Hard Mode Idol

I ruminated on what I said and realized the reason. They couldn’t have misunderstood that I was waiting for my family, right?

Perhaps the members have noticed that I don’t have a good relationship with my family. Because I was the only one who stayed in the dorm during the vacation period. I’ve never brought up the topic of family either. Judging by the atmosphere, it seems like even Seoho has caught on?

Ah, I think I made a mistake. I didn’t intend it that way at all. It’s ruined. I need to do some damage control.

“It’s nothing significant. I just looked for them because they said they were coming. That’s the extent of it.”

The atmosphere grew even heavier. Haon. Jung Ilhan’s voice calling me quietly was heartbreaking. Ah! Why! What has happened to my image now? I don’t think this is it…

I feel like I’m going to die because I want to escape from the van, but I can’t get out. It seemed like any additional words I say would only deepen the misunderstanding. But it’s also weird to say that an accident might happen during our debut showcase, right? That’s even weirder. Let’s just shut up.

I smiled wistfully at the members and then looked out the window. After a short silence, Seoho spoke in an exaggerated tone.

“Now there are only 50 minutes left! There must be people waiting to see us among them, right?”

“Oh, look over there. There’s someone holding a placard.”

Yoochan hyung matched Seoho’s attempt to lighten the mood and pointed outside the window. I also naturally took those people into my sight again.

“Wow! My name is there too!”

I was about to look for Seoho among the placards.

[Doori♡Haon♡]

It was a placard that wasn’t there a little while ago. The heart attached after my name was so fascinating that it caught my eye. Could it be the people who left comments for me? I guess I really have fans now. There are people who see me in a good light.

Thump thump.

Suddenly, my heart started beating wildly. It was different from fear. This was anticipation and excitement. I was confident that I could smile even if I had a huge anti-fan army now.

What? Don’t I have everything I wanted right now? I made friends and I made fans. I have it all. I became the most abundant person in the world.

“Haon’s name is there too.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Jung Ilhan patted my head. I was startled and raised my arm to protect my head.

“Ah! Hyung, you can’t. We finished the hair styling.”

“Ah, right. I did it unconsciously.”

When I turned around, he raised both hands and smiled sheepishly. He thinks he can get away with everything just by smiling. Ugh. The saying that you can’t spit on a smiling face isn’t there for nothing.

“I’ll get scolded by the noona later…”

I tried to restore my slightly messed up hair, but I failed. The more I touched my hair that had a lot of product in it, the weirder it seemed to get.

“Oh? Then that won’t do. I’ll tell them I messed it up. I didn’t even think about getting scolded…”

The tips of Jung Ilhan’s eyebrows drooped down. I shrugged my shoulders to indicate it was okay.

“It’s alright. Seoho’s hair is a mess anyway.”

“Why me when I’m sitting still!”

“Look at your hair and speak.”

Seoho, who checked his hair in the window reflection, snorted.

“It just looks cool?”

I searched for my cell phone in my bag and turned on the camera. When Seoho made a V sign towards me, I twirled my fingers.

“Look the other way, not at me.”

“Like this?”

“Yeah.”

He listens so well. Click. I showed him the picture of the back of his head. This is faster than explaining it in words.

“Gasp! What? Why am I so flat!”

“You slept leaning on it until you got here.”

“Oh no, it’s ruined…”

Seoho made a sad face and touched the back of his head hesitantly. It doesn’t seem to go as he wants, so he asks Yoochan hyung for help. I wonder if the skilled manager will bring the hairstylist noona.

“Oh, wait a moment. Let me take a look.”

Yoochan hyung rolled up his sleeves and stepped up. I was watching without much expectation, but with just a few movements of his hands, the back of the head became voluminous. What? How did he do it?

“Yoochan hyung!”

“Yeah?”

“Me too…”

Yoochan hyung gestured to me with a smile. I leaned my head on the front seat and poked it out slightly.

“It’s not damaged much.”

“Hyung, how are you good at this too? Yoochan hyung, there’s nothing you can’t do.”

“It just happened. I had to manage it myself because the appearance category was included in the evaluations. Still, I’m not as good as the noonas. They’ll probably touch it up more.”

Hyung touched my hair a few times and showed it to me in self-camera mode. Wow! This is perfect! It wasn’t damaged due to lack of management, but it had a naturally disheveled look as time passed. It would be difficult to do this on purpose. He’s really amazing.

“Wow. I really like it. To the point where I want to go on stage like this!”

“It’s not to that extent. Don’t exaggerate too much.”

Even though he said that, his cheekbones twitched up. What an honest hyung.

“It’s true. Why don’t you understand my feelings?”

