Chapter 42 |
Would your hobby be more enjoyable if someone in your family liked the same things you do?
That’s nonsense.
That question was crushed by Kim Hasol, who happened to have a well-known fansite master relative.
“Do you know the joy of watching your child grow up? That’s why you can’t become a big name. Instead of just accepting what others give you, why don’t you try creating your own channel? It’s a shame that your video editing skills are going to rot at your job.”
“Because my older sister always likes those who are struggling at the bottom, she’s becoming just as strange as them. Does being famous on internet put food on your table? I don’t want to work even in my hobby.”
It was because Kim Hasol, unlike his older sister, had mainstream tastes, preferring only top-tier idols.
The older sister, who only had eyes for the newly debuted, still-growing idols, and the younger brother, who only went for already successful, fully-established idols. There was a huge wall between these two tastes.
‘Idols aren’t going to help my life, so it’s enough to just like them to relieve stress a bit. I absolutely hate the idea of stressing out worrying about them not making it.’
Therefore, Kim Hasol had no interest in the idols that his older sister liked, and he wasn’t going to in the future either. However, reality always flowed in directions we didn’t want.
“My mother’s second male child. This great sister is graciously assigning you a mission.”
“Ah, your toes! Are you crazy? When was the last time you washed your feet!”
Kim Hayeon, who burst through the door, grabbed her younger brother’s hair with her toes and spoke, “This noonim1 applied for the Survive IDOL second mission audience in the name of the entire family, and audaciously, you were selected.”
“Who gave you permission? When did you take my phone!”
“I do as I please. So, go to the audience and cast a vote for our Captain’s victory. If you vote for someone else, I’ll wipe out the woodpecker, peregrine, falcon, and sparrow folders in your computer.”
“Don’t say weird things. It’s not weird. It’s just fancam of female idols. Mom will faint if she misunderstands! And if you touch my computer, I won’t just let it go!”
“So what? I’m the one who bought that computer.”
“Get out!”
After kicking his older sister out, Kim Hasol lay down on the bed in his room, but he knew better.
In the end, he could tell that he would end up going to the audience as his sister had ordered.
“Damn … I’m going to live independently. Even if it’s just to get away from Kim Hayeon’s annoying attitude, I’m going to live on my own!”
Kim Hasol, who was born late in the land of courtesy in the East, carried the sin of it and had no real say in the house. It was impossible to defy his older sister’s orders.
His older sister wasn’t originally someone who would go out of her way like that. It was clear that a guy named Han Seungbeom had taken control of his older sister’s brain and altered her personality.
‘What on earth is it about Han Seungbeom that’s making her go crazy like that?’
“What the hell is this guy? What is he doing!”
Kim Hasol was filled with anger and began searching through the anonymous community of Survive IDOL fans.
[Han Seungbeom who captivates even the other men too]
As soon as he entered the community, an article with a very high number of recommendations caught his eye. He scoffed at the phrase ‘even other men‘ and clicked on it, only to be met with a full-screen capture of an Instagram post.
(Screenshot showing the phrase, “yanghajun_official and many others like this“)
Yang Hajun pressed like on the post that Han Seungbeom’s fansite uploaded and then unliked it LOL It seems like Yang Hajun is a member of Seunggyodo too.
— I think he accidentally pressed the like button with his official account instead of his other account hahaha what should we do ㅠㅠ He must have been surprised. Isn’t he going to get scolded by his agency?
— I hope there won’t be any issues with fairness or anything just because he’s the MC. Fan devotion is something you do because your heart tells you to. Everyone knows that.
└ No, MC should be fair. What’s the point of bringing in kids who are desperate to debut and then doing this? lol If he has been paid appearance fees, I hope he will have the conscience to step down.
└ If people read this, they might think Yang Hajun rigged the rankings. He just got caught secretly fanboying, haha. Don’t use the trainees’ desperation as a shield and falsely accuse Yang Hajun. Just focus on promoting the trainee you’re betting on.
— Why are there so many male fans of Han Seungbeom? Now he’s even going after celebrities?
└ The Captain surprisingly has a lot of male fans. Though the majority is female, I often see male fans too, maybe because there are just so many fans.
└ Honestly, Han Seungbeom is a beauty that transcends gender and race … even if I were born a pig, I would have recognized how handsome Han Seungbeom is and would have squealed and clung to his side. What does gender matter when his face is like that?
└ Oink
└ Oink (2)
└ Oiink (3)
└ What kind of pig pen is this?
Kim Hasol was dumbfounded by the endless stream of comments on the post and laughed in disbelief.
“Men could be captivated too? Ha, what a joke. My heart only races for girl groups. I’m too busy watching girl groups to waste my time looking at the same gender.”
He had a serious girlgroup addiction.
Kim Hasol had already seen Han Seungbeom’s face since Survive IDOL became a hot topic.
‘I’ve heard that these days, women are into female idols and men are into male idols … but that’s definitely not me.’
He was impressed by his sculpted beauty. But that was it. He didn’t feel the urge to be his fanboy.
