Doha had finished his individual shoot and was watching Sehyun’s work through the monitor. If he lifted his head, he could see the real Lim Sehyun right there, but the Lim Sehyun on the monitor felt somehow unfamiliar, which drew his gaze.
The Lim Sehyun on screen was truly a perfectly sculpted creation. Three-dimensional features that didn’t yield even under strong lighting, sparkling eyes, long limbs stretching out gracefully, and solid muscles. The sight of Lim Sehyun with his mouth closed was definitely different somehow.
‘Is it because his mouth is shut?’
As soon as the cue sign dropped, Sehyun tilted his head back. His sharp jawline and prominent Adam’s apple moved with a gulp.
His appearance, as if truly receiving favoritism from the Creator, drew admiration. The reactions of the surrounding staff weren’t much different either.
Gasps of admiration burst out from all around. The photographer also excitedly pressed the shutter. Doha stood with his arms crossed, blankly staring at Lim Sehyun on the monitor. He on the screen was perfect.
‘……The problem is.’
Doha’s brow furrowed. That such a perfect guy is missing a screw in reality. And in a very fatal direction at that.
‘What am I even doing with a guy like that.’
He knew he had recently become Lim Sehyun’s concentrated target. Since he had declared it so openly with his own mouth, there was no way not to know. But the fact that love was included in the scope of that concentration was truly insane.
‘This is a national loss.’
Doha agonized seriously. Lim Sehyun is a public resource. He should be everyone’s lover, a star floating high in the night sky that everyone should look up to. And yet such a guy is rolling around on a bed with a mere group member. This goes beyond genre destruction—it’s terrorism level.
‘If I leave things like this, he’ll really…… might become gay.’
Of course, sexual orientation deserves respect, but this case was a bit different. A setting that didn’t exist anywhere in the original work had suddenly popped up. This is pouring filth on the original work.
This is something that must be stopped as a matter of human duty.
The future superstar, national star, world star, Lim Sehyun must be placed back in his original position. As a brilliantly shining light in the sky.
‘He’s too valuable a talent to wallow in the mud entangled with me.’
Suddenly, Sehyun stared intently through the camera lens. Slightly wet eyes, languidly relaxed lips. The moment he met that gaze through the monitor, Doha flinched in surprise.
Even though he was looking at the monitor, Sehyun’s gaze felt like it was sharply piercing through. He felt guilty as if he’d been caught having improper thoughts.
‘Dangerous. Really dangerous.’
If he doesn’t come to his senses here, it’ll be catastrophe.
Doha clenched his fist tight. What was the first resolution I made when I entered this body? To safely withdraw and peacefully enjoy life as a rich person. I must not forget that grand yet humble dream.
Distance is needed. Now that Battle Crown, which had been holding him back, has been sorted out, it’s time to properly regain his original intentions.
When he took his eyes off the monitor and looked beyond the camera, as if waiting for it, his eyes met with Lim Sehyun’s. Lim Sehyun, who had been staring intensely at the camera, grinned broadly.
When a staff member approached Lim Sehyun’s side to adjust his disheveled outfit, he sat obediently in the chair and entrusted his body to them. During this, Lim Sehyun looked at Doha and wiggled his eyebrows up. Innocence oozed from his playful appearance.
The regressed venomous human occasionally shows a pure side without reserve. He didn’t know why his heart strangely stirred each time that happened.
‘If I get attached, it’s game over.’
Dangerous. Dangerous.
* * *
They arrived at the broadcasting station for their next schedule. There was a large crowd there. They were fans.
“They’re here!”
“OnX!”
“Sehyun-ah! Look here!”
“Yunbeom oppa!”
Sehyun got out first, waving his hand while receiving cheers. Following behind him, Doha stepped out.
“Baek Doha!! Kyaaaah!!”
“Doha oppa! Look here!”
Flashes burst like lightning, and sounds calling his name came from all directions. It should be something he’d gotten used to, but the fact that such a large crowd was waiting just to see them felt unfamiliar every time.
‘So many came.’
Security guards cleared a path and set up fences, but the fans’ fervor was at a level that seemed ready to surge over them at any moment. Doha, who had been about to just pass through quickly, inadvertently stopped in his tracks when his eyes met with the young faces stomping their feet and waving slogans in the front row.
