Chapter 293: Dating Simulation (1)
[Universe Dust Reached No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100]
That's the second-highest ranking ever for a boy group.
Tiple still holds the highest record at No. 9 on the Hot 100 among boy groups, right?
I still can't believe a rookie group that's only in its third year achieved this....
Our boys have grown up so much lol.
Doubles must be so lucky lol.
They've got two lucky charms.
Namil's probably dancing with joy right now.
└ LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
└ He has every reason to be happy lol.
└ It's beyond just being happy lol. He probably hoisted Kang Siwoo onto his shoulders.
└ CEO, your back's gonna give out;;;
└ How's he supposed to lift Kang Siwoo? lol. The other way around would make more sense.
└ No matter how happy he is, there's no way he's lifting our husky puppy;;;
Doubles can't protect their artists at all, yet they're shamelessly reaping all the benefits.
└ These bastards are the kings of freeloading.
└ Our boys accomplished everything through their own abilities from beginning to end, so don't even think about taking any credit lol.
└ What are you talking about? Doubles supported Stardust.
└ ?????????
└ Yeah, Doubles did push Stardust.
They keep pushing them straight off cliffs.
└ LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLL insane.
So Stardust's officially top-tier now?
└└└ They're Tier 1.5.
└ What nonsense lol. Stop talking crap.
└ In terms of domestic recognition, Tier 1.5 is accurate lol.
Their Billboard success was all thanks to Linden anyway.
Honestly, every time Stardust made Billboard so far, it's been because of collaborations lol.
Have they ever ranked high with one of their own songs?
└ Our boy composed the song though.
└ Exactly. Your group's recognition is lacking on its own.
└ Foreigners only know Dream the Star.
They probably don't even know what dusty corner Stardust crawled out of.
└ "Dust from some corner" lolllllllll.
The boys just achieved the best results of their careers, yet people are still trying to tear them down. That tells you everything.
Meanwhile, your faves can't even chart on Billboard ^^
Keep seething.
└ Destroying them with facts feels so satisfying lol.
└ Exactly.
└ Dustys are so full of pride right now that nothing anyone says is getting through.
└ 2222 I can only see how amazing my babies are.
They had reached No. 17 on Billboard.
It was the second-highest Billboard ranking ever achieved by a boy group.
They had accomplished such an incredible feat in only their third year since debut.
At that point, there was no reason for me to pay attention to what other fandoms were saying.
The Dustys confidently brushed aside all the trolls that came swarming in.
After casually skimming through the comments, it didn't even look like anyone was particularly affected.
While our fans' mentality was becoming stronger by the day....
“Hm?”
Cha Seongbin, who had just been reading the comments, was currently melting down right in front of me.
I wondered why he was sprawled over the table, weakly flailing both arms.
Then I heard his sorrowful muttering.
“Billboard because of collaborations....”
There goes that Ocean Sunfish again.
Having immediately grasped the situation, Ha Junseo let out a sigh.
“Siwoo, take Seongbin hyung's phone away.”
“Hand it over, hyung.”
“No! Don't!”
For the sake of protecting the Ocean Sunfish's mental health, Kang Siwoo ultimately confiscated his phone.
Thankfully, things were going so well publicly that there was no reason to be endlessly shaken by petty hate comments like those.
As if he'd never been depressed at all, Cha Seongbin simply shrugged with his usual sly grin.
“Next time, we'll make Billboard with our own song~.”
“Oh? Just a second ago, you looked like you'd lost the entire world.”
“Sehyun-ah, that's your imagination.”
“I wonder about that.”
“Hey!”
Just as quickly as his mentality collapsed, his resilience had improved too.
As long as he could stand back up after being shaken down, that was enough.
Jin Sehyun clicked his tongue.
“Junseo hyung needs to quit caffeine, and Seongbin hyung needs to quit social media.”
“I don't even look that often.”
“You only have to look once before you're crying in the corner.”
“What nonsense are you talking about? Since when did I ever~?”
“Today.”
Listening to the two bicker, I turned off my phone.
“......”
The overseas response was explosive as well.
Honestly, I didn't care about all the jealousy over whether it was because of collaborations or whatever.
No matter whose rope I grabbed onto, all that mattered was accomplishing my own goal.
One million during the overseas tour.
A number that had once seemed impossibly high was finally starting to feel attainable.
Kim Woochan was right.
'Why? You're doing great.'
I was doing well.
As long as I kept going like this and stayed on my own path....
That would be enough.
Ah, of course—
Before that—
There was one bit of background noise I'd need to deal with first.
