* * *
Dojae blinked in disbelief.
There was a long line in front of the broadcasting station building.
It was the queue of fans waiting to attend the music show.
‘I thought they were all fans of other singers…….’
But in the middle of the line, there were people holding a banner with the large logo of MOST.
“W-we have fans?”
Kyuseong stammered as he asked towards the driver’s seat.
Jung Giljoo chuckled as he turned the wheel towards the underground parking lot.
He hadn’t told them in advance so they could see and be happy for themselves.
“Of course! It’s already been four days since your debut.”
Four days. Not even a year, just four days.
If it were just a few days, maybe they wouldn’t know.
The members murmured in disbelief.
“Wow, I didn’t even think about it.”
“Did the company recruit a fan club?!”
When Heungmin asked excitedly, Jung Giljoo explained.
“It’s not a fan club yet. We accepted participants for the public broadcast on a first-come, first-served basis through the website. There weren’t many seats allocated for fans by the station, about 40 people?”
“No way……”
“Oh my gosh.”
Woochul and Louis exclaimed alternately.
“Not just 4 people, but 40?!”
Heungmin asked again in astonishment.
Those who came to the debut showcase stage were more like simple spectators than fans.
People who came with a bit of interest to see what kind of performance it would be.
But those who came today were definitely ‘fans.’
People who participated on a first-come, first-served basis to see MOST’s stage and endured long waiting times.
“Aren’t you guys dreaming too small?”
Jung Giljoo asked playfully.
“It’s just hard to believe!”
“You’ve been maintaining the 90th rank on the charts, haven’t you? The views on your music videos and showcase clips are steadily rising…. You think you wouldn’t even get 40 fans? I bet after today’s broadcast, more fans will come to the next one.”
Heungmin’s lips slowly curled into a smile at Jung Giljoo’s optimism.
“Then we’ll be recruiting for the fan club soon?”
“Of course. Very soon.”
Jung Giljoo answered slyly to Woochul’s question.
At the word fan club, the members’ faces lit up with excitement.
The drowsy expressions from a moment ago were completely gone.
“Our fans came! Woohoo!”
When Woochul exclaimed in excitement, Kijoon, who was sitting in the passenger seat, turned to Heungmin.
“Don’t let him run away.”
“Oh, hyung!”
“Park Woochul. Just try running off and causing trouble again today.”
“I really won’t anymore! I’ve overcome everything. That day was really…. Phew, I’m a sinner, a sinner.”
“Right. You’re a sinner.”
Ignoring the bickering Woochul and Heungmin, Dojae quietly chewed over the word fan club.
“Fan club……”
At the first outdoor concert he saw in Korea, Dojae had the chance to observe the fan clubs of other singers up close.
‘They were incredibly passionate.’
As passionate, if not more so, than the singers on stage.
To have people who listen to your music and cheer and love you so fervently.
He understood why the members were excited.
Dojae’s heart was also pounding.
***
MOST shared the waiting room with a boy idol group that debuted last week and a female indie musician making her first TV appearance.
Since none of them were familiar with broadcasts, the waiting room was bustling and chaotic.
“We’ll set up first, do the dry rehearsal, and then go around to greet the other participants.”
Kim Seokchul, the team leader who had arrived early to set up the waiting room, informed the members of the schedule.
“Wow. So we’ll be greeting all the participants?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“The ‘Candiz’ seniors are coming today, right? Meeting the Candiz seniors…….”
Candiz was a popular girl idol group that sang the OST for Louis’s favorite drama.
“Can we get autographs?”
“Louis 18, why are you acting so tacky! Maintain your dignity as an emperor.”
Louis’s nickname was ‘Louis,’ and adding his age, ‘Louis 18.’
Although he should be used to it, the word emperor still made Dojae flinch.
At the mention of Louis 18, Louis quickly retorted.
“I’m Louis 19 now, hyung!”
“Ah, right. I’m Woochul 20.”
Louis laughed heartily at Woochul’s words.
It was their first time at a broadcasting station.
The younger members, already excited, couldn’t calm their excitement even in the waiting room.
Manager Kim Seokchul watched Louis and Woochul with a cold eye.
Kyuseong poked Woochul in the ribs.
Feeling Kim Seokchul’s icy gaze, Woochul finally shut his mouth.
Louis quickly settled down too.
“Okay, no autographs.”
“Yes, that would be best.”
If only Jung Giljoo treated them as comfortably, it might have been less scary.
“Today’s broadcast is live. It’s not just on the internet, but also on TV…. There are many other singers too. Please don’t get too excited and show your best, just like at the showcase.”
“Yes, manager.”
Kijoon responded with a straight posture to Kim Seokchul’s words.
Being too nervous is bad, but completely letting go of tension can also lead to mistakes.
Kim Seokchul scanned the members, who had regained their composure.
“Then let’s start with the setup.”
At Kim Seokchul’s words, the stylists began to move busily.
***
Thanks to regaining their focus, the members completed the dry rehearsal without issue.
Since it was just a simple rehearsal to map out the movements, there was nothing difficult.
