When I woke up, several months had passed, but out of the blue, I was going to watch my own performance.
And the cause of this situation… It was surprisingly simple.
I pressed my forehead and tidied up.
"Therefore… When you had time while studying, you were curious and looked up my activities, and at some point you found it interesting."
[Yes!]
He answered very clearly.
[Magical boy… Oh, the stage in that baseball uniform was really cool too! And the variety show that came out alone was really fun… I didn't see the main room because I was studying…]
That was enough to seem like he had got all the news about our famous activities. It seemed like he managed to avoid a sudden death by avoiding a fallout.
… No, there was a possibility that this was the only joy in his life.
'Was he relieving his stress by watching idols?'
Then what could I say?
[And then, when I checked the score, it seemed like I had passed the test… I thought it might be okay to go and see them for a day, so I bought a ticket…]
"… …"
The resonance faded, as if muttering words.
'He really wants it.''
I said with a sigh.
"… Where is it?"
[… !]
Yes. I understood.
People went crazy after studying all day long. In the long term, it was necessary to take a day off.
The resonance resonated like crazy.
[Not far from here! It was a Gyeonggi-do festival…]
"Wait."
I changed my clothes.
There would be thousands of people, but I wondered if anything would go wrong. It was enough to endure the scene of solemn monitoring that I personally cheered for on my stage.
[Hyung, thank you so much!]
I heard 'thank you' about three times while putting toothpaste on my toothbrush.
"It's not that difficult, so what? You should have fun like this."
[What?]
I chuckled.
"You're going to go to boarding school tomorrow."
[… Aww!]
I had no intention of interfering with the final leisure life of the student this year.
• * *
An hour later.
I bought wireless earbuds at a convenience store so I wouldn't be suspected as a lunatic talking to himself. This was enough to match the assortment.
Of course, while moving, I was doing what I had to do at the same time.
"First, tell me what happened."
[Yes!]
First, I checked the status abnormality that appeared on this guy.
[! Abnormal Status: Pass or die! (2)]
If you do not pass the 1st written test of the 'Level 7 Open Competitive Recruitment Exam', death
Okay. I knew it.
The deadline was the same as 1 year. Hmm.
'From now on, I'll have to tell him to delay the clear confirmation.'
If it was pushed forward, there may be a crazy situation where the period expired before the second or third exam.
It wouldn't make much of a difference since the exam was for one year, but he could benefit from the period.
But the moment I thought about that, I also remembered how the confirmation of my status abnormality was done.
'Truth check.'
I didn't know if this guy would have trash pop-up like 'Check the truth ☜ Click!', so I'd have to check it out.
"Looking at the date, it doesn't seem like the status abnormality changed immediately after checking your results."
[Uh… yes. Still, something strange came up…]
The resonance somehow trembled thinly. And as soon as he explained, I knew why.
The option that appeared at the bottom of the success pop-up as soon as he checked his first results.
[Accept sync ☜ Click!]
It was kind of creepy to click on this, so he hesitated for weeks and received it in September.
[I was going to wait a while and ask when hyung comes back…]
But I didn't hear from him, and after all, he clicked that button yesterday.
And the result…
[Completed accumulating.]
He said that this window popped up.
'… It must have been very surprising.'
[Hyung. Maybe I did something wrong and the punishment is accumulating… ?]
"No, that won't happen."
As for the feeling… It seemed that 'Park Moondae' existed in the process of making the compensation I created, and it seemed to be settling down, but I wasn't sure.
'What kind of mechanism is it?'
There were more things to analyze. I thought for a little bit and then moved on.
Because I had already reached my destination.
I got off the bus and checked the athletic field in front of me.
"Here."
[Wow!]
I remembered.
'I think it was a festival held by some company.'
It was rare for such things to be sold without a rental.
'The lineup… We were at the best level.'
I went inside, reviewing the details.
The air inside the venue was stuffy. It was an obvious result because it was hot even at the end of September, as befits a modern society where abnormal temperatures occurred.
'It's not like I slept wearing a sleeveless shirt for no reason.'
