Chapter 133: Enbin’s Fan Meeting
“Wow.”
The day of Enbin’s fan meeting.
Muyoung’s mouth hung open as he looked around the venue. Enbin, who was rehearsing on stage, spotted Muyoung and approached him.
“You’re here?”
“Why is this place so big?”
“Is it big? It’s actually smaller than last time.”
“I brought 150 people!”
How many people can fit in here?
The space was packed with standing room in the front and seats in the back. This isn’t a fan meeting, it’s just a concert.
“I did that much in my first year too. If you keep doing it like me, you’ll end up like this. Hehehe!”
“Wow- so arrogant!”
“By the way, how was the audition? Did it go well?”
At Enbin’s words, Muyoung confidently nodded. Then he looked around for the dancer, but he was nowhere to be seen.
“Thanks to you. The wire went well and it ended well. I think I’ll get the results next week.”
The atmosphere was really good, without exaggeration.
Kang Ok-kyung even told me to wait with a light heart. It might be worth expecting something?
Noticing Muyoung’s gaze, Enbin grabbed his arm.
“The dancers are getting their makeup done backstage. Come this way. Are you going to wear that? Did you go to the shop?”
They headed backstage, stepping over tangled wires. Ko Gyeongmin followed behind, moving nimbly so as not to get in the way.
“Yeah. Where is this from?”
“It’s obviously BORNTORE.”
“Oh wow.”
Upon entering the dressing room, Enbin pinned his bangs.
Ko Gyeongmin held up his ringing phone and signaled that he would be right back. Muyoung sat next to Enbin and watched him do his makeup.
“I heard there’s another guest today besides me.”
“Where did you hear that? You’re quick.”
“The staff told me.”
“Originally, Romin was supposed to come, but he had a scheduling conflict, so Unta is coming instead.”
“What? Unta?”
His mouth slightly agape in surprise, Enbin propped up his chin as if to tell him to close it. He held back a laugh and met Muyoung’s gaze in the mirror.
“Be careful. Unta is pissed.”
“What? Do we share a dressing room too?”
“There’s nothing left.”
“Wow. You didn’t tell me that!”
Click-
Just as Muyoung exclaimed in surprise, Unta entered.
As usual, he had a blunt expression. Enbin naturally raised his hand to greet him, but Muyoung froze in tension.
“Hello, Mr. Unta.”
The first person in the entertainment industry to make him uncomfortable was Unta.
Unknowingly, Muyoung stumbled over his words.
Rustle-
“Hyung. Here.”
“Oh. Thanks. I’d be uncomfortable without it.”
Unta neatly ignored Muyoung’s greeting and threw something to Enbin. It was an ankle guard. Enbin gathered it up and soon finished his makeup.
“Enbin! It’s almost time.”
“Yes, I got it.”
Muyoung grabbed Enbin’s sleeve as he stood up.
‘Are you leaving me behind?’
If there were emotions like ‘panic + disbelief + please don’t!’, that would be Muyoung’s expression right now. Enbin lightly laughed and flicked his sleeve.
“I’ll treat you to beef after this is over.”
“No, hey.”
“Enbin!”
“Yes, I’m going!”
Thud!
Enbin hurried out at the staff’s call, leaving only Muyoung and Unta in the dressing room. He was still staring blankly at his phone.
Tick tock.
He could feel time passing with his whole body.
It was bearable thanks to the stylist, but she seemed busy and quickly disappeared somewhere. What the heck, how long is Manager Hyung on the phone!
Whoooo-
Thud! Thud thud!
“Ah.”
The performance seemed to have started, as faint cheers and music could be heard. As Muyoung let out a shallow gasp, Unta’s gaze shifted to him.
‘Eek.’
Muyoung awkwardly laughed and spoke again.
“Oh, today! The weather is really nice, right?”
Unta’s eyebrows furrowed slightly.
Oh my god. Shouldn’t have spoken up.
“I-
“Ah! The weather is so nice! I should go outside and take a look. Mr. Unta, fighting today too! Aja aja!”
Thud!
Muyoung fled the dressing room. Naturally, he followed the heated atmosphere. The staff were watching the screen backstage.
“Oh my. Mr. Muyoung. It’s not your turn yet.”
“It’s a bit hot.”
“Is it? Should I ask them to turn down the air conditioning?”
“No, no. It’s okay. Can I watch from here?”
