Chapter 30

### Chapter 30: The Techniques of an Idol Who Never Fails

* * *

In the midst of cherry blossoms dancing in the wind, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of the promise written there.

* * *

[If I become a star today, I must see the stage, I must see it.]

[Our youngest is a guy... he became an older brother...]

[He still can't sing, can he?]

[↳ You can't criticize his singing. Compared to when he was in Kukseon, he's really improved.]

[↳↳ He has improved. When Kukseon was singing, I was worried, but now I feel more at ease.]

[Did you go to the early morning recording? It seems like Jung Hae Won doesn't have stage fright as much as we thought.]

[↳ Maybe it's part of the concept. 😂😂😂😂]

[↳ Even if it is, it's not strange.]

[↳ Honestly, after hearing that he had stage fright, many fans were really shaken...]

[No, at the first recording, he was trembling so much that it couldn't have been an act.]

[↳ Really?]

[↳ What is it...]

* * *

The digital single had its comeback on Thursday and ended its activities with a Sunday music show. At the final show, the fans cheered especially hard.

The music chart had dropped, but the music video's views were steadily increasing. Especially, the influx of overseas fans into the music video made this activity exceed expectations.

Firstlight had a mini-fan meeting planned at a nearby park to celebrate the final show. Since there was no album, there was no fan signing event, making this almost the only chance to meet the fans properly.

The park was where I had a mini-fan meeting with Park Hee Young during a music show.

As soon as I got out of the car, I saw the fans gathered.

"Wow. Wow. Wow!"

Min Ji Ho couldn't speak and just made "wow" sounds, looking at the fans waiting outside the car. Actually, everyone else was just as excited.

As the car in front stopped and the members started to get out, the fans' cheers could be heard. Following the security guards' instructions, we lined up, and I looked at Hwang Saebi, who quickly shook his head. Hwang Saebi seemed to find it painful to step forward and tried to pass the greeting to me. He's really introverted.

I had no choice but to take the microphone first.

"Let's greet everyone. Third Second."

Then, the members simultaneously said, "First, hello, we are Firstlight."

After the greeting, I lowered the microphone and spoke to Han Hyo Seok, who was standing next to me.

"Tell them about the coffee truck."

"Ah, our coffee truck. We prepared it very generously, but strangely, everyone liked the shells more than the contents."

The fans burst into laughter, and Han Hyo Seok continued.

"Hyung Hae Won suggested using reusable cups with the logo printed on them, so we prepared them that way."

Han Hyo Seok unnecessarily praised me. Fortunately, the fans were very positive about the reusable cups with the Firstlight logo, regardless of who suggested it.

"Why can't we have them, but you can?"

Then, a fan mentioned TRV's policy of prohibiting tributes at music shows, and Han Hyo Seok calmly replied.

"Rules are rules, so we can't help it. No matter what, we'll give them, so just take them."

Seeing the fans laugh and enjoy it, I also laughed. It was a fitting response for his character.

After some small talk about the weather and the short activity period, we started the prepared events. There were post-it notes with questions and requests from the fans, and we just had to pick them and answer.

[Sunjae, you have the most sparkling voice in the world.]

[I love you!]

[It's okay if you come back once a year, just stay healthy.]

There were also many questions about Il Round.

[The kindest Joo Won, who is the villain? 😭 The Hae Sun fans can't sleep. 😭]

It really targeted the soft-hearted people.

Anyway, some post-it notes had members' names, and some didn't. Given the situation, I wanted to find one with my name on it.

Fortunately, there was one with my name.

[Hae Won, give a bite heart!]

"A bite heart? I need to practice for a moment."

I stuck the precious post-it note on my phone and practiced making a heart by biting the top. I grabbed Shin Ji Woon, who was closest to me, and asked.

"Look, is it a heart?"

"Uh, perfect."

"Really? I did well."

Shin Ji Woon chuckled at my silly question.

I waited for a chaotic moment and then picked up the microphone and read the post-it note.

"Then, I'll do the bite heart..."

The members next to me held up their phones and microphones, and I made the bite heart with both hands. Fortunately, a few fans in the front cheered. I asked them.

"Did I do well?"

They covered their mouths with both hands and nodded. It was cute, and the fans were adorable.

With my part done, I could now relax and laugh at the other members' awkwardness, and even help them pick post-it notes.

The fans were in front, so I kept laughing. I felt a bit ridiculous, but it was fun.

* * *

The members were exhausted from the tension and the heat, so they collapsed in the car as soon as we got in. I also fell asleep as soon as my head hit the seat on the way back to the company.

"Sunjae, wake up Jung Hae Won. Hurry."

I heard Hwang Saebi's voice in my sleep and opened my eyes to see Park Sun Jae shaking me.

"Huh? Why?"

Park Sun Jae, with wide eyes, asked.

"Hyung, why were you talking in your sleep so frighteningly?"

"What? What did I say?"

"You didn't say anything, but you made a lot of groaning sounds."

"Oh, really? Sorry, that must have been scary."

"It was really creepy."

