Prince From Another Dimension Becomes An Idol [EN]: Chapter 155

#155.

The feeling of being overly full after eating too much was where it all began.

The members didn’t seem to have any official work, yet they were bustling around from morning till night, sourcing ingredients.

Perhaps because this activity differed from their usual routine, the members were bursting with excess energy.

Even the staff from , who were accustomed to filming with energetic young actors, were taken aback by the sheer activity level of the MOST members.

“Dance singers are on another level.”

Watching the members begin practicing, suggesting they work on the choreography to aid digestion, made such comments feel natural.

They were only expected to practice one or two songs enough to capture some footage, but once they started, it seemed they wouldn’t stop until they had rehearsed the entire concert setlist.

It wasn’t just for show.

Some staff members even crouched behind the camera, watching the members with genuine admiration, as if they were enjoying a real concert.

“They’re really good…”

“How can they be so synchronized without even playing the music?”

The members even practiced late into the night, humming the songs to themselves so as not to disturb the quiet neighborhood.

“They could probably do it with their eyes closed.”

“I saw on MyTube [YouTube] that they even practice with something like blindfolds on.”

“Amazing…”

The members’ dedication to practicing even at the filming location might have stemmed from anxiety, with the concert drawing near.

However, they weren’t a team that would falter if they skipped practice for a few days. (If that were the case, the company wouldn’t have scheduled this.) Their usual rigorous practice had already brought them to a state of near perfection.

But the members were the type who were never truly satisfied, always feeling they could do more.

Practicing was so ingrained in them that it had become a natural way to spend time together.

“Is this how you do it?”

“Yes, that’s right. Hyung [older brother/male friend], instead of going that way, try this… It’s easier to balance your body if you move your arm back a little.”

Lui nodded, explaining to Gijun’s question.

“Nice! Yes! Like that!”

It was frustrating not being able to check his appearance directly because there was no mirror in the practice room.

But the members were diligently acting as each other’s mirrors.

“Don’t forget to step back when transitioning from to .”

Heungmin and Woocheol nodded at Gijun’s instruction.

This was the point where the song shifted from a medium-tempo, cheerful tune to a more lyrical piece where the live performance was crucial.

Simultaneously, it was the moment when only Dojae, Gyuseong, and Lui of the six members would be on stage.

During that interlude, Gijun, Heungmin, and Woocheol were supposed to change clothes and prepare for the next stage.

‘Umbrella Shade…’

It was also the song that Dojae, who had recently been focusing more on vocal practice, was most concerned about.

Since they weren’t going to perform live there and then, the members continued with the next practice.

The members’ clothes were soaked with beads of sweat as they mentally rehearsed the movements without rest.

The practice continued until all the firewood had burned down and the bonfire’s light had weakened.

***

After practice.

Before going to bed, the members went to the bathroom in pairs to take showers.

Lui, who was lying on the wooden floor resting while waiting for the hyungs who had gone in first to finish showering, suddenly got up.

And he approached the camera.

“…?”

Hong Junsu PD [Production Director] and the staff were all puzzled by Lui’s sudden behavior.

Lui approached with a very serious face and asked.

“But, are we okay like this? Is everything ok?”

“What…?”

Lui’s face, zoomed in on the camera, was shining white even in the dark night.

Watching the monitor screen, one of the writers admired him anew.

From her research, she learned that Lui’s nickname was ‘Fairy.’

She had thought it was a mix of fans’ exaggerated praise, but now she understood why that nickname was given.

Lui’s bare face, without makeup, was so clear that it was hard to believe he was in his 20s.

On top of that, his features were so delicate and compact. He was someone you couldn’t help but fall for the more you looked at him.

“Are we doing well? Now that I think about it, we’ve been acting too much like we usually do since dinner. I’m worried it might be boring…”

Hong Junsu PD couldn’t help but chuckle at the maknae’s [youngest member] serious question.

It wasn’t that he felt the same way as the writer who had come to believe in the ‘Kim Lui Fairy Theory,’ but he also found Lui cute.

‘I knew they weren’t conscious of the camera, but they really weren’t… And he’s worried about that now.’

Hong Junsu PD smiled and reassured Lui.

“It’s coming out fun enough, so just keep doing what you’re doing.”

“Really?!”

“Yes.”

At Hong Junsu PD’s words, Lui seemed genuinely relieved and shouted “Yes!” softly.

At that moment, Woocheol, who seemed to have finished washing his hair, approached Lui.

“Lui, what are you doing?”

“Ah… I was worried we might be boring. So I asked PD-nim. But he said it’s fun.”

Lui asked with a proud expression, making a deflating sound.

Woocheol, who was still drying his hair with a towel, glanced at Lui and Hong Junsu PD in turn, then burst out laughing.

“Aigoo [expression of endearment/exasperation]. Our Lui was worried all alone that it might not be fun?!

Woocheol stretched out his words playfully and put his arm around Lui’s shoulder.

“Ah, it’s wet!”

Lui was embarrassed by the childish treatment and tried to push Woocheol’s arm away.

But Woocheol didn’t let go and pinched Lui’s soft cheek.

“We’re going to wash anyway. Our maknae is so cute…”

“Ah, hyung…”

Lui, whose cheek was pinched, glared at Woocheol without really meaning it.

When you look at it, Woocheol was the one who treated Lui the most like a maknae.

