Chapter 973: I Am the King of Singers, But...? (8)

All day long, TNT’s fans were glued to social media.

‘So jealous.’

‘Ah, seriously. If only I could’ve used vacation leave, I would’ve gone today...’

‘There are twenty thousand seats, so how is it possible there wasn’t even one for me over three days?!’

Everyone watched the reviews with envious eyes.

Posts showing off freebie hand fans they’d received, posts saying the ground floor view was surprisingly decent, posts live reporting how insanely long the merch lines were, and more.

As they watched the happy fans and laughed bitterly to themselves with thoughts like, ‘Well... at least you guys are happy,’—

[300SacksOfRiceSeokJihoon]

@se1ena_r

holy shit

A fan account with a profile picture of Seok Jihoon wearing cat ears.

Along with a ten second video, the following caption had been posted.

[300SacksOfRiceSeokJihoon]

we were talking about Rabbit Sam and Uncle Bunny was literally nearby;;

Together blinked.

‘What kind of nonsense is this?’

...They said that while pressing play.

And the moment they did—

‘He’s there?!’

‘He’s actually there!’

‘Wait?!’

Someone was moving a rabbit plush around with their hand, making it wave hello.

[Nice to meet you, little Together children! It is I, Uncle Bunny!]

TNT’s fans burst into laughter.

Because behind the plush, someone wearing a baseball cap and mask was visibly controlling it.

The news spread through the fandom almost immediately.

[I think NewBlack got spotted]

Fans reacted with amazement at the news that Wooju and Jiho had attended the concert.

‘Whoa.’

If it had been other celebrities attending a concert, people would’ve just thought, “Oh, okay.”

But NewBlack somehow felt different.

Of course, they’d known NewBlack since debut days, but that was the old NewBlack.

Now it felt more like internationally famous artists had come specifically to watch TNT’s concert.

-Did they come to see Taehyun?? Wooju and Taehyun are best friends

-Wooju seems close with everyone

-Sun Wooju used to be a TJ trainee

-Jihoon and Taehyun came out as Wooju’s close friends on New Universe tooㅇㅇ

Remembering the currently high rated New Universe driver’s license special, TNT’s fans nodded in understanding.

Normally, the conversation probably would’ve ended around, “Wow! That’s crazy cool...!”

But the moment Sun Wooju’s legendary alternate persona appeared, the buzz exploded.

Posts began flooding communities nonstop.

[(The Real) Rabbit Sam Appears at TNT Concert]

Idol fans clicked the post and immediately burst out laughing.

The adorably folded ears.

The sparkling eyes.

Even that oddly star worthy irritated expression.

-ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-Rabbit Samㅠㅠ

-The plush Rabbit Sam is stupidly cuteㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

-Rabbit Sam came to support his seniors awwww

-holy shit why is that plush so cute??? where do they sell that??

-They sell it at marts but parents are lining up for them..

-Ah..

Everyone laughed happily at the appearance of the nursery rhyme powerhouse currently sweeping the world.

Then stories about Uncle Bunny inside the concert hall started spreading.

[I got Rabbit Sam’s autographㅠㅠㅠㅠ]

(Video.gif of Sun Wooju holding Rabbit Sam’s hand and signing an autograph)

Can I become a hero to my nieces and nephews with this??

-You could milk this for ten years

-Nah kids just go “cool” and move onㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-Still enough to become the world’s greatest aunt for five minutes

-(GIF of Grand Prince Suyang power walking) I can totally picture someone marching away with the autograph

-You can become the main character of Chuseok this year

[Sun Wooju Gets His Handshake Rejected]

(GIF of Sun Wooju awkwardly reaching out for a handshake as people leave after seeing Rabbit Sam, then patting Jiho instead)

(GIF of Wang Jiho looking extremely happy)

-ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-I’ll hold that hand for you..

-Cuteㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-But there’s literally a rabbit talking in front of themㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ That’s just because the real person is acting too well

-I totally get it. If you saw Sun Wooju in real life you’d be too nervous. Though I’ve never actually seen him

Then the answer to why the rabbit doll was there was uploaded.

