Chapter 141

===================

Translated by Sylph

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

===================

The moment the boxes were distributed was when the music broadcast pre-recording had ended and the fans were leaving.

Thanks to that, people ended up opening the boxes on their way home.

The light purple box, with TeStar’s logo sticker attached, seemed to shout openly.

‘It’s a reverse support gift!’

Naturally, all the fans quickly caught on to the situation.

‘No wonder they didn’t give out the music show photo cards when we entered…!’

The photo cards given to those who participated in the pre-recording were likely inside this box as well.

The fans, who had already received cream bread, coffee, or simple snacks a few times before, opened the boxes with joyful hearts.

‘I hope there’s seasoned spicy chicken in here.’

‘It feels heavy… Is it a drink this time?’

However, what they saw inside the box was a large set of 28 gorgeously packaged macarons.

“……!!”

“Ugh.”

Seeing seven macarons in four rows each was an overwhelming sight.

People in subways, buses, or cars were all startled in their own way.

Naturally, many people had never had a reason to buy 28 macarons at once in their lives.

‘There were 300 of us, and they gave 28 per person…?’

‘What is going on?’

Some fans even doubted if there had been a mistake in the quantity.

It wasn’t even just a ready-made product.

When they picked up a macaron, there was even animal paw-shaped icing on top of the shells.

‘Crazy, there’s even a bird’s paw!’

‘Is this particularly small one a hamster? Is it a hamster!’

There was even a deer hoof shape.

While the fans were stomping their feet, pounding on their seats, and unable to control the corners of their mouths, they tried to fold the boxes carefully.

‘Let’s just take a proof shot and keep it quietly.’

‘I’m going to keep it frozen forever.’

But that wasn’t the end. Something was attached to the inside of the box cover.

There was another small box.

‘No way.’

‘Another one?’

The fans tore off the box and turned it over. Then, its identity was revealed.

It was a well-packaged high-end brand perfume.

And it wasn’t a sample size, but a 50ml full product.

‘Heh.’

‘Wait.’

‘Is this some kind of winning box? No way, did they give this to everyone?’

Some people began to feel flustered beyond just joy.

In the meantime, something else came out.

Thud.

An envelope that had been stuck between the boxes fell out.

The envelope… was quite thick.

By this point, some fans even started to feel a bit scared.

‘Is there something else?’

‘Just how far did they go…?’

Opening the envelope while swallowing hard, they found a piece of stationery that looked like a copy of a handwritten note.

========================

[To my beloved Loviewer♡]

: Thank you for coming to cheer us on at the last music broadcast recording today.

Actually, we received our first settlement this time!

While thinking about what would be good to give, we wanted to give a gift that could commemorate this promotion, so we prepared it diligently.

Since we did it in a hurry to give it before the promotion ended… we would be grateful if you could look kindly upon it even if there are any shortcomings ㅠㅠ♡

ps. We chose the perfumes based on each of our favorite scents. One of the seven was included at random!

========================

The letter ended with a scribble that said ‘Loviewer, I love you’.

This part… seemed to truly be handwritten.

And, inside the envelope where the letter paper had been, there were plenty of printed photos.

They were photos of TeStar that looked like they were taken at the dorm.

The envelope was that thick because of this…!

‘Crazy!!’

‘You crazy guys…! These crazy guys!!’

By this point, the majority of the fans who had come to the music show began to scream internally.

And social media began to catch fire.

* * *

-C-c-crazy, TeStar gave 28 macarons, perfume, and photos. Uwaaaaak! Oh my god, guys, how can an idol who hasn’t even reached their 1st anniversary do a reverse support like this? Uwaahaha (Photo)

“What??”

Park Moondae’s fansite master fell off her sofa.

It was because she couldn’t accept the reality that a huge event had taken place at the last music show recording, which she couldn’t attend because she had been rushed to the emergency room due to food poisoning at night.

The timeline she checked with trembling hands was… plastered with box proof shots.

‘Damn it!!’

The fansite master pounded her head against the sofa.

It wasn’t because she was sorry about the free macarons and perfume, of course.

It was because the evidence of her idol’s love for fans was right there, but she hadn’t been able to receive it…! She felt so wronged…!

‘I could have gone!’

The fact that this happened on the day she happened to miss it made her feel like she was going crazy with regret!

And that wasn’t just her own feeling.

-Damn, I’m so jealous my stomach hurts. I want to eat the strawberry macarons our kids gave too ㅠㅠ

-Was it given because it’s the last music show… Ah, I really got cut off right in front of the application, I’m so devastated.

-If they were going to give 4 sets, it would have been nice to divide them among the last week’s music shows. Of course, it’s up to the kids… Sob sob, I just want one hamster paw macaron…ㅠㅠ

Because it so clearly showed how much care they had put into it, the atmosphere began to shift beyond envy and into a slight sense of deprivation.

And this reverse support became quite a topic in general entertainment communities as well.

It was because many people were interested since it looked expensive at first glance.

========================

[TeStar’s ‘Inki Music’ reverse support that looks like a considerable amount.jpg]

: (Photo) (Photo)

4 sets of macarons and a brand perfume.

