On the screen were the family members the members had invited.
“Ah.”
Do Wook made a sound into the microphone without realizing.
Jung Yoon Ki’s parents, Ahn Hyung Seo’s mother, Suk Ji Hoon’s parents and oldest brother, Park Tae Hyung’s father, Kim Won’s older sister were shown on screen one after another.
There were people in the members’ families who were busy since it was a weekday, but they said they would come during the weekend.
However, the family members tried their best to come to the first concert performance.
Among the people they were showing one by one, Do Wook’s mother and father were there too. Do Wook swallowed hard as he looked at the screen.
The song’s MR* was playing, but most of the members who were supposed to sing were barely holding back their tears so a proper performance was impossible.
(TL Note: MR is music recorded, the instrumental music that plays in the background as the artist sings.)
However there was not one person who was paying attention to that.
“…Thank you.”
On the verge of tears, Ahn Hyung Seo struggled when saying thank you to his parents and to the fans that helped him get to where he was.
As they looked at the members crying, the fans also became heartbroken. There were many fans who were already sniffling from empathizing with the members. The concert hall’s vibe was getting hotter in a different way.
The fans wanted to go up on the stage and give the members a hug, but the distance between a fan and a singer was significant. All they could do was cheer them on in their hearts.
Do Wook lowered his head towards where his parents were and bowed.
They were reserved seats yet there was quite a distance so he wasn’t sure if they’d receive the greeting properly, but thankfully the parents who had been looking solely at Do Wook were waving their hands after receiving the greeting.
The eyes of the two people waving their hands were shining. Do Wook’s mother’s eyes were a little teary.
‘It’s a really odd feeling…’
Honestly, even if he called them his parents, Do Wook, who used to be Bo Myung, had only seen them for a very short time. Soon after he started living in their house he was busy running around trying to become a trainee. Having a meal together the few times he came home while living in the dorms was about the extent of it.
He did contact them on the phone or through text to share how he was doing, but he did it sort of out of a sense of duty.
Still, he felt strange when he saw the two of them look at him with genuinely proud expressions.
‘I have been doing so until now, but they’re people I really have to continue honoring as my parents.’
It was a relief that it seemed like he was being a really good son to them.
And at the same time, he recalled the parents he had when he was Bo Myung.
‘I’m sure they would have liked it too…I really wanted to show it to them as well.’
Tears fell down Do Wook’s eyes.
When Do Wook crying was captured on the VCR, his fans wailed.
‘But Kim Bo Myung, who is now a normal college student, is probably making them happy.’
Do Wook recalled the female college student Bo Myung that he met on campus.
‘It’s rather a relief. They didn’t go through a sad and hard time because of me.’
Do Wook, who had quietly closed his eyes then opened them, pushed down the emotions that were welling up.
“That was the last song. Thank you.”
Along with Do Wook’s words, the song ‘Windy Day’ ended.
In the quietened concert hall, the sound of the fans screaming ‘Encore’ rang out.
“Encore!”
“Encore!!!”
“Kyaaa― Do Wook!”
“Encore!!!”
“Encore!―”
***
After finishing their successful and emotional concert in Korea, the Japan Arena tour came soon after.
Kobe, Nagano, Fukuoka, Yokohama, Shizuoka, Nagoya, Chiba, Tokyo, and even Osaka. KK completed concerts all over Japan.
As expected, it wasn’t easy going abroad and traveling around putting on concerts, but the members could feel their skills growing the more they performed.
They could see why solo concerts were called a dream stage for singers.
The members and the fans had the utmost confidence that they would both win: the fans already knew they’d get a good performance, and the members knew that it would be reciprocated with cheers.
When they stood on stage, they felt somewhat like a screw in their head loosening among the cheers.
They demonstrated incredible focus, and they were fully in the moment when performing. These were the moments when their joy of being on stage was at its peak.
After the performances in Japan, China was next.
Chongqing, Qingdao, Shanghai, Nanjing, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and even Taiwan. KK pushed through without stopping.
Since the concert schedule for China was spread out to one concert a week, they were able to prepare for the award ceremony as well while saving their strength.
Honestly, the performance they had prepared for the concert was already so diverse that they questioned if it was even necessary to prepare for the award ceremony separately.
However, they had to prepare another performance with a different vice for an award show that not only KK fans but also the public could watch, so that they could imprint onto the public KK’s performance skills once more.
Instructor Noh Yoon Tae, who was the choreographer, worked on it day and night to put together KK’s performance, and the members practiced for the award show any downtime they got when in Korea.
“Oh, Do Wook. You’re here.”
“Yes. Hello.”
Team Leader Shim Joon called Do Wook around the time the China concert tour was almost over. There were just the Taiwan and Hong Kong concerts left, and afterwards was the start of the award ceremony season.
KK’s preparation for the award ceremony was already set for the most part. The members were now overflowing with confidence when it came to performing.
Do Wook thought that this might be one of the reasons the company had arranged for performances in different sized venues in various locations.
‘Experience is very important in performing. That must also be the reason why one’s skills improve rapidly after debuting compared to trainee days.’
Team Leader Shim Joon was very sorry that he had to call Do Wook who was resting after coming back to Korea.
Yet he asked him to please come quickly.
The tour was difficult, but they didn’t have any side schedules and only had to get through the concerts, so it was ok.
“Did you lose weight?”
Team Leader Shim Joon, whom he hadn’t seen in a while, concernedly asked.
“Ah. No, I didn’t.”
“Yeah, I guess it’s not your physique that changed.”
Team Leader Shim Joon tilted his head and looked Do Wook over.
It had been a while since Do Wook had turned 20, and he was about to be 21 soon. He wasn’t fat, but he still had had some baby fat on his face.
