# Chapter 64
Our conversation naturally ended as we arrived at the fan meeting venue.
* * *
In the past, I used to worry whether we would fill all the seats when renting a venue, but now we no longer needed to worry about that.
Even that was a tremendous change. It had become like this even though not much time had passed.
I watched the members closely, and the members occasionally searched for me with their eyes. When our gazes met, they would smile with satisfaction, and every time they did that, the fans’ gazes would also turn toward me.
Crop Five seemed to sometimes forget how much attention they received from people, and I thought that I should pay more attention to that in the future.
While people might appreciate it if they view it positively, it could also look strange if viewed with suspicion, so I thought we should be careful in advance to avoid unnecessary noise.
Since I hoped not to hold the kids back or splash mud on their image and reputation because of me, I decided I should tell them once.
Not to keep looking for me when people are around.
Other than that, everyone did well without me having to say anything separately.
They showed such perfectly professional appearances that I didn’t feel any regret thinking “it would have been better if they did this then,” to the point where I wondered if these were really the same Crop Five members I first met and raised.
Beside me was hyung with a tense look, and it was exciting to witness such a rare sight.
When we went to the members’ side after being called by the MC, tremendous cheers erupted.
“Ahem.”
Hyung cleared his throat several times, and the members looked at him as if it was fascinating.
Hyung subtly stirred the air with his finger as if telling them to look elsewhere, but the members watched him more mischievously and persistently, and I also joined in that lineup.
“These are the two CEOs of Grand Tamer, right? First, CEO Kang Seungwon. Would you like to say hello?”
At the MC’s words, unexpectedly hot cheers erupted.
I was surprised at hyung’s popularity and looked at the people, and those gathered there also seemed surprised by the reaction.
“I love you, Kang Seungwoooon!”
“Marry me!!”
“Be mine, Seungwon!!”
“Oppaaa!!!”
“Hyungnim, I’m your fan!!”
Voices could be heard endlessly from everywhere.
Then hyung glanced at me subtly.
“You come out next time.”
The members burst into laughter at those words.
“CEO, are you trying to take all the spotlight?”
When Seo Irun spoke in the midst of laughter, hyung nodded.
“I don’t think I need to go around with Kang Seomin.”
“You’re not inferior either, CEO. How about receiving an objective evaluation? Let’s have a popularity vote in public, CEO.”
When Cha Yeonwoo caught the wind, hyung’s pupils shook wildly. He seemed to be asking “Shall we try it?” and Lee Dagyeong also encouraged hyung from the side.
“I think you have a good chance, CEO. You have an irreplaceable charm. Give it a try.”
Hyung suddenly seemed to gain confidence and nodded. The MC also picked up on the atmosphere without missing it.
“Ohhh! As you all know, Grand Tamer has now become a co-CEO system. Both CEOs are here at this event, so we’ll have a popularity vote. I’ll leave the fair judgment to all of you. This shouldn’t be done carelessly, so we’ll do it in a scientific way. When you hear the name of the person you like more, please shout loudly. We’ll judge who’s more popular by who receives louder cheers.”
It was purely an estimation, but the fans’ response was tremendous. They must have been happy just to see hyung up close, who rarely appeared in public.
“Then first, CEO Kang Seungwon, who has been leading Grand Tamer until now and supporting Crop Five in every way!”
“GAAAAAAAHHHH!!”
Starting with someone’s roar, thunderous cheers poured out.
Next to him, I also tensed my stomach and shouted loudly, and hyung barely stopped the members from trying to shout too.
He seemed appalled to see people who should be saving their voices after finishing a concert trying to shout out loud as if they didn’t care about that at all.
And then, with a satisfied expression at the earth-shattering cheers, he looked at me as if to say, “See that?”
The MC excitedly introduced me.
“Now, CEO Kang Seomin, who has become the co-CEO of Grand Tamer along with CEO Kang Seungwon!”
But there was no sound, really strangely, no sound at all.
