Prince From Another Dimension Becomes An Idol [EN]: Chapter 156

#156.

“······!”

As he fell to the ground, a shock that felt like his body was breaking swept over Do-jae.

Or, at least, he thought it did.

But there was no pain that should have been felt.

What brushed against his skin was not pain, but a chilling shiver.

From outside the waiting room, he could hear Team Leader Kim Seok-cheol talking to PD [Production Director] Hong Jun-soo.

It was him who had greeted the members in the waiting room and left a little while ago.

The faint voice became clearer and clearer.

“Please make sure the performance content doesn’t exceed 30 seconds. It’s going to be included in the paid DVD.”

“Yes, of course. We’re just trying to capture the members who left Jeju Island returning to reality and working hard. We’ll mainly show the concert hall, and the performance content will only be shown very briefly.”

“We’ll send the member-specific profiles you mentioned from the company as soon as they’re ready. I’m mentioning it since we met like this.”

“Ah, yes. Thank you.”

“Anyway, thank you for coming all the way to the concert hall. The members are really happy too.”

“You’re welcome. Then I’ll enjoy the show.”

“Yes. I’ll contact you separately before the broadcast.”

With the polite voice of Team Leader Kim Seok-cheol, the voices faded away.

Soon, the waiting room door opened and Team Leader Kim Seok-cheol entered the waiting room.

“······.”

Do-jae slowly blinked and looked at Team Leader Kim Seok-cheol.

Today was MOST’s first concert, which the members and fans had all been eagerly waiting for.

It was an hour before the concert started, and the waiting room was busy with preparations.

It really was just a brief moment.

Do-jae greeted PD Hong Jun-soo, who came to the waiting room, and sat down for a moment.

He didn’t know when he had fallen asleep in the meantime.

It was ambiguous to call it sleep.

At most, it was 30 seconds to a minute, caught in a dream that felt like a vivid hallucination.

‘Why on earth am I having this dream…? Was I anxious?’

Do-jae and the members had always done their best for even one music show stage, one awards ceremony stage, and one stage for .

But this time, it was even their first concert.

They had made thorough preparations for their first concert, so there was no reason to be anxious.

Besides, Do-jae was actually quite relaxed.

Unnecessary worries or anxieties had no room to take root in Do-jae’s heart, who simply ‘got things done.’

‘But why ······.’

Do-jae frowned at the ominous feeling.

The fact that these premonitions were usually quite accurate made Do-jae even more uneasy.

After successfully completing the filming of in Jeju Island, the members returned to Seoul and devoted themselves to concert practice.

They also didn’t forget to write D-day on Twitter every day and share selfies with their fans.

As much as the fans’ anticipation grew, so did the members’ expectations.

And as much as that, the practice went smoothly.

No one was injured in the intense choreography… and there were no problems with the rehearsal in the morning.

“Is something wrong?”

Team Leader Kim Seok-cheol, who had been watching Do-jae’s expression, asked.

Do-jae shook his head.

“No. It’s nothing.”

There was no need to spread unnecessary anxiety within the waiting room.

“Um, Team Leader Kim, just a moment,”

Before Team Leader Kim Seok-cheol, who was looking at Do-jae as if something was still bothering him, could add anything more, Jung Gil-joo called out to Team Leader Kim Seok-cheol.

Left alone, Do-jae looked around the waiting room, observing each member one by one.

Everyone was controlling their minds in their own way, preparing for the upcoming performance.

“Woo-cheol… how are you feeling?”

“Hyung [older brother or male friend]… I’m really okay. Forget about the old Park Woo-cheol, okay? I’m two years older now!”

“Haha. It’s your first time doing such a big concert ······.”

“Honestly, I think you’re more nervous right now. That robot laugh… I thought you fixed it.”

“Haha. Robot laugh? What are you talking about?”

“Hey, Heung-min-bi. Do you think the concert will go well today?”

“This guy ······.”

Woo-cheol and Heung-min were talking to relieve their tension, and Gi-jun was listening to music with his earphones in and his eyes closed.

“Ga-gya-geo-gyeo-go-gyo-gu-gyu-woo-woo-woo-woo!”

Gyu-seong was warming up his voice in a loud voice.

Louis was busy replying to the congratulatory messages and calls pouring in.

He always got nervous and his heart fluttered, but it was a relief that he seemed okay today.

‘His whole family is coming, so he seems more excited… but I should tell him to be more careful today.’

As Do-jae was about to get up to warm up his own voice at the sight of the peaceful waiting room,

Team Leader Kim Seok-cheol, who had been talking to Jung Gil-joo, was looking at Do-jae.

It seemed like he had something to say.

Behind him, Jung Gil-joo’s expression looked very dark.

“Do-jae, can I see you for a moment?”

***

Team Leader Kim Seok-cheol, who came out of the waiting room, couldn’t easily open his mouth.

Then, after checking the time, he finally spoke.

It was now 50 minutes before the performance.

If he was going to say something, he had to do it quickly and wrap it up.

“Do-jae, your mother won’t be able to come to the concert today.”

“Yes? What do you mean ······.”

First concert.

The members had all invited their parents and families.

And coincidentally, everyone had decided to gather on Saturday, the first day of the two-day concert.

Do-jae’s mother was the same.

Do-jae frowned for a moment.

He had a feeling that the ominous premonition might come true in an unexpected way.

“Your mother had a bicycle accident on the street this morning. She hurt her leg… she’s at the hospital now.”

“Oh no ······!”

Do-jae was so surprised that he couldn’t speak.

