“Mr. Woosung, congratulations!”
Coming down from the stage, Joo Woosung met the showering cheers with a bright smile.
The Music TV Awards Live team had given Black Call the closing performance slot but never told them whether they would win, which kept everyone on edge until the end.
“Ah, feels damn good.”
They had worked so hard—how humiliating would it have been to walk away empty-handed?
Now that all the tension had drained away, the members were cheering wildly, ruffling each other’s hair, slapping backs, laughing in sheer relief.
Just then, The Dawn approached them.
“Black Call sunbaenim, congratulations on winning Song of the Year!!”
“Haha, same to you guys.”
Kim Sunghyun, hugging the trophy tightly like a disciplined soldier, bowed deeply. Chae Jungwoo quickly pulled him back up with a gentle smile.
Since Black Call had always spoken positively of their juniors, the air between the two groups was warm as they exchanged polite words.
“Sunghyun, you going to the after-party?”
“No, we’ll go back and do a live stream!”
“Oh, nice. We’re planning to skip too.”
All the while, Joo Woosung’s gaze stayed fixed on Seo Hoyun. The guy was expressionless. It was impossible to tell ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ what he was thinking, which only made Woosung click his tongue.
‘Why does he always look like death every time I see him?’
He tilted his chin down to hide his irritation and sighed, then walked over and grabbed Hoyun’s arm.
“You... okay?”
“...Ah, yes.”
Seo Hoyun looked up, slightly startled, acting as if nothing was wrong.
Having already been burned several times by that same practiced mask of composure, Woosung didn’t believe the answer for a second. His eyes scanned Hoyun from head to toe.
‘Is he really fine?’
Back in the hallway earlier, the guy’s face had twitched oddly, and there had been a sharpness to him—but that could just be his usual temper. Right now, though, he looked normal enough.
‘Guess he’s doing better now.’
Seeing that, Woosung’s mouth started itching. If Hoyun was fine, then it was time to brag about his own trophy.
“Seo Hoyun.”
He meant to tease him like usual, puffing up and showing off—but when those pitch-black eyes met his, it felt like his thoughts might spill out of his mouth.
“Uh...”
Hey, don’t you think I’ve become a decent person compared to before?
I’ve been weird lately.
I dance without getting tired. I look forward to tomorrow.
I want to give the people who like me a reason to think, “I’m glad I liked him.” I want to show them something greater.
Maybe realizing that... was because of you. Sure, our first meeting was rough, but still—
Even if it started badly, the one who’d triggered that change was definitely Seo Hoyun. Whether the guy meant to or not.
Woosung swallowed down every honest word that tried to escape and forced on his usual swagger.
“So... don’t you have anything to say to your talented, respectable senior?”
“......”
Hoyun’s eyes narrowed at once.
Feeling a bit awkward, Woosung was about to release his grip when Hoyun suddenly pulled him closer.
Caught off guard, he was pulled in before Hoyun whispered right by his ear.
“Hyung, don’t get ahead of yourself.”
...This bastard is always the same.
Woosung flinched back and wiped his ear with his palm. Seeing that, Hoyun smirked as if amused.
“......Just go, come on. Go.”
“Hey.”
Still holding his arm, Hoyun glanced around, then leaned in again to speak quietly, so only Woosung could hear.
“You really are talented, Mr. Joo Woosung—but your persistence is what’s more amazing. You wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t kept pushing.”
“......”
“It couldn’t have been easy. You worked hard.”
His tone was calm, soft—his eyes curving like petals.
“Stay an idol forever. It suits you.”
The unexpected praise left Woosung frozen for a moment. While he stood there unable to respond, Hoyun simply added, “Congratulations,” patted his shoulder twice, and walked off to rejoin The Dawn.
“—Woosung, what are you doing? We’ve got to go.”
Woosung blinked only when Chae Jungwoo appeared beside him. Leaning his temple against Jungwoo’s shoulder, he watched The Dawn’s figures receding in the distance.
“...Hey.”
“What.”
“...That guy really knows how to mess with people.”
Jungwoo gave him a puzzled look, but Woosung shrugged it off and let out a long sigh.
“...Ah, missed my timing again.”
***
The next day, each member of The Dawn headed off to different schedules.
I got up sluggishly, pushed back my messy hair, and followed the sound of noisy chatter.
“Ha... do we look like the singers of world-best fandom Noeul?”
“This is The Dawn, indeed....”
‘What the hell are they doing....’
The youngest ones were still obsessing over the trophies they’d kept since last night. They had placed them on the floor like sacred relics and were circling around as if performing a ritual.
Shaking my head, I glanced at the huge mirror covering the hotel’s living-room wall.
White turtleneck, well-washed jeans, a light leather jacket with the luxury brand logo in full view.
Fresh out of the shower, Kim Sunghyun leaned against the bathroom doorframe, arms crossed, frowning slightly.
“You’d look perfectly fine if you’d just shut your mouth.”
“Fallen for me?”
“The problem is you never shut it...”
Jung Dajun was bubbling with excitement about filming our own New York content, and Kang Ichae, who had been joining in enthusiastically, suddenly deflated and flopped onto the sofa.
“I don’t wanna do a solo interview...”
“Look at this brat.”
Sunghyun frowned sternly, though worry showed in his eyes.
“...Can I just ditch today and hang out with Dajun instead?”
“Ichae-hyung, act professional...”
Getting scolded by the maknae shocked him into mock tears, but Dajun just huffed through his nose and prepared to leave alone.
When nobody paid him any attention, Ichae lifted his head again, whining.
“...Then can’t I go with Hoyun-hyung? I can ask to get invited to that brand event too.”
