I’m flustered.
No, maybe dumbfounded is the word.
Separate from my tangled emotions, at the center of the stage, the MC was continuing with his welcoming remarks.
“Saven. It feels like only yesterday that we were here together last year. And now you’ve become full-fledged top idols?”
Jin Taeseop, who had also been the MC last year.
It seemed they’d brought him back as-is to pull in the same viewer base from last year’s mega hit.
Because they could carry over the image the viewers had liked.
‘If this happens, our fans will be the ones bringing in the early viewers...’
Though the target audiences for male and female idol groups were different, half of Saven’s fandom was female.
I had to consider the possibility of fandom leakage as well.
Inwardly, I was thinking pretty hard.
And then, of all people, that guy had to show up now.
‘We’re not going to get dragged into anything for no reason, are we?’
I should be as careful as possible.
“Which means the contestants here, one year from now! Could become the best idols too, right?”
The contestants let out cheers, as if projecting themselves onto us and picturing their own futures.
“Of course, they’ll have to survive Season 4 first. Naturally, this process won’t be easy. Right, Saven?”
I pushed down the bewilderment I felt from Baek Hwi’s unexpected appearance, and now it was my turn to read the cue sheet.
“Just as you said, the reason we can stand here today is thanks to the choices of the Chusers. Contestants, from now on, through a total of five evaluations...”
***
“Ugh, so embarrassing. Do you think the part where I flubbed my line will make it on air? If I ask the PD, they’ll edit it out, right?”
“Nope? I’m putting my vote on it airing with the caption, ‘Kim Seoyun, who hasn’t grown at all.’”
“You, come here.”
Avoiding Seoyun unni as she gestured and came toward me.
I quickened my steps out into the hallway.
“Manager-nim, I’m going to the bathroom!”
I walked away from the set at a brisk pace.
Then I heard footsteps following behind me.
It seemed Seoyun unni was coming after me.
If Seoyun unni really was angry, there were three ways to get past it.
Hug her while laughing playfully.
Pretend to be gloomy and pitiful.
Usually, at around that point, she’d sigh and let it go.
But if she still tried to hit me.
‘I’ll just act cute and whine.’
It’s better than getting hit...
Getting hit hurts...
Planning to get through it playfully as usual, I turned my head.
But contrary to my expectations, the person standing there was too tall to be Seoyun unni; I had to look up at him.
“Huh?”
It was Baek Hwi.
“Ah, hi.”
Why is he here?
“Aren’t you filming right now?”
Leaving aside the fact that it was nice to see a face I’d known since childhood.
“Ah, the PD said he was going to greet you guys, I mean Saven, so we’re on a short break.”
This was a situation where I wanted to avoid a man and woman meeting alone.
“Ah...”
Fortunately, even when I looked around, there was no sign of anyone nearby.
Since we were at the back of the hallway.
“Am I being a bother? If I am, I’m really sorry. It’s been so long, I was happy to see you, so I just wanted to say hi.”
It was hard to say anything harsh to him when he was fidgeting like that.
“It’s fine. It’s not that much of a bother.”
Only then did Baek Hwi smile.
Come to think of it, when I was little, I’d wished I’d been born as him.
‘But... now I don’t feel anything.’
If anything, I like myself now more.
I’m pretty and full of charm.
And I have my lovable little sister, Doa.
Anyway.
What mattered was what kind of mindset he had when he decided to become an idol.
“Did Auntie Minha not say anything?”
If, by any chance, he still liked me.
And if he’d decided to become an idol because he was chasing after me.
I think I’d be annoyed.
“Ah... about me participating? Yeah. Mom told me to do what I want.”
It didn’t seem like I’d get an answer by beating around the bush, so I decided to ask directly.
“To be honest, I don’t understand. The fact that you suddenly wanted to become an idol. What’s the reason?”
Baek Hwi, who seemed hesitant to answer, instead asked me a question.
“What about you, then? You were good at studying, and you were good at piano too.”
I can’t say it’s because I like attention.
“...I’m doing it because I wanted to be an idol in my own way.”
As for asking him whether he still liked me...
‘There might be someone around, so I should be careful.’
Even without asking, it was obvious from his reddening face.
That he still liked me.
‘It feels pretty nice when someone likes me. But I’d like him to keep his distance.’
“I have a reason too! Um, well... It’s a little embarrassing if I say it like this.”
The guy was floundering, gesturing with his hands and feet.
“What is it? Say it.”
“It’s not like I searched you up! Really, I didn’t! The kids in my class were always watching, so I ended up seeing it.”
After hesitating, he opened his mouth.
“After you finish a stage, you’re always smiling...”
...Was I?
“And I still don’t really know what I want to do. But then I happened to get cast while walking down the street...”
...Well, with his face, he’d probably get one at least once while walking around.
And he lives in downtown Seoul too.
“So where did you sign?”
Even without looking, I had a feeling he’d recklessly joined somewhere after being told they’d make him a celebrity without any proper vetting.
“Um...”
The way he hesitated to answer made it obvious it was some shady agency.
As an adult, I should tell him to quit immediately.
“ZY.”
Chaerin unni’s agency...? A big company...?
“...You got into a good place?”
