Becoming An Idol Wasn’T On My Plan [EN]: Chapter 164

164.

[Ji Dong-hwa is so damn cute]

(A GIF from the behind-the-scenes footage of the self-produced content, showing Ji Dong-hwa knitting. He’s so focused that he doesn’t notice the camera filming him until he looks up, his ears turning red.)

LOL, seriously. I realized that a person could die so easily from just one GIF….

Comments:

― So pathetic and precious… Our Dong-hwa…

― W App official) Currently knitting a scarf to give on the day of the university entrance exam (secret from Lee Hyun-jae)

└ Keep it a secret!

└ Student, take down the post ^^.

[Personal Highlights of Overseas Promotions]

(Chae Ha-min tearing up the stage with a medley of girl group dances, his dance moves are sexy)

(Ryu Iden’s way to work, wearing a sleeveless shirt, a candid shot revealing the photographer’s perspective)

(Lee Hyun-jae looking around nervously, like a fox trembling in its den)

(Seok-jun’s handsome face consumed by madness at Wizney Land [likely a typo for “Disney Land”], like a dinosaur hunting prey)

(Ji Dong-hwa improvising a song on the keyboard, currently arranging a Wizney [Disney] OST for Seok-jun.)

(Video of Blossoms’ small-scale fan appreciation event in Hong Kong)

(Members’ W App links)

Comments:

― Ryu Iden, you’re illegal.

└ Indecent exposure. (Sternly)

└ ???: (Smiling) Cover up, you damn leader.

└ Natural voice support lolololol

― Ah, seriously, I want to see you guys in Korea… I’m going crazy for real… Seeing you guys being so pretty over there makes my hands and feet tremble, and I get short of breath…

└ The destiny of an idol fan. When I see my baby overseas, I feel proud but also want them to come back, caught in this duality.

The fan community was routinely indulging in their love for Blossoms through summaries of their overseas activities. Of course, some *home masters* [dedicated fans who take high-quality photos/videos] followed them to the site, but for most ordinary fans, that was impossible.

That was also the case for Ji Dong-hwa’s fan, who was still just a college student.

“Damn it! I want to be there!”

After the end of the semester, her Blossoms-induced excitement had reached its peak, and while she had plenty of time, Ji Dong-hwa was not in Korea.

“Ji Dong-hwa doesn’t exist… on this land…….”

Tears seemed to be streaming down her face. The overseas promotion period would be over soon, but when would they make a comeback? It would be nice if they could keep to a minimum of two comebacks a year.

“No, but they need to rest…….”

Even though she was indulging in her love for them without rest, she didn’t forget to think about the idols’ health.

Her friend next to her looked at her with a scornful gaze.

“Hey, you said you were going to study abroad this vacation.”

“Study abroad, my ass. What’s the point of studying abroad when Blossoms isn’t here?”

Her friend replied inwardly, ‘What do you mean, there’s no point? Your future has meaning,’ but she remained silent, convinced that she couldn’t stop her in her late stages of idol withdrawal.

“…So, when are you going home?”

“What would my mother say if she saw me like this?”

Looking at her staring blankly at the ceiling, as if looking beyond this world, countless thoughts filled her head that she couldn’t bring herself to say. Because she knew how much her love for them meant to her.

“Aren’t you worried about what I think about seeing you like this?”

“I told you to join Luminous, didn’t I?”

“Hey, I’m not into idol worship, but I don’t like Blossoms’ name. It sounds like a cosmetics brand.”

“…I agree, but you just have to accept that kind of problem when you’re into idol worship.”

Her friend muttered, ‘That’s probably why I can’t get into idol worship,’ and lay down next to her.

“What if they mess up?”

“If it’s a serious crime, I’ll quit. But they’re not the type to do that.”

Her friend thought she was in a serious state.

“The ones you used to stan before…”

“Shut up.”

The price of faith is terrible, but she knew that the fruits of faith were also sweet. She had tasted the price before, so she wondered if she could get the fruit this time, and she regained her faith.

Stanning real people requires faith. You consume the things that the other person provides on a network based on faith, and the other person succeeds because of it. Soon, the success of the other person itself is transformed into your own satisfaction because of faith.

Some say it’s a stupid thing to do, but she thought it would be okay if the faith was rational.

“So! The past me was just stupid! This time it’s real! This time I’m believing very rationally.”

She was listening to a theory about idol worship that she hadn’t even asked for, and she felt a little dazed, but her friend nodded. Of course, she thought to herself that the essence of idol worship was irrational, and that it was worth it despite being irrational.

That’s how time flows. She was stanning them on her tablet, and her friend occasionally watched the videos she was watching.

“Hey, he’s knitting?”

He looks like he’d drink wine and watch plays, but his hobby is knitting? Is that the charm point she was talking about?

“So… cute, damn it.”

Her voice muttering in frustration. Yeah, how could she know all the hearts of fans?

“With that face, hot pink knitting… is that even possible? Showing off is enough, damn it. Dong-hwa doesn’t seem like that kind of person, damn it.”

If it’s good, it’s good, but I don’t know why she’s swearing so much. It’s hard to understand the psychology of a fan.

As she was spacing out, her brain stopped for a moment at a sentence that caught her eye.

“…Hey, they’re making a comeback?”

In the phone she was holding, there was an article titled [Blossoms, Quick Comeback After Overseas Schedule, ‘Entering Idol Scene Domination?’].

