Chapter 160: Chapter 160

“Yeonhu! Look over here, please!”

“Yeonhu!!!!!!!”

“Sehyeon, fighting today as well!”

Kang Yeonhu greeted the fans he encountered as warmly as possible before entering the venue for the second round of the competition.

After getting his makeup done according to that day’s concept, he came out of the dressing room and stretched to loosen up his stiff body.

While doing so, he ran into Seo Hoyun in the hallway.

“Oops.”

Seo Hoyun had a cold expression on his face.

Their eyes met, and Kang Yeonhu reflexively smiled.

“Seo Hoyun.”

He called out to greet him, but without the presence of cameras or spectators, Seo Hoyun naturally ignored him and walked past.

The members of The Dawn awkwardly bowed their heads and followed him.

“…Ugh.”

“Kang Yeonhu watched as they left.

It was said that groups tended to resemble each other, and while the rest of the members might be tough, Seo Hoyun was on another level compared to anyone Yeonhu had observed.

The members must all have solid mental strength.

Kang Yeonhu thought nonchalantly as he stretched his arms again to loosen up.

Shortly after finishing the rehearsal under the staff’s guidance and taking care of his High Five members, he witnessed an odd scene.

“That rehearsal was cool. But that prop, doesn’t it seem hard to handle?”

“…”

“What if you make a mistake? You can’t afford to be held back~.”

There are still so many of those types around.

Though it sounded like a concern expressed in a friendly tone, it was actually a slimy and damp wish hoping to drag others down.

Such people were countless.

This was true during his trainee days and even after his debut.

Well, he should be fine…

After all, he was a member of the group Seo Hoyun belonged to.

Surely, he would manage on their own.

“…”

Huh?

However, Jeong Dajun’s expression was precarious.

It was as if a complex had been touched.

“Yes.”

After responding, Jeong Dajun turned away and left.

Kang Yeonhu’s eyes narrowed as he watched the TEW’s main vocal walk away with a flushed face and fuming.

What’s that about?

Though he felt a bit unsettled, he didn’t dwell on it and returned to the dressing room.

It was almost time for the second round of the competition to start.

“Welcome to Shining Star Season 2, the second round of the competition.”

Just as he had finished touching up his makeup and outfit, the MC’s voice came from the monitoring TV.

Cameras meant to capture High Five’s reactions had been rolling for a while.

“Ah, I’m nervous!”

“…”

At WH, everyone naturally believed High Five would take first place.

Therefore, what they truly desired was not the first-place title itself but the additional benefits that would follow.

“Hyung, what’s wrong?”

“Ah, it’s nothing.”

Shining Star Season 2 consisted of four rounds of competition.

With so few, every performance had to be crafted with care.

This second round prided itself on fairness by providing too many options.

The ideas were, “If selecting by ourselves seems unfair, then choose on your own.”

Whether it was a cover or an original, as long as the genre and concept fit, it was akin to finding the most beautiful pearl in a vast sea.

Though luck played a part with the spinning wheel, it ultimately highlighted the capabilities of each group or, even more, the power of their agencies.

Hmm.

Perhaps this was what PD Kim Heeyeon wanted.

And as expected, according to the manager, all groups planned to perform on stage with original songs.

Probably because they had presented cover songs in the first round, they chose to show something new and demonstrate their capabilities.

High Five prepared a lively and bright song brought in with hefty investment from abroad.

This was both an advantage and a form of stability that large agencies had, but it was also a strategy chosen by the company to differentiate from the always intense performances of Black Call.

Kang Yeonhu seriously watched the competing groups’ performances, covering his mouth with his hand.

The other groups aren’t bad either.

However, their limitations were apparent since they had to complete the performance in a much shorter period compared to the months spent on their official titles.

After two stages, The Dawn’s VCR played.

“The Dawn is going for an oriental theme with hip-hop?”

Naturally, he had watched all of season 1’s clips after confirming their participation in Shining Star.

The oriental arrangement for “Make Love” by Today—now a disbanded group—had been very impressive.

“Oh… I see.”

“It won’t be easy because it’s The Dawn.”

But since The Dawn had already utilized all possible oriental elements in season 1, their performance risked seeming dull to the audience.

The genre is also an issue.

The concept and genre chosen by The Dawn weren’t bad.

Among previous artists, there were hits that mixed rap beats with oriental elegance, and advertisements embedding hip emotions into oriental melodies had become famous worldwide.

