Chapter 44

44

"Damn it... Why is the editing like this all of a sudden?"

A fan of The Dawn was utterly disappointed with the recently aired broadcast.

[It's true that you can't do it.]

[(Seonghyun's face gradually stiffening as he watches the Today stage...)]

[Yes... Thank you for your hard work.]

[(Seonghyun's comments after watching the Today stage.)]

[I... Actually, I don't really know.]

Although she had turned on the broadcast to see the handsome appearance of The Dawn, the more she watched, the angrier she became.

Devil's editing.

She had braced herself, knowing that tvK was notorious for its devilish editing. But even so... this third episode seemed to be deliberately set to burn Seonghyun.

"This is a different outfit, right!"

It was extremely, extremely harsh.

"Why do they have to put in every single word?"

It was almost as if they were stringing together every single word. However, the editing was so subtle and natural that anyone who wasn't a die-hard fan might easily fall for it.

With the broadcast edited to deliberately reveal the malicious intent towards Today, Seonghyun was being heavily criticized to the point where he could live an eternal life.

[What kind of junior is this lolololol]

[Wow, Seonghyun lolololol His bullying character is showing lolololol]

[Is this overacting? He's displaying his stupidity in front of the whole nation by not understanding the situation.]

[Why isn't he stepping down lololol Seonghyun's face makes me so angry.]

"You're the ones who are stupid..."

She blocked all of them and slowly posted on her SNS. Today was the day of the final battle.

The Shining Star second round.

It was said to be a cover performance.

'Please, please, not Today.'

If it wasn't Today, they could somehow avoid this controversy. However, if they chose a Today song and made even the slightest mistake, Seonghyun would be obliterated.

'Guys, fighting.'

[Finally, I'm in T_T]

The fan who finally got a ticket to The Dawn's performance put away the slogan, feeling self-conscious. However, since her SNS account was private, she talked about the recent incidents without holding back.

[There are two staff members today, and there are so many strong fans lol Is this to prevent a fandom fight? If so, why did they include the soldier element?]

The controversy over Seonghyun's school bullying had already caused a lot of debate among fans. However, she was not deterred.

Honestly, she was unsure, but as a core fan of The Dawn from the very beginning, she wanted to believe in Seonghyun. After all, after the rainy stage, he had bowed repeatedly, worried that the fans might be cold, and even bought and distributed canned coffee.

'There's no one to trust, but...'

Still, thinking about that, she wanted to believe in Seonghyun until a proper explanation came out. Although there was conflict, the controversial post was not directly uploaded by the victim and was not specific.

'The company needs to respond quickly! I'm really frustrated with this small agency.'

Dae Pa Sung Entertainment was still silent. Despite the growing complaints from fans, they continued to post Shining Star promotional content on SNS without any communication.

That's why the Today fans were even more terrifying. She cautiously looked around as she entered.

[@anajungbyeongwa Did you go in? How's the atmosphere?]

[└It's really intense ㅠ It's so scary..]

[└What if the kids get discouraged ㅠㅠㅠㅠ My babies ㅠㅠㅠㅠ]

[└I'll cheer them on with all my might ㅠ]

Yes, they had come this far, they couldn't lose. The Today fans were already giving The Dawn fans a cold stare.

Hey, our kids didn't do anything wrong! She wanted to say that, but she was too scared to speak.

Especially in the third episode that aired last time, every time Today was on, Seonghyun's sour expression, scenes of him deliberately cutting off his words, and shots of him ignoring Today were continuously inserted.

You could see that the clothes were all different, and it seemed that the production team had immediately started the devil's editing as soon as the Seonghyun controversy broke out. The Today fans were ready to boo The Dawn.

"My babies..."

She waited for the stage to start, tears streaming down her face. After a long time, she shared goods and talked with the few other The Dawn fans, and Yoo Ji-a appeared.

"Hello, everyone! I'm Yoo Ji-a."

"Big sister, you're so beautiful!!"

Yoo Ji-a smiled. As expected, she was as popular as the nation's little sister.

She had been watching the Nightmare and Refine stages, but her mind was elsewhere.

This round is a cover performance, but come on, no way.

The last bit of hope shattered when Yoo Ji-a called out The Dawn with a bright smile.

"Shall we call them? The Dawn, covering Today's 'Make Love'! Please come on stage!"

"Kyaahh!"

'Shit!!'

She screamed the loudest, but cold sweat was pouring down her back.

Why now! In the midst of the ongoing conflict between The Dawn and Today, why did they have to cover a Today song!

'Did the production team push for this?'

As a The Dawn fan, she felt wronged, but the Today fans were even colder on the scene.

"Today? The Dawn is covering a Today song?"

"Wow, where's your conscience?"

"What are you trying to do?"

Amid the commotion, The Dawn appeared, bowing.

Seonghyun had a stoic expression.

White top, gray pants. Just as she was about to be disappointed by the rather ordinary stage outfit, Seong Ji-won, who usually didn't speak much, took the microphone and greeted the audience.

