Chapter 117: First Lights, Unfamiliar Glances

“Wow… there really are a lot of people.”

Unlike the last time I came here for a meeting, the parking lot was completely full, and the entrance to the broadcasting station was packed with fans and reporters.

“It’s your first day, so you might not know the layout. Let’s park and go in together.”

“Yes!”

We barely managed to find a spot among the countless cars and parked.

“Do you think I’m dressed too much?”

An idol passed by, casually hiding their face with a cap and mask.

I went to the shop first thing this morning…

Compared to them, I stood out with my hair and makeup fully done.

“You don’t need to compare yourself to them.”

Yerin spoke firmly when she saw me worrying about making a fuss.

“They go to music shows like it’s eating meals. It’s your first day, so you should look like you made an effort.”

“Ah, that does make sense.”

“Exactly. At the beginning, showing that you care is just basic courtesy.”

With Yerin’s words giving me confidence, I got out of the car.

As we headed toward the broadcasting station entrance, I saw fans and reporters gathered around the fence.

“That’s Jung Hyunjae!”

As soon as I appeared, fans and reporters called out my name.

“Hyunjae!”

“Hyunjae!”

Near the entrance, there was a small group of people calling out to me desperately.

Their eyes were different from the curious stares around them—these were earnest.

“Hello.”

I greeted them as I walked past, then instinctively stopped.

“Um… who did you come to see?”

I asked, just in case.

“You.”

They answered in unison.

“You really came just to see me?”

They were few compared to idol fans, but numbers didn’t matter.

They waited all this way just to see me?

“Yeah!”

“Hyunjae, your shirt looks amazing today.”

“Congratulations on becoming an MC!”

“Wow… I’m really touched right now.”

Unlike singers, actors don’t really have many places to meet fans.

That made this encounter feel even more special.

“We’ll come see you every week!”

“No, that’s too hard every week. Just come when you miss me.”

“Then we’d have to come every day.”

“What?”

“Because we want to see you every day!”

At the sweet comment from one fan, my face turned red with embarrassment, and the fans in front burst into laughter.

“Ha ha ha!”

“Aww, so cute!”

“Those kinds of lovely words still make me shy…”

“‘Lovely words,’ she says—kyah!”

Even though I hadn’t said anything special, they cheered and looked delighted.

“Hyunjae, you should probably go inside now.”

“I’m sorry. They’re telling me I have to go in now.”

“Oh…”

The fans showed their disappointment at the news.

“It’s cold, so go in safely!”

“Hyunjae, do well!”

“Fighting!”

With their cheers behind me, I went into the broadcasting station.

“Hyung, this is my first time talking to fans this close. It’s so fascinating!”

I’d chatted briefly while doing café events for drama promotions before, but it was always too short to really talk.

“It’s your first day as an MC, so a lot of fans came. Not just the ones you saw—there were fans wandering around the parking lot too.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. There were so many people they probably couldn’t get a spot.”

“Ah… I should’ve greeted them too.”

They’d come all this way in the cold just to see me, and I couldn’t even say hello.

Isn’t there some way?

As I was thinking, a female staff member in the lobby ran over, calling my name.

“Hyunjae-ssi!”

“Oh, hello.”

She introduced herself as a writer from Music Day.

“Please take good care of us.”

“No, I should be the one saying that.”

“I’ll guide you this way. Please come with me.”

She led me further inside the station and into a room labeled ‘MC Waiting Room.’

“Wow! What is this?”

As soon as I entered, one wall was decorated with blue balloons.

[The human puppy finally lands on Music Day]

[Welcome to Music Day]

Next to it stood a life-size standee made from photos of my previous pictorial shoot.

“We decorated this to celebrate your first broadcast.”

“Wow, seriously! Thank you so much.”

“Let’s work well together from now on.”

“Yes! I’ll do my best!”

They took such good care of me that my motivation skyrocketed.

“Oh, Aina, who’s co-hosting with you today, just made her comeback, so she’s sharing a room with her members.”

“Ah.”

“But she’ll come by once before rehearsal to go over the script. Here are the cue cards… and I’ll let you know when it’s time for rehearsal.”

After the writer left, I slowly looked around the beautifully decorated waiting room.

“It’s so pretty. They went this far… I’m really touched.”

“Yeah, they did a great job.”

Hayoon and I admired it together when Yerin walked in.

“They usually decorate MC waiting rooms like this.”

“Really? They do this for everyone?”

“Of course.”

It was my first time, so I didn’t know, but Yerin looked like she’d seen this plenty of times.

“Still, doing this every time must be exhausting…”

“It means they’re paying attention to you.”

Yerin said as she unpacked the things she’d brought to one side of the room.

“Ah… since today’s concept is fairy tale, Aina will definitely come out looking all princess-like…”

“Then what am I wearing… noona!”

I gasped the moment I saw the outfit Yerin pulled out.

She said it was a fairy tale concept, but what kind of fairy tale was this?

“How is it? Super pretty, right?”

I’d imagined something like a white Western-style uniform with gold embroidery.

What Yerin brought was a completely black uniform with lace, the total opposite.

