16. The Second Beginning (4)
Eun (溵), as in the sound of water; Chan (燦), as in shining light.
Shine from an important position.
It was a name my late grandmother had handcrafted for me. Looking back calmly, I had never once lived up to that name, so just thinking about its meaning made me feel sorry to her.
Before the regression, I had debuted with Chilwol Chilseok at best, yet couldn't make my name known, and had never even received proper lighting on stage.
So since I'd been given another chance, this time I truly had to live up to my name.
'I feel like my heart is going to jump out of my mouth.......'
I hadn't even been this nervous on showcase day.
Despite having spent years as an idol before, thinking that I was standing on my first music show stage as Genesis made me so nervous that I rubbed my hands against my pant legs.
[ Yoo Eunchan ]
Visual ★★★★☆
Vocal ★★★★☆
Dance ★★★★☆
Charisma ★★★★
Luck ★★★★★
'I did raise my Vocal and Dance stats with the stats I got last time.'
Regretting that I should have taken a Cheongsimhwan or something before coming, I slowly tried to take a deep breath......
"Uwah, you startled me."
I was about to when a loud *bang* came from behind. Startled by the sudden noise, Eunchan turned around to see Byeori standing in front of the waiting room door, looking this way with an extremely excited face. What an entrance.
"Crazy."
"What?"
"Hyung, come out quick."
"So why... ah...."
Whether he was surprised, flustered, or had something urgent.
What on earth was going on? Eunchan's brows furrowed. It wasn't like Byeori acted exaggeratedly only once in a while. Seeing him like that made Eunchan wonder if something had happened.
"Don't tell me you caused an accident......"
"Baek Muyeong sunbae is looking for you. Did you cause an accident? It's your first broadcast today?"
...So that wasn't it. He had jumped to the wrong conclusion and nearly embarrassed himself.
But the name he just heard was so familiar... Thinking he must have misheard, Eunchan poked his ear with his pinky.
Who did he say? Baek Muyeong sunbae?
"Hongbyeol, are you doing this because you're bored right now? There's a limit to jokes......."
"He's unbelievably handsome in person. I wanted to smash the camera. Anyway, hyung, do you know Baek Muyeong sunbae? No... then there's no way you'd just look at him on monitors like that! But then why is he looking for you?"
Byeori usually joked around a lot, but this didn't seem like a joke.
"Ah, hurry out. How could you keep a sunbae waiting and come out so late? I'll stay in the waiting room. Go and come back."
When Eunchan didn't drop his suspicious gaze, Byeori eventually started pushing his back firmly. And seeing him ask, "Hyung, you really didn't cause an accident, right?" it seemed he was also quite surprised by this situation, so Eunchan had nothing more to say.
'Is he lying to tease me right now?'
What reason would that great sunbae have to come here? And specifically me.
It would somewhat make sense if it were Juhyeok, who had some recognition thanks to appearing on a public audition program, or other members from Minutes. But Leon and I were hidden trainees, practically revealed for the first time at the showcase, so how could he possibly know me?
"No, Byeori! Wait a minute......."
How could you push someone with all your strength? Rubbing his throbbing back, he opened the waiting room door.
And in front of the door stood a subject sculpted so finely it was unbelievable.
"Hello, Eunchan-ssi."
...Right, after all, our Byeori wasn't a guy who would scam me. He might be frivolous, but he never lied, always.
"...Is this a dream?"
Just as Byeori said, Baek Muyeong sunbae was standing in front of the door. He even had his arms crossed, leaning against the wall as if he had really been waiting for me. Wow, what do I do. Without a single lie, a halo was shining behind the sunbae's head.
"A dream? *Pfft*, it's not a dream. If you doubt it, want to touch me?"
"...Huk, no. How could I dare."
Eunchan shook his head violently.
The existence before his eyes was indeed 'that' Baek Muyeong. There was no way Yoo Eunchan would mistake him. During Chilwol Chilseok, he had always watched Sonyeonmi fancams from debut to recent activities until they wore out, and after regressing, he had spent Sonyeonmi time alone in his room to the extent that not knowing or mistaking Baek Muyeong sunbae's face from this period would be stranger. That tall stature and upright features were definitely those of Baek Muyeong sunbae from the group Sonyeonmi, whom I respected.
'Ah, greeting, I should start with greetings.'
"S-sunbae! Hello!"
"Ah, you don't have to be so formal. I didn't come for anything in particular. I was reading an article about your showcase the other day, and you said I was your role model."
"Huk... yes, yes!"
