Chapter 253: Knock Him Out
[20171110 Stardust Fan Signing Event 후기]
Photo verification jpg.
I just got back from the Stardust fan signing event!!! There weren’t any huge episodes, but I’ll just write everything I remember for now haha.
It’s my first time seeing the members in real life so I’m kind of excited right now ㅠㅠ
First of all, the atmosphere at the fan signing event was great. No one was ruining the mood, and they weren’t overly strict about photos. The Hair & Makeup Team really went legendary today.
Kang Siwoo: He’s insanely handsome. Exactly the cold vibe I imagined, but when you actually talk to him he suddenly turns into a gentle giant dog lol. Can a Siberian Husky be this cute?
Ha Junseo: Our Junseo said he’s been cutting down on caffeine lately. Instead, he carries chocolate bars every morning so his blood sugar doesn’t drop. I asked about that but I couldn’t even focus… sorry. I almost lost my mind staring at his face. In my opinion he’s the top visual in real life.
Jin Sehyun: Fan-communication genius 인정. Since Sehyun was at the beginning of the line he looked slightly flustered, but he kept leading the conversation nonstop first, so I relaxed thanks to him. Where else would you find such a genius idol?
Seo Haim: Choco Haim talks so much lolololol. You’d think he’d be tired because of the schedule, but I could feel madness in our chick’s eyes…. Before I knew it, I was the one saying “Ah, really?” over and over.
I’ll write about the rest of the members when I get home…!! (Updating)
– Damn, the competition for this must’ve been legendary. You actually got through that ㅠㅠ
└ My bank account is crying…. But I don’t regret it.
└ So jealous.
└ Even if I broke my savings I still couldn’t afford that.
– Did Jin Sehyun predict all the fans’ jokes again today?
└ Yep. He looked like he was enjoying it with a “go on, try harder” expression.
└ LOL that’s so Jin Sehyun I’m dying.
└ Sometimes he pretends he doesn’t know and responds smoothly lol. It’s incredible.
– Why is the Seo Haim 후기 so funny lol. The fan said they realized they were the one saying “Ah really?” lol.
└ An idol who makes fans say “Ah really?”…
└ But this is true. Our Universe Dust members all talk a lot, but no one can beat Choco Haim.
└ 22222 Haim’s tension is always at maximum condition.
– Please give us Mam-Seohan 후기.
└ I’m writing it now. I’ll upload the photo later~
└ I saw that photo lol. He stacked all the headbands fans gave Do Seohan on his head.
└ LOL I saw it too.
└ Fan: “Why are you doing that?”
Mam-Seohan: “Building a tower is fun…!”
└ Our hamster who never stays still is so damn cute.
└ Isn’t that basically a baby…. Quietly causing trouble lol.
└ Yeah in the middle they all ended up falling down.
└ Crazy lolololololol.
[Oh right, there was this too (+fan signing 후기)]
Seo Haim said he wants to raise a hamster in the dorm these days.
While waiting during the fan signing event he grabbed leader Kang Siwoo and kept begging him.
Then Cha Seongbin dragged Do Seohan over.
— “Hey. Raise this instead.”
└ LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
└ Excuse me, that’s a human.
└ The problem is Do Hamjji got dragged over without understanding anything and nodded.
└ The youngest hamster is so cute I want to kidnap him ㅠㅠ
– But in reality Seo Haim is raising Choco Haim though.
└ What are you talking about? Kang Siwoo is raising both of them.
└ LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
└ The scene of Kang Siwoo and Ha Junseo doing co-parenting….
└ What about eldest Cha Seongbin?
└ He has to raise them together.
└ That fact-bomb sounded almost like Victorious Sehyun lol.
└ Don’t be fooled by Seohan’s gentle appearance. According to the hyungs, he’s a hamster with maximum parenting difficulty….
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[Stardust Wins Seven Music Broadcast Trophies, “A Result Made Possible Because of Dusty”]
Bang!
The sound of fireworks exploded beside my ears. At the same time, the host shouted loudly.
“First place for the third week of November—Stardust’s ‘Silence’! Congratulations!”
“Kyaaaaaaa!”
“Thank you!”
Watching the glitter scatter in front of my eyes, I let out a small smile.
Today was the second week of filming for Music Bank, and also the final Music Broadcast stage of this promotion period.
I couldn’t even remember how those two weeks passed. I had been running forward nonstop, and before I knew it I was already standing here giving the final stage acceptance speech.
Leader Kang Siwoo grabbed the microphone. Back during our first promotions, the leader used to tremble, but now he spoke smoothly.
“First, I want to thank our CEO, the Doubles Entertainment staff, our manager hyung, our families, and the members. And thank you to the fans who always believe in us and support us. Today is the last Music Broadcast stage for this promotion… but we still have so much more to show you, so please look forward to it!”
“Thank you, Dusty!”
“We love you!!”
Soon, the MR sound of Silence began to play. It was a track we heard countless times while practicing, but hearing it echo across the wide stage always felt different.
Holding the microphone, I began the first line.
A blue wave of lightsticks swayed before my eyes.
Suffocating silence
Slight light that returned as it came closer, deeper
Seo Ian walked over beside me, lightly shaking his shoulders. He waved his hand toward the roaring crowd.
Even though it was a pretty high note part, our main vocal belted it out coolly without hesitation. There was a reason everyone trusted his vocals. I layered a soft harmony underneath and continued the live stage.
“Kyaaaaaaa!”
“Waaaaa!”
“Seohan! Congratulations on first place!!!”
It had been a promotion filled with incredibly honorable results. We were already preparing for a Japanese debut next, so there was still a long road ahead—but it was impossible to deny that we had already walked quite a long path.
I filled my eyes with the faces of the fans.
