Hard Mode Idol

The atmosphere might dampen, but Yoochan hyung, Jung Ilhan, and Kanghyun hyung remained after me. They are people capable of exciting performances that can sufficiently build up the atmosphere until the title song stage. I was a bit worried about Jung Ilhan, but since he’s not trembling, he’ll do well.

“Our pretty and reliable maknae Haon!”

As I moved towards the center of the stage, the MC continued the joke.

“Now! Let’s see Haon’s individual talent too! Since he’s the main vocalist, is it a song as expected?”

“Yes. I’ll sing a song. It’s a song called Winter Sea by Kwon Se-hwa.”

“Winter Sea? Uh, is the MR prepared by any chance?”

The MC asked while looking at the staff. It was obvious they wouldn’t find it, so I just answered.

“No. It’s not a song that has been released yet. I happened to hear it while he was busking, and I liked it so much that it became my life’s song. I want to let everyone hear it too.”

“Ah! Then without accompaniment? Wow, the difficult acapella! It’s a song choice that claims I am the main vocalist of DIAS!”

“I’ll do my best! Since I heard the song only once, I might get the lyrics wrong.”

“Oho! We probably won’t know even if you get it wrong anyway! Then let’s hear it!”

When the MC encouraged the response, people’s applause poured out. Haon! Do well! It’s okay even if you make a mistake! I heard cheers. It was the person holding my placard. After brightly smiling in that direction, I cleared my throat.

Even though I was alone at the center of the stage, I couldn’t feel any expressions of displeasure or jeering gazes at all. Most of them were kind looks and curious interest.

“Haon! Fighting!”

At Yoochan hyung’s voice, I looked at the members. They were all cheering for me. Even Seoho was bouncing around, telling me to do well.

Phew.

As I exhaled the deeply inhaled breath, I started humming. I replaced the accompaniment with humming, and the slightly noisy atmosphere gradually subsided.

People focused on me. I raised my arms above my head and swayed them side to side to match the beat. It was the first time I received such a response, so a pleasantly uplifting feeling enveloped me.

I shouldn’t forget about modifying the lyrics while being swept away like this. There’s a reason I deliberately chose a song that hasn’t been released. I checked my plan in my head and sang the first verse.

The first verse, which compares the loneliness and solitude of the speaker to the cold and pitch-black darkness of the winter sea, is coming to an end. The instrumental break. I hummed again and slowly headed towards the stairs we had come up.

As I went down the stairs, I saw the manager being startled and flustered, but I had no choice but to ignore him. The fixed camera followed me.

As I slowly crossed right below the stage, the fans came into closer view. They all seemed to be holding back their urge to scream while bouncing on their feet. Some even half-raised their hips to get a closer look.

I reached out my hand in sync with the lyrics. The hand that touched the air wasn’t grasped by anyone, but as if responding to my song, countless hands from the audience reached out towards me. It was an overwhelming moment.

Like that, I crossed to the end of the stage and finally arrived in front of the sculpture. I raised my head and made eye contact. The large camera persistently followed me.

Can I do as I wish? Will they respond to my song? I was worried, but I put emotion into the slightly modified lyrics of Winter Sea.

“Don’t stay alone in a dangerous place.”

I stretched out my arm with the back of my hand facing the ground.

“Come here. I’ll be with you.”

The second verse was lyrics comforting the speaker of the first verse. The original lyrics weren’t this, but I changed a few words to match my intention to prevent the unexpected situation. If they catch on to my intention, they’ll come down, and if not, it will end in failure with an awkward atmosphere. I smiled, hoping they would come down. The tip of the camera filming me slightly shook.

“You don’t need to endure alone. Because I’m by your side.”

Ignoring the message that my lyric writing grade had increased, I tried again.

“Come to my side. Lean on me.”

The woman suddenly grabbed my hand. I was a bit surprised because I didn’t expect my hand to be held. She stretched her upper body out for me, making it look even more dangerous. In the midst of it, the camera was still filming me, so I managed my expression, hiding my surprised emotion.

As I sang and circled around the sculpture, it seemed like the woman understood my intention. The backside was like stairs with large steps, making it easy to step on and go up and down.

However, the base of the sculpture was supported by a single relatively thin metal column. Just by standing up and moving slightly, the sculpture wobbled precariously.

It won’t fall over, right? It looks too dangerous…

At the moment when I was so tense that cold sweat was seeping out of our clasped hands, the woman completely got down from the sculpture. After confirming her feet touched the ground, I let go of her hand. I heard a gasp and slightly bowed my head. And I quickly moved back to the stage where the members were gathered.

