The Idol Who Returned from Hell Chapter 207

It’s hard to calculate how much time has passed.

Song Ji-won checked her wristwatch while opening the last remaining water bottle.

‘It’s already been nearly 2 hours.’

She hadn’t realized so much time had passed.

The fact that 2 hours had gone by meant that the latter half and end of the concert weren’t far away.

As much as she didn’t want to admit it, the time to leave Gocheok Dome was creeping closer.

Song Ji-won shook her head slightly while looking at the dark stage.

‘It’s still too early to despair since the members have prepared more stages.’

And most importantly, there was still the fan event that had been slightly spoiled earlier.

Thinking of the item that would be neatly folded somewhere in Song Ji-won’s bag right now, a smile naturally bloomed on her face.

While the other members’ tears were good too, everyone’s wish was to see Ryu Si-hwan’s tears that they hadn’t witnessed yet.

From the earlier conversation, it seemed like this was already well-spread public opinion even within CENTIX.

So the event that MILLENNIUM had ambitiously prepared this time had to absolutely stimulate Ryu Si-hwan’s tear ducts.

While her head was filled with thoughts of the event, she heard the sound of something descending from the stage.

Song Ji-won, standing in the standing area at a very close distance from the stage, witnessed a black object falling from above.

‘Finally, it’s time for the next stage!’

As she watched ahead with a pounding heart, a yellow light descended like sunlight.

The soft yet crisp accompaniment of alternative rock began to be heard.

The black curtain rose slightly, revealing Ryu Si-hwan’s slender silhouette in the center of the light.

“Kyaaaaah―!”

“Si-hwan!”

“Ryu Si-hwan is so handsome!”

With the simultaneous screams spreading behind him, Ryu Si-hwan lightly delivered an ad-lib announcing the first verse of his solo song 〈Curtain Call〉.

It felt like he was singing slowly without putting in effort, but she was newly surprised by his voice that had somehow reached high octaves.

The black curtain descended again in time with the medium tempo drum beat.

Ryu Si-hwan, standing alone under the yellow light, closed his eyes and slowly opened his mouth.

「The show’s just started

The time when the curtain has just risen

Like well-written masterpiece

Dialogue captivates me」

The first verse showcasing solid vocals.

She could barely hear the sound of him breathing in.

The low bass melody climbed up step by step like stairs.

Song Ji-won, who had loved this song so much from the first listen that she had put it on infinite repeat for 5 days straight, found herself singing along without realizing it.

「When all the lights go out

And I’m left alone now

That long, long darkness, that time

Draws me beautifully」

Rather than the previous bright blonde, it was now much more faded.

Ryu Si-hwan swept his near-platinum hair back while lifting his chin slightly.

When his sharply extended jawline and flushed vocal cords were captured on the large screen, MILLENNIUM’s screams reflexively erupted.

「Welcome to my curtain call

This moment when everything has vanished

Maybe I can hear you all

This sound reaching my ears

Afraid I might not hear it

Afraid I might not catch it

I just quietly listened」

Ryu Si-hwan calmly recited the lyrics as if speaking to someone.

None of the techniques or high notes he had always prided himself on came out.

However, MILLENNIUM listening to 〈Curtain Call〉 at the venue was feeling Ryu Si-hwan’s sincere emotions more than ever before.

「Like a wonderful protagonist, exchanging greetings

I just watched you turn around and walk away

Can I tell you?

Can I say it

Afraid it might disappear if I touch it

This hand I couldn’t extend」

As if entranced by the brilliantly ringing drum cymbal sound, Ryu Si-hwan opened his eyes and looked ahead.

Dozens of lights pouring toward him. Twenty thousand lights swaying toward him.

As if wanting to capture all of it, he didn’t blink even once.

「Hold me, embrace me

I was only strong on stage

Now that the lights have disappeared

Without you, I’m just a child

So tell me, hear me

When this stage ends」

After the second verse ended, the chorus returned again.

Song Ji-won, who had been savoring Ryu Si-hwan’s voice, immediately noticed the difference.

The pitch was subtly rising higher than the original.

Ryu Si-hwan’s singing style, which had been reciting like a murmur, was gradually changing to a thicker tone.

The emotional tone moved up and down like walking a tightrope.

The pitch rose even more as he headed toward the bridge.

He was definitely delivering in true voice the part that Song Ji-won clearly remembered being done in falsetto.

The lighting on Ryu Si-hwan also became brighter.

And the black curtain that had descended behind the stage was now completely raised.

Due to the white light bursting from behind the curtain, Ryu Si-hwan’s entire figure stood out even more.

「I could just forget

These feelings, I could just erase them

Because it will all end

But I’ve grown tired

Of disappearing alone like this

’cause of you」

He transmitted the power drawn up from his abdomen straight to his head.

Ryu Si-hwan’s head voice rose endlessly to the sky above Gocheok Dome.

When that overwhelming vocal power and emotion swept through, MILLENNIUM watching the stage forgot how to breathe.

「The curtain call falling before my eyes

Now goodbye again」

The accompaniment that had been heading toward its climax slowly descended.

The medium tempo drum beat also quietly melted into the background.

Ryu Si-hwan slowly stepped back while lowering his microphone as if he had poured out all his strength.

「I’ll see you again

Take my curtain call」

The perfectly handled final note reached Song Ji-won’s eardrums.

Over Ryu Si-hwan’s head, slightly lowered, the curtain that had been fully raised during the climax rustled down.

