KFL 194

「Live today.」

「Because yesterday is over.」

I was momentarily distracted by the powerful high note, but my heart clenched again as Sung Se-han jumped off the desk. As if in slow motion, each movement of bending his knees and landing was clearly visible.

「I don’t know about tomorrow. I don’t know about the future like tomorrow. We are right now.」

As Sung Se-han reached the center of the stage, the synchronized dance began. Even as he launched into intense movements, there wasn’t a single waver in Sung Se-han’s vocals.

“Now, with these toes.”

“I’ll decide the direction I’ll go.”

Only when the youngest, Si-hyun’s rap started did the younger members, who had been watching the monitor, begin to exclaim. Like me, they were getting goosebumps at the sight of Perfect Puzzle executing our choreography perfectly, no… more cleanly and powerfully.

“I have to go right now, today.”

“Open your eyes wide and straighten your thoughts. Because the thoughts I have today will become my future.”

“Wow… this is insane…!”

“What do we do if they’re better at the choreography than us…!”

There was a request from the production team to react honestly while watching the monitor, but the younger members couldn’t bring themselves to say that they were better at singing and rapping, so they stammered out praises for the choreography.

“I’m not a fool.”

“I know the future isn’t far away.”

Honestly, there was no denying Perfect Puzzle. It was a moment that made me realize they had been selected by Kang Robin Sunbae’s strict eye and had gone through more than three years of training.

I was speechless at the sight of all the members moving in perfect unison, filling the stage without a single wasted movement from their fingertips to their toes.

“Haa….”

Sung Se-han suits Perfect Puzzle more than Sky Blue.

It seemed I could finally admit that Sung Se-han could fly freely because Perfect Puzzle was so well-trained and had such tall average height.

Sung Se-han, who was striding across the long stage, fluttering his blazer jacket, turned around. I was so glad that the camera captured the light gathering in his brown eyes, which had been hidden by his flying tie.

I don’t know how grateful I am to be able to see the confident smile that appeared on his cool lips.

“You, in front of me.”

When Sung Se-han’s vocals started again as he returned to the center, all of our members watching the monitor exclaimed in admiration. The ceiling of the classroom set had begun to move.

“Wow, wow! What is that?”

“It’s moving?”

I, too, could only gape and say nothing. The ceiling of the classroom split and opened to both sides, and a screen connected from the ceiling of the set lit up. Behind Sung Se-han, a realistic, deep blue sky unfolded.

“I’ll love you more than myself.”

Sung Se-han, who had stepped out of the synchronized dance, strode to the front of the protruding stage. Under the sky pouring with light, Sung Se-han stretched out his arm and shouted to me.

“It will never fade, even when tomorrow comes.”

Light poured onto Sung Se-han’s abundant hair, his cheeks, and his eyes. His shining eyes were directed at me.

“The sincerity I can give. It’s everything.”

Sung Se-han was saying that the sincerity that would never change, even when tomorrow came, was his everything.

“Huh? Tae-kyung Hyung?”

When I came to my senses at Jeong-min’s call, I realized I had already stood up. When I looked at the monitor, Perfect Puzzle’s performance was already over.

“You were, you were so cool!”

When I stood up and applauded loudly, the members started clapping along with me.

“That was awesome! Sung Se-han Hyung was so cool, and Perfect Puzzle was so cool that I feel like I’m going to cry!”

“I didn’t know they would sing our song so coolly… Wow, I was honestly moved!”

The members poured out their reactions enthusiastically, but I couldn’t calm down at all. Ah…! I want to see Sung Se-han right now. What should I do…?

“Tae-kyung? Are you going to the bathroom?”

“Ah, no.”

I sat back down on the sofa and drank some bottled water first. Now was the time to restrain myself. The camera would continue to follow me until the recording was over, so it wasn’t a situation where I could secretly meet Sung Se-han.

“Guys! Let’s fill our stomachs while we have time. You won’t be able to eat later, will you?”

At Doo-hyun Hyung’s urging as he brought the bottled water, the members unfolded their lunch boxes. I also opened my lunch box and started eating diligently.

I had to eat while I had time, just like Doo-hyun Hyung said. So that I could give my all on stage.

Our team, which had placed fourth in the cover song competition, was able to perform fifth. At first, I thought we were lucky, but now, after seeing Perfect Puzzle’s performance, I felt impatient to get on stage quickly with this lingering feeling.

