IJLMT 22

Chapter 22…

Nari swallowed hard. She could hear the murmuring outside the waiting room. Sold out—4,000 seats. Did that really mean 4,000 people were out there? Of course it did, right? On top of that, there’d be reporters, and the concert was being streamed live on YouTube…. How many people would be watching right now?

Her heart pounded so violently it almost hurt.

“I can’t mess this up.”

When she was younger, she always thought she was the best singer in the world.

So she confidently went on an audition program. She showcased her own song and rap, but was eliminated in the quarterfinals. That regret kept her hanging around the entertainment industry, but there were limits to her ability.

At some point, she started to feel like there wasn’t a single person in the world who sang worse than she did.

No matter how hard she practiced, she never made it big. It was painful, but deep down, she accepted it. “So this is the level I’m at after all.”

Sometimes, she imagined that the CEO or a producer, or even Team Manager Jo Min-su, would eventually say to her, “Nari, you’re cut.” She even thought that leaving before that happened would be the more honorable thing to do.

At some point, she stopped practicing to succeed and instead practiced because, “If you don’t at least do this much, you’ve got no conscience.” She practiced to fight off the guilt.

But the things that had happened over the past month… were strange.

“Nari, are you still nervous? You took your calming pill, right?”

That was Hyunjae speaking—her manager, Yoo Hyunjae. When she first met him, she thought he was her kind: timid, anxious, always trembling.

But no. Hyunjae was nothing like her. He was a different species entirely. Even now, she wondered if his guts weren’t about to explode. Who casually throws a rookie idol who only recently went viral onto a 4,000-seat stage? Normally, there should be steps in between, right?

“Yeah… but, Hyunjae oppa, can I ask… why did you book Seojeong Gymnasium of all places?”

Hyunjae answered casually.

“Because Gocheok Dome had a baseball game today. And Jamsil Gym had a basketball game. This was the only one available.”

“What? That’s your reason? Are you serious?”

Gocheok Dome had 15,000 seats, and Jamsil Gym had 8,000. Only mega groups like VTS or NovelBiz could hope to fill those venues. It was absurd to think NovaGirls could fill them.

Even for Seojeong Gym today, if not for the recent buzz in Japan, the seats would’ve been tough to fill.

“Why not? You could perform there someday.”

“At our level?”

“What do you mean? Even President Kim Seok-gu, who didn’t care about VTS, stayed until the end for your show. If VTS can fill Gocheok Dome, why wouldn’t you be able to someday?”

“…Someday, sure. Maybe in the distant future.”

“I don’t know. At the pace you’re going, I’d say in a year or two. You’ll hit Budokan in Japan, and after that….”

He said it so calmly.

“Wow… you’re overselling us like crazy. Don’t you know the higher the expectations, the bigger the disappointment?”

“Hahaha.”

Nari stared at Hyunjae. His face showed not a trace of worry.

The same man who panicked and apologized endlessly if a member’s hairpin went missing was utterly unfazed after booking a 4,000-seat gymnasium.

So, to him, was this situation less worrying than losing a hairpin?

If he had irresponsibly said, “You’re better than VTS, so don’t worry,” she would’ve been annoyed.

But today’s concert—its success or failure—rested entirely on his shoulders. The CEO had handed him full authority. If this concert bombed, everyone would blame Hyunjae.

“Aren’t you worried, oppa?”

“No.”

“Why not? If we bomb, you’re out too.”

“Haha. Even if you bomb, it’s fine.”

“What?”

He really looked like he didn’t care.

“Think of a student who takes practice exams every single day. Even if they screw up on the real exam, how bad can it be? At worst, a kid who normally scores 100 might get 92.”

“…You’re saying that’s us?”

“Exactly. No matter what happens, you won’t fail. So relax.”

The person who should’ve been most nervous was the calmest of all. He wasn’t just saying pretty words—he looked like he believed it, the way someone believes the sun will set and the moon will rise tonight.

Then Nari noticed the bracelet on his wrist. Pink, thin, and cute.

“You’re still wearing that bracelet.”

“…Yeah.”

“You really like bracelets, huh….”

Somehow, she felt strange. Her racing heartbeat slowed. She smelled something warm and comforting: freshly baked toast, sun-dried laundry, her mother’s embrace.

