply moved Choi Ho-rye, who felt that Jessica was growing up and becoming more mature. As the head of the trainees who had watched these children grow up and train hard, Choi Ho-rye was not a cold person and had deep feelings for them. He had his own memories of striving to become an artist, so he was especially caring towards the trainees. Jessica's "challenge to herself" made him feel many emotions, and he not only granted her a day off on Friday but also encouraged her, saying, "Go after your dreams, Sica! Keep it up!"

Choi Ho-rye knew that Sulli and YoonA often attended live music broadcasts, so he routinely approved their leave in the morning. However, what about Tiffany and Taeyeon? Trainees about to debut often had special privileges, so Choi Ho-rye didn't ask many questions and approved their leave as well, even giving them some encouragement when issuing the entry passes (not tickets). Tiffany was a fan of Lee Jung-min and, upon learning from Jessica that he was going to perform, immediately started shouting excitedly in the dormitory. She was scolded by the "Eagle Eye" auntie before calming down. Unable to contain her excitement, she shared the news on Lee Jung-min's official fan club, even faster than LAD Entertainment's official announcement. Tiffany's "insider" status was already recognized by the fans, and she explained it by saying, "I'm the older sister of someone in LAD Entertainment."

Could he have already rehearsed in the morning? Jessica, who was not a patient person, picked up her phone several times but put it down again, finally resisting the urge to text Lee Jung-min. She decided to send him a message after the event as a surprise, as sending it now would ruin the surprise. Bored, Jessica started looking around. Their seats were very close to the front, a perk of being S.M. trainees, but strangely, Lee Jung-min's fans, the Lighters, were right behind them. Seeing the sea of golden light behind her, Jessica was puzzled. Wasn't there a rule about seating? How could Lee Jung-min's fans be so close to the front?

The seating arrangement at the live music broadcast naturally followed certain rules. Artists with high popularity, seniority, and strong backing not only got better performance slots but also had their fan sections placed closer to the front with more seats. Lee Jung-min, being the youngest in terms of seniority, had high popularity, but the most likely reason was strong backing. Jessica thought about it and felt relieved. That guy was mysterious and wealthy, so it wasn't surprising that his family had some influence. Listening to the girls and women behind her discussing Lee Jung-min and occasionally praising him, Jessica felt a strange mix of emotions. She felt gratified and happy, even more so than when she received praise for her singing, but at the same time, she felt a bit jealous. Once a man became an artist, he no longer belonged solely to one person but to all those who loved him.

"Oh, Oppa Lee Jung-min's performance is so late," Tiffany's exclamation pulled Jessica out of her thoughts. Before she could look at the stage, she was startled by the cheers from behind her. It was just as Lee Jung-min bowed in their direction, and the Lighters immediately erupted like a fire being fanned.

Holding a guitar, Lee Jung-min looked simple and unassuming, unlike the other flashy artists, but he had a magnetic presence that drew everyone's attention, not just the Lighters but even the fans of other artists. As the venue fell silent and the lights dimmed, Lee Jung-min sat alone on the stage, illuminated by a single spotlight that separated him from the darkness. At that moment, he seemed like the only candle in a dark night, flickering and fragile, yet drawing people to him, making them want to protect him. Just one glance was enough to tug at the heartstrings.

The silence was unprecedented in a music broadcast. This was not a form of protest but a sign of respect, similar to what one might see at a concert or recital, where the audience voluntarily maintains silence to allow the performer to present their music perfectly. Only when Lee Jung-min stood up and bowed to the audience did the applause and cheers begin, especially from the Lighters, who called his name wildly.

Even though it was just a rehearsal, Lee Jung-min's live performance had already won over many in the audience. The simpler the song and the stage, the harder it was to stand out, but Lee Jung-min not only stood out but did so brilliantly. Many people, including Tiffany, were moved to tears by his performance. Tiffany often described herself as someone with too many tears, and now she was crying again, holding Taeyeon's hand and saying, "It's really touching."

"Is this a drama? Why are you crying again?" Taeyeon was used to Tiffany's emotional reactions, having seen her cry many times while watching dramas together.

Tiffany spent a lot of money on dramas, even though there was a TV in the dormitory, it was a communal one, and they couldn't always watch what they wanted. So, Tiffany often watched dramas on her laptop. Korean websites charged for streaming dramas, with episodes ranging from 500 to 1,000 won, but Tiffany, being a passionate fan, could watch ten episodes a day in her free time, spending several tens of thousands of won a month, which was a significant amount for a trainee.

Taeyeon patted the back of the "drama addict" Tiffany, "Why are you still crying?" Jessica, who had been quietly watching, thought back to the day she filmed the MV and the feeling of hugging Lee Jung-min from behind. Despite her seemingly expressionless face, her heart was being washed by waves of emotion.

"Senior Lee Jung-min's singing is really strong. This kind of stage relies purely on personal skill to captivate the audience, with almost no other elements to rely on. It's even harder to master than dynamic stages, even without dance or performance, this stage is still rich and full..." Sulli, who often entered a rap mode when excited, was writing notes and talking non-stop. YoonA, who had been with Sulli for so long, was used to it and just smiled, treating it as if Sulli was reciting a mantra.

Senior Lee Jung-min is really impressive, and he's also said to be a great cook. YoonA, who could resist anything but food, had heard from Tiffany, the "mobile broadcaster," that Jessica's boyfriend was Senior Lee Jung-min and that he was a great cook. YoonA decided she had to have a meal with Senior Lee Jung-min tonight, as she had come to cheer for him. She would just have to pester Jessica to make it happen.

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