Chapter 61

61

[1st Place!!!]

The atmosphere was almost like a party. They laughed and cried at the same time. Especially the core fans who had been following since the debut were crawling on the floor.

[1st place… 1st place, 1st place… Ah, what the hell, is this real or a dream? Is it really true? Ahhh, it's so good]

[Among the newbies, they were the fastest. What is this? └Is it a buyout?

└Shining Star + Burglary └└Ah, hahaha, his head must have been spinning]

[As soon as the 1st place was announced, the kids started crying and screaming. Haha, it's so funny and sad, and touching and good. T_T I didn't know I could cry so much...]

[The reaction to 1st place was good. Maybe because of the image of them working hard during Shining Star, everyone was fully immersed.]

[Wow, it's like a novel plot: Debut on Shining Star -> Sudden rise -> 1st place. I'm so proud, I could go crazy...]

The song's success, similar to the previous one, also contributed to the lack of controversy.

Meanwhile, as the stage of "The Dun" and Seohyun's individual camera footage were released...

[Wow]

Seohyun's individual fans looked flustered.

[;;; What is this God-level performance?]

[Why is he so good at dancing? He must have practiced a lot... T_T I'm so proud, it makes me want to cry]

[What is Seohyun lacking now... He has it all: face, singing, dancing, and entertainment... └Manners └Hahaha, I'm laughing so hard]

Of course, there were those who didn't mention his God-level performance.

If you were a casual fan of Seohyun, you might not know, but those who described him as "crazy" seemed to know his personality.

He is affectionate to his fans, but he has a strong presence and isn't particularly friendly to everyone.

Even those who had "bet their lives" on Seohyun remained steadfast through any controversy. When Seohyun pointed out someone on Today, some fans laughed it off in a cool manner.

[Ho-yoon is just a kid, that's why. Haha └Hahaha, crazy └└Laughing?

└└Sorry]

[Our bunny can be like that too. Haha └Okay, I get it. Haha]

They were shamelessly bold, to the point where other members might be shocked if they saw.

Anyway, the increasingly powerful fans celebrated Seohyun's remarkable growth with laughter.

On YouTube, titles like "Seohyun, the Dancer's Transformation" became more common. While the positive comments increased, flies couldn't help but be attracted to the growing feast.

[He's just good at his part, right? Haha. When you see idols praised for barely remembering their parts, you can tell the level, right?]

Naturally, the fans were indignant.

[Look, the criticism is starting to come in~ Ah, it's so thrilling! Haha]

[It's proof that he's really good, right? Haha]

They were a bit irritated but weren't the type to be swayed by this. It was a bait to stir things up as their popularity grew.

However, when the 1st place promise individual camera footage was released, this bait disappeared instantly.

[The Dun's Ocean Train Encore Stage? Congratulations on 1st place!]

[Promise Part Summary!

Jung Jiwon → Kang Icha Kang Icha → Jung Dajun Jung Dajun → Seohyun Seohyun → Kim Sung-hyun Kim Sung-hyun → Jung Jiwon Like it, please! ♡]

It seemed like a funny concept, with the rap and vocal parts switched.

Seeing Jung Jiwon awkwardly spitting out Kang Icha's rap part, even his hardcore fans had to close their eyes.

[He did memorize it...

The rhythm is right... The diction is good...

But why...]

[Support, just sing]

[Support, don't do what you want └Hahaha, everyone is so blunt]

Then, Kang Icha, as if possessed by Jung Dajun, waved his hands and perfectly imitated his unique singing style, flipping everyone out.

[Kang Icha is really shameless, hahaha └This kid has a strong presence but a great personality, hahaha └He's so chill └He would have been a standout in any group... Can't help but love him]

Next was Jung Dajun. Despite his attempts to look cool, like sweeping his hair back and making various gestures, the fans found him adorable.

[Hahaha, he's just Jung Dajun └Jung Dajun: T_T └Hahaha, our baby is so cute]

Kim Sung-hyun sang Jung Jiwon's part smoothly and sincerely. His unexpectedly good voice made the fans buzz.

[What... What...

Kim Sung-hyun, singing the main vocal part alone...]

[Overacting kid... If he went to ToDay, he would have been criticized for having too many characters...]