Yesterday, I noticed posts like these starting to appear.
[Was Do Seohan actually really sick?]
A friend of mine works as a nurse in America, and she said Do Seohan was admitted to her hospital??
I heard he really collapsed when he missed that schedule the other day.
There are still people who believe rumors like this?
└ You're saying Do Seohan collapsed, then was completely fine by the concert?
Does that even make sense?
└ They probably forced him onto the stage even though he was still sick. 😭😭😭😭
If someone collapses, they can't perform on stage lol.
Seohan was flying all over the stage during the concert.
What are you talking about?
└ Our Do Hamjji looked ridiculously healthy.
Having a frail image become increasingly fixed wasn't exactly a good sign.
Especially when I still had a truckload of stages left to perform....
One person threatening to make me cancel my entire schedule was already more than enough.
Do Seojun alone was sufficient.
So—
I put some thought into changing the topic.
I immediately went to see Chief Song Jinha.
'Please book me on a program.'
If possible, something genuinely funny.
Two weeks later, the official news broke that Stardust would be appearing on FNL.
A lighthearted comedy show where making a fool of yourself was part of the fun.
FNL had also been receiving overwhelming reactions overseas.
Under those circumstances, having Stardust appear was a win-win that neither side could refuse.
As soon as the article was released, posts flooded the online communities.
[Did you hear Stardust's appearing on FNL?]
Feels like it's been forever since a boy group was on there.
Honestly, I never expected Stardust to show up lol.
[Who's appearing on FNL?]
Is it Do Seohan, Ha Junseo, and Kang Siwoo?
Yep, yep, yep.
The other four are appearing on different variety shows.
They did pick the members with decent variety sense.
└ Ha Junseo has variety sense?
└ Yeah.
He's naturally unique.
└ LOLLLLLLLLLLLLL.
[Am I the only one who's not excited about Stardust appearing on FNL?]
They're idols.
They can't completely let themselves go.
Honestly, it'll probably be boring.
Comedy shows are supposed to make people laugh.
If they aren't funny, why even do it?
It's fine.
Our boys are entertaining just by showing their faces.
└ LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL.
└ That's exactly why this isn't exciting.
Comedians are desperately trying to be funny, but these guys....
└ You clearly never watched Starf, did you??
They're afraid of embarrassing themselves?
They're not desperate enough?
So you've never heard Mam-Seohan's cicada impression, bunting impression, or junk truck impression?
└ LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLL.
└ Wait, what do you mean bunting? lol.
└ The cry of a bunting wandering around the mountainside.
Just as expected.
The moment their appearance was announced, insulting comments immediately started appearing.
Judging by how many people like that had started showing up lately, reaching No. 17 on Billboard must have dealt massive area-of-effect damage throughout the industry.
Dusty Minha hummed to herself as she scrolled down.
No matter what other people said....
As a third-year Dusty, Minha believed one thing with absolute certainty.
It'll be entertaining just from looking at their faces.
I mean—
With that lineup?
Heart pounding with anticipation, Dusty Minha turned on her monitor.
.
.
.
One of FNL's most popular segments.
[One Day, I Reincarnated into an OOO Game!]
Each week, the cast would reincarnate into different game worlds—horror games, fantasy games, and more—creating nonstop laughs.
There was already a loyal audience that tuned in every week just to watch comedian Lee Yooji's over-the-top antics.
Today, however, the live viewership was unusually high.
It was because fans had flocked in after hearing Stardust would be appearing as guests.
The segment's title screen appeared.
A subtitle appeared as Lee Yooji's narration began.
[It was an ordinary day....]
[At least until I downloaded one strange app...!]
[Everything had been perfectly fine....]
Inside TBN's waiting room.
After finishing her makeup, Lee Yooji was sprawled across the sofa scratching her head when she frowned.
A newly installed app had appeared on her phone.
The moment she saw the suspicious app flashing brilliantly on the screen, her expression turned cold.
“What is this?”
She hurriedly tried deleting it from the home screen.
But an app that had gone this catastrophically wrong wasn't about to disappear so easily.
[The app could not be deleted.]
[The app could not be deleted.]
[It won't delete, you bastard!]
It even boldly displayed its own bizarre message window while occupying space on her phone.
“Aah!”
“What is this?!
Why won't it delete?!”
“What the heck did I download yesterday?!”
Laughter echoed in the background.
Lee Yooji jumped to her feet in a panic.
“No, what even is this?”
The signature opening of [One Day, I Reincarnated into an OOO Game!].
At last, the blurred-out OOO was finally revealed.
