Chapter 114: Roy’s Debut

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The heat radiating from the fans felt almost tangible.

The two hosts thought that if they kept talking any longer, they might receive not cheers, but resentment instead.

The eyes of the fans standing nearby weren’t just sparkling—they were practically glaring with intensity.

“Then, let’s welcome the sensational rookies! Kkoribyul’s very own ‘STAR’! Let’s meet them right now!”

No sooner had the host finished speaking than the stage lights went dark, and dazzling beams flooded the stage.

Just moments ago, the fans had been screaming as if the very space was about to shatter, but the moment the music began, they fell utterly silent as if holding their breath.

“Please, let our Roy not make any mistakes.”

Shin Jimin felt the same way.

Because the audience was chosen by lottery, she had prayed to every god in existence.

Her luck held once again.

Just like that day in the past, when Roy saved her during the height of Dangheon, she had managed to secure a ticket to the live show this time as well.

“I must’ve sung the cheer song at least a hundred times for today.”

This was Kkoribyul’s very first debut stage.

There would be countless stages ahead, but days as meaningful as this one might be hard to find.

Fortunately, even before debuting, Kkoribyul had amassed an overwhelming fandom.

The Survival Program, Dangheon, had ended with the highest viewership in Hunter Idol history.

It was only natural that Kkoribyul, having debuted through Dangheon, would ride that wave of glory.

“Roy looks insane today. Like some prince descended to modern times.”

The Roy reflected in Shin Jimin’s eyes was unlike anyone in this world.

Unlike the other members who had changed their hair colors, Roy still showed off his jet-black hair under the bright lights, just as she had first seen him.

“Roy was definitely a noble prince in a past life. Like some forsaken prince with a tragic background.”

Even though she wasn’t the one on stage, her heart thundered loudly in sync with the booming music, as if it might leap right out of her chest.

The prelude she’d heard hundreds of times, etched deep into her ears, finally ended, and a clear, refreshing voice reached not only the stage but the ears of the fans.

“DO it what you want-.”

The first to start the song was Min Junyoung.

As he lifted the corners of his lips, a dimple gently appeared on the left side.

His intense rose-red hair, as if melted from rubies, covered half of his forehead.

Every movement he made was bathed in the spotlight, making his radiant face shine even more.

“Wow, he’s really handsome.”

Though Roy was her ultimate favorite, the others who debuted alongside him already felt like her own children.

Shin Jimin clasped her hands together like a bird nurturing its eggs.

If someone asked, “Who’s the most masculine-looking handsome guy in Kkoribyul?” Min Junyoung would overwhelmingly win.

His rich vocal power elevated the song’s quality even further.

“Stars in your mind-.”

Following Min Junyoung, the center of the stage was claimed by Kim Jaewoo.

His broad, confident movements stretched out straight and clear.

“Silver hair? Insane!”

Kim Jaewoo’s hair was boldly dyed silver, but with a slight gray tint that kept it from being too flashy. Having kept brown hair for a while, the change felt all the more dramatic.

Compared to the other members, his skin tone was a bit darker, giving him a distinctly exotic aura.

“Gah……”

***

Before passing the spotlight to the next member, Kim Jaewoo winked his right eye.

Shin Jimin had even brought opera glasses with her.

When he gave that sly smile, the beauty mark near his right eye caught everyone’s attention.

“Am I going to have arrhythmia or something?”

Even though Roy hadn’t sung yet, her heart was already a battered, deflated balloon.

“Among the countless stars in the world, how many can our eyes actually see…”

“Royyyyaaaak!”

In the end, Shin Jimin couldn’t hold back and let out a scream close to a shout.

Her voice was so loud that Roy slightly turned his head in her direction.

Thankfully, she had raised her voice only when Roy’s name came up in the cheer song.

Otherwise, she might have been shot with cold glares from other fans—or even dragged away somewhere secluded.

“Sniffle… I feel like I could die right now and have no regrets……”

Her vision blurred slightly, and she blinked rapidly.

The emotional storm could wait until after the stage ended.

Right now, this was the moment not to miss Roy’s every move, like a hawk chasing its prey.

“Today again, I clasp my hands before the hollow cry sinks into the sea of silence.”

Lee Doha, standing behind Roy, stepped forward with a movement that seemed to deliberately avoid eye contact.

“Whoa, is this vampire reincarnation or what?”

His white skin sharply contrasted with his blood-red lips.

Lee Doha’s lips were naturally vivid red, sparking heated debates among fans over which lip product matched his shade best.

Even without any makeup, his lips were captivating—and now, moist and tinted, they enchanted people even more.