However, finding something that could stand out to that extent meant it had to be exceptionally good.

There were far too many that got buried.

It was not only about picking a trendy song but also required the performers to have innate sense enough to freely play with the stage based on experience alone.

In this respect, The Dawn, with less experience and capital, was at a disadvantage.

But it’s strange.

Why did he feel so uneasy?

“It’s starting!”

Ssshhh—

As if proving the validity of his unease, everyone fell silent the moment the intro started.

The sound of rain falling, along with a dark, damp, and dirty street, unfolded on stage, with faint neon signs shining through.

“…Oriental theme?”

The main dancer of High Five blinked, having expected them to go for a distant atmosphere.

Swoosh-

As if strolling down that distance, the screen moved across the floor, eventually meeting the gaze of heavy-looking black boots, then slowly rose up.

A man, sitting casually on a matte black and menacing bike, draped in a splendidly embroidered modified hanbok durumagi over a rash guard and tight latex leather pants.

He stretched out one leg.

“…Wow.”

The screen moved from the collar to the neckline, reaching the chin.

“Are you ready?”

Soon, Seo Hoyun’s face, with one corner of his mouth lifted, filled the screen.

“Did you think I couldn’t follow you?

Born again, I persistently chase your traces.”

As Seo Hoyun got off the bike and walked forward, brushing his hair back roughly, the durumagi fluttered.

Now standing in the center of the stage, backup dancers popped out from both sides to match the choreography.

“Is this how they do hip-hop??”

This song was the answer Kang Ichae came up with after listening to a track recommended by Chae Jeongwoo.

He infused it with his own taste.

“It doesn’t fit the typical Eastern mold.”

“Even if I spin the sixfold wheel of reincarnation,

I said I’d find you, do you believe me now?”

“Woahhhhhhh!”

“So cool!!!”

It was an easy trap to fall into.

Instead of being confined by the concept that came to mind with anything “Oriental”, the decision was made to melt only that notion into the song.

Impressive.

The Buddhist cycle of Samsara.

Those who have reached the modern era after numerous cycles of reincarnation.

The lyrics spoke of relentlessly finding and tearing apart a rival, going through cycles over and over.

“Pretend you know nothing, you’re already cold,

You can’t chase me out,

In the city, I feel your scent so strongly.”

It was clear where the meaning was headed.

However, the beat was too sophisticated and the choreography too sharp, like a knife ready to be directed at the opponent, to even dare comment.

Simply looking at Kim Seonghyeon, who was expressing a scent that brushed past his nose through dance, was enough to understand.

“…Wow.”

The main dancer of High Five seemed to feel the overwhelming difference in skill.

His expression reminded him of the first time he saw Joo Woosung’s dance practice in the studio.

“Was that your Karma?

Longing for your fears.”

Moreover, in Seong Jiwon’s part, The Dawn’s main vocalist, he displayed a wide vocal range, starting with a low tone and screaming out in a higher pitch by the end.

It sounded almost like a growl.

“Was this my fate?

Can I build karma with you?”

The first competition might have been heavily influenced by strategy, but this stage was not.

It was purely about skill.

The usually cold Seo Hoyun, the always gentle Seong Jiwon, and Kim Seonghyeon, who seemed reserved, were nowhere to be seen.

They unleashed their power like crazy.

“Grrrrrr…”

At that moment, a low growl of a beast sounded, and a mad dog appeared.

“Once I bite, I never let go,

Living dumbly like a beast,

But how did you know?

I wanted to prey.”

Kang Ichae, his hair slicked back with pomade, spat out a rap as if scratching the beat with his sharp gaze.

“Insane….”

“With my gaping mouth and exposed fangs,

It’s too late when you try to run.”

The beat quickened, and the melody that had been rising since Seo Hoyun’s appearance…

“Yes, you are in my throat!”

The moment when the high pitch was reached, the stage lights dimmed and everything stopped, leaving only the melody of solace flowing.

“Insane, insane, ah, goosebumps!”

“Why is it so cool…?”

Deliberately lifting the atmosphere, then dropping the song’s tempo with the high-pitched sound of solace was the strategy.

Then, Seo Hoyun appeared on the second-floor railing and pretended to knock lightly with his hand.

“Some laugh, some mock,

People don’t know you anyway, hmm, Okay.”

Seo Hoyun, stroking his mouth, flicked his finger towards the approaching camera.

“…Gosh.”

For a moment, It looked like he was flicking cigarette ash.

