A New Career Singer Who Can Read The Future [EN]: Chapter 151

-Really? I passed?

Dohyun asked again, unable to believe it. The judges wore subtle smiles on their faces.

-That’s right. You passed. It means you’ve managed to get a role in this challenging Broadway production. The moment we heard your warm voice, we knew it instinctively—that the person we were looking for was right in front of us.

-So, does that mean the others waiting for the audition will just have to go back?

-We don’t cast just one person. We plan to cast one more besides you. So, not everyone will go back. Someone might end up sharing the role with you.

-Thank you! Thank you so much! I don’t know how to express my gratitude.

-Those words are enough. All we ask is that you show the same performance on stage as you did today.

Dohyun promised to show an even better performance on stage and returned to the waiting room. Everyone, including Kangho, was staring intently at Dohyun. In the corner, he could hear whispers that Dohyun seemed to have passed the audition.

“How did it go?”

“Hyung [older brother or close male friend], I think I got really lucky! I passed! I got the audition!”

“What? Really?”

“They said I passed right away, and I couldn’t believe it, so I had to ask again. I really can’t believe it…”

Kangho hugged Dohyun tightly and patted him on the back.

“You’ve really gone through a lot coming to this faraway land. You’ve suffered a lot… Good job. If I were your parents, I would have hugged you as much as you wanted.”

“Hyung, thank you. I was preparing without knowing if I would even get it. Hearing that I passed right away makes me feel so good.”

“The tarot reading was good from the start! That’s why you got it. Your tarot reading has never been wrong.”

Other staff members also patted Dohyun and offered their congratulations. Dohyun felt like he was flying. He had proven that his efforts were not in vain, right here on Broadway.

There were times when he wondered if proving himself had become the goal of his life. But proving himself like this also doubled the thrill of validating his skills.

“Let’s go back to the accommodation now. There won’t be any more procedures. Today’s schedule is over.”

“How about a glass of wine back at the accommodation?”

“Shall we? I think we can order room service today. The company won’t say anything about that, right?”

* * *

Dohyun had to follow a grueling schedule from the next day because the performance date was not far off. While Kangho waited, bored, Dohyun was in the practice room, soaked in sweat, focusing intently on practice.

After the news of Dohyun’s casting was confirmed, the Korean media was relatively quiet, but the foreign press was in an uproar. They anticipated that the Korean star who won a Grammy Award would play a major role on Broadway.

Hue Entertainment’s PR team only briefly released a statement through a press release. There could be a lot of talk about musical casting since it was up to the production company’s discretion. They took a cautious stance, worried that sending out a press release in too much excitement might lead to disappointing reactions later.

Korean reporters wondered if Dohyun should be inducted into the so-called ‘Do You Know?’ club [a tongue-in-cheek reference to celebrities who gain fame primarily through international recognition], and they inquired about Dohyun’s schedule for when he would return to Korea. It was evident that they were only consuming Dohyun as gossip fodder. That’s why Hue Entertainment’s PR team only linked foreign articles on Dohyun’s official SNS [Social Networking Service]. None of the Korean articles delved deeply into ‘why’ or ‘for what reason’ Dohyun’s advancement was a good thing.

-Dohyun, your singing technique seems to be improving day by day. I feel it’s much better than when you auditioned.

Mary Jane, a judge and producer, said to Dohyun. Dohyun smiled and replied.

-Thank you, MJ. It’s thanks to you.

-What do you mean, thanks to me? It’s because you’re putting in the effort. You’ll be on stage in a week… and the media is all paying attention! They’re anticipating what a Korean who broke through the Broadway wall will look like.

-I’m looking forward to it too! That’s why I’m working even harder.

-You must be swamped with tour practice and musical practice, right? I heard your tour isn’t far off either.

-That’s right. I definitely want to invite the production team and actors to this tour. Everyone will come, right?

Dohyun’s overseas tour will be on a large scale, with about 40,000 to 50,000 audience members in the Americas. Other boy groups in Korea have done stadium tours on that scale, but no solo artist has ever done it on this scale. The stage setup was enormous, and Dohyun was busy splitting his time to coordinate the tour routes and practice.

-I’m very much looking forward to it. Your stage. So, I mean… both the musical and the tour.

-Thank you. I’ll show you a great performance!

Dohyun focused on practicing again. From this musical to the tour, the feeling was good. He felt confident that he could do everything well.

* * *

In the dark night, Dohyun, who had returned to his hotel room after practice, felt a strange feeling creeping over him.

It was loneliness.

The emotion that he hadn’t felt when he was focused on practice bloomed at night. He could feel it gradually consuming him from the tips of his toes.

“Hyung, aren’t you lonely here?”