"Hello! We are The Dawn."

'Yeah, his face is so charismatic....'

"Wow! Guys!"

She screamed as loudly as she could. The cheers were fewer than in the first round, and boos could be heard in between. At this moment, The Dawn was more disliked than ever.

With the school bullying controversy, the Today targeting, and the devil's editing.

Even if you weren't a Today fan, the public's view was biased. However, the members of The Dawn looked determined, as if they didn't know about the rumors.

'Guys, you look good today....'

It's okay, a good face is a good character.... She shed tears, looking at their increasingly shining faces.

The short interview that followed was also answered by Seong Ji-won.

"Yes, let's hear your thoughts on today."

"We covered Today seniors' 'Make Love' today. Although we may be lacking, we prepared hard. Please give us your support."

"Shameless!"

"......"

At that moment, boos erupted from the audience.

Seong Ji-won hesitated for a moment but calmly passed the microphone. It was clear that his face had stiffened.

'No, our babies didn't do anything wrong!'

"I love The Dawn!"

This was the roar of a seasoned fan. She screamed as loudly as she loved The Dawn, pulling the sound from her lower abdomen.

The audience was startled, but Kang Eun-jae smiled brightly.

'My babies, you should always smile...!!'

The fan felt wronged. She felt wronged for all the criticism they were receiving, even though they hadn't done anything.

Just as she was about to cry, Seo Ho-yoon turned his head towards her.

'...Are you looking at me?'

She waved her hand lightly.

As if to say, don't worry.

'Ho-yoon...'

While she was looking at him with a lump in her throat, the stage lights dimmed, and The Dawn took their first positions.

The audience was still murmuring, but as the prelude of 'Make Love' began, it fell silent as if by magic.

"Crazy..."

The unique melody of traditional instruments flowed.

'It's an Eastern style...!'

That's right! Idols should try an Eastern style at least once!!

'Make Love' was a light love song, so it was unclear how they would continue the concept, but the new attempt itself was good. At least, it wouldn't be compared directly with Today, so she calmed herself down.

Thud.

The lights came on in the dark stage. The other members were nowhere to be seen, and only Seong Ji-won slowly walked out. He was wearing a flowing, blue robe over his top.

'So that's why the outfit wasn't ordinary...!!'

It was a pleasant surprise to prevent spoilers. Even if the stage failed, at least she could get a photo of Seong Ji-won in the robe, so she waved the slogan wildly.

Seong Ji-won slowly touched the apricot flowers set on the stage and began the narration.

[Even if I were you, I would have been anxious.

Because to you, I am just a stranger.]

'He's crazy... His voice is crazy!!'

[But please understand this.

No matter how many times it takes, no matter how many times I come back,

I will fix everything.]

It felt like he was talking about the current situation, a meaningful statement.

Moreover, the newly added prelude seemed to connect with The Dawn's first post-apocalyptic setting.

As if he were a regressive character on this stage as well.

'Could they...?'

The lights went out, and a spotlight shone on Seo Ho-yoon.

Seo Ho-yoon, who had been sitting in his initial position, opened his eyes.

'Face, damn!'

It was paradise. She was so captivated that she momentarily forgot the seriousness of the situation. Seo Ho-yoon opened a fan with his right hand, and his narrowed eyes were visible through the fan.

[When the passing wind turns its head, our eyes meet.]

He turned his head and met Seong Ji-won's eyes, then covered his face with the fan.

Jeong Da-jun slowly walked out from the side and asked.

[(I feel like I've seen you somewhere, are you from somewhere?)

No, that's not important.]

'He attached his album concept to someone else's song?!'

A regressive character and Seo Ho-yoon, who recognized him.

The confrontational structure was clearly from The Dawn's previous single 'Second Chance'.

By attaching this to a simple love song, they made someone else's song seem like a series of their own.

'Crazy...!!'

As Seo Ho-yoon folded the fan and stepped forward, the sound of the wind could be heard. This was the part where the lively tempo of English lyrics was supposed to come in.

[There's no need to worry.]

But The Dawn.

[Because the answer is me.]

They changed all the lyrics to Korean.

Kim Seong-hyun, who was positioned in the center, smiled slightly as he pulled back the curtain and walked past without a word. The fan watched him with a sigh.

'Yeah, there's no choice but to hold back now....'

No matter how good a person he was, the controversy itself was too big. As she bit her lip, The Dawn's stage was carried out beautifully and wistfully.

In the place where Kim Seong-hyun had been, Jeong Da-jun pulled back the curtain and raised his right hand as if looking at the clouds.

[When I see you, it feels like walking through those distant clouds.]

He lifted the robe dramatically and disappeared between the curtains, and Seo Ho-yoon, who had been behind him, appeared on camera, folding the fan.

[Let's go back, shall we?]

It was like a signal.

Thud, thud, thud!

