The Malicious Member Has Returned! Episode 199* * *
When the ToZ members received word from their manager, Yoo Hobin, that after today's relay dance filming they would proceed with self-produced content shooting, they couldn't help but overflow with motivation.
Because Kim Chunyong wasn't the only one who had poured his heart into this repackage album.
"Wow, so we're finally filming self-content during promotions? I couldn't even imagine this back when we were filming with the JDS Crew!"
"Phew, right. Things were so messed up back then... Now it finally feels like things are running properly. We're busy, but I guess you could say I feel at ease. This is how it should be, yeah."
Having participated together since the demo production of the title track and poured their passion and sincerity into it, this album was as special to ToZ as their debut album—the one that had allowed them to exist as ToZ.
They hoped everyone would love it as much as they had worked hard on it.
And if they could receive even half as much love in return, they would be endlessly happy.
Well, those were the kinds of feelings they had.
"Hmm? But hearing those words from Yuchan hyung, who wasn't originally from AG, makes me feel like our company might have some problems...? Is our company not good?"
"Huh? Ah, no, that's not what I meant!"
"Huhhhh? Hyung, your reaction? I-it really seems like it...? Wait. Could it be that my mom telling me to think it over before signing was...?! Hey, hey! Siu!"
"Hwaseong-ah, don't!"
In that process, Ji Hwaseong half-realized the truth that maybe our company wasn't actually good enough for him to take pride in, but...
"Both of you! Please... calm down. Your faces will flush before you even get your makeup done. For now! H-Hwaseong-ssi, I think you should go in first."
"Ugh... Yes. Makeup comes first, after all."
"I'll... go to the bathroom for a bit then. Haha, Hwaseong-ah. Go on ahead. Okay?"
Bang Yuchan ended up flustered after shattering his younger member's innocent trust, and Yoo Hobin had gone through a bit of trouble to cover it up, but anyway.
"Uhh, Hobin hyung. Wasn't our next Music Music Days broadcast recording this weekend?"
"Ah, Jaeha-ssi. Yes, that's right. Originally, we should have done the relay dance filming then as well... but I thought we could hold a mini fan meeting before the live broadcast, so I adjusted the schedule a bit. Today's music show is close to the Music Music Days studio."
"A... mini fan meeting... Hobin hyung, did you... suggest... this...?"
"Yes. I thought now would be the perfect timing for it... Hm. Jaeha-ssi, Siu-ssi. Is this burdensome for you at all?"
"Ah, no. ...
I'm happy about it. Being able to meet... fans in person."
"Yes. It wasn't that I felt burdened; I was just checking the schedule. Haha... sorry for surprising you."
More than anything, the core was that they were all sincere about this promotion.
Because of that, the members intended to give their all in this promotion, and Yoo Hobin planned to support those members with perfect schedule management.
Doing their best, doing what they could do.
To others, that would probably be enough.
"Not at all. Since I arranged this schedule without prior notice, I was worried it might be bewildering. I wondered how the other members would feel..."
"Hmm, don't worry too much. Everyone will like it. We don't have many offline fan signing schedules for this repackage promotion, so being able to meet fans like this is a good thing."
"Hearing you say that puts me at ease, Jaeha-ssi. Then, we'll depart right after Hwaseong-ssi's makeup is done... Huh?"
But.
Because of that, a decisive gap was bound to form between the members and Yoo Hobin, and Kim Chunyong.
The 'things to do' that Kim Chunyong had been muttering to himself earlier.
"Um, Logan-ssi. And Chunyong-ssi. What is that on your faces...?"
"Oh, Hobin hyung. How does it look? Well, Chunyong hyung said it would be great if we did this for the next filming!"
"Uh, you're covered in puppy and star stickers on your faces? Chunyong-ssi... a dragon?"
"Haha, yes. It's nice, right? The makeup noona picked each one and stuck them on for me."
"It suits you well. But even if you wear them for the official account upload, you'll have to take them off for the relay dance filming—"
"Huh? Why take them off then?"
"...
Huh?"
Everyone was dreaming, but had set aside those dreams with the thought that it would be too hard to get that far.
"Doing it with these on makes it more memorable. That way, more people will watch the relay dance video."
"U-um. Chunyong-ssi. I understand how you feel, but..."
"We need more exposure. That way, while watching the relay dance video, they'll watch our stage performances too!"
"Ch-Chunyong-ssi?"
"If they like the stage video, they'll watch the MV too! After watching the MV, they'll stream the song!"
"Ch-Chunyong hyunga..."
"Then we can win #1! Number one!"
It was a desperation beyond mere motivation to work hard—a determination to seize this opportunity with absolute certainty.
No, if you looked at it clearly...
Perhaps it was a madness toward winning #1 on a music show, upon which so, so many things currently hung for Kim Chunyong?
After all, he believed that if he just focused on his work, all the rewards would come tumbling in like dominoes.
It would be stranger not to be obsessed with that.
"Holy, my song could be #1? Really #1...?"
"Yes, Logan. You have to go one step further than just working hard at everything. Remember Targeting Star? You were only able to debut back then because you truly fought with your life on the line."
"Oh my god, I'll work hard. Really!"
"Good. That's what makes a sensational Liverpool boy. You have to do 'more' than just working hard to win #1."
As if to prove that point, Kim Chunyong's sharp eyes sparkled with a strange light as he grabbed Logan's shoulders with both hands and shook him back and forth.
With his wine-colored hair neatly tied up halfway, his face—still frighteningly handsome despite being much softened by camera corrections—was utterly soaked in madness.
You couldn't really say it was bad overall, but...
"Uhh..."