Muyeong, straightening Eunchan's bent upper body, continued with a calm smile. Eunchan was the only one whose face changed every moment and couldn't manage his expression.
[Unending popularity, Sonyeonmi's Muyeong... This time conquering even a rookie boy group]
There had been such an article. When he found the article, he had regretted saying it, tearing at his hair from the overwhelming embarrassment wondering if he had said it for no reason, but thanks to that, he got the opportunity to meet Baek Muyeong sunbae in person. He couldn't remember the reporter's name, but he wondered if he should at least offer thanks.
'This totally feels like I've come to a fansign......!'
"It's quite delightful, isn't it? To hear that I'm the role model of a talented junior like Eunchan-ssi. Ah, did I disturb your rest? If it's because of me......"
"No! Not at all! It's totally fine! You can disturb me more!"
"Huh?"
"Really, really......! I'm truly a fan... wow, really so... sunbae, it's an... honor......."
I don't even know what I'm saying. He suddenly thought fans were amazing. There were fans who trembled a lot at fansigns saying it was their first time. Each time, he would hold their hands and comfort them, telling them not to tremble and to breathe deeply together. That same him was now spouting whatever words came to mind.
'So this is how nervous you get when you meet a singer you like in person.'
Of course, someone like me and Baek Muyeong sunbae would be different, but now he finally understood the feeling. Since there would be more chances to meet fans this time... he had to treat them even better than before.
Eunchan took small breaths so Muyeong wouldn't see, barely suppressing his excitement. Is this a dream right now, or reality?
Other than a group greeting in the music show waiting room hallway before the regression, there had been no points of contact, so to think he would meet him personally like this. As expected, regressing was the right choice.
"Praising me like that is a bit embarrassing. You can stop."
Contrary to his happy heart, his words and actions creaked and clashed. What is this, it's not like he's some broken robot. He had never been this awkward even in the early days of his debut. To show such an unsightly appearance specifically in front of his sunbae.
'Yoo Eunchan, what are you doing... the sunbae looks flustered! Because of me!'
As Eunchan clasped his hands together and raised his gaze upward, Muyeong covered his mouth with one hand. His eyes curved and the corners slightly drooped, looking like he was holding back laughter.
In the brief silence, feeling like he had to say something, Eunchan slowly parted his lips that barely opened.
"I truly... truly respect you, sunbae......."
"Haha, really? That's a relief. I've become the MC for this music show starting today. Since Genesis is in the lineup anyway, I came because I was curious. Ah, since this is fate too, may I take a picture with you?"
"Heol... yes... totally... even a hundred pictures would be fine."
"Eunchan-ssi, you'd be good at variety shows."
"Huh? I'm sincere!"
When Muyeong made eye contact with him, Eunchan reflexively cast his gaze downward. He simply couldn't meet his eyes. How could he place his eyes alongside a heaven-like sunbae so rudely? From debut years to popularity, it was the difference between heaven and earth, no, between the universe and the inner core.
'Still, if he came to find me like this, he must have fondness... no, at least curiosity about me, right?'
That thought crossed his mind unconsciously. Of course, it was counting his chickens before they hatched, but Eunchan wasn't so much of a Confucian scholar that he wouldn't even check the favorability of his object of admiration before his eyes.
[ Error! ]
'Error?'
[ system : Today's Favorability viewing count has been annihilated due to a system collision. ]
"Huh, what? Why is there an error?"
I haven't used it even once today! Eunchan's face scrunched up. Since this was the first time this happened, he was so flustered it was hard to hide his expression in front of his sunbae. What is a system collision? And now of all times, when it's the most useful!
'I can't see the stat window either? Well, for the sunbae, it's undoubtedly all max scores whether I look or not.'
"Eunchan-ssi, over here."
"Ah, yes!"
At Muyeong's call, Eunchan jerked his head up. For now, since the sunbae had said they should take a picture "together," he had to focus here. His face, filling the sunbae's phone screen, seemed to have turned red. To be in one frame with his life's role model, hiding his bewilderment and putting on as composed an expression as possible was also a task. Even though he had stood in front of cameras countless times, it was of course the first time he had been this nervous.
"You must be nervous since it's your first broadcast. I thought you'd be used to this, so it's a bit unexpected? I feel like this is the first time I've seen you nervous......."
"Ah, that's because."
Because it's in front of you, sunbae. Wondering if it showed that much, he quickly put on his broadcast face. Once it became a somewhat natural expression, Muyeong pressed the shutter button.
'Since it's being saved on the sunbae's phone anyway, it has to come out extremely, extremely well.'