Why did he make me misunderstand by hesitating for no reason, damn it.
“Ah, yeah...”
Ah, fuck, this is why K-pop is doomed.
Those casting manager bastards only look at faces.
They should look at talent and skill first, like me.
I suddenly got irritated.
“But I’m your senior, so are you allowed to speak casually to me?”
“Huh?”
“Huuh?”
“Ah... I’m sorry, sunbaenim.”
Leaving the dazed Baek Hwi behind, I turned and headed toward the bathroom.
I was getting heated, so I should at least wash my face.
‘Come to think of it, I still had something to say.’
When I turned my head and looked back again, he flinched.
“And if you sell me out, you’re dead.”
Of course, it seemed like he’d already told the production team that we were childhood friends.
“Huh...? Ah, I won’t. Sorry.”
Use honorifics, damn it.
“Forget it. Since you came out anyway, work hard. I’ll be cheering you on.”
“Got i— No, yes, thank you...!”
Watching Baek Hwi run off and disappear, I clicked my tongue without meaning to.
What was done was done.
Besides, it wasn’t as if he’d lied; he’d probably just said it because he was glad to see me.
‘We can just put out an article saying our moms are close and we had meals together a few times.’
Yeah, there shouldn’t be any problem.
Though I’ll probably get cursed at a bit by the fans who flock to Baek Hwi.
‘Thinking about it like that is making me annoyed again, damn it.’
***
Last year, the first recording day for Season 3 was May 1st.
This year, likewise, the first recording day was May 1st.
And the fact that May had arrived meant.
Along with the suddenly hotter late spring.
“University festivals?”
When we returned to the company after finishing the Jeodol recording schedule, Hana unni’s eyes widened at the news Manager Dahong unni gave us.
“Yeah, university festival season is coming up soon.”
Harang unni got excited.
“Shh. Fuck yes! University festivals! They’ve finally come!”
“I-I also... really want to go to a festival! I’ve never been to one!”
University festivals.
They were words that made my heart flutter.
“Ha, is it time for Kim Seoyun, goddess of the architecture department?”
“Oh... Unni, you really do suit a construction site.”
“Want me to turn it into a murder scene?”
Because if you were a popular idol, you couldn’t leave out university festivals.
“A department jacket, a varsity jacket on Dohee? Should we go wearing varsity jackets...?”
“What department jacket for an elementary school graduate~”
“Heheh, she said elementary school graduate...”
“So what. The GED results will be out soon, and I’m going to pass, you know?”
It was also the month when I would escape being an elementary school graduate.
A day that made my heart pound.
Everyone was excited, but there was one member who alone showed signs of fatigue.
It was Chaerin unni.
“Why? You don’t like it, unni?”
“No, it’s not that. I do like it... I do, but... seeing this.”
Chaerin unni held up her phone.
“Go into the announcement chat. Ugh...”
As Chaerin unni said, I entered Saven’s announcement group chat.
The May schedule table Manager Oh Hyeonsu had posted.
“Uh-oh...”
The schedule was so packed that it made me wonder if this was really supposed to be our inactive period.
It was as full as a promotion season.
In line with the comeback song we would be releasing next month.
Basic choreography and stage practice.
Filming promotional variety shows that would go up during the comeback period.
Even an MV shoot that required us to leave the country because it was scheduled to be filmed overseas.
Up to that point, it was still relatively manageable.
But wedged into every gap between them, as if they absolutely refused to leave any empty space, were university festival schedules.
And it would continue like this straight into next month’s promotion period.
For the next two months, we would have no days off.
From morning until dawn.
The members’ faces turned deathly.
Manager Dahong unni forced a smile and patted us as if consoling us.
“Girls, let’s hang in there...?”
But Manager unni’s expression wasn’t exactly bright either.
Because Manager Dahong unni was part of the schedule too...
“Dahong unni, you hang in there too...”
“Yeah, let’s all hang in there together, Saven Team...”
Still, there was nothing we could do.
It was proof that we were popular.
We should participate with happy hearts.
If there was one fortunate thing, it was that Hana unni had been working me day and night, building up my stamina.
‘Thank goodness.’
...Was it really something to be thankful for?
***
[Oh, Saven’s coming to the Sungdae festival]
[Holy shit Saven is coming to our school]
[Day 1 lineup is out!]
Except for a few universities that proceeded privately.
The student councils of each university announced their festival schedules and began revealing their lineups one by one.
The news spread quickly through university student communities.
And, because Korea was a small country and Koreans tended to be interested in university festivals all over the nation, ordinary people were also able to come across the information quickly.
Naturally, idol fandoms reacted too.
Saven’s fandom was no exception.
[They’re going to the Sungdae festival in May]
[Are they not coming to any uni festivals in Chungcheong-do?]
[Can the general public watch the festival at SJ Univ?]
[Regional fan planning to go up to Seoul to watch the festival]
With an official external schedule set for the first time in a while, Saven fans actively chatted about the festivals in their communities.
The number of people active in the community increased for the first time in a while, drawing attention.
Then, in the middle of it, a meaningful post appeared on the board.
[I think I found something weird]
(Photo)(Photo)(Photo)
These are Dohee’s comments, right?
The post instantly became popular and went up in flames.