Chapter 31: The Techniques of an Idol Who Never Fails

Before the broadcast started, Jeong Hae-won was informing Manager Jambal about the things to be careful of before the food broadcast. Hwang Saebek asked casually,

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Really okay?"

"What can I do if I'm not? Should we do it without me? I'd rather not."

Jeong Hae-won answered nonchalantly.

Watching Jeong Hae-won check all the angles to look good on camera, Hwang Saebek, with a similar level of concentration, was adjusting the amount of water for the ramen to Shin Ji-won and said,

"Seeing him start saying everything is fine, it's similar to when he was with Kukseon-a."

"I expected that. Putting someone with stage fright on stage, of course it wouldn't go well."

"What can we do about it?"

"Just leave it. He signed the exclusive contract, so even if he runs away, the boss will bring him back."

"That's not the problem, but it's reassuring to have a son of a lawyer."

"It won't be reassuring. Our parents don't even help their son for free."

Then, Hwang Saebek said,

"Bro, I'm going to put the ramen in now, so get ready quickly. Hurry up."

"Okay, got it."

Hwang Saebek, who was always slow in both actions and reactions, was the only one who sped up at this moment. Looking at the camera that was broadcasting, Hwang Saebek said,

"Hello, Hae-sun-ies. If we don't boil the ramen now, it'll be too late, so let's start with the ramen."

Then, a pot of ramen was placed on the table in front of them. Hwang Saebek divided the 7 servings of ramen brilliantly. Park Seon-jae said,

"Bro Ji-won is good at boiling ramen, and Bro Saebek is good at serving."

At this, Min Ji-ho chimed in from the side,

"Really talented. If you weigh them, they'll all be the same, right? Bro Hae-won, when are we going to make this a content?"

"Got it. I'll write it down."

Jeong Hae-won took out his phone and wrote down the content. While the ramen was being briefly greeted and talked about, the food deliveries started arriving.

[How much food did you order lol]

[This isn't even a cheat day level...?]

[Guys, how many ramens did you boil?]

"Ten!"

At Park Seon-jae's shout after checking the comments, the chat window was momentarily shocked.

Even as the members took turns reading the chat window amidst the noisy broadcast, they continued to eat.

"Ah, Bro Hae-won. They're asking if there's any behind-the-scenes story about 'Light On.'"

At Park Seon-jae's words, Jeong Hae-won, who was eating chicken feet, put down his chopsticks and said,

"Yes. This time, I did rap-making for the first time in my life."

As soon as he said that, the members covered their mouths, fearing they might spit out their food. Ignoring the laughter of the members at the lyrics he wrote, Jeong Hae-won continued,

"Now you laugh, but at first, it was so serious that the kids couldn't even laugh."

"Bro, that wasn't it. It was the most shocking rap I've ever seen in my life."

"I just wrote it casually, trusting Bro Ji-won."

At Jeong Hae-won's excuse, Shin Ji-won, while chewing his food, retorted,

"What do you mean 'casually'? You worked hard to make the rhymes fit perfectly."

"......I couldn't bring a rough demo. Anyway, it was so bad that it couldn't be revised, so Bro Ji-won rewrote it all. Next time, I'll just leave it blank."

[Han Hyo-seok almost spat out his ramen lolololol]

[What did you even write lololololol]

[But it still passed lol. Life is all about connections]

Although there were some comments expressing discomfort, there were no very negative ones since the First Light members were watching.

An Ju-won said,

"Bro Lee really suffered. You saw how Bro Hae-won always stayed in the studio."

"No, that bro is just lonely and secretly likes it when I sleep there. He just pretends to dislike it."

At Jeong Hae-won's shameless words, the members giggled again.

In the midst of the conversation, Jeong Hae-won, after checking his phone, immediately handed it to Han Hyo-seok.

Han Hyo-seok checked the phone, straightened his already proper posture, and tidied his clothes before saying,

"Since the company said it's okay to announce, I'll officially tell you. We're releasing our first full album in September."

At that, the chat window was momentarily silent.

Then, comments started flooding in so quickly that the chat window was lagging.

[Oh my god, a full album T_T_T_T_T]

[They're really releasing a full album T_T_T_T_T]

[Thank goodness T_T_T_T_T]

For the fans who thought this digital single might be the last team activity, it was an incredibly happy piece of news.

* * *

The food broadcast ended after consuming an enormous amount of food. As I cleared the table, I whistled at the amount of food.

"How many servings did you eat?"

At my words, An Ju-won, who was doing the dishes, said,

"We're normal, don't you feel like you're on a diet?"

"Really a lot."

Hwang Saebek and Shin Ji-won always ate like food fighters, and Min Ji-ho and Park Seon-jae were also good eaters, but Han Hyo-seok was surprising. Despite doing ballet all his life, even on a cheat day, he usually ate very moderately, but today he ate with determination.

"Bro Hyo-seok ate well."

At my words, Han Hyo-seok, who was also clearing the table, said,

"Since the activities are over, for one day."

It seems he's given up on saying 'Bro Hyo-seok.' Haha. Finally.

