The final broadcast day.
"This week's number one is—"
As the music show trophy was handed to the winners amid the sound of bursting confetti, I felt a strangely refreshing yet bittersweet sensation.
"Congratulations to DestroySix!"
At least I'd have more personal time now.
'Ah, or maybe not.'
Come to think of it, my stock had risen since then, so I might be even busier than before.
'I saw that quite a lot of ad offers had come in too.'
Still, it remained true that not having a fixed personal schedule every week was quite a relief.
"Today, before we say our final goodbyes!"
While I was briefly lost in such sentiment, Joo Seungbin met my eyes and handed me a splendid bouquet and trophy.
"We would really like to say that you worked hard as an MC for Popular Song for about a year, Lee Dohee. Thank you."
At the same time, the audience members held up placards saying I had worked hard.
It was time to give my closing remarks.
"Wow...!"
Honestly, aside from relief and bittersweetness, I didn't feel any particular emotion, but I couldn't be sullen given the situation, so I sniffed the bouquet once for no reason and put on a touched expression.
I tried to speak my remarks prettily too.
"To the viewers and fans who have cheered me on for the past year, thank—"
After finishing my request for fans to get home safely until the very end, I tried to return to the waiting room, but this time every singer I ran into offered their congratulations.
"You worked hard~ Congratulations!"
"Congratulations, Dohee~"
"Ah, thank you!"
Watching that bustling scene was strange.
'It's like they're all trying to look good...'
'Did I do too well this promotion?'
'Or am I just twisted.'
I bowed my head frequently, muttering to myself internally as I pushed through. And as I turned the corner at the end of the hallway, heading toward the waiting room.
"Ah, Dohee-nim!"
"Huh?"
I ran into another singer. Probably a member of DestroySix, who won first place today...
'His name was... Ian, was it?'
The reason he had come to find me out of nowhere was obvious. Seeing his manager beside him, it must be for a challenge shoot.
And as expected.
"You must need to get going quickly on your last day, sorry. We had a schedule during the day so this was the only time we had, haha."
"Ah, it's fine, sunbae-nim."
Ian bowed his head as if embarrassed. Honestly, it made no sense that the one filming should accommodate them, but it couldn't be helped, so I decided to just go with it.
They were probably actually busy.
DestroySix was a boy group counted among the top three, one that frequently charted on the Billboard Hot 100.
Anyway, thinking I should film quickly and head to the company dinner location where the staff were waiting, I moved to a quiet spot for filming and took out my phone to skim through DestroySix's challenge.
"Ah! I could show you."
"Still, let me try it right away first."
Honestly, learning choreography was nothing new to me.
"Wow, you're dancing it right away? This choreography isn't that easy!"
"Ah~ I guess it's because I watched your seniors' stage so impressively."
Actually, even early in Seven's debut, I had been someone who picked up choreography quickly compared to other trainees and idols.
'Since I was the fastest after Chaerin unni.'
By now, having filmed countless challenges while MC-ing for the music show, being able to copy most choreography after seeing it once had become natural.
"Can we just film it right away?"
"Oh, you seem to be in a hurry since it's your last day."
"Honestly... yes, a little? I think the PD is waiting."
Come to think of it, once I quit being an MC, I'd rarely have to film challenges, so it would be comfortable.
Naturally, my media exposure would decrease as well, so as the director wanted, my image consumption would drop significantly too.
"But you really dance so crisply. You're among the best I've filmed challenges with? Totally gifted!"
After a few tries, we finished filming quickly, and Ian clapped and gave a thumbs up.
Honestly, I already knew my dance lines were pretty and that I danced well, so I wasn't particularly moved. The countless comments whenever I filmed challenges had already verified that.
'But this song isn't my style so dancing it isn't fun.'
Still, I looked at him with a deliberately friendly smile, and Ian hesitated, glanced around, then bowed his head.
"But... you know Pure Girl Lucy, right?"
There was no way I wouldn't know. She was an idol from a girl group under Lefro, and we had performed together on an end-of-year special stage early in Seven's debut.
"Yes, of course I know her."
Though we weren't close after that, we were on greeting terms when we passed by each other.
And I thought I knew why he was bringing this up.
"Then you know I'm Lucy's older brother, right?"
"Of course."
There was no way I, someone in the industry, wouldn't know a fact that the public was well aware of.
It's just that my creep radar, honed through long accumulated experience, was tingling a bit.
"So Lucy—I mean, Siyeon keeps complaining to me that she wants to get close to you and wants to contact you."
"Ah~ Lucy-nim wants to be close with me? I didn't know."
So I answered with empty, soulless words, but he didn't seem to care.
"I know right. So I told her to just go ask for your number, but she says she's too embarrassed and nervous standing in front of you, making such a fuss..."
"I see."
"Yes, so now she's asking me if I can't just get your number for her, ahaha."
And Ian made an expression as if to say, 'You know what I mean, right?'
He was asking for my number.
Honestly, it didn't seem like he had completely made up this story.
I had seen Lucy fidgeting with her fingers every time she saw me more than once or twice.
'Was it because she wanted to get close?'
Even so, regardless of gender, I wasn't the type to give my number to just anyone.