The drumbeat started slowly and gradually intensified, accelerating the rhythm. The sound of the gayageum played a fast tempo, and the curtains in the center fluttered violently in the wind.

As Seo Ho-yoon's signal began, something was changing on the stage. And then.

"Kyaahh!"

Kim Seong-hyun pulled the curtain he had been holding and threw it to the side, revealing himself alone in the center with a long sword.

The fan's eyes widened.

'What? Kim Seong-hyun as the center?'

He was the most controversial, so she thought he would be tucked away in a corner! Instead, The Dawn, as if mocking that expectation, placed Kim Seong-hyun at the center. Kim Seong-hyun stood slightly to the side, taking a deep breath without looking at the camera.

Seo Ho-yoon looked at him with a serious expression, but the fans didn't notice. And then...

Boom!

As the gayageum sounded again, Kim Seong-hyun stared at the camera with a firm resolve.

Pew!

The members aimed their bows at Kim Seong-hyun on stage. As he grabbed the curtain and pulled it, it flew out as if hit by an arrow. A scene that would have looked ridiculous if it were even 0.1 seconds late, but it matched the beat and timing perfectly, like a scene from a movie. Her mouth dropped open.

'What quality?'

But this stage was a solo performance by Kim Seong-hyun, who was fully prepared.

"Kyaahh!"

A fan next to her was crying and waving the slogan.

As Kim Seong-hyun swung his sword at the flying curtain, it fluttered beautifully, as if he were cutting through the air with his sword.

'He's a master of storytelling....'

The fan couldn't close her mouth. As Kang Eun-jae shot the last arrow, Kim Seong-hyun knelt and fell.

But the look in his eyes, captured by the camera, was fierce.

'......'

Even though she knew nothing about his situation, she felt a strange pang in her heart. His eyes conveyed a desperate resolve without a word.

As Seong Ji-won appeared and pulled the curtain, the two of them disappeared.

Just like the apocalypse setting of 'Second Chance'.

While she was in shock, a shadow appeared on the stage, and Kang Eun-jae, wearing a wire, landed gracefully on the stage, like a sage from an old movie.

He fluttered his robe and smiled at the approaching camera.

Swoosh!

The jaba1) burst, and the stage's tempo was cut at a perfect timing.

[On the fragile thread of our weak connection, we walk a tightrope.]

A newly added period drama-style lyric!

"Kang Eun-jae!"

Who did the arrangement? Who made Kang Eun-jae look so cool!

The fan was on the verge of fainting.

Kang Eun-jae flew around the stage.

[We try to mend the thread that could break at any moment, twisting it again and again.]

As Kang Eun-jae turned and walked backward, the other members of The Dawn surrounded him, bowing and opening their fans. Kang Eun-jae, surrounded by white fans, looked like a sage.

[After all, the result is already decided, isn't it?]

'They're going to spin... They're going to spin... The genius idol is going to spin....'

Seong Ji-won appeared behind Kang Eun-jae, spinning.

[You will remember me!]

Seo Ho-yoon and Seong Ji-won did a double rap.

A voice that rose an octave higher than the original, clean and clear.

It sent shivers down her spine.

The high notes were much richer and more dramatic than the original.

At the same time, the gayageum sound cut off, and Jeong Da-jun and Kim Seong-hyun stood up again, holding the curtain.

[There's no need to regret, because the answer is me.]

The voice rose impossibly high, and in the final moment, the curtain spun wildly, forming a line of trees.

Kim Seong-hyun sang with a poignant expression in front of it.

[When I see you, it feels like walking through those distant clouds.]

Whirr, a wistful flute sound and the sound of the wind could be heard.

Seo Ho-yoon moved slowly across the stage. The fallen curtains on the floor looked like clouds, and everyone slowly raised their fans to cover their faces.

The white light stubbornly followed Seo Ho-yoon's back, as if enchanted.

[I am not anxious.]

The fan looked at the stage, feeling choked up. Seo Ho-yoon touched the tree that Seong Ji-won had been fiddling with earlier, raising one corner of his mouth. It was as if he was speaking to the fans.

[Because I know you.

So...]

It was a continuation of the line Seong Ji-won had said earlier. Seo Ho-yoon slowly plucked a flower and let it fall to the ground. At the same time, the flower fluttered and fell onto the white curtain.

[Shall we start again, shall we?]

-Thud.

The lights slowly went out.

A perfect Eastern-style arrangement that made the original song unrecognizable, a stage filled with a few members, and even beyond that...

'They did an overwhelmingly good job.'

The thought of getting a photo was long gone. Everyone was in shock, and after a moment of silence, thunderous cheers erupted. Not only The Dawn fans, but even Nightmare, Refine, and Mars fans were waving slogans and shouting.

Perhaps they recognized each other as allies.

With the excitement still lingering, the fan turned around.

"Kya..."

The Today fans were pale and shocked.

It was like they had been doused with a cold drink.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 1) A traditional Korean percussion instrument similar to cymbals.