Debuting by Riding the Returnee’s Bus – Chapter 150

Author: LyraDhani

I was getting tense just watching him from the side.

It wasn’t as if we hadn’t tried to deal with this beforehand. It wasn’t just me—the other members had too. Knowing that Kim Haejun was crushed under immense pressure, we made sure to toss a word of encouragement his way whenever we had a spare moment.

Even Jegal Hwi, who always acted cold but secretly looked after the members, and Joo Wooyoung, who shared a room with Kim Haejun, had been making an effort to talk to him whenever they got the chance.

Jung Taehee was far removed from this kind of comforting, so he just stuck by my side as usual, but I knew that Kim Taeyeol and Baek Suhyeon had joined Joo Wooyoung in giving Haejun a push.

Despite the members taking turns to boost his courage, he had ended up in this state.

‘Kim Haejun, it’s not like this is the first time you’ve released a song under your own name.’

It should have been familiar territory. Was representing <Fantasia> really that stressful? He looked so abnormal that I genuinely wondered whether we’d even make it through today’s schedule.

We managed to finish the performance somehow, but his expression remained grim. He looked as though some kind of emergency had struck the group.

And then….

“Congratulations! The winner is… Fantasia!!!”

“WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!”

“Wooyoung hyung!!!”

“Unha!!!!!”

“We did it. We… we did it!!! Sob… hic….”

“Sniff… Unha….”

Despite winning the long-awaited #1 on a music show, his face was still deathly pale. In the midst of what should have been pure joy, the pressure seemed to have only intensified.

‘I’m the one getting overwhelmed here. Seriously.’

I could see the confetti, which I’d only ever seen through a screen, exploding with a pop. I’d expected it, but the moment our name was called for first place, my grin stretched from ear to ear.

Even before all the variety shows we’d filmed had aired, we’d taken first place by an overwhelming margin. Granted, we had benefited from the timing since none of the truly dominant groups had made their comeback yet, but I couldn’t help but find meaning in the #1 spot itself.

In truth, I was happy.

The other members were too.

Almost simultaneously with the announcement, tears burst from Kim Taeyeol’s eyes.

“Uwaaaaaah!!”

He collapsed, practically letting out a primal scream.

Baek Suhyeon, who I suspected was the biggest crybaby of the group, was dripping snot without a single thought for image management. Jung Taehee was shouting ‘Unha!!!’ at the top of his lungs, and Jegal Hwi hung his head low. Even Joo Wooyoung….

‘What? Wooyoung hyung… are you crying?’

Tears had welled up in his eyes too. It made sense since he was finally achieving his dream, but it was still a sight I wasn’t used to seeing.

Seeing Joo Wooyoung cry for the first time was fascinating, but right now, all my nerves were focused on Kim Haejun.

‘What are you doing? Haejun. Cry, quickly. Squeeze some tears out somehow. If you don’t want to get trashed for losing your rookie mindset, you have to cry your heart. If you can’t cry, at least hang your head like Jegal hyung. If you just stare blankly into space,people are going to tear you apart online.’

This was one of the few moments when crying as much as you wanted was perfectly acceptable. Naturally, tears poured down my face like a waterfall.

Of course, they were fake tears.

It wasn’t that all the hardships we’d been through hadn’t flashed through my mind, but I was so preoccupied with other things that I didn’t have the mental space to dwell on our victory.

‘I have to cry as prettily as possible. I’ve still got an idol image to protect.’

And,

‘I need to look like I’m crying the hardest. Even use Succubus’ Eyes if I have to. Make sure I look attractive while crying.’

Additionally:

‘Wait… how should I do the interview? Should I just stick to the acceptance speech I prepared?’

Furthermore:

‘I have to get to Kim Haejun… I should help steady his nerves so we can have a nice heartwarming group moment…’

Finally:

Ah. I should acknowledge everyone congratulating us.’

I had to manage the other performers who were sending their congratulations from all over. People in front, behind, and beside us were offering their congratulations.

And even….

The members of [Kingdom]—or more precisely, Kingdom’s Lime—grabbed my shoulder.

“Don’t think you’ve won with just this, Lee Unha.”

‘Seriously, what’s with this guy now? Would you get out of the way?’

“We admit we made mistakes… but we don’t believe Kingdom lost to Fantasia.”

‘What are you even talking about? More importantly, your promotions still aren’t over? I didn’t even realize you were still around.’

“We’ll be different from now on. Anyway… I sincerely congratulate you, Lee Unha.”

‘Seriously, just go away, Mr. Lime. Why are you hanging around here? I need to do the interview, so just get lost.’

