Bae Sejin looked at his smartphone with wide eyes.
Most of the articles that deliberately stirred up anxiety had been taken down by the company.
No, it seemed that the company was arguing that way, but Bae Sejin had a different idea.
'Just... Aren't they just doing this because it has gained too much attention?'
Since the company completely blocked the inside story of the accident, there was nothing more to worry about, so the article had withered.
Yes. The company was desperately blocking stories related to the former manager from the press.
In the end, the article reported that it was just an 'accident caused by negligent driving by a former manager who was about to retire'.
'This is nonsense.'
Bae Sejin clasped his hand tightly.
As a result of some members gritting their teeth and persistently questioning the staff, they also found out the route the former manager had invaded.
- Some of the staff couldn't hear the story of the manager being changed from the performance company... It was a deal that they passed because they thought he was looking for something else during the day.
-... ... !!
So, this accident... It was also the company's fault for not properly notifying the people involved that the former manager had been fired!
Since they themselves knew that, Bae Sejin intuitively knew that they were desperately cracking down on the media by requesting it even to the head office.
Even now, the company was being criticized from all directions for negligence in management personnel.
However, if the facts became clearer, they would take a huge blow, so they were taking their time until the incident subsided as much as possible.
'Right now... I should just focus on Park Moondae's recovery.'
Of course, he had no expectations.
If some members hadn't strongly protested to the company, they would have secretly mentioned activities as a 6-member group.
'They're disgusting... .'
Bae Sejin covered his mouth.
He knew it couldn't be helped, but Bae Sejin was completely fed up with the lowly capitalist gaze that only saw the group as a business base.
It wasn't their job, and they were being insensitive to the schedules of their celebrities.
He had seen it so many times since he was young that he was tired of it.
'In this industry, accidents like this happen every one or two days... !'
Why did the same thing happen over and over again?
This was why, except for the pretentious justification that was within the institutional sphere... They were no different from his former agency.
Bae Sejin gave so much strength that the hand that covered his mouth became white.
'... We need to find a more proper agency.'
There must be agencies that were run by decent people and protected humanity.
There had to be.
'If we can hold on for three years...'
Bae Sejin almost fell into an endless stream of consciousness. But he barely managed to get out.
Because he thought of Park Moondae.
... He still hadn't woken up.
"... …"
Bae Sejin weakly dropped the hand holding the smartphone.
No matter what plans he made anyway, he also knew that in this kind of work, it would work properly if he had Park Moondae's help.
'What... He treats it as if he has lived his whole life doing that.'
Bae Sejin had never seen such a superhuman before.
That shining talent, confidence, and boldness. That alone made him look like a heaven-sent entertainer… He was even good at social life.
At the time of the idol audition program, there were times when he felt relatively deprived, but after debuting, there was no such thing.
Because he didn't feel like comparing.
'So... I also received a lot of help.'
There were times when he shouted out loud that he would definitely pay it back, but it was also true that it'd take a long time.
'I wondered if the time would come when Park Moondae would need my help.'
In fact, Bae Sein coldly evaluated that he was too clumsy to help.
But this time, Bae Sejin really had to move. Something had to be done.
Park Moondae couldn't wake up, and the other members were injured or physically and mentally exhausted, so they couldn't show their usual skills.
'But... I've never done anything.'
This was because he always lived in a state of exhaustion and sensitivity in the mind and body in the past.
So, in this situation, it was Bae Sejin himself who had to move more actively.
"... …"
Bae Sejin removed the hand that was covering his mouth. His eyes were shining,
'Let's do it.'
Bae Sejin picked up his smartphone and checked the contact information of an unknown someone.
Then, after taking a deep breath, he started writing the email.
"... …:
His hands were shaking.
'Still, I'm the only one who can do it!'
Bae Sejin gritted his teeth and pressed the send button.
He didn't know if this would be an effective option. But in his opinion, it was the right thing to do.
"... ...Whoa."
Bae Sejin sat back in his seat.
And he tried to stay calm while fiddling with the hamster-patterned case a fan gave him.
It was then.
[♫♪♩~ ♫♫♪♪♩]
"... … !"
He got a call.