“Don’t worry about anything. We’re doing well! If you’re a drama mania, I’m a variety show mania!”

“That’s true.”

To Woocheol, Lui was the only dongsaeng [younger brother/male friend] in the team, and just like the hyungs who were always reliable to him, Woocheol wanted to be a reliable hyung to Lui.

“So!”

Woocheol patted Lui’s shoulder.

There was a quite trustworthy smile on Woocheol’s lips.

The staff monitoring the camera were inwardly surprised by Woocheol’s new side, who had only seemed like a prankster.

Perhaps because of his wet hair, the way he looked at Lui was somehow mature and deep.

The cameraman in charge of Woocheol was zooming in on the camera, thinking that Woocheol was a visual member hidden behind Dojae.

Lui, who made eye contact with Woocheol, quickly smiled brightly, true to his positive personality, and headed to the bathroom when his turn came.

Then, Woocheol, who was left alone, made an embarrassed expression and asked Hong Junsu PD.

“Are we really fun? Will the broadcast be okay?”

At the cautious question, the staff all burst out laughing silently.

He told the maknae to trust him, but it seemed that Woocheol was also curious.

“I’m worried there’s too much footage.”

At Hong Junsu PD’s words, Woocheol said, “As expected,” and went to Heungmin with an excited step.

In fact, Heungmin was also feeling burdened by the fact that it was the first group variety show, and it was ‘Hong PD’s’ variety show.

***

After everyone finished showering, the members went to bed one by one.

Only cameras were installed in the room without staff.

It was the second night sleeping on futons spread out in a row in the small room without beds.

The members were so tired on the first day that they had fallen asleep without even realizing it.

It was the second day, and it might have been uncomfortable, but no one complained.

Rather, they looked amazed and excited.

“…It feels like we’re on a school trip.”

“Yeah. Now that I think about it, we’ve never all slept together like this.”

Heungmin replied to Gyuseong’s words.

Dojae’s eyes quietly lit up at the word school trip.

‘School trip…’

Dojae, who had gone through the education process in the palace, had only heard about it and had never experienced it himself.

He thought it was a similar atmosphere to now, so he felt like he understood.

‘It’s good to be able to feel this way even now.’

Leaving a familiar place and talking noisily all the time, then feeling a little sentimental just before going to sleep.

Dojae felt this time was precious.

Then, Woocheol suddenly looked next to him and said.

“I don’t think there are six of us? It just became five.”

Heungmin quietly got up and looked at Gijun, who was lying next to Woocheol.

“Aigoo… Old man. He passed out right away.”

“Hyung must have had a hard time frying chicken alone.”

Lui looked at Gijun, who was fast asleep, with a pitiful expression.

He was lying in the corner without even making a sound, and it was so heartbreaking that the tip of his nose tingled.

Heungmin chuckled and lowered his voice.

“He must have had a hard time. It was delicious…”

“I know. I want to ask him to do it again later…”

“When you see him like this, Gyuseong-ah [term of endearment]. You’re not kind, you’re cruel.”

At Heungmin’s words, Gyuseong blinked with an embarrassed expression.

Only the moonlight coming in from outside the window was dimly illuminating the room.

“Hyung, aren’t you sleepy? I heard you woke up really early this morning.”

Woocheol asked Dojae.

Dojae, who was lying down looking at the ceiling in a formal posture, replied that he was okay to Woocheol’s question.

“I’m still okay.”

“It must be almost twelve o’clock… Oh, what time is it?”

Woocheol, who was habitually groping the floor, realized that he didn’t have his cell phone and made a regretful sound.

But surprisingly, it wasn’t uncomfortable not having a cell phone.

It must be because he was with members, friends, and family.

“Anyway. We have to acknowledge Dojae hyung’s stamina. Do you remember that time? When we were filming the music video last time… When we were filming the scene of running in the desert.”

“What about that time?”

“Hyung, you filmed all the running scenes in one take without stopping. I really thought at that time… I thought I would never be able to beat hyung. I was working out hard too!”

Dojae, who thought it was Woocheol’s joke, chuckled.

But Gyuseong and Heungmin also added, shaking their heads.

“That’s right. Dojae-ah… Shouldn’t you have been an athlete or something?”

“You would have done anything at the Olympics. I wonder if we stole a national talent.”

“One… Two…”

While they were chatting.

The sound of counting numbers flowed from somewhere.

Everyone stopped talking and held their breath.

“Three… Again? Si [four in Korean]… Do more…”

It was Gijun’s sleep talking.

The members who had been holding their breath laughed softly.

“This hyung is giving practice instructions even in his dreams.”

Woocheol frowned as if he was fed up.

But at the same time, he felt the pressure that Gijun usually felt, and his heart felt heavy.

Woocheol wasn’t the only one who felt that way.

“Let’s go to sleep quickly.”

At Heungmin’s words, they began to close their eyes one by one.

They had to sleep quickly so they could eat, play, and practice to the fullest again tomorrow.

***

“Waaaaaaa!”

Inside the concert hall filled with loud cheers.

Dojae, who was standing on the stage, was singing his best as usual.

Because of the dazzling lights, he couldn’t see the faces of the fans well.

Feeling strangely stuffy, Dojae was about to take a step forward.

Dojae’s body began to plummet below the stage.