Lime from Kingdom, who had just shamelessly pulled off something that anyone would call an absurd act of trolling, not only blocked my view of Kim Haejun but also stole the chance for me to embrace my own members.

‘He’s seriously asking to get flamed online.’

I couldn’t understand why he was suddenly hugging me at the exact moment I should have been embracing and celebrating with my own members. I wondered if he was trying to paint a picture of acknowledging defeat after a fair fight, but right now, the copy-paste idol in front of me was just a nuisance.

‘Seriously, move.’

What was even more ridiculous was that I wasn’t the only one dealing with them. In the middle of this chaos, as if they were man-marking us, the members of Kingdom were stuck to the members of <Fantasia>.

Were they trying to do some media play about being close to us to wash away the copy-paste stigma? Their behavior looked like an order from their agency. I almost wanted to sic an evil spirit on them, but I had no choice except to keep my expression under control. The microphone had just been handed to me.

“Hic… uugh… sob… hic… I… I mean… sniff… I’m sorry. Sob….”

“Ah. Please take your time, speak slowly.”

“It’s just… hic… there are so many people I’m grateful to, and I should mention them one by one, but I can’t remember them all.”

“Hahahaha.”

“First, first, to our <Aether> who always love us….”

‘The fans come first.’

“<Aether>… I love our <Aether> so, so, so much! The fact that we were able to receive this award, and stand here today, is all thanks to you fans. I can’t tell you how grateful I am. Words can’t express… I am so thankful. Thank you so much. Hic… and… and… Director Gu, Director Oh, and Team Leader Jung, who always believed in <Fantasia>! And….”

‘Excluding Hong Dukwang.’

“Planning Team Leader Park Sangah, who created <Fantasia>’s lore… and to the countless staff members of <The World> whom I haven’t mentioned, thank you all so much. Thank you so much. It’s all thanks to the fans who believed in our members… and the help of the staff. Hic….”

‘I have to speak as truthfully as possible.’

I poured all my past experiences into it. More sorrowfully and more beautifully than when I begged for my life to the Master. Of course, if it was too perfect, it would look like acting, so I threw in some appropriately ugly crying faces.

I was acting as if my life depended on it, to a degree I hadn’t done in a long time. Especially now, when people had started calling Lee Unha the genius actor, I absolutely couldn’t let anyone realize I was acting.

Fortunately—or perhaps not—the acceptance speech on a music show was short compared to an award ceremony. Since this was our first win on a major broadcast station, they tended to give winners a little more time than usual, but it was still brief.

‘Will the other members get a chance to speak?’

Since there was still a bit of time left, I figured it would be okay for the members to say a few short words each. Initially, I was supposed to do the speech alone, and that was how we prepared… but Kim Taeyeol looked like he had a lot to say.

‘Given the time, maybe everyone can just say one sentence?’

It was then that Jung Taehee snatched the mic as if it were up for grabs. Suddenly bursting into tears he’d held back until now, he spoke.

“I’m so grateful to Unha, who always becomes our strength when it’s hard and supports the members and <Fantasia>. Hic. Thank you, Unha. And thank you so much to the fans.”

Next was Kim Taeyeol’s turn.

“Grandma… Mom! I won an award. Waaaaah… hic… I won an award!”

Next was Baek Suhyeon, but… he either didn’t have much to say or was so overcome with tears that he couldn’t speak, so he quickly passed it on after expressing gratitude to the fans and staff. Jegal Hwi was similar. He seemed to be feeling the time constraint and passed the mic quickly.

Naturally, the turn came to Joo Wooyoung.

“I want to thank everyone who helped us stand in this position.”

A concise speech, perfectly Joo Wooyoung. Since he was looking at the fans while speaking, it felt like a message to <Aether>, but it also felt like a message to those who helped him in the other world. Perhaps it was a message for the Archmage, or other comrades who might be watching this on TV.

Next was Kim Haejun, who was standing next to Joo Wooyoung.

Honestly, passing the mic to Haejun in his current state didn’t seem like a good choice, so I looked at Joo Wooyoung, but he didn’t catch my telepathy and handed it over anyway.

Kim Haejun stood there blankly, absentmindedly clutching the microphone and staring straight ahead.

And….

Sure enough….

“W-we… next… our full-length album… no… uh… I! Thank you! Please… please look forward to it.”

Kim Haejun’s voice rang out, suddenly uttering those strange words.

“?”

‘What.’

“…….”

‘Are you crazy? Kim Haejun?’

He seemed to realize his own mistake immediately. Thinking about the full album all day must have caused the wrong words to slip out.

‘Seriously, Haejun. Have you lost your mind?’

“…….”