Bae Sejin hurriedly checked the smartphone screen.
- Seon Ahyeon Dongsaeng
Bae Sejin answered the phone without even breathing.
"Uh. what….."
Several excited voices rang through the phone.
Bae Sejin, who had been waiting calmly, was stunned after the sentence was spoken on the other end of the phone
"... …"
"... Now, wait, wait! I'll be there soon… !"
Bae Sein stuttered and ran out of the meeting room before he could finish his own sentence.
His heart raced.
* * *
After activating Nectar (S)...
Suddenly, my vision turned white, and before I knew it, my mind was floating in empty space.
No, I wasn't floating... It felt like being sucked into somewhere.
'Is it the exact opposite of when I entered the dream?'
Then everything turned black.
To put it mildly, I'd like to assume that I was waking up.
I tried to cross my arms but realized that I couldn't really feel the shape of my body. And it felt like it had been quite a while.
'How long should I wait?'
At that moment.
Color came into the pure white space.
'... … !'
No, it was a wave rather than a color.
From far away.
Strange shocks came and attacked me, as if I had sensitized abstract things like emotions and thoughts.
Piing-.
'... … !!'
As if my whole body was vibrating, an intense experience passed by.
And…
The first thing I recognized was Park Moondae's fan, the one who ran a fan page of me, looking at her smartphone.
This was the person who took pictures of Park Moondae since the program days before my debut.
From the moment she heard the news about Park Moondae's car accident, she kept holding on to her smartphone in an almost distraught state.
She couldn't even cry.
At 3 AM...
After checking Park Moondae's surgery article on her smartphone, she was posting on her social media account.
-Pray a lot, please.
Her trembling nails hit the screen.
What was this?
The next ones to appear were siblings.
The older sister, whose eyes were already red and swollen, was fighting fiercely with people who were arguing about TeStar's car accident on the Internet.
Instead of arguing or making jokes as usual, the younger brother sat next to his sister and made a fuss.
And while researching the jaw-dropping medical knowledge from the Internet, he sneakily threw out a thought that Park Moondae had a much higher chance of being okay...
The waves were hot.
A graduate student who saw the breaking news spilled the coffee she was making from one side of the lab room.
And, not paying attention to the mess on the floor, she cried uncontrollably.
Her other lab colleagues ran around and were surprised, but soon understood the situation and worried together with her.
There were people who thought it was pathetic, but it was a sorrow that was so intense that they comforted her instead of talking behind her back.
The story didn't end there.
An office worker who ran a fan page of Lee Sejin and Park Moondae clicked her tongue at the industry, saying, 'They have not learned anything yet' at the news of TeStar's car accident.
However, she couldn't hide her nervousness and, using her physical condition as an excuse, she took an annual leave from work the next day after hearing the news about Park Moondae…
The reason that these things were pouring in... I didn't know why.
A person who came to see an idol concert for the first time in their life.
A person who became interested in Park Moondae after going through various idols, a person who liked 'Groom in May'.
A person who cheered for Park Moondae on the audition program but then forgot about him for a little bit. A person who liked the other members of TeStar and also had a crush on Park Moondae.
A person who didn't like Park Moondae but was worried, a person who bought a lot of albums and decorated all of Park Moondae's photo cards...
Ping-.
The experiences and thoughts of all people who knew TeStar's Park Moondae shimmered everywhere like stars in the summer night's rural sky.
Numerous worries, sorrows, thoughts, their complex minds and simple and intense emotions filled my heart.
And gently grabbed it.
'...'
I didn't know how I could feel such an intense sense of connection with people I hadn't met in person.
I thought involuntarily
'Am I Park Moondae?'
No, this question was not correct.
'TeStar's Park Moondae... Am I the right idol?'
Many active celebrities were changing their real names, statuses, and appearances
So, does that celebrity think that they're a different person when they see themself on TV?
Was Park Moondae just a character I created like 'The Groom in May'?
'... No.'
He wasn't.
Park Moondae may not be me, or all of me.
But he was definitely a part of me.
All these feelings and thoughts... They may not be all directed at me, but there was definitely something that we shared.
So, this definition was correct.