“Waaaaaaah―!”

Only after all the music had stopped could the audience freely release the cheers they had been holding back.

Because they didn’t want to ruin Ryu Si-hwan’s stage that had been like beautiful acrobatics.

Because it felt like they shouldn’t touch that emotional line, MILLENNIUM had held their breath.

Now they could freely pour out generous praise toward Ryu Si-hwan who had gone behind the curtain.

“Ryu Si-hwan! Ryu Si-hwan! Ryu Si-hwan!”

The sound of chanting her favorite’s name could be heard loudly from around Song Ji-won too.

Suddenly, overwhelming emotion welled up.

‘……Why does my heart feel so full today.’

* * *

“Good work, brother!”

“……Water.”

I staggered as I entered the backstage waiting room.

I collapsed onto the sofa while holding the water bottle Chae Ha-ru handed me.

I wanted to drink water, but I had no strength in my hands at all.

‘I really poured out everything.’

〈Curtain Call〉 is a song that makes breath control very difficult.

When I first discussed ideas with Kang Seon-woo, we talked about how it would be good to calmly convey the story with pure emotion.

I didn’t know such a strangely difficult solo song would be created.

I just sang this kind of song a full octave higher.

For perfect self-satisfaction.

I made a possibly reckless challenge because I wanted to burn everything I had in this monumental moment of our first domestic solo concert.

The result……

I looked at the screen showing the panoramic view of Gocheok Dome while catching my rough breath.

As if the lingering feeling hadn’t faded yet, I could hear the fans chanting my name.

‘……It was difficult, but I guess it was successful.’

When I still wasn’t drinking water, Chae Ha-ru opened the cap for me directly.

“Brother, you were really cool.”

“I’m glad if it looked that way.”

I gave thanks and took a sip of water.

My parched tongue felt somewhat cooler.

Chae Ha-ru smiled at me and patted my shoulder.

“Until the last 〈Find Me〉, Brother’s turn is finished now, so rest well. I’ll do well and come back.”

“I have no doubt.”

Now only the younger ones’ solo song stages remained.

Since these guys had invested tremendous time and effort into these individual stages more than other performances, I knew they would naturally do well.

“Next up, Ha-ru will come up!”

“I’ll be back, brother.”

“Alright.”

I lightly bumped fists with Chae Ha-ru and then collapsed onto the sofa.

Then Cerberus, who had been waiting, jumped onto my legs in his invisible state.

{Master, the stage was really cool!}

‘Were you watching from here?’

{Of course! Oh, and I’m really looking forward to it.}

Cerberus wagged his tail frantically while grinning.

{I’m curious what kind of preparation they’ve made this time to see Master’s tears that has everyone acting like that.}

‘……I don’t know that either. What exactly is waiting for me.’

{If it’s really touching, will you cry, Master?}

‘It’s not like I don’t cry on purpose. If it’s touching and makes me feel like crying, I’ll naturally cry.’

{The hurdle is just high. I learned that for the first time.}

That one word “Look forward to it” that a MILLENNIUM fan had shouted loudly earlier.

I didn’t want to be extremely conscious of it, but inevitably my thoughts went in that direction.

‘What could it be.’

The surprise fan song event and video letters at the fan meeting were sufficiently touching, but strangely no tears came.

To be precise, tears did well up, but they didn’t flow down like with the other guys.

‘Was it because I was somewhat expecting it then?’

Maybe it was because I went knowing that fans secretly prepare these kinds of surprise events for idols.

But this time feels different somehow.

Since MILLENNIUM must have already figured out that the methods they used before don’t work on me, they would naturally have devised a completely different approach.

This makes it even harder to predict.

‘……Am I really going to cry?’

{I’m really looking forward to today. Aren’t you the same, Master?}

‘Please don’t express your expectations so openly.’

Right, well. I shouldn’t get caught up in such thoughts already.

I watched the other members take turns performing their solo song stages.

Hearing the fans’ cheers getting louder and louder, I kept getting chills.

After Ma Si-hyeok’s final individual stage was perfectly finished, we gathered in the waiting room and began changing into our final outfits.

“The first day is finally ending.”

“I can’t believe it. I didn’t know time would pass this quickly.”

“That means we enjoyed ourselves that much. I think it’s rather good.”

Everyone seemed regretful that the day was almost over, but since there were no regrets, they were satisfied.

While heading out to ride the lift.

“Brother Si-hwan.”

“Yeah?”

Suddenly Ma Si-hyeok lightly hit my shoulder and spoke to me.

When I turned around, the big guy was grinning while pointing to his ear.

“That brother organized all his in-ear cables by himself without help.”

“……This is really too admirable.”

“Is that such a moving expression?”

“It’s like witnessing my child tie shoelaces for the first time.”

The moment we went up to the stage where all the lights were turned off and stood in formation for 〈Find Me〉.

Suddenly soft light began to come down from above.

I instinctively bit my lip.

‘It’s starting.’

I put all my strength into listening for whether a video would be generated on the huge LED panel behind us.

Or whether a song would start from the audience seats.

But nothing appeared on the screen, and no sound could be heard at all.

Right when I was confusedly turning my head this way and that, trying to understand the situation.

Something appeared at the edge of my vision.

“……”

I stood there quietly, letting out a small breath.

Silently, with my lips slightly pressed together.

I had no choice but to watch the parade of paper airplanes flying beautifully toward us.