Chapter 123

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Translated by Sylph

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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Seon Ahyun did not stutter.

“…I understand it as a word to …best work with the same heart as now in the future too, and I will always strive.”

It was slow, and there were many sections for taking breaths. In some places, the pronunciation was dragged and then the sentence was connected.

But he did not stutter even once.

“……And, Loviewer-nim who are cheering for us, …thank you really and I love you!”

“Loviewer, I love you!”

“Thank you!”

Behind Seon Ahyun who finished his last sentence safely, the members all enlivened the atmosphere.

But there was no need for that.

The fan seats were already in a whirlpool of shock and emotion.

Aaaaaah!

You did well!! You did well!

What to do!! Uaaaaa!!

Even people watching the video could hear the sound from the audience seats echoing through Teastar’s microphone.

-엌ㅋㅋㅋㅋ the fans’ sound is heard so well hahahaha

-Seon Ahyun fans’ breath is going to run out

-ㅋㅋㅋ This is a secret but I was also a bit moved actually

└Me too hahahaha ㅠㅠㅠ

└ㅋㅋㅋㅋ Is this the shareholder aftereffect

-Seon Ahyun turned out well ㅠㅠ

-It wouldn’t have been an easy thing but great

-Anyway Teastar congrats congrats they deserved it

In that way, Teastar finished the award ceremony in self-certification.

The mockery and criticism people expected at the end of last year were nowhere to be seen.

* * *

Returning to the singer seats after finishing the award ceremony, the team members threw a word of praise to Seon Ahyun one by one.

“Ahyun-ah, congratulations on achieving your goal!”

“Congratulations!”

Seon Ahyun’s face turned red.

“Th-thank you…….”

Hmm, he deserved congratulations. Because that guy suffered for quite a long time.

‘Roughly… did he practice for about a month and a half.’

The timing when Seon Ahyun started the stuttering symptom treatment was that very timing when he was damn busy because of year-end stage practice.

Since it was the starting stage, they said they made him take one short-term goal that wasn’t difficult for the sake of a sense of purpose, and what Seon Ahyun took was exactly this.

Not stuttering at the acceptance speech and delivering gratitude.

Thanks to that, I saw Seon Ahyun muttering while holding that short speech all day long in the dorm, practice room, and car.

‘…Even the manager memorized the speech in a week.’

And everyone came to treat Seon Ahyun’s muttering as half sleep-inducing ASMR after a while.

Anyway, it was certainly an impressive thing that he practiced well for a long period without being excessively impatient and succeeded.

‘Once you succeed once, you keep doing it, there is also that point.’

If the possibility of Seon Ahyun’s status abnormality reoccurring becomes distant, it’s a good thing for the group too.

I also added praise.

“I said it’s okay even if it doesn’t come out as practiced. But there was no need for that. You did well.”

“…! I, it’s not to that extent but…… there were parts where I breathed too much, n, next time I’ll really do well……!”

“……”

No… I just said you did well. Why do you answer like an excuse like that.

But before I could correct anything, Seon Ahyun beat me to it.

“Th-thank you for …telling me to try consulting.”

Hmm, this was something I could be thanked for. I nodded.

“Not at all.”

“Oh, heartwarming~”

“Our team atmosphere is really good.”

The controversy disappeared and they won the Rookie of the Year award well, so the guys whose worries were all gone headed to the singer seats with a good feeling while laughing.

But my mood was getting dirtier as we approached the singer seats.

Because Teastar’s seating location was right next to VTIC.

‘Why on earth do you put the rookie next to them.’

Thanks to that, whenever moving, we had to greet VTIC by bowing our heads, but well, that much was okay.

“Congratulations~”

“Thank you!”

The problem was that Cheongryeo was giggling while watching whenever we greeted.

‘Sh*t.’

Anyone watching would think he was just smiling because he was pleased.

Because that b*stard had handled the social media post that fueled the Rookie of the Year controversy quite well.

Whenever he appeared on year-end programs, he uploaded a large amount of photos on social media, and in between, he added random cast members with phrases similar to the Onyx one.

So to speak, it was watering down.

Thanks to the active explanatory posts of the fans, the atmosphere became one where everyone thought the Onyx matter was a coincidence.

…I’ll just say that the reaction ‘I thought it was strange since they seemed to be friends with Park Moondae~’ was the most annoying.

“……”

After the greeting was over, I intentionally went in slowly and sat in the chair as far away from VTIC as possible.

It had no big meaning, just an act to try to feel less bad.

Not long after, part 1 ended and we entered a few minutes of commercial time.

And the commercial also appeared on the electronic display.

[Magic Boy Teastar’s magic-like AI assistant!]