“What kind of fairy tale is this supposed to be?”

“A grim fairy tale.”

“What?”

A grim fairy tale?

“She’s definitely going to be all dressed up in something flashy. I can’t put you in something predictable.”

“Wow… but noona, isn’t this a bit much?”

“The idols standing next to you will be even crazier.”

Yerin reassured me all the way.

“Just try putting the jacket on.”

Since there were no other options, I put on the jacket she brought.

“Oh my! It suits you so well!”

“Is it okay?”

“Yeah, totally. It’s perfect for you. See? My eye for these things never fails.”

Looking closer, the outfit had a lot of intricate details, and the embroidery looked hand-stitched.

“Noona, it’s beautiful.”

“Right? I poured my soul into this.”

“Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me, it’s my job. Now, take it off carefully so it doesn’t wrinkle.”

I neatly took it off and handed it back to Yerin.

The moment she received it, there was a knock on the door.

“Yes~”

The door opened, and a petite woman entered with her manager.

“Hello, I’m Aina.”

“Ah, hello. I’m Jung Hyunjae.”

She was holding cue cards—my co-MC for today.

“I wanted to go over the script briefly before rehearsal…”

“Sure, I was just waiting. Shall we sit here?”

My first impression of her was she’s really thin.

So thin it was hard to believe a person could be built that way.

“Shall we read from the beginning?”

“Yes.”

Probably mindful of scandals, we sat at opposite ends of the sofa while matching lines.

Her manager stared at me the entire time with hawk-like eyes.

This is suffocating.

Of course, the target wasn’t me—it was Aina.

If they were this guarded even for work meetings, how bad must it be normally?

Being an idol really isn’t for just anyone.

My respect for idols doubled.

“I think this works.”

“Thank you. This is my first time doing something like this, so please take care of me.”

“No, you’re doing great. Then… I’ll see you at rehearsal.”

The moment the reading ended, Aina stood up sharply and left.

“Geez, that was excessive.”

Yerin clicked her tongue as soon as the door closed.

“You felt it too, noona?”

“You’d be an idiot not to. They’re still like that, huh.”

“Still?”

“Yeah. That agency is famous for suffocating their kids.”

So it wasn’t just a one- or two-day thing.

“I thought all idol agencies were like that.”

“No. That place is especially bad. They don’t even let them breathe.”

“Hyunjae-ssi, we’re starting rehearsal~”

Soon, staff called us, and we moved to the set.

Fans were already seated right in front of the MC desk.

“We’ll begin rehearsal~ MC desk ready~ cue!”

The rehearsal went smoothly.

There was a prompter, and we’d just matched the script, so the flow was perfect.

“Wow, Hyunjae-ssi, you’re really good. Have you done this before?”

“Haha, no.”

“Your energy is great. You did amazing.”

“Thank you!”

After thanking the PD and writer for their compliments, I stepped down from the MC desk.

Aina, who was walking ahead of me, suddenly stumbled.

“Whoa!”

Instinctively, I grabbed her arm.

Thankfully, she didn’t fall.

“Are you okay?”

“Are you alright?”

Staff and fans alike stared at us in shock.

“Oh, I’m fine. My heels just slipped for a moment.”

She tried to calm everyone, clearly burdened by the attention.

“Are you really okay?”

“Yes. Thank you for catching me.”

She thanked me politely.

Her heels didn’t slip.

There was a step down from the MC desk, so I’d been watching my footing.

Her foot hadn’t slipped at all.

Why lie about something like that?

Her behavior puzzled me.

But I had no reason—or right—to call out her lie here.

“Be careful. It’s dangerous.”

That was all I could say.

“Are you okay?”

Her manager grabbed her arm and hurried her away.

“Then we’ll see you at the live broadcast. Just do the same as you did now!”

“Yes, got it!”

As soon as rehearsal ended, we hurried back to the waiting room.

“Hyung, is it okay if I step outside for a bit?”

“Huh? Where are you going?”

“If the fans are still outside, I want to buy them something warm.”

They might already be gone, but if they’d come to see me going in, they might wait to see me leave too.

“Do you want anything to drink too?”

“I’ll take an iced Americano!”

“I’m coming with you.”

“I’ll be fine on my own.”

There weren’t enough fans to disrupt order, so I could easily go alone.

“No. You can’t send a celebrity out alone.”

Hayoon insisted, and we ended up going to the lobby together.

“I’ll go check how many fans there are. You wait here.”

“I’ll come too!”

“No. I’ll check and call you. You wait and order at the café over there.”

I nodded and headed to the café inside the station.

What is it with that guy?

And once again, I spotted someone I’d rather avoid.

Somehow, I’d run into him both times I came here.

Does he live in this café or something?

I noticed him, and this time, I didn’t avoid him.

If we had to meet eventually, I didn’t mind when.

“Ha ha ha, ah~ I need to use the restroom for a moment…”

But this time, he was the one avoiding me.

Without looking my way, he quietly moved and walked straight out of the station.

“What? Why is he avoiding me?”

I sensed something strange in his behavior.