Thump.
Thump.
My heart had been beating fast for a while now.
“Since this is our seventh trophy today, we actually prepared something special….”
Meanwhile, Ha Junseo smiled brightly and brought animal headbands from the corner of the stage. I put the headband he handed me on my head and continued to move to the rhythm.
Cha Seongbin burst into laughter when he saw me.
“Seohan’s excited.”
It was something to be grateful for.
Being able to stand with good people while performing a good song.
Enduring that dangerous incident safely.
And the fact that I was alive and able to stand on this stage…
That alone was a relief.
---
It was a rare break period.
Since there was no filming scheduled right away, everyone stayed in the dorm.
“Mm….”
Seohan leaned against the sofa backrest, trying to fight off the drowsiness pouring over him.
It would probably be more comfortable to go to bed, but he had gotten used to taking short naps.
Ha Junseo, who had been watching him quietly, spoke.
“Seohan, go sleep in the room.”
“Huh?”
Startled, Seohan straightened up quickly.
He had definitely been watching TV just a moment ago, but at some point his memory cut off. Maybe the fatigue still hadn’t gone away even after sleeping well yesterday.
Seohan scratched his head awkwardly and muttered.
“Ah… I must’ve dozed off.”
“Seongbin even turned on the heating in the room. It’s late anyway—want to sleep?”
“…Right now?”
It was only three in the afternoon. A bit awkward for a nap.
Since he didn’t feel that sleepy, Seohan shook his head.
“Ah, I’m fine.”
You know how it is.
When you’ve been insanely busy and finally get a break, you feel like even sleeping is a waste of time and want to enjoy the moment more enthusiastically. That was exactly how he felt right now.
Seohan fiddled with his phone and shook his head again.
Right then, Jin Sehyun—who had been glancing over here—finally spoke.
“You should go sleep in the room.”
“Yeah, yeah. You look really tired.”
“Think about it again. You’re sleepy right now.”
“…?”
As they suddenly piled on the comments, Seohan’s eyes widened.
Jin Sehyun patted his shoulder and spoke casually.
“Seohan’s looked pretty tired lately.”
“Right. It’s best to rest properly when you have the chance.”
“Uh… I told you I’m fine.”
“No, no. I’ll set up your pillow.”
Set up what pillow? I said I’m not going to sleep yet.
Seohan frowned suspiciously.
No matter how he thought about it, something felt strange.
“…Are you plotting something?”
“What would we plot?”
“Ahaha. Hahaha!”
Cha Seongbin laughed suspiciously and waved his hand.
“We’re just worried because you’re pure and lacking sleep~.”
Of course that wasn’t the reason.
They had something to discuss after putting the overly perceptive youngest member to sleep.
Cha Seongbin and Ha Junseo exchanged meaningful looks and mouthed words.
‘We need to put him to sleep first if we want to do anything.’
‘Exactly~.’
The CSAT was already tomorrow.
They had to prepare the youngest, Seohan’s lunchbox.
---
It had already been a year.
Ha Junseo clicked his tongue as he recalled the memory of secretly packing Jin Sehyun and Seo Haim’s CSAT lunchboxes at dawn.
Seo Ian clenched both fists and spoke quietly.
“So what am I supposed to do today?”
“……”
“Ian, you don’t have to do anything.”
“It’s such a relief that Seo Ian sings well~.”
“And since he’s handsome, he doesn’t need to be good at anything else!”
Yeah.
Back then, thanks to the people who were basically minus one person in productivity, things had turned into total chaos at dawn. That whole scene had even been captured on camera… but well, if the fans liked it, that was enough.
Ha Junseo chuckled and organized the situation.
“Alright, everyone gather here.”
“Okay~.”
Seohan, who eventually went into the room and fell asleep despite insisting he wouldn’t, was left behind as the hyungs gathered in the living room.
It was already past five in the afternoon.
If they were going to start preparing now, time would be tight.
Fortunately, only Do Seohan was taking the CSAT this year.
“We only have to make one lunchbox, so let’s decide the menu first.”
“We should prepare things that are easy on the stomach, right?”
“Bulgogi and seaweed soup.”
“…Seaweed soup might be a bit…”
Jin Sehyun frowned, unable to let go of Korean superstition.
Seo Haim also chimed in.
“Right. What if Seohan slips on his college exam because of it?”
“Let’s be precise. Could he slip even if we don’t put it in?”
“What if he gets everything wrong that he should’ve gotten right?!”
“Should we buy sticky rice cakes and put them in…?”
“He’ll choke during the exam….”
They were already divided from the menu selection.
Ha Junseo shook his head and scribbled on the paper.
“I think a light soybean paste soup would be better. Soybean paste soup with bulgogi—good combination and easy on the stomach.”
“Sounds good.”
“Then let’s do that.”
They just needed to divide the roles quickly and send someone to the supermarket for ingredients. Since the youngest wasn’t the team’s cook, even if they openly bought bulgogi he wouldn’t realize it was for his lunchbox.
Things seemed to be going smoothly…
Then—
Slowly, Jin Sehyun raised his hand.
“But there’s one problem.”
“What?”
“Do Seohan sleeps at four in the morning these days.”
Silence fell instantly.
“…Ah.”
Because of their schedules, irregular sleep patterns were common.
But then—
When were they supposed to prepare the lunchbox?
Had secretly preparing the youngest’s lunchbox always been this difficult?
But they couldn’t give up the event over such a small obstacle.
It was Seohan’s last turn.
There would never be another chance to prepare a CSAT lunchbox after this!
The Self-content Team had even said, “Please make sure you don’t miss this!!!”
So—
Tap.
Ha Junseo set down the pen and said,
“Then we have no choice. Knock him out.”