"Yeah, for one day."

"And Bro, I'm preparing to transfer. Like the other members, to a performing arts high school."

"Ah."

Even today, while it was good to see him eat so well, I was a bit worried.

He's been doing ballet since he was very young, so much so that he might not even remember when he started. I thought it would be unbearable to feel left behind by his peers due to lack of practice.

Han Hyo-seok must have had times when he was tired of ballet, but that doesn't mean he doesn't love it. Choosing a different path doesn't mean everything he's done so far will disappear.

I thought that for Han Hyo-seok, giving up ballet would feel like ending a long-term relationship. Because ballet has been a part of his life for so long, giving it up would feel like giving up half of his life.

I've never been in a long-term relationship, but I think it would feel like that.

"Still, once a ballet dancer, always a ballet dancer, right?"

Even if he chooses to transfer to avoid it, he can't completely erase it from his life. Both Han Hyo-seok and I know that.

Han Hyo-seok glanced at me and chuckled.

"Of course."

"You'll use it for the rest of your life. Especially in concerts."

"I thought the same thing."

Han Hyo-seok's expression brightened at the mention of concerts. Seeing this, I realized that there really are no members in First Light who dislike the stage.

* * *

When we arrived at the dorm, we played rock-paper-scissors to claim the three-person sofa in the living room. I won and claimed the sofa.

Even though the company offered to buy more sofas, the members refused, preferring to play rock-paper-scissors so a few could sit on the sofa while the rest sat on the floor, scattered around. It seemed they liked this arrangement, and I felt the same.

Anyway, today, I won against the seniors, so they sat on the sofa. Since Hwang Saebek's uncle runs an orchard, we always had plenty of fruit, so we brought out all the fruit and piled it up.

"You really eat well."

As I muttered, Shin Ji-won, while chewing fruit, asked,

"So, what are we going to discuss first?"

"Just a moment."

As I took out my phone notes, Han Hyo-seok, sitting diagonally from me, said,

"It's great to have one more person who can organize things."

"Even the maknae does it."

"Seon-jae is still a trainee. He doesn't organize."

At Han Hyo-seok's words, Park Seon-jae nodded.

"Exactly. The seniors and Min-jo clean up the mess, not me."

"You've worked hard, maknae. Anyway, first..."

While I was checking my notes, the members were chatting noisily, and Hwang Saebek, who was almost lying on the sofa, said,

"Hey, let the bro speak."

He summarized it in one sentence. The room immediately quieted down, and the members looked at me.

Hwang Saebek's claim that his words have no power is a lie. He's just extremely introverted and can't speak in a soothing tone, which might escalate conflicts, so he stays quiet. It doesn't have to be this quiet, but I started reading my notes.

"There are two things we want to decide. One is the concert concept, and the second is the fan song."

"Ah, hearing that, it really hits home. Both are really urgent."

An Ju-won agreed, and Shin Ji-won, sitting next to him, said,

"Personally, I think it's important to link the regular album, and I hope the concert can be linked to the First Light Company series. Our world."

Then, Min Ji-ho said,

"Since it's our first concert, I want it to feel like a first. You'll remember it for life, the first concert."

"The second one will also be remembered for life."

"Still, the first is the first. Ah, bro. I want to do that. After that, when the fans shout, we'll burst out."

Min Ji-ho, in a hurry, skipped details, and Park Seon-jae, catching on, asked,

"Team cheer?"

"Yeah!"

Then, Han Hyo-seok summarized for me,

"It seems they want to say 'Third, Second,' and the fans will shout 'First' as a cheer, and then we'll come up from the underground entrance."

Wow...

I'm glad these three are the same age. Min Ji-ho has good ideas, and the other two can interpret and organize them.

I wrote down the members' sparkling ideas and said,

"Let's focus on the concept that Shin Ji-won and Min-jo mentioned and have another meeting. The second is the fan song. Throw out a few words that come to mind when you think of Hae-sun-ies."

Then, Hwang Saebek, who had been quiet, said,

"Umbrella."

There was a brief silence, and then the members started agreeing one by one.

"Me too, umbrella."

"Actually, me too."

"Right, umbrella."

Since I met these six, this is almost the first time we've all agreed at once. Shin Ji-won said,

"Our team's name has 'light' as an important element. So, rain or darkness can be the antagonist, and in that sense, it's perfect—umbrella. Hae-sun-ies, they protect us."

It's strange.

I just felt really strange.

"Let's go with umbrella. First... let's try to make it ourselves."

"You'll make it, bro."

At Han Hyo-seok's words, I nodded.

"Yeah. But you guys write the lyrics. I want it to be very sentimental. But my Korean is a bit weak."

I felt I couldn't write the lyrics this time.

I love the fans, and the fans have welcomed me much more than I feared. I've experienced a joy in life that I've never felt before.

Still, I couldn't understand what it felt like to have the fans support me.

I tried to think of a topline (melody), a track (accompaniment), or lyrics on the theme of an umbrella, but I couldn't come up with anything.