The Idol Who Returned from Hell – Chapter 203

Author: Dawn

‘My heart feels like it’s going to explode!’

The standing area was inevitably packed with people as usual.

But this suffocating feeling wasn’t entirely unpleasant for the homma.

She calmly gazed at the stage view ahead while lost in thought.

‘Maybe getting second floor seats on the second day was actually a stroke of genius?’

Of course, she was planning to take preview shots today and on the final day too, but thinking about seeing the members from such close range made her likely to forget to turn on the camera again.

It would be best to prioritize taking shots but not push herself too hard.

During the fan meeting, security hadn’t been that strict, but who knows how it might change for this concert.

‘My number probably won’t win.’

This time too, CENTIX had prepared a surprise event.

At the last fan meeting, they had distributed MILLENNIUM bracelets that the members personally handmade in the form of scratch tickets.

The items looked quite expensive at a glance, so all the winners received everyone’s envy.

She couldn’t even imagine what kind of surprise gift would be provided at an even larger-scale solo concert.

The homma, who was strangely unlucky with this kind of thing, had already given up hope early on.

‘How nice it would be if my luck with seeing the members could transfer to lottery luck.’

During Ryu Si-hwan’s birthday cafe tour, the fact that her route had perfectly overlapped was really unbelievable.

Since then, the homma who hadn’t been shut out of any official events like this was hoping this luck would transfer elsewhere.

While spending time with these various thoughts.

The lights illuminating Gocheok Dome began turning off one by one.

‘It’s starting!’

The sound of people filling all seats simultaneously taking a breath could be heard.

Feeling the rising atmosphere, the homma also clenched both hands tightly and looked at the stage.

[Loading……. Loading…….]

Gray-white lines appeared as if an old TV was turning on.

Soon a background made of small pixel units came into view.

[Insert Coin!]

Cheerful music that could be heard in old arcade rooms was coming from the speakers.

A message to insert a coin and start playing blinked at regular intervals.

‘The game concept from the teaser is coming out exactly as is!’

Everyone was getting slightly excited by the classic game BGM making beeping sounds.

As all the lights turned off and only the pixel background continued on the large screen, sounds of people around the homma wondering where the members were could be heard.

Then.

[To insert a coin, please shout ‘Yes!’]

Different subtitles in Korean appeared.

An unknown gauge was created at the bottom of the screen.

MILLENNIUM, looking back and forth between the two items, gradually began shouting in loud voices.

“Yes!”

“Kids, we miss you!”

“Yes, yes, yes!”

As the outcry grew, the gauge bar at the bottom gradually filled up.

The shouts from 20,000 people gradually became one, creating tremendous resonance.

In this magnificent scene that made one’s chest swell, the homma also screamed with all her might.

“CENTIX come out—!”

The moment she shouted, the gauge bar magically filled up completely.

The screen that achieved full gauge suddenly sparkled with brilliant lights.

[Coin Accepted!]

[Now introducing…… the competitors!]

Along with an effect of being sucked into space, bright lights suddenly turned on here and there in the middle of Gocheok Dome.

A total of 6 pillars of light were created.

And from the light on the far left, a tall shadow gracefully flew up.

“Kyaaaaaah—!”

“Seon-woo!”

“Kang Seon-woo!”

Lightning-like screams were heard.

MILLENNIUM in the standing area below looked up with their mouths agape.

Like a bird with wings, Kang Seon-woo grinned and rose all the way to the ceiling of Gocheok Dome.

People sitting at the edge of the second floor seats literally got to see Kang Seon-woo’s wire action right in front of their noses.

Those in the aisle were close enough that if they stretched their hands just a little, they could almost touch his legs.

MILLENNIUM in the floor area, realizing this fact, covered their faces and let out cries close to despair.

“Should I have gone to the second floor?”

“If I had known it would be like this, I really would have gone up to the second floor!”

“So jealous, seriously. Whoa, whoa! They get to see from that close up?”

But this was just the beginning.

When Seong-hwi flew up from one section over, even louder cheers than before endlessly filled Gocheok Dome.

And when the homma’s bias Ryu Si-hwan slowly rose through the center pillar of light.

“Si-hwan―!”

A pitiful cry burst from her mouth without her realizing it.

But quickly regaining her composure and looking at where the light pillars had fallen, it was truly incredible luck.

Tomorrow, on the second day of the concert, the second floor section the homma had booked was a seat not far from where Ryu Si-hwan had appeared!

Watching Ryu Si-hwan descending toward the center stage, the homma put her hands together and prayed to the gods.

‘Please don’t let the appearance order change tomorrow! I absolutely have to see Si-hwan flying right in front of my eyes!’

Following that, Ma Si-hyeok, Chae Ha-ru, and Yu Ha-woon also safely landed on the center stage.

The brilliantly flashing pixel game-style background became quiet again.

As the lights that had brightly illuminated the dome also disappeared, a faint tension moistened the air.

「My love is chronic, chronic」

A clean melody without variations.

CENTIX, who had performed countless special stages, arena tours, and even year-end music awards, had presented their debut song 〈Chronic〉 in various versions.