“Uaaaaah!”

“Wow please…….”

At the public authentication of the dark history (currently ongoing), the members banged their heads on the table while letting out death cries. The horrific Russian roulette turned.

[Kkyu! Curious!]

This victim was Bae Sejin.

Bae Sejin’s acting with the hamster ear drawing CG on it was natural, but the original was completely out of it.

“…Ba, bathroom for a bit.”

Bae Sejin stood up from his seat while staggering with a red face and hurriedly ran away.

And the members achieved sympathy and laughter at the same time.

“Hahahahaha!!”

“Sejin-ah are you okay, pffft!”

All sorts of reactions came out from the guy clapping to the guy putting his head between his knees.

‘It’s enough as long as it’s not me, I see.’

That’s right. I nodded and opened a water bottle.

At the moment I stuck the mouth of the water bottle into my mouth, someone sat in Bae Sejin’s seat.

And asked.

“There is one for each member, right? Interesting.”

“Pffft.”

It almost came out through my nose.

‘Sh*t.’

It was Cheongryeo.

The laughing members were surprised and bowed their heads.

“Hello!”

“Yes. Hello. I’ll just talk with Moondae for a moment and go.”

“Yep!”

At least show some signs of discomfort, you guys.

But since Bae Sejin was not there, there was no guy to particularly do that. D*mn it.

At least Big Sejin seemed almost certain that Cheongryeo’s social media upload incident was intentional, but right now he was only nodding with a smile.

And actually, this was right.

‘What’s spread out is the singer seat fancams.’

Someone in the audience seats must be filming this sight for sure.

Whether it’s VTIC or Teastar members, the current situation will be captured by at least 20 cameras.

‘Let’s stay calm.’

Anyway, even if we talk here, it’s so noisy that the sound won’t spread. Unless I intentionally speak with a loud voice, probably the members won’t hear either.

“The story you wanted to tell?”

“I must have told you when we talked on the phone last time… don’t you remember?”

Ah, that thing about his social media upload not being with a bad intention and so on.

In a word, he wants to explain at length ‘I wasn’t trying to make you get f*cked’.

Since it turned out like this, I want to just listen roughly and end it with ‘Oh I see. I understand well.’ but there is a problem.

“…Are you saying you’ll explain all that within the commercial time?”

“Ah it’s enough. Listen.”

Cheongryeo nodded with a smile.

“Because dying once at this timing is the most comfortable.”

“……! ”

“I thought about it well, and what was most difficult for me at first was that. Having a reluctance to start again.”

Cheongryeo tapped the table.

“But if you try it once, you immediately realize it was nothing. Then from then on, work is much easier.”

“……”

A reason that is out of its mind more than imagined popped out.

‘Wow this is no joke.’

I consciously picked up the water bottle and swallowed water gulp-gulp.

Sweat formed on my palms.

“Hoebae-nim also had points that were regrettable this time, right? Go back and try fixing them once. Then the burden disappears… and instead there is a sense of accomplishment.”

“Wait.”

I put down the water bottle.

“Then for now, it’s true you were trying to make me die by failing the Rookie of the Year award.”

“Does it mean you won’t get the Rookie of the Year award because I did that? That’s not it… it just made it a bit annoying.”

Cheongryeo added a kind explanation.

“Public opinion is not good, and the situation is annoying, so you might feel like wanting to try again.”

“…So you were trying to help a smooth proceeding by reducing my reluctance toward death?”

“Yes.”

“Um, don’t lie.”

“…What?”

“Whether my proceeding becomes smooth or not has nothing to do with sunbae-nim, so there’s no reason to do that.”

“…! ”

Whether I am in a very favorable relationship with this guy, there’s no way such a guy would move with altruistic intention without any benefit.

I was thinking of listening roughly and moving on, but since it reached this point, I couldn’t predict what kind of nonsense would come out so I tried cutting him off once.

Cheongryeo became a slightly embarrassed face.

“Um, of course it was a choice that considered my position too.”

“……”

“It’s not that this has an influence on hoebae-nim… just, I was a bit curious.”

Cheongryeo tilted his neck slightly.

“If you die, I want to know if I also restart.”

“……! ”

“Right. It doesn’t have to be the first point I returned to for sure……. About the point you returned to is also okay. I have several things I want to fix in the first half of this year.”

This b*stard is completely out of it.

It was a reset syndrome in the true sense.

“Ah, of course I don’t mean I want to keep starting again…… but if you check in advance, it’s certain and good. Isn’t it?”

“Wait.”

I began to think that if I’m not careful, on the day VTIC has a scandal, this guy might bury me in the dark of the night.

