Kang Hajun’s lips twitched again.
“Haa….”
Then he covered his face with his long, slender fingers and let out a deep breath.
Watching him, Seo Jini tilted his head.
‘Did he go nuts?’
Right now, Seo Jini and Kang Hajun were sharing the same waiting room before going on at a major music festival held annually in Japan.
You should never half-do any stage, but this festival was a spot where they stood representing Korea, so they had to do even better.
Because of that, the two of them had been pushing through a tight schedule for a while and practicing at a pace close to a forced march.
Right. So it’d make sense to go crazy. Has that guy even slept?
“You don’t look good. Can you even go on stage like that?”
Seo Jini asked curtly, looking at Kang Hajun. It was, in its own way, a question asked out of concern.
“Hm?”
Kang Hajun lowered the hand covering his face and looked at Seo Jini.
“I’m actually in peak condition.”
Just like he said, Kang Hajun looked great. Even the corners of his mouth were pointing toward the sky.
“If so, good, but you were grinning to yourself and then suddenly sighing like the ground was caving in, so I figured you’d snapped from the strain.”
“Was I?”
“Look now. Your mouth is still twitching.”
Kang Hajun turned his head toward the mirror in the waiting room.
“Uh…”
He really did look like he had a big silly grin on.
“Something put me in a good mood.”
“What thing?”
“Just a private matter.”
With that, Kang Hajun put on a formal smile again and ended the conversation.
People might think it was childish if they knew, but for some reason he didn’t want to say it.
Namely…
He’d been invited as a guest singer at HS’s fan meeting.
[ Do me a favor. ]
Along with the guest request, even that short text made his chest swell.
Godchis…
He must have heard my earnest prayer and answered it. A glint of madness shone in Kang Hajun’s eyes.
There was good reason for him to be this excited.
Right. If last time’s fan meeting was one he attended simply as a fan (he even applied for tickets himself and got picked), this time he’d be there as someone helping him.
In other words…
He could go to the fan meeting openly, without rebukes, scolding, or persecution (none of which actually happened).
Just then, Seo Jini knit her brow and called to him.
“Hey, Kang Hajun.”
“Yes?”
“You’re going to start drooling like that.”
“Ah… was I?”
“Enough. We’re on standby soon, so get up.”
With that, she nagged that Hajun looked extra empty-headed and dumb today, then left the waiting room.
Smack, smack.
Taking the cue, Kang Hajun lightly patted his cheeks and stood up.
Right. First, he needed to nail this stage in front of him.
Tap, tap.
As Kang Hajun straightened his outfit in the waiting room mirror,
Ding, ding, ding!
A string of notifications. He pulled out his phone.
Ahn Jiho has joined.
Jung Arin has joined.
Seo Jini has joined.
Choi Junghyeok has joined.
Yoon Jaeyi has joined.
Lee Hyoeun has joined.
In a newly created group chat, familiar names were popping in.
[ Godchis: It’s a pain to message everyone one by one, so I’ll just say it here. ]
He rarely stayed in touch, but suddenly he’d gathered all these people. What was he going to say?
‘Hm…’
As Kang Hajun tilted his head,
[ Godchis: I’d like to run a rehearsal before the fan meeting. Can everyone do Saturday the 3rd next month? ]
Wait, hold on…
So he hadn’t asked only him for help?
A moment ago, he’d been thrilled as if he’d been specially chosen; now a wave of shame washed over him.
[ Gatchis: Reply upon reading. ]
Right away—
[ Ahn Jiho – Confirmed. ]
[ Seo Jini – ok ]
[ Yoon Jaeyi – Yes, anytime,,! ]
[ Jung Arin – Yeees! ]
[ Lee Hyoeun – mm-hmm~! ]
[ Choi Junghyeok – Yessir! lol ]
Lastly—
[ Oh gee. Is there even a question. hehe… Of course. Absolutely. ^^ ]
Reluctantly, Kang Hajun sent his reply.
Hyunseung’s fan meeting prep was going smoothly.
Ah. His body still didn’t do exactly what he wanted yet, but…
Anyway, aside from that: the venue, the MC booking, the stage direction team, and the staff to help run things were all set.
“Hop in.”
The moment he had time, Kim Woohyun practically kidnapped Hyunseung, stuffing him into his car.
Clack!
He got into the driver’s seat, buckled up, and said in a voice full of excitement:
“I booked an insane place for the fan meeting.”
“Do we really have to go right now?”
“I figured seeing it in person would help you prepare.”
At that, Hyunseung buckled up and muttered, sounding put out.
“If you just tell me where it is, I know them all anyway.”
To say it again, in his previous life, Hyunseung had done more fan meetings than he could count.
As such, he’d been to pretty much every venue in the metro area that was good for fan meetings.
Vrooom.
Unaware of that, Kim Woohyun pressed the gas, picturing how pleased Hyunseung would be.
…
…
…
Once they arrived, Hyunseung knew.
It was the venue where he’d held his third fan meeting in his previous life.
“Isn’t it sick? Even the exterior’s amazing! The moment I said it was for an HS fan meeting, they okayed the booking.”
He’d kept telling him to get excited, so he’d suspected… and sure enough—
It was K-DOME, located in Olympic Park.
“The inside is even more insane.”
“Uh, Division Head…”
“Let’s hurry and go inside.”
