Chapter 209. Cute But Not Sorry (1)
Ji Suho nodded as if he understood after confirming the members’ gazes.
“Okay, I’ll tell them that Hajin will do it.”
“No, wait a minute. What about my opinion…?”
Just as I stood up, dumbfounded, Lee Yugeon, who was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, mumbled with his eyes still closed.
“Just let hyung do it.”
“Why? Why me?”
“Because you’re cute but not sorry. You’ve passed the shamelessness test.”
“This brat!”
As I flared up, Lee Yugeon slyly opened one eye. I looked at him and boldly demanded.
“Why don’t I get a pass for being cute too? Give me a pass for being cute!”
“Wow, seriously, I hate that.”
At my shamelessness, Lee Yugeon grimaced and closed his eyes again. Enjoying his reaction, I willingly accepted my fate.
“Since everyone is so eager for it, I have no choice. I’ll go and let the world know that Kairos’ essence is cuteness.”
“…I feel like we shouldn’t let this hyung out into the world, Siwoo hyung.”
“Mm, it’s fine. Everyone who should know already knows.”
Whether Jung Siwoo was halfheartedly comforting the seriously concerned Joo Eunchan or not, I didn’t care.
With the mindset of enjoying it since I had to do it anyway, I nodded to Ji Suho, and just then, a new quest appeared before my eyes.
[System Alarm: Sudden Quest!]
Content: ☆Kairos Debut Celebration☆
Bonus Time is back☺
Successfully complete your music show schedule
and raise your recognition!
Deadline: Within the music show activity period
Reward for success: ☆★See more★☆
‘Oh, nice timing.’
This makes me want to work hard again.
Smiling, I clicked on the “See more” section to check the details.
“Then, everyone agrees that Hajin will do it, right? I’ll make the confirmation call.”
“Yes.”
“Yep~”
And so, my first music show MC schedule was decided.
* * *
‘Windy’, a fan lucky enough to win tickets to Kairos’ first music show, had just arrived.
She had taken the midnight train to Seoul the night before and stayed at a nearby lodging.
Kairos’ pre-recording attendance time was at 10 AM.
Although that wasn’t particularly early for a pre-recording, as someone who lived out of town, there was no way she could have attended without arriving the day before.
‘How does it cost so much just to attend a fan event?’
Between transportation to and from Seoul, lodging, and meals, the expenses were considerable.
To attend a music show, you also had to buy the album and download the music. Although Kairos hadn’t officially started recruiting a fan club yet, when they eventually did, joining the fan club and getting an official light stick would also be necessary.
Windy sighed as she thought about the money she’d spent over the last two days.
“Seriously, the real winner is the person who quits K-pop.”
For the last ten years, she’d only talked about quitting K-pop.
In fact, after the idol group she liked a few years ago disbanded due to failed contract renewals, she did manage to quit K-pop for a while.
…Though, all the money and devotion she’d spent on K-pop merely shifted over to foreign actors.
“Is that it?”
Coming alone, Windy found herself lost in thought for a moment until she noticed a long line of people near the park by the broadcast station and moved toward it.
Just in case, she double-checked the attendance location notice that was posted on Kairos’ official Blue Bird account. After confirming that the location in the photo matched where people were gathered, Windy joined the line.
“Isn’t it okay if I bring this?”
“Sorry, we can’t verify your identity with a screenshot of your ID.”
“No, really, this is me. I lost my ID recently and haven’t gotten it reissued yet, so I don’t have the physical one.”
Hearing a commotion ahead, it seemed someone had brought the wrong item to verify their identity.
It’s frustrating and ridiculous to have to prove you are who you are, but from the inspector’s perspective, there was no way to know if you were you or someone else, so it was an inevitable situation.
Windy worried that she might have left something at her lodging, so she double-checked her bag.
“You’re confirmed. Please wait until the entrance time.”
“Yes! Thank you.”
Luckily, Windy passed the verification in one go and received the bracelet that served as an entry pass for the pre-recording/fan event, along with a stamp card for attending the music show schedule and an unreleased photo card that wasn’t included in the album.
Although Windy would be happy with any of the seven members’ photo cards, she decided to add some excitement by covering the front with the stamp card before stepping out of the line.
<Best Forever Fan Hwang Yein: Have you arrived?>
Sitting on a bench near the attendance check to organize her items, Windy saw a message from her friend, who was the owner of a cat and a hardcore fan of Seo Taehyun.
<Yep, just checked in.>
<Who do you think your photo card will be? I’m so nervous.>
<Best Forever Fan Hwang Yein: I should have been there…>
<Best Forever Fan Hwang Yein: If you get Taehyun, please, please sell it to me.>
<Best Forever Fan Hwang Yein: Please, I’m begging you.>
<LOL, I’ll think about it^^>
Windy chuckled at her friend’s desperate pleas and, with some nervous anticipation, checked her photo card.
It was Lee Doha, dressed in the ruined outfit from the music video.
<(Picture)>
<OMG, Doha is so handsome.>
<Best Forever Fan Hwang Yein: Wow, damn.>
<Best Forever Fan Hwang Yein: Doha takes good selfies?>
<Sorry, I can tell you’re disappointed it’s not Taehyun.>
<Best Forever Fan Hwang Yein: Is it that obvious?>
<Best Forever Fan Hwang Yein: Yeah, honestly, I was kind of hoping for him.>
<Best Forever Fan Hwang Yein: Sorry, Doha, but I really do think the photo card turned out well.>
“Ah, that’s hilarious.”