The subtitle slowly appeared across the screen.
[One Day, I Reincarnated into a Dating Simulation Game!]
Ah.
So it was this.
“Holy crap.”
Dusty Minha nodded vigorously.
Right.
If our boys are appearing, then it should at least be a dating simulation game.
She was only briefly satisfied by the perfectly reasonable concept before Lee Yooji fell into thought.
“A dating simulation...?”
Three choices suddenly appeared on her phone.
[Do You Need a Boyfriend?]
“What?
Do I just pick one?”
Cute Younger Boyfriend
Well-Built Boyfriend Your Age
Four-Dimensional Older Boyfriend
The choices were so obvious they didn't even need explanations.
Dusty Minha trembled as though she were the one making the decision.
“Wow.
This has to be Do Seohan.”
As someone whose favorite member was Do Seohan, she would've chosen Option 1 without the slightest hesitation.
“Please pick our Seohan.”
Perhaps her wish had somehow reached the screen.
Lee Yooji's scratching hand moved toward the first option.
“Younger guys are nice.”
[You have selected Cute Younger Boyfriend!]
Then—
The screen changed.
Are you kidding me?
Dusty Minha couldn't help taking a sharp breath.
It was a drowsy afternoon with warm sunlight shining overhead.
The moment Seohan appeared on screen beneath a wisteria arbor, wearing a neat beige school uniform complete with a tie, the comment section began flying upward.
Do Seohan in a school uniform is insane.
Mam-Seohan dropped out, so we never even got graduation photos from high school. 😭 This is heaven.
Thank you, FNL.
Seriously, thank you so freaking much. 😭😭😭
School uniform Seohan is so precious....
Holding a book in one hand, Seohan gently bit his lower lip as though concentrating on something.
“......”
His melancholy eyes.
His perfectly sculpted nose.
He had always been handsome, but with FNL's beauty filter, Seohan looked as though he'd stepped straight out of a romance manga.
Just as the fans' excitement reached its peak over this impossibly perfect younger boyfriend—
Seohan turned his head and smiled.
“Noona.”
That single word was enough to make Dusty Minha scream.
“I'm going crazy.
My heart's pounding....”
Don't flirt when you're never going to date us.
Noona's using formal script now.
Oh dear....
Does this grandma count as noona too...?
Holy shit, my heart can't take this.
Smiling with that face is cheating, Seohan. 😭😭😭😭
It really was cheating.
The most unfair kind.
Without question, that single scene would become a legendary GIF passed around the idol fandom for years to come.
In the end, Dusty Minha pounded on her desk while kicking her feet.
“Aaaaaaaah!”
The moment she screamed, the back door slowly creaked open.
“...Ah.”
After glancing at the monitor, her younger brother let out a deep sigh before quietly leaving again.
As if she cared.
“Do Seohan is ridiculously handsome....”
He called me Noona with that face.
Yes.
I'm your noona!
After leaving behind what would become a legendary reaction image that made countless Dustys cry, Seohan lowered his gaze back to his book.
He tried to concentrate again, but it didn't seem to be going well.
His expression gradually became serious.
Lee Yooji's eyes shifted toward the book in Seohan's hand.
Hmm.
It was The Standard Mathematics Textbook.
“Why are you staring at it like it's a tragic novel—”
“Noona.”
“Y-Yes!!!”
Lee Yooji's eyes widened as she nodded enthusiastically.
Seohan's lower lip trembled awkwardly before he forced out an embarrassed smile.
Even that smile stabbed directly into every Dusty's heart.
Why are you smiling like someone carrying the weight of the world?
It hurts my heart....
After hesitating for quite a while, Seohan finally spoke.
“There's something I'd like to ask you.”
“Ask me anything!
I'll answer everythiiiiiing!”
Seohan, with that face I'd even cosign a loan for you.
Yes, our little hamster.
What do you want to ask?
If there's someone making you angry and you want to bite them, Noona will bite them for you. ^^
This is making my heart race so much....
The stimulation is unreal.
I'm going insane;;;
Can a person really be that handsome?
Yes.
Because our Seohan is actually a hamster.
Turning another page of the book, Seohan smiled softly before raising his head.
Then his lips slowly parted.
“I heard somewhere that....”
“What did our Seohan hear?!!”
A face so handsome it took your breath away.
Lee Yooji swallowed hard.
It wasn't only the Dustys who felt like they'd do absolutely anything for him.
But then—
“I heard your March mock exam score becomes your actual College Scholastic Ability Test score.
Is that true?”
...The mood died instantly.