Epilogue (2)
Ding-dong!
During the short break in rehearsal, I went to the cafe to pick up coffee for the Prism members.
“Welcome!”
“……”
“……”
The moment I opened the door and stepped in, everyone’s eyes immediately focused on me, and a brief silence followed. Then the murmurs gradually grew louder, until finally, I could even hear the shutters of phone cameras.
“Whoa, it’s Seo Yutae.”
“Look over there. Seo Yutae.”
“Did you see him? Did you see him?”I pulled my hat down low and tugged my mask up to just below my eyes.
I was doing my best to cover myself up, but honestly, my appearance was so unusual that I couldn’t even wonder why there was always a commotion whenever I went out. I mean, someone my height with such a distinctive hairstyle wandering around would naturally catch people’s eyes at least once.
“Wow … he’s insanely handsome. Celebrities really are on another level.”
“Crazy, he’s way too good-looking.”
“If he’s going to crush everyone with that physique, I wish he were at least a little ugly. It’s cruel, f**k.”
“Should I ask for his autograph and a picture with him? My girlfriend is his fan.”
“Why are you deliberately trying to hurt yourself? You’re obviously going to be compared if you’re next to an alpha male like that. No matter how tall and handsome you are, that guy’s just on a crazy level.”
“Well … because I love her. Jiyeon only likes really good-looking guys, so I was prepared for this. Ah, man, I think I love her way too much.”
“Ah! F**k, get lost! Go see your girlfriend.”
I thought, ‘I can’t cut off my legs, so maybe I should at least cut my hair short‘. But if I actually did that, the Prism members would either laugh their heads off or genuinely worry, and Choi Jeokhyeon would probably malfunction the second he saw me. It seemed like too much trouble, so I decided to drop the idea.
‘…I have to buy this and get out of here quickly.’
At this point, I should definitely be holed up in a waiting room at the venue, just lying down. None of this would be happening if it weren’t for Lee Chise.
“Ah, I’m craving coffee.”
“Then drink it.”
“I want coffee aaaaaah. I’m so tiiiired. I was exhausted from yesterday’s concert rehearsal too.”
“There’s a coffee machine next to the dining area.”
“Aaaah, not that. There’s that Sweetbucks up ahead, what about that?”
“All that matters is that you get your caffeine fix. Why be picky?”
“If we’re going to get coffee, we might as well get something tasty. Besides, Yoo Jay doesn’t even drink capsule coffee.”
“…….”
“Plus … Inchan mentioned earlier that his sugar levels were dropping…….”
“I’ll have three Americanos, one latte, one espresso, one milk tea, and…….”
When I came to my sense, I somehow found myself already standing in front of the cafe.
‘What did he say?’
“For me, I want lots of whipped cream! With java chips and hazelnut syrup sprinkled on top! And don’t forget to add two extra shots!”
As I zoned out in front of the menu, I vaguely remembered what Lee Chise had said.
“A cafe mocha with two extra shots and vanilla syrup … and he also asked for something to be sprinkled on top.”
“You mean java chips, right? Would you like whipped cream added as well?”
“…Yes. That too.”
I had never placed such a long order in my entire life.
[Lee Chise, the man who can take down both a rapper and his girlfriend at the same time, a two-for-one combo]
└ Ah, I think I’m losing it ㅠㅠ lololololol
The comment Seras posted when Lee Chise uploaded a photo of us on social media suddenly came to mind, so I rubbed my face vigorously. Then I took a photo with the guy who had stealthily approached me while I waited for the drinks. After straightening my back from the pose, I heard a familiar voice from the cafe’s speakers.
“If we happen to run into each other, could you say hi?
I think I’m probably going to miss you a lot”
It was the OST of a mega-hit drama that had already held the number one spot on the charts for several weeks, and it was also a song by Baek Kiryang.
After Pantheion disbanded, Baek Kiryang successfully established himself as a solo artist. Given how his name consistently appears on the charts, it’s safe to say he has become one of the top-tier powerhouses in Korea’s digital music scene.
Rumor has it that Baek Kiryang’s OSTs are considered a surefire hit, and several production teams and composers have said they want to work with him.
Of course, I was the composer of this particular song, which became his biggest hit.
‘It’s a song I composed, so of course it has to be a hit.’
Some people wondered why the Seo Yutae had given such a good song to a distant junior he wasn’t even close with, but since the parties involved stayed silent, the truth was never revealed. Sera and the others seemed to assume it was just the usual case of a senior looking out for a junior in the same company.
Working with him recently made me realize just how much things had changed. In the past, he had relied somewhat on my songs, but now, it felt more like his vocals were the ones that bring the songs to life.
[Baek Kiryang’s vocals are truly top-notch. Is there even a male ballad singer his generation with skills anywhere near his level?]
