Chapter 22 (1/2)
30 minutes later, it was in the unmu's' rehearsal
Jungwu and Soochan stood right at the base of the stage Soochan earing a staff-only radio set couldn't stop grinning
”Why are you so happy?”
”This is the first tiet to wear this equipment The Director decided to do me a favor since I have my friend here”
Jungwu didn't really understand as so appealing about a radio where nobody really spoke, but Soochan was elated
”Hey, what about et here? I waited since lunch, but I didn't get a single glimpse of her”
”But you already got an autograph froroup Lead Junho is really popular”
When jets of CO2 was released on the beat with a particularly flashy wu flinched
”You think I wanted to get that autograph? I just happened to run into them, and they stared at me as if they really wanted me to ask for one You told me that Staff members have to be considerate”
”The celebrities really enjoy when fans go wild for theets here She'll happily go as far as take a photo with you”
Soochan cheered loudly for the young boy group who danced perfectly in rhythraphy
A thewas done
'Pe, pop!'
A weak fireas launched from the launchpad and decorated their finale
”Next is Girlfriend's turn Your chance is when they finish and clie”
”Okay”
Jungas filled with anticipation with the thought that he would be able to finally see Yulhwi in person and watched the back of the stage with interest But the participant showing up after the boy group was not the celebrity he had been expecting
One lady walked up with a guitar in hand
Jungwu tilted his head Soochan was also shocked when he saw the stage
”It isn't Isul Yoon's turn yet though”
Isul in the bright open space was completely different from one he had seen from the dark
She appeared to be in her early twenties And despite the fact that she wore ordinary clothes and a cap, the pure white skin which were visible here and there seeht
”She really does seem like a doll”
Soochan put his ar his astonishment
”Heh, do you understand nohat great fortune it is to be able to see Isul froe?”
”Do you think Yulhwi is going to look that pretty in person as well?”
”Mmm, I wouldn't say that actually People that work in this industry keep a tight lid on it but froed to hear…”
”Most of the female Idols completely rely on makeup for their appeal Few of them wear uises But Isul is different Look at her un-low”
”But she does have makeup”
”What are you talking about? There's obviously no makeup on her”
Jungas about to list out every ingredient in Isul's cheeks, but he stopped hi his close friend's fantasy And truth be told, the surface of Isul's skin was so soft it probably didn't even really need the makeup
And no er with a voice that had enraptured him from the first time he had heard it, so he awaited the performance with anticipation
She plugged the Guitar into the jack and then did a si to the music staff
She sat before the uitar rhyth prelude
And the huan
”Eh? This song…”
”Yeah, you've heard it before right? You must have heard it at least once even if you didn't know the artist Any Korean should have heard it at least once”
”It’s the song she sang in the storage unit”
”Oh ain' too?”
Jungas enthralled by the et about his day to day difficulties and exhaustion
The spotlight blinked along to thesong, but because the vocal was gentle, no drastic stage special effects were employed
”I' written for a salaryman like me”
”Just how long do you think you've been a salaryman for you to say that?”
”I now completely empathize with that life You sure have it hard, Soochana”
Jungwu enjoyed the s were done before he realized
For Isul's turn, the shoppersoutside the boundary of the partitioned area stopped to listen to her song
Once the three songs were done, even the people standing on 2nd and 3rd floor terrace applauded Isul, as startled at the sudden noise, bowed deeply which led to an even louder applause
Isul was slightly shocked, so she spoke into the mic
”Thank you But there are people shopping so please let's be considerate of them”
”Encore! Encore!”
Listening to people shouting at the top of the lungs now, Isul narrowed her eyes as if she heard so funny
”There is still another song in the setlist, so calling for encore already is…”
A wide grin spread across everyone's faces after hearing her joke which overfloith innocence Effortlessly suppressing the loud applause, she soon began her last song
Soochan snapped his finger as soon as the song began
”This is a hit song that came out this fall, 'It's so aard'”
”What?”
”It's a fun title, right?”
Isul sang a song that was neither nice nor naughty Instead, the lyrics walked a thin line between the two, a rather quirky song with peculiar lyrics And unlike the previous songs, the melody was made quite fun
I wanna be alone, but it's boring alone Call a friend? But he's too chatty Just what is it I want~
Ordinary emotions, rich sound, and the ability to wu experienced first hand the reason why Isul was nicknamed 'the national sister'
Once two verses were over, the song came too soon to a conclusion And the Director instructed the stage crew to fire the special effect fireworks to go with the flow of things
[Isul ssi, the fireworks will be going off at this ti Please do not be alarmed]
Text popped on the screen installed on the side next to the speakers meant for the performers
-Number 3, GO!
When he heard that, Soochan said 'Eh?' and turned to look at the control roowu also turned to look in the same direction
”What is it?”
”They pressed the one you installe…”
'Tsss'
The lid to the launchpad opened as soon as the sound of the fuse could be heard
'Babababababa-bang!'
Thumb-sized rockets flew into the air and fanned out
What appeared was so unexpected that Isul who had been mentally prepared reflectively reeled back Soochan atching fro a point of disbelief
'Is it going as planned?'
Jungwu felt his heart race with anticipation
The various color of rockets rose to about Isul's eye level and began to undergo various reactions based on their ingredients The elittered as it burnt in the air, for letters
[GIRLFRIEND]
The letters appeared for a fraction of a second before fading away leaving nothing but smoke
It was squiggly, and some letters were flipped, but that brief moment of appearance was so spectacular that the audience ere planning on another round of applause at the end of the song just stared with their ape
Seeing the quickly fading smoke left behind, Soochan read aloud the letters with a tre voice
”G…Girlfriend?”
”Yeah, but the D was too deformed and looked more like an O”
Soochan snapped his head towards Jungwu and retorted
”Hey, you crazy m…”
”Wait a second Huh, why isn't it co out?”
”What?”
”There is one last round re”
The late firing round popped up as soon as Jungwu finished speaking
'Po~'
Even the sound was cutesy, for The shoppers who had been watching transfixed until now began to snicker
”W…what the hell was that…”
Soochan becaalk over to the Launchpad and squat before it, Soochan asked
”What have you done?”
Jungwu scratched his chin and answered nonchalantly
”I tried to make the heart pink, but there was no combination that would have produced it”
”That's not what I'!”
”I'll pay you back for the fireworks next month”
”Pay what back?”