His heart didn’t race, even though he was going to see the real thing tomorrow.
Bam!
“Go to bed quickly and make sure you get to the broadcast station on time tomorrow! If you don’t go properly, I’ll cancel the headset I ordered as your birthday gift!”
“…….”
He could hear his sister kicking and screaming at the door.
Kim Hasol obediently closed his eyes as instructed by the person in authority.
***
In the end, pushed by his sister’s pressure, Kim Hasol visited the broadcast station to do a on-site audience evaluation for the second round of the competition.
‘Well, all I have to do is vote for Han Seungbeom, right?’
He had been distracted and hadn’t been able to properly watch the trainees’ performances, but since he had come just to cast a quick vote anyway, it didn’t seem to matter.
“Then, let’s start the Motorcycle team’s performance!” Yang Hajun, with eyes sparkling with personal interest, confidently delivered his lines.
“Wooow! Seungbeom-ah, fighting!”
“Captain! I believe in you!”
‘Why are there so many Han Seungbeom fans?’
Looking around, it seemed like everyone was a fan of Han Seungbeom. Kim Hasol momentarily even wondered if he had mistakenly entered a concert venue.
Vroom!
All the lights on the stage went out, and a magnificent drum sound resonated. Then, the sound of an electric guitar, the engine of a motorcycle, and the sound of the wind rushing past were added one by one.
“What?”
‘Was there a part like this in the Motorcycle’s intro? Did you rearrange it?’
In the end, Kim Hasol had no choice but to raise his head. The intro, completely different from what he had expected, piqued his curiosity.
And before the murmurs of the on-site audience grew louder, Han Seungbeom appeared.
“KYAAAAAAAAAA!”
“WOW!”
On stage, Han Seungbeom was riding a racing bike completely covered in matte black. Behind him, a road that looked like it was speeding by was projected on the screen, as if he were actually riding a motorcycle.
Woosh!
To convey the speed of the motorcycle, it seemed as though a very powerful wind fan was blowing directly at his face, but Han Seungbeom rode on the road without the slightest hint of awkwardness, as if he were in a scene from a movie.
As the camera dynamically moved towards Han Seungbeom for a close-up shot, and his image appeared on the screen, smiling with one eye squinted, the audience let out sounds of admiration.
‘Seeing him in person, he really is different. He looks like a sculpture.’
Kim Hasol, without even realizing it, swallowed his saliva and stared at Han Seungbeom on stage.
Boom!
Han Seungbeom forcefully pushed the camera to the side, and with a sound effect as if it were colliding, all the lights on stage disappeared once again.
And among the lights coming in like runway lights, there stood eight strong men in a line, with Han Seungbeom at the front.
“He really brought all eight of them … the Gung Ye2 is true.”
“I’m confident that they’re going to win first place, this is it.”
The audience was mesmerized, and laughed in disbelief. The huge number of members standing side by side was, in itself, both a visual masterpiece and proof.
Proof that there were no dropouts in this team, that Han Seungbeom had saved every single member.
‘Wow, that’s so cool.’
In that moment, Kim Hasol couldn’t help but set aside his resistance and purely admire what he saw.
While his eyes were still locked on the stage, Han Seungbeom bent down and leapt upwards, and the figure that appeared caused the on-site audience to scream as if they were about to tear apart.
“It’s Zen!”
“What? That’s Zen? Was he originally that handsome?”
Zen, having skillfully showed a facial expression as if mocking people’s doubts, shouted while gesturing towards the camera.
“Tsuitekoreruka?”3
“WAAAH!”
‘I don’t know what he’s saying, but I’m getting excited!’
Kim Hasol, holding onto his heart that was starting to pound little by little, instinctively sensed that something had begun within him.
It wasn’t just Zen. Every member of the Motorcycle team had evolved in a much more sophisticated way, each showcasing their own unique charm.
Han Seungbeom didn’t show off at all, but everyone in the audience could tell; the members’ dazzling transformation had all come from Han Seungbeom’s fingertips.
“Engine, On“
Woo Kangwon, with his deep bass voice, sang.
“Light, On. Broom Broom!“
Followed by the husky Zen.
“3, 2, 1, go!“
Han Seungbeom, stepping in time with the beat, leapt forward and shouted.
Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!
And with the intense beat, the group performance unfolded.
There wasn’t a single dancing hole in this team. Even if they couldn’t perform the moves perfectly like top-tier dancers, the members carried out the choreography accurately in time with the beat. That was enough.
Han Seungbeom’s strong presence drew all the attention to the center, making it feel as though the dance of every member was just as outstanding.
“HAN SEUNGBEOM!”
The sound of the button continuously being heard as the on-site audience rapidly cast their votes to the Motorcycle team.
There was definitely a reason why Kim Hasol had insisted on fanboying over first-tier idols only. The coolness that came from ease, the skill born from experience, and the overwhelming popularity; he envied those things.
But today, Kim Hasol felt a sense of satisfaction from Han Seungbeom that seemed to fulfill all of those desires.
‘Has there been a group that delivered this level of quality in a performance over the past few years?’