[Seo Lee Ahn Park Baek]
└ Why did you include Seo Yuseong when he’s not even a ballad singer lol
└ It’s hilarious how no one explained who the ‘Seo‘ is, but everyone just gets it hahahaha
[He sings so well]1
└ For real
└ Since he’s a junior from the same agency, they sometimes make Seo Yuseong sing Baek Kiryang’s songs on variety shows, and it’s pure heaven. Check it out, go go
[Even in that lineup, Baek Kiryang fits so naturally. Nobody’s complaining]
[The drama’s OST is by Baek Kiryang? Then it’s game over. As soon as his voice comes on, my immersion mode is ON]
When we first met, he couldn’t even handle a single part properly, but now Baek Kiryang has become a singer who goes beyond singing a song to supporting an entire production.
“Do you like that part you just did?”
“Yes, no, yes, ah … that’s not what I meant……”2
“No, I’m okay with it. If you like it, should we move on to the next part?”
“Oh, I’m sorry, no, thank you. I like it. I really like it…….”
Still, that guy seemed to need a little work on his timidity moving forward.
‘He does really well on stage, but the moment he steps off, he becomes clumsy.’
The inside hasn’t changed, so does it make sense to be shy again just because the appearance has changed? According to Baek Kiryang, the pale and skinny Han Seungbeom wasn’t scary, but my current appearance gives off a bit of an intimidating air.
What’s wrong with how I am?
‘Didn’t he used to be scared of even the pale and skinny Han Seungbeom?’
“Here are the eight drinks you ordered.”
“Thank you.”
Once Baek Kiryang’s song was over, I walked out of the cafe with the drinks in both hands, and spotted a tall building with a huge electronic billboard ahead. On that billboard, a video of Woo Kangwon wielding a sword while wearing a hanbok was playing.
‘That’s his new movie, right?’
While Prism focused on group activities, Woo Kangwon grew into an actor who has now secured leading roles.
True to his nature, Woo Kangwon had originally planned to build his acting career step by step, starting with supporting roles. However, at the heartfelt request of a film director he owed a favor to, he ended up reluctantly taking on the lead role in Agent K.
And, as luck would have it, the film achieved great success, reaching 10 million viewers thanks to the killing-machine protagonist’s spectacular, relentless action and a straightforward, satisfying plot. As a result, Woo Kangwon, who was portrayed incredibly cool in the movie, also gained tremendous popularity.
[Why does Woo Kangwon look so handsome these days? It’s not that he’s getting the suit effect. It’s the suits that are getting the Woo Kangwon effect]
[I didn’t have any expectations since he’s just an idol, but his face and body are amazing]
[You can really feel the testosterone coming off the screen]
[A man. A real man. A fucking man. A man. The manliest of men]
Considering that Woo Kangwon’s hairstyle in the movie became a nationwide trend and that he won multiple awards at ceremonies, it wouldn’t be wrong to call him the current trend.
After the film achieved unexpected blockbuster success, and as praise poured in for the director’s foresight in casting Woo Kangwon—who at the time was just a supporting actor rather than a famous star—as the lead, the director said this,
“Well, it’s not that I have a good eye. I just got lucky.”
“To be frank, there simply wasn’t any other actor who could pull off that many stunts, so I had no choice but to cast Woo Kangwon. But that decision turned out to be a godsend. It almost feels like I was under a spell. Could this be fate?”
‘As expected, opportunities are seized by those who are prepared.’
With the success of that film, Woo Kangwon had solidified his position as an actor and now seemed to be exploring various genres, using his established reputation to show that he could do more than just action. The historical movie on the billboard was one of those ventures.
‘I heard Choi Jeokhyeon reviewed the script for this one, so I’m sure it will do well.’
Honk!
Just as they say, even a tiger appears when spoken of. Choi Jeokhyeon, who was waiting in his car, spotted me and honked the horn. I immediately got in, handed him the espresso, and asked.
“What about Lee Hwayoung? I heard his flight was canceled because of the typhoon, so he’s going to be late. He still hasn’t arrived?”
“My secretary said he should be arriving soon.”
“We still have some time, so we should be able to do a rehearsal.”
This concert was a family concert featuring artists from YT Entertainment, but since all the other Pantheion members were going to be there, we made an exception and invited Lee Hwayoung as a guest.
“See. This is why I said you should try to sweet-talk him. To make him sign with us for just for his promotions in Korea.”
“Wouldn’t he be more likely to listen if it came from you?”
“…That’s exactly the problem. I’m worried he might just say yes without thinking it through. He must be busy with his activities in the U.S. right now. When I asked if he wanted to join us for this concert, he agreed right away without even weighing it.”
If you asked the general public who was the most successful member of Pantheion, most people would answer Lee Hwayoung. That’s because he had a very successful career after moving into the U.S. pop market.
[Is it for real that Nihwalee is coming to the YT family concert this time?]
└ Wow, that’s crazy. He must be super busy since he’s really popular in the U.S. these days. How did they even get his schedule to work out?
└ Wait, why is he coming to the YT Family Concert? Isn’t he under the company his mom founded? What’s the source for that?
