Bonus chapter 3/4
After finishing their final rehearsal, the members returned to the waiting room looking utterly exhausted, as if they’d just wrapped up a three-hour solo concert.
“Ha…”
But there wasn’t even time to slump onto the sofa. They had to fix their sweat-smudged makeup and messy hair. The fan meeting would start soon.
Hyunseung, too, after guiding his family and the Dojun and Dohee siblings to the VIP seats, sat down in front of the vanity.
‘Hmm…’
Then, he stared intently at his reflection in the mirror, as if locked in a staring contest.
Though smudged, the lingering traces of heavy makeup made his face look somewhat awkward.
Swish.
Just then, Hyunseung turned his head, shifting his gaze to his trademark ‘Flame Mark Helmet’.
Buzz, buzz, buzz!
The phone tucked in his pocket vibrated violently.
“What is it?”
Checking, the name MisutSara appeared on the screen. She sure contacts me fast.
He assumed she was calling to say she couldn’t make it, so he answered casually. A voice laced with irritation came through the receiver.
─ Where the hell am I supposed to go? You’re blocking the entrance! I can’t get in!
“What are you talking about?”
─ What do you mean? I came to your fan meeting, but I’m stuck at the door and can’t get in!
“Where are you?”
─ I’m hiding among the fans swarming outside your fan meeting venue.
“Come around to the back. I’ll send someone out for you.”
Sarah seemed to say something else, but Hyunseung coldly hung up the phone with a “click.”
I thought she wasn’t coming.
Hyunseung immediately asked the security guard waiting at the door to escort Sarah Stewart inside.
Soon after, escorted by the security guard into the waiting room, Sarah Stewart looked almost like a criminal being taken into custody. She wore a hat pulled down low, her face completely hidden behind a black mask.
Still, her small face, barely visible beneath the mask, and the blonde hair peeking out from under the hat made it obvious it was Sarah Stewart.
Of course, everyone except Hyunseung seemed completely unaware that this sudden arrival was Sarah Stewart.
“Who could it be?”
“I wonder?”
Just as all eyes in the venue focused on her—
“Ah, it’s so hard to make it to a fan meeting venue.”
Sarah Stewart seemed extremely frustrated, grumbling as she flung off her hat and mask in one swift motion.
“Wouldn’t it be nice if you sent a limo to the airport ahead of time?”
Hyunseung shot back playfully at her words.
“What’s this? I thought you weren’t coming. Did you come for a court appearance today?”
“Don’t even make jokes like that.”
“No, your outfit looks exactly like someone coming in for questioning on drug charges…”
“Enough. You prepared the misutgaru, right?”
“Of course.”
“Since I came all this way, it better be plentiful.”
“Dad bought a whole bunch for you. Take it after you’re done.”
“You’re the misu-powder angel!”
“Stop giving our dad weird nicknames.”
The faces of those watching the two of them were already in a daze, their mouths agape with no sign of closing.
And no wonder.
‘You look way too close to HS, don’t you?’
More than any other reason, it was because of that. The fact that Sarah Stewart sang HS’s song was common knowledge to everyone here. So her being here wasn’t surprising.
However, they were startled by how unguarded she seemed with HS. Above all, the suspicion that the ‘misu powder’ mentioned in their conversation might not be the ‘misu powder’ we knew also played a part.
“Um, excuse me!”
Just then, Lee Hyoeun suddenly held out a pen and a piece of paper with trembling hands.
“I’m a fan! Just one autograph…”
Seeing this, Hyunseung covered his forehead and sighed. Just like Country Mouse 2, her actions were so… provincial.
“OK.”
But Sarah, rather than being flustered by the sudden autograph request, grabbed the pen with an incredibly confident air.
『ㅁ l 숙 ㄱㅏ누』
Soon, the paper she handed back was covered in Korean characters as big as a door. Of course, they were so messy it was hard to even tell they were Korean.
“Mi, Misuk, Ganu?”
Lee Hyoeun also looked flustered. No matter how good misutgaru is, having it as an autograph was a bit…
“How’s my signature?”
Sarah Stewart asked excitedly, as if her signature were some masterpiece. The crowd gathered around, checked the signature, and gave an awkward smile.
Seriously. It was the worst signature they’d ever seen.
The moment Jin Misu entered Seoul Olympic Park, her heart swelled with grandeur. HS hadn’t disappointed this time either.
At the booths set up outside the stadium… In line with the concept of a ‘Five Senses Fan Meeting’ for the deaf and their companions, they were selling the latest Bluetooth earphones usable by hearing-aid wearers and bone-conduction speakers at incredibly low prices. Other HS-related merchandise was also being sold at ridiculously low prices.
Of course, pamphlets explaining that all proceeds would be donated to organizations for the hearing impaired were posted everywhere—handwritten pamphlets, that is.
Hello, this is HS.
First, I’d like to express my gratitude to all the fans who came to today’s ‘Five Senses Fan Meeting’.
Please consider today less about my fan meeting and more about your neighbors and families. I hope this becomes a place where everyone can enjoy themselves together with warm eyes and consideration.
For reference, all proceeds from merchandise sales will be donated to organizations for the hearing impaired. I would be grateful if everyone could extend a warm heart for their neighbors and families.
Please. I hope today becomes the best day of your life.
A pleasant smile lingered on Jin Misu’s lips.
Yeah. This is why I like HS.
