HS’s Five Senses Fan Meeting.
The long-awaited day for the first round of applications arrived. Before applying, Gu Mingi went to his mother’s room.
Knock, knock.
Even though she couldn’t hear him, he knocked on the door anyway. Yeah, maybe he’d hear his mother’s voice say, “Yeah, come in,” like she used to.
Squeak.
Opening the door, he found his mother lying under the covers, staring blankly at the TV with the sound muted.
His mother had been a bright, spirited woman until just five years ago.
Yes.
Until that day five years ago, the day his father passed away.
His father…
In the early dawn, driven solely by the desire to provide for his family, he was killed in a hit-and-run on his way to work.
It was too early, and the location was remote, so there were no CCTV cameras or witnesses, making it impossible to catch the perpetrator.
In the end, struck by the shock, Mother collapsed and lost her hearing.
Soon after, she lost her laughter, her will, and her words.
For her sake, Gu Mingi learned sign language. He went further, becoming a sign language performance artist for families like his own.
A full return to the past was impossible. Unless it was to see her son’s performance, Mother never left the house.
Like being cast alone into a silent world?
And so…
Mother gradually became isolated within the small box that was our home.
Tap tap.
Sitting quietly beside his mother, who lay with her back turned, he gently patted her shoulder so as not to startle her.
─ Mother, would you like to go on an outing with me soon?
His mother stared at him blankly, then shook her head lightly.
─ No, let’s just go out for some fresh air together.
This time, she raised her hand and waved it weakly. It was a firm refusal. But this time, Gu Mingi had no intention of backing down easily.
─ Actually, my first student is performing this time.
At the word student, Mother seemed intrigued and sat up slightly. Of course, since it was strictly a contractual arrangement, calling him a student made him feel a little guilty.
Besides, Min Hyunseung is HS, the most successful composer in South Korea today, isn’t he?
No one would believe he had taught such a person.
Still…
He had taught him, that much was true. It wasn’t a lie.
─ Our son had a student?
His mother asked, her eyes narrowed like a lamp.
─ There was a friend who really wanted to try staging a performance using sign language, so I helped him out.
─ Could that friend also be…
Soon, the moving hand stopped abruptly in midair, as if it had lost its way, and slowly fell.
It seemed she was about to ask if that friend also had a deaf family like you…
Then, she must have decided not to ask anymore, realizing it would only reinforce the idea of being a deaf family to her son.
Mother’s complexion darkened once more.
Perhaps because she lost her hearing so late in life, she always struggled whenever she was reminded of her deafness.
What’s more, having lost Father so unjustly, she seemed to feel she was a burden to her only son.
Absolutely not.
That’s why he wanted to show her. Since it was a five-senses fan meeting with deaf people, many deaf individuals would attend.
Then, wouldn’t his mother feel something too?
Yes.
Just like the lyrics in HS’s “Dear my Beethoven.”
Let’s live well, the rest of us, and live happily.
He desperately wanted to tell her.
─ I’ll always be with you, so let’s go see it together.
Her mother hesitated briefly at his firm words.
─ Alright. Let’s go together.
She gave a light smile. After all, no mother could resist her child.
The first round of applications for Hyunseung’s fan meeting drew so many applicants that the conditions seemed pointless.
Scroll, scroll.
Faced with a list of applicants so long the sound of the mouse wheel scrolling never ceased, Kim Woohyun shook his head.
“Oh my, over 6,000 people already in the first round of applications. What about the general applicants….”
Hearing this, Hyunseung, who had been fiddling with his phone, casually opened his mouth.
“It just shows how many hearing-impaired people are around us. And they’re just regular applicants too.”
“R-right… you’re right.”
Kim Woohyun immediately flicked his own lips. How could he make such a slip, especially in front of that guy…
“What are you doing alone?”
“J-just…”
“Is self-torture your hobby?”
“Uh, uh….”
Judging by Hyunseung’s expression, he didn’t seem to think much of it, but it didn’t sit well with him.
“That’s a nasty hobby.”
Hyunseung stared at him strangely for a moment.
“Then, let’s do this fairly.”
Leaning back in his chair, he continued.
“For the first round of applicants, 4,000 spots prioritizing family members. For the second round, only 1,000 spots by lottery.”
The moment Hyunseung finished speaking, Kim Woohyun immediately dialed a number.
Riiing.
It was the performance director in charge of the overall consulting for this fan meeting.
“Starting now, prioritize selecting 4,000 family members from the first-round applicants. Post the list and send out notification texts.”
─ Four thousand? Then the second-round applicants are bound to complain…
“The fan meeting’s star wants it that way. What can we do?”
─ I’m just following orders, but I’m worried HS might get criticized by the fans.
At that, Kim Woohyun glanced sideways at Hyunseung for a moment.
“Enough. Just do it right.”
With that, he ended the call. Then, he chuckled softly and muttered to himself.
“What a silly worry.”
Yeah, who would dare criticize such a warm-hearted guy? If anyone did, he’d go find them and say it himself.
Our precious one is a good kid.
[ HS’s Five Senses Fan Meeting, Finally Just One Day Away.. ]
Hyunseung’s fan meeting, which had felt so distant, was now just one day away….
Given the increased scale, everything from lighting and sound to movement distances needed meticulous checking, so a pre-rehearsal was scheduled for today, the day before.
“This doesn’t seem to be aligned properly and is rattling. Have the stage setup team check it.”