[300SacksOfRiceSeokJihoon]

I asked Wooju why he brought Rabbit Sam dolls and he said they were gifts for the members later

Apparently the members wanted themㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ so cute

Apparently he had brought a pile of rabbit dolls to give to the TNT members.

The antis who had been about to complain that he was trying to steal attention at another idol’s concert and accuse him of being an attention seeker quietly shut their mouths.

Of course, even if they had complained, it probably wouldn’t have mattered.

‘NewBlack...!’

‘Looks like Wooju and Jiho came to watch the concert too.’

TNT’s fandom was looking at NewBlack with incredibly warm eyes.

Part of it was because NewBlack were national level idols.

But honestly, that alone wasn’t enough to explain the phenomenon.

The era when TNT and NewBlack fandoms fought each other wasn’t ancient history.

It had only been two years ago.

Back then, all three sides had practically been grabbing each other by the hair.

-“TNT are washed up now, right?? See their album sales dropping?? It’s Team Spirit’s era now, right?? Mad?? But you can’t do anything about it, can you?? Admit Together is honestly more famous as ice cream??”

-“IT’S A REPACKAGE, YOU SOUL BASTARDS! Stop making shit up! One of us dies today!”

-“Nyaa~ another happy day stanning my idols... AAAAAH! I DIDN’T SAY ANYTHING!”

...It had been that kind of era.

Now, after Souffle became the strongest fandom in history, everyone quietly behaved themselves to avoid provoking them—

But no matter how close singers personally were, when a competing group surpassed your own, it was impossible not to feel complicated emotions.

Still, after everything that had happened, TNT fans viewed things very differently now.

-“TNT effectively halts activities, ‘For now, the members will walk separate paths...’”

Even the fans never learned exactly what had happened.

Only that several members’ contract renewals had failed, and the company’s terrible management had played a major role.

The akgaes celebrated, saying the members could finally focus on solo activities, but for TNT fans, it was a miserable time.

The members comforted fans by saying they were only taking a short break.

But everyone knew it was essentially a promise with no guaranteed future.

‘There’s also the military issue.’

For TNT, starting with Gu Sunwoong, born in 1990, enlistments had already been approaching back in 2018.

At the time, the fans had all felt the same thing.

-...It’s over.

It felt like one of the strings holding their lives together had suddenly snapped.

They’d absentmindedly touch old albums before tears began dripping down.

The gloomy rain outside felt exactly like their own hearts.

They’d lose their appetites and lie alone beneath blankets in dark rooms while tears endlessly fell.

Then a year passed.

And an article appeared.

-“TNT full group to perform at Pyeongchang Olympics Closing Ceremony”

The Olympics earlier that year had felt like a festival for TNT’s fans too.

The moment they saw the members singing inside the Olympic stadium, they understood.

It felt as though the members were saying this directly to the fans.

-Did you miss us?

The atmosphere became a full blown celebration.

Dormant SNS accounts came back to life.

Joint livestreams between members began appearing, along with meaningful posts and comments on social media.

And finally—

-“TNT full group comeback confirmed... ‘Returning late June’”

They came back.

The title of this concert was “We Are Back.”

And the album title was “We’ll Be Back.”

A strong declaration that they would continue full group promotions no matter how many hiatuses lay ahead.

The fans cheered.

Because no matter how long the wait might be, a wait with a promised future was completely different.

What mattered was simply being able to continue seeing their singers.

That was why—

‘Sun Wooju.’

TNT’s fandom couldn’t help but look warmly at NewBlack, and especially Wooju.

The members had indirectly mentioned Wooju several times before.

Saying he had helped create the opportunity for them to reunite.

And this time, Wooju had invited his friends onto New Universe to help promote the album.

Honestly, their current chart success definitely wasn’t unrelated to New Universe.

“......”

“......”

Feeling sudden gratitude, TNT’s fans quietly wandered into communities where Souffle gathered.

