---

Slim Gold is a genius.

That was the evaluation I heard when he released his second album at the time.

And at that time, he was about 19 years old.

As a student, he gained recognition in the market and became a singer.

Now, two and a half years later.

The young genius has now matured into a full-grown adult.

The song of Hyeon-su, who has blossomed into a complete form and received public recognition since his budding days, drew admiration from me as I listened beside him.

It’s definitely the same song.

The same part, the same melody, the same pitch.

Back then, Hyeon-su, still a budding flower, perfectly delivered the featuring of the song he composed.

But the feeling now was already different in mood from that time.

…Is it right to use him as a guest?

For a moment, I almost missed my part after the featuring because I was lost in that thought.

Still, I focused on the song again and nicely wrapped up my part.

Once the song ended, Hyeon-su calmly cleared his throat and said to me.

“You felt a lot, didn’t you?”

“Oh, yeah….”

…Now that I think about it, it’s quite amusing to hear you praise me.

I felt like I was staring at the wall.

Is that really what a singer is like?

Or is it that even singers aren’t at that level?

I mean, I did hear him singing a lot during Slim Gold’s summer concert practice two years ago, but this feels like a whole different vibe.

“More than that, I was a bit nervous because of the place, but it seems the singing went well.”

“Ugh, how irritating.”

“Pardon?”

“Never mind, never mind.”

Well, if he does well, that’s good for me.

Thus, we began the serious recording for the concert.

**

Hyeon-su’s recording ended really quickly.

It was almost unbelievable for a first-timer, as he managed to do it so skillfully, leaving no room for criticism throughout the recording.

“How was it?”

After I finished reviewing the recording, Hyeon-su asked me.

How was it, huh….

“I’m actually considering canceling my guest appearance.”

“Excuse me?”

Why did he do so well? He should have controlled his strength a bit.

Is it my fault for bringing Hyeon-su into a Vtuber concert?

“It’ll be too distracting.”

“Surely not. This concert is for my fans to see you.”

Well… just as Hyeon-su said, they’re my fans coming to the concert, so it might not matter.

But just thinking about being distracting feels a little bothersome.

“Let’s record it again.”

“Again?”

“Yeah, we have enough time, right?”

“Yeah, it seems to finish quickly anyway?”

“….”

Quickly, huh… He doesn’t even realize he’s broken the record for the shortest recording time in history.

Some members took all morning just to finish by evening.

So, after seeking Hyeon-su’s understanding, we recorded again.

The choreography is something I coordinate entirely, so for the re-recording, I directed things so that a bit more of the attention went to me.

…Though it’s a bit rude toward the guest, what can I do?

This isn’t just about me shining, it disrupts the concert’s overall flow.

Focusing on one person from start to finish makes for a better concert; if attention falters even for a moment, it disrupts the focus on me afterward.

After a few more takes, I was able to get a somewhat satisfactory result.

“This should be good enough.”

“Really? That was quick.”

Just as Hyeon-su mentioned, not long had passed after we finished a few takes.

…Why was he so good at recording?

Better than the veteran Tenshi? Is this the power of real performances?

“By the way, this is more doable than I thought?”

“Really?”

“Yeah, it’s a bit different since it’s my first time.”

“If it’s fun, do it again in the future.”

“Hmm, I’ll consider it.”

“Too bad, I can’t catch it….”

“Hey, I’m a busy person.”

I tried to naturally set up the next guest appointment, but he was quick to dodge.

“Let’s just go out for now, have you eaten?”

“Not yet.”

“I’ll buy you something.”

With that, we finished up the recording, took off our equipment, and left the studio.

But then….

“Uh…!”

“Ah.”

As we came out, we ran into a group of girls at the studio entrance.

Five familiar faces are so used to seeing each other.

“Uh… what are you all doing here?”

“Ah, Miro-senpai….”

“Is it, is it already over?”

They were the prospective trainees of the 4th generation.

Did they come to headquarters for something today?

More than that, I wondered what they were doing loitering at the studio entrance when all their attention was on Hyeon-su.

It seems they were indeed waiting here after hearing the news.

Seeing that, I realized Hyeon-su was indeed a celebrity.

“Uh… if it’s not too much trouble, could we get an autograph…?”

“Sorry if we were rude….”

“We just wanted to see you in person….”

They seemed a bit unsure about waiting down here, realizing that they might be overstepping, as they spoke to me haltingly, but since they were all juniors, it came off as cute.

Still, I casually glanced at Hyeon-su.

“What do you want to do?”

They’re cute, but it’s not my decision, so I asked Hyeon-su.

“These are…?”

“Ah, they’re my junior trainees.”

“Are the Celestial Realm’s 4th generation coming out?”

Upon hearing that they were my juniors, Hyeon-su replied, as he was a regular viewer of the broadcasts.

Instantly, the trainees stiffened.

“Uh, uh? We’re not the 4th generation.”

“We’re nothing like that.”

They quickly showed their loyalty to security.

…Well, it’s a bit late for that now.

If they wanted to hide it, they shouldn’t have called me ‘senpai’.

“Well, if you’re my juniors, I’ll sign for you.”

“Then I’m grateful.”

Since they were my juniors, Hyeon-su nodded cheerfully, like he did with the staff earlier, and before long, he also signed for the prospective juniors.

“Thank you!”

“Blessings upon you!”

“Thank you, Miro-senpai!”