But the gesture was too exquisite to pinpoint exactly what it was.

Seo Hoyun seemed to have aimed for it, smiling slightly.

“Anyway, I’ll gulp you down in one bite.”

“Woahhhhh!”

“What, what, gosh… so cool….”

Even while facing the prospect of being overshadowed by their competitors, the High Five members couldn’t help but cheer loudly.

The center of this song was Jeong Dajun, who came forward during the highlight part.

“We’ve been through that.”

Everyone marveled at Jeong Dajun, who had thin strands of danggi tangled in his slightly swaying platinum blonde hair, dressed in a black shirt with a baeja over it and light-colored jeans.

However, Kang Yeonhu was quiet.

The Dawn’s maknae seemed unstable.

“Wow, wow! Look at the wheel in the back!”

“Crossed through the realms of Asura, spinning the sixfold wheel over and over…”

The other members didn’t seem to notice, only looking forward to what Jeong Dajun would show.

Jeong Dajun’s fingertips pointed toward the wheel, trying to turn it,

“…Gasp.”

It didn’t turn.

Considering that the camera rehearsal went smoothly, expecting it to spin well, the camera was naturally focused on the wheel.

Missing the right timing, the flames of the stage effects glared oddly.

It’s still okay.

After all, the viewers would either think it was meant to be that way or feel slightly awkward at most.

Continuing the stage naturally seemed more important to Kang Yeonhu.

“…you, I…”

But the real problem erupted afterward.

Jeong Dajun panicked and skipped an entire verse.

…Ah, that earlier thing.

It seemed TEW’s main vocalist’s words shook Jeong Dajun’s spirit as expected.

The audio was left empty as if a small AR was laid out, and Seo Hoyun quickly interjected.

“That was it, I found you.”

It was clear that recovery would not be easy at this point.

“Among buildings, knew at a glance.”

It was obvious to anyone that Jeong Dajun had missed his part and Seo Hoyun was doing his best to cover for him.

Jeong Dajun, regaining his composure late, sang following Seo Hoyun’s guide but couldn’t hide his shaky eyes.

“You can’t follow me down.”

Perhaps to attract attention, Seong Jiwon pushed his octave to the limit.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Longing for your desperation,

Was this my fate?

Can I pile up karma with you?”

“…The vocals are truly divine.”

Even though it was the other team’s mistake, the High Five members, feeling as if they had made the mistake themselves, couldn’t easily open their mouths, astonished by Seong Jiwon’s high notes.

Following that, Kang Ichae, adjusting his microphone, swung his right hand forward, and The Dawn members and backup dancers split to both sides, spinning around.

“Before you spit it out, before you get sick of it,

I’ve gone through this tedious cycle,

And it was too late when I realized, sorry.”

And the moment Kang Ichae’s hand hit the ground…

“It’s already Dawn.”

Bright fireworks exploded, obscuring the view, and when the stage was lit again, everyone had vanished without a trace.

The camera zoomed in on the still wagon wheel as the song came to an end.

“…Wow.”

The High Five members let out a long breath they had been holding for a moment.

“What did I just… see?”

“What are they expecting us to do with this??”

“Seriously, they must have prepared really hard.”

Amidst the excitement and slight anxiety after witnessing such a spectacular performance, Kang Yeonhu rubbed his forehead while looking at his buzzing members.

“Haah….”

As other groups performed one after another, Kang Yeonhu couldn’t stop mulling over what he had seen.

To cut to the chase.

Bang!

“Congratulations, TEW is in 1st place!”

High Five came in 2nd.

There’s been a lot of changes this time.

It must have been partly because TEW’s performance was unexpectedly good, but no one saw them taking 1st place.

“The Dawn—.”

And…

“—5th place!”

The change wasn’t just for them.

“Ahaha. Good job!”

“Good effort~.”

After seeing Jeong Dajun turn pale and his other members of The Dawn comforting him, Kang Yeonhu went down to the dressing room with the High Five members.

Even as they changed clothes and got back on the van, all the High Five members, as if by agreement, held back on speaking until they sat down and then they burst into conversation.

“Second place is a bit disappointing.”

“The Dawn did so insanely well only to end up last…. Did they make a mistake?”

“But to say it’s because of a mistake, they had the highest score from the experts.”

“Uhm.”

Even then, Kang Yeonhu kept silent and looked down.

The expert rating, it makes sense.

Excluding the mistake, anyone who had eyes could see they were supposed to be 1st today.