“Oppa! Take this!”
“Doha-ya! I came here from dawn to see you!”
Tiny hands popped out suddenly over the fence. Letters, shopping bags, dolls, flowers…… Various gift offensives continued.
“Ah, we’re sorry. He can’t receive gifts directly. We’ll take them instead.”
The security guards skillfully intervened and collected the gifts instead. Disappointment passed across the fans’ faces. That sight felt somehow pitiful, so Doha picked up a marker.
“What’s your name?”
“Soyeon!”
When Doha approached closer, the fans screamed as if they’d lose their minds. Doha began signing with quick strokes on the extended albums and slogans. Though the handwriting was rushed, he put in sincerity in his own way.
“Oppa, you really worked hard on Battle Crown!”
“Eat more! Why are you so thin!”
“Sign here too!”
Fan comments poured into Doha’s ears as he signed. Every single one was filled with worry, support, and affection.
How many times had he really held back tears because of Battle Crown? It was touching that there were people who recognized that arduous march. Of course, he had encountered many fan reactions through articles and SNS, but receiving messages while making eye contact like this had a different kind of impact.
‘……The feeling is strange.’
A corner of his heart tickled. He had just struggled to adapt. But the fact that it became joy for someone, became comfort…… was embarrassing yet not bad. No, to be honest, it was somewhat gratifying.
“Thank you.”
The fact that someone loves you without reason, without conditions, was truly mysterious and touching. Is this why people become idols? A different kind of fulfillment from when receiving spotlight on stage welled up. The realization of being loved came tangibly.
‘I shouldn’t be like this.’
It had been less than an hour since he resolved to regain his original intentions. His plan to withdraw and live quietly kept getting disrupted. It’s troublesome to be held back like this. If he gets drunk on this sweet attention, he might really be unable to leave this industry later.
“Doha oppa!”
But just for this moment. He couldn’t turn away from the sparkling eyes calling his name.
“Aren’t you cold? Dress warmly.”
He even worried about the fans’ light clothing for no reason.
“Did you wait long? Don’t your legs hurt?”
And felt sorry seeing them standing holding bags hanging all over.
“Give us a hand heart!”
Doha looked at the young fan reaching toward him and smiled without realizing it. The fan wanted Doha’s hand to come and attach to their hand heart made in half-form. But Doha didn’t have the presence of mind to make a heart, and just interlaced his fingers firmly with the fan’s hand and held it tight. Then the fan’s eyes widened round in surprise.
All those reactions strangely brought healing to his heart. The fatigue from just moments ago flew away as if it were a lie.
‘……This is trouble.’
Doha clicked his tongue inwardly. Lim Sehyun is a problem, but the fans are also a problem. Everyone likes Baek Doha too much. What should he do with this excessive love?
“Doha-ya!”
Cheolhwan called to Doha, who was dawdling and greeting the fans. Only then did Doha snap back to attention.
“I have to go now.”
Doha bowed at the waist in greeting, and sighs flowed out from among the fans. Meanwhile, camera shutters went off somewhere with rapid clicks.
“This! Take this!”
The fans’ gifts continued endlessly until the end, and the security guard’s arms filled up with gift bags.
Doha couldn’t hide his regretful eyes and looked at the fans before waving his hand. Every few steps forward, he kept turning back to look at the fans. Only after repeating regretful goodbyes several times did Doha finally reach the building.
“Oppa! Do well on today’s recording!”
“I love you! Baek Doha!”
With the fans’ almost desperate farewells behind him, Doha moved his steps into the building while being escorted by security guards. The automatic door slid open smoothly, and the broadcasting station lobby’s characteristic cool air rushed in. When the thick glass door closed, those hot cheers that had been following behind his back instantly turned into muffled noise and faded away.
The fans’ voices still remained in his ears like tinnitus, buzzing. The warmth left on his palm was still vivid. Doha unknowingly clenched and unclenched his fist, savoring that sensation.
‘Dangerous. Too…… dangerous.’
As he looked at the fans beyond the glass door with unnecessarily glistening eyes, Cheolhwan urged Doha on.
“What are you doing?”
Only then did Doha completely turn around and follow Cheolhwan.
Later, a small issue arose on SNS. It wasn’t something that started within the OnX fandom.
