Chapter 151
High Five.
This year marked their third year since debuting as the six-member junior group under the same agency as Black Call.
They were touted as the next leading figures of K-Pop, following in Black Calls footsteps.
Well, by this point, most would know.
That these guys had no reason to be here.
Those with heavy consciences[1]
Making my way to the waiting room, diligently greeting other groups and staff along the way, Seong Jiwon nudged me.
Hoyun.
Yeah?
I turned my head, following Seong Jiwons gaze, and saw High Five.
Hello.
As soon as our eyes met, the leader of High Five approached us as if he had been waiting.
Wow, that was really amazing just now. Congratulations on first place.
Thank you for your hard work.
Im Kang Yeonhu.
Yes. Im Seo Hoyun.
Kang Yeonhu, High Fives leader, smiled affably.
While exchanging greetings with their leader and main vocal, I could feel the glances of members from other groups.
But Kang Yeonhu seemed completely unaware, focusing solely on us.
This guy.
I had a feeling about this.
I changed my expression and smiled brightly.
I enjoyed High Fives performance.
Honestly, Im a bit disappointed with the ranking, but theres nothing we can do about it. Seong Jiwon, you were really amazing.
Ahaha, thank you.
But we wont lose next time, right?
Kang Yeonhu, with a playful twinkle in his eye, didnt add any unnecessary words and walked away with his fellow member.
Watching their retreating figures, Seong Jiwon slowly opened his mouth.
Hes quite sociable.
Tell me about it.
I brushed my hair, which was poking my eyes under my cap.
Woosung.
The right amount of friendliness, the appropriate comment, and even a polite smile.
So
Your hoobae is kind of creepy.
It was clear he knew how to behave and present himself to others, the mark of a long-term trainee.
At least he wasnt as careless or stupid as Today, who spilled their weaknesses everywhere.
Should we rethink our strategy?
I walked slowly, organizing my thoughts.
Working in a broadcasting station meant inevitably mixing with people.
Especially in variety shows, it was crucial not only to come up with good programs but also to shape and refine the characters of the cast.
As a result, having rolled around in this field, I prided myself on having a pretty accurate eye for people.
So, I could say this about someone at that level: finding even a speck of dust on him would be hard.
Not because he was flawless, but because his self-management was thorough.
Hoyun.
At that moment, another individual with the keen sense of a long-term trainee called me.
Yeah?
Lets not have weird thoughts.
When have I ever?
After a brief pause, I shamelessly retorted to Seong Jiwon.
Really?
I swear on my conscience.
Since I had no conscience, it was easy to swear on it.
Seong Jiwon chuckled in disbelief, and then his phone rang.
When he answered it, Jeong Dajuns excited voice came through.
We got second place in the dance unit.
Really?
S-, second place in stats.
Kim Seonghyeons dancing skills were objectively superior.
In fact, it was judged that he would shine more the more he shed the idol label or when his face was hidden.
So, I naturally thought Kim Seonghyeon would win.
Surprising, isnt it?
Tell me about it Ah.
Puzzled by the unexpected result, I thought Id have to ask more details when we met.
Then a brief message from Kang Ichae arrived in our group chat.
Kang Ichae: 1st place in rap
Kang Ichae: ^^V
Wow.
As expected of Kang Ichae.
First in the rap unit, first in the vocal unit, second in the dance unit.
A good start.
Seong Jiwon smiled brightly and started walking.
I followed him, tapping Seong Jiwons back as he bowed politely to every staff member we passed.
Seong Jiwon, Im kind of proud of you.
Eh?
Considering the kind of creepy guys around, youve grown up quite well.
***
The face-off had ended, but not a single piece of news about Shining Star Season 2 leaked out anywhere.
So, the Noeuls were in a state of unparalleled peace.
[Title: Guys, have you seen the text posted on The Dawns official? Its hilarious.
Kang Ichae put up a photo with a caption Hyung, youre really too much
Ichae: Eek! Praise me quickly, please! ><
Hoyun: [2]
Dajun: Wow!! Hoyun-hyung is quite sincere for once.
Seonghyeon: He replied. Must be a compliment.