Not knowing the result was somehow regrettable. He could have made a better expression!
Muyeong, checking the saved photo, immediately put his phone in his inner jacket pocket and waved at Eunchan.
"I'll see you in the live broadcast later too. I'm looking forward to your stage."
"Yes......! Sunbae, too... fighting... please......!"
What is this. He had a one-on-one meeting with Baek Muyeong sunbae and even received encouragement. He couldn't have imagined this before the regression.
...Of course.
'Because the sunbae didn't have a music show schedule today in the first place.'
When he first met Baek Muyeong sunbae during the Chilwol Chilseok activities before the regression, it wasn't at this time. About three weeks from now, during the last week of Ojakgyo promotions, the Sonyeonmi sunbaenims had their comeback, and he had been happy saying that heaven helped. So if his memory was correct, Baek Muyeong sunbae should be preparing for a comeback around now.
'And Baek Muyeong sunbae never served as a music show MC.'
He could instinctively feel a sense of distance on his skin, yet couldn't guess the reason. What? Did this change because of the regression too? The Sonyeonmi sunbaenims and I weren't related at all in the first place?
Putting that aside, what was that system collision earlier? Once a doubt arose, a sense of incongruity instantly coiled around his whole body.
"Eunchan! What are you doing here? You asked me to fix your necklace earlier."
Lost in thought and standing blankly in the waiting room hallway, the stylist noona called Eunchan from inside the waiting room.
"Ah, sorry. May I ask you now? During rehearsal earlier, it kept getting caught on the mic......."
...Yes, whether it's the butterfly effect or whatever, it can't be reversed anymore. Our group has already changed a lot anyway. Rather than worrying about other things, he should focus on Genesis doing better.
***
Whether thanks to Baek Muyeong sunbae's encouragement, or because nervousness covered nervousness, the first broadcast went smoothly. Perhaps because they were rookies from a newly established agency, neither the staff nor the audience were very favorable, but this much could be asserted as having buttoned the first button properly. If it weren't for that system collision, he could have checked the favorability of some staff or audience members; it was a shame. When coming off stage, not only him but all the other members had satisfied faces looking refreshed, so he was even more relieved. Particularly since Seo Juhyeok, a perfectionist limited to that stage, was making a satisfied expression, it seemed they just had to keep going like this.
***
'Should I kill some time?'
On the way home, in the car heading to the dorm, Eunchan had to let out a hollow cough as soon as he accessed his SNS subscription account.
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byunseoung_chae and 1,523,923 others like this
Imyour0
Rookies sparkle.
Thank you for saying you respect me. Genesis, fighting :)
-----
One familiar face on Baek Muyeong sunbae's SNS post at the very top of the feed.
"Crazy......."
The selfie they took together earlier was uploaded on Baek Muyeong sunbae's personal account. And with a touching caption to boot!
'I'm totally a successful fan... no, I am an idol too, though.'
Eunchan gripped his phone tightly with both hands and banged his head against the window. Just looking at this made him feel the road to the dorm wouldn't be boring. Moreover, contrary to his worries, he was making a pretty decent expression. Putting aside all other disturbing things, it was certainly a precious experience. To think he would have a one-on-one meeting with a sunbae after regressing.
It was something he wouldn't have expected normally. To the degree that around his 4th year after debut, he had considered applying for a fansign. Of course, he had to buy at least 200 albums, so he gave up with tears in his eyes.
He was so happy it felt like a dream. To the point that if it were a dream, he wished he would never wake up.
***
"Hyung!"
"...Ung......."
"Eunchan hyung, wake up."
"...Just... thirty more minutes......."
"Did you see this article?"
"...What is it? An article about us?"
"No."
At Gaeul's noisy voice from the morning, Eunchan, still not fully awake, mumbled. Perhaps because fatigue had accumulated in his body as it was already the second week since promotions began, it was hard to get up. If he came to his room to wake him up first thing in the morning despite not being roommates, it probably wasn't a trivial matter. When he barely lifted his heavy eyelids, Gaeul's phone held out before him. And on the article filling the screen,
[Sonyeonmi's contract renewal falls through, eventually steps toward disbandment.......]
[Baek Muyeong, transfers agencies → Another side as an actor, not Sonyeonmi]
"What... is this......?"
Sleep vanished instantly.
This past didn't exist. No matter what was wrong, something was seriously wrong. Before the regression, Sonyeonmi was a group that had become a hot topic when all members recontracted early, half a year before their 7-year contract period expired.
This, this wasn't right.