A student who took practice exams every day. That’s how he described her.

He knows.

He knew she had worked hard. Her parents only scolded her, asking why she’d quit studying and gotten into something so pointless. But this man believed in her ability.

He believed in her when she couldn’t even believe in herself.

He must be right.

In the past month, every time she followed Hyunjae’s lead, things worked out. And he said she’d do well tonight.

That was enough.

Strangely, I feel at peace.

The anxiety that usually rushed in at every turn was, for once, quiet.

“You must like pink, oppa.”

Nari smiled.

“After the concert, do you want to try wearing one of my pink hairpins? It’d suit you.”

“Ugh, no.”

“Whoa, this is the first time I’ve seen you dislike something so much. Come on, just try it.”

The other members burst into laughter.

“You have to try it after we’re done, okay?”

With that, Nari left the waiting room.

[Concert Scene]

• ウィンドブルームが来た！ (Windbloom is here!)

• やっぱ本物は違うな (The real deal is just different!)

• “Hey, Past Me, were you listening? How did you miss this last year?”

• “WTF, even their walk is different!”

Backstage, the YouTube live chat scrolled so fast it was unreadable, only the occasional foreign comment or massive superchat catching the eye.

₩500,000 Superchat

• “ㅠㅠㅠㅠ Please marry me.”

₩500,000 Superchat

• “I hate JM. How could he let me live a whole year without knowing NovaGirls? Please promote more from now on ㅠㅠ.”

Even the staff monitoring the stream looked shocked.

• Live viewers: 255,978

“…This is insane. These numbers aren’t for a viral girl group—they’re K-pop star levels.”

“CandyCandy peaked at what last time? Around 100k? And that was called a huge success in the news. But this….”

“Wait, wait—it’s climbing again.”

$500 Superchat

• “Now I totally understand why Seok-gu likes them.”

$500 Superchat

• “Get those girls some real meat—juicy stuff, none of that weak stuff!”

$500 Superchat

• “Just woke up to NovaGirls’ concert—what a fantastic morning.”

• Live viewers: 291,352

“It’s the time zone! East Coast Americans just woke up.”

“They like NovaGirls too? How?”

“Remember the Korea–US summit? Americans are fond of Kim Seok-gu now. His video mentioning NovaGirls became a meme.”

“Hahaha… talk about good fortune piling up. Manager Yoo, what’s going on here? The concert’s only just begun, but it’s already a hit!”

The stage director was practically shouting in excitement. Hyunjae only smiled and said:

“I’ll head to the side of the stage.”

“Go for it!”

He slipped out of backstage and stood at the wing. Road manager Park Hyungsik was already there, staring at the stage like he was bewitched.

“Wow….”

The sigh left Hyungsik’s lips. Everyone probably felt the same.

To call that stage “good” or “amazing” would be meaningless—it couldn’t be captured with simple words.

To Hyunjae, it felt like he could even sense the girls’ bottled-up frustrations pouring out.

“The next song is… the sixth track from our debut album: Even if There’s No Starlight in Tonight’s Sky!”

The time from planning this showcase-concert to execution had been short. They hadn’t had much time to practice.

And yet the four members made not a single mistake. Their choreography was precise, their vocals and rap flawless.

How? How could they be so perfect, especially on such a big stage for the first time?

The answer was simple. They had never stopped practicing, even when nobody was watching. They believed if they worked hard enough, one day they would shine.

How hard must it have been to keep believing that?

Hyunjae himself had never believed in such light in his own life. That’s why he clung to Sora, even knowing who she was—because he thought no star would shine brighter than her.

• Even if tonight’s sky is dark, I know there are stars behind it.

Dabin’s voice filled the gym. Then Nari’s rap followed. Despite 4,000 people in the audience, the hall was utterly silent, everyone holding their breath.

When the song ended, the silence stretched for 2–3 seconds longer.

“Hyungsik. Hey, Hyungsik?”

“Y-yeah?”

“Why are you crying?”

“Ah… well….”

Hyungsik wiped his face with his thick arm.

