On the large LED screen stretching horizontally, an emerald sea with refreshing waves and white sandy beaches unfold endlessly. Dry ice spread thinly on the stage floor flows like fog.
Five members stand on stage with their backs turned to each other, sitting far apart.
Boys isolated with their own wounds. Wearing loose-fitting white shirts and light denim pants, their hair and clothes flutter in the wind from the fans as they wear lonely expressions.
“I’ve lost my way.”
Eden’s beautiful voice rings out clearly through the sound of waves. When he raises his head and gazes into the air, the members who had been still lift their heads one by one.
As the song begins, an upbeat synth-pop beat bursts forth.
Sehyun runs first.
He snatches Haram’s wrist, who was sitting on the opposite side of the stage, and pulls him up. Then Yunbeom reaches for Eden, and Eden reaches toward Doha.
The five scattered dots connect into lines, and finally become one circle.
The highlight section. The members gathered in the center of the stage place their hands on each other’s shoulders and match their steps.
The white shirts fluttering in the wind look like wings.
Especially when Doha, standing in the center, smiles brightly through his disheveled hair, the screen’s background turns sunset-colored, creating a spectacular scene.
“Brush off your wounded knees. Because we’re together.”
Doha and Sehyun face each other and exchange parts.
In the latter half of the song, the members run to the front of the stage and reach out their hands toward the audience. It’s like a scene from a youth film running across a sandy beach. Even their rough breathing sounds like part of the song.
“The summer we thought would last forever.”
“Escape at maximum speed.”
Ending. The members embrace each other and cling together while gazing at the camera.
Five faces smiling brightly while gasping for breath. Their sweat-soaked hair and flushed cheeks prove that they are ‘alive.’
The stage ends with the members’ figures filling the screen.
* * *
Just because the stage ended didn’t mean filming was over.
As soon as they arrived in the waiting room, stylists rushed over to wipe their sweat and touch up their makeup. But there was no time to rest. They had to immediately huddle together in front of the monitor.
The competition was just beginning. Watching the remaining teams’ stages was also part of the broadcast.
“Who’s next?”
“Crash.”
Doing well on our own stage was important, but watching other teams’ stages was also important. Doha was deeply moved watching the other groups work hard.
Everyone’s working so hard.
That’s what being an idol is. Doing your best to seize a single opportunity, repaying those who support you by giving your all until your body breaks, and sometimes needing to run blindly to the point of losing yourself.
Had he ever been this earnest even once in his life? Thinking about it carefully, absolutely not.
Why is he living so earnestly now, in this place, at this time?
No matter how much he thought about it, this was all due to being influenced by Lim Sehyun and the members’ energy. When they’re tied together by a rope and running desperately beside you, you can’t just walk leisurely alone, so you end up running along with them, and in doing so, you give your all until the finish line.
Meanwhile, as the sweat shed dries, the body is perfectly adapted to running. The heart beats as if it will burst and you feel regretful about stopping.
“Amazing.”
Watching them shine on screen, Doha wondered if he had sparkled like that on stage too. It wasn’t just about their decorated appearance.
Passion and desire, subtle competitiveness and hidden jealousy and baseness—all of it makes the blood in your veins circulate faster.
“The direction is so good. The stage is grand too.”
It wasn’t because the cameras were rolling. The members truly thought each of the other groups’ stages was amazing.
They acknowledged and respected the time those groups had fiercely prepared for just a few minutes.
“It would have been nice if we tried that kind of direction too.”
“Dividing the movement certainly seems to make it easier to break up the story.”
“They’re really good. Their dancing improved even more during the competition.”
Everyone was pleasantly enjoying even the competing teams’ stages.
“They really use their expressions well.”
Was this what they called having flair? Doha still felt awkward making various expressions toward the camera. It wasn’t something that could be created through shortcuts.
‘Hmm. Is this how you do it?’
