By Zephyria 3 AM. Only my footsteps echoed loudly on the quiet apartment walkway.
It’s already been a week since I’ve been running alone like a madman in the early morning when the members are asleep.
Even though it’s the end of May, the weather was so humid that my whole body was quickly soaked in sweat when I ran. After spending a busy day at the company, I could barely fall asleep exhausted after sweating and running for about two hours in the early morning.
Otherwise, if I had even a little bit of energy left, my eyes would flash as if I had taken some kind of medicine, and I couldn’t sleep at all. I was currently in that state.
Filming starts on June 1st.
That means I’ll meet Sung Se-han in three days. In three days, I’ll be able to see the living, breathing Sung Se-han in person, not just in photos or videos.
“Haa, haa!”
The reason my heart suddenly started beating like it was about to explode wasn’t because of running. I clutched my chest and slowly stopped.
“Haa! It’s happening again…!”
I looked around and sat on a bench at the entrance of the walkway. And I took out my phone from my shorts pocket and hurriedly opened the photo album.
After the ‘Star Light’ filming was scheduled, my heart would sometimes beat so fast that it was hard to breathe. At times like that, I had to soothe it by watching Sung Se-han’s videos. I had to show him that I could see this figure in just a little while, and then my heart would stop its anxious racing and find its rhythm. Sung Se-han was the medicine.
“Haha.”
I couldn’t help but laugh when I looked at the data I had collected while browsing fan sites. I could feel the hearts of everyone loving and supporting Sung Se-han with one mind, and I couldn’t be more proud and satisfied.
Among the many materials, the one I looked at most often was the music video gif of ‘Space War’. I, too, was looking at the scene that fans had previously praised as the beginning of the legend with the same heart as the fans.
“Ah…!”
The moment Sung Se-han’s closed eyes filled the screen, I held my breath every time at the splendid beauty. When he slowly opened his eyes, I felt the vividly throbbing pulse every time I made eye contact with his radiant brown eyes. I felt that I was alive.
⌜Why are you looking at the sky?⌟
⌜Right here. The place where I stand is the constellation.⌟
⌜The dazzling star that blinds you is me!⌟
“Yeah. You’re right.”
Sung Se-han, you are the only constellation that has taken my everything.
There’s no reason to look at the sky. Because the dazzling star that blinds me is right here.
Because you’re the only one who illuminates me like this even in the dark dawn.
“Ah, it’s too late.”
I took my eyes off my phone and got up from the bench. I somehow felt like I could fall asleep easily today.
Tap. Tap. Behind the lonely footsteps returning to the dorm, a bright starlight that would never go out followed.
For the first time in a long time, I was in a sweet sleep without even dreaming.
But I gradually felt a commotion disturbing my deep sleep, and I automatically frowned. A loud noise was coming from nearby, and I was forcibly dragged out of my sleep.
“Jeong, Jeong-min…”
Please be quiet… I only slept a little because I exercised until 4 AM… I forced my mouth open, but mumbled, all garbled pronunciation came out.
I don’t need breakfast, Hyung… I’ll just sleep for 30 more minutes… I really can’t get up today…
“Hyung! Tae-kyung Hyung!”
I was annoyed and waved my arms as my shoulder was shaken by a strong force.
“Okay… I’m getting up…”
“Hyung! Get up quickly!”
Jeong-min dragged my arm without any consideration, forcing me to sit up.
“Jeong-min, if you wash up first, I’ll wake up…”
“Hyung, Hyung! Open your eyes quickly!”
Jeong-min’s urgent hands lifted my closed eyelids.
“Jeong-min, why are you being like this today…”
I stared at Jeong-min with bleary eyes before unconsciously turning my gaze away. Then, I froze.
“What!”
A cracked voice burst from my throat as I shot up. I leaped out of bed, then looked back at the entrance to the room.
I wasn’t seeing things from being half-asleep. A man with a broadcasting camera was standing right there in the doorway.
“Eeeek! What is it!”
I let out a frantic scream and hid behind Jeong-min. It was a survival instinct. I didn’t immediately understand what situation we were in.
I woke up in bed, and a broadcasting camera is filming me? What the…
“Hyung, they said they’re filming Star Light now.”
Jeong-min’s face was flushed as he turned to look at me. I was flustered and used the youngest member as a shield while quickly assessing the situation.
“Filming started? The survival show filming is on June 1st? Why all of a sudden at this early hour?”