“It just reminded me of when I quit gymnastics. I didn’t have the grades to keep going, so I quit. At the time, it felt like the world had gone dark. But listening to this song… I don’t know, I just feel weird. Ugh, I’m almost thirty, what’s wrong with me….”

“I don’t think it’s just you.”

Hyunjae gestured toward the audience.

“Right… haha. Makes me feel less embarrassed if everyone else is crying too. But why was a song like this buried until now? I’ve never felt this way from an idol song before.”

“Exactly.”

“If you hadn’t believed in these girls’ talent and pushed them, it would’ve been a national loss.”

“I didn’t push them.”

Hyunjae glanced at the live viewer count.

• 342,651

“They would’ve made it without me. You can see that for yourself.”

“…You’re always so humble. That’s why you’re my role model.”

Hyunjae started to reply but stopped. The next song had begun—Tree Sparrow, with Nari’s rap line in the lead. She strode forward with the mic in hand, her steps steady and bold.

See? Why were you so worried? This isn’t failure—it’s bonus points.

[Post-concert Q&A Segment]

“Wow… I’m speechless. The last seven songs were all moving, but the new track—there’s something that stings the heart.”

Even after the songs, the show wasn’t over. It was time for fan interaction. Former announcer Kim Jushin was the MC.

The public’s response? To call it a hit would be an understatement.

But Hyunjae had one question in his mind.

“When the ring showed me the future, the reaction wasn’t this strong…. Back then, YouTube peaked just under 400k viewers. Now it’s over 410k. Something changed. But what?”

He shrugged. “Doesn’t matter—it’s a good change.”

MC Kim continued:

“The new song Ugly Syndrome was written and composed by Dabin herself. But there’s something I don’t get. Dabin, and all of you, are gorgeous. Doesn’t it feel odd to hear such beautiful people singing about being ugly? Some might even think it’s deceptive.”

The crowd nodded. Hyunjae agreed it was a fair question. The song told the story of someone plagued by insecurities about being ugly, who finds the courage to move forward after meeting someone.

Dabin took the mic.

“Am I pretty?”

The audience erupted—“Yes!” “Of course!” “You’re a goddess!”

“Haha, thank you.”

She smiled sweetly.

“But last year, I thought about it all day. Am I ugly? Is that why nobody notices me? If I get plastic surgery, will I succeed? But what would I even change…?”

The audience gasped. NovaGirls now had 4,000 people in the palm of their hand.

“But Dabin, when you look in the mirror, you know, right? Objectively speaking, you’re beautiful. If you doubt that, what about the rest of us?”

“How do you look at yourself objectively?”

“Hmm… maybe by taking a photo and pretending it’s someone else? Though even that’s not truly objective.”

Dabin shook her head.

“I think… everyone lives in an ugly state until someone tells them otherwise. Until someone says, ‘You’re beautiful.’ Alone, just staring at your face, you have no reason to believe it. Your heart is filled only with doubts like, ‘If I were really goddess-level pretty, wouldn’t I have made it already?’”

Someone in the audience shouted, “Im Dabin, you ARE a goddess!” The hall burst into laughter.

“Ahaha… you might be right. Same for me—people said I was good at speaking, and that’s why I talk so much now. Dabin, you’re wise. When I was 22, I only thought about playing pool all day.”

“No… I’m only 22, so I probably sound arrogant saying all this. It’s embarrassing.”

“So humble too.”

The MC grinned mischievously.

“So, Dabin, was there someone like that for you? Someone who told you ‘You’re beautiful’ when you thought you were ugly?”

“Yes.”

“Oooh… and who was it?”

“The audience, and all our fans. Thanks to the people who told us we’re pretty, and that they love our songs, I can sing today. I’m grateful to you all.”

She bowed deeply. The applause thundered.

Perfect answer. That’s Dabin for you.

Hyunjae clapped as well. But the MC still smirked knowingly.

When the cheers died down, he asked again, playfully:

“Come on, that’s too textbook. Isn’t there a more personal answer? If you had to pick just one person, who would it be?”

“If I had to pick just one…”

Is it okay for her to say it? Well, it’s Dabin—she won’t say anything weird.

Dabin didn’t hesitate for long.

“Our manager. I found my confidence because of him.”

And then she added:

“He believed in us even more than we did.”