The real challenge was the camera rehearsal and the live broadcast.
The camera rehearsal would be almost identical to the real thing.
With the audience filling the seats, MOST was scheduled to perform live on stage as if it were the actual broadcast.
The members changed from their casual clothes into their stage outfits for the upcoming camera rehearsal.
“Kyahhh!”
“Candiz! Candiz!”
The cheers for Candiz, who were rehearsing ahead of MOST, could be heard even in the waiting room.
The audience, filled with fans of various singers, was buzzing with excitement.
“Wow… The cheering is really loud.”
Kyuseong, already dressed, spoke nervously to Dojae.
“Yeah, it is.”
Dojae nodded in agreement.
The cheers were loud in Dojae’s ears as well.
“You guys… are okay, right?”
Kijoon approached Kyuseong and Dojae quietly to check on them. Normally, there was no need to worry about these two, but today was different.
The song they were performing for their first music show stage was ‘Dynamic,’ chosen because it ranked slightly higher than ‘I’m Different.’
However, as the leader and composer, Kijoon was concerned. The choreography was easier than ‘I’m Different,’ but the song itself wasn’t.
Plus, Kyuseong and Dojae were in charge of the high notes in the highlight part of ‘Dynamic.’
“It’s a live broadcast… and it’s live singing…”
“We practiced a lot for the live performance, so don’t worry,” Dojae quickly replied, as if to reassure Kijoon.
Kyuseong nodded in agreement with Dojae.
Seeing the two so dependable, Kijoon turned around, saying, “Okay.”
“MOST! Get ready on stage!”
“Guys, let’s go!”
The staff member who entered shouted. Jung Giljoo led the members.
Under the stage, the members of MOST looked at the packed audience and joined hands.
Then, they shouted in unison, “We can do it! We will do it! MOST!”
It was a chant they had agreed on before debuting, a chant that made them feel like they could achieve anything.
It felt like the energy of the six members was converging into one.
“Whew… Let’s go up!”
Led by Kijoon, the six members ran up to the stage.
***
“Wow!”
“MOST!”
“MOST is amazing!”
“Kyaa!”
The members, lined up on stage, tightly gripped their microphones and looked down at the audience.
Though the cheers were noticeably quieter compared to the previous performance by Candiz, the voices of forty people constantly cheering for MOST were clear.
The members were so overwhelmed that they forgot the heat from the stage lights beaming down on them.
Unlike during the showcase, the audience’s eyes were fervent. Not only were there forty fans watching MOST intently, but also fans of other singers who could become future fans or even antis.
“One, two, three.”
As Kijoon quietly counted as promised, the members reflexively bowed in unison.
“We are MOST, striving to be the best!”
The audience reacted with “Ohhh.”
‘So this is what a music show stage feels like,’ thought Dojae quietly.
During the brief moment of silence while the staff prepared, the fans’ reactions felt as close as friends chatting.
“Wow, that guy is cute. The one with yellow hair.”
“No, I think the one with red hair is cute. He’s handsome.”
“Hey, are you all blind? The one in the center… What? I’m going to be his fan starting today.”
“Well, he is handsome. He looks like an actor.”
“So he’s a visual member. I guess he can’t sing well then.”
“You never know. Nowadays, handsome guys can sing well too.”
Hearing these candid comments, the members were slightly taken aback. They pretended not to hear and looked away, focusing on maintaining their expressions.
Just then, a loud voice from the MOST fan section shouted, “Kang Dojae, you’re so handsome!”
The voice cracked humorously, causing laughter to ripple through the audience.
The members, initially stiff on stage, also let out invisible smiles.
Dojae, turning his head towards the fan section, smiled brightly and waved.
“Thank you.”
His natural, elegant wave made him look very experienced.
It was no surprise; he had always done this at official events when someone shouted, “We love you, Prince!”
The MOST fan section erupted in cheers at Dojae’s gesture.
“Is that guy Kang Dojae?”
“Wow, he looks so confident. He’s even more handsome when he smiles.”
“Amazing. His fan service is already top-notch. Isn’t today their debut?”
“Yeah… impressive.”
Voices admiring Dojae were heard here and there. Standing next to him, Louis gave Dojae a thumbs-up, and Heungmin shook his head in awe.
Even the cameramen adjusting their focus chuckled at Dojae’s calm demeanor.
“Music, please.”
The director’s voice echoed through the venue. The members tensed up and got into position.
Soon, the intro of “Dynamic” began to play.
The first verse was sung by the clear-voiced Louis. As Louis moved to the center of the stage and sang the first line, Woochul took over the next line.
The audience was impressed by their stable singing ability, especially considering it was their first live performance.
Next was Dojae’s part, which involved a high note.
Kijoon gripped his microphone tightly, as if it were his own part.
―In the world where you and I live-!
Dojae raised his voice powerfully.
“What?”
“Wow?”
“Just now…”
The audience murmured loudly.
Then it was Kyuseong’s part.
* * *
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Thanks for the chapter
❤️❤️