The staff member stepped aside, as if to say of course.
The screen was split, showing Enbin and the venue at a glance.
He shone brighter on stage than usual.
“I guess people really do have their moments.”
“Right? He’s like this every time he grabs the mic.”
His explosive vocals and flashy dance moves.
And the stage setup was so elaborate. Even if fans fainted from crying, it would be understandable.
“Huh?”
As he watched the performance among the staff, something caught his eye. A hazy smoke…
‘What’s that?’
Was it because of the fog machine?
Unable to rub his eyes due to his makeup, he blinked hard to clear his head. But the smoke didn’t disappear.
“Excuse me.”
“Yes?”
“Can this be zoomed in?”
Muyoung pointed to one side of the screen and asked.
“No, the camera operator has to zoom in. Why do you ask?”
The spot he pointed to was one corner of the standing section.
From this angle, nothing much was visible, and there was nothing to see anyway. Like the other screens, fans were clearly enthralled by Enbin’s performance.
“There seems to be a problem here.”
At his words, the staff gathered and stared intently at the screen. But they were all too busy to notice anything.
“What’s the problem?”
“I’m not sure, but can we send an event staff member to check?”
“……Ah, B section manager?”
Static.
The staff member tilted his head and picked up the walkie-talkie.
He didn’t know what it was, but since Muyoung looked so serious, he had to check.
The staff member radioed the event staff and continued to monitor the screen.
“Huh?”
“What is it?”
“Oh no! Look at that!”
Then he seemed to notice something, and startled, he grabbed the walkie-talkie. Muyoung also noticed a different movement among the crowd.
Someone had grabbed the hair of the person in front of them.
“Standing section B, back line. There’s a fight breaking out. Yes, right there!”
Thanks to the heads-up, the event staff quickly located the scene. It seemed a fight had broken out from the enthusiastic bumping in the standing section.
“Yikes. A fight? On this good day?”
“It happens sometimes-
Fights over space and position frequently occur in the standing section. But it was the first time a physical altercation had broken out so openly.
“Oh no. Enbin saw it.”
The security guards waded through the standing section, and the fans buzzed in deflated shock. Enbin on stage seemed to have noticed too.
“Bin. There seems to be a fight in the standing section.”
“Uh oh! Hold the song for a sec!”
“Damn it.”
“What are the event staff doing!”
As Enbin stopped singing, chaos erupted backstage. Muyoung, equally panicked, nervously bit his lips. Enbin’s furrowed face was closely zoomed in.
[Tumblr, it’s been a while since we last met. On this good day, I hope we can all enjoy ourselves considerately.]
Zero Tum’s fandom name is Tumblr.
The fans also shouted at the two troublemakers to stop, and the event staff removed them.
As the brief commotion settled, Enbin smiled as if nothing had happened.
[Let’s fill today with only good vibes. Everyone. Let’s continue.]
And Enbin, smoothly recovering the atmosphere, resumed the song. But inside, he must have been burning up. Muyoung clicked his tongue in sympathy.
“Mr. Muyoung, it’s almost time to get ready.”
“Oh. Okay.”
Muyoung adjusted his clothes and waited for the staff’s signal.
A familiar song played, and Muyoung quickly followed the path the staff member guided him through.
Thump thump! Thump!
“You can go out now!”
“Yes!”
Muyoung nodded and jumped onto the stage.
The fans, who had only been watching Enbin, were bewildered by the sudden appearance of the new man.
“Huh? Who’s that?”
“Yikes. It’s Ha Muyoung.”
“Ha Muyoung? Where? Uh oh!”
“It’s a guest! Wow!”
“Ahhhh!”
Cheers erupted instantly.
Muyoung waved and lightly danced with Enbin. Boom boom boom boom! Though the dance was only about twenty seconds long, the crowd’s reaction was explosive.
‘You okay?’
‘Yeah. You did great.’
Enbin, drenched in sweat, smiled brightly and grabbed the mic.
“Everyone. Today’s special guest. You all know him, right? Actor Ha Muyoung. Muyoung, thanks for coming.”
“Waaaaah!”
And as promised, he introduced Muyoung and they exchanged recent news.
“I went on a Southeast Asia tour recently, and I saw that
“Really?”
“That was our first meeting, you and me.”
“Right. Enbin, you had such a hard time eating spicy food back then. You drank all the drinks there.”