Sitting in the aisle outside, I felt a strange sense of déjà vu. Well, did it remind me of my days as a data collector?
[Hyung. Do you remember this performance?]
"Yes."
[Then… ! By any chance, when will you come out?]
I consciously pressed the Bluetooth earphone and answered.
"Second to last."
[Wow …]
I wondered if there was something to be admired in the conversation just now. The practicality of just getting off work quickly to fight for the ending?
'Should I at least release tell a story about my active period when the time comes?'
It felt like being a curator. I closed my mouth. And on the stage, the performance was just beginning.
"… …"
The stages that followed were not very exciting. I saw them so often because they overlapped with each other.
However, seeing it from below again, I feel a sense of déjà vu as if I was a data collector who had gone back in time.
[Hyung, are you not having fun… ?]
"No, it's fine. It must be because I'm used to it."
It was so loud, so even if I mumbled, it was something I could do because I knew that people around me couldn't hear me. And the resonance understood well since this was also his body.
[Since you were active as an idol, of course you are!]
"By the way, I went to shoot something like this when I was in college."
[… !]
Well, I just said it.
I expected the resonance to say, 'Did you intern as a reporter?' But instead of saying the same thing, he enthusiastically agreed.
[Yes! That, hyung also filmed that Youngrin fancam… !]
"… ??"
How did he know?
"Did I even tell you that?"
[That… Yes. Somehow I found out!]
Okay. Well, it wasn't particularly a secret, so it could have been spilled like this while drinking.
I nodded.
Since the guy with whom I shared my view with was excited, I watched the rest of the stage without turning my head.
And after a long time, the long-awaited guys finally came up on stage.
Wow!!!
Compared to the previous one, there were three times more screams.
And the figures who came up and got into formation.
TeStar.
-I met you tomorrow
Think about it all-day
Wearing a navy blue stage costume and holding a microphone… It was me.
-Dream as blue as daytime
"… …"
[Wow… !]
It was a strange feeling.
Obviously, I had done stage monitoring done countless times. I needed to check what I was doing so I could refine it.
However, to see a real performance from a complete spectator's point of view… It was almost shocking.
Even if I was the size of a lighter.
'Did I have that expression?'
The face on the display board and the running matchstick-sized figures intersected in my field of vision.
-Cast a spell
Only then did I really understand that I was included in the sights I once recorded as data.
Park Moondae on stage, he was quite… He seemed like a good idol.
I sat quietly in my seat among the cheering people until TeStar's performance was over.
And it was only when the rapper came out that 'Park Moondae' wasn't interested in that I got up and left.
[Hyung?]
"Bathroom."
I wanted to pour some cold water on myself. I couldn't believe that I was so impressed with this situation.
… … … I missed it.
'Oh my god.'
I moved my feet and naturally headed towards the end of the hallway. And the moment I entered the bathroom, I realized.
Just now… Very naturally, I came into the area where no one was allowed to enter.
"… …"
I guess they thought I was a staff member because I was invisible to the performer's fan base. Event security sucked.
'Well, it's because I don't even have a camera.'
I shrugged and turned on the water at the sink.
And I heard something at the same time.
Bang!
Someone slamming the door open and coming out of the bathroom stall.
"… ?"
What?
At that moment, the person in question could be seen in the front mirror.
However… I knew him.
[Uh, uh, uh! This person!]
It was Bae Sejin.
In that moment, I grasped the situation.
'He locked himself in a stall and cried.'
It was obvious since it was still the early debut period. Come to think of it, didn't I experience a similar situation when I was in the daydream?
"… …"
Bae Sejin was trying to be less harsh, but still had a dirty personality due to family issues.
I saw Bae Sejin, who did not approach the sink and stopped. There was power in the eyes with vigilance.
'Hmm.'
I felt odd. A little… Should I say that I was glad?
Of course, I might look like a weirdo, so I'd have to deal with it.
I spoke briefly as I washed my hands.
"Are you Lee Sejin? Sorry. I'm surprised since I'm a fan."
"… !"
"I enjoyed your stage well earlier. I think you always look really good."
Bae Sejin, no, Lee Sejin, who had not yet changed his last name, had a blank face.