I lacked the energy to form new connections.
Sujin and Sohee, my elementary and middle school friends who whined that I don't meet them after debut.
The Seven group chat that had never once been quiet.
And our members on top of that.
Actually, aside from all that, I barely had time just for my own work.
So naturally I intended to refuse, but since Ian was my senior, I turned him down tactfully.
"Haha, I see... so Lucy-nim said that."
But this person seemed determined to get my number no matter what.
"Yes, exactly. You have no idea how difficult it was... and it just occurred to me since I happened to film a challenge with you like this."
"She should have asked herself, why tell you... If she had asked, I would have given it to her."
Usually, people would give up when I made it this obvious and spoke in circles.
"I know right, making me put myself in such an awkward position... I must look a bit strange. If it weren't for my heart aching for my younger sister, I really. Blood is thicker than water, after all."
I had no choice but to give this kind of definitive answer.
"If I meet Lucy-nim next time, I'll give her my number myself. You worked hard. I think the PD is waiting, so I'll head out first."
Whether I'd actually give it to Lucy, though... I wasn't sure.
'What if she takes after her brother.'
Though his mouth was smiling, Ian's eyes held cynicism at not getting his way.
'Sigh, I'm tired, so tired.'
* * *
Debonair's fandom name, Air, was basking in a string of happy news at a time when their passion as fans was surging wildly.
[Debonair Global 200 Ranks 15th, 19th]
[Billboard Global Chart 'Sweet Demon' 4th Place]
[Congrats on Billboard Global 'New Vibes' 7th Place!]
[We'll enter the Billboard 200 next time haha]
[Debonair Brand Reputation #1 ♡]
[International reactions coming in too!]
Of course, negative opinions naturally followed.
─It's not even the Billboard Hot 100, anyone can get on the Global chart
─Groups I've never heard of keep charting too, and their fans think that's something lol
─For a mid-tier idol, even that's a blessing lol they have limits anyway, only decline left
─They're just riding the K-pop wave, they're not that good
However, the fans didn't react at all. The lyrics of 'New Vibes,' about finding your own path instead of entertaining complicated thoughts and reading the room, spoke for their hearts.
It was also because their domestic music chart performance still held 1st and 2nd place even though over a month had passed since release.
But there were times when arguments were unavoidable.
Groundless scandals rather than objective results.
Having hit it big with the title track, now people were trying to control public opinion with personality controversies.
─Omg... so Lee Dohee got fired as MC in the end...?
└As if Lee Dohee got fired? She quit because she got busy
─Honestly took her disgustingly long to step down lol now I can watch Yuga in peace
└You don't even care about the next MC, right?
└The way you talk, you seem like a nasty wild boar of an ahjumma who hates anything pretty!! lol
─They say Lee Dohee's personality issues are famous... still, she held on for a long time
└Stop talking nonsense lol everyone who worked with her said she has a good reputation
└lol it's all media play. If you think about it, Bellita had a power abuse scandal and still MC'd for over a year, so really? lol
└So did you hear that from the staff?
Of course, as emotions ran high, there were plenty of cases where fans spouted words that would instead invite backlash.
─No wonder you'd go crazy, it's not like once or twice that their oppas and unnies stood next to Lee Dohee and got blatantly compared lol
└(photo) rlly you can stop taking the red pill now
└Air fans' personalities are legendary, taking after their owner sigh lol
─Reason to be happy about Lee Dohee stepping down) Don't have to see the oppas and unnie she was dominating anymore
└Not Air's opinion? Shut it.
Honestly, this self-sabotaging public opinion battle could only continue until new news arrived to refresh the community atmosphere.
And the first news of Debonair entering their full hiatus was this.
─Omg I heard Lee Dohee became a Chanel ambassador?
─Lee Dohee's Instagram already surpassed 18 million, somehow felt like she would
─Seriously Lee Dohee is all high-end from the start, following Cartier...
─The more hate, the more successful, daebak lol
─Chanel definitely has the career woman image for 20s and 30s, modern wealthy woman image, it somewhat suits Lee Dohee
Of course, luxury brand ambassadorships inevitably carried some negative image these days.
─Why are people making such a fuss about ambassadors lately? Cringe lol
─Ambassador culture is the main culprit ruining teens and 20s, useless overconsumption. Only Korea and China hype it up; the word luxury itself is too well-branded, it's just luxury goods
─Idols are ruining kids
But the biggest reason these views couldn't become the dominant opinion in the community was this.
Lee Dohee was the first high-end fashion ambassador to come from a mid-sized entertainment company in the long history of K-pop.
─No but rlly it's not even a Big 4 company, and it's not like Topist pulled strings so how did this happen??? Big 4 agencies give luxury sponsorships and media play from debut
└Logically could Topist even push an ambassador lolol they're incompetence itself
─Honestly it'd be hard to find an idol who fits the capability as much as Lee Dohee lol
└rlly excluding company power, this is Lee Dohee's individual ability
And there was one more thing.
ㅡOmg wait then the two completely overlap...? Cartier too
ㅡIs Lee Dohee copying her?
─They say the two are surprisingly close