Everyone enjoyed the comedy and unexpected skills revealed in the part-switching, but the most noticeable was Seohyun. At first, he seemed to struggle with Kim Sung-hyun's part, but during the dance break, he adjusted his movements to the beat and danced well.

[????]

[Oh?]

Compared to Kim Sung-hyun, he still had a long way to go, but he seemed to be at the average level of other idols. His graceful dance moves drew more attention.

[What? Seohyun is good at dancing even when it's not his part??]

[He's really good at controlling his strength and timing]

[While Kim Sung-hyun is powerful and precise, Seohyun adjusts his strength and timing well. His facial expressions are great, so I just want to punch my mouth shut. T_T └Ji-ji, take your fist out of your mouth └└Haha]

[Hey, you guys who said he can't dance if it's not his part, come out! Let's have a match~!!! (Big smile, what the hell~!!)]

The reactions were heading exactly in the direction Seohyun had aimed for.

***

"Really, no conscience at all."

I put on a gray jacket and said. No matter how I thought about it, it was too much of a lack of conscience. Jung Dajun, still a high school student, was flying around and grumbling.

"I don't want to wear the school uniform anymore."

"Oh~, it's a good time."

"Seohyun, why do you say that? You've only been here for four years."

No, I've been here for a long time. I wanted to say that in response to Jung Jiwon's tackle, but I stopped.

The Dun appeared on a talk show program. The concept was to wear school uniforms and become students, competing in dance battles and talk shows to find the true "boss."

"Go, Icha."

"Okay."

After finishing the preparation, they walked down the corridor to the classroom set, guided by the staff.

This concept suited the shameless and slick Kang Icha.

He led the way, slamming the classroom door open and sauntering in. He then slapped the desk.

"Who's the boss here?"

"These are all familiar faces, aren't they?"

The entertainers who had tormented him during his PD days were cheering without a clue.

"The Dun!"

"Hello, everyone."

Following him, Jung Jiwon waved his hand gracefully and entered, and all the members entered the classroom in turn, lining up and smiling to greet the audience.

"We're here to take over this school."

"Hahaha!"

The filming was going smoothly. The set was as lively as their fame, and they were fully committed to the concept.

"Is the song this time composed by Icha?"

"Yeah, that's right."

"Did you make some money? How much?"

"Seeing people become endlessly ugly for money... I've seen it too many times, and it's tiring."

At that moment, the words came to mind, and he glanced over. Kang Icha, however, answered with a playful and relaxed tone.

"Oh, unfortunately, the royalties haven't come in yet."

Kang Icha winked at the camera playfully.

"Please transfer the money to Icha quickly!"

A thorough guy in both work and personal matters.

Everyone burst into jeers at his relaxed demeanor.

Jung Dajun was teased for crying too much, and Jung Jiwon was asked if he was really a tiger teacher. When it was Kim Sung-hyun's turn, they indirectly brought up the school bullying issue to find a touching point, but Kim Sung-hyun... well, he had a dubious look and deliberately avoided the topic.

'Right, don't. It will backfire.'

After each member had their moment, it was my turn. The entertainers suddenly leaned forward.

"Seohyun, you're so smart, right?"

"Huh?"

I gave a perplexed smile.

I was curious what would come out, but it was just this.

"No, not that much."

"What do you mean, we've all seen it on TV. You solve English problems well and remember dances after seeing them once, right?"

'Hmm...'

The praise was nice, but if this image stuck, the fans might get bored.

Hearing the same story over and over. I thought about finding something fresher, but on the surface, I smiled politely.

"Haha, it's nothing."

"..."

"..."

"...But you're really handsome."

"I was surprised..."

I think I heard something similar when I first met them during my PD days. Of course, once we started working together, that kid would grin and tear people apart, calling me "Binggle" behind my back. It wasn't a secret.

'Ah, it was fun back then.'

I miss it a lot.

Now, I'm in the subordinate position.

"Is there a teenager around the camera over there?"

I waited calmly while listening to the entertainer's complaints about the rebellious image.

'But there's no big laugh yet...'

Just as I was thinking that a big laugh was needed, my entertainment PD self kicked in, and the next segment began.