Windy chuckled as she checked the reply, then carefully placed the photo card into an OPP bag she’d brought to protect it from scratches. As she was doing this, a group of younger fans approached her.
“Excuse me….”
“……? Yes?”
“Who did you get for your photo card?”
Ah, are they asking for a trade?
If they were fans who liked all seven members like her, it would be one thing, but fans like her friend who had a particular bias often requested trades or transfers to get their favorite member’s photo card.
Windy didn’t care who she got, so she casually flipped over the card she was about to put in the holder to show them.
“I got Doha.”
“…Oh.”
“…?”
What’s with that reaction?
The moment they confirmed her card was Doha, the group displayed a reaction that was too uneasy to be called mere disappointment and quickly walked away. Windy, with her years of K-pop experience, instantly sensed what kind of reaction this was and felt a surge of irritation.
‘Are they discriminating between members right now? Ugh, what a way to ruin my morning.’
Windy scanned the group walking away. One of them had a cherry-shaped keychain hanging from their bag, indicating they were likely a hardcore Taehyun fan.
‘Since it’s still the early days of their debut, it can’t be helped that Taehyun is the most popular right now… But if fans like that become the veterans and start setting the tone, it could cause big problems.’
In that brief moment, Windy thought about the negative effects of veteran fans in the rookie male idol scene, the countless negative issues stemming from solo stans, and the numerous scandals caused by member discrimination. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she realized she was worrying unnecessarily.
‘Besides, there’s something about the Kairos members that doesn’t make me worry much.’
Deciding to focus on positive thoughts, Windy began organizing her fan event items again when someone else approached her.
“Excuse me….”
“Yes?”
“Do you happen to have a Doha photo card?”
“Ah… Yes, yes. I have a Doha photo card.”
This time, it was a young student who looked about the same age as the previous group. The student, who seemed to have come alone, nervously clasped their hands together and asked with flushed ears.
“I’m really sorry, but… would you consider trading with me? I’m a huge fan of Doha oppa, and I really like the other members’ cards too, but I really want to get Doha oppa’s card. This is actually my first time coming to something like this… and I’m not sure if I can come again next time, and trying to buy one through a transfer is so expensive….”
Oh my, how adorable. The future of K-pop is still bright.
Seeing the student trembling nervously, Windy was reminded of her own early days attending fan events.
On an extremely cold winter day, when she had skipped school to attend a fan event.
The older girls she had waited in line with bought her fish-shaped buns, hot chocolate, meals, and shared photo cards and goods with her, creating memories she still cherished.
Although those older girls had since married and gotten jobs, now spending their time watching musicals, they still occasionally kept in touch when something good happened.
Smiling, Windy handed over the Doha photo card to the student.
“Here you go. I’m happy to trade.”
“Oh, thank you so much. But… um, who’s your favorite? It might not be your bias…”
“I like all the members, so it doesn’t matter. Whose card do you have?”
“Oh, I have Hajin oppa’s….”
“Oh, great! Let’s trade.”
“Thank you!”
Windy happily accepted the Hajin photo card from the student.
Before she checked it, a sudden anxiety hit her, ‘Wait. Our Hajin is notoriously bad at taking photos. I wonder if he survived in a selfie?’
But…
Thinking the red hair that suited him so well probably managed to cover for him somehow, Windy slowly flipped over the card.
“Wow, amazing.”
“Hajin oppa’s selfie turned out great, right? Honestly, I hesitated a bit when I saw it… but I really wanted Doha oppa’s card….”
What’s with Kang Hajin? Why did you take such a good selfie? When did you get good at selfies?
Just like Doha, Hajin was wearing the uniform-style suit from the ‘ruins’ outfit, playfully holding a tie in his mouth and winking, reminiscent of his look during the final stage. But his expression was so dignified that Windy forgot she was meeting the student for the first time and got excited.
“No, wow. Kang Hajin is insane. I mean, since this guy is usually so bad at taking pictures of other people, I was worried the selfie would be a disaster.”
“Oh, right. I thought the same… But the picture is really pretty.”
“He’s crazy… Thanks for trading with me. But Doha’s card also turned out really well.”
“Oh, no. I’m the one who should thank you! The card is just so pretty… Really, thank you.”
As Windy gave a friendly smile to the student, who bowed deeply and thanked her, she made a suggestion.
“Did you come here alone? I came alone too, so if you don’t have anyone to hang out with, do you want to go around together today? Since we met like this.”
“Um… Yeah, is that okay?”
“Of course. This is what offline fan events are all about. How old are you?”
After carefully placing Hajin’s card into a protective bag and putting it in her new photo card holder, Windy stood up. Just the thought of seeing this version of Kang Hajin in person in about two hours made all the hardships, devotion, and money she’d spent from last night to today completely worth it.
* * *
And the main character who had caused someone to spend over a few hundred thousand won just to see him in person, Kang Hajin.
“…Is this for real?”
“Hyung, it looks good on you.”
“Wow, that might stir up some controversy.”
“Yugeon hyung! You have to say that quietly! Hajin hyung might hear you!”
“…I can hear you, you brats.”
He was currently facing a very serious crisis…!