* * *
With the cheers of the audience gathered in front of the stage, seven young men ran out under the dazzling lights.
They were all wearing stage costumes as flashy as the lights themselves.
Dojae moved towards the stage as if mesmerized.
A few days ago, he had to listen to the sounds drifting into the car from afar while passing by an event.
But today, Dojae could approach the stage like an ordinary audience member.
“Ugh.”
However, it wasn’t easy.
Dojae groaned, squised between the people.
There were too many spectators for him to stand and find a spot.
“Ah, what’s this!”
A student at the front turned around and yelled irritably.
“Oh, sorry.”
Momentarily flustered, Dojae apologized in his usual manner of speech.
The student, Sunmi, who looked like she was about to frown even more, changed her expression upon seeing Dojae’s face.
Neat eyebrows, cool eyes, a sharp jawline.
Though his attire seemed a bit shabby, his face was strikingly handsome even at a glance.
And there was an inexplicable aura about him…
“What? Why is he so good-looking?”
Sunmi murmured, entranced by Dojae.
It had been ten years since she started liking idols upon entering elementary school.
Sunmi prided herself on having seen almost every idol by attending numerous performances.
But it had been a long time since she’d been so captivated by someone’s face and aura that she lost her senses.
Leaving the dazed Sunmi behind, Dojae sought her understanding.
“Excuse me, there’s no room. Could you move a bit?”
“…Did you come to see the performance?”
Sunmi asked in a softened tone.
Even as the two talked, the surroundings remained chaotic.
When Dojae nodded, Sunmi went to the side.
With years of experience, Sunmi skillfully moved her elbows and feet to nudge the people next to her, creating space.
“Thank you.”
Dojae expressed his gratitude with a slight smile.
It was a light, formal smile often seen at Imperial events.
But that smile made Sunmi’s heart pound heavily and loudly.
Even his manner of speech and smile.
The man before her exuded a dignity she had never felt even from top idols or actors.
Sunmi kept glancing at Dojae, forgetting the stage.
“Ah! Here! Look here, please.”
Suddenly, a high-pitched voice louder than others interrupted Sunmi’s reverie.
Dojae, who had been focusing on the stage, also turned toward the sound.
The members on stage were standing in formation, waiting for the song to start, but a fan had screamed when one of the members fixed his hair.
That scream was a cue for the fan crowd to become noisy again.
“Junghoon, your hair looks great today! So pretty!”
“Oppa! Look over here, please!”
“Guys, fighting!”
The cheers threatened to burst everyone’s eardrums.
The amazing thing was that all the noise came from just a few mouths.
It was a situation perfectly fitting the phrase “one person worth a hundred.”
“What’s this? Why are their fans so loud? Aren’t they unknowns?”
“Seems like they have more fans than I thought. What were they called again? Ah, some kind of ‘boys.’ Looks like they’ve gained some fans.”
“Oh…the group that debuted last year?”
“No, they debuted the year before, I think?”
“Big Boys! They’ve gained a lot of fans because of their great performances.”
“They’re good on stage?”
Those waiting for another artist’s performance chatted amongst themselves about the seven boys.
‘Big Boys.’
Dojae recalled the group’s name from Kang Dojae’s memories.
Big Boys was the first idol group produced by a company that had previously only nurtured ballad singers.
They had been around for a full two years now. Although their skills weren’t bad, they weren’t what you’d call a ‘success’.
The agency wasn’t strong enough to provide many opportunities outside music shows to raise their profile.
None of the members stood out in individual activities, so they had been competing solely with their stage performances.
‘Their stage presence is quite decent. It seems they’ve been building a solid fandom.’
This was all Kang Dojae’s memory had about Big Boys.
Kang Dojae himself had only seen their debut performance and none since.
Dojae was curious about Big Boys’ stage, whether they were a big success or not, especially having such enthusiastic fans.
He also wondered about the feelings of the young men on stage receiving such support.
‘Fascinating.’
Imagining someone waiting eagerly for his own songs or performances…
Just the thought made his fingertips tingle with excitement.
‘Is this why so many people in South Korea want to be idols?’
In the Korean Empire, there were popular singers, but most were solo artists, and there wasn’t a developed idol group culture like in South Korea.
After a while, the color of the lights changed, and the intro of the song started playing.
“Kyaaah—!”
“Big! Boys!”
“Big! Boys!”
Fans chanted the group’s name in unison, and the Big Boys members began to move in perfect harmony.
Dojae focused on the stage.
“Wow…”
Even those who didn’t know Big Boys’ name were naturally impressed.
Despite changing formations multiple times, they maintained precise angles without faltering.
―Even if clouds cover us, I run toward the sun!
At the climax of the song, the main vocalist in the center hit a high note, eliciting cheers from all around.
The Big Boys members seemed to absorb the intense support from the fans, their faces drenched in sweat but only growing brighter and more energetic.
―I will protect you!
With five members forming a star shape, the performance ended.
Applause and cheers poured out for the breathless Big Boys members.
Seeing it live was much better than on TV. It was incredible in person.
Sincere praise flowed amidst the clapping.
“Kyaaaah!”
“Amazing! Big Boys are the best!”
Before he knew it, Dojae found himself clapping along with the crowd, applauding the Big Boys.
Standing beside him, Sun-mi was also completely absorbed in the performance.
“That was amazing,” Dojae praised naturally, the words flowing out effortlessly.
His eyes shone brightly, just like the dazzling stage lights.
‘This is it.’
