By Zephyria “Who is the most shining star on earth? War of the Stars! Star Light! Hello? I’m MC Seol Yeon-du!”
Everyone applauded and cheered at Seol Yeon-du Noona’s opening greeting. Among them, our team’s cheers were the loudest.
I was so proud of Seol Yeon-du Noona, who is the pillar of our company, and my heart was so full that my nose tingled.
“Well, looking at each team gathered here, I really feel like it’s a war of stars. How should I put it, to exaggerate a bit, I feel like I’m in the middle of the Milky Way?”
Seol Yeon-du Noona, wearing a green mini dress, was the most beautiful I had ever seen. I respected her for being able to speak in a loud voice without any awkwardness, even though it was her first time on stage as an MC.
“Well, then, let’s hear each team’s introduction and determination. Let’s start with the Sky Blue team, who are looking at their Sunbaes from the corner over there.”
I could hear quiet laughter among the production team, so it seemed like that was Seol Yeon-du Noona’s ad-lib.
“Blue paradise under the sky, Sky Blue! Hello, we’re Sky Blue!”
We all stood up at once, shouted our slogan, and bowed deeply.
“We actually haven’t debuted for very long. We’re really honored to be participating in such a big program. Rather than competing with our Sunbaes, we’re here with the determination to learn a lot. Please take care of us!”
As Gun-woo Hyung gave his introduction clearly as he had practiced hard, warm applause erupted.
“Actually, Sky Blue are younger brothers that I’ve been watching since they were young, so I was a little worried about whether they would do well among these competitive teams. But now that I see them, I think I was worried for nothing. Looking at their eyes, they all seem full of confidence?”
I couldn’t help but give an awkward smile at Seol Yeon-du Noona’s continued ad-libs. Noona… can’t you see that the kids are nervous and their eyes are shaking?
Following that, Asla and True Heart finished their introductions, and then Sun & Moon’s introduction and determination followed. Yeon-du Noona, who was checking the cue card, pointed at Liv Sunbae and asked a question.
“But Liv-ssi chose Sky Blue’s Tae-kyung-ssi as her favorite vocalist?”
It was such a sudden question that I looked at Liv Sunbae with a dazed face rather than being surprised.
“Ah, yes. That’s right. Tae-kyung-ssi is a Hubae, but personally, I think he has a special charm as a vocalist that I really want to listen to all day long… so I answered that way.”
“Oh my.”
Yeon-du Noona exclaimed. All eyes on the set turned to me at once. I was still in a daze. I had heard a lot of compliments about my vocals, but this was the first time I had received such high praise, so I felt dazed.
“This really feels like a sincere compliment, not just lip service?”
“Of course it’s sincere. I even told Tae-kyung-ssi that I was a fan of his when I greeted him before the recording.”
“Tae-kyung-ssi. Liv-ssi says she’s a fan, what do you think?”
As soon as Yeon-du Noona finished speaking, I stood up from my seat and bowed.
“I’m really honored. I’ll take it as Sunbae-nim’s encouragement to work harder in the future.”
“Oh, isn’t the atmosphere too warm from the start in a competition program?”
Yeon-du Noona continued the progress cheerfully, so I was able to relax my body to some extent. Liv Sunbae, who met my gaze, smiled and took a fighting pose with both hands. I also sent a smile as a sign of gratitude and bowed my head.
“We are perfect! Hello. We are Perfect Puzzle!”
Behind Perfect Puzzle’s resolute slogan, Song Woo-shin continued with his greetings.
“I’ve joined the program with a really great opportunity. I want to have good competition with my seniors and Hubae on a fun stage. Please take good care of me!”
“Yes, we’ve heard Perfect Puzzle’s determination and greetings well. I also have a personal acquaintance with Sung Se-han, and I know Se-han is Lee Tae-kyung’s best friend, right? You’ve met in a survival show despite being close, so if you have anything to say about having good competition with each other, please tell us.”
At Noona Ye-eun’s question, Sung Se-han tilted his head to the side.
“I am close with Tae-kyung, but we haven’t been able to meet lately because we’ve been busy.”
Ha…! The back of my neck tensed at Sung Se-han’s twisted tone, and my mouth opened on its own.