'Ah, at this time, will he curse at me?'
It was the time when the additional successful candidate was getting beaten up by public opinion on the Internet because of his lack of stage ability, so he might be more vigilant.
However, Bae Sejin did not do that.
"… Thank you."
Instead, he was a bit flustured, and a look of embarrassment passed over his face.
"I am very grateful. I will cheer you on."
"… Yes."
Only then did Bae Sejin come to the sink and start washing his hands.
'I passed it.'
I was about to dry myself off and walk to the door, but I heard a voice behind me.
"That… ! I'll even give you an autograph, if you need it."
"Ah."
I thought about it before, but this guy secretly liked fan service. I pretended to rummage through my pockets a few times, then nodded.
"I don't have a pen. Please do it for me next time."
"… Yes."
I ended my short conversation with Bae Sejin from the past, and carefully left the staff area without being noticed by anyone.
It couldn't be denied that it was a refreshing experience.
[Wow… Maybe he recognized you?]
"I don't think so."
I guess we didn't even talk at all at the time.
'If it was September of the year I debuted…'
Come to think of it, that guy would soon talk to the police about his father's gambling scam and change his name. Was it early October?
'Hmm.'
At that time… Obviously, it seemed that the sentence was greatly increased because it was not only gambling, but also drugs.
'I even knew the identity of the drug addict.'
I stopped.
… What if?
"Can I stop by somewhere for a moment?"
[Yes? Yes!]
I found the nearest public phone.
[… ?]
And I called the Gyeonggi-do Northern Police Station Civil Service Office.
[Hyung??]
Oh, got it.
"Drugs are being loaded into an illegal gambling den in the basement of Building XX in XX City."
And hung up.
[Uh… Uhh… …]
They may think it was a prank call now, but if Bae Sejin made an anonymous report, they would think of it once.
There was almost no date difference, but two reports with completely different feelings came in from the same location.
'There must be an effect of looking around for drugs.'
I shrugged and walked out of the phone booth.
"It's not a prank call, so don't worry. The police won't come."
[That, sure… ?]
I slowly returned to the officetel, talking about a few stories from the beginning of my debut.
And after dinner and washing up, it was already nearing the end of the day.
'Going out definitely eats up time.'
I first made a request related to status abnormalities, and then quickly took a picture of the first exam for next year. Since he had already studied for a few months, I did it quickly.
After that, there were only 30 minutes left for today.
Thanks to that, I was chatting with the resonance of 'Park Moondae' who seemed to be a little depressed.
[Hyung, maybe… Does hyung come back every time I get rid of this status abnormality?]
"Things like that happen, too."
There was only one case, but it was a story with a possibility. Then the resonance hummed melancholically.
[Then… Maybe I'll see you in a year or so next time.]
I chuckled.
"If you think of it the other way around, if you make it into the first round, you will see your face again."
[That… Is that so??]
"Yes. Work hard."
[… Yes!!]
If he didn't work hard, he would suddenly die, so wouldn't it be a little better if the guide came to him like an annual membership?
I went to sleep after giving him one last instruction on how to sell stocks, just in case money was urgent.
It was midnight.
• * *
And again in the morning…
The reason I woke up again was the sound of the alarm.
The sun was coming in.
Now, the hypothesis of 'Park Moondae' was…
[Hyung! It's you, right?]
When I heard the voice, it seemed right.
"Yes."
I laughed at the resonant sound that seemed to be excited.
"Did you do well on the test?"
[Yes! Yes!! I got in… ! The first round!]
Yes, that was great.
No matter how much I registered for boarding school… Wait, but this was still the officetel.
I got out of bed and looked around. There was something on the table.
"Aren't you enrolled in boarding school?"
[I am! Oh, it's the weekend, and I had something to do yesterday, so I came to the officetel for a while… And I thought that this place wouldn't be unfamiliar to you when you came back.]
"Alright."
It was a rather peculiar idea. I nodded and headed for the table. What was on the table was an advertisement bromide…
Wait a minute.
[Be happy ^^ VTIC Cheongryeo]
This bastard… Why was his signature here?