Doha unnecessarily wiggled his eyebrows while looking at the face on screen. Then Sehyun beside him laughed with a “pfft” sound.
Why is he watching here instead of the screen?
“Ah, sorry. Your expression was funny, hyung.”
Openly mocking me?
“But you’re really working hard, hyung.”
Sehyun rubbed the back of Doha’s head as if finding Doha mimicking expressions while watching other stages cute. At that, Doha glared at him with sharp eyes.
Even so, I’m the hyung here, treating me like a child is a bit…
Before they knew it, the last stage was ending. They learned a lot watching the amazing groups’ stages.
“The final competition ends here. We ask for your support and votes.”
With Yungyeom’s closing remarks, they put a period on the competition.
* * *
“Good work.”
“Everyone worked hard!”
“You really did well today, didn’t you?”
“I was surprised. Hey, OnX, come here! Let me take a picture.”
Filming wasn’t completely over yet. Next week there would be filming to announce the results and watch all the stages from until now together. But perhaps because it was the final competition, everyone was greeting each other in an excited state.
OnX also joined in and greeted the other groups.
“I learned a lot.”
“Oh, we learned so much from you, Doha sunbae-nim!”
“Thank you.”
Doha politely greeted the other teams. Sehyun seemed to know many faces and went around greeting people here and there like a social butterfly.
“Wow, hyung, you got even cooler?”
“Stop flattering me. How about this time? Think the votes will go well?”
“Well, we’re always championship candidates?”
Laughter didn’t cease. The other members also scattered in groups of three and five to exchange greetings.
“Everyone worked hard.”
Just then, Yungyeom appeared. Everyone around turned toward him and bowed politely.
“Good work! Sunbae-nim!”
“You worked hard!”
Yungyeom made eye contact with each person as he greeted them and walked straight to where Doha was.
“You worked hard all the way to the final competition.”
“Ah, yes. Thank you.”
Yungyeom’s footsteps lingered particularly long in front of Doha. Soon he approached Doha and spoke in a small voice.
“Thanks for accepting the featuring.”
“Ah, I was going to tell you directly…”
It seemed the company had answered first.
“Can I schedule it sometime next week?”
“Yes. Whatever’s convenient for you.”
At Doha’s acceptance, Yungyeom smiled and nodded.
“Then I’ll contact you.”
“Yes.”
After greeting Yungyeom too, it felt like the really long journey was truly ending. Now just do the comfortable filming like an epilogue and be liberated, right?
“Hyung, is additional recording today okay?”
Why does that damn recording always get added? Can’t it just be okay in one take?
“I don’t think it’ll be okay.”
“Aw, you’re fine. Sleep in the car.”
I feel like crying because his thoughtful heart is so precious. I thought he’d been acting nice for a while, but why is he like this again?
“Oh, and we have a live after we’re done.”
“What’s that now…”
“A fan communication live. Hyung just needs to stay still.”
“Am I a sack of barley or what.”
“It’s been a while since we greeted them, and we need to encourage voting too. I should tell **Purple** in advance.”
Lim Sehyun likes chatting with fans on the fan communication app. There isn’t a day when his phone isn’t connected to a portable charger. He’s always chattering away like someone crazy about chatting.
‘I found it awkward though…’
Not knowing what to say, all I did was greet them as Lim Sehyun taught me. Should I take this opportunity to watch how Lim Sehyun does it?
Can I just peek from the side? Ah, right. I should make a payment. As if I’m his fan.
“What are you thinking about?”
“Don’t try to control even other people’s thoughts. You control freak.”
“You don’t have to say it so coldly.”
Lim Sehyun answered without putting down his phone. This kid really was born to be an idol.
Lim Sehyun’s fighting spirit-filled appearance was amazing, but right now his body was too tired.
“Good work.”
After finishing greetings with the production staff, Doha quickly looked for Cheolhwan. He wanted to throw his body into the cozy and quiet van.