By the time I stepped up the stairs and reached the center of the stage again, the song had ended. I bowed my waist with a short humming as the finale.

“Thank you for listening.”

Silence fell. It seemed okay while singing, but it feels like I failed. Was the ending too forced after all? The modified lyrics are cringeworthy too… I really have no talent for creation.

The silence continued. Oh no. I completely brought down the atmosphere. But at least I got her down, so my mind is at ease. Although the mission complete message didn’t appear… It’s true that it looked dangerous. Now I should leave the rest to the hyungs. In the meantime, I should observe if there’s anything else that might cause a problem.

“Haon! You did well!”

Yoochan hyung suddenly shouted. The other members were the first to applaud me. I waved at them with a smile.

“Wow! That was really amazing!”

“Kyaaaaaaah!”

As the silence was broken, a fervent cheer rushed in, loud enough to hurt my ears. I thought I had completely failed except for achieving my goal, but I guess not? The cheers pouring solely on me felt surreal.

“No, Haon! You have every right to be confident in acapella? Your voice is caressing my heart… Can I lean on you too?”

The MC stood right next to me with a playful smile. I was awkwardly smiling, pondering how to react.

“Aaaaah! No!”

When a strong objection was shouted from the audience, the MC dejectedly stepped away from me.

“Ah, that’s too much!”

And he whined at the audience again. I burst into laughter at his exaggerated gestures.

“Oh!”

“Huh? What’s wrong, Haon?”

“Ah.”

Ah, I let out a sound. The person who had briefly come down was trying to climb up the sculpture again. After a moment of contemplation, I decided to be honest and just say it.

“Actually, I was worried because the person on the sculpture looked like they were in danger…”

“Ah! The person who was seduced and came down!”

Se, seduced? While I couldn’t hide my surprise at the bold word choice, the MC, who had been looking around with his hand shaped like a blade on his forehead, spoke while looking at the top of the sculpture.

“Ah! The person climbing up again! Our Haon is worried, can you come down?”

The person who was hesitantly climbing up lowered their head and made a circle above their head. And then they went back down.

“There! Is it okay now?”

“Ah, yes! Thank you!”

“Everyone! Our Haon is very concerned about your safety! Keep order well! Don’t do dangerous things! Can you all promise that?”

“Yes!”

“We will!”

“Haon! I love you!”

Ah! So it was right that they shouldn’t climb up there. If it weren’t for the MC’s help, I definitely wouldn’t have been able to do it. I was looking at him with admiration, and the MC’s cheekbones lifted.

“Ugh! Look at me with those eyes a bit more! Ah, what is this tingling sensation?”

“L, like this?”

“Kya! It’s thrilling! The best!”

When the MC smiled mischievously with his eyes, I smiled along. With this, I can face the debut showcase without worrying about unexpected situations. I should do my best until the last stage!

“The talents of the DIAS members are truly exceptional! I’m getting more and more excited? Who’s next?”

As I returned to where the members were gathered, I checked my stamina. Seeing it hovering around 40, it seemed like I could barely endure or it might be insufficient.

Kanghyun hyung casually walked forward. As I passed by hyung, I mouthed ‘Fighting!’ to him. Hyung smiled subtly and nodded at me.

“Wow! Kanghyun really looks like a statue. That, that, isn’t there something people often say on the internet? That Louvre Museum thing.”

“…Ah. Thank you?”

It’s clear he doesn’t know what ‘that Louvre Museum thing’ is. I don’t know either, but…

“Hahaha! Pretending not to know! As the dance ace of DIAS! Since you’re the main dancer, is it dance as expected?”

“Yes. If you play any song, I’ll try dancing to it impromptu.”

“Kya! This confidence! As expected of DIAS! Everyone, give a round of applause!”

The audience’s applause soon turned into laughter. It was because a children’s song about a cute rabbit hopping around started playing.

“Hahahahaha!”

Seoho clutched his stomach and pounded the floor. Kanghyun hyung was looking at us alternately with a dumbfounded expression. Ah, hyung, I’m sorry, but. It’s a bit funny to me too.

“Ah! What are you doing! The song is about to end soon~!”

Kanghyun hyung quickly pulled himself together and diligently made ear shapes with his hands and flapped them. The thought ‘This isn’t it?’ was clearly visible on his face, so I couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

The short children’s song ended, and the MC cracked a joke. Kanghyun hyung, looking very wronged, said you should have played a proper song. Everyone was having a good time. Is this what a showcase is usually like?

During the press showcase, it felt like we were being introduced as products. But now, it just feels like we’re playing on stage. After solving the sub mission, I couldn’t be more at ease.