Wow, I didn't know I had such bad sleep habits.

"Sorry, sorry. But I feel refreshed after a short nap."

As I stretched, Manager Kang Young Ho, who was driving, said.

"Hae Won, you didn't sleep enough to feel refreshed."

"Really? I feel refreshed."

Anyway, since everyone else was also sleep-deprived, Manager Kang Young Ho continued.

"Hae Won, you've been taking naps all month."

"You'll die young if you keep living like that."

Hwang Saebi said something scary and went back to sleep. Since even he, who is hard to wake up, was awake, I must have been talking in my sleep pretty badly.

Embarrassed to fall asleep again, I checked the group chat for the album production team.

[The first regular album is confirmed for early September.]

[Can I mention it in the live broadcast later?]

[We'll try to finalize it today and let you know.]

Both the A&R team and the album production team were already busy preparing the regular album, so I needed to choose the songs as quickly as possible.

Since this was a digital single, the fans, who were worried about Firstlight's future activities, were pleasantly surprised by the good performance and started to see this activity as a prelude to the regular album.

The fans were confident that the regular album would come out during the summer, so this schedule was already considered late.

They said that with the release of the regular album, there was a high chance that concert schedules would also be set. Although it was a bit late, seeing all the schedules progress smoothly, it seemed that this album showed potential.

Now that we've had the final show, I want to come back quickly. I want to feel the thrill of the past four days of music shows again. Most importantly, the fans' expressions when they saw me every day became more familiar, and sometimes they even looked happy to see me. They were starting to accept me, but now that the activity is ending, it feels like something is missing.

They say that when your hobby becomes your job, it gets tough, but right now, I feel like I could do this job forever and be happy.

I checked my to-do list on my phone.

The songs I'm planning to produce don't have any variables since I have no personal activities, so I have plenty of time to make them.

And the 04z drinking room that Hwang Saebi suggested a few days ago... I need to discuss with the management team whether it's really okay to do. Even if it's a drinking room, it will probably just be a can of beer.

And...

There's something I've been thinking about for a while, but I still can't figure it out, and it's the most important task.

[Fan Song]

I really want to include a fan song in the regular album. Since it's a fan song, I think Firstlight should make it if we can compose it.

I wanted to outline it and pass it to the members, but I can't even outline it.

Thinking about the fans makes me feel so good. I can't just say "I love you" for 3 minutes and 30 seconds, and if I write the lyrics, it will probably be at the level of "I love you, I really love you."

Anyway, I decided to postpone the fan song part and immediately informed the members and managers in the group chat whenever I discussed something with the staff.

Min Ji Ho, who was in a near-death state from the stage, shouted when he saw it.

"Hyung, is our regular album coming out?"

"Yes."

As soon as I answered, the members and managers cheered, seemingly regaining their energy.

I'll have to stay at Yang Yi's studio for a while again. 😅

[Chung Hae Won: Let's have a quick meeting later.]

[Park Sun Jae: I'm hungry...]

[Min Ji Ho: I want to do a live broadcast right away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!]

[Han Hyo Seok: It's already scheduled.]

[Min Ji Ho: I want to see the Hae Sun fans when I'm in the best condition after sleeping. 😭😭😭😭😭😭]

[Ahn Joo Won: That's disappointing.]

[Shin Ji Woon: I want to eat ramen.]

[Hwang Saebi: Hae Won, please organize it.]

"Damn, don't pass it to me, Hwang Saebi."

"Anyway, the kids only listen to you. My words have no power."

Hwang Saebi pretended to be weak and then pretended to sleep again.

[Chung Hae Won: Let's have the meeting at the dorm and ask to move up the live broadcast time. Should we do a food broadcast?]

[Min Ji Ho: Squeal♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥]

[Han Hyo Seok: Sure. Let's have some MSG today.]

[Min Ji Ho: Oh???? What's up with Hyo Seok????]

[Hwang Saebi: I told him to. I'll order some spicy chicken feet, pig's feet, and cold noodles. Anyone want anything else? I think chicken would be good too.]

[Ahn Joo Won: Saebi is only loud when talking about food.]

[Chung Hae Won: What do you want, the youngest?]

[Park Sun Jae: Let's boil some ramen first. How many?]

[Shin Ji Woon: Let's start with 10. Hyung will cook them well.]

[Park Sun Jae: Sure! I'll help!]

I immediately contacted the artist management team to ask if we could start the live broadcast a bit earlier for a food broadcast.

[Yes, since Hae Won is here.]

And I sent a crying emoji. It seems to be about the incident where Shin Ji Woon almost caused trouble last time.

When we arrived at the company, the staff were still busy with other schedules, but the broadcast preparations were already done. They had even bought a cake and decorated the curtains with balloons and lights. It looked like they had decorated for the final show.

For the first time, we prepared to start the live broadcast without the staff, just the managers and us. When we went to the break room, Park Sun Jae was already tearing open 10 packets of ramen.

Ramen is treated as a snack, not a meal. That's why, no matter how much ramen we buy for the dorm and practice room, it's always gone...