Adding to that, his hair was dyed a subtle black with a faint red tint, amplifying his typically indifferent, decadent vibe.

“Bring the stars floating in the sky to your heart and illuminate this world burning pitch-black.”

***

After the sharp, synchronized choreography ended, Lee Hajun appeared at center stage with a soft wave of movement.

“Our youngest. I just want to pinch his cheeks.”

As the sole maknae, Lee Hajun still looked very youthful.

Though his baby fat had diminished and he seemed taller than at the show’s start, his plump cheeks still clearly marked him as the youngest.

“Blonde. We should bow to the stylist for this.”

His dazzling golden hair scattered in every direction with the intense choreography, resembling brilliant moonlight adorning the night sky.

“To someone, you may be just one star among many-. But to us, you’re the entire world-. You and I, the world we’ll create filled with radiant stars.”

The song had already reached the chorus—a part soaring up to the 3rd octave.

Because of this, ‘STAR’ was rumored to be the most difficult debut song among all idols to date.

Naturally, lacking much stage experience, the members couldn’t help but feel nervous.

Tension stiffens the vocal cords, making mistakes like going off-pitch far more likely.

With the hunter idol industry growing more competitive, artists now commonly perform live with only minimal backing tracks.

‘What if a debut stage ended in a pitch mistake?’

The aftermath was easy enough to imagine.

The idol who made a mistake on stage would have a hard time surviving in such a ruthless world.

That was why most debut songs balanced high-level choreography with relatively easier vocals.

But Kkoribyul’s debut title, ‘STAR,’ was difficult both vocally and choreographically.

Even now, as Kim Chan adjusted his in-ear monitor to hit the right pitch, other members were spinning five times mid-air.

Moves that would be nearly impossible without a hunter’s abilities.

“Chestnut hair suits him.”

Kim Chan hadn’t changed his hair color much, but his hairstyle—with bangs softly flowing over his forehead—gave him a gentle, big-dog kind of look.

“This is our ground, you and I. Holding our breath in this inescapable space. Even if someone mocks us as mere illusions, as long as you’re by my side, never-ever around. Like a comet stitched across the sky, I’ll shine upon you.”

Cutting through the roaring crowd came a rap that struck like a bullet to the eardrums.

“Our Doyoon rewrote the rap lyrics again.”

During team missions on the show, trainers made the main rapper in each team write their own lyrics.

Fans were eager to see if Song Doyoon would use the same verses or debut new ones.

“His husky voice sounds really good.”

Contrasting his mischievous looks, his deep voice thumped against Shin Jimin’s heart.

“That hair color? Only our kid can pull that off.”

Song Doyoon’s hair was ash pink—a shade Shin Jimin had attempted once at a salon a year ago, only to get a disastrous result.

“Stars in your mind-. And make the world shiny-.”

The refreshing rap felt like relief after a day plagued by indigestion, just as the final member appeared.

“Isn’t Jihoo just a chaebol heir? He looks like a born aristocrat.”

Unlike Lee Doha, Han Jihoo dyed his hair black with a subtle blue tint, radiating an untouchable aura.

Every movement he made oozed elegance.

Just meeting his gaze made one’s knees feel weak, as if about to collapse.

“Our leader, well done.”

When Han Jihoo was announced as leader, fans erupted in cheers.

Though some were disappointed that Roy wasn’t leader due to age, none could match Han Jihoo’s soft charisma and ability to embrace the members.

Kkoribyul occasionally uploaded practice videos to their official SNS, and in those clips, Han Jihoo led and comforted the members more like a true leader than anyone else.

For fans, it was impossible not to smile warmly at those moments.

“Only one in the world-. You and I.”

As the debut stage, which felt as if it could last forever, neared its end—

“Sniffle……”

Shin Jimin finally let the tears she had been holding back fall.

The light stick in her hand flopped weakly.

Someone might criticize an adult for crying over an idol stage, but here, it wasn’t shameful at all.

“This is truly amazing……”

“Ughhh… guys… I’m going to proudly shout that I’m part of the Comet Squad from now on.”

Indeed, not only Shin Jimin, but all the Kkoribyul fans gathered nearby shed tears together.

She wiped her eyes quickly to see her babies waving at the fans who had come to support them, giving it their all until the very last moment before leaving the stage.

Then—

“Ah, seriously, this debut stage is such a fuss. It’s so trashy.”

A voice behind her spat out words that grated on every nerve.

Fan rivalries were common, Shin Jimin knew from experience, but usually, debut stages were respected, even by opposing fans.

After all, a debut stage was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for both artist and fan.

‘But this? What nonsense was that?’

The utterly disrespectful words sent a cold shadow flickering across Shin Jimin’s eyes.