The macarons are estimated to be handmade based on the members’ signatures. They say the perfumes aren’t all the same either, but a mix of various scents from the same brand.

=======================

At first, the majority of reactions were envious of the fans and impressed by TeStar, but soon people trying to analyze the situation appeared.

-This is a company pick. The reverse support style suddenly changed… Seeing that a brand came out, they must have filmed an advertisement.
└Hul, is it this? It looked like an excessive composition at a glance, so it was weird lol ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-In the first place, most reverse supports are done by the company or split half-and-half from the settlement. But this is so over the top that it feels a bit off lol ㅋㅋㅋ They should have made it less obvious.

-The price range isn’t at a level a 2nd-year idol would prepare, right? Heh, but the fans must have liked it. I’m jealous ㅠ I want free macarons and perfume too ㅠ

-Oh, are they filming a perfume ad? It’s rare for idols to film perfume ads, so it’s interesting.

Whether sincere or malicious, it was a series of misunderstandings.

But before public opinion could fall into a bad slump, posts verifying the reverse support letter paper were uploaded one after another.

-Our kids… seemed to have just gone for it because they were excited about receiving their first settlement… (Photo of stationery)

From the mention of settlement to the content that they had chosen and bought the perfumes.

The letter was no different from a confirmation that TeStar had prepared the reverse support themselves.

General community opinion was settled at that point.

-Crazy, they said they bought it directly after receiving their first settlement.

-What, all the guesses were wrong lol ㅋㅋㅋㅋ Whew.

-It’s not an advertisement but a cash payment. That’s real style lol ㅋㅋㅋㅋ I’m jealous of their financial power.

-It’s hard to apply for TeStar’s music show, right? I’m curious what they’ll give during the next promotion. If they give something more expensive, I want to try going too lol ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└Me too ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└Are you serious? ;; That’s crossing the line.

-They must have received a lot of money to spend it like this.
└If they sold that many albums and didn’t receive it, wouldn’t that be weirder? ㅋㅋㅋ
└Who said they didn’t?
└Eh, why are you angry? ㅠ Look at TeStar’s first-week sales and cool down ♡ It’s 830,000 (Capture)

With several attention seekers successfully repelled, TeStar left a good impression with their heartwarming reverse support.

But the fans didn’t stop there.

People who connected it with the sightings of the members a few days ago finally appeared.

-Crazy, was that dessert tour on Tuesday intended for picking this, guys? ㅠㅠㅠ
└Hul.
└Hul, seems right.
└It’s a speculation, so let’s refrain from talking about it as if it’s a fixed fact for a bit…
└Checked the macaron photo. For now, the ‘◯◯net Sweet’ on the wrapper is indeed one of the places where sightings were reported on Tuesday…. (Photo with logo circled)
└U-heo-heo-heok.

-That food tour… wasn’t a deviation during the promotion… but preparation for the reverse support…?

The fans were swept into shock because this story was excessively touching.

-Let’s not over-interpret it. If it’s not true, people will start attacking them again.

-Just the fact that they gave fans delicious things because they received their settlement is so cute and heartwarming ㅠㅠ

But then, a review post appeared on the social media account of the shop that had made the reverse support macarons.

-◯◯net Sweet review is up.. (Link)

-The kids wanted to… give them all in time for the last week’s music shows, but they said they couldn’t because it was already fully booked ㅠㅠ (Capture)

-And they kept saying it was really delicious here, so the owner was very proud…

It was a final confirmation.

In the face of the truth, fans began to plaster posts with crying emoticons, completely soaked in emotion and lingering feelings…….

-I think they really prepared it in a hurry as soon as they received their settlement. Ah, my fan-heart is beating so fast it feels like it’s going to burst….

-Even if other fan clubs try to scout me, I’ll never leave. Really, why aren’t you stanning the living genius idols TeStar? ㅠ

-An idol who… buys a lot of expensive food and even packs favorite items for fans just because they received their first settlement… I’ll go with you for life.

-It’s okay, now that I know the macaron shop, I can just order and eat there. Guys, the taste of reverse support is thrilling…

The fans were filled with pride to the top of their heads, regardless of any sense of deprivation.

And they began to be happy while uploading intense reasoning posts about whose taste which perfume was.

Furthermore, TeStar even released most of the photos they had given as reverse support on social media at this timing.

-Truly, TeStar is a legend…

-Ordered the macarons and bought the perfume. Now if I just print the photos, I’ve also received the reverse support.

It was a joyful time of reverse support.

* * *

I swiped the screen with my thumb.

“Hmm.”

The photos were uploaded well.

It was the result of acting on the same operational principle as during the first fan signing event.

‘If there are more people who feel disappointed, it’s worse than not having done it at all.’

Information and content should go to everyone.

After checking the post I uploaded once, I continued monitoring the reactions in the music show waiting room.

‘…The atmosphere is good.’

It was worth spending the afternoon to prepare.

If you spend money and it doesn’t even please the heart of the person receiving the gift, what kind of waste of money would that be?

Fortunately, it seemed to have properly lived up to the value of the money.

‘It was also a good choice to include the perfume as one random type out of seven.’