“Hyung, it’s past seven o’clock…”
No, anyway, it’s still early. Someone peeked their face between the door, their eyes darting busily. Wow, it was the kind writer Noona who used to be in charge of our team. Normally, I would have been happy to see her, but right now, I was just dumbfounded.
What are they trying to do, barging in like this from the morning without any warning?
“Um, Writer Noona! Director! Could you close the door? I need to change…”
“It’s fine?”
The writer Noona, pushing up her glasses, quickly scanned Jeong-min and me from head to toe.
“T-shirts and shorts, that’s perfect. You chose your outfits well.”
Chose our outfits? I was speechless, and the writer Noona quickly twirled her finger.
“Okay, Tae-kyung! Jeong-min! Come out quickly, we don’t have time!”
Following the writer Noona and director’s instructions, I hurriedly left the room, and Gun-woo Hyung and the other members were gathered in the living room.
“Okay, you have 5 minutes from now. Just quickly brush your teeth and wash your face.”
“Yes?”
“Yesss?”
No, how are we supposed to wash up in 5 minutes when there are five of us? I carefully raised my hand at the assistant director’s unreasonable request.
“Director, could you give us a little more time…”
Oh, no! While I was taking the lead and making a suggestion, Ho-soo ran to the bathroom. Gun-woo Hyung followed behind him, running into his room, and I couldn’t help but be flustered as even Jeong-min followed.
“4 minutes left. We’re leaving in exactly 4 minutes!”
I could feel Soo-in subtly watching me. Ah, damn it. With the mindset that I had to save myself first, I abandoned Soo-in and sprinted to the bathroom.
I quickly joined Ho-soo, who was brushing his teeth, and we finished brushing our teeth in a frenzy. Soo-in, who followed after us, started washing his face with the shower, so I was deprived of my spot and paced back and forth.
After Ho-soo finished washing his face, I finally got a spot at the sink and hastily splashed cold water on my face. But before I could even lather soap, the assistant director’s firm instruction came.
“Okay! We’re leaving now. Come out quickly!”
“No, wait a minute! I need to wash my face…”
“Hyung, come out quickly!”
Standing at the bathroom entrance, dripping water, Jeong-min covered my face with a towel.
“Okay, we don’t have time! Sky Blue members! Come out quickly!”
In such a hurried atmosphere, I followed the members to the front door with the towel on my face. The writer Noona was pushing the members out the front door. And that scene was captured on camera as it was.
“Originally, you were supposed to go as you woke up, but we’re giving you time to wash up as a special favor. Got it? Come out quickly, or you’ll be late!”
Hurriedly leaving the front door, I realized I was holding the towel I was about to leave behind. Completely dazed, I got on the elevator and went down to the parking lot with a bewildered face.
In the underground parking lot, a van was waiting to take us. As I piled into the car with the members, Manager Doo-hyun Hyung approached.
“Guys, I’ll bring your clothes and phones, so don’t worry. Okay?”
“Thank you, Hyung!”
“Doo-hyun Hyung! Bring my new hoodie and pants too! Okay?”
After Doo-hyun Hyung reassured the members, the car carrying us started moving quickly. The writer Noona, sitting in the passenger seat, turned around and waved.
“Members, you can sleep until we arrive!”
“Yes…!”
“Yes, thank you!”
Everyone was on edge due to the survival show filming that suddenly started without warning.
I sighed deeply as I looked at Gun-woo Hyung, who was timidly rolling his eyes, and then my pale feet in slippers came into view.
“Ah, seriously…”
Filming in slippers? This is a bit much?
To have to show our appearance as we woke up, without even changing clothes or washing up. Do idols not have human rights?
I quickly checked Soo-in’s feet next to me, and huh? He was wearing new sneakers and even had socks on.
“Tae-kyung Hyung-nim…”
Soo-in carefully wiggled his feet.
“Do you want to switch? These are new…”
“Why? Do you like my style?”
“N-no, it’s not that…”
I ruffled the kind Soo-in’s hair and turned my gaze to the window.
Compared to last time, almost every situation flowed similarly, but somehow the survival show filming seemed to have a different format.
Staring blankly out the window, I couldn’t help but become increasingly nervous. When I finally got out in front of Ilsan Garam Studio, I was completely confused.
“No way…”
Are other teams gathering besides our team? No, there’s no way…