Team Leader Kim Seok-cheol tried to reassure Do-jae with the most calm expression possible.

“If she’s at the hospital, is she okay now? How badly is she hurt ······.”

“It seems like everything is fine except for her leg, judging from the fact that your mother contacted me directly. It seems like she contacted Gil-joo because she was worried that Do-jae would get too upset.”

Do-jae nodded at Team Leader Kim Seok-cheol’s calm explanation.

If she was in a state where she could contact them, it was true that she had avoided the worst-case scenario.

Do-jae thanked an unknown god.

It was a great relief that it wasn’t a major accident.

“She said she’ll contact Do-jae after the performance, and told me not to tell you… but I thought it would be better for you to know in advance.”

It was a decision that Team Leader Kim Seok-cheol had made after much deliberation.

If he went on stage without knowing the news, he might feel comfortable, but if he found out later, he might feel much heavier with unnecessary guilt.

‘It’s not like we’re only performing today, we have tomorrow too… it’s better to clear my mind and go on stage.’

This was also possible because he believed that Do-jae wouldn’t let this affect his mentality and affect his performance.

“Then, can I contact my mother now?”

“Yes. She seems very disappointed that she can’t come to the performance ······.”

Do-jae took out his cell phone with a dark face.

“Contact her and come back in.”

“Yes. Thank you for letting me know.”

“It’s only natural.”

“Ah. And Team Leader.”

Do-jae called out to Team Leader Kim Seok-cheol, who was about to go back into the waiting room.

“I don’t really want to tell the members about my mother… before the performance.”

Team Leader Kim Seok-cheol understood Do-jae’s thoughtful words and nodded lightly.

“Okay. Don’t worry about anything else.”

“Yes.”

***

‘It’s a relief as long as it’s this much.’

It was certainly a big deal that she had a hairline fracture in her leg and had to wear a cast, but as Team Leader Kim Seok-cheol said, there was nothing wrong with her elsewhere.

However, since she was old, she was going to be hospitalized over the weekend to monitor her condition a little more.

Hye-kyung seemed to feel more sorry for making her son uncomfortable on a celebratory day than the pain of having a fractured leg.

She also seemed to feel a considerable amount of personal regret for not being able to come to the concert.

Do-jae comforted Hye-kyung, saying that he was okay and that it was nothing.

Do-jae was also sad that Hye-kyung couldn’t come to the performance, but there would definitely be another opportunity.

“Hoo ······.”

However, Do-jae, who was calming his surprised heart and sighing, was also human.

There was no way he could feel comfortable.

He felt sorry for not being able to meet Hye-kyung right away and check on her condition.

‘To think I have to go on stage at times like this.’

It was a singer’s duty to go on stage in any situation and to bring joy to the fans who were waiting for their performance.

Do-jae had always thought of it as a pleasant responsibility.

But at this moment, it felt a little overwhelming.

Do-jae took a breath and lightly tapped his cheeks with the palm of his hand.

The feeling of his hot hand touching his cheeks, which had become hot, wasn’t very pleasant.

However, the act of tapping his face a couple of times was definitely helpful in refreshing his thoughts.

It was a stage that he had prepared for more diligently than ever.

It was obvious that successfully completing the stage would help Hye-kyung and Do-jae both relieve their uncomfortable feelings.

‘Let’s focus on the stage.’

Do-jae checked the time.

It was now 30 minutes before he had to go on stage.

***

“We can do it!”

“We can do it!”

“MOST-!!!”

The members shouted slogans energetically with the staff who had been preparing the performance together.

The members, who had changed into their stage costumes and finished their hair and makeup, were shining more brightly than ever.

“Let’s go!”

“Let’s do well!!!”

“Ugh!!!”

“Keep your heads straight and just do what we practiced! Okay?!”

“Yes, sir!”

The members quickly walked down the hallway, encouraging each other with voices full of energy.

“This way, please go down!”

The place where the staff shouted was below the stage.

To appear on stage using the lift, the members stood in their respective positions as they had practiced during the rehearsal.

Outside, they could hear the fans murmuring.

The sound of fans singing along to MOST’s songs being played in the concert hall continued.

The voices of the fans singing loudly made the members’ nerves sensitive.

Do-jae, who was standing in the center, slowly closed and opened his eyes.

A pleasant tension was felt throughout his body.

It felt like a tingling current was flowing from his fingertips to the top of his head.

It seemed to be the same for the other members as well, as Gyu-seong took a deep breath and repeatedly clenched and unclenched his palms.

“Haa ······.”

Do-jae quietly watched Gyu-seong.

When Gyu-seong looked up at Do-jae, Do-jae slightly raised the corners of his lips.

That confident smile made Gyu-seong feel reassured.

Gi-jun, who was standing at the far left end, said as if casting a spell, “We’ll be able to do well.”

The members nodded their heads at their own pace.

At that time, a stand-by signal was heard through the in-ear monitors.

At the same time, the outside became quiet for a moment.

The moment the Jamsil Indoor Gymnasium, where ten thousand fans had gathered, went dark.

“Kyaaaaaaaaak!!”

“Waaaaaaa-!!!”

As if they had fallen from the vacuum of space to Earth.

A deafening shout poured into the quiet concert hall.

It was a huge shout from the fans who had anticipated MOST’s appearance.

The hearts of the members and fans began to beat rapidly at the same time.

Koo-oong-

Along with a loud sound effect, red lights turned on in the darkened concert hall, and six black figures rose from behind the stage.

It was the beginning of the concert.