"Jaeha hyeong, th-the makeup noona... told us to come get stickers too..."
"Hm, is this going to be okay...?"
Cold sweat trickled down the spines of those watching him.
Being motivated is good.
Being more than just hardworking? Much better.
But... to that extent?
Aren't you... taking this too far?
"...
Ah."
While the others, unable to read the context of what Kim Chunyong was shouldering alone, stared blankly, Kim Chunyong suddenly came to his senses. He cleared his throat and scratched his cheek awkwardly.
"I think I got too excited. I'm sorry. I'm not usually like this..."
"Hm, it's fine. It happens. Chunyong, you really are always so passionate."
"I just felt like, if it's with our members, we could definitely achieve something this time, haha. Yes."
"......."
Of course, it could be too much.
Kim Chunyong might have many thoughts weighing on his mind, but the others had no idea about those circumstances.
You were a malicious member? What does that even mean.
You want to treat your family well? Then why couldn't you back then?
Those words, those thoughts.
But even knowing nothing, seeing someone so motivated stirred many emotions in others.
Not asking 'to that extent?'—
"...
Siu and I will go get stickers too, Chunyong-ah."
"I-I'm embarrassed but... yes..."
"Oh, go ahead!"
It was the feeling of: if my fellow member is working this hard, shouldn't I do the same?
[
o.
W' Relay Dance Content First Behind-the-Scenes?]
- "...
Ahead of today's Mumu Day relay dance filming, thanks to the filming staff who have been so kind to us! We've been given a moment to briefly talk about the behind-the-scenes of the stickers we attached to our faces."
- "Sheesh, at first I thought this might be too uncomfortable, but now that they're on, I've grown attached to them. Like, I feel like I want to keep them on even after getting back to the dorm?"
- "I have cats... Hwa, Hwaseong hyung has... a lion..."
- "Yes! And because of my name, I thought about just putting Mars, but then you might not realize it's me, right? So I put other planets on too!"
- "Haha, Jaeha and I put on a dolphin and a flower respectively. Mine is because of my singer image, and Jaeha's... because the Xenias call him flower!"
- "Hmm, it's a bit embarrassing. Still, since it's a nickname the Xenias gave me... it feels good to show it to you like this."
That was why this kind of result had come about.
Let's work hard.
Let's not stop at working hard, but go a little further from there.
That way, rather than simply receiving the love fans send us and leaving it at that, let's show that this is two-way communication going back and forth.
- "Chunyong strongly pushed for the dragon, but we looked into it a bit. And it seems like people prefer the fox for him more than the dragon?"
- "Puhah! Ah, exactly. I always call him Yong-yong hyung, but the fox suits him better! So I stuck another fox sticker on him. Right here on his forehead!"
- "...If the Xenias are pushing for it, I'm prepared to stick on even inanimate objects. Really. I can eat things I can't eat, too."
- "Huh? Yong-yong hyung, but for all that, you absolutely won't eat cucumbers...."
- "Hey, Ji Hwaseong. Shh, shh! I don't want to create a picky eater image!"
Telling fans what they want to see and know.
As always, to get what you want, you need to go a little further than one step.
- "Also, we each put on a star and an arrow sticker in common. To match our group name!"
- "Yes. We always abbreviate it as 'ToZ,' but our official name is Target of Xenon. You think of arrows when you hear target, so..."
- "It means we'll definitely shoot the fans' hearts this time too. Haha, is it a bit embarrassing?"
- "No, no. But it's sincere, right? That's all that matters!"
These days, as times changed, the industry grew, and generations came and went, opinions often circulated that the very meaning of idols had faded.
Idols are icons, stars.
But people said, how can beings manufactured by agencies be icons and stars?
Many denied it while inwardly agreeing.
They said these emotions, these actions, and these things were irrational.
That in the end, it was all to make money.
But...
- "Of course. It's always sincere. Thanks to the Xenias, we were able to debut and release albums like this...."
- "Phew, is that why? I always end up caring more. I guess you could say I want to give you better things to enjoy, as much as the love you've shown us."
- "Yuchan hyung, that's too professional... It doesn't suit someone with a dolphin sticker on their face."
- "Huh? Really? But I mean it!"
They're working hard, struggling to repay the love I gave them.
How can I not love them?
It was an irresistible emotion.
Just as the moon and Earth are drawn to each other, affecting one another, these were moments that would inadvertently sweep away anyone who had ever set foot in this culture even once.
Kim Chunyong now knew very well that everything he had thrown away had been made possible by enormous love and interest.
He had to expose himself a little more, promote more, show himself better.
But what was ultimately needed inside all that was substance.
To atone to those around him, and ultimately to everyone caught up in all those affairs, and to not repeat those wrongs.
- "...We'll wrap up our sticker introduction here! We thought we'd show you a little taste of the relay dance!"
- "Huh? Is that okay? Th-this is a teaser!"
- "Just a tiny bit, a tiny bit."
Sparkle, sparkle. Doing properly what I have to do.
Going one step further from there.
- "...Thank you!"
Released by Music Music Days, ToZ's 'W.
o.
W' relay dance teaser concluded with all the ToZ members showcasing a short point choreography together.
All that remained was the full relay dance and ToZ's first proper self-produced content, which had been uploaded simultaneously with the teaser.
The reason those videos, which only fans in the know had checked with anticipation, became a hot topic once again...
Was the following week.
"Yes! We've also met the stage of Sledix, who are concluding their 'Monghoerang' promotions today! Then, shall we meet this week's #1 nominees together?"
It was when Sledix decorated their final broadcast, and ToZ was beginning their second week of promotions.