Chapter 205
The name of the item I checked is 'Mental Communication'.
Mental Affinity: When using an item, the user and their mental power are linked to those around them. The mental power that can be felt is limited to 50% of the user's.
The user's mental strength is the standard.
In other words, it is an item that increases the mental power of the members according to my mental power.
There is no better deal than this.
Currently, I have the passive 'Demon King Slayer' and the trait 'One Who Subdued the Demon King', so my composure and mental strength have increased significantly.
If the effect of this item was 100% dependent on the user, that could be a problem in its own right.
Because it is not a level of courage and composure that an ordinary person can have.
So, it's actually a good thing that only 50% of my mental power is applied.
'If we have this, the members will be able to overcome this situation a little more flexibly.'
I placed my finger over the 'Mental Affinity' item slot.
10 lucky draw coins is a really huge amount.
A quantity that can only be collected by completing 10 or more high-difficulty linked quests and achievements.
Investing this much in one item is like gambling, and it's different from the direction I originally pursued, but...
'Let's make an exception this time.'
I made up my mind and purchased the 'mental sensitivity' item.
[Successful exchange of 'Mental Affinity' item!]
[The item takes effect.]
It's already quite late.
Heo Yu-bin was fast asleep, snoring loudly in the bed next to me.
The other members must have also quickly gone to bed to end their tiring day.
I covered myself with the blanket and closed my eyes.
'I guess I'll just wake up tomorrow morning and check the situation.'
* * *
The morning dawned.
After I finished showering and went down to the living room, the members were all huddled together.
"Karis, did you sleep well?"
"Yes. What about you, hyung?"
"I think I slept well for the first time in a long time."
Song Hyung-bin smiled at me.
"Manager said he has some good news. He said he'll tell everyone when they wake up."
"If it's good news, is it related to Siyoon?"
"Well, which one is it? First of all, are you hungry? Let's eat something in the morning."
Without Kang Si-yoon, who was like our personal chef, we had no choice but to rummage through the food in the fridge and eat it.
After neatly finishing off a ham and cheese sandwich, I sat on the sofa with Yoo Min-ha and waited for the other members to wake up.
After 30 minutes, Ji Yoon-chul came out into the living room, rubbing his sleepy eyes.
As if Manager Hyung had been waiting for this moment, he clapped his hands.
"Did you all sleep well?"
"Yes!"
"Hyung, did you get some sleep?"
At Chae Eun-gyu's question, we looked closely at Manager Hyung's face.
Manager Hyung usually boasted slightly dark circles under his eyes, but today he looked like he had bruises under his eyes.
It's a bit like a panda in a zoo.
"I stopped by home yesterday and came back right away to sleep, but I didn't get much sleep today because I had to take care of work from early in the morning."
"If hyung collapses too, it'll be a big problem, so let's go to bed early today."
"I want to do that too. But for now, that's not the important thing."
Manager Hyung got to the point.
A detailed account of the events of the last two days.
He explained in detail how he was able to move the arrest team at the moment the Sasaengs broke into our dorm and how they were caught.
"Do you remember that on the day that Karis told me that he saw a sasaeng in front of the dorm, I immediately reported it to the CEO, and he gave me permission to assign additional personnel?"
"Yes."
"But we can't catch the Sasaengs simply by increasing the number of bodyguards. That's why we asked the police for their cooperation. They said that the damage is being caused by stalking."
Well, I was a little puzzled when Manager Hyung told them to watch the CCTV.
As expected, it was possible because it was a joint operation with the police.
Manager Hyung, who explained that there were many complicated and detailed processes, took a deep breath and stroked his bangs.
"Anyway, I got word this morning that they were arrested. They were immediately taken to our office, and as I mentioned before, they're going to file charges for stalking and trespassing. It's completely out of my hands now."
"Wow.... We finally caught them for real."
"They say that it is very difficult to legally punish Sasaengs related matters."
"Haha, that's true. But if we can secure proper evidence like CCTV footage, it's definitely possible. If this fight goes all the way to court and a formal lawsuit is filed, I think it'll probably be a huge example. Enough to make other sasaengs not to take a chance."
Ji Yoon-chul, who was listening to the story, suddenly got up from his seat.
Then he walked over to the manager and patted his shoulder without saying anything.
"... You've worked hard, hyung."
Ji Yoon-chul and Manager Hyung have a height difference of about 12cm, which makes for a very exciting scene.
I almost burst out laughing at this bizarre sight, but I managed to hold it back for now.
But the moment Manager Hyung covered his mouth and acted with exaggerated action, we all burst out laughing.
"Sob sob! I really get upset whenever Yoon-chul does this! I can't believe our youngest has grown up so much already!"
"... I was originally tall."
"I really feel like crying―!"
Seriously, if we filmed our daily lives and broadcasted them as is, there would be no funnier content than that.
I laughed with the members and thought highly of Manager Hyung's sensitivity.
'The atmosphere could have been tense with talk of legal action, but it was resolved in this way. This is truly a rare talent to see in this day and age.'
When I first heard that Seleste was being handled by Sigma Entertainment, I honestly had more doubts than trust.
But when I actually looked into it, I felt that all of Sigma's personnel were doing their best in their respective positions.
I was especially grateful to Manager Hyung, who tried his best to help us in our lives in some way.
Aside from the story about the private life lawsuit, Manager Hyung also mentioned the condition of Kang Si Yoon that we had been waiting for.
