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Today is Hyeon-su’s concert day.

It feels like just yesterday when I heard he would be having a concert, and now summer is in full swing with the day of the concert arriving, which I thought would never come.

Of course, it isn’t my concert, but the fact that I’ll be on stage remains the same.

Since I’m only featured on three songs, I need to be on stage three times during the performance.

The rehearsals are already wrapped up.

In fact, we did it twice, once last night and again earlier this morning.

The audience area is quite spacious.

Contrary to Hyeon-su’s words about not scaling it too large, there are more seats than I expected.

It’s hard to believe that I’ll be standing on the stage being watched by so many people.

Just the other night, I was broadcasting in the soundproof booth.

I posted a notice that the broadcast would be temporarily paused.

Though the viewers were upset, it couldn’t be helped.

The concert is happening not just today, but also tomorrow.

So, I have no choice but to take a break from broadcasting.

I’ve also booked a hotel nearby.

Hyeon-su generously covered all the expenses as a guest.

It seems he got a pretty nice hotel for all the guests, including me, which truly shows it’s on a different scale.

Just how much did he spend?

Well, at least it will be recouped through the ticket sales.

Anyway, thinking about all this, I moved to the waiting room before the official start.

Since I just got my final makeup touch-up, I should be there early.

However, contrary to my expectations, the waiting room was filled with people who had come before me.

Seeing so many celebrities whose names would be recognized anywhere made me feel oddly strange.

I had seen them at rehearsals yesterday and earlier, but honestly, they felt a bit unfamiliar.

“Hey, when did you arrive?” one of them asked.

“I just got here.”

“You arrived early, huh?”

As Hyeon-su recognized me, the attention of those surrounding him turned my way.

“Oh wow, Soo-hyun, you look really pretty with your makeup.”

“Right? The makeup suits you well.”

“It’s insane, insane.”

“Hahaha.”

Unlike my initial worries during the first rehearsal, the other guests were quite friendly towards me.

Though they were generally sociable, my youth must play a big role in it.

Being the youngest among the guests, I felt like the little kid.

“Hehehe….”

That doesn’t mean my discomfort completely vanished, though.

I thought I had somewhat shaken off the awkwardness, but being around real celebrities instinctively made me gravitate to the corners.

“Then, I’ll just sit over there.”

“Soo-hyun, are we making you uncomfortable? You can sit with us.”

“Hahaha.”

“Ah, really?”

“No, not at all….”

So, after exchanging casual greetings, I quietly slipped away.

Honestly, at first, I had a secret hope of getting autographs from any acquaintances I recognized, but I hesitated to ask even one, fearing a rush for the rest if I managed to get one.

Avoiding the crowd, I sat down on a sofa in the farthest corner while waiting for the concert.

Then I spotted Lee Hyun-jun passing by over there.

“Excuse me.”

Seeing a familiar face made me relieved, and Hyun-jun, who was about to walk past, stopped and looked over.

“What’s up? I didn’t see you there.”

“Hi, hi.”

“Why are you hiding here?”

Ah, so he noticed I was hiding.

“The pressure from everyone is just too much.”

“Oh dear.”

After a moment of confusion, Hyun-jun sat down on the sofa directly across from me.

“Were you not heading somewhere? Why sit here?”

“I was looking for a place to hide too.”

“…? Why?”

While I felt overwhelmed by everyone, Hyun-jun seems like he wouldn’t feel that pressure at all.

Maybe he even ranks higher.

Well, he does have more experience, I guess.

“Isn’t there just me as the idol here?”

Oh, is that so?

I suppose it can feel awkward for him too.

“I’m an idol as well, you know.”

“Eh?”

“A virtual idol.”

“….”

“Haha, just kidding.”

“Not funny.”

I know, I know. Just trying to lighten the mood.

“By the way, how about you? Have you practiced a lot?”

“I practiced a ton. You saw the rehearsal, right?”

“Yeah, you did pretty well.”

I genuinely practiced a lot.

When I have spare time, that’s pretty much all I do.

“Are you nervous?”

“Nope. Strangely, my mind feels calm.”

It’s more like a feeling of disbelief, I guess?

I still can’t believe I’m about to step onto a stage with thousands of people looking at me.

“That’s interesting. Before my first stage, I thought my heart would burst.”

Ah, now that I think about it, Hyun-jun must have done this kind of thing countless times.

“Got any tips?”

I wonder if he has any good suggestions.

Something like tips to avoid mistakes or to do well.

“Hmm… what could it be?”

Hyun-jun pondered for a moment, then nodded as if he’d remembered something.

“Oh, I have one.”

“What is it?”

“Enjoy it.”

“What?”

Enjoy it? What does that even mean….

“If you enjoy it, you’ll regret it when it ends.”