***
Many other singers took to the stage after that, but none left as strong an impression as the Big Boys.
It was late at night when Dojae finally returned home and secluded himself in his small room.
Subsisting on inexpensive meals like ramen and canned tuna, he lost track of time in front of his computer.
Despite being an outdated second-hand purchase, Kang Dojae’s computer was adequate for his needs.
As long as he could watch videos and listen to music, he was content.
‘The poor sound quality is an issue, though… I wish I could bring over the speakers from the Korean Empire.’
Eating ramen for the first time didn’t bother him.
However, the inferior sound quality was a bit disappointing.
Thus, the Big Boys’ performance videos played non-stop in Dojae’s room.
A week later, as he was watching another Big Boys performance video, his phone pinged with a notification.
Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Dojae approached his desk.
“Please, not Louis again.”
After a few days, it became clear that Kang Dojae had no friends to exchange messages with.
He had been bullied and had no friends among the trainees, and since he spent all his time practicing late into the night, he didn’t have any school friends either.
Thus, if he received a message notification, it was invariably from Kim Louis.
Louis contacted him almost daily, asking what his next move would be. Even though Dojae asked for a few days to prepare, Louis was impatient.
[Kim Louis (25): Hyung, hyung, hyung, why aren’t you answering?]
Having grown tired of replying, Dojae had ignored the messages, which now numbered 25.
Shaking his head, Dojae checked the messages.
“Oh.”
This time, it wasn’t Louis but the message he had been waiting for.
[Korean Antique Art Association
The auction for the item you consigned has concluded…]
Dojae quickly tapped the message.
“Yes!”
Even before he could fully read the message, his bank app sent an alert.
[Deposit 24,000,000 KRW
Balance 24,001,232 KRW]
The teacups he had appraised and auctioned fetched 8 million KRW each, totaling 24 million KRW.
“Perfect.”
The timing was ideal, as his preparations were nearly complete.
Dojae immediately transferred the money to his mother’s, Hyekyung’s, account.
When he opened his door and stepped out, he saw Hyekyung in the kitchen, checking her phone and looking shocked.
Given the substantial deposit of 20 million KRW, her reaction was understandable.
“Dojae! What is this money?”
“It’s for you to use until you find a new job, Mom.”
“A new job?”
“Yeah. I think you should find something else. The current job is too tough.”
Hyekyung was still working as a cleaner in Sunghwan’s building.
Apparently, Sunghwan had not said anything, likely fearing how Dojae might react if he troubled Hyekyung.
Even so, Dojae wished for Hyekyung to take it easy and look for a better job rather than working as a cleaner.
‘Technically, she’s Kang Dojae’s mother, but still, she looks just like my own…’
He genuinely didn’t want her to suffer.
“With the money I just gave you, you can take your time finding a new job while resting. If you need more, I’ll get it, so please avoid doing anything too strenuous.”
“But where did this money come from? You’ve been skipping practice and haven’t been leaving the house…”
Hyekyung had been restraining herself from asking why he hadn’t gone to practice for the past week, knowing that Dojae usually became very stressed when asked about his training.
She had been worried internally, but seeing such a large sum suddenly appear made her think of all sorts of possibilities.
“You’re not in any trouble, right? Don’t even think about giving up on becoming a singer just to make money. I know how hard you’ve worked… I’m fine, really…”
Dojae looked at Hyekyung, who was filled with concern.
‘Kang Dojae’s mother genuinely loves her son. No matter how tough it is, she wants to support his dream over money.’
He felt a bit bitter.
‘If only my mother put me before the imperial family…’
Dojae shook his head internally.
His mother wasn’t just any mother; she was the Empress of a nation.
“I left that company. That’s why I haven’t been going to practice…”
“What? Why? That company is famous. You said you wanted to debut there.”
“I left to join a better company. I’ve been preparing, so don’t worry.”
“Well, you know better than I do… But what about this money? Where did it come from?”
“Well, from performing and the signing bonus from the new company that scouted me. Really, there’s nothing to worry about.”
“My goodness… how did this happen…”
“When I debut, I’ll earn even more. We can buy a house then, and you won’t have to work so hard.”
“Hard work? You’ve had it tougher, growing up with a mother like me.”
Hyekyung’s eyes glistened with tears.
It wasn’t just the amount but also the thought that Dojae had earned money through his talent, which made her heart swell with pride.
“How can I use this money? You’ve worked so hard for it… You must need things too…”
“It wasn’t that hard… ahem. I don’t need that much money. I’ve set aside what I need, so don’t worry. It’s meaningful to earn money if you can use it.”
“Oh, my child…”
“…….”
“I’ll put half of it into savings, for when you need it in the future.”
Knowing that this would ease her mind, Dojae reluctantly nodded.
“You’re amazing… my son.”
Hyekyung repeated those words several times.
Dojae felt sorry for lying, but he had no way to explain it.
Even if it wasn’t just for his own dream, he wanted to debut quickly for Hyekyung, who only had eyes for Kang Dojae.
“Really, there’s nothing else going on?”
“Yes, nothing.”
“Alright. If anything comes up, make sure to tell mom. Come out and eat in a bit when the food’s ready.”
“Okay.”
***
Back in his room, Dojae turned his phone back on and replied to Louis after two days.
[Hey Louis]
The read receipt showed up almost immediately.
[Oh my gosh, hyung, why haven’t you been replying? Is everything okay?]
Dojae chuckled and typed his next message.
[Want to come to an audition with me?]
* * *
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Say yes Louise