Muyoung proceeded with the talk like a special guest and MC.
The shattered atmosphere gradually heated up again, and the fans enjoyed Enbin’s different side, told by his ‘friend’.
“Where were we?”
“Uh. Muyoung is talking now.”
Unta, who had been waiting, changed his clothes and entered backstage. The screen showed the two of them.
“By the way, how did Muyoung know?”
“Why? What’s up?”
“Oh. Unta didn’t know because he was in the dressing room? There was a fight in the standing section, and it caused a bit of a delay.”
“But it’s really strange. Good eyesight or good observation. How did he notice among so many people?”
As the staff chatted in amazement, Unta quietly watched the screen. Muyoung and Enbin smiled brightly. The fans also laughed happily with them.
“Everyone, good work!”
“Enbin, good work! Cheers!”
“Let’s drink! Let’s drink!”
The fan meeting ended successfully.
There was a bit of noise in the middle, but the two special guests effectively changed the mood. They were able to part with Tumblr smiling.
“Wow. This is a first.”
“I know. The site manager said this was his second time. With his experience.”
Though staff were mixed in, Enbin, Muyoung, and Unta sat at one table. Muyoung sipped his beer and glanced at Unta.
“But how did you notice?”
“Me? I just saw it.”
Having heard the backstory, Enbin grilled meat for him, continually impressed. What if he hadn’t noticed in time, and someone got seriously hurt…
‘I don’t even want to think about it.’
Enbin shook his head to dispel the bad thought.
“Eat a lot today. You’ve worked hard. Thanks.”
“No problem. I actually ate a small lunch.”
“Yes, yes. Please bankrupt my wallet, Unta.”
“Huh?”
And he looked at Unta, who sat silently.
“How long are you going to sit like that? If it’s a misunderstanding, just clear it up. You won’t even see me? We’ll be working together a lot.”
“No, it’s not that…”
Unta mumbled, looking troubled.
“What’s he saying? The family tree is messed up.”
“Um. Should we just use formal speech?”
Unta quietly looked at Muyoung, then placed his empty glass in front of him.
Thud-
“……Let’s settle this with a drink-off.”
“Wow. So cool. But I’m not good at fighting.”
“Who said anything about fighting?”
He mixed a strong drink and handed the glass to Muyoung.
“If I win, Enbin and I will stop being friends. If you win, I’ll call you hyung. Let’s settle it like that.”
A drinking contest? That’s the most reckless kind. Muyoung looked at Enbin in bewilderment.
Then he smiled and whispered,
“I told you. He’s old-fashioned.”
“……Seems like it.”
Does there really need to be an older or younger sibling?
In the midst of this confusion, Unta downed his glass in one go. And he nodded for Muyoung to hurry up and drink.
“Whoa! Unta! You’re on fire today!”
The clueless staff cheered, having fun. There was no choice! Muyoung clinked glasses with Unta’s empty one and drank.
Clink-
“So then-
“Really?”
“Hahaha! No way! Who does that?”
The restaurant bustled with noise. As dawn approached, the drunkenness deepened.
Enbin, tipsy, looked back.
“You two still at it?”
Unta, half-collapsed on the table, and Muyoung, sitting straight. The two seemed to be having so much fun, grinning ear to ear.
“Hyung! Muyoung is so funny!”
“Right? He’s a good kid.”
“But hey- you said you can’t drink, but you’re drinking so well? Ah. My stomach feels queasy. I think I’m gonna puke.”
Unta held his head, muttering. Then he ended up face down on the table in surrender.
“Okay! Hyung! Muyoung hyung! I’ll call you hyung. So groggy…”
Crash!
And KO.
Declaring he would call Muyoung hyung, he sorted out the family tree and gloriously passed out. Enbin tilted his head, looking at Muyoung.
“You okay?”
“Yeah. I’m fine.”
Strange. He said he can’t drink?
Enbin held up two fingers and asked,
“How many?”
“Ah. Really. Am I a fool?”
Muyoung, giggling, approached the fingers and placed his nose between them. At that moment, he remembered.
Muyoung… even when drunk, he only ‘seems’ drunk.
“When did you start doing that?”
“Actually, when I had my third drink. Hehehe!”
Right. Enbin wiped his fingers on Muyoung’s clothes and looked at Unta’s pitiful figure.
This fact… should probably be kept secret for Unta’s sake.