However, this sound reaching the homma’s eardrums now was exactly the same melody as when CENTIX had their dream debut.

Looking ahead with eyes moved by emotion, a scene carefully stored in her memories came to mind.

‘It’s the outfit from their first music show stage!’

No matter how good an arranged version might be, it can’t beat the original.

CENTIX, who chose the thoroughly straightforward approach, performed the group choreography without showing even a single error.

The cheer that she had memorized first while fangirling came back to life.

Not just the homma, but all the MILLENNIUM watching CENTIX together matched the timing and powerfully chanted the slogan.

“Let’s go together, CENTIX!”

While emotions were welling up, the homma’s rationality worked quickly.

She thought she should take at least one photo of every stage, so she couldn’t just watch quietly even now.

With practiced skill, she zoomed in and took rapid shots, then turned all her attention back to the stage without even having time to check the preview.

Her gaze was fixed on Ryu Si-hwan with his blonde hair slightly faded from bleaching.

‘Magnificent.’

Blonde hair that easily ended the fight between black hair and brown hair factions.

Seeing that look from such close distance felt refreshing.

When the members stopped in their ending pose after moving in perfect unison, more enthusiastic cheers than ever before erupted.

The light sticks dyed in MILLENNIUM’s official color blue created beautiful waves.

Soon, without even time to catch their breath, the next song 〈Uprising〉 began.

Dancers standing on both sides, as if they had been waiting, appeared majestically holding huge flags.

CENTIX, who had thrown off the jackets they were wearing on top, advanced to the extended stage while showing off military-style outfits.

“MILLENNIUM, scream—!”

Was there any MILLENNIUM who didn’t respond to Seong-hwi’s powerful command?

Enjoying the ecstasy rising to the point of consuming her body, the homma screamed while waving her light stick and slogan.

‘I’m so glad to be alive!’

* * *

“Ah, this is really too fun, what should I do?”

“What do you mean what should you do, just hurry up and wipe your sweat.”

After finishing the planned 3 opening stages, we came down to backstage.

The dressing room prepared below the set was very busy.

Watching the coordinating staff running around without even time to drink water, I firmly pulled Kang Seon-woo over.

He was already half-lost, drunk on the fans’ enthusiasm.

“I want to enjoy this feeling a bit more—.”

“Didn’t you hear what Ha-ru said earlier? Today is the first day of the concert and there’s still a long way to go. So come to your senses and wipe your sweat.”

“Heartless, heartless, no romance.”

Although Kang Seon-woo grumbled at me, he obediently sat in his chair and received makeup touch-ups.

Both my situation and Kang Seon-woo’s were very busy, but the real battlefield was elsewhere.

“Should we put on the outfit first?”

“I think I can change pants even now.”

“There’s plenty of time, plenty! No need to rush. How many seconds are left on our VCR?”

“140 seconds remaining on duration!”

“Really no time?”

The area where Yu Ha-woon and Chae Ha-ru were sitting had clothes and makeup tools literally flying around.

After singing 3 group songs in a row, while the pre-filmed VCR was playing, the members had to quickly prepare for the next stage.

And the ones starting off those anticipated unit stages were Yu Ha-woon and Chae Ha-ru.

“I have to wear a wig too! Isn’t this too late?”

“When you rush me like that, I get anxious too, Ha-woon!”

“Gasp, sorry!”

While Chae Ha-ru had relatively simple clothes to change into, Yu Ha-woon had more things to take care of.

The biggest example was having to wear a wig, but first he had to wipe off the sweat beading along his hair before he could put it on.

“Ha-woon, don’t forget to take the flowers.”

“Can’t Brother Si-hyeok just hold them? I’ll take them and go up right away!”

“Oh, okay. Got it.”

Ma Si-hyeok, who had sweated relatively less, was standing holding Yu Ha-woon’s props in advance.

I grinned looking at the colorful flower buds.

“I think their stage will get the best reaction.”

“No way, that’s absolutely not it.”

“Why are you so confident?”

“Well, you and I also prepared an amazing weapon, right?”

The unit stages with 2 members each consisted of me and Kang Seon-woo, Seong-hwi and Ma Si-hyeok, and Chae Ha-ru and Yu Ha-woon.

The pairing that fans who had been with us since 〈Idol Stove League Season 2〉 commonly called the ‘fundamental combination.’

While 3-member unit stages were also scheduled for later, the duo stages that incorporated diverse concepts and ideas would definitely stimulate MILLENNIUM.

“Every time you talk like that, I get scared. Like you’re going to make me do something you didn’t tell me about beforehand again.”

“And yet who always follows my words exactly?”

“……If I don’t follow them, you threaten me by holding the fans hostage every single day.”

“This is exactly the mastery of negotiation and deals!”

“Seon-woo, don’t move!”

“Sorry!”

While Kang Seon-woo got scolded by his dedicated coordinator, the first unit stage performers finished all their preparations.

“Do, do I look okay, everyone?”

Yu Ha-woon, changed into special outfits, glanced at us.

Mm, seeing his fluttering appearance, it definitely felt like the costume team did a good job.

“What’s there to say.”

“It’s a visual that makes me want to hug you right now.”