“As expected, big agencies are different. I was surprised by the stage set.”

At Ho-soo’s quiet whisper, the members rolled their eyes and nodded. In fact, our Sky Blue was probably the only team that used the stage provided by the production team as is, without spending any money.

There was no choice. Seol Ye-eun Noona, who was the pillar of the company, hadn’t released an album in over a year, and the company wasn’t doing well these days.

“Guys, the stage set isn’t what’s important. Let’s just do our best with the determination to fill the stage as we practiced. Okay?”

“We’re the newest rookies. We can just enjoy ourselves without any pressure. Just don’t forget that.”

There was no need for Gun-woo Hyung and me to say anything. The younger members, who wanted to get on stage quickly, were shining their eyes brightly.

It was after 5 PM that the filming of our performance began.

Perfect Puzzle’s debut album title track, “Space War,” was actually not a song that suited our team. However, “You,” the song Sung Se-han had made for me last time, didn’t exist, and the production team wanted “Space War,” so there was really no choice.

“Why are you looking at the sky?”

Just like Sung Se-han had taken my part, I also took Sung Se-han’s opening part.

“Right here. The place where I’m standing is the constellation.”

But since I didn’t have a talent for rap, I got help from Hu-seon Hyung and changed it to vocals, hitting the high notes.

“The dazzling star that blinds you is me!”

To block comparisons to Perfect Puzzle’s charisma, our team changed the costumes from black to blue and modified the choreography to give a refreshing feeling.

All the members did better than they had practiced, and when we came down from the stage, the faces we looked at each other with showed confidence that we had finished the performance without regrets.

When I returned to the waiting room, I checked my phone first. As expected, a message from Sung Se-han had arrived.

[As expected, Lee Tae-kyung. You’re cool.]

As expected, Lee Tae-kyung. Sung Se-han hadn’t changed at all. And he wouldn’t change in the future either.

I couldn’t contain the overwhelming feeling in my chest, so I ran out into the hallway.

“Huh? Tae-kyung?”

The stylists Noonas, who were coming to the waiting room, were surprised and approached me.

“Why? What’s wrong?”

“No? I’m just in a good mood!”

“Ahahaha! Yeah, you guys did really well on stage. The best!”

I felt so excited that my feet didn’t seem to touch the ground. After finally getting through the tedious time, I was disappointed when all the teams gathered on stage.

Sung Se-han wasn’t in Perfect Puzzle’s formation.

“Yes. Sung Se-han of Perfect Puzzle had a personal schedule and left early! In my opinion, he’s the busiest person these days. Our Sung Se-han!”

I couldn’t laugh at Nam Sang-jin announcer’s jest.

His solo song would be released in a few days, so it was natural for him to be busy, but it was so disappointing that I couldn’t see his face right away.

Even in the car returning after the recording, I kept fiddling with my phone. He must be busy until late at night, so if I called now, I would definitely be bothering him.

But I couldn’t help but want to hear Sung Se-han’s voice and see him right now.

There were so many things I wanted to ask and confirm when I met him. Whether he was really seeing me in his dreams, and what he was seeing.

And I wanted to demand of Sung Se-han.

If he was going to say that his sincerity was everything he could give, he should do it right in front of my eyes.

“Ugh!”

The vibrating phone in my hand made me shout. I quickly waved my hand as the dozing members looked at me.

“Sorry, I’ll take this call. Everyone, go back to sleep, okay?”

After quietly clearing my throat, I answered the phone, ha. My heart was beating so fast.

“Yeah, it’s me.”

—Are you in the car?

Sung Se-han seemed to know all about the situation after the recording.

“Yeah. I think I’ll be at the dorm soon.”

—I was going to see you for a bit after my schedule, but it doesn’t look like I’ll be able to.

Just hearing his voice, I could tell how tired Sung Se-han was. He probably didn’t sleep yesterday either, and after finishing the competition stage, he had another schedule right away….

“What are you going to do, you’re so tired.”

—Don’t worry. Hearing your voice has made all the tiredness go away.

I laughed at Sung Se-han’s nonchalance and covered my mouth with my fist.

“Sung Se-han, you said. Earlier….”

You said you saw me, right? What does that mean? Is it what I think it is?