I saw him being affectionate during the break earlier, so I thought he had resolved his anger from not being able to meet yesterday.
But that vindictive bastard, he’s planning to hold onto the fact that I couldn’t contact him properly for a few days until the end.
“Oh my, is that so! Well, you both have broadcast activities and have to prepare for the survival show, so that can happen. Then, if you have anything to say to Tae-kyung, whom you’ve met after a long time?”
At Noona Ye-eun’s suggestion, Sung Se-han glanced at me and raised the corner of his lips.
“Maybe it’s because it’s been a while, but it feels a bit awkward.”
Not only me, but everyone in the set was staring at Sung Se-han with narrowed eyes. Even if we’re recording comfortably, does that bastard really have no sense of tension at all?
“Then, how about Tae-kyung shouts a ‘fighting’ to Se-han?”
Sigh. I calmly got up and struck a fighting pose.
“Sung Se-han, let’s both work hard. Fighting.”
“Ah, what is this? Tae-kyung, isn’t that too soulless? Are you really close?”
The set was filled with soft laughter at Noona Ye-eun’s unique playful tone. After that, there was an announcement of the competition method, but I couldn’t concentrate on Noona Ye-eun’s hosting at all.
No matter how much I tried to let go, the sight of Sung Se-han exchanging glances with the Perfect Puzzle members as if he was familiar with them continued to cloud my vision.
If there was one thing I realized during the long recording time, it was that I was childishly harboring an absurd possessiveness towards Sung Se-han.
These tiring emotions only exhausted me, but I couldn’t suppress them at all. I was almost exhausted after fighting with those unwelcome egos within me, and then the recording ended.
*
After the opening recording, there was a 30-second performance video shoot for each team in the studio’s underground recording set.
Of course, Perfect Puzzle finished filming first, and our team was last, so we went into indefinite waiting.
“Tae-kyung Hyung, it looks like we’ll have to wait until dawn, right?”
Jeong-min, who was crouching on the narrow sofa, said, suppressing a yawn. I covered Jeong-min with the blanket that was on the makeup chair and looked around at my younger brothers.
“It looks like there’s still a lot of time left, so you guys get some sleep.”
“I’m okay, Tae-kyung Hyung.”
“I’m fine too, Tae-kyung Hyung.”
While I was looking around to find more blankets, I felt my phone vibrate in my jacket pocket. Leaning against the wall of the waiting room, I checked Sung Se-han’s message.
[Come out to the parking lot for a bit.]
Perfect Puzzle’s filming must have ended a long time ago, and I was wondering why I hadn’t heard from him yet.
“I’m going to the bathroom for a bit.”
“The bathroom is right in front, though? Tae-kyung, don’t go too far?”
“I understand!”
I quickly left the waiting room, worried that Doo-hyun Hyung, who was eating a packed lunch, might follow me. Our waiting room was at the end of the hallway, farthest from the elevator, so I had to walk for a while. As I became impatient and tried to run down the stairs, someone put a hand on my shoulder.
“Lee Tae-kyung.”
“Yes…?”
I turned around without thinking, then stopped abruptly, my body stiffening. I felt an unpleasant sense of intimidation from the man in the dark suit who had touched my shoulder.
“PD Bae Dong-yeon is calling for you. Let’s go together for a moment.”
“The PD is calling for me…?”
I had a bad feeling, but I couldn’t hesitate at the PD’s words.
“Did he call for me alone, not our team? Then if I go to the underground set…”
“Just follow us.”
Another man who appeared from the left pushed my back. I was pushed forward a few steps by the force, then turned around.
“Wait a minute, ugh!”
The larger of the two men grabbed the back of my neck tightly. I was so taken aback that I couldn’t resist at all and was dragged to the elevator. Seeing the elevator doors opening just in time, I shook off the man’s hand with all my might.
“What are you doing? Why, heup!”
The man who had grabbed the back of my neck again pushed me into the elevator as if throwing me. While I was unable to come to my senses after hitting the wall of the elevator, the doors slid shut.
“Ugh…”
I rubbed my shoulder, which had hit the wall, and checked the two men standing in front of the door in the mirror.
Now I remembered. This unpleasant and dirty feeling.
They were the very men who had glared at me fiercely as I ran away from the Korean restaurant that night.