It was called [You Die, I Die]. A rather arrogant title for a secret revelation segment.

"Hey, let's talk about something scary."

"Sure, sure!"

The classroom darkened, and the sound of thunder was heard. The comedians set the mood with a skit.

On a rainy day, the students in the classroom each shared interesting stories.

A chance for the stars to show off their storytelling skills and leave with a bang!

"Okay, who wants to go first?"

Just as I was about to clear my throat, Kang Icha confidently raised his hand.

"I'll go."

"Icha, why do you keep mentioning your name?"

"Remember my name well."

Ding!

[Is he just pretending to be cute?]

I think that's correct.

Anyway, Kang Icha went out with a serious expression, hitting the desk with both palms to draw attention.

"I'll tell a shocking true story."

"What, what?"

"The main character of this week is not me, but Ho-ho-ho."

"Ho-ho-ho?"

"Seohyun. His real name."

'This kid?'

Kang Icha's finger pointed at me. I crossed my arms and crossed my legs in a show of nonchalance. The production team, thinking it was a joke, burst into warm laughter, but I was sweating coldly, not knowing what was going on. ...I've said and done so many outrageous things.

'No, Kang Icha isn't that thoughtless.'

He won't say anything that will damage my image.

But then, what is it? Recently, everything I've said is related to ToDay, so it will be edited out anyway...

I tried to wring my brain like a slow computer, but Kang Icha's story began.

"That day... it was raining heavily, just like today."

Kang Icha spoke in a low, eerie voice, setting the mood. Even Kim Sung-hyun leaned in to listen intently.

'A rainy day...?'

"What is it? Seohyun, do you know?"

"No, not at all..."

I answered Jung Jiwon and quickly calculated in my head, but I still couldn't figure it out.

"It was the day before the final filming of Shining Star..."

"Shining Star? You mean the final episode with the kiss scene?"

"Yeah, that's right. You know. There was a lot of talk about whether Shining Star would continue or not. But what could we do? We all practiced hard in the studio."

I was a bit uneasy.

"I wanted to get 1st place, so I practiced hard and was very tired. I was about to leave when... Seohyun said he would stay and practice more."

"Seohyun?"

"Yeah. But we just let him be. Because he's a practice fiend. There was a time he couldn't sleep and practiced while sick, and ended up in the emergency room."

"Wow, the emergency room?"

Voices of shock echoed through the set.

Jung Dajun nodded in agreement.

"He suddenly collapsed. Everyone was shocked and panicked. It was serious."

"Wow! You really worked hard. That's amazing."

Although it was a calculated move, the attention from everyone made me feel a bit guilty. But the title "Idol who ended up in the hospital from practicing hard" wouldn't hurt, so I let it slide.

Honestly, my unease was about something else.

'What... what was it?'

"Anyway... Seohyun is always calm and composed. He was practicing. I was on my way out when I suddenly got a call. They said Shining Star would continue. It was good news for us, so I called Seohyun to tell him."

Kang Icha tapped the desk.

A rainy day.

The final practice for Shining Star.

A day he was practicing alone.

"But he didn't answer the call."

"......!!"

'I remember!!'

Feeling like I was doomed, I jumped up and ran to the desk. I tried to cover Kang Icha's mouth to stop him. Kang Icha, trying to hold back laughter, struggled to avoid me, but he couldn't resist my desperate efforts.

The comedians, confused, stood up.

"Hey, Seohyun, you can't do that!"

"Stop, stop. Cut."

If this got out, I would really want to die. I almost tackled Kang Icha, trying to stop his mischievous mouth. The other members, still clueless, watched the situation with question marks on their faces.

"Hey, you really... "

"Bro! I'll give you more airtime."

"Please, Icha."

There's something, something big.

The comedians, sensing something with their sixth sense, laughed and separated us.

"Hey, seeing Seohyun like this, there must be something, right?"

"What, what? I'm so curious."

Kang Icha, disheveled, got up from under the desk and said solemnly.

"The truth can't be hidden, bro."

Laughter erupted among the staff. Anticipating the humiliation, I huddled in a corner, crouching on a chair and covering my face to escape reality. I could feel the camera zooming in on me.

"Since Seohyun didn't answer, I went back to the studio. I was worried he might