“As if that’d work.”
“...So annoying...”
He didn’t want to come with me—he just didn’t want me meeting Min Jiheon. He’d always been prickly toward him.
But a schedule was a schedule.
Even with Sung Jiwon trying to soothe him, Ichae kept pouting into a cushion, kicking his legs. I clicked my tongue.
“Clear your schedule tomorrow.”
“Huh?”
“We’ll go hang out together.”
“...Really?!”
He shot up, face lighting up instantly. Sunghyun glanced at me, surprised, but nobody seemed to dislike the idea.
“Well... yeah, sounds good.”
“Wow~, then how about we hit a burger place?”
“Sea! I wanna go to the sea! The harbor!!!”
“Wait, the harbor’s got seagulls, right?! I wanna throw shrimp chips!!”
Hearing their loud, excited debate about where to go made me sigh and smile at once. They looked ridiculously childish—and kind of endearing.
‘Can’t get enough of being glued together, huh....’
Maybe thanks to Ichae acting so clingy lately, the whole group felt unusually warm and easygoing.
“...Alright, I’m heading out.”
“Kyah~ have a good day~~!!!”
Smiling faintly at Dajun and Ichae bouncing around again, I went down to the parking lot and got into the van.
The manager, already in the driver’s seat, gave me the update.
“The crowd outside is crazy today, so go in carefully. And, uh, Min Jiheon’s attending too.”
“Yes, I heard.”
He added that Jiheon had borrowed a car here again, and the management team was watching closely in case he vanished after the event.
I turned to the window, watching the scenery rush by. We arrived soon at the destination, stepping out onto the red carpet amid rising cheers.
Even while waving to fans and answering journalists’ questions, my head stayed tangled.
‘...I can’t ignore this.’
The ringing, the hallucinations, even the system’s warnings.
After enough photos, I went inside the venue.
They’d said the theme was a cathedral clock tower; at the center stood a massive wooden clock. Passing the elaborate decorations, I noticed flashes going off near our assigned seats—everyone’s attention drawn to one person.
In the middle of it all, wearing a trench coat down to his thighs and fiddling with his hands, sat a man with an expressionless face.
When his eyes found me, his face lit up with that dazzling smile, even brighter than usual.
“I’ve been waiting.”
I glanced him up and down and nodded.
‘Not Min Jiheon.’
A few years ago I might’ve doubted it, but this guy had literally hurt himself to help me once.
The system avoided Jiheon whenever we met, making it hard to read him precisely—but judging from what happened back during “Nugu Actor Tycoon,” his abilities had clear limits.
If he was far enough away that the system didn’t detect him, he couldn’t possibly be influencing me now.
“Same here.”
Not that I trusted him completely.
As I sat beside him, Jiheon’s brows twitched.
“Can we take picture—?”
Reporters had come over, asking for photos.
Jiheon turned toward the cameras, smiling like an angel. After a few repeats of the same scene and the crowd finally shifting to other guests, a low voice reached me.
“...You’re a bit cold today.”
His actor’s face didn’t falter, but the emotion laced his voice.
“Why so tense?”
You’d be too if you felt like this.
It wasn’t hostility toward him, but he seemed to think it was, his gaze softening as he studied me.
Then the brand’s CEO came over to shake hands with each guest in the front row.
Ding—, ding—....
Once the greetings finished and everyone sat down, the clock’s second hand began to move. The lights dimmed; gentle music spread. Models in the previous season’s outfits and accessories began walking down the runway.
Throughout the show, I kept cycling through theories, forming and erasing them.
‘Honestly, I have no idea.’
In this foreign place, I couldn’t help but stay on edge.
While my thoughts spun endlessly, Jiheon leaned slightly toward me.
“Hey.”
“Yes.”
“I don’t know what happened or what misunderstanding you have, but don’t take it out on me.”
“......”
“It kinda hurts, you know.”
You’re the one misunderstanding.
I hesitated, wondering whether to tell him that wasn’t it.
BEEEEEEEEEEP———.
“Ugh...”
Damn it, again.
Pain shot through my head; I grabbed my forehead, staggering slightly.
[Hidden—.]
[—.......]
Ding!
[?Would you like to check the hidden trait??]
Instead of the usual blue system window, a pitch-black rectangle appeared.
[?Would you like to check the hidden trait??]
[?Would you like to check the hidden trait??]
‘Hidden... trait?’
[Acquiring hidden trait.]
[Unlocking.]
Before I could process what was happening, lines of text flashed one after another.
[Congratulations!
You have unlocked the trait ‘Contribution.’]
[‘Contribution’ links to Player Seo Hoyun’s ‘???’ and measures the extent to which someone helps or benefits him.]
[※Contribution can also be increased by taking on physical penalties in the player’s stead.
Repeated substitution may lead to fatal physical penalties. Proceed with caution.]
A new window opened alongside the ominous warning. At the same time, Min Jiheon’s old words echoed faintly in my ears.
[Accessing Kang Ichae’s stats.]
[Kang Ichae]
[Kang Ichae]
[Kang Ichae]
[Kang Ichae]
[Kang Ichae]
[Kang Ichae]
[Kang Ichae]
[Kang Ichae ]
[Kang Ichae ]
[Kang Ichae ]
.
.
.
[Kang Ichae Main Rapper
Vocal: S0
Dance: A+
Variety: A0
Acting: B-
Charm: S0]
[‘Contribution’ trait unlocked!]
“I don’t mean to jinx it, but don’t get careless.”
[Contribution: 3¿7%]
“Things don’t always go smoothly, right?”