The HS she had watched all this time was strangely warm. Some days he was prickly like a cat, and other days he was as warm as if he were embracing your heart.
So… There’s no way I could ever look elsewhere.
Come to think of it, even when he won that music bet with Jayble before, he asked for donations to go to a deaf organization, right? And now, seeing him hold a fan meeting for the deaf… Could it be he has family members with hearing impairments, like me?
‘Maybe he does.’
Jin Misu felt a new sense of connection between herself and HS, making her happy all over again.
Of course, her brother, pressed tightly against her left side and scanning the surroundings, looked decidedly unhappy.
“Bro, should we buy one of those merchandise T-shirts over there and wear them together?”
“What a waste! Why spend money on something like that?”
“A waste? The quality is good for the price, and best of all, the proceeds go to a good cause, right?”
“You actually believe that? That’s all just a sales gimmick.”
“No, it’s not! Look at the prices—those aren’t prices set to make a profit!”
At her words, her brother Jin Siwoo looked at the price tags on the sales booth.
- Signature helmet: 15,000 won
- Helmet T-shirt: 3,000 won
- Sign language necklace: 3,000 won
He narrowed his eyes at the absurd prices and double-checked the tags.
What? A helmet for 15,000 won, a T-shirt for 3,000 won, and a necklace for 3,000 won?
Thump, thump.
Jin Siwoo moved toward the sales booth as if spellbound, gazing at the goods piled high inside.
Among them, the necklace stood out immediately.
‘That one…’
A silver necklace adorned with a sign-language shape symbolizing “respect” shimmered brightly. Sure, it was probably a sales tactic, and likely made as an image-making tool, but strangely, the urge to buy it surged up.
“Um, excuse me…”
Just as Jin Siwoo was about to cautiously call out to the agent standing inside the booth without realizing it—
“Oppa, should I buy that necklace?”
Jin Misu, who had followed right behind, read his expression and asked immediately.
“No, I’m not buying it.”
Jin Siwoo stiffened his expression as if he’d never let his eyes sparkle, then turned and walked away again.
“Ugh, why is he always so prickly whenever we go out?”
It felt like this outing was going to be anything but easy.
“I’ll take two of those necklaces.”
Jin Misu bought the necklace her brother had been looking at and hurried to catch up with him.
“Come with me!”
Just then, an announcement urging people to enter in order blared through the speakers.
Meanwhile, Gu Mingi, who had come to HS’s fan meeting venue with his mother, was overwhelmed with surprise.
First of all, he was quite taken aback by the scale, which rivaled that of a major celebrity fan meeting. He had only listened to the songs and never looked into HS in detail, so it wasn’t until he arrived at the fan meeting venue that day that he truly grasped his popularity.
But. He’s neither an idol nor an actor, so why do people like him so much? Is it simply the power of the songs?
‘Well, I suppose that could be it.’
After all, Gu Mingi had also listened to the song ‘Dear my Beethoven’ like crazy and found comfort in it.
‘If I’m a fan, then I guess I can call myself a fan.’
And secondly, it was the fact that products for the deaf were being sold at low prices right from the fan meeting booths.
‘And on top of that, donating the entire proceeds to deaf organizations…’
Considering the absurdly high tuition fee they’d offered him, it must all be true.
Not to mention, even the seat he was sitting in was a dedicated seat for the hearing impaired (*Music Seat). Just how much money does one have to make to host a fan meeting like this for free?
‘Seriously…’
Once again, he couldn’t help but marvel at the resources possessed by this person named HS. He was envious too.
It wasn’t just him who was surprised.
Tap, tap.
His mother approached him, her face puzzled, and spoke in sign language.
─ Son, was that student of yours the composer HS?
─ Yes, he said he’d show me the stage he learned from me today.
─ If our son is that talented, it must be why such people come to learn from him? Amazing.
Mother stroked his hair with a pleased expression.
‘Is she really that happy?’
While he was amazed by HS’s popularity… Mother seemed even more surprised and proud that her son had taught such an extraordinary person.
Then, the lights in the hall dimmed gradually for a moment.
“Hmm?”
As the lights suddenly flashed on brightly, he shifted his gaze to the stage. There stood someone wearing a helmet that looked somehow familiar.
‘What, what is this?’
He knew HS wore a helmet, but he never imagined he’d wear it to an event like this.
Yet looking around, not a single person booed him for wearing the helmet.
Waaaaaah—!
Instead, only cheers erupted.
“Hello, everyone!”
At that moment, Yoo Jaejun—widely recognized as Korea’s top MC—raised the microphone to his lips.
“First, I’d like to thank everyone for coming to HS’s Five Senses Fan Meeting. I’m Yoo Jaejun, your host for today. Nice to meet you.”
Since this was a fan meeting for the deaf, real-time subtitles appeared on the LED screen above Yoo Jaejun’s face. Amidst the thoughtful touches evident everywhere, it was the moment when Gu Mingi thought he had made the right decision to bring his mother along.
─ Hello, this is HS.
The helmet-wearing man (*HS) displayed prominently on the screen raised his hand and greeted them in sign language.
─ It is an honor to be able to hold this fan meeting with all of you here.
As subtitles appeared at the bottom of the screen, the crowd erupted in cheers bordering on screams.
─ You don’t have to respond if you don’t want to, but please, just for today, don’t worry about what others think. Feel the music with your whole body.
Right now, this moment, Gu Mingi felt he was beginning to understand—just a little—why people were so passionate about this person called HS.
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