I spoke playfully and straightened my posture. Yoochan hyung’s laughter that he lets out when he’s in a good mood followed me.

The atmosphere became fluffy and good again. Somehow, I feel like I can do anything. I’ll lightly subdue any unexpected situations. No matter what happens, I’ll solve it all.

As 8 pm approached, quite a large crowd gathered in front of the stage. Not only were there people who had already taken their seats, but they were also densely standing in the back.

Do they know who we are and came here? Or did they gather just because it seemed like something was happening? The latter would be much more, right?

With so many people, it was hard to predict where and what kind of unexpected situation would occur. As I was continuously keeping an eye on the outside, the van door opened. As I expected, the manager brought the noonas.

We went through a round of hair, makeup, and styling checks. In the meantime, we received precautions from the manager. There wasn’t anything particularly noteworthy.

This time too, I carefully checked the microphone packs of myself and the members. After slightly adjusting the in-ear microphone position, I looked out the window again.

Right at that moment, one of the spectators caught my eye. There was a woman holding a large cannon camera on a sculpture slightly taller than an adult’s height. The sculpture was in the shape of a huge person kneeling and holding something like a plate above his head. The spectator was right on top of it, and the plate was slightly tilted outward, towards the waterfall.

Isn’t it dangerous if she slips?

“Yoochan hyung. Isn’t it dangerous for that person over there?”

With an ominous feeling, I tapped the headrest of the front seat and called Yoochan hyung.

“Who?”

Yoochan hyung, who shifted his gaze following the tip of my finger, laughed lightly.

“It’s okay. Every time there’s an event here, one person goes up there. Taking stage videos or photos from there comes out really well, so top seed admins usually secure that spot a lot.”

“…What if they fall off the cliff?”

“Ah, there’s more distance between the waterfall railing and here than it looks, so it’s not to the point of falling off.”

Ah, it’s a bit concerning. Just because it’s been okay so far doesn’t guarantee it will be okay in the future. Moreover, the mission has given a prior warning now. I was still worried, so I casually mentioned it to the manager, but his reaction wasn’t different from Yoochan hyung’s.

While doing so, he informed me of the sound test results. He also gave a thumbs up, saying there were no problems on that end either. I’m very grateful to the manager. He has no obligation to tell me in the first place, but he’s showing me the checklist because I keep worrying.

I kept looking at the woman on the sculpture with anxious eyes. Yoochan hyung was talking with Seoho, and they seemed to be speculating about the identity of the woman who climbed up the sculpture. It was a heated discussion about whether she was our admin, and if she was our admin, whose admin she was.

7:55 pm.

Nothing had happened yet, and it was about time for us to go on stage. The MC who was in charge of today’s showcase jumped up on the stage. It was an unfamiliar face to me, but judging by the murmurs of the people, it seemed like he had some level of fame.

“Everyone! Hello! I’m Hwani, your laughter bell!”

When the MC’s resounding greeting was heard, Yoochan hyung gathered us together.

“Guys, let’s just do it like we always do!”

Yoochan hyung said with a pleasant smile. I think this hyung has a stage persona. He was shaking so much at the press showcase, but his eyes were sparkling.

“Yeah! Like always!”

“Don’t make mistakes because you’re excited.”

“Ah, Kanghyun hyung!”

The corners of Kanghyun hyung’s mouth lifted slightly. His face was also flushed.

“Phew… I can do it.”

Jung Ilhan spoke as if hypnotizing himself and took a deep breath. Then, without warning, he opened his eyes wide. Thanks to that, even I, who was glancing at Jung Ilhan, was startled. The moment our eyes met, Jung Ilhan smiled at me, showing his teeth, and shouted in a loud voice.

“We can do it!”

“Ooh!”

Seoho, who has a good reaction, hyped us up again.

8:00 sharp.

“They’re just oozing with handsomeness even through the screen. I think I might be a little more handsome though?”

“Boo boo boo boo!”

The MC licked his lips at the merciless jeers. He snorted and whined that they were going too far. His exaggerated gestures that didn’t suit him were funny.

“Now! Shall we officially begin? The rookie group debuting today, hot and fresh, chewy and stretchy, the newly born rookie group! Visuals! Singing! Performance! They’ve got it all! Introducing the rookie group DIAS!”

“Kyaaaaaa!”

“Boys! I love you!”

Yoochan hyung got out of the van first. Then Jung Ilhan, Kanghyun hyung, Seoho. And lastly, me. As we revealed ourselves, the cheers grew even louder. But that was just the response from some fans who had secured their spots in the front row. The rest of the audience was still indifferent.