“No, Mom…”
It was a place used a lot for foreign artists’ shows, opera, and concerts—somewhere with huge capacity. He remembered about ten thousand people showing up for his third fan meeting there.
In short, this was way overboard.
He sighed as he watched Woohyun stride into the dome ahead of him.
“Hang on.”
He called him back.
“Please switch to the arena next door.”
He pointed toward a nearby arena. At least that one was about a third the size of K-DOME.
Of course, even the arena could hold close to five thousand people.
“Still, since we’re doing it, shouldn’t we use the roomier place…”
“Are we inviting all of Seoul to throw a party?”
Looking disappointed, Kim Woohyun’s shoulders drooped.
But if the person holding the fan meeting didn’t want it, there was nothing for it.
“Alright, I’ll try to rebook the arena…”
He answered in a deflated tone, then—
“Oh, right.”
As if remembering something, he snapped his fingers and continued.
“What was the condition you wanted attached to the invitations?”
“Didn’t I say?”
“Nope. You always leave out the important parts.”
“Sorry,” Hyunseung said shortly, then gazed at the trees standing nearby as he added:
“Nothing big. Just make it so that Deaf people, or people with Deaf family or friends, can come together.”
Woohyun pressed his lips tight for a moment. He knew why Hyunseung wanted that condition.
And whatever it was he wanted to show those guests, at heart, it was probably something he wanted to show his father.
The tip of Woohyun’s nose prickled for no reason. Somehow, Hyunseung made him feel proud, tender and a little sad.
Every time the kid realized again that, as a composer by trade, he couldn’t let his closest father hear his music, how much must that have hurt?
“Alright.”
He nodded and answered again.
“We’ll do it that way.”
Watching him, Hyunseung thought:
‘Why did he suddenly get so solemn?’
He had no idea, but he decided to let it go.
“Since we’re out, let’s grab lunch.”
“Oh, you’re buying?”
“Yeah. But can we switch the venue to the cafeteria?”
“Ugh, you stingy punk.”
Grinning, Hyunseung walked ahead.
Then suddenly stopped and let out a little “Ah.”
“Why’d you stop?”
Following behind, Woohyun bumped into his back and had to stop too.
Then turning his head, Hyunseung added:
“Let’s first finish Vincent’s release with a bang, then move on with the fan meeting.”
“‘With a bang’?” Woohyun asked, meeting his eyes.
“Just leave it to me.”
They bumped their clenched fists together at the same time.
Vincent Mah’s release date was drawing near.
[[Official] Choi Jihyun breaks a long silence and returns on the 21st of this month with ‘more than just music’!]
In step with that, a flood of media outlets pushed out similar articles with slightly different headlines.
[The once-quiet Choi Jihyun makes a flashy comeback with Vincent Mah up front!]
[Choi Jihyun follows “out to sea” with a second project with the New York Phil..]
Among them, the outlet pumping out the most provocative headlines was—
NBS.
That was the newsroom where “Gye Jinseong” belonged.
[Composer Choi Jihyun: “Time for HS to step aside.”]
[HS and Choi Jihyun—will they battle on the Billboard this time?]
True to his nickname “Gae-Jinsang” (total jerk), he was churning out articles clearly designed to set up a rivalry.
In fact, this too was something coordinated with Hyunseung to a degree.
If it hadn’t been, the articles wouldn’t have gone up.
If he posted on his own, he’d never get any information from Hyunseung again.
And then the one left wanting would be Gye Jinseong.
Scroll, scroll.
As expected, the communities were already in an uproar.
⤷Choi Ji-hyun, thought he’d disappeared after one hit, but he’s awakened and back..
⤷ Just the Vincent X New York Phil combo is insane tbh ㄷㄷ
⤷ But what exactly does Choi Jihyun do that his lineup is always stacked?
⤷ At this point Choi Jihyun… does he have blood/school/regional ties with the New York Phil or something.
Some people were shocked at the lineup.
⤷ Tbh Choi Jihyun is so lame; HS gave Sara a song and right away he times a comeback with Vincent? Is he timing it on purpose?
⤷ Exactly; aren’t they in the same company? That’s bad manners; usually you avoid that. This is on LS’s CEO.
⤷ More likely HS and Choi Jihyun are the same person;; Pretty sure people said that before too
⤷ The comment above sounds more right. Why would in-house composers fight over the same bowl? If it’s the same person, it doesn’t matter.
⤷ Why go through all that trouble? In this industry, name value is life. Why do something so cumbersome?
Some trashed Choi Jihyun; others guessed they were the same person.
And on the other hand—
⤷ So who wins this time? Tbh Vincent has the edge lol
⤷ On Sara’s new album, black angle is the real hidden banger. Please just try it once..
⤷ You know this? The one who arranged Sara’s black angel was HS, too,,
⤷ ?????????? Had no idea; wow;
⤷ I’m just going to keep quiet and wait for Vincent’s song to drop,,
⤷ Don’t know who’ll win, but the thought of them duking it out on the Billboard chart weirdly fills me with national pride
The comments were heating up over who would win.
Scroll, scroll.
As he scrolled, Hyunseung murmured under his breath.
“I’m honestly curious.”
Would Black angel win?
Or would more than just music win?
“Hm…”
This time, even for Hyunseung, it was hard to predict.
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