Recently, a certain culture had settled among idol fandoms.

Whenever something happened that made people grateful toward NewBlack—

-Thank you..

-Thank youㅠㅠ

-Guys thank you seriously hope you’re blessed

-Charcoal squad I love you

People would simply say thank you, then vanish emotionally into the night.

Of course—

-?? Who are you people?

-Thanks.. Charcoal squad I love you♡

-Wait who are you???

-I’ll stream your songs sometimes when I think of itㅋㅋ thanks

Watching strangers flood the boards with messages of gratitude before disappearing, Souffle once again sat there utterly bewildered.

Sparkle sparkle.

Seeing the shining eyes surrounding us, I leaned toward Jiho.

“What’s going on?”

“I have no idea either.”

The audience members around us were looking at us with absurdly warm expressions.

‘Why do they look like grandmas watching their grandchildren?’

‘Maybe it’s because they’ve been fangirling for so long?’

I tilted my head at the expressions that resembled grandmothers peeling fruit while gazing fondly at their grandkids.

It was strange.

No matter how likable we were, this was another idol kingdom entirely.

“Um...”

“Yes?”

“Would you like some snacks?”

Together fans trying to share their precious snacks with us.

While our bodyguard raised a hand to stop unidentified food and drinks, I smiled.

“It’s okay. We already had a huge dinner before coming.”

“We ate beef~”

“I see...” the TNT fans said sadly as they packed the snacks back away.

After thanking them, we pulled out TNT light sticks from our bags.

“Hyung. How do you do the central control thing with this?”

“......!”

The TNT fans nearby visibly perked up.

Their eyes suddenly sparkled with expectation.

‘Help...’

‘Should we... help?’

‘You need help, right? Hohohoho. This grandma knows everything...’

I waved them off and spoke to Jiho.

“You’ve never done it before?”

“Nope. Ri Hyuk hyung always does it for me.”

“Just follow what hyung does.”

I explained how the central control worked.

Install the app, pair the Bluetooth, enter the concert date and seat number, then finish the sync.

“And then turn it off.”

“Why?”

“I heard the Bluetooth drains the batteries insanely fast even when the light’s off. They say it’s better to remove the batteries entirely.”

The TNT fans eavesdropping nearby nodded approvingly.

They practically looked like they were saying—

‘Correct.’

‘Grandma gives you ten points. Hohoho...’

I handed Jiho the spare batteries we’d brought in advance.

While waiting for the concert to begin, I looked over the light stick.

Was it called the Dynamite Stick?

Back when we were rookies competing against TNT for first place on music shows, the sight of these lights in the audience had terrified me.

But now...

It was just a light stick.

WAAAAAAAHHHHH—

At the sudden roar of cheers, I looked up to see the lights dimming.

Even the sound system was slowly shifting.

After briefly losing myself in nostalgia, Jiho and I raised our light sticks and grinned.

“Let’s have fun.”

“I’m seriously gonna relieve all my stress today.”

If we’d come to a concert, we might as well enjoy ourselves properly.

TNT’s concert was fun.

Even if it wasn’t a concert where I could personally run around on stage, watching as an audience member was still enjoyable.

Most of the songs were familiar to me anyway.

Taehyun’s solo stage, Survivor, was a song I’d composed myself.

[Everyone! You want to see Uncle Bunny dance, right?!]

When the TNT members later came out wearing rabbit ear headbands and doing the nursery rhyme choreography, I burst into laughter.

After the concert ended, we visited the waiting room.

The TNT members bounced excitedly as they welcomed me.

“WOOOOOOAH!”

“It’s a celebrity. A celebrity!”

“Uncle Bunny!!”

When I handed out the rabbit dolls I’d prepared in advance, the ninth year idols grinned like children.

I clicked my tongue and asked—

“How old are you guys?”

“Taehyun is twenty five years old~!”

“Hmph.”

I lifted the doll while looking utterly dumbfounded at his childish response.

[How adorable!]

“Thank you, Uncle!”