Look at them marveling over those two letters. Seo Hoyun, how the hell have you lived your life?
Kang Ichae called him insincere and then Seo Hoyun sends an annoyed text, so he posts a few more.
Ichae: You seem like a really fun(trash) and kind-hearted person. Occasionally, I am (beautiful) astounded by you, Mr. Seo Hoyun (no-ssagaji)[3]
Kang Ichae, why are you like this?
Even Seo Hoyuns reply
Hoyun: gamsa[4]
But Jiwon caught it too
Jiwon: ching-chan!![5]
Is this a praise?
Jiwon, please dont do this
LMAO its too funny that the craziness spread
Seriously, why are you like this lately, Seong Jiwon
Dajun said on V-Live that Jiwon suggested getting a The Dawn tattoo
Thats real madness..
And even Kang Ichae would be startled
Im really worried about Seonghyeon these days
The rest are usual themselves, but Seonghyeon laughter
How does one survive in that Dawn+Jungle]
Thats how the Nouels were, casually chatting away about the memes officially provided as usual.
Until one post came up.
[Title: But isnt that text asking for praise related to Shining Star? Heard theres a unit competition or something
Did Kang Ichae do well in the rap unit?]
A very accurate prediction post made even the doubtful Noeuls start to catch fire.
[Fuck Is this real?]
[Ah shit, here comes the PTSD from another survival show]
It was because they had been burnt too much before.
[Having to deal with all this hair-pulling, do we really have to Im already disillusioned]
[Its a bit annoying but I dont think its bad to participate. Thanks to the last Shining Star, our first-week sales skyrocketed It might even go higher this time]
[Seriously, do we have to do this? Cant the guys just be happy doing their activities? Fuck that, lets give it our all!!!
Lets stan like its the last time!!!]
Opinions were divided.
But, having won Shining Star Season 1, it was pretty much a given theyd participate in Season 2, thus greatly drawing the Noeuls attention.
So, the day the news broke.
[Shining Star Season 2 is coming back!]
The broadcast networks server crashed.
[Yo, is it true the server crashed
Seriously, glass server These guys still havent thought of fixing it]
It was natural since not just The Dawns fans but fans of all the groups listed in the lineup rushed in.
With the tremendous success of Shining Star Season 1 and considerable anticipation for the announced Season 2 lineup, interest was bound to be high.
[Shining Star Season 2 Star Will Shine Again!
High Five, Bercy, TEW, Try, The Dawn]
Most fans of the idol groups mentioned in the lineup felt their heads spinning.
[High Five???????????]
[Damn, the tyranny of big companies is insane They dont need to be here with their current first-week sales]
[Their capital size is different (Obviously, theyre kids raised with Black Calls money;;)
Do they really have to join this shit fuck]
Naturally, criticism toward High Five grew.
[Were pissed too ]
High Fives side was not taking it lightly, their irritation mounting.
This only heightened the fandom wars.
[It hurts our pride so much to compete with these mismatched guys Our kids What do we do
Yeah, your idol sucks
Are you dumb?]
As the official site went live and some promotional videos started circulating on YouTube, the atmosphere, becoming increasingly hostile, had the Noeuls trembling with anxiety.
Say you love me!
Of course, that was only until the highlight edit video of the first episode was released before its airing.
The moment Seong Jiwon sang the first verse, the audiences stir could be felt even through the screen.
The Noeuls felt a rush of exhilaration.
[Ah!!! Jiwon!!! Hoyun!!!!!!!]
[It doesnt make sense if this doesnt win first place]
Because it felt like they had been outclassed by skill.
[Seong Jiwon is really on a roll these days, following in Black Calls Jeongwoos footsteps as the next K-pop god, it seems]
[He is Korean.]
While they were busy praising endlessly over a single video, the next one for the rap unit was uploaded.
A black mask, cap, and hoodie couldnt hide the unmistakable faded grapefruit hair of Kang Ichae.
Its chasing!
And he truly was a madman.
[Wow]
Even in the short video, a series of techniques and performances seamlessly followed one after another, dominating the stage with absolute freedom.