Thinking this couldn’t be right, I turned my head to look behind me, and weren’t the members waving their hands side to side?
Jeong Chan even put his finger to his lips as if to say “be quiet.”
As I suddenly turned around, which he probably didn’t expect, he froze in that position.
“Wow! Are you trying to break my heart like this? What if I’d been really hurt? Should I just leave again?”
At my words, laughter erupted from everywhere. And from then on, loud applause rang out.
“Welcome back, Captain!”
Others followed what someone shouted.
“Why is hyung the captain?”
When Seo Irun asked, various reasons came from everywhere.
Afterward, the members sang, but the fans let them sing only one song and wouldn’t let them sing any more.
They said it was more than enough that they held a fan meeting right after a grueling world tour, and from now on they should manage their voices well and rest.
The fans seemed to be happy just to see Crop Five up close, and the members also seemed to share that happiness.
People who had suffered together through the terrible punishment of longing and waiting were cherishing and enjoying that time with a passionate bond.
* * *
All kinds of offers came in with Crop Five’s return to Korea.
But hyung rejected all requests to ensure that Crop Five members could get enough rest first.
Since the most important fans were already moved by the fan meeting arranged right after their return, we had bought some time.
Instead, he fully accepted the suggestion that it would be good to occasionally upload photos of them resting, and I carried out that task.
The fans’ satisfaction reached almost its peak, and I gradually became more ambitious and secured more content.
When broadcasting, I sometimes came up with a concept and prepared it in a skit format, and fans were sending enthusiastic support, saying it was so fun to see the members, who clearly didn’t want to do it, reluctantly following my requests.
“Hyung. But you seem a bit different now. We came back after working hard, so you should treat us well. But you seem desperate to torment us.”
At Yeonwoo’s words, I silently looked at him and asked.
“Is that how you feel, Yeonwoo? If what you say is true, this is tormenting you, so I shouldn’t torment you?”
Then Yeonwoo flinched and asked what I was trying to say.
“No. I’m not going to ask you to do these things anymore from now on.”
“No, hyung. It’s scary when you talk so seriously. Don’t do that and…”
“No, Yeonwoo. I’m not someone who torments a younger brother who doesn’t want to do something and forces work on him. If you think this is tormenting, I shouldn’t ask you to do such things.”
Yeonwoo looked at the other members.
“It’s not just me who thinks this way, right? Say something.”
“I like it though? How is this tormenting? Hyung must be hurt.”
Starting with Lee Dagyeong, all the members took my side, and Yeonwoo eventually bowed his head and surrendered, saying he would be quiet from now on.
For such reasons, my popularity among fans grew by the day.
They especially requested me to do things they wanted to see, because they knew that the members would all listen to whatever I said.
When I said that if they left comments on our personal broadcast channel, we would prepare the next broadcast with the most interesting ones, an incredible number of comments beyond imagination were posted.
Deep discussions were taking place about what to return with, as we needed to resume activities soon.
Because of that, even though it was called a rest period, we couldn’t completely relax.
Every time we gathered to collect comments and talk together and exchange opinions, I felt guilty.
“I think I’m too cruel. You haven’t had much time to properly rest, and we’re having meetings again.”
One day when I criticized myself, the members stared at me. As if they wouldn’t fall for that anymore.
Then Seo Irun asked.
“Hyung. But what will Hyunshin sunbaenim do? Who takes care of sunbaenim? It seems like taking care of Hyunshin sunbaenim would be quite difficult.”
At those words, other members also nodded in unison, saying that issue was indeed important, and each added a word.
The plan to introduce Ki Hyunshin at the fan meeting had failed.
Until right before, he said he thought he could do it, but when the time approached, Ki Hyunshin often backed out, saying he couldn’t do it after all.
But such behavior from Ki Hyunshin wasn’t incomprehensible. Every time it happened, Ki Hyunshin felt more sorry, bowed his head, and apologized. He even seemed to think that it might be difficult for him to join Grand Tamer.