The moment I used ventriloquism, the TNT members and staff widened their eyes.

“The rabbit’s actually talking...?”

“Wow, it’s really Rabbit Sam.”

Watching people immediately swarm around me, I turned to Jiho with a strange expression.

“What is this popularity...?”

“Just accept it, hyung. My dad once said that even if a chicken restaurant becomes famous for pizza, as long as the money comes in, that’s all that matters.”

“That’s a wise saying.”

“And the pizza place my dad ran went bankrupt. Hufufufu.”

“......”

As I provided fan service as Rabbit Sam, the adult children loved it.

“Uncle, Uncle! Who’s the best main dancer among Korean idols?”

[That would be Kim Biju!]

“Hmph......”

TNT’s two main dancers stared off into the distance.

“Me! Me! Then who’s the best main vocalist among idols?”

[Seo Ri Hyuk~!]

“...Well, that’s not wrong.”

The TNT children reluctantly accepted reality as their innocence shattered.

After finishing my Rabbit Sam fan service, I chatted with the other members.

Taehyun’s eyes sparkled as he asked—

“So? What’d you think of Survivor earlier?”

“Like watching a handsome cotton swab dance?”

“There had to be more than that! Like stage dominating aura or something. You didn’t feel anything?”

“Ah, mostly just, ‘The fans must suffer having to watch from this far away...’”

I grabbed him as he sulked away and laughed.

“You really were amazing though. I was genuinely impressed.”

“Right?”

Beneath his reddish pink hair, his eyebrows curved softly.

As he brushed his hair back, Taehyun asked—

“Oh right. Since you’re here, wanna take a commemorative selfie?”

“In a bit.”

There were still people I needed to greet.

After greeting Taehyun, Hanbin, and Jihoon, then saying hello to TNT’s older members too, I scanned the room.

There was still one person I hadn’t properly greeted yet.

“Jang Hanbyeol~”

“Me?”

“Yep~”

A handsome face beneath dyed blue hair.

The expression under the headband instantly turned sour as he tilted his head sideways.

“Sorry, but who are you?”

“Your beloved hyung.”

“Really? Is someone who doesn’t even invite me onto friendship specials usually called a close friend?”

I burst out laughing at his offended expression.

Apparently he’d been genuinely upset about not being able to appear when Taehyun and Han Jo were invited onto the New Universe special.

“Hey, you should’ve scored better on your exams.”

“I still scored in the nineties.”

“What was I supposed to do when the other three got perfect scores? You should’ve tried harder.”

“...Whatever. You absolutely have to invite me next time.”

I told him okay while placating the sulking younger guy.

Hanbyeol stretched and asked—

“So how was the concert? Did you enjoy it?”

“It was fun.”

But at the same time, something bothered me a little.

TNT was now a group with more than eight years of activity behind them.

While all the other members performed solo songs and individual stages, Hanbyeol had performed a cover song instead.

“...Didn’t you have solo songs?”

“I do. But Korean fans don’t really know them.”

That was true.

Most of Hanbyeol’s solo songs were in Chinese.

Since they’d only promoted in China, there was uncertainty over whether Korean fans would really embrace them.

Hanbyeol smiled as if to say it was fine.

“Well, I can just start now. I actually spoke with Director Jo Gyuhwan already. I’m supposed to meet the producing team soon.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Up until now we were busy preparing for TNT activities, but in another month or two I’ll finally have some time.”

As I listened to Hanbyeol talk about a solo album, I fell briefly into thought.

Then I spoke.

“You think it’ll take about a month or two?”

“Yeah. Including music shows and all the other promotions.”

“Come find me after that.”

“...?”

At first Hanbyeol looked confused.

Then his eyes suddenly widened.

He covered his mouth as the corners of his lips already shot toward the ceiling.

“Seriously...?”

“Yeah. I’ll help you out a little.”

After all, he was technically the first singer I’d recruited.

He was the artist I’d asked, “Want to come to Lemon?” all the way back when we were in America, so I felt at least a little responsibility.