Thanks to that, although there were only three sightings, it wasn’t awkward to give the gifts in TeStar’s name.

‘As expected, I should start from the group, not individuals, to avoid grounds for discord.’

I didn’t particularly care about paying the money.

‘In the first place, I have no place to spend it.’

What does it matter when I have no family or acquaintances?

It wasn’t a situation where I needed living expenses or a house right now, and because the settlement amount was so high, it was ridiculous to say anything about this.

So I had planned to pay for it myself from the beginning and put the group’s name on it. The company wanted that too.

But a variable occurred.

As soon as he heard it, Ryu Chungwoo opposed it.

-Moondae-ya, that won’t do.

-Yes?

-You’re the one who picked them out and bought them, even giving up your break time. Then it should go in as a gift from you.

-No. It’s okay. The items were practically chosen by the members together.

-Even if you’re okay with it, the fans won’t be.

-…!

-It’s a lie for someone who didn’t contribute anything to put their name on the gift. How sad would the fans be if they found out?

-…….

-And even if the fans don’t know, our hearts won’t be at ease. Right?

-Yes!

-R-Right!

-Wow, Hyung-nim, you really speak well~

Ryu Chungwoo sorted it out firmly.

-At the very least, we should share the cost.

…So, with the members’ enthusiastic support, it meant we just split everything equally.

I was thankful, but I wondered if there was a need to go this far.

‘It’s not that he’s worried about the repercussions if word gets out, but because “it’s not right”…….’

Hmm, come to think of it, when there was talk about my personality, I think I saw a troll post saying something about me showing signs of not being loved.

‘It was a total insult to my parents.’

But separately, I think ‘the sign of being well-raised’ could refer to a guy like this Ryu Chungwoo.

‘Should I say he has no complexes?’

The type with good resilience who doesn’t stray into other paths.

Just then, the person in question spoke to me.

“Are you looking at the reactions to the gifts?”

“Yes.”

“I saw them too, the fans liked them. Actually, I feel sorry because you did everything… and thank you.”

“Well… I was only going to pay the money.”

“You did all the preparation yourself, so what are you talking about!”

Ryu Chungwoo lightly tapped my shoulder as if joking.

“Still, let’s do it all together from the preparation next time. You don’t have to try to handle everything by yourself. Since we move as a team, you should make good use of your teammates.”

“…Right.”

It was a topic I might have considered if the teammates weren’t all at least 6 years younger than me.

Ryu Chungwoo smiled brightly, patted my back once, and passed by.

I rubbed the back of my neck.

‘Well… the kids are cooperative.’

The fan gifts this time were eventually carried out all together, beyond just sharing the cost at the last minute.

So the picture was better. They each chose the perfumes and discussed the macaron designs together.

I couldn’t deny that the result of the collaboration with the guys sitting over there receiving makeup touch-ups was quite decent….

“As expected, clues about who prefers which scent are lacking. I think it would be better to leave hints through social media and such…….”

“I want more macarons.”

“Is your macaron craving more important than this agenda?”

“Yes.”

“O-On the way back, if we order…….”

“Let’s stop giving them to Eugene~ The kid’s going to start rolling around.”

“No! I’m cool!”

You guys have a lot to say while having brushes on your faces. I, who was briefly impressed, feel like a fool.

…Actually, even if not, I’ve already handled the other gifts alone.

…That’s right. There are ‘other gifts’.

While buying Seon Ahyun’s birthday present at the department store, I had also lightly taken care of gifts for the company’s working-level staff.

‘If I feed them things like this one by one, they’ll pay a bit more attention when something happens.’

It wasn’t a difficult thing, so wasn’t it good to do it in advance while I was at it?

Of course, it wasn’t anything grand. Just high-end indoor luxury slippers that could be used in the office.

But it would be better than food.

‘To these people, food is only good for the moment.’

Unless I was going to supply it continuously, it was a bad move.

It was better to be an item that could be used continuously in the working environment. Then the effect would last a bit longer.

‘It was a good expenditure in the right place.’

I recalled the remaining amount in my account.

Then… I also recalled the last withdrawal amount.

‘…I also did a bit of, donating.’

I put it into a child welfare foundation anonymously.

…Since I used the insurance money from ‘Park Moondae’s’ parents, I felt like I should do at least that much.

That was the end of this settlement money consumption.

‘Truly, life is unpredictable.’

I massaged the back of my neck and put down my smartphone.

Just then, a voice called out.

“Guys, we’re going on standby!”

The last live music show of this promotion period was waiting.

“TeStar, going up!”

“Yes~”

The stage was quite fun, as always.

…And I didn’t know about other situations, but on top of here, it was quite reassuring to have these young guys.

‘…It’s a decent team.’

Ryu Chungwoo’s words lingered in my mind.

I shook off the unnecessary feelings and came down.

And the moment I was about to recall the next schedule, I made eye contact with the manager who came running from over there.

‘What is it?’

The manager raised both hands and shouted.

“Guys! I heard you made it onto the Billboard charts!”

“……??”

“…?”

“What?”

What kind of nonsense was he talking about when our results weren’t enough for that…?