Kim Woohyun, arms crossed like a strict mother-in-law, walked around the set giving instructions.
Hyunseung might trip or have an accident while performing on stage, so it had to be checked thoroughly.
Of course.
Stage accidents are rare these days, but you never know.
Protect our Geumdong.
While checking the stage condition, someone politely greeted him.
“Manager, hello.”
It was Kang Hajun.
“Man, I’ve been head of the department for over half a year now. Could you remember me?”
“Ah, right! Sorry.”
“Don’t make it so obvious you don’t care about me. It makes me feel hurt.”
At first glance, Kang Hajun seemed like a kind and polite young man.
But looking closer, he appeared completely disinterested in others.
Ah. To Hyunseung, it seemed excessive.
“So why are you here?”
“Why else? I came for rehearsal.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes, the composer personally asked me to help out on stage as a guest singer.”
Woohyun couldn’t figure out why he emphasized that he came to help by breaking it up into staccato phrases.
“Oh, is that so? You must be busy and tired lately anyway, so good luck with that.”
“Hard work? If I can help God-like Master, this little hardship is nothing.”
“Uh, uh, yeah…”
Uncomfortable meeting Kang Hajun’s eyes, which held a hint of madness, he was about to turn away with a vague excuse when—
“Long time no see.”
A man who looked like a stubborn rock blocked his path and greeted him.
“Oh, yeah.”
This time it was Ahn Jiho. Behind him, fellow member Choi Jeonghyuk grinned slyly.
“Mang-ah… No, Jiho and Junghyeok.”
Ahn Jiho’s eyebrows twitched briefly at the “Mang-ah” remark.
“Where’s the composer?” he asked, looking around.
“He’s backstage. But why are you here?”
“Why? The composer kept asking for help, so I came.”
It wasn’t him who answered that question, but Kang Hajun.
“How many times did the composer contact you asking for help?”
“Huh?”
“I asked how many times exactly.”
Kim Woohyun, watching from the side, stared wide-eyed at Kang Hajun, looking quite startled.
“Huh?”
Ahn Jiho was just as flustered.
Unlike Kang Hajun’s usual image, his aggressive questioning was surprising.
But come to think of it, he was always unusually cold to me…
Ahn Jiho dismissed it as his imagination and cautiously opened his mouth.
“It was just something I said. When he asked me to text him, I said okay. That’s all.”
Kang Hajun’s heart skipped a beat at those words.
“Then you should have said so.”
His face softened again, and he added with a faint smile.
“I just said okay when the composer asked me.”
For some reason, a chill ran down Ahn Jiho’s spine right then and there.
How to describe it? It felt like being clueless and then getting called out by your ‘girlfriend,’ ending up as just a ‘female friend.’
It was a feeling he’d never experienced before and probably never would again, but he imagined it must be something like this.
“…”
Just then, the air in the room was growing cold and tense.
“Director—!”
A bright, refreshing voice rang out like a savior from somewhere.
“Long time no see!”
Jung Arin greeted them energetically, flashing a refreshing smile like a scene from a vitamin drink commercial. The awkwardness flowing between Kang Hajun and Ahn Jiho also faded.
“Oh, Arin!”
Kim Woohyun was incredibly glad to see Jung Arin right now, at this very moment.
“You’re here! You’re really here!”
“Why are you acting so strange all of a sudden?”
“Just because I’m happy to see you.”
Jung Arin looked at him strangely for a moment.
“But… I’m not late, am I?”
She glanced around at the people standing nearby as she asked.
“Late for what?”
“Today’s rehearsal.”
“You’re a guest singer too?”
“Yes! I’m actually performing as a guest singer twice!”
Jung Arin clapped her hands and bounced up and down in place, clearly overjoyed. She looked like she needed someone to sprinkle flower petals on her.
Click, click.
Soon, sharp high heels echoed through Jeong Arin’s giggling laughter.
“What the…”
The one who appeared was Seo Jini.
“Why are we doing this in such a tiny place when we have the K-DOME?”
Trailing behind like a pack of lackeys, she dragged Lee Hyoeun and Yoon Jaeyi along, surveying the stadium interior with a displeased expression.
“The fan meeting organizer said to do it here. What can we do?”
“Still, we have the HS name to uphold. This is way too small.”
“I agree, but do you think that guy would listen to me?”
“He wouldn’t. I know that already.”
Then she asked again.
“Seriously, no matter how cramped it is, there must be a green room, right?”
“Green room?”
“We can’t rehearse like this. We came straight here after our schedules, so we didn’t have time to change.”
She waved her shopping bag and urged him to answer quickly.
“Jini, you too?”
“What?”
“Guest singer.”
“Why else would I be here?”
At that, Kim Woohyun tilted his head, then asked Yoon Jaeyi and Lee Hyoeun standing behind him,
“You guys too?”
The two nodded, looking as if to say, What’s wrong?
“Huh—”
Kim Woohyun let out a sigh without realizing it.
What the hell…
He slowly turned his head, surveying the faces of those standing around him.
Seo Jini, Lee Hyoeun, Yoon Jaeyi, Jeong Arin, Choi Jeonghyuk, Ahn Jiho, and even Kang Hajun.
What kind of fan meeting are they trying to pull off…
No matter how many times he looked again, this wasn’t just a lineup for a simple fan meeting guest singer; it looked exactly like the lineup for a year-end music festival.
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