“!”

The sudden sight of Hanbyeol bursting out the door crying left everyone stunned.

Meanwhile, as if he’d realized something, Taehyun quietly slid beside me and whispered—

“I don’t know what this is about, but do mine too.”

“I’ll do it if you come to Lemon.”

“...That might be hard for a while. Give me twenty years, hyung.”

“?”

“I’ll take over TJ Entertainment.”

I laughed and smacked his shoulder at the ambitious joke.

After wrapping up our brief greetings with TNT and preparing to leave—

Gu Sunwoong asked—

“You guys are probably coming back in August if it’s an English track?”

“Maybe.”

We were expecting late August, but there were still too many variables.

Leader Gu Sunwoong scratched his head.

“Our company seriously tried hard to avoid overlapping with you this time. You guys release things practically every month like Monthly NewBlack.”

“It’s not that bad...”

“And now Uncle Bunny happened too.”

“......”

The TNT members laughed.

“Still, it’s a relief we won’t overlap for a while. You guys don’t have anything else coming out soon, right?”

Jiho and I exchanged looks.

‘King of Singers Sun Wooju OST is coming out though...?’

‘Ri Hyuk hyung’s song is coming out...’

Obviously, we couldn’t mention Ri Hyuk’s track releasing in a week.

“Well, we won’t overlap with any promo tracks for a while at least. Thank God. We’re planning to release one more follow up track and keep promoting.”

“It seriously would’ve been rough if we overlapped.”

“There’s definitely nothing until late July.”

Jiho and I swallowed hard.

‘WooBiju unit debuts in late July though...?’

‘And our strongest hyungs are going out...’

I asked—

“...When are you promoting the follow up?”

“Probably around mid next month?”

“I-I see.”

That would also happen to be when I’d be promoting as Korea’s top hip hop artist Seo Ri Hyuk.

As TNT confidently talked about how we probably wouldn’t run into each other for a while, we awkwardly answered and waved goodbye.

Saying we’d meet again sometime later.

“?”

While walking away, Jiho suddenly seemed to realize something.

“But wait, we don’t have anything else coming out in between, right?”

“Hm?”

“Between Ri Hyuk hyung’s release and WooBiju, there’s nothing else, right?”

Jiho immediately latched onto me and narrowed his eyes.

“Hyung.”

“Yeah?”

“You’re hiding something from me, aren’t you? I might not be perceptive in general, but I’m insanely good at reading my hyungs’ expressions.”

“......Hmm.”

Seeing the maknae’s sparkling eyes, I said—

“But if I tell you, it’s gonna be hard for you.”

“Why?”

“It’ll be really hard to keep secret.”

“It’s fine! Come on~ you know how good I am at acting. I’m amazing at pretending not to know things!”

“Really?”

Seeing the maknae answer so confidently awakened my mischievous side.

Dormitory.

As Ri Hyuk checked his luggage ahead of their South America departure, he lifted his head at the sound of rustling footsteps.

Through the slightly open doorway—

Rustle rustle—

Wang Jiho rapidly passed by.

Normally, he would’ve shouted nonsense like, “Yo~ Seo Ri Hyuk, are your bags packed well?”

But now he walked forward while staring rigidly ahead, as if absolutely determined not to make eye contact.

“Hey.”

“!”

Creeeak—

The maknae awkwardly turned his head.

“What?”

“What’s wrong with you?”

“What do you mean?”

A genuinely baffled expression.

“What’s wrong with me? Why are you suddenly saying I’m acting weird? What exactly is weird?”

‘...I haven’t even said anything yet.’

Ri Hyuk blinked.

“Why are—”

“AAAAAAAH! Don’t talk to me! I don’t know anything!”

“?”

Ri Hyuk simply blinked at the sight of the maknae fleeing while nearly crying.

At that moment, Wooju happened to stroll leisurely past the doorway.

Ri Hyuk asked—

“What’s wrong with him?”

“Who knows?”

For some reason, the eldest member was smiling in an especially irritating way.