They're... That's it-
People who wanted me to wake up.
'... …'
I felt overwhelmed.
All those emotions and thoughts rolled over my head like waves, leaving wet traces behind.
The pure white space was dyed with all kinds of colors before I knew it, and the colors dripped.
It tasted salty like tears.
I was ecstatic.
It was the sweet taste of life.
I was sucked into the color and ascended.
Up there, light seemed to leak out.
[Nectar (S)]
-Activation Success!
* * *
"Heok!"
I let out a breath like I was going to vomit.
My limbs were dull as if I had fallen into mud.
But the air was sweet enough to kill.
'... Is it daytime?'
My vision was blurry because I hadn't opened my eyes for so long.
But my ears seemed to be fine.
"Park Moondae!!"
"Moo-Moondae...!!"
I knew these voices very well.
These guys had to get their treatments properly, what the hell were they doing in someone else's hospital room?
'... Still, thank you.'
I endured the hands running to my shoulders and head. They screamed into my ears so loudly that it felt like they were going to fall off.
I was very pleased.
It wasn't long before I regained my sight and the medical staff removed the devices attached to me.
Surprisingly, all six of them were in the hospital room.
'Single rooms are nice.'
It was amazing how there was still plenty of room to maneuver around even after all 7 grown-up guys were in there.
And the reason for this situation was... I guessed that the guys who came to visit saw something.
"Moo-Moondae seemed to open his eyes for a moment... I-I called the others just in case. I-I contacted the medical staff as well…"
"Yes... Thank you."
"N-no...!"
Then I thought about what they would have done if I hadn't woken up, but I didn't dare say it out loud.
'I have a headache.'
It was not possible to get rid of the pain in the crucible of tears and congratulatory words.
… But since it had been a while, I was glad to see them.
Instead, I was expressing my gratitude to the members as mildly as possible.
The guy with a red nose shouted.
"Moondaemoondae, do you want to eat melon?? The sweetness is the best~"
"Oh, sure."
His eyes were different. I took a quick glance at Keun Sejin.
"... Uh, Moondae, are you amazed for having such a sincere friend?"
"Something like that."
"... … !"
Hearing that bullshit made me realize it now.
It was the feeling of returning to reality.
Keun Sejin looked at me with a bewildered face, then dramatically raised one arm to cover his face and made a sound.
"This is so touching!"
It looked like he was pretending to cry to hide the fact that he was actually crying, but I guess my condition was really serious.
'First of all, considering the scenes I saw earlier, my surgery was confirmed…'
I thought there would be an obvious scene where the medical staff would say it was a miracle, but there was no such thing in particular.
In fact, my physical condition wasn't even that trashy. That was why I wondered if it was because of the activation of 'Nectar'.
'... Could it be that it was a wound that could be healed if I just stayed still?'
Maybe I overreacted for no reason.
But anyway, I was glad I was back.
I liked myself the way I was now.
As I ate the first melon I received as a special meal for patients, I tried to figure out the situation.
I was a bit dull, probably because it hadn't been long since I had regained consciousness.
Then I saw Cha Eugene, who seemed to be drooling at the sight of the melon.
"... Do you want me to give it to you?"
"It's okay! You have to eat a lot and cheer up!"
He was brave. At first, he welcomed me by almost strangling me, but he seemed to be the same.
And Kim Raebin had a lot to say on his face, but since he looked busy crying, I left him alone.
What to talk about now...
"By the way, what day is it now? What happened to the former manager who caused the accident?"
"... !"
Someone answered me.
"... Park Moondae."
"Ah, yes."
Surprisingly, Bae Sejin spoke with a firm face.
"First... Before that, listen to this story."
"Yes."
Bae Sejin took a deep breath and slowly began to explain.
"The company... The story of the former manager... they weren't speaking about it properly."
"Ah."
I roughly expected it so far.
'I think there's something I can do about that later.'
The important thing was that the bastard who sat behind the wheel was now ready to eat dirt.
However, Bae Sejin clasped one hand tightly and said something unimaginable.
"So, I reported it anonymously to the Human Rights Commission… !"
"... ??"
"Everything so far!"
"... ?!"
What… What was this?