"Fortunately, he seems to have recovered from the mental shock quickly. And he said that his cold symptoms have improved thanks to the IV fluids and medicine he received at the hospital. There is a saying that a crisis can be an opportunity, so let's think of it as a good thing that he recovered from the flu quickly."
"That's right. Maybe his cold got better quickly because he was admitted to the hospital?"
"Hyung, then when will Siyoon come back to the dorm?"
In response to Song Hyung-bin's question, Manager Hyung looked for something on his cell phone.
"They said he could be discharged from the hospital and return to the dorm today."
"Then we can do the activity together next week!"
"Thank goodness...."
Yoo Min-ha and Heo Yu-bin showed contrasting reactions at the same time.
While Yoo Min-ha applauded happily, Heo Yu-bin stroked his chest with an expression that said as if he had been feeling sorry for ten years.
"Oh, I thought of something because we were talking about activities...."
"Yes?"
"What is it?"
The members looked at their manager, who was slightly hesitating.
Manager Hyung hesitated for a moment, whether he should say this or not, then soon opened his mouth.
"Do you remember that we have three in-person fan signing events scheduled this week?"
"Oh, I remember."
"Isn't there an English video call signing session too?"
"Yeah. I'm just.... I'm a little worried if you guys can stay well in front of your fans after going through the same thing yesterday...."
Manager Hyung trailed off, which was unusual for him.
But everyone in the living room must have understood what he meant.
The topic he was concerned about last night was just mentioned.
There are many Seleves who send proper fan love towards Seleste.
In terms of probability, the probability of an abnormal personality like a Sasaeng being mixed in with a normal Seleves is about 1%.
However, because of this small percentage, there are cases where colored glasses are forcibly put on other fans.
A phobia formed by experiencing an extremely frightening situation.
The fear that the fan in front of them now may one day follow them.
If you get caught up in these thoughts, even giving a simple greeting to your fans becomes difficult.
I waited for the members' answers with some tension.
'It will appear now. The effect of the mental communication item.'
Based on the situation so far, the members listened to Manager Hyung's story in a much more stable state than yesterday.
Even when they heard that they were suing the Sasaengs, they still took it in stride, and just like our manager said, they thought of Kang Si-yoon's hospitalization as a blessing in disguise.
Indeed, how will people react to this topic?
"... I think it'll be okay."
The first to speak was Song Hyung-bin.
"A very small number of fans, no, only a very small number of people do stalking and sasaeng-like behavior. To be honest, it's scary when you're the one who's been hit. But I don't think that's a problem for all the Seleves who support and like us."
"That's right. It's true that there are a lot more fans who cheer in a healthy way."
"If something like that happens again, then hyung will be able to handle it!"
The moment I heard Chae Eun-gyu and Yoo Min-ha's answers, the worries that had been lingering in a corner of my heart disappeared.
That's for sure.
After purchasing the 'Mental Communication' item yesterday, everyone's composure and cool-headedness have increased significantly compared to usual.
I was worried that they would become so scared in front of fans that we would have what is called a 'frozen eye', but now it seems like I don't have to worry anymore.
[동태 눈깔
'I heard that Kang Si-yoon also quickly recovered from the psychological shock, so I guess we can feel a little bit more relieved.'
I breathed a sigh of relief inside.
The urgent fire has been put out.
Manager Hyung also nodded, feeling very glad to hear what the members said.
The shadow that had been cast over his face also disappeared.
"Okay, I think I've delivered all the notices. Let's go to the shop."
"Yes~!"
* * *
The members' mood seemed quite refreshed.
We went to a pre-recording for a music show and had a brief chat with the Seleves who showed up on site.
Although it was a restricted commute route, we waved at fans holding cameras from afar and said things like, "Take care!"
Kang Si-yoon, who returned to our dorm two days after being hospitalized, was in much healthier condition than expected.
He was completely free from the flu and the mental stress.
"Hey, I was really frustrated because I was just lying around and not being able to do anything. All I could think about was that I absolutely had to not get sick again, seriously."
I asked Kang Si-yoon if he was happy to have some time to rest, but it seemed like his body was very itchy.
I couldn't help but smile as I felt like he had returned to the usual Kang Si-yoon I knew.
In this way, the overall atmosphere of Seleste has improved significantly compared to before.
Of course, it could be thanks to my 'mental sensitivity' item, but if the members themselves hadn't thought positively, my item wouldn't have been able to have its full effect.
But something is missing.
I felt a strong sense of unease in my heart as I felt that unpleasant things had happened to us not once but one after another.
It is not enough to overcome a crisis with a positive mindset.
To completely free Seleste from the shadow of this fate, something more certain is needed.
I kept thinking to myself about what I could use as a means.
Then a conversation buried in my memory came to mind.
-Do you plan on appearing on a variety show in the future? I think it would be okay to appear on a show that uses words rather than physical ones.
It was when we first debuted on a music show.
This is what the general producer of Music K Showdown said to me.
'There is no better source of mood-changing than entertainment.'
I still don't know what kind of entertainment the general producer mentioned or what format it will be in.
But at this point, nothing better comes to mind.
I immediately called our manager.
In this phone call, I had no idea that the things Kang Si-yoon had said without thinking would become such a huge foreshadowing.
"Huh? Did I hear that correctly?"
[Yeah. The program that the PD recommended is a Korean language quiz show.]
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