“That was not helpful at all.”

“….”

As if it were that easy?

Studying for exams can be enjoyable too.

I thought he’d say something profound but…

“It doesn’t resonate with you, huh? Just keep it in mind.”

“Yeah, well….”

Still, since it’s advice from an idol with a ton of stage experience, I nodded.

“But you said you’re not nervous? What do you expect from me?”

“I’m just not feeling it, but once I’m on stage, who knows?”

Even though I often broadcast to thousands, having actual people filling the seats might send me into a panic.

“Do you know?”

“What?”

Hyun-jun gave a slight smile as he saw my worried expression.

“Right before going on stage, I get super nervous and my heart twitches…”

“Twitches?”

“But once I’m on stage, the nerves make my heart beat faster.”

“Faster? Really?”

Does that mean it gets even more nerve-wracking?

That’s a big problem.

“It’s so mesmerizing.”

“Huh?”

“Do you know how addictive it is to have everyone’s attention? The fact that so many people are watching just me is… amazing.”

Hyun-jun looked quite excited as he spoke about that.

I couldn’t help but wonder whether he was imagining his first experience on stage or reminiscing about countless performances he’s had, or perhaps even picturing the stages he will perform in the future.

I was curious but decided not to ask.

“Anyway, they say there’s such a thing as stage addiction.”

“Is there really?”

“Of course! And singers or idols often suffer from it.”

Wow, what a bizarre kind of addiction.

Thinking about it, I sometimes feel an itch if I don’t broadcast for a few days, making me want to turn it on. Is that what they call broadcast addiction?

After this concert ends and I start my broadcast again, the chat will definitely be lively.

At this point, I wonder if the coordinates won’t even matter anymore.

In the past, when someone mentioned a virtual YouTuber on a community board, people would swarm out of curiosity to check them out, but now, just saying “Miro” would probably lead everyone to understand broadly.

Considering my track record, it’s not surprising.

Should I just go all out?

If I simply started the broadcast and shared stories about the concert, I could break the chat wide open.

Now, that’s where people are at.

As I imagined how the viewers would react and chuckled to myself, Hyun-jun sitting across from me glanced curiously at me.

“What are you thinking that’s making you laugh alone?”

“Oh, nothing. Just thinking about my broadcast.”

“You seriously think about that right before the concert?”

“Seems like I’m addicted to broadcasting.”

“You’re quite the talker.”

In response, I shrugged nonchalantly.

“By the way, my friend is a huge fan of Lee Hyun-jun.”

“Is it that Izakaya Sake person you mentioned before?”

“No, they’re Korean.”

“Who?”

“Just an ordinary person. A college student.”

“Well, it’s nice to know they’re a fan.”

Since we still had time, I chatted with Hyun-jun about various things until the official concert time approached.

“Let’s get up and go.”

“Okay.”

As one of the early guests, Hyun-jun and I made our way to a passage leading to the stage.

There were no other people around since other guests and Hyeon-su must have used different passages.

So, we sat in the chairs arranged nearby and watched the concert kick off on the monitors hanging on the wall.

“Wow.”

The sight of the audience packed in that vast seating area is breathtaking.

The glow sticks each one is holding look like countless stars filling the night sky.

Soon, Hyeon-su appeared on stage.

The fans filling the audience erupted in cheers, waving their glow sticks.

…My friends who I sent tickets to must be in that crowd too, right?

They texted me they arrived at the concert earlier.

I mindlessly watched as Hyeon-su began his performance.

It’s hard to believe he’s just 20 years old, commanding the stage so flawlessly makes it hard to look away.

Time passed, and soon, it was almost my turn to go out.

“We should head out.”

I nodded at Hyun-jun, who was waiting beside me.

“I’m going now.”

“Go ahead and do well.”

“Sure.”

“Oh, and.”

Just as I was getting ready to leave, Hyun-jun called me back.

“What is it?”

“Your makeup looks great, so have confidence.”

What a surprising compliment from him.

“Thanks for the encouragement, but I’ve never felt insecure about my looks.”

“Ah.”

Hyun-jun let out a chuckle as I turned toward the passage leading to the stage.

Step by step—

The once short, dim hallway I had seen during rehearsal now felt endless.

Ahead of me was an entrance so bright it compared to the dark passageway, almost blinding.

As I drew closer to that glowing entrance, I could hear the vibrant cheers.

“Wow—!!”

The thunderous roar enveloped me.

Standing at the entrance, I faced the cheering crowd, following Hyeon-su from the back.

He was singing his song “Wonderland” confidently, without a hint of hesitation.

“Ah.”

Taking a deep breath, I pulled my hood down, which had become part of my outfit during rehearsal.

“Shall we go?”

And with that, I took a step forward.

Now, it’s time for the real beginning.

 

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