‘I’m going crazy.’

…I wasn’t going to say this particularly, but I think it would be better to say it for the sake of less risk.

First… since he seems to be a guy who still has logic working, let’s use logic first.

“…First of all, for me, if I fail, I think it might just be the end.”

“……Um?”

“The feeling is like that. I think it will just be the end with death.”

Since I can’t speak about the status window, I crushed it as a feeling, but it was true.

‘In my status abnormality, it is only specified as ‘death’.’

The expression ‘return’ itself was not there like that guy Cheongryeo’s status abnormality.

‘Probably it will be the end with this one time.’

Even if I could return, there was no need to take a risk. It was good for the mindset to think that it’s just the end with death for real.

But Cheongryeo gave a thin laugh.

“Ah, it’s like that at first. But it won’t be?”

“……”

“I’m telling you to try without being scared.”

This son of a b*tch, seriously.

I replied while being heated up.

“No. In the first place, I don’t want to start again. I want to see the end right here. I like the current members, and I like the fans. There is nothing I want to change.”

“……”

Cheongryeo shut his mouth. And looked at the empty air without expression.

‘…Did I go too far?’

He’s not going to suddenly take out a sledgehammer from somewhere and try to break my head, right.

But Cheongryeo soon nodded.

“…I think, I was like that too.”

“……”

“Um, I understand. Well, if that’s the case.”

This worked?

The tension almost pulled back suddenly but I endured. He is a guy who might stab in the back again like this.

But Cheongryeo just became a slightly sorry face.

“Anyway, if you suffered heartache because of me this time, I’m sorry.”

“…It’s okay. But next time, please check with my intention first.”

“Yes. Ah, then should I tell you some news that would make your heart comfortable… um, right.”

“……? ”

“I’ll tell you the criteria for the Rookie of the Year task.”

Cheongryeo laughed.

“It’s the Handaeum ‘Rookie of the Year’ award.”

“…! ”

Handaeum?

‘The’ Handaeum?

…, it’s a place… that evaluates only with musicality while excluding commerciality.

As far as I know, the time an idol received a Rookie of the Year award until now is, none…….

Wait, then it means this guy also didn’t receive it.

“Haha! Of course it’s a joke.”

“……”

Sometime… when the status abnormality ends, I’ll crush Teastar’s Daesang trophy on this guy’s face.

Fortunately, before my patience ran out, Cheongryeo spat out proper information.

“The important thing is the public opinion after receiving the Rookie of the Year award.”

“…! ”

“It only passes when the public opinion that ‘you guys received an award you deserved’ is a firm public opinion. Of course, receiving awards in the majority of actual awards ceremonies is a premise.”

…I see.

‘Was the ‘most prestigious awards ceremony’ mentioned by the status window public opinion?’

It was plausible.

Somehow, the status abnormality goal achievement pop-up didn’t appear even with this Goldie Rookie of the Year award, probably it seems it will only appear around February.

And at the moment I reached a conclusion, Bae Sejin who had run away returned.

“……! Th-there.”

“Ah, sorry. I’ll get up. Moondae-ya, I’ll contact you again.”

“……”

A positive answer couldn’t drop, but I nodded while being conscious of the fancam.

Cheongryeo waved to the whole of Teastar and returned to his seat.

Bae Sejin looked at Cheongryeo with a slightly flustered face, then sat down while feeling a bit uncomfortable with his seat.

“…Are you close with that person?”

I briefly thought about why he didn’t call him sunbae, but soon realized that it had been over 14 years since Bae Sejin debuted.

So I straightened my face comfortably.

“No. He was talking about work.”

“…Work?”

“Oh Moondae’s social life~”

Whether the voice was a bit loud, Big Sejin heard it and snickered. Probably he’s guessing that he came to make a social media excuse roughly.

However, Bae Sejin whispered with a slightly serious face.

“If he’s bullying you, tell me.”

“……”

Probably Bae Sejin is thinking of something like the gap-jil of an industry senior while recalling his past child actor experience… wait, this also seems right in some sense.

Anyway, because it was a problem that explanation was impossible, I just nodded with an ambiguous face.

“If that happens, I’ll tell you. Thank you.”

“…What for.”

On this day, Teastar even received a Bonsang, and returned home after handling the stage well without a mistake.

For reference, the Daesang was VTIC.

…Until the day my status abnormality ends, I hope those guys keep winning the Daesang if possible.

Because some crazy guy might attack in the middle of the night saying he’ll restart.

* * *

And the day after the Goldie awards ceremony.

I slowly prepared my mind, but news that wasn’t very welcome was heard.

“They say he came to work today?”

A new Headquarters Director was appointed at the company.