[Kang Ichae really seems like a genius, sometimes I get sick of it. Not just composing and producing but damn;; his rap is killer]
[The vibe is crazy
He mustve been smirking leisurely, oh it drives me crazy]
However, for the dance units Kim Seonghyeon and Jeong Dajun, despite attracting attention with their flashy breakdancing, the reason for their failure was too obvious.
[Ah]
High Fives main dancer flashed his abs.
[]
[Ah damn fuck I have to admit it]
Since voting was conducted on-site, overcoming a performance that left a strong impression was difficult unless there was a huge disparity in dancing skills.
In the end, High Five indeed secured 1st place by a significant margin.
[This is 1st place???
Yep, heard so
Darn Its regrettable but have to admit]
[Kim Seonghyeon and Jeong Dajun really danced like crazy, but couldnt beat the abs guy]
[Seonghyeon Shouldve flashed yours too
Sneakily wishing]
Then, a post predicting the rankings of the face-off competition appeared in a community.
It was the result of combining reviews posted by general voters and scrutinizing the edits and comments.
[Title: Prediction
Dance unit 1st place: High Five
Vocal unit 1st place: The Dawn
Rap unit 1st place: The Dawn
Guys, dont give it any attention
-DoNotFeedDoNotFeedDoNotFeed]
Despite the comments, the atmosphere among the already sensitive fandoms was buzzing.
[Seems right?]
[Hmm, Ive been rewatching it constantly, seems correct. The Dawns dance unit is 2nd place]
Hearing this news, Noeul tried to act indifferent, but they couldnt hide their amusement even in the posts they uploaded on SNS.
After all, it was said they won purely on skill through blind voting.
[Well, we wont know till just before the broadcast]
[This time the song was great Genius Idol]
But as the atmosphere was already tense, there was no need to stir up controversy further, so everyone tried to quietly move on.
However, that was only temporary.
Someone leaked the face-off planning of Shining Star, completely turning things around.
[Guys, if you get 1st place, its 1,500 points per unit]
Yes.
The 1st place of the respective unit face-off was awarded 1,500 points each, and 2nd place got 1,000 points.
Fans other than Noeuls poured out their anger on various sites.
[The Dawn 3,000 points, High Five 1,000 points???]
[Ah, fuckIdols are also judged by their popularity, right?! So pissed, either be popular or not!! Has the production team not come to their senses yet?!!!!!]
[If you wanna be Mask King, go there, fuck~~ Are you kidding me? You bitches???]
Only the Noeuls were at peace.
[Oh my??]
Having already faced many challenges, they were able to package their calmness well, sneaking into private accounts without causing unnecessary disputes.
[Guys, we voted based on talent Dont be too mad~]
[Ah lets not be too harsh If I were a fan from another group, I would feel bad too, honestly, its a ridiculous method but hey, Noeul, our babies got 1st place
Ah]
[If an idol has no talent, what are they supposed to do? CuriousCurious
If not talented, at least be handsome But our kids their faces are celestial too what to do;; Its really tough.. ]
[Ah~ If Seonghyeon had just revealed his abs, it would have been 4500 points, what a pity Ah, Seonghyeon, lets show them at our solo concert later!]
They were masters at throwing shade, just like someone they knew.
[Ha Every time I get disillusioned, I wanna quit K-pop
Those who say theyll quit are the ones who stay the longest
Real ones just leave without saying such stuff
This~~~!!!
This is just a temporary love
Im only staying to see the Dawnies win 1st]
Yet, regardless of the Noeuls strong mentality, the tension among the fandoms continued to build.
Thus came the day of the Shining Star shooting.
Seo Hoyun felt a subtly cold atmosphere the moment he entered the shooting location.
Hello! Were The Dawn.
Ah, yes. Hello.
No matter whom he greeted, the response was like seeing a stranger, thoroughly putting up a wall.
Hello~.
Oh! Its been a while.
Here, the gathered idols, each with years of experience, were acquainted with one another and greeted each other warmly.
Of course, there were checks and balances exchanged in the process.
But to The Dawn?
Ah, The Dawn? I know, I know~.
What checks?
It wasnt like he was a ghost, but it was the first time in a while he was treated like a nobody.
Was it because of their 1st-place finish at the face-off, or simply because they didnt want to include him in their league?