Dohyun asked Kangho, who was sharing a room with him. Even though he had changed the room to a two-bedroom suite and was living with Kangho, hoping that he would feel less lonely if he was with the staff, Dohyun felt isolated. In this land, he was a complete stranger.

“Well, I don’t really feel lonely yet… Maybe it’s because *maknae* [youngest member] is here with me?”

Kangho’s situation was different from his. Dohyun thought that he would have less time to feel lonely because his beloved partner was with him as a business partner.

“I guess so.”

“Why? Are you lonely and want to go home?”

“The period of time I’m staying overseas is longer than I expected… I should say I’m a little lonely. I guess this is homesickness.”

“I thought you were okay because you were just focusing on practice without saying anything. Or you could go back to Korea for a while… but there’s no time. There’s a musical performance next week, and a little later, there’s the US tour schedule.”

“That’s right. Rather, going back might put a strain on my body, which has already adjusted to the time difference, and that’s not good. I don’t know why I’m so lonely after spending so much time with my family. Should I see the fans’ faces soon?”

Dohyun muttered to himself. Kangho, who was listening to Dohyun’s story, suggested that he get a prescription for sleeping pills and get a good night’s sleep.

“I do get shallow sleep… but I don’t really want to get a prescription. I hope I can overcome it without the help of medicine. What should I do to relieve it at times like this, hyung?”

At those words, Kangho pondered.

“Or how about writing lyrics or a diary, or communicating with fans through SNS live?”

“That might not be bad. Hmm… then I should communicate with fans tonight! I think I’ve left the fans lonely for too long. I haven’t been able to communicate since I came abroad because I’ve been busy!”

“Yeah. If you communicate with fans, you’ll feel better. And I think you’ll forget your loneliness as you tour the United States and breathe with countless fans.”

“I’ll do as you say, hyung.”

“Then I’ll sleep in another staff room today?”

“I’d appreciate it if you did.”

After Kangho left the room, Dohyun turned on SNS live.

-Wow! It’s Dohyun. I missed you so much.

-I missed Dohyun ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ sob ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ My baby born from my wallet ㅠㅠ [Korean slang expressing strong affection and willingness to spend money on a celebrity]

-Dohyun, are you doing well? Why are your cheeks so sunken ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

-Oppa [term used by females to address older males], Hi

-Dohyun, are you doing well? I’m very worried. I’m worried that you might be experiencing homesickness in a foreign country. This is the first time you’ve stayed for so long

-Dohyun ㅠㅠ Do you know how long we’ve been waiting to see you

“Everyone, I’m so sorry for coming late. I should have come sooner. I’ve been busy practicing this and that these days. Have you heard my news? I’m going to be in a musical on Broadway. And the overseas tour isn’t far off either. I’ve been too busy practicing both. I’m sorry for coming late.”

-No, Dohyun ㅠㅠ Don’t be sorry ㅠㅠ Ujuju my baby was busy!

-Dohyun, thank you so much for coming like this, I love you

-My beloved Dohyun, I always hope you cheer up

-I want to see Oppa smile 🙂

-I wonder if Na Dohyun knows that the world brightens up when he smiles

“Haha… the world brightens up every time I smile? I must really be loved. I also feel like the world becomes more beautiful when I see you smile. We must really be a good match. Honeys. Why are you so sweet? There’s a reason why you’re called Honey. You’re sweeter than honey. Actually, until a little while ago, I felt a little lonely in my heart. I thought it would be good to talk about things like this right away, so I’m saying it. But as I’m communicating with you like this, I feel like that loneliness is fading away.”

-Heok is it homesickness?

-Homesickness no ㅠㅠ

-Don’t be lonely, I’m landing on American soil soon! See you there! Dohyun!

-Dohyun, I really love you and always hope you only smile

Dohyun felt his loneliness subside at the fans’ words that were coming up quickly. He needed someone who could listen to his story openly. He thought that he had been secretly hoping for someone who could send him love.

“Each and every one of your warm words will come out as lyrics to me. I think I’m something huge to you? No, rather than that, when I talk to you, I feel like you are a wider and bluer ocean to me. I can’t always be the same, but thank you so much for waiting for me, for loving me.”

-Dohyun why am crying ㅠㅠㅠㅠ Don’t make me cry ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

-My sweet person I love you ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

-Dohyun, I’m really going to go to your dinner show even if I have to walk with a cane

-Dohyun, you know I really, really love you, right?

-Hyuna ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ I love you ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ Be a singer until you’re 100 years old, no, be a singer until the earth is destroyed. I will always love you and wait for you in this place

“Everyone, thank you. I will always be waiting for you here. I love you.”