After Hyeon-su signed for the prospective 4th generation trainees, we finally left The Six Headquarters.

“Now let’s go eat.”

“Yeah, what are we having?”

“Do you have something you want to eat?”

“Me? Not really, just take me to a place you recommend. You must know good places near the headquarters?”

My recommendation for tasty restaurants….

Honestly, I don’t know much about them.

The barbecue restaurant I went to before was a spontaneous decision without much research.

“I don’t have a specific place in mind….”

“Do you have anything you want to eat?”

“If I had to choose, I guess Japanese food?”

“Then let’s go eat that.”

After a few conversations, the dinner menu was decided on Japanese food, and afterward, I found some good restaurants nearby.

“Why sushi, though?”

“Because I can’t eat it at home.”

It’s not really about allergies or preferences; it’s just that Mrs. Jang doesn’t make Japanese food.

As someone who eats whatever’s provided, if I want to eat something different, it’s an opportunity that only comes when going out like this.

“Let’s go here.”

“Where is it?”

“It’s nearby, a sushi place.”

Fortunately, since the area was lively, there were many good restaurants.

We walked to a nearby sushi shop together with Hyeon-su.

“Welcome!”

“Two here, please.”

The shop owner gave us a strange glance as we, both wearing sunglasses, stood in line, but he tried to overlook it and seated us in a corner.

Looking around, thankfully not many people were there at that hour, so it seemed unlikely anyone would recognize me or Hyeon-su.

“What are you being so cautious about?”

As I was looking around, Hyeon-su asked while pondering the menu at our table.

“I’m worried someone might recognize us.”

“Ah, that’s something to be careful about.”

“Right?”

“Yeah, these days, some strange people tend to follow you.”

“Strange people?”

While we were casually talking, Hyeon-su mentioned something that was hard to let slip by.

“Oh, you mean paparazzi? Just the other day, while I was walking with the band senior, they took pictures of us from afar.”

“Wow, are those people really out there?”

“Yeah, I was a bit surprised myself last time. Oh, but it looks like there aren’t any today, so don’t worry.”

Wow… paparazzi.

It’s incredible that people I’d only seen on TV or in media are really out there chasing after celebrities.

“Did you never have such people around you?”

“Me? I don’t think so?”

I’m not entirely sure, but I believe I haven’t had to deal with them.

I’m not famous enough for that, right? Plus, I’ve never been a person who goes out much.

Though I have been going out more often these days, I really only trot back and forth from home to the academy, so if anyone did follow me, they surely would’ve dropped off quickly.

“Then that’s a relief. It’d be really annoying if someone stuck around.”

“If it were me, I’d be the same way.”

It’s truly a hassle once you become famous.

“I feel that way too, but it seems the people around me are also stressed about it.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, they probably feel uncomfortable with the watchful eyes.”

“Hmm… that makes sense.”

Since they’re in a relatively free environment, the presence of a photographer or a stalker would certainly be stressful for them.

“Just be careful in the future. There are a lot of celebrities around you, too.”

“Me? I don’t really know anyone.”

“You do, don’t you?”

“Yeah, I mean, who is there?”

With few friends, it’s unlikely to have many celebrities in my circle.

If I had to think of someone I know…

“Hmm….”

“There’s someone, right? I can think of one immediately.”

“Yeah, I guess there’s someone.”

“That person is pretty famous.”

“Right.”

When I think about it, I do have someone.

While Nam Han-kyung would fit that list since the filming just wrapped up, I’ve maintained ties with Moon Chang-sik for quite some time.

Since we’re part of the same agency.

“I can only imagine how much pressure he faces. I can’t even imagine how intense people might follow him around.”

“Right?”

Hyeon-su just became famous a few years ago, but Moon Chang-sik has been a renowned celebrity since his child acting days.

…So, has he occasionally avoided the attention when we met before?

Or maybe he has a knack for dodging it better.

“He seems like someone special, though. He hasn’t had any major scandals, has he?”

“Really? Isn’t there one?”

“No, these days, you can get dragged into a scandal just by bumping into someone, but he’s managed his private life remarkably well.”

Hmm… After listening to Hyeon-su, I pondered on Moon Chang-sik for a moment.

His image does manage to suggest he’s adept at avoiding scandals, but honestly, the image I recall doesn’t exactly scream someone cautious.

“Still, just in case, if we meet him later, be mindful of your surroundings.”

“Eh, surely not.”

Hyeon-su’s concern made me chuckle.

Even if I have a connection with him, how could a scandal possibly form between me and Moon Chang-sik?

I’ve only had a brief spark acting alongside a famous actor like him.

If a scandal were to arise, it would likely be with someone more prominent like Han Ye-eun.

“What if it did happen?”

Hyeon-su’s question made me pause for a moment.

What if there was…?

I imagined a headline reading [Moon Chang-sik, rumored to be in a relationship with junior actor K].

Hmm….

“Oh wow.”

The community would explode.

Just imagining it made my head spin from the dreadful thought.

“…I need to be careful.”

After all, until now, nothing like that has ever surfaced.

Well, as long as I’m cautious from now on, I should be good, right?

I mean, it shouldn’t emerge at this stage, should it? If it were going to, it would have happened much sooner.

“Yeah, just be careful.”

“Right, got your order set?”

“Here, this looks tasty.”

Afterward, we ordered sushi and ate, then returned home.

But the thought of scandals… I definitely need to be cautious.

I mean, who could even suspect that happening?

 

---