└ But even if he’s not their affiliated artist, isn’t Nihwalee someone who grew up under CEO Lee’s care? They probably worked it out among themselves. If anything, he’s the real ‘family‘ here lol
[There’s a rumor that Pantheion will be reuniting at this year’s FamConㅇ�ㅇ. Maybe that’s why they’re making an exception and inviting a guest…]
[You can’t really call him an idol anymore, right? He’s become such a global star that it almost feels wrong to wish he’d just stay in Korea. Every time I check the Billboard charts, his songs are always there]
[It feels like a dream that he used to be a K-pop idol. We Korean fans just have to be content that he still recognizes us and speaks to us in Korean]
└ He does look a lot more comfortable now. When he was active in Korea, he got so much hate for for his bad attitude, but over there, he’s just treated like a grumpy cat lol
└ For real haha. It’s so funny how his fellow artists always break into huge smiles whenever he gets all grumpy. They just find him adorable
└ Originally, he didn’t have many close friends there either, because he disliked it when people talked to him and was prickly. But after he ran into Seo Yutae on that show and got caught grinning ear-to-ear, enjoying being petted like some backyard golden retriever, people’s attitudes toward him seemed to change a bit
[You’ve got to see this. Now, even when Nihwalee gets mad, Killian just ignores him and keeps teasing him haha. Nihwalee is going to die from being so pissed off]
└ Ah, I can’t get used to Killian being mentioned like he’s just a friend from the neighborhood. He’s a global superstar
[junwoo120: Do you really think Nicholas became a top star on his own talent? Let’s be real, the fact is that for his solo debut album, they got a famous composer to create hit songs for him. His billionaire mother just poured money in to make him famous. All those well-known pop stars being friendly to him? They’re just hoping to get something out of him lol. Stop praising this nepo baby. It’s fckng disgusting]
└ Our Junwoo’s really gotten a lot angrier … His life must be really tough. No matter how much Junwoo rages, Nicholas is already a pop star who won Best New Artist. Go ahead and call him a “nepo baby” to his face, he’ll just say “Yeah, that’s me” and walk away
└ That composer is notorious for refusing to give songs to anyone he doesn’t like, even if you threaten him with a knife ｡.｡+ﾟ’ﾟ What kind of bullshit are you talking about ｡.｡+ﾟ☆ And those famous pop stars don’t need to suck up to Nicholas, they make plenty of money on their own…
I thought of the guy who had now become a global pop star and sighed, half proud and half worried. Just then, I caught sight of the news playing on the nearby billboard.
[World Star Nicholas Hwayoung Lee Arrives at Incheon Airport……]“Oh, so even him landing gets reported on the news now.”
The moment Lee Hwayoung appeared in the arrivals hall, reporters started shoving their cameras in his face and repeatedly firing their flashes, all desperate to capture even one more shot of him. Lee Hwayoung, as if expecting it, was wearing sunglasses, but soon snatched them off with an irritated flick of his hand.
Then, after glaring at the cameras with a murderous look, as if he were about to kill someone, he suddenly shouted my name.
[“Seo Yutae!”]
The reporters’ eyes widened in surprise, but he paid them no mind and started fuming again.
[“Why didn’t you come pick me up!”]
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Translator’s Corner:
- It’s kinda confusing since the original didn’t indicate this is a reply to something, but I think this talking about Seo Yuseong, replying why they included him when he’s not even a ballad singer. ↩︎
- The part here is “예 (yes very formal), 아니 (no informal), 예 (yes very formal again), 아… 아니요 (no formal)”. Baek Kiryang very formally to Yutae then trying to correct himself, but he said “no” in informal way, then later said “no” (in ‘no, I mean’ context) in formal way. Han Seungbeom is younger than Baek Kiryang so he used to speak informally to MC. ↩︎
Omg why everyone sad in the replies, Yutae’s kids not going anywhere … we have 50 chapters of side stories and it’s still ongoing, you won’t say goodbye to them soon …. (Zen and Yuda is having 100% job satisfication in the latest arc) (although I think 50% of the side stories is Choi Jeokhyeon?).
The real reason I like this so much is the author finished all the headache early in the main story and went for comedy – slice of life – pure healing genre in side stories. I really hate it when authors dragging a story (coughs Reset Idol coughs). (When will Mangdol group project author published the side stories hahaha … I read 640 chapters of suffering and still no side stories to this day…..)
Anyway probably going to lock again soon (not going to answer how to get access. I wrote them so many times, not my fault people never bothered to actually read it) because I want to crash out so bad asdfghjkl They really eliminated Jang Haneum from Boys2Planet. It’s not because he got eliminated, I mean I actually don’t care him about that much I just think he has the best vocals in the show (my real one pick actually already got eliminated since first elimination you see), but it’s just that the process of his elimination so dirty? They really never gave him any screentime but the Korean public love him so he survived, so now they pushed him right before final because if he made it into the finals, his strong one-pick Korean fanbase would likely make him debut. They usually did a live voting to determine the last survivor but they didn’t do it this time since he would make it if he did that …. this is seriously my last straw of this show. Rumors has it that one of the trainees even hypervilanting because all his close friends are eliminated this way that they even have to stopped the filming … I want to jump so bad, why did I even bother watching this show. Seriously dont ever watch this show guys. There’s zero fun and it only damages my mental health further T_T
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