Seo Hoyun slightly twitched his eyebrows at him but didnt say much.
Bullshit.
To Seo Hoyun, a former PD now 34 with life experience, it all seemed like nothing more than childish antics that were neither useful nor helpful.
When will our Dajun grow up~?
Hell be taller than you, definitely taller
Is his growth plate still open~??
It is!!
With a small click of his tongue, he turned his head toward Kang Ichae, who was already seated and playfully pressing down on Jeong Dajuns head.
Kang Ichae, stop it. What do you want to drink? Hurry up and say it.
Hm?
?
???
Suddenly, they stared at each other, not understanding, then Kang Ichae burst out laughing.
Ah, I guess its already become a habit??
Ah, shit.
Having gotten used to accommodating Kang Ichaes preferences after falling ill in Japan, Seo Hoyun cursed under his breath as he got up from his seat.
Kang Ichae, never one to miss an opportunity to tease, followed him closely.
Ichae is happy, Seotorious~.
Never call me by that nickname in front of me.
Why are you taking hits again these days?
Having escaped from Kang Ichaes clutches, Jeong Dajun brightened up and tidied his hair.
Ah Does that guy grow thorns if he doesnt tease someone for even 10 seconds?
Jeong Dajun, were just sacrifices give up.
As long as youre part of this group with Mr. Seo and Mr. Kang, theres nothing you can do, right??
Though some cast envious looks at the overly relaxed The Dawn, the involved parties werent affected in the least.
Phew, hang in there, Dajun. Lets think about what were going to eat later.
What does Dajun want to eat?
I want to eat whatever Jiwon-hyung wants~.
Stop lying and speak honestly.
Korean beef.
Okay.
While Kim Seonghyeon looked around somewhat sharply, Seong Jiwon and Jeong Dajun leaned on their hands, busy chatting and choosing the meal menu on their phones.
See this?
The TEW groups vocal next to them didnt like the look of this.
TEW had been around for a while, so he was careful not to get caught up in needless gossip, but it was irksome to see these not-even-two-years-in guys being so noisy.
Back in my day, I couldnt even drink water for fear of the seniors eyes.
Hello?
So, he spoke up.
Ah, hello.
However, the person he addressed happened to be Seong Jiwon, with a steel mentality that not even a needle could penetrate.
Arent you nervous? Wow~, my hands are shaking!
Ahaha, of course, its very nerve-wracking.
Hmm?
Seeing Seong Jiwon respond with a laugh without a hint of nervousness, he found it boring and quickly shifted his target.
Jeong Dajun, youre nervous, right?
Huh?
I havent eaten a single meal. I feel like Ill throw up if I do~. Its better to approach such an important occasion with gravity, right?
= Can you even swallow food right now?
Jeong Dajuns eyes widened.
Exactly.
Lets work hard, everyone.
= Keep an eye out,
The innocence plainly shown on his face made him think he could easily tease Jeong Dajun.
Seeing him slightly lift the corner of his mouth, Kim Seonghyeon glared at him fiercely,
Ho
An ambiguous exclamation escaped from Jeong Dajuns mouth.
Huh?
A year ago, Jeong Dajun might have been flustered and at a loss, or he might have taken it seriously without realizing.
Whats with him?
However, he had spent the last year by Seo Hoyuns side.
Like rice in a hot pan, The Dawns maknae had been sufficiently seasoned to handle situations like this.
Even living with the ultimate provocateur had made him immune to such low-level provocations.
Yep.
Thanks to that, his response was very nonchalant.
Well, that can happen Sunbae, fighting~.
= You might as well not eat
But seriously, what are we eating, hyung?
= Im gonna eat
This is why they said to be careful what you drink in front of kids.
Seo Hoyun had painstakingly protected the seemingly innocent maknae, but Jeong Dajun had long since mastered a new way of speaking.
[1] Hoyun actually used the phrase , means something like having a fur on your conscience.
[2] It means congrats.
[3] This was written with English characters in the raw. A ssagaji is someone who is unkind.
[4] Also written with English characters , and it means thank you, like from .
[5] Again, originally written with English characters. It means something like compliments.
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