No matter how much he searched his memory, he couldn’t find an answer.
Other than STARZ and PRISM.
“Everyone, gather here. Let’s go Start the engine, see the blue light, let’s go Blow the horn.”
“Let’s ride without fear As far as we can go. As far as we can go.”
“Moto Moto Motorcycle I’ll show you from now on. A new world”
“Anywhere you want to go I can go to the end of the world. I will
Watching Han Seungbeom shine no matter where he stood on the stage, he could feel it.
That guy was destined to reach the top.
“Broom Broom!
Make a wild noise. Run without brakes!
Start the engine, see the blue light, let’s go.”
“Everyone’s gotten so cool, but Zen especially has changed 180 degrees. Did he completely change his style in just a few weeks?”
“Was Zen’s voice always this good to hear?”
Zen, who had flawlessly performed his part like a pro, looked at Han Seungbeom and smiled brightly. In return, Han Seungbeom slowly blinked, as if to compliment him.
The sight of them truly enjoying the stage fired up the atmosphere among the on-site audience.
And at that moment, Han Seungbeom’s part came.
“Let’s run without thinking Don’t worry. Don’t hesitate”
The movement of the eyelids and pupils, the disheveled outfit from the intense choreography, and even the fluttering hair all felt meticulously calculated.
“Moto Moto Motorcycle
The cool breeze is surrounding us.”
Han Seungbeom’s face was captured in a close-up on the giant screen.
“Ah……”
The close-up shot, taken with a dreamy effect as if in slow motion, drew audible gasps from the on-site audience. The evaluation hall was so noisy that it was impossible to hear the audience’s voices unless they were outright screamed. This was only possible because everyone let out a gasp at the exact same moment.
Han Seungbeom smiled softly, as if very pleased with the reactions. He moved on to the next formation immediately, but Kim Hasol couldn’t forget that smile.
“Wrap your arms around my waist and lean on me But don’t close your eyes”
“Moto Moto Motorcycle You won’t want to miss this sight”
“Running, shouting for freedom over and over again.”
.
.
.
“That concludes the Motorcycle team’s performance. Trainees, you’ve worked really hard.”
With Yang Hajun’s remark, his face filled with excitement, Han Seungbeom’s team’s performance came to an end.
‘That’s my hyung. He was born to be a big brother.’
Even after the performance ended, Kim Hasol blankly watched as Han Seungbeom led the members offstage, unable to even clap. When he touched his face, he felt a lukewarm liquid.
“Is that guy crying?”
“Wow, he’s a fanboy. I guess he really likes him. It’s hilarious that he’s crying.”
No matter how much the people around him whispered, Kim Hasol shed hot tears without wavering.
Then, he pulled out his phone from his pocket and called his older sister.
“Did you vote well?”
His older sister’s cold voice came through the speaker. Kim Hasol ignored her question and confessed his hidden feelings.
“Noona, I … I’ve found someone I want to respect as my hyung.”
“What are you talking about? Are you out of your mind? Seungbeom is way younger than you.”
Kim Hasol had no choice but to admit it.
There was something about Han Seungbeom that could stir even the hearts of fellow men.
“You don’t know, Noona? Hyung is an identity.”
“I guess tastes really do run in the family.”
Thus, the second day of the competition became the day when Han Seungbeom’s famous video channel was born.
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Translator’s Corner:
- Noona (older sister) + -nim (suffix for calling someone above you in the hierarchy) ↩︎
- omg this is going to be LONG
Gung Ye (궁예) was a historical figure in Korea history. Although he was a prince was a leader of the rebel group that went against the unpopular Silla government, which almost abandoned the affairs of their subjects for the struggle for power among royal family members. Based historical records, he was assumed that he had quite outstanding military talent, leadership, and charisma. Well, if you read his history, he’s quite impressive, lowkey like “I’m-not-like-the-other-Kings” type and was said to be a complex person with two-faced personality etc.
He is also jokingly called the first chuunibyou leader in Korean history. He has some characteristics that are somewhat similar to the chuunibyou that are circulated on the Internet today, such as wearing eye patch, being an abandoned member of the royal family of Silla who claim to have “the ability to read mind”, rebelling against the existing social system, and having corrupt behavior due to madness in his later years.
NOW IF YOU READ ALL THAT, YOU MIGHT THINK IT MEANS THEY’RE COMPARING MC WITH HIM RIGHT? SOMEHOW IT’S SO FIST
but apparently it’s not. The “Gung Ye” here is the short for 궁예질, this is an online slang to refer to the act of making groundless speculations about an event. This slang originated from how Gung Ye claimed he has the power to basically read the minds of people who harbored treasonous intentions (관심법) (this is just him making up things to eliminate his enemies). That’s why here the person said “Gung Ye” that refers to the anon before who posted screenshoted about how everyone hugged Seungbeom so that must mean he saved everyone. ↩︎
- This part is said in Japanese ついて来れるか? It means “Can you keep up?” ↩︎
I’m torn between STARS and STARZ but I guess STARZ sounds more unique for idol group name ….