It was obvious to anyone with a clear eye: The Dawn was the winner of the second competition.

“…This is tough.”

Kang Yeonhu sighed as he wiped his face dry.

The Dawn’s skills were even better than they appeared on the surface.

It even…

It felt like a Black Call.

Bitterly smiling at the thought he didn’t want to acknowledge, Kang Yeonhu felt a bitter taste.

***

“Ah, damn it.”

Fifth, are you kidding me??

Having secured a decent ranking in the first competition, he had expected some pushback, but the outcome was worse than imagined.

Following our high ranking in the first competition, it seemed as if an emergency had been declared among the fandoms, and they began discussing voting strategies.

Feeling suffocated, I gulped down water as we returned to our dressing room.

Everyone seemed to be pondering today’s results.

“Want to eat ramen when we go back?”

“Phew… Maybe we should today?”

Even Kim Seonghyeon, who usually managed our diet strictly, nodded, indicating it was okay to let loose today.

As I walked to the van with the members, I turned to Jeong Dajun, who was trailing a bit behind.

“Right, Jeong Dajun. Make sure you bring your wal—”

But I couldn’t finish.

“…!”

Jeong Dajun was dropping tears the size of chicken droppings.

He had been stiff-faced since the mistake, but I thought he was managing well since he seemed both mature on stage and in the dressing room.

“Waaaah~.”

Seong Jiwon awkwardly laughed and quickly hugged Jeong Dajun.

“Why are you crying, Dajun? Huh?”

“It’s….”

He sniveled for quite some time, struggling to stop the tears that he had been holding back from bursting out.

Unable to speak properly and just crying, Kim Seonghyeon, who had run to the van and back in the meantime, offered him a tissue.

“It’s my fault. I’m sorry….”

“Eh?”

“…My, my mistake, it ruined everything. That’s why we ended up in 5th….”

He was talking about messing up because he couldn’t spin the wagon wheel.

“Hyungs were all flawless, doing, doing insanely well. And I, as expected, just dragged us down.”

As expected?

Hearing Jeong Dajun’s tearful words, one word scratched at my nerves.

“I tried not to, but I messed up….”

“Dajun~! Stuff like this will just be funny later. And don’t you know hyungs make mistakes too? Jiwon-hyung, quickly mess up.”

Trying to lighten the mood, Kang Ichae cracked a joke, but my mind was racing.

“Oops! Ichae, give me a rap.”

“What’s rap? Is it something to eat? And this eldest hyung lacks character.”

“I can’t argue with that about Seo Hoyun.”

“But, but….”

Jeong Dajun’s last words cemented my thoughts.

“Making a mistake makes me a burden….”

In the silence that followed, I lightly touched my lips.

I see.

“Jeong Dajun.”

I stepped closer to Jeong Dajun, wiping away the tears that had formed around his eyes.

“People make mistakes.”

Jeong Dajun will grow from this.

“Today’s mistake is just one among many you’ll make.”

Looking back, this will just be one episode among many on a show.

And until then, I will be by his side.

So, what’s the big deal?

I smiled lightly.

“It’s nothing.”

“…”

“Stop crying, Jeong Dajun.”

Jeong Dajun sniffled and slowly nodded.

“…Yes.”

“How did you hold it in until now?”

“Just, felt sorry to the hyungs, so, kind of…”

As Kim Seonghyeon roughed up Jeong Dajun’s hair, his mumbled response was broken and hard to understand because he had been crying so much.

Kang Ichae playfully pinched Jeong Dajun’s cheek, joking that “he was too delicate to even spin a wagon wheel,” while Seong Jiwon gently stroked Jeong Dajun’s back.

Finally managing to soothe him enough to get him into the van, the maknae who had been drinking water let out tears again.

Seong Jiwon carefully caught Jeong Dajun’s hand as he tried to wipe away the tears with his sleeve.

“Dajun, you did well and worked hard.”

“…Yes.”

“It’s okay to cry a lot. Hyungs will be here with you until you stop.”

“Yes… Thank you….”

As I buckled the seatbelt, my eyes met Kang Ichae’s, who had a peculiar expression.

The sudden collapse of Jeong Dajun’s mental state, the usage of words he normally wouldn’t, and his recent strange behaviors.

Kang Ichae knew as well, and it seemed he too was holding back the same question.

“You did well.”

Jeong Dajun…

“Ahaha, hyung did well too.”

Who the hell did this to you?