“Ah, damn it, I don’t know if I should be happy or not.”

“Why? You said you didn’t know if you should be happy about the reaction they were getting overseas, so why are you making a fuss even though they’re coming back?”

“Well, if a lot of overseas fans join, sometimes… some shitty things happen.”

Then she sighed deeply.

“I hope their stamina… is okay?”

She just sincerely hoped they were okay.

* * *

Stamina, running out, damn it.

I felt like I was going to collapse while continuing to work. I had been working on my laptop in between overseas promotions, but after returning to Korea, I was dying in the studio as the full-fledged comeback schedule began.

The A&R [Artists and Repertoire] team leader patted my shoulder a few times next to me. He was working with me from the beginning, considering that it would be difficult to work right after returning to Korea.

“Dong-hwa, are you okay? You can leave the work to us and rest.”

“Well, still, for the group concept.”

“Of course, I know. But you can cheat a little. I can touch up the lines a bit, and I just won’t put my name on it.”

My conscience won’t allow it. According to the freedom of conscience clause guaranteed in Article 19 of the Constitution, you cannot prevent me from acting according to my conscience. Freedom to realize conscience by action.

“Conscience or whatever, you look half dead right now.”

Now, even the company people are telling me not to work, beyond the members. But no one can stop me. The Constitution guarantees it, so if they stop me, I’m going to sue them in the Constitutional Court.

“Yeah… who’s going to stop you? I’ll have to call your younger sibling later and ask them to stop their brother.”

The team leader chuckled and fiddled with the computer again before tilting his head.

“This line is a bit unique. Where did you get the idea from?”

Ah, come to think of it.

I smiled.

“It’s all because of Chae Ha-min.”

“Huh?”

Yes, this song is entirely because of Chae Ha-min.

* * *

Around the time we were doing promotions in Hong Kong, I was knitting without thinking. We were staying at a hotel owned by a company that Chae Ha-min’s father knew, and we were being treated quite well.

Since I was always roommates with Chae Ha-min, from the dorm to the hotel overseas, I knew that it was about time for Chae Ha-min to whine about going to the convenience store. Probably because there’s no schedule tomorrow, it’s a must.

I roughly organized what I was knitting and took out my wallet in advance.

“Dong-hwa, should we go to the convenience store?”

Why do you ask when you know we’re going? You could have just gotten up from your seat and I would have known.

“You know we’re going.”

“Of course.”

After telling the manager, we went out for a while and entered the convenience store, and Chae Ha-min suddenly stopped in front of the liquor corner.

“…Do you want to drink?”

You’re a lightweight, Ha-min. You’ll get drunk after just one drink.

“Wouldn’t beer be okay?”

“You passed out after one beer while eating Wiener Schnitzel during the survival show.”

“Just wait. If I drink one or two with you like this, I’ll be able to catch up with your tolerance.”

“No, that’s just a shortcut to ruining your health, Ha-min.”

“If I can drink with you for longer, wouldn’t it be okay to lose about 5 years of my life?”

You crazy bastard.

Without thinking, I bought two bottles of soju [Korean distilled rice liquor] and a few cans of non-alcoholic beer from the liquor corner for me to drink as a palate cleanser. I hope Chae Ha-min doesn’t know it’s non-alcoholic.

“Snacks. Should I buy something like peanuts? I think Iden *hyung* [older brother or male friend] would say something about anything else.”

Well, we’re still being managed. In fact, considering that, it would be right not to drink alcohol in the first place.

After paying, we opened the convenience store door and came out, and the city of Hong Kong was sparkling with neon signs. Um, not bad. The stars are beautiful, but this is okay too.

“It’s amazing. I’ve traveled abroad a lot with my father, but this is the first time I’ve come with a friend.”

“Me too.”

Thump, thump, the sound echoed and permeated the vitality of the night. Even though it was summer, the cool night air brushed against my skin. Chae Ha-min was walking next to me, wearing a hood and jumping around, shouting ‘I’m excited!’

When we finally arrived at the hotel room, Chae Ha-min turned around slyly and asked.

“Do you remember what I said at the airport before I came here?”

I tried to recall. You said so many things, Ha-min. Right before we got on, you asked me what we should eat for dinner after we got off.

“Haha, I’ll tell you why I said that while drinking.”

No, what are you talking about? I appreciate you trusting my memory, but I don’t know, Ha-min.

Chae Ha-min spread out peanuts and squid on the table and drank. Surprisingly, Chae Ha-min was getting drunk even after drinking non-alcoholic beer.

“I, I said thank you.”

I hurriedly looked at the beer can. Um, it clearly says non-alcoholic.

Placebo effect, amazing. If you can get drunk just by thinking that there’s alcohol in it, then Chae Ha-min doesn’t have a reason to drink alcohol. Even on stage, he could just think of water as alcohol and get drunk.

“Actually, I don’t have any friends.”

I expected it from the first time I saw you. I nodded nonchalantly while drinking soju.

“Really, I’m so grateful for that. Even knowing my family, you don’t try to use me,”

“…Who used you?”

“Ah… you don’t know, right. Even before coming to God Enter… even at God Enter, a little bit everyone was like that.”

Oh, dear.

I tried to click my tongue, but I held back for Chae Ha-min’s sake. I should cut off the tongues of all those things.

“So, because I’m grateful, I have to repay you, but the company said they won’t accept it.”

And then, Chae Ha-min jumped up from his seat. What are you going to do, you rabbit bastard?