When he recently lost some fat in his cheeks, Do Wook’s facial shape became even more defined. Even his jawline became sharper than before.
“You got even more handsome.”
“Ahaha.”
Team Leader Shim Joon shook his head when Do Wook laughed awkwardly.
“Stop getting more handsome. How is it possible that you keep getting more handsome. It’s hard, but you did it.”
Do Wook smiled at what Team Leader Shim Joon said and thought something silly to himself.
‘It’s a saying in a drama that became a trend a few years later…’
He suddenly started to wonder if he’d be able to appear in the drama then shook his head. If he could appear in the drama and get cast as the lead, he would then truly be a ‘superstar’.
“It’s amazing that there was any room left for you to be more handsome. Anyways, the reason I called you here today is…”
“Yes, please go ahead.”
Once Do Wook sat down and fixed his posture, Team Leader Shim Joon, who had been beating around the bush, started speaking.
“Do Wook, you know Lee Jin Ri, right?”
Do Wook, who was blinking his eyes, replied that he knew her.
Lee Jin Ri was someone you knew even if you didn’t want to. In Korea, if you watched TV for even just one day you would know who Lee Jin Ri is.
8 years ago, she debuted with the idol group ‘Ruby’ and became the first girl group to win the top award. That was not all.
After Ruby dissolved, Lee Jin Ri became even more active. She gained nationwide popularity by being active not only as a singer but also being especially active in entertainment shows.
Looks and physique you couldn’t take your eyes off of as well as an honest and easygoing personality. Men and women both became interested in Lee Jin Ri and felt her charm.
Lee Jin Ri was also a fashion star, so whatever she wore, from her hat to her clothes, accessories, and shoes all became trendy.
A few years ago could be considered the peak of Lee Jin Ri’s popularity. Citizens of Korea wanted to look into and copy her every move to the point that it could be considered a ‘phenomenon’.
Her album was also successful and she was the first female solo singer to win the top prize from one of the broadcasting stations. Additionally, she even won the top prize at the entertainment awards.
At the time, Lee Jin Ri was so popular that she couldn’t even go out properly, but these days it had at least calmed down. However, people still think of Lee Jin Ri when they say ‘top star’.
Actually, she had also tried acting, but that didn’t go over well. After that, the wave of Lee Jin Ri craze subsided.
Lee Jin Ri revealed in an interview that she was rather relieved that she got a beating early on. If not, she would have been caught up in the popularity and become arrogant and would have lost everyone around her. She was a very honest person.
Since then, Lee Jin Ri was currently only focusing on entertainment shows.
Do Wook recalled Lee Jin Ri’s work history and wondered why Team Leader Shim Joon brought her up.
‘Was it around now that she releases her 3rd solo album…?’
The timing seemed to be right.
“It’s just that we received a call from TBN. I’m sure you’re busy, but I think this is a good opportunity. Manager Oh also said he thinks it’d be good.”
“Yes. I’m ok with it.”
“There you go again! You didn’t even hear what it is.”
“What kind of gig is it?”
“They’d like you to do one extra solo performance at the award show.”
“Alone?”
“Ah, not alone. Together with Lee Jin Ri.”
Do Wook was briefly stunned.
“Two of us?”
“Yes.”
Lee Jin Ri was a dream star to Do Wook too. Seo Tae Joon, whom he worked with before, was a legendary figure to him, but Lee Jin Ri was a star Do Wook dreamed of working with in real life. A star that you can see if you just look up at the sky, but is hard to meet.
He thought to himself that that was why they called a star a star.
“Lee Jin Ri recommended you.”
When he heard that Lee Jin Ri had personally recommended him, Do Wook smiled without realizing it.
Even though she was still doing mostly entertainment shows, Lee Jin Ri’s impact as a female solo singer was significant.
Lee Jin Ri put on a lot of popstar-like performances that you didn’t often see in Korea.
For Do Wook, being able to go on stage with someone like Lee Jin Ri was a good opportunity to learn a lot.
“Rascal! I guess you like Lee Jin Ri too. I thought you wouldn’t care too much because her Ruby activities were when you were young.”
“Ah…Lee Jin Ri sunbae’s popularity is exceptionally outstanding.”
“That IS true. Anyways, I was told your schedule is open tomorrow so I set up a meeting immediately for tomorrow. I thought the sooner we prepare for it the better.”
“Immediately tomorrow?”
“Yes.”
Honestly, it was Team Leader Shim Joon who was more excited. Team Leader Shim Joon had also been working in agencies for a long time, but he still had never met Lee Jin Ri face to face.
Seeing her sitting at a cafe near the agency on his way to lunch from afar was it.
“Do Wook, I’m meeting all of our nation’s top stars thanks to you. Geez.”
Do Wook smiled at what Team Leader Shim Joon said.
“Her 3rd album will be released early next year. I think they’re trying to raise her image as a singer again by doing a special performance at the award ceremony. If Lee Jin Ri performs, there will be articles about it plastered everywhere. It’s a good opportunity for us to lean on Lee Jin Ri’s name.”
“I see.”
“So we’ll probably have to match the concept to them.”
“Yes.”
“Well, we’re the hubae* by far so we have to be accommodating to them. We can also adjust it to a certain degree.”
(TL Note: A junior to someone in rank. experience, etc.)
“Yes. I think it’ll be ok.”
Lee Jin Ri was a dance genre singer that mainly gave sexy performances. Do Wook could imagine to a certain extent the kind of performance Lee Jin Ri was aiming for.
He determined that doing a performance with that kind of vibe wouldn’t be bad for his current image.
He was already past the simple youthful image, but he had to show a little more mature image if he wanted to get further in acting.
But there was one point of concern.
—